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Utah shocks UCLA on last-second basket, ending Bruins' six-game winning streak

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Utah shocks UCLA on last-second basket, ending Bruins' six-game winning streak

They lost their composure. They lost their leading scorer. They lost their late lead.

Ultimately, they lost something that mattered far more.

With Sebastian Mack ejected and Adem Bona largely nonexistent Sunday evening, the UCLA Bruins faltered in the final moments in an emotionally charged game against the team that had humiliated them a little more than a month ago.

This defeat was worse. Way worse.

The Bruins appeared on the verge of payback against Utah when guard Dylan Andrews rose for a jumper just inside the three-point line, giving his team a one-point lead with 6.6 seconds left.

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But in a decision that will be questioned for a long time, UCLA coach Mick Cronin called a timeout to set up his defense — and allow the Utes, who had no timeouts left — to set up a final play.

Utah got the ball to a driving Deivon Smith, who split two defenders before his layup was contested by Bona and glanced off the top of the backboard. The ball fell toward Utes big man Branden Carlson, whose putback with 0.2 seconds left pushed Utah into the lead and silenced the crowd inside Pauley Pavilion.

After UCLA forward Berke Buyuktuncel’s full-court inbounds pass was tipped away by Utah, the Bruins were left with a 70-69 loss that ended their six-game winning streak.

UCLA guard Lazar Stefanovic passes the ball in front of Utah center Keba Keita (13) after diving for a loose ball during the first half.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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“It feels horrible,” UCLA guard Lazar Stefanovic said. “I don’t know exactly how to explain it — it feels horrible. Had a game in our hand … I mean, it came down to that last play but you can count 20 plays down the stretch that we didn’t make that we could have made, which would have made a difference.”

UCLA’s first defeat since a road loss to Arizona late last month will prompt plenty of second-guessing. Cronin said he called timeout because he was worried that Smith was going to immediately sprint down court after Andrews’ shot and get fouled.

“I’m sure I’m going to go home and be mad that I called timeout,” Cronin said. “But I wanted to set my defense so we could slow him down, but we failed.”

The Bruins (14-12 overall, 9-6 Pac-12) had a chance to put the game away after Will McClendon made a three-pointer to give them a 67-64 lead and they got the ball back after a Utah miss. But two empty possessions sandwiched around a layup by Smith gave the ball back to the Utes trailing 67-66 with 41.1 seconds left.

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UCLA forward Adem Bona (3) tries to block a shot by Utah center Branden Carlson during the first half.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Andrews then looked like the hero, until Carlson’s final play.

“Bona did a great job of forcing a tough shot,” McClendon said, “and usually when your five man stops the ball and goes to stop the shot, it leaves a mismatch for the guards and the bigs and we didn’t do our part in blocking out and getting the rebound.”

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Stefanovic scored 19 points against his former team and Andrews had 15. But Bona finished with just seven points and two rebounds and Mack had four points in eight minutes before his ejection.

The only silver lining for UCLA: Barring a matchup in the Pac-12 tournament, the Bruins will not face the Utes (16-10, 7-8) again this season.

Smith and Carlson scored 17 points apiece for Utah, which logged its first conference road victory after starting 0-6.

UCLA had won eight of its previous nine games since its 46-point beatdown against Utah in Salt Lake City, prompting questions about whether the Bruins could thank the Utes for their turnaround. Did the pain of once trailing by as many as 50 points in that game snap UCLA back to attention?

In a word, according to their coach, no.

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Cronin said his team’s resurgence was a result of incremental improvement, not motivation from a beatdown. But freshman forward Brandon Williams indicated recently that the Bruins had not forgotten about that cold, brutal night in Salt Lake City.

UCLA forward Berke Buyuktuncel, left, and guard Lazar Stefanovic, right, battle Utah guard Deivon Smith for a loose ball during the second half.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

“Me personally, I can’t wait to play against them,” Williams said last Tuesday. “We got some revenge to get.”

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They didn’t get it, leaving them with zero margin for error the rest of the regular season if they want to have any chance of making the NCAA tournament besides winning the Pac-12 tournament.

The Bruins found themselves shorthanded midway through the first half when Mack elbowed Carlson in the throat, earning a flagrant-2 foul and an ejection. Carlson stayed down on the court for more than a minute before going to the locker room and eventually returning.

Emotions boiled over several minutes later when Cronin was assessed a technical foul after a controversial call. The Bruins thought a Utah player had dribbled off his foot out of bounds, but television replays appeared to show the ball going off Stefanovic.

It was not the last thing that would go against UCLA.

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Victor Wembanyama puts hand on Jalen Brunson’s head, pushes him down as refs look the other way in Game 3

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Victor Wembanyama puts hand on Jalen Brunson’s head, pushes him down as refs look the other way in Game 3

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Victor Wembanyama’s aggression on the court was once again called into question as the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks played Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden.

During the first half, Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson was trying to guard Wembanyama near the free throw line when the 7-foot-4 center put his hand on the back of Brunson’s head and shoved him to the court.

However, Wembanyama was never called for the foul and play continued with the Knicks in possession of the ball.

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Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks works against Dylan Harper and Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs during the third quarter in Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 8, 2026. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

Brunson immediately got into Wembanyama’s face, and it appeared the Frenchman was smiling before the point guard got back to business.

The incident was similar to one that occurred in Game 2’s win for the Knicks on the road, when Brunson’s backup, Jose Alvarado, went to box out Wembanyama. Alvarado, who has comparable stature to Brunson, was wrapped up by Wembanyama and thrown away from the play.

NBA RESCINDS MITCHELL ROBINSON’S TECHNICAL FOUL FROM GAME 2 OF FINALS AFTER REVIEWING SHOVING MATCH

Once again, no foul call was made.

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The Spurs are known for their physicality, but many believed that Wemby should’ve been called for fouls in these cases.

Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks shoots a three-point basket over Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs during the second quarter of Game Three in the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 8, 2026. (Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

San Antonio started this game red-hot, owning an 11-point lead after the first quarter, 33-22. But these Knicks have consistently shown their ability to come back no matter the deficit.

After a second quarter run, the Knicks ended the locker room with a seven-point lead at halftime.

Brunson was a main reason why that was the case, going 5-of-11 from the field for 15 points with three assists and one rebound.

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New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson reacts as San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama looks on during the second quarter of game three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 8, 2026. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)

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As for Wembanyama, he was an efficient 6-of-10 from the field for 15 points of his own, while hauling in four rebounds and dishing out three assists.

The Spurs are trying to avoid a brutal 3-0 deficit in the best-of-seven series, while the Knicks are hoping they can keep momentum in the second half to have the chance at a sweep in their own building on Wednesday night in Game 4.

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‘It would be a fun year.’ Rams all for Aaron Donald returning to pair with Myles Garrett

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‘It would be a fun year.’ Rams all for Aaron Donald returning to pair with Myles Garrett

Aaron Donald has made no public pronouncements that he will remain retired or return to play for the Rams.

But the three-time NFL defensive player of the year and future Hall of Famer remains a hot topic, and Rams players are aware of the buzz.

“When you have a guy that’s that serious about even considering coming out, it’s like, ‘OK, we might have a chance,’” safety Quentin Lake said Monday after the Rams completed an organized-team activity workout.

Chatter about Donald, 35, has been rampant since last week, when the Rams made another gigantic offseason move by trading for defensive end Myles Garrett.

The possibility of pairing Donald with Garrett — a two-time defensive player of the year — continues to intrigue both in and out of the Rams’ facility.

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Like Lake, defensive lineman Kobie Turner insistently cautioned that whatever Donald decides to do or not do was his former teammate’s prerogative.

But the possibilities…

“To just have two historic, if you will, defensive players on that line together,” Turner said of pairing Donald and Garrett, “and to have the rest of us who are trying to build up our reputations, and to build to that level of greatness that they’ve been able to garner, I think that would be cool for L.A.”

Said defensive coordinator Chris Shula: “Would love to have him back — with open arms.”

Shula enters his third season overseeing a defense remade by the March trade for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie, the signing of cornerback Jaylen Watson and the trade for Garrett.

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With or without Donald, the Rams are regarded as a favorite to win Super Bowl LXI, which will be played in February at SoFi Stadium.

But the Rams are not hoisting the Lombardi Trophy just yet, Lake said.

“Some people say if he were to come back, just hand the Lombardi to us on a silver platter — but that’s never the case,” Lake said. “Is he a fantastic player? Yes.

“Are there so many things we could do in terms of pressures and blitzes and all that stuff? Of course. … It would be a fun year, I’ll say that.”

With quarterback Matthew Stafford — the NFL most valuable player — back to lead the offense, and McDuffie and Watson solving the team’s greatest weakness, the Rams already were regarded among the favorites to play in the Super Bowl for the first time since winning Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium in 2022.

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Then general manager Les Snead engineered the deal for Garrett, sending edge rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round draft pick and future second- and third-round picks to the Cleveland Browns for a player who has 125 ½ sacks in nine seasons.

Lake, Turner and Shula lamented losing Verse — “a brother for life,” Turner said — but they have welcomed Garrett.

“You give a great player to get a great player,” Lake said, “and luckily, we’ve got arguably the best defensive player in the NFL. … We’re not asking Myles to do anything but just be himself.”

Last season, Garrett amassed an NFL season-record 23 sacks.

Rams defensive end Myles Garrett sits between Rams general manager Les Snead and coach Sean McVay, right, during a news conference on June 2.

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(Ric Tapia / For The Times)

“We’re going to let him do what he does best,” Shula said, “and we all know exactly what he does best.”

McDuffie and Watson were part of Kansas City Chiefs teams that played in three consecutive Super Bowls, winning titles in 2023 and 2024. Those teams featured dominating pass rusher Chris Jones, so McDuffie knows how a player such as Garrett enables the defense to “flip the script” and attack offenses.

“You just talk about mentality,” McDuffie said, “and a swag.”

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Donald, who has 111 sacks, would certainly add to that.

Not every player in their mid-30s could return and play at a high level after sitting out two seasons.

“I don’t think you do that if you’re a normal person,” Turner said, chuckling. “But A.D.’s not a normal person.”

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2025-26 NBA Finals MVP Odds: KAT Chasing Brunson Atop Board

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2025-26 NBA Finals MVP Odds: KAT Chasing Brunson Atop Board

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This year’s NBA Finals is a rematch of the last time the Knicks made it to the championship series, way back at the conclusion of the 1998-99 season. 

In that Finals, the Spurs defeated the Knicks in five games. Now, New York gets a shot to get its lick back, nearly 30 years later. 

Regardless, whichever team wins this series will need huge performances from its star players. 

Let’s check out the odds for NBA Finals MVP as of June 8 at FanDuel Sportsbook. 

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This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

2025-26 NBA Finals MVP

Jalen Brunson: +115 (bet $10 to win $21.50 total)
Karl-Anthony Towns: +165 (bet $10 to win $26.50 total)
Victor Wembanyama: +380 (bet $10 to win $48 total)

Before the Finals began, anyone not named Wembanyama or Brunson didn’t appear to have much of a chance at this award, at least according to the early odds. 

However, now that New York is up 2-0, its second star, Karl-Anthony Towns, has crashed the party.

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Towns has moved to second on the board after playing Wemby to a standstill through two games. In Game 2, KAT had 21 points (8-for-12 shooting), 13 rebounds and four assists. The Knicks won by one. 

Brunson put up 20 points in Game 2, but was 7-for-25 from the field. He also had four turnovers.

Wembanyama finished Game 1 with 26 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks. In Game 2, he had 29 points, nine rebounds and four blocks. 

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