Sports
Out-of-sync offenses collide as Suns host Lakers
Feb 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) shoots against Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac (1) during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Two teams in varying states of offensive dysfunction will meet when the Phoenix Suns host the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.
The Suns enter the matchup after their two lowest-scoring games of the season, a 92-77 loss to Portland and a 97-81 defeat to Boston. Phoenix was unable to generate consistent looks without top scorers Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks.
The Lakers return after an uncomfortable 6.7 seconds, when they misfired on an inbounds play in a 110-109 loss to Orlando on Tuesday. It was their second straight loss after a 111-89 defeat to Boston two days before.
“We’re a work in progress,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.
Redick drew up an inbounds play to get Luka Doncic a shot in the final seconds of the Orlando game, but Doncic turned down an open but longish 3-point attempt before being swarmed. He passed to a surprised LeBron James, whose attempted game-winner was not close.
“Obviously, you have to ask Luka what he saw on that,” James said. “I thought he had a good look, and it looked like he kind of just lost his balance. Didn’t have the rhythm of the ball, whatever the case may be.
“I was kind of off-balance when he gave it to me. I thought he had a great look, but that’s my POV.”
Doncic, who had 22 points and 15 assists but was 8 of 24 from the field, said he could have done things differently.
“I knew it was open, but I thought it was a little bit far,” Doncic said. “I tried to get one dribble closer. I thought it was enough time to get a better look. Probably shouldn’t have picked up the ball. Should have attacked. That’s on me.”
The Lakers and Suns are straddling the line that separates the top six in the Western Conference from the play-in round as the stretch approaches.
L.A. (34-23) is sixth in the West, two games ahead of seventh-place Phoenix (33-26), and neither team has been able to make up ground recently.
The Lakers were 4-4 on an extended but testing homestead. They have lost four of the last six, including to top contenders Oklahoma City, San Antonio and Boston.
“We’ve got to be more consistent,” Doncic said. “There’s been a couple of games we should have won.”
The Suns have lost four of five and seven of 10. They have shot below 40% from the field in each of the last four games and are shooting 41% in that 10-game stretch.
Booker (24.7 points per game) has missed seven games and Brooks (20.9) has missed three. Reserve guard Jordan Goodwin (calf) has missed the last two, while guards Grayson Allen and Jalen Green have been in and out due to injury.
Green has started the last four while working into form following an extended absence due to hamstring and hip injuries. He is averaging 17 points in those starts but shooting only 33.7%.
“(Booker) has said it since Day 1 — when you have five guys that are threats on the court, that’s when it feels right and you can just play basketball,” Suns coach Jordan Ott said. “It’s a rhythm to the game.
“Right now, we cannot find it, but we’re going to keep trying. This is going to be a huge part of our season, us breaking through this little rough patch. We have to do it together.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cloud9 remains unbeaten in Week 3 opener of LCS Spring
YMCA member Austin Manengu works the keyboard as he plays a game of Fortnite during the unveiling of the new gaming lab at the Maplewood Family YMCA in Rochester Thursday, June 20, 2024. YMCA of Greater Rochester in partnership with Metro Sports & Entertainment Group will open two gaming labs for youth and teens this year. Cloud9 improved to 3-0 and Sentinels earned their first win to kick off Week 3 of the regular season of the LCS Spring event on Saturday.
Cloud9, one of just two unbeaten teams left, swept Disguised 2-0 as Sentinels came away with a 2-1 win over FlyQuest.
Eight teams will compete in best-of-three matches in the round-robin regular season before advancing to the playoffs of the League of Legends event, which will be contested in best-of-five matches in a double-elimination format. The top two teams will qualify for the Mid-Season Invitational.
Cloud9 didn’t face much interference in its third straight victory, winning both games in 25 minutes over Disguised, which fell to 1-2. Robert “Blaber” Huang and Denmark’s Jesper “Zven” Svenningsen led the victory with very similar kill-death-assist ratios of 12-1-18 and 12-2-18, respectively.
Sentinels won the opener vs. FlyQuest in 30 minutes, lost the second game in 31 minutes and won the deciding third matchup in 39 minutes. Cho “Rahel” Min-seong of South Korea led the victory with a 20-4-13 K-D-A ratio.
Week 3 concludes Sunday with LYON facing Shopify Rebellion and Dignitas versus Team Liquid.
Regular season standings (Win-loss total, map differential)
1. Cloud9, 3-0, 6-2
2. Team Liquid, 2-0, 4-1
3. LYON, 1-1, 3-3
4. Shopify Rebellion, 1-1, 2-2
5. FlyQuest, 1-2, 4-4
6. Sentinels, 1-2, 4-5
7. Disguised, 1-2, 2-5
8. Dignitas, 0-2, 1-4
–Field Level Media
Sports
Yankees out to continue success vs. lefties, sweep Royals
Apr 18, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice (22) and center fielder Cody Bellinger (35) celebrate after defeating the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images The New York Yankees struggled in most of their encounters against left-handed pitching until Saturday. Then they dominated Kansas City southpaw Noah Cameron and rolled to their most lopsided victory of the season.
After their best showing at the plate, the Yankees seek a three-game sweep Sunday afternoon when they host the Royals.
The Yankees will face another left-hander in Cole Ragans (0-3, 3.78 ERA) after going 7-for-20 with three homers off Cameron. New York raised its batting average against left-handed pitchers 19 points to .179 after Saturday’s 13-4 win.
Cody Bellinger, who entered Saturday 3-for-17 off lefties, hit a pair of two-run homers and drove in five runs. Bellinger also is 10-for-28 (.357) over his past seven games.
Ben Rice homered for the third straight game for the first time in his career and is 5-for-16 (.313) off lefties after hitting .208 against southpaws last season. Rice will remain in the lineup Sunday along with Paul Goldschmidt while Giancarlo Stanton gets a scheduled day off ahead of Monday’s off-day before the start of a three-game series at Boston.
The Yankees scored their most runs all season after their previous five wins were decided in the final at-bat. Amed Rosario hit a two-run homer, drove in three runs and is hitting .293 off lefties since the start of last season.
“We’re a talented team that can win in many different ways,” Bellinger said. “Obviously these games are more ideal but I like where we’re at.”
Since their 6-5 win over the Yankees in Game 2 of the 2024 ALDS, the Royals are on a 10-game losing streak against New York. Kansas City has lost six straight and nine of 11.
The Royals were blanked until Carter Jensen hit a two-run homer in the seventh and also scored on a two-run double by Michael Massey in the ninth. Bobby Witt Jr. had one of Kansas City’s seven hits and is 5-for-20 on the road trip.
The Royals are coming off their most lopsided loss of the first 21 games after 10 of their previous 11 games were decided by two runs or fewer.
“It looks bad when you get your butt kicked like today, but every game this week has been a really close game,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. “Guys are running hard, they’re playing hard, they’re preparing hard. It just hasn’t worked out.”
After getting seven sharp innings from Will Warren and not using any high-leverage relievers, the Yankees will send lefty Ryan Weathers (0-2, 4.29 ERA) to the mound.
Weathers, who struggled at times with his fastball command Tuesday in a 7-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, makes his first career start against Kansas City. Weathers is allowing a .268 average to opposing hitters and allowed three homers in a span of five pitches on fastballs to Mike Trout, Jo Adell and Jorge Soler.
Weathers also gave up a homer to Oswald Peraza on his changeup but wound up with 10 strikeouts in five-plus innings when he allowed five runs. He also became the first Yankee and 17th pitcher all-time to get at least 10 strikeouts and allow four homers.
In four starts, Ragans (0-3, 3.78) has received four runs from his offense and is coming off his best start this season. Ragans allowed one hit in six scoreless innings in a no-decision during Kansas City’s 2-1 loss at Detroit on Tuesday.
Ragans does not have a decision and a 2.57 ERA in a pair of appearances (one start) against the Yankees.
–Field Level Media
Sports
With bullpens taxed, Rays, Pirates hope starters can go deep
Apr 6, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan (18) throws a pitch against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images With exhausted bullpens following Saturday’s six-hour, 39-minute, 13-inning marathon game, the pressure is on the Rays’ Shane McClanahan and the Pirates’ Mitch Keller to deliver strong starts on Sunday afternoon in the finale of their three-game series in Pittsburgh.
The Rays used eight relievers and the Pirates used six relievers in a game officially of four hours and 12 minutes that was delayed an additional two hours and 27 minutes by inclement weather, and ended with an 8-7 win for Tampa Bay.
Now, McClanahan (1-1, 3.95 ERA), who last Tuesday picked up his first win since June 16, 2023, will try to make it eight wins in their past nine games for the Rays.
McClanahan gave up two earned runs (three overall) on two hits and four walks, and struck out four in five innings against the Chicago White Sox. The left-hander continued his solid return to the majors this season after missing the past two years following Tommy John surgery and recovery from a nerve issue.
For McClanahan, it was the end of a wait of 1,033 days between wins and a long period of resilience while dealing with his physical issues and the death of his father.
“It was probably the adrenaline dump and emotional release that I’ve had in my entire life,” McClanahan said. “Some days, you don’t think you’re ever going to get to this point again. Proud of who I’ve turned into and the work that I put in, and I know it’s going to get better.”
McClanahan, who is 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA in two career starts against the Pirates, is still fine-tuning things on the mound as he has issued 11 walks and struck out 13 in 13 2/3 innings. But he’s been effective enough for the Rays to win two of his three starts so far. Another such outing would be huge for a Rays staff, which utilized all seven available relievers on Saturday. A roster move could be made to supplement a taxed bullpen.
For Pittsburgh, Keller (1-1, 2.86) was off to one of the best starts in the majors over his first three outings before struggling last Tuesday against the visiting Washington Nationals.
Keller gave up five runs on six hits, walked four and struck out three over four innings (90 pitches) in a game the Pirates lost 5-4.
Over his first three starts (18 innings), Keller had allowed only two runs.
It was the second time this season that Keller walked four batters in a game. But he overcame them by allowing only two runs in a 5-4 home win over the Baltimore Orioles on April 3 — his lone pitching victory of the season.
Keller is 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA in two career starts against Tampa Bay.
“With Mitch, from the beginning, didn’t have the sharp command, but battled and grinded and got through four innings,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “You could tell from the beginning he wasn’t as sharp as he’s been.”
The Pirates recalled reliever Cam Sanders on Saturday and optioned Jose Urquidy to Triple-A Indianapolis. Mason Montgomery and closer Dennis Santana were the only relievers Pittsburgh did not use in Saturday’s game.
–Field Level Media
Cloud9 remains unbeaten in Week 3 opener of LCS Spring
Yankees out to continue success vs. lefties, sweep Royals
