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Deadspin | Brewers place LHP Angel Zerpa (forearm) on 15-day injured list  Apr 17, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Angel Zerpa (61) delivers a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the eighth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images   The Milwaukee Brewers placed left-handed reliever Angel Zerpa on the 15-day injured list with left forearm tightness on Wednesday.  The move was retroactive to Tuesday. In a corresponding move, the Brewers called up left-hander Brian Fitzpatrick from Triple-A Nashville.  Zerpa, acquired in an offseason trade with Kansas City, was 0-2 with two saves, a 6.39 ERA, six walks and eight strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings over 12 appearances with Milwaukee.  “This looks like it could be serious. He’s not going to be back any time soon,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said before Wednesday’s game against Arizona. “Big blow, but we’re kind of used to that.”  Zerpa, 26, last pitched on Monday, giving up three runs, one hit and one walk with one strikeout in 2/3 of an inning in taking a 6-3 loss in 10 innings to the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.   The native of Venezuela is 12-9 in his career with two saves, a 4.13 ERA, 59 walks and 158 strikeouts in 189 2/3 innings over 160 regular-season games (eight starts) with Kansas City (2021-25) and Milwaukee. He also was 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in five playoff appearances with the Royals in 2024.  Fitzpatrick was 1-1 with a 0.00 ERA, two walks and 11 strikeouts in 10 relief appearances with Nashville. The 6-foot-7 pitcher allowed two runs, but none earned, in 10 1/3 innings. Fitzpatrick, 25, has never pitched in the majors.  The Brewers also announced that outfielder Luis Matos has cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Triple-A Sounds. Matos, 24, hit .200 (4-for-20) in nine games in his first season with Milwaukee after parts of three seasons with the San Francisco Giants (2023-25).  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Brewers #place #LHP #Angel #Zerpa #forearm #15day #injured #list

Deadspin | Brewers place LHP Angel Zerpa (forearm) on 15-day injured list
Deadspin | Brewers place LHP Angel Zerpa (forearm) on 15-day injured list  Apr 17, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Angel Zerpa (61) delivers a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the eighth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images   The Milwaukee Brewers placed left-handed reliever Angel Zerpa on the 15-day injured list with left forearm tightness on Wednesday.  The move was retroactive to Tuesday. In a corresponding move, the Brewers called up left-hander Brian Fitzpatrick from Triple-A Nashville.  Zerpa, acquired in an offseason trade with Kansas City, was 0-2 with two saves, a 6.39 ERA, six walks and eight strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings over 12 appearances with Milwaukee.  “This looks like it could be serious. He’s not going to be back any time soon,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said before Wednesday’s game against Arizona. “Big blow, but we’re kind of used to that.”  Zerpa, 26, last pitched on Monday, giving up three runs, one hit and one walk with one strikeout in 2/3 of an inning in taking a 6-3 loss in 10 innings to the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.   The native of Venezuela is 12-9 in his career with two saves, a 4.13 ERA, 59 walks and 158 strikeouts in 189 2/3 innings over 160 regular-season games (eight starts) with Kansas City (2021-25) and Milwaukee. He also was 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in five playoff appearances with the Royals in 2024.  Fitzpatrick was 1-1 with a 0.00 ERA, two walks and 11 strikeouts in 10 relief appearances with Nashville. The 6-foot-7 pitcher allowed two runs, but none earned, in 10 1/3 innings. Fitzpatrick, 25, has never pitched in the majors.  The Brewers also announced that outfielder Luis Matos has cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Triple-A Sounds. Matos, 24, hit .200 (4-for-20) in nine games in his first season with Milwaukee after parts of three seasons with the San Francisco Giants (2023-25).  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Brewers #place #LHP #Angel #Zerpa #forearm #15day #injured #listApr 17, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Angel Zerpa (61) delivers a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the eighth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers placed left-handed reliever Angel Zerpa on the 15-day injured list with left forearm tightness on Wednesday.

The move was retroactive to Tuesday. In a corresponding move, the Brewers called up left-hander Brian Fitzpatrick from Triple-A Nashville.

Zerpa, acquired in an offseason trade with Kansas City, was 0-2 with two saves, a 6.39 ERA, six walks and eight strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings over 12 appearances with Milwaukee.

“This looks like it could be serious. He’s not going to be back any time soon,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said before Wednesday’s game against Arizona. “Big blow, but we’re kind of used to that.”


Zerpa, 26, last pitched on Monday, giving up three runs, one hit and one walk with one strikeout in 2/3 of an inning in taking a 6-3 loss in 10 innings to the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.

The native of Venezuela is 12-9 in his career with two saves, a 4.13 ERA, 59 walks and 158 strikeouts in 189 2/3 innings over 160 regular-season games (eight starts) with Kansas City (2021-25) and Milwaukee. He also was 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in five playoff appearances with the Royals in 2024.

Fitzpatrick was 1-1 with a 0.00 ERA, two walks and 11 strikeouts in 10 relief appearances with Nashville. The 6-foot-7 pitcher allowed two runs, but none earned, in 10 1/3 innings. Fitzpatrick, 25, has never pitched in the majors.

The Brewers also announced that outfielder Luis Matos has cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Triple-A Sounds. Matos, 24, hit .200 (4-for-20) in nine games in his first season with Milwaukee after parts of three seasons with the San Francisco Giants (2023-25).

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Brewers #place #LHP #Angel #Zerpa #forearm #15day #injured #list

Apr 17, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Angel Zerpa (61) delivers a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the eighth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers placed left-handed reliever Angel Zerpa on the 15-day injured list with left forearm tightness on Wednesday.

The move was retroactive to Tuesday. In a corresponding move, the Brewers called up left-hander Brian Fitzpatrick from Triple-A Nashville.

Zerpa, acquired in an offseason trade with Kansas City, was 0-2 with two saves, a 6.39 ERA, six walks and eight strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings over 12 appearances with Milwaukee.

“This looks like it could be serious. He’s not going to be back any time soon,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said before Wednesday’s game against Arizona. “Big blow, but we’re kind of used to that.”

Zerpa, 26, last pitched on Monday, giving up three runs, one hit and one walk with one strikeout in 2/3 of an inning in taking a 6-3 loss in 10 innings to the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.

The native of Venezuela is 12-9 in his career with two saves, a 4.13 ERA, 59 walks and 158 strikeouts in 189 2/3 innings over 160 regular-season games (eight starts) with Kansas City (2021-25) and Milwaukee. He also was 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in five playoff appearances with the Royals in 2024.

Fitzpatrick was 1-1 with a 0.00 ERA, two walks and 11 strikeouts in 10 relief appearances with Nashville. The 6-foot-7 pitcher allowed two runs, but none earned, in 10 1/3 innings. Fitzpatrick, 25, has never pitched in the majors.

The Brewers also announced that outfielder Luis Matos has cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Triple-A Sounds. Matos, 24, hit .200 (4-for-20) in nine games in his first season with Milwaukee after parts of three seasons with the San Francisco Giants (2023-25).

–Field Level Media

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NBA Playoffs: Rockets, Pistons stay alive with Game 5 wins <div id="content-body-70923374" itemprop="articleBody"><p>Jabari Smith Jr. scored 22 points and Tari Eason added 18 as the Houston Rockets fought off elimination for a second ​consecutive game and crawled back into its first-round playoff series with a 99-93 ‌road victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 ​on Wednesday.</p><p>Alperen Sengun scored 14 points with nine ⁠rebounds and eight assists while Amen Thompson added 15 points for the Rockets, who now trail 3-2 in the best- of-seven Western Conference series after falling ‌into a 3-0 hole. No NBA team has rallied back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series.</p><p>The ‌consecutive Rockets victories have come without star Kevin Durant (ankle), who ‌has ⁠only played in Game 2.</p><p>Austin Reaves scored 22 points ⁠off the bench in his return from an oblique injury and LeBron James added 25 points for the Lakers. Deandre Ayton scored 18 points and grabbed 17 rebounds ​for his side, which ‌will get a third chance to clinch the series on Friday at Houston. The Lakers continue to be without star Luka Doncic (hamstring).</p><p><b>Pistons 116, Magic 109</b></p><p>Cade Cunningham poured in a career-playoff-high 45 points ‌as top-seeded Detroit Pistons stayed alive with a victory over visiting Orlando ​Magic in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.</p><p>Tobias Harris supplied 23 points and eight assists for the ⁠Pistons, who trail 3-2 in the best-of-seven series. Ausar Thompson contributed six points, 15 rebounds, six assists and five steals.</p><p>The Magic’s Paolo Banchero countered ‌Cunningham with a career-playoff-best 45 points to go along with nine rebounds and seven assists. Anthony Black had 19 points for eighth-seeded Magic. Franz Wagner sat out due to a calf strain.</p><div class="inline_embed article-block-item"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">45 POINTS FOR CADE.</p><p>45 POINTS FOR PAOLO.</p><p>2nd time EVER two opponents have dropped 45 in a postseason game… Pistons keep their season alive in an ALL-TIME battle between the 2021 and 2022 No. 1 picks 🤯 <a href="https://t.co/BvRX27ZP8S">pic.twitter.com/BvRX27ZP8S</a></p>— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/2049670663737069808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2026</a></blockquote></div><p><b>Cavaliers 125, Raptors 120</b></p><p>Dennis Schroder scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter and James Harden finished with 23 points, rallying Cleveland ‌Cavaliers to a 3-2 lead over visiting Toronto Raptors in an Eastern Conference first-round playoff ​series.</p><p>The Cavaliers, who trailed by 12 points on multiple occasions, have won all three of their home games so ⁠far. Evan Mobley had 23 points and nine rebounds, and Donovan Mitchell ⁠scored 19 for the Cavaliers. Harden also had nine rebounds, five assists and six turnovers in a series-high 39:45 minutes.</p><p>RJ Barrett ‌paced the Raptors with 25 points and Ja’Kobe Walter scored a career-playoff-high 20 points and made 6 of 14 3-point attempts. ​Raptors forward Brandon Ingram injured his right heel in the second quarter and did not return.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 30, 2026</p></div><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> #NBA #Playoffs #Rockets #Pistons #stay #alive #Game #wins

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‘Batters don’t respect bowlers anymore’, says Muralitharan on SRH’s easy chase vs MI <div id="content-body-70923398" itemprop="articleBody"><p>Sunrisers Hyderabad continued to thrive in the high-scoring landscape of IPL 2026, chasing down a daunting total with authority, as assistant coach Muttiah Muralitharan pointed to a dramatic shift in batting approach across teams.</p><p>SRH successfully hunted down a target of over 200 with composure, powered by a blazing start in the powerplay and sustained aggression through the middle overs. Its openers laid the perfect platform, racing to nearly 80 in the first six overs — a trend that has become increasingly common this season — before the middle order ensured there were no late hiccups in the chase.</p><p>Reflecting on the game and the broader trend, Muralitharan admitted that bowlers are finding it tougher than ever to contain batters in the modern T20 setup.</p><p>“It is very difficult for a bowler nowadays. Every team’s openers don’t fear losing wickets. The average score has now gone up from 40 for one to eighty in six overs, that’s why the scores are going beyond 200,” he said in the post-match press conference.</p><p>SRH’s chase was calculated from the outset, with the team backing its knowledge of conditions. “We knew how the wicket would play, and chasing would be easy,” Muralitharan added, highlighting the clarity in the side’s approach.</p><p>The Sri Lankan legend also underlined the fearless mindset of contemporary batters, noting that reputation no longer guarantees restraint. “The batters are in top form, and they don’t respect any bowler, even if it is someone like Bumrah,” he remarked.</p><p>With another clinical chase under its belt, SRH reinforced its reputation as one of the most dangerous batting units this season — a side perfectly in tune with the evolving, high-risk, high-reward nature of T20 cricket.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 30, 2026</p></div> #Batters #dont #respect #bowlers #anymore #Muralitharan #SRHs #easy #chase

Deadspin | Knicks finish sweep of Cavs, make first NBA Finals since 1999  May 25, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) shoots while defended by Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) in the third quarter during game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images   CLEVELAND — Karl-Anthony Towns scored 19 points and grabbed 14 rebounds as the New York Knicks advanced to the NBA Finals with a 130-93 rout of the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals Monday night.  The Knicks, who will play in the championship series for the first time since 1999, extended their franchise playoff-record winning streak to 11 games — matching the third-longest run in a single postseason in league history.  OG Anunoby had 17 points and Landry Shamet scored 16 off the bench on 4-for-4 3-point shooting for New York, which built a 29-point lead in the second quarter and went up 123-78 in the fourth. Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges finished with 15 points apiece, and Josh Hart added six points, 11 rebounds and six assists.  Donovan Mitchell logged 31 points and Evan Mobley posted 15 points and seven rebounds for Cleveland, which reached the East finals for the first time since 2018. James Harden had 12 points and five turnovers while missing all six of his 3-point tries.  The Knicks’ Mike Brown is off to the NBA Finals for the second time as a head coach, having led the Cavaliers to their first East crown in 2007.  The 37-point defeat was the Cavaliers’ largest ever in a playoff home game.  New York dominated the rebounding battle 60-33 with backup center Mitchell Robinson grabbing 10 boards in 18 minutes.   New York delivered the knockout blow early with a 20-0 run over a span of 5:52 from late in the first quarter into the second. A dunk by Towns punctuated the surge, making the score 50-26.  The Knicks eventually built a 61-32 lead on Shamet’s third 3-pointer of the half.  Mitchell scored 10 points and Mobley had seven in the first six minutes, putting the Cavaliers up 17-14. A 9-0 run then put New York on top for good. Robinson entered for New York and made an impact with six points and four rebounds, sparking a 24-9 run to end the quarter.  Cleveland backup point guard Dennis Schroder was a late scratch with an illness.  Among the Knicks’ celebrity fans seated courtside were comedian Tracy Morgan, filmmaker Spike Lee and actor Timothee Chalamet.  –Brian Dulik, Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Knicks #finish #sweep #Cavs #NBA #FinalsMay 25, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) shoots while defended by Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) in the third quarter during game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

CLEVELAND — Karl-Anthony Towns scored 19 points and grabbed 14 rebounds as the New York Knicks advanced to the NBA Finals with a 130-93 rout of the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals Monday night.

The Knicks, who will play in the championship series for the first time since 1999, extended their franchise playoff-record winning streak to 11 games — matching the third-longest run in a single postseason in league history.

OG Anunoby had 17 points and Landry Shamet scored 16 off the bench on 4-for-4 3-point shooting for New York, which built a 29-point lead in the second quarter and went up 123-78 in the fourth. Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges finished with 15 points apiece, and Josh Hart added six points, 11 rebounds and six assists.

Donovan Mitchell logged 31 points and Evan Mobley posted 15 points and seven rebounds for Cleveland, which reached the East finals for the first time since 2018. James Harden had 12 points and five turnovers while missing all six of his 3-point tries.

The Knicks’ Mike Brown is off to the NBA Finals for the second time as a head coach, having led the Cavaliers to their first East crown in 2007.

The 37-point defeat was the Cavaliers’ largest ever in a playoff home game.


New York dominated the rebounding battle 60-33 with backup center Mitchell Robinson grabbing 10 boards in 18 minutes.

New York delivered the knockout blow early with a 20-0 run over a span of 5:52 from late in the first quarter into the second. A dunk by Towns punctuated the surge, making the score 50-26.

The Knicks eventually built a 61-32 lead on Shamet’s third 3-pointer of the half.

Mitchell scored 10 points and Mobley had seven in the first six minutes, putting the Cavaliers up 17-14. A 9-0 run then put New York on top for good. Robinson entered for New York and made an impact with six points and four rebounds, sparking a 24-9 run to end the quarter.

Cleveland backup point guard Dennis Schroder was a late scratch with an illness.

Among the Knicks’ celebrity fans seated courtside were comedian Tracy Morgan, filmmaker Spike Lee and actor Timothee Chalamet.

–Brian Dulik, Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Knicks #finish #sweep #Cavs #NBA #Finals">Deadspin | Knicks finish sweep of Cavs, make first NBA Finals since 1999  May 25, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) shoots while defended by Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) in the third quarter during game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images   CLEVELAND — Karl-Anthony Towns scored 19 points and grabbed 14 rebounds as the New York Knicks advanced to the NBA Finals with a 130-93 rout of the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals Monday night.  The Knicks, who will play in the championship series for the first time since 1999, extended their franchise playoff-record winning streak to 11 games — matching the third-longest run in a single postseason in league history.  OG Anunoby had 17 points and Landry Shamet scored 16 off the bench on 4-for-4 3-point shooting for New York, which built a 29-point lead in the second quarter and went up 123-78 in the fourth. Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges finished with 15 points apiece, and Josh Hart added six points, 11 rebounds and six assists.  Donovan Mitchell logged 31 points and Evan Mobley posted 15 points and seven rebounds for Cleveland, which reached the East finals for the first time since 2018. James Harden had 12 points and five turnovers while missing all six of his 3-point tries.  The Knicks’ Mike Brown is off to the NBA Finals for the second time as a head coach, having led the Cavaliers to their first East crown in 2007.  The 37-point defeat was the Cavaliers’ largest ever in a playoff home game.  New York dominated the rebounding battle 60-33 with backup center Mitchell Robinson grabbing 10 boards in 18 minutes.   New York delivered the knockout blow early with a 20-0 run over a span of 5:52 from late in the first quarter into the second. A dunk by Towns punctuated the surge, making the score 50-26.  The Knicks eventually built a 61-32 lead on Shamet’s third 3-pointer of the half.  Mitchell scored 10 points and Mobley had seven in the first six minutes, putting the Cavaliers up 17-14. A 9-0 run then put New York on top for good. Robinson entered for New York and made an impact with six points and four rebounds, sparking a 24-9 run to end the quarter.  Cleveland backup point guard Dennis Schroder was a late scratch with an illness.  Among the Knicks’ celebrity fans seated courtside were comedian Tracy Morgan, filmmaker Spike Lee and actor Timothee Chalamet.  –Brian Dulik, Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Knicks #finish #sweep #Cavs #NBA #Finals

Carla Leite called for the iso.

Dribbling out the clock, the 5’9 guard shooed away her teammates with confidence. The only thing standing between the 22-year-old and the Barclays Center basket?

Stewart is an elite defender — one of the WNBA’s most consistent. She’s also 6’4. But that didn’t matter. Leite, a 17.3% career three-point shooter in the WNBA, pulled up for three.

Leite smiled, knowing she had just iced the game. Thanks to her big triple, the Portland Fire led the New York Liberty by 6 points with 14.4 seconds to spare. Liberty guard Marine Johannes responded with a three-pointer of her own, but the game was out of reach.

The pull-up three was Leite’s second consecutive clutch basket in the final seconds of Monday night’s 81-74 Fire win over the Liberty. Twenty-five seconds earlier, Leite drove to the basket to give the Fire a 5-point lead with 40 seconds to play.

And, Monday wasn’t the first time she took over in the clutch, either.

Two weeks earlier, when the Fire pulled out the franchise’s first-ever win, Leite also stepped up down the stretch against the Liberty. She drove to the basket with 27.1 seconds to play, tying up the game against New York. A Sarah Ashlee Barker game-winner ended up securing that May 12th win.

Leite is having a strong all-around season. On Monday, she scored a team-high 18 points on 8-14 shooting; the Fire outscored the Liberty by 8 points in her 22 minutes on the floor.

Leite’s points, rebounds, and assists per game have all more than doubled; she averaged 7.2 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 2 assists per game, and has seen those numbers rise to 15 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game this season. Her efficiency has also risen; she averaged 38.7% in her rookie campaign and is shooting 5% better this year in Portland.

The Fire are 3-2 in the five games the sophomore guard has played.

Leite is far from the only reason why the Fire, one of two 2026 expansion teams, have begun the season 4-3. Bridget Carleton, the No. 1 overall pick in the expansion draft, is averaging 16.5 points per game, 10 more than she averaged last year as a role player on the Minnesota Lynx. Emily Engslter, Megan Gustafson, Nyadiew Puoch, and Luisa Geiselsoder have all been key contributors.

And, Ashlee Barker, who is averaging 10.3 points off the bench, has also been a monster in the clutch. In addition to her game-winner earlier in the month, Barker completed an and-one driving layup in the final minute of a crunch-time victory over the Connecticut Sun. In Monday’s win over the Liberty, she hit a go-ahead corner three to give the Fire a one-point edge with just under four minutes to spare. The Fire never trailed again.

But, Leite — left unprotected by the Golden State Valkyries after her rookie season — has been the primary scoring option in the clutch.

And, on Monday, she did it again.

#WNBA #clutchtime #superstar">The WNBA has a new clutch-time superstar  Carla Leite called for the iso.Dribbling out the clock, the 5’9 guard shooed away her teammates with confidence. The only thing standing between the 22-year-old and the Barclays Center basket?Stewart is an elite defender — one of the WNBA’s most consistent. She’s also 6’4. But that didn’t matter. Leite, a 17.3% career three-point shooter in the WNBA, pulled up for three.Leite smiled, knowing she had just iced the game. Thanks to her big triple, the Portland Fire led the New York Liberty by 6 points with 14.4 seconds to spare. Liberty guard Marine Johannes responded with a three-pointer of her own, but the game was out of reach.The pull-up three was Leite’s second consecutive clutch basket in the final seconds of Monday night’s 81-74 Fire win over the Liberty. Twenty-five seconds earlier, Leite drove to the basket to give the Fire a 5-point lead with 40 seconds to play.And, Monday wasn’t the first time she took over in the clutch, either.Two weeks earlier, when the Fire pulled out the franchise’s first-ever win, Leite also stepped up down the stretch against the Liberty. She drove to the basket with 27.1 seconds to play, tying up the game against New York. A Sarah Ashlee Barker game-winner ended up securing that May 12th win.Leite is having a strong all-around season. On Monday, she scored a team-high 18 points on 8-14 shooting; the Fire outscored the Liberty by 8 points in her 22 minutes on the floor.Leite’s points, rebounds, and assists per game have all more than doubled; she averaged 7.2 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 2 assists per game, and has seen those numbers rise to 15 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game this season. Her efficiency has also risen; she averaged 38.7% in her rookie campaign and is shooting 5% better this year in Portland.The Fire are 3-2 in the five games the sophomore guard has played.Leite is far from the only reason why the Fire, one of two 2026 expansion teams, have begun the season 4-3. Bridget Carleton, the No. 1 overall pick in the expansion draft, is averaging 16.5 points per game, 10 more than she averaged last year as a role player on the Minnesota Lynx. Emily Engslter, Megan Gustafson, Nyadiew Puoch, and Luisa Geiselsoder have all been key contributors.And, Ashlee Barker, who is averaging 10.3 points off the bench, has also been a monster in the clutch. In addition to her game-winner earlier in the month, Barker completed an and-one driving layup in the final minute of a crunch-time victory over the Connecticut Sun. In Monday’s win over the Liberty, she hit a go-ahead corner three to give the Fire a one-point edge with just under four minutes to spare. The Fire never trailed again.But, Leite — left unprotected by the Golden State Valkyries after her rookie season — has been the primary scoring option in the clutch.And, on Monday, she did it again.  #WNBA #clutchtime #superstar

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