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By Bill Plaschke: It wasn't a baseball game, it was a slam dunk.

The New York Mets snuck up on the Dodgers in broad daylight on Monday, beat them down, robbed them of their confidence and sent them reeling toward Queens.

After two games, the National League Championship Series has now morphed into something few thought it would ever be, something that should have Dodger fans tying the blue rags around their callous fingers.

This series is now, well, a series.

The Mets created one by storming out of the dugout with bats flying and guns boiling, pressuring Dodger manager Dave Roberts into another controversial playoff pitching decision, trashing the mighty Dodger bats, generally wreaking havoc on an overheated Chavez Gorge and a 7-3 win in Game 2, in which the NLCS tied one game each.

“They beat us back,” Dodgers catcher Will Smith said.

It was a stunning turnaround for a Dodger team that played as if it had non-refundable reservations for the World Series.

Less than 24 hours after it looked like they would be playing in November, it's possible their season could be off this week.

Read more here

Dodgers box score

The bullpen game explodes in grand fashion as the Dodgers lose to the Mets in NLCS Game 2

'Always bet on this guy': Why the Dodgers have confidence in Walker Buehler

Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw wants to return for 2025 season: 'Mentally I feel great'

Teoscar Hernández's agent pushes back against critics of Dodgers' one-year contract: 'Who's laughing now?'

MLB POST-SEASON SCHEDULE

All times Pacific

NLCS
No. 1 Dodgers vs. No. 6 NY Mets
at Dodgers 9, New York 0. (box score)
New York 7, at Dodgers 3. (box score)
Wednesday: Dodgers at New York, 5 p.m., FS1
Thursday: Dodgers at New York, 5 p.m., FS1
Friday: Dodgers at New York, 2 p.m., FS1
*Sunday: New York at Dodgers, 5 p.m., FS1
*Monday: New York at Dodgers, 5 p.m., FS1/Fox

ALCS
No. 1 NY Yankees vs. No. 2 Cleveland
in New York 5, Cleveland 2 (box score)
Tuesday in New York, 4:30 p.m., TBS/truTV/MAX
Thursday in Cleveland, 2 p.m., TBS/truTV/MAX
Friday in Cleveland, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/MAX
*Saturday in Cleveland, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/MAX
*Monday in New York, 2 p.m., TBS/truTV/MAX
*Tuesday, October 22 in New York, 4:30 p.m., TBS/truTV/MAX

*-if required

RAMS

By Gary Klein: During his first 15 NFL seasons, Matthew Stafford's teams experienced scheduled rest weeks at various points.

They arrived three times in week 5; once only in week 10.

With the Rams at 1-4 following a loss to the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 6, their star quarterback was asked if their Week 6 hiatus came at a good time.

“I don’t know,” Stafford said. “We’ll see.”

That's a perfect mantra to carry the Rams through their remaining 12 games.

On Sunday, when they play the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium, we'll see if coach Sean McVay has come up with a viable plan to turn around a team on the verge of exiting the playoff race.

Read more here

The Rams' Matthew Stafford appears to be healthy “back,” but Cooper Kupp's return is uncertain

CHARGERS

By Thuc Nhi Nguyen: Jim Harbaugh was sitting in the next seat on the Chargers' plane flying back from Denver and elbowed Ben Herbert. Harbaugh didn't need help from the team's executive director of player performance after the head coach suffered a concerning issue with an irregular heartbeat during the 23-16 win.

The Chargers coach just wanted to watch Herbert as quarterback Justin Herbert made a spectacular third-down play during the game.

Harbaugh shook off a frightening incident in Denver that required the help of a paramedic and returned to his usual rhythm immediately after the win. An appointment with a cardiologist on Monday confirmed that the 60-year-old had suffered a third episode of atrial flutter, a heart rhythm disorder he first encountered in 1999.

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LAKERS

By Dan Woike: LeBron James took on Stephen Curry, battling him and the Golden State Warriors for NBA titles in a pivotal chapter in the league's history.

They had never really played together until this summer. After winning gold at the Paris Olympics — an experience that tested Team USA in the way competitors like James and Curry crave — perspectives began to emerge.

“It was everything and more. “I was really looking forward to finally being able to work with him in a win-or-die atmosphere,” James said of the experience. “That was what it was like to be part of the Olympics. Being part of this team with Steph was everything I dreamed and hoped for. Great memories. Something I will definitely remember from my basketball career for the rest of my life.”

It's certain that memories will have no bearing on the contest when the Lakers and Warriors face off again, which will happen for the first time during a preseason game in Las Vegas on Tuesday. But the success and pictures of James and Curry partying together have people wondering if there's a possibility the two could be colleagues again.

“I have no idea,” James said. “I have no idea.”

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clippers

By Broderick Turner: The Clippers played their first game at the Intuit Dome, their new home in Inglewood, in a preseason contest Monday night against the Dallas Mavericks, and they did so without Kawhi Leonard – again.

The Clippers still have one preseason game left, Thursday night against the Sacramento Kings, which will take place at owner Steve Ballmer's new $2 billion palace, but will Leonard be on the court?

“He won’t play on Thursday,” Lue said.

That's because Leonard is still dealing with inflammation in his right knee.

With the Clippers playing their regular season opener at home against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 23, Lue was asked what Leonard's plan was moving forward.

“Continue to rehab, keep getting better and keep checking the boxes,” he said.

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KINGS

Josh Norris capped a two-goal push with the game-winning goal 56 seconds into overtime on Monday as the Ottawa Senators defeated the Kings 8-7.

Zack MacEwen also scored two goals for the Senators, with Jake Sanderson, Drake Batherson, Thomas Chabot and Claude Giroux also scoring.

Ottawa's Anton Forsberg conceded three goals on nine shots before being replaced by Mads Sogaard, who was urgently recalled Monday morning and allowed four goals on 17 shots.

Kevin Fiala and Alex Laferriere each scored two goals for the Kings. Trevor Lewis, Adrian Kempe and Tanner Jeannot also scored. Darcy Kuemper made 33 saves in a loss.

Read more here

Summary of Kings

NHL results

NHL rankings

WNBA FINAL

All times Pacific

No. 1 New York vs. No. 2 Minnesota
Minnesota 95, at New York 93 (OT)
in New York 80, Minnesota 66
Marry. in Minnesota, 5 p.m., ESPN
Friday in Minnesota, 5 p.m., ESPN
*Monday, October 21 in New York, TBD

*-if required

THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1933 – The Philadelphia Eagles play their first NFL game and suffer a 56-0 loss to the New York Giants.

1961 – Mickey Wright wins her third LPGA Championship with a victory, nine strokes ahead of Louise Suggs. Wright shoots a 3-over 287 at Stardust Country Club in Las Vegas for her third major title of the year and her 10th Tour win of the season.

1972 – Stan Mikita of the Chicago Blackhawks becomes the sixth NHL player with 1,000 career points. Mikita assists Cliff Koroll's goal in the 3-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues at Chicago Stadium.

1983 – The Chicago Blackhawks and Toronto Maple Leafs score five goals in 1 minute, 24 seconds, setting an NHL record for the fastest five goals by two teams. The Maple Leafs win 10-8.

1988 – Oklahoma rushes for an NCAA record 768 yards, including 123 from quarterback Charles Thompson. Thompson caught three touchdowns and a pass in the first third of a 70-24 win over Kansas State.

1988 – Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins scores eight points – two goals and six assists – in a 9-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues at Civic Arena in Pittsburgh.

1989 – Kings' Wayne Gretzky passes Gordie Howe as the NHL's all-time leading scorer in a 5-4 overtime win over the Edmonton Oilers. Gretzky hit a backhand shot past Oilers goaltender Bill Ranford with 53 seconds left to tie the score and give Howe the 1,851st. point to overtake. Gretzky wins the game in overtime.

1995 – The Carolina Panthers beat the New York Jets 26-15 to earn their first NFL victory.

2005 – USC's Matt Leinart pushes and spins into the end zone with three seconds left to cap a chaotic finish for the top-ranked Trojans' 28th straight win, a back-and-forth 34-31 victory over Notre Dame No. 9.

2008 – Fabian Brunnstrom scores three goals in his NHL debut, tying the league record, in Dallas' 6-4 win over Nashville.

2009 – Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom becomes the first European defenseman and eighth overall to reach 1,000 points by assisting two goals in the Red Wings' 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings.

2012 – The Nets bring professional sports back to Brooklyn with a preseason victory, beating the Washington Wizards 98-88 in the first basketball game at Barclays Center.

2015 – Carey Price makes 25 saves and the Montreal Canadiens make team history by starting the season with five straight wins, most recently a 3-0 win over the New York Rangers.

2017 – New England quarterback Tom Brady rushes for 257 yards with two touchdowns in the Patriots' 24-17 win at the New York Jets. Brady, who has 187 regular-season wins, surpasses Hall of Famers Brett Favre (186) and Peyton Manning (186) for the most wins by a starting quarterback in NFL history.

Compiled by Associated Press