Sports
Ascending Pacers hope to hand Hawks eighth straight loss
Jan 29, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) rebounds the ball while Detroit Pistons forward Ronald Holland II (00) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images A pair of teams coming off vastly different months will meet on Saturday in Indianapolis, where the Indiana Pacers host the Atlanta Hawks.
The Pacers enter play winners in four of five games and enjoyed a 10-2 January to springboard themselves into the Eastern Conference playoff picture. After leading the NBA in scoring last season, Indiana has found its offensive form of late, averaging 134.5 points in its last two wins.
In Wednesday’s 133-119 home victory over the Detroit Pistons, the Pacers’ scoring prowess was on full display, as they shot 56.8 percent from the field and made 19 of their 38 3-point attempts. Leading the way for Indiana was newly named All-Star Pascal Siakam, who had 37 points — his most since being traded from Toronto midway through last season.
The three-time All-Star is averaging 20.5 points and 7.3 rebounds and has started all 46 games this season. The nine-year veteran’s career has benefited greatly since joining the Pacers last January.
“I’m blessed to be a part of this team,” Siakam said. “The support I’ve had since I’ve been here has been amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever had an organization show so much support from the top to the bottom. … It means a lot to represent the Pacers on All-Star Weekend.”
Indiana, which has climbed to the fifth seed in the conference standings, gets 18.3 points and 8.6 assists per game from Tyrese Haliburton, and 16.4 ppg from Bennedict Mathurin. The Pacers will hope to carry over their success against the Hawks from last season, when they swept the four-game season series with Atlanta.
Just two weeks ago, it appeared the Hawks were on track to cement themselves as a playoff contender. Since Atlanta’s Jan. 18 win over the Boston Celtics, Atlanta has dropped seven straight games and has lost budding star Jalen Johnson for the season with a torn labrum in his shoulder.
Johnson, who signed a five-year extension with Atlanta before the season, was averaging 18.9 points, 10 rebounds and five assists per contest.
Johnson’s absence has placed more of an importance on the offensive play of Trae Young. Atlanta’s point guard is averaging 22.5 points and a league-high 11.4 assists per game but was left off the Eastern Conference All-Star reserve list on Thursday, much to the chagrin of his head coach Quin Snyder.
“I’m extremely disappointed,” Snyder said of Young’s snub. “I haven’t coached him for long, but I feel like he’s had the best year of his career. I think that’s statistically supported. … No disrespect to anyone who made it, but as Trae’s coach, I am allowed to feel disappointment for him not making it.”
In the Hawks’ 137-115 road loss Thursday to the Cleveland Cavaliers, which extended Atlanta’s longest losing streak since 2019, last year’s top overall draft pick Zaccharie Risacher finished with 30 points on 11-for-14 shooting from the field. The 19-year-old is averaging 11.0 ppg and will compete in the Rising Stars Challenge on All-Star Weekend in San Francisco.
–Field Level Media
Sports
After managerial change, Phillies look to alter fortunes vs. Giants
Apr 8, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Adolis García (53) walks off the field after lining out to San Francisco Giants left fielder Harrison Bader (9) in the to pot the eighth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Justine Willard-Imagn Images The Philadelphia Phillies made news on Tuesday morning, hours before opening a three-game series against the visiting San Francisco Giants.
The Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson and named bench coach Don Mattingly as their interim skipper through the 2026 season.
USA Today reported Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, fired Friday, was offered the job and declined, opting to spend time with his family.
The floundering Phillies (9-19) have lost 11 of their last 12 games and are tied with the New York Mets (9-19) for the worst record in the majors. Both were expected to compete for the National League East title this season.
The Phillies’ run differential (-54) is by far the worst in the sport, landing Thomson on the hot seat.
“Well, that’s natural, right?” Thomson said of his job security prior to Tuesday’s news. “It’s normal. And I’ve never worried about that in my entire career. … I don’t have time to think about it.”
The Phillies snapped a 10-game losing streak Saturday with an 8-5 extra-inning victory over the Atlanta Braves. But the momentum didn’t last long, as they fell behind early in Sunday’s 6-2 series-finale loss.
Aaron Nola allowed three runs in the first inning and three more in the second, and the Phillies’ bats managed only one hit (a single) in six innings against Chris Sale.
“It’s not like the record is going to change overnight,” said designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, whose two-run homer in the eighth accounted for the Phillies’ offense on the day. “It’s going to be a continuous grind, and we’re ready for that. We know that there’s a long road ahead.”
The Phillies’ attempted path to recovery will begin Tuesday with Jesus Luzardo (1-3, 6.91 ERA) on the mound. The left-hander has labored through the first month of the season, although he was able to limit the damage in his most recent outing.
Despite allowing five hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings against the Chicago Cubs last Tuesday, Luzardo gave up just one run in an eventual 7-4 defeat. Still, he expects more of himself after signing a five-year, $135 million contract extension in the offseason.
“It’s very frustrating,” Luzardo said. “As a whole, we don’t feel like we’re doing the job that we need to do. … I think there’s been times that a lot of us think that we can pick up the slack, me included.”
Luzardo, who is 2-1 with a 5.23 ERA in six career starts against San Francisco, will be facing a team that has turned things around following a slow start of its own.
The Giants have won seven of their last 10 games after beginning the season 6-12. They have won three series in a row — against the Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins.
In Sunday’s 6-3 triumph over Miami, San Francisco’s Casey Schmitt hit a go-ahead home run for the second straight game.
“That’s what we’re here for: to drive in runs and be productive,” said Giants third baseman Matt Chapman, who walked and scored in the decisive seventh inning. “But we are a team, and Casey’s hot right now.”
Landen Roupp allowed just two hits and three runs over 7 2/3 innings — a performance that Tyler Mahle (1-3, 5.26) would love to copy in Tuesday’s contest.
Mahle is coming off a sparkling effort in last Wednesday’s 3-0 win over the Dodgers, as he gave up just three hits and two walks over seven innings.
In four lifetime starts against Philadelphia, Mahle is 1-1 with a 2.41 ERA. He held the Phillies to three hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings April 8 in San Francisco, helping the Giants take two of three in that series.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dash sign USL Super League MVP Emina Ekic
Aug 20, 2022; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Racing Louisville FC forward Emina Ekic (13) takes a shot against the OL Reign in the Women’s Cup championship match at Lynn Family Stadium. Mandatory Credit: EM Dash-Imagn Images The Houston Dash signed USL Super League Player of the Year Emina Ekic through the 2027 NWSL season.
The deal announced Tuesday with the 26-year-old midfielder includes a mutual option for 2028.
Ekic joins the Dash on a transfer from Lexington SC of the USL Super League.
She was named that league’s inaugural Player of the Year with the Spokane Zephyr in 2024-25 after tallying 10 goals and six assists.
The No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft, Ekic began her professional career with Racing Louisville with 38 appearances from 2021-23.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Ex-UConn QB Joe Fagnano signs 3-year deal with Ravens
Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; UConn quarterback Joe Fagnano (QB07) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Ex-UConn quarterback Joe Fagnano signed a three-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent.
UConn confirmed his signing on Tuesday.
Fagnano was set to attend the team’s rookie mini-camp as an invitee, but now he has a spot on the team’s 90-man roster. He joins a quarterback room that consists of starter Lamar Jackson, a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player, and backup Tyler Huntley.
Former Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia, the runner-up for the 2025 Heisman Trophy, also accepted a mini-camp invitation, but that could be canceled given that Baltimore now has three rostered quarterbacks.
Fagnano enters the NFL at age 25 after seven seasons in college due to injury redshirts and the extra COVID-19 season. He spent four seasons at Maine and three at UConn.
Last season, Fagnano finished with 3,448 yards, 28 TDs and one interception with a 161.03 passing efficiency rating. He was the only FBS quarterback with more than 200 pass attempts to have just one pass picked off. He led UConn to a 9-3 regular-season record before deciding to sit out the Fenway Bowl.
In 51 career games, Fagnano recorded 10,926 yards passing, 94 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.
–Field Level Media
After managerial change, Phillies look to alter fortunes vs. Giants
Dash sign USL Super League MVP Emina Ekic
