Sports

By Los Angeles Times

Sports
Battle of the Valley all-star game should be a dunkfest
Los Angeles Times - Eric Sondheimer
There will be a dunk contest at halftime of Saturday’s Battle of the Valley all-star basketball game, but you won’t have to wait until halftime to judge the best dunkers. The boys’ game could produce record
Los Angeles Angels
Mike Trout deserves huge new contract, and Angels deserve applause for getting it done
Los Angeles Times - Bill Plaschke
Good heavens, it really happened. Mike Trout is an Angel for life. Few thought he wanted to stay. Even fewer thought the team would be able to keep him. Then Arte Moreno stepped in and took a giant hack
Sports
Soccer! Money makes the soccer world turn (except for you, France)
Los Angeles Times - Kevin Baxter
Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of the L.A. Times soccer newsletter. I’m Kevin Baxter, the Times’ soccer writer. This has already proven to be a breakthrough season for the English Premier League,
Sports
High school softball: Monday's scores
Los Angeles Times
Arroyo Valley 9, Academy for Careers and Exploration 7 Bishop Amat 5, St. Paul 3 Chino 8, Glendora 3 Coachella Valley 9, Cathedral City 0 Connelly 20, Summit View West 0 CSDR 26, La Sierra Academy 18 Bar
Los Angeles, CA
High school baseball: Monday's scores
Los Angeles Times
Animo Venice 13, Bright Star 11 Arcadia 3, Redlands 1 Banning 11, Desert Mirage 5 Birmingham 5, Burbank 0 Cathedral City 3, Coachella Valley 1 Chino Hills 9, Rancho Cucamonga 6 Cleveland 7, Glendale 2
Sports
What we learned from the Kings’ 3-2 loss to Winnipeg
Los Angeles Times - Curtis Zupke
So this is what the official end looks like. The ironic part about the Kings getting mathematically eliminated with a 3-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Monday is that they largely held their own for the
Lebron James
LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo to miss Lakers-Bucks game tonight
Los Angeles Times - Tania Ganguli
The two marquee players in Tuesday night’s matchup between the Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks will be watching from the bench in street clothes, their teams said. LeBron James will not play for the Lakers
Sports
Embattled head of Japan’s Olympic committee resigns ahead of 2020 Summer Games
Los Angeles Times - David Wharton
As French prosecutors continue to investigate Tokyo’s winning bid for the 2020 Summer Games, the embattled head of Japan’s Olympic committee has announced his resignation. Tsunekazu Takeda said on Tuesday
Los Angeles Angels
Angels and Mike Trout close to record 12-year, $426.5-million contract
Los Angeles Times - Maria Torres
The Angels and star center fielder Mike Trout on Tuesday morning were finalizing a 10-year, $360-million extension that would keep him under contract over the next 12 years for $426.5 million, according
Sports
Morning Briefing: Walt Frazier has some strong words for LeBron James
Los Angeles Times - Houston Mitchell
It hasn’t been the easiest season for LeBron James. The Lakers have played much worse than expected, he has been injured, and he saw his potential game-winning shot against the Knicks get blocked Sunday.
Sports
The Sports Report: Why do No. 11 seeds play in a First Four game?
Los Angeles Times - Houston Mitchell
Howdy everyone, my name is Houston Mitchell, proprietor of this here newsletter. Clayton Kershaw won’t start on opening day for the Dodgers. Is Sandy Koufax available? March Madness, Day 2 I got a lot
Mental Health
Sparks to be sponsored by coalition of veterans group, county and state mental health agencies
Los Angeles Times - Bill Shaikin
The suicide rate is higher among female veterans than male veterans. So is the homeless rate. It is easy for a sports team to honor veterans, to provide them with a free ticket and a standing ovation.
Sports
Kings officially eliminated from playoff contention after 3-2 loss to Jets
Los Angeles Times - Curtis Zupke
The sight was brief but emblematic. Brendan Leipsic, listed at 5 feet 10 and hardly known as a fighter, ended up tangled with Winnipeg Jets defenseman Tyler Myers, who appears every inch of his listed
Sports
Dodgers lose 3-1 to Rangers in exhibition game
Los Angeles Times - Jorge Castillo
Texas 3, Dodgers 1 ON THE MOUND: Ross Stripling was dominant over four scoreless innings before exiting with two outs in the fifth after giving up a run. He was charged with two runs, five hits and a He
Sports
UC Irvine carries the pressure of being Southland's only team in NCAA tournament
Los Angeles Times - Jeff Miller
They are one of only five teams in America to have won as many as 30 games. They’re in the NCAA tournament, which is more than UCLA can say. And USC. And Stanford and Cal too. They are just one of two
Sports
Lakers need to play it smart and bench LeBron James for remainder of season
Los Angeles Times - Arash Markazi
LeBron James played all 82 regular-season games last season and has never played fewer than 62. If the Lakers are smart, he won’t play more than 52 games this season. The Lakers’ season is all but over.
Sports
Pressure will get to Duke in NCAA tournament, allowing Gonzaga to take the title
Los Angeles Times - Bill Plaschke
You are preparing to fill out your March Madness bracket and, while you might not know a lot about most of the teams, you are absolutely certain about one. You know exactly whose name you’re punching that
Sports
Despite premature bracket release, UCLA prepares for NCAA women's tournament
Los Angeles Times - Ben Bolch
The party’s over for the UCLA women’s basketball team. Oh, the Bruins can still make a lengthy run in the NCAA tournament, but a planned soiree with donors to watch the selection show had to be canceled
Sports
Lakers' Kyle Kuzma knows his reputation and is working to change it
Los Angeles Times - Tania Ganguli
Kyle Kuzma knows exactly what his reputation is. It’s based on his strength as a scorer. People think he’s a gunner and that he doesn’t pass the ball. But in the Lakers’ last two games, Kuzma showed that
Blake Bortles
Former Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles agrees to one-year deal with Rams
Los Angeles Times - Gary Klein
The Rams added depth at quarterback Monday, agreeing to terms on a one-year contract with former Jacksonville Jaguars starter Blake Bortles. Terms were not released, but the Jaguars reportedly owe Bortles
Los Angeles Clippers
Clippers' Lou Williams wants you to know the truth about his buzzer-beaters
Los Angeles Times - Broderick Turner
The question made Lou Williams smile on a night when he delivered the Clippers victory with his climactic three-pointer. He had buried a contested 28-footer fading to his left as time expired, lifting
Sports
Maple Leafs’ struggles a cause for concern in Toronto
Los Angeles Times - Helene Elliott
Here’s what we’ve learned from the past week in the NHL: Anxiety hits the center of the hockey universe That would be Toronto, where the Maple Leafs are trying to recover from a week that can be described
Sports
Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw will not pitch on opening day
Los Angeles Times - Jorge Castillo
Clayton Kershaw will not start for the Dodgers on opening day, manager Dave Roberts announced Monday, confirming what has been obvious for weeks and effectively ending Kershaw’s franchise-record streak
Sports
Softball community is in mourning after death of Pacifica coach Mark Campbell
Los Angeles Times - Eric Sondheimer
Mark Campbell, the softball coach at Garden Grove Pacifica, died Monday morning just hours after becoming ill at a travel team game on Sunday, the school announced. He was 57. Campbell was well-liked well-respected
Sports
Vanessa DeJesus, Charisma Osborne top All-CIF girls' basketball team
Los Angeles Times - Eric Sondheimer
Charisma Osborne of Windward and Vanessa DeJesus of Sierra Canyon have been selected the co-players of the year in the Southern Section Open Division for girls’ basketball. Vanessa Nygaard of Windward
Sports
Cassius Stanley is selected Open Division basketball player of the year
Los Angeles Times - Eric Sondheimer
Cassius Stanley, turning in the best performance of his four-year varsity career, has been selected the player of the year in the Southern Section Open Division to top the All-CIF basketball teams released
NCAA
ESPN apologizes for releasing NCAA women’s college basketball bracket early
Los Angeles Times - Austin Knoblauch
It appears Selection Monday has hit a couple of hours earlier than expected. ESPN apologized Monday for releasing the women’s NCAA college basketball tournament bracket about 2½ hours before it was set
Sports
Cristiano Ronaldo launches a hair transplant clinic in Madrid
Los Angeles Times - Chuck Schilken
Cristiano Ronaldo does not need a hair transplant at this time, but he’s here to help anyone who does. The international soccer superstar launched the Insparya hair transplant clinic Monday in Madrid.
Sports
Angels reward reliever Luke Bard, and his brother Daniel is pleased
Los Angeles Times - Blake Richardson
The announcement that reliever Luke Bard would join the Angels’ 40-man roster was not much of a surprise to manager Brad Ausmus. “He was?” he asked when a reporter mentioned the news. Of course he was.