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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

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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.

Italy’s Marco Bezzecchi won the opening race of the MotoGP season with a flawless performance in Thailand, as defending champion Marc Marquez retired late on.

Aprilia rider Bezzecchi started on pole and never looked back as he stormed into a massive lead before sealing victory by more than five seconds.

KTM’s Spanish rider Pedro Acosta followed up Saturday’s sprint race victory by coming second, while compatriot Raul Fernandez of Trackhouse finished third.

Bezzecchi’s victory came after he crashed out of the sprint race on the second lap.

“Yesterday was a small mistake with a big consequence, so it was important today to try to bounce back,” said Bezzecchi.

“My pace was good with the medium [rear tyre], we worked super well all weekend, so I knew that I could be fast if I was in front. So I tried my all to make a good start and the bike was perfect.”

Ducati’s Marquez exited the race with five laps to go after suffering a type puncture while in fourth position.

The Spaniard, who is chasing a record-equalling eighth title this season, was closing in on Acosta and Fernandez but damaged his tyre after running wide, ending hopes of a podium finish.

Earlier this week Marquez said he was still recovering from a shoulder injury that forced him to miss the final four races of last season.

Bezzecchi was fastest in all three practice sessions and set a new track record in qualifying, while this was his third-straight grand prix victory – having won the final two races in 2025.

Bezzecchi’s Aprilia team-mate and 2024 champion Jorge Martin came fourth, while Trackhouse’s Ai Ogura finished fifth.

Last year’s runner-up Alex Marquez did not finish the race after a late crash, while 2022 and 2023 world champion Francesco Bagnaia finished ninth.

SAN FRANCISCO — The Lakers seemingly lost their mojo after the All-Star break, with three consecutive losses leaving them in search of the “consistency” and “togetherness” they had earlier in the season.

Their 129-101 win over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday at Chase Center was a step in the right direction, even if the Warriors didn’t offer much of a challenge.

The Lakers (35-24) built a 17-point lead in the first quarter, stretched it to 24 in the second quarter and to 30 points in the third before leading by 32 in the fourth and coasting the rest of the way.

“It goes back to finding that consistent level of playing the right way on both ends, doing what we’re supposed to be doing, executing at a high level,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “You saw those trends. We haven’t had it for a sustained, like, full stretch of a game, really. It’s come in spurts in all four of our games that we played prior to this. It was definitely our most complete game post-All-Star break.”

Luka Doncic led the charge with 26 points, eight assists and six rebounds in just 29 minutes. LeBron James was strong with 22 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in 28 minutes. He also made the 1,000th three-pointer of his career. Austin Reaves had 18 points in 28 minutes.

Luke Kennard scored 16 points, his best with the Lakers so far, and Jake LaRavia had 15 points off the bench.

“We just needed to get a win … get back on the right front and I think we did that tonight,” James said.

He then added, “It’s been a while since we’ve had a 48-minute game where we was able to sustain the effort and I just thought we came out with the right mindset. Obviously dropping the last three, last two at home and then the Phoenix game was a tough one. So, we just came in with the right mindset and understanding the assignment and we took care of business.”

The Lakers got it done on offense, shooting 53% from the field and 46% from three-point range.

Lakers star LeBron James shoots a three-pointer over Golden State Warriors guard Pat Spencer in the first half Saturday.

(Godofredo A. Vásquez / Associated Press)

“We certainly made some threes,” Redick said. “LeBron made a couple of iso threes. Luka got hot to start the third quarter with some set plays and then the iso three, the second one in transition on the left wing. It wasn’t like all our threes were coming from that, but I just thought the ball was moving tonight.”

They faced a Warriors team (31-29) playing without Stephen Curry (right knee), Jimmy Butler (right anterior cruciate ligament surgery) and Kristaps Porzingis (illness). Still, a win was far from guaranteed since the Lakers lost to an injury-depleted Phoenix Suns team on Thursday.

The Lakers are 2-3 since the All-Star break. They face the Sacramento Kings at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday night, as they try to remain in the top six in the Western Conference.

“Like I said before the game, these guys want to do it right,” Redick said. “They are trying. I know our staff, myself, we’re always looking for answers and solutions. That’s what this is. We’re trying to find solutions, and I said before the game, I’m confident we are going to find that level that we want to get to.

“It’s been partially just because of the disruptions of lineups and different factors. We just haven’t had the continuity that I thought we were going to have coming into the year and it’s taken longer than I thought. But I’m confident that we are going to get there.”

Even with back-to-back defeats to Oklahoma City and San Antonio, the Lakers went 7-4 ahead of the All-Star break. The Lakers won their first game after the break against the Clippers before losing to Boston, Orlando and Phoenix.

That put the Lakers in the sixth spot in the West and struggling to find their groove again.

“At the end of the day, I just think our minds was right,” James said. “The numbers speak for itself. You can talk about the numbers, but I just think mentally we knew what we was against. We knew how we lost these last three games and it didn’t sit well with us obviously. We just came out and we just executed.”

Note: Lakers forward Rui Hachimura missed his second straight game because “he’s still under the weather,” Redick said.

HOUSTON — Mark Delgado had a goal and an assist, Son Heung-min had two assists and Hugo Lloris posted a second straight clean sheet to help LAFC beat Houston 2-0 on Saturday night after the Dynamo lost two players to red cards.

Houston defender Antônio Carlos was tagged with a red card in the second minute of stoppage time in a scoreless first half, forcing the Dynamo to play a man down from there.

LAFC (2-0-0) took advantage in the 56th minute when Delgado used assists from Son and Denis Bouanga to score. Delgado scored for the 26th time in 345 career appearances. Bouanga’s second assist in as many matches gives him 22 in 103 career appearances. None of Bouanga’s 66 goals have come against Houston — the only team he has not scored on.

Stephen Eustáquio scored for the first time in his second league appearance to give LAFC an insurance goal in the 82nd minute — six minutes after Agustín Bouzat was hit with a red card that left Houston two men down. Son notched his third assist this season, giving him six in 12 career appearances. Delgado picked up his first assist this season and the 44th of his career.

Lloris totaled two saves in the shutout after LAFC opened with a 3-0 victory over defending MLS Cup champion Inter Miami at home.

Jonathan Bond stopped four shots for the Dynamo (1-1-0), who were coming off a season-opening 2-1 victory over the visiting Chicago Fire.

LAFC earns its first victory in Houston since July 12, 2019 and leads the all-time series 8-5-5. Coach Marc Dos Santos has the club off to a 4-0 start — over a 12-day span — in all competitions for the first time after posting a pair of CONCACAF Champions Cup victories over Real España by a combined score of 7-1 to reach the Round of 16.

Up next for LAFC: vs. FC Dallas at BMO Stadium on Saturday.

João Klauss scored two goals two minutes apart in the first 13 minutes — after a score by Lucas Sanabria — and the Galaxy cruised to a 3-0 victory over Charlotte FC on Saturday night.

Sanabria gave the Galaxy (1-0-1) the lead in the eighth minute with an unassisted goal. Sanabria had two goals in 21 appearances as a rookie last season.

Klauss took a pass from Gabriel Pec and scored in the 11th minute, then scored unassisted two minutes later for a three-goal lead. Pec’s first assist this season gives him 24 through his first 64 matches.

Klauss scored the lone goal in a 1-1 season-opening draw with visiting New York City FC. He came over in a cash-for-player trade with St. Louis City in the hopes he’d help ease the loss of superstar Riqui Puig for a second straight season after complications from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. So far, so good for the 29-year-old forward with 28 goals in 81 career appearances.

Novak Micovic needed to make just one save to notch his fourth clean sheet in his 26th career start for the Galaxy.

Kristijan Kahlina made eight saves for Charlotte (0-1-1), which was coming off a 1-1 draw at St. Louis City on a goal by Pep Biel — one of 11 players in the league with double-digit goals and assists last season.

Up next for the Galaxy: at Colorado Rapids on Saturday.

Not too many “experts” believed Sierra Canyon could win Saturday night’s Southern Section Open Division girls’ basketball final against defending champion and top-seeded Ontario Christian.

However, Jerzy Robinson and her teammates sure did. Led by their South Carolina-bound senior, the Trailblazers won the upper division title for the second time in four seasons with a gritty 69-62 victory at Toyota Arena in Ontario.

Robinson epitomized Sierra Canyon’s “refuse to lose” mindset. She played all 32 minutes, finishing with a game-high 32 points and 12 rebounds. Afterward, she stood on the team bench, waved her arms and shouted to the Trailblazer faithful they were “No. 1.”

And they are — for now. The teams could wind up facing each other again in the regional playoffs, but this night was Robinson’s to savor.

“This is for the championship and we wanted it more tonight,” said Robinson, who sealed the win on a layup off an inbounds play with less than 20 seconds left. “This is what we work so hard every day for.”

On the same court and exactly one year after claiming its first Southern Section Open Division crown, Ontario Christian found out just how hard it is to repeat. The Knights were outscored 18-6 in the fourth quarter.

Kaleena Smith, touted as one of the best juniors in the country, came into the contest averaging 32.5 points per game. She scored 30 in her head-to-head matchup with Robinson. Each had 17 points in the first half, Robinson banking in a three-pointer from half court at the buzzer to pull the Trailblazers to within six.

Sierra Canyon’s Jerzy Robinson drives against Ontario Christian’s Kaleena Smith in the first half of the Southern Section Open Division championship game.

(Steve Galluzzo / Steve Galluzzo)

Ontario Christian star Kaleena Smith floats down the lane as she attempts a layup against Sierra Canyon on Saturday night.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

UC Irvine commit Delaney White, a senior transfer from Oak Park, and senior center Emilia Krstevski each added 10 points for third-seeded Sierra Canyon (30-2), which last won the Open title in 2022-23 behind Gatorade National Player of the Year Juju Watkins, now at USC.

It was the second straight upset for the Trailblazers, who had stunned No. 2 Etiwanda on its home court four days earlier.

“When we were behind it just made us play harder.” added Robinson, who is the consensus No. 1 recruit in the 2026 class. “We were telling each other, ‘go out there and get it!’ We’ve been working on our ball screen defense all year and we relied on it tonight.”

Sierra Canyon’s Emilia Krstevski drives for a layup against Ontario Christian in the Open Division final.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Dani Robinson scored 16 points for the Knights (32-2), who were the No. 1-ranked team in California and No. 2 nationally, having lost only once by two points to Bishop McNamara of Forestville, Md.

Since Smith arrived on campus in 2023, Ontario Christian has won 89 of 98 games. Sierra Canyon, which was undefeated in Mission League play, has won 12 in a row since a 70-60 loss to Long Island (N.Y.) Lutheran.

“My composure comes from my teammates,” Robinson said. “I have so much faith in them.”

The win came two hours after the boys’ team beat Harvard-Westlake, giving the Chatsworth school a sweep of the Open Division titles. Many of the boys stayed to watch the girls’ triumph.

St Totteringham’s Day might not be that well known nationally – but for Arsenal fans it is an opportunity for more north London bragging rights.

It is the name given to the day on which it becomes mathematically impossible for Tottenham Hotspur to finish above Arsenal in the Premier League.

And, look away Spurs fans, because that day looks set to arrive earlier than ever.

If relegation-threatened Tottenham fail to win at Fulham on Sunday (14:00 GMT), Gunners fans can celebrate St Totteringham’s Day once more. Whatever the Spurs result, Arsenal would guarantee it with a win against Chelsea later in the day (16:30).

A play on the words ‘Tottenham‘ and ‘tottering’, the phrase was introduced by Arsenal fans website ‘Arseweb’ in the early 2000s but gained more national prominence about 2010.

Gunners fans are still celebrating their emphatic win in the north London derby a week ago and will revel in the idea of some early St Totteringham’s Day celebrations – the previous earliest was on 9 March in 2008.

The moment – if it happens – just highlights the current gap between the bitter rivals.

Arsenal top the Premier League, while Tottenham are fighting for their top-flight lives with interim boss Igor Tudor having replaced Thomas Frank this month.