Sports
Ivica Zubac continues to play a big role in the Clippers' surging success
A half-dozen media members converged around the locker of Ivica Zubac late Monday night when one exceptionally tall person joined the scrum, too, pointing his phone’s camera at the Clippers center.
It was Zubac’s backup, Daniel Theis, who smiled before quickly leaving. The joke disguised the truth that the spotlight has never found Zubac more than in his eighth season, and sixth since joining the Clippers.
Zubac’s 19 points — making eight of his nine shots — and eight rebounds in a 138-111 rout of Phoenix at Crypto.com Arena came one night after he had 22 points with 19 rebounds during a loss to the Lakers. The longest-tenured Clipper, Zubac isn’t the focus in a locker room dominated by four future Hall of Fame teammates, but behind a career-high 65.6% shooting, averages that would set or match career-bests in rebounds (9.7), assists (1.3) and blocks (1.4) and a burgeoning pick-and-roll chemistry with point guard James Harden, Zubac has become as central to the Clippers’ 23-13 start as anyone with higher billing.
“I’ve always been confident,” Zubac said, “but right now it’s at a high level.”
As is the team’s confidence in the 26-year-old. When the Suns removed center Jusuf Nurkic in favor of a lineup of all wings midway through the third quarter, coach Tyronn Lue kept Zubac in for the next six minutes. The Clippers led by 11 when the Suns went small, and were still up 11 when Zubac went to the bench in the quarter’s final seconds.
Clippers forward Paul George, center, grabs a rebound between Phoenix’s Josh Okogie, left, and Jusuf Nurkic during the first half Monday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
It felt like a moment of coaching chicken, Lue and Frank Vogel waiting to see who would be the first to adjust. If in the past it might have been a cue for Lue to sub out Zubac, who rarely had a conventional defensive assignment, Lue said there were advantages to playing their big man.
“We just thought him around the basket was tough,” Lue said. “You could throw it up to him, we could post him, offensive rebounds, and I just thought that keeping him on the floor would be better defensively. And then offensively as well, if he’s setting pick and rolls and they’re switching, we can post Zu and can also get on the glass as well. And so it worked out for us.”
Even with all three of Phoenix’s superstars playing, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal were not enough to offset all five Clippers starters scoring in double figures, led by Paul George’s 25 points and seven rebounds. Kawhi Leonard scored 17 points. Harden scored 19 points with 10 assists and seven rebounds and Terance Mann continued his rebound from a poor shooting start to the season, making 10 of his last 18 three-pointers.
One night after the Lakers’ length led to 16 turnovers and the Clippers’ worst shooting performance of the season, the Suns watched the Clippers shoot 62% from the field, including 51% on three-pointers, making 15 of their 29 shots. A 15-0 run in the fourth quarter emptied all suspense, and led both coaches to empty their benches with four minutes to play.
One year ago, the Clippers entered the final weeks before February’s trade deadline with a priority to add depth at center after using stopgap measures at backup center. This season, the position is the strongest it has been in Leonard and George’s five-season era. Of 67 centers across the league who have appeared in at least 20 games, Zubac ranks eighth-best in the field-goal percentage allowed on shots he defends within six feet of the rim.
Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant drives past Clippers guard James Harden during the first half Monday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Theis, signed in November to fill the void after Mason Plumlee sustained a torn MCL, has played so well that Plumlee — despite being in a contract year — approached the coaching staff after the team’s ninth consecutive win in late December to say that though he was close to a return, they should continue playing Theis so as to not upset the team’s established rhythm.
“I was just like, ‘Hey, I’m feeling good, I’m looking forward to coming back but at the same time I’m conscious of how well everything is going,’” Plumlee told The Times; he has since appeared in two games. “… I’ve been on the other side of it where I was playing my rookie year and my older player was like ‘Hey, he’s with the starting group, they’re playing well, let him burn,’ and it gave him some more time to get all the way back. I’ve been on both sides of it.
“If you know your value it’s like, I’m not self-conscious about getting DNPs. It’s given me more time to get my body right and everything.”
The Clippers believe Zubac deserves the credit for his confidence-raising season, and Harden’s influence is impossible to overlook, too.
Since joining the Clippers via trade in November, Harden has pulled aside Zubac, among others, after every shootaround for around 15 minutes of extra work on pick-and-rolls. It is not unusual for Harden to summon or shift Zubac screens with just a glance. Zubac is shooting 58% on attempts taken after a pass from Harden.
Harden and backup guard Russell Westbrook “are always looking for you and they kind of play old school like, they’re gonna reward their big, they’re gonna hit them on a roll, they’re gonna hit them on a deep seal, hit them in the dunker, and I love playing with guys like that,” Zubac said. “I really appreciate it. We work on it. We work on that two-man game almost after every shootaround. It’s been worthwhile for us.”
Sports
ESPN’s Stephen A Smith hears boos from WrestleMania 42 crowd
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LAS VEGAS – Danhausen’s curse may be real after all – just ask Stephen A. Smith and the New York Mets.
While the latter dropped their 10th game in a row, Smith got his share of the curse on Saturday night during Night 1 of WrestleMania 42. Smith was in attendance for WWE’s premier event of the year and heard massive boos from the crowd.
Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
Smith was sitting ringside to watch the action. The ESPN star appeared on the videoboard above the ring at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. He appeared to embrace the reaction and smiled through it.
The boos came after Danhausen appeared on “First Take” on Friday – much to the chagrin of the sports pundit. Smith appeared perplexed by Danhausen’s appearance. Smith said he heard about Danhausen and called him a “bad luck charm.”
Danhausen said Smith had been “rude” to him and put the dreaded “curse” on the commentator.
WWE STAR DANHAUSEN SAYS METS ‘CURSE’ ISN’T EXACTLY LIFTED AS TEAM DROPS NINTH STRAIGHT GAME
Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
Smith is far from the only one dealing with the effects of the “curse.”
Danhausen agreed to “un-curse” the Mets during their losing streak. However, he told Fox News Digital earlier this week that there was a reason why the curse’s removal didn’t take full effect.
“I did un-curse the Mets. But it didn’t work because, I believe it was Brian Gewirtz who did not pay Danhausen. He did not send me my money so it did not take full effect,” Danhausen said. “Once I have the money, perhaps it will actually work because right now it’s probably about a half of an un-cursing. It’s like a layaway situation.”
Danhausen enters the arena before his match against Kit Wilson during SmackDown at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on April 10, 2026. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
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On “Friday Night SmackDown,” WWE stars like The Miz and Kit Wilson were also targets of Danhausen’s curse.
Sports
After 55 years as a broadcaster in L.A., Randy Rosenbloom is leaving town
It’s time to reveal memories, laughs and crazy times from Randy Rosenbloom’s 55 years as a TV/radio broadcaster in Los Angeles. He’s hopping in a car next Sunday with his wife, saying goodbye to a North Hollywood house that’s been in his family since 1952 and driving 3,300 miles to his new home in Greenville, S.C.
“When I walk out, I’ll probably break down,” he said.
He graduated from North Hollywood High in 1969. He got his first paid job in 1971 calling Hart basketball games for NBC Cable Newhall for $10 a game. It began an adventure of a lifetime.
“I never knew if I overachieved or underachieved. I just did what I loved,” he said.
Randy Rosenbloom (left) used to work with former UCLA coach John Wooden for TV games.
(Randy Rosenbloom)
John Wooden, Jerry Tarkanian and Jim Harrick were among his expert commentators when he did play by play for college basketball games. He called volleyball at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games for NBC and rowing in 2004. He’s worked more than 100 championship high school events. He did play by play for the first and only Reebok Bowl at Angel Stadium in 1994 won by Bishop Amat over Sylmar, 35-14.
“There were about 5,000, 6,000 people there and I remember thinking nobody watched the game. We ended up with a 5.7 TV rating on Channel 13 in Los Angeles, which is higher than most Lakers games.”
He conducted interviews with NFL Hall of Famers Gale Sayers and Johnny Unitas and boxing greats Robert Duran, Thomas Hearn and Sugar Ray Leonard. He’s worked with baseball greats Steve Garvey and Doug DeCinces. He called games with former USC coach Rod Dedeaux. He was in the radio booth for Bret Saberhagen’s 1982 no-hitter in the City Section championship game at Dodger Stadium. He was a nightly sportscaster for KADY in Ventura.
Randy Rosenbloom, left, with his volleyball broadcast partners, Kirk Kilgour and Bill Walton.
(Randy Rosenbloom)
He was the voice of Fresno State football and basketball. He also did Nevada Las Vegas football and basketball games. He called bowl games and Little League games. He was a public address announcer for basketball at the 1984 Olympic Games with Michael Jordan the star and did the P.A. for Toluca Little League.
Nothing was too small or too big for him.
“I loved everything,” he said.
He called at least 10 East L.A. Classic football games between Garfield and Roosevelt. He was there when Narbonne and San Pedro tied 21-21 in the 2008 City championship game at the Coliseum on a San Pedro touchdown with one second left.
Probably his most notable tale came when he was doing radio play-by-play at a 1998 college bowl game in Montgomery, Ala.
“I look down and a giant tarantula is crawling up my pants,” he said. “My color man took all the press notes, wadded them up and hit the tarantula like swinging a bat.”
Did Rosenbloom tell the audience what was happening?
“I stayed calm,” he said.
Then there was the time he was in the press box at Sam Boyd Stadium and a bat flew in and attached itself to the wooden press box right next to him before flying away after he said, “UNLV wins.”
Recently, he’s been putting together high school TV packages for LA36 and calling travel ball basketball games. He’ll still keep doing a radio gambling show from his new home, but he’s cutting ties to Los Angeles to move closer to grandchildren.
“I’m retiring from Los Angeles. I’m leaving the market,” he said.
Hopefully he’ll continue via Zoom to do a weekly podcast with me for The Times.
He’s a true professional who’s versatility and work ethic made him a reliable hire from the age of 18 through his current age of 74.
He’s a member of the City Section Hall of Fame and the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. He once threw the shot put 51 feet, 7 1/2 inches, which is his claim to fame at North Hollywood High.
One time an ESPN graphic before a show spelled his name “Rosenbloom” then changed it to “Rosenblum” for postgame. It was worth a good laugh.
He always adjusts, improvises and ad-libs. He expects to enjoy his time in South Carolina, but he better watch out for tarantulas. They seem to like him.
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.
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