Sports
Caitlin Clark paints masterpiece in Fever's win over Mercury
INDIANAPOLIS — Tyrese Haliburton couldn’t contain himself. The Indiana Pacers star, who was sitting courtside Friday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, wasn’t just watching basketball. He was watching art.
And Caitlin Clark was painting a masterpiece.
With each pinpoint pass from the Indiana Fever’s No. 1 pick, Haliburton moved closer to the edge of his seat until he finally jumped out of it. Haliburton knows what a great pass looks like. He led the NBA in assists last year. But this full-court dart from Clark to Kelsey Mitchell for a fast-break layup made him react like he’d just seen a magic trick.
First, his hands went up in the air. Then, they went on his head in disbelief.
“Hope y’all seeing what 22 doin at Gainbridge,” Haliburton shared via X.
What Ty is referring to … Elite vision from #IndianaFever’s Caitlin Clark. https://t.co/HT4sFXO00Y pic.twitter.com/dinxT2XACJ
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) August 17, 2024
Clark’s dime to Mitchell in the second quarter was one of many highlights in the Fever’s 98-89 victory over the Phoenix Mercury. The resounding win, against a team with a trio of newly crowned Olympic gold medalists, secured Indiana’s first season sweep against any opponent since 2020 and the franchise’s first season sweep against the Mercury since 2015.
Back then, Clark was 13 and the Fever was in the WNBA Finals. The team has had only one playoff appearance since, and after a month-long break for the Olympics, it’s fighting for another. Friday was simply the first of 14 remaining regular-season bouts, and Clark came out swinging.
The 22-year-old scored or assisted on 17 points in the first quarter, one more point than the Mercury scored as a team. Clark was doing whatever she wanted: nailing deep 3s, converting and-1 layups and dishing out passes as if she has a sixth sense.
“I think just getting to know my teammates and playing with them, it’s just a comfortability,” Clark said. “It was gonna take me a little bit of time to get used to. It was hard to adjust, and once I kind of found my groove so far, I think we’ve just been getting better and better.”
Clark finished with 29 points, 10 assists and five rebounds. She’s reached the 25-point, 10-assist threshold twice in her last five games. All other rookies in WNBA history combined have done it only once, per Stat Mamba.
Mitchell has been one of the main beneficiaries of Clark’s growing command of Indiana’s offense. The fellow All-Star guard scored a season-high 28 points against the Mercury, including 10 points off passes from Clark. Eight of those points were in the fourth quarter and helped stave off a furious Phoenix comeback.
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Why Caitlin Clark’s Olympics omission might be blessing in disguise for her rookie season
“Basketball is a language,” Mitchell said. “You gotta get on the same page with your counterparts. I think me and C-Squared like to play a certain way and that’s fast and up-tempo, so I’m gonna always align (with her) based on how she’s playing and how the game is going.”
Fever coach Christie Sides said she challenged Clark over the break to “empower her teammates” even more when the season resumed. That message resonated with Clark, evidenced by how she trusted her counterparts when Phoenix stormed back from a 28-point second-quarter deficit and briefly took a 62-61 lead late in the third quarter.
Instead of getting frustrated, which Clark visibly displayed earlier in the season, she remained poised and kept the ball moving. Lexie Hull nailed a 3-pointer to put the Fever back in front, and at the end of the period, when Clark could’ve taken a 3-pointer that everyone in the crowd was hoping she’d shoot, she passed it to Katie Lou Samuelson.
The veteran forward had yet to attempt a shot, but she nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer. Those were her only points of the night.
“She was wide open,” Clark said through a smile. “She was almost like too open.”
There were moments Friday, particularly in the third quarter, when it looked like the Fever were going to fold. It had been a theme at the beginning of the season: building a big lead only to get bullied into a brutal loss. The Mercury tried that approach and became the aggressor behind All-Star Kahleah Copper, who finished with a game-high 32 points, and clawed its way back into the game.
But Clark didn’t panic and neither did her teammates. After Mitchell took exception to how Phoenix’s Natasha Cloud was defending her in the third quarter, Mitchell shoved Cloud in the chest and was whistled for an offensive foul. The two came face-to-face and were given technical fouls.
“Sometimes having passion for the game, some moments can spike your team up to go and play well,” Mitchell said. “I had a moment myself. … But I think it kind of helped us. The grit and the game in those third quarters and when teams make runs is how you win a game in the WNBA. You just gotta be gritty. You gotta be able to get trenchy a little bit.”
However, there’s a big difference between being “trenchy” and being in the trenches. The latter is mainly where the Fever have resided ever since Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings retired after the 2016 season. This year, with Clark holding the paintbrush, could be a different picture.
“I always say that C-Squared is one of those players where her IQ is gonna take us a lot of places,” Mitchell said. “So, you really gotta fill in where you fit in as far as knowing how to read and adjust off her. And once you make that adjustment, I think obviously it’s really good basketball.”
(Photo: Darron Cummings / Associated Press)
Sports
Police report details Zachariah Branch’s arrest days before NFL Draft over sidewalk incident
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New details have emerged surrounding the arrest of former Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch, who is facing two misdemeanor charges following a run-in with law enforcement just days ahead of the NFL Draft.
Branch, who is a projected second-round pick, was arrested early Sunday morning in Athens, Georgia, and charged with two counts of obstructing public sidewalks/streets – prowling and obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Zachariah Branch celebrates after a touchdown catch against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Nov. 28, 2025. (Brett Davis/Imagn Images)
He was released after more than two hours in jail after posting $39 in bonds.
The NFL Network obtained the police report from Branch’s arrest, which described an encounter over an alleged sidewalk incident with law enforcement, in which police alleged that the former Bulldogs star failed “to comply with multiple verbal lawful commands.”
“A male, later identified as Zacharia Branch, continued to stand on the sidewalk without making an attempt to move. I continued to give Zacharia Branch verbal commands to move from blocking the sidewalk and advised that if he did not, he would receive a citation for blocking the sidewalk,” the excerpt from the report read.
Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch runs during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., on Feb. 28, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
TOP NFL DRAFT PICK ZACHARIAH BRANCH ARRESTED IN GEORGIA ON TWO MISDEMEANOR CHARGES
“Zacharia Branch smirked, then stepped backwards and to the right, then remained standing upon the public sidewalk, so as to obstruct, hinder, and impede free passage upon the sidewalk as well as impede free ingress/egress to or from the adjacent places of business,” the report continued.
“Due to those actions and Zacharia Branch’s failure to comply with multiple verbal lawful commands, he was placed under arrest for misdemeanor Obstruction of LEO and received a citation for Obstructing Public Sidewalks.”
Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch celebrates with wide receiver Colbie Young after scoring a touchdown against Ole Miss during the Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La., on Jan. 1, 2026. (IMAGN)
Branch transferred after two seasons at Southern California and immediately became quarterback Gunner Stockton’s favorite target. He finished the season with a team-high 811 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns.
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His status as a projected second-round pick was bolstered after an impressive showing at the combine, where he clocked a 4.35-second 40-yard dash.
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Sports
Quick final pit stop helps Alex Palou win Long Beach Grand Prix
For two-thirds of Sunday’s Long Beach Grand Prix, Alex Palou bided his time … waiting for the one break he needed.
It came in the form of a caution on the 58th lap, allowing him to overtake front-runner Felix Rosenqvist exiting pit lane and hold the lead the rest of the way, taking the checkered flag by 3.96 seconds for his third triumph in five IndyCar Series races this season and his first at Long Beach.
Right after being showered with applause and confetti at victory lane, the 29-year-old Spaniard thanked his crew, whose quick work on the last pit stop proved to be the difference.
“Everyone was coming in on that yellow and they did an incredible job,” he said. “We were either going to win it or not win right there.”
Rosenqvist settled for second and Scott Dixon, Palou’s Chip Ganassi Racing teammate, was third.
It was the 11th win over the last 22 races dating to 2024 for the Barcelona native and the 22nd win of his career, tying Tony Bettenhausen and Emerson Fittipaldi. It also vaulted Palou to the top of the series standings as he chases his fourth series championship in a row and fifth overall. Palou won the opener March 1 in St. Petersburg (also a street course) and the fourth race March 29 in Alabama.
Palou led for only 32 of the 90 laps Sunday and acknowledged it would have been difficult to catch Rosenqvist if not for the stoppage.
“I wasn’t giving up but it would’ve been tough to get him today,” Palou acknowledged. “He was already three seconds ahead. I was happy with my car but I was struggling more on the soft tires than the hards so I’d say my chances were low. The feeling was great seeing all the open space coming out of pit lane because when you spend 60 laps behind a car it disturbs you. I tried to match him on soft tires but it wasn’t working.”
Alex Palou speeds through a curve of the track.
(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
In six starts at Long Beach, Palou never has finished lower than fifth.
There is little room to maneuver on the 1.968-mile course with 11 tight turns, but after starting in the third position next to defending champion Kyle Kirkwood, Palou managed to sneak past Pato O’Ward into second place heading into the first turn on Lap 2.
“Making that move on the straightaway was big because I knew it was one of our only chances to get a pass on Pato,” Palou said. “I got that good run on that last corner and he didn’t expect it.”
This year marked the 51st edition of the longest-running major street race in North America, which started in 1975 as part of the Formula 5000 Series, switched to the CART/Champ Car World Series in 1984 and joined the IndyCar Series in 2009.
The top four qualifiers started on softer, high-grip “alternate” tires to establish position while the rest of the grid started on harder, more durable “primaries” to manage degradation on the 110-degree track surface. Of the 25 starters, 24 completed the 177.12 miles.
“We were going to make the two-stop strategy work but didn’t know if it would be doable or not,” Palou added. “As soon as I saw I couldn’t get Felix it was all about patience, fuel and waiting for the right time. I owe this win to my team. Without that pit stop I probably wouldn’t be sitting here now. It only takes one mistake to go from second to seventh, but they’re great under pressure.”
Cars make their way down a straightaway during Long Beach Grand Prix.
(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
Past winners Will Power and Josef Newgarden moved into the top two positions after Rosenqvist pitted, but the Swede regained the lead when Newgarden pitted for the first time on Lap 37 and dropped back to 14th.
The first 45 laps were caution-free as Rosenqvist, Palou, Kirkwood, David Malukas and O’Ward held the top five spots. Newgarden’s chances declined upon discovering a flat spot on his left front tire, and he dropped back to 14th.
Rosenqvist’s three-second lead was erased when debris on the track exiting the Aquarium Fountain drew the only yellow flag all afternoon and narrowed the gap. Capitalizing on favorable pit position, Palou emerged from the lane just ahead of Rosenqvist.
Rosenqvist. who won the pole position with a lap time of 1 minute 7.4625 seconds in qualifying, had mixed emotions as the runner-up after leading for 51 laps with no win to show for it.
“You want to win when you have an opportunity, but I’m proud of today,” Rosenqvist said.
“We weren’t as good as Alex on the blacks … the last pit cycle was the defining moment. We had to come around 14, he had more of an opening, and his crew nailed it. That happens.”
Kirkwood, who was vying for his third win in four years, finished right where he started in fourth.
“I had a good cushion and figured even with a bad stop I’d probably stay ahead but I knew there’d probably be a yellow at some point and there it came,” Rosenqvist lamented. “Considering Alex had primary [tires], also I think we would’ve been able to hold him off. It’s definitely disappointing when you can’t wrap it up.”
Dixon, who started in the sixth position, was third and earned his first podium this season and the 136th of his career.
Fans watch with two laps left in the race.
(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
“The race itself was a bit blah — I sat in the same position for most of it,” Dixon said. “Luckily for us we had it easy out of that last stop.”
Al Unser Jr. holds the record for most wins at Long Beach, chalking up six in eight years, including an unmatched four in a row from 1988 to 1991.
Tom Sargent is becoming a fan of street circuits after two wins this weekend. Driving the Porsche 911 Cup for GMG Racing in the Mobil Pro Class, the 22-year-old Australian led from start to finish in Race 1 of the Carrera Cup North America on Saturday. In Race 2 on Sunday morning, he again started from the pole and claimed a 0.965-second victory over Aaron Jeansonne to complete the double.
In his last bid at Long Beach three years ago, he hit the wall on Lap 2 but still finished second.
“Momentum in sports is critical and the past few weeks have been really cool for me,” Sargent said. “I didn’t do any street circuit racing before I came to the States. Maybe it fits my driving style.”
Sports
‘Demon’ Finn Balor settles score with Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 42
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LAS VEGAS – Finn Balor and Dominik Mysterio were once brothers in arms in the Judgment Day. The two helped the faction run “Monday Night Raw” for several years.
As championships and opportunities came and went, the rift between Balor and Mysterio grew. It came to a head when Balor caused Mysterio to lose the Intercontinental Championship to Penta. Balor leaving the Judgment Day left Mysterio and Liv Morgan as the leaders with JD McDonagh, Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez sticking around.
Finn Balor is introduced before his match against Dominik Mysterio during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The latter four chose to ride with Mysterio and attacked Balor on one episode of Raw.
The bitter war led to a match Sunday night at WrestleMania 42. To make matters more interesting, Raw General Manager Adam Pearce made the match a street fight hours before the show was set to begin.
Balor had vowed to bring the “Demon” out and he certainly did.
JACOB FATU PUTS DREW MCINTYRE IN THE ‘REAR VIEW’ IN UNSANCTIONED MATCH AT WRESTLEMANIA 42
Finn Balor is introduced before his match against Dominik Mysterio during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Balor made his way to the ring in his “Demon” gear, dripping with red and black paint. Mysterio was in a mask with other Mysterio supporters.
The two then proceeded to beat the crud out of each other.
Mysterio wrapped Balor’s head in between a chair and hit a 619 on him. He tried to pin Balor, but to no avail. At another point, Mysterio tossed Balor through a table set up in the corner.
As many have learned, it’s hard to keep your demons down. Mysterio learned the hard way.
Balor would not give up. Balor clotheslined Mysterio, hit him with a chair multiple times before wrapping his head in between the chair and drop-kicking him into the corner. Balor put Mysterio onto a table and hit the Coup de Grâce for the win.
Dominik Mysterio is introduced before his match against Finn Balor during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Balor excised his own demons, while Mysterio is still haunted.
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