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Tag: season

  • Kings star C Domantas Sabonis has torn meniscus, out at least 3-4 weeks

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    (Photo credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images)

    The skidding Sacramento Kings got more bad news on Thursday when MRI imaging revealed star center Domantas Sabonis has a partial meniscus tear in his left knee, the team announced.

    Sabonis, 29, will be re-evaluated in three to four weeks, the Kings said.

    A three-time All-Star, Sabonis last played on Sunday, collecting 17 points, 13 rebounds and five assists in a 123-110 road loss to the San Antonio Spurs. The team said he experienced left knee soreness following the game.

    He did not play on Wednesday at Oklahoma City, a 113-99 setback. Sacramento (3-12) has lost seven straight games, all by double digits.

    Sabonis is averaging 17.2 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 33.2 minutes in 11 games (all starts) this season. Extremely durable over his 10-year career, Sabonis was sidelined for the season opener due to a hamstring strain in the preseason and missed two games this month because of a rib issue.

    The Orlando Magic selected Sabonis with the 11th overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft and traded him the same day to Oklahoma City. The Thunder dealt him to the Pacers in July 2017, and the Kings acquired him in February 2022 in a deal that sent point guard Tyrese Haliburton to Indiana.

    For his career, Sabonis has averaged 16.1 points, 10.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 30.8 minutes in 657 regular-season games (517 starts) for the Thunder (2016-17), Pacers (2017-22) and Kings.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Lowly UCF, Oklahoma State eager to snap losing streaks

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    (Photo credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images)

    In the past eight weeks, UCF and Oklahoma State have combined for just one win.

    This week may be both teams’ last chance for a victory this season when they clash in Orlando on Saturday.

    The Cowboys (1-9, 0-7 Big 12) haven’t done much good this season as they fired long-time coach Mike Gundy in September and have yet to beat a FBS squad, dropping nine straight games. Oklahoma State is one of two teams in the bottom six nationally in scoring offense and scoring defense.

    Oklahoma State had a promising outing last week against Kansas State, trailing 7-6 entering the fourth quarter. But Zane Flores threw two interceptions, including one in the fourth quarter when Oklahoma State was at the Kansas State 27, in what became a 14-6 loss.

    ‘You do all the things necessary to get down there and then you turn it over, you’re not going to beat too many teams doing that,’ said interim coach Doug Meacham on Monday. ‘ … But I’m proud on a lot of levels, about a lot of different things, and wish that we could find a way to break through.’

    The Knights (4-6, 1-6) continued to struggle offensively in their 48-9 loss at No. 6 Texas Tech Saturday. UCF was held under 300 yards for the third straight game as the defense allowed a third consecutive 400-yard game.

    Quarterback Tayven Jackson struggled, passing for just 178 yards, the fifth time in his last six games he’s thrown for fewer than 200.

    Backup Davi Belfort saw some game action, but mostly was used as a threat on the ground. He had 36 rushing yards against Houston two weeks ago and had four yards with no passes attempted against the Red Raiders.

    Coach Scott Frost alluded that he may give Belfort more opportunities and use him more to mix UCF’s offense up.

    ‘Davi will continue to improve in everything he does as he gets more reps,’ Frost said Monday. ‘It hasn’t been completely fair to him to put him in the situation he’s in without having gotten a lot of reps over the course of this year … but Davi is capable of running our whole offense.’

    The Knights beat the Cowboys the last time they matched up, a 45-3 romp in 2023.

    –Field Level Media

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  • A new virus variant and lagging vaccinations may mean the US is in for a severe flu season

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    The United States may be heading into its second severe flu season in a row, driven by a mutated strain called subclade K that’s behind early surges in the United Kingdom, Canada and Japan.Last winter’s season was extreme, too. The U.S. had its highest rates of flu hospitalizations in nearly 15 years. At least 280 children died of influenza, the highest number since pediatric death numbers were required to be shared in 2004.Now, with a new variant in the mix, experts say we’re on track for a repeat. And with flu vaccinations down and holiday travel on the way, they worry that things may look much worse in the weeks ahead.The good news: Early analysis shows that this season’s flu shots offer some protection against being hospitalized with this variant, especially for kids. The bad news is that many Americans appear to be skipping their flu vaccines this year. New data from prescription data company IQVIA shows that vaccinations are down compared to where they usually are at this point in the year.A new playerFlu activity is low but rising quickly in the United States, according to the latest FluView report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Most of the flu viruses identified this season have been an A strain called H3N2, and half of those have come from subclade K, a variant that was responsible for a rougher-than-normal flu season this summer in the Southern Hemisphere.That variant wasn’t a major player when scientists decided which strains should be in the annual flu shots, so the vaccines cover a related but slightly different group of viruses.”It’s not like we’re expecting to get complete loss of protection for the vaccine, but perhaps we might expect a little bit of a drop-off if this is the virus that sort of dominates the season, and early indications are that’s probably going to be the case,” said Dr. Richard Webby, director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for studies on the ecology of influenza in animals and birds at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.Early analysis by the U.K. Health Security Agency shows that subclade K has seven gene changes on a key segment of the virus. Those mutations change the shape of this region, making it harder for the body’s defenses to recognize.”That’s the predominant thing that our immune system targets with antibodies, and that’s also pretty much what’s in the vaccine,” said Dr. Adam Lauring, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Michigan Medical School.UKHSA scientists found that the current flu vaccines are still providing decent protection against subclade K viruses. Vaccination cut the odds of an emergency department visit or hospitalization for the flu by almost 75% in children. The effectiveness for adults, even those over 65, was lower, about 30% to 40% against needing to visit the hospital or ER.But the scientists offer a caveat: These results are from early in the season, before the protection from seasonal flu vaccines has had time to wane or wear off. The findings are posted in a recent preprint study, which means it was published ahead of scrutiny from outside experts.Still, some protection is better than no protection, and while subclade K is expected to dominate the season, it won’t be the only flu strain circulating. No one gets to pick what they’re exposed to. Lauring said his daughter has just recovered from the flu, but it was a B-type strain.At the same time this new variant has emerged, flu vaccinations appear to be down in the U.S. According to IQVIA, about 64% of all flu vaccinations were administered at retail pharmacies, which administered roughly 26.5 million flu shots between August and the end of October. That’s more than 2 million fewer shots than the 28.7 million given over the same time frame in 2024.”I’m not surprised,” said Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo, who directs the Pandemic Center at Brown University’s School of Public Health. Vaccine skepticism expressed by leaders of the US Department of Health and Human Services has “injected chaos into the whole vaccination system,” she said.”There’s been a lot of attention on really non-issues,” like vaccine ingredients and separating shots, that she thinks “at the best, left people confused but possibly at the worst have left people worried about getting vaccinated,” she added.Flu vaccinations have also fallen in Australia, where subclade K was the predominant virus this year. As a result, flu hit a record, with more than 443,000 cases. Flu season in the Southern Hemisphere typically runs from May to July, so infectious disease experts often look to those countries for a preview of what might be on the way to North America.”What they saw in Australia is that they had a bad season. And so it’s concerning for you and us, what’s coming,” said Dr. Earl Rubin, director of the infectious disease division at the Montreal Children’s Hospital in Canada.’This is the time we start to see the rise’It’s difficult to say whether subclade K actually makes a person sicker than other flu strains, but if it drives more cases, it will certainly drive hospitalizations too, Rubin said.”When you look at severity, the more cases you have, if the same percentage get hospitalized, obviously you’re going to have more hospitalization if you have more cases. So it sometimes will look like the severity is also worse,” he said.Lab testing data has begun to show an uptick in flu cases.”This is the time we start to see the rise,” said Dr. Allison McMullen, a clinical microbiologist at BioMerieux, which makes the BioFire test, a popular diagnostic tool for respiratory pathogens.The company anonymously compiles its test results into a syndromic surveillance tool, which can offer a glimpse of what bugs are making people sick at any given time. At the beginning of the month, less than 1% of tests were positive for type A flu. Now it’s 2.4% – still low numbers but going up briskly, which aligns with the CDC trend.”We’re going to start seeing heavy holiday travel before we know it,” McMullen added. “With the rising cases that we’re seeing the U.K. and Japan, it can definitely be a bellwether for what we’re going to see in North America.”Signals are also rising in wastewater, said Dr. Marlene Wolfe, an assistant professor of environmental health at Emory University. In October, 18% of samples in the WastewaterSCAN network — an academically led wastewater monitoring program based at Stanford University, in partnership with Emory — were positive for type A flu, Wolfe said. In November, that number had risen to 40%.”Flu is something where, when it’s not in season, we don’t detect it very frequently in wastewater,” Wolfe said. COVID, on the other hand, can be detected pretty much all the time, which makes it challenging to know if it’s going up or down, she said.The scientists can set a threshold for when they can declare that a specific area is in flu season, Wolfe says. So far, just four of the 147 sites they monitor in 40 states have reached that threshold. Those sites are in the Northeast — in Maine and Vermont — in Iowa and in Hawaii.”I am concerned, I guess, that we could have a big flu season this year based on what we’re seeing in other parts of the world, and particularly Europe and elsewhere,” Michigan’s Lauring said.”It’s not too late. Go and get your flu shot,” Lauring advised. “And be alert that it’s out there.”

    The United States may be heading into its second severe flu season in a row, driven by a mutated strain called subclade K that’s behind early surges in the United Kingdom, Canada and Japan.

    Last winter’s season was extreme, too. The U.S. had its highest rates of flu hospitalizations in nearly 15 years. At least 280 children died of influenza, the highest number since pediatric death numbers were required to be shared in 2004.

    Now, with a new variant in the mix, experts say we’re on track for a repeat. And with flu vaccinations down and holiday travel on the way, they worry that things may look much worse in the weeks ahead.

    The good news: Early analysis shows that this season’s flu shots offer some protection against being hospitalized with this variant, especially for kids. The bad news is that many Americans appear to be skipping their flu vaccines this year. New data from prescription data company IQVIA shows that vaccinations are down compared to where they usually are at this point in the year.

    A new player

    Flu activity is low but rising quickly in the United States, according to the latest FluView report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    Most of the flu viruses identified this season have been an A strain called H3N2, and half of those have come from subclade K, a variant that was responsible for a rougher-than-normal flu season this summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

    That variant wasn’t a major player when scientists decided which strains should be in the annual flu shots, so the vaccines cover a related but slightly different group of viruses.

    “It’s not like we’re expecting to get complete loss of protection for the vaccine, but perhaps we might expect a little bit of a drop-off if this is the virus that sort of dominates the season, and early indications are that’s probably going to be the case,” said Dr. Richard Webby, director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for studies on the ecology of influenza in animals and birds at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

    Early analysis by the U.K. Health Security Agency shows that subclade K has seven gene changes on a key segment of the virus. Those mutations change the shape of this region, making it harder for the body’s defenses to recognize.

    “That’s the predominant thing that our immune system targets with antibodies, and that’s also pretty much what’s in the vaccine,” said Dr. Adam Lauring, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Michigan Medical School.

    UKHSA scientists found that the current flu vaccines are still providing decent protection against subclade K viruses. Vaccination cut the odds of an emergency department visit or hospitalization for the flu by almost 75% in children. The effectiveness for adults, even those over 65, was lower, about 30% to 40% against needing to visit the hospital or ER.

    But the scientists offer a caveat: These results are from early in the season, before the protection from seasonal flu vaccines has had time to wane or wear off. The findings are posted in a recent preprint study, which means it was published ahead of scrutiny from outside experts.

    Still, some protection is better than no protection, and while subclade K is expected to dominate the season, it won’t be the only flu strain circulating. No one gets to pick what they’re exposed to. Lauring said his daughter has just recovered from the flu, but it was a B-type strain.

    At the same time this new variant has emerged, flu vaccinations appear to be down in the U.S. According to IQVIA, about 64% of all flu vaccinations were administered at retail pharmacies, which administered roughly 26.5 million flu shots between August and the end of October. That’s more than 2 million fewer shots than the 28.7 million given over the same time frame in 2024.

    “I’m not surprised,” said Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo, who directs the Pandemic Center at Brown University’s School of Public Health. Vaccine skepticism expressed by leaders of the US Department of Health and Human Services has “injected chaos into the whole vaccination system,” she said.

    “There’s been a lot of attention on really non-issues,” like vaccine ingredients and separating shots, that she thinks “at the best, left people confused but possibly at the worst have left people worried about getting vaccinated,” she added.

    Flu vaccinations have also fallen in Australia, where subclade K was the predominant virus this year. As a result, flu hit a record, with more than 443,000 cases. Flu season in the Southern Hemisphere typically runs from May to July, so infectious disease experts often look to those countries for a preview of what might be on the way to North America.

    “What they saw in Australia is that they had a bad season. And so it’s concerning for you and us, what’s coming,” said Dr. Earl Rubin, director of the infectious disease division at the Montreal Children’s Hospital in Canada.

    ‘This is the time we start to see the rise’

    It’s difficult to say whether subclade K actually makes a person sicker than other flu strains, but if it drives more cases, it will certainly drive hospitalizations too, Rubin said.

    “When you look at severity, the more cases you have, if the same percentage get hospitalized, obviously you’re going to have more hospitalization if you have more cases. So it sometimes will look like the severity is also worse,” he said.

    Lab testing data has begun to show an uptick in flu cases.

    “This is the time we start to see the rise,” said Dr. Allison McMullen, a clinical microbiologist at BioMerieux, which makes the BioFire test, a popular diagnostic tool for respiratory pathogens.

    The company anonymously compiles its test results into a syndromic surveillance tool, which can offer a glimpse of what bugs are making people sick at any given time. At the beginning of the month, less than 1% of tests were positive for type A flu. Now it’s 2.4% – still low numbers but going up briskly, which aligns with the CDC trend.

    “We’re going to start seeing heavy holiday travel before we know it,” McMullen added. “With the rising cases that we’re seeing the U.K. and Japan, it can definitely be a bellwether for what we’re going to see in North America.”

    Signals are also rising in wastewater, said Dr. Marlene Wolfe, an assistant professor of environmental health at Emory University. In October, 18% of samples in the WastewaterSCAN network — an academically led wastewater monitoring program based at Stanford University, in partnership with Emory — were positive for type A flu, Wolfe said. In November, that number had risen to 40%.

    “Flu is something where, when it’s not in season, we don’t detect it very frequently in wastewater,” Wolfe said. COVID, on the other hand, can be detected pretty much all the time, which makes it challenging to know if it’s going up or down, she said.

    The scientists can set a threshold for when they can declare that a specific area is in flu season, Wolfe says. So far, just four of the 147 sites they monitor in 40 states have reached that threshold. Those sites are in the Northeast — in Maine and Vermont — in Iowa and in Hawaii.

    “I am concerned, I guess, that we could have a big flu season this year based on what we’re seeing in other parts of the world, and particularly Europe and elsewhere,” Michigan’s Lauring said.

    “It’s not too late. Go and get your flu shot,” Lauring advised. “And be alert that it’s out there.”

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  • Hot coaching commodity Lane Kiffin has a tough decision 12 years after USC fired him

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    Twelve years ago, coach Lane Kiffin was humiliated, fired by USC athletic director Pat Haden on an airport tarmac at 3 a.m. moments after the Trojans had flown in from Phoenix after getting crushed by Arizona State, 62-41.

    OK, so maybe it wasn’t the tarmac, maybe that’s just Trojan lore, maybe the abrupt firing took place in a small room next to the runway.

    Either way, the memory has been burned in Kiffin’s heart and mind, helping motivate him to increased success on the field and seemingly heartfelt balance in his personal life.

    Now the tables have turned. Kiffin, 50, has led Ole Miss to a No. 5 national ranking and 10-1 record, the fourth year in the last five the Rebels have won at least 10 games. He seemingly shed the reputation for aloofness and me-first attitude that dogged him as a failed NFL head coach at age 32 and as an Alabama assistant let go by Nick Saban days before a national title game for focusing too much on his next job.

    Yet, here we are again, Kiffin apparently contemplating the unthinkable. Would he really abandon Ole Miss on the eve of the College Football Playoff for Florida or Louisiana State, fellow SEC schools and established national powers hunting for head coaches?

    A young fan shows his support for Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin during the second half of a game against Florida in Oxford, Miss., on Nov. 15, 2025.

    (Rogelio V. Solis/Associated Press)

    Kiffin’s ex-wife Layla — they are on friendly terms — and 17-year-old son Knox recently were flown on private jets to Gainesville, Fla., and Baton Rouge, La., presumably to check out the livability and vibes of the potential next entry on Kiffin’s resume.

    Ole Miss is well aware of Kiffin’s impending decision and clearly want to know the answer ahead of the Rebels’ regular-season finale Nov. 28 against Mississippi State. Kiffin, however, denied rumors that Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter had given him an ultimatum to decide before then.

    “Yeah, that’s absolutely not true,” Kiffin told “The Pat McAfee Show” on ESPN on Tuesday. “There has been no ultimatum, anything like that at all. And so I don’t know where that came from, like a lot of stuff that comes out there. Like I said, man, we’re having a blast. I love it here.”

    In fairness to Kiffin, the urgency to decide now rather than at season’s end is a function of today’s college football recruiting calendar and transfer portal. The high school signing period begins Dec. 3 and the transfer portal opens Jan. 2.

    The first round of the CFP will be Dec. 19 and 20. The quarterfinals are on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Florida and LSU can’t wait that long to hire a coach.

    What should he do? Most seasoned pundits believe he should not budge.

    “Kiffin should stay and see the season out; attempt to win, try to reach the Final Four or beyond, make the memories, and forge the deep bonds that coaching is supposed to be about,” longtime columnist Dan Wetzel wrote for ESPN.

    Reasons to jump to LSU or Florida are that both schools are in talent-rich states with massive fan bases and deep tradition. The ceiling is higher and the stands fuller than in Oxford, Miss. Also, coaches at those established SEC powers tend to dig in for years. Who knows when a similar opportunity will present itself?

    Kiffin’s quandary is understandable. Old Miss administrators, however, vividly recall 2022 when Kiffin was courted by Auburn and allowed the issue to linger and sabotage a potentially great season. The Rebels were 8-1 when the rumors began and then lost four in a row.

    Nobody at Ole Miss wants another collapse because Kiffin — again — had a wandering eye. His decision is difficult, and won’t wait.

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    Steve Henson

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  • 7-year-old snowboarder aims for sixth 100-day season

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    With Killington Resort officially open in Vermont, skiers and riders were excited to kick off their season on Thursday. Among them was Harley Ruffle, a 7-year-old who has gained thousands of followers on social media with his journey on a snowboard.Harley Ruffle is only 7 years old, but he has already completed five seasons of snowboarding for at least 100 days. His quick progress already has him riding with professionals. He first picked up a snowboard at only 2 years old. His family was at a ski shop for his older brother, but ended up leaving with another rider. Harley’s mom, Jill Ruffle, said she turned around and Harley had strapped himself into a mini snowboard. “We brought him into the store in a stroller and he’s on snow, balancing on a snowboard with absolutely zero problems,” she said. From then on, snowboarding was all he wanted to do. Harley is homeschooled and started going to the mountain as much as possible to practice. His mom said that while he began riding with the Killington Mountain School last season, he started with no formal training. She said right away she noticed Harley’s ability to quickly pick up new skills. He landed his first front flip at just 4 years old. “I just try it, and most of the time I get it,” Harley said. Since he began snowboarding, Harley has made it to the mountain a total of 678 days. One season, he was out for 172 days. Now, he is hoping for his sixth 100-day season this year. “That wasn’t something we set out to happen. It was just, again, his passion led to that,” said Jill Ruffle. Harley’s mom began posting videos of him riding several years ago to document his snowboarding journey. Since then, he’s gained over 26,000 followers and sponsors who have supported his progress, providing him with equipment and more. “He’s a goofy, happy little snowboarder,” she said. “I think they want to end up where — you know, see where he ends up on his journey.”Harley’s family has built a community through his snowboarding. He became family friends with professional snowboarders who enjoy riding with him. “Ever since I’ve known him, I swear it was before he could even talk, he was on a snowboard, you know, just smiling, doing his thing,” said professional rider Zeb Powell. Harley said he is happy to begin another season on the slopes. He said he has been waiting to get in his first runs for weeks, and with another year starting, he’s aiming for another 100 days on the mountain.

    With Killington Resort officially open in Vermont, skiers and riders were excited to kick off their season on Thursday. Among them was Harley Ruffle, a 7-year-old who has gained thousands of followers on social media with his journey on a snowboard.

    Harley Ruffle is only 7 years old, but he has already completed five seasons of snowboarding for at least 100 days. His quick progress already has him riding with professionals.

    He first picked up a snowboard at only 2 years old. His family was at a ski shop for his older brother, but ended up leaving with another rider. Harley’s mom, Jill Ruffle, said she turned around and Harley had strapped himself into a mini snowboard.

    “We brought him into the store in a stroller and he’s on snow, balancing on a snowboard with absolutely zero problems,” she said.

    From then on, snowboarding was all he wanted to do. Harley is homeschooled and started going to the mountain as much as possible to practice. His mom said that while he began riding with the Killington Mountain School last season, he started with no formal training. She said right away she noticed Harley’s ability to quickly pick up new skills. He landed his first front flip at just 4 years old.

    “I just try it, and most of the time I get it,” Harley said.

    Since he began snowboarding, Harley has made it to the mountain a total of 678 days. One season, he was out for 172 days. Now, he is hoping for his sixth 100-day season this year.

    “That wasn’t something we set out to happen. It was just, again, his passion led to that,” said Jill Ruffle.

    Harley’s mom began posting videos of him riding several years ago to document his snowboarding journey. Since then, he’s gained over 26,000 followers and sponsors who have supported his progress, providing him with equipment and more.

    “He’s a goofy, happy little snowboarder,” she said. “I think they want to end up where — you know, see where he ends up on his journey.”

    Harley’s family has built a community through his snowboarding. He became family friends with professional snowboarders who enjoy riding with him.

    “Ever since I’ve known him, I swear it was before he could even talk, he was on a snowboard, you know, just smiling, doing his thing,” said professional rider Zeb Powell.

    Harley said he is happy to begin another season on the slopes. He said he has been waiting to get in his first runs for weeks, and with another year starting, he’s aiming for another 100 days on the mountain.

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  • Hartenstein has 33 points and 19 rebounds to help the Thunder rout the Kings

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    Isaiah Hartenstein had a career-high 33 points and 19 rebounds and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Sacramento Kings 132-101 on Friday night.The 7-foot Hartenstein made 14 of 17 shots and had three assists and three blocks.Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 30 points to help the Thunder (9-1) bounce back two nights after suffering their only loss of the season in Portland.Cason Wallace scored 15 points and Isaiah Joe added 13 as the Thunder won their first game of the NBA Cup tournament.Oklahoma City led by 23 and took advantage of the absence of Sacramento big man Domantas Sabonis, outscoring the Kings 60-34 in the paint. Sabonis sat out his second consecutive game with sore ribs.Sacramento’s Russell Westbrook, who spent his first nine NBA seasons with the Thunder and is the franchise’s leading scorer, had 24 points and nine assists against his former team.The Thunder beat the Kings for the second time in 11 days, having won 107-101 in Oklahoma City on Oct. 28.In that game the Kings had a healthy Sabonis while the Thunder played without Chet Holmgren.It was a complete reverse this time. Sabonis watched from the bench in street clothes while Holmgren had 10 points and seven rebounds.The Kings trailed by 11 midway through the first quarter but Monk made a pair of 3s in the final two minutes as Sacramento rallied to lead 32-30.Hartenstein helped the Thunder regain the lead in the second quarter. He scored 15 points on 7-of-7 shooting and exchanged words with Kings center Drew Eubanks after a three-point play in the second quarter.Up nextThunder: At Memphis on Sunday night.Kings: Host Minnesota on Sunday night.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    Isaiah Hartenstein had a career-high 33 points and 19 rebounds and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Sacramento Kings 132-101 on Friday night.

    The 7-foot Hartenstein made 14 of 17 shots and had three assists and three blocks.

    Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 30 points to help the Thunder (9-1) bounce back two nights after suffering their only loss of the season in Portland.

    Cason Wallace scored 15 points and Isaiah Joe added 13 as the Thunder won their first game of the NBA Cup tournament.

    Oklahoma City led by 23 and took advantage of the absence of Sacramento big man Domantas Sabonis, outscoring the Kings 60-34 in the paint. Sabonis sat out his second consecutive game with sore ribs.

    Sacramento’s Russell Westbrook, who spent his first nine NBA seasons with the Thunder and is the franchise’s leading scorer, had 24 points and nine assists against his former team.

    The Thunder beat the Kings for the second time in 11 days, having won 107-101 in Oklahoma City on Oct. 28.

    In that game the Kings had a healthy Sabonis while the Thunder played without Chet Holmgren.

    It was a complete reverse this time. Sabonis watched from the bench in street clothes while Holmgren had 10 points and seven rebounds.

    The Kings trailed by 11 midway through the first quarter but Monk made a pair of 3s in the final two minutes as Sacramento rallied to lead 32-30.

    Hartenstein helped the Thunder regain the lead in the second quarter. He scored 15 points on 7-of-7 shooting and exchanged words with Kings center Drew Eubanks after a three-point play in the second quarter.

    Up next

    Thunder: At Memphis on Sunday night.

    Kings: Host Minnesota on Sunday night.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • NWSL Playoff Preview | Orlando Pride looks ahead to Seattle Reign

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    The Orlando Pride have grown familiar with dealing with pressure. After concluding a historic 2024 season, which saw the Pride claim both the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship, the pressure of being the underdogs amid the record-breaking season was there. As Orlando prepares for a second consecutive playoff appearance on Friday against the Seattle Reign, the pressure to win the whole thing and repeat as champions is also there. “I think last year we were still the underdogs even though we were killing it,” Pride left back Carson Pickett told WESH 2 this week. “Every game that we won, it wasn’t a shock for us, but a shock for other people when we won the shield, and people thought we might not win the championship.” The Pride culminated the 2024 season with a historic double, winning the NWSL Shield, awarded to the team with the best regular season record, and NWSL Championship after defeating the Washington Spirit 1-0 in the league final. The NWSL Championship was the first major league title for the City of Orlando. But following a topsy-turvy 2025 season, which saw the Pride battle through player injuries and winless runs, Orlando (11-8-7, 40 points) made it back to the postseason after finishing fourth in the standings. “This year there’s huge pressure to repeat,” said Pickett. “Everyone wants to go back-to-back, everyone wants to double down on what they’ve done, and to become a winning club you have to do it multiple times.” To get back in the postseason picture, though, the Pride had to deal with a period of adversity this season. Star forward Barbra Banda was placed in August on the season-ending injury list after suffering a full-thickness avulsion of her right adductor longus.And that happened amid a winless run that went nine games, and saw Orlando fall in the standings to seventh place in the standings. The Pride signed Jacquie Ovalle for a record $1.5 million transfer fee from Tigres UANL during the summer. The 9-game winless skid snapped when Orlando came back to defeat the San Diego Wave 2-1 on the road on Sept. 26. That was followed by a draw and win before a come-from-behind 3-2 victory against the Washington Spirit on Oct. 18 at Audi Field. Orlando Pride head coach Seb Hines credits his players’ resiliency toward the latter part of the regular season for getting the team back into the playoff picture for a second consecutive year. “Last year was a really unique year, and it will be very difficult to emulate that season again,” Hines told WESH 2. “To replicate that was close to impossible, but our objective was always to get into the postseason and know once you’re in the playoffs, anything can happen.” Match DetailsOrlando Pride vs. Seattle Reign Location: Inter&Co Stadium Kickoff time: 8 p.m. ETBroadcast: Prime Mike Gramajo is an Assignment Editor and Sportswriter at WESH 2, who has covered the Orlando soccer scene since 2012. You can follow his coverage over on X and Instagram.

    The Orlando Pride have grown familiar with dealing with pressure.

    After concluding a historic 2024 season, which saw the Pride claim both the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship, the pressure of being the underdogs amid the record-breaking season was there.

    As Orlando prepares for a second consecutive playoff appearance on Friday against the Seattle Reign, the pressure to win the whole thing and repeat as champions is also there.

    “I think last year we were still the underdogs even though we were killing it,” Pride left back Carson Pickett told WESH 2 this week. “Every game that we won, it wasn’t a shock for us, but a shock for other people when we won the shield, and people thought we might not win the championship.”

    The Pride culminated the 2024 season with a historic double, winning the NWSL Shield, awarded to the team with the best regular season record, and NWSL Championship after defeating the Washington Spirit 1-0 in the league final.

    The NWSL Championship was the first major league title for the City of Orlando.

    But following a topsy-turvy 2025 season, which saw the Pride battle through player injuries and winless runs, Orlando (11-8-7, 40 points) made it back to the postseason after finishing fourth in the standings.

    “This year there’s huge pressure to repeat,” said Pickett. “Everyone wants to go back-to-back, everyone wants to double down on what they’ve done, and to become a winning club you have to do it multiple times.”

    To get back in the postseason picture, though, the Pride had to deal with a period of adversity this season.

    Star forward Barbra Banda was placed in August on the season-ending injury list after suffering a full-thickness avulsion of her right adductor longus.

    And that happened amid a winless run that went nine games, and saw Orlando fall in the standings to seventh place in the standings.

    The Pride signed Jacquie Ovalle for a record $1.5 million transfer fee from Tigres UANL during the summer.

    The 9-game winless skid snapped when Orlando came back to defeat the San Diego Wave 2-1 on the road on Sept. 26. That was followed by a draw and win before a come-from-behind 3-2 victory against the Washington Spirit on Oct. 18 at Audi Field.

    Orlando Pride head coach Seb Hines credits his players’ resiliency toward the latter part of the regular season for getting the team back into the playoff picture for a second consecutive year.

    “Last year was a really unique year, and it will be very difficult to emulate that season again,” Hines told WESH 2. “To replicate that was close to impossible, but our objective was always to get into the postseason and know once you’re in the playoffs, anything can happen.”

    Match Details

    Orlando Pride vs. Seattle Reign

    Location: Inter&Co Stadium

    Kickoff time: 8 p.m. ET

    Broadcast: Prime

    Mike Gramajo is an Assignment Editor and Sportswriter at WESH 2, who has covered the Orlando soccer scene since 2012. You can follow his coverage over on X and Instagram.

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  • UCF escapes pesky Hofstra for four-point win

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    (Photo credit: Sophia Scheller-Imagn Images)

    Riley Kugel scored 19 points for host UCF, which held off upset-minded Hofstra to earn an 82-78 win in the season opener for both schools Monday night in Orlando, Fla.

    Jordan Burks had 17 points and a team-high seven rebounds for UCF, which didn’t return anyone who scored for the team last season. Kugel transferred to the Knights from Mississippi State while Burks arrived from Georgetown.

    Themus Fulks, a transfer from Milwaukee, added 16 points with eight assists and hit the tiebreaking long 2-pointer that gave the Knights the lead for good at 66-64 with 7:38 left.

    Another Milwaukee transfer, Jamichael Stillwell, finished with 10 points.

    The Knights were 22 of 36 from the foul line, including 17 of 23 in the second half.

    Cruz Davis scored 17 points while true freshman Preston Edmead had 16 points and a team-high six assists for Hofstra, a member of the Coastal Athletic Association.

    German Plotnikov finished with 13 points for the Pride. Silas Sunday added 10 points and six rebounds.

    Hofstra took a 16-7 lead to open the game before UCF went on a 29-11 run to take its biggest lead at 36-27.

    The Pride scored the final five points of the first half to begin a 30-18 run that ended with Joshua DeCady’s layup and Edmead’s free throw to put the visitors ahead 57-54 with 10:47 to go.

    UCF scored 10 of the next 14 points before Edmead tied the game for the final time with a 3-pointer with 8:10 left. The Knights expanded their lead to eight points twice, the last at 79-71, before Hofstra got within three points twice in the final minute.

    UCF’s Devan Cambridge missed a pair of free throws with 16 seconds left, but Burks pulled down the rebound and Fulks iced the win by sinking his second free throw six seconds later.

    –Field Level Media

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  • MLB free-agent tracker: Sluggers Cody Bellinger, Kyle Tucker and Kyle Schwarber head the list

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    p]:text-cms-story-body-color-text clearfix”>

    Kyle Schwarber, 33, DH, 4.7, 19.9: Schwarber is a premier slugger with 187 home runs in four seasons with Philadelphia, where he also was an exceptional clubhouse leader. He is pretty much restricted to designated hitter and is approaching an age where offensive production might decline. He still merits a lucrative multi-year deal, although going longer than four years at a $30 million average annual value (AAV) might be inviting buyer’s remorse by 2030.

    Kyle Tucker, 29, OF, 4.5, 27.3: Although his 2025 bWAR was lower than that of Bellinger and Schwarber, Tucker might have the highest sticker price in this free-agent class. The average of projections from 20 ESPN experts is 10 years and $391.5 million for a $38.8 million AAV. The Dodgers are considered a prime suitor because of their deep pockets and need for a productive corner outfielder.

    Eugenio Suárez, 34, 3B, 3.6, 26.8: A drop of nearly one win above replacement from the top three free agents — Bellinger, Schwarber and Tucker — still puts Suárez in an enviable position. Splitting the season between the Diamondbacks and Mariners, Suarez tied a career high with 49 home runs and drove in 118 runs.

    Alex Bregman, 32, 3B, 3.5, 43.1: Even though Bregman’s bWAR was slightly lower than that of Suárez, he should command a larger deal because he’s younger and more well-rounded. Bregman missed 44 games because of injury in his single season in Bosto but put up solid numbers. His average bWAR over his 10-year career is 4.3.

    Trent Grisham, 29, OF, 3.5, 14.6: Grisham is an enigma, a first-round draft pick who blossomed with the Padres only to crater and bat under .200 three years in a row. He rebounded in 2025, swatting a career-high 34 home runs with the Yankees. Grisham also has two Gold Gloves in center field.

    Bo Bichette, 28, SS, 3.4, 20.8: Bichette showed his toughness by playing effectively in the World Series despite a lingering knee injury. Bichette can flat-out hit, accumulating more than 175 hits in four of the last five seasons with above-average power. He also plays a premium position and will turn only 28 in March, meaning he could command a contract exceeded only by that of Tucker.

    Toronto Blue Jays’ Bo Bichette hits a three-run home run during Game 7 of the World Series, Nov. 1, 2025, in Toronto.

    (Ashley Landis/AP)

    Pete Alonso, 31, 1B, 3.4, 23.3: Alonso was disappointed by the tepid interest in him as a free agent last offseason, re-signing with the Mets on a one-year, $30-million deal with a player option. He’s expected to test the market again after once again posting the glittering power numbers that have made him a fan favorite in New York for seven years.

    Josh Naylor, 28, 1B, 3.1, 8.4: The 5-foot-10, 235-pound left-handed slugger produced well in 2025 while splitting the season between the Diamondbacks and Mariners, batting a career-high .295 and hitting precisely 20 home runs for the third time in five seasons.

    Gleyber Torres, 29, 2B, 2.9, 18.7: Torres needed to restore his value after taking a one-year deal with the Tigers following a ho-hum 2024 season with the Yankees. He did so incrementally and should land a measured multi-year deal this time around.

    J.T. Realmuto, 35, C, 2.6, 38.8: Realmuto is recognized as one of the top-hitting catchers in baseball, and he’s clearly the top free-agent backstop, proving in 2025 that he can still catch upward of 130 games while putting up solid offensive numbers. Still, he will be 35 on opening day and his .700 OPS was his lowest in a decade.

    Jorge Polanco, 32, 2B, 2.6, 20.7: Polanco hit 26 home runs and posted an .821 OPS, the switch-hitter’s best season since 2021 when he hit 33 homers and drove in 98 runs. Chronic knee problems have put his shortstop days behind him and cut into his range at second or third base, but the bat still plays.

    Mike Yastrzemski, 35, OF, 2.6, 16.8: Although the grandson of Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski posted his best OPS (.839) since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he might be entertaining only contract offers of one year at $10 million or so.

    Ryan O’Hearn, 31, 1B/DH, 2.4, 3.1: O’Hearn is an accomplished left-handed hitter coming off a season split between the Orioles and Padres. He can expect a large raise from the $3.5 million he made in 2025, perhaps tripling it.

    Marcell Ozuna, 35, OF/DH, 1.6, 29.5: Ozuna is a proven power bat who has exceeded 20 home runs in nine seasons and led the NL with 18 homers and 56 RBIs in pandemic-shortened 2020. After tremendous 2023 and 2024 seasons in which he totaled 79 homers and 204 RBIs, Ozuna slipped in 2025, batting .232 with 21 home runs while battling hip pain.

    Luis Arráez, 29, 1B, 1.3, 16.5: Arráez doesn’t get much love from bWAR or fWAR, but he sure can hit, leading all major leaguers with a .317 lifetime average. He led the NL with 181 hits in 2025, but because he doesn’t hit for power or walk much, his OPS was a pedestrian .719. The three-time batting champion should continue to be paid about $14 million a year, with the question becoming for how long.

    Paul Goldschmidt, 38, 1B, 1.2, 63.8: Goldschmidt boasts the highest career bWAR of any free-agent hitter and he has made it clear that he is not ready to retire. His productivity, however, is trending downward, especially his power. With only 10 homers and 45 RBIs in 534 plate appearances with the Yankees last season, Goldschmidt is no longer an elite hitter.

    Victor Caratini, 32, C, 0.9, 4.3: Catchers are at a premium in this free-agent class and Caratini is one of the few with a potent bat and ability to play more than 100 games in a season. He most recently delivered on a two-year, $12-million deal with the Astros and could land a similar contract because of the scarcity of backstops.

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  • After blowout loss, Pistons try to rebound vs. struggling Magic

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    (Photo credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images)

    J.B. Bickerstaff isn’t concerned about one bad outing. The Detroit Pistons coach saw his team get blown out by Cleveland on Monday.

    The Pistons will host the struggling Orlando Magic on Wednesday night.

    The Cavaliers, who had the Eastern Conference’s best record last season, rolled to a 116-95 victory over host Detroit.

    ‘They’re a good defensive team. We just had a rough night (Monday),’ Bickerstaff said. ‘We turned the ball over 26 times. It’s hard moving your offense when you’re turning the basketball over. But it’s one night — we’ll be better.’

    The Pistons’ star player, Cade Cunningham, was limited to 12 points on 3-of-14 shooting and also committed five turnovers. Cunningham, who was listed as probable with a left hip contusion, averages 23 points and nine assists after Detroit’s first four games.

    ‘(The Cavaliers) got a ton of size, and they do a great job of shrinking the floor and make you play in crowded spaces,’ Bickerstaff said. ‘I’ve got to do a better job of helping (Cunningham) in those situations, create more space for him in those situations. But again, we’re early in the season. We’ll continue to build from it.’

    The game got away from Detroit early. The Cavs scored the last 11 points of the first quarter and led by 22 at halftime. The Pistons, who defeated the Houston Rockets and Boston Celtics prior to Monday’s contest, never threatened in the second half.

    ‘Some of the shots don’t go in, a part of it is just trying to stay process-driven in those stretches and make sure you’re trying to generate the right looks, playing the right way,’ Pistons wing Duncan Robinson said. ‘Sometimes there’s going to be stretches where it doesn’t go in, but that’s where you’ve got to buckle down defensively and get stops.’

    The Magic have won eight of their last nine meetings with the Pistons. They’ll look to keep that trend going in order to end a three-game slide.

    Following a season-opening win over the Miami Heat, Orlando has lost to the Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers. The host Sixers shot 49.5% from the field and committed just seven turnovers while defeating the Magic 136-124 on Monday.

    Magic forward Paolo Banchero’s 32-point outing was wasted in the process. Orlando shot 54.9% from the field, but defense lapses led to its demise. The Magic gave up 130 or more points for the first time since Jan. 29, 2024, in a 131-129 loss at Dallas.

    ‘Definitely not what we’re used to. Hasn’t been very good, giving up a lot of points,’ Banchero said of the defense. ‘But that’s kind of what you give up when you speed the pace up. Teams are able to get out and run, and (it) causes crossmatches and miscommunications and stuff like that. So, we’ve just got to figure it out.’

    The Magic, which opened a five-game road trip on Monday, especially need to do a better job regarding their backcourt defense. Sixers starting guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe combined for 69 points and 15 assists.

    ‘Give them credit, they’ve got some guards that can go out and attack and get downhill and space the floor,’ Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley said. ‘But we have to do better, mixing in how physical we are with defending without fouling.’

    –Field Level Media

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  • NBA roundup: Nikola Jokic’s triple-double leads Nuggets in home opener

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    (Photo credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images)

    Jamal Murray had 23 points, Nikola Jokic notched his second straight triple-double to start the season and the Nuggets beat the Phoenix Suns 133-111 on Saturday night in Denver’s home opener.

    Christian Braun scored 20 points and Aaron Gordon had 17 points two nights after posting a career-high 50 for Denver, which had seven players score in double figures and shot 51.2% (43 of 84) from the field.

    Jokic finished with 14 points, 15 assists and 14 rebounds. He took just eight shots, making five, and didn’t attempt a field goal until a goaltending call on Phoenix with 2:26 left in the second quarter. His first shot attempt was a free throw with 4:18 left in the first half.

    Devin Booker led the Suns with 31 points, Grayson Allen scored 17 and Dillon Brooks had 15. Phoenix shot just 43.2% (38 of 88) from the field.

    Thunder 117, Hawks 100

    Chet Holmgren overcame back soreness that almost kept him out to produce a double-double and help Oklahoma City remain unbeaten with a win in Atlanta.

    Holmgren was listed as questionable on the pregame injury report and spent time rubbing his back during dead-ball situations. But he played through discomfort to score a season-high 31 points and grab 11 rebounds. He was 8-for-12 shooting from the floor (6-for-8 on 3-pointers).

    Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 17 of his 30 points in the third quarter. Atlanta’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the team with 17 points. Trae Young scored 15 points and had 10 assists, his league-best 22nd straight game with at least 15 points and five assists.

    Bulls 110, Magic 98

    Josh Giddey scored a team-high 21 points, five reserves combined for 58 more and Chicago held off host Orlando to win back-to-back games to start the season.

    Jalen Smith and Ayo Dosunmu led the Bulls bench crew with 16 and 15 points, respectively. Starters Nikola Vucevic (15 points) and Tre Jones (13), and reserves Patrick Williams (12) and Kevin Huerter (11) made it seven players — including four backups — in double figures.

    Despite 7-for-21 shooting, Paolo Banchero was the game’s leading scorer with 24 points for the Magic, who lost at home for the second consecutive night. Orlando went just 3-for-24 from beyond the arc.

    76ers 125, Hornets 121

    Quentin Grimes had 24 points off the bench and drilled a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 15 seconds left to lift host Philadelphia over Charlotte for the 76ers’ second straight win to open the season.

    After trailing by 10 points with less than six minutes left, the 76ers finished the game on a 23-9 run. Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 28 points and nine assists, while Joel Embiid added 20 points.

    LaMelo Ball had 27 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for Charlotte, while Collin Sexton added 21 points. Rookies Ryan Kalkbrenner and Kon Knueppel scored 14 points apiece, while Sion James had 10 points off the bench for the Hornets.

    Grizzlies 128, Pacers 103

    Rookie Cedric Coward erupted for 27 points behind a torrid 3-point shooting effort as Memphis rolled past visiting Indiana.

    In just his third NBA game, Coward knocked down all six of his 3-point attempts off the bench. Ja Morant added 19 points and eight assists, anchoring a clean offensive game which saw the Grizzlies commit just four turnovers.

    The Pacers got little consistent offense outside of Bennedict Mathurin, who finished with 26 points before exiting with a sore right foot. Aaron Nesmith added 15 while Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin each scored 13.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Sabonis’ clutch put-back lifts Kings over Jazz in thriller

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    Domantas Sabonis wasn’t supposed to return on Friday night–not yet. But the Sacramento Kings are sure glad he did.Sabonis, who was thought to be unavailable until Sunday’s game against Los Angeles, was cleared from a hamstring strain early on Friday that resulted in him becoming available against the Utah Jazz.(Video Above: Fan excitement builds at Sacramento Kings home opener)In what was Sacramento’s home-opener, Sabonis’ clutch put-back basket during the final seconds of regulation delivered the Kings a 105-104 win–their first of the 2025-26 season.Sabonis’ late-game heroics went hand-in-hand with a clutch final stop by veteran guard Dennis Schroder, who put the clamps on Jazz guard Keyonte George’s game-winning attempt that came up empty to finish off the winning effort.It wasn’t a beautiful game from Sacramento, but they did enough in crunch time to come away with a win that–even in game two of 82–they felt like they needed.The upcoming schedule is daunting, and the Kings need to stack wins when they can. Friday’s home-opener sent fans home with smiles on their faces, and that’s the most important thing for Sacramento (1-1).Kings vs. Jazz recap & takeawaysAfter a sluggish start that included falling into an immediate six-point hole, Sacramento bounced back thanks to a red-hot start from Zach LaVine.LaVine, who scored 30 points on 13-of-24 shooting from the field during Wednesday’s season-opening loss in Phoenix, scored 15 points on five-of-eight shooting (two-of-four from three-point range) over just seven minutes in the first quarter to ignite the Kings’ offense.Ball movement was crisp early, as Sacramento handed out nine assists on the first 11 made baskets to take control heading into the second quarter.After shooting 55 percent from the field and 50 percent from deep during the first quarter, the Kings’ offense struggled in the second, allowing Utah to stop the bleeding and keep things close. Sacramento shot just 32 percent from the field in the second, while LaVine went scoreless in the period.The Kings’ offense still appears to be a work in progress, as the ball-movement from the first quarter disappeared in the second (two assists and three turnovers). Still, Sacramento took a three-point lead into the second half as they looked to secure their first win of the 2025-26 season.After going scoreless in the second quarter, LaVine got involved in the offense again as play entered the second half.A sputtering Kings offense leaned on the star guard as LaVine scored nine points in the period to help Sacramento re-establish a lead, with Malik Monk continuing his strong start following Wednesday’s 19-point outing in Phoenix by scoring nine points of his own in the third to aid his teammate.Monk and Russell Westbrook brought energy off the bench to breathe life into the Kings’ offense, with Monk’s buzzer-beating, step-back triple sending a packed crowd into a frenzy as Sacramento took a two-point lead into the fourth quarter.While Utah’s three-point shooting was abysmal for the majority of the night, things shifted the other direction during the second half for the Jazz.After going six-for-21 (28%) from downtown during the first half, Utah opened up the fourth quarter by knocking down three of its first six attempts to keep Sacramento close.All-Star big Lauri Markkanen was a problem for an undersized Kings defense, and while he punished the Kings’ interior defense, supporting cast members Kyle Filipowski, Bryce Sensabaugh, and rookie Walter Clayton Jr. applied pressure from the perimeter to regain the lead with less than eight minutes to go.LaVine, Westbrook, and Dennis Schroder all had big plays in crunch time, but Utah wouldn’t go away.Westbrook’s foul on Markkanen with 28.1 to go allowed the Jazz to take a 104-103 lead, but Sacramento would answer in thrilling fashion as Domantas Sabonis corralled his own miss and went back up to give the Kings a one-point lead with 5.2 seconds remaining.Sabonis missed his and-one free-throw, giving Utah a chance to win on the final possession. Schroder did a solid job contesting Utah guard Keyonte George’s game-winning attempt, and the shot missed everything as Golden 1 Center erupted simultaneously as the final horn sounded.It wasn’t pretty, but a gritty finish that culminated with timely baskets and stops on the defensive end gave Sacramento its first Beam of the 2025-26 season. Sabonis Makes His DebutWhile he was originally scheduled to be re-evaluated on Saturday, Domantas Sabonis (hamstring strain) made his season debut on Friday night.Sabonis, who is known for playing through injuries, sat during Wednesday’s season-opening loss in Phoenix. After missing just one game, the three-time defending NBA rebound champion logged a practice session on Thursday before being cleared to return to the hardwood against Utah.Sacramento will conclude its brief two-game home stand on Sunday afternoon when it faces Luka Doncic and the LeBron James-less Los Angeles Lakers at Golden 1 Center.Westbrook Lights The BeamRussell Westbrook is already on his way to becoming a fan-favorite among Sacramento Kings fans.Westbrook, who made his home debut on Friday, was a sparkplug during the win, scoring seven points and handing out four assists to go along with one steal over 17 minutes.The future Hall of Famer was tasked with defending the seven-footer Markkanen at times, and his hustle plays didn’t go unnoticed–especially his triple in the fourth quarter that kept Utah from expanding on a four-point lead with less than five minutes to go.Westbrook told reporters after the game that until joining Sacramento last week, he hadn’t played five-on-five since May, when he was playing for Denver in the NBA Playoffs.Following the game, Westbrook made his way over to the scorer’s table, where he lit the first beam of the 2025-26 season.“Been looking forward to doing that since I’ve been here,” Westbrook said of the beam lighting.This story first appeared on Sactown Sports. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    Domantas Sabonis wasn’t supposed to return on Friday night–not yet. But the Sacramento Kings are sure glad he did.

    Sabonis, who was thought to be unavailable until Sunday’s game against Los Angeles, was cleared from a hamstring strain early on Friday that resulted in him becoming available against the Utah Jazz.

    (Video Above: Fan excitement builds at Sacramento Kings home opener)

    In what was Sacramento’s home-opener, Sabonis’ clutch put-back basket during the final seconds of regulation delivered the Kings a 105-104 win–their first of the 2025-26 season.

    Sabonis’ late-game heroics went hand-in-hand with a clutch final stop by veteran guard Dennis Schroder, who put the clamps on Jazz guard Keyonte George’s game-winning attempt that came up empty to finish off the winning effort.

    It wasn’t a beautiful game from Sacramento, but they did enough in crunch time to come away with a win that–even in game two of 82–they felt like they needed.

    The upcoming schedule is daunting, and the Kings need to stack wins when they can. Friday’s home-opener sent fans home with smiles on their faces, and that’s the most important thing for Sacramento (1-1).

    Kings vs. Jazz recap & takeaways

    After a sluggish start that included falling into an immediate six-point hole, Sacramento bounced back thanks to a red-hot start from Zach LaVine.

    LaVine, who scored 30 points on 13-of-24 shooting from the field during Wednesday’s season-opening loss in Phoenix, scored 15 points on five-of-eight shooting (two-of-four from three-point range) over just seven minutes in the first quarter to ignite the Kings’ offense.

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    Ball movement was crisp early, as Sacramento handed out nine assists on the first 11 made baskets to take control heading into the second quarter.

    After shooting 55 percent from the field and 50 percent from deep during the first quarter, the Kings’ offense struggled in the second, allowing Utah to stop the bleeding and keep things close. Sacramento shot just 32 percent from the field in the second, while LaVine went scoreless in the period.

    The Kings’ offense still appears to be a work in progress, as the ball-movement from the first quarter disappeared in the second (two assists and three turnovers). Still, Sacramento took a three-point lead into the second half as they looked to secure their first win of the 2025-26 season.

    SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 24: Russell Westbrook #18 of the Sacramento Kings goes up for a shot on Lauri Markkanen #23 of the Utah Jazz at Golden 1 Center on October 24, 2025 in Sacramento, 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. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

    After going scoreless in the second quarter, LaVine got involved in the offense again as play entered the second half.

    A sputtering Kings offense leaned on the star guard as LaVine scored nine points in the period to help Sacramento re-establish a lead, with Malik Monk continuing his strong start following Wednesday’s 19-point outing in Phoenix by scoring nine points of his own in the third to aid his teammate.

    Monk and Russell Westbrook brought energy off the bench to breathe life into the Kings’ offense, with Monk’s buzzer-beating, step-back triple sending a packed crowd into a frenzy as Sacramento took a two-point lead into the fourth quarter.

    While Utah’s three-point shooting was abysmal for the majority of the night, things shifted the other direction during the second half for the Jazz.

    After going six-for-21 (28%) from downtown during the first half, Utah opened up the fourth quarter by knocking down three of its first six attempts to keep Sacramento close.

    SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 24: Dennis Schröder #17, Zach Lavine #8 and Russell Westbrook #18 of the Sacramento Kings react after they beat the Utah Jazz at Golden 1 Center on October 24, 2025 in Sacramento, 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. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

    All-Star big Lauri Markkanen was a problem for an undersized Kings defense, and while he punished the Kings’ interior defense, supporting cast members Kyle Filipowski, Bryce Sensabaugh, and rookie Walter Clayton Jr. applied pressure from the perimeter to regain the lead with less than eight minutes to go.

    LaVine, Westbrook, and Dennis Schroder all had big plays in crunch time, but Utah wouldn’t go away.

    Westbrook’s foul on Markkanen with 28.1 to go allowed the Jazz to take a 104-103 lead, but Sacramento would answer in thrilling fashion as Domantas Sabonis corralled his own miss and went back up to give the Kings a one-point lead with 5.2 seconds remaining.

    SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 24: Zach Lavine #8 of the Sacramento Kings is guarded by Ace Bailey #19 of the Utah Jazz during the second half at Golden 1 Center on October 24, 2025 in Sacramento, 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. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

    Sabonis missed his and-one free-throw, giving Utah a chance to win on the final possession. Schroder did a solid job contesting Utah guard Keyonte George’s game-winning attempt, and the shot missed everything as Golden 1 Center erupted simultaneously as the final horn sounded.

    It wasn’t pretty, but a gritty finish that culminated with timely baskets and stops on the defensive end gave Sacramento its first Beam of the 2025-26 season.

    Sabonis Makes His Debut

    While he was originally scheduled to be re-evaluated on Saturday, Domantas Sabonis (hamstring strain) made his season debut on Friday night.

    Sabonis, who is known for playing through injuries, sat during Wednesday’s season-opening loss in Phoenix. After missing just one game, the three-time defending NBA rebound champion logged a practice session on Thursday before being cleared to return to the hardwood against Utah.

    Sacramento will conclude its brief two-game home stand on Sunday afternoon when it faces Luka Doncic and the LeBron James-less Los Angeles Lakers at Golden 1 Center.

    Westbrook Lights The Beam

    Russell Westbrook is already on his way to becoming a fan-favorite among Sacramento Kings fans.

    Westbrook, who made his home debut on Friday, was a sparkplug during the win, scoring seven points and handing out four assists to go along with one steal over 17 minutes.

    The future Hall of Famer was tasked with defending the seven-footer Markkanen at times, and his hustle plays didn’t go unnoticed–especially his triple in the fourth quarter that kept Utah from expanding on a four-point lead with less than five minutes to go.

    Westbrook told reporters after the game that until joining Sacramento last week, he hadn’t played five-on-five since May, when he was playing for Denver in the NBA Playoffs.

    Following the game, Westbrook made his way over to the scorer’s table, where he lit the first beam of the 2025-26 season.

    “Been looking forward to doing that since I’ve been here,” Westbrook said of the beam lighting.

    This story first appeared on Sactown Sports.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • Major League Soccer announces 2025 award finalists

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    Major League Soccer announced the finalists for its 2025 year-end awards on Thursday.

    Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi, who won last year’s Landon Donovan MLS MVP and whose three-year contract extension through 2028 was announced Thursday, is one of five finalists for the award again along with Denis Bouanga (Los Angeles FC), Anders Dreyer (San Diego FC), Evander (FC Cincinnati) and Sam Surridge (Nashville SC).

    Messi led MLS in goals (29) and assists (19) this season. The other four finalists round out the top five goal-scorers, but Dreyer and Evander are the only two that are also in the top five for assists.

    The three finalists for Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year are the Philadelphia Union’s Bradley Carnell, Vancouver Whitecaps’ Jesper Sorensen and San Diego’s Mikey Varas.

    Dreyer, who signed with expansion side San Diego and had 19 goals and 19 assists to lead the squad to the top seed in the Western Conference, is also one of three finalists for MLS Newcomer of the Year, alongside Son Heung-Min (LAFC) and Philip Zinckernagel (Chicago Fire).

    The MLS Young Player of the Year finalists (born on or after Jan. 1, 2003) are Orlando City’s Alex Freeman, Real Salt Lake’s Diego Luna and the Seattle Sounders’ Obed Vargas.

    The three finalists for MLS Defender of the Year are a pair of Philadelphia teammates in Jakob Glesnes and Kai Wagner as well as Tristan Blackmon of Vancouver.

    MLS Goalkeeper of the Year finalists are Matt Freese of New York City FC, Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United) and Yohei Takaoka (Vancouver), who led the league with 13 clean sheets.

    The finalists for MLS Comeback Player of the Year are Houston Dynamo’s Lawrence Ennali, Nick Hagglund of Cincinnati and Toronto FC’s Richie Laryea.

    Finally, the three finalists for the Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award, which honors an MLS player who showed outstanding dedication to charitable efforts and serving the community during the 2025 season, are Ryan Hollingshead (LAFC), Luna (RSL) and Brad Stuver (Austin FC).

    The winners for these awards will be announced throughout the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, which began Wednesday night with Chicago beating Orlando and Portland beating Salt Lake in the wild-card matches.

    MLS Goal of the Year and Save of the Year will be decided by an online vote and announced on Oct. 27.

    The MLS Best XI will also be revealed at a later date.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Heat face Magic in opener following pair of 1st-round exits

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    Coming off first-round playoff exits, the Orlando Magic host the rival Miami Heat in Wednesday’s season opener.

    Last season, the Boston Celtics eliminated the seventh-seeded Magic in five games. The Heat won twice in the play-in tournament to become the first No. 10 seed in NBA history to advance, but the Cleveland Cavaliers swept them in the first round, punctuating the result with a 55-point blowout in Game 4.

    The Magic are considered a team on the rise in the Eastern Conference. They finished 41-41 and won a second straight Southeast Division title despite injuries to young stars Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and brothers Franz and Moritz Wagner.

    Moritz Wagner is still out after tearing his ACL last December, but the rest of the Magic make a formidable nucleus. Orlando picked up new starting guard Desmond Bane in an offseason trade with the Memphis Grizzlies.

    ‘Our strength is our depth,’ Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. ‘Our guys are going to play to the level of fatigue and then we have the next group coming in ready to go. I think that’s what we hang our hats on — along with the defense, our depth will be a major strength for us.’

    Orlando had the best scoring defense in the NBA last season, conceding only 105.5 points per game, but struggled mightily from the perimeter. That’s where Bane comes in. He has been a 41% career shooter from beyond the arc with Memphis and averaged 19.2 points last season, as well as 6.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists.

    Miami will be without star guard Tyler Herro, who had foot surgery in mid-September, for an unspecified amount of time. The Heat brought in former Clippers guard Norman Powell to join the established core of Herro, Bam Adebayo and Andrew Wiggins.

    ‘Norman has played a lot of different roles with the teams he has played on and has always been efficient,’ Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. ‘But it always comes down to the right type of fit. You have to be like-minded in your approach in how you view the game and how you compete. He’s won a championship before (with the 2019 Toronto Raptors). He takes it very seriously and he has an edge to him, which we like.’

    One area Miami must focus on is holding onto leads. Last season’s Heat managed to lose 22 games after leading by double digits, including when they coughed up a 25-point lead to Orlando last December.

    That comeback matched the largest in Magic franchise history. Meanwhile, the Heat’s 37-45 final record tied for the worst mark of Spoelstra’s 17-year coaching tenure.

    The Heat and Magic are meeting to open a second straight season. Miami dropped last year’s opener by 19 points but rebounded to split the four-game season series.

    Miami is 20-17 all-time in season openers, while Orlando is 21-15.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Reports: Florida fires coach Billy Napier

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    Florida has fired head coach Billy Napier in the midst of his fourth season in Gainesville, multiple media outlets reported on Sunday.

    Napier, 46, posted a 22-23 record during his time with the Gators.

    Per the Orlando Sentinel, longtime receivers coach Billy Gonzales is expected to serve as the team’s interim coach. Florida (3-4, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) will return from its bye to face rival Georgia on Nov. 1 in Jacksonville, Fla.

    Napier’s last game was a win, as the Gators seized a 23-21 victory against Mississippi State on Saturday.

    Florida entered the season ranked No. 15 before losses to South Florida, LSU, Miami and Texas A&M. The last three on that list were all ranked in the top 10 at the time.

    Napier already was on the hot seat after compiling a 19-19 record in his first three seasons at Florida.

    He has a 62-35 overall coaching record after posting a 40-12 mark with Louisiana (2018-21).

    –Field Level Media

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  • WNBA commissioner: ‘I have to do better’ amid player blowback

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    LAS VEGAS — Cathy Engelbert accepted some responsibility for WNBA players’ disapproval of the job she’s done as commissioner while denying certain remarks that Napheesa Collier alleged she said in a pointed statement earlier this week.

    Engelbert faced reporters ahead of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals between the Las Vegas Aces and Phoenix Mercury on Friday. It is a tradition among major sports commissioners to address the state of the league before its championship game or series.

    But Engelbert’s press conference came days after Collier said the WNBA had ‘the worst leadership in the world,’ accusing her of making disparaging remarks about star players and not taking officiating seriously.

    Collier is a Women’s National Basketball Players Association vice president along with a star on the Minnesota Lynx, and her voice carried extra heft amid the backdrop of a collective bargaining agreement that’s set to expire Oct. 31.

    Engelbert released a statement Tuesday saying she was ‘disheartened by how Napheesa characterized our conversations and league leadership,’ but on Friday she was careful to speak highly of the players and looked to make amends.

    ‘I have the utmost respect for Napheesa and for every single player in our league,’ Engelbert said in a prepared statement before she took questions. ‘They are at the center of everything we do. I was disheartened to hear that some players feel the league, and me personally, do not care about them or listen to them. If the players in the W don’t feel appreciated and valued by the league, then we have to do better and I have to do better.’

    Speaking Tuesday at an end-of-season media availability, Collier blasted Engelbert and the league office, her speech earning plaudits from many of her peers.

    Collier said she asked Engelbert how she’d fix the fact that young superstars like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers are earning so little on their rookie contracts while driving massive revenue for the league. ‘Her response was, ‘Caitlin should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court because without the platform the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything,” Collier said.

    ‘And in that same conversation,’ she continued, Engelbert ‘told me players should be on their knees thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal that (she) got them.’

    Asked Friday if she in fact said the media rights part of that statement, Engelbert talked around it.

    ‘There’s a lot of inaccuracy out there through social media and all this reporting,’ Engelbert said. ‘And so I think what’s most helpful is to focus on, I have been in touch with Napheesa, we’ve exchanged texts, we’re talking next week. So, I think, obviously, a lot of reporting, a lot of inaccuracy about what I said or what I didn’t say. And I will tell you, I highly respect the players.’

    Given a second chance to address the faux pas, specifically regarding Clark’s endorsement earnings, Engelbert was more direct.

    ‘Obviously I did not make those comments,’ Engelbert said. ‘Caitlin has been a transformational player in this league. She’s been a great representative of the game. She’s brought in tens of millions of new fans to the game.

    ‘… But again, I’m not going to get into every point-counterpoint. It’s not productive here. We’re here to celebrate the WNBA Finals.’

    Clark, for her part, said this week that Engelbert had yet to reach out to her directly and said that she agreed with Collier’s stance.

    Saying she is not a ‘quitter,’ Engelbert addressed the notion that players don’t feel she is fit to be their commissioner and painted it as ‘inaccurate’ and ‘clickbait,’ though criticism of Engelbert was seen far and wide this week.

    Engelbert said she was confident ‘that we can repair any loss of trust’ amid the ongoing CBA negotiations. She claimed the league office wants ‘a transformative deal’ with ‘significant, significant’ pay increases for the players and some proposals have included revenue-share components.

    ‘I think it’s all about balancing the significant increase in salaries and benefits with the long-term viability of the league,’ Engelbert said. ‘… You know, they’re obviously bargaining for more and so we’re just trying to obviously balance looking out many years.’

    The CBA expires at the end of the month, and Engelbert said she was confident in the sides’ ability to meet that deadline, but felt it could be extended if necessary, as they did by a few months before their most recent agreement in January 2020.

    Among players’ other concerns is with officiating, and several head coaches have been fined for criticizing referees this season. Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve was suspended for Game 4 of the semifinal round against Phoenix for harsh criticism of what she felt was a missed call on a play that injured Collier. Minnesota’s season ended in that Game 4 with a loss to Phoenix without Collier or Reeve.

    Collier said when she brought up officiating to Engelbert earlier this year, her response was, ‘Well, only the losers complain about the refs.’

    Engelbert said Friday the league is establishing a ‘state of the game’ committee with players and other stakeholders able to voice their opinions on officiating and player safety.

    ‘I think it’s pretty clear that we’re misaligned currently on what our stakeholders want from officiating,’ she said. ‘We have heard loud and clear that we have not lived up to that needed alignment and that attention and change is needed to serve the WNBA to the level of excellence that is not currently being met in the various stakeholders’ eyes.

    ‘There are no greater stakeholders than our players. Their voice is integral to the alignment that is required for good officiating, and we look forward to including their perspectives on how our staff can better serve the game moving forward.’

    –Field Level Media

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  • A’s unveil 2026 ‘Sacramento’ jerseys on final day of their season

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    The Athletics (76-86) played their final game of the 2025 season on Sunday against the Kansas City Royals, but they gave Sacramento fans something to look forward to for next year.The team teased gold jerseys to be worn in 2026 with “Sacramento” displayed on the front in green font. Although their 2025 uniforms have a Tower Bridge sleeve patch on them, this is the first jersey since the A’s moved to Sutter Health Park to say Sacramento on it. Each Saturday home game next season will be part of “Sacramento Saturdays,” according to a release from the Athletics. Players will wear the new gold jerseys every Saturday, while also having the option wear them for other home games and on the road.The A’s are not expected to relocate to Las Vegas until 2028 as stadium construction is still underway. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    The Athletics (76-86) played their final game of the 2025 season on Sunday against the Kansas City Royals, but they gave Sacramento fans something to look forward to for next year.

    The team teased gold jerseys to be worn in 2026 with “Sacramento” displayed on the front in green font. Although their 2025 uniforms have a Tower Bridge sleeve patch on them, this is the first jersey since the A’s moved to Sutter Health Park to say Sacramento on it.

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    Each Saturday home game next season will be part of “Sacramento Saturdays,” according to a release from the Athletics. Players will wear the new gold jerseys every Saturday, while also having the option wear them for other home games and on the road.

    The A’s are not expected to relocate to Las Vegas until 2028 as stadium construction is still underway.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • Mercury aim to ride momentum vs. Lynx in pivotal Game 3

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    The Phoenix Mercury have turned seizing home-court advantage into their postseason identity.

    The Mercury gained the upper hand in their WNBA semifinal series against the top-seed Minnesota Lynx with a Game 2 road victory Tuesday, and they will begin defense of their home floor in the third game of the best-of-five series Friday.

    The Mercury overcame a 20-point deficit in the final 16 minutes of regulation and scored the first six points of overtime while evening the series with an 89-83 victory.

    ‘This is a battle-tested team,’ Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts said of the Lynx. ‘We haven’t done anything yet. We needed to get one there (Minneapolis). We did our job.’The Lynx, who have won four league titles and lost in the finals last year, took Game 1 82-69 at home by outscoring the Mercury by 13 in the fourth quarter. Game 4 is in Phoenix on Sunday.

    ‘It’s a resilient team,’ Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said of her group. ‘It’s a team that responds. There are problem-solvers. Nobody said this stuff was going to be easy. It’s all part of the journey.

    ‘Now we have to beat a really good team at their place. That’s a tall order. We’ll do all we can to do it.’

    The Mercury took home court from defending champion New York in the second game of their first-round series and clinched it with a win in Game 3 at home.

    Lynx point guard Courtney Williams has 43 points, 16 assists and 15 rebounds in this series. Napheesa Collier, the runner-up in league MVP voting, has 42 points and 15 rebounds.

    Pressured by Alyssa Thomas, Collier missed a 16-footer at the buzzer after the Mercury’s Sami Whitcomb hit a 3-pointer with 4.3 seconds remaining to send Tuesday’s game into overtime.

    ‘This is what it’s all about,’ Thomas said. ‘You play the whole season for the playoffs and moments like these. I’ve been chasing a championship for a long time. I think this is our time.’

    Thomas, who spent her first 11 seasons with Connecticut, directs Tibbetts’ free-flowing offense from the foul-line extended. The Mercury went small in their comeback Tuesday.

    Thomas, third in MVP voting, led the league with a career-high 9.2 assists per game in the regular season. Williams was second at 6.2. Thomas has eight triple-doubles and is averaging 18.5 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in the series.

    Phoenix’s Satou Sabally had 24 points, including five 3-pointers, and nine rebounds in Game 2.

    After making 3 of 23 threes in Game 1, the Mercury were 13 of 32 in the second game.

    When ‘Sa’ makes threes, she’s pretty good,’ Tibbetts said. ‘They have a decision to make, right? They are either going to take away the paint or take away threes. It’s really hard to do both.’

    –Field Level Media

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  • Cubs eager to clinch playoff berth with sweep of Pirates

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    The Chicago Cubs will look to punch their ticket to the postseason for the first time in five years when they pursue a three-game series sweep of the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday afternoon.

    The Cubs (87-64) recorded their third straight win and sixth in their past seven outings with a 4-1 victory over the reeling Pirates (65-87) on Tuesday. Chicago’s magic number to clinch a playoff berth rests at one.

    ‘We’re excited about it. We’re ready for it,’ said Michael Busch, who greeted Pittsburgh phenom Paul Skenes by belting his team-high-tying 29th homer of the season to lead off the game on Tuesday.

    Busch added a pair of doubles, and teammate Nico Hoerner also had three hits to highlight the Cubs’ 14-hit attack.

    While appreciative of his team’s late surge, Busch was quick to note that the campaign is far from over.

    ‘We still got a week-and-a-half left of regular-season baseball, but we’re excited just about the push,’ he said.

    Busch is 9-for-25 (.360) with three home runs, three doubles and four RBIs during a six-game hitting streak.

    ‘Ball’s going far. That’s what Michael does when he gets into those modes,’ Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. ‘The ball is in the air, line drives to the wall. (He) hit a great pitch out.’

    Not to be overshadowed, Hoerner is batting .404 (23-for-57) this month.

    ‘We’re getting good offense,’ Counsell said. ‘Nico continues to stay hot.’

    The Pirates, in turn, have been cold, losing 10 of their past 11 games. They have mustered just one run on seven hits in the first two games of the current series and have lost all four series against Chicago this season, going 3-9.

    ‘Offensively, on the whole, just struggling at the plate,’ Pirates manager Don Kelly said. ‘We need to find a way to continue to grind those at-bats out and find a way to do what we did when things were going well.’

    Pittsburgh struck out 12 times on Tuesday and went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position.

    Chicago left-hander Matthew Boyd (13-8, 3.05 ERA) will look to fluster the Pirates on Wednesday when he starts against right-hander Johan Oviedo (2-0, 2.81).

    Boyd improved to 2-5 in his last seven decisions despite allowing four runs on five hits in five innings of a 6-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday.

    He has pitched well in a pair of outings against Pittsburgh this season, posting a 1-0 record with a 2.45 ERA. Overall, Boyd sports a 1-3 record and a 5.70 ERA in seven career appearances (all starts) vs. the Pirates.

    Oviedo settled for his second straight no-decision on Thursday after permitting two runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings in his team’s 3-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. He yielded three walks for the third straight outing to drive up his pitch count.

    Oviedo is 2-4 with a 3.67 ERA in 10 career appearances (nine starts) against the Cubs.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Tickets go on sale for Sacramento Republic FC’s appearance in the USL Jägermeister Cup Final

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    The Sacramento Republic FC will have the chance to raise a cup before the season ends.The club will compete in the final of the USL Jägermeister Cup against the Hartford Athletic at Cal Expo’s Heart Health Park on Oct. 4. Tickets went on sale on Tuesday. The USL Cup began in 2024, featuring USL League One teams, which is a division below the Republic’s USL Championship. This year, all USL Championship teams joined the inter-league competition. For the Republic, the final will represent the first championship opportunity in Sacramento since the team won its league cup a decade ago in its inaugural season. Sacramento also made the final of another inter-season tournament, the U.S. Open Cup in 2022. That tournament featured the Republic besting three higher division Major League Soccer teams before losing in Orlando in the final. Captain Rodrigo “RoRo” López has been with Sacramento Republic FC for all three milestone moments. “We have the best fans in the league,” he said. “This is the best organization in the league and to be able to host the cup final is just very special for me, in particular. I’ve been here since the beginning and I was able to lift the cup and so many years have gone by and this club deserves more.” The Republic’s run in the USL Jägermeister Cup this year has succeeded in large part due to the performance of backup goalkeeper Jared Mazzola, who provided key saves in the last two matches, including when both went to penalties. “It’s been really, really fun being able to step into the role that is laid out for me,” Mazzola said. “So being able to do my part and help the team get to the final is really important and something that I hold in a high regard.” Meanwhile, the Republic remain in second place in their Western Conference in league play with just seven matches left in the regular season.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    The Sacramento Republic FC will have the chance to raise a cup before the season ends.

    The club will compete in the final of the USL Jägermeister Cup against the Hartford Athletic at Cal Expo’s Heart Health Park on Oct. 4. Tickets went on sale on Tuesday.

    The USL Cup began in 2024, featuring USL League One teams, which is a division below the Republic’s USL Championship. This year, all USL Championship teams joined the inter-league competition.

    For the Republic, the final will represent the first championship opportunity in Sacramento since the team won its league cup a decade ago in its inaugural season.

    Sacramento also made the final of another inter-season tournament, the U.S. Open Cup in 2022. That tournament featured the Republic besting three higher division Major League Soccer teams before losing in Orlando in the final.

    Captain Rodrigo “RoRo” López has been with Sacramento Republic FC for all three milestone moments.

    “We have the best fans in the league,” he said. “This is the best organization in the league and to be able to host the cup final is just very special for me, in particular. I’ve been here since the beginning and I was able to lift the cup and so many years have gone by and this club deserves more.”

    The Republic’s run in the USL Jägermeister Cup this year has succeeded in large part due to the performance of backup goalkeeper Jared Mazzola, who provided key saves in the last two matches, including when both went to penalties.

    “It’s been really, really fun being able to step into the role that is laid out for me,” Mazzola said. “So being able to do my part and help the team get to the final is really important and something that I hold in a high regard.”

    Meanwhile, the Republic remain in second place in their Western Conference in league play with just seven matches left in the regular season.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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