Sports
Bucks meet Grizzlies in matchup of struggling teams
Oct 28, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) dribbles down the court during the first half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images The Milwaukee Bucks weren’t given a break by the NBA schedule-makers.
They are in the midst of playing four of their first five games on the road — and five of their first seven.
The results have not been pleasant.
When the Bucks visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night, Milwaukee will try to snap a three-game losing streak, which includes back-to-back road losses to the Brooklyn Nets and the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics.
But the Bucks are attempting to remain even-keel.
“The best teams, when it’s going good (and) when it’s not going good, they trust in themselves to do the right things on both sides of the ball,” guard Damian Lillard said. “They don’t change when they are doing great, and they don’t change when things aren’t going great.”
Despite the team’s struggles, Giannis Antetokounmpo is off to a torrid start. He is averaging 28.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 6.3 assists through four games.
Lillard has nearly matched Antetokounmpo’s output, averaging 28.0 points and 6.3 assists.
Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers also has been impressed with the play of 17-year veteran center Brook Lopez. He had 13 points and six rebounds in 32 minutes at Boston on Monday.
“He was phenomenal,” Rivers said. “We need to extend his minutes.”
Like Milwaukee, Memphis enters Thursday’s game struggling early in the season. The Grizzlies have lost two straight games — both at home — including Monday’s collapse against the Chicago Bulls. Memphis was ahead by 20 points in the second quarter and 14 at halftime but lost 126-123.
On Wednesday night, the Grizzlies were undone by turnovers and injuries. Memphis committed 22 turnovers and lost two starters to injuries — Marcus Smart (ankle) in the first quarter and Desmond Bane (oblique) in the third quarter.
But Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said it’s too early to push the panic button.
“It’s (only) five games in,” Jenkins said. “I think we’ve been playing some decent basketball except for the last two games and the second half at Houston.”
Memphis was outscored 69-43 during the second half of a road loss to the Rockets last week.
Jenkins has been critical of his team’s defensive efforts recently; the Grizzlies allowed the Bulls to tie a franchise record with 25 made 3-pointers on Monday.
As for the injuries, Jenkins said the Grizzlies will have to depend on their depth if Smart and Bane miss extended time.
“It’s a great Bucks team,” Jenkins said. “We’ve got to bring a better effort, and whoever is available to play, we just have to go out and compete better than we have the past two games. Those guys know it is unacceptable. We’ve got to find a way. I’ve got to lead better.”
Jenkins had to be encouraged by reserve forward Brandon Clarke, who scored 13 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the field in 20 minutes in a 119-106 loss to Brooklyn on Wednesday. It was Clarke’s best performance since he returned from an Achilles injury that limited him to six games last season.
Seven-foot-four Zach Edey, the Grizzlies’ 2024 first-round draft pick, out of Purdue, also appeared more comfortable. He scored 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting in 18 minutes against the Nets.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: RB David Montgomery 'wants out' of Detroit
Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) looks on before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images Lions running back David Montgomery “wants out” of Detroit after three seasons, ESPN reported on Sunday.
Montgomery, however, immediately appeared to refute the report on X, posting: “Damn, Dmo told you that?”
The ESPN report claims the Lions would want “a decent Day 3 pick (possibly a fifth-rounder)” in the 2026 NFL Draft in return for Montgomery, who turns 29 in June and is owed $6 million next season.
The report follows general manager Brad Holmes’ remarks after the season about Montgomery being unhappy with his playing time in 2025. Sharing a backfield with Jahmyr Gibbs, Montgomery rushed for a career-low 716 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games (no starts).
“Those are conversations that we’re going to have to have because I’ve got a lot of respect for that player,” Holmes said of Montgomery in January. “He deserves to be in a situation where his skillset can be utilized, and so yeah would love for it to be here, but if it can’t be here then you’d just love to see where could work out best for him.”
At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday, Holmes said the situation with Montgomery is “fluid.” He signed a two-year extension during the 2024 season that runs through the end of the 2027 campaign.
“Yeah, I have been in touch with David’s agent, and his representation,” Holmes revealed. “Obviously, we love David, he’s a great player, we love to have him, you know, kind of want to put last year in the rear view, and just move forward. But, obviously, a player has to want to be at a certain place as well. The conversations are still fluid, but we’ll see how it goes.”
Montgomery has rushed for 2,506 yards and 33 touchdowns in 45 games (28 starts) in three seasons with Detroit (2023-25). He has 76 catches for 650 yards in that span.
He began his career with the NFC North rival Chicago Bears, who drafted him in the third round in 2019. Montgomery rushed for 3,609 yards and 26 scores in 60 games (51 starts) with the Bears (2019-22).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Yankees LHP Ryan Yarbrough joins U.S. roster for WBC
Jun 18, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Ryan Yarbrough (33) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images New York Yankees left-hander Ryan Yarbrough was added to the Team USA roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classic on Sunday.
The 34-year-old reliever replaces Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan, who is dealing with low back tightness. Ryan moves into the designated pitcher pool, meaning he is eligible for a call-up after each round of the WBC.
Yarbrough went 3-1 with a 4.36 ERA and one save in 19 games (eight starts) during his first season with the Yankees in 2025, striking out 55 batters and walking 19 in 64 innings.
Ryan Yarbrough has been added to our roster for the World Baseball Classic!#ForGlory???? pic.twitter.com/RrtKJQ20gz
— USA Baseball (@USABaseball) March 1, 2026
Team USA will play its first game of the 2026 WBC on Friday night, meeting Brazil in a Pool B contest in Houston.
Yarbrough has a career record of 56-41 with a 4.22 ERA and four saves in 215 games (76 starts) with the Tampa Bay Rays (2018-22), Kansas City Royals (2023), Los Angeles Dodgers (2023-24), Toronto Blue Jays (2024) and Yankees. The side-arming southpaw signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal in November to return to New York in 2026.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Ex-pitcher Dan Serafini gets life sentence for '21 murder
Dan Serafini (file photo) pitched in MLB with seven teams. He was convited of first-degree murder. Former major league pitcher Dan Serafini was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Friday for the 2021 shootings of his in-laws in North Lake Tahoe, Calif.
Serafini, 52, was convicted in July of the first-degree murder of father-in-law Gary Spohr and the attempted first-degree murder of mother-in-law Wendy Wood during a burglary. Spohr, 70, died from a single gunshot and Wood, then 68, survived but died by suicide the following year.
In the courtroom on Friday in Auburn, Calif., Placer County prosecutor Morgan Gire described Spohr and Wood as loving grandparents.
“The impact of this attack has extended far beyond the immediate victims, deeply affecting family members and the broader community, and highlighting the lasting harm caused by deliberate violence,” Gire said.
Serafini, who pitched for six MLB teams from 1996 to 2007, addressed the court and maintained his innocence. He said he was out partying with his wife, Erin Spohr, at the time of the shooting and referred to himself as a “broken, imperfect man that makes mistakes,” according to MyNews4.
The Minnesota Twins selected Serafini, a native of the San Francisco area, with the No. 26 overall pick in the 1992 MLB Draft. He made his debut in 1996 and went on to appear in 104 games (33 starts) with the Twins, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies before his retirement in 2007.
He had a 15-16 record with a 6.04 ERA and one save. He threw 263 2/3 innings and struck out 127 batters.
–Field Level Media
Report: RB David Montgomery 'wants out' of Detroit
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