Wall to Wall Sports Sunday
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Yahoo Sports AM: “The Wall,” the Clippers’ unique home-court advantage, actually works
Yahoo Sports AM is our daily newsletter that keeps you up to date on all things sports. Sign up here to get it every weekday morning. This was perhaps to the point of “clutch time,” defined as the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime. That might explain why twice as many teams chose to face The Wall in the first half rather than risk distraction in an October game. “I was just staring at it the whole time. You’re not used to that,” said Kevin Durant after missing two fourth-quarter free throws. “The Wall” was to be the league’s best home-court, distracting opponents at the free throw line, but they’ve gotten as close as possible. He was 67.4% from the line this season when facing The Wall, which would have been well below what they shot on the other end of the floor (76.1%), per Sportico. That 73% was also 4.7% worse than league average (78.1%) at the top of the screen.
🚨 Headlines
⚾️ Amazin’ start: The Mets walked off the Phillies in extra innings to win their seventh straight game and improve to an MLB-best 18-7. They’re 12-1 at Citi Field so far — the best 13-game home start in franchise history.
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🎓 Settlement on hold: The judge overseeing the landmark House vs. NCAA case is threatening to reject the settlement over the issue of roster limits. Attorneys have 14 days to implement a system to ensure that athletes currently on rosters don’t lose their spots.
💔 RIP, Mongo: Bears legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve “Mongo” McMichael died Wednesday after a yearslong battle with ALS. He was 67.
🏀 Mr. Clutch: Knicks guard Jalen Brunson was named the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year for his league-best performance during “clutch time,” defined as the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime when the score is within five points.
🏈 Titans sign Lockett: Former All-Pro WR Tyler Lockett is signing a one-year, $4 million deal with Tennessee, giving the Titans a proven weapon on the eve of the NFL draft, where they’re expected to take Miami QB Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick.
🏀 “The Wall” works
Magic G Anthony Black takes a free throw facing “The Wall.” (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Clippers host the Nuggets tonight in the inaugural playoff game at the Intuit Dome, where Los Angeles will unleash its unique home-court advantage: The Wall.
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51 rows of distraction: When Steve Ballmer spent $2 billion on his team’s new arena, he included an unusually steep section right behind one of the baskets featuring 51 rows of seats reserved only for pre-vetted super fans. One intent of “The Wall” was to be the league’s best home-court advantage, distracting opponents at the free throw line. Turns out, it worked.
By the numbers: Opponents shot just 73.4% from the line this season when facing The Wall, which would have ranked dead last in the NBA and was well below what they shot on the other end of the floor (76.1%), per Sportico. That 73.4% figure was also 4.7% worse than league average (78.1%), representing the second-largest gap this century* between one environment and the rest of the NBA.
(Lev Akabas/Sportico)
Perhaps most telling: The Clippers’ advantage grew as the pressure mounted later in games, with opponents shooting an abysmal 67.7% against The Wall in the second half, per statistician Mike Beuoy. That might explain why twice as many teams chose to face The Wall in the first half rather than risk distraction in crunch time.
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What they’re saying: “Yeah, it was crazy,” said Kevin Durant after missing two fourth-quarter free throws in an October game. “I was just staring at it the whole time. You’re not used to that.”
The Wall during a game earlier this month. (Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)
How it came to be: The concept for The Wall came after the Clippers researched the world’s most rabid fanbases, specifically those in college sports and European soccer, ultimately drawing inspiration from Borussia Dortmund’s “Yellow Wall” in the Bundesliga.
They couldn’t quite replicate the sheer volume of 25,000 yellow-clad fans in a single section, but they’ve gotten as close as could be reasonably expected in their 18,000-seat arena.
Only pre-certified fans can purchase tickets, cheering for the other team (or wearing their gear) is prohibited and diehards have a dedicated section right behind the basket.
What to watch: In the small sample of a playoff series, it stands to reason that the teams most affected by The Wall would be the ones who usually make a living at the charity stripe. Well, the Nuggets just so happened to take the most free throws of any team this season.
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*Only the 2014 Thunder saw a larger gap, as opponents shot 5.8% below league average from the line. This was perhaps due to the OKC crowd’s penchant for banging air-inflated “Thundersticks” while opponents were shooting free throws.
🏈 Draft Day Buzz: Fireworks at No. 4?
(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)
The top three picks in tonight’s NFL draft appear set, according to Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson: Miami QB Cam Ward to the Titans, Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter to the Browns, and Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter to the Giants. After that? All bets are off.
What we’re hearing: The odds favor the Patriots taking LSU OT Will Campbell at No. 4 to fill an obvious need, but the presence of Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty — arguably the second-most dynamic player in this draft behind Hunter — could shake things up.
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While there hasn’t been any indication he’s in play for the Patriots to take him, there has been considerable buzz in the past 24 hours that Jeanty is a favorite for the Jaguars at No. 5. The only question is whether another team inside the top 10, possibly the Raiders at No. 6 or the Saints at No. 9, covets Jeanty enough to motivate a move ahead of Jacksonville.
If I had to call it now, I’d lean toward the Patriots staying put at No. 4 and doing the practical thing — which is taking Campbell. But that doesn’t preclude them from trading back a few spots and taking him further down in the top 10.
Those options will be on the table right to the moment New England is on the clock. So if you’re tuning in late, make sure you arrive before the Patriots pick if yo’re looking for where the drama could start.
More draft buzz: Chatter, potential trades
📸 Photos of the night
(Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Houston — Jalen Green (38 points) and the Rockets beat the Warriors, 109-94, to even the series against Golden State, who lost Jimmy Butler in the first quarter when he fell hard on his tailbone and suffered a pelvis contusion.
Tyler Seguin celebrates his game-winning goal. (Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
Denver — The Stars beat the Avalanche, 2-1 (OT), to record their second straight overtime victory and take a 2-1 series lead. They now have more wins in this series than minutes led.
(Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Boston — Jaylen Brown (36 points) and Kristaps Porziņģis (20 points) led the Jayson Tatum-less Celtics past the Magic, 109-100, to take a 2-0 series lead. Porziņģis was all smiles after taking an elbow to the head that required five stitches. “I love my WWE moments,” he said.
(Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Washington, D.C. — The Capitals beat the Senators, 3-1, behind some superb goaltending from Logan Thompson, who made 26 saves (including 14 in the third period) to lift Washington to its first 2-0 series lead since the 2019 First Round.
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🏀🏒 More Playoffs: Cavaliers 121, Heat 112 (CLE leads 2-0) | Kings 6, Oilers 2 (LA leads 2-0)
📚 Good reads
(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)
🏈 Jori Epstein: History says Cam Ward shouldn’t be here
Every first overall pick is by definition a statistical anomaly. But even among that rare crop of talent, Ward’s journey from a high school offense that barely threw the ball, to FCS Incarnate Word, to Heisman finalist, to projected No. 1 pick, is unlike any of his peers.
(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)
🏀 Yaron Weitzman: Jeff Van Gundy is the Clippers’ secret weapon
Ask anyone on or around the Clippers who’s most responsible for the team’s defensive transformation, and they all give the same answer: A bespectacled 63-year-old former broadcaster who, before this season, hadn’t coached an NBA game since 2007.
(Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports)
🥊 Elliott Worsell: Born rivals: Boxing’s fiercest 35-year blood feud
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Three decades after their fathers fought two iconic bouts, Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn will meet in the ring on Saturday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
📺 Watchlist: Draft Day
(Tenor)
The 2025 NFL Draft begins tonight (8pm ET), with separate broadcasts on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, NFL Network… and Yahoo Sports! Tune into our live show on the website/app, YouTube, X or Facebook.
More to watch:
🏀 NBA Playoffs: Knicks (1-1) at Pistons (7pm, TNT); Thunder* (2-0) at Grizzlies (9:30pm, TNT); Nuggets (1-1) at Clippers (10pm, NBA)
🏒 NHL Playoffs: Panthers (1-0) at Lightning (6:30pm, TBS); Maple Leafs (2-0) at Senators (7pm, ESPN2); Golden Knights (1-1) at Wild (9pm, TBS); Jets (2-0) at Blues (9:30pm, ESPN2)
⛳️ LPGA: Chevron Championship (9am, ESPN+; 11am, Golf) … Nelly Korda looks to defend her title at the season’s first major, teeing off at The Club at Carlton Woods near Houston.
⛳️ PGA: Zurich Classic of New Orleans (7:30am, ESPN+; 3pm, Golf) … The Tour’s lone team event features 80 teams of two. Reigning champs: Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry.
⚽️ Champions Cup: Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Inter Miami (10:30pm, FS1) … MLS’ two best teams face off in a first-leg semifinal match.
⚾️ NCAA Baseball: No. 14 Oklahoma at No. 10 Georgia (7pm, ESPNU) … Two of the 10 SEC teams in the Top 25.
*Historic domination: Oklahoma City has outscored Memphis by a combined 70 points, the second-highest point differential through two games of a playoff series in NBA history.
🏀 College hoops trivia
(Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
BYU legend Jimmer Fredette, who retired from basketball on Wednesday, is one of two Naismith Player of the Year winners (2011) to come from the Mountain West Conference.
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Question: Who’s the other one?
Hint: 2005 winner.
Answer at the bottom.
🏈 Get the Yahoo Sports app
(Yahoo Sports)
The Yahoo Sports app is your ultimate draft day companion — loaded with expert analysis, prospect breakdowns and a live discussion feed where you can debate every pick as it happens.
My favorite feature? Live Activities, for sure. Each pick will update in real-time on your lock screen, so you can stay in the loop without even opening your phone.
Get the app.
Trivia answer: Andrew Bogut (Utah)
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Scheduling pleas ‘like hitting head against wall’
None of the night sessions during the first eight days of this year’s Roland Garros have featured a women’s singles match. It has led to accusations that not scheduling women’s matches there implies female players are not “worthy” of the slot. Ons Jabeur said “honouring one side of the sport shouldn’t mean ignoring the other” in an impassioned social media post on Friday. Pegula, who plays Frenchwoman Lois Boisson in the fourth round on Monday, said: “Every year it’s the same thing. It’s never equal” French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said no women’s players have complained directly to her.
French Open 2025
Dates: 25 May-8 June Venue: Roland Garros
Coverage: Live radio commentaries across 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website and app
Jessica Pegula says she feels like she is “hitting her head against the wall” over the annual discussion around the lack of women’s night matches at the French Open.
None of the night sessions during the first eight days of this year’s Roland Garros have featured a women’s singles match.
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It has led to accusations that not scheduling women’s matches there implies female players are not “worthy” of the slot – something strongly rejected by French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo.
Two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur said “honouring one side of the sport shouldn’t mean ignoring the other” in an impassioned social media post on Friday.
Asked about the scheduling, American third seed Pegula said: “Every year it’s the same thing. It’s never equal.
“We are an event that is supposed to be equal. Why not give us some more chances to be?
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“It feels like just hitting my head against the wall because I feel like we have been talking about this for two, three, four [years] – probably forever, to be honest, because it’s never been equal.”
Sunday will be the 22nd successive evening in Paris where a women’s singles match is not featured – a run stretching back to 2023, when Aryna Sabalenka beat Sloane Stephens.
In a news conference on Friday, Mauresmo said no women’s players have complained directly to her about the situation.
The former women’s world number one added: “the message has never been the girls are not worthy of playing at night”.
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Saturday’s evening match – the slot most coveted for television audiences – sees men’s Serb sixth seed Novak Djokovic face Austria’s Filip Misolic, while Sunday night will see Holger Rune face Lorenzo Musetti.
“The women’s game has been writing its own legacy loudly, brilliantly, and for far too long without too much recognition,” Jabeur wrote on social media.
“The game is not asking to be seen. It is already shining.”
Pegula, who plays Frenchwoman Lois Boisson in the fourth round on Monday, said she supports Jabeur’s message.
“I’m happy that she’s able to speak up, and she’s always been really good at wanting everything to be equal and fighting for not just where she’s from, but also for women in general,” Pegula added.
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“I’m with her and I think we have proven that we deserve the same amount of opportunity.”
French Open 2025: Jessica Pegula ‘feels like hitting head against wall’ over scheduling of night matches
None of the first eight days of this year’s French Open have featured a women’s singles match. It has led to accusations that not scheduling women’s matches implies female players are not “worthy” of the slot. American third seed Pegula said: “Every year it’s the same thing. It’s never equal”
None of the night sessions during the first eight days of this year’s Roland Garros have featured a women’s singles match.
It has led to accusations that not scheduling women’s matches there implies female players are not “worthy” of the slot – something strongly rejected by French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo.
Two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur said “honouring one side of the sport shouldn’t mean ignoring the other” in an impassioned social media post on Friday.
Asked about the scheduling, American third seed Pegula said: “Every year it’s the same thing. It’s never equal.
“We are an event that is supposed to be equal. Why not give us some more chances to be?
“It feels like just hitting my head against the wall because I feel like we have been talking about this for two, three, four [years] – probably forever, to be honest, because it’s never been equal.”
F1 qualifying LIVE: Saudi Arabia Grand Prix 2025 times, results, radio and updates
Verstappen claims Saudi GP pole after Norris crash in Q3. Mercedes’ George Russell was third, split from team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent
Image source, Getty Images
Championship leader Lando Norris crashed out of qualifying at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and will start 10th as Max Verstappen beat the Briton’s McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri to pole position.
Verstappen in his Red Bull pipped Piastri by 0.01 seconds to take his second pole position of the year in scintillating style.
Mercedes’ George Russell was third, split from team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Norris’ crash interrupted the first runs of all his rivals in Q3 apart from Piastri, who laid down a marker just before his team-mate lost control over the kerb at Turn Five and slid sideways into the wall.
Read the full qualifying report here
Pirates will restore Roberto Clemente sign to right field wall following fan backlash at its removal
The Pittsburgh Pirates removed a sign honoring Roberto Clemente from PNC Park’s right field wall. Fans took to social media over the weekend to express outrage over the sign’s removal. The Pirates issued a statement on Saturday, saying they meant no disrespect to Pirates fans or the Clemente family by removing the sign. They added that the sign was never meant to be a permanent fixture on the wall. The sign will be re-added to the wall, Pirates president Travis Williams said on Sunday. The 21-foot-high wall that officially bears Clemente’s name continues to. display his No. 21 in two separate locations, the team said in a statement.. The outpouring of support from fans in Pittsburgh and across the country has been overwhelming and deeply appreciated, Clemente Jr. said.
In the sign’s place is an ad for Surfside alcoholic drinks.
Many fans took to social media over the weekend to express outrage over the sign’s removal. Roberto Clemente Jr. also shared his disbelief at the removal of the image.
“It’s kind of funny that we need the ad. To pay for what? What is that ad paying for? Not Chase Shugart,” fan Luke Wallace said.
“Bob Nutting, he’s a businessman, he’s not here for the fans,” fellow fan Dave Hardwick said.
Fans across baseball have denounced the Pirates for this, including Phillies fan Chris McAll.
“[I] saw it on Facebook, thought it was a disgrace. He’s an icon in this city, [an] iconic player, but not only that, somebody who was great in the community.”
In response to the backlash, the Pirates issued a statement on Saturday, saying they meant no disrespect to Pirates fans or the Clemente family by removing the Clemente sign, but added that the image was never meant to be a permanent fixture on the wall.
Roberto Clemente is more than a Hall-of-Fame player to us. His legacy helps define who we are as an organization. One would be hard-pressed to find a franchise that pays tribute to one of their historically great players more than the Pittsburgh Pirates do of Roberto Clemente, and rightfully so. Each and every day, we proudly honor and celebrate Roberto Clemente, the person, the player, and the humanitarian in and around our ballpark, as well as through our charitable endeavors. The 21-foot-high wall that officially bears Roberto Clemente’s name continues to, and will forever, display his No. 21 in two separate locations. The temporary wall sign in question was put in place prior to the 2022 season and was never meant to be a permanent tribute, simply another cap tip to “The Great One.” We apologize that we didn’t directly communicate that fact to the Clemente family and our fans.
Clemente Jr. issued a follow-up statement on Sunday.
Yesterday, I was shocked to learn that the Clemente 21 sign-a tribute to my father on the right field wall at PNC Park in Pittsburgh-had been removed and replaced by an advertisement. This change was made without any communication or consultation with our family. While we appreciate that the Pirates acknowledged their failure to inform us, it reveals a broader issue: a lack of meaningful collaboration between the organization and on matters that are deeply personal and historically significant to us and the fans. The outpouring of support from fans in Pittsburgh and across the country has been overwhelming and deeply appreciated. It is clear that our father’s legacy continues to inspire and unite people, not only for his achievements on the field, but for the integrity and compassion he demonstrated off of it. We have always been open to building a sincere and lasting partnership with the Pirates, one grounded in respect and shared values. Our hope is that this moment serves as an opportunity for reflection, paving the way for a more thoughtful, transparent, and collaborative relationship moving forward. I intend to reach out to the Pirates directly to explore this further.
Pirates president Travis Williams said on Sunday that he takes responsibility for the sign’s removal, and it will be re-added to the right field wall.
“When we added the advertisement to the pad, it was an oversight not to keep the No. 21 logo. This is ultimately on me, not anyone else in the organization. It was an honest mistake,” Williams said in an additional statement. “We will be adding the No. 21 logo back to the pad.”