#Deadspin #Division #leaders #Dodgers #Rangers #open #3game #series #L.A">Deadspin | Division leaders Dodgers, Rangers open 3-game series in L.A.
Apr 4, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) throws to the Washington Nationals during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images
The Los Angeles Dodgers, who hold the major leagues’ best winning percentage, are back home to open a three-game series against the Texas Rangers on Friday.
Both teams lead their respective divisions, with the Dodgers atop the National League West and the Rangers in first in the American League West.
The Dodgers just won five of six on a road trip to Washington and Toronto. They swept three games from the Washington Nationals and took two of three from the Toronto Blue Jays, with Los Angeles scoring 10 or more runs in three of the six games.
“When you win the first five, you want to get greedy and win the last one,” manager Dave Roberts said. “But it’s still a really good road trip.”
Los Angeles is 4-2 at home so far this season, with a series sweep over the Arizona Diamondbacks and one win in three games against the Cleveland Guardians.
Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow gets the start in the series opener on Friday. Glasnow (1-0, 3.00 ERA) is coming off a solid six-inning performance at Washington on Saturday, when he allowed two runs on four hits, walked two and struck out nine.
Glasnow is 3-0 with a minuscule 0.38 ERA in four career appearances against the Rangers, all stars. He has 32 strikeouts and seven walks in 23 2/3 innings against Texas.
The Dodgers lead the majors in team batting average (.287) and home runs (21). Ten different players have homered for Los Angeles, with Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Andy Pages and backup catcher Dalton Rushing having three home runs each.
The Dodgers’ pitching staff is holding opponents to a .207 batting average and has a collective 3.36 ERA so far in the early going.
Los Angeles shortstop Mookie Betts remains out with an oblique injury that could keep him from playing games until the end of the month or early May.
The Rangers came to L.A. on the heels of a three-game series sweep of the visiting Seattle Mariners. Pitching was a big reason for Texas’ success.
The Rangers have a 2.94 ERA as a staff and are holding opponents to a .213 batting average. Texas limited Seattle to three runs combined over the three-game series, including a 3-0 shutout in the series finale.
Texas will send right-hander Kumar Rocker to the mound to start the Friday game. Rocker (0-1, 3.60 ERA) pitched well on Saturday, holding the Cincinnati Reds to two runs on six hits over five innings, though he took a loss. He struck out three and walked one.
Rocker will be pitching against the Dodgers for the first time in his career.
Former Dodger Corey Seager leads the Rangers with three home runs, and Brandon Nimmo’s .340 batting average is tops among Texas’ regular players.
“The league’s investigation determined that Christie mistakenly believed that the Warriors were not in the penalty and therefore instructed his team to foul in an attempt to stop the clock and utilize one of the team’s remaining timeouts,” the NBA’s statement said. “The investigation found that Christie made no intentional effort to give the Warriors a shooting foul, or to cause the Kings to lose the game.”
Curry made one of two free throws to tie the game at 101-101. The Kings (21-59) went on to lose the game, 110-105.
“The league’s investigation determined that Christie mistakenly believed that the Warriors were not in the penalty and therefore instructed his team to foul in an attempt to stop the clock and utilize one of the team’s remaining timeouts,” the NBA’s statement said. “The investigation found that Christie made no intentional effort to give the Warriors a shooting foul, or to cause the Kings to lose the game.”
Curry made one of two free throws to tie the game at 101-101. The Kings (21-59) went on to lose the game, 110-105.
Published on Apr 10, 2026
#NBA #clears #Kings #coach #mistake #Warriors">NBA clears Kings, says coach made mistake against Warriors
The NBA announced on Thursday that Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie made an honest mistake in his team’s loss to the Golden State Warriors.
The league was investigating Christie after he instructed forward Doug McDermott to intentionally foul Warriors guard Seth Curry with his team leading by one with 3:15 remaining in the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s game.
“The league’s investigation determined that Christie mistakenly believed that the Warriors were not in the penalty and therefore instructed his team to foul in an attempt to stop the clock and utilize one of the team’s remaining timeouts,” the NBA’s statement said. “The investigation found that Christie made no intentional effort to give the Warriors a shooting foul, or to cause the Kings to lose the game.”
Curry made one of two free throws to tie the game at 101-101. The Kings (21-59) went on to lose the game, 110-105.
Published on Apr 10, 2026
#NBA #clears #Kings #coach #mistake #Warriors
The NBA announced on Thursday that Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie made an honest…
#Deadspin #Mammoth #Predators #5th #straight #win">Deadspin | Mammoth take down Predators for 5th straight win
Apr 9, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Mammoth left wing Michael Carcone (53) leaps to avoid a shot against Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) and defenseman Adam Wilsby (83) during the first period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Dylan Guenther and Nick Schmaltz each had a goal and an assist and Clayton Keller had three primary assists as the Utah Mammoth inched closer to a Stanley Cup playoff berth with a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday night in Salt Lake City.
Kailer Yamamoto and Lawson Crouse also scored goals and Logan Cooley added two assists for Utah (42-30-6, 90 points), which won its fifth straight game. The Mammoth could clinch a playoff berth later Thursday night with an Anaheim win over San Jose in any fashion.
Karel Vejmelka finished with 29 saves for Utah, which extended its lead over the Predators (37-32-10, 84 points) to six points in the race for the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
Erik Haula scored a goal and Juuse Saros made 23 saves for Nashville, which had a four-game point streak (3-0-1) snapped.
Utah took a 1-0 lead at the 14:26 mark of the first period when Yamamoto, in front of the blue paint, jammed in a Guenther crossing pass through Saros’ pads at the end of an odd-man rush.
The Mammoth increased the lead to 2-0 early in the second period on a power-play goal by Schmaltz, who tucked in a Keller pass inside the left post. It marked the seventh straight game that Utah scored a power-play goal.
Utah broke the game open with two goals in the first 6:05 of the third period to make it 4-0. Crouse got the first goal, snapping a shot in from the middle of the right circle. Guenther followed with his team-leading 39th goal, finishing a 2-on-1 with Keller with a one-timer from the left circle past Saros’ blocker side.
Haula put the Predators on the board with a power-play goal with 9:38 remaining, backhanding in a rebound of a Zachary L’Heureux shot.
Nashville captain Roman Josi was a late scratch after taking part in warm-ups with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.
–Field Level Media
#Deadspin #Mammoth #Predators #5th #straight #win
Apr 9, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Mammoth left wing Michael Carcone (53)…
#WNBA #expansion #explained #teams #timelines #means">WNBA expansion explained: New teams, timelines and what it means
The WNBA on Thursday formally approved expansion teams in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia.
The move confirms the three previously announced markets will join the league on staggered timelines. Cleveland will begin play in 2028, followed by Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia in 2030, taking the total number of teams to 18.
The league had 13 teams as recently as 2025.
Less than a week ago, the WNBA’s two newest franchises, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, conducted their expansion draft.
“Great demand for WNBA franchises,” commissioner Cathy Engelbert said last June while announcing the league’s growth plans. “There was huge demand. Really proud of what my team has done. Looking forward to future conversations as the league continues to grow.”
The announcement comes amid a busy period for the league. Free agency opens on Saturday, with the collegiate draft scheduled for Monday.
The WNBA also recently resolved its labour negotiations, announcing on March 20 a seven-year collective bargaining agreement in partnership with the Women’s National Basketball Players Association.
The deal, which runs through the 2032 season, includes a revenue-sharing structure that raises the average salary to $583,000 and the maximum salary to $1.4 million, with more than $1 billion allocated to salaries and benefits over its duration.
“We love this game enough to push for what it can become, not just for ourselves, but for those who built this league and those who will carry it forward,” WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike said.
#Deadspin #Rockies #Hunter #Goodman #finger #leaves #game #hit #pitch">Deadspin | Rockies C Hunter Goodman (finger) leaves game after hit by pitch
Apr 8, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman (15) runs off his solo home run in the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman departed Colorado’s Thursday road game against the San Diego Padres in the top of the sixth inning after sustaining a cut on his right middle finger when hit by a pitch.
San Diego starter Randy Vasquez hit Goodman on a 1-2 pitch to start the inning. After Troy Johnston fanned for the first out, Goodman called timeout during TJ Rumfield’s at-bat when he noticed blood on his hand.
Goodman went back to the dugout for further examination by the training staff and manager Warren Schaeffer. The frustrated Goodman spiked his helmet with his left hand when Schaeffer pulled him.
Brett Sullivan ran for Goodman and replaced him on defense in the bottom of the sixth. At the time of Goodman’s departure, the game was tied 1-1.
Goodman, Colorado’s only All-Star in 2025 when he batted .278 with 31 homers and 91 RBIs, is hitting .239 through 13 games this year with two homers and four RBIs.
Jean-Philippe Mateta inspired Crystal Palace to a commanding 3-0 win over Fiorentina in their Conference League quarterfinal first leg on Thursday.
Making his first start since a proposed January move to AC Milan fell through, Mateta opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 24th minute after Evann Guessand was fouled by Dodo.
Mateta was again involved in Palace’s second seven minutes later, his close-range effort forcing a save from David de Gea before Tyrick Mitchell converted the rebound.
“I keep working hard, and I’m always here to push for the victory,” Mateta told TNT Sports. “Today we did it, but it’s not finished. We have one more game in Italy.”
Fiorentina responded after the break, with Giovanni Fabbian striking the woodwork and Dean Henderson producing two sharp saves to preserve Palace’s lead.
Ismaila Sarr sealed the result in stoppage time, heading in to give Palace a healthy advantage heading into the return leg in Tuscany.
Elsewhere, Shakhtar Donetsk defeated AZ Alkmaar 3-0, with late goals from Pedrinho and a brace from Alisson Santana.
Rayo Vallecano moved closer to a historic semifinal with a 3-0 win over AEK Athens, while Mainz beat Strasbourg 2-0 to maintain its perfect home record in the competition.
#Deadspin #Spurs #continue #torrid #stretch #feisty #Mavericks">Deadspin | Spurs look to continue torrid stretch against feisty Mavericks
Apr 8, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) drives to the basket against San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant (11) during the second half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
The San Antonio Spurs look to keep their momentum growing in preparation for the upcoming playoffs when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday in the penultimate game of the regular season for the Lone Star State rivals.
The Spurs (61-19) have won 13 of their past 14 games and have gone 29-3 since Feb.1, but they still couldn’t run down Oklahoma City for the best record in either the Western Conference or the league. San Antonio has been forced to settle for second in both races and will host the seventh seed (either the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers or Portland Trail Blazers) in the first round of the playoffs next week.
“It’s an exciting time, and you can feel it,” Spurs forward Devin Vassell said of San Antonio’s first trip to playoffs since the 2018-19 campaign. “The fans are ready. The organization’s ready. We’re ready. I’m just excited for us to get it going.”
San Antonio heads into Friday’s game after a 112-101 home win over Portland on Wednesday that was produced with both Victor Wembanyama (left rib contusion) and Stephon Castle (right knee soreness) on the bench. Both players are listed as questionable to play against Dallas.
The Spurs got 25 points from De’Aaron Fox in the Portland victory, while Keldon Johnson added 20 points and Carter Bryant posted career highs with 17 points and four assists. Vassell had 14 points, Dylan Harper scored 13 and Luke Kornet hit for 10.
San Antonio’s bench players outscored Portland’s reserves 48-10. With little on the line in either Friday’s game or Sunday’s regular-season finale at home with Denver, expect the Spurs to continue to showcase their depth.
After Bryant’s career night, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson says the rookie will be a key part of his playoff rotation.
“Carter played within himself in terms of things that we’ve been talking about, and practicing and training on and the ball found him, and he shot (in) rhythm with confidence when he was open,” Johnson said. “He will play in the playoffs. Carter’s definitely grown just by the natural evolution of he had zero games under his belt before this year started.”
The Mavericks (25-55) travel south to the Alamo City after a 112-107 loss at Phoenix on Wednesday. John Poulakidas hit for a career-high 23 points and made five 3-pointers in the setback, while Marvin Bagley III had 20 points, Max Christie scored 18 and Cooper Flagg had 11 points, 13 rebounds and six assists for Dallas, strengthening his case for Rookie of the Year.
Dallas, which has dropped 10 of its past 12 contests, hung tough in the loss to the Suns in the second game of a road back-to-back despite playing without Naji Marshall (left hip contusion), P.J. Washington (left elbow sprain) and Klay Thompson (rest). Marshall and Washington are listed as doubtful for Friday’s game.
That situation gave Poulakidas, a rookie, a chance to show how he’s grown this season, and he made the most of that chance.
“I wanted to come into this game playing freely, playing aggressively, and I thought I did that,” said Poulakidas, a former March Madness hero for Yale. “When I was going through my pregame routines, I was filling a little bit of extra juice because I knew that I was going to get the opportunity. I just wanted to be ready when the ball came to me.”
The Spurs have captured all three games against Dallas this season.
#NBA #fines #Magic #listing #Anthony #Black #played #win #Pistons">NBA fines Magic $25,000 for listing Anthony Black as out before he played in win over Pistons
The NBA fined the Orlando Magic $25,000 on Thursday for violating league injury reporting rules before Monday night’s home game against the Detroit Pistons.
The Magic reported point guard Anthony Black as out on its initial injury report. After missing 15 games with an abdominal strain, Black returned and scored 14 points with two assists and two steals in 15 minutes for Orlando in its 123-107 win over Detroit.
In announcing the fine, the NBA said the Magic failed to accurately disclose Black’s game availability status.
Black, a third-year player from Arkansas, is averaging 15.1 points and 3.8 assists in 62 games, including 40 starts.
Apr 4, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) throws to the Washington Nationals during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images 
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