The Sports Report: Kawhi-less Clippers fall behind in series

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

From Andrew Greif: Kawhi Leonard pulled up to Crypto.com Arena 95 minutes before tipoff Thursday.

In front of his locker, a red-and-black pair of his New Balance signature sneaker sat expectantly.

Yet the All-Star wing around whom the Clippers have oriented their franchise for four years did not suit up – and the Clippers left Game 3’s 129-124 loss against Phoenix not knowing whether he will again this season.

Leonard sprained his right knee late in the team’s series-opening victory against the Suns on Saturday and played 39 minutes through it in a loss two days later. But when “things didn’t get better, they got worse,” as president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said, the team sidelined him. Leonard is considered day-to-day, his availability to return for Saturday’s Game 4 hinging on the re-evaluations of his knee. Complicating matters is the tight turnaround, with the next game tipping off only 38 hours after Thursday’s ended.

The team believes the injury isn’t related to the torn anterior cruciate ligament that sidelined him the entire 2021-22 season, though Frank declined to offer details about the severity of the sprain and what benchmarks Leonard will need to pass in order to be cleared.

“You can imagine he’s extremely, extremely disappointed he is not going to play tonight,” Frank said before tipoff. “He desperately wants to play.”

The Clippers replaced Leonard’s stoicism with a frenetic energy that peaked while employing lineups without a center for the final nine minutes, and solely guards for the final nine. Flying around, they tried trapping and shooting their way out of a 10-point deficit with six minutes to play, even with Phoenix’s tallest players, Deandre Ayton and Kevin Durant, towering over double teams.

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NBA PLAYOFFS
Results, schedule
All times Pacific

Western Conference

No. 2 Memphis vs. No. 7 Lakers
Game 1: Lakers 128, at Memphis 112
Game 2: at Memphis 103, Lakers 93
Saturday at Lakers, 7 p.m., ESPN
Monday at Lakers, 7 p.m., TNT
Wednesday at Memphis, TBD
*Friday, April 28 at Lakers, TBD
*Sunday, April 30 at Memphis, TBD

No. 4 Phoenix vs. No. 5 Clippers
Game 1: Clippers 115, at Phoenix 110
Game 2: at Phoenix 123, Clippers 109
Game 3: Phoenix 129, at Clippers 124
Saturday at Clippers, 12:30 p.m., TNT
Tuesday at Phoenix, TBD
*Thursday at Clippers, TBD
*Saturday, April 29 at Phoenix, TBD

No. 1 Denver vs. No. 8 Minnesota
Game 1: at Denver 109, Minnesota 80
Game 2: at Denver 122, Minnesota 113
Tonight at Minnesota, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Sunday at Minnesota, 6:30 p.m., TNT
*Tuesday at Denver, TBD
*Thursday at Minnesota, TBD
*Saturday, April 29 at Denver, TBD

No. 3 Sacramento vs. No. 6 Golden State
Game 1: at Sacramento 126, Golden State 123
Game 2: at Sacramento 114, Golden State 106
Game 3: at Golden State 114, Sacramento 97
Sunday at Golden State, 12:30 p.m., ABC
Wednesday at Sacramento, TBD
*Friday, April 28 at Golden State, TBD
*Sunday, April 30 at Sacramento, TBD

Eastern Conference

No. 1 Milwaukee vs. No. 8 Miami
Game 1: Miami 130, at Milwaukee 117
Game 2: at Milwaukee 138, Miami 122
Saturday at Miami, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
Monday at Miami, 4 or 4:30 p.m., NBA TV or TNT
Wednesday at Milwaukee, TBD
*Friday, April 28 at Miami, TBD
*Sunday, April 30 at Milwaukee, TBD

No. 2 Boston vs. No. 7 Atlanta
Game 1: at Boston 112, Atlanta 99
Game 2: at Boston 119, Atlanta 106
Today at Atlanta, 4 p.m., ESPN
Sunday at Atlanta, 4 p.m., TNT
*Tuesday at Boston, TBD
*Thursday at Atlanta, TBD
*Saturday, April 29 at Boston, TBD

No. 3 Philadelphia vs. No. 6 Brooklyn
Game 1: at Philadelphia 121, Brooklyn 101
Game 2: at Philadelphia 96, Brooklyn 84
Game 3: Philadelphia 102, at Brooklyn 97
Saturday at Brooklyn, 10 a.m., TNT
*Monday at Philadelphia, 4:30 p.m., TNT
*Thursday at Brooklyn, TBD
*Saturday, April 29 at Philadelphia, TBD

No. 4 Cleveland vs. No. 5 New York
Game 1: New York 101, at Cleveland 97
Game 2: at Cleveland 107, New York 90
Tonight at New York, 5:30 p.m., ABC
Sunday at New York, 10 a.m., ABC
Game 5 at Cleveland, TBD
*Game 6 at New York, TBD
*Game 7 at Cleveland, TBD

*-if necessary

KINGS

From Helene Elliott: A quick reminder to the Kings, who got away with a sluggish start in the opener of their playoff series against Edmonton and nearly overcame a horrendously lifeless first period in Game 2 before the Oilers pushed back and leveled the series at one game each:

Hockey games are 60 minutes long. Possibly more than that in the Stanley Cup playoffs, where the shootout, thankfully, vanishes for the summer.

Showing up late against the confident, high-scoring Oilers doomed the Kings to playing catch-up in the first two games at Rogers Place. They caught and passed the Oilers in Game 1 but couldn’t do it again in Game 2.

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NHL PLAYOFFS
Results, schedule
All times Pacific

Western Conference

Edmonton [P2] vs. Kings [P3]
Game 1: Kings 4, at Edmonton 3 (OT)
Game 2: at Edmonton 4, Kings 2
Tonight at Kings, 7 p.m., TNT
Sunday at Kings, 6 p.m., TBS
Tuesday at Edmonton, TBD
*Saturday, April 29 at Kings, TBD
*Monday, May 1 at Edmonton TBD

Colorado [C1] vs. Seattle [WC1]
Game 1: Seattle 3, at Colorado 1
Game 2: at Colorado 3, Seattle 2
Saturday at Seattle, 7 p.m., TBS
Monday at Seattle, 7 p.m., TBS
Wednesday at Colorado, TBD
*Friday, April 28 at Seattle, TBD
*Sunday, April 30 at Colorado, TBD

Dallas [C2] vs. Minnesota [C3]
Game 1: Minnesota 3, at Dallas 2 (2OT)
Game 2: at Dallas 7, Minnesota 3
Tonight at Minnesota, 6:30 p.m., TBS
Sunday at Minnesota, 3:30 p.m., TBS
Tuesday at Dallas, TBD
*Friday, April 28 at Minnesota, TBD
*Sunday, April 30 at Dallas, TBD

Vegas [P1] vs. Winnipeg [WC2]
Game 1: Winnipeg 5, at Vegas 1
Game 2: at Vegas 5, Winnipeg 2
Saturday at Winnipeg, 1 p.m., TBS
Monday at Winnipeg, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Thursday at Vegas, TBD
*Saturday, April 29 at Winnipeg, TBD
*Monday, May 1 at Vegas, TBD

Eastern Conference

Boston [A1] vs. Florida [WC2]
Game 1: at Boston 3, Florida 1
Game 2: Florida 6, at Boston 3
Today at Florida, 4:30 p.m., TNT
Sunday at Florida, 12:30 p.m., TNT
Wednesday at Boston, TBD
*Friday, April 28 at Florida, TBD
*Sunday, April 30 at Boston, TBD

Toronto [A2] vs. Tampa Bay [A3]
Game 1: Tampa Bay 7, at Toronto 3
Game 2: at Toronto 7, Tampa Bay 2
Saturday at Tampa Bay, 4 p.m., TBS
Monday at Tampa Bay, 4:30 p.m., TBS
Thursday at Toronto, TBD
*Saturday, April 29 at Tampa Bay, TBD
*Monday, May 1 at Toronto, TBD

Carolina [M1] vs. NY Islanders [WC1]
Game 1: at Carolina 2, NY Islanders 1
Game 2: at Carolina 4, NY Islanders 3 (OT)
Today at NY Islanders, 4 p.m., TBS
Sunday at NY Islanders, 10 a.m., TNT
*Tuesday at Carolina, TBD
*Friday, April 28 at NY Islanders, TBD
*Sunday, April 30 at Carolina, TBD

New Jersey [M2] vs. NY Rangers [M3]
Game 1: NY Rangers 5, at New Jersey 1
Game 2: NY Rangers 5, at New Jersey 1
Saturday at NY Rangers, 5 p.m., ABC, ESPN+
Monday at NY Rangers, 4 p.m., ESPN
*Thursday at New Jersey, TBD
*Saturday, April 29 at NY Rangers, TBD
*Monday, May 1 at New Jersey, TBD

*-if necessary

DODGERS

From Jack Harris: A year ago, James Outman was hardly on the Dodgers MLB radar, a solid but overlooked prospect who’d spent years reworking his stiff “caveman” swing.

A month ago, he wasn’t certain to make their opening day roster, despite a breakout spring performance and an open spot on the team.

But with every new opportunity he’s received this season, the 25-year-old rookie has risen to the occasion.

And in the biggest moment of his young career Thursday— facing a bases-loaded, full-count, ninth-inning at-bat in a tied game between the Dodgers and Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field— Outman took another giant step forward, putting an explosive final touch on his most signature game yet.

Gifted a down-the-middle cutter that was begging to be squared up, Outman delivered a no-doubt grand slam to give the Dodgers a 6-2 win.

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Mets’ Max Scherzer suspended 10 games for violating MLB rules on use of foreign substances

ANGELS

From Sarah Valenzuela: The Angels capped off their first East Coast trip with a 9-3 loss to the Yankees on Thursday afternoon to finish 2-5 on their swing through Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium.

Pedro Sandoval gave up five runs on three hits and three walks in the first inning to put the Angels in a hole they were unable to climb out of. Logan O’Hoppe drove in two of the Angels’ three runs but left the game in the ninth inning with a shoulder injury. (More on him shortly.)

The Angels return to Anaheim for a seven-game stretch against two of the worst teams in the American League in the Kansas City Royals and the Oakland A’s.

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Oakland A’s plan to buy land for new stadium in Las Vegas, move there in 2027

USC FOOTBALL

From Ryan Kartje: Two of the three transfers USC landed for its new-look offensive line have already taken their places up front this spring. The third, however, won’t be coming to USC after all.

Ethan White was expected to join USC from Florida this summer with one season to play as a graduate transfer. But an injury has left White “reevaluating if he’s going to play football further,” according to Trojans coach Lincoln Riley. The coach didn’t offer any specifics about the nature of what’s apparently a career-threatening injury.

“There’s an injury situation that looks like it’s going to prevent him from playing further, and I’ll let him take it from there,” Riley said Thursday. “Obviously, we were excited to get him. It’s football — certainly these things come up and we get it. There’s football and there’s also long-term health, and we understand guys have got to make those decisions and the best decisions for themselves.”

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UCLA FOOTBALL

From Luca Evans: Kenny Churchwell III gazed at the turf, trying to find the words, his hands working faster than the muscles in his mouth.

Last year, UCLA football’s hopes in the Pac-12 were crushed under an unrelenting air raid, Oregon’s Bo Nix and USC’s Caleb Williams and Arizona’s Jayden De Laura all too often firing into windows too wide and secondaries too shaky. Chip Kelly’s offensive juggernaut and Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s development couldn’t save defensive coverages that collapsed.

“We’re trying to promote a different standard,” junior safety Churchwell asserted at spring practice Tuesday. And then he paused, trying to quantify a platitude his tone indicated was of the utmost importance.

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THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1904 — Ty Cobb makes his pro debut for Augusta (South Atlantic League)

1948 — Basketball Association of America Finals: Baltimore Bullets beat Philadelphia Warriors, 88-73 to take series, 4 games to 2.

1951 — Bob Davies’ two foul shots and Jack Coleman’s layup give the Rochester Royals a 79-75 triumph over the New York Knicks in the seventh game of the NBA championship series.

1951 — The Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup for the fourth time in five years as they beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in the fifth game.

1955 — Brooklyn Dodgers win their then record 10th straight game to begin a season.

1980 — Bill Rodgers wins his third straight Boston Marathon. Rosie Ruiz is disqualified eight days later as women’s champion when it’s discovered she did not run the entire distance.

1989 — George W. Bush and Edward W. Rose become joint CEOs of the Texas Rangers.

1991 — NFL Draft: University of Miami defensive tackle Russell Maryland first pick by Dallas Cowboys.

1991 — PGA Seniors’ Championship Men’s Golf, PGA National GC: Jack Nicklaus wins his 4th of 8 Champions Tour majors by 6 strokes.

1995 — Defending champion Utah continues its domination of the NCAA women’s gymnastics championships, capturing its ninth national title since the event began in 1982 with a score of 196.650.

1996 — The Chicago Bulls wrap up the most successful regular season in NBA history with their 72nd victory, getting 26 points from Michael Jordan in a 103-93 decision over Washington. Jordan sets an NBA record by winning his eighth NBA scoring title, breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s record of seven.

1996 — PGA Seniors’ Championship Men’s Golf, PGA National GC: Hale Irwin beats Japan’s Isao Aoki by 2 strokes for his first of 4 Senior PGA Championships.

2001 — Hasim Rahman flattens Lennox Lewis with a stunning right hand near the end of the fifth round to capture the WBC and IBF heavyweight titles in one of the biggest upsets in boxing history in Brakpan, South Africa.

2001 — NFL Draft: Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick first pick by Atlanta Falcons.

2008 — Robert Cheruiyot of Kenya wins the Boston Marathon in 2:07:46 to become the fourth man to win the race four times. Ethiopia’s Dire Tune outkicks Alevtina Biktimirova after a back-and-forth last mile to win by 2 seconds in the closest finish in the history of the women’s race.

2012 — Phil Humber throws the first perfect game in the majors in almost two years, leading the Chicago White Sox to a 4-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

2013 — Raphael Jacquelin of France wins a record-tying playoff at the Spanish Open, edging Germany’s Maximilian Kieffer on their ninth try at the 18th hole. The only other European Tour event decided by a nine-hole playoff was the 1989 Dutch Open.

2013 — Takuma Sato becomes the first Japanese driver to win an IndyCar race in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

2013 — Rookie Marc Marquez wins his first MotoGP race, capturing the Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin, Texas. The 20-year-old Spaniard, last season’s Moto2 champion, becomes the youngest winner at motorcycle racing’s top level.

2013 — Joe Scarborough, a 50-year-old self-employed electrical contractor, rolls the first 900 series in Professional Bowlers Association history — three straight perfect games. He opened the first round of qualifying in the PBA50 Sun Bowl with three games of 300, throwing 36 consecutive strikes.

2014 — American Meb Keflezighi wins the Boston Marathon, a year after a bombing at the finish line left three dead and more than 260 people injured. No U.S. runner had won the race since Lisa Larsen-Weidenbach took the women’s title in 1985; the last American man to win was Greg Meyer in 1983. Rita Jeptoo of Kenya successfully defends the Boston Marathon title, becoming the seventh three-time Boston Marathon champion.

2018 — Oakland A’s left hander Sean Manaea no-hits the Boston Red Sox.

—Compiled by the Associated Press

And finally...

Phil Humber pitches a perfect game. Watch and listen here.