celtic Frosinone were set to sign Fares Ghedjemis in January. Neither move ever worked but the player has no regrets about his decision.

sports witness Covered how the Hoops were initially surprised about the offer. This was largely in line with the winger’s valuation, but the player rejected the move, as he was keen to stay.

Frosinone has confirmed its return to Serie A. This is no small part of Gedzemis’ important contribution, as he has scored 15 times in Serie B. In 2026 alone, he has scored nine times, and provided two assists.

The player has now opened up about what happened when Celtic came for him.

Gedzemis goes public

The Algerian winger spoke at Frosinone’s celebration ceremony yesterday and was asked specifically about his decision to stay.

He explained that the atmosphere at Frosinone forced him to reject Celtic.

The attacker said- via Ciociariaoggi: : “Absolutely. That’s why I didn’t go over the summer. I could have gone, but I felt an energy that made me want to stay. And I’m happy with my choice.

“I’m proud and happy. We worked very hard, and I’m really happy to bring Frosinone back to where the club should be: in Italy’s top flight.”

The Algeria international was also asked about his plans for the World Cup.

he replied: “Yeah, hopefully. There are so many people, so much competition. I hope I’m ready for it. It would definitely be great to play in the World Cup.”

With Wolves and Norwich City linked with a move, Gedzemis hinted at his future.

“Let’s see. Right now I just want to enjoy the season we’ve had. Then, when the time comes, I’ll also think about the transfer market.”

All celtic hopes are destroyed

There have been suggestions that Gedzemis is now interested in a move to the Premier League. Which is why Wolves or Norwich City might not appeal to him, with the Midlands club now in the Championship.

This stance should also rule out a move towards Celtic.

If the San Francisco 49ers thought their patience with Brandon Aiyuk would soon turn into a trade, a new report explains why they’re fooling themselves.

After the 2023 season, it looked like Aiyuk was going to become one of the top stars in the NFL and one of the faces of the 49ers roster. Boy, it seems like a long time ago. In the two years since his breakout season, the relationship between team and receiver has been downright dramatic.

First, he was late to the start of the 2024 season because he was holding out for a new long-term contract. He got it, but then he tore his ACL seven games into that campaign. Yet, instead of taking the field last season, Aiyuk sat out the entire 2025 season due to ongoing differences with the organization. That made divorce a guarantee this offseason.

However, rather than trade the talented but problematic receiver and move on, general manager John Lynch is under the impression that if he is patient, he will find a team that would be willing to give Aiyuk something rather than lose him for nothing. Well, it looks like that’s not going to happen, and according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, Lynch just needs to pull the trigger on his release.

Graziano says the 49ers may choose to wait a few more months and hope a team becomes desperate. But considering the financial cost and draft pick value, no team is going to waste any money on a deal when they can get him for a much lower price with a little patience.

If the 49ers are looking petty, they may have to wait well into the preseason to finally cut the 28-year-old.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

of leeds united Ilya Gruev says he is very happy at the Premier League club and is not thinking about leaving them.

The 25-year-old arrived at Elland Road from Werder Bremen in August 2023 and has made 86 appearances for Leeds United so far.

Last season, he made 25 appearances as his minutes were partially limited due to a knee injury. The midfielder won the championship with the Whites and this is the only silverware of his career so far.

back in january, the player said When asked if he wanted to live in the present or dream of something bigger he replied “I want more”.

Daniel Farke convinced him to join Leeds United

transfermark.de Interviewed Ilya Gruev to discuss a range of topics relating to the English club and his time with them so far.

Finally, he talks about how his move to Leeds United shaped up and what his future plans are.

The Bulgaria international said that Daniel Farke’s call up was one of the main reasons for his joining the Whites, who were in the Championship at the time.

“Of course, this was a time-sensitive move. The transfer window was only open for a few more days. Leeds offered me a clear plan, and the phone call with Daniel was very promising. He showed me what kind of project was being developed at Leeds,” He said.

“And then, there was the dream of playing in the Premier League with a club full of tradition like Leeds. Looking back, it was a very good decision, and everything fell into place perfectly.

“This move was not at all easy for me, because I played for Werder for eight years. I was promoted with Werder and played my first Bundesliga season. But I was ready for a new challenge, and when the offer came from Leeds, it was a very exciting opportunity.”

The player has no plans to leave Leeds United in the summer and has opened up about his long-term plans.

“I feel very comfortable here and see how the club is developing. The long-term plan is to become a top 10 team in the Premier League.” Gruev explained.

“If you can be part of that journey as a player and compete against the elite every week, that’s an absolute success. Fans also look at which players have been with the club for how long. They’re happy with the guys who have been there from the beginning.”

leeds united’s remaining matches this season

Daniel Farke’s side are 15th in the table, eight points ahead of 18th-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

The Whites have at least six matches left this season, including the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea on Sunday.

Leeds United’s fixtures are as follows:

• vs afc bournemouth [away] on 22nd April
• in chelsea [FA Cup] on 26th April
• v burnley [home] on 2 may
• at tottenham hotspur [away] on 11th may
• vs brighton and hove albion [home] tbd
• vs West Ham United on 24 May

Juan Sebastian Veron details how his tenure ended in controversy Manchester UnitedThanks for some heavy drinking and Argentinian songs.

TYC Sports today reports the former Manchester United midfielder’s comments In an interview with former rugby star Augustin Creevy.

The Argentine, who has lived a football life full of trophies, pressure and unforgettable nights, was happy to tell in detail one of his lesser-known stories.

bar hopping chaos

Juan Sebastian Veron sets the scene as a man who can portray every detail of a night full of drama.

The Manchester United man was partying with Augustin Pichot and Felipe Contepomi. Those rugby pairs were also based in England at the time. So a celebratory reunion was planned.

“At that time, it was all about going from one bar to the next and drinking as much beer as humanly possible,” Veron explained.

“So, I told them: ‘There it goes.’ Agustín came with Felipe Contepomi and I said: ‘I’ll take you guys on the bus.’

The night was supposed to be simple: drinks, laughter and a little Argentinian camaraderie in the middle of the English winter. But then the spark came.

Argentina’s response

At some point in the night, an unnamed man grabbed a microphone and shouted “England! England!” Started raising slogans loudly.

This prompted an immediate and strong reaction from Argentina.

“We took the mic away from him and started chanting for Argentina, and then the punches started,” Veron explained.

“It was a free for all, including the Irish, the Dutch, the English… and I’m not sure if Felipe took someone’s hat off or what actually happened,” he added laughing.

Now, of course, all this is in the past. With his partying days long behind him, the former midfielder can now laugh at such incidents.

However, Manchester United fans may wonder where such fighting took place on the pitch.

Had Juan Sebastian Veron shown some of this, perhaps his time at Old Trafford would have been remembered even more fondly.

Manchester City Defender Vitor Reis has made it clear he wants to return to the Etihad after using his Verona loan to become a regular at the senior level.

The 20-year-old centre-back has become a pillar in LaLiga this season, and his recent Brazil call-up only adds to the feeling that his development is accelerating.

The Brazilian has made 27 league appearances, starting in 26 starts. This consistency reflects his importance at Verona, where he has established himself as a reliable presence in defense as he adapts to European football. he is already in spain Viewed as an “elite” prospect.

In an extensive interview with the Brazilian outlet globo esporteVitor Reis opens up about his journey so far, from his early days at Manchester City to his current position in Spain and his ambitions for the future.

“I intend to return to Manchester City”

Vitor Reis did not hide his long-term goals when discussing his future.

“My intention, my desire is to return to Manchester City, play and get a place. But, as I always say, I will focus on the day-to-day at this end of the season, so that when the time comes for negotiations, we can sit down calmly with a clear mind.” He said.

that attitude Fits with Manchester City’s plans. The club sent him to Verona to gain minutes and the move worked as intended. The defender himself admitted that the decision initially surprised him.

“When I found out they were thinking about loaning me out, I was a little shocked, because it wasn’t something that came to my mind. But when I understood it better and talked to a lot of people, I realized it would be good for me, especially for minutes, to play more games. At my age, I need to play.”

he adds: “So I think coming here was a very important decision, 100% right. Here in Verona I am very happy. The people are incredible, and I believe it was a very good choice.”

Reality check at Manchester City

Vitor Reus also reflected on his first experiences after joining Manchester City from Palmeiras in a deal worth around £32m (€40m).

“The city was also a very beautiful story of my life. When I arrived there, it was a kind of reality check, like what happened with the national team. You arrive and see the players around you. I remember seeing my name next to people like Rodri, Bernardo Silva… and that made me very happy.”

He highlighted the environment and demands of the club.

“This is a club that always tries to get the most out of the players, and that helped me a lot. I learned a lot of things with Pep, who is a real guy in terms of mentality and understanding of the game.”

There has been an ongoing link up with Manchester City during his loan spell.

“I keep in touch with the city director [Hugo Viana]. I talk a lot with Citigroup employees, they are often here in Verona too. For me that contact with them, that care is very important, and I am very glad that they are close, always trying to see and understand everything that is happening here.

learning from guardiola

The Brazilian describes his early conversations with Pep Guardiola and how he shaped his development. It’s worth remembering The Spaniard himself reassured Vitor Reis To join Manchester City.

“When you arrive there and see Pep Guardiola, you feel that fear, that different sensation. But the first day, when I was presented at the training center, I already had contact with him. We were there with my family, my agent… and when he arrived, everyone was very happy, even more than me.”

he adds: “After that, I went to his office, we talked quickly, and that already made me feel more comfortable, more welcomed.”

The learning process continued on the pitch.

“That first contact was very important. Then, day-to-day, in training, he talked to me too and I learned a lot from him, especially how to understand the game, how to make things easier on the pitch.”

“He is a very intelligent person. If you do what he says, your game is better. And besides, he has a hunger to win which is unreal. Even after winning everything, he is still on the touchline with the same intensity, wanting to win, guiding everyone. It is a big difference.”

“Working with him was a dream, and, God willing, I hope I can come back and experience it again.”

Brazil call-up and 3am surprise

His recent Brazil call-up came in unexpected fashion, As we recently coveredFurther underlining how quickly his profile is rising. This time he has shared that story in his own words.

“It was early in the morning, around 1:30 or 2 am. I was sleeping with my wife, and they tried to call me. Because my phone is on night mode, they started calling my wife’s phone.”

“We heard a noise, woke up, I saw it was my agent calling, picked up the phone and answered. He said: ‘Are you ready? We’re going to the national team.’ At that moment, I couldn’t believe it. I said: ‘Which national team?’ You are lying, you are kidding me…”

“But as soon as I woke up properly, I realized it was true. Then it was just happiness.”

He admitted that time has made it even more surprising.

“It was definitely a surprise, especially because of the moment when it happened. The call-up had already been announced after the match, and I didn’t expect it anymore.”

“And also because it’s the Brazilian national team. It’s always been a dream to be there. To be called up, to be with players you’ve always dreamed of playing with, is very gratifying.”

Facing the elite and moving forward faster

Vitor Reis also pointed to key moments in Spain that have accelerated his development, including facing Real Madrid’s attack.

“It is not easy to deal with Vinicius Junior, Mbappé and Bellingham in attack. This is a game that requires maximum concentration. Our team was very competitive, and I am very happy with everyone’s attitude and the positive result.”

“We knew the size of the challenge and prepared a lot for that game. Getting a positive result against Real Madrid gives confidence and shows we are on the right track.”

he also had “Royal” demonstration against Barcelona In this weather. The defender also stressed his mentality when discussing bigger ambitions, including the World Cup.

“I’m very calm. I always say I’m trying to do what I can control, which is day-to-day, matches, everything within my reach. The future belongs to God.”

“If it has to happen now, that’s how it will happen. I’ll keep working and stay focused. It’s about doing what I can control and leaving the decisions to the people who have to make them.”

he adds: “Sometimes it seems impossible, okay? You look and see that it is very difficult. But the call-up also seemed difficult and I got called up. It shows that you can’t stop dreaming.”

“My dream is to play in the World Cup, which is the biggest competition there for me. It’s the biggest dream of my life, as I believe it is for all players.”

“I also dream of winning the Champions League, which is the biggest club competition in the world. These are my dreams.”

What’s next for Vitor Reis?

Vitor Reis’s trajectory is now clearly felt In line with Manchester City’s long-term plan. He gained the necessary minutes, established himself as a starter and began to attract international attention.

With hopes of a return to the Etihad following his loan spell, the defender is preparing himself to compete for a place. His performances in Spain, coupled with his mentality and ambition, suggest that Manchester City will soon have a more complete player back in their squad.

Austrian coach Adi Hutter has opened up on his decision to step away from coaching until the summer and addressed the link Tottenham Hotspur Which came to light during his break.

talking for 90 minutesThe former Borussia Monchengladbach, Eintracht Frankfurt and AS Monaco coach explains why he rejected several opportunities to move into management, including interest from Tottenham.

Why did Hutter refuse any mid-season jobs?

Adi Hütter is currently a free agent after leaving AS Monaco in October last year. He has been in charge of the Ligue 1 side since July 2023.

They then finished second in their debut season and qualified for the Champions League. Last season he led them to third place and then to the Champions League. However, due to a poor start to the season Monaco decided to go in a different direction.

There has been considerable interest since then, including from Tottenham before the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi. But Hutter admits he had no interest in being a “firefighter.”

“It’s true that you have to process your release from your contract,” He said.

“You have to reflect on why it happened and what you could have done better. It takes time. I really hate playing firefighter.”

He had already turned down the Premier League job as a firefighter with Monaco and this time too he had no interest in it.

“Before going to Monaco, I could have worked as a firefighter in England, but I refused,” He added.

“When you get to a place where things are in crisis, you don’t get the opportunity to develop your playing philosophy over ten or twelve games. You have to take a completely different approach to coaching and managing. It was never what I wanted.”

Tottenham’s interest noted

Various reports link him with the Tottenham job Since he sought a replacement for Igor Tudor. After Adi Hutter went public with his lack of interest, Spurs eventually appointed Roberto De Zerbi.

It was out of character for him anyway, as he admitted he was not one to radiate any interest in his services.

“I have been linked with Lazio and Tottenham Hotspur. Of course, I can say: it is an honor to be the subject of discussion with these clubs.” He accepted.

“I’m not one to broadcast every enquiry, every discussion. It’s not my style, and I don’t think it’s fair to clubs.

“I understand that not every club wants to moderate coaching discussions. That’s why such matters are always discussed internally.”

🇦🇷 Christian Romero | platelet-rich plasma treatment

➡️Tottenham player expert injury recovery
➡️ Argentina wants players to consider national team
💬 “Leo told him: ‘Think about the national team’. When you have to… think a little.”https://t.co/osIY4cNGyk #THFC

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 14 April 2026

A notable NBA expert detailed a major problem with the Oklahoma City Thunder that has them seemingly dethroned by the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Playoffs.

After winning the franchise’s first NBA championship last spring, the Thunder had a big target on their back. However, because they have reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a core that is still very young, there were questions about whether any team was good enough to defeat them this season.

Well, as the campaign progressed, it became clear that Spurs could be strong enough to dethrone the champions. Victor Wembanyama is developing into an absolute monster, and San Antonio also has a talent-rich young core. Furthermore, the Spurs are 4-1 against the Thunder this season.

However, OKC star Jalen Williams missed many of those games and has only played in 33 this season. Certainly, now that he’s back healthy, the Thunder will look like the team that won it all last year. Or maybe not.

Is Jalen Williams a bust in 2025-26?

On Saturday, Yahoo Sports NBA expert Kevin O’Connor posted an interesting video on why this isn’t the same Thunder team as last year, and that’s because Williams isn’t playing like he did in 2024-25 when he had a huge role in their trip to the championship.

O’Connor says Williams’ evolution from a mid-range specialist to a dangerous three-point shooter was really important for OKC last year. His long range shooting had to be respected by the opponents. However, their number has been significantly reduced to three in 2025-26.

Last year, he was shooting 37%, but that has dropped to 30% this season. Furthermore, he is back to his mid-range game and is taking very few shots from long distance. Additionally, he is shooting 41% from the field, down from 46% last season.

NBA insiders speculate that the injuries that have limited him all year — recovering from offseason wrist surgery and hamstring problems — could have a big impact on his approach to offense. He claims he is very concerned that the player from last spring needs to return if the Thunder are to get back to the Finals.

The report opens the door to further speculation that Spurs are set for an unexpected finals run this spring.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

chelsea Young Kendry Paez’s situation at River Plate is beginning to take on a more defined shape, with his role in Argentina now directly linked to whether the Brazilian club will be able to keep him over the coming months.

The 18-year-old, who is on loan from Chelsea, has had a mixed start to life at River. He showed early promise, including an assist against Sarmiento, but has seen his minutes decrease recently. return from injury.

Despite this, River’s stance is clear. The Argentinian team wants to keep Paez involved so that it can avoid Triggering a potential recall scenarioWith internal expectations that he will participate in around 50% of the matches this semester.

Minutes, system and Chelsea section

Chelsea maintained control over Kendry Paez’s development, including recall options during the transfer window. This makes their use on the river much more than just a game decision.

In recent matches Ecuador players have faced defeat in the starting eleven. However, river manager Eduardo Cudet insists there are no issues behind the scenes, as reported by Local Insider i’m dale milo.

“What happens with Kendry Paez? Nothing happens, like we said in the first games, it was about finding the game a little more and trying to keep it physical.”

What does that explanation directly correspond to? we’ve already covered From Koodet last month. At the time, he made it clear that Paez was selected to help “fix our game” and improve the team’s combining ability in midfield.

Coudet then pointed to a tactical change that has directly affected Paez’s role.

“Generally, when the team starts to click a bit, I like to play with two forwards and have two consistent presences in the box.”

This priority reduces space for a player like Paez, who has a different profile to the traditional second striker.

“Even though we used him as a false second striker, he is more of a midfielder or attacking midfielder and we will need him.”

He suggests that Paez’s reduced minutes are not linked to performance concerns, but rather to a system that currently prioritizes a different attacking structure.

River Balance Development and Market Reality

On the one hand, Kendri Pays remains a valuable tactical option. On the other hand, his playing time could influence Chelsea’s decisions in the upcoming window.

Coudet made it clear that the player remains part of his plans.

“No matter what, we’ll use him at some point. We’ve just got to keep working and improving.”

There is a broader strategy hidden behind that message. River are expected to ensure that Paez reaches the minimum level of participation, which would strengthen their position to retain him for the duration of the loan.

The agreement with Chelsea runs for 18 months, but includes mechanisms that allow the Premier League club to re-evaluate the situation if the player is not getting enough minutes.

From the Strasbourg conflict to the River of Opportunity

Kendry Pays’ current status is the latest step in a carefully managed growth path.

Chelsea signed him from Independiente del Valle for around €23m (£19.6m), identifying him as one of South America’s top talents.

His first European experience came at RC Strasbourg, where he played 21 matches, seven as a starter, and scoring once. However, he continued to struggle to establish himself, Inspiring Chelsea to change course.

The river offered a different environment. Argentine clubs offer high pressure, regular competition and a platform for young players to develop in difficult conditions.

what happens next

The coming weeks will be important for Chelsea.

Paez has already shown glimpses of his potential, including his recent assist and moments of creativity between the lines. However, his statistical output and involvement remain limited as he adapts to a new tactical environment.

The river now faces a balancing act. They have to integrate the youth adequately to aid their development, while also maintaining their preferred system under CODE.

The outcome of that balance could determine whether Páez remains in Argentina for the entire duration of his loan, or become the decision point for Chelsea in the next transfer window.

While Giannis Antetokounmpo is suggesting that his competitive fire is why he wants to return to the floor despite resistance from the Milwaukee Bucks, it seems like that may not be the real reason.

Drama has surrounded the Bucks for much of this season as trade rumors involving Antetokounmpo have never subsided as the team has been lackluster on the floor. Most people believed that things would calm down after he was not moved before the NBA trade deadline. Still this has not happened.

The situation has actually gotten worse as the Bucks look to find their way to a better selection in June’s NBA Draft. To make the best strategy, it would be best if Antetokounmpo sat out for the remainder of the season. This would be possible as he has battled illnesses throughout the season and suffered a severe left knee strain on March 15.

However, to the displeasure of the Bucks management, Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to get back on the field. His desire to compete and the team’s preference to sit him conflicted and led to an investigation by the NBA.

“Antetokounmpo rejected the Bucks’ request to shut down and told the team he planned to return when he felt healthy enough to play,” ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday. “On March 17, multiple sources said he pressed to play against the Jazz and told the team he believed he was healthy.

“The Bucks ruled him out, and their medical staff did not clear him to play. Antetokounmpo then told several people on the team that he expected to play later on the road trip (March 21 at Phoenix, March 23 at Los Angeles, March 25 at Portland), but he never returned to action.”

Did Giannis Antetokounmpo want to return to the Bucks because of Nike endorsement money?

Since then things have been at a standstill. While he is trying to get back on the court for their home final on Friday and is looking forward to being on the court with his brothers, Thanasis and Alex, maybe that is why he is not so eager to get back on the court.

Charania reports, “Multiple sources said the Bucks’ decision to bench Antetokounmpo earned him a significant bonus in his Nike endorsement contract, which would have been triggered if he played at least 41 games.”

It’s unclear how much he lost, but it wouldn’t be surprising if it was more than six figures. Considering how much he has struggled to stay healthy this season, it would make sense for him to simply sit out and help get Milwaukee into a better draft position. But perhaps a big payday has led Antetokounmpo to clash with team officials over a return this season.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

The New York Islanders shocked the hockey world by hiring Patrick Roy in January 2024. So it’s no surprise that Roy’s departure from Long Island would be equally surprising.

General manager Matthew Darche spoke openly about his decision to fire Roy with four games left and hire Pete DeBoer to try to salvage the rapidly ending season.

“I felt it was time to move the group forward,” Darche said. “Now is the time to make change.”

The Islanders (42-31-5) have lost four consecutive games in regulation, still trail the Philadelphia Flyers by just one point for the No. 3 spot in the Metropolitan Division with four games remaining. New York is also just one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the East’s second wild card.

But hockey analytics site Manipuk gives the Islanders only a 29.6% chance of reaching the Stanley Cup playoffs. That’s because both Ottawa and Philadelphia have a game in hand.

Roy went 97-78-22 in three years for the Islanders.

Matthew Darche thinks Islanders’ season is ‘slipping away’

The Islanders have only seven regulation wins in their last 24 games. They have lost nine points in the standings to the Flyers since the Olympic break.

They have 20 goals in a four-game losing streak, including eight goals in a home match against the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 30. The Flyers outshot the Islanders 12-2 in the first round in a devastating 4-1 loss at UBS Arena on Friday.

But Darche decided to make a move based on New York’s recent struggles.

“It’s never just a moment,” Darche said. “I just felt a little bit in this moment, and last time here, that we were slipping a little bit here, and it’s not just about this year.

“Moving on, I felt [replacing the coach] Put us in a better position and a better opportunity to win those games, get to the playoffs and move on.

Darche acknowledged that Ilya Sorokin’s recent struggles had a role in Roy’s firing. Sorokin has a .909 save% and 19.09 goals saved – above average in all situations, but over the last four games he has a .852 save% and a minus-3.60 GSAA.

“I felt it last time here, where we weren’t as fast, we didn’t escape it as well as we used to,” Darche said. “Let’s face it, we accomplished some things during the year where our goaltender excelled.”

Mathieu Darche hired Peter DeBoer because he’s ‘a very structured coach’

DeBoer has a reputation for struggling to develop young players, and he was let go by the Dallas Stars after publicly criticizing franchise goaltender Jake Oettinger following a loss in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals to the Edmonton Oilers last May.

But that was DeBoer’s third consecutive WCF appearance for Dallas, and he’s eager to find quick success at the places where he coaches. He led the New Jersey Devils (2011–12) and San Jose Sharks (2015–16) to the Stanley Cup Finals in Year 1 in both stops, and took the Vegas Golden Knights (2019–20) and Dallas Stars (2022–23) to the Western Conference Finals in his first season coaching.

“Guys like Pete DeBoer don’t last very long in the market,” Darche said. “He’s been to five of the last six conference finals. Wherever he’s gone, he’s had success. He’s a very structured coach.”

The last piece may be the most important for the Islanders, as they are reeling on their current skid defensively. Sorokin has faced the most danger shots (151) since the Olympic break, an average of 8.88 per game.

Darche said that when the decision was made to replace Roy, he had only DeBoer in mind. He came to this conclusion after watching the Isles lose 40–16 in a 4–3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

“It’s like grabbing the No. 1 free agent on the market,” Darche said. “Pete is an excellent coach. … His success speaks volumes for itself.”

Islanders GM believes they still have time to make playoffs

The schedule is currently against the Islanders. He has played the most games in the East and will be inactive until hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.

But the teams around him have helped. Going 3-7 over a 10-game span, and failing to pick up a single point in four games, would have been a death sentence in years past. But Ottawa (2-3-1), Columbus (1-6-1) and Detroit (4-8-1) are also struggling.

Additionally, the schedule also motivated Darche to act when she did.

“We have three days to practice before the first game [with DeBoer]”Darché said.

Darche spoke directly to the team and members of the Isles leadership group on Sunday. He felt energized by this step.

“Everyone is excited,” Darache said. “They know what work needs to be done this year and what needs to be done next.”

Pat Pickens is an award-winning sports writer and author who has covered the NHL since 2013. He reveals more about Pat Pickens.

Leicester City’s Wout Fess says the Championship side were in good shape under Enzo Maresca.

The Italian took over from Leicester City in July 2023, after being relegated from the Premier League.

Under his command, the Foxes won 31 out of 46 league matches and collected 97 points. This gave them the chance to win the Championship and secure promotion to the Premier League.

Maresca left Leicester City for Chelsea in the summer of 2024. Earlier this year, he resigned from his role at Stamford Bridge and is now without a club.

Meanwhile, the Foxes finished 18th in the Premier League last season and are relegated to the Championship.

Since Maresca’s exit, the English club have had Steve Cooper, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Marty Cifuentes and Gary Rowett as permanent managers. The latter has been in charge since February.

These changes were caused by a series of poor results. With this, Leicester City is in 22nd place due to point deduction for violation of PSR rules. They are one point behind Portsmouth, who are in 21st.

Faces talk about the unity of Leicester city

Wout Fes struggled for a leading role at Leicester City in the first half of the season. He played 16 matches and was not used by Martí Cifuentes in December and January.

Therefore, the 27-year-old joined AS Monaco on loan in January and the move allowed him to enjoy regular minutes again.

His Ligue 1 statistics are as follows:

• Appearances: 8
• Start: 8
• Total minutes: 659
• Minutes per game: 82

Team The Foxes had a chat with the defender, who is enjoying life in Monaco. He asks whether he had felt Monaco’s ‘collective strength’ at his previous clubs.

While responding to this, he talked about how Leicester City were under Enzo Maresca.

“There was a year when I worked with Enzo Maresca at Leicester. There too, we really had a plan. We were like a family, we had one goal, and we had the same drive in every training session.” He said.

“I feel the same way here [at Monaco]. The coach is very demanding, he is very detail-oriented, he strives to keep the group on his terms – for some, this may even be a bit much. He does not allow anyone to be lax. Once, we asked for an extra day off: they refused. But we know why we are doing all this.”

What’s next for the Leicester City man?

last month, belgium said He wants to make his stay at AS Monaco permanent.

The Ligue 1 side has an option to buy as part of the loan deal. It is unclear whether this section will be active after this season.

If Monaco do not retain him, Wout Fes will have to find a new club as he is unlikely to play for Leicester City again. They will also consider selling him, as his contract expires in 2027 and his salary does not match their current reality.

Crystal Palace fans can rest assured; Bayern Munich are not currently interested in Maxence Lacroix.

Sportbild reports on today’s situation. Journalist expert Christian Falk has weighed in on the recent headlines about the Crystal Palace defender.

Bayern angle blown out of proportion

Maxence Lacroix is ​​in focus again this week. Bayern Munich, Aston Villa, Chelsea and Liverpool are all eyeing a potential €40m move this summer, reports claim.

But according to Falk, the Bayern angle is being blown out of proportion.

“FC Bayern is not currently looking for another centre-back,” he said of the Crystal Palace player.

“In addition to Upamecano, Tah, Kim and Eto’o, Stanisic is also planned for the upcoming season in central defence.

“Sporting director Max Eberl sees more pressing needs in the team, namely a backup on the left wing and a new right-back, on which the Munich club’s limited transfer budget has to be spent.”

Falk goes even further. He stressed that Bayern’s stance was unlikely to change unless something dramatic happened internally.

“Bayern wants to save money,” He added.

“Their stance will only change if Kim approaches the Bayern owners with a desire to leave and offers a transfer fee. This has not happened yet.”

A Premier League regular, but not Bayern-bound

Christian Falk’s news regarding the situation at Bayern Munich will certainly be good news for Crystal Palace.

Getting a major club off the list of interested clubs would be a boost, even if they face a battle to keep hold of the 25-year-old Frenchman this summer.

His consistency in England has cemented his reputation and there is likely to be interest either way.

In fact, it would be surprising if he wasn’t the next high-profile departure, especially if he goes to the World Cup with France. He is certainly looking forward to making it to the tournament this summer.

But have to switch to Bayern Munich ‘No solid possibility’ For now. According to Falk, his priorities lie elsewhere.

Assuming the New York Knicks do not win the NBA Championship this spring, teams like them and the Golden State Warriors are expected to make a summer trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, popular NBA analyst Bill Simmons explained this week why both teams need to go in a different direction.

Although they are still behind the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference standings, the NY Knicks still have high hopes of reaching the NBA Finals in the spring. However, the Pistons have given them a lot of trouble during the season, and the Celtics now have top star Jayson Tatum back, they cannot score goals.

If they don’t, he is expected to be a top contender in the summer trade market for Antetokounmpo. Similarly for warriors also. A team that feels like they’re a major chunk away from getting Stephen Curry another championship before he ultimately walks away from the game over the next few seasons. Furthermore, both are considered to be the preferred spots for the two-time NBA MVP.

However, is giving up a large amount of long-term asset the right thing for any team planning on moving Antetokounmpo? Bill Simmons isn’t so sure, and during a new edition of his The Ringer podcast, the popular NBA expert laid out some interesting reasons why the 10-time All-Star isn’t worth a king’s ransom.

Antetokounmpo trade not worth the risk to NY Knicks, Warriors?

First of all, he has played in the league for 13 years, a total of 895 games, 89 playoff games, more than 29,000 minutes, and more than 3,000 playoff minutes. He also mentioned various injuries he sustained during that period, including a hyperextended knee, a bad wrist sprain and a few groin strains. That’s a ton of wear and tear that is hurting again and again.

Yet, the worrying details did not end there. He asked his co-host how many players have averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds for a season in years 14 and up? The answer was only one player. Moses Malone’s 20 and 12 seasons in 1988 and ’89.

Then he asked how many players age 32 or older averaged 24 points and 10 boards? Only four in NBA history have done so. They’re Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, Karl Malone and Elgin Baylor, and that hasn’t happened in 28 years.

Simmons makes a pretty strong case for why a trade for Antetokounmpo would be a big risk for the NY Knicks or Warriors. Because there is clear evidence that they won’t get the players they need, and that could set those franchises back a decade.

The NY Knicks faced an injury-plagued star disaster when they signed Amare Stoudemire in 2010. Giving up all of your assets and then giving a future Hall of Famer a new max contract seems like a huge risk. As far as the Warriors are concerned, the goal of trading for Antetokounmpo would be to acquire a new superstar after Curry. However, based on clear evidence, they could trade and re-sign a player who may never stay healthy.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

Tottenham Hotspur’s Lucas Bergvall says Sweden manager Graham Potter will have to make a decision on his minutes ahead of the clash with Poland.

The midfielder was a regular under Thomas Frank, playing 26 matches under the Dane’s orders and scoring one goal and four assists.

Tottenham parted ways with the manager in February and appointed Igor Tudor until the end of the season.

Bergvall has not featured regularly under Tudor due to injury. On 20 January, he suffered an ankle injury in Spurs’ 2–0 Champions League win at home to Borussia Dortmund.

last month, the potter said It will be difficult for him to be fit in time for the current international break.

However, he returned to the field in Tottenham’s 3–2 Champions League win over Atletico Madrid last week. At the weekend, he again came off the bench in Spurs’ 3–0 league defeat to Nottingham Forest.

Despite his earlier doubts, Potter added the young player to his list. Bergvall played 13 minutes in Sweden’s 3-1 win over Ukraine in the World Cup playoffs on Thursday.

The Tottenham man proved the doubters wrong

After yesterday’s match, soccer channel Talked to Lucas Bergvall about his fitness and other topics.

On his early return from injury and his place in the national team, he said: “It’s been tough. But it was incredibly fun to come back and we won.

“Yes, it happened quickly. But it’s hard to say when you get an injury like that. It varies from person to person as to how quickly it goes. I was lucky that I came back in time.”

The main goal of the Tottenham Hotspur player was to get a place in Graham Potter’s team.

“Yes, it is. And that was the goal. To get back to the national team. I think most people had written me off when I had the injury. I tried to rehab as quickly as possible and get back.” Bergvall explained.

Sweden must beat Poland on Tuesday to book a place in the World Cup. The midfielder, for his part, feels ready to start in this important encounter.

“It depends on the coach but I am ready,” He added.

Ahead of tomorrow’s match, Potter said the Spurs man is “extremely important” to the national team.

On this comment Bergvall said: “Did he say that about me? First of all, it’s incredibly funny to hear him say that. I’m just trying to come here and help the team as much as I can after the injury. I can contribute as much as I can so that we can get to the World Cup.”

Sweden squad for March international break

Graham Potter’s team will face Poland on March 31:

Goalkeepers: Christopher Nordfelt, Melker Aalborg, Noel Törnqvist

Defenders: Victor Lindelof, Isak Hien, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Carl Starfelt, Daniel Svensson, Gustaf Lagerbilke, Herman Johansson

Midfielders: Mattias Svanberg, Jesper Carlström, Yasin Ayari, Hugo Larsson, Lucas Bergvall, Besfort Jenelli, Gustav Lundgren, Williet Svedberg, Eric Smith, Elliot Stroud.

Forwards: Victor Gyökeres, Anthony Elanga, Gustaf Nilsson, Benjamin Nygren, Rouni Bardaghji, Taha Ali

🇷🇴Radu Dragusin | Really nice words from the defender.

🤍Explains how he fell in love with the move to Tottenham
🩺The closeness has increased @madders10: “It’s just an example of how he is, the kind of guy he is. That and a lot of my colleagues.”https://t.co/h2fVYHOANm #thfc #joyce

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 26 March 2026

As the New Orleans Pelicans head into a crucial period of the season, a refreshed Zion Williamson didn’t need a long scouting report to explain the impact of Dejounte Murray’s return to the lineup. The All-Star and longest-tenured player in the locker room needed only one word.

Smoothie King fans can feel it, too.

“Intensity,” Williamson emphasized. “The intensity that he’s bringing to the game, and not just in the game but in practice, is off the charts. It’s been great for this team. So, you know, to make a long story short, his intensity has produced stats for us.”

The numbers support Williamson. In his first 10 games, Murray averaged 18.7 points, 6.2 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game, while shooting 52.7% from the field and 34% from 3-point range.
New Orleans is 5-5 with Murray in the starting lineup, but 9-5 overall since his return, a stretch that has revived optimism around a franchise that spent most of the season searching for stability.

James Borrego has credited Murray’s presence with changing the team’s defensive identity.

“So we’re competing for more shots, there’s more physicality, and we have more size on the floor. We’ve put bigger, more athletic size on the floor,” Borrego explained. “We’re more switchable, and taking away the easy things.”

Borrego pointed to some of the league’s recent success stories as a blueprint, noting that lasting improvement starts with the defense.

“That’s one thing we said during the All-Star break and we discussed it with our team,” Borrego shared. “When you look at the teams that have really made significant leaps within a year or two, Detroit, Phoenix, you can go down the line, Houston, Boston, they’ve done it through their defense. Those top 10 teams that are moving the needle in the Western Conference, they’ve done it through their defense.”

With Murray back on offense, the Pelicans have leaned into that formula. His pace control and pressure on the ball has translated into more contested possession and fewer easy scoring opportunities for opponents. And if Williamson’s assessment is correct, the foundation is less about plan and more about tone.

Intensity, as it turns out, is contagious.

The games were initially slated for March in Qatar. However, increasing political tensions in the region made that option impractical, forcing UEFA and CONMEBOL to seek alternatives. Things went wrong from there.

How did the finalissima go away

Many solutions were put on the table. UEFA insisted on keeping the match in Europe and playing it within the current international window. Spain was prepared for this, with Madrid seen as a realistic host.

Argentina and CONMEBOL were not fully on board. They preferred a more neutral venue, or even delayed the game altogether. There was also a reluctance in Europe to accept a one-sided final.

As the talks dragged on for a long time, no middle path could be found. With no agreement on where and when to play and no real pressure to make a decision, the match went smoothly.

Instead of a high-profile final, Argentina will now face Mauritania and Zambia in friendlies at La Bombonera.

Fernandez makes his feelings clear

He did not hide his disappointment while talking to Enzo Fernandez TYC Sports After reaching back to Argentina.

“Obviously I would love to play the Finalsima, to represent my country in the finals. Due to the problems that occurred, it could not be played, so now we have to enjoy friendly matches with my teammates.” He said.

The Chelsea midfielder also made it clear that he is still hopeful that the game can take place at some point.

“I would like it to be played in the future. This is the final and hopefully we can play it.”

He also addressed the level of the upcoming opponent and compared it to Argentina’s preparations ahead of the 2022 World Cup.

“When we played before the World Cup (Qatar 2022), there were not too many demanding friendly matches. We try to take responsibility and give our best performance regardless of the opponent.”

Fernandez was also asked about the latest speculations. linking him to real madrid Upon reaching Argentina, and they immediately shut it down.

“Nothing, zero conversation [with Real Madrid]. My focus is on Chelsea, what’s left in the season, and after the World Cup we’ll see,” He made it clear that despite the ongoing rumours, his immediate priority remains Stamford Bridge.

There was also a more personal note, with Fernandez enjoying being back home.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been back to the country, I’ve missed it a lot. Obviously, being here with the people is something I miss deeply.”

what happens next

At this time, there are no clear plans to reschedule Finalissima.

That leaves Fernandez and Argentina focused on routine fixtures, even if the sentiment within the team is clear. They wanted the game, and at least on the players’ side, there is still hope that it will eventually be played.

As far as Enzo Fernandez and Chelsea are concerned, as he said, he will see how things go after the World Cup. That tournament will be at the core of the midfielder’s thoughts right now.

🇵🇹 Exclusive: Maxi Araújo

⏩Tottenham and Chelsea are in contact
➡️ Source gave information @UllalIBT
➡️There is also further Premier League interesthttps://t.co/K17lRpjlUG #thfc #cfc

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 22 March 2026

At this point, it appears the MVP race is limited to just four players: Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, and San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wambayama.

This is certainly one of the closest contests in NBA history, and it could go down to the last game of the regular season.

Of these four, Vembanyama may be the underdog – as crazy as it sounds. He acknowledged that at the moment, “it’s still fair to have debate” over who should be named MVP. However, he is eager to change it.

“My goal is to make sure there’s no debate at the end of the season,” the two-time All-Star said.

When 22-year-old Vembanyama was asked to give three arguments for winning the trophy, he gave a thoughtful answer that should get him more votes.

“My first suggestion would be that defense is 50% of the game, and it’s been underrated so far in your race. I believe I’m the most dominant player defensively in the league,” Vembanyama said in a video posted by Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

“My second argument would be that we have almost swept OKC on the season. We have dominated them three times with their actual team and four times with their rotation players. My third argument would be that the impact of the offense is not just points.”

Asked Wembley to provide his 3 campaign bullet points on why he should be MVP https://t.co/HjRppaPLfY pic.twitter.com/FHXrFMjAi3

– Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) 24 March 2026

Vembanyama practically dropped the mic with his sharp response.

With him remaining relatively healthy, the Spurs ended their six-year playoff drought. As he noted, his overall impact on both ends of the floor is hard to overstate.

Wembanyama admits he is one of them, and he has a good chance to surpass former Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose and become the youngest MVP in league history.

RB Leipzig manager Ole Werner has refused to confirm the extension of Brighton & Hove Albion’s Brajan Gruda beyond this season.

Brighton signed the winger from Mainz 05 in August 2024, and he scored four goals and eight assists in 45 appearances. Including three goals and three assists [one goal and assist in the league] From 21 matches this season.

Fabian Herzeler’s side allowed the 21-year-old to join Leipzig on loan in the winter market.

The Germany U21 international is yet to make his senior debut but is dreaming of a World Cup berth. this was one of the reasons To join the Bundesliga side on loan and the move worked out to some extent.

Werner primarily uses him as an attacking midfielder and Gruda has three goals and two assists in eight matches. Below are the Seagulls man’s Bundesliga statistics per game.

• Main pass: 1.6
• Shots on target: 1.1
• Goal conversion: 21%
• Successful dribble: 1.9
• Duel won: 4.5
• Accurate pass: 80%

Last Friday, the Brighton-owned player scored two goals and an assist in Leipzig’s 5-0 win over Hoffenheim.

Werner impressed with the Brighton man

Kicker spoke to the Leipzig manager and football transfers Brajan covers his quotes on Gruda as he is happy to have the attacker at his disposal.

“From the first day, we all realized that he is a player who can help us and whose character suits us perfectly,” He said.

“He fits in very well with the team. He is a good footballer, understands the game and can play in multiple positions. We are very happy to have him here. He makes us better and stronger.”

Leipzig did not secure any purchase options or obligations as part of the loan deal. As things stand, Gruda will have to return to The Amex after this season.

On 11 February, Game Witness Covered claims from Germany Werner’s side cannot buy him from Brighton. However, that didn’t stop Kicker from asking about Gruda’s possible stay beyond this season.

When responding to that, Werner explained: “Everything else will be a matter that will have to be decided between the clubs and between the player and the club. For now, we are happy that he is here and helping us achieve our goals. Only time will tell.”

Gruda’s contract, price and agent information

The Brighton man’s contract at The Amex runs until 2028, and transfer market He is worth €28m. This is currently his highest value and rises to €28m from October 2025.

To Be Sportsmanagement, headed by agent Björn Etzel, takes care of Bjarna Gruda’s future. Etzel will have the task of sorting out his client’s future in the summer window.

🇧🇷 Special: Alvaro Montoro ‼️

➡️Brighton interest texter meets financial crisis
➡️ #BHAFC The official saw them against Gremio
➡️ Traveled to Porto Alegre especially for Montoro
➡️ Pedro Reinert explains the situation in Brazil…https://t.co/jLvcE1ZoHR

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 19 March 2026

PSV Eindhoven technical director Ernest Stewart says Ricardo Pepi has no complaints against the club following his move to Fulham in January.

The Premier League team made two bids to sign the striker in the winter market, but were rejected by PSV.

Fulham did not give up and continued to pursue Pepi in their efforts to improve Marco Silva’s attacking options the following season.

The American has scored 13 goals and provided two assists in 28 appearances this season and below are his statistics per game in the Eredivisie.

The London club have made solid progress in their efforts to bring him to the Premier League.

Last Tuesday, Sports Witness broadcast news From the Netherlands that Fulham and PSV reached an agreement in principle for €40m including bonuses. A day later, he traveled to the UK to undergo medical tests with the English club.

psv manager Peter Bosz confirmed The 23-year-old returned to the club on Friday after Silva’s side completed medical tests.

Pepi’s Fulham transfer closed

Over the weekend, a new development occurred and the frontman’s visits to London have now stopped. espn nl Stewart was contacted, who explained why the deal fell through.

Fulham want to end the injury operation before the end of this season. However, the Eredivisie side is not in favor of this, and the clubs could not come to an agreement.

“Ultimately, there was no agreement regarding the moment when responsibility for the player would be transferred,” He said.

“Of course, we were already in talks with Fulham during the winter break, when they arrived just before the transfer window closed. We could no longer bring in a replacement, so the transfer couldn’t go through at that time. But a week later we were back in talks and the process started.

“That responsibility to the player was a very important detail that always played a role. And while we got closer to each other in that regard, ultimately we remained too far apart.”

Pepi keen on PL transfer

Dutch club officials suggest the player cannot blame them and still refuse a summer transfer to Fulham.

“That’s really what Ricardo wanted. It’s an unpleasant situation, especially for Ricardo. Of course, we are happy that we are retaining a good striker. He has no complaints towards PSV…” Stewart explained.

“You should never do that [rule out move to Fulham]. If a player can make a good move and it’s also good for the club, we will do that.”

Fulham in danger of missing out on American

The latest decision from Marco Silva cannot please Ricardo Pepi, who showed serious interest in the operation.

This could allow other clubs to now enter the fight, trying to convince him to change his mind, to join them.

Should Fulham return after the World Cup, Pepi’s price tag risks rising further in the summer. In short, the English club is now in danger of complete defeat.

Corey Heim is the hottest prospect in NASCAR and the 23XI Racing Development driver is widely considered across the industry to be ready for a full-time ride in the Cup Series. However, after a record-breaking year finishing 11th in the Truck Series, Hamm is spending the 2026 season part-time at all three levels.

As Fox Sports’ Bob Pokrass reported on Saturday, Heim was announced as a development driver for the 23XI in February 2025. This kept him within the Toyota family, which is what he wanted, and Heim is “banking” on starting to ride full-time in 2027. As to why he cannot spend a season driving full-time for another team, Pokrass noted that the Legacy Motor Club “does not see itself as a training ground” for a driver until then. Departure for 23XI.

Reality: NASCAR Cup Series debut at Darlington, 23XI Racing drivers leading the field

As the full-time driver of the No. 11 Toyota Tundra Truck with Tricon Garage last season, Heim set single-season Truck Series records in laps led (1,625), points (4040), wins (12) and top-fives (19) in 25 races. He dominated throughout the season and then pulled away in the final lap to cap off a record-breaking year with a Truck Series championship at Phoenix.

Getting a full-time ride in the Cup Series has never been a matter of talent for Heim. Instead, money is the primary factor. 23XI Racing’s third full-time driver, Riley Herbst, brings with him a strong relationship with Monster Energy, and his family has a strong financial background and his father owned several gas stations and convenience stores that are in partnership with Monster.

RELATED: 23XI Racing Driver Riley Herbst Emerging as Option for Another Cup Team in 2026

Those financial resources were little needed for 23XI last season amid a legal battle with NASCAR that resulted in millions of dollars in court costs. Herbst was also originally signed to a multi-year contract, so the team wasn’t going to move on from him through 2025, even after a very poor season.

However, the No. 35 car should be open for Hamm to take over as a full-time driver next season. He will still only be 24 years old and his inclusion gives 23XI three drivers capable of winning races and earning a spot in The Chase.

READ MORE: NASCAR Stage Winners 2026, See Where 23XI Racing Drivers Rank

At the moment, all signs point towards Heim becoming a full-time driver for 23XI next season. Until then, he will split his time between the Trucks, Cup and O’Reilly Auto Parts series this year. As Ross Chastain’s last lap pass on Friday night in the Truck Series race at Darlington showed, he’s already capable of beating some of the top drivers at the highest level.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Kristaps Porzingis appears to have escaped any major injury after leaving with “lower back soreness” in the second quarter of the Golden State Warriors’ 115-101 loss to the Detroit Pistons.

In the locker room after the game, Porzingis described how the spasms in his lower back worsened as the game progressed in the first half.

“I started feeling it right in the first quarter,” Porzingis said. “I started having a little cramp, [so] I tried to move. As long as I was warm, I was fine, but in that one game, I felt a little cramp down there.

Porzingis was referring to the play when he had a cramp in transition, when he jumped and reached his arm up to intercept Pistons center Paul Reed’s pass. Porzingis noted that he could feel tightness in his back on the plays leading up to that moment, but that specific action was the main trigger. Porzingis would immediately leave the game and not return.

Back injuries are somewhat familiar territory for Porzingis, but he hasn’t dealt with one in some time. Porzingis told reporters that this was something he had experienced earlier in his career, but that it was no longer a major problem after learning how to manage them.

“Honestly, I’m pretty good at managing and keeping my back strong so I’m sure it will heal quickly,” Porzingis told reporters. “It’s a little tight right now. Once I cooled down, it got even tighter. But I’m sure I’ll get it going soon.”

What does Kristaps Porzingis mean moving forward?

Based on Porzingis’ explanation of his back spasms, it doesn’t seem to be of much concern. But considering how much time Porzingis has missed due to various health issues, this is a bad stroke of luck for him and the Warriors. Just as he was starting to piece things together.

Earlier this week, Porzingis scored his season high of 30 points against the Washington Wizards, helping Golden State pick up a much-needed win. And before the Pistons game, he was able to play four of the Warriors’ last five games, logging 20, 22, 26 and 23 minutes in each of those games. The plan was really to start increasing Porzingis’ minutes as his stamina and wind were progressing well.

Porzingis said it’s “probably” unlikely he’ll play in the Warriors’ back-to-back against the Atlanta Hawks, which was already up in the air, given how much the team has erred on the side of caution in those schedule situations.

Thus, the Warriors will have to make do without their notable big man in their reunion with Jonathan Kuminga, who they dealt to the Hawks at the trade deadline. And they’ll try to salvage a road trip that saw them go 1-3 and drop to 33-37 on the season.

Real Sociedad’s Carlos Soler says West Ham United helped him improve his game.

The Spain international is a product of Valencia’s academy and has spent six years with their first team.

He left the Mestalla for Paris Saint-Germain in September 2022 and played 1,530 minutes in 35 matches in his first season. In his second season, PSG appointed Luis Enrique.

The former West Ham player played under his compatriot for the national team, but did not enjoy regular minutes under Enrique during the 2023/24 season. Therefore, PSG sent him on loan to the Premier League team in August 2024.

Julen Lopetegui was the manager at West Ham at the time and Soler played 18 matches under his command. The Hammers parted ways with him in January 2025 and appointed Graham Potter as his successor.

Soler scored one goal and provided one assist in 1,487 minutes in 33 matches for West Ham. Below are his statistics per game in the Premier League.

In December 2024, the 29-year-old said he was happy And wanted to remain at West Ham. However, he expressed doubt in March 2025, and the English club ultimately decided against making his stay permanent.

Earlier this month, Soler revealed that his time at West Ham was not successful as it coincided with one of his worst seasons.

“My role at PSG and at West Ham was secondary. I was there for only one season, and it coincided with one of the club’s worst seasons,” He Said.

Differing opinions on West Ham spell

Friday edition of As Has published an interview with Carlos Soler. He gives a different perspective on how his time with West Ham helped him develop his game.

The Spaniard has scored four goals and provided two assists in 29 appearances so far for Real Sociedad. AS asked if they were talking to the same Carlos of Valencia in terms of form? And this is where he talks about West Ham.

“No, because Valencia’s Soler was younger, less mature and less experienced. It is true that at my age, I was already one of the captains of the team. I had been an important player for several seasons,” He said.

“I made the move to Paris. I stayed there for two years, then I moved to London and that helped me develop as a player. Maybe not in terms of playing time. This wasn’t what I expected when I went to Paris or London, but by all means. Leaving the house, being alone with your partner, having different experiences. Being in other leagues, in other locker rooms has helped me a lot.

“This version, I don’t know what to call it, ‘Carlos Soler 3.0’, has nothing to do with the first one at Valencia. I understand the comparisons in terms of statistics, minutes played, etc., but I honestly believe that the current version is a better version.”

Solar contracts, prices and agent information

The Spaniard has signed a contract until 2029, with the option of a further year with the La Liga side and agency AS1 manages his future.

Although Soler’s playing time has improved, his evaluation has not. transfermarket He was valued at €20m when he joined West Ham and will drop to €18m in May 2025.

Since joining La Real, it fell to €12m and then to €8m in December.

John Fury has made a candid assessment of his son Tyson Fury’s chances in a potential trilogy fight with Oleksandr Usyk.

John, once known as Tyson’s most vocal supporter, has changed his stance after consecutive losses to the Ukrainian champion. Instead of confidence, he now expresses concern about his son’s physical condition and long-term safety in the ring.

According to John, the issue is no longer one of strategy or desire. He believes Tyson Fury is at his peak, and a third fight with Usyk would likely end the same way.

John Fury calls Deontay Wilder fight a turning point

John Fury believes the decline started long before Tyson Fury faced Oleksandr Usyk.

He pointed to the trilogy against Deontay Wilder as the moment that made a lasting impact on the former heavyweight champion.

John said in an interview with Playbook Boxing, “Tyson has been gone since the Deontay Wilder fight; he finished him off.”

He explained that the physical punishment he took from those fights, including several defeats, sapped Tyson’s stamina over time.

“Wilder has absolutely destroyed him. He’s taken a lot out of Tyson.”

While those fights helped build Tyson Fury’s legacy, John now sees them as the beginning of the end.

“The legs are not there” in the fights of Oleksandr Usyk.

John Fury’s biggest concern focuses on Tyson Fury’s movement.

For years, Fury’s footwork and agility gave him an edge over other legends. But in both fights against Oleksandr Usyk, that edge faded as the bout progressed.

John said that Tyson struggled to maintain his pace in the middle rounds.

“There are no two-step attacks, no nothing, no angles… the legs aren’t there.”

He said that Tyson “faded quickly” after six or seven rounds, making it difficult to keep up with Usyk’s pressure.

John also noted the difference between the two fighters.

While Usyk has continued to build momentum late in the fight, he believes Tyson is moving in the opposite direction.

Tyson Fury’s Corner and safety concerns

John Fury also criticized Tyson Fury’s current team, raising concerns about decision making in the corner.

He described the camp as full of “yes-sayers” who are unwilling to make tough decisions during the fight.

According to John, it creates a dangerous situation if Tyson gets into trouble in the ring.

“If he gets into trouble with them in his corner, he could die or end up with brain damage… because when your legs are gone, you need someone to save you.”

He suggested that egos within the team may prevent them from fighting back when needed.

John Fury ruled on possible trilogy fight

John Fury doesn’t expect any different results if Tyson Fury faces Oleksandr Usyk again.

They believe that the issues are physical and cannot be fixed through adjustments in training or tactics.

“nothing gonna change.”

John said that Tyson’s preparation has also changed, citing weight fluctuations as a sign that he can no longer handle the same level of training.

In his view, the gap between the two fighters is increasing, making the third fight increasingly difficult for Tyson Fury.

With Oleksandr Usyk continuing to perform at a high level, John Fury’s warning is clear. A trilogy fight could still generate interest, but based on his assessment, Tyson Fury will enter the ring with a loss he may not be able to recover from.

Luka Doncic has been on a crazy spree the past two games. The Los Angeles Lakers star has outpaced his team this season, and it was evident in LA’s latest games. Doncic nearly had a triple-double with 40 points before scoring a season-high 60 points against the Miami Heat. With LA on the verge of clinching a playoff berth, Doncic is doing everything he can to get LA into the postseason.

After his outstanding 60 points against the Heat, Doncic was asked about his performance. The Lakers star credited his hot streak to his shooting and his slashing to create opportunities for himself and his teammates.

“Yeah, I feel like my three-ballers are going good, and then I’m attacking the paint a lot,” Doncic said in response to a question, according to Spectrum Sportsnet. “So just trying to read the game.”

Doncic’s stellar performance isn’t limited to his last two games. Over the past two weeks, Doncic has averaged an incredible 40.9 points per game in eight games. In those eight games, the Lakers star is shooting 42.2% from three-point range. He’s also adding 8.9 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game. Against the Heat, Doncic also showed his defensive improvement by making five steals, increasing his average to 2.4 steals per game in eight games.

With the win over the Heat, the Lakers continued to tighten their grip on the third seed in the Western Conference. Chasing giants like the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs is almost impossible now, but that’s OK. Now, the Lakers aim to retain home-court advantage at least in the first round. They have a two-game lead over the fourth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves and a three-game lead over the fifth-seeded Houston Rockets.

As for Doncic, the Slovenian superstar is gunning for his first MVP award in his NBA career. He is averaging 33.4 points per game on 47.7% shooting from the field and 37% shooting from deep this season, while also adding 8.4 assists and 7.9 rebounds. The Lakers are just seven games away from meeting the required number of games played to qualify for the star awards.

Jaylen Brown said his leadership approach with the Boston Celtics has taken an unconventional turn this season, incorporating astrology and numerology to better communicate with teammates.

Brown revealed the method after Boston’s 120-99 win over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night, a performance in which he led the team with 32 points while adding six rebounds, five assists and two steals. He shot a perfect 11 of 20 from the field and 9 of 9 from the free-throw line, and finished 1 of 4 from three-point range in 35 minutes.

Speaking after the game with CelticsBlog’s Noah Dalzell, Brown detailed how studying the personalities of teammates through astrology and numerology has helped him hone his communication style.

“I learned a lot about each of our guys, even down to liking astrology – everything. I learned the communication styles that work best for each person, and started using those when I talk to each person… I didn’t know that would work before the season started but that thing definitely works.”

Brown said he has gone so far as to memorize specific traits associated with teammates’ zodiac signs and numerology profiles.

“I remember like Neemias, he’s the year of the rabbit so his communication is different from D-White. D-White is the year of the dog so his communication style is different. Hugo is also a dog, Peyton is a tiger, JT is a tiger, Ron is a dragon, who is a dragon. Nicola he’s new to our team, he’s the year of the horse right now. Each of them have different communication styles and you can go into that like numerology as well.”

Jaylen Brown explains how she memorized all of her peers’ astrology and numerology to learn a better way to communicate:

“I learned the communication styles that work best for each person, and started using them when I talk to each person.” pic.twitter.com/GkVfutJcMa

– Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) 19 March 2026

Jaylen Brown’s astrology, numerology outlook aligns with career year, Celtics’ success

He also explained how numerology influences his leadership approach.

“Sam is five, I’m five… so, different breakdowns and you can even go into star signs. Like JT, he’s Pisces, etc. I learned all different kinds of things, so I was able to communicate to people in different ways to help my leadership this year.”

This approach coincided with one of the most productive seasons of Brown’s career. Through 62 games, the 28-year-old has averaged 28.5 points, seven rebounds, 5.1 assists and one steal per contest, while shooting 48% from the field and 34.2% from three-point range in 34.1 minutes per game.

Brown’s performance has helped Boston achieve a 46–23 record and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference standings. The Celtics have maintained that position despite star forward Jayson Tatum recently returning from an Achilles injury and playing only six games since his return.

As the regular season progressed, Brown’s combination of on-court production and off-court leadership has played a central role in Boston’s success. His willingness to explore unconventional ways to connect with teammates has become a defining element of his approach during a season in which the Celtics have remained one of the conference’s top contenders.

The main point of discussion in this NBA Draft cycle is who will be the number one overall pick, with three candidates separating themselves from the group. All of those players are new: Kansas Jayhawks guard Darrin Peterson, BYU small forward AJ DiBuntsa, and Duke power forward Cameron Boozer.

Recently, Boozer’s father Carlos, who enjoyed a successful NBA career in his own right, teared up at the thought of what such a special prospect his son was going through.

“There aren’t a lot of guys that can be on the biggest stage in college basketball like Duke basketball as an 18-year-old.” [and] What comes with it – and the whole team will follow,” says Andscape’s Mark J. Boozer said, according to Spears. “You know why they do this to Cameron? Because he gives a lot to the game. He gives a lot to his team. No matter what, he’s an unselfish superstar and that means the NBA.”

Boozer also named some NBA legends to illustrate what his son brings to the table.

“”You look at what Tim Duncan did. I’m not comparing Cameron to Tim Duncan, but he was another guy who wasn’t [athletically] Kevin Garnett or Tracy McGrady or Kobe Bryant or Shaquille O’Neal. But do you know what he did? They won five championships in that era…”

Indeed, Tim Duncan has long been the standard for power forward dominance in the NBA, despite him not being an athletic freak by league standards.

Boozer hopes to bring the same level of consistency and defensive prowess to whichever team selects him this June. Whether he goes first, second or third could depend on which team gets the number one overall pick, and what their needs are.

A new rumor suggests it wasn’t the Philadelphia Eagles’ asking price for AJ Brown that prompted the Los Angeles Rams to trade for the star receiver.

After falling just short of reaching the Super Bowl in January, the LA Rams are primed to reach the big game next season. When he gave up first-, fifth- and sixth-round picks in next month’s NFL Draft for All-Pro Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie, he showed he wasn’t playing.

Yet he wasn’t the only proven star the front office was targeting in a trade. Various reports claimed that they were one of two teams showing strong interest in trading three-time Pro Bowler AJ Brown. However, they decide to retreat from their goal.

Most assumed that the asking price was the issue. The Eagles are reportedly looking for at least a first and second rounder at pass catcher. However, concerns about Brown’s health may actually be the real reason.

Are teams concerned about AJ Brown’s long-term sustainability?

According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the LA Rams walked away from a potential deal because they were “scared” by what they saw in “preliminary medical research” conducted on the seven-year veteran.

Florio claimed in a new report, “They decided it was too much of an investment for a player of this age. Normal wear and tear. We’re not going to do that. But they were doing all this because if they get AJ Brown, they’ll trade Davante Adams.”

There is a belief around the league that if the Eagles don’t get what they are looking for, they could choose to keep Brown around for another season. However, there are others who feel that Philadelphia is putting themselves in a bad financial position by holding out on him, and waiting until after June 1 to make a trade.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

OKLAHOMA CITY – For the second consecutive game, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault inserted Ajay Mitchell into his starting lineup. After Shai Gilgeous-Alexander extended his streak of 20+ point games to 128 in a 116–103 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Daigneault discussed Mitchell’s impact as part of his starting 5.

For Daigneault, Mitchell has proven himself enough to earn a starting spot amid the Thunder’s marquee matchups, he said, during his postgame media availability.

“We’re going to need him and despite being a high-impact player, he hasn’t played a lot of games,” Daigneault said. “So, the opportunity to get him out early in the game in some of these high-level games is an opportunity we want to take advantage of right now.”

Mitchell finished with 11 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in 27 minutes for the Thunder. Mitchell emerged as one of Oklahoma City’s major impact players off the bench. In only his second season, Ajayi made significant progress which led to him being included in various of Daigneault’s lineups.

Mitchell’s playmaking and scoring abilities, as well as his defensive ability, have made him one of Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault’s favorite players this season.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Ajay Mitchell’s impact for Thunder

Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander found out he scored 20 points after a 3-point play, causing a stampede in the crowd at Paycom Center. He extended his streak of scoring 20+ points to 128 consecutive games.

Then, after the win, Gilgeous-Alexander talked about how important Ajay Mitchell is to the Thunder.

“A guy who can make plays at any time,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “A guy who can pass, dribble, shoot at a high level on the basketball court, and also defend. And having guys like that on the court is a luxury. You don’t have any holes when he’s out on the court from his positioning standpoint. So, having him out there is a luxury. I don’t think we’ve lost since he came back, and it’s no surprise.

“He’s a really good basketball player. Makes us a better team. Makes us tough to guard and score on both ends.”

The Thunder extended their four-game home stand winning streak to eight straight after a 13-point win against the Timberwolves on Sunday.

Sandro Tonali’s agent Giuseppe Risso has revealed the inside story behind his move to Newcastle United and why the club’s fans played a key role in helping them recover from their betting scandal.

Sandro Tonali’s departure from AC Milan in July 2023 remains one of the most hotly debated transfers in modern Italian football.

The icon of Milan’s Scudetto-winning side, Tonali was sold for €48m – a deal that ultimately helped the Italian giants complete the 2024 financial year in profit. But this move was sharply criticized by supporters.

The reaction has been even more intense as Tonali has established himself as one of the Premier League’s standout midfielders. Now, Risso has provided a rare insight into how the move was agreed upon behind the scenes.

“This deal happened because a club like Newcastle, with unlimited money, decided to invest in Sandro,” He told football and finance.

“We looked at the idea of ​​getting the player to play at a higher level.”

Betting scandal derails their first season

Tonali’s early months in England were anything but good, as a betting investigation in Italy soon led to a 10-month ban from competitive football.

The suspension, confirmed in October 2023, ruled him out until August 2024 – causing him to miss the rest of the 2023/24 season and Euro 2024.

It was a scandal that rocked Italian football, but Riso says there were no signs of trouble before the move.

“No, not at all, because otherwise we would have intervened,” he said.

“I must say that the transfer also proved to be a winning choice from this point of view. Because both Newcastle and their fans treated Sandro incredibly, always supporting him. In Italy, he received different treatment. Not from the AC Milan fans, who always protected him.”

How Newcastle fans helped Tonali recover

According to Risso, the reaction he received in England proved vital in helping Tonali overcome the worst period of his career. Despite being suspended, the midfielder continued to be loved by the St James’ Park faithful.

He has since established himself as one of the best in the Premier League and a key player for the Magpies. Indeed, reports from England have linked Arsenal with a major move for the 25-year-old this summer.

That will depend on Tonali, who signed a new contract with Newcastle in January. He decided to extend his deal with the club and admitted that part of the decision was due to Newcastle’s support. Riso supported this and admitted that the mentality is different in England.

“At the end of the day, the mentality is different in England,” he said.

“Whenever Sandro entered the stadium despite the suspension, he received a standing ovation. We are talking about a guy who made a mistake, the fans saw it and he was forgiven. Now, Sandro has completely changed.”

A career reset and a new path forward

Tonali’s journey has certainly been a tumultuous one, but Risso says the midfielder has emerged stronger thanks to Newcastle’s help.

This has certainly been demonstrated on the pitch, as he continues to impress in the Premier League and Champions League.

What happens next is uncertain, but Tonali’s career is undoubtedly firmly back on track. With interest from big clubs, And a possible World Cup in the summer could be the next step.

Manchester United defender Diogo Delot has suggested that the tactical change under Michael Carrick has not been as dramatic as it might appear from the outside.

The Portugal international is now in his fifth season at Old Trafford and has quietly become one of the most experienced figures in the squad. Of the current players, only Luke Shaw has been at the club for a longer period.

As a result, Dalot sees himself as the man responsible for helping new players settle into the dressing room. He explained that his role has evolved naturally over time.

“I enjoy having that responsibility,” he told DAZN Portugal. “What I try to do every day is represent the club’s values ​​as best I can. The behavior and attitude I show daily are very important to me because I know I can set an example.”

Dalot arrived at Manchester United as a teenager from FC Porto in 2018. At that time he was seen as a promising young full-back. Today he finds himself among the senior people in the dressing room.

Still, he insists he doesn’t feel old.

“I still consider myself young” Dalot accepted. “But the reality is that I joined the club so early now that it brings more responsibility. New players come in all the time and I try to help them feel comfortable. At the same time, they need to understand the reality of the club.”

And reflecting further on his journey, Dalot also admitted that his career path has gone far beyond the expectations he had when he first started playing.

“Obviously when you start playing football you only think about the passion for the game. You don’t think much about what happens next,” he explained. “In the early stages I could never have imagined playing for FC Porto, let alone becoming the second longest-serving player at Manchester United.”

Carrick’s system compared to that of Reuben Amorim

Dalot also addressed the tactical changes since Michael Carrick took charge, particularly compared to the ideas previously implemented by Ruben Amorim.

From the outside, Carrick’s approach has been seen as a marked departure from the structure of the Amorim. However, Dalot believes the differences are smaller than many people assume.

“If you analyze it closely, things are not much different from what we were doing with Ruben.” he explained.

With the ball, teams still make plays using three players in the first phase. Without the ball the shape changes slightly. Instead of operating with three centre-backs, United now defend with two central defenders and a full-back in the back four.

Nevertheless, the defensive line often becomes a back five. When needed a winger drops deep to track the opposing full-back.

“If you look at the game pieces individually, you don’t see that many differences,” Dalot said. “The biggest difference is the profile of the player. “Now we play with one less defender and one more attacking player.”

Still, the defense says the basics remain the same. But he admits the mindset has changed – and it’s had an impact.

“As I say many times, at the end of the day what really matters is the result,” He added. “When the confidence is high, we have the quality of players, sometimes you don’t need to say much and the players go out on the field and perform well.”

Role change and attack on responsibilities

Dalot also reflected on how his role has changed recently. He has occasionally been used in a more advanced position on the wing.

He believes that experience has expanded his understanding of the offensive game.

“When you play as a winger and get the ball, you have options to go against the one, attack the line, play backwards or find the number ten.” he explained.

Playing deeper as a right-back changes the perspective. From that position, Dalot faces the entire pitch and can distribute the ball in multiple directions.

Despite enjoying the challenge of adapting, he admits the full-back role remains where he feels most comfortable. “It feels like I’m going back to my roots,” He said.

Versatility has still been valuable. According to Dalot, the ability to play different roles has helped him become a more complete player and has increased his tactical understanding of the game.

“When I get those opportunities, I try to make the most of them because I know they’ll make me even more versatile.”he explained.

Helping Cesco settle into Old Trafford

Dalot also spoke about his relationship with striker Benjamin Cesco and described their connection as instant.

He explained that he tried to support the young forward as he adjusted to the pressures of life at Manchester United.

“We got along well from the beginning,” Dalot said. “I felt a responsibility to help it understand the context it’s in. Sometimes too much water can kill the plant.”

For Dalot, the main message for Sesco is simple – focus on doing the right thing consistently rather than trying to do everything at once.

“If you combine his qualities off the pitch with his qualities on the field, I believe he will be one of the best strikers in the world.” He concluded.

Dalot’s comments also highlight how his role has evolved within the team. The Portuguese defender is no longer just a full-back fighting for minutes. Instead, he has become one of the players helping to drive the culture inside the dressing room.

As the team continues to evolve around him, his impact could be just as important as his performances on the pitch.

A former NFL general manager believes the Las Vegas Raiders cannot start Fernando Mendoza right away and believes they will need to sign a veteran quarterback to lead the offense as early as 2026. And he has a specific player in mind.

Although there are a lot of rumors about which players teams will take in Round 1 of next month’s NFL Draft, one thing is certain. The Raiders will use the No. 1 overall selection on Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, and he will be their starting QB immediately. Or maybe not.

There is always a risk in thrusting a rookie signal-caller into a starting role for an NFL team. Especially one that had the worst record in the league last year. That’s why ESPN NFL expert Mike Tannenbaum believes Mendoza should begin his career as a backup and Kirk Cousins ​​should be the Raiders’ starting QB in Week 1.

“I would sign Kirk Cousins. I think he’s the ideal bridge quarterback to Fernando Mendoza,” he said on Friday Morning Edition. sports center. “We know they’ve got Tyler Linderbaum, but their offensive line gave up more sacks than any team last year. Why not go out and bring in a veteran like Kirk Cousins ​​to stabilize the position?

“Bring Mendoza on slowly. Don’t play him from day one, because, remember, quarterbacks are often ruined before they even get going.”

Why should the Raiders sign Kirk Cousins?

While Raiders fans may not be thrilled with the idea of ​​Cousins ​​being their starting QB in Week 1, Tannenbaum’s point makes a lot of sense. Mendoza is a good QB prospect. However, he is not a generational talent, and many experts believe he will not be the first or even second QB selected in next year’s draft.

Las Vegas needs to be smart with his development and do everything possible to ensure he can succeed when handed the keys to the offense. While Linderbaum will certainly make the offensive line better next season, this is still a messy group that could be a big loss for the developing QB prospect.

Cousins ​​is a far cry from the Pro Bowl-level player he used to be and was a role model himself in Atlanta. But he’s still a good player at the position and has the experience to handle the shortcomings of playing behind an average offensive line. Mendoza still needs to learn those skills. He should not achieve them in a litmus test situation during his rookie season.

Plus, the Raiders have the money to sign Cousins, and he’s looking for a chance to start this season. If it’s better than expected, great. But if he disappoints, let Mendoza take his place and have a lot more information and preparation when that moment comes.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

Just when it seemed like the New York Knicks were figuring it out, they took a few steps back that calls into question the validity of their status as a contending team. On Monday night, the Knicks lost another game in Los Angeles, this time against the Clippers, New York did not have enough strength on both ends of the court and lost 126-118.

The Knicks, in particular, struggled taking care of the basketball. They turned the ball over 19 times as a unit, and a balanced table-setter would have caught on for New York, especially when they could rely on Karl-Anthony Towns to score the rock on a night where he tallied 35 points.

The Knicks have some depth uncertainty behind Jalen Brunson, which is why they brought in Jose Alvarado via trade in the first place. But head coach Mike Brown hasn’t exactly given Alvarado a long leeway; On Monday, he played only eight minutes and could not score, adding three points to his troubles.

After the game, Brown explained his decision to bench Alvarado and dust off Tyler Kolek.

According to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, Brown said, “I thought Jose was struggling a little bit so I moved Tyler out there and wanted to see if we could get a boost.”

The Knicks have no defense right now

This may be where Mitchell Robinson’s absence is felt most. The Knicks have allowed the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers to get whatever they wanted on back-to-back nights. A common factor in those losses has been the Knicks’ turnover problems, and the team’s guard struggles haven’t helped either.

The good news is that the schedule suits the Knicks for the next few weeks. They next face the Utah Jazz, followed by games against the Indiana Pacers, Golden State Warriors, two tanking teams in the Pacers, Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards, and then the New Orleans Pelicans.

It won’t be until March 26 when they take on the surging Charlotte Hornets and until March 29 when they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Igor Demin’s rookie campaign has come to an end. The Brooklyn Nets announced that the No. 8 pick will miss the remainder of the season due to aggravation of plantar fasciitis in his left foot. Damien missed most of the offseason due to a torn plantar fascia.

The BYU product has missed Brooklyn’s last four games due to worsening left foot pain. While his season will be cut short, the Nets said Demin is expected to return to basketball activity at the beginning of the offseason and become a full participant in the summer development program. According to head coach Jordi Fernandez, he will not require surgery to resolve the problem.

“[Egor’s] Always been a child who wanted to play, to be outside, to grow; And nothing beats playing the actual game to get better at this level. But obviously, when you have discomfort, and it doesn’t allow you to play at that level, we have to find solutions,” Fernandez said. “At the end of the day, the good thing is that it’s a non-surgical procedure, which is good. And see what is the time table. But obviously getting him to work over the summer and getting better throughout the process and having a summer is important. So, the fact that he won’t be able to play these 20-something games is not for the best, because he wants to and we value real reps. But, at the same time, his health is the number 1 priority. And we are very optimistic and positive about it.

Jordi Fernandez on Egor Demin missing the rest of the season due to his plantar fascia injury:

“He’s a kid who wants to play, wants to be outside, wants to develop. There’s nothing better than playing a real game to get better. Obviously, when you have discomfort and… pic.twitter.com/X2fR8lPzNE

– Eric Slater (@erikslater_) 9 March 2026

Demin missed several months during the offseason while rehabilitating his plantar fascia injury. After a promising start to the season, the 19-year-old’s production dipped after the All-Star break.

Egor Demin’s promising rookie season cut short due to plantar fascia injury

He averaged 6.6 points on 32.6 percent shooting from the field and 27.6 percent from three in his last six appearances. After not playing in one for over two months, Demin appeared in two back-to-backs during that period.

Fernandez said of Brooklyn’s decision to shut down Demin, “He was dealing with some discomfort, and it got worse and worse. And then we decided to look at it and make sure we could sort it out a little bit. We asked for different opinions and that’s what was recommended to us.”

Jordi Fernandez on the Nets’ decision to shut down Igor Demin:

“He was struggling with discomfort, and it got worse and worse. We decided to take a look and make sure we could sort it out a bit. We asked for different opinions and this is what was recommended to us.” pic.twitter.com/5uxxTOYi5o

– Eric Slater (@erikslater_) 9 March 2026

The Nets’ selection of Demin with their first lottery pick in 15 years drew criticism. However, the Brooklyn guard was one of the NBA’s most productive rookies this season.

Demin averaged 10.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists on .399/.385/.831 shooting splits in 52 appearances. He ranks second in three-point percentage among the 15 newcomers with more than 150 attempts, trailing only Con Knuppel (44.0 percent).

His +3.6 net rating swing (a player’s on vs. off score minus team points allowed per 100 possessions) ranks third among the 15 players under the age of 21 who have played more than 900 minutes this season, according to CleaningTheGlass. Only Con Knuppel (+5.3) and Trey Johnson (+3.9) have posted higher marks.

Demin will now have a full offseason to heal his foot and fine-tune his skill set ahead of Brooklyn’s crucial 2026-27 campaign.

“He’s gotten better at everything we ask him to do. The superpowers he has, he’s shown he can do it at this level, which is really cool. The shooting, not only how real it is, but how fast it goes,” said Fernandez when asked about his assessment of Demin’s rookie season. “His shots in clutch time, all those things, passing on the perimeter. And now defensively and offensively, the physicality that comes with the job and his body getting used to it. He’s taking steps. He’s able to get into the paint more often. Also defensively, he’s more physical and working on that technique. It’s going to come with his player development plan. The sooner we can get him in the summer and continue to work on these things so you can take steps forward.” can, [the better]. But he’s gotten better at everything we’ve asked him to do.”

Winds in the Eastern Conference may begin to blow in a different direction. Throughout the season, the Detroit Pistons have reigned supreme in the Eastern Conference. But the Boston Celtics are going after them with speed and force. On Sunday, the Celtics defeated another former contender, the Cleveland Cavaliers, 109–98 to move to 43–21 on the season and fall just 2.5 games behind the Pistons in the standings.

The Celtics may be peaking at the right time, and what makes this season so outstanding for everyone involved in the franchise is that they managed to hold down the fort and excel despite an injury to Jayson Tatum. Now that Tatum is back, the Celtics may be the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference.

But as much fanfare as Tatum and Jaylen Brown attract for their continued excellence, the Celtics won’t go anywhere without the beating heart of Derrick White, who received such high praise Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson after his altercation on Sunday.

“[He’s] Top-five player in the league,” Atkinson said of White, via the Celtics on CLNS on X. “That’s how we treat him. He really disrupts you defensively, he’s an elite rim protector. Possibly the best guard rim protector in the league. So just take all those things and put it out there and with the shooting, you’ve got a great player.

Kenny Atkinson explains why he thinks Derrick White is a top 5 player in the NBA:

“Maybe what people aren’t measuring is his defensive impact… Analytically I think it’s probably proven in different places that he’s that player and that’s how we treat him.”

“He really hinders… https://t.co/uKwr1QwmVt pic.twitter.com/GDXsc5dXvr

-Celtics on CLNS (@CelticsCLNS) 8 March 2026

The Celtics’ Derrick White is a coach’s dream

Many fans were stunned when White was getting just a few more minutes than Tatum for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics. But it made sense. He can fit into every lineup. He can defend multiple positions, and he enjoys doing the dirty work. And besides, he’s one of the best volume three-point shooters in the NBA.

“What people probably aren’t measuring is his defensive impact… Analytically I think it’s probably proven in different places that he’s that player and that’s how we treat him,” Atkinson said.

Oklahoma City Thunder veteran Alex Caruso addressed Jared McCann’s impact in his first 12 games with his new team, and explained why he is a better fit for the defending champions than the Philadelphia 76ers. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault discusses what he has learned about McCann during his first dozen games.

Caruso gave the most credit to the Thunder front office, trade for McCain is ahead of this year’s deadline, he said, according to The Young Man and the Three podcast.

“For us, we do what we do as players, but the front office, as far as the fit, that’s probably the biggest compliment they can give me,” Caruso said. “The way Jared plays is like a mini I-Joe, like Isaiah Joe Light, not like the same player, but coming from the same movements, but the way they’re able to use their skill sets to shoot and move.”

Alex Caruso used an example from the Thunder’s 121–113 win against the Cleveland Cavs, where McCann drove to the rim, passed the ball to Joe before shifting to the corner for a deep three. For Caruso, it’s that style of play if the 76ers didn’t run their offense through McCann.

“I don’t think Philly played that way,” Caruso said. “I think they’re a lot more traditional because of Joel [Emiid]And, of course, Tyrese [Maxey] Very much on the ball. But for us, it is like freedom of movement. An open man is a right man. I think it benefits his game.”

“He’s playing the right way.” – Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein talk about why Jared McCann has fit in so easily with the OKC Thunder 🚨 New Thunder YM3 Out Now Everywhere 🚨 pic.twitter.com/epcOgO84l6

-TheOldManAndTheThree (@OldManAndThree) 6 March 2026

McCain is averaging 11.8 points on 41.5% shooting, including 39.5% from deep, and 2.2 rebounds per game with the Thunder.

Mark Daigneault on learning about Thunder’s Jared McCain

The apparent departure of 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey to the Thunder’s Jared McCann ended the second-year guard’s tenure, and marked a new start with the defending champions. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault discussed McCann’s fitness after practice on Friday and told reporters how he has learned about his game so far.

“His shooting ability. He’s a guy you have to make runs off the line, which opens up some of those drives. I didn’t know his game well, especially that part of his game — those mid-range games show his strength,” Daigneault said. “He’s going downhill, and he’s able to absorb contact and rise up and shoot a balanced rhythm shot, which is harder than it looks. He makes it look easier than it is. So, he’s done a great job.”

Daigneault and the Thunder will host the Warriors on Saturday at Paycom Center.

The Los Angeles Lakers lost 120-113 to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night, but the biggest conversation afterward focused on Luka Doncic and a tricky technical foul during the Western Conference matchup. The Lakers star recorded his 15th technical foul of the season in the loss to the Nuggets, causing confusion among fans and players inside the arena. After the game, referee Ed Malloy clarified the situation in the official pool report shared by Benjamin Royer of the Orange County Register.

“Doncic was issued a technical foul for using profanity toward a referee. We are not trained to stop offensive turnovers when a technical foul is called on defense.”

The clarification helped explain why the whistle did not come immediately. Officials allowed play to continue before assessing a penalty at the next dead-ball moment. Still, the delay left many wondering what actually caused the call to occur.

The moment also overshadowed another strong performance from Doncic under the arena lights. The Lakers guard finished with 27 points on 11 of 24 shooting, while adding 11 rebounds, seven assists and four steals. His influence was visible on the entire game. Yet technical fouls soon became the main story after the Lakers lost another tough matchup against the Nuggets.

Lakers star reacts after controversial technical

Doncic addressed that moment directly after the game. The Lakers guard insisted he tried to remain quiet during the conversation.

Luka Doncic said he heard three other players “yelling” at him for his 15th technical foul of the season.

“I was trying not to talk at all. The first thing I said was no warnings or anything.” https://t.co/KBmkywJXV0 pic.twitter.com/EqR4RCV0rA

– Benjamin Royer (@thebenroyer) 6 March 2026

“I was trying not to talk at all. The first thing I said was no warnings or nothing,” Doncic said.

Technology has real consequences. It was his 15th of the season. Under NBA rules, a player automatically receives a one-game suspension after reaching 16 technical fouls.

Reporters asked the Lakers starter whether he planned to avoid the second one.

“We’ll see. Can’t predict the future,” he said.

Then he gave a blunt answer about what should happen next.

“Don’t take another technique.”

The Lakers are moving forward now knowing that another blowout could sideline their star. Under the bright lights of the field and the pressure of the playoffs, every word and whistle carries more weight. After Luka Doncic’s technical foul, will the Lakers star survive his 16th whistle, or will the next whistle bring a suspension?

Ben Godfrey has explained why his spells at both Sheffield United and Ipswich Town failed, as he wants to start again at Brøndby.

BOLD had an interview with the 28-year-old today. He’s looking to move away from the disastrous 2025 and the past few years in general.

The defender moved to Brøndby in the winter, joining Steve Cooper at the Danish club. He joined Atalanta on loan until the end of the season.

It has been a challenging few years for the defender following his move to Atalanta from Everton in 2024. He struggled to establish himself at the Serie A club, ultimately spending the second half of last season on loan at Ipswich Town.

Loan to Brøndby

Godfrey made only three appearances for Kieran McKenna’s side as they were relegated from the Premier League. The first half of the season was spent on loan with Sheffield United in the Championship.

But his time at Bramall Lane was cut short in December After making only four appearances for the Blades in all competitions. It has now been explained to him that matters off the field may have played a role.

“I was a little lost when it came time to play,” He said.

“It was a period when some personal things were probably a little different for me, and that happens sometimes in life.

“And then I think players in my position were guaranteed playing time for the remainder of the season. We had an open and honest conversation, and have full respect for Sheffield United for that. They made it clear that I would no longer be part of their plans for the remainder of the season.

“Obviously it was a difficult period in my career. But also on a broader level. It’s not always just about football. You never know what problems other people are going through.”

“There will always be ups and downs. The last few years, or 2025, may have been a period where I had to reflect, learn or where circumstances did not work out favorably for me.”

Contract at Atalanta until 2028

There’s certainly no denying that the last few years have been difficult for Godfrey, even looking back at his time at Everton.

He appeared to be in a strong position with the Toffees following a €27.5m move from Norwich City in 2020 and particularly impressed playing under Carlo Ancelotti. That was until COVID struck and affected him significantly.

He then continued to open up about his struggles, even saying that at times it felt like he was playing ‘in someone else’s body’. It appears he is still struggling with this.

Anyone who watched him at Ipswich Town or Sheffield United will confirm this. The hope now is that he can find his feet at Brøndby and perhaps resolve his long-term future in the summer.

New York – Before the trade deadline, the New York Knicks acquired point guard Jose Alvarado after half a season of searching for another ball handler. The point guard has fit into head coach Mike Brown’s system relatively seamlessly. In his first month, he helped the group endure the temporary loss of back-up guard Miles McBride. This came in the form of contributions like closing out their 18-point comeback win over the Houston Rockets.

Before Wednesday night’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, reporters asked Brown about his impression of Alvarado so far. The coach was highly complimentary of the Brooklynite, telling reporters that he had already established himself as “irreplaceable” on this Knicks roster.

“He’s been good. The agility is irreplaceable. It gives us a different look,” Brown said, citing the team’s desire to play fast as part of why Alvarado has been so effective. “He’s different in a way that makes him look different. I don’t know what that approach would be, but Jose was available.

“And I give to Leon [Rose] Credit, he found it. It’s helped us on both ends of the floor. …The energy he has on top of the agility he brings to the table every time we step on the floor is irreplaceable. At least with the people we had, or with the people we have. just different.”

Alvarado gets taste of potential playoff role against Thunder

Alvarado has played 18.9 minutes per game in 11 games with New York, averaging 7.5 points, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals a night. Despite only shooting 29.4% on 3-pointers as a Knick, the energy Brown mentioned is his calling card. The guard has performed well and his overall field goal percentage is right in line with his average throughout his career.

Regardless, Alvarado may have got an idea of ​​what his playoff role might look like on Wednesday against Oklahoma City. The guard made only one of his four shots, including two misses from downtown. He only played 12 minutes in total. He briefly scored on Jalen Brunson 1:24 into the fourth quarter against Lou Dort before returning to the bench.

Once McBride returns from injury, Alvarado may need to impact the game in shorter periods of action on the court. He’ll likely earn more opportunities to finish big shots, especially if the matchup requires it schematically. But if the Knicks want to continue to re-establish depth as a priority under Brown, they’ll have to rely on themselves.

However, the team has yet to have all of Brunson, McBride and Alvarado healthy together. Once that happens, the playoffs will be an imminent concern. Brown would need to rely on his players, and whatever data he was able to get on them when testing came. That could mean smaller – but still important – roles for players like Alvarado.

The Philadelphia 76ers went into Wednesday night’s matchup against the Utah Jazz missing almost their entire starting lineup, but thanks to an unexpected hero they walked away with a gritty 106-102 victory. While Tyrese Maxey handled the heavy lifting with 25 points, it was Jabari Walker’s breakout performance that caught everyone’s attention and ultimately gave head coach Nick Nurse a reason to smile.

Walker was a force off the bench, tallying a massive double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds. He was efficient from the floor, making 7 of 12 shots overall and an impressive 4 of 7 from beyond the arc. It was the kind of performance the 76ers desperately needed with Joel Embiid, Paul George and VJ Edgecombe sidelined.

After the game, Nurse explained that Walker’s sudden increase in minutes was no accident. “We’re trying to get him to play like that. Because he’s like, and I’ve said this a lot before, like he’s a really good shooter, you just have to get used to the feeling of the NBA and be good enough to pull the trigger on them and be much better in his last few games and he’s just running.”

“We’re trying to inspire him to play the same way.”

Nick Nurse discusses what Jabari Walker brings to the table. | @kia pic.twitter.com/GvXflmD5ap

– NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) 5 March 2026

Perhaps the most intriguing part of Walker’s rise is his own explanation for his high-motor style. When asked about his emotional nature and hustle dramas, Walker offered a hilarious self-assessment, claiming that people who know him know he is “really kind of crazy”. He joked that there was “something really wrong” with him, but that energy clearly translated onto the court as he helped Philadelphia avoid a two-game losing streak.

The win also included 16 points from Quentin Grimes and a clutch follow-dunk from Adem Bona that tied the game late. For a 76ers team struggling to maintain their playoff position, finding a reliable bench weapon like Walker could be a ray of hope for an injury-plagued week.

Boston Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown has led his team to one of the best records in the NBA this season without Jayson Tatum, which for JR Smith means this is no longer Tatum’s team. With Tatum’s potential return to the Celtics, many wonder how Boston will adjust to Jason Tatum’s midseason debut.

while brown have been leaders For the Celtics this season, that’s been their title for Jaylen for years, Smith said, according to To The Baha.

“It’s always been his team. Jaylen Brown. He’s the leader. Isn’t he? First of all, he protects everybody. It’s always been his team. It’s his team,” Smith said. “To the players, I’m sure it’s their team; to everyone else in the media on the outside, it’s Jayson Tatum’s team. That’s the way they want to show it. Internally, it’s Jaylen Brown’s team.

“Jaylen Brown is the leader of that team. 100 percent on and off the court. Fact. I guarantee you he commands more film sessions, practices than JT. He’s the leader of that team.”

“It’s always been his team. Jaylen Brown. He’s the leader. Isn’t he? … To the players, I’m pretty sure it’s his team; to everybody else in the media on the outside, it’s Jayson Tatum’s team.”

– JR Smith 🤔

(via @ToTheBaha)pic.twitter.com/mnELzcwFk9

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 4 March 2026

In Brown and Tatum’s second NBA Finals appearance in two years, Brown won the 2024 Finals MVP award after capturing his first title.

NBA insider says Jayson Tatum will need to adjust to new Celtics

NBA insider Chris Mannix believes the Celtics are Jaylen Brown’s team who will have to accommodate Jayson Tatum if he returns from his nearly season-long Achilles injury. Tatum has to do it slowly work your way back Mannix said, according to FanDuel TV’s Run It Back, linking up with the Browns and the Celtics.

“I think [Jayson] Tatum knows that by coming back he is stepping into Jaylen Brown’s team. “Brown is a top-five, top-six MVP candidate this year,” Mannix said. “He’s put this team on his back offensively.” And Tatum will have to find a way to fit in.

This is Jaylen Brown’s team now 👀

With the pending return of Jayson Tatum, @SIChrisMannix I don’t think there is a chemistry problem.

Tatum knows this is Brown’s team. pic.twitter.com/wgMkvmJHDF

– Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) 4 March 2026

In 54 games played, Brown is averaging 29 points per game, 7.1 rebounds and 5 assists per game with one steal. He is shooting 48% from the field and 34.9% from three-point range. He has been the catalyst for the Celtics’ success as they have kept themselves in the news as NBA title contenders.

Wouter Berger was excited when TSG Hoffenheim approached him about leaving Stoke City in the summer, but had to wait for Anton Stach’s move to Leeds United before making a move.

There was no need for the Bundesliga club to sign Berger if Stache was going nowhere. of the following months rumors of interest Afterwards, Hoffenheim was looking around.

Stache sealed his transfer to Leeds United on 22 July, and Berger confirmed his exit from Stoke City on the same day.

talking to a 25 year old sportimage About his summer transfer, and explained: “Hoffenheim contacted me very early and showed me a clear plan. Then I had to wait a while for Anton Stach’s transfer. I came to Germany and looked around, and it felt perfect. I always go with my gut feeling. And it felt good. I could have stayed in England. But then I told myself that it suited me perfectly, and I decided.”

The transfer is going well… and beetroot juice

Since the transfer from Stoke City, things have been going very well for Burger. He has been almost ever-present for Hoffenheim, moving into a slightly more forward role.

It had an impact, with the Dutchman scoring five goals and adding nine assists.

His status has thus increased, there is talk of a call up to the Dutch national team. Ronald Koeman hasn’t been on the phone yet, but there’s a possibility: “I haven’t heard anything yet, but I’m just continuing and I’m ready whenever I get the call. But you can only focus on what you can influence. When I came to Hoffenheim, I didn’t think that I would become a national team player so soon and go to the World Cup. “But our season is going so well that anything is possible.”

And the secret of his success?

“I always drink half a liter of beetroot juice before a game. I just follow my routine every week and don’t change anything.”

Anton Stache has also had an impact at Leeds United and it appears to be a transfer situation that has worked out for everyone involved.

To say that the Philadelphia 76ers’ NBC “Throwback Night” showdown against the San Antonio Spurs did not go as planned would be an understatement.

Taking the court to Joel Embiid, Paul George and eventually VJ Edgecombe, who exited at halftime after a hard fall from fellow rookie Carter Bryant, the 76ers trailed the Spurs by 38 seconds in the game and never recovered, losing 78–53 at halftime and finishing with a certified blowout 131–91.

What happened? How did the 76ers, even with a depleted personnel, allow a game against a potential NBA Finals opponent to get so far away from them? Well, Nick Nurse tried to break it up, even if he didn’t realize it.

“I thought we were doing a good job of finding shots. I thought it was taking some time, and I kept saying that in the timeouts. The open shots aren’t coming as fast as they did last night, but they’re still there, you just have to be a little more patient and keep kicking out,” Nurse explained.

“And I thought, for the most part, I mean, obviously, he blocked some guys inside from our bigs. But I thought, other than that, we were doing a good job out there for a while. And then we just couldn’t; they made a lot of turnovers. Really, defensively the second quarter was really bad. Obviously, they were really rolling, hitting a lot of threes, getting to the rim. There was no resistance defensively.”

On offense, the 76ers were borderline destructive, with Tyrese Maxey outscoring the rest of Philadelphia’s starters 21–10, while only two other players, Jabari Walker and Cam Payne, managed to reach double figures. Sure, Embiid, PG13, and, for half of the game, Edgecombe, weren’t available, but when rotation players like Quentin Grimes, Dominic Barlow, Trendon Watford, Adem Bona, and Justin Edwards combined for just 26 points, the 76ers aren’t going to win many, if any, games, even if they lock in and play elite defense.

Nick Nurse discusses the impact of Victor Wembanyama and what went wrong in Tuesday night’s defeat to Spurs. | @kia pic.twitter.com/6G1OqhprvL

– NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) 4 March 2026

What’s going on in Milwaukee? Over the past few games, Kyle Kuzma has been a solid role player for the Milwaukee Bucks. With Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined, Kuzma played nice complementary basketball in place of the star. With Antetokounmpo returning against the shorthanded Boston Celtics, the former NBA champion was expected to go to the bench.

In fact, Kuzma went to the bench to start the Bucks’ game against the Celtics. However, Kuzma never left the bench during the game, not logging a single minute of action in their loss to a Boston team without Jaylen Brown. When asked why he was benched, head coach Doc Rivers said that he had decided not to play forward according to Eric Nehm.

Although Kuzma has not had a good game this season, the forward has been playing better in the last four games. He was averaging 16 points per game over the last four games, along with nearly four rebounds and only three assists. With the Bucks shut out for most of the game, it’s curious why Rivers decided not to give the forward a chance to perhaps contribute.

Over the last three games, the Bucks have lost a total of 78 points. This is a worrying trend, especially as they have been on a comeback trail and have won eight of their last ten matches. Rivers said this when asked about the sequence of defeats.

“I don’t care about the points. I just care about how we’re playing. We’ve been playing great, and we’ve kind of lost our way and I think that’s on both sides. I think offensively, we had a great rhythm and we’ve done that in spurts the last three games, but we haven’t been able to sustain it.”

The Bucks next face the Atlanta Hawks on March 4.

With the Miami Heat’s win over the Houston Rockets on Saturday, the team will be looking to pick up some wins in the home stretch of the season, although Nikola Jovic looks to be absent for the foreseeable future. As Heat young forward Jovic has been working to turn his season around, a back injury has been another setback in a disappointing year.

Jovic has missed the last four games of the season with what is being called “low back injury management,” after already being listed for Tuesday’s home game against the Brooklyn Nets as he will miss more time. The 22-year-old will let you know how he feels.

According to The Miami Herald, Jovic said, “My back doesn’t feel good.” “The scans show I’ve got some swelling, and one of my veins doesn’t look right right now.”

The 2022 first-round pick will miss some early season time due to a back injury, but he downplayed that as a direct correlation.

“I was worried, but I don’t think it’s the same thing,” Jovic said. “The way my back is structured, I just have to manage it in the way I prepare for things and the way I prepare for games, practices and everything. I have to make sure it’s always ready for any type of intensity that I put it under.”

Heat’s Nikola Jovic now dealing with year-ending back injury

While Jovic received a $62.4 million contract extension with the Heat that ran for four years, the team saw enough year-to-year improvement in the player to warrant the deal.

However, this season has been a reality check, as he has averaged 7.5 points while shooting 37 percent from the field and 27.2 percent from deep in 17.6 minutes per game, the lowest of his career since his rookie season.

“I felt like it was that moment where I hadn’t played very much, and even though I hadn’t played it was still getting worse,” Jovic said. “I just had to stop because when it bothers you outside of basketball and starts bothering you doing regular things in life, I feel like the decision has come to, I can’t do it anymore.”

It remains to be seen how much time Jovic misses with the Heat at 32-29, leaving them in eighth place in the East ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Nets.

Detroit Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham’s MVP case continues to gain significant momentum. The Pistons recently defeated the Orlando Magic 106-92. This marks the most regular season wins for Detroit since 2007–08 with 45, and the Pistons’ All-Star was a major reason for that.

Cunningham had another impressive performance with 29 points, 11 assists, six rebounds and two steals. He even took a defensive step, taking on the challenge of guarding Magic forward Paolo Banchero. Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff has been a big supporter of Cunningham as an MVP candidate. He continued that campaign in front of the media after the Pistons’ win in Orlando.

Bickerstaff explained, “He’s special because of the type of person he is. He’s special because of the type of teammate he is. It’s a blessing to be with him and work with him every day.” “The basketball skills speak for themselves. There’s nothing on the court he can’t do on both ends of the court. He can score, he can share it, he can manipulate, he can get stops, block shots and get steals. Whatever you want him to do on the basketball court, he’s able to do it, and it’s not hollow. Everything he does, he has winning in his mind.”

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains the current betting favorite for the coveted MVP award. Cunningham is currently ranked third in the highest ranking. Despite the buzz of the Thunder guard winning awards in back-to-back seasons for Oklahoma City, there is still plenty of regular season left for Cunningham to make his case.

Gilgeous-Alexander missed the last nine games due to injury. If he misses six more games, he will no longer be eligible for MVP. Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic also missed a long time due to a knee injury. Jokic can only miss one more game before his eligibility is up. The Nuggets have also moved into the fifth seed in the Western Conference after going 4-7 through February.

Cunningham has 23 games left in the regular season to stake his claim. He is currently averaging 25.4 points, 9.8 assists and 5.8 rebounds in the 2025-26 regular season. These stats place him in the top-15 in scoring and second-best in assists. Cunningham has also totaled 33 double-doubles this season as the Pistons’ leading guard.

His exceptional production has helped lead Detroit to a 45–14 record. This leaves them in first place in the Eastern Conference and with the best winning percentage in the entire NBA. Detroit has made tremendous changes since drafting Cunningham. After the success they have achieved this season and last season, they have left their days as one of the worst losing teams behind them.

Cunningham has also played on several nationally televised stages to help present his game more publicly among the league’s voters. The Pistons have eight more nationally televised games before the season ends. The Pistons should continue to emerge as the best team in the league record-wise, with an elite level of production from their 2026 All-Star starter. Cunningham could carve out a legitimate path to becoming the first Pistons player to win MVP in franchise history.

The Orlando Magic have struggled with inconsistency all season, and it all starts with the leadership of Paolo Banchero. Banchero has moments where he looks like a millionaire and he’s figuring out how to be a superstar in the association, but there are also some nights where some of his bad habits come to the fore. That’s what happened in Sunday night’s 106-92 loss to the East-leading Detroit Pistons.

Banchero had 24 points on only 10 field-goal attempts, so he got to the foul line a lot, which is a testament to how aggressive he was in getting to the basket. However, the Magic Stars were more careless than aggressive in some of their plays. They turned the ball over nine times, which is a straight-up death sentence against a Pistons team that tries to physically overwhelm any opponent that comes their way.

after the game, banchero is owned As for some of his missteps, he expressed his frustration at playing below the standards set for himself.

“I thought we had a lot of turnovers. You know, I had a lot of turnovers. Yeah, we gave them a lot of chances. I think it was some bad passes. I was trying to pass it to my teammates when maybe I should have just shot it,” Banchero said, per Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel.

“Some of them – a trip, a repeated call, just a bad night. Last game, I had no turnovers. This game, I had nine. So, very frustrating.”

“I thought we had too many turnovers. You know, I had too many turnovers,” #magical Forward Paolo Banchero accounted for Orlando’s 19 turnovers, of which he committed nine.

He added: “Last game, I didn’t have any turnovers. This game, I had nine. So, very disappointing.”

Full Comments: pic.twitter.com/1zmk0zybnc

-Jason Beede (@therealBeede) 2 March 2026

Magical battle for position in the east

If the season ended today, the Magic would once again be fighting for their lives in the play-in tournament. This will be the second consecutive season they have struggled to qualify for the playoffs, and it’s a bit disappointing considering how they went out and acquired Desmond Bane in a blockbuster.

Franz Wagner’s injury hasn’t helped, but overall, the Magic have fallen short of expectations this season with a 31-28 record.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault watched All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dominate for four quarters before sitting out the extra period of Friday’s 127-121 overtime win against the Denver Nuggets. In the Western Conference Semifinal rematch, the physical relationship between the two teams began with a flourish, as Gilgeous-Alexander earned a technical foul against Nikola Jokic in the first quarter.

However, Daigneault and Gilgeous-Alexander, returning after missing the previous nine games due to an abdominal injury, scored a set Unannounced minutes restriction He continued doing his work. Gilgeous-Alexander played just under 34 minutes (33:46) in regulation, which Daigneault pointed to as the end of SGA’s night regardless of game status.

“He’s coming off a 24-day injury. He’s coming back to play. One of the conditions to get him on the court tonight is to hold him to a certain point in terms of minutes,” Daigneault said. “We actually discussed that situation with both him and [Hartenstein] Before the game. Just so we can all be clear, in a non-emotional moment, that if we were in that situation, this is what we would do.

“We obviously did that. I understand it’s a little unconventional, but, at the end of the day, we’re trying to prioritize the health of our players as they come back from injury.”

While starting center Isaiah Hartenstein was under the same restriction due to a calf strain, Jaylin Williams finished the game, as Jared McCann started the extra period in place of the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

“Incredible effort by the people who were there. The rest of the team had no idea we had that conversation,” Daigneault said. “We took over the MVP and our starter at the beginning of overtime, and they attacked that game. They deserve a lot of credit for that.”

Mark Daigneault on SGA sitting out in OT: “He’s coming off a 24-day injury. Getting back to playing. One of the conditions to get him on the court tonight is to keep him at a certain point in terms of minutes.

“We actually discussed that situation with both him and [Hartenstein]” pic.twitter.com/WjoOQwiwO9

-Joshua Peacock (@Joe_Sway) 28 February 2026

Gilgeous-Alexander had 36 points, nine assists, three rebounds, two blocks and two steals as the Thunder rebounded by 16 points in the second half. Chet Holmgren finished with a career-high 21 rebounds, 15 points and three blocks. Jared McCann led the bench with 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting, including a pair of threes.

Lu Dort’s flagrant -2 leads to scuffle between Nikola Jokic vs. Thunder

Thunder veteran Lou Dort earned a crucial 2-0 with 8:03 remaining in the fourth quarter by outplaying Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic, which led to a physical altercation between the MVP candidate and Thunder center Jaylin Williams.

After review, officials deemed Lu Dort’s foul against Nikola Jokic “unnecessary and excessive”, upgrading his simple foul to a serious foul penalty two and ejecting him from the game. Williams and Jokic received double technical fouls, ending Dort’s night.

Jokic finished with an impressive triple-double (23 points, 17 rebounds, 14 assists) as the Nuggets lost to the Thunder by six points in overtime.

The debate about robot umpires has been loud, messy and largely missing the point. What MLB is actually starting in 2026 is not robot acquisitions. It’s a challenge system, and one of baseball’s sharpest minds believes it could be just what the game needed.

On this week’s new Sportsknot Interview podcast, longtime Sports Illustrated writer and Fox Sports analyst Tom Verducci says he’s been watching the automated ball-strike system develop for some time. He is a believer. But not for the reasons most people assume.

Verducci said, “I’m not a fan of full-on calling every call made by the robo system – it’s just technology that is encroaching into the game too much.” “But I’m a big fan of actually correcting bad calls based on where we are on replay. And I’m talking about bad calls in big venues.”

This is the main difference. This is not about changing umpires wholesale. It’s about giving teams a limited number of challenges to correct the calls that really change the outcome. In smaller leagues, where the system has been tested, it averages about four challenges per game. Each takes about 15 seconds. Do the math – you’re probably adding a minute to the ballgame. Anyone concerned about the pace of the game can rest easy.

However, what Verducci finds most fascinating is not the precision of the piece. This is strategy.

“I like anything that introduces more strategy into baseball,” he said. “Because you only have a few challenges, you have to be really judicious about when to use them. It’s not like every pitch, we will inadvertently challenge. No. You better be careful with them.”

That calculation changes the way teams think. It rewards players with elite strike zone awareness. Verducci pointed to Alex Bregman as the prototype – a hitter so tuned in this area that former Houston manager AJ Hinch once told him that Bregman was right 99% of the time when he argued the call for walking back into the dugout. Such people become a real asset.

Catchers matter even more. At younger ages, pitchers challenging calls from 60 feet, six inches away had a significantly lower success rate than catchers. Situation, vantage point and instinct are all factors.

Critics say ABS takes away the human element from the sport. Verducci directly pushes back on that framing. “I think in this case we’re adding some human element when it comes to the choices that catchers make.”

Hard to argue with that.

Scott Gulbransen, a quintessential expert in the field of sports journalism, serves as an editor, nfl , mlb , Formula 1 … More about Scott Gulbransen

In a new interview, Ronda Rousey gave important insight into why her surprise comeback fight won’t take place in the company that made her a household name, the UFC.

Earlier this week, Rousey shocked the fight world when she announced plans for a completely unexpected comeback fight against fellow female MMA pioneer Gina Carano. However, what was more unexpected than his return to the cage after a decade away was that it wouldn’t be inside the UFC’s Octagon.

Rousey showed so much potential as a box office star during her tenure in Strikeforce that White was forced to back down from his announcement that he would not have women’s fights in the UFC. It was the right move as the Olympic silver medalist would emerge as one of their biggest stars during her three years with the company.

Furthermore, White and Rousey developed a legitimate friendship based on her success and ease of conversation. So why hasn’t he returned to the fight game inside the Octagon?

Cost-effective TKO strategy keeps Rousey from making UFC comeback fight

In a new interview with Jim Rome, Rousey talked about her friendship with White and mentioned that she actually first came to her last year about the idea of ​​a fight with Carano. According to the former UFC bantamweight champion, the promotion boss was so excited by the idea that he stuttered during their call.

Following White’s conversation with Carano, Rousey claims she requested that he give her a pay-per-view raise for the fight. The CEO had no problem in doing so. However, when it became clear that a bout would need to take place in 2026, it conflicted with their new media rights deal with Paramount+, where the company was no longer doing PPVs.

“They didn’t want to set the precedent of giving me the guaranteed money that I deserve, because once I raise that tide, it raises all boats,” Rousey said. “They just signed a $7.7 billion deal at Paramount, so it’s in their best interest not to take the best fights possible and spend as little money as possible so they can stay [that standard]. Dana is now legally bound to maximize shareholder value. “

So, it looks like Dana White wanted Ronda Rousey’s comeback fight. But TKO Group Holdings, the UFC’s parent company, wants to use a more cost-effective approach, especially after the Paramount+ deal. Giving her the money she wanted would have harmed those plans.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

Looking to make an impact after the All-Star break, the Miami Heat got off to an explosive start with a 128-97 win over the Atlanta Hawks with the return of a key piece to the puzzle. As soon as Heat star Tyler Herro returned to practice on Thursday after missing the previous 15 games, he came back on Friday night, and made an immediate impact that caught the attention of captain Bam Adebayo.

It has been a disappointing season for Herro to say the least, as in addition to missing the last 15 fixtures, he has been absent in 45 of the 57 games he has played so far. Coming off the bench in the win at Atlanta, he led the team with 24 points on nine of 14 shooting from the field, two of four from deep, four rebounds and three assists.

For Adebayo, who recorded 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists, it is not surprising to see how Herro could impact Miami, but he felt the guard has an “edge” to him.

“We know what Tyler can do – it’s not a shock…but I think he had an edge about him today, and he showed it,” Adebayo said, via the team’s video, which was posted on Twitter by HeatCulture, formerly of X.

Bam Adebayo on Tyler Herro’s return:

“We know what Tyler can do – it’s not a shock… but I think he had an edge about him today and he showed it.”

24 points in 23 minutes from Hero😮💨 pic.twitter.com/6EOI01Hr19

– 𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙂𝙡𝙩𝙂𝙧𝙚 (@WadexFlash) 21 February 2026

It was Herro’s 11th game of the season, which was an “encouraging” sign to see, as head coach Erik Spoelstra reiterated.

“It was definitely exciting,” Spoelstra said. “Obviously, it’s been a unique season for him. We know how competitive he is; we know how much he wants to be there. But these are things you can’t control. But we’ve never forgotten about the talent he brings. He changes our dynamic tremendously.”

Heat’s Tyler Herro speaks on his return from rib injury

While the Heat are looking to turn their season around after finishing close to a .500 record and finishing eighth in the Eastern Conference, Herro’s involvement could reflect the totality of what this team is really like. At the end of the day, Herro’s health is paramount to as far as this team can reach.

“It felt great,” Herro said. “Finally, it was amazing to be out there. To be out there with my teammates, playing games and getting into my routine again. It felt good.”

The focus has now turned to what his role will be at Will, whether he will continue to come off the bench or return to the starting lineup. After missing 13 games with a toe injury, Spoelstra benched him in a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on January 6, but returned to the starting lineup.

“Right now we’re just trying to get him out of there,” Spoelstra said. “We’re going to manage the minutes. I’m not thinking too much about it, I’m not putting anything into it, I don’t have a timeline for anything.”

That remains to be seen, but the answer will be revealed soon as Miami takes on the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday night.

AJ Styles has shed light on his decision to end his WWE career at the Royal Rumble rather than wait for WrestleMania 42.

After losing a career-ending match to Gunther, “The Phenomenal One” officially retired from the ring on January 31, 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. While many expected the legend to retire on the grandest stage, a new farewell vlog uploaded to WWE’s YouTube channel shows Styles explaining the emotional and logical reasoning behind his choice.

In a vlog captured moments before facing Gunther, Styles admitted that while retiring from WrestleMania is most performers’ dream, it doesn’t match his personal journey following a serious injury.

Injury scare prompts AJ Styles to retire from Royal Rumble

Styles was sidelined through October 2024 with a foot injury, which many believed would prematurely end his career. After struggling to return to health, he felt that returning for a short two-month stint leading up to WrestleMania would be bad for his legacy.

Styles said, “Everyone wants to retire at WrestleMania, the biggest show of the year. That’s exactly what I was going to do, but I just came back from an injury that made me have to retire. That’s what most retirees do. Once I recovered and was comfortable enough to run and do what I need to do to be AJ Styles, it didn’t feel right to come back for two months just to retire.”

For Styles, the Royal Rumble held a personal significance as the venue of his 2016 WWE debut. He saw the Riyadh event as an opportunity to wrap up his WWE tenure. His goal for the night was to express his hope by walking off the field under his own power after giving a final salute to the fans on his own terms.

“It didn’t feel right, and I thought, what a way to leave a pay-per-view right where you started. Hopefully, at the end of this match, I’ll be back on my feet, and I’ll throw the P1 on my gloves once again and walk away,” he continued.

The match with Gunther ended with Styles being eliminated with a sleeper hold, officially ending his full-time career. His comments should also put to rest recent speculation that he could be moving to AEW with his WWE contract expiring soon.

When Kyrie Irving suffered an ACL tear last March, everyone knew the star point guard would miss a significant portion of the 2025-26 season. As the year progressed, the timeline for recovery became blurry and as the Dallas Mavericks sank more rapidly, the expectation was that he would not play at all until the next campaign. The team officially signed Irving on Wednesday, a move that fans are extremely appreciative of.

Mavs head coach Jason Kidd explained exclusively why the 2016 NBA champions will be inactive for the remainder of the season.

“Long-term health,” he said, according to Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. “We want to make sure he’s ready for next season… In practice, some of the things he’s been working on have looked good. I think as we get into March and April, we want him to keep moving in the right direction. With the decision he’s made, we’re thinking about his health long-term and us staying healthy next season.”

Mavericks hoping to make a strong comeback next season

Dallas clearly doesn’t want Irving to return for the final round of a losing campaign and potentially cause a blowout or inadvertently harm the franchise’s draft position. The Mavericks have had a rough year as they navigate their way into the post-Luka Doncic era. Spectacular rookie Cooper Flagg ensures that Dallas can return to the upside at some point soon, but he could definitely use some more help.

A premium draft pick in a loaded class could give the Mavs one of the brightest futures in the NBA. Kyrie Irving also benefits from this. The 33-year-old knows he has limited time to win a second ring. He’s still a high-level scorer, but taking on larger offensive responsibilities on a nightly basis seems impractical, especially after a major injury. A rising flag and a potential top-five pick might take the load off a bit.

However, due to the young talent on this roster, Irving will still be an extremely important component of the Mavericks for the next two seasons. However, he cannot play that role until he is healthy. The future Hall of Famer now has an additional 200-plus days to recover.

Manchester United and Inter Milan have shown serious interest in AS Saint-Étienne’s Paul Aimard.

is according to But! football clubWhich cover the failures of both Manchester United and the Serie A side to sign the 18-year-old.

He left Le Puy Foot 43 Auvergne as a free agent in 2022 to become part of Saint-Étienne’s youth system. Aimard progressed through the ranks and forced his way into the first team at the start of this season.

Manchester United and Inter Milan offered

The midfielder has played 390 minutes in seven matches so far, scoring two goals and providing one assist. He was also a regular for France U17 between 2024 and 2025. Aimard’s performances and potential may have attracted the attention of Manchester United and Inter Milan.

According to the report, both the Red Devils and Nerazzurri submitted offers to secure his services.

However but! The football club says the player ‘rejected offers’ from both clubs to sign his first professional contract with Saint-Étienne in January.

His decision to ignore Manchester United and Inter Milan in favor of remaining at the Ligue 2 team was a ‘bold but calculated choice’.

Reasons for rejecting top clubs

The outlet has also aired Ayred’s comments on rejecting bigger clubs to continue with Saint-Étienne.

“I tell myself that I still have a long way to go and that I have many obstacles to overcome. There are countless players who were seen as great prospects but did not succeed, and some of them were definitely stronger than me.” He said.

“Just because people are starting to talk a lot about me, because big clubs are showing interest, doesn’t mean I’m going to be successful.”

“I need to prove myself at the professional level and then we will see. My squad, my agent and even the club are supporting me so that I don’t get disappointed.”

“I decided to sign my first professional contract with ASSE because it is the club that trained me, so it is a natural step in my development. I have to start there, with the club I love and support.”

“It’s too early to talk about big European clubs. I don’t want to rush things. ASSE has also given me a project where I will work with professionals on a daily basis, which is a big plus. Overall, the club is ambitious and constantly evolving. And then there are always the supporters and all their enthusiasm.”