UL Monroe said it will take disciplinary action against offensive line coach Cameron Blankenship after he made physical contact with a player on the sideline during Saturday's 28-23 loss at Marshall.

In a video from the TV broadcast, an animated Blankenship, who is in his first season at ULM, can be seen running onto the field to yell at a player. After ripping off his headset in anger and tossing it on the ground, Blankenship continued to yell at offensive lineman Drew Hutchinson as he ran past him and off the field.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver says he is considering changing the format of this year's All-Star Game in San Francisco and is enlisting Stephen Curry's help to figure out a way to make the game more competitive.

Silver has wanted a more competitive All-Star event for some time, saying there was disappointment in last year's result when the Eastern Conference beat the Western Conference 211-186.

"We're looking at other formats," Silver said Saturday without specifying what may change. "I think there's no doubt that the players were disappointed as well in last year's All-Star Game. We all want to do a better job providing competition and entertainment for our fans."

Silver added that the league is looking at making the All-Star Game "not a traditional game format," but stopped short of saying what that could mean.

The commissioner says he's had "direct conversations" with Curry on the topic. Any changes would almost certainly have to involve the leadership of the National Basketball Players Association as well.

"It's a home game for him," Silver said of Curry. "I know he's very prideful and wants to make sure the players put their best foot forward."

The league has tinkered with the All-Star formula several times in recent years. Among the attempts were scrapping the long-standing East vs. West format for a draft picked by team captains and going to an untimed fourth quarter with a target score to ensure that the game must end on a made shot.

Last year's game went back to the traditional format -- four full 12-minute quarters, East vs. West. And it was nothing but an offensive showcase, with the teams combining for 168 3-point attempts and nearly 400 points.

Curry said last year that players had talked "a little bit" about making the All-Star Game more competitive in some ways. The league has wanted that for some time, hoping a better All-Star contest leads to better television ratings and more outside interest.

"I think everyone was disappointed in what they saw last year," Silver said. "It wasn't just the league. It was the players as well, the players association. I think we all did what we thought we could, thinking particularly in Indiana, sort of the heartland of basketball, we would see a more competitive game."

Silver also pointed out that nobody expects the All-Star Game to have playoff-type intensity. He said league executives Byron Spruell, Joe Dumars and Evan Wasch have formed a committee to talk to team representatives and the players association to try and find a solution.

"We want to do something that will excite the fans and also excite the players, so it's something they'll be enthusiastic about playing in," Silver said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- LaMelo Ball has been tearing it up on offense this season. Now new Hornets coach Charles Lee wants Ball to prove he can do it on defense, too.

Ball fouled out for the second straight night Saturday against the Boston Celtics as the Hornets lost 113-103.

The 23-year-old Ball has fouled out three times in six games and has committed 30 fouls total.

"We have to continue to challenge him and we have to learn about 'can he guard one-on-one, or do we need to send a double team every time, or are you going to foul?'" Lee said. "So as a staff we have to figure out what we are comfortable living with. But also, through conversations with him, can he just sit down and guard his yard and commit to just showing his hands and defend without fouling?"

Ball picked up two early fouls Saturday in the first quarter. Lee said that Ball is making too many "non-competitive" fouls like slapping up at the ball. He also fouled Jayson Tatum twice while shooting 3-pointers in the past two games.

"I can live with a Payton Pritchard end-of-shot clock fadeaway jumper or the Jayson Tatum fadeaway step-back jumper," Lee said. "It's the ones where it's just blow-bys. To me they're just non-competitive fouls where you are just giving up on the play by just fouling the guy."

Ball has been dynamite on the other end of the floor for the Hornets (2-4).

The 2022 NBA All-Star is averaging 29 points through six games and shooting 38.7% from 3-point range, so Charlotte desperately needs him on the floor because he's what makes the offense tick.

"On the offensive end he has been a great playmaker," Lee said. "With the ball he has done a great job of creating off the ball with pick and rolls. Sometimes he gets a little sped up and I don't think the rest of the team can keep up with his pace, but he still makes something happen out of nothing."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

TORONTO -- An emotional Vince Carter acknowledged his contentious exit from Toronto as his No. 15 jersey became the first number retired by the Raptors in a halftime ceremony during Saturday night's game against Sacramento.

"It's not just Carter 15 going up, it's all of us going up," Carter told fans before a banner with his name and number was lifted to the rafters. "The memories, however you view it, goes up tonight. I hope and pray we enjoy our jersey being retired forever together."

Carter walked to center court to begin the ceremony and gestured with his hands to request cheers from the crowd, and then balled his fists and roared "Come on!" before saluting the response.

Former Toronto teammates Tracy McGrady, Antonio Davis, Kevin Willis, Charles Oakley, Morris Peterson, Dee Brown, Jerome Williams, Alvin Williams and Muggsy Bogues joined Carter, his family and Raptors president Masai Ujiri on the court for the ceremony.

"He taught us how to fly," Ujiri said in introducing Carter to the cheering crowd.

Carter had to pause several times to control his emotions or dab at tears during a pregame news conference. At one point, speaking about his family, a tearful Carter beckoned his young son Vincent Jr. to join him at the podium for an embrace.

The only player in NBA history to play in four decades, Carter spent the first six-plus of his record 22 seasons with the Raptors. He was the 1999 Rookie of the Year in his first season and an All-Star and the Slam Dunk champion in his second, when Toronto made the playoffs for the first time.

Swept out of the first round by the Knicks in his first postseason, Carter and the Raptors returned to the playoffs the following spring and upset New York by winning Game 5 at Madison Square Garden.

Before Saturday's game, Carter recalled that series victory as one of the best memories of his time in Toronto.

"Going through what [former Knicks coach] Mr. Jeff Van Gundy put me through with his defense, I was excited to have that opportunity to go against that defense again," Carter said.

Carter is credited for impacting basketball across Canada, influencing a generation of future NBA players such as Tristan Thompson, former Raptors guard Cory Joseph and current Toronto forward Kelly Olynyk.

"The legacy is still growing," Carter said. "This is the icing on the cake."

Thompson was one of several players, including Stephen Curry and former Raptors Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, to record a congratulatory message for Carter in a video that played before the on-court ceremony.

"I wouldn't be here without you," Thompson said.

Early on in his Toronto tenure, Carter earned the nickname "Air Canada" for his high-flying dunks. As injuries mounted and his production declined, Carter faced criticism from fans for becoming less aggressive when he settled for jumpers rather than driving and drawing contact.

In December 2004, Carter was traded to the Nets for Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams and a pair of first-round draft picks. Mourning never played for Toronto.

For years, there was anger and animosity from Raptors fans toward Carter after he pushed to be traded out of Toronto.

A decade on from that deal, the relationship-mending began when Carter visited Toronto with the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 19, 2014. The Raptors, who were celebrating their 20th anniversary that season, honored Carter with a tribute video during a first-quarter timeout.

Speaking in the halftime ceremony, Carter called it "a day I'll never forget."

Although a few fans booed as the montage began that night, most of the sellout crowd of 19,800 soon stood and cheered. An emotional Carter raised his arms, tapped his heart and wiped tears from his eyes.

During his pregame news conference, Carter was overcome with emotion again as he recalled watching that video almost a decade ago.

"It's something about seeing those highlights in this building, because that's where it was created," he said.

Carter retired in 2020 at age 43. Last month, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Earlier Saturday, a mural of Carter was unveiled in downtown Toronto. In September, the Raptors unveiled a revitalized Vince Carter Court at a Toronto park.

ST. LOUIS -- Blues defenseman Philip Broberg left Saturday night's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs with a lower body injury in the second period.

Broberg collided with Maple leafs forward Mitch Marner in a battle for the puck 8:08 into the period. Marner landed on Broberg's right leg, and Broberg was unable to put much weight on his leg as he was helped off the ice into the Blues' locker room.

The team announced later in the period that Broberg would not return to the game.

Broberg was signed as a restricted free agent this offseason to a two-year, $9.16 million contract, costing St. Louis a 2025 second-round draft pick after Edmonton declined to match the Blues' offer sheet.

Broberg was tied with Jordan Kyrou for the team lead with nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 11 games entering play.

Xande Silva scored with about a minute to go in stoppage time shortly after a goal by Lionel Messi was waved off for a clear offside, giving ninth-seeded Atlanta United a 2-1 victory over Inter Miami on Saturday night to level the best-of-three first-round MLS playoff series at one game apiece.

Silva blasted a right-footed shot into the top left corner to beat goalkeeper Drake Callender in the 94th minute. The Atlanta player celebrated by ripping off his shirt and dancing in front of the supporters section at Mercedes-Benz Stadium while the announced crowd of 68,455 roared in celebration.

Messi had plenty of good scoring chances but only found the back of the net with the flag raised for offside. Atlanta United took off the other way for Silva's game winner.

United rallied from a 1-0 halftime deficit, the result of a huge error by keeper Brad Guzan, to force a decisive game next Saturday in South Florida. Atlanta has a chance to pull off a major upset, having finished a whopping 34 points behind Messi's star-studded squad, which won the MLS Supporters' Shield and broke the all-time points record.

Derrick Williams tied the game in the 58th minute after a corner kick was turned away by the Herons. Pedro Amador sent a cross back into the box from long range and Williams dove to get a head on it, skipping it past Callender.

Guzan's blunder handed Miami the opening goal in the 40th minute.

After easily grabbing a cross into the box, Guzan went to boot the ball away -- only to stumble and loose control with Miami's Federico Redondo running along beside him. Redondo sent the free ball to David Martínez, who casually flicked it over four United defenders into the unguarded goal while Guzan looked on helplessly.

The 40-year-old keeper claimed he was interfered with by Redondo, but the replay clearly showed Guzan tripped himself up.

Messi misfired on at least three shots, going wide a couple of times before blasting one over the net in the 83rd with Miami pressing for the go-ahead goal. He walked away rubbing his beard, clearly frustrated at his lack of accuracy.

In the 89th, United missed a chance to grab the lead when Saba Lobjanidze rocketed one off the crossbar. Bartosz Slisz collected the ricochet, but fired it over the net.

Silva made sure it didn't matter.

Miami won the opening game of the series 2-1 at home.

The winner of Game 3 will advance to the conference semifinals, facing the team that emerges from the Orlando-Charlotte series. Those teams are also tied 1-1.

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A Major League Baseball investigation recently found a top teenage prospect in the Dominican Republic who had verbally agreed to sign with the San Diego Padres falsified his paperwork and is five years older than previously believed, resulting in the agreement being withdrawn, sources told ESPN.

The teenager, who assumed the name Cesar Altagracia, verbally agreed to sign with the Padres for about $4 million, a substantial bonus that signified he was considered one of the top international prospects in his class. The transaction would have become official in January 2027, once Altagracia became eligible to sign as a 16-year-old international free agent.

But MLB discovered he is 19 years old, not 14, as his documents stated. The teenager represented the Dominican Republic at the 2022 U-12 Baseball World Cup and at the U-15 Pan American Championships this summer under the false identity, sources said.

An MLB spokesman declined to comment. The Padres also declined to comment. The Dominican Baseball Federation is investigating the matter, as well, sources said.

Players who have been found to have falsified their ages are typically handed a one-year suspension before they are allowed to reapply.

The existence of a spending cap in the international market, implemented as part of the collective bargaining agreement beginning in 2012, and the race to identify the best talent in a baseball hotbed such as the Dominican Republic have prompted teams to regularly agree to deals with players years before they become eligible to sign at age 16. Deals are struck with players as young as 12 or 13 years old, at which point those players train at the team's academy in the country, out of sight from rival evaluators, until signing day.

It is not uncommon, however, for teams to pull pre-arranged deals weeks before players would sign them, either because a prospect did not develop as expected or because turnover in the team's front office altered philosophies, sources said.

The signing of amateur players has fueled an entire economy rife with corruption. The last year has seen an uptick in high-profile players showcasing themselves with falsified birth certificates to present themselves as much as five years younger, sources said,. Many of those players have had their bonuses pulled after investigations uncovered the information.