Sports Desk

The search for sustained consistency remained a focus for the Lakers on Sunday against a Sacramento Kings team with the NBA’s worst record.

And it helped that the Lakers were completely healthy against the Kings, something that has eluded them nearly all season.

Behind strong efforts from Luka Doncic and LeBron James, the Lakers defeated the struggling Kings 128-104 at Crypto.com Arena in their second straight blowout win.

Doncic, one of five Lakers to score in double figures, scored 28 points on 10-for-16 shooting. He made four three-pointers and had nine assists and five rebounds.

James, who played after initially being listed as questionable because of arthritis in his left foot, scored 24 points in 27 minutes on eight-for-15 shooting. He made a trio of threes and had five assists.

Deandre Ayton and Austin Reaves both had 12 points and Luke Kennard had 11 points off the bench. Rui Hachimura played 22 minutes off the bench and had eight points and two rebounds after missing the previous two games because of illness.

Nique Clifford led the Kings (14-48) with 26 points and had seven rebounds.

The Lakers are 3-3 since the All-Star break with 28- and 24-point wins after three straight losses.

“Again, just the world is falling for us 19 times (after double-digit losses this season),” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “ It’s just part of the nature of this cycle and our guys. … Our guys bounced back and responded well throughout the season. Tied in the lost column for fifth (with Denver in the Western Conference) and a couple games out of third with a number of these teams coming up that are right there with us. So, we just are going to keep plugging away.”

Lakers forward Jake LaRavia, top, and Sacramento forward Precious Achiuwa battle for the ball during the Lakers’ win Sunday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

Just as in Saturday’s win at Golden State, the Lakers (36-24) benefited from strong shooting. They shot 50% from the field and 46% from three-point range.

One of the most exciting plays happened in the first quarter when Marcus Smart dived for a loose ball and, while prone on his back, passed to James. The Lakers star then passed to a hustling Austin Reaves, who took a few dribbles to get a Kings defender to commit before making an alley-oop pass to James for a two-handed, rim-hanging dunk.

The crowd was whipped into a frenzy. The Kings called a timeout, allowing the Lakers and their fans to soak in the moment.

Lakers star Luka Doncic celebrates after a three-pointer by teammate Rui Hachimura against the Kings on Sunday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

There was another play in the third quarter in which Doncic slipped and almost fell down, losing control of the ball. But Doncic regained his balance and the ball before shooting an off-balance three-pointer that gave the Lakers a 24-point lead.

“Ah, yeah, it was on purpose,” Doncic said about falling down. “I tripped on purpose and it was, how do you say, the ‘And-1 Mixtape,’ that’s what they said on the bench. So, I did it on purpose.”

Doncic smiled.

It was that kind of night for the Lakers, a game full of highlights and fun that allowed Redick to empty his bench in the fourth quarter.

“Yeah, obviously it was two great wins, but we just got to go game by game,” Doncic said. “Obviously there’s a lot of noise outside, but like tonight, we can’t pay attention to that. … I thought we played great.”

Maxi Kleber was another standout for the Lakers, making all three of his shots for six points. He also had six rebounds and a block.

His two lob dunks left his Lakers teammates celebrating from the bench.

“Every time I do something, you know, you look to the bench, everybody’s celebrating,” Kleber said. “So, obviously it’s a good push for me, a good push for the team.”

Lionel Messi scored twice as Inter Miami fought back from two goals down to beat Orlando City 4-2 in the Florida derby.

The reigning champions, who lost their season opener against Los Angeles FC last month, looked set for another defeat when goals from Marco Pasalic and Martin Ojeda put Orlando 2-0 up inside 25 minutes.

But after midfielder Mateo Silvetti’s stunning 25-yard drive just after half-time gave Miami hope in Orlando, the Argentina legend grasped control of the game.

The 38-year-old scored his first goal of the season to equalise in the 57th minute with a left-footed strike from the edge of the area, then set up midfielder Telasco Segovia to score with five minutes remaining.

Messi sealed victory in the 90th minute when his low free-kick crept past Maxime Crepeau and he celebrated with a signing gesture towards the touchline.

“He’s the best player to ever play this sport. He’s a leader, and as a leader, he inspires others, but he also often needs to be inspired himself,” said Miami coach Javier Mascherano.

“He has the ability to create chances like no-one else, and that’s what allowed us to turn the game around.”

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has now scored 898 goals for club and country, including 79 in 90 appearances for Miami.

The win was Miami’s first in nine trips to Orlando, and they now face a game away at DC United on Saturday.

Kawhi Leonard scored 23 points, and the Clippers beat the New Orleans Pelicans 137-117 on Sunday night to end a three-game losing streak.

Ninth in the Western Conference, the Clippers improved to 28-31. The Pelicans are 13th in the West at 19-43.

New Orleans star Zion Williamson sat out after injuring his right ankle at Utah on Saturday night. He had played a career-high 35 straight games.

The Clippers never trailed. They led 43-32 after the first quarter and had a 76-70 advantage at the half. It was 107-94 after three, and the Clippers stretched the margin to 26 in the fourth.

Jordan Miller added 19 points for the Clippers. Derrick Jones Jr. had 17, Brook Lopez 16 and John Collins 15.

While Leonard went one for seven from three-point range, the Clippers were 17 for 36 overall. Lopez was four for six, and Jones and Kobe Sanders both were three for four.

Jeremiah Fears led New Orleans with 28 points, hitting five of six three-pointers. Derik Queen scored 19 points, Dejounte Murray had 17, and Trey Murphy III added 16 after missing five games because of a right shoulder injury.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL PAIRINGS

FIRST ROUND

TUESDAY

(Games at 5 p.m. unless noted)

BOYS

DIVISION I

#8 Santa Monica at #1 Mater Dei

#5 Placentia Valencia at #4 El Camino Real

#6 JSerra at #3 Del Norte

#7 St. Augustine at #2 Orange Lutheran

DIVISION II

#8 Sultana at #1 Torrey Pines

#5 Anaheim Canyon at #4 Pascual

#6 Hilltop at #3 Fontana

#7 Birmingham at #2 Mira Monte

DIVISION III

#8 Godinez at #1 Bishop Amat

#5 Bakersfield Liberty vs. #4 Palisades, 4:30 p.m. at Birmingham

#6 Los Alamitos at #3 Bonita Vista

#7 Mt. Carmel at #2 Newport Harbor

DIVISION IV

#8 Animo Leadership at #1 Irvine University

#5 Chatsworth at #4 Bakersfield

#6 Santa Ana Valley at #3 La Jolla

#7 Esperanza vs. #2 Granite Hills at Newton Bass Stadium

DIVISION V

#8 LA Roosevelt at #1 Ontario Christian

#5 Kern County Taft at #4 North Hollywood

#6 Orange County Pacifica Christian at #3 Garfield

#7 San Diego Lincoln at #2 Pasadena Poly

GIRLS

DIVISION I

#8 Eastvale Roosevelt at #1 Santa Margarita, 4 p.m.

#5 Redondo Union vs. #4 Cleveland, 6 p.m. at Taft

#6 Oaks Christian at #3 Mt. Carmel

#7 North County San Marcos at #2 Mater Dei

DIVISION II

#8 Westview at #1 Newport Harbor

#5 Sherman Oaks Notre Dame at #4 Carlsbad

#6 Granada Hills at #3 Garces Memorial

#7 La Costa Canyon vs. #2 Westlake at Cal Lutheran

DIVISION III

#8 Palisades at #1 Del Norte, 4:30 p.m.

#5 El Diamante at #4 Quartz Hill

#6 Crescenta Valley at #3 Ayala

#7 Tulare Western at #2 Millikan

DIVISION IV

#8 Segerstrom at #1 Birmingham, 7 p.m.

#5 Coachella Valley at #4 Ramona

#6 Mission Vista at #3 San Jacinto

#7 Del Sol vs. #2 Immaculate Heart at Rio Mesa

DIVISION V

#8 Coastal Academy at #1 Ocean View

#5 Bravo at #4 Webb

#6 Marquez at #3 Delano Kennedy

#7 Sun Valley Poly vs. #2 Santa Monica Pacifica Christian at Lincoln Middle School

Note: Semifinals 1 p.m. or 5 p.m. Thursday at higher seeds; Finals 1 p.m. or 5 p.m. Saturday at host sites; State Championships March 13-14 at Matomas High in Sacramento (times TBA).

Rhian Wilkinson intends to continue rotating her goalkeepers during Wales’ Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign.

Wales kick off their bid to reach the 2027 World Cup in Brazil when they face the Czech Republic at the City Stadium in Uherske Hradiste on Tuesday.

Wilkinson has regularly switched between her two frontline keepers, Olivia Clark and Safia Middleton-Patel, during her time as Wales head coach and says that approach will continue.

“Both of them have performed for Wales but I don’t feel either of them really grabbed the jersey yet and so I try not to make it [so] that it’s a combative environment,” Wilkinson said.

“They know before they come in which games they’re going to be playing, so I try to tell them that you have just got to perform in your game.

“If they can do that consistently, they’ll grab the number one, but I do not feel one of them has taken that number one role yet.”

Match of the Day pundit Joe Hart analyses how Bruno Fernandes was a “coach on the pitch” to “get the best” out of his Manchester United team-mates in their 2-1 victory against Crystal Palace.

MATCH REPORT: Manchester United 2-1 Crystal Palace

Available to UK users only.

Sunday marked Senior Night for the USC women’s basketball team at Galen Center, but it was the other team’s seniors who stole the show.

Gabriela Jaquez scored 14 points, Kiki Rice had 11 points and four assists and Lauren Betts had 15 rebounds as UCLA wrapped up the regular season with a 73-50 victory over its rival and finished undefeated in conference play for the first time since going 18-0 in the Pac-10 in 1998-99 under Kathy Olivier.

Having already clinched the regular-season title, UCLA became the first team to navigate the Big Ten schedule without a loss since Maryland in 2014-15.

It was the Bruins’ 22nd consecutive win, one shy of the record they set last season. Since their lone loss to then-No. 4 Texas on Nov. 26 in Las Vegas, they have won by 20 or more points 16 times.

Ranked second in the nation in both the Associated Press and coaches’ polls behind defending national champion Connecticut (30-0), the Bruins earned the No. 1 seed for the conference tournament in Indianapolis and got a bye into Friday’s quarterfinals.

Charlisse Leger-Walker finished with a game-high 20 points for the Bruins while Gianna Kneepkens added 14 points and five assists.

UCLA center Lauren Betts, left, controls the ball in front of USC forward Vivian Iwuchukwu during the first half Sunday.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

UCLA (28-1, 18-0) held USC to 27% shooting in the teams’ first meeting — a 34-point Bruins victory at Pauley Pavilion on Jan. 3 behind Betts’ 18 points. It was USC’s most lopsided loss under coach Lindsay Gottlieb. On Sunday, USC (17-12, 9-9) shot 39% and was only three for 19 from three-point range.

UCLA jumped out to a 14-4 lead in the first five minutes and carried a 19-11 advantage into the second quarter. The Bruins widened the gap to 18 points by halftime, holding the Trojans scoreless for the last 3:08.

USC opened the second half on an 11-2 run.

Whatever shortstop Roch Cholowsky does these days for UCLA’s No. 1-ranked baseball team never surprises those around him, so when he hit a two-out, two-run home run in the ninth inning Sunday to tie the game against Mississippi State, it was just another example of his power in clutch moments.

UCLA (9-2) went on to break the tie with three runs in the top of the 10th inning and held on for an 8-7 victory at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. It was the third consecutive ranked team beaten by the Bruins during a memorable weekend of collegiate baseball. Mississippi State was ranked No. 4 and the Bruins’ other wins came against previously unbeaten teams from No. 23 Texas A&M and No. 20 Tennessee.

UCLA took the lead in the 10th on a wild pitch and drove in two more runs on a triple from former Huntington Beach standout Aidan Espinoza.

The Bruins held an 8-5 lead, but Mississippi State closed to 8-7 on a two-run home run in the bottom of the 10th by Reed Stallman, his second of the game. UCLA used six pitchers. Will Gasparino hit his 10th home run of the season.

The Bruins return to Jackie Robinson Stadium for a midweek home game against Cal State Fullerton on Tuesday before traveling to open Big Ten Conference play against Ohio State in a three-game series starting Friday.

Sixth-year senior guard Chad Baker-Mazara, who spent most of this season as the Trojans top scorer, is no longer with USC’s men’s basketball program, the school announced Sunday.

A person familiar with the situation but not authorized to speak publicly said that it wasn’t any one incident, but an accumulation of issues that led to Baker-Mazara’s departure.

Baker-Mazara left Saturday’s loss to Nebraska a few minutes into the second half after he chased down a lay-in and fell hard on the court. USC coach Eric Musselman said after the game that Baker-Mazara told coaches he was unable to return to the game.

After lead guard Rodney Rice was lost for the season in November, Baker-Mazara stepped into the void as the Trojans’ top scorer, averaging 26 points per game over the remaining seven games of USC’s non-conference slate.

Baker-Mazara became less reliable through Big Ten play. Five times during USC’s conference schedule, he has played fewer than 20 minutes in a game, for one reason or another. At times, his health was what held Baker-Mazara back. Other times, it was less clear.

His exit on the doorstep of March is just another ominous sign for the Trojans, who have lost five in a row. USC has two games still remaining in its regular season slate, with a trip to Washington on tap Wednesday and a home tilt with UCLA next weekend.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

CITY SECTION

Friday’s Results

BOYS

At Southwest College

OPEN DIVISION

#1 Palisades 75, #2 Cleveland 56

DIVISION II

#3 Sylmar 70, #4 King/Drew 64

At Birmingham High

DIVISION V

#2 Canoga Park 43, #1 Van Nuys 38

GIRLS

At Birmingham High

DIVISION II

#2 North Hollywood 59, #1 Harbor Teacher 55

At Southwest College

DIVISION III

#1 Washington Prep 45, #2 Gardena 30

At Garfield High

DIVISION IV

#12 Wilmington Banning 39, #11 Bravo 33

DIVISION V

#2 Legacy 33, #9 Los Angeles 32

Saturday’s Results

BOYS

At Pasadena City College

DIVISION I

#1 Granada Hills 59, #2 Chatsworth 51

DIVISION III

#10 Verdugo Hills 62, #1 RFK Community 42

DIVISION IV

#2 Franklin 69, #5 San Fernando 55

GIRLS

At Pasadena City College

OPEN DIVISION

#1 Westchester 60, #2 Birmingham 37

DIVISION I

#2 Granada Hills Kennedy 54, #1 El Camino Real 31

SOUTHERN SECTION

Friday’s Results

BOYS

At Azusa Pacific

DIVISION 4

Colony 51, Trabuco Hills 44

DIVISION 5

Gardena Serra 57, Pilibos 51

GIRLS

At Toyota Arena

DIVISION 1

La Salle 51, Valencia 35

DIVISION 2

Crescenta Valley 51, Saugus 43

DIVISION 3

St. Margaret’s 57, Murrieta Valley 41

At Azusa Pacific

DIVISION 4

El Dorado 41, La Canada 27

DIVISION 6

Savanna 46, Warren 25

Saturday’s Results

BOYS

At Toyota Arena

OPEN DIVISION

Sierra Canyon 59, Harvard-Westlake 53

DIVISION 1

Crean Lutheran 59, JSerra 52

DIVISION 2

Bishop Amat 71, Hesperia 48

DIVISION 3

Murrieta Mesa 65, Aliso Niguel 58

DIVISION 9

Colton 55, Pacific 42

At Azusa Pacific

DIVISION 6

Laguna Hills 78, Ramona 51

DIVISION 7

Rialto 57, Salesian 31

DIVISION 8

Victor Valley 78, South El Monte 45

GIRLS

At Toyota Arena

OPEN DIVISION

Sierra Canyon 69, Ontario Christian 62

DIVISION 8

Schurr 44, Orange 32

At Azusa Pacific

DIVISION 5

Bishop Diego 42, Burbank Burroughs 41

DIVISION 7

La Palma Kennedy 55, Laguna Hills 28

DIVISION 9

Sierra Vista 52, Desert Hot Springs 42

MEDLEY, Fla. — Rhyne Howard scored 30 points to lead Vinyl past Laces and into the Unrivaled semifinals on Saturday, while Paige Bueckers’ 29 points led Breeze past Rose to secure its semifinal berth.

The Sparks’ Dearica Hamby hit the game-winning shot against No. 3 Laces in Game 1 of the first round of Unrivaled’s playoffs. Once they secured the 82-69 win, players from the sixth-ranked Vinyl club — the last Unrivaled team to clinch a spot in the playoffs — jumped into Hamby’s arms in celebration.

Dominique Malonga had 17 rebounds and the game-winning free throw to help Breeze rout Rose, last year’s Unrivaled champion, 69-50 and advance to the next round, which will be played at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Monday night.

Top-seeded Phantom and No. 2 seed Mist earned automatic berths to Monday’s semifinals.

The title game will be March 4 at Unrivaled’s home arena in Miami, with a prize pool of $600,000 to be split among players from the championship-winning club.

Unrivaled announces end-of-season award winners

Phantom forward Aliyah Boston, who is entering her fourth season with the WNBA’s Indiana Fever, was named Unrivaled’s defensive player of the year on Saturday after emerging as one of the league’s biggest defensive standouts.

Boston, who was also named to the league’s second-team All-Unrivaled list, led the league with 29 blocks in 14 regular season games and finished second in total defensive rebounds (111). She also led Phantom in rebounds (136) and points off turnovers (39). She averaged 18.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots per game — a significant leap from her first Unrivaled season, when she averaged 5.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 0.4 blocks.

Boston’s Phantom teammate Kelsey Plum, of the Sparks, was named first-team All-Unrivaled along with Bueckers and Rose guard Chelsea Gray.

Bueckers led her Breeze club in points (22.1) and assists (5.5) per game and shot 38% from three-point range this season. Gray, who won Unrivaled’s one-on-one tournament earlier this month, had four game-winning baskets and became the first Unrivaled player to surpass 600 points, 200 field goals, and 100 assists.

Phantom’s Roneeka Hodges was named coach of the year after leading her team to a league-best 11-3 record in her first season at Unrivaled.

Up next

Phantom will face Vinyl Monday in the first of two semifinal games in Brooklyn. Mist will go against Breeze in the second matchup.

Chelsea have received nine dismissals across all competitions, although former manager Maresca, who was sent off for over‑celebrating a last‑minute winner against Liverpool, does not count in that total.

They are one short of equalling the joint record of eight different players sent off in a single season, held by Sunderland. They are two away from matching the Premier League record for the most red cards in a campaign.

This is far from a new issue.

Chelsea, bottom of the Premier League fair‑play table, finished second‑bottom last season under Maresca and bottom the year before under Mauricio Pochettino.

Maresca initially played down concerns before later launching his own review of the team’s indiscipline prior to his departure. Rosenior, meanwhile, believed he had tightened up Chelsea‘s disciplinary problems – only to see red cards return in consecutive matches.

“I have respect for the previous manager Enzo [Maresca]. I don’t speak about what happened before but it is starting to happen with me,” Rosenior said.

“That’s something I felt we had addressed. We went 10 games without a red card, now [we have had] two in two games and that’s a problem we need to solve.”

Why are Chelsea getting so many players sent off?

One possible factor, which is played down internally in west London, is that they have the youngest squad in the Premier League and lack natural leaders.

Former England defender Matthew Upson told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It is costing them. I don’t think it is something you can address at this point – you’re in March.

“It is something that is said in pre‑season. It is cultural and you build it into the club. The players buy into it and they police it. It is about being measured and controlled at the right moment.

“Again, they are young as well. The younger you are, the more susceptible you are to those situations.”

One of the leaders tasked with helping halt Chelsea‘s disciplinary slide, Reece James, told Sky Sports: “Every time it’s someone different, not the same player. Internally we need to review and keep improving. It’s a problem.

“We are playing in the toughest league in the world — 11 v 11 is tough; 11 v 10 is even harder, no matter who you are playing.”

The president of Iran’s soccer federation says he does not know if the national team can play World Cup matches in the United States following the surprise U.S. and Israeli bombardment of his country.

“What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” Mehdi Taj told sports portal Varzesh3 as Iran traded strikes with Israel as part of a widening war prompted by the bombardment.

The U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran continued for a second day on Sunday after the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threw the future of the Islamic Republic into uncertainty and raised the risk of regional instability.

Iran has been drawn in Group G at the World Cup and is scheduled to play in Los Angeles — where it faces New Zealand and Belgium on June 15 and 21, respectively at SoFi Stadium — before it plays Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

The United States is hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico from June 11-July 19.

Fans from Iran were already banned from entering the U.S. in the first iteration of the travel ban announced by the Trump administration.

FIFA did not immediately reply to an email from The Associated Press over the current situation regarding Iran’s participation in the World Cup.

Players who cover their mouths when speaking to opponents during confrontations should be sent off, says Gianni Infantino, the president of football’s world governing body.

Infantino told Sky News, external he thought referees should work from a presumption that players have said “something they shouldn’t have”.

He was speaking less than two weeks after Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni raised his shirt over his mouth while speaking to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr during a Champions League game.

The Argentina international has been given a provisional one-match ban by Uefa for alleged use of racist language, which he denies.

The ban was imposed pending the result of a full investigation by an ethics and disciplinary inspector, and Prestianni could be punished further once the investigation is complete.

Infantino said individual cases should be dealt with by the relevant bodies, but football more broadly must “act and be decisive” to bring in something which has “a deterrent effect”.

The issue was discussed at the International Football Association Board (Ifab) annual general meeting in Wales this weekend.

It was agreed there would be consultation to develop measures to stop players hiding what they might be saying to an opponent.

Infantino said: “If a player covers his mouth and says something, and this has a racist consequence, then he has to be sent off, obviously.

“There must be a presumption that he has said something he shouldn’t have said, otherwise he wouldn’t have had to cover his mouth.

“If you do not have something to hide, you don’t hide your mouth when you say something. That’s it, as simple as that.”

India beat West Indies by five wickets to qualify for the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, where the hosts will meet England at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

MATCH REPORT: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Super 8s – India v West Indies

Available to UK users only.

Sam Kerr scored her first international goal in 28 months as Australia opened their Asian Cup campaign with a 1-0 win over the Philippines in Perth.

The Chelsea striker, who returned to action in September after nearly two years on the sidelines following an anterior cruciate ligament injury, scored the winner in the 14th minute as she nodded in from close range.

Kerr’s goal – her 70th for her country – proved to be the sole highlight of the match at the Perth Stadium, with Australia wasting a number of chances.

“I think I’m just finding my confidence again,” said 32-year-old Kerr.

“I feel like I’m still my normal self, I’ve just got to get more touches in and around the box.

“Today was a good start and there’s a lot of belief in the team but as you see today, there’s a lot of quality teams in the Asian Cup so you have to take it one day at a time.”

Australia’s next game is against Iran at the Gold Coast Stadium on Thursday, with Iran opening their campaign against South Korea on Monday.

The games are set to go ahead, although the Asian Football Confederation has postponed a number of domestic matches on the continent following the conflict in the Middle East.

On Saturday, the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, which has responded with retaliatory strikes across the Middle East.

“In light of the developing situation in the Middle East, matches in the West Region, originally scheduled for 2-3 March 2026, will now be rescheduled,” the AFC said in a statement.

“The AFC will continue to closely monitor this rapidly evolving situation and remains resolute in ensuring the safety and security of all players, teams, officials, and fans.

“In this regard, we are in close and regular contact with the IR Iran women’s national team and officials in Gold Coast, and are offering our full support and assistance.”

Anton Forsberg made 29 saves, Alex Laferriere scored in the second period and the Kings beat the Calgary Flames 2-0 on Saturday night to end a five-game losing streak.

Forsberg had his second shutout of the season and 10th of his NHL career, two nights after coming on in relief of Darcy Kuemper in the second period of an 8-1 home loss to Edmonton.

Laferriere scored with 4:24 left in second, putting his own rebound past goalie Dustin Wolf for his 14th goal of the season. Adrian Kempe added his 22nd into an empty net in the final minute.

Wolf made 35 saves. He spent seven years in the Los Angeles Junior Kings youth program before playing major junior for Everett in the Western Hockey League.

The Kings have three games left on a six-game homestand.

Up next for the Kings: vs. Colorado at Crypto.com Arena on Monday night.

PHOENIX — The Dodgers have played mostly great baseball in Los Angeles for 68 years. How many position players wear the iconic L.A. cap on a Hall of Fame plaque?

Go on, take a guess.

Freddie Freeman, the Dodgers’ star first baseman: “Three?”

Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations: “Two?”

The correct answer is zero.

The players that wear the L.A. logo in Cooperstown: Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale and Don Sutton. The Fox ownership deprived us of Mike Piazza, and the voters deprived us of Maury Wills, but the answer remains zero.

“That is fascinating,” Freeman said. “That is amazing.”

That means the first position player to wear an L.A. cap in the Hall of Fame might well be the one that shed tears over leaving the Atlanta Braves. Freeman preferred to stay, but the Dodgers offered him a six-year contract and the Braves did not.

“Going into that offseason, it was hard to imagine him in a different uniform,” Friedman said. “And now it’s really hard to see him in a different uniform than ours.”

Yet the love affair between Freeman and Braves fans was so evident in his 2022 return to Atlanta that, in the moment, Clayton Kershaw said, “I hope we’re not second fiddle.”

Said Freeman: “I don’t shy away. I had 12 great years in Atlanta, but I’m having a blast here. It’s been four wonderful years, a couple of World Series titles. I’m here. I love every minute of this.”

We remember best what we remember last. Freeman is well aware of his legacy.

“Walk-off grand slam,” he said.

Freddie Freeman tosses his bat after hitting a walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series against the New York Yankees at Dodger Stadium.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

No one else in major league history has hit one in the World Series. That was the “Gibby, meet Freddie!” moment.

What is Kirk Gibson remembered for? Do we have to ask?

Gibson played 12 years in Detroit and won a World Series. He played three years in Los Angeles, won a World Series, and one of the greatest moments in baseball history was immortalized by one of the greatest calls in baseball history: “In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened!”

Gibson is a Dodger.

Freeman played 12 years in Atlanta and won a World Series. He has played four years in Los Angeles and won two, with the walk-off grand slam to end one World Series game and a walk-off home run to end an 18-inning World Series game.

Freeman is a Dodger.

If you could follow him around town, you would see.

“I haven’t been able to leave my house once in the last few years without someone coming up to me,” he said. “Sometimes you just want to incognito and get to somewhere, but you can’t. It’s OK. That just means we’re doing something special here.

“Even in Orange County, it’s kind of taken over. There’s a lot more L.A. hats walking around than Angel hats in Orange County.

“It’s just fun to be a Dodger right now. It’s hard not to watch us wherever we go, and that’s special. It’s a great place to play. People want to come here and play. The fans obviously love us, and we appreciate all of it.”

Freddie Freeman waves to fans during Dodgerfest at Dodger Stadium on Jan. 31.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

Even the traffic. Freeman grew up in Orange County, so he takes the L.A. traffic in stride.

“The 55 isn’t that good either,” he said with a grin. “Or the 91.”

It sounds crazy to say that Freeman could play two or three times as long with the Braves and enter the Hall of Fame as a Dodger.

The totals through 12 years in Atlanta: one championship, five All-Star appearances, one most valuable player award, three top-5 MVP finishes, .295 batting average, .893 OPS.

The totals through four years in Los Angeles: two championships, four All-Star appearances, two top-5 MVP finishes, two legendary moments, .310 batting average, .907 OPS.

Freeman is 36. His contract covers two more seasons, although he said he would like to play four more with the Dodgers and then call it a career. That would make 12 years with the Braves, eight with the Dodgers.

Then, assuming his career does not fall off a cliff: Cooperstown.

“I’ve only been here for four years, and you’re already talking about this?” Freeman said. “That makes me happy because that means I’ve done my job well.”

Reggie Jackson played 10 years with the Oakland Athletics, five with the New York Yankees. His Hall of Fame cap features the Yankees.

Nolan Ryan played nine years with the Houston Astros and eight with the Angels. His Hall of Fame cap features the Texas Rangers, his team for five years.

If Freeman is elected, he and the Hall will confer about which team should be represented on his cap. That conversation might be a decade away, but I’ll say it now: In L.A. and in Cooperstown, Freeman is a Dodger.

Rams safety Kam Curl (3) celebrates after intercepting a pass against the Chicago Bears in the divisional playoffs on Jan. 18.

(Jeff Roberson / Associated Press)

The Rams have not invested heavily at cornerback since 2019, when they traded two first-round draft picks for Jalen Ramsey. They have not drafted a cornerback since 2023, when they picked Tre Tomlinson in the sixth round.

Last season, the Rams thought their young and talented pass rush could compensate for their decision not to stand pat with the cornerbacks and safeties from the 2024 season.

That did not work out well.

Cobie Durant, a 2022 fourth-round draft pick, and Roger McCreary, a 2022 second-round pick by the Tennessee Titans who was acquired in a 2025 midseason trade, are free agents. So are Ahkello Witherspoon and Derion Kendrick.

The Rams have until May 1 to decide whether to exercise a fifth-year option on Emmanuel Forbes Jr. The Rams in 2024 signed the 2023 first-round pick after he was waived by the Washington Commanders. If the Rams exercise the option, Forbes would be guaranteed $12.6 million in 2027.

Safety Kam Curl is a free agent. But the Rams in January gave safety Quentin Lake a three-year extension that includes $25.7 million in guarantees, so it would be a surprise if the Rams are willing to pay a premium for Curl.

According to Pro Football Focus, Jamal Dean (Tampa Bay), Jaylen Watson (Kansas City) and Tariq Woolen (Seattle) are top free-agent cornerbacks. Top college prospects include Jermod McCoy (Tennessee), Mansoor Delane (Louisiana State), Brandon Cisse (South Carolina), according to the website.

Local chapters of National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame have begun honoring the top senior football student-athletes, with the Coastal Canyon area banquet set for Sunday in Agoura.

Players are selected based on their grade-point averages and leadership skills, among other attributes, honoring the best of the best.

Such players as James Moffat from Crespi, Mateo Bilaver from Chaminade, Jacob Paisano of Hart, Diego and James Montes from Granada Hills Kennedy will represent their schools on Sunday.

The Los Angeles chapter will hold its gathering in Manhattan Beach on Friday.

Simi Valley coach Jim Benkert has taken over running the Coastal Canyon group with dozens of individual student-athletes set to be honored.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.