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From Kevin Baxter: Behind a triple-double from Russell Westbrook, the Clippers clinched a playoff berth Tuesday, avoiding the NBA’s postseason play-in tournament by withstanding a furious Phoenix Suns’ rally for a 105-92 win that guaranteed them at least a top-five finish in the Western Conference standings.
None of that should come as a surprise: The Clippers have finished in the top five in the regular-season standings nine times in the last 12 seasons and it would have taken an epic collapse in the season’s final week not to do so again.
What they haven’t done is make a long playoff run, reaching the conference final only once in franchise history. And that makes Tuesday’s triumph just the first step on a familiar journey that will only get harder as it gets longer.
As for who and where the Clippers will play in the postseason, that could be determined as early as Wednesday’s rematch with the Suns in Los Angeles. (Spoiler alert: It will probably be Dallas, the Clippers’ first-round opponent in two of the last four seasons. The Clippers won both series.) But until the Clippers clinch the home-court advantage for their playoff opener, coach Tyronn Lue said his team’s focus won’t change.
“We’ve got to secure a spot. We can’t relax,” he said.
“Just keep getting better, keep playing good basketball going into the playoffs. That’s where our mindset is.”
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LAKERS
From Dan Woike: In the months before, the frailty of the NBA season seems more abstract, each game representing an equal 1.2% slice of the season. When you’re in the grind of it, the tomorrows eclipse any finality.
Until it gets here — and then all you’re left with are ‘if onlys.’
If only the Lakers had been sharper out of the in-season tournament. If only it hadn’t taken so long to find their shooting stroke. If only they’d held tighter onto the rope against Brooklyn and Sacramento.
If only they’d been a little luckier, a little better.
If only they had more time.
With the end of the regular season barreling toward them, the Lakers played what could end up being their final home game of this season, losing 134-120 to Golden State in a massive matchup Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.
DODGERS
From Jack Harris: The most impressive sight on Tuesday night wasn’t James Outman’s three-run home run in the fourth inning, or Will Smith’s opposite-field three-run blast in the top of the fifth.
Instead, in a 6-3 Dodgers win over the Minnesota Twins at Target Field, it was practically every time the ball burst from Tyler Glasnow’s right hand.
In an overpowering performance against an overmatched Twins lineup, Glasnow rode a mid-90s heater and devastating combination of breaking pitches to his best start yet as a Dodger, matching a career-high with 14 strikeouts in a stunningly scoreless seven-inning gem.
Former Dodger Julio Urías charged with five misdemeanors stemming from 2023 arrest
ANGELS
José Caballero had three hits and two RBIs, Isaac Paredes homered and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Angels 6-4 on Tuesday night despite Mike Trout’s sixth home run.
Harold Ramírez also drove in a pair for the Rays, who have won three of four.
Aaron Civale (2-1) gave up only two more hits after Trout’s two-run shot in the first. The right-hander gave up three runs (two earned) in five innings with four strikeouts. The four earned runs Civale has given up in three starts have come on three homers.
Pete Fairbanks earned his first save despite giving up an RBI single to Luis Rengifo in the ninth. The Angels had runners on first and second with two out, but Miguel Sanó struck out looking.
KINGS-DUCKS
Alex Killorn and Trevor Zegras scored in the third period, and the Ducks prevented the Kings from securing a playoff spot with a 3-1 win on Tuesday night.
Frank Vatrano also scored, Lukas Dostal made 36 saves, and the Ducks beat their Freeway Faceoff foes for the first time in three meetings. The season series concludes in Los Angeles on Saturday.
Akil Thomas scored and Cam Talbot made 24 saves for the Kings, who had won three straight games.
From Ben Bolch: UCLA’s defense could be living on the edge unless it finds a few good ones.
Edge rusher might be the team’s thinnest position after coach DeShaun Foster confirmed Tuesday that Choe Bryant-Strother had entered the transfer portal, becoming the latest edge rusher to depart.
Laiatu Latu and twins Gabriel and Grayson Murphy have declared for the NFL draft. Carl Jones Jr. and Jake Heimlicher have exhausted their eligibility. Bryant-Strother was the last remaining edge rusher on the roster who had played for the Bruins, logging 38 tackles, four tackles for loss and one sack over four seasons at a variety of positions.
As a graduate transfer, Bryant-Strother does not need to wait for the official opening of the transfer portal on April 15. His departure will prompt Foster to search the portal for reinforcements.
From Ryan Kartje: After just one season as a 300-pound wrecking ball in the middle of USC’s defense, former five-star defensive tackle Bear Alexander plans to reenter the NCAA transfer portal, in search of his third school in three seasons.
Alexander appeared on track to becoming a cornerstone of USC’s new defense this season as it rebuilds under new coordinator D’Anton Lynn. His sophomore season was loaded with glimpses of his sky-high potential, as he recorded 48 tackles, 6½ of them for a loss.
Where those plans went awry was still murky as of Tuesday. Alexander attended USC’s early-morning practice, hours before word of his transfer spread.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Tara VanDerveer, the winningest basketball coach in NCAA history, announced her retirement Tuesday night after 38 seasons leading the Stanford women’s team and 45 years overall.
The 70-year-old VanDerveer surpassed Mike Krzyzewski for the wins record in January. The Hall of Famer departs with a combined 1,216 victories at Idaho, Ohio State and Stanford.
“Basketball is the greatest group project there is and I am so incredibly thankful for every person who has supported me and our teams throughout my coaching career,” VanDerveer said in a statement. “I’ve been spoiled to coach the best and brightest at one of the world’s foremost institutions for nearly four decades.”
THE MASTERS
From Sam Farmer: The dramatic elevation changes of Augusta National are not always evident in Masters broadcasts. It’s a common observation by first-timers to the storied golf course that it’s far hillier than it looks on TV.
The ups and downs of Tiger Woods? Plainly evident for the world to see.
It all played out on the public stage. The historic success, the personal downfall, the epic comeback, the car accident that nearly claimed his life.
Five years have passed since the legendary Woods won his fifth and latest green jacket. Now, for the 29th time, he’s preparing to make another run.
“It’s been a part of my life to have won here as my first major [championship] as a pro,” said Woods, 48, addressing the media as he has every Tuesday of Masters week. “Hugging my dad, as you saw [at his victorious 1997 Masters], then a full circle in 2019 to hug my son.”
THIS DATE IN SPORTS
1934 — The Chicago Blackhawks edge the Detroit Red Wings 1-0 in overtime to win the Stanley Cup.
1947 — Jackie Robinson becomes first Black player of the 20th century to sign an MLB contract.
1949 — Sam Snead wins the Masters, beating Lloyd Mangrum and Johnny Bulla by three strokes.
1953 — NBA Championship Finals, Minneapolis Auditorium, Minnesota, MN: Minneapolis Lakers beat NY Knicks, 91-84 for a 4-1 series victory; Lakers’ 5th title in 6 years.
1955 — Cary Middlecoff beats Ben Hogan by seven strokes to win the Masters.
1960 — 24th Masters: 1958 champion Arnold Palmer birdies the final 2 holes to win by 1 stroke over runner-up Ken Venturi.
1961 — South Africa’s Gary Player becomes the first foreign player to win the Masters, edging Arnold Palmer and Charley Coe by one stroke.
1977 — Tom Watson pulls away in the final four holes to beat Jack Nicklaus by two strokes in the Masters.
1988 — Scotland’s Sandy Lyle sinks a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole for a one-shot victory in the Masters, becoming the first British player to win the tournament.
1990 — Dave Taylor, Tomas Sandstrom and Tony Granato score three goals apiece as the Kings pound the Calgary Flames 12-4, marking the first time in NHL playoff history that three hat tricks are recorded in one game.
1991 — Wayne Gretzky scores NHL record 93rd playoff goal.
1994 — Jose Maria Olazabal wins the Masters by two strokes over Tom Lehman. It’s the sixth time in seven years a non-American has prevailed.
2005 — Tiger Woods wins the Masters with a spectacular finish of birdies and bogeys. Woods turns back a surprising challenge Chris DiMarco with a 15-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole to capture his fourth green jacket.
2016 — Danny Willett wins the Masters after a stunning collapse by Jordan Spieth. Willett shoots a closing 67 for a 5-under 283 is assured his first major title when Spieth bogeys the 17th hole. Spieth, nine holes away from another wire-to-wire victory, throws it away with a collapse around Amen Corner that is shocking even by Augusta National standards. Spieth was five shots ahead on the 10th tee and three shots behind when he walked to the 13th tee.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
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