Update on the latest sports
NBA-SCHEDULE
Lakers back on court after Clippers thrashing
UNDATED (AP) — LeBron James won’t be in uniform and won’t even be in Portland tonight, when the L.A. Lakers face the Trail Blazers, trying to rebound from a 118-94 thrashing at the hands of the Clippers last night. After the game, Lakers coach Frank Vogel said: “No one is feeling sorry for themselves. We know we’ve got to be better even under adverse circumstances.”
As for James’ status, Vogel said there isn’t a medical reason why James won’t be present, adding “He’s just not here.”
The rest of the 10-game NBA schedule has New Orleans at Philadelphia, Boston at Chicago and Houston at Milwaukee, while Minnesota visits Miami, Orlando is in Charlotte and Cleveland at Dallas. The Nuggets visit the Jazz, the Knicks play the Suns in Phoenix and Sacramento Kings host the San Antonio Spurs.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Final push
UNDATED (AP) — The Dallas Stars are on the outside of the playoff field as the NHL season winds down, but they can creep within two points of the Central Division’s final berth with a win at Tampa Bay tonight. The Lightning beat the Stars in last season’s Stanley Cup final.
The other two Central teams in action tonight, will not be making the playoffs. The Red Wings are in Columbus to play the Blue Jackets.
The Capitals could match the division-leading Penguins’ point total with a win tonight over Philadelphia in the lone East Division game.
Meanwhile, all eight West Division teams are in action. Anaheim is at Minnesota, Colorado at Los Angeles, St. Louis visits Vegas and San Jose hosts Arizona.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Arenado faces Rockies for first time
UNDATED (AP) — St. Louis slugger Nolan Arenado will face his former team for the first time and go against the pitcher who was involved in the trade for him.
Arenado has a hit in three at-bats against lefty Austin Gomber, who along with four minor leaguers was dealt to the Colorado Rockies for the eight-time Gold Glove winner on Feb. 1. The Rockies also agreed to pay St. Louis roughly $51 million of the $199 million remaining on Arenado’s contract at the time. It’s a deal that has many Rockies fans still seeing red heading into the three-game series in St. Louis.
Arenado is hitting .276 with five home runs and 22 RBIs this season.
Out West, a couple of intriguing matchups get started when Mookie Betts and the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers visit Mike Trout and the Angels in the Freeway Series, while the San Francisco Giants host San Diego with first place on the line in the NL West. Julio Urías (4-0, 2.87 ERA) pitches for the struggling Dodgers, who have lost three straight and eight of 10, against Griffin Canning (2-2, 6.20). Blake Snell (1-0, 3.51) is on the mound for the Padres against Anthony DeSclafani (2-1, 2.00).
Here’s the full Major League Baseball schedule:
Interleague:
Washington at N-Y Yankees 7:05 p.m.
Cincinnati at Cleveland 7:10 p.m.
L-A Dodgers at L-A Angels 9:38 p.m.
American League:
Boston at Baltimore 7:05 p.m.
Minnesota at Detroit 7:10 p.m.
Seattle at Texas 8:05 p.m.
Chi White Sox at Kansas City 8:10 p.m.
Toronto at Houston 8:10 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Oakland 9:40 p.m.
National League:
Pittsburgh at Chi Cubs 2:20 p.m.
Arizona at N-Y Mets 7:10 p.m.
Milwaukee at Miami 7:10 p.m.
Philadelphia at Atlanta 7:20 p.m.
Colorado at St. Louis 8:15 p.m.
San Diego at San Francisco 9:45 p.m.
COLLEGE SPORTS
University of Hartford sports drops from Division I to III
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — The University of Hartford is dropping its sports teams from Division I to Division III.
The decision comes after the Hartford men’s basketball team this season won its first America East championship this season and played in the NCAA Tournament for the first time, losing to eventual national champion Baylor in the first round.
Hartford President Gregory Woodward says the school wants to “transition to this new model for intercollegiate athletics.”
The discussion to downgrade to Division III has sparked marches on campus led by athletes and a petition from alumni to keep the program in Division I.
