Good morning. Sunday was a good day for the region. The Rams beat the winless Chargers 24-9 at SoFi Stadium and are 4-4. The Raiders ended a four-game losing streak with a 38-33 win at the Jets. Luka Dončić scored 45 in a Lakers win, the Ducks came back to beat Ottawa 6-3, Angel City finished the regular season with a 4-1 rout, and the Wave won at Bay FC to lock up the No. 2 seed. The Clippers and LAFC lost. Today is opening day for college basketball: UCLA plays Arizona in Las Vegas, USC hosts Milwaukee, and the USC, UCLA, Hawaii and San Diego State women all play. Let’s get into it.
🚨 HEADLINES
🏈 4-4. Two interceptions of Herbert, and the Rams beat the Chargers 24-9 — Eric Lambkins II at SoFi Stadium.
🏈 0-7. The Chargers haven’t scored an offensive touchdown in nine quarters — Fernando Ramirez at SoFi Stadium.
🏈 Streak over. Brock Bowers caught two touchdowns and Jeremy Chinn sealed a 38-33 Raiders win at the Jets — Steve Carp at MetLife Stadium.
🏀 45 for Luka. Dončić added 15 rebounds and five steals as the Lakers beat Toronto 131-125 — Carlos Yakimowich at Crypto.com Arena.
🏒 Hat trick. Cutter Gauthier scored three and the Ducks rallied past Ottawa 6-3 — Zach Cavanagh at Honda Center.
⚽ 10 unbeaten. Angel City beat Boston Legacy 4-1 in its regular-season finale — Micaela Begue at Dignity Health Sports Park.
⚽ No. 2 seed. The Wave beat Bay FC 1-0 and will host Utah in the NWSL quarterfinals Friday — Sebastian Sanchez at PayPal Park.
🏈 No. 5 and No. 18. UCLA and USC climb in the AP Top 25, and their title odds improve — The Sporting Tribune.
See what else is trending at The Sporting Tribune.
📋 SCOREBOARD — SUNDAY
🏈 NFL: Rams 24, Chargers 9 · Raiders 38, Jets 33
🏀 NBA: Lakers 131, Raptors 125 · Warriors 124, Clippers 112
🏒 NHL: Ducks 6, Senators 3
⚽ NWSL: Angel City 4, Boston Legacy 1 · Wave 1, Bay FC 0 · MLS: Minnesota United 3, LAFC 1
🏈 SOFI BELONGS TO THE RAMS
The Chargers led 6-3 in the second quarter on two field goals. Quentin Lake read a Justin Herbert pass for Charlie Kolar, picked it off and returned it 45 yards. On the Rams’ last drive of the half, Matthew Stafford hit Tutu Atwell for 40, and Kyren Williams jump-cut in from a yard out for a 10-9 halftime lead. The Chargers nearly answered on a Hail Mary to Ladd McConkey that fell inches short of the end zone.
In the second half, Blake Corum broke a 23-yard touchdown run, and Trent McDuffie intercepted Herbert for the cornerback’s eighth of the season. Two plays later, Puka Nacua caught an 18-yard screen for a touchdown. Final: Rams 24, Chargers 9.
Eric Lambkins II writes that Nacua had 11 catches for 80 yards in his 50th career game, and his 369 career receptions are the most through 50 games in NFL history. “He’s a stud,” Sean McVay said. “They just kept getting stop after stop,” he said of the defense. The Rams are 4-4, have won two straight and are at .500 for the first time this season.
The Chargers are 0-7. Fernando Ramirez writes they’ve gone nine straight quarters without an offensive touchdown, and Herbert leads the league with 10 interceptions, at least one in every game. Ramirez argues Jim Harbaugh should have changed offensive coordinators during the bye. “We’re aware of the issues are and we’re the only ones who can fix them,” Harbaugh said.
GO DEEPER
› Eric Lambkins II: Rams find their rhythm and put Chargers away (The Sporting Tribune)
› Fernando Ramirez: Chargers’ offensive nightmare continues as Jim Harbaugh’s team falls to 0-7 (The Sporting Tribune)
› TST Images: Chargers at Rams (The Sporting Tribune)
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🏀 FORTY-FIVE AND A HAT TRICK
Luka Dončić had 45 points, 15 rebounds, six assists and five steals, and he made eight 3-pointers. Carlos Yakimowich writes that he also took several charges early, and the Lakers led by as many as 26. Toronto got within single digits after Dončić picked up his fifth foul, then scored 11 points in 40 seconds after JJ Redick pulled his starters, before Walker Kessler’s dunk with 36.4 seconds left closed it out at 131-125. Kessler had 16 points and 15 rebounds. “Obviously, I’m not the best defender in the NBA,” Dončić said. “Luka doesn’t get enough credit for his defense,” Kessler said. The Lakers are 5-2. Fredo Cervantes writes that Collin Sexton, signed this summer for two years and $19.2 million, has become a valuable piece off the bench.
The Raiders snapped their skid. Brock Bowers caught seven passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns, Dylan Laube returned a kickoff 95 yards for a score, and Kirk Cousins went 19-of-26 for 247 yards. Jeremy Chinn intercepted Geno Smith in the end zone to seal a 38-33 win. “Our players were very resilient,” Klint Kubiak said. The Raiders are 4-4.
Cutter Gauthier had a hat trick and the Ducks came back from three first-period Ottawa goals to win 6-3. Judd Caulfield scored twice, Leo Carlsson had three assists, and Laurent Brossoit made 19 saves in his first start as a Duck. The Ducks (6-7-1) open a Western Canada trip Tuesday in Vancouver, then debut their new District 5-inspired “Hometown Remix” jerseys against Pittsburgh on Sunday.
The Clippers have lost five straight. Yaxel Lendeborg scored a career-high 37 for Golden State in a 124-112 Warriors win. Grant Mona writes that each of the Clippers’ last three losses came against a team missing its best player. They’re 1-5 and host Toronto tonight.
GO DEEPER
› Carlos Yakimowich: Lakers ride Luka Dončić’s 45-point night past Raptors (The Sporting Tribune)
› Fredo Cervantes: Collin Sexton emerging as a valuable piece of the Lakers’ rotation (The Sporting Tribune)
› Steve Carp: Raiders 38, Jets 33 (The Sporting Tribune)
› Zach Cavanagh: Ducks 6, Senators 3 (The Sporting Tribune)
› Zach Cavanagh: Ducks unveil Hometown Remix jerseys (The Sporting Tribune)
› Grant Mona: Clippers keep losing to short-handed teams, and that should worry them most (The Sporting Tribune)
⚽ SOCCER SUNDAY
Angel City is headed to the playoffs on a 10-game unbeaten streak. Nealy Martin scored her first goal of the season, and after Boston tied it before halftime, Evelyn Shores, Sveindís Jónsdóttir and Claire Emslie scored in the second half of a 4-1 win. Hannah Seabert, who announced her retirement Oct. 29, came on for her final minutes. Angel City plays at the Kansas City Current on Saturday.
The Wave finished second. Mimi Van Zanten scored in the ninth minute off a Kenza Dali assist, and San Diego beat Bay FC 1-0 in San Jose. Gotham beat Utah 2-0 to win the Shield by three points, but the Wave (18-8-4, 58 points) are the No. 2 seed and host No. 7 Utah in the quarterfinals Friday at Snapdragon Stadium.
LAFC stumbled into Decision Day. Joaquín Pereyra scored twice and Minnesota United won 3-1 at BMO Stadium, with Sergio Vásquez’s bicycle kick in the 90th minute LAFC’s only goal. “I am responsible. I am not happy,” interim coach Xavi Tamarit said. LAFC is at Seattle on Saturday, still chasing a top-four seed.
GO DEEPER
› Micaela Begue: Angel City dominates in season finale against Boston Legacy FC (The Sporting Tribune)
› Sebastian Sanchez: Wave finish second in NWSL Shield race after Bay FC win, set to host Utah in quarterfinals (The Sporting Tribune)
› Holdenn Graff: Uninspired LAFC drops regular-season home finale to Minnesota United FC (The Sporting Tribune)
🍔 THE DEALS BOARD
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🍔 Carl’s Jr. — free Famous Star with Cheese with a large drink, after the Rams’ two interceptions. Code RAMS2991 in the app’s Offers tab.
🥞 McDonald’s — $2 Sausage, Egg & Cheese McGriddles after the Ducks’ home win. In the McDonald’s app, breakfast hours only.
🌮 Jack in the Box — two free tacos with any drink after the Lakers’ win. Code LETSGOLAKERS.
🥞 Norms — two free buttermilk hotcakes from the Galaxy’s home win Saturday. Redeem through NORMS Rewards. Ends today at 1:10 p.m.
🏟️ TEN GAMES, ONE MONDAY
College basketball opens. No. 3 USC women play UNLV in Las Vegas at 1 on CBSSN, with JuJu Watkins back. UCLA’s women host Lehigh at 11:30, Hawaii’s women are at Oregon at 3, and San Diego State’s women host Cal State Fullerton at 6. On the men’s side, UCLA plays Arizona in Las Vegas at 7 on TNT, USC hosts Milwaukee at 7:30 and Hawaii hosts Seattle at 9.
Golden Knights at Bruins at 4 on ESPN+, the start of a four-game East Coast trip. Vegas has lost four of five.
Heat at Lakers at 7 on Spectrum SportsNet, and Raptors at Clippers at 7 on ClipperVision, the second night of a back-to-back for both the Raptors and the Clippers.
📌 AROUND THE MARKETS
UCLA No. 5, USC No. 18. UCLA moved up two spots in the AP poll after going 8-0, and USC returned to the rankings after beating Ohio State. At BetOnline, USC’s title odds went from 150/1 to 50/1, the biggest jump in the country, and UCLA’s went from 75/1 to 55/1.
GO DEEPER
› UCLA, USC climb in AP Top 25 and improve playoff chances (The Sporting Tribune)
› Timothy Parker: USC women prepare for highly anticipated season (The Sporting Tribune)
📺 WATCHLIST — MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2
🏀 WBB: Lehigh at UCLA — 11:30 a.m. — B1G+
🏀 WBB: USC vs. UNLV — T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas — 1:00 p.m. — CBSSN
🏀 WBB: Hawaii at Oregon — 3:00 p.m. — B1G+
🏒 NHL: Golden Knights at Bruins — TD Garden — 4:00 p.m. — ESPN+
🏀 WBB: Cal State Fullerton at San Diego State — 6:00 p.m. — Pac-12 YouTube
🏀 NBA: Heat at Lakers — Crypto.com Arena — 7:00 p.m. — Spectrum SportsNet
🏀 NBA: Raptors at Clippers — Intuit Dome — 7:00 p.m. — ClipperVision
🏀 MBB: UCLA vs. Arizona — Las Vegas — 7:00 p.m. — TNT
🏀 MBB: Milwaukee at USC — Galen Center — 7:30 p.m. — B1G+
🏀 MBB: Seattle at Hawaii — 9:00 p.m. — MW+
🎟️ GOING TO A GAME?
Get-in prices across Southern California, Las Vegas and Hawaii — brought to you by TickPick, the no-hidden-fee ticket marketplace.
🏀 Heat at Lakers — Crypto.com Arena — $48
🏀 Raptors at Clippers — Intuit Dome — $14
🏀 USC vs. UNLV (WBB) — T-Mobile Arena — $45
🌴 TST TRIVIA
The Ducks’ new jerseys nod to the District 5 team from Disney’s “The Mighty Ducks.” In what season did the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim play their first NHL game?
Answer at the bottom.
🎧 THE SPORTING TRIBUNE TODAY
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Trivia answer: 1993-94.
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