From The Athletic

  • Lakers at a crossroads: What went wrong, what's next with LeBron James, Darvin Ham

    Midway through the fourth quarter of a “road” game against the rival on Feb. 28, with the having cut a lead that was once as much as 21 points in the fourth quarter down to five, a question arose within the team’s player-led huddle. Why are we running plays to have attack a former Defensive Player of the Year in if the Clippers are willingly switching big man onto him in screening actions? Advertisement The answer, provided by multiple players whom team sources say spoke up in the huddle,...

  • Dodgers record no strikeouts in a game for first time in 18 years

    PHOENIX — The took 44 turns at the plate on Monday night and etched an oddity into history. They collected 10 hits and drew eight walks en route to their 8-4 win over the . Collectively, they strained a worn Diamondbacks pitching staff and flexed the type of might their star-studded lineup would portend. Advertisement They also never struck out. “Is that what we did?” remarked when told of their feat. “I’d say that’s very difficult. In today’s game?” might’ve been the first person on the field...

  • Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid: A tactical preview of their Champions League semi-final

    This season’s semi-finals pit two runaway leaders against two sides way off the pace in their respective domestic divisions. Not many would have placed in that latter group when the games began back in the summer, but as they prepare to face a team 13 points clear in and on the brink of winning their 36th Spanish title, they know that a 34th domestic crown of their own is mathematically out of reach, with already champions and 12 points ahead of them with three games to go. Advertisement...

  • How 2 wiped-out Lightning goals helped the Panthers eliminate Tampa Bay in Game 5: 3 takeaways

    SUNRISE, Fla. — As it turns out, the didn’t wake up a sleeping giant after all. Last year’s Eastern Conference champs moved on to the second round of the playoffs on Monday night by defeating the 6-1 at Amerant Bank Arena, eliminating the 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup champions and 2022 finalists behind two goals and an assist from Selke Trophy frontrunner , including a game-winning short-handed goal in the second period. Advertisement It’s the first time Florida has defeated its cross-state...

  • Monday’s NBA playoffs takeaways: Kristaps Porziņģis exits with injury, Denver and OKC advance

    By Jay King, Jared Weiss, Manny Navarro, Tony Jones, Will Guillory and John Hollinger Though the took care of business on the road, defeating the 102-88 on Monday, they also received a scare when immediately called for a sub after tweaking his right calf late in the second quarter. While he limped off the court and into the locker room area, the frustration on his face was evident, prompting fear he had suffered a serious injury. When the Celtics ruled him doubtful to return to Game 4, that...

  • Kepner: As long as we're fixing MLB uniforms, let's restore the All-Star look, too

    “I think after people wear them for a little bit, they’re going to be really popular.” — commissioner Rob Manfred, February 15 Many people start verbal victory laps by saying, “I hate to say I told you so ” I am not one of those people. I — well, me and pretty much every player, fan and unbiased MLB observer. The new Nike uniforms were a flop, a soulless corporate solution to a problem that didn’t exist. They have to go now, like Poochie from “The Simpsons.” All that’s missing is a sworn...

  • Phil Simms, Boomer Esiason out, Matt Ryan in on CBS’ ‘The NFL Today’ pregame show: Sources

    CBS’ “The NFL Today” is making a two-for-one quarterback swap. Longtime analyst stalwarts Phil Simms and Boomer Esiason are out, while is in on the network’s pregame show, according to sources briefed on the move and Esiason, who announced his news Monday morning. Ryan will be joined on set by host James Brown, Nate Burleson and Bill Cowher, with on a part-time basis. Burleson and Cowher also had expiring contracts. Advertisement On CBS, Simms, 68, was the rival to John Madden as the top game...

  • Tennis Briefing: Kasatkina ‘assurances’ on Saudi Arabia, Alcaraz defies injury

    Welcome to the Monday Tennis Briefing, where The Athletic will explain the story behind the stories from the last week on court. This week, the coveted Masters 1000 in Madrid ran its first week and the stories on court were matched by the drama off it, as t. If you’d like more tennis coverage, please . Can ‘assurances’ on player safety in Saudi Arabia ever be enough? Daria Kasatkina, the highest ranked openly gay player in women’s tennis, was asked Sunday how she felt about the WTA opting to...

  • What we learned from the Chicago Cubs’ series loss at Fenway Park: 3 takeaways

    BOSTON — The lost a 5-4 heartbreaker to the Sunday night, dropping the series at Fenway Park after winning the first of three to kick off the weekend. dominated the Cubs’ bats for 6 2/3 innings, striking out nine and walking none as he allowed just one run. Despite being largely shut down for much of the evening, a big three-run homer by tied the game in the eighth and it seemed like the Cubs could pull off a surprising victory. However, with runners on the corners and no outs in the bottom...

  • Timberwolves coach Chris Finch ruptured patellar tendon in late Game 4 collision

    coach Chris Finch paid the price for the team’s first playoff series win in 20 years. Finch suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in his right leg on a collision with late in the fourth quarter of Minnesota’s 122-116 win over the that completed a four-game sweep. Advertisement The play occurred when Suns guard bumped Conley as he dribbled up the sideline, near the scorer’s table. Conley then ran into Finch, who tumbled into fans seated right next to the Timberwolves bench. He crumpled to the...

  • Phoenix Suns swept: What went wrong, what’s next for Frank Vogel, Big 3 and more

    Frank Vogel entered the home locker room at Footprint Center and lit into his team. After his had fallen into a 35-4 hole en route to a loss to the on April 9, the head coach yelled so much that his voice could be heard outside the locker room. There was only one problem. On this night, Suns players weren’t buying it. The outburst seemed forced and out of character in their eyes. It continued at the next day’s shootaround in Los Angeles, Vogel tearing into the Suns before that night’s road win...

  • Rory McIlroy sang Journey in New Orleans. He also won the golf tournament

    NEW ORLEANS — Rory McIlroy is on the TPC Louisiana 19th green stage with a beer in one hand and a microphone in the other. He’s got Mardi Gras beads around his neck standing next to one of his best friends, Shane Lowry, and the drunken New Orleans crowd keeps chanting. “Rory! Rory! Rory!” “Do you know any songs from the 80s?” the bandleader asks. Advertisement And then Journey starts playing. The four-time major champ belted out “Don’t Stop Believing” early Sunday evening, tossing his head back...