While there’s a lot of time left in the MLS season, it’s also true that every result you book now means one less you need in October.

That’s why the Los Angeles Galaxy could use three points from Saturday night’s fixture with the Vancouver Whitecaps in Carson, Calif.

While Vancouver (8-1-0, 24 points) leads the league in goal differential and has more points than any team except San Jose, LA (3-4-3, 12 points) currently sits at 10th in the West standings. That would leave it out of the postseason if it started Saturday.

The two pieces of good news are that the postseason doesn’t start for nearly six months, and that the Galaxy are coming off a 2-1 win April 26 against Real Salt Lake. Marco Reus delivered both goals, including a penalty kick in the 85th minute to snap a 1-1 tie.

Reus, who helped take up the offensive slack left by injured striker Joao Klauss (foot), thinks Los Angeles learned a lesson.

“You don’t have to play nice to win games,” he said. “Sometimes, you have to play dirty to win games. It doesn’t matter if we’re defending or playing forward.”

While Los Angeles searches for consistency, the Whitecaps aim to keep their considerable off-field distractions off the field. The Athletic reported Friday morning that an investor group led by 30-year-old Grant Gustavson has made an offer to buy the team with the intention of moving it to Las Vegas.

The franchise has been up for sale since December 2024. The league said the team’s lease with BC Place, whose primary tenant is the CFL’s B.C. Lions, is untenable. The city has a site in mind for a soccer-specific stadium but lacks a bridge deal to get past this year, much less build the facility.

Despite that as the backdrop, Vancouver has steamrolled nearly everyone. It’s coming off a 3-1 home win April 25 against Colorado behind a brace from Brian White, whose eight goals trail only Petar Musa (Dallas) and Sam Surridge (Nashville).

“We believe in each other. We believe in the staff,” midfielder Sebastian Berhalter said.

–Field Level Media

The NBA handed out fines on Friday to New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson and Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels for their on-court altercation the night before.

Robinson was docked $50,000 and Daniels was fined $25,000. NBA head of basketball operations James Jones announced that Robinson’s figure was increased because of “an inappropriate post on social media in reference to the incident postgame.”

In the middle of the second quarter of the Knicks’ series-clinching 140-89 win in Game 6 of an Eastern Conference first-round series at Atlanta, Robinson and Daniels became tied up as they jockeyed for a rebound. The NBA wrote in a statement, “Both players escalated the altercation with Robinson continuing to aggressively pursue Daniels after the players had been separated.”

As other players came into the scrum, apparently looking to get the two main combatants away from each other, a referee was knocked down.

Robinson and Daniels were each given a technical foul and ejected from the game.

The Knicks advanced to face either the Boston Celtics or the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The latter two teams will play Game 7 in Boston on Saturday.

–Field Level Media

Houston Dynamo coach Ben Olsen wants a sharper offensive performance when his club hosts the Colorado Rapids on Saturday.

The Dynamo (4-5-0, 12 points) have struggled to capitalize on possessions around the box, a trend that Olsen said must improve.

“We are a little toothless in our attack,” Olsen said. “We have to be a little more patient and balanced and figure out the final third.”

Houston lost 2-0 to Austin last Saturday, even though it held 53.9% of the possession. Prior to the loss at Austin, the Dynamo had won two straight matches by 1-0 scores but have been outscored 18-12 this season.

Guilherme Augusto leads the Dynamo with five goals and four assists.

“For 100 minutes a week, you’ve got to summon something, summon the best in yourself,” Olsen said. “And that’s the responsibility these players have and I have.”

Colorado (4-5-1, 13 points) will look to bounce back after a 3-1 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps last Saturday. Rafael Navarro tallied the lone goal, and the Brazilian forward leads the Rapids with seven goals and four assists. He also has 19 shots on target.

Navarro’s goal last week marked his 50th regular-season goal contribution in his fourth year with the club. He’s the eighth Colorado player to reach the milestone.

Rapids defender Keegan Rosenberry said the Rapids have to get off to better starts.

“From the first whistle, we have to show up as ourselves,” Rosenberry said. “We have to have that bravery and meet the demands of the game better.”

In the first matchup between the two teams, the Rapids rolled to a 6-2 home win over the Dynamo on April 11. Kosi Thompson and Navarro each scored a brace in that match. But since then, the Rapids have gone 0-2-1 in league play.

“We have to do the necessary dirty stuff to win games,” Colorado coach Matt Wells said. “Our football warrants that.”

–Field Level Media