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From Broderick Turner: The show began Wednesday night with Clippers owner Steve Ballmer standing with fans on the East side of his palace called Intuit Dome in an area known as “The Wall.” Ballmer did a frenetic dance with those fans inside his $2-billion venue before he took the microphone.
“Welcome home, Clippers Nation,” Ballmer bellowed.
Indeed, this is the Clippers’ new home after spending 25 years at Staples Center/Crypto.com Arena, sharing it with the Lakers and the NHL’s Kings.
It was the Clippers’ first regular-season game in Inglewood and it came without their biggest star, Kawhi Leonard, who missed the game because of recurring inflammation in his right knee. They were also missing their second-best player in Paul George, who bolted to the Philadelphia 76ers over the summer.
So, it was up to Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, star James Harden and a defense they have boasted about all preseason to be what mattered the most.
The curtain came down on the Clippers for good after they were unable to deliver in the clutch, dropping a 116-113 game in overtime to the Suns before a capacity, roaring crowd.
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DODGERS
From Anthony De Leon: Lifelong Dodger fans Manny Acosta, 59, and his brother, Jose Acosta, 60, sit on Vin Scully Avenue, just feet away from the shrine at the Dodger Stadium sign dedicated to the life of Fernando Valenzuela.
The siblings are parked in their “Dodger Dodge” — a truck wrapped in Dodger blue with an image of Valenzuela pitching on the side.
Wearing their World Series gear, they parked at noon and sat for hours watching as hundreds of mourners arrived throughout the day to drop off flowers, Mexican flags and other gifts while paying their respects to a Dodger legend.
The Acostas were born in Sonora, Mexico, the same state where Valenzuela was born, coming to Boyle Heights in 1972.
“I’m an immigrant like he was,” Manny Acosta said of Valenzuela. “He came over here and surpassed the American dream. He was such an icon and literally changed the profession of baseball and its connection with Hispanics.”
He heard false rumors Valenzuela died a few weeks ago, making his death on Tuesday less startling. But it still had a huge impact.
Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run ball sells for record $4.4 million. Who gets the money?
Going to Dodger Stadium for the World Series? Five ways to avoid parking and traffic headaches
WORLD SERIES SCHEDULE
All times Pacific
All games on Fox
All games at 5:08 p.m.
Dodgers vs. NY Yankees
Friday at Dodgers
Saturday at Dodgers
Monday at New York
Tuesday at New York
*Wednesday at New York
*Friday, Nov. 1 at Dodgers
*Saturday, Nov. 2 at Dodgers
*-if necessary
LAKERS
From Dan Woike: JJ Redick always had fought.
He fought the jeers Atlantic Coast Conference crowds poured onto him while he became one of the best — and most hated — players in college basketball history.
He fought the idea that his game wouldn’t translate to the pros, that the early struggles weren’t indicative of who he could become. He fought to become one of the best role players in the NBA and then fought against time and an aging body to stay there.
In retirement, he fought against complacency. He stayed busy as a podcaster, an entrepreneur and a broadcaster.
But early last spring, Redick decided it was time to stop fighting. It was time to give in.
“At some point, you just kinda have to listen to your soul and not be afraid of the consequences of whatever happens afterwards,” Redick told The Times. “You just got to go for it, I guess.”
And so Redick made up his mind. He was going to listen to his soul. He didn’t just want to coach in the NBA. He needed to.
CHARGERS
From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: The Chargers have not scored a second-half touchdown since Week 1. They rushed for 59 yards in 22 carries against an Arizona defense that was allowing 153 yards per game on the ground. They failed to protect a one-point lead on the final possession, giving up the game-winning field goal as time expired.
Although a chorus of concerns arose after the team’s 17-15 “Monday Night Football” loss, coach Jim Harbaugh is singing a different tune.
“You could be singing with the choir with ‘the would have, could have and should have. If this, if that,’’’ the Chargers coach said Wednesday. “But it took watching [the tape] three, four times, all sides of the ball, to turn the hymn book to ‘we were better.’ We were better. We got better.”
THIS DATE IN SPORTS
1943 — The Green Bay Packers grab nine interceptions, seven off Frank Sinkwich, in a 27-6 victory over the Detroit Lions.
1959 — Wilt Chamberlain plays in his first NBA game with the Philadelphia Warriors. Chamberlain plays his entire career — 1,045 consecutive games — without a disqualification.
1965 — Fran Tarkenton of the Minnesota Vikings passes for 407 yards and three touchdowns in a thrilling 42-41 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
1976 — The New York Marathon is run through the streets of the five boroughs for the first time. Bill Rodgers wins the race in 2:10:10, beating Olympic gold and silver medalist Frank Shorter. Miki Gorman wins the women’s division in 2:39:11, the 70th-fastest time over all.
1992 — The Toronto Blue Jays take baseball’s championship outside the United States for the first time, beating the Atlanta Braves 4-3 in 11 innings in Game 6 of the World Series.
1998 — Ricky Williams of Texas becomes the leading scorer in NCAA Division I history with 428 career points, scoring two touchdowns in a 30-20 victory over Baylor.
2003 — Se Ri Pak becomes the first woman to make the two-round cut in a men’s golf tournament since Babe Zaharias in 1945. Pak shoots a 2-over 74 on the Korean tour for a 2-over 146 halfway through the $250,000 SBS Super Tournament. Pak finishes tied for 29th place.
2008 — Make it 9-for-9 for the unstoppable Zenyatta. The 4-year-old filly, ridden by Mike Smith, stays perfect in the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic at Santa Anita, roaring from last to first around the turn to win the race.
2010 — Washington cornerback DeAngelo Hall ties an NFL single-game record with four interceptions, including a 92-yard interception-return touchdown, in the Redskins’ 17-14 win at Chicago.
2012 — Pablo Sandoval becomes the fourth player to hit three home runs in a World Series game to lead the San Francisco Giants over the Detroit Tigers 8-3 in the series opener.
2013 — A majority-female officiating crew works a college football game in an apparent first. The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference bills it as the first time it’s happened in an NCAA game. Head linesman Yvonda Lewis, line judge Tangela Mitchell, field judge Sebrina Brunson and back judge Krystle Apellaniz are part of the seven-person crew for the Division II game between Miles and Lane. Miles wins 38-26.
2015 — Montreal beats the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3 to extend their season-opening winning streak to nine games. The Candiens break the NHL record for most consecutive regulation wins to begin a season, set by Buffalo in 1975-76.
2015 — Lance Austin returns a blocked field goal 78 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the game, giving Georgia Tech a stunning 22-16 upset of No. 9 Florida State.
2021 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady becomes the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for 600 touchdowns in a 38-3 win over the Chicago Bears.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.