The Sports Report: Clippers rout Trail Blazers in season opener

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

From Andrew Greif: It was only the first game, against a Portland Trail Blazers team seemingly bound for a high pick in next June’s first round, but for the Clippers, it was notable that Wednesday produced what felt like the first of something that had not occurred in a long time.

The Clippers seized control from the opening quarter, and easily cruised to a blowout in a 123-111 victory in a result that was more lopsided than the final margin.

Leading by as many as 30 points, and never trailing, the Clippers were led by Paul George’s 27 points, Kawhi Leonard’s 23 points and Ivica Zubac’s 20 points and 12 rebounds.

Russell Westbrook scored 11 points, with 13 assists, the first Clipper with at least that many opening-night assists since Andre Miller in 2002.

This is almost entirely the same roster that, last season, struggled to make life easy on itself. They had to survive a fight over the final weeks of last year’s regular season to avoid the postseason’s play-in tournament, including struggling to put away the same, star-less Trail Blazers in the penultimate game. The Clippers won just one game last season by at least 30 points, their considerable talent rarely healthy at the same time to allow Paul George and Kawhi Leonard to take over against overmatched opponents.

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Paul George is thinking about the end and wants to be a champion before he’s done

Clippers box score

NBA scores, box scores

NBA standings

LAKERS

Five takeaways from the Lakers’ season-opening, 119-107 loss in Denver on Tuesday.

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DODGERS

From Dylan Hernández: Three years ago, on a makeshift stage at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, Mark Walter celebrated his greatest moment as Dodgers owner.

The Commissioner’s Trophy was in his hands. The Dodgers were World Series champions.

Shortly after Walter passed the 30-pound sterling silver piece to Andrew Friedman, a television broadcaster asked him what the championship meant for the city of Los Angeles and the franchise. Instead of answering the question, Walter unfolded a sheet of paper and started reading.

“All of us have been called on,” Walter read at some point, “to heal divides and address inequality that has torn our communities apart for too long.”

Was he reading the wrong speech?

Team employees cringed. What they had known for years was now being broadcast to the world.

Their owner was out of touch.

The self-indulgent display subjected Walter to some behind-his-back mockery in baseball circles, but the billionaire’s lack of feel was, for the most part, viewed as harmless. The Dodgers had played in three of the last four World Series at that point.

Today, the absence of leadership feels like a problem.

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Shaikin: Trevor Bauer wants back in the majors. Will any team even consider signing him?

WORLD SERIES

All times Pacific
All games on Fox

Arizona vs. Texas

Friday at Texas, 5 p.m.
Saturday at Texas, 5 p.m.
Monday at Arizona, 5 p.m.
Tuesday at Arizona, 5 p.m.
*Wednesday at Arizona, 5 p.m.
*Friday, Nov. 3 at Texas, 5 p.m.
*Saturday, Nov. 4 at Texas, 5 p.m.

*-if necessary

USC FOOTBALL

From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: USC players crowded the sideline, craning their necks to see the drive that could decide the Trojans’ playoff fate. Some stood on top of the bench as Utah drove 54 yards into field goal position. Others climbed on top of crates used to transfer equipment to see the final play.

Caleb Williams was the only one sitting down as Utah’s game-winning field goal went through the uprights.

Four days after the heartbreaking loss, Williams said he was trying to stay composed during the frantic final moments. The Heisman winner’s brand of stoic leadership will now be put to the test as the No. 24 Trojans (6-2, 4-1 Pac-12) try to salvage conference championship hopes during their once-promising season.

Already effectively eliminated from College Football Playoff semifinal contention with a second loss, USC remains in the hunt for a spot at the Pac-12 title game. After traveling to play California Saturday, USC finishes the season at home against No. 5 Washington and at No. 8 Oregon before hosting rival No. 23 UCLA.

“We’re halfway through the season. You don’t necessarily know what’s going to happen,” Williams said. “You keep going, you keep fighting. You stay out here, extra time, be with your guys because you never know when that opportunity is going to come. When that opportunity comes, you want to be able to seize that opportunity. So we’re going to keep going, keep fighting on and keep trying to reach our goals.”

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RAMS

From Gary Klein: Rams coach Sean McVay is a dad.

McVay said Wednesday that his wife, Veronika, gave birth to a baby boy Tuesday. The couple named their son Jordan John McVay.

“He’s here, he’s healthy, he’s feeling good,” McVay said during a news conference before practice for Sunday’s game at Dallas. “And what a blessing it is.”

Shortly before, the team posted on social media: “LA Rams transactions: Delivered Jordan John McVay.”

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NHL

NHL box scores

NHL standings

THIS DATE IN SPORTS

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 — 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 championships, 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.

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.

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 Championship title.

2018 — The longest World Series game by both innings and time: the 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

And finally...

Max Muncy’s walk-off home run in Game 3 of the 2018 World Series. Watch and listen here.