Sports
Pistons look for ninth straight as Nuggets visit
Feb 26, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley (5) dribbles while being defended by Boston Celtics forward Sam Hauser (30) in the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images The Detroit Pistons made a statement with their latest victory, blowing out the defending champions. They’ll look to make another against a Western Conference powerhouse when Denver visits on Friday night.
The Pistons are on an eight-game winning streak, their longest in 17 seasons. The last time Detroit won eight or more consecutive games was in 2008, when the Pistons strung together 10 victories from Jan. 23 to Feb. 13.
Detroit showed the NBA world that its resurgence is no fluke with a resounding 117-97 win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday.
Other than a barrage of 3-pointers in the second quarter that led to a halftime tie, the Celtics were stymied by the Pistons’ aggressive defense. Boston was held to 20 points in the first quarter and 42 in the second half.
“I think we were outstanding. To set the tone the way we did to start the game, to hold them to 20 points in the first quarter, meant we came out with a point to prove,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. ” I thought we were excellent in the first quarter, and then again to hold them to 18 points in the fourth quarter shows your ability to want to close it out. We had multiple plays where everybody was a part of it, everybody was making extra efforts.”
The offense was once again boosted by sixth man Malik Beasley, who scored 26 points in 22 minutes. Beasley is averaging 16.7 points and shooting a career-high 42.5 percent on 3-point attempts.
“He just has that type of personality that’s engaging, that you want to root for. [His] shot-making ability just lifts people up,” Bickerstaff said. “When he’s hot and that ball’s in the air, you can tell when it leaves his hands [that it’s going in], and it’s taking the crowd’s breath away. I’m happy for Malik because he’s a genuine character and he loves this.”
The Nuggets won their first meeting with the Pistons, 134-121, on Dec. 28 as Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray combined for 71 points.
Denver has won 10 of its last 12 games, but one of those losses came on Thursday. The Nuggets gave up 67 second-half points as Milwaukee came away with a 121-112 victory.
The Nuggets shot 44.8 percent from the field and 26.5 percent on 3-point attempts. Jokic had 32 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists, but his teammates shot 38.2 percent. Jokic has 27 triple-doubles this season.
“The big thing was we really struggled to make shots and we really struggled to finish tonight,” coach Michael Malone said. “We easily could have had 70 to 80 in the paint, but we missed a bunch of bunnies, a bunch of easy ones.”
Denver has a quick turnaround as it faces the red-hot Pistons.
“Really aggressive team. Really young team,” Jokic told the Denver Post. “I think they have a lot to prove. They’re playing much, much better than last year. They seem united as a team. They have good size.”
–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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