SAN FRANCISCO — Kiah Stokes had 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots as the Golden State Valkyries moved within one win of a championship in their second season, beating the Atlanta Dream 64-55 in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Monday night.
Angel Reese finished with seven points, 15 rebounds and five assists — a big difference from her two standout performances in the first two games of the series at Chase Center. Reese shook her head when whistled for the second of her three offensive fouls with 7:43 to play.
Fans screamed and clapped thunder sticks following the final buzzer as Stokes spoke from the floor to chants of “MVP!”
“We appreciate you,” a smiling Stokes said. “We got one more.”
On a night leading scorer Gabby Williams struggled to find her shooting touch, Golden State found the “strength in numbers” mantra that coach Natalie Nakase has praised all season long and everybody made an influence. Veronica Burton had 13 points and eight rebounds.
On Saturday, Nakase had changed up her lineup for a 67-62 Game 4 win by inserting Tiffany Hayes and Kaila Charles into the starting five. She stayed with those two Monday night, and it worked again. Hayes, who played 10 seasons for Atlanta and came out of retirement two years ago, had 12 points — and Nakase has said she wants to win it all for the veteran guard.
Williams began two for 11 and missed all four of her three three-point tries, but she converted a three-point play with 9:08 remaining to put the Valkyries ahead 49-42 and finished with nine points on three-for-14 shooting and six rebounds.
Atlanta will now try to stave off elimination at home Thursday in Game 6 and force a deciding Game 7 back at Chase Center on Saturday. The Dream hurt themselves with 17 turnovers that led to 21 points for Golden State.
Stokes hit a key three-pointer with 2:46 to go in the third quarter and another with 7:21 left in the game, which ignited chants of “Ki-ah! Ki-ah!” from the crazed, rally towel-waving “Ballhalla” home crowd at Chase Center.
Stokes has recorded three or more blocks in six straight games, tying her with Lisa Leslie in 2003 for the longest such streak in a single WNBA postseason.
The Valkyries used a dominant second half after they led 25-22 at the break, the lowest scoring first half combined score in WNBA Finals history.
Rhyne Howard’s three-point play with 4:59 left in the third pulled Atlanta within 34-31, but after that it was Stokes, Burton and the Valkyries coming up with all the crucial plays on both ends.
Golden State owner Joe Lacob promised a championship within five years in a bold declaration when the expansion franchise was granted to the Bay Area three years ago, yet this season has exceeded even what he could have envisioned.
Neither team could find a flow from three-point range in the first half as the teams combined to shoot five for 29 from deep — three of 16 by Golden State and two for 13 by Atlanta.
Earlier Monday, the league announced Game 6 would be played at 17,000-seat State Farm Arena in Atlanta starting at 12:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday — a time when many fans on both coasts will be working.
“I’d like to see it be a national holiday for all WNBA championship games so whatever somebody can do,” Dream coach Karl Smesko said. “I hope everybody gets to see it somehow and I know that for some people it’s not realistic, they have jobs and won’t be able to make it. So I’m disappointed for that but I’m really hopeful that as many people can see the game as possible.”
Stafford became the franchise’s all-time leader in touchdown passes by connecting with tight end Davis Allen for two and with Nacua for another in a victory that improved the Rams’ record to 3-4.
“A good step in the right direction,” coach Sean McVay said.
Williams and Corum each rushed for a touchdown as the Rams bounced back from consecutive defeats by the Buffalo Bills and Arizona Cardinals to keep alive their turnaround from their third poor start in three seasons.
For the first time in the Rams’ last five games, the outcome did not come down to the final play.
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Luka Doncic scores 52 in Lakers victory
From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: Luka Doncic raised three fingers toward the Utah crowd. Fans were left counting more than just his points.
Doncic hit three clutch three-pointers late in the fourth quarter and took a momentum-swinging charge to lead the Lakers to a nail-biting 132-123 victory over the Utah Jazz on Sunday at Delta Center. Doncic led the Lakers (3-0) with 52 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds as the team fought back from an 18-point second-quarter deficit.
Guard Austin Reaves hit a dagger three with 34 seconds remaining to give the Lakers a seven-point lead. As Doncic salted the game away from the free-throw line, he was serenaded with chants of “MVP!” Reaves finished with 29 points.
“Getting MVP chants in someone else’s arena is crazy,” center Walker Kessler said. “But, you know, obviously deserving.”
Kessler knows this arena well. It’s where he spent the first four years of his career. But the center was quiet in his return to Salt Lake City. After he joined the Lakers in a massive sign-and-trade deal that cost the Lakers two first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps and a four-year, $130-million contract, Kessler was held to just two points on one-of-two shooting with seven rebounds.
From Mirjam Swanson: In the most complimentary way, I ask: What the heck was that first half, UCLA?
Yes, really. With Saturday’s 28-10 victory over Michigan State, Bob Chesney has the Bruins football team 7-0 for the first time since 2005. Still undefeated and still the only team in the Big Ten — and SEC — conferences that can say so. Ranked No. 9 in the nation and moving on up.
And so I ask: Two lost fumbles before halftime? Two drops? Two holding penalties? A meager 84 yards through the air and a modest 14-7 halftime lead? Against a majorly depleted Michigan State team fielding a freshman third-stringer at quarterback — that also lost two more of its best players to injury in the first half?
These Bruins are too good to be letting the wounded Spartans (2-6, 0-5 Big Ten) hang with them for even a half.
And yet, for a hot moment, doubt started to creep back in: Was this the day Chesney’s chariot turned back into a pumpkin? Was the last petal from the enchanted rose about to fall, this beauty of a season due to turn ugly? Was the fairy tale almost over?
Isaiah Hartenstein added 12 points and 12 rebounds for Oklahoma City, which won its third straight to start the season but lost three players to injury, including All-Star guard Jalen Williams, who went down hard on a drive to the basket with 1:14 left. Williams left the court on a stretcher with towels covering his left leg.
Guard Cason Wallace (left shoulder soreness) and forward Jaylin Williams (right wrist soreness) left the game in the first quarter and did not return. Mitchell was eight-for-14 shooting with six rebounds, four assists and three steals in 28 minutes.
Leo Walta scored the tying goal in the 62nd minute, and LAFC clinched a playoff spot by rallying from two goals down in the second half for a 2-2 draw with the Galaxy on Sunday night.
Joseph Paintsil scored his first two goals since August as the Galaxy hung on impressively for a point, but endangered their own playoff hopes by blowing the lead in another thrilling El Tráfico derby.
The final seconds of injury time were breathtaking: Galaxy goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski and defender Justin Haak both made spectacular stops on LAFC chances before Denis Bouanga scored on a redirection of Tyler Boyd‘s bicycle kick — only for the play to be ruled offside.
All games at 5 p.m. PT All game on FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One
No. 1 Milwaukee vs. No. 1 Tampa Bay at Milwaukee 3, Tampa Bay 2 (box score) at Milwaukee 5, Tampa Bay 4 (box score) Monday at Tampa Bay Tuesday at Tampa Bay *Wednesday at Tampa Bay *Friday at Milwaukee *Saturday at Milwaukee
* if necessary
This day in sports history
1907 — Jim Thorpe makes his Carlisle (Pa.) debut dazzling a crowd of 22,800 in a 26-6 defeat of No. 4 Penn at Philadelphia’s Franklin Field. Thorpe rushes, returns kicks and does all the kicking in putting on a one-man show.
1951 — Joe Louis loses his last fight, an eighth-round TKO to Rocky Marciano at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Marciano knocks Louis down with a left hook in the eighth round. Louis gets to one knee at the count of three and takes an eight-count before getting up. Marciano ends the fight with a right that sends Louis through the ropes and onto the ring apron. Louis’ career record is 66-3 with 52 knockouts.
1968 — Brooks Dawson of Texas El Paso completes 17 of 24 passes for 304 yards in the final 10:21 of the fourth quarter as the Miners beat Brigham Young 31-25.
1968 — Boxer George Foreman beats Ionas Chepulis of the Soviet Union for the gold medal in the heavyweight division at the Mexico Olympic Games.
1970 — Muhammad Ali returns to the ring after a 2 1/2-year layoff due to his refusal to be drafted into the United States Army. Fighting in Atlanta, Ali opened a cut over Jerry Quarry’s left eye with a right hand in the third round, causing the fight to be stopped before the start of the fourth round.
1980 — The St. Louis Cardinals sack quarterback Baltimore quarterback Bert Jones 12 times in a 17-10 victory.
1982 — Philadelphia Phillies Steve Carlton became the first pitcher to win four Cy Young Awards
1990 — Wayne Gretzky becomes the NHL first player to reach the 2,000-point plateau when he helps set up a goal by Tomas Sandstrom at 14:32 of the first period of the Kings’ game at Winnipeg.
2000 — The New York Yankees become the first team in more than a quarter-century to win three straight World Series titles, beating the New York Mets 4-2. The Yankees match the Oakland Athletics’ three in a row from 1972-74, and win their fourth title in five years.
2002 — Volponi, a 43-1 long shot, finds room along the rail and blows past the fading Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner War Emblem to take the Breeders’ Cup Classic by 6½ lengths ahead of Medaglia d’Oro.
2006 — Ryan Miller stops 29 shots as Buffalo beats the New York Islanders 3-0 to win its 10th straight game. The win matches the best start in NHL history, tying the 1993-94 Toronto Maple Leafs.
2012 — The NHL cancels all its games through the end of November because of the labor dispute between owners and players.
2013 — Octavias McKoy runs for 455 yards, setting an NCAA record for all-divisions, as Division III Western Connecticut State beats Worcester State 55-35. McKoy scores five touchdowns in the game and breaks the rushing record previously held by Dante Brown of Marietta College. Brown ran for 441 on Oct. 5, 1996 against Baldwin-Wallace.
2014 — Serena Williams wins the WTA Tour Finals for the third straight year and fifth time overall, beating Simona Halep 6-3, 6-0. Williams joins Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf as the only players to have won five titles in the season-ending championship.
2014 — Ben Roethlisberger is 40 for 49 for 522 yards and six touchdown passes in Pittsburgh’s 51-34 win over Indianapolis. Roethlisberger became the first player in NFL history with two 500-yard passing games — 503 yards vs. Green Bay on Dec. 20, 2009.
2014 — Abby Wambach scores four goals and the World Cup-bound United States beat Costa Rica 6-0 for its fifth CONCACAF women’s title.
2018 — The longest World Series game by innings and time; Dodgers beat the Boston Red Sox, 3-2 in the 18th inning (7 hours, 20 minutes) in Game 3 at Dodger Stadium with a Max Muncy walk-off home run.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
The UCLA football team produced its worst quarter of the season Saturday.
After fumbling twice in Michigan State territory, halting offensive momentum, the Bruins were trailing going into the second quarter and tied 7-7 with three minutes left in the second quarter.
But for the third consecutive week, the defense shifted the momentum and ignited the offense.
Powered by a defensive unit that tallied three takeaways, four sacks and limited the opposing offense to 156 yards, UCLA earned its seventh win of the season Saturday afternoon at the Rose Bowl, trouncing Michigan State 28-10.
It is the first time the Bruins have gone 7-0 since 2005. The team moved up to No. 7 in the Associated Press top 25 poll Sunday.
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Let’s take a look at the three takeaways from the Bruins’ fifth conference win. UCLA sits atop the Big Ten standings, with its last nonconference game against 3-4 Nevada on Saturday.
Are the Bruins aggressive enough?
The final score did not reflect the Bruins’ dominance over the Spartans.
UCLA ran the ball 48 times compared to 31 passing attempts. And while the ground game was successful, rushing for 245 yards and three touchdowns on 5.1 yards per carry, the Bruins had the opportunity to blow the doors off the game through the passing game.
The Bruins opted to play a clock management game, running out the entire fourth quarter with a multi-score lead instead of taking shots downfield and manipulating the defense through the air. And Michigan State adjusted accordingly, stacking the box and preparing for the run.
With the Spartans focused on stopping the run, UCLA’s offense had the opportunity to take advantage of an already depleted secondary and give quarterback Ty Dieffenbach more opportunities to get comfortable in the passing game.
Dieffenbach’s one deep shot connected with sophomore wide receiver Brian Rowe Jr. for a 63-yard touchdown. But outside of that, Dieffenbach did not connect for a pass of more than 20 yards. And coach Bob Chesney acknowledged that the offense could have opened up more, but that the Bruins decided to run out the clock.
“There were moments there in the fourth, too, and the late third, where that box got pretty loaded, and we should have taken some shots on the outside,” Chesney said. “But at the same point, you’re trying to run this clock out and get out of here with the win, ultimately, and could have taken a little more risk if we wanted to. But I thought we managed it well enough to get a victory here.”
It doesn’t always have to be Wayne
Wayne Knight has been the star of UCLA’s offense so far.
But the Bruins have proven that the backfield is less of a bell cow system and more of a three-headed beast.
And despite a shaky first half, senior Jaivian Thomas and fifth-year Anthony Woods more than illustrated that they could be the featured back on any given day.
Thomas and Woods fumbled in the first half in Spartan territory — their first of the season on 118 combined carries thus far. But the duo refused to let the mistake define them. Thomas ran for 41 yards and a touchdown in 10 carries while Woods rushed for 112 yards and one score in 14 carries alongside three receptions.
Woods and Thomas’ production in the dying embers of the affair became pertinent when Knight went down with a chest/ribs injury. While Chesney said that the injury is nothing overly serious and that the tailback could have returned to the game, the coaching staff decided to keep him sidelined as a precaution.
“I thought [Anthony] Woods was rolling today. To be able to see some of the holes that he found and be explosive and physical was really good,” Chesney said. “But both of those guys put the ball on the ground early. That’s not what we were looking for, but I love their response.”
Linebacker University
All season, the Bruins’ secondary has earned praise.
Defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler’s unit has not allowed a quarterback to gain more than 160 passing yards during its last four games and has given up fewer than 100 yards in two of those games.
But the entirety of the Bruins inside linebacker department has hounded opposing offenses all season — dominating in all facets of defense, from blitzing the quarterback, to finishing off tackles in open space to blanketing pass catchers when tasked in coverage.
And all of that was on display Saturday.
“They understand the run scheme. They do all of the things right. They relate pre-snap. And then they communicate post-snap extremely well,” Chesney said. “And those are all the things that they have to be able to accomplish. But then they play a very physical brand of football. And when you start to blitz them, they get downhill quick, and they pack a punch when they do.”
Headlining the crew is Sammy Omosigho, who has not missed a beat since coming to Westwood from Oklahoma. He ranks first in the nation in forced fumbles with five through seven games, and ranks first in the Big Ten in sacks with five despite playing inside linebacker.
His linebacker partner — fifth-year Jalen Woods — is playing up to Omosigho’s level, with 2.5 sacks, one interception and 59 tackles, which ranks fourth in the Big Ten. Sophomore Scott Taylor, who has been playing as a hybrid inside/outside linebacker, has three sacks and two forced fumbles.
And senior Donavyn Pellot joined the fun Saturday, recording the first interception of his career and returning it 67 yards, flipping the field, and turning the tide of the game.
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UCLA alum Natalie Nakase’s strategy change pays off
Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase reacts on the sideline during Game 4 of the WNBA Finals against the Atlanta Dream at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Saturday.
(Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
Former UCLA point guard Natalie Nakase shook up her starting lineup and helped spark the Golden State Valkyries’ Game 4 win over the Atlanta Dream during the WNBA Finals, evening the series 2-2.
Guard Tiffany Hayes and Kaila Charles joined the starting five during Golden State’s 67-62 win Saturday in Atlanta. Nakase tightened her rotation to seven players, bringing Kayla Thornton and Cecilia Zandalasini providing a spark off the bench.
“I just wanted to change it up,” Nakase said. “The best thing about our team is no one cares who starts, no one cares. People coming off the bench, it doesn’t matter … because we have a really selfless team, egoless team. So, yeah, I just wanted to change it, and you definitely saw some energy, better fight.”
Nakase said her players have bought into doing whatever it takes to support each other all season.
“We’re about caring for each other,” she said. “We’re about pouring into each other, and I think what’s really big key is they want to see success in their teammates more than themselves.”
Golden State will host Game 5 of the series Monday at 5 p.m. The remainder of the series schedule is in flux as the WNBA negotiates where Atlanta can play its remaining home games.
Bruins on deck
Here is this week’s UCLA athletics schedule. All Times are PDT.
Monday, Oct. 26
Men’s golf at East Lake Cup, All day
Women’s golf at Nanea Invitational, All day
Tuesday, Oct. 27
Men’s golf at East Lake Cup, All day
Women’s golf at Nanea Invitational, All Day
Men’s basketball vs. San Diego (exhibition), 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 28
Men’s golf at East Lake Cup, All day
Women’s golf at Nanea Invitational, All day
Friday, Oct. 30
Men’s and women’s tennis at Dennis Rizza Intercollegiate Classic, All day
Cross country at Big Ten championship, Time TBA
Women’s volleyball vs. Minnesota, 7 p.m.
Men’s soccer vs. Indiana, 7 p.m.
Women’s soccer at USC, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 31
Men’s and women’s tennis at Dennis Rizza Intercollegiate Classic, All day
Men’s water polo at Cal, 1 p.m.
Football vs. Nevada, 1:15 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 1
Men’s and women’s tennis at Dennis Rizza Intercollegiate Classic, All day
Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email newsletters editor Houston Mitchell at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Sports editor Iliana Limón Romero and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Real won their fifth straight game across all competitions and are finding their footing under veteran Jose Mourinho.
A Kylian Mbappe double, three vital points and bragging rights.
Sunday night could not get any better for Real Madrid fans.
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When the action kicked off under the lights at Camp Nou for the Clasico, Jose Mourinho’s side were far from the favourites. But after 90 minutes of drama and fiery football, Real had the last laugh, beating rivals Barcelona 2-1 in a tantalising match.
The victory has renewed belief among the Bernabeu faithful, who are counting on Mourinho to lead them back to glory days.
Here are the key takeaways from Real’s El Clasico win against Barcelona:
Real earn bragging rights and snap Barca’s perfect record
Mbappe’s brace – which took his tally to 14 goals this season – was enough to silence the tens of thousands of Barcelona supporters at Camp Nou.
With that, Los Blancos became the first side to beat Barcelona in the league this season, ending the Catalan club’s nine-game winning streak in the top flight. Had Barcelona won, they would have broken Real’s 1968-69 record for a best-ever start in the Spanish top flight.
It also marked a second straight defeat for Hansi Flick’s side, coming only days after they fell to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
As for Real, victory brought home bragging rights. Real now lead the head-to-head record with 107 wins to Barca’s 106 in their all-time Clasico record.
Dean Huijsen gives a thumbs-up after Real Madrid’s s El Clasico win over Barcelona [Alex Caparros/Getty Images]
Mbappe hits a century of Real goals
A day before the world tunes in to watch the Ballon d’Or ceremony for the best player of the 2025-26 season, Mbappe achieved another milestone.
The French forward’s brace brought up his 100th goal for Real across all competitions since joining in 2024 from PSG.
The 27-year-old, the second-best La Liga scorer this season, is building on a remarkable performance last campaign, which saw him finish as La Liga and the Champions League’s top scorer, the World Cup Golden Boot winner and the all-time leading World Cup scorer.
Real Madrid players celebrate Mbappe’s second goal [Josep Lago/AFP]
Real are slowly closing the gap on Barcelona
Defeats to Real Betis and Atletico Madrid last month shook Real’s top-flight campaign, but recent results reflect stability.
Real have now won five matches in a row – three in La Liga and two in the UCL – and seem to be coming into strong form.
Even though Sunday’s victory was just a second in eight games against Barcelona, Real are slowly reducing the gap on Barca this season, with just over a quarter of the season played.
After 10 matches, they are third in the league standings on 24 points, three points behind Barcelona, while Atletico are sandwiched in between, sitting second with 25 points.
Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe are two of their star players [Ana Beltran/Reuters]
Can Mourinho bring Real back to glory days?
The improvement in form suggests Mourinho’s Real can challenge Barcelona’s recent La Liga dominance in his first season back in Spain.
After two seasons without trophies, Real turned to old boss Mourinho to find a way to stop Barca’s dominance.
Although Mourinho has not won a league title since guiding Chelsea to the Premier League crown in 2014-15, his record as one of football’s most decorated managers remains formidable.
Thirteen years after his first spell at Real ended, Mourinho’s return to the Clasico offered a chance to make an immediate statement, and victory over Barcelona made it all the sweeter.
The result should also help to boost morale and build unity within the Real squad. More importantly, Mourinho now has evidence that his methods can help return Real to the summit of Spanish football.
“If we win today but lose at El Sardinero, it counts for nothing, because Madrid isn’t playing to win at the Camp Nou,” Mourinho said. “They’re playing to win the championship.”
Mourinho has made his intentions clear.
After celebrating Sunday’s Clasico win with his trademark knee slide, the 63-year-old manager knows his job is far from over.
Having led Real to three trophies during his first spell, including a record-breaking La Liga triumph, Mourinho knows best what Real are capable of achieving.
Jose Mourinho guided Real to three trophies during his first spell [Angel Martinez/UEFA via Getty Images]
Pakistan had all but lost hope of winning their One-Day International (ODI) cricket match against England when all-rounder Shadab Khan walked onto the pitch to bat and stormed off it with an unlikely come-from-behind win in the bag, in front of a raucous home crowd in Lahore.
The hosts were reduced to 154-9 in the chase of 242 on Sunday, and England were in sight of their first win of the tri-nation series when Shadab and fast bowler Haris Rauf came together for the last-wicket partnership.
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From there on, Shadab put on a run-chase masterclass, hitting an unbeaten century to give Pakistan a one-wicket victory and book a spot in the series final.
The 28-year-old launched a surprise counterattack on England, ending up with 113 not out off 96 balls alongside Rauf (7 not out off 19). Shadab and Rauf’s partnership was the highest last-wicket stand in a successful run chase in ODI history.
Earlier in England’s innings, Ben Duckett was the lone batting saviour, scoring 105 off 111 for his fifth ODI century. Once Arafat Minhas dismissed him, England looked hopeless as Shaheen Afridi’s impressive bowling cleaned up their batting lineup.
He took his fourth wicket (4-46) to remove Henry Crocombe. England’s last-wicket pair added 39 to post a below-par total of 241 all out from 46.4 overs.
England then decimated Pakistan’s top order as Jamie Overton (3-43) and Liam Dawson (2-19) removed Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam and Saad Baig cheaply.
The hosts ultimately slumped to 154-9, having been 74-3. By this point, England had all but secured victory as the home crowd began leaving Gaddafi Stadium after the ninth wicket fell.
Shadab stepped up to flip the script and produce the batting performance of a lifetime when he prised victory away from England, particularly after his leg-before-wicket dismissal was overturned on review.
“I dedicate this win to the two most wonderful women in my life: my mother & my wife,” Shadab wrote on social media following the victory.
“Special mention for [Haris Rauf], we win only as a team and he showed that today in the partnership. Thank you to my entire team.”
‘Won it for Pakistan out of nowhere’
The victory went some way towards restoring faith among Pakistani cricket fans, who have endured months of dismal performances at global tournaments, as well as bilateral series.
It was “an innings to remember”, as former Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Hafeez put it, while teammate Imad Wasim praised Shadab for handling the extreme pressure.
“That was a sensational innings by Shadab Khan,” Sri Lanka’s veteran cricketer Angelo Mathews wrote on X. “Won it for Pakistan out of nowhere.”
Barbadian wicketkeeper-batsman Shai Hope called the match “absolute cinema” while former West Indies cricketer Daren Sammy termed it “another thriller”, referring to Sri Lanka’s thrashing of England on Thursday when they recorded the second-highest successful run chase in ODI history.
Praise and memes kept pouring in on social media as one user joked about making a documentary of the game, while others reiterated the need for more trilateral series in ODI format.
Speaking after the match, Pakistan’s captain Afridi said he was pleased with the team’s overall performance, especially the way Shadab and Haris finished the game.
“We thought we had a lot of variation in the team, so that’s why we brought Shadab in,” the fast bowler said.
“We need top-order runs; we’re struggling. I hope in the next few games we’ll bring that energy.
“I think tonight we’ll be celebrating; tomorrow back to normal.”
Pakistan’s Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf celebrate after winning [KM Chaudary/AP Photo]
‘Incredible run chase’
English cricket commentator Nasser Hussain praised Pakistan’s “incredible run chase” as he credited Shadab’s change of intent in the heat of the moment.
“Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf; that partnership, you had to be really switched on and smart how you played it,” Hussain said on Sky Sports.
“The moment they changed intent, the moment Shadab said ‘right we’ve gone one way, it’s gone nowhere, we’re going to play our shots’, there’s a lesson to be learnt,” Hussain said, referring to the previous game when England were put under pressure.
“Brilliant change of intent from Shadab Khan; that game had gone from them. Took one individual backed up by Haris Rauf to bring it back.”
Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf echoed a similar sentiment.
“Superb display of positive intent! Fearless, aggressive and full of belief. Take a bow,” he wrote on X.
Speaking alongside Hussain, retired English cricketer Chris Woakes agreed on Shadab’s spectacular performance: “A hundred not out at number eight is pretty special!”
Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has won an unprecedented fourth term, thanking Brazil’s youth for helping to defeat right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro with more than 51% of the vote. Bolsonaro said he would not concede defeat and would seek to annul the result.
The race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or is heating up with less than 24 hours to go before the winner is announced at a glitzy ceremony in London.
A three-way contest between Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane leads the debate in the run-up to football’s most prestigious individual honour.
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Yamal, Spain’s 19-year-old prodigy, and France’s 2018 World Cup winner Mbappe have both publicly endorsed themselves for the honour, while the unstoppable Kane of England has been relatively shy in campaigning for himself.
Predictions are pouring in thick and fast as we inch closer to the award ceremony at the London Palladium.
Ballon d’Or predictions: Who has AI picked as the winner?
According to data released by Avisia, a French data analysis and artificial intelligence firm, Yamal is the favourite to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
The Barcelona winger is tipped to have a 23 percent probability of lifting the trophy, awarded to the best footballer of the 2025-26 season.
The data and AI consulting firm chose Kane as a close second, with a 21 per cent probability, while Mbappe ranked third at 19 percent, tied with Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner.
The top five list is rounded out by Lionel Messi given an 18 percent chance to win for a record-extending ninth time.
Avisia claims it correctly identified the top five for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, won by Ousmane Dembele.
Even though Yamal is Avisia’s top pick, it is Kane who the bookmakers see as the outright favourite, with about 70 percent probability.
Harry Kane has been in exceptional goal-scoring form for both club and country [File: AFP]
What are the predictions of players and experts?
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone thinks his compatriot Messi, who recently retired from international duty, deserves to lift the golden ball.
“After the World Cup, he played at his age… No doubt about it,” Simeone said.
Former Italy international Marco Materazzi echoed those thoughts.
“With all due respect to Yamal, I think Messi showed, at 38 years old, he’s in a different league,” he added.
Lionel Messi guided Argentina to the 2026 World Cup final four years after winning in Qatar [File: AFP]
Jude Bellingham, also shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or, backed England captain Kane and his attacking partner at the 2026 World Cup.
“He works so hard for it, and he’s a very honest and hard-working person,” Bellingham said. When asked if Kane could win, he added, “It’s definitely possible”.
Fellow England international Anthony Gordon sided with his Barcelona teammate Yamal.
“What Lamine has achieved at such a young age… the kind of player he is, is ridiculous. He’s on a whole other level,” said Gordon.
Mbappe, on the other hand, has the backing of his Real Madrid teammate Aurelien Tchouameni, who said the Frenchman had “an incredible season”.
Kylian Mbappe was La Liga and the Champions League’s top scorer in 2025-26 [File: Angel Martinez – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images]
Yamal, Kane or Mbappe: Who will win the Ballon d’Or?
Looking purely at individual statistics, Mbappe leads the race as La Liga’s top scorer with 25 goals and the Champions League’s leading marksman with 15.
Those staggering statistics make him a strong contender alongside Kane, who scored an incredible 73 goals last season – the most by any player since Messi netted 82 in 2011-12.
But Mbappe failed to win a trophy with either club or country, while Kane won the Bundesliga with Bayern but guided England only to a third-place finish. The lack of major titles weakens their case.
Recent history suggests that winning a title in one of the major tournaments has become almost a prerequisite.
Only four of the previous 19 Ballon d’Or winners failed to lift any of the Champions League, World Cup, European Championship or Copa America during the year they were honoured.
That bodes well for Yamal, who is bidding to become the youngest winner, hoping to surpass Brazilian Ronaldo, who was 21 when he won in 1997.
Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal won two major trophies last season [File: Jorge Guerrero/AFP]
Celebrations erupted across Belgrade as Serbia’s student-backed movement claimed a major victory over Aleksandar Vucic’s long-standing ruling party. The result follows nearly two years of protests after a railway station collapse in Novi Sad killed 16 people in 2024.
Kimi Antonelli took pole position for the United States Grand Prix on the weekend on which he can potentially clinch his first world title.
The Mercedes driver beat Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.179 seconds, with the Dutchman’s team-mate Isack Hadjar third ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
Antonelli whooped with delight as he took his first pole position since the Belgian Grand Prix in July and said: “It feels good to be back.”
The 20-year-old Italian will become world champion on Sunday if he wins the race in Austin with Hamilton lower than fourth and Russell lower than eighth.
Hamilton is already below that position having qualified fifth, while Russell will start sixth ahead of the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.
Antonelli’s pole came as something of a surprise after the Ferraris had topped all three practice sessions and Verstappen had looked strong through the second part of qualifying.
“I wasn’t expecting that,” said Antonelli’s engineer Peter Bonnington, emphasising that his charge’s first lap in final qualifying was good enough for pole.
Verstappen had been fourth quickest in Q2 despite being on used tyres but he found his car lacked the requisite grip in the final session.
Antonelli said: “We got pole so we will try to win tomorrow but Max has been very quick and Isack did an incredible job so it is not going to be easy.
“We try to get a good start and hopefully lead into Turn One and try to set the pace, even though it’s going to be very tight.”
Verstappen said: “Q3 was not good, Q1, Q2 were nice but for whatever reason in run one and two just didn’t have a nice balance. No mistakes, just not enough grip. But if it’s still a P2, I take it.”
PHILADELPHIA — Leo Carlsson scored a goal and set up the game-winner against the team that tried to sign him away from Anaheim last summer, as the Ducks overcame a two-goal deficit to beat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 on Saturday.
Philadelphia signed Carlsson to a five-year, $80-million offer sheet as a restricted free agent last July, only to have the Ducks match it and retain him. He scored the Ducks’ first goal at 8:38 of the second period on a pass from Cutter Gauthier, who continued to hear vitriolic chants from Philadelphia fans for forcing his way out of Philadelphia three years ago.
Carlsson later assisted on a power-play goal by Beckett Sennecke in the third period, firing a pass toward the net that Sennecke tipped past Flyers goalie Joseph Woll.
Carlsson leads the Ducks in scoring with 13 points (3 goals, 10 assists).
A.J. Greer, Judd Caulfield, and Tristan Luneau also scored for Anaheim, and Lukas Dostal made 28 saves to snap the Ducks’ five-game losing streak.
Matvei Michkov extended his point streak to five games when he scored the first of two goals for the Flyers on the same power-play opportunity. Michkov snapped a wrister through Porter Martone’s screen during a five-on-three advantage to score his seventh goal of the season. Martone followed 1:03 later to build an early two-goal lead for the Flyers.
Tyson Foerster also scored a goal and Michkov added a second goal in the third period, but Philadelphia never could draw back even, and had its three-game winning streak snapped.
Up next: The Duck begin a three-game homestand Tuesday against Vancouver; the Flyers host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.
A look at the top performers from high school football games across the Southland this week.
RUSHING
• Asir Nembhard, Mater Dei: Set school record with 349 yards rushing and scored three touchdowns in win over Orange Lutheran.
• Tru Warrior Casas, Fairfax: Rushed for 331 yards and four touchdowns in loss to Palisades.
• Shiloh Wickliffe, Cleveland: Rushed for 195 yards and two touchdowns in win over Granada Hills.
• Gatsbee Gumban, Nogales: Rushed for 325 yards and two touchdowns in win over Don Lugo.
• Matthew Quintanilla, Granada Hills Kennedy: Rushed for 157 yards in win over San Fernando.
• Joseph Lara, Bonita: Rushed for 205 yards and three touchdowns in win over Charter Oak.
• AJ Monroe, St. Pius X-St. Matthias: Rushed for 269 yards and four touchdowns in win over St. Paul.
• Braylin Drake, Corona Centennial: Rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns in win over Chaparral.
• Matix Frithsmith, Hart: Rushed for 208 yards and four touchdowns, caught four passes for 92 yards and one touchdown in win over Canyon Country Canyon.
• Maliq Allen, St. John Bosco: Rushed for 136 yards and four touchdowns in win over Servite.
PASSING
• Star Thomas III, Orange: Passed for 423 yards and six touchdowns in win over Irvine.
• Chris Fields III, Carson: Passed for two touchdowns, ran for two touchdowns in win over San Pedro.
• Ian Ditch, Mary Star of the Sea: Passed for four touchdowns, ran for two touchdowns in win over St. Bernard.
• Nicholas Hoang, Culver City: Passed for nearly 500 yards and six touchdowns in win over Torrance.
• Talon Spencer, Capistrano Valley: Passed for two touchdowns, ran for two touchdowns in win over Villa Park.
• Dane Weber, Chaparral: Passed for 222 yards and three touchdowns, ran for 116 yards in loss to Corona Centennial.
• Jaden Jefferson, Corona Centennial: Passed for 258 yards and one touchdown, ran for 75 yards and one touchdown in win over Chaparral.
• Thaddeus Breaux, Hamilton: Passed for 253 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for 103 yards in win over Venice.
• Koa Regalado, Colton: Passed for five touchdowns, ran for one touchdown in win over Rim of the World.
• E’lacion Saxton, Bellflower: Passed for 441 yards and six touchdowns in win over Norwalk.
• Nathaniel Cadet, L.A. Marshall: Passed for 402 yards and seven touchdowns in win over L.A. Wilson.
• Marty Slye, Salesian: Passed for 267 yards and one touchdown in win over St. Anthony.
• Trevor Scott, Long Beach Poly: Passed for 254 yards and four touchdowns in win over Long Beach Millikan.
RECEIVING
• KJ Woodbury, Orange: Had touchdown receptions of 79 and 72 yards vs. Irvine.
• Jo’el La Foe, Culver City: Caught 11 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns vs. Torrance.
• Isaac Mora, Torrance: Caught 10 passes for 208 yards and three touchdowns in loss to Culver City.
• Chase Martin, Charter Oak: Had nine catches for 138 yards and one touchdown vs. Bonita.
• Chris Flores, Orange Lutheran: Caught nine passes for 118 yards and passed for 74 yards and a touchdown in loss to Mater Dei.
• Michael Farinas, Chaparral: Caught nine passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns in loss to Corona Centennial.
• Jordan Walker, L.A. Marshall: Caught four passes for 174 yards and three touchdowns in win over L.A. Wilson.
• Keon’Dre Smith, Bellflower: Caught nine passes for 185 yards and four touchdowns in win over Norwalk.
• Moises Keith-Chavez, Irvine University: Caught five passes for 150 yards in win over Buena Park.
DEFENSE
• Isaiah Danns, Mater Dei: Returned interception 86 yards for touchdown to clinch win vs. Orange Lutheran.
• Noah Sanchez, Crespi: Had sack, interception and 11 tackles in win over Bishop Alemany.
• Jesse Pineda, Granada Hills Kennedy: Had two sacks in win over San Fernando.
• Alifeleti Tuihalamaka, Oaks Christian: Had two sacks in win over Newbury Park.
SPECIAL TEAMS
• Trevor Koko, San Juan Hills: Made three field goals, including from 44 yards, in win over San Clemente.
• King Exusdus, Sun Valley Poly: Returned punt for touchdown in win over Verdugo Hills.
• Gabriel Goroyan, Westlake: Made 52-yard field goal in loss to Santa Barbara.
• Cade Mault, Santa Barbara: Made field goals of 49 and 43 yards in win over Westlake.
Senior running back Gatsbee Gumban of Nogales is closing in on 1,600 yards rushing after contributing 325 yards and two touchdowns on Thursday night in a 38-17 win over Don Lugo.
Nogales is 9-0 and clinched the Gano League championship.
“He breaks off huge runs,” coach Kevin Encinas said.
Gumban had touchdown runs of 96 and 28 yards, giving him 19 touchdowns and 1,595 yards rushing. He also caught a 60-yard touchdown pass.
Nogales can go for an unbeaten regular seasonnext week against Rowland.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
After 23 minutes, England found their breakthrough as captain George Williams – overwhelmed by Tonga last week and initially nervy here – broke the line before a clever behind-the-back pass set up Young to score in the corner.
England had, belatedly, arrived at this World Cup as a force to be reckoned with. Soon after, full-back AJ Brimson – whose direct runs pierced France time and again – led a breakaway before finding Matty Ashton.
The wing had knocked on over the try line early on to spill a seemingly certain England opener, but made no mistake here for his seventh try in six Tests.
Harry Smith spotted the gap before setting up Farnworth for his first try on 27 minutes. And after a period of defence against a France side – who threatened sporadically but made too many simple mistakes – Farnworth scored again nine minutes later.
Williams powered over under the posts for 30-0, and then came England’s best move of the World Cup just before the break – slick through the hands to the right before Young set Farnworth back in for his third.
Eight minutes after the break, Young chased down a grubber kick to bring up 40 points – before Jez Litten and Williams cut through a tiring defence and Victor Radley scored unopposed.
England needed to repel another French siege, before overpowering at the other end for Litten – who impressed as an interchange – to score. Another Brimson surge led the way for try number 10, scored by Mikey Lewis.
A dreadful short kick-off was caught by Young, who raced through for his hat-trick. Jack Welsby got on the act for try 12, a third score in four minutes, as the French surrendered.
The 13th try – scored by Lewis who broke through two weak tackles – ensured England surpassed Samoa’s 74-point winning margin against the French.
After a frustrating few minutes where they had to defend deep for their clean sheet, England finally reached 80 as Brimson scored a deserved try.
Hugo Savala was also a key figure with superb kicking. He only missed one goal from 14 attempts, adding 26 points.
England are far from perfect. They made six errors in the opening 20 minutes – and a better side than France, who haven’t reached the semi-finals since 1992, would have taken advantage.
But it all comes down to points on the scoreboard – and England must hope they have enough.
After Samoa thrashed Papua New Guinea 62-6 earlier, England were a massive 150 behind the Samoans on points difference – which, if Tonga beat Samoa next weekend, would be the deciding factor between the teams as to who reaches the semis.
A hefty win here helps the English cause, but they still need work and luck to avoid missing the World Cup last four for the first time ever.
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit to block certification of the Senate race in Alaska if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses the contest while another candidate with the same name is on the ballot, kicking off what many have feared could become a lengthy battle between the U.S. government and states over certifying an election where the president’s party is struggling.
Many in both parties believe the fight could come down to Alaska, where Sullivan faces Democrat Mary Peltola. Also on the Alaska ballot is a Daniel J. Sullivan from the tiny fishing community of Petersburg. He has said he decided to run on his own, but Republicans have contended he’s a Democratic plant to siphon votes away from their candidate.
On Thursday, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit in federal court in Alaska demanding that the state be blocked from certifying a Peltola win if the other Sullivan remains on the ballot. “The United States accordingly brings this lawsuit to protect the integrity of the 2026 Senate election in Alaska,” the lawsuit alleges, contending that federal law requires states to protect the integrity of federal elections.
The Alaska Supreme Court rejected previous Republican efforts to remove the other Sullivan from the ballot, and the state’s Republican officials made the decisions about how to list him on the ballot. The other Sullivan will appear without a party designation next to his name, while the senator will be listed as the Republican incumbent. Alaska’s ranked choice voting system also will allow voters to select both of the men if confused.
The Trump Department of Justice has increasingly been used to bolster the president’s political operation, targeting his enemies and filing lawsuits against Democratic-controlled states in the run up to the election. Democrats and many voting rights advocates have long feared the Trump administration will try to block certification of elections the president’s party loses much as Trump unsuccessfully tried to do when he lost the 2020 presidential election.
Earlier Thursday, U.S. Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche told reporters that was unlikely outside of extreme circumstances. “It is not DOJ’s intention to and it’s never our intention to improperly interfere with elections or the state certification process,” the attorney general told reporters in Virginia.
Derek Muller, a law professor at Notre Dame University, said the lawsuit will likely only kick in if Republicans narrowly lose the Alaska Senate race and that it does not seem to have legal merit. “The statute simply doesn’t let the Department of Justice enjoin certification,” he said.
From Broderick Turner: As soon as Luka Doncic took the microphone to share some words with the Lakers’ faithful before their first game of the regular season Wednesday night, it was official that this was his team.
“Um, Laker nation. Thank you for supporting us,” Doncic said. “It’s the start of something new. It’s going to be a special season. So, thank you for your support.”
Then the game started and Doncic went right to work, throwing a lob pass to Walker Kessler for a dunk against Golden State at Crypto.com Arena.
Indeed it was the start of the Luka Doncic Show that included him finding an antagonist to direct his ire during the Lakers’ 127-105 win over the Warriors.
“I mean, obviously it’s the Lakers. It’s one of the biggest organizations in the world, if not the biggest,” Doncic said. “Some it’s a very…a lot of honor just to be the face of the franchise, and I hope I can stay here long. And it doesn’t feel…It’s very much an honor and just enjoy this moment.
Doncic and Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg got into a little beef in the second quarter, leading to the Lakers All-Star guard to put in a little more effort while producing 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists with six turnovers.
Doncic got help from Kessler, who was a force with 26 points on 12-for-12 shooting, nine rebounds and two blocked shot in his debut. Ten of his field goals were on dunks, and in the middle of it all, Kessler had several Lakers and NBA milestones.
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Clippers win their season opener
From Joaquin Ruiz: Darius Garland, microphone in hand, waited patiently at midcourt to speak before the Clippers tipped off their 2026-27 NBA season against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night at Intuit Dome.
“Clipper Nation, Clipper Nation,” the eighth-year guard said to raucous cheers in Inglewood. “We’ve been working hard all summer, ready to really turn up this year. [We’ll] try to play at the highest level. [I] really appreciate the support from my teammates, coaching staff [and] organization — really appreciate everybody that comes out and … continues to support. We’re gonna be here all year.
“Clipper Nation, let’s go.”
Garland wasted no time giving Clippers fans something to smile about after an offseason of torment and transformation. He started the game shooting five-for-five from the field and three-for-three from deep, scoring 16 points in nine minutes and fueling the Clippers’ 121-96 blowout win over the Kings.
From Bill Plaschke: As they head into an offseason of overdue rest and roster reshaping, the Dodgers really only face one obstacle.
But it’s a $700-million obstacle. It’s a 5,400-mile obstacle. It’s an obstacle whose gravitas can be found in everything from international sponsorships to stadium tours, an obstacle with expansive implications and crushing consequences.
He is insanely charming… and unrelentingly stubborn.
He has derived his worldwide popularity from his ability to hit and pitch with equal prowess, a deft duality unmatched in the history of baseball. This ability has helped earn him four MVP awards and status as the unofficial greatest player ever.
But, he’s changing. His body is changing. His skills are changing. He’s 32, with 13 seasons of pro baseball burdening his lumbering 6-foot-4 frame, and part of his game is slowly disintegrating under the weight.
The Angels have fired manager Kurt Suzuki after he lost 100 games in his only season in charge of the long-struggling club.
Baseball operations consultant John Mozeliak announced Wednesday that the Angels declined the option on Suzuki’s contract and would open a search for a new manager in 2027. Suzuki has been offered the opportunity to stay with the organization as a special assistant.
“Kurt has earned tremendous respect in our clubhouse, and I’ve seen firsthand how much he cares about our players,” Mozeliak said in a statement. “I do not believe our record this year was a true reflection of his true abilities as a manager.”
World Series All games at 5 p.m. PT All game on FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One
No. 1 Milwaukee vs. No. 1 Tampa Bay Friday at Milwaukee Saturday at Milwaukee Monday at Tampa Bay Tuesday at Tampa Bay *Wednesday at Tampa Bay *Friday, Oct. 30 at Milwaukee *Sat., Oct. 31 at Milwaukee
* if necessary
This day in sports history
1933 — Primo Carnera retains the world heavyweight title with a 15-round decision over Paolino Uzcudun in Rome.
1950 — The Rams beat the Baltimore Colts 70-27.
1961 — Erich Barnes of the New York Giants ties an NFL record by returning an interception 102 yards for a touchdown in a 17-16 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
1966 — Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins scores his first goal.
1975 — The 10-team World Football League, citing lack of television and season ticket support, disbands before the 12th week of a 20-week season.
1975 — The Cincinnati Reds beat the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park to win the World Series in seven games.
1976 — Twin brothers Tom and Dick Van Arsdale play together in a game for the Phoenix Suns, becoming the first and only pair of brothers to play for the same NBA club.
1984 — Future Pro Football HOF quarterback Ken Stabler retires after 17 seasons in the NFL with Oakland Raiders, Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints.
1994 — Alcorn State’s Steve McNair becomes the NCAA’s career yardage leader with 15,049, surpassing the old mark set by Brigham Young’s Ty Detmer, who had 14,665. McNair’s 649 yards also breaks his own Division I-AA single-game record as he leads the Braves to a 41-37 win over Southern.
2000 — Bengals running back Corey Dillon rushes for an NFL single-game record 278 yards in a 31-21 victory over the Denver Broncos. Dillon betters Walter Payton’s 27-year-old mark by three yards.
2001 — New York routs Seattle 12-3 in Game 5 to win the AL pennant for the 38th time. The Yankees become the first team since their predecessors in 1960-64 to win four straight pennants.
2005 — Mount Union drops a regular-season game for the first time since 1994, losing 21-14 to Ohio Northern in a Division III matchup. The Purple Raiders, winners of 110 straight regular-season games, had not lost a regular-season game since they were beaten 23-10 by Baldwin-Wallace on Oct. 15, 1994.
2012 — Lance Armstrong is stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life by cycling’s governing body after a report from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that accuses him of leading a massive doping program on his teams.
2014 — Serena Williams is routed 6-0, 6-2 by Simona Halep in the WTA Finals round-robin, one of the most one-sided losses in the 18-time Grand Slam champion’s career. The last time Williams managed to win just two games in a WTA Tour or Grand Slam match was in 1998 when she was 16.
2016 — Kyle Hendricks outpitches Clayton Kershaw, Anthony Rizzo and Willson Contreras homers early and the Chicago Cubs won their first pennant since 1945, beating the Dodgers 5-0 in Game 6 of the NL Championship Series.
2016 — Baker Mayfield has seven touchdown passes and 545 yards to help No. 16 Oklahoma beat Texas Tech 66-59 in the game that breaks the NCAA record for combined offensive yards with 1,708 yards.
2016 — Leonard Fournette breaks LSU’s single-game rushing record in just his first eight carries as the No. 25 Tigers beat No. 23 Mississippi 38-21. Fournette finishes with 284 yards rushing in his first action since aggravating a left ankle injury on Sept. 24. He averages 17.8 yards in 16 carries and his touchdowns go for 78, 76 and 59 yards.
2017 — The Phoenix Suns fire coach Earl Watson just three games in to the NBA season.
2020 — The NHL announced its annual All-Star Game and Skills Competition would be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2024 — LeBron and Bronny James become the first father-son duo in NBA history to appear in a game together as Lakers beat Minnesota Timberwolves 110-103.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
South Africa broke Australia’s resistance in the final session to complete a famous victory in the second Test and set up a series decider in Cape Town.
Travis Head made 121 for Australia and Scott Boland survived 166 deliveries for 40 runs in an attempt to escape Gqeberha with a draw – the tourists’ hopes also boosted by the first session being wiped out by rain.
But the Proteas stuck to their task to take the six wickets needed to win by an innings and 31 runs as the light faded late on the last day.
Premier paceman Kagiso Rabada finished with 4-77 while Marco Jansen, whose 5-33 on day four put South Africa in the ascendancy, took the final wicket as Australia were dismissed for 295.
But all-rounder Wiaan Mulder also played a crucial hand, bowling with accuracy and finding movement off the pitch to dismiss Head, Boland and Australia captain Pat Cummins.
Some of South Africa’s great Test wins have come against Australia – notably in the last World Test Championship final two years ago and a Test on this ground in 2018 in the infamous Sandpaper series. This must surely rank highly among them.
They were heavily beaten in the first Test in Durban and when 40-4 and 110-6 in their first innings of this Test, there appeared only one winner in this series.
Instead, the contest has been turned on its head by Bavuma’s epic 179 and South Africa twice dismissing Australia, setting up a tantalising finale in Cape Town.
The Metcalfe sisters played for Wales together for the first time when lock Branwen came off the bench for her first cap against Canada at the 2025 World Cup.
They started the uncapped fixture against the Baa-Baas but join forces in the XV for the first time at Test level against Japan.
Branwen, 20, starts her sixth successive Test and has a new second-row partner in fellow bright prospect Aiono.
Nel, 21, returns on the wing rather than full-back for her first cap since the World Cup after a knee injury that forced her to sit out the Six Nations.
“She was a shining light at the World Cup, which was tough for us,” said Lynn.
“Every time that she gets the ball, something will happen. She has got fitter, stronger and faster, and she’s excited to go out there on Saturday.”
Wales are 11th in World Rugby’s rankings, a spot above Japan.
Last month the Sakura Fifteen lost 55-21 to Italy and were beaten twice by Ireland, 31-24 in the WXV Global Series and 43-19 in an extra Test.
“Japan ran Ireland close in the first Test and they are very efficient in what they do, very regimented,” said Lynn, who opts for six forwards on his bench.
“They’ve got a very good maul and we are not going to be taking them lightly at all.”
Darius Garland, microphone in hand, waited patiently at midcourt to speak before the Clippers tipped off their 2026-27 NBA season against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night at Intuit Dome.
“Clipper Nation, Clipper Nation,” the eighth-year guard said to raucous cheers in Inglewood. “We’ve been working hard all summer, ready to really turn up this year. [We’ll] try to play at the highest level. [I] really appreciate the support from my teammates, coaching staff [and] organization — really appreciate everybody that comes out and … continues to support. We’re gonna be here all year.
“Clipper Nation, let’s go.”
Garland wasted no time giving Clippers fans something to smile about after an offseason of torment and transformation. He started the game shooting five-for-five from the field and three-for-three from deep, scoring 16 points in nine minutes and fueling the Clippers’ 121-96 blowout win over the Kings.
Beginning his first full season in Los Angeles after being acquired from Cleveland in a trade for James Harden in February, Garland led the Clippers with 30 points on 11-for-19 shooting and four assists.
Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis, meanwhile, did the heavy lifting for Sacramento, with the shooting guard scoring 28 points and the center facilitating the offense with 14 points, eight assists and 18 rebounds.
Key Kings forward Keegan Murray was scoreless through the first three quarters and was held to just two points. And rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr., whom Sacramento selected No. 7 in the draft out of Arkansas, posted 12 points on an abysmal five-for-24 shooting in his debut.
The Clippers, however, had fun to start the post-Kawhi Leonard era.
Following Garland’s lead, L.A.’s returners, including forward Derrick Jones Jr., guard Kris Dunn and centers Isaiah Jackson and Brook Lopez, were efficient and productive. Jones finished with eight points, five assists, six rebounds and an electric alley-oop slam; Dunn had seven points, seven assists and five rebounds with his usual hard-nosed defense; Jackson had 13 points and five rebounds; and Lopez had 17 points and 11 rebounds.
But Clippers fans were plenty focused on the new guys.
Former Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, who signed a three-year deal with the crosstown rival in the offseason, struggled in his Clippers debut and finished with 10 points on three-for-13 shooting. Guard Gradey Dick, a piece of the offseason trade that sent Leonard back to Toronto, was far more productive with 12 points.
Then there’s the rookie out of Illinois.
Keaton Wagler, the Clippers’ No. 5 pick in the draft, posted 15 points with five assists and five rebounds off the bench. The team’s highest draft pick since Blake Griffin (No. 1 in 2009) was clearly comfortable from the jump and gave his new fan base plenty to be hopeful for.
“He’s already shown that he’s mature,” coach Tyronn Lue said pregame. “I think he doesn’t get rattled, and just being around him for the last few months, whether he’s making shots [or] missing shots [and] not playing well, he’s always the same. He has the confidence to just keep shooting the balls, even when he’s missing.”
Wagler had an assist on his first touch and converted a savvy layup for his first career points.
Fellow rookie Baba Miller, a forward the Clippers drafted with the No. 36 pick, finished with four points and three rebounds.
Lue — whose first starting lineup featured Garland, Dunn, Jones Jr., Hachimura and Jackson — and the Clippers are in unfamiliar territory without a superstar on the roster and with most outsiders expecting the team’s streak of 15 consecutive plus-.500 campaigns to end.
But as Clippers interim president of basketball operations Trent Redden nervously said on media day, the team works well with its back against the wall.
Injury updates
The Clippers said guard Bradley Beal (knee), center Yanic Konan Niederhauser (foot) and forwards Brandon Ingram (heel) and Max Strus (foot) are all making progress in their rehab journeys but won’t travel for the team’s first road game on Sunday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
