Sports
Clippers working Kawhi Leonard back into fold, visit Hornets
Jan 29, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) dribbles in front of San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (40) in the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images The Los Angeles Clippers and Charlotte Hornets are in adjustment mode, but right now things seem to be working better for the Clippers.
When the teams meet Friday night in Charlotte, Los Angeles should have forward Kawhi Leonard for his 10th game of the season, while the Hornets will have to make do without leading scorer LaMelo Ball.
The Clippers won 128-116 against the host San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night. They’re 3-1 in their past four games and 7-3 in their last 10.
The offense flowed through the starting unit in the San Antonio game, with four players eclipsing the 20-point mark. That included 27 points apiece from Leonard and Norman Powell, who secured his 19th game with at least 25 points. Powell has posted 20 or more points in 11 of the last 12 games.
The Clippers continue to work Leonard back into the flow. Coming off a late beginning to his season, he has a restriction of 28 minutes, so coach Tyronn Lue said part of the plan has been to save some of his availability for late in games.
“It has been a little difficult,” Lue said. “We just got to figure it. Just continuing to keep building until guys get comfortable. … We’ve just got to stay with it. We’re trying to get Kawhi back as fast as we can.”
James Harden committed six turnovers Wednesday, all in the first half. Lue said the Clippers finally adjusted and did better dealing with full-court pressure in the second half.
But Harden has been charged with six turnovers in three of the past four games.
Charlotte has lost four of its last five games after Wednesday’s 104-83 defeat to the Brooklyn Nets. That was the Hornets’ lowest-scoring game of the season despite Miles Bridges providing 23 points.
Ball left Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers with an ankle sprain and sat out Wednesday. The Hornets announced that he will be re-evaluated in one week, which seemed like positive news regarding the oft-ailing standout.
“You never know what could come from some of the evaluation, it could be a longer timetable,” Charlotte coach Charles Lee said. “And so to hear a week, I think that is a good thing to hear. I’m glad to hear that’s the best news of a bad case.”
The Hornets still have to sort out how they’re going to compensate from Ball’s absence along with a season-ending injury to swingman Brandon Miller.
Charlotte is counting more heavily on Bridges, who’s averaging 22.1 points per game across his last nine outings.
The Hornets also have been without center Mark Williams in recent games. They’ve received a good lift from Moussa Diabate on the boards.
“I’m just trying to play hard and give everything I have,” Diabate said.
It’s a return to Charlotte for Clippers forward Nic Batum, who spent five seasons with the Hornets from 2015-20. He’s averaging a career-low 3.3 points per game, mostly as a reserve. His 12 points Wednesday night matched his season-high total.
This was supposed to be the second meeting of the season between the teams. But a Jan. 11 matchup was postponed because of the wildfires in the Los Angeles area. It will be made up March 16.
The Hornets are 1-3 so far on a nine-game homestand.
–Field Level Media
Sports
'Underappreciated' Pistons open playoffs against Magic
Jan 27, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) and center Jalen Duren (0) react to a foul called in the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images The Detroit Pistons had the best record in the Eastern Conference for most of the season. They ride into the playoffs as the conference’s top seed after winning 60 games.
There’s still plenty of doubt whether the Pistons can live up to that status. Boston, with star forward Jayson Tatum back in action after recovering from an Achilles injury, is favored to reach the Finals. Cleveland, Detroit’s potential second-round opponent, has the second-best odds of coming out of the East.
As for the Pistons, they’re third on the odds boards, just ahead of the New York Knicks. So, the Pistons, who begin their first-round series at home against No. 8 seed Orlando on Sunday, have a right to feel underappreciated.
Truth is, the Pistons like being in that role.
“It doesn’t affect us at all,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “And that’s the best part about it. Our guys don’t live and die by other people’s expectations and comments. Our guys show up and live and die by playing Pistons basketball. And that makes it easy.”
His players seem to feel the same way.
“Everybody’s got a right to their own opinion,” forward Ausar Thompson said. “We don’t really worry about that. We believe not only can we come out of the East but win it all. We just focus on that, focus on ourselves and let everybody on the outside say what they’ve got to say.”
Detroit comes into the playoffs healthy. Star guard Cade Cunningham returned during the final week of the season after recovering from a collapsed lung. Isaiah Stewart also appeared in some late-season contests after recovering from a calf strain.
The short order of business for the Pistons is to win their first playoff series since 2008. They qualified for the playoffs last season but were bounced as underdogs to the more seasoned Knicks in a hotly-contested series.
Detroit finished the regular season with the third-best field goal percentage, despite being 17th in 3-point percentage. The Pistons are even more formidable at the defensive end, leading the league in steals and blocks.
The Magic know they will have to scrap for everything they get in the series.
“There’s a physicality to this game that’s going to be real,” coach Jamahl Mosley said of playing the top seed. “There’s going to be a lot of aggression. There’s going to be a lot of physicality. It’s going to be a dogfight.”
Orlando’s road to the first round wasn’t easy. Philadelphia defeated the Magic 109-97 in the matchup of No. 7 and 8 seeds, forcing Orlando into a do-or-die matchup with Charlotte. The Magic pulled a surprise with a dominant 121-90 thrashing of the Hornets.
Orlando led by 35 points late in the first half.
Star forward Paolo Banchero led the way with 25 points and six assists, bouncing back from a poor shooting night against the Sixers.
“Great players, you got to respond,” Banchero said. “That’s what they pay you to do. You can’t just settle for subpar performances, especially in situations like this, do or die, win or go home, got to show up for your teammates and set the tone.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Phillies place closer Jhoan Duran (oblique) on injured list
Mar 28, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jhoan Duran (59) throws a pitch against the Texas Rangers in the tenth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images The Philadelphia Phillies placed closer Jhoan Duran on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a left oblique strain.
In a series of moves, right-hander Seth Johnson and utilityman Felix Reyes were recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, while utilityman Otto Kemp was optioned and minor league outfielder Pedro Leon was released.
Duran’s move to the IL was retroactive to Wednesday. The 28-year-old right-hander is 1-1 with a 1.35 ERA and five saves in seven appearances for the Phillies this season. Over five major league seasons with the Minnesota Twins and Phillies, he has a 2.41 ERA and 95 saves in 253 appearances.
Johnson, 27, made one appearance with the Phillies earlier this season and has a combined 9.72 ERA in 12 appearances (one start) for Philadelphia over three seasons.
Reyes, 25, is set to make his major league debut after he batted .272 with 48 home runs and 247 RBIs over six seasons (374 games) in the Phillies’ system. Kemp, 26, was 2-for-20 in 10 games for Philadelphia this season.
Leon, 27, was batting .283 in 12 games at Lehigh Valley. He has seven games of major league experience with the Houston Astros in 2024.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Late goal helps Toronto FC salvage tie, point vs. Austin FC
Apr 18, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Austin FC defender Jon Bell (15) passes the ball against Toronto FC defender Richie Laryea (22) during the first half at BMO Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images Kobe Franklin delivered the game-tying goal in the 88th minute and host Toronto FC pulled off a 3-3 draw with Austin FC on Saturday afternoon in just the third-ever match between the sides.
Franklin was in the penalty area when Malik Henry ripped a shot off the right post and scored off the rebound to beat Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver low to the right side and even the match.
The draw allowed Toronto FC (3-2-3, 12 points) to extend a six-match unbeaten streak, while outscoring opponents 11-8 during the 3-0-3 run.
After conceding the late goal, Austin FC (1-3-4, 7 points) remained winless since March 1 with an 0-3-3 record during the run.
Jon Bell scored Austin FC’s opening goal in the 29th minute while turning onto his left foot in traffic and beating Toronto keeper Luka Gavran. The score came off a feed from Guilherme Brio.
Myrto Uzuni tried to double the Austin FC lead with a shot in the 34th minute before Gavran made the save. Toronto FC’s Josh Sargent and Daniel Salloi responded with low-percentage shots that Stuver turned away.
Salloi tied the score 1-1 in the 52nd minute, running to the far post to volley home a pass from Sargent that deflected off an Austin defender and directly to the right knee of the Toronto striker.
Gallagher’s shot eight minutes later forced Gavron into a key save and kept the game tied. Richie Laryea’s goal in the 67th minute gave Toronto a 2-1 lead.
Austin FC tied the score 2-2 on a nifty Facundo Torres goal in the 75th minute off assists from Robert Taylor and Uzuni. Christian Ramírez gave Austin FC a 3-2 lead when he booted home a deflected shot by Torres in the 82nd minute.
That set stage for Franklin, who beat an Austin defender to Henry’s shot off the right post to produce the draw and earn Toronto FC a point in the standings.
–Field Level Media
'Underappreciated' Pistons open playoffs against Magic
Phillies place closer Jhoan Duran (oblique) on injured list
