Seventy-three points. That was Luka Dončić’s total when he led the Dallas Mavericks to a victory over the Atlanta Hawks last season. He wasn’t the only NBA player to have an explosion on offense that season – think Joel Embiid or Karl-Anthony Towns. And the league subsequently decided to change officiating to favor more physical play that would presumably cut down on high offensive output.

That’s how Tim MacMahon sees it. The veteran ESPN writer has covered Dončić since the Slovenian’s arrival in Dallas as one of the most heralded European talents in NBA history. He saw Dončić live up to his billing, leading the Mavericks to the Western Conference finals in 2022 and the NBA finals last year. And he knew that even a change in rules wouldn’t stop Dončić’s stepback three.

“I mean, there’s just not a lot of ways you can guard him,” MacMahon says. “If he’s not the best passer in the league, he’s top two or three … He sees the floor as well as maybe anybody who played the game.”

MacMahon is the author of a new book on Dončić – The Wonder Boy: Luka Dončić and the Curse of Greatness. It came out on Tuesday, and in case you were wondering, yes, there is a Texas-sized postscript to the story.

Related: The Mavs are on fire after the Dončić trade. Don’t expect them to put it out

In February, the Mavs traded their star – who, according to the book, they had previously invested countless time and effort trying to get to stay in Dallas. Dončić was off to the Los Angeles Lakers, while Anthony Davis went to the Mavs.

“Obviously, it was a major plot twist,” MacMahon says.

He and his publisher had to scramble. (Insert your comparisons to an NBA team adjusting on the fly to the fast break.) There were 8,000 copies of the book already at the printer. MacMahon did his part, adding a final chapter.

Even before the trade, MacMahon says, “a lot of Mavericks fans are upset that the book is being written. It was not blessed by Luka … Certain parts of the book are critical of him.”

However, the author says, “One promise I made to Luka via his representatives was that I would not delve into his personal life.”

What’s present, by and large, is a portrayal that’s respectful, candid – and lyrical in describing Dončić’s many achievements on the court over five-plus seasons.

Dončić came to the Mavs having first drawn their attention while playing as a teenager for the elite Spanish team Real Madrid. He joined a Dallas organization that was as full of unhealthy machinations as Game of Thrones, to use MacMahon’s comparison. Rivalries simmered in the Texas heat between the then-owner, then-GM and then-coach – Mark Cuban, Donnie Nelson and Rick Carlisle, respectively. When the dust settled, only Cuban was left standing in Dallas, with Jason Kidd taking over as coach and Nico Harrison as GM. Eventually, even Cuban’s power waned after selling the team to a group headlined by a Las Vegas casino owner, Patrick Dumont. (The former owner retained a minority ownership stake.) During Dončić’s years in Dallas, the Mavs tried multiple times to find a supporting player who could do the difficult, ego-less job of complementing their star. First it was Kristaps Porziņģis, then Jalen Brunson. After those partnerships failed (for various reasons, discussed in the book), the Mavs added Kyrie Irving, who helped Dallas reach the finals last year.

Through it all, Dončić lived up to his promise and then some. The book chronicles those breathtaking moments: an 11-0 individual run in one game against the Houston Rockets that put the league on notice; second-year praise, unprintable but memorable, from LeBron James, after a neat generational moment: James and Dončić became the oldest and youngest NBA players, respectively, to post a 30-10-15 triple-double. All while playing in the shadow of another legendary European star, Dirk Nowitzki.

MacMahon calls Dončić “the most talented player in franchise history,” and acknowledges the competition for this honor: “Dirk is the sixth-leading scorer all-time.”

The book chronicles how Dončić’s individual game point plateau increased over time: first 50-point nights, then 60, and ultimately 73. Then there’s all the triple-doubles. And don’t get MacMahon started on the intangibles.

“Luka is a master at creating space,” the author says. “He’s such a rare blend of power and finesse … He’s impossible to cover for one man. He’s double-teamed so much. If you put another guy [on him], he’ll make the right pass.”

Last season, MacMahon says, “he had more minutes than anybody in the league, combined regular season and playoffs, the highest usage rate in the league.” Don’t forget he played more than the NBA season – this loyal son of Slovenia played for his national team in the World Championships before coming to Mavs training camp. (For the book, MacMahon visited Dončić’s basketball-crazy homeland.) In the regular season, he had to compensate when Irving was absent due to a foot injury, while in the playoffs Dončić averaged 30-plus minutes per game despite a knee injury suffered in the first round.

“The minutes and miles that are on him, it’s pretty extraordinary,” MacMahon says. “Also, he’s going to see the best defender on the other team … He gets in the paint, takes a lot of shots, initiates a lot of shots, rebounds … It takes a physical toll on his body.”

It is a toll, some might say, that has been compounded by conditioning issues. The book addresses this claim, along with another knock – his frequent interactions with referees.

“He has two major flaws,” MacMahon says. “Conditioning concerns, and … the occasional lack of focus. He allows his emotions to get the best of him.” Or, as the author puts it, “there are times he’s more focused on the three guys with the whistles than the five guys on the floor trying to stop him.”

MacMahon cites diet and conditioning as among the reasons Mavs GM Harrison parted ways with Dončić. The author says he has discussed the trade with 50 executives and scouts.

“Many said you cannot trade a generational talent at 25 years old unless the guy puts a gun to your head and wants his way out,” MacMahon says. “Luka was about to buy his forever house in Dallas.”

Instead, it was off to Los Angeles, where he became teammates with his now 40-year-old admirer James. Dončić was also reunited with one of his favorite teammates on the Mavs, Dorian Finney-Smith. (Mavs coach JJ Redick was also an ex-teammate.) Old friend Nowitzki showed up to watch his first game.

Although Dončić’s star shone bright in the Lone Star State, maybe he’ll be better off in LA, playing on a team with a fellow brilliant star – James.

“I was just in LA to see him play,” MacMahon reports of Dončić. “He has the joy back, that smile, a bounce in his step. I don’t know if they’re going to be a championship team now. There’s a small chance.” But, he adds, “he’s got a pretty phenomenal chance to compete for championships long-term with the Lakers.”

As for the team that traded him?

“This is a really, really catastrophic experience for Mavericks fans,” MacMahon says. “The soul of this fanbase has been trampled on, to be blunt. There’s unbelievable, intense outrage.”

The author reflects on Dončić’s five and a half years in Dallas, from his interactions with then-coach Carlisle and then-teammate Porziņģis to Brunson leaving via free agency – and on how Dončić stayed through it all until management traded him.

“You go back through this,” MacMahon says. “It’s just amazing how much drama there was, how much dysfunction there was, how much, frankly, mismanagement there was – and how much success they had despite all of it. It goes back to the talent in this kid.”

On Friday night in California, the New York Rangers went head-to-head with former Rangers captain Jacob Trouba for the first time since they traded him to the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 6. And Trouba’s Ducks dealt the Blueshirts a serious blow to their Stanley Cup playoff aspirations by beating them 5-4 in overtime, underscoring a season-long issue for the Rangers: their defense.

Trouba isn’t an advanced analytics darling, but on a Ducks team that needs veteran experience, he’s averaging 20:49 of ice time per game, up slightly from the 20 he averaged for the Rangers in the 24 games he played for them before he accepted a deal to Anaheim. Yet, before and since the trade, the Rangers have largely been unable to stop opponents’ offense, averaging three goals-against per game – the 17th-best mark in the league in that category.

When the Rangers lose, they lose by a lot. Indeed, in 13 of their 28 losses since trading Trouba, the Rangers have allowed five goals or more. And they’ve gone 22-22-6 since the Trouba deal. For a team that has an elite goaltender in Igor Shesterkin – even if he has struggled at times this season – that’s simply unacceptable. And given that the Rangers are not locked to make the post-season this year, you can make the argument that their sub-par defense is the key reason for it.

Now, we’re not here to tell you that the Rangers would have been a strong shutdown squad if Trouba had stayed in Manhattan. But look at their defense corps today, and you’ll see a flawed group that can’t contain the opposition’s scorers.

Top blueliner Adam Fox has been decent with 56 points and a plus-8 plus-minus total, but K’Andre Miller is a minus-6, and Will Borgen – a decent pickup in the deal that sent Kaapo Kakko to Seattle – is only a plus-6. Plus-minus isn’t a perfect stat by any means, but it’s still an indicator of a team’s all-around play, and the Rangers’ struggles in that metric says a lot about where they are in the standings today.

In making the Trouba trade, the Rangers obviously wanted to get out from under Trouba’s annual $8-million salary. But it’s not as if they’ve used that cap space to improve defensively. Instead, it’s been more of the same, time and again, and Shesterkin hasn’t been able to steal games the way he has in previous seasons. And the Rangers’ offense – currently ranked 13th in the league at an average of 3.01 goals-for per-game – also hasn’t been able to bail out the defense.

You can point out that Trouba hasn’t been especially effective defensively since joining the Ducks, and that’s accurate, as Anaheim presently is 21st in the league with an average of 3.13 goals-against per game. But tellingly, the Ducks have been a better team than the Rangers since the Trouba trade, going 22-21-5 since Dec. 6. And Anaheim has allowed five goals or more in 10 of those 26 losses – again, not anything to write home about, but slightly better than the defensive efforts of the Blueshirts.

With their team’s struggles, Rangers fans are right to question the moves GM Chris Drury has made this season. Many Rangers fans were ready to part ways with Trouba well before the deal was consummated, but they can’t deny that trading their former captain hasn’t solved much of anything. 

And if the Rangers do miss out on the playoffs this year, their suspect play in their own zone will be the chief culprit for their demise.

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Little offense and a familiar issue for Nola as Phillies drop series finale originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

WASHINGTON — No Trea Turner, no J.T. Realmuto and no offense for the Phillies on Sunday at Nationals Park as they dropped their series finale, 5-1, after taking the first two games.

With Turner sidelined by a back spasm and Realmuto out with a foot contusion, the Phils’ lineup was two bats lighter than usual. Edmundo Sosa started for Turner and Rafael Marchan for Realmuto, with Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott, Nick Castellanos and Brandon Marsh all moving up in the order.

Sosa, too, appeared to suffer an injury in the bottom of the seventh Sunday when Jacob Young slid into his knee at second base. He was able to stay in the game after being visited by a trainer and looked healthy an inning later when he singled and sprinted to take second on an error.

Realmuto should be ready for Monday’s home opener, manager Rob Thomson said, but the Phillies may give Turner another day to recover. It would give Turner three in a row with Tuesday’s off-day.

The Phillies had chances early and late on Sunday, their best opportunity coming in the top of the ninth when they loaded the bases with no outs. A run scored on a Marchan groundout but Kyle Schwarber struck out and Bohm lined out to end the game.

The Phils also had two baserunners in each of the first three innings but were unable to cash in. Two different potential rallies were killed by 5-4-3 double plays. In the second, Marsh walked, Johan Rojas singled with one out and the Phils were just about to turn the lineup over before Marchan’s GIDP. Marsh and Marchan singled with one out in the seventh and Nats lefty reliever Jose Ferrer hit Schwarber to load the bases, but Bohm hit a grounder right to Paul DeJong.

All eight Phillies hits were singles.

Aaron Nola started and cruised until hitting Keibert Ruiz with two outs in the bottom of the fourth. The next batter, Nathaniel Lowe, singled, and Josh Bell followed with a three-run blast to center. Just like that, the strong beginning to Nola’s day was erased.

His start ended after another two-out homer in the sixth from Lowe. Nola allowed five runs over 5⅓ innings and has given up 21 runs in 19⅓ innings in his last four season debuts.

One big inning has plagued Nola for much of his big-league career. He has a deep mix of pitches that can miss bats and freeze hitters, he is almost always around the plate and rarely shies away from challenging someone. Those qualities have led to long-term success but it’s also why some starts can turn ugly in a hurry. Nola tends to limit walks and hits but struggles with the home run ball. That might never change.

Cristopher Sanchez is next up for the Phillies to start Monday’s 3:05 p.m. home opener against the Rockies. There has been rain in the forecast, but at the moment, it looks like it might stay away until late in the game or afterward.

Colorado could be a 100-game loser and always struggles on the road, so the Phillies have a good chance at another series win before the schedule stiffens with the Dodgers and Braves.

Max Scherzer is going to the injured list after his first start of the 2025 Major League Baseball season. The Toronto Blue Jays placed the veteran right-hander on the 15-day IL due to right thumb inflammation on Sunday.

Facing the Baltimore Orioles in his season-opening start Saturday, Scherzer pitched three innings, allowing two runs on three hits (two of them home runs) with one strikeout in Toronto’s 9-5 defeat. He threw 45 pitches, 28 of them for strikes. 

Scherzer, 40, left Saturday’s outing due to soreness in his right lat muscle. That injury developed because of the thumb issue, according to Scherzer, as he had to alter his delivery to compensate. The plan was for him to throw approximately 80 pitches on Saturday.

“The thumb is absolutely critical to your arm health,” Scherzer told reporters afterward, via the Associated Press. “I’ve got to get this 100 percent before I pitch again.”

Scherzer told reporters that he felt “imminent danger” of a more serious injury had he continued to pitch.

“I just didn’t feel like I could really let the ball go,” Scherzer added. “I had to back down the effort level. I was able to at least get through three and not blow up the bullpen. But after that third inning, I could just kind of tell we’re in imminent danger.”

Blue Jays manager John Schneider confirmed that Scherzer felt an issue during his pregame warm-up but tried to pitch through it.

Scherzer struggled with the thumb injury during spring training, with it limiting him to 13 innings in four starts. The thumb was a concern, with Scherzer calling it “a little thing that’s a big thing” because the condition developed from how he grips the ball.

“It’s kind of like tendinitis, in a way,” he told The Athletic’s Tyler Kepner. “Once it gets hot and gets out there, then I don’t feel it, and I can pitch the way I’ve always pitched. I’m not worried about my stuff, I’m worried about how I recover — because this can blow up fast and lead to a lot of other things.”

Scherzer signed a one-year, $15.5 million contract with the Blue Jays after shoulder fatigue and a hamstring strain limited him to nine starts with the Texas Rangers last season. He compiled 40 strikeouts in 43 1/3 innings, finishing with a 3.95 ERA. 

A three-time Cy Young Award winner, Scherzer has a career 3.16 ERA and 216-112 record over 18 seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets, in addition to the Rangers and Blue Jays. 

Max Scherzer is going to the injured list after his first start of the 2025 Major League Baseball season. The Toronto Blue Jays placed the veteran right-hander on the 15-day IL due to right thumb inflammation on Sunday.

Facing the Baltimore Orioles in his season-opening start Saturday, Scherzer pitched three innings, allowing two runs on three hits (two of them home runs) with one strikeout in Toronto’s 9-5 defeat. He threw 45 pitches, 28 of them for strikes. 

Scherzer, 40, left Saturday’s outing due to soreness in his right lat muscle. That injury developed because of the thumb issue, according to Scherzer, as he had to alter his delivery to compensate. The plan was for him to throw approximately 80 pitches on Saturday.

“The thumb is absolutely critical to your arm health,” Scherzer told reporters afterward, via the Associated Press. “I’ve got to get this 100 percent before I pitch again.”

Scherzer told reporters that he felt “imminent danger” of a more serious injury had he continued to pitch.

“I just didn’t feel like I could really let the ball go,” Scherzer added. “I had to back down the effort level. I was able to at least get through three and not blow up the bullpen. But after that third inning, I could just kind of tell we’re in imminent danger.”

Blue Jays manager John Schneider confirmed that Scherzer felt an issue during his pregame warm-up but tried to pitch through it.

Scherzer struggled with the thumb injury during spring training, with it limiting him to 13 innings in four starts. The thumb was a concern, with Scherzer calling it “a little thing that’s a big thing” because the condition developed from how he grips the ball.

“It’s kind of like tendinitis, in a way,” he told The Athletic’s Tyler Kepner. “Once it gets hot and gets out there, then I don’t feel it, and I can pitch the way I’ve always pitched. I’m not worried about my stuff, I’m worried about how I recover — because this can blow up fast and lead to a lot of other things.”

Scherzer signed a one-year, $15.5 million contract with the Blue Jays after shoulder fatigue and a hamstring strain limited him to nine starts with the Texas Rangers last season. He compiled 40 strikeouts in 43 1/3 innings, finishing with a 3.95 ERA. 

A three-time Cy Young Award winner, Scherzer has a career 3.16 ERA and 216-112 record over 18 seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets, in addition to the Rangers and Blue Jays. 

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Why Steph vs. CP3 is matchup to watch in Warriors-Spurs game originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Winning on Sunday at San Antonio would strengthen the Warriors’ collective heartbeat. Losing surely would haunt them.

The Spurs (31-42) represent the last of five consecutive games against sub-.500 opponents, and by splitting the first four the Warriors (42-31) compromised their chances of a guaranteed playoff berth.

Of Golden State’s nine remaining games, San Antonio is one of only two opponents projected to finish in the bottom five in the West. Which makes this ripe for victory. Coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins at 3 p.m. with “Warriors Pregame Live,” with tipoff from Frost Bank Center scheduled for 4:05.

The Warriors are heavy favorites, but they have several areas in need of improvement. Stephen Curry, who returned Friday after a two-game absence, can address the struggling offense. And he knows there won’t be many more opportunities to face longtime nemesis Chris Paul.

Paul, who turns 40 in May, has started every game and is having his healthiest season since 2014-15, when he played all 82 for the Clippers. With De’Aaron Fox (finger surgery) out for the season, CP3 – who has recorded 10 or more assists in 14 games – is sharing playmaking duties with impressive rookie Stephon Castle.

Curry, 37, is trying to restore his efficiency. After a 12-game stretch in which he shot 51.3 percent from the field, including 43.8 percent beyond the arc, his accuracy has tumbled to 39.1 and 32.9 percent over his last seven.

As he has struggled, so has Golden State’s offense. Only once in the last five games have the Warriors shot above 43 percent from the field. They were at 23.7 percent from deep Tuesday at Miami and 23.6 percent Friday at New Orleans.

That led to postgame discussion in the locker room, Curry told reporters after the comeback in at New Orleans.

“As a team, we haven’t shot the ball well,” he said. “But we’re creating decent looks. So, can’t get down on yourself. You can’t start overthinking. And if you can continue to create those shots, keep shooting them. That’s what we talked about.”

The Spurs have been a bottom-10 defense all season, and it has gotten worse without center Victor Wembanyama, who is out for the season after being diagnosed with a deep-vein thrombosis during the All-Star break.

What awaits Golden State after San Antonio is the most daunting stretch of the season: at Memphis, at the Lakers, home against the Nuggets and Rockets.

This is a TCB game for Curry and the Warriors. Take Care of Business.

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