Mets center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) is congratulated by left fielder Tyrone Taylor (15) after scoring run in the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Clover Park.
Observations from Mets spring training on Sunday.
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For a guy who just started playing Grapefruit League games a few days ago, Luis Robert Jr. has hit the ground running. He had two more hits as the Mets monitor his playing time in an effort to help him avoid the lower-body injuries that have plagued him in recent years.
Going… Going…
Carlos Mendoza praised a handful of players who were sent to the minors Sunday, with A.J. Ewing impressing in the outfield and right-hander Ryan Lambert out of the bullpen. Both could see Citi Field sooner or later.
Caught My Eye
After picking up just one hit over his previous seven spring training games, Marcus Semien blasted a 102 mph homer and added a 101 mph sacrifice fly against Toronto. The 35-year-old is coming off back-to-back subpar seasons at the plate in Texas.
Mets center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) is congratulated by left fielder Tyrone Taylor (15) after scoring run in the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Clover Park. Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Monday’s Schedule
David Peterson gets the start against the Nationals at Clover Park, with first pitch at 6:10 p.m.
Duke will enter the NCAA tournament as the top-ranked team, retaining the No. 1 spot it has held for the last three weeks after winning the ACC tournament short-handed. The Blue Devils received 26 of 31 first-place votes, but Big 12 champion Arizona nudged a bit closer. The Wildcats stay in the No. 2 spot overall with the remaining five No.-1 nods.
Michigan, still a likely top regional seed despite coming up short against Purdue in the Big Ten title game, holds at No. 3. Florida, likewise, stays put at No. 4 after falling in the SEC tournament semifinals. The Big 12 holds down the next two spots as Houston stays at No. 5 and Iowa State moves up a notch to No. 6 swapping spots with No. 7 Connecticut.
ACC runner-up Virginia moves up three places to No. 8, Big East champ St. John’s Vaults four spots to No. 9, and West Coast champ Gonzaga climbs two positions to round out the top 10.
The later tournament results produced only slight movement in the poll. Purdue makes the most significant leap after its run to the Big Ten final, a five-position gain to No. 13. SEC champ Arkansas moves up only a couple of places to No. 15. Tennessee sneaks back into the poll at No. 25, replacing no longer unbeaten Miami (Ohio).
Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) hits a single in the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Clover Park.
PORT ST. LUCIE — The final piece of the Mets puzzle got on the field Sunday, discarding much of the concern that may have lingered about his potential Opening Day readiness.
Francisco Lindor played four innings at shortstop and received three plate appearances against the Blue Jays at Clover Park, giving the All-Star shortstop his first Grapefruit League action this spring.
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Lindor has spent the past month rehabbing from left hamate bone surgery and had just progressed to batting against live pitching in recent days.
Lindor finished 1-for-3 with a single in a game that was called after five innings because of rain. The Mets won 8-1.
“I felt pretty much like myself,” Lindor said. “I finished the game healthy. It was a good day for me.”
Lindor will likely have Monday off and then resume Grapefruit League action a day later. The Mets have spring training games through next weekend, ahead of the March 26 opener against the Pirates at Citi Field.
Manager Carlos Mendoza said in the aftermath of the surgery there wasn’t a firm timetable for Lindor to begin playing exhibition games.
“But we saw he was progressing, not only defensively but offensively, with the way he was swinging the bat in the cages, transitioning to the field, getting live at-bats,” Mendoza said.
Lindor, in his final at-bat Sunday, hit a ball to right field that carried home run distance, landing foul. It was perhaps a good first sign that Lindor’s power hasn’t been compromised by the surgery.
“I don’t think it’s going to take time for the power to be there,” Lindor said. “It’s one of those where I feel fine right now, I am in a good spot. I spent the whole offseason trying to hit the ball over 100 mph, even before my wrist injury. I hit two balls over 100 today. You swing and get the right pitch, and I am sure the ball is going to go where it’s supposed to go.”
Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) hits a single in the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Clover Park. Jim Rassol-Imagn ImagesFrancisco Lindor has spent the past month rehabbing from left hamate bone surgery. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
He was asked if there are differences in how he feels physically, dependent on which side of the plate he is swinging.
“There’s a little bit of difference, but I feel good from both sides,” Lindor said. “There’s going to be a test throughout the rest of spring training and when I face people … I am in a good spot.”
Lindor became the second starting position player to begin exhibition games this week: Luis Robert Jr. debuted in the Grapefruit League on Thursday after the Mets slow-played his spring to ensure his legs were strengthened.
On this day, Lindor got to mesh in a game with new double-play partner Marcus Semien. Bo Bichette was at third base, with Brett Baty at first.
“It was cool to play ball with Marcus,” Lindor said. “At one point I looked to my side and I was like, ‘Wow, I have got a shortstop next to me’ … it was a cool day.”
Among the tests Lindor faced was a dive, landing on his hand, on a ball that shot through the middle.
“There was one hesitation, when I hit the ground I was like, ‘Uh, that’s different,’ ” Lindor said. “But I got up and was OK. The training staff has said to me whenever there’s a little pain, as long as it goes away, you’re in a good spot, and that is what’s happened. It did not make me timid. The rest of the game allowed me to continue to play at full speed and it gives you confidence that you can have that not in the back of your mind.”
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 13: Aaron Judge #99 of Team United States looks on during a game against Team Canada during the 2026 World Baseball Classic at Daikin Park on March 13, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Editor’s note: We have Yankees in separate games tonight and since we’ve been preparing game threads for the knockout stage of the 2026 World Baseball Classics, we’re blending both together tonight! No need to make people go to separate threads for different conversations at the same time. The Yankees’ spring training game against the Orioles is up first, so we’ll run through what you need to know for that one first.
New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles: Paul Blackburn vs. Zach Eflin
The Yankees got torched in the early game of split-squad action, Luis Gil surrendering seven runs on nine hits in just three innings as the Tigers made it a laugher early. That brings us to the nightcap, the other half of the current spring team traveling to Sarasota to take on the Orioles.
Paul Blackburn was one of many players who the Yankees brought back from last season, re-signing on a one-year, $2 million deal in January. He has generally looked sharp in four appearances this spring with a 1.46 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 12.1 innings. His fastball velocity is up, which should help him retain his longman roll with the team and serve as rotation insurance alongside Ryan Yarbrough.
Zach Eflin re-signed with the Orioles in December after missing the final two months of last season due to lower back surgery. He had a 5.93 ERA prior to the procedure and looked a shadow of the Rays righty who quickly excelled for the Orioles post-deadline in 2024. He has pitched just two innings so far this spring in his recovery.
The Yankees still have plenty of regulars in the lineup despite it being a split-squad day. Ben Rice leads off, followed by Jasson Domínguez, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and José Caballero. Spencer Jones looks to continue his searing spring despite being optioned to minor-league camp, the towering lefty going 8-for-24 with four home runs, eight RBIs, and a 226 wRC+ in 11 games.
The Orioles field their strongest lineup minus WBC starter Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday, out with a broken hamate. Taylor Ward was acquired from the Angels over the winter for the promising but oft-injured Grayson Rodriguez — he leads off while marquee signing Pete Alonso bats third. Top prospect Samuel Basallo is slashing .320/.414/.560 with a 149 wRC+ in 10 games this spring, and though he’ll likely see more DH time from the jump, he has a chance to displace Adley Rutschman from the starting catching job. He’ll bat cleanup.
USA vs. Dominican Republic: Paul Skenes vs. Luis Severino
It’s a battle of the titans in the first WBC semifinal, Team USA taking on the Dominican Republic for the right to play in the Championship Game on Tuesday in Miami against the winner of Italy vs. Venezuela (which will begin tomorrow night).
Team USA stumbled against Italy in pool play, backing into the knockout rounds via a Mexico loss in their final game. They got back ont track against Canada in the quarterfinals, beating them 5-3 behind a good effort from starter Logan Webb. Meanwhile, the Dominican Republic has been far and away the dominant force of this tournament, going undefeated in pool play and scoring double digit runs in all but one of their five total games. They’ve outscored the opposition by a combined total of 51-10.
There is perhaps no pitcher in the world who Team USA would want on the mound more to face the seemingly unstoppable Dominican lineup than Paul Skenes. The reigning NL Cy Young winner was utterly dominant in his lone start of the tournament — four scoreless innings against Mexico in pool play, allowing a hit and a walk with seven strikeouts. He will need to replicate that form tonight if Team USA is to keep within touching distance of their opponents.
Luis Severino was no slouch either in his previous start this tournament, allowing a run on three hits and no walks with five strikeouts across four innings in a 12-1 beatdown of the Netherlands. He’s no longer the power pitcher of his back-to-back All-Star campaigns with the Yankees last decade, instead transforming himself into a pitcher with more ways to get batters out. His six-pitch arsenal of four-seamer, sweeper, sinker, cutter, changeup, and slider keeps hitters off balance, meaning Severino now relies more on soft contact than strikeouts and swing and miss to record outs. With all due respect to the Dutch though, he has a more daunting starting nine to face tonight.
It’s fair to say that the Team USA lineup has fully clicked in only one game this tournament — a 15-5 drubbing of Brazil in the tournament opener. Aaron Judge, Roman Anthony, and Kyle Schwarber have largely carried the offense, while guys like Bryce Harper, Cal Raleigh, and Byron Buxton just haven’t shown up at all. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Will Smith therefore get the start in center and behind the plate, while Harper remains as part of a largely-unchanged top four of the order. They manage to squeeze in their three best infielders, Bobby Witt Jr. joined by Gunnar Henderson and Brice Turang, the latter pair combining to go 12-for-25 this tournament.
The potent Dominican Republic lineup swept aside Korea, 10-0, in the quarterfinals, and you have to wonder how any pitcher could be expected to keep them in check. They boast All-Stars and MVP candidates at eight out of nine positions, the whole squad hitting to a ludicrous 1.090 OPS over five games. That being said, they are a combined 3-for-27 against Skenes in the young ace’s career. It’s still a gauntlet: Fernando Tatís Jr., Ketel Marte, Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Manny Machado, Junior Caminero, Julio Rodríguez, Austin Wells, and Geraldo Perdomo. Good luck to Skenes — or perhaps more relevantly to David Bednar and the other American bullpen arms behind the Pittsburgh star.
TORONTO (AP) — Raygan Kirk stopped 33 shots for her first PWHL shutout as the Toronto Sceptres beat the Seattle Torrent 2-0 on Sunday.
Blayre Turnbull scored four minutes in on a 2-on-1 rush and Sara Hjalmarsson added an empty-net goal with 7.8 seconds remaining.
Kirk was at her best in the second half of the second period when Seattle (5-1-2-11) hemmed the Sceptres (7-1-5-8) in their own end. She made nine saves during this stretch. It was the seventh time this season Kirk made 30 or more stops.
The Sceptres (3-0-2-0) have earned points in each of their five outings since the Olympic break.
The Torrent outshot Toronto 33-25. Seattle’s Hannah Murphy made 24 saves, 11 in the final 20 minutes.
Daryl Watts did not suit up for Toronto. The Canadian Olympian has been unable to shake a lingering flu bug since returning from the Winter Games three weeks ago.
United States captain Hilary Knight (knee) and Olympic teammate Hannah Bilka (upper-body) did not play.
The Sceptres increased their goal total to 41 in 21 games. Only the expansion Torrent (40 in 19 games) and Vancouver Goldeneyes (35 in 19) have scored fewer times.
Roughly 19 hours after stepping off the ice following a dominant 3-1 home victory over the league-leading Colorado Avalanche, the Winnipeg Jets were right back at it Sunday afternoon.
Taking on the red-hot St. Louis Blues, the Jets came out firing, scoring the game's first two goals in the opening frame before shutting things down in the third period for a 3-2 home win, pulling to within four points of the final wild card playoff spot.
Photo by Danny Truong
"It feels good," said Eric Comrie, who won his fifth-straight game. "Once again, I just try and do my job once my name gets called. Just trying to be ready whenever I get my chance, and I feel good right now. Switching to the white cage has been good so far, so I like that.”
Haydn Fleury found his first goal in 817 days - his first as a member of the Jets - to open the scoring just two-and-a-half minutes in. Picking up the puck and walking into the Blues' zone, Fleury ripped home a wrist shot past Canadian Olympian goaltender Jordan Binnington for the early 1-0 lead.
Then, it was Mark Scheifele, whose solo effort gave the hosts a two-goal lead six minutes later. Picking up the puck off a bobbled play by the Blues on the Jets' blueline, Scheifele cut in to the St. Louis goal and fired his 31st of the year into the net past Binnington for the 2-0 lead.
After Winnipeg saw two unsuccessful power plays in the first period, the teams exchanged minors in the middle stanza, but neither was able to capitalize on the man advantage. The second period as a whole was a whole lot of nothing for either club.
The Blues extended their shot lead to 15-10, but remained trailing the Jets entering the third.
Two of the league's very best teams since the Olympic break (12-3-3 combined), St. Louis entered the third period with a seven-game point scoring streak on the line. And they struck almost immediately, with Dalibor Dvorsky tapping home a three-on-one rush up-ice, to bring the Blues to within a goal of Winnipeg.
But the Jets did not turn over.
It was Kyle Connor - who earlier saw Scheifele score his 31st of the year - who capitalized on a delayed Blues penalty, scoring on a six-on-five on a breakaway feed from Morgan Barron, restoring Winnipeg's two-goal cushion.
With Binnington on the bench for the extra attacker, the Blues found a way to get one back. It was Dylan Holloway who jammed home a net front scramble with 50 seconds remaining in the game.
But that was as close as the Blues would come, dropping their first game in regulation in eight tries.
Comrie played spectacularly in goal for the Jets again, earning another win while turning aside 29 of St. Louis' 31 shots on goal. Binnington made 13 saves for the Blues.
“We're a good team. We have a lot of talent in this room," Comrie said.
"We have maybe the best first line in the locker room. We have an unbelievable d-corps. Morrissey is one of the best defensemen, if not the best defenseman in NHL. We have Scheif, KC, we have the world's best goalie by far in Connor Hellebuyck. We have a really good team in this room. We have a lot of confidence in this room. We have a great coaching staff. We trust everyone in this room. We just know that we're going to go out there and give us the best foot forward. We have a very veteran team, and we're confident that we can get into the playoffs.”
Next up for Winnipeg is the final test of the eight-game homestand, as the Nashville Predators roll into town for a 7:00 PM central affair on Tuesday night. That game will be another battle between Central Division playoff hopefuls, as just one point currently separate the two clubs in the standings.
Italian world No 2 clinches 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4) win in Californian desert
Women’s No 1 Aryna Sabalenka snaps her losing streak in final
Jannik Sinner claimed his first title of the year with victory over Daniil Medvedev in Indian Wells, while Aryna Sabalenka snapped her losing streak against Elena Rybakina in a thrilling women’s final.
Four-time grand slam champion Sinner had had a slightly underwhelming start to the season by his stratospheric standards but he was peerless in the Californian desert, not dropping a set through the fortnight.
PHOENIX — Spring stats can often be as predictive as shaking a Magic 8 Ball.
But in the case of Teoscar Hernández and Andy Pages, there have been signs in this camp their improvements are for real.
For most other Dodgers hitters, this year’s spring training has had a throwback feel. A long October trek and short offseason turnaround have put many veteran players on a slower progression ahead of the regular season. Cactus League appearances have been occasional, and live at-bats moderated to let them build up at their own pace.
Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez was eager to put his 2025 season in the rearview mirror. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Hernández and Pages, however, have been the exceptions.
They expressed a desire to play early and often in spring games. They wanted to quickly flush the struggles they dealt with at the end of the 2025 season. And as camp winds down this week, they’ve turned their preseasons into promising building blocks for the campaign ahead –– both batting over .400 while taking the most at-bats of any regulars on the team.
“I like to be on the field, I like to play, I like to take a lot of at-bats,” Hernández said.
“And,” he added with a smile, “it’s always good to have success.”
Success, of course, felt elusive to both players by the time last year ended.
Hernández struggled for most of 2025, posting a career-low .738 OPS while playing through a groin injury. Pages’ performance was more of a roller coaster, peaking with a nearly All-Star-caliber first half before a late-season slump led to a benching in the World Series.
Thus, each of them has used this spring as a reset.
And entering the final days of camp, they’ve been the two biggest standouts in the Dodgers’ star-studded lineup.
For Hernández, this spring was all about getting healthy, readjusting to his move back to left field, and most importantly recalibrating his swing — after batting a disappointing .247 last year, albeit while still hitting 25 home runs and collecting 89 RBIs.
The 10-year big leaguer has checked each of those boxes in camp, arriving in better shape than a year ago and proceeding to hit 15 for 31 entering play Sunday. He has flashed power, clubbing two home runs last week including an opposite-field blast reminiscent of his resurgent debut season with the Dodgers in 2024. He has also improved the quality of his at-bats, striking out just four times in his 33 plate appearances in the Cactus League.
“I think that the great players — whatever criticisms or expectations people have of them — the great ones expect more and are more critical of themselves,” manager Dave Roberts said of Hernández earlier this spring, while praising the way the two-time All-Star has attacked his work following an offseason in which he was bandied about in trade rumors.
“I’m excited to see what Teo can do this year,” he added. “Very, very excited.”
Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages struggled in the playoffs after smacking 17 home runs in his first 83 games last season. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Pages’ stock might be even higher, going 13 for 32 in Cactus League play with five extra-base hits and consistent center field defense.
He’s looked more like the player who was batting .293 with 17 home runs and 58 RBIs through his first 83 games last season –– and nothing like the one who hit a woeful .078 in the playoffs before being benched for the final two games of the World Series.
His title-saving catch in Game 7 aside, October served as a reality check for the 25-year-old slugger.
So, this spring, he arrived determined to take the next step in his career.
“There was nothing offensively I was doing really well [during the playoffs],” Pages said at the start of spring. “I just want to put it in that bucket as just a really bad streak for me.”
Pages’ main focus has been on improving his plate discipline, spending roughly half an hour every day in the team’s hitting lab trying to differentiate borderline balls and strikes from a Trajekt pitching machine.
But, he has also been more intentional in his other daily work around Camelback Ranch, taking what both Roberts and Hernández have described as a more “mature” approach to everything from his gym routine to outfield drills.
“I could think back to a few years ago when he didn’t really care for the weight room and really wasn’t the best worker,” Roberts recalled. “So he has grown considerably.”
“Now, he understands the things he needs to do, and the things he’s going to go through during the season,” Hernández added. “So he can manage his body, his mind and everything else better.”
The Dodgers are hopeful both players will manage 2026 better than they did 2025.
The team might’ve spent nearly a quarter-billion dollars to shore up the outfield with the signing of Kyle Tucker, but they need Hernández and Pages to be impact producers in the bottom half of the lineup, too.
That’s why Roberts was so enthused with their aggressive spring plan –– and why their big Cactus League numbers have carried added meaning in the run-up to Opening Day.
“We’re just trying to keep that up,” Hernández said, “and do it in the season, too.”
Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.
OTTAWA — Here’s another area where the Sharks missed Alex Wennberg.
“You make a mistake, you try to correct it immediately, and then, you just compound it,” Collin Graf said after the Sharks’ 7-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Sunday at Canadian Tire Centre.
Graf (51) was referring to this Tyler Kleven (43) goal, which gave the Senators a 4-3 lead in the second period.
The initial mistake was Graf’s turnover, forced by Warren Foegele (37). The compounding mistake was the defensive coverage, in a 3-on-3: In the end, Vincent Desharnais (5) and Shakir Mukhamadullin (85) covered Foegele, Graf was closing on Fabian Zetterlund (20), and nobody had Kleven. Desharnais had signaled Graf to cover the backdoor.
Tyler Kleven gives Ottawa the lead moments after Zetterlund tied it!! #GoSensGo
The Sharks — all NHL players, really — know this simple concept for winning hockey games. But the young Sharks are still working on their execution, at a high pace, of this concept. That’s what the better teams do more consistently than San Jose.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MARCH 15: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder handles the ball in front of Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half at Paycom Center on March 15, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The recap from the last game against the Golden State Warriors was titled “Ant’s 42 Stops the Skid.” Well, folks, the skid isn’t over. In fact, your Minnesota Timberwolves are driving on black ice while acting like they’re cruising down Rodeo Drive.
You can see where everything went wrong during this ill-fated matinee (like every other one this season), as Anthony Edwards missed from everywhere, including the free throw line, and Rudy Gobert was — and I say this with as much objectivity as possible — abysmally terrible. Four combined points for Gobert and the supposed third option, Jaden McDaniels, are not ever going to be enough to take down the defending champs.
It’s hard not to feel bad for Julius Randle, who has heard so much slander over the past few weeks, only to put up his best performance since the All-Star break in a lackluster game that fell apart in the second half.
Wolves lose to Thunder. Encouraging to see Randle get going, but Gobert and McDaniels both really struggled and the entire team couldn’t hold on to the ball.
To that end, a game like today’s shows how hard it is for Minnesota to win when Edwards is not succeeding. While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander struggled to find his typical efficiency on his way to barely keeping his 20-point scoring streak alive, it was Jared McCain taking over the fourth quarter and Isaiah Joe hitting crucial threes down the stretch.
Games like today cause doubts about whether the Wolves can ever really overcome the hump. They have had near-ideal injury luck this whole season. Their opponents today were missing the number two option from a championship team last year. Both superstars were pedestrian, and the Wolves even had the edge in the Robin category.
Instead, it’s another loss in a stretch of many of them.
I can already hear the counterpoints: that you can’t really blame them for today, that OKC is formidable no matter who they have, that these Wolves have always been able to flip a switch. To those optimists, I ask how they will overcome the turnovers, miserable defensive effort, and self-inflicted wounds.
With all that being said, let’s get down to it.
This is going to go down as the Wolves' highest turnover game of the season.
That happening when keeping turnovers down against OKC is such a focus of the gameplan makes you question if this Wolves roster is capable of controlling the ball against them.
Let’s take a break from yelling at the Wolves to make fun of a team that Minnesota has history with, even if everyone from that past is gone.
How the *hell* did the Thunder get Jared McCain from the Sixers? For a mediocre first-round pick and a handful of seconds? In an era where live ball handlers and motion shooters have been *the* swing factor of multiple playoff series over the past few years?
I understand that the answer is largely financial. I understand that Josh Harris is cheap and that Daryl Morey has continuously ducked the tax. I understand that they just took VJ Edgecombe and have Tyrese Maxey in place as the franchise centerpiece.
McCain would’ve been the ultimate injury insurance policy for either of those guards. He would’ve been an ideal Sixth Man of the Year candidate for a bench that has been exceptionally weak over the past decade. He’s younger, better, and under longer team control than Quentin Grimes.
Instead, he is providing that for the title favorite and is quite literally everything the Thunder could’ve ever hoped for. With Lu Dort likely on his way out of town, Alex Caruso will probably be the next man up in the starting lineup. With that move on the horizon, McCain will become the face of this bench unit.
What a moment for him, though.
Few stories are more fun in the NBA than a comeback story. From late first-round pick to rookie of the year frontrunner to season-ending injury to slow return to midseason trade to key playmaker on the best team in basketball, all in two years.
It’s hard not to love basketball and the stories within it. It’s easier to hate those stories when they cause such a low point on what was otherwise a decent Sunday.
Bench Spark Gone Dark
Remember that week after the deadline, when it felt like the complaints of a lack of depth felt overblown? Where Ayo Dosumnu looked like exactly the boost this team needed? Where did Kyle Anderson come back to become the de facto backup point guard?
I remember that moment dearly. And, well, at least one of those things is still true. Ayo Dosumnu was great today. He looks to be every bit of the Nickeil Alexander-Walker replacement he was supposed to be.
The other two bits? Well, Naz Reid couldn’t get anything going, and the Slow Mo gimmick has been exposed as exactly that: a gimmick. The Wolves have never really had the identity of having a “bench mob,” but in a game like today’s, where two bench players won the game for OKC, the problem shone brighter than ever.
Outside of Ayo, the entire Wolves bench had 14 points across 61 total minutes on 17 shots. That’s not good, no matter how you look at it.
It’s also worth noting that Kyle Anderson has re-infected Chris Finch’s subconscious in the exact way everyone was expecting for Mike Conley. A huge story of the 2023 season was quietly how bad Anderson and Gobert paired after a year where they excelled alongside each other. Remember the punches thrown on the bench? Maybe there should be more of those in the locker room tonight.
Thought there was legitimacy in playing SloMo in a specialized role in the non-Gobert minutes, but didn’t think Finch would fall back into his bad SloMo habits so readily.
25 minutes with Gobert in 5 games (-24.9 net rating) before tonight’s disaster. Just not a good pairing.
Part of all of us just want to call this the curse of the matinee and go on with our afternoons.
And you know what, I think that’s the right approach.
Today was bad, but then again, there have been so many worse moments that have ended with the two runs to the Western Conference Finals that I’m sure no one wants to hear about right now.
Maybe this is yet another era of wasted superstars in Minnesota. Maybe it’s the third or fourth of those, a reliving of the same nightmare all over again. Maybe it’s a stumble that can bear fruit down the line.
All I can promise you is that a random March game that ruined an unspecified weekend is not going to be the moment that decides that. There’s so much more to worry about when the games actually matter. Don’t waste your stress here.
Save it for when you need to bite your nails late in an April fourth quarter.
Have a nice day, Wolves fans.
Up Next
The Timberwolves head back home for a much-needed homestand as they try to get their season back on track. The first of three straight games at Target Center begins on Tuesday against the Phoenix Suns. Tip-off is at 7:00 PM CT, with fans able to watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network.
LAVAL, Quebec (AP) — Ella Huber scored 1:33 into overtime to give the Boston Fleet a 4-3 come-from-behind victory over the Montreal Victoire in a matchup of top teams on Sunday.
With the overtime win, Boston (9-5-2-3) remained in first place in the PWHL three points ahead of Montreal (9-4-1-5). The Fleet trailed by three goals at the start of the third period.
Loren Gabel scored her first of the season, and Megan Keller and Susanna Tapani added goals. Keller and Alina Muller also had two assists. Aerin Frankel made 27 saves.
Abby Roque had a goal and two assists for Montreal. Marie-Philip Poulin scored the opener for Montreal but left the game a few minutes later. Kati Tabin also scored for the Victoire. Ann-Renee Desbiens made 22 saves.
Poulin put Montreal ahead with 5:10 remaining in the first period, tipping Gosling’s shot on the game’s first power play. Two minutes later, Poulin seemed to reinjure her right knee and came off in the middle of the play.
She was replaced by Tabin, who scored on a one-timer past Frankel to extend Montreal’s lead. The goals came in a 2:10 span.
Roque gave Montreal a 3-0 lead with 3:02 left in the second period.
Gabel's goal got the Fleet got on the board 6:01 into the third. Keller made the game 3-2 with 2:34 remaining. With Frankel on the bench for the extra attacker. Boston tied the game with 14.8 seconds remaining when Tapani’s shot beat Desbiens.
Against the Cleveland Guardians it’ll be Wei-En-Lin getting the start, making his first appearance back with the A’s since leaving to go represent Taiwan in the World Baseball Classic.
Speaking of World Baseball Classic – – that’s exactly where you can find the second A’s pitcher. Luis Severino is set to lead the Dominican Republic into battle against USA. The winner of this matchup will go on to the championship, facing whoever comes out on top in the Venezuela / Italy matchup scheduled for tomorrow evening.
Two A’s pitchers starting in one day where a split squad situation isn’t happening? That’s crazy! What’s even crazier is that Mark Kotsay has Zack Gelof penciled in as the leadoff and CENTER FIELDER in today’s lineup!
Check out how the rest of the order will unfold behind our new outfield option…
After the mainstays put on an absolute clinic against the Royals yesterday, it looks like Kotsay’s going to be giving some of the young guns a little moment in the sun.
Which means the legend of Cade Marlowe continues! He and the switch-hitting Leo De Vries stand as the only lefty bat options in the starting nine, in a game against right-hander Tanner Bibee, who went 3+ with 6Ks in his last outing against the San Francisco Giants.
PARIS (AP) — Lyon's winless run in the French league was extended to a fourth straight game by 10-man Le Havre on Sunday.
Despite playing a man down from the 56th minute, the hosts were the better team in the 0-0 draw and Lyon now lags two points behind third-place Marseille in the Ligue 1 standings.
Stephan Zagadou received a straight red card after fouling Endrick. Le Havre, which moved 10 points away from the automatic relegation spots, hit the woodwork twice.
Marseille won 1-0 against struggler Auxerre on Friday. Second-place Lens lost 2-1 at Lorient on Saturday, missing the chance to move back to the top of the standings.
Paris Saint-Germain, which did not play this weekend, has a one-point lead at the top and a match in hand. Nantes agreed last month to postpone their scheduled game on Sunday in order to give PSG more time to prepare for the Champions League second leg against Chelsea. PSG is leading 5-2 from the last-16 first leg.
Fernandez-Pardo is scorer and provider
Lille beat Rennes 2-1 away and moved within five points of Marseille.
Matias Fernandez-Pardo scored the opener for Lille and then assisted Hákon Haraldsson early in the second half. Estéban Lepaul was on the scoresheet for Rennes, reducing the deficit from close range.
It was Rennes' first defeat since coach Franck Haise took charge last month.
Two groups of supporters of Rennes and Lille had clashed Saturday night on the eve of the match.
Radio France reported that police used tear gas and that one fan was injured. Between 100 and 150 people were involved in the fight.
Elsewhere, Mario Sauer scored the winner deep in added time as Toulouse heaped more misery on Metz.
Sauer's goal sealed Toulouse's 4-3 win and extended last-place Metz's winless run to a 14th match.
“It was a crazy game,” Sauer said. “We deserved it today, and this win was so important for us.”
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Defender Brayan Ceballos scored two goals in the first half to spark New England to a 6-1 romp over FC Cincinnati on Sunday in the Revolution's home opener.
Ceballos scored in the 25th minute to tie it after Gerardo Valenzuela scored six minutes earlier to give Cincinnati a 1-0 lead.
Dor Turgeman gave New England the lead in the 31st minute before Ceballos scored three minutes into stoppage time for a 3-1 advantage at the half. Ceballos had one goal in 29 appearances as a rookie last season. Turgeman has four goals and two assists in six career appearances dating to last season.
Alhassan Yusuf scored on a header in the 53rd minute for a three-goal lead. Cincinnati keeper Roman Celantano deflected but couldn't corral a shot by Carles Gil and Yusuf took advantage for his first goal this season and his third in 44 career appearances.
Valenzuela was tagged with a red card in the 69th minute, leaving Cincinnati a man down.
Griffin Yow scored in the 87th minute and Peyton Miller found the net two minutes later to complete the rout after the pair subbed into the match in the second half. Yow's first netter of the season is his fourth in 35 career matches. Miller also scored for the first time after two goals in 26 appearances last year.
Matt Turner saved seven shots in goal for the Revolution (1-2-0). Turner is back with the club after making 102 appearances from 2016-22.
Celantano finished with three saves for Cincinnati (1-3-0).
Cincinnati posted a pair of 1-0 victories over the Revolution last season.
It was the first victory for New England coach Marko Mitrović in his first season. The Revs were outscored 5-1 in a pair of road losses to begin the season.
Cincinnati had posted 2-1 and 1-0 victories in its last two trips to Gillette Stadium. The venue had freshly-laid grass in preparation for the FIFA World Cup. The Revs hadn't played on grass at home since they switched to turf in 2006.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 14: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Denver Nuggets on March 14, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. 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 Nick Tomoyasu/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
To win a basketball game, it takes a combination of skill and luck. The Lakers had both elements working for them in their overtime victory over the Nuggets.
Austin Reaves missed a free throw on purpose in the closing seconds of regulation, grabbed the rebound and made the shot that sent the game to overtime.
And Luka Dončić won the game for the Lakers with a tough jumper over Spencer Jones.
The NBA’s Last 2 Minute Report revealed that the officials called a foul on Spencer Jones with 9.2 seconds left in the fourth, which was an incorrect decision.
Here is the foul call on Spencer Jones that the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report states was incorrect.
This is the NBA’s statement on the play:
“Jones (DEN) extends his right hand and cleanly dislodges the ball away from Reaves (LAL) after he received the inbound pass.” pic.twitter.com/hkewwtDlzK
Jones (DEN) extends his right hand and cleanly dislodges the ball away from Reaves (LAL) after he received the inbound pass.
If the call were correct, Austin Reaves would not have gone to the free throw line. Instead, the Lakers would have inbounded the ball again, down by three. Given how close this game was, this is admittedly a bad call that hurt Denver.
However, all things considered, the officials only getting one thing wrong during a game this tight is pretty good. Sure, Nuggets fans might be upset about this call going against them, but it still would’ve been Lakers ball. Even if the call had been correct, there’s no telling whether it would’ve changed the game’s outcome.
During an 82-game season, good and bad breaks happen and it generally evens out in the end.
This error helped LA, but there have been moments this year where blown calls have hurt them in losses.
In February, the officials missed a controversial travel call on the Suns’ game-winner against the Lakers, which was never addressed or explained.
Overall, the Lakers have won these tight games regardless of the officiating. On the season, they are 18-6 in clutch games, the best record in the NBA.
In this Lakers-Nuggets matchup, LA led most of the way, executed better down the stretch and had a little luck on its side. That sounds like all the ingredients needed to have success in a fierce Western Conference.
