While Toone was absent, others have taken their opportunity in an England shirt.
Aston Villa midfielder Lucia Kendall impressed in England’s 1-0 victory over Spain, while Manchester City’s Laura Blindkilde Brown started against Iceland.
United team-mate Jess Park has also played in the number 10 position, while Chelsea’s Lauren James is an option if she is not used as a winger.
While Toone says she has enjoyed watching her team-mates thrive, she is eager to prove herself to manager Sarina Wiegman again this week.
“You are never guaranteed to be selected, no matter what your journey has been like in an England shirt,” said Toone.
“Every time the squad comes out, you’re still worried you might not make it. Missing the last few camps, I knew I had to make myself available for this selection.
“I came to the last camp to see Alessia [Russo] and the girls and I reminded Sarina that I’m a number 10 and I’ll be ready for the next camp.”
Despite her eagerness to impress Wiegman, Toone says she has to remember “not to put too much pressure” on herself and to enjoy her return to action.
“I do play my best football when there is no pressure. That is what I’ve tried to do. I know I’ve been out for a long time,” she added.
“I made sure I used the time wisely and I feel like I’m in a really good place.”
Arsenal striker Alessia Russo, Toone’s best friend, says it is nice to have her “comfort blanket” back in the England squad for this month’s matches.
“I obviously did miss her when she wasn’t here. Everyone kept asking me if I was OK. I was like: ‘I’m fine!’
“She’s worked so hard to get back. Injuries are rubbish but she’s really matured over the last year or two and within her body. I’m really happy to have her back.”
Berrettini’s only previous retirement from a Grand Slam match was at the 2023 US Open.
He also made an early exit from the 2021 ATP Tour Finals because of an abdominal injury, while last season he had to pull out midway through matches in Madrid and Rome in the run-up to the French Open.
But the former world number six, who had missed the previous four French Opens because of injury problems, is determined to take the positives from reaching a seventh Grand Slam quarter-final in his first outing at Roland Garros since 2021.
Now ranked 105th, he added: “I have to take the good stuff that I did in this tournament, because a few weeks ago or a few days ago, it would have been crazy to think about me in the quarter-finals, and so I’ll try to go back home with a smile on my face.
“It’s going to be tough but that’s how I like to approach these two weeks, and of course I’m disappointed, I’m sad, but I’m also proud of the way I fought through this tournament.”
Speaking on court after his win, Arnaldi said: “You never wish for someone to end the tournament like this.
“He did an amazing tournament. I am sorry for him and I hope he recovers because soon it is the grass and he is going to be very tough to play.”
Arnaldi, ranked 104th in the world, is the lowest-ranked male player to reach a French Open singles semi-final since Filip Dewulf did so in 1997 when ranked 122nd.
He will play another Italian, 10th seed Flavio Cobolli, on Friday for a place in Sunday’s final.
Swansea City midfielder Ethan Galbraith said his calf injury is “all good” after being included in Northern Ireland’s squad for friendlies with Guinea and France.
Galbraith had not played since the friendly draw with Wales at the end of March, which came after Northern Ireland’s World Cup play-off defeat by Italy.
In April, Swansea boss Victor Matos said he would prefer the 24-year-old was rested for June’s international window, but Galbraith said he had conversations with his club manager and the medical team.
Having missed the remainder of Swansea’s Championship campaign, Galbraith said he had been “ticked off” by the club’s medical team to link up with Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland face Guinea in Spain on Thursday before facing France in Les Bleus’ World Cup send-off in Lille on 8 June.
“I’m happy to able to come to camp”, Galbraith said.
“I spent six or seven weeks just with a physio, so that was quite long just training by myself but it is all good now.
“When you spend time off the pitch it’s obviously frustrating. So having these games is absolutely brilliant for everyone, but coming off the back of an injury, it’ll be good to get back out there.”
After an impressive first season at Swansea, where he has been deployed at right back as well as in midfield, Galbaith has been linked with a move to the Premier League, as well as Championship rivals Wrexham, but he says his focus is on his current club.
“It’s nice when you see people are saying that you are doing good things, but at the moment I’m a Swansea player and will just try and focus on Swansea.”
What’s 2,030-feet long-by-167-feet wide and blue all over? If you guessed the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, you’re right!
Bonus points for triggering someone in your immediate orbit, because ever since President Trump announced his intention to apply blue paint to the basin of architect Henry Bacon’s 1923 pool, the mere mention of the project can make certain people’s heads explode. To wit, a lawsuit filed this month in district court by the Cultural Landscape Foundation and a former Park Service landscape architect, Charles Birnbaum, claims Trump’s actions have caused Birnbaum to suffer “aesthetic injury.”
The phrase might sound humorous at first read, but anyone who cares about art, architecture and the experience of shared public space knows there’s nothing funny about it. We’ve all felt the empty sorrow of staring into the abyss of a boxy Walmart superstore, and experienced a deep malaise of the soul when driving past an endless crush of fast food chains on the outskirts of a major metropolitan area.
It’s doubtful this sadness is shared by Trump, for whom an “aesthetic injury” might best be represented by a McDonald’s without its golden arches. Plus, our president clearly thinks a great deal of good will come from painting the reflecting pool at the center of the National Mall American Flag Blue.
Only a few days ago Trump posted what I can only assume was an AI-generated image of the final product on Truth Social. The blue in question is shockingly bright — like the sky over the Aegean Sea at noon on a cloudless day. That kind of blue can be breathtakingly beautiful, but in this case it swallows up everything around it, including the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, which it was built to reflect.
The blue pool, in other words, is the main event — and that is not what was intended by its creators. Indeed, Birnbaum’s lawsuit notes the value of various design choices including, “the grey, achromatic basin of the Reflecting Pool as the source of the pool’s profound reflective depth.”
The lawsuit continues, “The ongoing resurfacing of the basin in vivid blue has materially degraded Mr. Birnbaum’s aesthetic experience. Mr. Birnbaum’s aesthetic enjoyment of the Reflecting Pool — as a historic designed landscape whose character he has documented, championed, and personally appreciated over many years — is being concretely harmed by Defendants’ ongoing alteration of its character defining features.”
Many other critics and vocal members of the public have claimed similar harm resulting from the numerous renovations Trump is making in the nation’s Capitol — mostly without court approval or congressional oversight — including his demolition of the White House’s East Wing, his construction of a massive ballroom to replace it, the building of a towering triumphal arch, and the creation of a Hero’s Garden in a public park space along the Potomac river.
Painting the Reflecting Pool American Flag Blue may not be the most intrusive of these impulsive, self-aggrandizing acts, but it was the pigment that broke the camel’s back.
I’m Arts editor Jessica Gelt, in blue. This is your arts and culture news for the week.
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The week ahead: A curated calendar
FRIDAY
Gustavo Dudamel conducting the 2025-26 season opener at Walt Disney Concert Hall on September 25.
(Timothy Norris/Los Angeles Philharmonic)
Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic The departing maestro and his colleagues are in the homestretch and it’s a busy one. This weekend, there are performances of world premieres of Roberto Sierra’s “Estudios Sinfónicos” (Friday and Sunday) and Angélica Negrón’s “Mundillo (Little World)” (Saturday, featuring YoYo Ma). Both new works are paired with Richard Strauss’ “Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40.” On Thursday, Dudamel celebrates the musicians of the L.A. Phil with an eclectic program including compositions by Rossini, Paganini, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky and Philip Glass, plus the world premieres of “Bravo Gustavo!” by John Williams and Gabriela Ortiz’s “Mujer Arena.” Strauss, 11 a.m. Friday; 2 p.m. Sunday; Yo-Yo Ma, 8 p.m. Saturday; Celebrating the Musicians of the L.A. Phil, 8 p.m. Thursday. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
Grangeville A 2025 drama by the bard of Idaho, Samuel D. Hunter, the play considers the complex relationship of two half-brothers connecting virtually to discuss the care of their ailing mother. Tim Cummings and Jeff LeBeau star. Directed by John Perrin Flynn. Through July 12. Ruskin Group Theatre, 2800 Airport Ave., Santa Monica. ruskingrouptheatre.com
How to Have Sex Again The Rebel & the Warrior, a new theater producing collective, present their first L.A. production, the world premiere of a romantic comedy by Louis Reyes McWilliams. 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Sunday ; 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 8 p.m. June 5; 3 and 8 p.m. June 6; and 7:30 p.m. June 7. June Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd. sanguinenyc.com
Jodie Landau The composer-performer presents the West Coast premiere of “Performance of Self,” combining memoir, concert, cabaret with original chamber rock compositions, backed by a six-piece ensemble. Directed by Diana Wyenn. Part of OperaFest LA. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown L.A. redcat.org
Let’s Get It On: The Wearable Art of Betye Saar The exhibition highlights the role of costume design in the artist’s life and work, including more than 200 objects, including photographs, drawings, garments, jewelry, artworks and historical materials from the 1950s-1970s. Opening reception, 5-7 p.m. Friday; exhibition continues through Aug. 22. Roberts Projects, 442 S. La Brea Ave. robertsprojectsla.com
Shelley Conducts America @ 250 Pacific Symphony concludes its season with incoming new music director Alexander Shelley conducting the premiere of Peter Boyer’s “American Mosaic,” with accompanying video imagery by award-winning photographer Joe Sohm. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. pacificsymphony.org
Leslie Uggams in 1972’s ‘Black Girl.’
(UCLA Film & Television Archive)
UCLA Festival of Preservation “Don’t miss your chance to see these rarely screened films on the big screen where they belong,” writes former Times movie critic Kenneth Turan in his preview of the event. The 22nd festival, which opens with Ossie Davis’ 1972 drama “Black Girl,” presents 11 feature films, four television programs and 30 short works, cartoons and newsreels, all newly preserved and restored by the UCLA Film & Television Archive and its partners and funders. Through Sunday. Billy Wilder Theater, UCLA Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood. cinema.ucla.edu
SATURDAY
Actor Alec Baldwin will narrate “Lincoln’s Portrait,” part of Pasadena Symphony’s America @ 250 concert.
(Pasadena Symphony)
America @ 250 The Pasadena Symphony’s season ending concert, celebrating the nation’s sesquicentennial, includes John Williams’ “Liberty Fanfare,” George Gershwin’s “Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra,” and Aaron Copland‘s “Appalachian Spring” Suite and “Lincoln Portrait,” the latter narrated by actor Alec Baldwin. 2 and 8 p.m. Ambassador Auditorium, 131 S. St. John Ave., Pasadena. pasadenasymphony-pops.org
Baroque in Bloom Soprano Amanda Forsythe joins the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra for arias from Handel’s “Giulio Cesare” and Bach’s “Wedding Cantata.” The program also includes LACO’s principal bassoon Andrew Brady performing “Vivaldi’s Concerto for Bassoon in A minor, RV 497,” Telemann’s “Don Quixote Suite” and Biber’s “Battalia.” 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Rothenberg Hall, the Huntington, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino; 4 p.m. Sunday. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. laco.org
From Hell to Hollywood: Films Music’s First Golden Age and the Émigré Community The Scott Dunn Orchestra performs the music of Arnold Schoenberg, Max Steiner, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Franz Waxman, Dimitri Tiomkin, Bronisław Kaper, Kurt Weill, Ernest Gold and Miklós Rózsa. 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. thewallis.org
Life, Liberty, and Los Angeles Through historical and contemporary objects, media, art and community collaborations, the exhibition brings together stories of diverse Angelenos and demonstrates the ways their hopes and dreams built the city while reflecting the values of a burgeoning nation. Opening May 30-Jan. 31. Autry Museum of the American West, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park. theautry.org
Sydney Mancasola as Pamina in LA Opera’s 2026 presentation of “The Magic Flute.”
(Cory Weaver)
The Magic Flute LA Opera music director James Conlon’s final production will be Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s fan favorite about a prince, a princess and an enchanted instrument. Starring Miles Mykkanen in his LA Opera debut as Prince Tamino, Sydney Mancasola as Princess Pamina, Kyle Miller as the sidekick Papageno, Aigul Khismatullina as Queen of the Night and Kwangchul Youn and Sarastro. Through June 21 Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laopera.org
The Satie Project The artists of Piano Spheres perform the complete four-hand works of French composer and pianist Erik Satie, plus seven newly-commissioned response pieces, alongside the experimental puppetry David Gordezky in what promises to be a truly zany show. 8 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Boston Court Pasadena. 70 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena. bostoncourtpasadena.org
SUNDAY
Bleak Week: The Cinema of Despair Isabelle Huppert, Ari Aster, Denis Villeneuve, Werner Herzog and many others are the scheduled guests for the fifth edition of the global festival. The L.A. festivities, featuring 48 films from 18 countries, start with Béla Tarr’s 1994 film “Sátántangó” (2 p.m. Sunday at the Aero). Through June 7. Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica; Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd.; Los Feliz Theatre, 1822 N Vermont Ave. americancinematheque.com
Exhibition photography for “Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon” at the the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.
(Emily Shur / Academy Museum Foundation)
Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon A reevaluation of the actor’s artistry and image-making, the exhibition presents hundreds of original objects, including posters, portraits, photographs, production documents, letters, and rarely seen personal materials. A companion screening series also kicks off this week. Times culture critic Mary McNamara attended the opening and wrote about the enduring mystery that still surrounds the life and legacy of the film star 100 years after her birth. “Gentleman Prefer Blondes,” 6:30 p.m. Sunday; “The Asphalt Jungle,” 7:30 p.m. Monday, with guests author and filmmaker Mark A. Fortin, actor Jack Huston, author, filmmaker and actor Joshua John Miller, and journalist Nancy Jo Sales; “Niagara,” 8 p.m. Wednesday; and “All About Eve,” 7:30 p.m. Thursday, with guest Vanity Fair contributing editor Lorraine Nicholson. Screening series runs through July 3; exhibition continues through Feb. 28. Academy Museum, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. academymuseum.org
Museums of the Arroyo Day The theme is “Life in the Past Lane” as five local institutions celebrate Arroyo Culture with a day of free admission. Noon-4 p.m. The Gamble House, 4 Westmoreland Place, Pasadena; Heritage Square, 3510 Pasadena Ave., L.A.; Los Angeles Police Museum, 6045 York Blvd., L.A.; Lummis Home, 200 E. Avenue 43, L.A.; Pasadena Museum of History, 470 W. Walnut St., Pasadena. museumsofthearroyo.com
Now Be Here’s first photograph in Los Angeles, 2016, Hauser & Wirth DTLA.
(Isabel Avila & Carrie Yury, courtesy of Kim Schoenstadt, Now Be Here)
Now Be Here: 2026 Los Angeles Anniversary A decade ago, the organization launched as a means to “give visibility to women and non-binary artists, bringing equity to the art world,” and was commemorated by the above group photo. To mark the moment, Now Be Here and OXY ARTS present a free day of events (including a new community photo) open to all on the Occidental College campus. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Occidental College, 1600 Campus Road. oxyarts.oxy.edu/events
Tierra Craft Contemporary’s 4th Clay Biennial focuses on the work of Latinx, Indigenous and Black artists, emphasizing their deep connections to the geographies that yield the materials they work with. Also opening this week is “Earthen Comforts: Airing Earth,” a courtyard installation led by architect Liz Gálvez, the latest partnership in the ongoing experimental architectural project curated by M&A (Materials & Applications). Sunday-Oct. 25. Craft Contemporary, 5814 Wilshire Blvd. craftcontemporary.org
TUESDAY
The Sun Rises in Harlem: Black Brilliance and the Harlem Renaissance The performing arts collaborative MUSE/IQUE, led by artistic and music director Rachael Worby, pays tribute to this transformative era in American arts featuring the music of jazz greats such as Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway and Bessie Smith. With Kecia Lewis, Sy Smith, Leo Manzari, DC6 Singers Collective and the MUSE/IQUE Orchestra. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday. The Huntington, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino; 3 and 7:30 p.m. June 7. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. muse-ique.com
WEDNESDAY
Colburn Celebrity Recital: Joshua Bell/Jeremy Denk Frequent collaborators, the acclaimed violinist and pianist perform works by Schubert, Grieg, Ives, Ysaÿe and Ravel in their first joint appearance at Disney Hall since 2010. 8 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
THURSDAY
Bodytraffic The contemporary dance troupe closes out a 20-year run with its final three hometown shows, including works by choreographers Fernando Magadan, Cayetano Soto, Joan Rodriguez, Richard Siegal and Trey McIntyre. 7:30 p.m. Thursday and June 4; 2 p.m. June 6; the Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. thewallis.org
Arturo Sandoval The legendary trumpeter and bandleader, a protégé of jazz great Dizzy Gillespie, performs an eight-show residency at the Blue Note. 7 and 9:30 p.m., Thursday-June 7. Blue Note LA, 6372 W. Sunset Blvd. bluenotejazz.com
Spectacular Balanchine! American Contemporary Ballet continues its deep dive into the master choreographer’s work with dances from “Who Cares?,” “Stars and Stripes,” “Western Symphony” and “Union Jack” to music by George Gershwin, John Philip Sousa and Hershey Kay. 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, through June 20. Bank of America Plaza, 333 S. Hope St., downtown L.A. acbdances.com
Arts anywhere
New and recent releases of arts-related media.
The book jacket for “Miles: The Autobiography.”
(Simon & Schuster)
Miles: The Autobiography May 26 would have been jazz legend Miles Davis’ 100th birthday and Simon & Schuster has released a centennial edition of his award-winning 1989 memoir, in which he reflects on his career, relationships and battles with racism and addiction. Also check out filmmaker Stanley Nelson’s 2020 documentary, “Miles Davis: The Birth of Cool,” featuring studio outtakes from Davis’ recording sessions, rare photos and interviews with Quincy Jones, Carlos Santana, Clive Davis, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, Davis’s family and other notables. Simon & Schuster: 448 pages, $23; “Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool,” streaming on PBS platform.
— Kevin Crust
Culture news and the SoCal scene
Daniel Harding, Los Angeles Philharmonic’s new music director, visited In-N-Out among other iconic L.A. locations upon his arrival Tuesday.
(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
The big news of the week was the long-awaited, much-speculated-upon announcement of who will become the next music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic when Gustavo Dudamel departs later this summer to take his new role at the New York Philharmonic. Surprise (or rather not too much of a surprise depending on who you are and how closely you were watching), the L.A. Phil’s 12th music director will be Daniel Harding, a 50-year-old, Oxford-born conductor and part-time Air France pilot who made his U.S. debut as a young prodigy conducting the L.A. Phil at the 1997 Ojai Festival, writes Times classical music critic Mark Swed.
Gustavo Dudamel, the current Los Angeles Philharmonic music director, left, hugs newly announced L.A. Phil music director Daniel Harding, right, at Dodger Stadium.
(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
The Times scored an exclusive ride-along with Harding the day after the L.A. Phil’s big announcement. His day included stops at In-N-Out Burger, the Beckmen YOLA Center and the Hollywood Bowl. The evening was spent at a Dodgers game with Dudamel where the two sported matching jerseys emblazoned with their names.
Artist Diana Thater’s new video projection at LACMA’s David Geffen Galleries will debut in the fall.
(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)
We also got a first look at a new video installation scheduled to light up the underside of LACMA’s new David Geffen Galleries where it forms a bridge over Wilshire Boulevard. Designed by artist Diana Thater, the installation was filmed in Claude Monet’s garden in Giverny, France, and will officially debut in the fall, after which it will run from dusk to dawn, 365 days per year.
Times contributor Jane Horowitz sat down with photographer Catherine Opie to chronicle a moment in time that finds Opie experiencing “one of the most visible stretches of her career, with work appearing simultaneously across Europe and Los Angeles. This includes a career-spanning survey at London’s National Portrait Gallery that will travel to Edinburgh’s Royal Scottish Academy, as well as exhibitions in Kassel, Germany, and Trondheim, Norway. Closer to home, a new exhibit, ‘Holding Blue,’ opens May 28 at Regen Projects.”
Alicia Keys’ musical “Hell’s Kitchen” staged its L.A. premiere at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre.
It is a bitterly disappointing way to exit the tournament for Sinner, whose favourite tag was enhanced further with defending champion and great rival Carlos Alcaraz missing with injury.
With 24-time Grand Slam-winner Novak Djokovic also nearing the end of his illustrious career, fitness was expected to be one of the biggest obstacles to Sinner’s bid for glory.
Paris has seen unseasonably hot weather, with temperatures topping 34C, and Sinner has struggled previously in extreme heat.
Sinner was also on a 30-match winning streak, having won five Masters 1000 titles in a row over the past three months on hard and clay courts.
He cramped badly in temperatures close to 40C at this year’s Australian Open, and admitted he “got lucky” when the heat rule was enforced in his third-round match against Eliot Spizzirri in Melbourne.
After opening his campaign against Clement Tabur in Tuesday’s cooler night session, Sinner was first on court against Cerundolo in a rare move by Roland Garros organisers.
The last time a men’s number one opened proceedings on Court Philippe Chatrier before the semi-final stage was 10 years ago, when Novak Djokovic beat Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals.
Although Sinner seemed to benefit initially from the early start, the physical issues that have hampered his display in previous matches in extreme heat resurfaced.
The Dodgers’ recent string of injuries continued Wednesday when left fielder Teoscar Hernández pulled up limping after trying to beat out a grounder to shortstop.
Once he was thrown out in the second inning of the Dodgers’ 4-1 win against the Rockies, Hernández took his time walking across the field back to the dugout.
The Dodgers announced that he sustained a left hamstring strain. Utility player Hyeseong Kim replaced Hernández in left field.
This series, as results went, was a success for the Dodgers. They swept the Rockies, outscoring Colorado 24-10 over the course of three games. But the injury losses dealt a blow.
Earlier this month, the Dodgers’ rotation bore the brunt of the injury bug. But recently, it has spread to the position players. Over the last week, three Dodgers position players have left games with injuries.
Last Friday in Milwaukee, third baseman Max Muncy was hit in the wrist by a pitch and sidelined for three games.
Utility player Kiké Hernández made his season debut Monday, after starting the season on the injured list while recovering from offseason surgery on his left elbow, and helped fill in for Muncy’s temporary absence. But Hernández logged just four at-bats before landing on the IL again, lifted from Tuesday’s game with a strained left oblique.
Even after tweaking his oblique in batting practice Monday, Kiké Hernández went four for four with two doubles and a home run as he played through the injury.
Teoscar Hernández’s hamstring strain came in the midst of a hot offensive stretch. Entering Wednesday, he had a 1.072 OPS in his last 13 games.
Manager Dave Roberts also pulled Shohei Ohtani from the Dodgers’ blowout win Tuesday, after he was hit on the right hand by a changeup. But that had more to do with the score, an opportunity to get Dalton Rushing more at-bats, and getting Ohtani ready for his start on the mound Wednesday.
For the second week in a row, Ohtani was in the batting order while also pitching. And for the second pitching start in a row, he gave himself run support with a leadoff home run.
This jumped off his bat at an exit velocity of 111.3 mph, according to Statcast, landing on the netting beyond the center field wall.
Shohei Ohtani runs the bases after leading off Wednesday’s game with a home run.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
His pitching performance was less straightforward. He held the Rockies hitless through six innings. But he still gave up a run, thanks to a total of five free passes (four walks and a hit batter).
Two of them set up the Rockies’ scoring opportunity. With runners on first and third in the fourth inning, the Rockies’ Willi Castro hit a grounder to the right side of the infield, pulling first baseman Freddie Freeman away from the base.
But second baseman Alex Freeeland, recalled Wednesday as the corresponding move as Kiké Hernández went on the IL, ranged to his left and dove to first base with the ball, beating Castro to the bag for the second out of the inning. Ohtani acknowledged Freeland with a point.
A run scored, but Freeland’s hustle set up Ohtani to get out of the inning without further damage.
The Dodgers held the Rockies hitless until the eighth inning, when Tyler Freeman hit a ground-ball single through the right side of the field off reliever Tanner Scott, in the midst of a scoreless inning.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers scored almost all their runs on homers, with Freddie Freeman and Andy Pages adding their own solo blasts after Ohtani, and Alex Call contributing an RBI single.
Mauricio Pochettino knows the joy of making a World Cup roster. But he also knows the misery of being left off one.
In the first case, you want to celebrate; in the second, you want to be left alone.
The U.S. coach said he kept both emotions in mind when informing players they had — or had not — made the roster for next month’s tournament, a roster that was formally announced Tuesday during a sun-splashed, made-for-TV rally in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge, about 13 miles from where July’s World Cup final will be played.
“The most important event is to be in any single roster,” said Pochettino, who made Argentina’s team for the 2002 World Cup after being passed over four years earlier.
So when Pochettino decided which 26 men would be on his team this summer, each of them got a WhatsApp message, followed by a video, sent out at 1 p.m. Eastern Time Friday. Defender Tim Ream said he received the message as he walked to his car after training with his club team in Charlotte, N.C.
“It made me stop in my tracks and immediately call my wife to let her know,” he said. “We both had been anxious and excited for the announcement.
“I’m not overly emotional, but it was definitely a relief and there was a little bit of bit of quivering, for sure, with my family when I found out.”
Christian Pulisic was alone in Milan, where he plays in Italy’s Serie A, when his phone lit up.
“I was just relaxing. Then I saw the message pop up and got excited,” he said.
The 29 players from the provisional roster who didn’t make the cut? They each got a simple email. And no explanation.
“I know it is so painful. It was so painful for me,” Pochettino said.
“When I didn’t make the roster, I didn’t want my coach to call me,” he added. “Because we care a lot, we don’t want to say nothing to confuse the player. A player who didn’t make the roster, they don’t want to hear me say, ‘Oh [too bad].’”
Christian Pulisic holds up his U.S. jersey during a rally Tuesday in New York.
(Adam Hunger / Getty Images)
Ream and Pulisic are two of 13 players who are returning to the World Cup after making the team in Qatar four years ago, part of a list that includes midfielders Tyler Adams, Gio Reyna and Weston McKennie and defenders Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson. They will be joined by defenders Miles Robinson and Chris Richards, both of who missed the last World Cup because of injury, and forward Ricardo Pepi, one of the final cuts in 2022.
Richards was chosen despite tearing two ligaments in his left ankle playing for Crystal Palace earlier this month. Pochettino had no new information on the injury Tuesday but said the final World Cup roster doesn’t need to be filed with FIFA until Sunday; after that, teams can replace players up to 24 hours before their opening match in the event of injury or illness.
Reyna’s inclusion was also a minor surprise since he has played just one full 90-minute game for club or country in the last four years. In the last World Cup in Qatar, he was nearly sent home for a perceived lack of effort in training after he learned he wouldn’t be a starter in the tournament.
But Pochettino said picking him was an easy decision.
“I really trust in him,” Pochettino said. “He’s a different player. A different talent. The roster needs to have a player like him.”
There were also notable omissions, among them midfielders Diego Luna and Tanner Tessmann. Luna, who plays in MLS for Real Salt Lake, has been a regular under Pochettino, playing in 17 of the U.S. team’s 18 games in 2025. But he missed time earlier this season with a knee injury and sat out of his club team’s last two games with a muscle problem
Tessmann had been called into six training camps under Pochettino and was seen as a potential starter for the U.S. before being shut down by his French club, Lyon, at the end of the season, leaving his fitness for the World Cup in question.
Pochettino declined to talk about either player — or anyone else left off the team.
“We are not going to talk about the players that are not on the roster,” he said. “That’s disrespectful to the players who are on the roster.”
Raising questions about who should have been included, the coach said, necessarily leads to questions about who should have been left off.
“That was my decision to pick that 26,” he said
Pochettino said he didn’t settle on a roster until the day before players got the WhatsApp videos — or the simple email.
“We wanted the right balance with the right players,” he said.
Among the first-time World Cup selections are midfielder Malik Tillman, the German-born brother of LAFC midfielder Timothy Tillman; Mexican-born attacker Alejandro Zendejas, who plays for Club América in the Liga MX; and Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, son of Gregg Berhalter, the U.S. coach in the last World Cup.
Berhalter said he was in Qatar four years ago, cheering on his dad’s team. This year, his dad will be cheering for him.
“If you believe in your dream and put in the work, you never know what might happen,” he said from the stage after being introduced to the crowd at Tuesday’s rally.
The team will open training camp in Atlanta on Wednesday ahead of friendlies with Senegal in Charlotte, N.C., on Sunday and against Germany on June 6 in Chicago. The team will then move to the Orange County Great Park in Irvine for final preparations for its World Cup opener against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on June 12.
ROSTER
Goalkeepers: Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Matt Freese (New York City), Matt Turner (New England Revolution)
Defenders: Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Sergiño Dest (PSV), Alex Freeman (Villarreal), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse) Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Auston Trusty (Celtic)
Midfielders: Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen)
Forwards: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United),Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco), Ricardo Pepi (PSV), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Tim Weah (Marseille), Haji Wright (Coventry City), Alejandro Zendejas (Club América)
As part of the audit, they are considering numerous factors to work out why it has become such a problem.
For example, Spurs are analysing the “bounce” on the club’s home pitch in comparison to that at rival grounds and their Enfield training centre.
At present, the club have found there is no major difference between the conditions of other pitches in comparison to their home ground, but testing is ongoing.
There is a view that certain knee injuries are unavoidable – Odobert for instance damaged his ACL following an awkward landing.
It is also understood Spurs are confident the on-field treatment of Simons’ injury did not result in additional damage to the Dutchman’s knee.
There has been criticism from supporters after footage showed medics allowing the attacker to put weight on his knee despite having suffered a serious injury.
One of the key improvements Lewindon has recommended is to make medical support more individually tailored – based on factors including strength, fatigue and robustness.
Medical staff will compile bespoke profiles for each player that will include personal insights as well as physical and psychological information to ensure they can deliver expert individual support to treat – but also prevent – injury.
There is also set to be greater leeway for injured players to conduct part of their rehabilitation away from the club’s training facility.
Players across the Premier League are increasingly relying on external medical practitioners to aid their fitness and recovery, while many overseas footballers even return to their homeland for treatment.
That dynamic often causes friction but moving forward Tottenham are open to letting players leave their direct care provided all parties involved agree to one shared recovery plan – though Spurs would ultimately take responsibility for any problems that arise during the process.
The medical team will work closely alongside head coach Roberto de Zerbi and his staff over the summer amid concerns changing managers three times in under 12 months has contributed to their injury problems.
Tottenham will look to introduce an integrated structure that will ensure De Zerbi, or a member of his staff, the medical department and the player are involved in deciding when a player can accelerate their rehabilitation plans.
Psychology is also a key component of the ongoing review with the club set to employ a full-time head of psychology to work with the players and staff.
Lionel Messi was substituted during Inter Miami’s latest Major League Soccer match because of “muscle fatigue” in his left hamstring, his club said on Monday.
There had been fears that the 2022 World Cup winner had suffered an injury during Inter Miami’s 6-4 win over Philadelphia Union.
However, the MLS club announced that medical tests showed that it was nothing more than “an overload associated with muscle fatigue”.
“The timeline for his return to physical activity will depend on his clinical and functional progress,” Inter Miami said.
Having set up two of Miami’s four first-half goals on Sunday, Messi clutched his leg in the 73rd minute after taking a free-kick and was immediately withdrawn in the team’s final game before the World Cup break.
The 38-year-old went straight down the tunnel but appeared to be walking normally.
“He really was fatigued,” Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos said after the game when asked about Messi’s condition. “He was tired; the pitch was heavy and when in doubt, the standard approach is always to ensure you don’t take any risks.”
Messi has not formally confirmed he plans to play for defending champions Argentina in the World Cup, which begins on 11 June.
However, he is widely expected to make a record-equalling sixth appearance at a World Cup, with the tournament being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Argentina’s squad is due to be named next week, with their opening game against Algeria on 16 June.
Since moving to Miami in 2023, the Barcelona legend and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has carefully managed his workload but has still spent spells out of action with hamstring issues.
He has 12 goals and eight assists in 14 MLS games this season, only one behind the leader in each category, having scored a league-leading 29 goals and assisted 19 times in 28 games during the 2025 regular season.
Millions of Brits head to Greece each year(Image: EdwardShtern via Getty Images)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) continues to caution travellers heading to Greece about the risk of “serious injury or death”.
The FCDO is tasked with issuing regular travel guidance for roughly 226 countries and territories worldwide. Updates from the FCDO cover information on safety and security, regional threats, health concerns, and more. The guidance highlights a popular holiday pursuit that has resulted in fatalities and severe injuries, with the Foreign Office warning: “Quad biking carries the risk of serious injury or death.
“You need specific travel insurance to cover quad biking, it is defined as an extreme sport and excluded on many policies. Always read the details of your insurance cover.”
Greece remains a favoured destination among British holidaymakers, with millions visiting annually. FCDO guidance adds: “Make sure you get full instructions and training before your activity.
“Insurance sold by the hire company usually only provides third-party insurance. It’s likely the company will charge you for any damage to the rental vehicle, and you may face arrest if you do not pay.”
Both drivers and passengers are required to wear helmets when using quad bikes and mopeds. Failure to comply could invalidate your insurance, and if police stop you, you risk being fined – with officers potentially confiscating your licence.
Earlier this week, a 42-year-old dad from the UK was killed while riding a quad bike in Greece. The man had been travelling with his 15-year-old son in Corfu when the vehicle veered off the road for reasons that remain unclear, according to local reports.
The collision reportedly occurred at around 2pm local time on Tuesday on the central rural road of Roda-Acharavi near Almyros. The teenager sustained serious injuries in the crash.
All-time record Brazil scorer Neymar misses Santos draw with San Lorenzo in the Copa Sudamericana due to calf injury.
Published On 21 May 202621 May 2026
Neymar has suffered a minor calf injury but is expected to recover in time to join Brazil’s camp next week, before the World Cup starting on June 11 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The 34-year-old, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer, was named in the squad on Monday, marking his return after a prolonged injury layoff that kept him out for much of the qualifying campaign, as Brazil chase a record-extending sixth title.
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Much of the build-up to the squad announcement centred on coach Carlo Ancelotti’s decision over whether to include Neymar.
The Italian, who took charge of Brazil last year, had not previously recalled the former Barcelona and Paris St Germain attacker, who now plays for Santos and is set to feature at his fourth World Cup in pursuit of his first world title.
“Neymar has a minor calf injury, an oedema,” Santos’ head of medical services Rodrigo Zogaib told Brazil’s ge.globo on Wednesday. “But, according to our planning, his progress will allow him to be fit next week when he will join up with the national team.”
Neymar, who has 79 goals in 128 internationals and has not featured for Brazil since 2023, continues to face scrutiny over his fitness and form.
His stint at Saudi club Al-Hilal was disrupted by injuries, and he returned to boyhood club Santos last year but has struggled to recapture his form.
Neymar missed Santos’s 2-2 home draw with San Lorenzo in the Copa Sudamericana on Wednesday.
Brazil open their World Cup campaign against Morocco on June 13 in New Jersey, before facing Haiti and Scotland in Group C.
They are scheduled to play warm-up matches against Panama on May 31 and Egypt in the lead-up to the tournament.
SAN DIEGO — Sitting in the Petco Park visiting dugout Monday afternoon, Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes would have preferred to be answering a different set of questions about the team’s rotation depth.
In spring training, it was all about how many difficult decisions the Dodgers had in front of them because of the quality depth they’d built. In the first couple months of the season, a spike of injuries had completely flipped the conversation.
“It’s the reason why you try to go in with as much depth as you can knowing that things can happen,” Gomes said. “You hope that they don’t pile up all at the same time, which has happened as of late. But we’ll keep navigating it. We’ll work through it like we have in the past.
“The biggest thing is we’ve got a big series these three games. Go out and play good baseball here and then keep balancing the short-term, long-term.”
Gomes provided updates on the Dodgers’ mounting pitching injuries, and how the team is combating the absences:
—The Dodgers expect left-hander Blake Snell will undergo the less invasive NanoNeedle scope procedure to remove loose bodies from his elbow Tuesday. The procedure could shorten Snell’s recovery time by a month, compared to a more traditional arthroscopic procedure.
—Right-hander Tyler Glasnow had another back flare-up. He’ll be shut down from throwing for a few days. “No concern long-term,” Gomes said. “But a little slower on the front end than we expected.”
—The Dodgers are leaning toward using Eric Lauer as a starter. They have not yet decided where to slot him in, but it probably won’t be this weekend in Milwaukee.
—Right-handed reliever Brusdar Graterol (right shoulder surgery recovery) sustained a back injury while on rehab assignment with triple-A Oklahoma City. The team is still working to determine next steps and has not ruled out surgery.
Angelina Anderson made one save for her second shutout and became the first goalkeeper to hold Portland scoreless this season as visiting Angel City played the Thorns to a 0-0 draw on Sunday.
Mackenzie Arnold made three saves for Portland (6-2-2) in her fourth shutout of the year. Angel City (3-4-1) snapped a four-game skid.
Late in second-half stoppage time, Thorns midfielder Jessie Fleming sent a shot off the post.
Portland had two players leave the game with injuries: Isabella Obaze in the 67th minute and M.A. Vignola in the 74th.
The leading scorers for each team missed the game: Portland’s Olivia Moultrie (calf) and Angel City’s Sveindis Jonsdottir (foot).
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.8m) of Leeds scored from the penalty spot in Gameweek 36 to record his 13th goal of the season, the fifth-most of any forward.
Anton Stach’s (£4.8m) 54 shots and 62 chances created are both among Leeds’ top two players this season.
Playing in a more advanced role, Brighton’s Jack Hinshelwood (£5.1m) has scored in three straight matches. In the last four Gameweeks, no midfielder has had as many big chances as his six.
CELEBRITY Juice star Leigh Francis has revealed a nasty face injury after an encounter with a fan during his DJ set in London.
The TV star, 53, was spinning tunes at Sound Bites festival in Syon Park when an overzealous fan left him with a gory wound.
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Celebrity Juice’s Leigh Francis has revealed a nasty face woundCredit: @leighfrancis / TikTokHe suffered it while DJing at a London festivalCredit: @leighfrancis / TikTok
Explaining on TikTok, Leigh said: “I went into the crowd and someone was overcome with joy, so that was a nice feeling, and she went ‘I love you’ and put her hands towards my face and her thumbnail, which was quite long, did that.”
He then showed a raw red scratch that ran across his temple and stopped very close to his eye.
Leigh added: “Could’ve been worse, could’ve gone in my eye but yeah bit of a naughty one that, innit?”
His followers were shocked by the scratch, with one writing: “Omg Leigh that’s awful.”
A third wrote: “Blimey! Close one, cool shirt! Heal fast mate.”
In a follow up video, Keith adopted his alter-ego Avid Merrion and said the injury made him look like a “sexy action hero” but warned people from getting too drunk.
The event, which celebrated all things music and food, featured other star DJs Sister Bliss, Denise Van Outen and Laura Whitmore.
Last autumn, Leigh told fans he didn’t know when he’d return to TV after Through The Keyhole and Celebrity Juice were put on ice.
“I haven’t pitched any ideas for TV shows in ages,” he said.
“If I do and someone likes it then I’ll be back but if I don’t, I won’t.”
He continued: “It’s gone mad, you can’t make anything without it upsetting people. If you think you’re gonna be offended you shouldn’t watch but I can’t be bothered to get into this deep conversation.”
One rebound got away. Another went to the Oklahoma City Thunder on a foul by Deandre Ayton. When a third opportunity glanced past Ayton’s nonchalantly extended arm, JJ Redick had seen enough.
The Lakers coach couldn’t even sub fast enough before Ayton’s two-handed frustration shove of Oklahoma City guard Ajay Mitchell put a disappointing punctuation mark on a disastrous 19-second stretch for the Lakers starting center.
Ayton, a key part of the Lakers’ first-round series win, has been largely absent in the Western Conference semifinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. With the Lakers behind 3-0 in the best-of-seven series after Saturday’s 131-108 loss at Crypto.com Arena, Ayton has averaged 7.7 points per game and 9.3 rebounds against the Thunder.
Desperate to avoid the dreaded 3-0 hole, Ayton was limited to 10 points and six rebounds and just one defensive board. He was held to one-of-seven shooting in Game 2 for just three points, although he had 22 rebounds over the first two games.
After an up-and-down regular season, it appeared that the former No. 1 overall pick was ready to live up to the hype. He was a quiet star in the Lakers’ first-round series win against the Houston Rockets, often guarding All-Star Alperen Sengun one-on-one and dominating the paint. He averaged 11 points and 10.8 rebounds against the Rockets.
Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault took note. He called Ayton a “priority” for the Thunder defense in this series. Redick said Ayton raises the Lakers’ ceiling more than any other player.
The Lakers tried to spark their X-factor in the third quarter. They built a two-point halftime lead off the stellar shot-making of Rui Hachimura (21 points) and Luke Kennard (18 points) but funneled the ball toward Ayton after the break.
Lakers center Deandre Ayton dunks against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals Saturday at Crypto.com Arena.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Hachimura, who made all four of his three-point attempts in the first half, had a chance at a three on the Lakers’ first possession but instead passed to Ayton, who was fouled on the floor. Marcus Smart tried a lob to Ayton, but the center couldn’t corral the pass. The Lakers went back to him on each of the next two offensive possessions and he scored on both.
He scored six of his 10 points during a three-and-a-half-minute stretch of the third quarter.
“DA is a hell of a player,” said Smart, one of Ayton’s closest teammates. “We all know it. We just want to get him the touches and get him the feel early, just to give them a different look. … All the guards are doing their thing. So we’re just trying to get the big fella involved.”
Ayton’s signature soft touch around the basket has suddenly escaped him. After shooting 60.4% from the field during the first round and a career-best 67.1% during the regular season, Ayton is shooting 39.3% (11 for 28) against the Thunder. He made just three of 11 shots in the restricted area during the first two games.
The Lakers needed Ayton to thrive during this series against the double-big lineup of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. Some of Ayton’s shooting struggles have depended on where the lanky 7-foot-1 Holmgren has been on the court, Redick said. The Lakers have tried to draw Holmgren out of the paint more to free up Ayton.
Holmgren has still been a force in this series with 21.3 points and 10 rebounds per game. Hartenstein has made 14 of 16 shots from the field in the three games.
Ayton’s backup Jaxson Hayes was also neutralized in Saturday’s blowout, not returning to the game after just eight minutes and 30 seconds of mostly ineffective play. When Redick had seen enough from Ayton in the fourth quarter after he gave up two offensive rebounds and fouled twice in 19 seconds, the coach opted for rookie Adou Thiero.
Thiero, a 22-year-old who tries to make up for his lack of experience with pure motor and athleticism, had a team-high eight rebounds with four points in 13 minutes and 12 seconds.
But the Lakers gave up an offensive rebound off a free throw immediately after Thiero replaced Ayton. Hayes, sitting at the end of the bench with his arms folded across his chest, stared blankly ahead and shook his head slowly.
No NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven playoff series. Ayton has been quiet in this series, but he doesn’t plan to be silenced much longer with the season on the line.
“We ain’t gonna give up,” Ayton said on his way out of the arena. “We will be back to fight on Monday.”
Staff writer Broderick Turner contributed to this report.
The Lakers are one playoff defeat from their season being over and from the conversation turning to LeBron James’ future.
They are in a hole no team has climbed out of in the history of the NBA, the Lakers’ 131-108 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 putting L.A. down 3-0 in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series.
James and his teammates gave a gallant effort Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena, but the defending champion proved to be more than the Lakers could handle.
James finished his night with 19 points on seven-for-19 shooting, eight assists and six rebounds. Rui Hachimura had 21 points and Austin Reaves finished with 17 points and nine assists.
Even so, the Lakers have now lost all three games by double digits.
And the Lakers are fully aware that no NBA team has successfully come back from a 3-0 deficit in the playoffs, with those teams holding a 161-0 record. Only four teams have forced a Game 7 after trailing 3-0, all of which ultimately lost the series, including the Boston Celtics in 2023.
Lakers forward LeBron James shows frustration as Thunder center Chet Holmgren slam dunks during Game 3 on Saturday night.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Game 4 is Monday night, when the Lakers will try to stave off elimination and a night that will determine how the conversations go with James if they lose.
James has been frequently asked this season about retirement, but he has not given any indication of what the future holds for him.
He’s 41 years old and playing in an NBA-record 23rd season.
James is in the final year of his contract that pays him $52 million, making him a free agent this offseason. He can retire, join another team or perhaps return to the Lakers next season.
That will be the conversation if the Lakers can’t win Game 4.
They will see the same Thunder team that had seven players score in double figures, led by Ajay Mitchell’s 24 points and 10 assists and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 23 points and nine assists.
The Lakers went down 13 in the third quarter and had to play catchup the rest of the way. They never did, going down by 112-94 with 6 minutes and 12 seconds left, forcing Lakers coach JJ Redick to call a timeout.
The deficit just kept growing, topping out at 27 points in the fourth.
They were outscored 33-20 in the third quarter. The Lakers didn’t take care of the basketball in the third, turning it over six times, and they didn’t play good defense, allowing the Thunder to shoot 59.1% from the field and 55.6 percent from three-point range,
The Lakers did not give an inch to the Thunder in the first half, even when they fell behind by 10 points.
They just kept grinding until they led 59-57 at halftime.
Hachimura had 16 points in the first half, continuing his hot three-point shooting by making all four of his threes. Luke Kennard came off the bench to give the Lakers 13 points, shooting five for six from the field and three for four from three-point range.
The Lakers kept the pressure defense on Gilgeous-Alexander. Though he had 14 points in the first half, he shot only four-for-14 from the field and one for five from three-point range.
The Lakers shot 55% from three-point range in the first half, which went a long way in helping them.
The Lakers lost the first two games by identical margins of 18 points and each loss was magnified because Gilgeous-Alexander was kept under wraps for the most part by L.A.’s defense.
When Gilgeous-Alexander picked up his fourth foul with 10:34 left in the third quarter of Game 2 and went to the bench, the Thunder turned a five-point lead into a 13-point advantage at the end of the quarter.
So, when he wasn’t on the court, the Lakers failed to take advantage.
“Well, you know, again, I’ll repeat what I said after the game: we’ve got to be better in the non-Shai minutes,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.
Role players like Mitchell and Jared McCain hurt the Lakers in the second game. Chet Holmgren also was hard to deal with.
“Mitchell and McCain have hurt us in those non-Shai minutes, and then Chet [Holmgren] has hurt us the whole game,” Redick said. “I think you’ve got to be willing to live with something. Shai playing one-on-one, thus far in the series, we haven’t been willing to live with, so you’re going to be in rotation. That can lead to smalls on bigs at the hole, and the offensive rebounding from Chet has really hurt us.”
OKLAHOMA CITY — Austin Reaves has officially entered the Lakers’ postseason chat. It might still be too little, too late.
The Lakers guard responded to his worst playoff performance with his best, recording a playoff career-high 31 points Thursday in the Lakers’ 125-107 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center.
But against the powerful Thunder, Reaves didn’t get a chance to punctuate his comeback night with any emphatic celebration. He instead ended the game in a heated conversation with officials, surrounded by almost all of his teammates as the Lakers felt they were battling the referees and the Thunder in equal measure.
Reaves’ game-high scoring effort wasn’t enough to fend off the relentless defending champions that had six players score in double figures, including three with 20 or more points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren each had 22 points for the Thunder, who take a 2-0 lead as the best-of-seven series turns to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Saturday.
With Luka Doncic sidelined because of a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out for three more weeks, the Lakers are still outmanned in the Western Conference semifinals despite Reaves’ recent return. He rushed back from a Grade 2 left oblique strain in time to play in the Lakers’ first-round series but has struggled to find his rhythm after a month-long absence.
He shot a dreadful three for 16 from the field in Game 1 against the Thunder, finished with only eight points and missed all five of his three-point shots. Including his two first-round games, Reaves had missed 14 consecutive three-pointers entering Game 2.
Criticism of Reaves dominated social media after Game 1. The 27-year-old guard is due for a new contract this summer that would solidify his status as one of the sport’s star players. A slow start to these playoffs and last year’s postseason struggles made Reaves an online punching bag for fan frustrations.
But the low-key Reaves is “one of the least chronically online NBA players there is,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said before the game. The extent of Reaves’ social media usage is his long-time friend Trent Swaim posting golfing videos on the duo’s “Hillbilly Bogey” accounts and Reaves asking his representatives to post sponsored content for his endorsement deals.
He doesn’t need to troll internet comments to fuel his game. Reaves can do that on his own.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves, center right, talks with referee John Goble, center left, after the team’s loss in Game 2 on Thursday night in Oklahoma City.
(Nate Billings / Associated Press)
“He’s got a great sense of self-accountability to where he’s his own worst critic,” Redick said before the game, “and he’s going to hold himself to a standard of how he wants to play.”
Reaves drove aggressively into the paint early Thursday, tying the score 16-16 in the first quarter on a three-point play after the Lakers erased an early seven-point deficit. He had 13 points in the first half as the Lakers took a one-point lead into the locker room. He scored or assisted on the Lakers’ first 11 points of the third quarter as the team built a five-point lead with 8:35 to go in the third.
“That’s what we need Austin to be,” guard Luke Kennard said. “Even though he missed some shots last game, he was aggressive and he just got back into it. … I know a lot of people can think it’s easy to just come back and play a basketball game but at this level, what he’s done last series and now, it’s impressive. We need him to continue to be aggressive. He’s such a good teammate, easy to play with. It’s good to see him have a really good game and, hopefully gives him confidence going into the next one.”
The Lakers need to play near-perfect basketball to have a chance to knock off the defending champions. The Thunder took a 2-0 series lead against the Lakers despite relatively quiet performances from Gilgeous-Alexander. The reigning most valuable player had 18 points in Game 1 and was limited to less than 28 minutes Thursday because of foul trouble.
When Gilgeous-Alexander picked up his fourth foul with 10:34 remaining in the third quarter Thursday, the Thunder trailed 66-61. They didn’t need their star to rip off a 27-19 run to finish the quarter and take a commanding 13-point lead into the fourth.
The Lakers had seven turnovers during the decisive stretch. Reaves had five of the Lakers’ 21 total giveaways and the miscues turned into 26 points for the Thunder, who led the league in points off turnovers during the regular season.
“It starts with the turnovers,” Reaves said. “I think you’re not going to be perfect; you’re going to have turnovers. Just trying to eliminate the live-ball turnovers where they get easy fast-break layups or threes or dunks.”
INVESTIGATORS think Towie star Jake Hall died from a horror chest injury caused by broken glass.
Jake, 35, suffered head wounds after allegedly turning aggressive and trying to harm himself during a party at the £200-a-night Majorcan villa he was renting.
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Jake Hall, 35, died in a Majorca villa after a chest injury caused by broken glassCredit: Shutterstock
Sources close to the investigation said the worst injury the reality star suffered was a chest wound from a shard of glass after smashing into a door.
The insider said: “The thorax injury was the one emergency responders at the scene felt was the most traumatic one and most likely to have been fatal.”
Jake’s autopsy is expected to take place today in the Majorcan capital Palma, but the results will not be publicly released.
But the Lakers are facing the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals and it is a chore that remains too heavy for Los Angeles.
Even with Reaves recovering to score 31 points on 10-for-16 shooting and handing out six assists and James collecting 23 points and six assists, the Lakers still lost Game 2 of the best-of-seven series, 125-107, Thursday night at Paycom Center.
The Lakers trail the series 2-0, with Game 3 back in Los Angeles at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday night.
The odds have now increased against the Lakers winning this series. In NBA history, only 34 teams have recovered from a 2-0 hole to win a best-of-seven series, while 431 teams have gone on to win the series.
The Lakers even did a very good job again on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, throwing double teams at him to hold the All-Star guard to 22 points.
Lakers forward LeBron James. left, tries to drive past Thunder guard Luguentz Dort during the first half of Game 2 on Tuesday night in Oklahoma City.
(Nate Billings / Associated Press)
Chet Holmgren had another strong game with 22 points, nine rebounds, four steals and two blocks and Ajay Mitchell had 20 points for the Thunder.
The Lakers, who had a one-point lead at halftime, went down 13 points at the end of the third quarter, but a James three-pointer pulled them to within 95-89, forcing the Thunder to call a timeout with 8:57 left.
The Lakers even got to within five points in the fourth quarter, but a 10-2 run by the Thunder put L.A. in a 13-point hole with 5:53 left, this time forcing Lakers coach JJ Redick to call a timeout so his players could collect themselves.
The Lakers could not.
A big play was when Reaves took a charge against Gilgeous-Alexander with 10:34 left in the third quarter, which was his fourth foul. Gilgeous-Alexander was called for a flagrant foul on the play and Alex Caruso was called for a technical foul.
Reaves shot three free throws, making them all for a 66-61 Lakers lead.
Gilgeous-Alexander then took a seat on the bench.
Yet the Lakers were unable to maintain their quality of play against a Thunder team that just kept charging ahead even with Gilgeous-Alexander on the bench.
The Thunder finished the third on an 18-8 run to open a 93-80 lead.
One of the many keys for the Lakers was getting a productive Reaves. It was just his fourth game back after being out a month because of a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, and it showed. Reaves missed 13 of his 16 shots in Game 1 and all five of his three-pointers, and scored just eight points.
Reaves didn’t make any excuses for his poor play.
“He’s got a great sense of self-accountability to where, you know, he’s his own worst critic and he’s going to hold himself to a standard of how he wants to play,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “Had a great conversation with him yesterday and today. He’ll be good to go.”
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, center, pulls up for a shot over Thunder center Chet Holmgren, left, during the first half of Game 2 on Thurday night.
(Nate Billings / Associated Press)
Reaves scored 13 points in the first half while distributing the ball.
He missed his first two shots, but finished the first half five-for-nine shooting.
Along with James scoring 10 points and handing out five assists, Rui Hachimura scoring 11 and Marcus Smart adding eight while doing his part to slow down Gilgeous-Alexander, the Lakers opened a 58-57 lead at the half.
The Lakers sent defenders at Gilgeous-Alexander often, double-teaming the league most valuable player and forcing the other Thunder players to shoot the basketball in the first half.
Gilgeous-Alexander only took nine shots in the first half and made four.
The Thunder shot just 25% from three-point range in the first 24 minutes.
Note: Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt was downgraded out for Game 2 because of a dislocated right pinky finger.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) could decide to alter the regulations around replacements after the first block of County Championship fixtures is concluded. Each team has two more games before the competition breaks for the T20 Blast.
During those two rounds of matches, match referees will speak to the directors of cricket at the 18 counties to gain feedback on the trial. The ECB wrote to counties this week to confirm they will be consulted.
The governing body has stressed that the new regulations are a trial, and it will learn each time the rules are applied. The protocols for selecting a replacement player are not new – substitutions for concussions and cases of Covid were in place before this season.
The International Cricket Council has permitted trials for injury replacements to take place in domestic cricket, with India and Australia implementing their own versions.
Though Anderson admits his team would have been left short of fit players against both Gloucestershire and Durham had replacements not been permitted, he said he was “leaning towards” scrapping injury replacements.
The 43-year-old is the most successful seam bowler in Test history, with 704 wickets.
Anderson suggested he would not ever be permitted to come into a game as an injury replacement, because he would always be more experienced than the player he would be replacing.
“It basically means I’ve got to play every game,” said Anderson.
“There’s no point me resting, because I can’t then come into a game – I can’t be a replacement, ever. If I get injured, I get injured. There’s more chance of me getting injured if I try to play every game.
“I can be replaced, because no one in our squad has the same experience, but I could never replace someone else.”
With the Lakers down 1-0 in the Western Conference semifinals, Luka Doncic has not yet ramped up to on-court contact drills while recovering from an injured left hamstring that had an inital eight-week timeline for his return.
Doncic, speaking to reporters for the first time since he hobbled off the court at Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center on April 2, said Wednesday he has improved enough to begin running but he has not progressed to on-court contact drills. After suffering a left hamstring injury earlier this season, Doncic said the latest Grade 2 strain to the same area is unlike any he’s experienced because of its severity.
But it has not stopped him from trying to come back as soon as possible.
“I’m just doing everything I can,” Doncic said. “Every day I’m doing stuff I’m supposed to do. Obviously recovery, now I’m working … just going day by day, and I feel better every day.”
Soon after his injury, Doncic went to Spain and received platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections with hopes to help his recovery. He stayed for roughly two weeks because he needed to wait four days between each injection. He received four in total.
Without their leading scorer, the Lakers fought through a six-game, first-round series against the Houston Rockets, playing four of those games without Austin Reaves, who was also injured in the same game as Doncic. The fourth-seeded Lakers lost 108-90 to the defending champion Thunder in Game 1 of the conference semifinals on Tuesday.
Doncic had dutifully cheered from the bench during the playoff games, offering as much advice to his teammates as he can.
“It’s very frustrating,” Doncic said of the injury. “I don’t think people understand how frustrating it is. All I want to do is play basketball, especially at this time. It’s the best time to play basketball. It’s very frustrating seeing what my team is doing, I’m very proud of them. It’s been very tough just to see and watch them play.”
