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Stakes are clear for Lakers: Beat Pelicans and win 8th spot in West

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Stakes are clear for Lakers: Beat Pelicans and win 8th spot in West

Finally, the stakes are perfectly clear.

Sunday, in their last game of the season, the Lakers can win their way out of the back half of the NBA’s play-in tournament, a spot where they could face a horror-movie fate — Stephen Curry in a win-or-go-home game.

A win Sunday in New Orleans against the Pelicans, who helped the Lakers by beating those Golden State Warriors on Friday, would guarantee the No. 8 seed in the West and the two chances to win their way into the playoffs that come with it.

“Every game matters,” LeBron James said after scoring 37 points in 41 minutes Friday. “Every seed matters.”

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The only way the Lakers (46-35) can finish 10th is with a loss Sunday coupled with wins by Golden State and Sacramento (both 45-36). The Lakers could lose and end up ninth if either the Warriors lose at home to Utah or the Kings lose at home to Portland. If the Warriors, Kings and Lakers all lose, the Lakers will be the No. 8 seed.

The Lakers survived Friday in Memphis, winning 123-120 against a team with 13 players shelved because of injuries despite a sloppy game full of turnovers, suspect perimeter defense and uneven defensive rebounding.

They won’t have those luxuries against the Pelicans, who have won four straight and are fighting to stay in the sixth spot with Phoenix hoping to steal it with a win Sunday.

“They got a lot of weapons on both sides of the floor. And we have to be able to play the right way,” Anthony Davis said after returning to the lineup with 36 points and 14 rebounds. “We can’t play how we played tonight, the turnovers and letting them get offensive rebounds and sloppy play. They’ll take advantage of it.”

The Lakers, regardless of Sunday‘s outcome, will wrap up the season with some milestones.

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James will end it with averages of more than 25 points, eight assists and seven rebounds — unmatched numbers for a player in Season 21. His 71 games will be the most he’s played in a regular season since his final year in Cleveland.

Davis is set to play his 76th game Sunday — the most he’s played in a season.

Austin Reaves will play in all 82 games, one of 17 players to do that this year. In that group only Brooklyn’s Mikal Bridges and Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis are averaging more minutes.

“We’re at the point of the year I think everybody’s tired, everybody’s got some type of bump, bruise somewhere,” Reaves said at shootaround Friday. “But you fight through it, all fight for one common goal.”

And then there’s D’Angelo Russell, who already established the Lakers’ record for three-pointers in a season. He’s slumped over the last three games, and Friday he looked more passive than he has since a stretch in December that ended with coach Darvin Ham moving him to the bench.

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Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell tries to cut off a drive by Grizzlies guard Zavier Simpson on Friday night in Memphis.

(Brandon Dill / Associated Press)

“Just encourage him to stay aggressive,” Ham said. “I’m not worried about his confidence. He’s a guy that constantly goes back to the work floor and works on his game. And I expect him to do the same. But just encourage him to stay assertive, stay deliberate, stay aggressive.”

Getting him to that place is critical.

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“When DLo plays well, we all play well,” James said. “When DLo is aggressive, we feel pretty good about that. So he’ll find his shot. We’re not worried about that.”

It helps that guard Gabe Vincent had his best game since returning from knee surgery, finishing as a plus-27 off the bench Friday thanks to his defensive intensity.

“Gabe’s a winner. It’s that simple,” said James, who scored six straight points in the fourth quarter to help seal the win over the Grizzlies. “And as he continues to get his legs up underneath him, hopefully he has enough time, hopefully we continue to give him enough time to get his legs up underneath him. But he’s a winner. That’s why we brought him on.”

The stage is set for the Lakers to make their move. Win on Sunday and they’ll have two chances in the play-in tournament to make the first round of the playoffs, where they fought their way to the conference finals a year ago.

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After 55 years as a broadcaster in L.A., Randy Rosenbloom is leaving town

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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.

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(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.

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Randy Rosenbloom, left, with his volleyball broadcast partners, Kirk Kilgour and Bill Walton.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Becky Lynch enters exclusive WWE club with Women’s Intercontinental Championship win at WrestleMania 42

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Becky Lynch enters exclusive WWE club with Women’s Intercontinental Championship win at WrestleMania 42

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

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)

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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)

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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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Letters to Sports: Clippers were oh so close, yet so far

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Letters to Sports: Clippers were oh so close, yet so far

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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

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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

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