Sports
Clippers looking to get comeback on track against Pelicans
Feb 26, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin (9) drives to the basket against Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) during the third quarter at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images The Los Angeles Clippers’ dramatic turnaround has taken a few baby steps backward.
They’ll try to regain their footing when they host the improving New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night.
The Clippers followed a 7-21 start with a 20-10 surge and they are in strong position to qualify for the play-in tournament, but they’ve lost their past three games as injuries have hampered them.
“Our guys are going to play hard, they’re going to compete and put you in a position to win the game,” head coach Tyronn Lue said. “And that’s kind of been the last three games — just be able to play hard, compete.”
Guard Darius Garland (left toe injury) has yet to make his L.A. debut since being acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of a mid-season shakeup that saw the Clippers trade away James Harden and center Ivica Zubac. Garland appears close to returning but has been ruled out for Sunday.
L.A. also played without Kawhi Leonard (ankle) and John Collins (head) in a 94-88 home loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday. Kris Dunn assumed a larger role and responded with 11 points, seven assists, six rebounds and one steal in 32 minutes.
“I’m just trying to be a connector on the team,” Dunn said. “Whatever the coaching staff asks me to do, I just try to do it. If that’s to be on the ball, be off the ball, that’s just locking somebody up, I just try to do what I can do.”
The Clippers expect to have Leonard (28.0 points per game) back and Collins (13.8) is listed as questionable for the game against New Orleans. They have leaned on newcomer Bennedict Mathurin to boost the offense, and he has averaged 20.7 points in his first six games.
The Pelicans have won four consecutive games after beating the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Thursday and Saturday.
Saddiq Bey followed his season-high 42-point game Thursday with a team-high 24 points in a 115-105 win Saturday. New Orleans led by 27 points in both games before seeing the leads shrink to single digits.
“Getting two wins here is fantastic,” interim head coach James Borrego said. “But we’ve got to close better.”
New Orleans lost second-leading scorer Zion Williamson to a right ankle injury after he played just 11 minutes Saturday. His status for Sunday is uncertain, but leading scorer Trey Murphy III could return from a five-game absence due to a right shoulder contusion.
Point guard Dejounte Murray is likely to return after sitting out the front of this back-to-back on Saturday in the wake of playing his first two games since undergoing Achilles surgery last January.
But the team still had plenty of offensive production in the two games against the Jazz. They had a season-high 37 assists on 46 field goals Thursday and 32 assists on 39 field goals Saturday.
“We’re being much more efficient in transition,” Borrego said. “The guys have been sharing the basketball, having around 30 assists every night, not caring who gets the credit or who gets the shot, just making the right, simple play.”
–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
