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
ATP roundup: Ben Shelton shows love of clay, wins BMW title
Ben Shelton connects with the ball during his second-round match at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., Friday, March 6, 2026. Ben Shelton rolled to his second title of the year, winning the BMW Open with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Italy’s Flavio Cobolli at Munich, Germany.
Shelton won 85% of his first-serve points on the clay surface and saved all six break points he faced to win his fifth career title and first since Dallas earlier this year. Shelton showed his form early when he broke Cobolli’s serve twice in the first three games of the match.
With the second set tied 5-5, Shelton broke Cobolli again and won on serve on his first match point. Shelton became the first American man since 2009 to win three ATP 500 titles.
“I have big ambitions for the clay courts,” Shelton said in his post-match interview. “It is a surface I want to get better on each year. It is slowly becoming one of my favorite surfaces to play on.”
Barcelona Open
Arthur Fils of France held off a late charge from Russia’s Andrey Rublev to record a 6-2, 7-6 (2) victory in the final of the tournament.
Fils won his first title since returning in February after missing eight months because of a back injury.
Fils was well on his way to victory after cruising in the first set and leading 5-2 in the second before Rublev dug in his heels. Rublev broke Fils’ serve to pull within 5-4 in the second set, then staved off one match point to make it 5-5.
Rublev broke serve again to lead 6-5 in the second set before Fils finally regained control and finished off the match in a tiebreak.
“The end of the second set was just about the mental (pressure),” Fils said. “The whole match was a bit tough because I was a bit tight. I played well for a set and a half, but when I had to close, I started to think a little. But I’m very happy with the way I played the tiebreak.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
WTA roundup: Elena Rybakina wins at Stuttgart for second time
Aug 31, 2025; Flushing, NY, USA; Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in action against Marketa Vondrousova of Czech Republic in the fourth round of the women’s singles at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images Second-seeded Elena Rybakina won 25 of her 32 first-serve points (78.1%) and needed just 78 minutes on Sunday to post a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Karolina Muchova to win the championship match of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany.
Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, had three aces while winning her 13th career title and second in Stuttgart. She also won the event in 2024. This victory marks the first time she has won multiple titles at a tournament.
The Czech Republic’s Muchova, the No. 7 seed, was much less efficient on her first serves, winning just 52.3% (23 of 44). She saved four of eight break points.
Muchova trailed 5-2 in the first set before winning three straight games to knot the match. But Rybakina won the final two games and then sailed through the second set to win her fifth clay court title.
Rouen Metropolitan Open
Top-seeded Marta Kostyuk hit 34 winners against 23 unforced errors while claiming a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Veronika Podrez in the first all-Ukrainian WTA final at Rouen, France.
Kostyuk converted 6 of 9 break points against the 19-year-old Podrez to win her second singles title. Podrez, a qualifier, was playing in her first final.
“This match today was not just a match,” Kostyuk said during the trophy presentation. “It was a historical moment for Ukrainian tennis. First time two Ukrainians playing in the final. I know how much work, sacrifice, tears and sweat goes into this sport and to be able to be on this stage. So I’m incredibly proud of Ukrainian tennis right now.”
Podrez had just one ace while committing seven double faults.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Former Georgia WR Zachariah Branch arrested
Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch (1) takes questions from the press during the Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff quarterfinals Media Day at Sheraton New Orleans Hotel in New Orleans, La., on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. Players and coaches from Ole Miss and Georgia took questions from the press. Wide receiver Zachariah Branch, a Georgia standout who was expected to be selected in the NFL Draft later this week, was arrested early Sunday in Athens, Ga., according to Athens-Clarke County jail records.
Branch, 22, was charged with obstructing public sidewalks/streets and obstruction of a law enforcement officer, both misdemeanors. He was booked at 1:26 a.m. and released on bond at 3:44 a.m.
Widely projected as a Day 2 NFL draft pick, estimates show Branch going as high as the second round on Friday.
In his first season at Georgia, following a transfer from Southern California, Branch led the Bulldogs with 81 receptions for 811 yards and six touchdowns last season. Georgia went 12-2 and lost 39-34 to Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl.
In three college seasons, the first two at USC, Branch had 159 receptions for 1,634 yards and nine touchdowns in 37 games.
–Field Level Media
ATP roundup: Ben Shelton shows love of clay, wins BMW title
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