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From Ben Bolch: Nearly every time Aday Mara touched the ball over the season’s final months, a murmur of anticipation filled Pauley Pavilion.
Would the 7-foot-3 center show off his extraordinary passing skills, flinging the ball to a teammate for a backdoor layup? Would he pivot around his defender for a dunk? Would he use his mythical size to get off an unblockable sky hook?
Almost everything the UCLA sophomore did after becoming a regular part of the rotation in late January wowed fans who equally delighted him with their deafening cheers.
That support was among the reasons why Mara did not want to go quietly on his way to Michigan. For one of his final acts before leaving campus, Mara reached out to The Times to discuss the rationale behind his transfer and set the record straight about a report stating that he had made outrageous demands as a requirement for him to remain a Bruin.
The smile that never seems to leave Mara’s face vanished when it came to his departure from a place that he loved.
“It was a hard decision to leave UCLA,” Mara said Friday night via FaceTime, “because you saw every game — I was enjoying it, I was super happy because I saw all the crowd cheering for me, helping me a lot. Los Angeles is like a really, really good place, Westwood, so I’m going to miss that and I wanted to say that because it was a hard decision because it’s just after two years it feels like I spent a lot more time than two years, you know?”
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From Ben Bolch: College football’s highest-profile transfer is coming home.
After a falling out with Tennessee, Nico Iamaleava has agreed to play for UCLA next season in a move that will generate significant buzz for the Bruins after they added a quarterback who took his previous team to the College Football Playoff.
But the nature of Iamaleava’s departure, which reportedly involved a desire for more name, image and likeness money from the Volunteers at a time when most teams had lined up a starting quarterback for next season, could make Iamaleava a polarizing figure before he sets foot on his new campus.
Iamaleava announced his commitment to the Bruins on his Instagram account Sunday, ending more than a week of speculation about his future.
CLIPPERS
From Broderick Turner: A day later, the Clippers didn’t hide from the primary cause of their demise in Game 1 of their Western Conference playoff series against the Denver Nuggets.
Twenty turnovers doomed the Clippers and put them in a 0-1 hole in the best-of-seven series Saturday. Four turnovers in the extra five minutes during overtime left the Clippers proclaiming they must do a better job taking care of the basketball in Game 2 on Monday night at Ball Arena.
“It’s a little frustrating, just because it’s self-inflicted and it’s that we have been really good at this the last few weeks,” Clippers guard James Harden said late Saturday night after Game 1. “But [we’re] even-keeled, you know what I mean? Come back in Game 2 ready to go even better.”
NBA PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE, RESULTS
All Times Pacific
First round
Western Conference
No. 3 Lakers vs. No. 6 Minnesota
Denver 117, at Lakers 95 (box score)
Tuesday at Lakers, 7 p.m., TNT
Friday at Minnesota, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Sunday at Minnesota, 12:30 p.m., ABC
Wed., April 30 at Lakers, TBD*
Friday, May 2 at Minnesota, TBD*
Sunday, May 4 at Lakers, TBD*
No. 4 Denver vs. No. 5 Clippers
at Denver 112, Clippers 110 (OT) (box score)
Monday at Denver, 7 p.m., TNT
Thursday at Clippers, 7 p.m., NBA TV
Saturday at Clippers, 3 p.m., TNT
Tuesday, April 29 at Denver, TBD*
Thursday, May 1 at Clippers, TBD*
Saturday, May 3 at Denver, TBD*
No. 1 Oklahoma City vs. No. 8 Memphis
at Oklahoma City 131, Memphis 80 (box score)
Tuesday at Oklahoma City, 4:30 p.m., TNT
Thursday at Memphis, 6:30 p.m., TNT
Saturday at Memphis, 12:30 p.m., TNT
Monday at Oklahoma City, TBD*
Thursday, May 1 at Memphis, TBD*
Saturday, May 3 at Oklahoma City, TBD*
No. 2 Houston vs. No. 7 Golden State
Golden State 95, at Houston 85 (box score)
Wednesday at Houston, 6:30 p.m., TNT
Saturday at Golden State, 5:30 p.m., ABC
Monday at Golden State, 7 p.m., TNT
Wednesday, April 30 at Houston, TBD*
Friday, May 2 at Golden State, TBD*
Sunday, May 4 at Houston, TBD*
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Cleveland vs. No. 8 Miami
at Cleveland 121, Miami 100 (box score)
Wednesday at Cleveland, 4:30 p.m., NBA TV
Saturday at Miami, 10 a.m., TNT
Monday at Miami, TBD
Wednesday, April 30 at Cleveland, TBD*
Friday, May 2 at Miami, TBD*
Sunday, May 4 at Cleveland, TBD*
No. 2 Boston vs. No. 7 Orlando
at Boston 103, Orlando 86 (box score)
Wednesday at Boston, 4 p.m., TNT
Friday at Orlando, 4 p.m., ESPN
Sunday at Orlando, 4 p.m., TNT
Tuesday, April 29 at Boston, TBD*
Thursday, May 1 at Orlando, TBD*
Saturday, May 3 at Boston, TBD*
No. 3 New York vs. No. 6 Detroit
at New York 123, Detroit 112 (box score)
Monday at New York, 4:30 p.m., TNT
Thursday at Detroit, 4 p.m., TNT
Sunday at Detroit, 10 a.m., ABC
Tuesday, April 29 at New York, TBD*
Thursday, May 1 at Detroit, TBD*
Saturday, May 3 at New York, TBD*
No. 4 Indiana vs. No. 5 Milwaukee
at Indiana 117, Milwaukee 98 (box score)
Tuesday at Indiana, 4 p.m., NBA TV
Friday at Milwaukee, 5 p.m., ESPNU/NBA TV
Sunday at Milwaukee, 6:30 p.m., TNT
Tuesday, April 29 at Indiana, TBD*
Friday, May 2 at Milwaukee, TBD*
Sunday, May 4 at Indiana, TBD*
* if necessary
DODGERS
From Jack Harris: Tyler Glasnow stood on the back of the mound, flexed his right leg to test how it felt, then threw his first pitch of the fifth inning on Sunday afternoon.
In the Dodgers’ 1-0 win against the Texas Rangers, it proved to be the right-hander’s last one of the day.
Though the Dodgers salvaged a series win at Globe Life Field, riding a stout bullpen and eighth-inning sacrifice fly from Freddie Freeman to victory in the series rubber match, they first had to overcome yet another injury concern from Glasnow, who left the game after just four innings with what he later said was cramping in both his legs.
“Ankles, calves, feet. Both sides,” Glasnow said. “After a while, it just gets to the point where it’s fully locked up. I’m not sure why.”
ANGELS
Jo Adell had a bases-clearing double in a four-run ninth inning against San Francisco closer Ryan Walker and the Angels rallied to beat the Giants 5-4 on Sunday, spoiling the day for Justin Verlander in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Verlander was in line for his first victory in his fifth start with the Giants leading 4-1. But Walker (0-1) walked Mike Trout leading off and Jorge Soler followed with a single. Logan O’Hoppe had a one-out hit to load the bases before Walker hit Zach Neto to force in a run. Adell hit a 1-2 pitch down the left-field line.
Verlander gave up just two hits and a run in six innings with six strikeouts. He fanned Trout twice on 96- and 97-mph fastballs.
LPGA
From Benjamin Royer: Ingrid Lindblad grew up figure skating. The dynamic sport of balance and precision tested her limits before she ultimately surrendered the ice for the green full-time.
The individuality, besting yourself rather than an opponent to achieve your goals, drove the Swedish golfer as a young athlete — and to top amateur status at Louisiana State. As one of two LPGA rookies atop the JM Eagle LA Championship leaderboard Sunday afternoon, Lindblad needed to channel her success, which propelled her to becoming the 2024 Honda Award winner for golf, the same under-pressure skillset that helped her qualify for the LPGA tour in the first place.
Lindblad, 25, converted six birdies Sunday, enough to weather the field and win the LA Championship at El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana — her first LPGA victory in her third career tour start. Lindblad, who missed out on the top 10 in her first two starts, charged into the conversation Friday with a career-low nine-under 63 to tie the tournament scoring record. She bookended the second round with four-under performances in the first and third rounds.
NHL PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE, RESULTS
All times Pacific
First round
Western Conference
Pacific 3 Edmonton vs. Pacific 2 Kings
Monday at Kings, 7 p.m., ESPN2
Wednesday at Kings, 7 p.m., TBS
Friday at Edmonton, 7 p.m., TNT
Sunday at Edmonton, 6:30 p.m., TBS
Tuesday, April 29 at Kings, TBD*
Thursday, May 1 at Edmonton, TBD*
Saturday, May 3 at Kings, TBD*
Wild-card 2 St. Louis vs. Central 1 Winnipeg
at Winnipeg 5, St. Louis 3 (summary)
Monday at Winnipeg, 4:30 p.m., ESPN2
Thursday at St. Louis, 6:30 p.m., ESPN2
Sunday at St. Louis, 10 a.m., TBS
Wed., April 30 at Winnipeg, TBD*
Friday, May 2 at St. Louis, TBD*
Sunday, May 4 at Winnipeg, TBD*
Central 3 Colorado vs. Central 2 Dallas
Colorado 5, at Dallas 1 (summary)
Monday at Dallas, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Wednesday at Colorado, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Saturday at Colorado, 6:30 p.m., TBS
Monday at Dallas, TBD*
Thursday, May 1 at Colorado, TBD*
Saturday, May 3 at Dallas, TBD*
Wild-card 1 Minnesota vs. Pacific 1 Vegas
at Vegas 4, Minnesota 2 (summary)
Tuesday at Vegas, 8 p.m., ESPN
Thursday at Minnesota, 6 p.m., TBS
Saturday at Minnesota, 1 p.m., TBS
Tuesday, April 29 at Vegas, TBD*
Thursday, May 1 at Minnesota, TBD*
Saturday, May 3 at Vegas, TBD*
Eastern Conference
Wild-card 2 Ottawa vs. Atlantic 1 Toronto
at Toronto 6, Ottawa 2 (summary)
Tuesday at Toronto, 4:30 p.m., ESPN2
Thursday at Ottawa, 4 p.m., ESPN2
Saturday at Ottawa, 4 p.m., TBS
Tuesday, April 29 at Toronto, TBD*
Thursday, May 1 at Ottawa, TBD*
Saturday, May 3 at Toronto, TBD*
Atlantic 3 Florida vs. Atlantic 2 Tampa Bay
Tuesday at Tampa Bay, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
Thursday at Tampa Bay, 3:30 p.m., TBS
Saturday at Florida, 10 a.m., TBS
Monday at Florida, TBD
Wed., April 30 at Tampa Bay, TBD*
Friday, May 2 at Florida, TBD*
Sunday, May 4 at Tampa Bay, TBD*
Wild-card 2 Montreal vs. Metropolitan 1 Washington
Monday at Washington, 4 p.m., ESPN
Wednesday at Washington, 4 p.m., ESPN
Friday at Montreal, 4 p.m., TNT
Sunday at Montreal, 3:30 p.m., TBS
Wed., April 30 at Washington, TBD*
Friday, May 2 at Montreal, TBD*
Sunday, May 4 at Washington, TBD*
Metropolitan 3 New Jersey vs. Metropolitan 2 Carolina
at Carolina 4, New Jersey 1 (summary)
Tuesday at Carolina, p.m., ESPN
Friday at New Jersey, 5 p.m., TBS
Sunday at New Jersey, 12:30 p.m., TBS
Tuesday, April 29 at Carolina, TBD*
Friday, May 2 at New Jersey, TBD*
Sunday, May 4 at Carolina, TBD*
* If necessary
THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
1904 — Ty Cobb makes his pro debut for Augusta (South Atlantic League)
1948 — Basketball Association of America Finals: Baltimore Bullets beat Philadelphia Warriors, 88-73 to take series, 4 games to 2.
1951 — Bob Davies’ two foul shots and Jack Coleman’s layup give the Rochester Royals a 79-75 triumph over the New York Knicks in the seventh game of the NBA championship series.
1951 — The Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup for the fourth time in five years as they beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in the fifth game.
1955 — Brooklyn Dodgers win a then record 10th straight game to begin a season.
1980 — Bill Rodgers wins his third straight Boston Marathon. Rosie Ruiz is disqualified eight days later as women’s champion when it’s discovered she did not run the entire distance.
1989 — George W. Bush and Edward W. Rose become joint CEOs of the Texas Rangers.
1991 — NFL Draft: University of Miami defensive tackle Russell Maryland first pick by Dallas Cowboys.
1991 — PGA Seniors’ Championship Men’s Golf, PGA National GC: Jack Nicklaus wins his 4th of 8 Champions Tour majors by 6 strokes.
1995 — Defending champion Utah continues its domination of the NCAA women’s gymnastics championships, capturing its ninth national title since the event began in 1982 with a score of 196.650.
1996 — The Chicago Bulls wrap up the most successful regular season in NBA history with their 72nd victory, getting 26 points from Michael Jordan in a 103-93 decision over Washington. Jordan sets an NBA record by winning his eighth NBA scoring title, breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s record of seven.
1996 — PGA Seniors’ Championship Men’s Golf, PGA National GC: Hale Irwin beats Japan’s Isao Aoki by 2 strokes for his first of 4 Senior PGA Championships.
2001 — Hasim Rahman flattens Lennox Lewis with a stunning right hand near the end of the fifth round to capture the WBC and IBF heavyweight titles in one of the biggest upsets in boxing history in Brakpan, South Africa.
2001 — NFL Draft: Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick first pick by Atlanta Falcons.
2012 — Phil Humber throws the first perfect game in the majors in almost two years, leading the Chicago White Sox to a 4-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners.
2013 — Takuma Sato becomes the first Japanese driver to win an IndyCar race in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.
2013 — Rookie Marc Marquez wins his first MotoGP race, capturing the Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin, Texas. The 20-year-old Spaniard, last season’s Moto2 champion, becomes the youngest winner at motorcycle racing’s top level.
2013 — Joe Scarborough, a 50-year-old self-employed electrical contractor, rolls the first 900 series in Professional Bowlers Association history — three straight perfect games. He opened the first round of qualifying in the PBA50 Sun Bowl with three games of 300, throwing 36 consecutive strikes.
2014 — American Meb Keflezighi wins the Boston Marathon, a year after a bombing at the finish line left three dead and more than 260 people injured. No U.S. runner had won the race since Lisa Larsen-Weidenbach took the women’s title in 1985; the last American man to win was Greg Meyer in 1983. Rita Jeptoo of Kenya successfully defends the women’s title, becoming the seventh three-time champion.
2018 — Oakland A’s left-hander Sean Manaea no-hits the Boston Red Sox.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
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