Sports
Hot-shooting Sparks visit faltering Dream
Jul 10, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Chicago Sky forward Rickea Jackson (5) celebrates with forward Nneka Ogwumike (30) against the Chicago Sky during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images Looking to extend their hot-shooting stretch, the visiting Los Angeles Sparks begin a four-game road trip Monday against the Atlanta Dream in College Park, Ga.
Los Angeles (10-11) has eclipsed the 100-point mark in back-to-back games, most recently drilling 14 3-pointers in a 102-87 victory over the Chicago Sky on Friday. Amid an inconsistent first half of the regular season, the Sparks appear to be finding their rhythm ahead of their first meeting with Atlanta.
“People are getting more secure and confident in their roles,” Los Angeles head coach Lynne Roberts said. “As I’ve always said, shot-making is a direct relation to shot quality. How do you create great shots? You have to move. The ball has got to move. We’re taking good shots, and we’ve got to continue to hunt those.”
The Sparks have played without leading scorer Kelsey Plum (23.9 points per game) since she suffered a lower leg injury June 21. Nneka Ogwumike has assumed the leading role, averaging 16.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per contest, while Dearica Hamby has added 14.8 points and 7.7 rebounds.
Los Angeles parted ways with general manager Raegan Pebley on Sunday. The team said assistant GMs Zach Knowlton and Nate Nielsen will share duties in the interim.
Atlanta (13-10) will aim to salvage a four-game homestand Monday and try to turn its season back around. The Dream have lost six of their last seven and were recently dealt another blow, as Angel Reese (15 points, 11.7 rebounds per game) missed the team’s 102-92 loss to the Portland Fire on Saturday with a leg injury.
Following a franchise-best 30-win campaign last season, second-year head coach Karl Smesko’s group is facing as much adversity as it did in all of 2025.
“I don’t even remember losing two games in a row last year,” Smesko said. “We never had to really dig deep, look at ourselves and figure out what we needed to do. This year is different, but this could help us get to where we need to get if we approach it the right way.”
Allisha Gray’s 18.7 ppg lead the Dream, while Rhyne Howard adds 18.5 points per contest.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Timbers, Sounders return from extended break with rivalry clash
May 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Seattle Sounders FC forward Paul Rothrock (14) kicks the ball during the first half against LAFC at BMO Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images The Portland Timbers will have a fresh face on their bench when they return from the World Cup break to face the host Seattle Sounders on Thursday night in a Cascadia Cup clash.
The Timbers (4-8-2, 14 points) parted ways with coach Phil Neville after a 3-1 loss to visiting San Jose heading into the break that extended their winless streak to three matches (0-2-1). Jack Cassidy, 36, who is in his first year as coach of the Timbers’ MLS Next Pro team Timbers2, will take over on an interim basis until a new coach is found.
“Jack has impressed in his first year with Timbers2 and (we) see this is the right temporary staffing structure until we complete the coaching search,” Timbers general manager Ned Grabavoy said in a news release.
The Timbers went 27-31-24 in two-plus seasons under Neville, losing in the wild-card round in 2024 and the first round of the playoffs in 2025.
Kevin Kelsy leads the Timbers in goals and is tied for second on the team in assists (three), with Kristoffer Velde adding four goals and three helpers. The Timbers, who are just 1-6-1 on the road, have conceded 28 goals while scoring 22.
The Sounders (7-3-3, 24 points) had a nine-match MLS unbeaten run snapped with losses to both Los Angeles teams heading into the break. They took their first home loss of the campaign in a 2-0 defeat to the Galaxy, then dropped a 1-0 decision at Los Angeles FC.
Behind defender Jackson Ragen, who was named a reserve for the MLS All-Stars for their match against the Liga MX All-Stars on July 29 in Charlotte, the Sounders are tied for the league lead with only 11 goals allowed. Paul Rothrock has a team-high four goals for Seattle, which has tallied just 17 times, 13th out of 15 Western Conference teams.
The Sounders have ruled out U.S. international Cristian Roldan after reaggravating a right quad injury he sustained in training during the World Cup. Roldan didn’t appear in any of the Americans’ matches, including their two played in Seattle.
As difficult as that might have been for Roldan, keeping the ultra-competitive midfielder out of a Cascadia Cup match might be just as daunting for the Sounders.
“It’ll be impossible. An unforgettable bashing of skulls,” Sounders general manager Craig Waibel joked. “There is going to have to be some rest somewhere.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Bryson DeChambeau to debut set of 3D-printed irons at The Open
Jul 13, 2026; Southport, England; Bryson DeChambeau on the practice range during a practice round for The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bryson DeChambeau will bring the latest in technology to a 137-year-old golf course this week, and into a major tournament that is even older.
DeChambeau is set to debut a full set of 3D-printed irons for 154th Open Championship, which starts Thursday at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England, Front Office Sports reported Tuesday.
DeChambeau has used single 3D-printed clubs in the past, playing in this year’s Masters with a 5-iron built under computer control. According to the report, DeChambeau said the full set of irons was recently approved by the United States Golf Association.
A two-time U.S. Open winner (2020, 2024), DeChambeau did not make the cut in any of the three major tournaments already played this year. That comes after he had top-10 finishes at last year’s Masters, PGA Championship and Open Championship.
Currently a member of LIV Golf, DeChambeau won tournaments in Singapore and South Africa in back-to-back weeks in March.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Wizards shut down No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa for rest of Summer League
Jun 25, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards first round draft pick and number one overall pick AJ Dybantsa poses for a photo with his jersey during a press conference at InterContinental Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images The Washington Wizards decided they had seen enough from the top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and shut down forward AJ Dybantsa for the rest of the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, The Athletic reported Tuesday.
Dybantsa played two games in a Wizards uniform, averaging 25.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists. The 19-year-old was the top pick out of BYU.
The Wizards also shut down second-year players Will Riley and Tre Johnson, who have also been productive. Riley averaged 25.0 points in two games and Johnson scored 26 points in the one he played.
The Wizards’ summer league players had five days of camp in Washington, D.C. before departing for Las Vegas.
The Wizards have not won more than 18 games in any of the past three seasons. Washington last made the playoffs in 2020-21 and last won a playoff series in 2016-17 when they advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals.
–Field Level Media
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