The Sports Report: Short-handed Clippers defeat Grizzlies

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

Andrew Greif on the Clippers: Before the point guard not on the roster only three days earlier sparked a dominant fourth quarter, before guard Luke Kennard made nearly every three-pointer he took, and before the 117-105 victory was complete, anywhere the Clippers looked during the first half Wednesday, there seemed to be a bad omen.

Memphis’ Ja Morant, maybe the league’s fastest point guard but also one of the position’s least reliable shooters from deep, was zooming into the paint at will and knocking down a career-high-tying four three-pointers.

Jaren Jackson Jr., the Grizzlies’ sensational 6-foot-11 big man, was back in the lineup for the first time since a knee injury ended his second season in August. His first shot was a three-pointer that caromed off the backboard and went in, as if returning gift from the basketball gods.

The Clippers gave up a season-high 39 points in the first quarter, and Memphis made nine of its 18 first-half three-pointers.

There was turnover everywhere: Nine committed by the Clippers during the first half, and a lineup missing three who had been instrumental in Tuesday’s victory in Portland: Paul George and Reggie Jackson sat because of rest, while Rajon Rondo was sidelined because of inflammation in his right wrist. That wasn’t counting the expected absences of Kawhi Leonard (right foot), Patrick Beverley (left hand) and Serge Ibaka (back).

Their third substitute off the bench was Yogi Ferrell, the point guard signed to a 10-day contract only Monday. Asked how much of his offense he could feasibly run given the mismatched rotations and new addition in the backcourt, coach Tyronn Lue held his thumb and index finger about an inch apart before tipoff.

Four minutes into the second quarter, their rotation got even thinner when backup center DeMarcus Cousins was hit in the mouth by Jaren Jackson’s left elbow and suffered a lacerated lip.

LAKERS

Dan Woike on the Lakers: NBA contenders are seeing their best players show up on injury reports with tight tendons and strained muscles, but the Lakers are pulling a superstar off theirs.

Not only is forward Anthony Davis a night’s sleep away from playing for the first time in more than two months, but also he proclaimed himself “100%” and ready to play Thursday against Dallas.

Davis went through a full practice Wednesday, and provided he responds positively overnight, he plans to be on the court for the first time since Feb. 14. He’s missed the last 30 games with calf and Achilles injuries suffered in a loss at Denver.

“I felt something I had never felt before as far as pain. That’s how I knew it was probably something serious,” Davis said. “So I just wanted to make sure it was 100% when I came back. I don’t want to have to go through this over and over for the rest of the season, let alone for the rest of my career. So I wanted to make sure that I was coming back 100% because it wouldn’t be fair to myself, it wouldn’t be fair to my team. It feels good.”

The Lakers went 14-16 without Davis, and played without LeBron James and Davis for the last 16 games. James still is recovering from his high ankle sprain, recently going through light on-court work. Lakers coach Frank Vogel said there’s no target date for James to return.

In the meantime, Davis will return in a limited basis, restricted to 15 minutes in his first game back. Vogel said the minutes restriction isn’t expected to last long.

ANGELS

Jack Harris on the Angels: As the first ball sailed over the center-field fence, Mike Mayers bent over in dejection, head hung low, hands on knees.

When the next one also cleared the yellow line in right, the Angels reliever simply stood atop the mound and stared toward the outfield, seemingly frozen in disbelief.

In the span of three pitches, the Texas Rangers had erased a two-run Angels lead in the top of the eighth inning on Wednesday afternoon. After trailing for most the day, the back-to-back home runs sent the Rangers to a 7-4 victory at Angel Stadium, rallying them in the rubber match of a three-game series.

One of the Angels’ most trusted early-season relievers, Mayers entered the game with one on and one out and his team protecting a 3-1 lead.

But he walked Joey Gallo on a full count, surrendered a go-ahead three-run homer to Adolis García on a low fastball over the plate and watched Nate Lowe hammer another heater at the bottom of the zone in the next at-bat.

“The walk to Gallo was big, the pitch to García was just in the wrong spot and then of course Lowe,” said Angels manager Joe Maddon. “That’s his spot right there, Gallo, García, Lowe. It didn’t work out.”

DODGERS

Bill Shaikin on the Dodgers: The San Diego Padres are coming to town this weekend for the next great showdown with the Dodgers. If you’ve been vaccinated, the Dodgers are reserving some seats for you.

For Saturday’s game, the Dodgers are opening what they’re calling a “fully vaccinated fan section.” If Saturday’s test run goes well, the Dodgers will consider adding sections for vaccinated fans at other games.

The seats for fully vaccinated fans are in the loge level, in the two sections closest to the visiting bullpen. As of Wednesday afternoon, available tickets were priced from $121 to $154.

Masks will be required in those sections, as in others, but social distancing will not be. As the Dodgers put it: “Persons seated in these sections will be seated directly next to other parties.”

USC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Thuc Nhi Nguyen on USC: USC women’s basketball coach Mark Trakh retired Wednesday, the school announced, leaving USC with a 155-114 record in nine seasons. He is the second-winningest coach in program history after coaching the Trojans from 2004-2009 and 2017-2021.

“This is a perfect time for a transition in the Trojan basketball program,” Trakh said in a statement. “I can’t imagine a more optimal time for all of us to embrace a fresh start.”

Trakh’s 26-year collegiate head coaching career spanned three schools with a .591 winning percentage, including a 65-50 record in the last four years with USC. But the Trojans finished no better than seventh in the competitive Pac-12 conference since Trakh returned in 2017. USC hasn’t been to the NCAA tournament since 2014 and hasn’t won a tournament game since 2006.

USC finished with an 11-12 overall record last season, led by sophomore Endyia Rogers, who was named to the All-Pac-12 team. Sophomore Alissa Pili, the former Pac-12 freshman of the year, was hampered by an ankle injury for much of the season, but earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention along with freshman Amaya Oliver, giving the Trojans a young core of talented players.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Iliana Limón Romero on women’s soccer: The United States will face rival Sweden as it pushes to become the first women’s team to win the World Cup and Olympic gold back to back.

The Americans, ranked No. 1 in the FIFA soccer rankings, learned their Group G will include No. 5 Sweden, No. 9 Australia and No. 22 New Zealand during Wednesday’s draw held in New Zealand.

Host Japan, ranked No. 11, is joined by No. 8 Canada, No. 6 Great Britain and No. 37 Chile in Group E, while No. 14 China, No. 7 Brazil, No. 104 Zambia and No. 3 Netherlands round out Group E.

No. 2 Germany, the 2016 Olympic gold winner, and No. 4 France did not qualify for the Olympics.

Men’s Tokyo Olympics soccer draw

Group A: Japan, South Africa, Mexico, France
Group B: New Zealand, South Korea, Honduras, Romania
Group C: Egypt, Spain, Argentina, Australia
Group D: Brazil, Germany, Ivory Coast, Saudi Arabia

Women’s Tokyo Olympics soccer draw

Group E: Japan, Canada, Great Britain, Chile
Group F: China, Brazil, Zambia, Netherlands
Group G: Sweden, United States, Australia, New Zealand

THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1876 — The first official National League baseball game is played with Boston beating Philadelphia 6-5.

1945 — The Toronto Maple Leafs edge the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 to win the Stanley Cup in seven games.

1947 — The Philadelphia Warriors, behind Joe Fulks’ 34 points, beat the Chicago Staggs 83-80 in Game 5 to win the first Basketball Association of America title.

1962 — The Toronto Maple Leafs capture the Stanley Cup in six games with a 2-1 triumph over the Chicago Black Hawks.

1969 — Joe Frazier knocked out Dave Zyglewicz in 96 seconds to retain the heavyweight boxing title. Zyglewicz, 28-1 against journeymen, was fighting as the hometown hero at the Sam Houston Coliseum in Houston.

1987 — The NBA grants expansion franchises to Charlotte, Miami, Minnesota and Orlando. Charlotte and Miami join the league in the 1988-89 season, while Minnesota and Orlando join in 1989-90.

1988 — New Jersey’s Patrik Sundstrom sets an NHL playoff record scoring eight points — three goals and five assists — in a 10-4 rout of Washington in the Stanley Cup quarterfinals.

1993 — The Pittsburgh Penguins’ 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils extends their NHL playoff record to 14 straight wins.

1994 — Shannon Miller wins the women’s all-around title for the second straight year at the World Gymnastics Championships in Brisbane, Australia.

1994 — Michael Moorer outpoints Evander Holyfield to win the IBF and WBA titles and become the first left-handed heavyweight champion.

2003 — Minnesota and Vancouver become the first teams since 2000 to come back from 3-1 series deficits and win. The Wild take Game 7 in Colorado on Andrew Brunette’s overtime goal for a 3-2 win. The Canucks oust St. Louis with a 4-1 win.

2006 — New Jersey scores a playoff-record five power-play goals in its 6-1 win over New York.

2006 — In Berlin, Germany, Wladimir Klitschko stops Chris Byrd in the seventh round of a one-sided fight to gain the IBF heavyweight title.

2007 — The Boston Red Sox tie a major league record by hitting four straight home runs in a 7-6 win over the New York Yankees. Manny Ramirez, J.D. Drew, Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek connect in a span of 10 pitches during the third inning against Chase Wright.

2008 — John Smoltz of Atlanta becomes the 16th pitcher in major league history to reach the 3,000-strikeout plateau in the Braves’ 6-0 loss to Washington.

2014 — Albert Pujols becomes the first major leaguer to hit his 499th and 500th homers in the same game, driving in five runs to help the Los Angeles Angels beat the Washington Nationals 7-2.

And finally

Albert Pujols hits his 500th home run. Watch it here.