Bam's big night: 83 points is second only to Wilt's 100
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🚨 Headlines
🏈 Crosby deal called off: The Ravens have backed out of the Maxx Crosby trade after the Raiders edge rusher reportedly failed his physical. Crosby played through most of last season with an injured meniscus and underwent knee surgery in January. This will have ripple effects, to say the least.
🏈 More NFL moves: The Raiders are trading Geno Smith to the Jets, where the QB began his career in 2013; the Patriots are signing former Packers WR Romeo Doubs to a four-year, $80 million deal; the Lions are signing former Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco to replace David Montgomery.
⚽️ Champions League roundup: The Round of 16 began with four first-leg matches. The two most notable results of the day? Turkish side Galatasaray blanking Liverpool, 1-0, and Barcelona and Newcastle playing to a 1-1 draw.
👊 Rousey torches UFC: Ronda Rousey, who once helped propel the UFC into the mainstream, excoriated the company during Tuesday’s press conference for her upcoming Netflix bout against Gina Carano. "They need to be saved from themselves, and luckily I’m here to be their hero.”
⚽️ Home base secured: The USMNT has selected Great Park Sports Complex, a municipal facility in Irvine, California, as its training base for this summer’s World Cup. The nearly 200-acre space includes an array of athletic fields and a 5,000-seat soccer stadium, home to Orange County SC of the second-tier USL Championship.
🏀 Bam explodes for 83 points
(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)Entering Tuesday night, Heat center Bam Adebayo had never scored more than 41 points in a game. By the end of the evening, he'd erupted for 83 points — the second-highest single-game total in NBA history.
How he did it: Adebayo attempted 43 free throws (!!!) and made 36 of them, both NBA records. He also tossed up 22 three-pointers, the third-most in NBA history (and made a career-high seven of them).
His teammates were intentionally fouling down the stretch of a blowout 150-129 win to get Bam the ball back, which turned the end of the game into a bit of a laughingstock and rubbed some viewers the wrong way.
It also helped that the Heat were playing the Wizards, who are one of the NBA's worst teams (and have little interest in winning games at the moment).
All necessary context, sure. But don't let it distract from the extraordinary nature of his feat. It's simply incredible.
Adebayo: "To be [at] 83 and passing [Bryant], in my mind, it's like, what would he say to me? Because I've always wanted to have a conversation with him. He'd probably say, 'Go do it again.' Just a surreal moment being in the company with somebody that you idolized growing up."
(Yahoo Sports)From Yahoo Sports' Dan Devine:
Erik Spoelstra has walked the sidelines for more than 1,600 games as the head coach of the Heat. But he'd never seen one quite like the one he coached on Tuesday.
"This was just an absolutely surreal night," Spoelstra told reporters after the game. "We have been blessed to have been a part of a lot of big moments in this arena. This one … it just happened. Moments happen. And I'm grateful that we're able to be a part of it, and witness it."
With all due respect to one of the greatest coaches in NBA history … no. Accidents will happen. S*** happens. Bam Adebayo scoring 83 points in an NBA game, though? That doesn't just happen.
Every other player with a 70-point game to his name — Chamberlain, Bryant, Dončić, Thompson, Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, David Robinson, Elgin Baylor, Joel Embiid, Devin Booker — ranks in or just outside the top 50 scorers in NBA history in terms of points-per-game average; Adebayo ranks 221st.
Bam entered Tuesday averaging 18.9 points on 15.2 field-goal attempts per game on the season. In fact, he's just the third-leading scorer on the Heat, behind guards Norman Powell (22.5 ppg) and Tyler Herro (22.1 ppg).
But both Powell and Herro were out of the lineup; so were starting swingman Andrew Wiggins and second-year big man Kel'el Ware. That left a shot-creation and shot-making void in the heart of the Heat's lineup … and the heart of the Heat franchise set about filling it.
(Megan Briggs/Getty Images)Dynamic duo: Adebayo and his girlfriend, A'ja Wilson, now own the highest scoring games among active players in their respective leagues (Wilson erupted for a WNBA-record-tying 53 points in 2023). "I see the countless hours, the early morning workouts, I see all that," said Wilson, who was sitting courtside and joined Adebayo for his press conference. "I know he says I'm his inspiration, but I don't think he has a clue how much he inspires me."
⚾️ Italy 8, USA 6
Aaron Judge walks off the field after striking out to end the game. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)Italy stunned Team USA with an 8-6 victory on Tuesday at the World Baseball Classic, putting the Americans in jeopardy of not advancing to the knockout round.
Game recap: Team Italy — comprising mostly American big leaguers with Italian heritage — raced out to an early 8-0 lead in Houston behind 4.2 shutout innings from veteran right-hander Michael Lorenzen (Royals) and home runs from Jac Caglianone (Royals), Kyle Teel (White Sox) and Sam Antonacci (White Sox prospect).
Team USA made it a game in the later innings, scoring six runs in the final four frames on three dingers — one from Gunnar Henderson and two from Pete Crow-Armstrong.
Red Sox reliever Greg Weissert struck out Aaron Judge, the tying run in the ninth, to end the proceedings and conclude one of the biggest upsets in international baseball history.
Where it stands: Team USA (3-1) is now left to sweat out tonight's game between Mexico (2-1) and Italy (3-0). If the Italians win, the Americans advance alongside them. But if Mexico wins while scoring four runs or fewer, the U.S. loses the tiebreaker (fewest runs allowed per out recorded) and is eliminated from a tournament it was favored to win.
Scenarios:
Italy wins: Italy advances, USA advances
Mexico wins and scores 5+ runs: Mexico advances, USA advances
Mexico wins and scores 4 runs or fewer: Mexico advances, Italy advances
The DeRosa controversy: Team USA manager Mark DeRosa appeared on MLB Network Tuesday morning and proclaimed that his squad had already clinched a spot in the knockouts. 'We wanna win this game even though our ticket is punched to the quarterfinals," he said. Asked after the loss about that factually incorrect statement, DeRosa's answer wasn't clear. "Yeah, I misspoke. I was on 'Hot Stove' with a couple buddies today and completely misread the calculations."
From Yahoo Sports' Jake Mintz:
"Misspoke" and "misread the calculations" are two very different things. So there are two explanations here, neither of which makes DeRosa look good.
The more gracious interpretation is that the skipper actually misspoke and knew all along that Team USA needed a win against Italy to guarantee its spot in the quarterfinals. Even if that's what happened, it's still a bad look that DeRosa was bombastic enough to use the phrase "punched our ticket" and tell "Hot Stove" that he was purposefully resting a few players. That's the epitome of overlooking an opponent.
The worse interpretation is completely damning: DeRosa didn't know Team USA wasn't through until some point during or after the game. He and his staff "misread the calculations," misunderstanding the ins and outs of the complicated WBC tiebreaker system, and assumed they were safe. With that in mind, they opted to rest Bryce Harper, Alex Bregman and Brice Turang and adopt a more passive pitching plan.
If that's how it really went down ... oof. It only looks uglier in the context of DeRosa's pregame implication that some of the USA coaches and players were up late together downing suds and sharing stories. "There's some guys dragging today," he admitted.
Well, if Mexico wins on Wednesday while scoring four runs or fewer, there will be 20-some American superstars dragging their asses back to spring training.
📆 Flashback: March 11, 2020
A Capitals employee skates alone in an empty Capital One Arena on March 12, 2020. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)Six years ago today, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. By day's end, the NBA had suspended play indefinitely following Rudy Gobert's positive test. By month's end, every major sporting event on Earth had been either postponed or canceled.
The months that followed: The NFL held a virtual draft in April, and "The Last Dance" came out in May. By the summer, most leagues had resumed play in "bubbles" with no fans (but lots of cardboard cutouts!). When fall arrived, sports venues became polling centers and Dustin Johnson won a Masters unlike any other. Winter was still weird, but some things felt normal. Like Nick Saban winning another national title. And Tom Brady winning another Super Bowl.
Sometimes 2020 feels like it was a decade ago… Other times, it feels like yesterday… A strange, depressing stretch of months when the sports calendar vanished (well, except for competitive marble racing) and the world felt suddenly unfamiliar.
🏀 March Madness: Who’s dancing?
(Yahoo Sports)Men: Hofstra (CAA), Wright State (Horizon), Siena (MAAC) and Gonzaga (West Coast) won their conference tournaments on Tuesday to secure automatic bids to the men's NCAA tournament.
They join: Queens (ASUN), High Point (Big South), Northern Iowa (Missouri Valley), Long Island (Northeast), Tennessee State (Ohio Valley), Furman (SoCon), North Dakota State (Summit) and Troy (Sun Belt).
Same as it ever was: Gonzaga, which will join the Pac-12 next season, concluded its tenure in the WCC by winning the program's 23rd conference tournament title (and 12th in the last 14 years). The end of an era!
(Yahoo Sports)Women: Green Bay (Horizon), Colorado State (Mountain West) and Gonzaga (West Coast) punched tickets on the women's side.
They join: Rhode Island (Atlantic 10), Duke (ACC), Jacksonville (ASUN), West Virginia (Big 12), UConn (Big East), High Point (Big South), UCLA (Big Ten), Fairfield (MAAC), Western Illinois (Ohio Valley), Texas (SEC), Samford (SoCon), South Dakota State (Summit) and James Madison (Sun Belt).
Meanwhile, on the bubble: Is Tennessee (16-13) in danger of missing the dance? Not a single NCAA tournament has been played without the Lady Vols. Yet, after a brutally unsuccessful end to the season, there are rumblings about whether this might be the year the streak is broken.
📺 Watchlist: Wednesday, March 11
Fernando Tatis Jr. celebrates his grand slam with a plantain-wrapped dumbbell. This tournament is awesome. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)⚾️ World Baseball Classic
Pool play comes to a close today with three critical matchups: Canada vs. Cuba (3pm ET, FS2), Italy vs. Mexico (7pm, Tubi) and Dominican Republic vs. Venezuela (8pm, FS1).
What's at stake? A lot! As detailed above, the Italy-Mexico result has a direct impact on whether or not Team USA advances, while Canada-Cuba is a win-or-go-home clincher. The D.R. and Venezuela have both already advanced, but the winner gets South Korea while the loser will have to face defending champion Japan.
⚽️ Champions League
The Round of 16 continues today with four first-leg matches in Germany, France, Spain and Norway.
Full slate: Bayer Leverkusen vs. Arsenal (1:45pm, Paramount+); PSG vs. Chelsea (4pm, Paramount+); Real Madrid vs. Manchester City (4pm, Paramount+); Bodø/Glimt vs. Sporting CP (4pm, CBSSN).
More to watch:
🏀 NBA: Cavaliers at Magic (7:30pm, ESPN); Rockets at Nuggets (10pm, ESPN) … Nikola Jokić leads the league in both rebounds (12.5) and assists per game (10.3).
🎾 Tennis: Indian Wells (2pm, Tennis) … Round of 16 action for Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Iga Świątek, Jessica Pegula and more.
🏀 NCAAM: McNeese vs. Stephen F. Austin (5pm, ESPN2); BU vs. Lehigh (7pm, CBSSN); Idaho vs. Montana (11:30pm, ESPN2) … Southland, Patriot League and Big Sky championships.
🏀 NCAAW: Montana State vs. Idaho (5pm, ESPNU) … Big Sky championship.
Got plans tonight? Gametime is the best place to score last-minute tickets to the events happening in your city. Get tickets now!
🏀 NBA trivia
(Megan Briggs/Getty Images)Bam Adebayo ranks second on the Heat's all-time scoring list (10,084 points), trailing only Dwyane Wade (21,556).
Question: Who ranks third?
Hint: Center.
Answer at the bottom.
🏒 Play of the day
(Giphy)I can't stop watching this filthy give-and-go goal between Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. They call him "McJesus" for a reason, folks.
Final:Oilers 4, Avalanche 3
_________________________________________________________________________________
Trivia answer: Alonzo Mourning (9,459 points)
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