Los Angeles: Clippers Hope to Shine in Round 2 of NBA Playoffs

🏀NBA: While the Lakers won’t defend their championship (still crying), the Clippers are keeping the City of Champions’ title hopes alive, defeating the Dallas Mavericks in Game 7 yesterday to advance to the second round.

• Kawhi Leonard almost collected a triple-double, while Reggie Jackson and Marcus Morris came up big late in the fourth quarter. We like it like that.

• The Clips face the Jazz in Utah for Game 1 tomorrow at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. No rest for the wicked.

🏀Sparks: Although both Ogwumike (pronounced oh-gwoo-MIH-kay) sisters are out with injuries, Erica Wheeler stepped up with a season-high 22 points in the Sparks’ 68–63 victory over the Chicago Sky on Saturday. LA’s defense was stellar as well, with Amanda Zahui B.’s (pronounced ZAH-wee BEE) four blocks and Nia Coffey’s timely swat down the stretch. Bam.

🎓🥎UCLA: Despite an early, three-run homer from pitcher Rachel Garcia, the defending champs UCLA were eliminated from the WCWS by No. 1 Oklahoma on Saturday. Not how we wanted to see one of the all-time greats end her collegiate career.

• Garcia and utility player Bubba Nickles will trade in the blue and gold for the red, white and blue when they join Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics next month.

⚾️MLB: Both the Dodgers and Angels lost yesterday, with the Dodgers dropping a three-game series to the Atlanta Braves and the Halos splitting a four-game series with the Seattle Mariners. You win some, you lose some.