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Canadiens: Getting Ready For The Old Enemy

Brendan Gallagher trying to screen the Bruins goaltender - Photo credit:  Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

The Montreal Canadiens will face the Boston Bruins at the Bell Centre on Thursday night. Contrary to recent years, the Massachusetts outfit is dead last in the Eastern Conference, even behind the poor Buffalo Sabres. While the Habs are in the thick of the playoff race, the Bruins were sellers at the deadline and even traded captain Brad Marchand for a conditional second-round pick in the 2027 draft.

Canadiens: Kapanen To The Rescue
Canadiens: Kent Hughes Is Thinking Long Term
3 Takeaways And A New Nickname

The Bruins have lost their last six games and are 1-8-1 in their last ten, while the Canadiens have bounced back after a tough stretch with two consecutive wins against the defending Stanley Cup Champions Florida Panthers and are 4-3-3 in their last ten matches.

The Bruins have won the first two meetings between the two sides this season, 6-4 in October and 6-3 in December, and nine of the last 10 duels. The Canadiens only had an optional skate on Wednesday, so it’s too early to know if there will be any lineup changes. Still, the club announced that Oliver Kapanen would report to Montreal rather than Laval, and considering how little ice time Michael Pezzetta had had in the last two games, it wouldn’t be surprising if the new arrival was asked to take over. We’ll probably know more after Thursday’s morning skate.

While there’s no confirmation yet about the identity of Martin St-Louis’ starting netminder, it would be surprising to see Jakub Dobes in net, Samuel Montembeault is the likely starter. He has a 2-6-1 record against the Bruins, with a 4.16 goals-against average and a .876 save percentage, while Dobes has never played them.

The Canadiens will need to keep a close eye on David Pastrnak - Photo credit: Natalie Reid-Imagn Images 

At the other end of the ice, the Canadiens have never beaten Jeremy Swayman in regulation; he has a 9-0-1 record against them with a .900 SP and a 2.69 GAA. As for backup Jonas Korpisalo, he also has a solid 8-2-0 record against the Habs, with a .916 SP and a 2.49 GAA. Whoever starts will present a challenge for the Sainte-Flanelle.

Brendan Gallagher is the Canadiens’ most productive player against the Bruins, with 28 points in 42 games. Patrik Laine is next with 12 points in 15 games, and Josh Anderson is third with 12 points in 19 games. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield had two points in the last game against the Bruins and will be hoping to pick up where they left off.

For Boston, David Pastrnak will be looking for his 50th point against the Habs since he has 49 in just 31 games. Elias Lindholm is in second place with 24 points in 34 games, while Charlie McAvoy has 16 in 23.

The game is set to start at 7:00 PM and will be one of nine games on the schedule with playoffs race rivals Columbus Blue Jackets also being in action against the Colorado Avalanche.

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Five takeaways from Giants' excellent 2025 season-opening road trip

Five takeaways from Giants' excellent 2025 season-opening road trip originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — The Houston Astros run a promotion at Daikin Park that borrows from the old “steal a taco” campaign from the World Series. If an Astro steals a base, every fan will get a coupon for five free wings from Pluckers Wing Bar as they exit the park. There’s a funny graphic that flashes across the scoreboard when the wings are clinched, but they had to wait until the second inning of the final game of their series with the Giants to use it.

Jeremy Peña drew a one-out walk and successfully snagged second against backup catcher Sam Huff. What was so notable about it — aside from the free wings, of course — was the fact that it was the first attempt against the Giants all season. They’re the only team in the Majors with fewer than three attempts against them. 

While opponents aren’t running, the Giants are. Seemingly every year they talk in the offseason and spring of being more aggressive on the bases, and through six games they’ve finally gained an edge in an area where they’ve been thoroughly outmanned in recent seasons. 

The Giants allowed the third-most stolen bases in the big leagues last year and ranked 29th in the Majors on the offensive side. They were minus-78 on the bases, and you have to go back to 2021 for the last time they stole more bases than they allowed. They didn’t even run that much that season, but with Buster Posey in the squat, they allowed just 53 stolen bases. Two years later, that number ballooned to 124, and they stole just 57.

Last season, the Giants allowed 146 stolen bases, but that wasn’t on their catcher. Patrick Bailey won a Gold Glove Award despite working with a pitching staff that was generally slow to the plate and did a poor job of holding runners. Bailey has made four starts this season — including a pair against Elly De La Cruz and the Cincinnati Reds — and has yet to get a chance to test his arm. That’s a good thing.

“My shoulder is going to feel a lot better,” he said, laughing. 

Bailey said the credit goes to his pitchers. They are doing a better job of holding runners, led by Opening Day starter Logan Webb, who watched the opposition succeed in 21 of 26 attempts last year. Webb has spent years trying to patch that hole in his game and has dropped about 0.2 seconds off his times to the plate thanks to a mechanical change this spring. 

“I’m just trying to give him a chance,” Webb said of Bailey.

Given Bailey’s skill set, there’s no reason why the Giants shouldn’t excel at controlling the running game if their pitchers do their part. That would flip a deficiency into a huge strength for a team that’s 5-1 to start the season. 

“Something we put an emphasis on this spring is being quicker to the plate, and I think for the most part our guys have been good,” manager Bob Melvin said. “We’ve had some leads as well. But I think it’s the emphasis and understanding that especially with a staff that gets a lot of groundballs, if we can keep guys from going to second base, the groundball is always in play, too.”

The Giants also stole six bases on the trip, with Mike Yastrzemski leading the way with a pair. They attempted a double-steal Wednesday, and both runners scored when Heliot Ramos smoked a ball into the gap. Perhaps it’s time to come up with a wing-related promotion for Oracle Park? The running game was one area that really stood out on a successful trip that featured strong pitching and clean baseball. Here are four more:

Living Up To The Hype

Through five wins, Melvin still hasn’t gotten to use his preferred trio in the final three innings, but all that has done is show off the depth of the bullpen. 

When Ryan Walker’s back flared up, Camilo Doval stepped in and threw a 1-2-3 ninth. Walker looked like his normal self on Monday and Tuesday, but that workload sidelined him Wednesday. Doval again stepped in for the quick save. 

Randy Rodriguez was the hero earlier in the game by getting out of a jam, and he had a tantalizing first week. Erik Miller has three scoreless appearances and whipped 99 mph past Yordan Alvarez earlier this week. Tyler Rogers is doing what he does; he’s appeared in four of six games and hasn’t allowed a run. 

Melvin plans to have Doval and Rogers set up for Walker once everyone resets. If this version of Rodriguez is your fourth right-hander in the pen, you’re in tremendous shape, and so far the Giants haven’t paid for carrying just one lefty. 

The bullpen had a 1.74 ERA on the trip and allowed just 13 hits in 20 2/3 innings. It looks like it’s going to be one of the best and deepest groups in baseball. 

Get A Bigger Trophy Case

Jordan Hicks was painting the corners on Monday, and his catcher made sure that home plate umpire Todd Tichenor came along for the ride. During Hicks’ dominant second inning against the Astros, Bailey provided a reminder of why he’s known as the game’s best pitch-framer: 

A couple of times on the trip, Giants relievers made a face at the umpire after a close pitch was called a ball. Both times the call was correct, but Bailey had pulled the pitch into the zone, making it look better than it was. Nobody is better at it, and it’ll be a very, very easy Gold Glove case if runners continue to shy away from testing him.

The Giants have had four Gold Glove catchers in franchise history. None of the previous three — including Posey — won a second one, but Bailey entered the year as the heavy favorite in the National League and nothing has changed through six games.

Taking The Next Step? 

On April 4 last year, Heliot Ramos was in Reno, playing right field and batting fifth for the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats. On Friday, he will get a huge ovation at Oracle Park, where the home fans are hopeful that a superstar is developing before their eyes. 

With apologies to Wilmer Flores, the biggest offensive development on the trip was Ramos continuing to show that last season was no fluke — and that even better days might be ahead. Ramos had the best OPS in the NL last year against left-handed pitchers, and early on this season he has three homers against righties. He comes home with an even 1.000 OPS, and he has played strong defense in left field. 

It’s enough to make you wonder where this is headed. Will he break the 30-homer drought and keep going for 40? Will he graduate from All-Star to MVP candidate? 

It’s been six games, but Ramos has raised his ceiling.

“It’s huge,” Matt Chapman said. “I think you’re going to see him take another step forward this season. When he’s hitting the way he’s hitting and playing that great defense, it’s just another guy that’s going to help us win a ton of baseball games.”

Finding Their Fit

On Monday afternoon, Casey Schmitt stood near the bag at first and fielded some grounders as the Giants took batting practice. He did the same on Tuesday, and in the seventh, he jogged over to play the position in a game for the first time since summer ball six years ago. A day later, he was the starting first baseman against Cy Young candidate Framber Valdez. 

Without Jerar Encarnacion, the Giants have an odd bench. There’s a backup catcher, a right-handed-hitting outfielder, and two righty infielders who don’t have much exposure to first base. They also have a lineup full of true everyday players for the first time since the Bruce Bochy years, and that’s made it hard for Melvin to keep everyone involved. 

Playing first base against lefties is a way for Schmitt to get on the field, and he said he was thrilled about that. It will be harder to find reps for Christian Koss, who made just one appearance on the trip.

Hayden Birdsong was the last member of the Opening Day roster to play in 2025, and that will continue to be a puzzle for the staff. The Giants don’t want to harm his development as a starter, and they believed that they could find enough innings early on to keep him stretched out. Birdsong threw a bullpen session in Cincinnati to prepare to back up Hicks in Houston, but Hicks worked so quickly that he got through six innings the first time out, and the lead was turned over to Doval in the seventh. 

Birdsong did end up pitching Wednesday, but threw just two innings and 26 pitches. The staff wanted to reward young players who earned the Opening Day roster honor, but it has been difficult to find time for them all. It would be a surprise if the same 26 players are on the flight to New York in a week. 

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Jaylen shares update on knee injury, how he plans to manage pain

Jaylen shares update on knee injury, how he plans to manage pain originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Jaylen Brown scored a team-high 24 points in the Boston Celtics’ loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday. But the right knee injury that kept him out of six of Boston’s previous 13 games clearly is still impacting him.

“I was in some pain today,” Brown told reporters after Wednesday’s game at TD Garden. “But you know, just pushing through it, trying to find ways to still be aggressive and add value to the team and stuff like that. Just something I gotta work through and manage.”

Brown looked visibly hobbled at times during Wednesday’s game yet still hit 10 of his 20 shots to go along with nine rebounds and four assists. The Celtics star suggested the ailment — which the team has described as a “right knee posterior impingement” — will simply need to be managed on a nightly basis.

“It’s a good step forward,” Brown said of playing with the injury. “I’ve had to come to grips that every night I’m not gonna feel my normal self, but that doesn’t mean I still can’t make plays and things like that. So, it’s just something that we are working through. Today was a good step forward.”

Brown has played in 60 games this season, and he’d need to play in at least five of the Celtics’ final six regular-season games to hit the 65-game threshold of eligibility for awards like All-NBA and Defensive Player of the Year.

Brown insisted that threshold has zero impact on his decision to play or not play, and that his goal is to be in a good place health-wise when the playoffs begin.

“I’ve got some stuff lined up with the medical staff in order to feel better come playoffs,” Brown said. “But for now, just mentally working through not feeling great, but still (being) able to find ways to be effective.

“… I’ve seen some specialists and stuff like that, but we’ve got a great medical staff, and we’ve got good people around. Come playoffs, my goal is to be feeling my best, so we’re just working through that.

“It’s a thing that we kind of manage and push through, but we’ve got a good plan in place.”

With the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed essentially locked up, Celtics fans probably wouldn’t hate to see Brown take a few games off down the stretch, even if it disqualifies him from making All-NBA. The C’s will have about a week off between the end of the regular season and the first round as they await the winner of the NBA play-in tournament, however, so Brown will at least have that time to make sure his knee is right for the postseason.

Boston’s next game is Friday night at TD Garden against the Phoenix Suns at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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Stephen A Smith v LeBron James turns NBA’s narrator into a main character

LeBron James and Stephen A Smith greet each other before a game in 2022.Photograph: MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News/Getty Images

Who would win in a fight between LeBron James and Stephen A Smith is a question only Stephen A Smith would think to ask. There has been little avoiding the question since the Los Angeles Lakers superstar confronted ESPN’s No 1 personality during a recent game against the New York Knicks. The player was venting his displeasure at Smith for his pointed comments about James’s eldest son, and Lakers teammate, Bronny – the 55th pick in last year’s NBA draft.

James approached Smith, a courtside spectator for the game, and appeared to tell him to “keep my son out of this shit” – a callback to Smith questioning whether Bronny deserved to be on a league roster. Smith went on TV the next day to make clear that he wasn’t actually picking on Bronny, the player; he was really calling out LeBron as a bad father for setting a high bar for his son’s pro career. Smith would come back to this point often while making the media rounds after signing a $100m ESPN extension. That should have been the end of the argument – but then last week LeBron sat down with Pat McAfee, whose show follows Smith’s on ESPN, and dismissed Smith as an ice cream-bingeing, couch-bound fanboy.

That set the stage last Thursday for Smith to make his most unhinged ESPN appearance yet. Among other things, he bashed James for skipping the hall of fame induction ceremony for his friend and former teammate Dwyane Wade and for skipping Kobe Bryant’s funeral – claims that were made in bad faith, as it turned out. Viewers were quick to remind Smith that James had indeed attended Bryant’s funeral, and had a pretty good excuse for missing Wade’s ceremony: Bronny had just suffered a cardiac arrest. But the wildest shot by far was the 6ft 1in, 57-year-old Smith saying he “would have immediately swung on” James if the 6ft 9in, 250lb NBA forward had “put hands on me.” That was the moment when the sports world realized its narrator had made himself a main character – although Smith did at least have the good sense to admit he would have lost the fight.

Smith definitely has main character energy; he’s the ESPN omniscient who struts into the arena dressed to the nines while cameras are rolling, just like the players, and cries blasphemy! at the ideas that offend his logic. For a minimum of two hours on weekdays, the native New Yorker can be seen offering up his singular brand of hysterically provocative opinions on ESPN’s morning show, First Take. That’s when he’s not serving up cultural takes on his podcast or entertaining a run for president on The Sean Hannity Show or acting on General Hospital. It’s enough to make you wonder if Smith ever sleeps or runs out of steam.

I can’t knock Smith’s hustle. He has been starting arguments as far back as the late-1980s, when he was a scholarship basketball player at Winston-Salem State in North Carolina – a powerhouse historically Black College. Tim Grant, a longtime Winston-Salem hoops assistant, remembers dividing the team between two vans for one far-flung away game, and his boss – the legendary coach Clarence “Big House” Gaines – picking Smith to ride with him in the one that didn’t have a functioning radio. (“He’ll talk all the way to Memphis,” Gaines quipped.) While writing for the college paper, Smith called for Gaines – who trailed only Kentucky’s Adolph Rupp on the NCAA’s all-time wins list – to retire. “But then my dad helped him get his first gig at the Greensboro News & Record, a newspaper,” says Clarence Gaines Jr, a respected former NBA scout. (Smith’s playing career was ultimately cut short by a freak knee injury.)

Within six years Smith was on the Philadelphia 76ers beat covering Allen Iverson – a close relationship that set the stage for his rise. He broke through at ESPN in 2005 as a talkshow host and NBA analyst, only to wind up out of a job four years later when he and the network couldn’t agree on a new contract. He’d spend the next two years in TV wilderness – on CNN one minute weighing in on the government intervention in Wall Street pay practices, on ABC the next playing a bit part as a fixer on America’s longest-running soap – before ESPN brought him back as a debate partner for Skip Bayless, another columnist who became a TV blowhard.

With Bayless, Smith turned the network from a journalism paragon that once penalized on-air personalities for expressing their political views to the wanton clickbait farm where Smith now measures himself against McAfee – the ex-NFL punter turned $85m show pony who has filled ESPN with frat house energy. Sadly, that includes amplifying dismal rumors about a teenage college student. Still: even within the mad scramble of the sports media hunger games, there’s something surreal in seeing Smith – an NBA booster for a TV rights holder – get sucked into a slanging match with the biggest name in the sport. In response to Smith’s fighting words, James posted a clip of Smith creakily swinging at a boxing trainer’s padded hands.

Smith has had manyepic rants over the course of long career, but this is the first one that feels truly personal. (Some observers reckon the bad blood goes back to Smith spending years promoting Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player of all time over James.) It also has James, the most media friendly superstar in sports since he entered the NBA in 2003, acting out of character. The egos in conflict here are unfathomably large. “I was here before he got here in 2003, and, in all likelihood I’m going to be here when he’s gone,” Smith said – as if James isn’t also a media mogul in his own right. It’s a weird flex coming from a soap opera actor, even if drama is the point.

Sport feuds tend not to break out when the athlete and the media star are both at the top of the game. Muhammad Ali and Howard Cosell never feuded publicly, but they did have plenty of on-air exchanges full of sharp words and good-natured banter – with Ali getting in the best jabs at Cosell’s hairpieces and speaking cadence. And even when Cosell did buck up and say Ali was past his prime as the champ kept on fighting into his late-30s, most saw those blows for what they were: tough love.

It used to be that if a sports journalist criticized an athlete on the record, they faced them afterward to accept the consequences – so give Smith some credit for making himself available for James’s broadside. He could have maintained the higher ground by acknowledging theaudacity (to borrow Smith’s words) of the most prominent Black man in media calling another Black man who grew up fatherless a bad dad for – checks notes – raising a son who somehow managed to beat the odds and achieve his own NBA dream. Instead, Smith tripled and quadrupled down.

Besides, Bronny’s rookie struggles don’t mean he doesn’t belong in the NBA – players often take a while to find their feet. Reed Sheppard and Tidjane Salaun, who went No 3 and No 6 overall in last year’s draft, have spent time in the G-League alongside Bronny, and Smith hasn’t spent significant airtime interrogating their pro prospects. No, LeBron hooking up his kid with his job isn’t the best argument for fair play – even though LeBron has pulled that move before with his high school teammates to gangbusters effect. But the second round of the draft is kind of a crapshoot anyway. The Lakers could’ve done worse than pick Bronny over a similar caliber player who hasn’t been in their orbit for the past six years. And after Bronny’s furious run to close the G-league season, who can’t say the Lakers were justified in taking the flyer?

There’s a saying in journalism: never become the story. By beefing with James, Smith shows why his opinions shouldn’t be regarded as anything more than an exercise in making television. The longer he runs his yap, the more he ruins the games by making them all about him. Sports discourse overall is poorer for it.

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James Tarkowski should have been sent off against Liverpool, admits PGMOL

  • Everton defender booked for challenge on Mac Allister
  • VAR should have recommended review of tackle

The referees’ body, Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL), has acknowledged that Everton’s James Tarkowski should have been sent off in defeat at Liverpool on Wednesday. The defender was only cautioned for an early reckless challenge on Alexis Mac Allister, described as a “Merseyside derby tackle of old”.

The referee, Sam Barrott, gave Tarkowski a yellow card and David Moyes conceded the defender was fortunate to stay on the pitch. PGMOL believes the video assistant referee, Paul Tierney, should have recommended a review.

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Report: Morant, Hield issued warnings for ‘inappropriate' gestures

Report: Morant, Hield issued warnings for ‘inappropriate' gestures originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The NBA concluded its investigation of the viral antics at the end of the Golden State Warriors’ win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night.

After the league reportedly looked into Grizzlies star Ja Morant and Warriors guard Buddy Hield appearing to use finger gun gestures toward each other in the final seconds of Golden State’s 134-125 win, the NBA deemed the actions were not intended to be violent in nature, but were inappropriate and issued warnings to both players and their respective teams, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Thursday, citing sources.

Things got chippy between the two teams with 20 seconds remaining in the game, as both Morant and Hield were issued double-technical fouls after the Warriors guard appeared to make the gesture first.

Morant previously was suspended twice for flashing a gun on Instagram live videos in 2023, with the first being an eight-game suspension for having a gun at a Denver nightclub. The second video happened over the summer, when he flashed what appeared to be a gun in a car and had to serve a 25-game suspension.

And while the NBA doesn’t believe the gestures were violent in nature, it still took action in the form of warnings.

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Why Kerr believes Steph earns fewer foul calls than other NBA stars

Why Kerr believes Steph earns fewer foul calls than other NBA stars originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors coach Steve Kerr has a theory about why superstar Steph Curry doesn’t receive the same amount of foul calls as other NBA stars.

In speaking to 95.7 The Game’s “Willard and Dibs” on Wednesday, Kerr detailed how he believes Curry’s style of play is hard to officiate for league refs.

“Trust me, it does not, because I’ve been trying that for 10 years,” Kerr told Willard and Dibley about Curry pleading for foul calls not being a successful tactic. “It has not helped at all. I just think Steph is a very different player than all the other stars in the league. He’s the only star who plays off the ball as much as he does. 

“And he’s the only guy who faces the kind of face-guarding – we call it top-locking defense – and I think what happens sometimes is the officials just aren’t used to making that call, where he’s being held and grabbed away from the basket; to me, those should be automatic fouls.”

Curry has averaged 3.9 free-throw attempts throughout his 16-year career and 4.0 over 63 games during the 2024-25 NBA season. 

As Kerr – and Dub Nation – know all too well, Curry doesn’t get the same whistles as the league’s other top names.

For example, Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a leading candidate for his first NBA MVP award, has averaged 8.1 free throws over 72 games; and that’s not even his highest figure, as he averaged 9.8 in 2022-23. Similarly, Los Angeles Clippers star and known charity-stripe connoisseur James Harden is averaging 7.3 this season, but that’s low compared to his 11.8 in 2019-2020.

Kerr has done years of complaining on Curry’s behalf. But the coach just doesn’t believe the refs give Curry the same credit they do other stars because of his unique, off-ball style.

“The league makes a point of talking about freedom of movement, but let’s face it, most of the league plays pick-and-roll,” Kerr told Willard and Dibley. “And so they’re used to calling pick-and-roll fouls and seeing that kind of action. 

“I don’t think our officials are as used to seeing off-ball stuff; honestly, that’s my biggest complaint when I’m talking to the refs or send clips to the league; it’s almost always about off-ball holding of Steph because that’s supposed to be a foul.”

Defenders often hold onto Curry’s jersey and body for dear life when guarding the four-time NBA champion on the perimeter. But perhaps officiating crews are focused on other things.

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Cincinnati meets UCF in CBC

The Bearcats are 8-14 against Big 12 opponents and 11-1 in non-conference play. Cincinnati scores 70.9 points and has outscored opponents by 5.3 points per game. The Knights are 8-14 in Big 12 play.

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New Warriors face legit NBA playoff audition against new Lakers

New Warriors face legit NBA playoff audition against new Lakers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The last time Stephen Curry saw the Los Angeles Lakers, he jacked up 35 shots. Not because he wanted to but because he justifiably felt his scoring gave the Warriors their best chance of winning. His solo errand ended in defeat.           

The first time Curry faced the Lakers this season, on Christmas Day, he scored 38 points, 13 in the final three minutes, including a game-tying 3-pointer with 7.6 seconds left. Six seconds later, Lakers guard Austin Reaves slashed in for the game-winning layup.

Those were the Warriors of another era. Or so it seems. The arrival of Jimmy Butler III has added dimension and altered their outlook. Golden State, 0-3 against LA this season, has an opportunity to validate its resurgence Thursday, when they face the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena.

“Completely different team,” coach Steve Kerr told reporters Tuesday night in Memphis. “Jimmy saved our season. The trade saved our season.”

Curry has averaged 31.8 points over his last 10 regular-season games against LA, and the Warriors won only three of those games. Butler during that time was with the Miami Heat. He’s a Warrior now, and Curry has his most complete offensive sidekick since June 2019.

Acquiring Butler not only pumped life into a fading season, but it also instilled within Curry a renewed faith in the team. And, therefore, his mission.

“He has a presence about him,” Curry said of Butler after the Warriors’ 134-125 win over the Grizzlies. “He’s always under control, making the right play, [exploiting] advantages when he gets in the paint, getting to the line, finishing at the rim. … He just always makes the right play.

“And when I’m off the court, he’s lifting the level of guys around him. He’s a gamer.”

Butler fills many of the gaps that previously had the Warriors handcuffed to mediocrity. They’ve gone from climbing on Curry’s back and hoping it would be enough to succeed to hitching themselves to both stars and believing they’re supposed to win.

“That’s why the trade makes so much sense for us, and why the results have been there ever since,” Curry said. “It’s a great tandem in terms of two different styles.”

Golden State’s collective certitude was visible Tuesday in Memphis. The Warriors built a 17-point lead in the first quarter, lost all of it by the third quarter – before coming back, surviving 10 fourth-quarter lead changes, and closing out the win with a 13-3 run over the final 2:24.

Butler scored six of those 13 points, all on free throws. Curry accounted for two points, also on free throws. The only field goals were a tip-in by Brandin Podziemski and a corner 3-ball by Moses Moody that put the Grizzlies to sleep.

“The roster makes sense,” Kerr said, citing Butler as the missing piece. “We’ve got guys who are competitive and tough and smart. As Steph talked about, he wanted to play meaningful basketball again. He’s getting to do that. We’re all getting to do that, and it’s a lot of fun.”

Those field goals by Podziemski and Moody were consequential and, perhaps offered a glimpse of what is possible in games to come, beginning Thursday night in LA. The win at Memphis served as an audition for the high-stakes expectations for Podziemski and Moody and the under-25 members of the Warriors.

This was two teams with their hearts on display, dueling for NBA playoff positioning, with a frenzied pace and consistent intensity. Curry was at his best, scoring 52 points, but this game sought to answer another question:

Who, besides Draymond Green (a triple-double) and Butler (27 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals), would ensure Curry’s brilliance would be rewarded?

Podziemski and Moody provided an answer. Unproductive on offense most of the night, they made gigantic plays over the final 71 seconds. They showed up at winning time.

“We love playing meaningful games,” Curry said. “Coach said it before the game, that this is a meaningful game. All the rest of them down the regular season are going to be like this. So, for us to be able to step up the way we did [was a] total team effort.

“But I like me and Jimmy leading it.”

Curry and Green would not have been able to will Golden State’s youngsters into and through the postseason. The kids are still struggling in their efforts to trying to decipher the code that maximizes Curry.

Green knows it. Butler solved it in in two weeks. Are those two enough against premier competition? Can the youngsters, with the guidance of the vets, provide adequate support?

The outcome against the Lakers, revived with Luka Doncić joining forces with LeBron James, should provide a hint.

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Plaschke: Who says the Dodgers can't go 162-0? Dramatic win over Braves extends a perfect start

Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani celebrates as he approaches home plate after hitting a walk-off home run.
Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani celebrates as he approaches home plate after hitting a walk-off home run against the Atlanta Braves Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

162-0?

Why not?

Shohei Ohtani is rounding the bases with his right fist in the air and Dodger Stadium is shaking with its roar filling the sky and anything is possible.

162-0?

Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani points and celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a walk off home run.
Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani points and celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a walk off home run against the Atlanta Braves Wednesday at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

It could never happen. But after Wednesday night, are you willing to say it can’t happen?

The Dodgers were seemingly destroying their season-opening, seven-game win streak with their worst game in several seasons, stumbling to a 5-0 deficit against the Atlanta Braves and apparently ready to pack it in until …

Until Tommy Edman homered in the second inning.

Until Michael Conforto homered in the fourth.

Until Max Muncy clawed back from two errors to blast a game-tying two-run double in the eighth.

Until Ohtani celebrated his bobblehead night with a walk-off home run in the ninth.

Anything is possible? Everything is possible.

Read more:Shohei Ohtani hits walk-off homer on his bobblehead night to keep Dodgers undefeated

In less than three hours, the Dodgers went from nightmare to history, from tainted to unblemished, from questionable to undeniable, all part of a thrill ride that symbolized the unbelievable start by baseball’s greatest team

162-Oh my Lord.

The Dodgers dramatically showed that the heady beginning of their 2025 season is about more than muscle, there’s also magic. It’s the only explanation for what happened in a 6-5 victory over the Braves that pushed their record to 8-0, the best unbeaten start by a defending champion in baseball history.

They will eventually lose … right? These breaks will surely turn against them one day … yes?

Maybe. Who knows? For now, they look flat-out unbeatable.

“I think each night we’re unbeatable, and we’ll see how that works out,” said manager Dave Roberts afterward with an amazed smile.

Dodgers third base Max Muncy hits a two-run double in the eighth inning to tie the Atlanta Braves 5-5 Wednesday night.
Dodgers third base Max Muncy hits a two-run double in the eighth inning to tie the Atlanta Braves 5-5 Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

Working out pretty good so far. It’s not just that the Dodgers are winning games. As Wednesday showed, it’s how they’re winning games, this time triumphing despite three errors and two base-running blunders and one misplayed fly balls.

“Tonight I was a little dumbfounded,” said Roberts. “I was dumbfounded with the way we were playing. I didn’t recognize that club in the first couple innings. And then just dumbfounded we found a way to win that game. We had no business winning that game. But to our guys’ credit, we just kept fighting.”

Presumptive ace Blake Snell is shaky for a second consecutive start, allowing five unearned runs fueled by four walks, and what happens? He is rescued by a scoreless five innings pieced together by relievers named Ben Casparius, Kirby Yates and Jack Dreyer.

Will somebody please explain just who is Jack Dreyer?

Read more:Plaschke: If Dodgers want to be a dynasty, they must win the World Series again

“Tonight, obviously, was the worst game we’ve played,” said Roberts. “But the ‘pen has been fantastic.”

Then there was Muncy, after two throwing errors and three lousy plate appearances in a season full of them, ditching his new torpedo bat for his old faithful and tying the game with one of his trademark big swings in the eighth.

“It’s been fun … it feels like this clubhouse is carrying a little bit of the attitude we had last year that we’re never out of a game and we’re resilient, and we’ve been carrying it into this season,” Muncy said, later adding, “The guys don’t give up. Bad things have happened, and no one’s really been down or out on themselves. Everyone’s just all right, here we go, next inning, let’s get after it.”

Don’t forget Michael Conforto, running into an out and killing a rally, but still having the composure to set up Muncy’s big hit with a leadoff single in the eighth.

"Every game, every at-bat matters, every play … the focus doesn't waiver, the compete,” said Roberts.

Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández congratulates teammate Michael Conforto after he hit a fourth inning home run.
Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández congratulates teammate Michael Conforto after he hit a fourth inning home run against the Braves Wednesday at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

Finally, of course, there is Ohtani, and there’s only one way to describe a guy who rewarded those fans who lined up five hours before the game for his bobblehead doll with a real live neck- turner.

“Shohei being Shohei at the end,” Roberts said for the umpteenth time.

So when are they going to lose? You tell me, when are they going to lose?

An obvious spot would be in two games, on Saturday in Philadelphia, when Phillies’ veteran Aaron Nola stares down struggling kid Roki Sasaki. But Nola was hammered by the Washington Nationals in his first game this year and the Dodgers offense has already saved Sasaki once.

After the Phillies’ weekend series the Dodgers play three games against the wretched Nationals and three against the Chicago Cubs, who they’ve already beaten twice in two attempts.

After the Cubs series, they play 20 games against the sorry likes of Colorado, Texas, the Cubs again, Pittsburgh, Miami, Atlanta and Miami again.

That brings them to a four-game series in Arizona in early May. OK, with the intense history between the two, the Dodgers could lose there.

At that point, they would be 36-0, and would that really shock you?

This is all hyperbole, of course. Two days from now they could already be 8-1 and nobody would blink.

But the point is, they’re good enough to warrant such fantasies. Think about it. They’ve beaten two Cy Young award winners. They’ve won amid the distraction of two opening days. They’ve won with ailing Mookie Betts and injured Freddie Freeman having played together in just two of the eight games. They’ve won with shutout starting pitching. They’ve won with anonymous relievers.

And now they’ve pulled off a big-time comeback win on a night they mostly looked like Little Leaguers.

“We knew going in we were talented. ... I actually like it in the sense that no one’s too high right now,” said Roberts "The pitching has been very good, the defense has been solid but up and down our lineup there’s only a couple guys who are really swinging the bats the way we’re capable, ... outside of that …guys are really thinking about how they could get better right now ... which is a pretty scary thought for the rest of the league."

Scary enough that before the game, I actually asked Roberts if they feel unbeatable.

“I guess if you say that if every single night we take the field do I feel like we’re going to win?” he said. “Yeah.”

He added, “I know that the math says that we’re not going to go 162-0, but each night we take the field I feel like we’re going to win, so, whatever that means.”

Right now, it means he’s been right eight times in eight games, a perfect record, a perfect start, only the beginning.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Bub Carrington, Tristan Vukcevic shine for Wizards

While some other lottery-bound teams have not been transparent about how they'll handle their rosters the rest of the season, there have been few secrets in the nation's capital. It's been established that the team's younger players will get all the minutes they can handle, give or take a few if some of the Wizards' vets are available. But fantasy managers know they'll see the youngster playing rotation minutes. As a result, some players have begun to provide tangible fantasy value during the stretch run.

Washington's win over Sacramento was spearheaded by some of the team's younger options, including PG/SG Bub Carrington (14%), C Tristan Vukcevic (9%) and SG AJ Johnson (2%). Carrington and Johnson scored 19 points apiece and provided solid overall stat lines, while Vukcevic chipped in with 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists, one block and two three-pointers off the bench.

Carrington, who has been close to a top-75 player over the past week, supplemented his 19 points with two rebounds, seven assists and five three-pointers, with the five triples matching his season-high. Johnson added two rebounds, six asists, one steal and two three-pointers to his 19 points before fouling out. Carrington has been the most valuable of the three, and one can also throw Justin Champagnie (13 percent rostered, Yahoo!) into the mix. But all will continue to have their chances to produce, and the Wizards play games on Thursday and Sunday to end Week 22.

Let's look at a few other low-rostered standouts from Wednesday's slate:

SF/PF Tari Eason (47%), Houston Rockets

The Rockets played Wednesday's game against the Jazz without Fred VanVleet, who sat out due to soreness in the same ankle he injured earlier this season. That opened up a spot in the lineup for Eason, who finished the blowout win over Utah with a solid line of 15 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals, two blocks and one three-pointer in 24 minutes. Also of note was Dillon Brooks picking up his 16th technical foul of the season, which triggers an automatic one-game suspension. Even if VanVleet can play in Friday's game against the Thunder, Eason may stay in the starting lineup due to Brooks' suspension.

PG/SG Isaiah Collier (26%), Utah Jazz

Sure, the Jazz were beaten by a 143-105 final score. But that should not take away from Collier's stat line, which was one of the best of his rookie campaign. The first-round pick shot 7-of-11 from the field and 6-of-8 from the foul line, scoring 22 points with five rebounds, 10 assists, one block, two three-pointers and zero turnovers. The ride hasn't always been smooth, but Collier has done enough to hold onto the starting point guard role since late-January, while 2023 first-round pick Keyonte George continues to come off the bench.

PG Jose Alvarado (18%), New Orleans Pelicans

Alvarado's fantasy value over the past two weeks hasn't been much to write home about, as he's been a 12th-round player in eight-cat formats. However, with CJ McCollum done for the season, there's reason to roll the dice on "Grand Theft Alvarado." And he rewarded deep-league managers on Wednesday, finishing the Pelicans' loss to the Clippers with 17 points, two rebounds, 10 assists and one steal in 27 minutes. A 0-of-5 night from three isn't good, but Alvarado was 7-of-11 from two.

PG/SG Davion Mitchell (15%) and SG Pelle Larsson (9%), Miami Heat

Mitchell gave the Heat good minutes off the bench in their 21-point win over Boston, tallying 13 points, four rebounds, seven assists, three steals and three three-pointers in 34 minutes. He has been a top 100 player over the past two weeks. As for Larsson, he made his third consecutive start, finishing with 16 points, four rebounds, four assists, one steal and two three-pointers in 30 minutes. The second-round pick out of Arizona has scored in double figures in three straight games and should have added value as long as Andrew Wiggins and Duncan Robinson remain out.

SG/SF Tim Hardaway Jr. (8%), Detroit Pistons

Before Sunday's loss to the Timberwolves, Hardaway had not scored 20 points or more in consecutive games this season. He's now met or exceeded that number in three straight, most recently finishing Wednesday's loss to the Thunder with 23 points, three rebounds, three assists and five three-pointers. Hardaway's lackluster defensive stats make him a tough sell in most fantasy leagues. Still, his ceiling has been raised due to the continued absence of Cade Cunningham, and Tobias Harris exiting Wednesday's game with a case of Achilles tendinopathy.

C DeAndre Jordan (2%), Denver Nuggets

None of the Nuggets' usual starters were available for Wednesday's game, resulting in multiple players not usually in the rotation logging significant minutes. Jordan was one of those replacements, and he finished the loss to the Spurs with 10 points, 17 rebounds, one assist, one steal and one blocked shot in 36 minutes. Streaming him paid dividends for the few who took the plunge, especially if they needed rebounding production. Also, Jalen Pickett (zero percent) recorded his first triple-double, finishing with 17 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, one steal and three three-pointers. Neither Pickett nor Jordan is worth holding onto, as the Nuggets should be much closer to full strength when they visit the Warriors on Saturday.

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Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Pirates option David Bednar; Rangers going with Luke Jackson

David Bednar

David Bednar

Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

In this week's closer report, the Pirates made a surprising move, sending David Bednar to the minors amid his struggles on the mound. Mason Miller's strikeouts propel him to the top spot in the rankings. And the Rangers go with Luke Jackson in the ninth-inning role. All that and more as we look at the closer landscape after the first week of baseball.

Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings

Tier 1: At the Top

Mason Miller - Athletics
Emmanuel Clase - Cleveland Guardians
Devin Williams - New York Yankees
Josh Hader - Houston Astros

Miller takes over the top spot with an electric first showing as he struck out the side in his one appearance for his first save against the Mariners. He then got some work in on Wednesday with the Athletics down against the Cubs, striking out two more in a scoreless inning. The 26-year-old right-hander has the best all-around skillset at the closer position. It's only a matter of how many save chances the Athletics can get him.

Clase did nothing to alleviate any concerns following his postseason performance. He gave up a run on three hits to blow a save his first time out. He bounced back his next time out with a scoreless frame, striking out one batter in a non-save situation. Despite the blown save, it's too early to warrant any legitimate concern.

Williams was also shaky in his first outing, giving up a run on two hits and a walk before holding on for his first save with the Yankees. He's absent from the team for a couple days while on the paternity list. Luke Weaver remains next in line to step in for saves.

Hader followed the trend of turbulent first outings as he surrendered a run before holding on for the save on Opening Day against the Mets. He followed up with his second save in a scoreless appearance against the Mets two days later.

Tier 2: The Elite

Ryan Helsley - St. Louis Cardinals
Edwin Díaz - New York Mets
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners
Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves

Helsley has been impressive over his first few outings. The 30-year-old right-hander has six strikeouts with two hits and no walks allowed over three scoreless innings with one save so far for the Cardinals. In New York, Díaz struck out one batter in a clean outing for his first save against the Astros, then pitched a scoreless eighth in a tie game against the Marlins. Meanwhile, Muñoz has locked down three saves with five strikeouts over three scoreless frames.

Iglesias is still searching for his first save as the Braves have yet to win a game. He fired a scoreless inning with one strikeout in a non-save situation his first time out, then entered in the eighth against the Dodgers on Wednesday with a two-run lead and blew the save on a two-run double by Max Muncy. Iglesias returned in the bottom of the ninth and surrendered the walk-off homer by Shohei Ohtani.

Tier 3: The Solid Options

Jeff Hoffman - Toronto Blue Jays
Robert Suarez - San Diego Padres
Ryan Walker - San Francisco Giants
Jhoan Duran - Minnesota Twins
Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers
Félix Bautista - Baltimore Orioles

Hoffman looks sharp in the early going after some off-season concerns. The 32-year-old right-hander has been busy, recording three saves with one run allowed and five strikeouts to no walks over four innings of work.

Suarez has been lights out to start the season. He converted his third save with a clean outing against the Guardians on Wednesday. The 34-year-old right-hander has not allowed a hit, walking one batter and striking out four through three innings.

Walker picked up an Opening Day save against the Reds. The 29-year-old right-hander was then held out for the following two days as he was dealing with some back tightness. Camilo Doval stepped in for a clean save in his absence. Walker returned to lock down his second save, striking out two batters against the Astros. With Walker unavailable Wednesday after pitching in back-to-back games, Doval filled in once again for his second save.

Duran had a rough go his first time out, recording one out and giving up one run on two walks and a hit. He bounced back with a scoreless outing against the White Sox in a non-save situation. The 27-year-old right-hander is still searching for his first save chance.

After Scott saw one of the two save chances during the Tokyo Series, it was Blake Treinen who got the first save on the traditional Opening Day. Scott did get the following two save chances, blowing a save against the Tigers before bouncing back with his second save in a clean outing against the Braves. Even if Treinen and Kirby Yates mix in for the occasional save chance, Scott figures to continue getting regular opportunities on a Dodgers team poised to win many games.

Bautista is still finding his footing early on in his return from Tommy John surgery. The 29-year-old right-hander has allowed two runs on three hits and three walks while striking out two over two innings of work. His fastball remains down about two miles per hour from where he was in 2023. With the team likely to take it easy on Bautista to start the season, Seranthony Dominguez could be next in line based on the bullpen usage through the first week.

Tier 4: Only Here for the Saves

Pete Fairbanks - Tampa Bay Rays
Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers
Kenley Jansen - Los Angeles Angels
Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox
Justin Martinez/A.J. Puk - Arizona Diamondbacks
Jordan Romano/Jose Alvarado - Philadelphia Phillies
Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals
Ryan Pressly - Chicago Cubs
Carlos Estévez - Kansas City Royals
Luke Jackson - Texas Rangers

Fairbanks has gotten his season off to a good start, firing two scoreless innings with four strikeouts while recording one save and a win. The 31-year-old right-hander is looking to bounce back after a down season. Avoiding the injured list will be the biggest factor for Fairbanks.

Megill hasn't seen a save chance yet for the Brewers but has been sharp on the mound in the early going. He's tossed 2 1/3 scoreless frames, striking out five batters with one hit and no walks allowed.

Jansen has gotten the job done for the Angels, picking up two saves with three scoreless innings. Fellow veteran closer Chapman has made one appearance, picking up a win against the Rangers on Opening Day as Justin Slaten recorded the save. Chapman was called on to close out the game against the Orioles on Wednesday. He worked around a walk, striking out one for the save. The 37-year-old left-hander should be in line for most save chances, though he'll be used earlier in the game should the situation call for the hard-throwing left-hander.

The Diamondbacks appear to be going with a matchup-based committee approach to close out games. Martinez pitched the ninth inning down by one on Opening Day. He then pitched the eighth in high-leverage spots in his following two outings. He's struck out five with no walks allowed over 2 2/3 frames. Meanwhile, Puk recorded the team's first save, giving up a solo homer against the Yankees on Tuesday. He then entered with two runners on and one out with a four-run lead on Wednesday and surrendered a three-run homer before locking down a second save.

Romano blew his first save chance with the Phillies, giving up two runs to the Nationals on Opening Day. He bounced back with two strikeouts in a scoreless frame against the Rockies. Alvarado has looked like the best reliever in the bullpen, striking out five over two scoreless innings. He could find himself in line for occasional saves as things stand, with upside for more if Romano struggles or fails to stay healthy.

Finnegan loaded the bases but kept the Phillies off the board in a tie game on Opening Day. He then got the Nationals out of a jam on Sunday, entering with no outs and the bases loaded with a four-run lead. A groundout, strikeout, and lineout ended the game with Finnegan's first save.

Pressly has already worked four appearances, converting a pair of saves for the Cubs. He's yet to have a clean outing and has struck out just one batter to four walks and seven hits allowed. It'll be hard for him to sustain any success allowing that many base runners without missing more bats.

Estévez got the first save chance for the Royals, striking out one in a clean inning against the Guardians. With Lucas Erceg pitching the eighth inning against the Brewers on Wednesday, Estévez took the mound with a one-run lead in the tenth and allowed the game-tying run before sending the game to the 11th. The 32-year-old right-hander figures to see most save chances, with Erceg working the occasional opportunity pitching the highest-leverage situations.

Jackson surrendered three runs and took the loss on Opening Day against the Red Sox. He bounced back with a save the following day. After Jackson pitched on back-to-back days, Chris Martin recorded a save before Jackson locked down two more. The 33-year-old right-hander appears to be set as the Rangers' primary closer as long as he can be effective in the role.

Tier 5: Bottom of the Barrel

Dennis Santana - Pittsburgh Pirates
Seth Halvorsen - Colorado Rockies
Beau Brieske/Tommy Kahnle/Tyler Holton - Detroit Tigers
Scott Barlow/Tony Santillan - Cincinnati Reds
Anthony Bender/Calvin Faucher - Miami Marlins
Mike Clevinger/Fraser Ellard/Jordan Leasure - Chicago White Sox

After surrendering runs in each of his three outings, David Bednar was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis. There's no telling how long Bednar will remain in the minors and he can be dropped in all seasonal formats. Santana got the team's first save chance without Bednar and worked around a walk to secure the save. He's worth a pickup in all 12-team leagues and deeper where saves are needed. The 28-year-old right-hander is coming off his best season, posting a 3.89 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 69 strikeouts over 71 2/3 innings. While he doesn't have the velocity and bat-missing ability in prototypical closers, Santana did well at limiting walks and hard contact last season and is likely the reliever best suited to close on the Pirates roster.

After an impressive small sample with the Rockies last season, Halvorsen could be zeroing in on the team's closer role. The 25-year-old right-hander locked down a clean four-out save against the Rays on Saturday. Meanwhile, both Victor Vodnik and Tyler Kinley have recorded a blown save.

Brieske got the first save chance for the Tigers against the Dodgers on Friday and failed to secure the win, giving up four runs and recording one out before taking the loss. Kahnle saw the next ninth-inning save chance and tossed a scoreless frame against the Mariners on Tuesday. The team appears set to continue using a closer-by-committee approach.

The Reds' closer situation hasn't provided too much clarity. Ian Gibaut saw the first save chance on Opening Day and surrendered the lead to the Giants. Pagán recorded the team's first save on Saturday, then pitched the ninth down by one run against the Rangers on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Santillan should remain in the mix but is likely to be deployed as the team's highest-leverage reliever.

With Jesus Tinoco on the injured list, Bender has been elevated in the bullpen hierarchy. He recorded the team's first save on Tuesday against the Mets. Faucher pitched the eighth inning with a three-run lead on Wednesday and gave up a game-tying home run to Pete Alonso.

The White Sox have yet to see a save chance, but early usage suggests Clevinger is set to see save chances. However, chasing save chances on this team could be a hopeless effort.

Relievers On The Rise/Stash Candidates

Porter Hodge was expected to enter the season as the Cubs' closer after converting nine saves to end the 2024 season. Ryan Pressly has taken that role after coming over in a trade with the Astros. While Pressly has locked down the first two saves, he's just getting by with one strikeout, four walks, and three runs allowed over four innings. Meanwhile, Hodge has tossed four scoreless frames with five strikeouts. If this trend continues, Pressly won't be long for the ninth inning.

Last week, Jason Adam was mentioned in this section as a next-in-line closer stash. This time, we take a look at another dominant reliever in San Diego. Jeremiah Estrada is developing into one of baseball's best setup men with no doubt he has a future closing games. The 26-year-old right-hander has tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts while giving up one walk and one hit. He makes for an excellent pickup in leagues that count holds.