James Trafford: Had little to do until Quansah’s error led to Oyarzabal’s successful penalty but made crucial saves in closing stages to see England home. 8
Ben White: That is one way to silence the boo-boys! Marked his first international start since March 2022 with a brilliant all-round display and the eventual winner. 8
Ezri Konsa: Returned to the side after missing Croatia game through injury and proved just how important he has become. Colossal. 8
Jarell Quansah: Was having a good night until making the mistake that led to Spain’s opener from the spot and Anderson’s red card. 5
Lewis Hall: Growing in stature at international level. Excelled in the attacking third and battled well against Yamal. 8
Elliot Anderson: Utterly brilliant until being shown a red card in trying to clear up Quansah’s mess. Desperately unlucky. 8
Declan Rice: Organised and drove the team forward – all while on an early yellow card. Delivered the corner for England’s second. 8
Jude Bellingham: In his adopted city, the Real Madrid midfielder swaggered around like he owned the place. Oozed quality. 9
Morgan Rogers: A disciplined display from the Chelsea forward and still created Spain problems in forward areas. 8
Anthony Gordon: A nuisance for Spain in every area of the field but dalliance in possession led to host’s second to set up anxious finish. 6
Harry Kane: Won and dispatched England’s penalty and Spain could not live with his intelligence at times. Sacrificed following Anderson’s red card. 7
Substitutes:
Myles Lewis-Skelly (on 78, Kane). 6
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (on 84, Gordon)
Djed Spence (on 84, Bellingham)
Dan Burn (on 90, White)
Subs not used: Pickford, Steele, Hill, Alexander-Arnold, Gibbs-White, Jobe Bellingham, Eze, Ngumoha.
While rocketing toward the top of the league, the Lakers have been far from perfect. That’s good news to them.
“A big thing that we talk with our players about a lot is being able to learn and get better and try to correct things even when you are winning,” coach JJ Redick said.
The Lakers (11-2) have won seven consecutive games entering Sunday’s 1 p.m. PST matinee against the Suns (5-6) in Phoenix.
Using a rare multiple-day break between games to audit their performances, coaches and analytics staffers showed slide presentations to players about both offensive and defensive flaws this week. The lectures left the team with one of the best records in the league feeling as if it was one of the worst, forward Ziaire Williams joked.
Already the top-ranked offense in the league, the Lakers should strive to match that by becoming a top-10 defense, Redick implored his team. Williams is not stopping there.
“Top 10 should be at least like our standard, if not better,” the forward said. “Our half-court defense has been great. Obviously, rebounding has been one of the biggest things for us, cleaning up transition as well. But the potential’s there. We have the size, the length, the athleticism. It’s just about going out there and executing.”
The Lakers, ranked 18th in defensive efficiency, thrive on forcing turnovers and protecting the rim. Their 18.5 turnovers forced per game rank third in the league, and they average an NBA-best 11 steals per game. Center Walker Kessler’s 2.2 blocks per game rank third.
But they can’t finish the strong half-court possessions. The Lakers are ranked 28th in defensive rebounding and 25th in second-chance points given up.
The Lakers staff rewatched every offensive rebound given up this season. Lack of boxing out was the biggest fault. Then there were instances when players stood and watched.
“If I stand and watch and try and outjump someone else, I’m probably not going to get the rebound,” said forward Jake LaRavia, who has been an offensive rebounding revelation since entering the starting lineup, averaging 2.8 offensive rebounds in the last nine games. “So you have to go and be physical and hit bodies, and then just be able to dive on loose balls, finish possessions, it’s really just who’s going to work harder.”
Kessler is averaging 8.1 defensive rebounds during the Lakers’ seven-game winning streak — which is the second-longest in Redick’s coaching tenure — compared to 6.3 during the first six games.
Forward Jarred Vanderbilt, who did not play in the first four games, has made the most of his limited minutes off the bench, grabbing 7.9 defensive rebounds per 36 minutes, the second-best rate on the team among players who have played more than three minutes. Vanderbilt, averaging 3.8 rebounds per game in 11.9 minutes, had 10 rebounds in less than 14 minutes against the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 8.
Transition defense also is sinking the Lakers’ defensive efforts. Opponents are scoring 20.2 points off turnovers per game, which put the Lakers 24th out of 30 teams. Redick blames some of that on the Lakers’ offensive flaws. Although they are the league’s most efficient offense, the Lakers turn the ball over 16.9 times per game, the fifth-most in the NBA.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic shoots over two Bucks during a win Wednesday in Milwaukee.
(Aaron Gash / Associated Press)
Luka Doncic, the league’s leading scorer at 38.6 points per game, also averages an NBA-worst five turnovers. Austin Reaves, who is day-to-day because of a left heel bruise suffered Wednesday against Milwaukee, averages 24.7 points and 3.4 turnovers.
Doncic is expected to play Sunday despite tweaking his right ankle late in Wednesday’s win. Reaves didn’t participate in practice Saturday but Collin Sexton was a full participant. The guard wore a thick Band-Aid over his right eyebrow and had bruising around his right eye after bumping heads with Milwaukee’s Ryan Rollins but said he doesn’t expect to wear a mask. He needs only to keep the cut covered to ensure it doesn’t open up again. The rugged guard is familiar with the protocols; Sexton said this was the 11th time in his career that he’s received stitches in his face.
The short break offered an important opportunity for players to rest after a grueling three-game Eastern Conference trip. They now enter a softer stretch in the schedule. After Sunday’s game in Phoenix, the Lakers play their next four at home against three teams — Charlotte, Sacramento and Utah, twice — that have a combined six wins.
Their next game against a team with a winning record isn’t until Nov. 27 at San Antonio. The 11-2 Spurs, who have won 11 consecutive games, are the only team with an active winning streak longer than the Lakers’.
Two days before playing his former team for the first time since being traded this summer, Philadelphia 76ers star Jaylen Brown told reporters he had “nothing to talk about” with ex-teammate Jayson Tatum.
Apparently he meant it — and it might have had something to do with lamb chops. Figuratively speaking.
Before Tuesday’s game at Philadelphia’s Xfinity Mobile Arena, Tatum approached Brown and gave him a tap on the arm and a few on the chest. Brown wouldn’t even look in the direction of the player with whom he won an NBA championship, made two NBA Finals appearances and played in five Eastern Conference championship series during nine seasons as Celtics teammates.
After the game, a 123-101 Celtics win, Brown implied to reporters that he didn’t notice Tatum’s attempt to interact with him.
“I’m just focused on coming out and doing what’s best for my team,” Brown said when asked about the apparent snub. “Everything else was just — to be honest, I wasn’t paying attention. But credit to Jayson, he played well tonight. Credit to the Celtics, they executed, they shot the hell out of the ball, and they were the better team tonight.”
Tatum also dismissed the pregame non-encounter as no big deal.
“No headlines about anything like that,” Tatum told reporters. “I was just getting ready for the game, ready for jump ball, go out there and compete, have some fun and try to get a win.”
Still, things have been a bit frosty between the two players in the aftermath of a July 6 trade that sent Brown to Philadelphia — after spending his first 10 NBA seasons in Boston — in exchange for Paul George, two first-round draft picks and two second-round picks.
Celtics teammates Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown share a laugh during a 2025 game against the New York Knicks in Boston.
(Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)
In October, Bleacher Report posted a clip on Instagram of Tatum saying he was “caught off guard” by the trade. Brown responded in the comment section of that post with a blue hat emoji, which is often used to represent the word “cap” when being used as slang for “lie.”
Asked about the situation during an Oct. 23 news conference, Tatum insisted “there’s no beef” between the two players.
A day later, Brown agreed — kind of.
“I think he’s right. There’s no beef,” Brown told reporters. “Jason comes from a wonderful family. We’ve accomplished some great things. He’s a hell of a basketball player. He’s got a great PR team. There’s no beef but, you know, it might be a little lamb chops and some gravy, you know what I mean? He should stay ready at all times.”
Asked why he would say that, Brown responded: “Just, you know, that’s what it is. No beef. It should never ever be that. It’s just basketball. We’re both blessed, but it might be a little lamb chop. We’ll be all right.”
Brown was then asked if he had been suggesting that Tatum was being untruthful about the trade situation.
“Hey, look, like I said, it’s no beef,” Brown said. “The PR and all that type stuff is it is what it is, but I think we’re just both focused on what’s in front of us.”
George was the leading scorer in Tuesday’s game, with 36 points, while Tatum added 21 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots. Brown netted 13 points, his lowest output in 11 games with the 76ers.
“I was looking forward to this,” Brown said after the game. “I was looking forward to playing well, but you know, s— happens. You just get ready for the next one, I guess.”
In the hours before Game 1 of the World Series, as the Violent Femmes played “Kiss Off” before their hometown fans in Milwaukee, Bruce Meyer talked about getting blown off by baseball’s owners.
He didn’t put it quite that way. But Meyer, the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Assn., expressed his frustration that months of collective bargaining over dozens of issues has boiled down to what he sees as one gigantic, inflexible roadblock: “They’ve made clear they’re not willing to talk about anything outside of their cap system.”
The league and its owners are willing to talk about key issues for the union: higher minimum salaries, fewer years to free agency, an end to the qualifying offers that can dampen the market for free agents. But the price would be a salary cap.
The players have made clear they’re not willing to consider the salary cap that owners insist would underpin everything else in what would be a radical new economic system. That could backfire: a wonky provision in labor law could give the owners the option to adopt a salary cap no matter what the players want.
With three weeks left before the current collective bargaining agreement expires — and with the owners planning to lock out players immediately thereafter — player representative and former Philadelphia Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs called the negotiations “a complete waste of time” and “a charade.” He told the Philadelphia Inquirer the owners continue to present proposals “with the salary cap attached to every single proposal.”
So why wouldn’t the union just walk away from the bargaining table and tell the owners to call when they get serious?
Under labor law, parties in collective bargaining must negotiate in good faith. If the union refuses to discuss a salary cap, the owners could at some point declare an impasse. That would mean the owners would end the lockout by imposing their last offer as a new labor agreement — including a salary cap — and claiming the players would not negotiate in good faith.
That would not be a risk-free strategy. The players could ask the National Labor Relations Board to intervene, arguing they had offered solutions to the owners’ economic concerns — expanded revenue sharing, for instance — that the owners would not consider.
In the 1994-95 strike, the last time the league sought a salary cap, the owners played the impasse card. However, the NLRB found that the owners were the party that had failed to negotiate in good faith. United States District Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor agreed — you know her as a Supreme Court justice now — and ordered the old collective bargaining agreement reinstated.
In this moment, with the NLRB generally considered more business-friendly under President Trump, the union might not find the board as receptive to its positions as it did then.
“I could certainly imagine a scenario where the owners get into his ear how it’s going to destroy baseball and America and everything else, and he puts his thumb on the scale or otherwise reaches out to the decision makers at the NLRB and says, ‘You’re not finding a violation here,’” Jennifer Abruzzo, the NLRB general counsel during the Biden administration, told The Times.
Ivan Smith, a partner in labor and employment law at Seyfarth Shaw and leader of the firm’s sports and entertainment division, said the short-term gain of declaring an impasse might not be worth the potential long-term pain for the owners.
“Ultimately, they want to be able to put enough pressure on the players to get them to give them (the cap) for their business,” Smith said. “But, if you impose, you’re now giving players more tools to fight you. Why go through that?”
Jennifer Abruzzo, the National Labor Relations Board general counsel during the Biden administration, said it’s entirely possible that the NLRB under President Trump might not be as receptive to the positions of the players’ union.
(Amanda Andrade-Rhoades / Associated Press)
One powerful tool, according to Abruzzo and Smith: If the owners go the impasse route — hey, we’re putting in a new labor contract and we’re ending the lockout! — the players could simply respond by going on strike.
The players would have another card to play too, separate from the impasse question. They could vote to decertify their union, which would be something of a chaos option: Hello, owners, who ya gonna negotiate with now?
Under a collective bargaining agreement, the league and the union negotiate various restrictions on negotiation by individual players — draft pick signings, international player signings, minimum salaries, arbitration, free agency, and more.
“If there is no union in place, then they’re not represented by anybody,” Abruzzo said. “So there would be a free-for-all. You would have independent employment agreements with every player.”
On the one hand, that could flood the market with players forced to take whatever salary an owner offered. On the other hand — and this likely would be the objective of decertification — individual players could sue for antitrust violations and the triple damages that can accompany them, pursue a judge’s order to end the lockout, and/or leverage those options toward a new collective bargaining agreement. (And, if the union quickly reassembles, the owners could then argue in court the decertification was a sham.)
Trump is the wild card in all of this. In the 1994-95 strike, President Clinton appointed a federal mediator, although the mediator was unsuccessful in leading the two sides to an agreement.
After Americans largely rebuked his leadership by thumping Republicans in last week’s midterm elections, Trump might well savor an opportunity to get involved and portray himself as the guy who saved baseball.
“He might say, ‘Hey, let me focus on anything else,’” Smith said.
In September, Trump said he would welcome a chance to bring labor peace to baseball.
What do the league and the union have to say about all this? Both sides declined comment for this column.
But baseball runs on deadlines, and the one for missing games next season is about four months away. The options for impasse, decertification and presidential involvement all could require longer than that to resolve.
That means the quickest route to resolution could be Plan A: Actual bargaining, with give and take.
“I’m not prepared to write the process off as ending in a really ugly labor battle,” Manfred said at the World Series. “I believe in the process of collective bargaining. I believe, if people approach the table not with preconceived notions about what has to happen and commit to the process, that we can make an agreement without having a disruption.”
The Lakers could have had plenty of excuses for a bad performance Monday. They were without Reaves and Quentin Grimes. They were groggy after flying in from Detroit that morning. Instead of falling back on those reasons to lose, they discovered ways to win, uncovering new layers to a team still in its early stages.
“Every game is going to present different challenges, and that’s why every game you learn something new,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “And you hopefully grow from whatever you learn. That’s the beauty of this. And after 82 games, hopefully you’re a pretty darn good team.”
But only 12 games in, what kind of team are the Lakers?
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Dozen-game progress check
On offense, the Lakers are who we thought they were. They’re as efficient as expected for a team that got its wish-list center to pair with Doncic and Reaves. They’re first in NBA offensive rating (121.5), points per game (121.9) and field-goal percentage (50.5).
The defense is also as most expected. That is, it’s the team’s weak spot. The Lakers entered Monday 21st in defensive rating. The only other team with a winning record outside of the top 13 was Denver (5-4).
“I think we can be way better than 21st,” Doncic said. “I think we have the potential for that.”
Doncic said the Lakers, who inched up to 19th in defensive rating (113.9) after Monday, relax after building big leads, allowing opponents to claw back. They survived comeback attempts from Detroit and Atlanta, but Stephen Curry and the Warriors burned them.
The Lakers’ biggest defensive flaw is rebounding. Despite making a massive sign-and-trade to add center Walker Kessler, the Lakers are 29th in the NBA in rebounding (40.3 per game). Giving up 13.5 offensive rebounds a game, the Lakers allow 18.2 second-chance points a game, the third-worst in the league.
Redick said before the Lakers played the Clippers on Oct. 28 that the team needed Kessler to pick up his rebounding rate, especially defensively. The 7-foot-2 center has responded with six double-doubles in the last seven games.
“A lot of it is about timing, a lot of it is about hitting the guy first, not getting pushed under the rim,” Kessler said of finding his rebounding rhythm. “And I got to do a better job of those balls that I get my hands on, securing the ball.”
Walker Kessler, here tangling with Portland’s Donovan Clingan, has been a standout on defense for the Lakers.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Kessler, who still wears a wrap on his left pinky after missing part of the preseason with a jammed finger, had four turnovers against the Pistons. Even when he got both hands on the ball, it would get stripped.
The Lakers try to mask the rebounding woes by forcing turnovers. They’re second with 18.6 turnovers forced per game and third in steals with 10.8 per game. Matisse Thybulle leads the team with 2.1 steals per game. Doncic cares more about people knowing he’s averaging two steals per game than the fact he was the first player since Wilt Chamberlain to average more than 40 points per game through nine games.
Kessler’s rim presence has allowed the Lakers to dial up their defensive pressure.
“Sometimes he may not block them, but just the shots that he alters allows us to get out and run and get stops,” guard Collin Sexton said. “He’s a big part of our defense and he’s the anchor on the back line. You go down there, you got to deal with Walk.”
Kessler has won many of those battles. Entering Monday, opponents were shooting 45.1% within six feet of the rim against Kessler, the lowest mark in the NBA among players defending at least 50 attempts from that distance, according to the Lakers.
The fourth starter
Ziaire Williams reacts after sinking a three-pointer against Portland last month.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The starting power forward spot was one of the biggest question marks heading into the season. The Lakers have found two strong solutions.
Lineups with Doncic, Reaves, Kessler, Thybulle and Ziaire Williams have a 132.5 offensive rating, the best in the league for any five-man group that’s played more than 50 minutes. The second-best offensive group is the starting lineup with Jake LaRavia in Williams’ place.
But adding LaRavia into the starting group has profound defensive impact: Doncic, Reaves, Kessler, Thybulle and LaRavia have a defensive rating of 93.6 points allowed per 100 possessions, the third-best five-man lineup that has played more than 50 minutes. As a result, the LaRavia group has the best net rating in the league (30.9 compared to 16.8 with Williams).
“He’s a winning player,” Redick said of LaRavia’s sometimes unnoticed contributions. “I mean, it’s simple as that. Puts the team first always, whether he’s starting, coming off the bench — 12 minutes, 20 minutes — you know you’re going to get A-plus effort. Now, having been with us for two years, you know he’s at the point where you’re typically going to get A-plus execution of our schemes and our communication and our rules.”
For a weak rebounding team, LaRavia adds a much-needed jolt on the boards. Averaging 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 offensive boards per game, the Lakers have a 53.2% rebounding rate when he’s with Doncic, Reaves, Kessler and Thybulle compared to 42.1% when Williams is in the group.
Williams, who missed three games with a foot injury and hasn’t returned to the starting lineup since, is trusted to guard on the ball and gives the second unit a scoring punch with his hot-shooting start. The Lancaster native is shooting 45.2% from three while taking the fourth-most three-point attempts on the team.
He was four for eight from three-point range Sunday, but frustrated Pistons fans swore he didn’t miss a shot. He knocked down two early threes to contribute to the Lakers’ 26-point lead in the second quarter then staved off the comeback with another clutch three-pointer after the Pistons cut the lead to one during the fourth quarter. He added an emphatic exclamation mark with a cutting dunk off a Kessler assist with 93 seconds left.
Williams just knows how to pick his spots.
On tap
Wednesday at Bucks (1-9), 5 p.m. PST
Former Miami Heat mainstays Tyler Herro (22.3 points per game) and Jaime Jaquez Jr. (16.4) lead the rebuilding Bucks after the Giannis Antetokounmpo era. While a mismatch on paper, this could still be a difficult game at the end of a tiring three-games-in-four-days trip.
Sunday at Suns (3-6), 1 p.m. PST
The Lakers will enter the game on multiple days of rest for the first time since their season opener. They played their first three weeks without a two-day break. The Suns are without center Mark Williams (shoulder), which could open the floodgates for a big game from Kessler.
Favorite thing I ate this week
The pink room pizza from Unc’s in Detroit.
(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)
In the great pizza debate of thick or thin crust, I go Detroit almost every time. The airy, chewy crust is like biting into a pizza pillow. Since last year’s trip to Detroit, a new pizza place opened downtown, so there was some great pizza right around the corner. Unc’s Pink Room pizza has pepperoni, whipped ricotta, hot honey and banana peppers. Returning readers know I love a sweet and spicy pizza combo.
Asking for a friend: Do you eat Detroit pizza with a fork and knife or with your hands? The gooey cheese pulls create kind of a mess with your hands, but cutting with a fork and knife feels too formal for pizza. (OK, the friend is me.)
The Argentinian scored 26 goals in regular season, topping the charts and leading Inter Miami to the MLS Cup playoffs.
Published On 8 Nov 20268 Nov 2026
Lionel Messi has become the first player to win back-to-back Golden Boot awards in Major League Soccer after leading his club Inter Miami to a second-place finish in the Eastern Conference.
MLS defending champions Miami earned a wasteful 3-3 draw against Charlotte on the final day of the regular season on Saturday.
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The Argentinian superstar did not score but set up the first two goals at Miami’s Nu Stadium, both from corners, to help secure home advantage for his club in the first two playoff rounds.
Ian Fray, Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul racked up three first-half strikes for Inter Miami before Liel Abada’s brace soon after the break led to a comeback sealed by Rodolfo Aloko’s late strike.
Runaway overall leaders Nashville broke the all-time MLS points record for a season with a whopping 77 after beating Cincinnati 2-0. At 23-3 with eight draws, Nashville won the East and broke the mark of 74 points set by Miami in 2024.
Miami finished second in the East on 60 points as third-place New England failed to take advantage of Inter’s draw with a surprise 1-0 loss at Orlando to end on 58.
At Miami, Messi’s 14th-minute corner fell unexpectedly to Charlotte’s Luca de la Torre, who spooned it up for Fray to open the scoring.
Another Messi corner in the 33rd minute found Suarez wide open at the near post. The Uruguayan glanced in his header for 2-0.
De Paul made it three before half-time, but Abada pulled back a goal for the visitors early and bagged a second in the 55th minute.
In the 90th minute, Aloko bagged the equaliser, reacting first to the ball as Smalls’s shot ricocheted off the post.
A visibly frustrated Messi hit the post in stoppage time before Aloko came inches from bagging an unlikely winner with a thunderous shot into the outside netting.
Messi’s 26 goals this season were enough to make him the first to successfully defend the top goal-scoring honour. Petar Musa of Dallas was second with 22 goals but did not score in his club’s 3-1 home victory over Colorado.
The 39-year-old finished with 29 goals the previous season, becoming the second player in league history to score at least 25 times in back-to-back years.
Messi recently retired from international football after an illustrious 21-year career with the 2022 world champions, but recently signed a contract extension with the MLS club through 2028.
Inter Miami are the holders of the MLS Cup, which they won in Messi’s second season with the club in 2025.
Playoffs for this season’s MLS Cup begin on November 19.
Messi’s men will face Columbus to begin the MLS playoffs. Other East matchups send New England against Philadelphia, Charlotte against Chicago and top seed Nashville against the wild-card winner, Orlando or Cincinnati.
Columbus took advantage of the Cincinnati loss with a 4-3 victory at Chicago to finish seventh and avoid the wild-card round.
It began as something merely conceptual, a tantalizing possibility.
Last June, immediately after the Rams traded for star edge rusher Myles Garrett, the NFL grapevine began buzzing:
Would Aaron Donald, a three-time NFL defensive player of the year, consider coming out of retirement to play with Garrett, a two-time winner of the award?
After a summer of rampant speculation, Donald signed on to join what was already regarded as a Super Bowl-favorite team.
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Gary Klein breaks down what to watch for Sunday when the Rams face the Washington Commanders.
But Donald’s ramp-up to achieve football shape precluded him from playing in the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. And Garrett underwent knee surgery after that loss, so the two stars were unable to play together for seven games.
On Sunday, it will finally happen.
Barring an unexpected setback, Garrett and Donald will line up together for the first time when the Rams play the Washington Commanders at Northwest Field in Landover, Md.
Two players accustomed to being double- or triple-teamed — two players with a combined 236½ sacks — are eager for opportunities.
“The offenses are really going to have to pick their poison,” said Garrett, who amassed an NFL season-record 23 sacks last season. “‘Who’s going to be freed-up this play?’
“I think either of us are pretty good at winning one-on-ones, so we’ll have some fun.”
Said Donald, one of the most dominant interior linemen in NFL history: “It’s always good when you’ve got all the pieces to the puzzles out there.”
The Rams (4-4) aim to build on their modest two-game winning streak and get over .500 for the first time this season.
Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald tackles New York Giants running back Najee Harris for a loss during a Rams win on Sept. 21 at SoFi Stadium.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
But Garrett’s return should energize a team that still intends to play in Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium.
The Rams have only 12 sacks, which is tied for 26th among 32 teams. Edge rusher Byron Young has a team-best 4½ sacks. Donald is still looking for his first.
The attention the Commanders and future opponents must pay to Garrett and Donald will open play-making opportunities for others, Young said.
“I always call it art,” he said of Garrett’s and Donald’s ability to excel despite double teams. “Because it’s not easy when you’ve got four hands on you 90% of the time. And they still make it work.
“So it’s going to be fun. I can’t wait.”
Defensive lineman Braden Fiske said players are acclimating to Garrett’s skill set and play style.
“I’m sure there will be some kinks to work out early on, but it’s still pretty early in the season,” Fiske said. “He’s been playing for 10 years, so it shouldn’t be too hard to catch his stride.
“But he looks damn good out there.”
Rams left tackle Alaric Jackson played against Garrett in 2023, when the Rams defeated the Cleveland Browns at SoFi Stadium. The 6-foot-4, 272-pound Garrett’s size, speed and burst at the snap is “amazing,” Jackson said.
“He’s like a running back with skill but like a D-lineman with his power,” Jackson said. “He’s good at change of direction — like on a dime…
“He’s kind of like a do-everything kind of guy who’s seen everything as far as looks.”
Coach Sean McVay wants Garrett to “play within himself” Sunday.
“He doesn’t have to do anything other than be Myles and play one-eleventh of what the rest were asking to do for the defense,” McVay said.
Garrett said he won’t fight the excitement, the joy and all the emotions of finally getting to play again.
“You don’t try to push them back,” he said. “You open yourself to them. You accept it.
“After acknowledging it, you go out there and do what you’ve always done.”
El Cerrito High School in the Bay Area has canceled the remainder of its football season following a month-long police investigation into allegations of hazing and sexual assault involving at least 22 athletes over the last three seasons.
The probe stems from “a mandated reporter” on Oct. 2 telling police that members of the football team were engaging in bullying and hazing, the El Cerrito Police Department said in a statement. A mandated reporter in California is someone who has responsibility for children through their employment or volunteer status and is legally required to report suspected child abuse.
The alleged victims were other members of the football team. Detectives interviewed them along with school staff and witnesses. The West Contra Costa Unified School District, in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, said the alleged incidents were said to have occurred between September 2024 and October 2026.
The police said they are investigating allegations of battery, sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, dissuading a victim, conspiracy and stalking.
Detectives have obtained video evidence that corroborated the allegations, although police officials said they would not release details because of “the sensitive nature of an ongoing investigation that involves juvenile victims, witnesses and suspects.”
El Cerrito head coach Tim Johnson was placed on leave, and the team’s regular-season finale Friday against El Sobrante De Anza High was canceled. El Cerrito has a 6-3 record but will not participate in the upcoming playoffs to defend their title won last year.
The school district said it is conducting its own investigation under Title IX.
“No child should ever experience what our students have described,” District Supt. Cheryl Cotton said. “While we have worked to focus on accountability for the actions of individual players up until this point, new information has led to new decisions.
“We must now make the very tough call to immediately suspend the El Cerrito High football program in order to prevent any further harm and restore a safe learning environment for our students.”
Cotton said the district is “providing resources for all impacted and involved students” through classroom instruction on anti-hazing and bystander education.
The El Cerrito football program is two years removed from a controversy that allegedly coincided with the beginning of the hazing. Six games were forfeited by the Gauchos in 2024 and their coach at the time, Jacob Rincon, was suspended for breaking rules prohibiting undue influence and athletically motivated transfers. Several players were deemed ineligible, and the program was placed on probation for two years.
Some parents and advocates of the program were outraged by the school’s action, calling on Rincon to be reinstated and then-principal Malcolm Norrington to be fired. More than 100 students engaged in a walkout, waving homemade posters and chanting “Free Coach Jake,” and “No More Norrington,” according to digital news site Richmond Confidential.
Parents gathered more than 2,000 signatures in a petition to fire Norrington, who left the district in 2025. Rincon was dismissed and replaced last season by Johnson, who led the team to a 13-2 record and the school’s first State Division 4-A championship.
According to the police, however, the hazing and sexual assaults continued in 2025 and into 2026.
Similar allegations have marred prominent high school football programs in Southern California in recent years.
A lawsuit in 2024 details a sexual assault against a sophomore football player at Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita that triggered a police investigation and left the boy with post-traumatic stress disorder, severe depression and anxiety. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department investigated after the boy went to a hospital emergency room and alleged he had been sexually assaulted.
Santa Margarita principal Cheri Wood admitted in emails obtained by the Orange County Register that “at least 8” other players were allegedly assaulted by their teammates in a similar manner. The lawsuit was dismissed after a confidential out-of-court settlement was reached. The coach at the time was replaced by former NFL quarterback Carson Palmer, and Santa Margarita won a state title in 2025 and currently sits atop The Times’ high school football rankings.
A Rancho Cucamonga Los Osos High football player placed in a chokehold and whipped with a belt by two older players in a locker room in 2023 was initially described by Chaffey Joint Union High School District officials as “horseplay.” However, a video of the victim begging and screaming was circulated widely online and the district reversed its position, reclassified the event as prohibited hazing and issued undisclosed student disciplinary measures.
A 2021 lawsuit shined a light on players at Santa Ana Mater Dei High — one of the most celebrated football programs in the nation — being severely beaten by other players in a brutal hazing ritual called “bodies.” The family of a victim who suffered a traumatic brain injury and a broken nose filed a lawsuit against Mater Dei and the Diocese of Orange, alleging the Mater Dei administration covered up the incident.
“You drop your kids off at school and give them a kiss goodbye … and you feel like you’re putting them somewhere they can be safe,” the victim’s mother told The Times. “I felt like Mater Dei had the highest protection, I felt my kid would be safe there. Then for them to turn a blind eye and be so unsupervised. … It’s like, you failed my child.”
Three days after being carted off the field with a neck injury, Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell provided a health update.
It was good news.
“I’m incredibly encouraged by the progress I’ve made in such a short period of time,” Campbell said in a statement released Wednesday by the Lions. “I have full movement in my lower body, and I’m continuing to make progress with movement in my upper body. I know there’s still work ahead, but I remain very optimistic. I’m taking things one day at a time, staying positive, and focusing on getting better.”
STATEMENT FROM JACK CAMPBELL
My family and I want to sincerely thank everyone for the overwhelming amount of love, prayers, and support we’ve received over the past few days. It means more to us than words can express.
I’m incredibly encouraged by the progress I’ve made in such…
Speaking to reporters in a previously scheduled news conference, Lions coach Dan Campbell remarked on the injured player’s statement.
“Especially being able to hear it from him, that means a lot,” the coach said. “That’s powerful in itself, more than hearing it from me or anybody else. Those are his and his family’s words, so that’s powerful. And I know that always helps, to know that he’s improving, because at this point that’s all you’re looking for is just to know that he is improving.”
Jack Campbell was lying face down and motionless on the field after tackling Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson early in the fourth quarter of Detroit’s 19-15 victory Sunday at Ford Field. Medical staff tended to the 2025 Pro Bowl selection for almost 10 minutes, then strapped him to a backboard and carted him off the field. Campbell was breathing and alert when he was taken to the hospital.
“I especially want to thank the athletic trainers and medical personnel who responded and cared for me on the field,” Campbell said. “I know those were difficult moments, and I’m incredibly grateful for the professionalism, compassion, and care you showed me. The way you handled everything and looked after me when I needed it most is something I’ll never forget. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
“I also can’t say enough about the incredible care I’ve received from the medical team at Henry Ford Hospital and the Detroit Lions medical staff. They’ve been amazing to me and my family throughout this process, and I’m truly grateful for everything they’ve done.”
The fourth-year player also expressed his appreciation for the support he has received from the Lions organization and the fans.
“My faith in God has never been stronger. I know He has a plan for me, and I trust in that plan,” Campbell said. “I know there may be challenges ahead, but with my faith, my family, and so many people in my corner, I know we’ll get through this.”
A year ago, during the Southern Section football playoffs, Trent Mosley became so exceptional that Santa Margarita High ran the table and looked unbeatable by season‘s end en route to winning Southern Section and state championships.
Which player is capable of pulling a Trent Mosley to be a difference-maker during the postseason of 2026?
The candidates:
Palos Verdes High standout Jalen Flowers, a receiver and defensive back, celebrates after making a play during a game earlier this season.
(Nick Koza)
Jalen Flowers, Palos Verdes. He has become so fast, strong and instinctive that at any moment he can make a big play at receiver, returning a kickoff or punt or making a play on defense at safety. Any opponent in the Southern Section Division 2 playoffs cannot let him have the ball in the open field or it’s a touchdown. He’s as close to a Mosley-like player as there is this season.
Chris Fields III, Carson. No team’s fortunes are more tied to a single player than Carson’s. Yes, the offensive line has to block, the receivers have to get open and the defense has to stop the run, but the Colts’ ambitious focus on winning City Section and state titles depends on Fields, a senior quarterback who can beat teams with his arm and legs.
As the playoffs begin in high school football, this is really the first time in years that there’s no certain No. 1 quarterback in the Southland based on performance and team achievement. Past ones have been Luke Fahey, Bryce Young, Brady Smigiel, Elijah Brown. Let’s see who…
Jaxsen Stokes, Sierra Canyon. There’s always been a Trinity League roadblock to prevent the Trailblazers from reaching the championship game of the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs. Stokes, a running back, is the player who must be protected at all costs. His rushing skills open the passing game. Combined with a great defense, he’ll need to deliver for the Trailblazers to finally break through the Trinity gauntlet.
Jaden Walk-Green of Corona Centennial outduels Kayden Dixon-Wyatt of Mater Dei last season for interception.
(Craig Weston)
Jaden Walk-Green, Corona Centennial. Absent for much of the season while recovering from offseason knee surgery, Walk-Green has returned to bring back all the little things he does well — tackle, intercept passes, kick field goals, catch passes, kick PATs, return kickoffs and punts. Take him for granted at your own peril during the Division 1 playoffs.
Koa Malau’ulu, St. John Bosco. The junior quarterback is facing lots of pressure to avoid interceptions and lead his team to the Division 1 championship. He’s been a starter for three seasons. He’s in the same position that former quarterback DJ Uiagalelei was in trying to deliver a big-time win. Uiagalelei rallied the Braves from 34 points down in his senior year to beat Mater Dei in the final.
Caden Jones, Crean Lutheran. The senior quarterback has the ability to run or pass, making him one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the Southland. It will be his judgment that can carry his team far in Division 2.
Michael Farinas, Chaparral. Maybe he’s underestimated because he’s a 5-foot-9 receiver, but Farinas is a big play waiting to happen. On a team that is suddenly healthy, Farinas has five touchdowns rushing, nine touchdowns receiving and one touchdown on a kickoff.
Huntington Beach’s Dylin Bruce (2) uses his speed to be a big-play weapon.
(Jeremy Westerbeck)
Dylin Bruce, Huntington Beach. Speed matters in playoff games, and Bruce has it, with the ability to turn short gains into touchdowns. He has six touchdowns receiving, two touchdowns on interceptions, two on punt returns and one on kickoff return. In other words, he’s like Flowers for unbeaten Huntington Beach.
Star Thomas III, Orange. With more than 3,600 yards passing for 38 touchdowns and almost 500 yards rushing for eight touchdowns, the junior quarterback had the best regular season of any quarterback in the Southland. If he keeps it going in the playoffs for 10-0 Orange, they’ll build a statue for him. He faces a tough opener at No. 1-seeded Chaparral in the Division 2 playoffs.
Lucas Rhoa, Orange Lutheran. During games, it’s tough to notice the impact a single offensive lineman can have, so take a moment to watch Rhoa. He simply pushes people around, and with Rhoa’s ability to lead the way, the Lancers stunned top-seeded St. John Bosco last season in the Division 1 playoffs and must not be overlooked even though there are injuries at the quarterback position.
Garfield running back Ceasar Reyes set a school record with 420 yards rushing and four touchdowns in win over South Gate
(Nick Koza)
Ceasar Reyes, Garfield. Given class relief by being put in City Section Division 1, Garfield intends to hop on Reyes’ back and see how far he takes them. He has rushed for close to 2,500 yards and 39 touchdowns while being rested at times to save him for the playoffs. He loves ice baths to recover from bumps and bruises after hard-fought games, so get ready for lots of ice to keep him going.
Gatsbee Gumban, Nogales. Averaging 10 yards per carry with nearly 2,000 yards rushing and 22 touchdowns, the senior running back should be the player to watch in the Southern Section Division 10 playoffs for the 10-0 Nobles.
Brothers Trent and Grant Mosley last season for Santa Margarita.
(Craig Weston)
Grant Mosley, Santa Margarita. Yes, there’s another Mosley at Santa Margarita. This junior receiver didn’t play until the Eagles’ fifth game because of an injury, but all signs point to him back in football shape and doing things only players with a Mosley gene can do.
Elija Harmon, Inglewood. At 6-3 and nearly 300 pounds, the senior defensive lineman teams up with 6-3, 287-pound Myels Smith to form an unbreakable brick wall on defense, which makes for a huge first-round Division 2 opener between Inglewood and unbeaten Huntington Beach with standout quarterback Brady Edmunds.
Welcome back to The Times’ Lakers newsletter, where, no, we did not get a Luka Doncic bobblehead.
Fans and even some Lakers players walked away with the coveted statuettes after the Lakers’ win over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday. Sandro Mamukelashvili said he would display his in his office next to bobbleheads of former teammates Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobli.
With Doncic eavesdropping on his postgame interview Sunday, Jarred Vanderbilt said he didn’t need a bobblehead.
“I don’t want to see no more Luka,” Vanderbilt said minutes after Doncic walked out of the locker room.
If the beginning of the season is any indication, we’ll all be seeing more Luka.
All things Lakers, all the time.
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Luka’s scoring magic
When half-court isn’t hard enough, Luka Doncic goes for the full-court heave. When a traditional three-pointer is a bore, he’ll try a one-handed, underhand three instead. Doncic keeps pushing the ball higher and higher on trick shots that are approaching the rafters before they ultimately drop softly through the net. And with Doncic, they almost always do.
“He’s done it so many times now,” Lakers forward Matisse Thybulle said of Doncic’s array of trick shots, “that [you] just kind of chalk it up to that’s just Luka.”
Doncic is not only just up to his old scoring tricks, he’s made them even better. After leading the league in scoring last year, Doncic is averaging 38.3 points per game through the first two weeks. And that’s despite what he deemed a “terrible” start while he was still trying to find his offensive rhythm.
“We live on a spaceship and we’re going at the speed of light at all times when he’s on the court,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said Sunday after Doncic scored 45 points with six assists in a “supernova” performance that still felt “normal” enough to get overshadowed by his 15 defensive rebounds and five steals.
In his last five games, Doncic is averaging 43.4 points and 8.6 assists on 53.2% shooting from the field and 44.7% from three. His five consecutive games with 35 or more points matches the longest such streak for a Lakers player since Kobe Bryant averaged 53.6 points across a five-game heater in March 2007.
The Lakers (6-2) celebrated the Slovenian superstar’s scoring prowess Sunday with a bobblehead giveaway. The miniature statue showed Doncic shooting a one-legged fadeaway jumper, one of his classic shots.
Doncic’s jump shot has become his calling card while turning into one of the league’s most dangerous scorers. Beginning in the 2023-24 season when Doncic won his first scoring title, at least 35.3% of his field-goal attempts each year have been from three. He never attempted more than 33.2% of his shots from beyond the arc during an NBA season prior to that year. The uptick in attempts has closed the gap between how many points he’s scoring from two compared to points off three-pointers, and this season, the hot-shooting Doncic is scoring more on threes than twos. Through his first six games, Doncic scored 66 points on twos and 105 on threes. His 5.8 made threes and 13.5 three-point attempts per game both lead the league. In the small sample size, he’s shooting a career-best 43.2% from three.
(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)
For those who have known Doncic through different phases of his career, watching this dominant scorer emerge feels like watching a Pokémon evolve.
“He just polished a lot of his offensive weapons, let’s say,” Doncic’s longtime Spanish agent Quique Villalobos said. “If you ask me what is different from Luka in Europe than Luka in the NBA, Luka in the NBA is scoring much more.”
The 18-year-old Doncic won EuroLeague MVP averaging 16 points, 4.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds. Even considering that EuroLeague games are 40 minutes compared to the NBA’s 48, Doncic’s 22.2 points per 36 minutes during his final EuroLeague season is still less than his NBA rookie rate of 23.7 points per 36 minutes.
Different rules also help NBA players stuff box scores. The NBA court is bigger (94 feet by 50 feet compared to 91.86 feet by 49.21 feet in Europe) allowing more space to move. Doncic knows he can take advantage of the NBA’s defensive three-seconds violation by timing his attacks when the center leaves the paint. Doncic’s pacing remains one of his sharpest scoring weapons.
“I would say his patience,” Lakers guard Collin Sexton said of what makes Doncic such a prolific scorer. “And really not be able to be sped up at times. When you’re not able to be sped up, you’re able to control the game at your speed and do what you want to, no matter what the defense is doing.”
Doncic moves at a slow pace, but is creating loud moments. He is becoming ubiquitous around Crypto.com Arena. The full-page ad he bought in The Times for the season opener was blown up to more than six feet tall and displayed on the concourse at a recent game. Lakers girls wore his No. 77 jersey during a performance on his bobblehead night. And the sight of him hitting a contested step-back jumper will live in the nightmares of defenders all season.
New rules are a flop
As gracefully as a 40-year-old can manage, Al Horford attempted to spin across the lane. The Golden State Warriors’ center stepped on Vanderbilt’s foot and the Lakers’ forward fell backward. Vanderbilt looked at referees in disbelief when he was called for a flop.
The NBA’s new flopping emphasis has been a headache for players and coaches as they struggle to understand how referees will interpret the rules. While offensive players are often chastised for flopping in an attempt to get free throws, every clip in the NBA’s four-minute video about flopping focused on defensive players. During the video shown to players and coaches, the NBA’s head of referee development and training Monty McCutchen emphasizes moments where the defenders’ reactions are “theatrical and excessive” and are “in a manner inconsistent with the contact.”
When asked about the new emphasis from referees, Redick echoed sentiments shared by Minnesota coach Chris Finch last week, saying the NBA’s focus on defensive flopping doesn’t align with what the goal should be.
“We all recognized the fans want the offensive players to stop flopping, and all of our flopping fouls have been defensive,” Redick told reporters in San Francisco. “The reality for the officials [is] each crew is so different and what they interpret is so different.”
Flopping is one of the NBA’s four points of emphasis this season. It may conflict with another area of focus, which involves cracking down on offensive players forcefully using their off-arm to create separation. Offensive players get a win with the emphasis on defensive flopping while the defense is supposed to get the advantage if referees are legislating off-arm push-offs out of the game.
The two sides are then left asking for different things on the same play such as the Warriors’ Brandin Podziemski pleading for the foul while Austin Reaves motioned for a flop with his arms extended and palms up after the two collided on an in-bounds play last Friday.
Neither player got what they asked for.
On tap
Wednesday at Kings (1-6), 7 p.m. PST
The Kings finally won a game, taking down Dallas for their first win of the year Monday. Rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr. isn’t shy in his first NBA games: he is second in the NBA in field goal attempts per game with 23.6. He is averaging 26.1 points per game.
Friday vs. Trail Blazers (5-1), 7 p.m. PST
The Lakers lost to the Trail Blazers last week but Portland is already a different team. Ja Morant will be out for at least most of November after he suffered a grade 2 hamstring injury on Oct. 29. The dynamic guard will be out for four to six weeks.
Sunday at Pistons (6-1), 3 p.m. PST
The Pistons have impressive early season wins over Boston and Philadelphia despite an injury to center Jalen Duren. The center who was at the center of an offseason contract feud was sidelined for at least two weeks with a hamstring injury, the team announced Oct. 25.
Monday at Atlanta (4-4), 4 p.m. PST
Forward Jalen Johnson is backing up his first career All-Star selection and a third-team All-NBA honor by leading the Hawks with 18.1 points, nine rebounds and 7.9 assists this season.
Favorite thing I ate this week
Lime and cilantro marinated bean salad.
(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)
I somehow got into the bean evangelist corner of the internet and now I’m a believer. I’ve been on the fibermaxxing routine with meal-prepped bean salads, including this cilantro lime find from Pinterest. The dressing is sweet, savory (from a tablespoon of miso paste), tangy and herby and it all came together in 20 minutes. It would have been even faster if I didn’t accidentally spill an entire bowl of marinated red onions on the floor during assembly.
Angel City and “Ted Lasso” both came to life in the summer of 2020 when the rest of the world was preoccupied with something far more serious, the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Angel City, meanwhile, would play its first NWSL game two years later, by which time “Lasso” and Jason Sudeikis, the title character of the Apple TV series about a fictional Premier League team and its manager, had already won multiple Emmys.
Hollywood is a small town, so it wasn’t long before Sudeikis reached out to Kara Nortman, a venture capitalist who co-founded Angel City in 2020, and asked to talk about women’s soccer.
Angel City co-founders Natalie Portman, left, Kara Nortman and Julie Uhrman speak during the team’s equity summit in Australia during the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
(Hanna Lassen / Getty Images)
“And I was like, ‘You had me at hello,’” Nortman said.
What was supposed to be an hour-long phone call turned into four-hour meeting in person, Nortman said.
“The most fun conversation I’ve had in a long time,” she remembered last month. “It really started as a shared passion and interest in women’s sports and building communities and new leadership models and all the things that ‘Ted Lasso’ is about that are far beyond football.”
What the conversation led to was the foundation for the just-completed fourth season of “Ted Lasso,” which focused on the unique challenges faced by women’s soccer teams and players — challenges Nortman knows only too well as the co-owner of a team. That’s why she was credited as a consultant on the series.
And the collaboration comes at a time when the soccer team and the soccer TV series are both at the top of their game, with “Lasso” drawing record audience numbers this summer and Angel City advancing to this weekend’s NWSL playoff quarterfinals after the most successful season in its history.
“They could have continued writing about the men’s team,” Nortman said. “They chose to write about women’s football.
“I’m super proud that we were part of what helped them really understand how to write a beautiful script that was really representative of a lot of challenges we went through.”
The challenges go beyond just salaries, media attention and funding to things as serious as child care and the rash of ACL injuries in the women’s game and as frustrating as hand-me-down uniforms and locker rooms. In “Ted Lasso,” the women’s team Sudeikis coaches — a man coaching women? That topic is addressed, too — uses a dressing room abandoned by a men’s team, one with urinals but without enough working showers.
Angel City captain Sarah Gorden dribbles the ball in front of Boston Legacy’s Sarah Schupansky at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday.
(Katelyn Mulcahy / Getty Images)
One player nearly misses a game because she can’t find a babysitter, something that really happened to Angel City captain Sarah Gorden. Another player is recognized by a fan while working for a food-delivery company to supplement her tiny soccer salary, something that really happened to English star Lucy Bronze in her early playing days.
For many viewers, the “Ted Lasso” plot lines were their introduction to those real-life issues.
“The vibe of authenticity,” Nortman calls it.
“They got right the ACLs, they got right the locker-room dynamic, they got right the training facility,” she said. “I think they got all those things right.”
Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt, the creative geniuses behind “Ted Lasso,” declined to be interviewed for this story, as did everyone involved with the series. But Sudeikis has long denied the show is about soccer.
“This show is as much about soccer as ‘Rocky’ is about boxing,” said Sudeikis, who described the eponymous title character as a cross between John Wooden and Mister Rogers.
Actors Jason Sudeikis, center, and Tanya Reynolds, right, lead a professional women’s soccer team through authentic challenges during the fourth season of “Ted Lasso.”
(Colin Hutton / Apple TV)
But the series has always had soccer in it. So it was natural that Sudeikis and Hunt, who both have long supported women’s sports, would turn their massive spotlight on women’s soccer and bring attention to the glaring inequalities that had slowed the development of the game.
And Nortman wasn’t the only one from NWSL to join that cause. The “Lasso” season opener, shot largely in Kansas City, Mo., was a paean to that city’s women’s soccer team, the Current, and its stadium, where the team has sold out every game over the last three seasons and is unbeaten in its last 32 matches there. (Angel City opens the playoffs in Kansas City on Saturday.)
The synergy helped both sides, with “Lasso” shattering viewership records, trailing only Amazon Prime Video’s “Reacher” as the most-streamed series overall in September, while NWSL’s viewership numbers through the first half of the season jumped 61% on ABC and ESPN. The average season attendance of 11,032 was the second-highest in history.
“Once we knew that Jason and the cast were going to feature a season about women’s soccer and start that season at one of our stadiums with one of our teams, the authenticity with that just lent itself to doing an integration,” said Jennifer Levine, the league’s vice president for public relations and communications.
Kansas City Current fans cheer during the team’s first match at CPKC Stadium in 2024. It is the first stadium built solely for a pro women’s soccer team and was featured in the latest season of “Ted Lasso.”
(Jamie Squire / Getty Images)
“There was a lot of crossover between what they were doing and what we’re doing. So it kind of created a perfect storm for us. Being a part of the cultural conversation as part of ‘Ted Lasso’ will only add to the excitement around the NWSL.”
But will it solve the problems and level the inequities that continue to plague women’s soccer?
“I like to hope it helps,” Levine said. “They have been honest. … I think the writing team and the cast did an incredible job portraying what it’s like to be a women’s footballer.
“Everything that we’re doing at the league with investing in infrastructure and building more purpose-built stadiums and building training facilities, it’s all to improve the experience that viewers are seeing in ‘Ted Lasso.’”
Or as Sudeikis’ character once put it, “doing the right thing is never the wrong thing.”
⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week’s episode of the “Corner of the Galaxy” podcast.
The symphony orchestra takes its name from the Greek symphonía, meaning sounding in agreement, and orkhēstra which implies a public stage for dance or, in ancient Rome, where senators and other big shots sat. Democracy comes from dēmokratia, rule by the people. Even though the modern orchestra originated three centuries ago as a plaything of princes, there has always been an implicit connection — and tension — between orchestras and democracy.
Despite the orchestra never having been a financially sustainable model, dependent on some form of patronage, the symphony orchestra was embroiled in political activism by the early 19th century. Beethoven brazenly yanked the dedication to Napoleon from his “Eroica” Symphony when the “hero” proclaimed himself emperor in 1804, a betrayal of the democratic ideals of the French Revolution.
More than two centuries later, the orchestra continues to be a potent reminder of power to the people, a community of exquisitely trained artists marching to a beat, staying in tune and on message. In this year’s election season orchestras have been practicing the call for democratic thinking on a global scale, including in Los Angeles, Boston and Leipzig, Germany. Strikingly, this comes at a time when beleaguered orchestra musicians have also been demanding a more democratically minded workplace.
Throughout October and up to election day, Wild Up in L.A. has taken the lead in orchestral electoral activism. Its “Democracy Sessions” are an ongoing procession of interdisciplinary concerts, theatrical events, interactive gatherings, environmental presentations and gabfests in theaters, museums, libraries, parks, on neighborhood streets and around the L.A. River. Wild Up winds up its call for democracy with “Music to Vote By,” lunchtime solo acoustic sets, noon to 2 p.m., through Tuesday at the Democracy Center at the Japanese American National Museum Plaza in Little Tokyo.
Wild Up, itself, is a uniquely egalitarian collective, a chamber orchestra of composers and soloists, although one that nonetheless requires traditional leadership of its visionary founder, conductor Christopher Rountree. Rountree’s interdisciplinary “sessions” run from the musically sophisticated and accomplished to ad hoc and participatory funkiness, less designed to change minds than to relieve democracy anxiety.
A democracy zeitgeist, for instance, pervaded a performance at REDCAT of Louis Andriessen’s “De Staat,” a Dutch minimalist masterpiece from the mid-1970s. To intense rhythmic propulsion of piano and winds, four women vocalists intone excerpts from “The Republic,” in which Plato calls for rule of the people not the rule of music, fearful of a music that can alter “the most fundamental laws of the state.” Andriessen set out to show how mistaken Plato was.
Elsewhere, Rountree acted as an assembler, demonstrating democracy in action. In British composer Oliver Leith’s “Garland,” a kind of musical and theatrical tool kit, Rountree created a spectacle of song, dance, instrumental mayhem (whirly tubes, button whistles and the like added to the mix) and included amateur performers from the community hymn singing with the pros. It ended with a lovely appearance by a black horse all in the expanses of MOCA’s Geffen Contemporary. What does this have to do with the price of gasoline? Nothing more than a reminder that the quotidian world around us can be a hymn all by itself.
Wild Up’s performance of “Garland” at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA.
(Josh Rose / Wild Up)
Germany is having its own brush with democracy with a recent election in which the far-right Alternative for Germany party won power in the central state of Saxony-Anhalt. The city of Leipzig borders that state, and its historic Gewandhaus Orchestra marked the days preceding the election with a democracy weekend it called “Reading the Signs.” The suggestion here was rather than falling for oversimplification and conspiracy theories when it comes to examining the interaction of “music, discourse and social action,” look to Beethoven.
That included a performance by Stegreif, an improvising orchestra that functions as a kind of German Wild Up. For Democracy Weekend, Stegreif “exploded” Beethoven’s “Eroica.”
It so happens that the Boston Symphony and Gewandhaus share a music director in Andris Nelsons, who has strived to bring the two orchestras together in joint projects. Sure enough, the BSO has been living up to its calling as the orchestra in the birthplace of American democracy. At Tanglewood, the orchestra’s summer home in the Berkshires, the orchestra celebrated the semiquincentennial with the premiere of Philip Glass’ “Lincoln” symphony and Yo-Yo Ma’s weeklong “We the People” residency, which offered a widely varied look at our democratic musical roots.
Then barely two weeks before the midterms, the BSO channeled Boston’s revolutionary spirit with explosive AI. At a time when much of the country sees artificial intelligence as a significant threat to democracy, the premiere of Tod Machover’s “already and not yet,” a concerto for orchestra with electronics bathed in AI, begs otherwise.
Machover’s brilliant new half-hour orchestral score asks AI for agency. It does so by treating the technology as stupid, musicians as creative artists and the audience as capable of opening its collective mind. It handles democracy not as a done deal, but a series of scary questions — and doesn’t trust the heartless machines for answers.
A commission in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the MIT Media Lab, “already and not yet” challenges us to make the world more beautiful by looking deeply into ourselves. The Media Lab is an unprecedented electronic playground born of AI. For one of the optimistic developers of AI, the musically minded computer scientist Marvin Minsky, the Media Lab functioned akin to a surgeon removing blockages to the imagination.
The interior of MIT’s groundbreaking Media Lab.
(Mark Swed)
Minsky was also a mentor to Machover, who has been at the Media Lab since the start and now heads the faculty. Machover’s AI is not a data collector in the sense of the commercial, data-gobbling, mind-numbing monstrosities lately foisted on the public. It becomes a new tool in his piece, not a way of life, something merely taught to listen and analyze in hopes of giving musicians a new idea or two.
With the help of an AI operator, Manaswi Mishra, who is embedded in the orchestra, the AI becomes the “already” in “already and not yet.” It doesn’t have much use in the tumultuous first movement, “SMASH UP,” when the world is a mess and that’s our problem. In the ethereal second movement, “WAKE UP,” players become individual and AI spits out responses that read as ordinary electronic mimicry, but the players, if game, take that as a challenge. Weirdly the machine brings them to life and as individuals. In the last movement, “STAND UP,” the machine is tamed! We frolic in a new, sonic wonderland. Even Thoreau might approve!
Can AI-assisted utopian art save democracy? That’s a tall order. Let it first try to do something about the BSO. As conductor, Kent Nagano was the ultimate listener (he can cut off the AI when it’s not interesting). After the performance he told me the orchestra was always game. And he sandwiched Machover with lithe, colorful Mendelssohn performances (including the Fifth Symphony).
But this is an orchestra in revolt, and it looked it. Grim of mien, many players on the night I attended sported red flowers on their lapels, a sign of their dissatisfaction with the administration for not renewing Nelsons’ contract when it expires this summer, after 13 years leading the BSO. The orchestra claimed it was broadsided by the announcement that management and Nelsons did not have a shared vision. The players want a say, an orchestra as democracy and more than just AI’s version of agency.
Ironically, Nelsons, who signed a nondisclosure agreement, doesn’t seem to show much vision when it comes to democracy. The Latvian conductor did not participate in Tanglewood’s democracy concerts (although he did conduct excerpts from John Adams’ “Nixon in China,” which sounded, in the radio broadcast, as having such a heavy hand that there was no room for free thinking).
In Leipzig, Nelsons’ contribution to the Gewandhaus democracy weekend was no democracy at all, only an irrelevant program of Tchaikovsky and Dvorak standards. Leipzig, bursting like Boston with young people, has become a German tech hub, it too could have used a whirl with democratic AI.
Scoring 44 points in a league championship decider is usually enough to secure victory — but not against Mission Viejo.
The Diablos beat San Juan Hills 54-44 in an epic Orange County shootout to secure its third consecutive Alpha League crown, buoyed by a bevy of explosive plays.
It started in the first quarter as senior running back Carson Vandermade, who returned after missing the last two games, scored two touchdowns. He finished the game with 121 yards, including a big 52-yard run down the sideline, and three touchdowns but did not return for the fourth quarter.
His counterpart, senior Jack Junker, gained 132 yards, including a 28-yarder, and two touchdowns as the Diablos’ rushing attack dominated. Every time Vandermade and Junker took handoffs, there was a gift waiting. The offensive line — which has four players either committed to or with offers to Division I colleges — opened up huge running lanes.
Junior center Max Davidson attributed the group’s success to a deep camaraderie and hard work.
“It comes down to all the time that we put in together,” he said. “It comes down to the chemistry that we have between the five of us up front. We work together really well and that shows in all our games.”
Mission Viejo High center Max Davidson is all smiles after the Diablos won the Alpha League title with a 54-44 victory over San Juan Hills on Friday night.
(Caleb Otte / For The Times)
Sophomore quarterback Brett Burnor also got in on the rushing action, with 30 yards and two touchdowns. He had a solid night through the air, connecting on nine of his 12 passes for 188 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Burnor had four passes that went for more than 30 yards and connected most often with senior wide receiver Luke Karby, a Duke commit who had 122 yards on five receptions and made multiple contested catches. Karby also threw a two-point conversion to Burnor, in a quick role reversal, in the second quarter.
Mission Viejo coach Chad Johnson said before kickoff that the game would be decided by explosive plays, and he wanted to limit the opponent’s electric moments.
“Every game, San Juan Hills has six to 10 explosive plays on offense that are 40- to 60-yard chunk plays,” he said.
The Diablos allowed San Juan Hills to stay within fighting distance via those big gains that Johnson warned against. While the home team never trailed, San Juan Hills cut the score to 47-44 midway through the fourth quarter after an improbable onside kick recovery. Senior kicker Trevor Koko continued an impressive season with a looping ball that Mission Viejo wasn’t able to field, breathing life into a potential comeback. A quick touchdown drive ensued that made the final minutes extra nervy for the Diablos.
Ultimately, the rushing attack killed the clock and clinched the win by grabbing one more touchdown on an 11-yarder by Junker with 40 seconds to play.
San Juan Hills backup quarterback Parker Armstrong was given the reins to let the ball loose by coach Robert Frith. He completed 27 of 37 passes for 343 yards and four touchdowns with one interception. His longest of the night came on a quick dump down to senior wide receiver commit Luke Frith, a Texas State commit who took it 80 yards for a touchdown. Another long score came on a slant route to senior wide receiver Cooper Chila who broke multiple tackles to take it 57-yards to the house.
Those plays summed up much of the game for the Stallions. Athletic players making big plays, and never giving up on the game. San Juan Hills lost, but it never gave up.
Frith’s constant messaging to the players clearly got through.
The Stallions’ coach said he always tells the team: “When that ball snaps, it is seven seconds of everything you’ve got.”
The game was a high octane battle, but there will be a lot to parse through in the film room, especially for Mission Viejo. In the midst of the barnstorming action, the victors had three bad snaps on extra points and 18 penalties, including six personal foul calls.
Johnson lamented what he called poor officiating after the game but also told his team that the errors needed to be cleaned up by next week’s playoff opener. Mission Viejo likely qualified for the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs with this the win, and will learn of its opponent on Sunday. San Juan Hills will finish the regular season with two losses and wait to see if it makes the Division 2 playoffs.
Rangers’ next challenge comes on Saturday as they head to Hampden where Aberdeen await in the semi-finals of the Scottish League Cup and McInnes is hoping to get the better of his old club.
But he admits, despite Aberdeen’s recent poor form and the fact Rangers are firm favourites to win through, his side will have to “deliver it on the pitch”.
“People might view us as favourites for it and I understand that but we’ve’ still got a game to win and Aberdeen are capable of a big performance,” said McInnes.
“I’m just concentrating on us, if we get to our levels then hopefully it’s going to be enough to win the game but a strong 90-minute performance is going to be required, I feel.
“To get the first trophy would be so important, reinforcing confidence, reinforcing belief. Traditionally, semi-finals can be fraught with a lot of nerves and tension and sometimes they’re not the best games, because of what’s at stake.
“A semi-final is a stand alone game, sometimes form goes out the window. They’ve got a good, experienced manager in Robbo (Stephen Robinson) and they’ve got some good players, experienced players in Aberdeen and they’ll be relishing the opportunity as well.”
How many rejection letters from the same high school does it take for a football coach to conclude the school doesn’t want to hire you?
Jose Razo, the head football coach at unbeaten Marshall High, applied for the Barristers’ head coaching position in 2019 and 2022, only to be turned down. You’d think that the Marshall grad had gotten the message that somebody didn’t think he could be head coach.
Instead of abandoning a program he had been with since playing linebacker at there since he was 15 years old, he decided to remain as an assistant coach.
“It was never personal for me,” he said. “It was, ‘I’m going to stay and help the kids.”’
When the job opened again in 2025 and Razo interviewed for a third time he told himself, “It’s now or never.”
Razo finally received an email informing him he was being promoted to head coach after 18 years serving as an assistant. Talk about being patient. Talk about having no ego. Talk about complete loyalty to a school.
“He stuck it out for the kids and the program,” said Eagle Rock coach Andy Moran, who coached Razo at Marshall in 2005 and 2006.
Incredibly, it’s Moran and Eagle Rock standing in the way on Friday night trying to prevent Marshall from going 10-0 in the regular season. Moran, who is a mentor for Razo, has never lost to Marshall since leaving in 2012.
Razo remembers asking Moran what he should do after being turned down twice. “They didn’t give it to you because they already have you,” Moran told him.
Said Razo: “I had to prove myself to them.”
Standout quarterback Nathaniel Cadet said every day Razo, 37, passes along insights and offers inspiration to players
“Coach Razo’s loyalty is unmatched,” he said. “He’s a great role model, and his commitment to the team makes players want to play under him. He’s a good father and brings his son to the games. He got a college education, and I believe he comes from a similar background to a lot of our players, so he sets a great example for us.”
Marshall is a school that attracts students from many little communities, but the football team’s success has brought everyone together to form a large community on Friday nights.
Razo deserves a standing ovation for his commitment to the school and his players. There’s not many coaches who would have stuck around when twice told “we’re going in a different direction.”
Rejection usually makes people angry and is motivation to run away.
Razo was different. He stayed, kept teaching and coaching, and waited for his alma mater to give him a chance to lead.
What a lesson of perseverance and patience to pass along to his players.
Marshall always had its coach nearby. Someone just needed to open their eyes. Thankfully, Razo put faith in himself that someone would recognize his talents.
Win or lose on Friday, Razo has proven he deserves to be a head coach.
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.
Gorden missed Angel City’s inaugural season after tearing her left anterior cruciate ligament in preseason training. But she’s missed just three games and four starts since then, which gives her a unique take on the team’s journey, from losing records in three of its first four seasons to the possibility of hosting a playoff game.
“This is my job and my life,” said Gorden, 34, who is finishing her 11th NWSL season. “If I’m not believing in the plan and the vision of what the people ahead of me are saying, then I wouldn’t be able to put my heart and my passion into it.
“Maybe blind faith, maybe not. But you have to believe or how are you going to continue to grow?”
Angel City finally found its stride this summer when it fired manager Alexander Straus and replaced him with assistant Leif Gunnar Smerud. Under the interim coach, Angel City has lost just twice in 18 matches and is unbeaten since Aug. 26. Smerud, however, declines to take credit for the turnaround.
“A lot of players have stepped up,” he said. “It’s the details. It’s part[ly] how we organize, especially in the defensive part.”
Since Smerud took over, Angel City keeper Angelina Anderson has had eight shutouts and given up just a goal five other times — a hot streak that coincides with the July hiring of goalkeeper coach Louis Hunt.
“We managed to build momentum,” Smerud continued. “If we can sustain that, we have proven we are not easy to beat. I don’t think a lot of teams want to play us.”
Smerud, 49, had a 12-year playing career in Norway that included 24 appearances for the country’s youth national teams before he turned to coaching, where he lost more often than he won before taking over for Straus. But his biggest strength as a manager isn’t something he learned on the soccer field. It’s something he learned in school, where he earned a psychology degree.
“The mental part of the game is big,” said Smerud, who has a license to practice psychology as well as a UEFA Pro coaching license. “I’m a big believer in building a culture, building a mentality in a group, and we have done quite a bit of work on that.
“How do you compete in training? How do you prepare? How do you get that calmness and that focus that you need in the key moments? So of course that informs a lot of my decision-making and the work I do.”
That philosophy fits in well with Angel City, which, under sporting director Mark Parsons and majority owners Willow Bay and Bob Iger, has expanded its support staff to include a psychologist and a mental performance coach.
Angel City’s Sveindis Jonsdottir passes during a match against Portland at BMO Stadium in April.
(Jessie Alcheh / Getty Images)
It’s also been helpful that the league’s youngest team has gotten nine goals each from Sveindis Jónsdottir, 25, and Maiara Niehues, 22, and eight assists from Evelyn Shores, 21.
Everything resets going into the postseason, however. But if Angel City manages at least a draw with Boston on Sunday, it will enter those playoffs riding a franchise-best 10-game unbeaten streak; no other NWSL team has been as hot over the past two months.
Moreover, if Angel City wins and Kansas City does not win its finale in Louisville, Angel City would jump to fourth in the table, earning the right to open the playoffs at home. One win in the postseason would mark another franchise record while two would get Angel City into the NWSL Championship at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.
But wherever the playoffs end, it’s likely to be a bittersweet finish for Gorden and Smerud. Both will see their Angel City contracts expire when the season does, and both appear ready, if not eager, to move on.
“This has been, of all my experiences in 11 years, my favorite locker room by far,” Gorden said. “But the job is bigger than just the locker room and you have to be where you’re valued and people want you and people see you for the future.
“Wherever that is for me, I’m still figuring it out.”
“The focus was on doing the job now and then take it from there,” added Smerud, whose family remains in Norway. “I was asked to do a job and my focus has been on doing that. And then I’ll take it from there.
“It’s not really for me to answer.”
⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week’s episode of the “Corner of the Galaxy” podcast.
“Having a target on your back means that you’re worried about what someone else is going to do,” she added. “That’s an outcome-based [way of] thinking, and we have to be obsessed with our process, obsessed with our standards.”
As the Bruins prepare to open the season at Pauley Pavilion against Lehigh on Monday, they are focused on getting better every day and following the championship-level process the program established. It’s not their job to worry about what others think about them, forward Sienna Betts said.
“I don’t really care what the media has to say or whatever,” Betts said. “It really is just a matter of what is in these four walls and what we know we’re putting into practice every day.”
UCLA forward Sienna Betts shoots under pressure from Texas’ Breya Cunningham at H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, Texas, on Sunday.
(Scott Wachter / Getty Images)
While the Bruins are maintaining the same championship standards as last year, the group tasked with meeting them looks considerably different than last season.
UCLA will begin the 2026-27 season with five players returning from the championship team, Betts being one of them. None of the returning players were starters, with the top six performers getting selected in the 2026 WNBA draft. The rest of this season’s Bruins consists of seven newcomers, including two freshmen and five transfers.
“We’re not trying to repeat an outcome, we’re repeating a process,” Betts said. “We’re our own group and I don’t think it’s fair to put the weight of last year on this group.”
Close’s roster includes the No. 5 transfer portal class in the nation, according to ESPN. The group includes Donovyn Hunter, who transferred from TCU and described the process of transferring as uncomfortable. She also said adjusting to a new system is difficult.
“We’re going to mess up, we’re going to make mistakes, we’re not going to get it on the first try, but knowing that there’s a coach that’s behind you, that knows you’re going to get to that level has been the most important thing for all of those transfers and the freshmen,” Hunter said.
Three of the five transfers are international players learning English, including Elina Aarnisalo, who returned to Westwood after spending a season at North Carolina.
UCLA guard Donovyn Hunter drives to the basket in front of Texas’ Breya Cunningham in Cedar Park, Texas, on Sunday.
(Scott Wachter / Getty Images)
“We spent a lot of time together … so that’s helped us on court and obviously practicing every day,” Aarnisalo said. “… Even though there might be a language barrier, sometimes we’re just spending time together and learning [from] each other so that relationship part comes pretty naturally for all of us.”
Regardless of the language barriers, Betts said building the team’s chemistry is a good start and a work in progress as they enter the start of the season.
“I think our connection on the court, it’s really showing and we’re still just learning how to play with each other. … It takes time,” she said. “The team last year, they were playing with each other for four years and over.”
Even with the added pressure that comes with last year’s championship run, Aarnisalo isn’t worried about the expectations. She’s enjoying the kind of media attention the Bruins are getting.
She’s happy the returning players were able to lift the trophy last year and says the exposure that goes with it is an opportunity to show off the newly reloaded UCLA team.
“We’re making our own process out of this,” she said. “Obviously, the standards are the same, like it’s championship standards, but it’s completely new people, new personalities. [We’re] just trying to create our own storyline for this year.”
Quinn brings new perspective to UCLA
Breeze coach Noelle Quinn directs players during an Unrivaled game against the Laces on Feb. 27 in Medley, Fla.
(Leonardo Fernandez / Getty Images)
After spending 12 years as a professional player and six years coaching in the WNBA, Noelle Quinn has returned to Westwood. She is a two-time WNBA champion, winning a title as a player and a coach.
“I have not been able to find anyone else that has won a conference championship in college, a WNBA championship as a player and as a coach,” Close said. “You don’t think when she talks, they listen?”
The fourth overall pick in the 2007 WNBA draft has had an influence among the UCLA coaches, with Close noting associate head coach Tony Newnan told Quinn during a staff meeting that she was making him a better coach.
On the court, Quinn’s defensive expertise is creating an environment that has helped Bonnie Deas get excited about playing defense.
“I love defense and she brings so much energy to our defensive side of the game,” Deas said. “She’s so switched on with our scout and film, she makes defense really, really exciting.”
Betts describes her defensive presence as calming.
“I love the way she just talks and the way she talks about defense and just the game,” she said. “She brings such warmth to this gym.”
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.
All things Lakers, all the time.
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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.
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.”
England duo Zoe Harrison and Megan Jones are among four nominees for World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year award.
They are nominated alongside Canada’s DaLeaka Menin and New Zealand’s Kaipo Olsen-Baker for the award, which recognises exceptional performances during the 2026 season.
Fly-half Harrison, 28, scored 88 points from the tee for England this year while Red Roses captain Jones, 30, is nominated for a second year in a row – missing out to Canada’s Sophie de Goede in 2025.
The World Cup-winning pair played important roles in England claiming their eighth successive Women’s Six Nations title in May, part of a 41-match unbeaten run ended by back-to-back defeats by Canada this month.
The winner will be announced following this weekend’s final WXV Global Series matches, with England facing the United States on Friday (21:15 GMT).
Elsewhere, England’s Abi Burton has been shortlisted for Women’s 15s Try of the Year for her try against Australia in the WXV Global Series in September.
MILWAUKEE — It was an evening for pomp and pageantry, for celebrating a World Series between two of the five major league teams never to win one. But, before the first pitch of the first game, the commissioner of baseball and the head of the players’ union held separate media gatherings that only served to reinforce the notion that a lockout in December is a virtual certainty and Opening Day next March is in serious jeopardy.
Of all the major North American sports, baseball is the only one without a salary cap. The players and their union vow to keep it that way, and union chief Bruce Meyer said every proposal the owners make on every issue is contingent upon a salary cap. How, someone asked commissioner Rob Manfred, can the owners strike a deal if the union is entrenched against a cap?
“Re-thinking where you are is a really important part of trying to make a deal,” Manfred said. “It’s actually a skill in collective bargaining. It’s easy to say, ‘I’m here and I’m never moving.’ That’s not a particularly skilled approach to the process.”
That is perilously close to telling the other guy at the negotiating table how to negotiate. It’s also something you might say when you’re feeling pretty darn good that you’re going to win the negotiation.
“We have an unprecedented level of unanimity among ownership that it is something that we need to do,” Manfred said.
He wouldn’t say otherwise at this point, of course. The owners were unified in 1994, when they last demanded a salary cap. They didn’t win, and fans lost the final two months of the 1994 season and the first month of the 1995 season.
When the NHL got its salary cap, owners shut down the league for a full year. Would MLB owners forgo a year — or at least several months — of ticket sales and media revenue to get their cap? Would MLB players forgo a year — or at least several months — of their salaries to stave off a cap?
We won’t know the answer to either question until the spring, and until then a new collective bargaining agreement would require one side or the other to abandon its position.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred speaks with the media before Game 1 of the World Series in Milwaukee on Friday.
(John Fisher / Getty Images)
That makes this year’s World Series something of a Rorschach test: Is a Brewers-Rays series proof that the system actually works just fine the way it is?
To Manfred, the answer is no. A series featuring two of baseball’s smaller markets is an anomaly when history shows a correlation between payroll and success, not only in the regular season but in advancing through the playoffs.
“It’s not that no small market can win,” Manfred said. “It’s just that it’s pretty rare.”
To Meyer, the answer is yes.
“It has nothing to do with what the Dodgers are doing,” Meyer said. “There is no reason whatsoever that the Pirates can’t do what the Brewers have done, or what the Rays have done.”
The Pirates, Meyer said, do not spend all the money they are allotted to sign draft picks. The Brewers, playing in baseball’s smallest market, might not routinely hand out free-agent riches, but owner Mark Attanasio said his team ranks “right in the middle” of the 30 teams in spending on baseball operations.
Attanasio publicly stumped for a salary cap here Friday, saying it would “help us compete but more importantly all of the other teams with lower payrolls too.” He said Brewers fans already fear it might take another 44 years to return to the World Series.
Said Meyer: “That doesn’t seem like a great way, with all due respect, to try and generate excitement among your fans.”
Meyer said this year’s series “undermines their argument” for what he called “the nuclear bomb of a salary cap.” He said the owners are uninterested in the union’s proposals for addressing competitive balance, including increased revenue sharing among owners and a tax against teams that fail to win consistently, and he alleged the league’s argument is “a charade” for what the owners really want: “to suppress salaries and gut player rights.”
The takeaway: Don’t book non-refundable airline tickets and hotel rooms for spring training.
On other topics:
— As The Times has reported, MLB is keeping an eye on federal investigations into Dodgers owner Mark Walter and his insurance empire, which is under scrutiny for allegedly violating laws designed to protect investors. Walter also is a defendant in multiple civil lawsuits filed by investors alleging fraud and breach of contract.
“As always when we have an investigation — external, law enforcement, whatever — we monitor that,” Manfred said. “That’s where we are right now. We’re just watching what’s going on right now.”
Over the past two months, amid efforts to find what could be more than $20 billion to recapitalize insurance funds, Walter has sold his controlling interest in the Lakers and a minority share of Chelsea, the English Premier League club. On Friday, Bloomberg reported he is seeking to sell the Sparks. He has no plan to sell the Dodgers, team president Stan Kasten has said.
— Meyer said the MLBPA continues negotiations with LA28 over how major league players would be accommodated in the 2028 Olympics. “As of now, we’re not getting satisfaction on those things,” Meyer said.
Both the league and the union say they want to participate in the Games, but Manfred said MLB would normally start preparing its 2028 schedule early in 2027. The league has agreed to an extended All-Star break to accommodate the Olympics, but MLB also could tire of waiting for the union to agree with LA28, which badly wants MLB players to participate.
