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England’s preparations have also been affected by the Prem schedule, with players involved in Sunday’s fixtures having less time for full squad training.

“We had a session today really that was affected obviously by the fact that we had a Sunday game in Prem Rugby,” Borthwick explained.

“Fortunately, we don’t have any Sunday games this coming week in Prem Rugby, which I’m pleased about.

“So that should allow players to be recovered in a proper run into the Test match.”

Borthwick acknowledged the challenge of balancing club and international commitments, but said playing at the weekend could benefit England.

“They’ll go back and play the rugby and in so many ways that will be a positive for us for next weekend,” he said.

“The players are match fit at club level, playing regularly at club level, and as long as they don’t get injured, then they’re all available for selection next week, then that will be positive.

“I’d say on one side, I think it’s a real strength of English rugby that the players have such great loyalty and passion for their clubs as we saw very evidently in this last round with the derbies that went on.

“They are team-mates and best of mates the next day for a couple of days [with England] and then they go back to being rivals again until they come back into camp next week.”

Borthwick also identified the breakdown as an area where England need to adapt to the demands of international rugby.

He pointed to the recent European fixtures, in which English clubs collectively lost more of their own breakdown ball and won less opposition breakdown ball than teams from other competing nations.

“Part of my job is identify those bits of where I need to bridge from where the players are in Prem rugby to where they are in Test rugby,” he said.

“The level of competition [at the breakdown] is at a different level in Test rugby.”

Farbrace, who moved from Sussex at the end of the season, has not yet officially started in his new role at Lancashire but delivered the news to Anderson at a meeting last week alongside chief executive Richard Kenyon, who has also recently been appointed.

The news was first reported on Wednesday and Lancashire did not comment officially until Sunday. At a meeting with members on Monday, the club said they would look into arranging Anderson a farewell.

“It shows a lack of leadership at that club,” said Broad, whose combined total of Test wickets with Anderson stands at a record 1,039 in 138 Tests.

“It shows a lack of doing it the right way.

“Paul Farbrace is new, but where is the chair? Where is the board demanding that this is done in a better way?”

Speaking publicly for the first time since the decision on Sunday, Anderson, who also had his England career cut short in 2024 in similar circumstances, expressed his sadness at the situation but stopped short of retiring.

Other counties are understood to be interested in signing the veteran.

“I get the thought process, ‘we could probably get two half-decent cricketers for the one and losing that salary’,” Broad added.

“It doesn’t surprise me that some counties have already been on the phone and seeing what his interest levels are.

“I don’t know what his next steps are. I think his statement was quite interesting.

“There will be a lot of counties that want him. He offers a huge amount, he’s still one of the best bowlers in the country.”

WASHINGTON — A federal judge agreed Monday to extend an order blocking the Trump administration’s renovation plans for a century-old public golf course in the nation’s capital.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued a preliminary injunction that temporarily bars the government from removing or damaging any additional trees on the East Potomac Golf Course. The administration must give 10 days’ notice in writing before making any “irreparable modification” to any “forms or features” of the course while the lawsuit is active.

“The Court earlier stated, ‘I am not the Lorax. I do not speak for the trees.’ The Court still does not speak for the trees. It speaks only for the rule of law,” Reyes wrote.

Reyes expressed astonishment that the government has asked her to “not to believe the sitting President” and disregard Trump’s statements about his plans for the golf course renovations.

“This started as a case about golf. That good walk spoiled. But it has become much more,” Reyes wrote. “It now forces the Court to reconcile assertions by President Donald J. Trump with the sworn testimony of multiple government employees and the argument of senior Department of Justice attorneys.”

On Oct. 18, Trump announced plans on social media to close the golf course for 15 months, starting Nov. 15, and redevelop the 106-year-old park and course despite a court challenge by the D.C. Preservation League and two golfers. A day later, Trump posted that the work would start immediately.

Reyes, who was nominated to the bench by Democratic President Biden, previously ordered the administration to suspend work on the project until at least Oct. 26.

Trump was asked about the case late Monday night as he arrived back at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland following a rally in Mississippi and indicated that work on the golf course will proceed as planned.

“It has the go-ahead. The judge feels that she would like to approve it as it goes along. And I didn’t know she was an architectural critic of golf courses,” Trump said sarcastically.

He added of the judge: “She knows nothing about that, so we’ll appeal that” while also calling his planned overhaul a “beautiful project for Washington, D.C.”

Trump later in a social media post reiterated a statement he made Oct. 18 that the course would close for 15 months. “We are closing the East Potomac Golf Course Site as scheduled on November 15th in order to renovate and rebuild for Competitive (with other such projects!), Safety, Modernization, and Aesthetic reasons,” he wrote.

The plaintiffs challenging the project, DC Preservation League and two golfers, claim the work is inflicting irreversible damage. At a hearing, the judge excoriated the government after workers cut down at least 400 trees over a holiday weekend with little notice to the plaintiffs.

The course renovation project is part of the Republican president’s aggressive campaign to leave his personal imprint on Washington’s historic landscape. Those plans include construction of a huge ballroom at the White House, a massive arch and the creation of a National Garden of American Heroes in West Potomac Park. DC Preservation League is part of a coalition of organizations, including the Cultural Landscape Foundation and one D.C. resident, who have filed lawsuit challenging those plans.

Reyes rejected the administration’s request for her to recuse herself from the case. The government questioned her impartiality and accused her of engaging in “egregious” behavior from the bench during an emergency hearing in the case.

In Monday’s ruling Reyes stressed that she had hoped the parties could have resolved their dispute without judicial intervention. She noted that she had denied plaintiffs’ previous requests.

“The Court would much prefer not to have to resolve Lorax v. Once‑ler redux. Indeed, for months, the Court declined to intervene,” she wrote.

But she said the government forced her hand by bulldozing hundreds of trees without any notice, doing “what it assured all it would not do.”

Reyes quoted from a golf-related opinion written by the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, a conservative icon, in stressing the temporary nature of her own decision.

“Here, golf and government have again clashed,” Reyes wrote. “By issuing this preliminary injunction, the Court does not end the round: it simply marks the ball until the parties can fully and fairly litigate this case.

Democracy Forward President & CEO Skye Perryman, whose organization is co-counsel representing the plaintiffs, called the ruling “a big win that will rightly protect East Potomac Park from further irreparable harm.” She added, in an email, that the move will stop activities “while the case continues, and we are eager to argue the case in court.”

Kunzelman writes for the Associated Press. AP reporters Gary Fields and Will Weissert contributed to this report.

“I totally understand it, though. I loved my time at Hearts, I need to say that. It was only a short time, but I thought my Hearts team were a breath of fresh air for Scottish football last season.

“I really enjoyed what we managed to achieve. It shows what can be done despite not having the huge financial muscle of Rangers and Celtic to compete with, and I was proud of what we did there.

“I think taking a team who finished in the bottom six and getting to 80 points, I just felt a real injustice at the end of it all. So I think I understand it’s not going to be great for me [on Wednesday], but I get it.”

Hearts led the Scottish Premiership for most of the season, only to lose 3-1 at Celtic Park as the reigning champions retained the title in the most dramatic fashion.

“At the time, at Hearts, we were hurting last season,” McInnes said. “It was almost as if we were in mourning. That seems a bit exaggerated, but that’s how it felt.

“We were all kind of clinging to each other in the first part of the close season. It’s a time when we felt we should all be sticking together. So I kind of feel the guilt that I had a decision to make, whether I stayed or whether I left.”

McInnes realises how Hearts fans felt about his exit, given he himself had a similar reaction to captain and leading scorer Lawrence Shankland having already announced he was moving to Ibrox.

“I remember how I felt then, how I felt a bit let down, a bit flat with the whole thing. For me to make a similar move a couple of weeks later, I understood that,” McInnes added.

“The treatment I get is what it is, and you could say I deserve it, but nothing will change how I felt about my time at Hearts.

“I think there was a real injustice. We felt that grievance towards the end of the season that we should have won a title.

“I wanted to be a manager that won a title outwith the Old Firm. But for a few contentious decisions going against us, I think we would have won it.”

The suggestion caught Ross Newhan off guard.

The Angels had just reached the promised land, after more than four decades of wandering through baseball’s wilderness. Who better than Newhan, who had been there since Day 1, to write a first-person account of that long and winding road to their first World Series?

Newhan was reluctant. That would make the story about himself, which he despised. The editors prevailed, and within the story he delivered a sentence that struck deep within the heart of every loyal and long-suffering Angels fan.

“I can’t help but feel a sweep of emotions seep through the cynicism and dispassion that is the byproduct of being present for all or part of every Angel season,” he wrote on Oct. 14, 2002.

To this day, the Angels have one guy in the Hall of Fame: Vladimir Guerrero. The Times has two: Jim Murray, the Pulitzer Prize-winning sports columnist, and Newhan.

If Vin Scully provided the voice for the first half-century of Major League Baseball in Southern California, Newhan provided the words.

Newhan died on Sunday, at 89, after what his wife Connie called a “cardiac event.” His reporting — first at the Long Beach Independent Press-Telegram, then over 37 years at The Times — distinguished The Times as a national source for baseball coverage.

Ross Newhan, center, interviews Jim McGlothlin, left, and Jim Fregosi of the California Angels during the 1969 season.

(The Sporting News via Getty Images)

He was so renowned within baseball that the Dodgers, MLB, and the players’ union posted condolences.

Bud Selig, the former commissioner and occasional antagonist in Newhan’s columns, told The Times: “I mourn the passing of Ross Newhan. He was an excellent sportswriter, and I always had a great amount of respect for him personally and for his work.”

In his Hall of Fame acceptance speech, he reserved a special mention for a teacher at Wilson High in Long Beach, the one that envisioned a writer blossoming within a student dozing in class.

“If a high school journalism instructor named John Gartner hadn’t hollered my name and pounded my desk one day, I might still be sitting there asleep,” Newhan said, “with no real clue what I wanted to do in my life.”

Ross Newhan, receives the J.G. Taylor Spink Award from Jane Forbes Clark, chairman of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, in Cooperstown, N.Y., on Aug. 5, 2001.

(Associated Press)

In the 1990s, as a young reporter at the Riverside Press-Enterprise, I was among a small group of writers talking with Tony Gwynn, the San Diego Padres’ Hall of Famer. Newhan was there too, and as the group dispersed, he told me: “You ask good questions.”

Talk about inspiration: It was as if Clayton Kershaw had seen a kid throw a curveball and said, “Not bad.”

Behind a gruff and occasionally intense exterior, Newhan had a heart of gold. Mike DiGiovanna, the longtime Times baseball writer, called Newhan “a security blanket” for colleagues needing a fact check, a phone number or an introduction to someone famous.

“He was a giant without the giant ego,” DiGiovanna said.

Newhan trained former Times colleague Jason Reid on how to cover baseball. Reid affectionately called him “Boss Ross.” The two were such relentless reporters that, amid the wild initial days of the McCourt family ownership of the Dodgers, Reid got co-owner Jamie McCourt so frazzled that she actually said this: “This is bad because you guys remember everything and you write everything down.”

Newhan and Reid had reported on concerns with the McCourt financing before the ownership deal closed, and six years before Frank McCourt’s divorce attorney admitted in court that McCourt had put “not a penny” of his own money into the deal. That did not make Newhan and McCourt the best of friends, but neither did it make them bitter enemies.

“He seemed to take a sort of pride in being the guardian of Los Angeles baseball, for lack of a better term,” said Hall of Fame president Josh Rawitch, then the Dodgers’ publicist. “He had an ability to garner respect from people even when he was writing something you weren’t happy about.”

Said Mike Scioscia, on whom Newhan reported as a Dodgers player and Angels manager: “Ross was a true gentleman and had a real matter-of-fact way of asking questions that put you at ease.”

Ross Newhan shares a happy moment with his great granddaughter, Bailey, earlier this year.

(Courtesy of the Newhan family)

There was nothing flashy about Newhan, not in his writing, certainly not in the way he conducted himself. He let his work and its credibility speak for itself.

Newhan is survived by his wife, Connie; his son, David, and daughter-in-law, Karen; his daughter, Sara, and son-in-law, Mike; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

The story about David is the one most often recalled Monday, because it really was a story about his father.

David, the kid that tagged along with Newhan when the Angels held spring training in Palm Springs, developed into a major leaguer. He had joked with reporters that he hadn’t been sure if rumors of his call-up were true because “as everyone knows, you can’t believe what’s in the paper.”

In 2004, as Newhan and I covered a game at Dodger Stadium, David appeared as a pinch-hitter for the Baltimore Orioles against the Colorado Rockies, in his first major league at-bat in three years. Newhan was glued to his laptop, where these words suddenly appeared: “In play, run(s).”

Waiting, waiting, waiting … and then I heard one of the loudest screams I have ever heard. Rawitch heard it too. Everyone in the press box heard it.

“Home run.”

The scream was out of character for a professional writer, entirely in character for a proud father. He aced both, and we’ll miss him.

Welcome back to The Times’ Lakers newsletter, where we’re mapping a new route.

Inspired by the Lakers’ stay at Salt Lake City’s Asher Adams hotel, coach JJ Redick took us on an interview tangent Sunday. The luxurious downtown hotel is named after John R. Asher and George H. Adams, cartographers known for their work mapping railroads, and staying in a repurposed railroad station inspired Redick to look for his latest metaphor.

“As the season starts, you’re mapping sort of who you can be,” Redick said Sunday before the Lakers improved to 3-0 with a win over the Utah Jazz. “Every new game early in the season, you’re discovering something different, combinations that work, lineups that work, whatever it may be, and that’s exciting.”

The Lakers welcomed a critical crew member back into the fold this week, and he’s making his presence on this adventure known immediately.

Full steam ahead

Collin Sexton’s role looks small in a box score. The guard is averaging just nine points in his first two games as a Laker in 18.1 minutes per game. He’s shooting just 25% from three. He has three steals.

The numbers don’t do Sexton’s brand of ball justice. Teammates report feeling his influence on the court the moment he checks in. The free agent acquisition guards like a pesky summer mosquito. He attacks like, well, the well-earned nickname he’s carried since high school.

“They call me a bull for a reason,” Sexton said. “Whenever I get out on that court, it’s go time. It’s no creeping into the game.”

After missing the whole preseason and the regular-season opener, Sexton is making an immediate impact for the Lakers. His energy off the bench helped shift the team’s 132-123 win over the Utah Jazz on Sunday when the Lakers overcame a lifeless first quarter.

Sexton has shown his relentlessness since he arrived. During a pickup game on the team’s summer trip to Slovenia, Sexton took a Luka Doncic elbow to the mouth that cut both his top and bottom lips. Instead of backing down, Sexton wiped his mouth with a towel and turned back toward the court with a simple “let’s go.”

“There’s a level of insanity with him,” Redick said. “And I think our team responds to insanity.”

The 27-year-old guard has always had that aspect to his game, he said. He was a scrappy young player. He wanted to keep up with older kids, including his brother Jordan. They used to call him “Young Bull.”

“Now,” Sexton said, “it’s just Bull.”

Sexton’s intense playing style has remained as his career has evolved. The eighth pick in the 2018 draft, Sexton earned second-team all-rookie honors with Cleveland. He teamed with Darius Garland to make a dynamic, high-scoring backcourt duo. But Sexton suffered a season-ending knee injury in November 2021 and he was traded to Utah in a sign-and-trade that involved bringing Donovan Mitchell to Cleveland. The former lottery pick is now on his fourth team in six seasons.

Another injury slowed the beginning of his Lakers tenure. Sexton suffered a right calf strain during training camp. He is still finding his offensive rhythm, but even when he wasn’t on the court, he wanted his teammates to feel his presence.

“One thing I was able to do is just stay present, just continue to be a leader, and continue to use my voice as much as I can,” Sexton said, “and just continue to come in with the right attitude and the right approach.”

Matisse Thybulle already knew of Sexton’s endless energy. But Sexton’s vocal leadership surprised the Lakers’ forward this season. When Sexton made his season debut against the Clippers on Oct. 23, Thybulle noticed how active Sexton was in organizing the team offensively and defensively. Already responsible for bringing defensive energy, Thybulle had no choice but to step up his own effort once Sexton arrived.

There’s no hiding this Bull on the court. And he’s inspiring a stampede.

“It gives us even more energy,” Thybulle said of Sexton. “And I think it’s just one of those things that, like, when everyone else is doing it, you don’t want to be the guy to not be.”

Mr. Consistency

Austin Reaves has been Mr. Consistency on the Lakers.

(Luke Hales / Getty Images)

With a flurry of three-pointers and defensive stops, Doncic landed body blow after body blow. Then Austin Reaves hit the knockout shot.

After Doncic hit three late three-pointers in the Lakers’ dramatic win over the Jazz, it was Reaves who hit the dagger shot with 32.3 seconds left to put the Lakers up by seven points. Reaves held a finger to his lips. The Utah fans in the crowd streamed toward the exits.

The Lakers have the highest-scoring offense in the league through (less than) one week of games, yet haven’t had all their stars aligned. Doncic needed Sunday’s 52-point, 10-assist outburst to offset what he called a “terrible” performance against the Clippers in which he had 11 turnovers. He shot 38.5% from the field during the first two games.

Walker Kessler had a perfect offensive Lakers debut then was a six-block, three-steal defensive menace in his second game. But the star center disappeared Sunday while battling an emotional return to Utah.

While his teammates still settle into the season, there’s always Reaves. The Lakers’ “Mr. Consistency,” as Redick called him.

The guard is averaging 26.7 points on just 12 shot attempts per game with 6.3 assists per game during the first three games. He is shooting an eye-popping 63.9% from the field. The efficiency, as Doncic put it in a charming mistranslation, is “off the roof.”

Fresh off a massive four-year, $180-million contract extension that solidified Reaves as a legitimate star player, the humble Arkansas native has elevated his game with the same mindset taught to him from his parents and older brother.

“Play the game the right way, the game’s gonna reward you,” said Reaves, who is trying to earn his first All-Star appearance this season. “We have a team that understands roles and what we ask them to do. … The thing about our team is there’s no ego, there’s no anything, just wanna win basketball games and however that happens is the main thing.”

Redick praised Reaves’ patience this season. Kessler marveled at Reaves’ skill and ability to score while also making plays for others.

Doncic, now the unquestioned No. 1 option since LeBron James’ departure, thrives next to another top ballhandler. In Dallas, he began with Jalen Brunson. He went to his first NBA Finals next to Kyrie Irving. The Lakers hope pairing Doncic and Reaves can go even further.

“To have him next to me, leading this team, it’s awesome,” Doncic said. “So, [if] he keeps going like that, he’s going to be really good for us.”

They passed the baton back and forth during Sunday’s gritty win. Reaves shushed the crowd after his dagger shot. Doncic waved goodbye. The only fans left to make noise were the traveling Laker faithful who showered the road team with cheers at the buzzer.

Poll results

Last week, we asked: “Where do you think the Lakers will finish in the Western Conference?”

After 1,222 votes:

Top-two seed: 2.4%

First-round home court (3-4): 33.6%

Safely in playoffs (5-6): 43.9%

Play-in (7-10): 17.3%

Cancun by mid-April: 2.8%

On tap

Records updated before Monday’s games

Tuesday vs. Trail Blazers (2-0), 8 p.m.

This could be one of the most star-studded backcourt matchups of the season. The Lakers have Doncic and Reaves. The Trail Blazers are starting Damian Lillard and Ja Morant. Lillard, returning from an Achilles injury suffered in the 2025 playoffs, is averaging 22 points.

Wednesday at Clippers (1-2), 7:30 p.m.

The Lakers ran away in the second half against the shorthanded Clippers last week. The Clippers were counting on Brandon Ingram to move on past Kawhi Leonard, but the former Lakers draft pick is still out with an Achilles injury.

Friday at Warriors (0-3), 7 p.m.

Luka vs. Yaxel, NBA Cup’s version. The Warriors’ rookie made a bold choice by trash-talking with Doncic during the season opener. With the Warriors struggling, the only bright spots of this fallen dynasty might be the flashes of brilliance from Stephen Curry and what viral content Lendeborg will provide next.

Sunday vs. Raptors (2-1), 6 p.m.

Sandro Mamukelashvili will host his former team as the Lakers begin a second back-to-back in a week. This stretch is one of the busiest the Lakers will face this season, but at least it’s all contained in California.

Monday vs. Heat (0-3), 7 p.m.

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s much-heralded move to Miami has produced big numbers, but no wins. The former Milwaukee star scored 71 points in the first two games combined, but the Heat weren’t even competitive against two playoff hopefuls (Minnesota and Detroit).

Favorite thing I ate this week

Breakfast burrito at Old Cuss Cafe in Salt Lake City.

(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)

There’s a pennant in Downtown Salt Lake City’s Old Cuss Cafe hanging above the cash register that reads “This place sucks.” Don’t let the self-deprecating decor deter you. The breakfast burrito is awesome. It’s got the staples with potatoes, eggs, onions and sausage (or bacon), but it’s the fragrant pesto that takes it over the top. It made me forget to be mad that my hotel room wasn’t ready yet.

In case you missed it

Luka Doncic scores 52 points, hits several late clutch shots as Lakers rally to beat Jazz

‘I miss him.’ Lakers reunite with Rui Hachimura in first game against Clippers

Swanson: Luka Doncic’s trash-talking antics sharpen his edge. Lakers fans need to embrace it

Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler lead Lakers past the Clippers

How the Lakers’ Luka Doncic went from ‘Wonder Boy’ to ‘The Man’

Walker Kessler’s Lakers debut couldn’t have gone much better

Lakers’ new Luka Doncic era opens with rout of Warriors

Lakers center Walker Kessler believes his competitive side will overcome pressure

Until next time…

As always, pass along your thoughts to me at thucnhi.nguyen@latimes.com, and please consider subscribing if you like our work!

How Angel City turned around

From Kevin Baxter: No one in Angel City history has played in more games or worn the captain’s armband more often than Sarah Gorden. So it’s unlikely any player has enjoyed this season, Angel City’s fifth in the NWSL, more than her.

With Saturday’s 2-0 win over Bay FC, the team extended its franchise record for wins (14) and points (49) with one game to play. It has averaged more goals scored (1.7) and fewer goals allowed (1.07) than any team in franchise history, has the best goal differential (plus-19) in the league and has qualified for the postseason for just the second time.

If Angel City (14-8-7) beats Boston in its regular-season finale Sunday, it could play host to a playoff game for the first time. For Gorden, none of that success is surprising. What is surprising is that it took so long to achieve.

“Did I think we’d get here? Yeah,” she said. “I always felt like we take two steps forward, one step back. Maybe two steps forward, three steps back. But I always felt like strategically, at some point, the right pieces would be here and we’d be doing the right things at the right time.

“The backing was always there, the passion was always there, the vision was always there. For a long time it was just about getting the right pieces together.”

That was the part that took a bit of trial and error, with the team going through 64 players, five coaches, three general managers/sporting directors and two controlling ownership groups since its founding. And Gorden, who became the second player in team history when she was acquired in a trade with the Chicago Red Stars in December 2021 — five months before Angel City’s first game — has been with the team for all of it.

Continue reading here

Kings rout the Rangers

Drew Doughty had a goal and two assists, and Artemi Panarin added a power-play goal and an assist as the Kings beat the New York Rangers 6-3 on Monday night.

The Kings won for the third time in their last four games — all on the road — after going winless over their first six games of the season.

The Kings jumped on New York early, chasing goaltender James Reimer after one period. Reimer was pulled in his Rangers debut after allowing three goals on eight shots. Reimer played just one previous game this fall, a 35-save shutout in the American Hockey League on Saturday night, before signing an NHL contract for the rest of the season.

Taylor Ward opened the scoring 1:15 into the game on the Kings’ first shot. Brandt Clarke made it 2-0 at 4:52 of the first, tipping in a rebound off Joel Armia’s slap shot.

Continue reading here

Kings summary

NHL standings

Valkyries win WNBA Finals Game 5

Kiah Stokes had 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots as the Golden State Valkyries moved within one win of a championship in their second season, beating the Atlanta Dream 64-55 in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Monday night.

Angel Reese finished with seven points, 15 rebounds and five assists — a big difference from her two standout performances in the first two games of the series at Chase Center. Reese shook her head when whistled for the second of her three offensive fouls with 7:43 to play.

Fans screamed and clapped thunder sticks following the final buzzer as Stokes spoke from the floor to chants of “MVP!”

Continue reading here

WNBA Finals Game 5 box score

Brewers move one win away from World Series title

Jackson Chourio set the tone at the plate, Brice Turang sparked a historic offensive outburst and Robert Gasser shut the door on the mound.

The Milwaukee Brewers are one victory from their first World Series title after routing the Tampa Bay Rays 10-1 on Monday night thanks to a trio of young players who have shined in October.

Chourio bookended Milwaukee’s eight-run fifth inning with two of his four hits, and Turang’s two-run single opened a barrage of scoring with two outs.

Continue reading here

Game 3 box score

World Series results, schedule

All games at 5 p.m. PT
All game on FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One

No. 1 Milwaukee vs. No. 1 Tampa Bay
at Milwaukee 3, Tampa Bay 2 (box score)
at Milwaukee 5, Tampa Bay 4 (box score)
Milwaukee 10, at Tampa Bay 1 (box score)
Tuesday at Tampa Bay
*Wednesday at Tampa Bay
*Friday at Milwaukee
*Saturday at Milwaukee

* if necessary

This day in sports history

1967 — New Mexico tight end Emilio Vallez catches 17 passes for 257 yards to tie an NCAA record in a 75-12 rout of Texas El Paso.

1973 — Four players rush for more than 100 yards as Alabama sets three NCAA records during a 77-6 romp of Virginia Tech. Alabama sets records with 823 yards total offense, 743 yards rushing and four 100-yard rushers. Jim Taylor gains 142 yards, Wilbur Jackson 138, Calvin Culliver 127 and Richard Todd 102.

1984 — Washington State’s Rueben Mayes sets an NCAA record with 357 yards rushing, 197 in the first half, and scores three touchdowns in a 50-41 victory over Oregon.

1984 — Iowa’s Chuck Long completes 22 straight passes to set an NCAA record in a 24-20 victory over Indiana.

1996 — After two humbling losses at home, the New York Yankees win their first World Series title since 1978 with a 3-2 victory over the defending champion Atlanta Braves in Game 6.

2001 — Joe Paterno wins his 324th game to pass Bear Bryant for the most victories by a Division I-A coach when Penn State rallies for a 29-27 win over Ohio State.

2002 — Emmitt Smith breaks the NFL career rushing yardage record held by the late Walter Payton on an 11-yard run in the fourth quarter. Smith has 109 yards and a touchdown in Dallas’ 17-14 loss to Seattle and ends the game with 16,743 career yards — 17 more than Payton gained.

2002 — Behind rookie pitcher John Lackey and a three-run double by Garret Anderson, the Angels beat Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants 4-1 for the franchise’s first World Series title.

2004 — The Boston Red Sox are World Series champions at long, long last. Johnny Damon homers on the fourth pitch of the game, Derek Lowe makes it stand up and the Red Sox win Game 4 3-0, sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals for their first crown since 1918.

2005 — Curtis Joseph makes 13 saves to earn his 400th NHL victory and Mike Comrie scores twice as Phoenix edges Calgary 3-2.

2006 — The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Detroit Tigers 4-2 in Game 5 to wrap up their first Series title in nearly a quarter-century and 10th overall. The Cardinals had 83 regular-season wins, the fewest by a World Series champion.

2007 — Curlin posts an emphatic victory against his toughest rivals in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Monmouth Park. Ridden by Robby Albarado, Curlin defeats Derby runner-up Hard Spun by 4 1/2 lengths.

2007 — Weber State beats Portland State 73-68 to set an NCAA all-division football record for points in a game. Back in 1916, Georgia Tech beat Cumberland 222-0, but that was before the NCAA kept track of records.

2012 — Matt Scott of Arizona gains 469 total yards and accounts for four TDs in the Wildcats’ 39-36 win over USC. Marqise Lee of USC, catches 16 passes for a Pac-12-record 345 yards and two TDs.

2013 — Matthew Stafford’s 1-yard lunge over a pile of linemen with 12 seconds left and Calvin Johnson’s 329 yards receiving lift the Detroit Lions to a 31-30 comeback win over the Dallas Cowboys. Stafford throws a 22-yard pass to Johnson, who had the second-most yards receiving in NFL history, to set up his winning score.

2013 — Serena Williams ends her best season in style, rallying past Li Na 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 for her second straight WTA Championship and 11th title of the year.

2015 — Alex Gordon hits a tying home run with one out in the ninth inning, Eric Hosmer hits a sacrifice fly against Bartolo Colon in the 14th and the Kansas City Royals beat the New York Mets 5-4 in the longest opener in World Series history.

2015 — American soccer star Abby Wambach announces her retirement.

2020 — Dodgers beat Tampa Bay Rays in Game 6 at Globe Life Field, Arlington Texas to win their first World Series title in 32 years.

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. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

It’s been 39 years since Hoover High in Glendale last made the Southern Section football playoffs.

The Tornadoes can gain an automatic playoff spot with a win over rival Glendale on Friday.

Leading the way has been senior running back Dveen Aghanian, who has rushed for 1,798 yards and 23 touchdowns.

There should be lots of running against Glendale, which has its own top running back in Arman Papazyan, who has rushed for nearly 1,500 yards.

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

Oct. 26, 2026 8:41 PM PT

SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS

TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE

(Games at 5 p.m. unless noted)

Quarterfinals

DIVISION 1

Oxnard at Camarillo

Sage Hill at El Toro

Corona del Mar at Yorba Linda

Redondo Union at Palos Verdes

DIVISION 2

Gahr at La Habra

Oxnard Pacifica at Segerstrom

Anaheim Canyon at Chaminade

San Clemente vs. Villa Park at El Modena, 6:30 p.m.

DIVISION 3

South Torrance at Chino

Inglewood at Quartz Hill

Compton at Valencia

Moorpark at California

DIVISION 4

West Ranch at Kaiser

Garden Grove at Hemet

Santa Paula at West Covina

Cerritos Valley Christian at Gabrielino

DIVISION 5

Village Christian at Tustin, 6:30 p.m.

Ontario at Loma Linda Academy

Peninsula at La Sierra

Westridge at Nogales

DIVISION 6

Burna Park at Mountain View, 6 p.m.

Liberty at Heritage

Bolsa Grande at St. Monica, 3:30 p.m.

Glenn at St. Bonaventure

WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE

(Games at 5 p.m. unless noted)

Third Round

OPEN DIVISION

Pool A

#8 Edison at #1 JSerra

Pool B

#7 Westlake at #2 Newport Harbor

Pool C

#6 Woodbridge at #3 Orange Lutheran

Pool D

#5 Mater Dei at #4 Huntington Beach

Byes: #9 Lakewood St. Joseph; #10 Downey; #11 Dos Pueblos; #12 Sierra Canyon

Note: Semifinals (all divisions) Saturday, Oct. 31; Finals (all divisions) Saturday, Nov. 7 at Huntington Beach High.

On Saturday week at Murrayfield, Scotland will face the All Blacks for the 34th time, the overall picture skewed ever-so-slightly in New Zealand’s favour. They’ve won 31 and the Scots have won zero.

Draws in 1964 and 1983 – halcyon days, kind of – is as good as it has got for the underdogs since these nations first met 111 years ago.

Speaking on the BBC’s Scotland Rugby Podcast on the day he announced his squad for the Nations Championship, Gregor Townsend goes through his own story with the Kiwis, about the dog days he experienced as a player – two of them ending 62-31 and 69-20 – and how the inferiority complex his generation might have felt is not the same anymore.

“It’s almost like two different lifetimes,” he says. “As a player, I don’t think we ever felt we could win the game.

“There were moments within games over in Auckland in 1996 when we had opportunities, but they were always going to pull away from us. I’ve not felt that as a coach.”

As coach, he has gone up against the All Blacks three times, all in Edinburgh. A 25-17 defeat in 2025, a 31-23 loss in 2023 and a 22-17 reverse in 2017.

“I felt every time we’ve played against them, we’ve had opportunities to win and the belief has been there,” he said.

“We might have lacked the composure. Certainly last time, a year ago (Scotland fell 17-0 behind but then came roaring back to level at 17-17). We were just playing so much accurate, physical rugby. But we didn’t take the chances.

“So there is a difference. I feel it in the players. But I didn’t feel that in the 90s when we went up against them.”

The coming months are seismic for Scotland with the culmination of the Nations Championship, then Townsend’s final Six Nations, a World Cup warm-up against New Zealand in Dunedin, followed by the coach’s last act, the World Cup itself.

Scotland have not played an away Test against the All Blacks since 2000, a two-Test deal, one in Auckland and the other at Carisbrook in Dunedin. New Zealand won the first 62-31 and the second 48-14. Townsend played in both.

Regular summer games against higher calibre southern hemisphere opposition has been crucial in Ireland’s improvement in recent years, but Scotland have been denied that exposure. The global calendar has now changed and the Scots will be one of the main beneficiaries.

In Townsend’s time as coach, he has had one game against the Wallabies in Australia, one against the Springboks in South Africa and none against the All Blacks in New Zealand. In the same period of time, Wales have played seven away Tests against the big three from the south, England have played nine and Ireland have had 10. Ireland have had four Tests in New Zealand in just nine years compared to Scotland’s zero in 26 years.

“That’s great for Scottish Rugby, great for our players to get that opportunity to play New Zealand in New Zealand,” he said. “It’s a really good preparation for us for the World Cup as a stand-alone game. It’s one we’ve missed for so many years.”

Georgia Roche replaces Jenna Foubister at half-back for England women, with Hope Millard stepping up to the bench for their must-win final group game.

England have to beat Samoa to finish second in Group A and qualify for the semi-finals.

They beat Wales 70-6 in their opener, but were thrashed 78-0 by reigning champions Australia in Perth last weekend.

Foubister, 19, started against Australia after a superb domestic season where she was named Super League Woman of Steel.

But she struggled against the strength of Australia, so coach Stu Barrow has opted for the experience of Roche instead.

The loss of key player Eva Hunter to a leg injury suffered against the Jillaroos has prompted a pack reshuffle, with Hollie-Mae Dodd moving from prop to the back row.

Mary Coleman comes in at prop as a result, while England are boosted by captain Jodie Cunningham overcoming an ear injury suffered last week to be named on the bench.

Georgia Wilson is in for Molly Jones in the centres, while Millard – the only heritage player left in the England set-up following Jasmin Strange’s tournament-ending knee injury – is back in the squad.

A win would earn England a semi-final spot, where they would most likely face New Zealand, who beat them in the last four of the previous World Cup in 2022.

England women: Fran Goldthorp, Anna Davies, Georgia Wilson, Connie Boyd, Amelia Brown, Izzy Rowe, Georgia Roche, Mary Coleman, Keara Bennett, Liv Wood, Lucy Murray, Hollie-Mae Dodd, Megan Williams.

Interchange: Jodie Cunningham, Vicky Whitfield, Hope Millard, Lucie Sams.

Reserves: Ruby Bruce, Evie Cousins, Molly Jones

BBC Sport examined Wales men’s international debutants numbered 1125 to 1224, using player biographies, club and competition records, school and junior-club histories, and Gareth Rhys Owen’s own rugby commentary research notes accumulated while preparing for broadcasts. The working database was cross-referenced and individual pathway decisions were reviewed.

Birthplace is the recorded town and country of birth. Formative rugby education covers the main junior club, school and local rugby catchment up to approximately age 16.

Finishing development covers the main academy or equivalent pathway from roughly 16 to 20.

First professional club means the club of the player’s first senior appearance in a fully professional competition; semi-professional Welsh Premiership appearances are excluded.

Current club or retirement status is a snapshot at 9 October 2026.

The four Welsh regional labels used for early education describe broad geographical rugby catchments, not necessarily formal academy membership. Some players moved between systems, so identifying one principal pathway involved editorial judgement.

This is a study of the past 100 Wales debutants, not all professional players or a controlled ranking of academy performance.

CITY SECTION PLAYOFFS

MONDAY’S RESULTS

First round

DIVISION I

#1 SOCES d. #16 Birmingham, 25-20, 25-18, 12-25, 25-21

#9 North Hollywood d. #8 LACES, 25-15, 25-10, 25-13

#5 L.A. University d. #12 Foshay, 3-0

#4 San Pedro d. #13 GALA, 3-1

#14 L.A. Marshall d. #3 Sylmar, 25-22, 25-23, 14-25, 25-23

#11 Lincoln d. #6 Mendez, 25-20, 22-25, 25-22, 25-20

#7 Sun Valley Poly d. #10 L.A. Roosevelt, 25-22, 21-25, 26-24, 25-22

#2 Granada Hills Kennedy d. #15 King/Drew, 26-28, 25-12, 25-18, 25-22

DIVISION II

#1 South East d. #16 New West, 25-14, 25-17, 25-13

#8 Carson d. #9 San Fernando, 3-1

#5 Alliance Levine d. #12 Bravo Medical, 25-18, 25-21, 23-25, 25-22

#13 Panorama d. #4 Triumph Charter, 26-24, 25-22, 25-15

#14 South Gate at #3 Grant

#11 Maywood CES d. #6 Central City Value, 3-0

#7 Verdugo Hills d. #10 L.A. Hamilton, 27-25, 25-14, 29-27

#15 Reseda d. #2 East Valley, 3-1

DIVISION III

#17 RFK Community d. #16 University Prep Value, 25-20, 25-27, 25-27, 25-14, 15-11

#13 Port of Los Angeles d. #20 Vaughn, 26-28, 9-25, 25-20, 25-22, 17-15

#19 Sun Valley Magnet d. #14 Gertz-Ressler, 20-25, 25-19, 25-22, 22-25, 16-14

#18 L.A. Wilson d. #15 Animo Robinson, 27-25, 25-12, 23-25, 25-21

DIVISION IV

#17 Los Angeles d. #16 Northridge Academy, 3-0

#20 Downtown Magnets d. #13 Westchester, 23-25, 35-15, 25-12, 25-22

#14 Hollywood d. #19 Esperanza College, 25-19, 21-25, 25-13, 25-19

#15 Jefferson d. #18 South LA College, 25-20, 25-13, 25-11

DIVISION V

#16 Orthopaedic d. #17 Alliance Marine, 25-18, 25-16, 25-21

#9 USC Hybrid d. #24 Dorsey, 25-9, 25-11, 25-7

#21 Discovery d. #12 East College Prep, 27-25, 25-20, 25-15

#13 Camino Nuevo d. #20 Alliance Bloomfield, 25-22, 25-14, 25-14

#14 Smidt Tech d. #19 Hawkins, 25-10, 25-14, 25-13

#11 Diego Rivera d. #22 Collins Family, 25-14, 25-22, 23-25, 25-23

#190 Van Nuys d. #23 Valley Oaks CES, 25-13, 25-13, 25-16

#15 Manual Arts d. #18 Aspire Ollin, 16-25, 25-13, 25-17, 25-21

WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE

(Matches at 4 p.m. unless noted)

Quarterfinals

OPEN DIVISION

#8 Eagle Rock at #1 Venice

#5 El Camino Real at #4 Taft, 6 p.m.

#6 Granada Hills at #3 Cleveland, 5 p.m.

#7 Chatsworth at #2 Palisades, 5 p.m.

Second Round

DIVISION III

#17 RFK Community at #1 Franklin

#9 Marquez at #8 Animo De La Hoya

#12 Harbor Teacher at #5 Annenberg

#13 Port of L.A. at #4 Wilmington Banning

#19 Sun Valley Magnet at #3 Narbonne

#11 Larchmont Charter at #6 Stern

#10 Brio College Prep at #7 Math & Science College

#18 L.A. Wilson at #2 Lake Balboa College Prep

DIVISION IV

#17 Los Angeles at #1 Santee

#9 Middle College at #8 Arleta

#12 Fairfax at #5 Bell

#20 Downtown Magnets at #4 Community Charter

#14 Hollywood at #3 Huntington Park

#11 Canoga Park at #6 WISH Academy

#10 Monroe at #7 Legacy

#15 Jefferson at #2 Garfield

DIVISION V

#16 Orthopaedic at #1 Elizabeth

#9 USC Hybrid at #8 San Fernando Arroyo

#21 Discovery at #5 Magnolia Science Academy

#13 Camino Nuevo vs. #4 Animo Pat Brown at Ross Snyder Park, 2 p.m.

#14 Smidt Tech at #3 Burton

#22 Collins Family / #11 Diego Rivera at #6 Angelou

#10 Van Nuys at #7 Lakeview Charter

#15 Manual Arts at #2 Stella

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE

(Matches at 4 p.m. unless noted)

Quarterfinals

DIVISION I

#9 North Hollywood at #1 SOCES

#5 L.A. University at #4 San Pedro

#14 L.A. Marshall at #11 Lincoln

#7 Sun Valley Poly at #2 Granada Hills Kennedy

DIVISION II

#8 Carson at #1 South East

#13 Panorama at #5 Alliance Levine

#11 Maywood CES vs. #3 Grant / #14 South Gate

#15 Reseda at #7 Verdugo Hills

Note: Quarterfinals (Divisions IIII-V) Fri., Oct. 30 or Sat., Oct. 31 at higher seeds; Semifinals (all divisions) Tues., Nov. 3 at higher seeds; Finals (all divisions) Fri., Nov. 6 or Sat., Nov. 7 (times and sites TBD).

SAN FRANCISCO — Kiah Stokes had 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots as the Golden State Valkyries moved within one win of a championship in their second season, beating the Atlanta Dream 64-55 in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Monday night.

Angel Reese finished with seven points, 15 rebounds and five assists — a big difference from her two standout performances in the first two games of the series at Chase Center. Reese shook her head when whistled for the second of her three offensive fouls with 7:43 to play.

Fans screamed and clapped thunder sticks following the final buzzer as Stokes spoke from the floor to chants of “MVP!”

“We appreciate you,” a smiling Stokes said. “We got one more.”

On a night leading scorer Gabby Williams struggled to find her shooting touch, Golden State found the “strength in numbers” mantra that coach Natalie Nakase has praised all season long and everybody made an influence. Veronica Burton had 13 points and eight rebounds.

On Saturday, Nakase had changed up her lineup for a 67-62 Game 4 win by inserting Tiffany Hayes and Kaila Charles into the starting five. She stayed with those two Monday night, and it worked again. Hayes, who played 10 seasons for Atlanta and came out of retirement two years ago, had 12 points — and Nakase has said she wants to win it all for the veteran guard.

Williams began two for 11 and missed all four of her three three-point tries, but she converted a three-point play with 9:08 remaining to put the Valkyries ahead 49-42 and finished with nine points on three-for-14 shooting and six rebounds.

Atlanta will now try to stave off elimination at home Thursday in Game 6 and force a deciding Game 7 back at Chase Center on Saturday. The Dream hurt themselves with 17 turnovers that led to 21 points for Golden State.

Stokes hit a key three-pointer with 2:46 to go in the third quarter and another with 7:21 left in the game, which ignited chants of “Ki-ah! Ki-ah!” from the crazed, rally towel-waving “Ballhalla” home crowd at Chase Center.

Stokes has recorded three or more blocks in six straight games, tying her with Lisa Leslie in 2003 for the longest such streak in a single WNBA postseason.

The Valkyries used a dominant second half after they led 25-22 at the break, the lowest scoring first half combined score in WNBA Finals history.

Rhyne Howard’s three-point play with 4:59 left in the third pulled Atlanta within 34-31, but after that it was Stokes, Burton and the Valkyries coming up with all the crucial plays on both ends.

Golden State owner Joe Lacob promised a championship within five years in a bold declaration when the expansion franchise was granted to the Bay Area three years ago, yet this season has exceeded even what he could have envisioned.

Neither team could find a flow from three-point range in the first half as the teams combined to shoot five for 29 from deep — three of 16 by Golden State and two for 13 by Atlanta.

Earlier Monday, the league announced Game 6 would be played at 17,000-seat State Farm Arena in Atlanta starting at 12:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday — a time when many fans on both coasts will be working.

“I’d like to see it be a national holiday for all WNBA championship games so whatever somebody can do,” Dream coach Karl Smesko said. “I hope everybody gets to see it somehow and I know that for some people it’s not realistic, they have jobs and won’t be able to make it. So I’m disappointed for that but I’m really hopeful that as many people can see the game as possible.”

McCauley writes for the Associated Press.

Harry Kane was crowned winner of the men’s Ballon d’Or on Monday night, but a few hours earlier that confirmation appeared to have been announced prematurely.

At 17:15 GMT, an article from the award’s official website titled ‘Harry Kane wins the 2026 Ballon d’Or’ began to circulate online.

The widespread sharing of the article caused confusion online, with some wondering whether France Football – the organisers of the award – had fallen short at the final hurdle of keeping the winner, who was voted for by journalists at the end of September, under wraps.

That was until further digging on the Ballon d’Or website revealed that some of the other favourites to win the award – including Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe – also had similar pieces penned and published about them.

When asked about the articles by BBC Sport, a Ballon d’Or spokesperson said: “Some profiles of nominees prepared by BallonDor.com were inadvertently published online.

“These articles had been prepared for all nominees and should in no way be considered as an indication of the final results or rankings.”

By 17:40, the articles about Kane and Mbappe had been removed from the website.

Similar articles were also written about London City Lionesses star Alexia Putellas and Barcelona’s Ewa Pajor. Putellas went on to be officially confirmed as the winner of the women’s Ballon d’Or.

That premature announcement may have sparked some excitement in Kane that this could be his year, but he only had to wait a little longer to find out for sure.

Fighters are being “hurt, exploited or forgotten” in a failing system, says former boxer Paul Smith, who has criticised a lack of support for athletes.

Smith is part of a team set up to represent fighters and safeguard their futures, with the group aiming to launch the “biggest ever inquiry into health and safety in combat sport”.

The group, called the Global Fighters’ Association (GFA), wants the inquiry to provide the platform for it to become “the new umbrella organisation for all combat sport”.

It was set up last year with the aim of creating a union to safeguard fighters’ futures.

The GFA says it wants to campaign for fair contracts and better pay, insurance and pensions, proper health and safety standards and somewhere for fighters to report problems to an official channel.

It points to public fundraisers in recent months which have helped fighters such as Lee Reeves pay for emergency care after serious injuries.

Smith, who challenged three times for a super-middleweight world title before his retirement in 2017, says it is a “failing” of the system when fighters like Reeves have to raise money to pay for recovery.

“Every week, somewhere in this sport, a fighter is hurt, exploited or forgotten, and the only safety net is whatever the boxing community can scrape together after the fact,” said Smith.

“That’s not a system. That’s a failing. We are not aware of anyone, ever, who has properly invested the time and resources to get under the bonnet of this sport, work out exactly where it is failing fighters, and publish actionable recommendations to fix it.”

The GFA says it has secured respected barrister Jonathan Caplan KC to lead the process of conducting the inquiry, which will look into the “safety, governance and treatment of combat sports participants at all levels”, from grassroots to professional.

He will be tasked with producing a report back on the evidence and testimonies gathered.

The GFA is a non-profit organisation and is aiming to raise £500,000 to fund the inquiry via a crowdfunding campaign.

Chair designate Simon Bazalgette says the group wants to provide fighters with the same support available to athletes in other sports.

“Over the last decade or so, professional sports such as rugby, football and horse racing have raised their game when it comes to the welfare of the participants,” said Bazalgette.

“It is striking that combat sport is one of the last workplaces with no professional representation for its workers, meaning little protection, no minimum health and safety standard, no independent pension scheme, no insurance floor, and no single body a fighter can turn to when something goes wrong.

“The GFA has been formed to rectify this, to help the sport create a stronger bond of trust with its participants and its audience, and thereby give a stronger foundation for growth.”

Earlier this month, British mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Michael ‘Venom’ Page urged fighters to form a union to campaign for better pay.

He pointed to the Muhammad Ali Act – a 2000 US law designed to protect boxers’ rights and combat potential monopolies – as something he would like to replicate in MMA.

UFC president Dana White has been spearheading a push to amend the act – a move which GFA acting general secretary Paul Maloney says should cause alarm bells in fighters.

“It’s the one piece of legislation anywhere in the world that gives fighters a level of workplace protection, and it’s currently being rewritten in a way critics say favours the promoters and networks that already hold most of the power,” said Maloney.

“If it can be stripped back there, it can happen anywhere else that lacks its own independent, respected voice for fighters – which is exactly why the GFA exists.”

You don’t like Luka Doncic’s attitude.

I love it.

You think the Lakers star whines too much. All the complaining to officials kills you. If there were a suggestion box, you’d follow Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg and lodge a complaint.

You do whatever you want; I’m not offended by any of it.

You are not entertained. You don’t like the demonstrative way he waves off calls. You hate how he’ll belabor a point for possessions at a time — as he did, per usual, in Friday’s not-particularly pretty 125-117 victory over the Clippers at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers improved to 2-0 and Doncic had 23 points, six rebounds, seven assists and, if you’re looking to complain, a career high-tying 11 turnovers.

But me? I am entertained — endlessly. As long as Luka’s list of grievances is long.

Because Doncic is a maniac. Not a mad man, a madman. And a reminder that these millionaires are playing a child’s game, because no one relishes it with quite the joy and verve and passion and emotion and occasional tantrum like Doncic does.

He’s someone who arrived onstage, talented beyond his years. He’s also a toddler.

He couldn’t change if he wanted to, but would you really want him to?

There’s no slicing and dicing without a sufficiently sharp edge.

And I get it. Opposing fans — and their teams’ general managers, whose preseason survey answers about this season’s prospective MVP candidates excluded Doncic in favor of Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokić, Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jayson Tatum — are not supposed to appreciate Luka’s lip.

But if you’re a Lakers fan, you have to know you can’t take out the trash talk from Doncic’s game. You can’t ask him nicely to clean up his mess, man. Petty isn’t going to be pretty. And everyone can get it — including, once, the reporters on press row covering Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks. “You can’t guard me!” he screamed at us, ridiculously.

You have to let him cook, your very own basketball anarchist.

Lakers star Luka Doncic reacts during a win over the Clippers on Friday.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

“He’s always going to play with an edge,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “As long as he’s not causing the other team to have a five-on-four transition opportunity, it doesn’t bother me.”

And if he’s not toeing the line on a late-season suspension triggered by a 16th technical foul, his antics probably wouldn’t bother Lakers fans, either.

“This season, I’m trying to not get techs,” Doncic said after Wednesday’s season-opening victory against the Warriors, when he and Lendeborg mixed it up. “It was the first time that was not a double tech, ’cause I didn’t say nothing. So I’m working on it.”

It isn’t that Doncic busies himself with the refs because he’s lazy and doesn’t want to get back on defense — do you know how much stamina it takes to keep up a marathon-length running dialogue? How exhausting it has to be to litigate every little thing, to be so constantly aggrieved?

It’s a special part of his special skill set; put him in the top 1% in the world of complainers. If he wasn’t one of the world’s top 1% of hoopers, imagine him in court instead of on the court; he’d be a bulldog: Objection! Objection! Objection!

The man is a rascal, but he’s not a villain. Everything he does is with a wink-wink twinkle in his eye.

He never shuts up on the court, but he’s a man of few words off of it, low-key and community-minded and in the top 1% of patient autograph-givers. A generous teammate to whom good vibes matter much.

But he’s an absolute menace to compete against and, yes, to officiate.

So, kids, don’t try this at home. At least not during a basketball game. Don’t show that energy to the refs, who deserve your respect. As do your teachers and your coaches and your parents or guardians.

But do keep that energy. You’re not going to get what you want in life unless you advocate — agitate — for it. Put pressure on powers that be. Ask for explanations — demand them. Because it’s true, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Being pushy works, even if it won’t win you popularity contests. The GMs left Doncic off their predictive MVP list for a reason. He finished fourth in MVP voting last season and has never been higher than third in his eight NBA seasons.

That’s largely a reflection of where the Lakers placed last season — fourth. And where they’re expected to finish this season; there are 12 teams with better odds to win the title, according to DraftKings.

But it probably has more to do with voters’ appetite for discussion, the type of heated debate that offends the sensibilities of so many — even though that mayhem is a crucial ingredient of Luka’s magic. Just sit back and relax. Enjoy the show.

SALT LAKE CITY — Luka Doncic raised three fingers toward the Utah crowd. Fans were left counting more than just his points.

Doncic hit three clutch three-pointers late in the fourth quarter and took a momentum-swinging charge to lead the Lakers to a nail-biting 132-123 victory over the Utah Jazz on Sunday at Delta Center. Doncic led the Lakers (3-0) with 52 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds as the team fought back from an 18-point second-quarter deficit.

Guard Austin Reaves hit a dagger three with 34 seconds remaining to give the Lakers a seven-point lead. As Doncic salted the game away from the free-throw line, he was serenaded with chants of “MVP!” Reaves finished with 29 points.

“Getting MVP chants in someone else’s arena is crazy,” center Walker Kessler said. “But, you know, obviously deserving.”

Kessler knows this arena well. It’s where he spent the first four years of his career. But the center was quiet in his return to Salt Lake City. After he joined the Lakers in a massive sign-and-trade deal that cost the Lakers two first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps and a four-year, $130-million contract, Kessler was held to just two points on one-of-two shooting with seven rebounds.

Kessler received a mixed reception from the crowd, which included a large number of fans in Lakers colors. The Jazz didn’t play a highlight reel during the game to welcome the center back, as many teams often do for a player who returns on an opposing team.

Kessler had averaged 24 points and 8.5 rebounds per game during the Lakers’ first two games and shot a blazing 84.6% from the field while feasting off lob passes from Doncic and Reaves.

When asked whether Kessler’s return would spark extra motivation for the Jazz, Utah coach Will Hardy dispelled any suggestions of revenge.

“In no way is tonight about Walker,” Hardy said. “Like it’s not a, ‘Oh wow Walker’s here so we better play harder.’ We’re gonna demand the same standard that we did in our last game. Some of the story lines I don’t quite understand. Like we have a lot of love for Walker. He’s somebody that we have a great relationship with and a lot of shared experience.”

Kessler admitted he “let my emotions get the best of me” in his return Utah, which he described as “a special place.”

“Kind of got too amped and then just couldn’t find the ball,” Kessler said. “Couldn’t find the rhythm, just kind of was off a couple fouls that were tough, a couple blocks I usually [make]. It’s one of those nights. But fortunately basketball is not a one-man sport.”

The Lakers showed they have one of the best duos in the league.

Reaves was held scoreless during the first quarter, but awoke for 15 points in the second. The undrafted guard has so far lived up to the massive contract extension he signed in June, averaging 26.7 points per game on 63.9% shooting with 6.2 assists per game.

“AR so far in these three games has just been Mr. Consistency,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.

Reaves started the comeback. Doncic completed it. In less than 30 seconds, Doncic watched a fadeaway jumper circle the rim before dropping through for a three-point play, then ripped the ball out of Ace Bailey’s arms for a steal before hitting a three at the buzzer to put the Lakers up by three at halftime.

The Slovenian superstar was coming off an admittedly “terrible” game in which he had 23 points, seven assists and 11 turnovers in the Lakers’ home win over the Clippers. Redick said Doncic is still finding his rhythm after not playing with the Slovenian national team over the summer as he typically does.

Doncic made just two of his first eight three-point attempts Sunday. He looked right back in rhythm when he splashed the tying three with 4:06 remaining in the fourth quarter and pushed his palms toward the ground to quiet the crowd.

The final shot before halftime showed Redick that Doncic has his groove back.

“When he’s in the flow state, he gets into, like, showman mode,” Redick said. “He’s on stage performing … it’s always really fun to watch.”

Doncic gave the friendly road crowd his best moves. Lying on his back watching one his shots roll through the net, he shimmied his shoulders before teammates pulled him to his feet. When he splashed the tying three with 4:06 remaining in the fourth, he wagged his finger. On the next possession, he let out a scream when he stepped in front of Keyonte George to take a charge. After putting the Lakers up by six with 1:40 remaining with one of his signature step-back threes, Doncic held three up three fingers to the crowd.

Doncic went nearly seven months without hearing that roar. Not playing with the national team left him out of competition for one of the longest stretches of his career. He doesn’t think he’s back to full form yet.

“I’m still getting there honestly,” Doncic said. “This is the first time I didn’t play basketball in six or seven months, which is a long time. So I’m not used to it.”

He still looked right at home hearing “MVP” chants from a road crowd.

PHILADELPHIA — Joel Embiid punished Milwaukee with a triple-double one night and wanted to go right at Detroit and try for another on the next one. So the amiable big man with a career list of injuries that would fit on a scroll or two made a good-natured plea with the media to try to convince the 76ers to let him play in back-to-back games.

“Can you guys put pressure on them?” Embiid said with a laugh. “I want to play tomorrow, so start writing articles and put pressure on them so they’ll let me play.”

Not even the power of the pen can aid Embiid in playing consecutive games.

The 76ers smartly rested their All-Star center — no one game in October in the NBA is worth the potential of long-term harm — and then they went out and got smoked Sunday night by the Detroit Pistons.

LeBron James is in Philadelphia, and that’s a good thing. Jaylen Brown has an NBA Finals MVP on his resume and is serving up one-liners about lamb and gravy in his rivalry with a former Boston teammate.

No matter the star power added to the roster, the natural growth of homegrown talent such as Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, the 76ers have always since his 2016 debut — and will always — win as much and go as far in the postseason as Embiid will take them.

The 76ers were outrebounded 54-37 and trailed by 21 points in their first loss of the season to the Pistons. The Pistons pounded the inside and scored 24 second-chance points. They got the kind of looks that only get tougher to attempt when Embiid is in the lineup.

So yes, with the 76ers already thin in frontcourt depth, it was up to James to man a bulk of the minutes at center. The 41-year-old James won the opening tip for the 76ers.

The Pistons won everything else.

“We’re going to have those moments where we have different lineups out there throughout the course of the season,” James said. “I think the more minutes we get, the more games that we get under our belt, the more time we get, we’ll know what works well for us.”

James scored 18 points, grabbed two rebounds and was a minus-22 going up against Paul Reed, and the 76ers were left to hope his presence at center was nothing more than a cameo.

The 76ers were a whopping plus-49 with Embiid on the court over the first three games and minus-25 with him off it.

“I mean [heck], we’ve got an MVP over there,” James said as he looked in the direction of Embiid’s locker.

“I’m not here to have a sustainable role at the five. We’ve got Joel Embiid at the five. I don’t see it being a sustainable role but it’s a role that we know we can tap into if we needed. But sustainable playing the five? If I was to say I was signing here to have a sustainable role at the five, I don’t think none of us would actually want that.”

The 76ers also played without big men Dominck Barlow (back), Jabari Walker (knee) and 7-foot-6 center Tacko Fall. Fall has yet to play this season with a left quadriceps strain.

“We’ve got a 7-7 guy over there who hasn’t played. That would help,” James quipped.

Even with Embiid and his 11 boards in the lineup against the Bucks, the 76ers were still outrebounded 62-39.

Maxey, a first-time All-Star starter last season, had a suggestion to fix the rebounding woes.

“Some of our tall guys could come back,” Maxey said with a smile. “That would be great. We’ve just got to hit, box out, try to fight. We’ve got to figure it out.”

James took inspiration from Detroit’s bench, where Taurean Prince sat and watched the game. Prince didn’t play but he is responsible for one of the great viral interview moments in NCAA tournament history when he deadpanned the definition of a rebound after his Baylor team was outrebound by Yale.

“In the great words of Taurean Prince, who I saw tonight on the bench,” James said, “a good friend of mine, so, the ball goes up into the air. You go grab the ball. That’s what we’ve got to do, man. They got more of those than we did.”

So the 76ers do what they do so many times when Embiid doesn’t play and took the loss.

Let him sit. One game won’t hurt. It’s when those absences start stacking up that always doom the 76ers.

Even if one of the greats can take his place.

Gelston writes for the Associated Press.

On the face of it, Ulster are without a victory in their four United Rugby Championship outings this season.

But head coach Richie Murphy is not ready to hit the panic button.

Despite a winless start, the Irish province are just one point outside the play-off places despite a struggle for results.

An opening defeat by Edinburgh was followed by two thrilling draws against Glasgow and Munster, and then a loss to the Bulls in the first of a South African double-header.

There has been a constant theme throughout: Ulster have allowed the opposition to build an early – and often significant – lead.

On each occasion they have fought back, but have yet to seal a comeback with victory.

Murphy admits his side have been “digging a bit of a hole” in each of their four matches this season.

“Obviously, we’re not quite getting the results that we wanted, but we’re in every game,” said Murphy, whose side defeated Zebre in their Challenge Cup opener.

“We’re playing against top-class opposition and we’re fighting for everything we can get.”

“It’s really important that we don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. We will stick to our process and stick to what we believe in, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”