Sports
Clippers hold off Suns to clinch a playoff spot
Behind a triple-double from Russell Westbrook, the Clippers clinched a playoff berth Tuesday, avoiding the NBA’s postseason play-in tournament by withstanding a furious Phoenix Suns’ rally for a 105-92 win that guaranteed them at least a top-five finish in the Western Conference standings.
None of that should come as a surprise: The Clippers have finished in the top five in the regular-season standings nine times in the last 12 seasons and it would have taken an epic collapse in the season’s final week not to do so again.
What they haven’t done is make a long playoff run, reaching the conference final only once in franchise history. And that makes Tuesday’s triumph just the first step on a familiar journey that will only get harder as it gets longer.
As for who and where the Clippers will play in the postseason, that could be determined as early as Wednesday’s rematch with the Suns in Los Angeles. (Spoiler alert: It will probably be Dallas, the Clippers’ first-round opponent in two of the last four seasons. The Clippers won both series.) But until the Clippers clinch the home-court advantage for their playoff opener, coach Tyronn Lue said his team’s focus won’t change.
“We’ve got to secure a spot. We can’t relax,” he said.
“Just keep getting better, keep playing good basketball going into the playoffs. That’s where our mindset is.”
The Clippers certainly weren’t distracted at the start Tuesday, running out to a 17-point lead in the opening 4 1/2 minutes and looking back only after a rash of second-half turnovers allowed Phoenix to close the margin to seven points with under seven minutes left in the fourth quarter. Westbrook, starting because of injuries to Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, played a big part in that big lead, scoring 16 points while recording season highs with 15 assists and 15 rebounds.
It was his 199th career triple-double, extending his record for the most in NBA history.
Phoenix, playing at home for the final time in the regular season, gave its fans little to cheer about early, missing nine its first 10 shots and shooting just 10.5% from the field, missing all four three-point ties in a first period that ended with the Clippers leading 37-10.
When the Suns’ Devin Booker hit four free throws late in the period, the crowd responded with mock cheers. Even so, the 10 points were the fewest the Clippers have given up in an opening quarter in nearly two decades.
And when Bones Hyland drilled a three-pointer less than four minutes into the second period, the Clippers’ led 51-14, the 37-point advantage marking the team’s largest on the road this season.
But the Clippers, who turned the ball over 18 times, would give most of that lead back before holding on for their fourth win in a row and seventh in eight games. And they did it without Leonard, who sat out his fifth straight game because of inflammation in his right knee, and Harden, who is dealing with inflammation in his right foot. Leonard is the team’s leading scorer while Harden entered Tuesday fourth in the league in assists at 8.6 per game.
With three games left in the regulation season and the postseason looming, Lue sais he was taking no chances with his two stars.
“We’ve got to be smart going into the playoffs,” he said. “So we’re just taking it day by day.”
That left Lue starting a backcourt of Norman Powell and Westbrook, who had combined for just a dozen starts before Tuesday.
Paul George led the Clippers with a game-high 23 points, giving him more than 18,000 points for his career and becoming one of only seven active players with at least 18,000 points, 5,000 rebounds and 3,000 assists. Ivica Zubac (17 points), Terance Mann (17), Amir Coffey (13) and Powell (10) joined George and Westbrook in double figures.
Kevin Durant led the Suns with 21 points, two more than Bradley Beal.
Sports
Becky Lynch enters exclusive WWE club with Women’s Intercontinental Championship win at WrestleMania 42
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LAS VEGAS – Becky Lynch entered an atmosphere no other WWE women’s superstar has ever reached as she won the Women’s Intercontinental Championship over AJ Lee on Saturday night at WrestleMania 42.
Lynch became the first person to hold the Women’s Intercontinental Championship three times after she pinned Lee. She first won the title against Lyra Valkyria in June 2025 and then again against Maxxine Dupri in November.
Becky Lynch celebrates with the belt after defeating AJ Lee during their women’s Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
She dropped the belt to Lee at the Elimination Chamber, sparking a monthslong feud with her.
Lee gave Lynch the chance at the title in the weeks prior to WrestleMania 42. But it appeared Lee played right into Lynch’s plans. Despite arguing with referee Jessica Carr for most of the match, Lynch was able to tactfully tear down a rope buckle and use it to her advantage.
Lynch hit Lee with a Manhandle Slam and pinned her for the win.
WWE STARS REVEAL WHAT MAKES WRESTLEMANIA SO SPECIAL: ‘IT’S THE SUPER BOWL OF PRO WRESTLING’
AJ Lee reacts after losing to Becky Lynch in their Women’s Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
It’s the second straight year Lynch will leave Las Vegas as champion. She returned to WWE at WrestleMania 41, teaming with Valkyria, to win the women’s tag titles. She will now leave Allegiant Stadium as the women’s intercontinental champion.
Lynch is now a seven-time women’s champion, three-time women’s intercontinental champion and two-time tag team champion.
Becky Lynch withstands AJ Lee during their Women’s Intercontinental Championship match on night one of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Lee’s reign as champion ended really before it could really begin. WrestleMania 42 was her first appearance at the event in 11 years. It’s unclear where Lee will go from here.
Sports
Letters to Sports: Clippers were oh so close, yet so far
The Clippers’ season has come to an end but better than anyone expected. No consolation but a great job by head coach Tyronn Lue for guiding the Clippers from a disastrous 6-21 start and finishing with more than 40 wins.
Coach Lue led the team, overcoming major obstacles throughout the season with a player investigation, injuries, internal strife and major roster changes at the trade deadline. As usual for Clipper fans, wait till next year.
Wayne Muramatsu
Cerritos
The Clippers are the NBA’s version of Stealers Wheel’s “Stuck in the Middle With You.” Yes, they have had 15 straight seasons of playing .500 or better, and owner Steve Ballmer has brought them respectability, but for their entire 56-year existence — which has contained many clowns and jokers — they still have never [attained] their goal of winning (or even reaching) the NBA Finals.
Ken Feldman
Tarzana
Sports
‘The Naked Gun’ actor Paul Walter Hauser bloodies opponent at Maple Leaf Pro’s first US show
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LAS VEGAS – Paul Walter Hauser is an actor who has been in “The Naked Gun,” “Blackbird,” and “Richard Jewell.” But on Friday night at Maple Leaf Pro’s first U.S. event, MLP Multiverse, there was no acting going on.
Hauser squared off against QT Marshall in a sin city street fight at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. It was the final show of Slam Fest. The two pro wrestlers pulled out all the stops and left the ring in complete disarray.
Paul Walter Hauser competed against QT Marshall at Maple Leaf Pro Multiverse on April 18, 2026 in Las Vegas. (Fox News Digital)
It was a rematch of their brawl at Ring of Honor’s Death Before Dishonor event. Marshall went on the attack first, throwing in all kinds of foreign objects into the ring, including a piece of wood wrapped with barbed wire, a table, a cane, chairs and even a door was brought into the match.
Hauser was able to regain momentum in the match. He set up the barbed-wire object in the corner. Marshall countered and was trying to whip Hauser into the barbed wire. However, Hauser stopped himself. As Marshall tried to take Hauser by surprise, the movie star avoided Marshall and tossed him into the barbed wire.
Marshall was busted open, but wasn’t done. Hauser was trying to inflict more pain. He set up a table near one corner of the ring and poured thumbtacks on top of it. Marshall was able to powerbomb Hauser through the tacked table.
Paul Walter Hauser is pictured on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. (Nathan Congleton/NBC)
BLUE PANTHER AND ÚLTIMO GUERRERO STEAL THE SHOW AT CMLL’S FIRST-EVER US EVENT IN LAS VEGAS
Hauser was left with thumbtacks in his back and one in his head. He managed to power through and put Marshall into a sharpshooter. Marshall tapped out. Hauser picked up the victory.
Hauser got his start in pro wrestling in 2023 at Pro Wrestling Revolver. He worked his way through appearances at All Elite Wrestling before he signed with Major League Wrestling in 2024.
He’s currently Progress Wrestling’s Progress proteus champion.
Elsewhere, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) world heavyweight champion Hechicero defended his championship against Jonathan Gresham, Maple Leaf Pro Canadian women’s champion Gisele Shaw fended off Shotzi Blackheart, Persephone and surprise entrant Killer Kelly to keep the title.
Mistico, Mascara Dorada and Amazing Red defeated The Rascalz at Maple Leaf Pro Multiverse on April 18, 2026 in Las Vegas. (Fox News Digital)
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The show started with Subculture, the tag team duo of Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster, defeated Vaughn Vertigo and Guy Cool. The Demand’s Ricochet, Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona defeated Sidney Akeem, Michael Oku and Rich Swaan, Steve Borden defeated Kiran Gray and Mistico, Mascara Dorada, Amazing Red defeated The Rascalz – Desmond Xavier, Zachary Wentz and Myron Reed.
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