標籤: losing

Newcastle United’s The search for another high-end central defender has taken them to several European markets over the past year.

The Magpies have focused on youth profiles capable of making long-term starts rather than short-term improvements, particularly with injuries and concerns about squad depth continuing to follow Eddie Howe’s side.

One name that has consistently remained in that conversation, at least according to the Portuguese press, is Antonio Silva.

The Benfica defender has been admired in Newcastle’s recruitment structure for some time. The club first tried to convince him To go to the Premier League. There was also serious interest from Juventus before Benfica blocked the sale.

However, the situation is now changing rapidly at the Portugal international level.

Newcastle United attentive to contract situation

according to recordBenfica have formally offered Antonio Silva a new contract as they attempt to avoid entering a dangerous situation over his future.

The 22-year-old only has one year left on his current deal, meaning this summer could become the Portuguese side’s last realistic opportunity to secure a big fee.

Benfica president Rui Costa is trying hard to convince the defender to stay. The report suggests that the club is also ready to hand over the captaincy to Antonio Silva after Nicolas Otamendi’s departure from the club.

That offer is designed to show how central he is to Benfica’s future plans.

Everyone’s waiting to see what happens

Records show that Benfica still want Antonio Silva and Tomas Araújo to become the club’s long-term defensive partnership next season. Even Jose Mourinho reportedly planned around that idea before his expected departure to Real Madrid.

However, Benfica also knows that the player himself now controls most of the situation.

If Antonio Silva refuses to renew, the Portuguese club may be forced to seriously consider offers. Newcastle are one of the clubs that have already deployed the player after previous contact with the camp.

The Magpies’ interest also makes strategic sense.

Fabian Schar turns 34 this season and has struggled with injuries at various moments of the campaign. Sven Botman and Malick Thiaw were regulars for most of the season, but the pair also showed inconsistency during several stretches. Meanwhile, Dan Byrne – heavily used on the left side of defense by Eddie Howe – has also just turned 34.

This leaves Newcastle in a position where adding another long-term central defensive option could become a serious priority this summer.

Antonio Silva still looks like a promising profile despite a mixed campaign at Benfica.

The defender has made 43 appearances in all competitions this season. He will also remain a regular in Roberto Martínez’s Portugal plans ahead of the upcoming World Cup. Benfica hope that interest in him may increase further during the summer period.

Benfica’s stance is changing due to contract pressure

What makes this situation particularly important for Newcastle is the contract deadline.

Benfica already had enough power to reject approaches outright. This becomes even more difficult if Antonio Silva delays renewal talks into the summer.

The record states that the player is expected to wait until after the World Cup before making a final decision on his future. Benfica are aware of that possibility and know that the clock is now working against them.

Newcastle already know the resistance from Benfica. However, this time, if renewal talks fail to progress, the Portuguese side will not have as much room to hold on.

The Minnesota Wild are halfway to starting their summer vacation after losing 5-2 to the Colorado Avalanche in Game 2 of the Western Conference Second Round series at Ball Arena on Tuesday night.

It wasn’t a track meet like their 9-6 loss in Game 1 on Saturday. But the end result was the same – a three-goal loss in which the Wild couldn’t stop Avs stars Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas. MacKinnon, who finished third in the NHL in scoring during the regular season, had his second consecutive one-goal, two-assist night, while Necas scored the game’s first goal and set up another.

Gabriel Landeskog, Nicolas Roy, and Valeri Nichushkin also scored for the Avs, the NHL’s top team during the regular season. Scott Wedgwood made 29 saves to win his sixth game in as many tries.

The Wild got a goal by Kirill Kaprizov in the first period and a goal by Marcus Johansson with 5:27 left in the third period, but it was not enough against the NHL’s highest-scoring team during the regular season.

The series takes a three-day break before heading to Grand Casino Arena for Game 3 on Saturday. Extra days off Thursday and Friday due to Minnesota Frost’s PWHL playoff games. That will give coach John Hynes some more time to figure out how to stop the Avs, who have allowed 14 goals in the first two games.

Goaltender change won’t help Wild in Game 2 loss

The Wild changed goaltenders after the Game 1 loss. Rookie Jesper Wallstad took the seat and veteran Philipp Gustavsson got his first start since April 13. This is their next-to-last regular season game. But Gustavsson didn’t get the better of Wallstad in the first 10 minutes, allowing him to score on his first two shots.

MacKinnon did all the work on the first goal of the game. He raced to the right in his own area and found Necas arriving late. Necas found a gap between three defenders and beat Gustavsson with a backhander at 2:51 for a 1-0 lead.

The excitement had not yet subsided when the Wild took advantage of Colorado’s defensive mistake and tied the score. Cale Makar was well out of position and Ryan Hartman sent Kaprizov on a breakaway. Minnesota’s all-time playoff goal-scoring leader beat Wedgewood at 2:57 – six seconds after Necas scored – tying the game at 1–1.

The Wild held Colorado without a goal for more than five minutes. But Colorado made it 2-for-2 on Landeskog’s power-play goal at 8:24. Landeskog found a soft spot in the slot and finished the tic-tac-toe passing play from Makar to Necas to MacKinnon, whose perfect feed set up Colorado’s captain for a 10-foot snap shot on which Gustavsson had no chance.

Minnesota forced the tying goal during their first power play after Brock Nelson was sent off for holding at 13:16. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Wild had six high-danger chances while on the man-advantage, but Wedgwood stopped all of them.

The period ended with Colorado leading 2–1, although the Wild had a 10–7 edge in shots on goal.

As they did in the opening 20 minutes, the Avs scored on their first shot of the second period. Minnesota failed to get the puck deep in an attempt to enter the zone; The Avs took advantage after Russ Colton saw Roy intercepted. Roy immediately hit his shot and beat Gustavsson at 1:24 to take a 3-1 lead.

The Wild again had 10 shots in the second period, but they attacked less consistently and did not seriously test Wedgwood.

Wedgwood kept Minnesota from getting closer after Nelson took a tripping penalty at 4:20. The Avs did not score after Matt Zuccarello was called for tripping at 7:26, but MacKinnon’s power-play one-timer from the left circle at 13:18 extended the lead to 4–1.

Marcus Johansson got one back at 14:33, but that was as close as Minnesota got. Nichushkin’s empty net with five seconds remaining rubbed more salt into the wound.

Key takeaways after the Wild’s 5-2 loss to Avalanche in Game 2

wild stars shine

The Avalanche are getting great production from MacKinnon and Necas. The Wild can’t say the same about many of their top players.

Defenseman Quinn Hughes, who entered the game leading all players in postseason scoring, had a rough night. He played 28:07 but finished minus-1 with no shots on goal, three shot attempts, one hit and one blocked shot. The Avs paid a lot of attention to Minnesota’s top defender – especially on a big third-period hit by MacKinnon.

Kaprizov had a goal and a few other good chances, but Matt Boldy had no points, finished at minus-1 and wasn’t much of a factor. Boldy, the Wild’s leading scorer with six goals in the first round, has one assist in two games.

The Wild won’t be able to beat an elite team without their top players firing on all cylinders, they weren’t doing that on Tuesday.

Special teams problems continue

The Wild’s special teams are still dragging him down.

Minnesota was 2-for-4 on the power play in the Wild’s 6-1 win over the Dallas Stars. But it has done almost nothing since then, a trend that continued against Colorado. Minnesota went 0–2, making the Wild 0–5 in the series and 26–2 in the last seven games.

The penalty-killer, who allowed Dallas to score 10 times on 25 chances in the opening round, isn’t faring much better against Colorado. The Avs are 2-for-5 and 3-for-7 in the first two games. Minnesota’s 13 power-play goals allowed and minus-9 differential are the worst of any team in this year’s playoffs.

break time

The Wild will be glad they get an extra day off before Game 3. They’re hoping the offseason will allow injured Joel Eriksson Ek, one of the NHL’s best two-way centers, to return to the lineup at home.

Hines will undoubtedly use the time to figure out who he will start in goal on Saturday. Wallstadt scored eight goals in Game 1 but the Wild advanced to Dallas in the first round. Gustavsson, who carried most of the load during the regular season, allowed few goals on preventable shots.

Whoever he chooses will have to put in a big effort in front of the home fans. The Wild are trying to reach the conference finals for the first time since 2003.

stat shots

The Wild are down 2-0 in a series for the ninth time in their history. He won only one of the first eight. This happened in 2014, when they lost the first two games on the road but won Game 7 in Denver to clinch the series.

The Wild and Avs tied the second-fastest two-goal total in a Stanley Cup game; The Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers played six seconds into Game 2 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. The record is five seconds, set by the Penguins and Buffalo Sabers in Game 3 of the preliminary round in 1979.

Colorado started 6–0 in this year’s playoffs, tying the Carolina Hurricanes. This marks the fifth time in playoff history that multiple teams have started the postseason so long.

It was MacKinnon’s 21st career multi-point playoff game. This moved him ahead of Hall of Famer (now Avs president) Joe Sakic for the most wins in franchise history.

Colorado set an NHL record with 12 different goaltenders in the first two games of any postseason series.

Jon Krieger covered his first New York Rangers game (against the California Golden Seals) in November 1975 and it… More about Jon Krieger

everton, Sunderland And brighton and hove albion Everyone has been chasing CA Osasuna’s Enzo Boyomo before the summer.

The 24-year-old’s development and form caught the attention of the Premier League last year alone.

At that time, we Covered claims from Spain Interest from Aston Villa and Crystal Palace, but no negotiations took place.

Fast forward to May and Everton, Sunderland and Brighton are now looking at centre-backs.

PL trio showed interest

The latest claims state that three English clubs are already showing interest in Enzo Boyomo.

newspaper of navaraCA Osasuna’s local newspaper report that their sources confirm that Everton, Sunderland and Brighton are all interested.

The 24-year-old has a €25m release clause and few of these clubs are willing to pay that fee. However, the report does not specify who among Everton, Regis Le Bris’s team and the Seagulls are prepared to offer that future.

Apart from the Premier League trio, Ipswich Town and Como are also in the mix.

Last month, Sports Witness Covered claims from Spain Ipswich Town sent a scout to follow the defender live.

The Championship side have secured promotion to the top flight, and the newspaper’s state scout officer watched Boyomo in action against Barcelona again last weekend. The Cameroon international is also on the Serie A team’s radar.

Osasuna are aware of the interest of these clubs and the ‘fear’ that the player could leave in the next window. Therefore, the La Liga side is working on finding his potential replacement.

Boyomo can only leave if interested parties pay his full release condition. Another newspaper, As, Also report that a €25m clause needs to be activated for the summer sale.

Contracts, prices, statistics and agent information

Enzo Boyomo has played 2,305 minutes in 27 matches, of which 120 minutes were from a Copa del Rey appearance.

transfer market The defender is valued at €20 million with a contract until 2029. Spanish agency All Iron Sports represents the Cameroonians.

Queens Park Rangers manager Julien Stephan is attracting interest from Ligue 1 and could leave the Championship side, according to claims in France.

The 45-year-old began his coaching career at Stade Rennais in 2015 and left them for RC Strasbourg in 2021 before returning to the club in 2023.

After spending two years there, he left Stade Rennais for the second time and moved to QPR in June 2025.

The Frenchman has managed 47 matches for QPR, 45 of which have been in the Championship.

His league record with QPR is as follows:

• Match: 45
• Win: 16
• Draw: 10
• Defeat: 19

They now sit 14th in the league table, 12 points behind sixth-placed Wrexham. Although it has not been a productive first season away from France, his work at QPR has not gone unnoticed.

Two months ago, Q.P.R. Credited to Nicolas Madsen manager to improve his overall play this season.

QPR boss attracting French attention

Journalist Mohammed Toubache-Ter took xFormerly known as Twitter, to share a brief update on Julian Stephan.

He said the League 1 side are looking for a new manager, with the QPR manager included in their shortlist. The journalist did not provide any further updates on the details of that team or the coach’s plans for the future.

young footballer Spread this claim of Toubache-ter and share your opinion on this matter.

The outlet conducts its own analysis to find out which clubs could be keeping an eye on the former Stade Rennais boss.

After detailed analysis, he narrowed down Toulouse FC and FC Lorient as ‘credible destinations’ for a return to Ligue 1. Both of these clubs are most likely to make changes to their bench after this season.

Carles Martínez is at Nouvel Toulouse, and his contract expires in June. As things stand, that will leave him as a free agent. When Stephane returned in 2023, his president, Olivier Clorec, had the same role at Stade Rennais.

Clorec could convince his compatriot to leave the London club for Toulouse. At Lorient, manager Olivier Pantaloni has announced his decision to leave at the end of the season.

🇧🇷 Philip Lewis | Exclusive: QPR and Middlesbrough linked with Brazilian manager

➡️ Conversation with representatives
➡️ Championship trick on cards
➡️ Watford also keen, but more in the backgroundhttps://t.co/z1YRHRnzVP #qpr #boro

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 18 April 2026

Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy did everything he could to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning past the Montreal Canadiens in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round series on Friday night at the Bell Centre. This was not enough.

Vasilevskiy denied three Montreal breakaways in regulation, but he never saw Montreal defenseman Len Hutson’s slap shot from the right point as it passed multiple bodies and into the net 2:08 into overtime to give the Canadiens a 3–2 win and a 2–1 lead in the best-of-7 series.

Alexandre Texier, who opened the scoring early in the first period, flicked a shot back to Hutson, and the 2025 Calder Trophy winner produced a rocket that found its way through a half-dozen bodies and into the net.

Brayden Point and Brandon Hagel scored for the Lightning. Hagel’s goal early in the second period put Tampa Bay ahead 2–1, but Kirby Dach put the Canadiens even at 12:43. Vasilevskiy finished with 26 saves on 29 shots; Montreal rookie Jacob Dobbs faced only 17 shots and stopped 15.

This was the third consecutive overtime game in the series, the first for the Lightning since entering the NHL in 1992. The Canadiens had not gone to OT in three straight playoff games since Games 2, 3 and 4 of the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals – they won all three en route to their most recent championship. It was the first time that an NHL playoff series began with three straight overtime games since the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals did so in 2021.

The teams split OT wins in Games 1 and 2 at Benchmark International Arena, with the Canadiens winning 4–3 in the opener and Tampa Bay taking the series with a 3–2 win in Game 2. The Lightning have not won consecutive playoff games since the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Rangers.

They will try to even the series on Sunday night in Montreal.

The sellout crowd of 20,962 was roaring from the moment Canadiens legend Yvan Cournoyer took the torch to lead Montreal onto the ice. This became even more intense when his heroes gained a quick lead.

Zach Bolduc moved the puck to the right circle and saw that Texier was late in the middle, with no Lightning defender there to pick him up. Bolduc fed a pass onto Texier’s stick for a perfect shot from the slot that took the top corner past Vasilevskiy’s glove at 4:53, giving Montreal the lead 1–0.

But this lead did not last long. Dobbs was called for fouling Yanni Gourde, and the Lightning capitalized at 7:42 when Point found space in the slot, took a pass from Jake Guentzel and one-timed it into the net for a 1–1 tie.

The Lightning got another power play 30 seconds after the goal when Dach was called for tripping but produced very little power. Montreal had a good chance after Nikita Kucherov took an unnecessary tripping penalty at 12:23, and the Lightning again failed to convert after Mike Matheson took a hooking penalty at 19:11.

Tampa Bay dominated the game for the first few minutes of the second period and led 2–1 at the 4:47 mark. Hagel picked up a pass from Jake Evans in the neutral zone, raced to the left circle and surprised Dobbs with a quick shot that beat him on the short side for his fourth goal of the series.

Vasilevsky maintained the lead just over a minute later by stopping Montreal rookie Ivan Demidov on a breakaway. Demidov, who led all NHL rookies with 62 points during the regular season, gave the Lightning their fourth power play at 9:59 when he carelessly high-sticked Ryan McDonagh, but Tampa Bay could not take advantage.

This set the stage for the Canadiens to even the score. Vasilevskiy blocked Dach from the slot, but the puck went along the right board. Dach tracked him down and fired through the maze of bodies; Vasilevskiy never saw the puck, which deflected off McDonagh and into the net at 12:43, making the score 2–2.

Tampa Bay spent most of the remaining period killing penalties. Hegel was called for holding a stick at 14:05, Emil Lilleberg was sent for hooking at 16:14 and Darren Raddish was called for a high-sticking minor at 19:29.

Montreal outshot the Bolts 13–7 in the middle period, and Tampa Bay did not have a single shot on goal until the final 13:25.

Vasilevskiy was the biggest reason the Lightning forced overtime despite being outshot 21-11 in the final two periods, including 8-4 in the third when he faced two more breakaways.

Cole Caufield, the 51-goal scorer during the regular season, came in alone at 3:29, but Vasilevskiy came out to challenge him, but was unsuccessful. Josh Anderson took a breakaway pass coming out of the penalty box midway through the period, but Vasilevskiy did not fake the pass and made a wrist save from his close range.

According to Natural Stat Trick, the Bolts applied little pressure on Dobbs and had only three high-danger scoring chances over the course of 60 minutes. Hutson’s game-winner came on the only shot in overtime.

Key takeaways after Canadiens top Lightning in OT to win Game 3

wasting a precious gem

The Lightning couldn’t have asked for anything more from their future Hall of Fame goaltender. They did everything but stand on their heads as Hegel’s goal put them ahead 2–1, despite managing all five shots on goal.

Dach’s tying goal came after “Vesey” made a big stop on him – and as was the case with Hutson’s game-winner, No. 88 never saw the shot due to the series of bodies in front of him.

Tampa Bay did almost nothing offensively after the first five minutes of the second period and only the play of Vasilevskiy gave them a chance to win.

Hagel and linemates need help

The Lightning scored eight goals in the first three games of this series. Hagel has four of them, assisted on the fifth and has been on the ice for all eight. For good measure, he also became the first player in Lightning history to get a Gordie Howe hat trick (goal/assist/fighting major) in Game 2.

His goal in Game 3 was an unassisted gem, ending with a spectacular shot that completely caught Dobbs by surprise.

Hegel and his teammates, Guentzel (five points, all assists) and Nikita Kucherov (four points; one goal, three assists) each had 14 points. The other three in a row combined have three (point goal and two assists) by Anthony Cirelli in Game 2. This is not a formula for playoff success.

too much punishment

The Lightning’s penalty-killers could use the day off before Sunday’s game.

Tampa Bay did a great job of shutting down all four Montreal power plays in Game 3, including three in a span of just over five minutes in the second period. They limited the Canadiens to five shots on goal during four shutouts and were generally successful in keeping Montreal out. This was a huge change from earlier in the series, when the Lightning surrendered four power-play goals on the Canadiens’ first six opportunities.

But eight minutes of power-play time for the Canadiens meant Tampa Bay had to keep top offensive players like Kucherov on the bench. He played only 41 seconds over the course of 9:59 spanning the second and third periods – most of which Tampa Bay played down a man. Not having your top players in tie games is no way to be successful, especially in the playoffs.

Jon Krieger covered his first New York Rangers game (against the California Golden Seals) in November 1975 and it… More about Jon Krieger

There’s a lot to take in this summer regarding the New Jersey Devils.

It’s a good thing they found their general manager that quickly. Sunny Mehta is the man in charge now. So, what should be on his to-do list immediately? More information on that is in the link below.

Elsewhere, Blueshirts fans are losing faith in their GM, extensions for key young stars and the battle for Pennsylvania.

Devil’s Trade Rumors and News

New Jersey Hockey Now: Well, I took the weekend off to rest and refresh after a long, hard season. However, before that, I had sorted out Sunny Mehta’s to-do list which starts as soon as possible. Here are five immediate tasks for the new Devils GM to tackle.

📺 devil’s rink report: In case you missed it, we went live as soon as the Devils named Mehta as the Devils’ new GM. That response can be found below.

Full episode here 👇🏼

Please like and subscribe our Youtube channel And turn on those notifications when we go live every Friday!

For podcast listeners, we have officially launched on multiple platforms. Listen to Devil’s Rink Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.

Too! Devil’s Rink Report is now on TikTok – follow us here.

sign up for new jersey hockey now Newsletter for daily Devils intel straight to your inbox.

NHL Trade Talk, News and National Hockey Now

Forever Blueshirts: Did New York Rangers GM Chris Drury give any hints about the uncertain future of defenseman Braden Schneider?

Athletic ($): Although he may have hinted at Schneider, Drury is losing the trust of Rangers fans due to a lack of transparency.

Pittsburgh hockey now: The Pittsburgh Penguins lost the first game against their Pennsylvania neighbor and rival. Here are the adjustments made by head coach Dan Muse before Game 2.

San Jose Hockey Now: Is there an extension coming for Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith? Here’s what Mike Grier said at the San Jose Sharks exit meetings.

Philly hockey now: Despite the win over the Penguins in Game One, the Philadelphia Flyers need to improve here.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

“Sunday Night Football” on NBC is definitely the most popular game every week during the NFL season. Led by Mike Tirico and Chris Collinsworth, the primetime slot features the sport’s premier matchups on the football field. However, can NBC Sports lose Sunday Night Football to another competitor in the NFL?

NBC is “at risk” of losing its Sunday Night Football package amid rising prices for NFL broadcast rights, John Aurand reports. Netflix is ​​”inspired to offer the sun and the moon” for Sunday night games if NBC is ever in danger of losing the primetime slot.

If Netflix ever acquired the NFL rights package, it would be the second weekly primetime slot the streaming platform is after. Amazon Prime Video acquired a “Thursday Night Football” package in 2021, which will air games during the 2022–23 NFL season.

As of now, Netflix only has NFL games on Christmas, starting in 2024. The 2026–27 NFL season is the last year of his deal with the game. Meanwhile, the NFL’s current media rights deals run through the 2033 season, but the league has a contractual opt-out clause to end them early after the 2029 season.

So, if Netflix wants to participate in Sunday Night Football, it probably won’t be possible until 2030. The NFL will likely opt to renegotiate contracts through the 2033 season. The game announced its current blockbuster 11-year media rights deals on March 18, 2021.

NFL fans love watching Sunday night games on NBC, but the network may be in danger of losing it to streaming platforms like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video. Sunday Night Football is the NFL’s biggest game of the week, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see a bidding war.

READ MORE: NFL Insider predicts surprise Browns starter for 2026 – it’s Deshaun Watson

Austin Konensky is a writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and more. His work can also…more about Austin Konensky

Brooklyn Nets They’ll have a chance to win back-to-back games for the first time in nearly a month when they host charlotte hornets On Tuesday.

However, they will be cut short when they attempt to do so. With Michael Porter Jr., Igor Demin and De’Ron Sharp sidelined indefinitely, the Nets also have Terrence Mann (left Achilles soreness) and Danny Wolf (left ankle sprain) out for the matchup.

Mann has played a vital role in Brooklyn’s rotation this season. The veteran forward has appeared in 62 games so far with 50 starts and is averaging 7.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists on .455/.358/.788 shooting splits.

Meanwhile, Wolf will miss his fifth consecutive game due to an ankle injury. The rookie forward also missed the start of the season with the same ankle sprain.

Mann, Wolf injuries add to lengthy Nets injury report before Charlotte game

With Sharp sidelined for the season, Wolf had faced an increased workload in the Brooklyn Nets frontcourt prior to his injury. The No. 27 seed has made several encouraging changes during his rookie campaign.

He averaged 8.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists on 40.5% shooting from the floor in 20.8 minutes per game in 57 games this season.

However, with Mann and Wolf sidelined, rookie guard Drake Powell and two-way forward Cheney Johnson should see increased minutes against Charlotte.

Brooklyn snapped a 10-game losing streak by defeating the Sacramento Kings 116-99 at Barclays Center on Sunday.

Since his first foray into online journalism in 2019, Peter Okereke has written widely on entertainment, politics and pop… More about Peter Okereke

MIAMI – As the Miami Heat make a push for the 2026 NBA Playoffs, the team is currently trending in a negative direction, tied with five consecutive losses following Monday’s 136-111 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. As the Heat and Bam Adebayo are unable to overcome Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, the team captain will keep it real even after the loss.

Wembanyama finished with 26 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks, leading San Antonio to an impressive win on both sides of the ball, outclassing Miami from the start. There came a time when frustration grew for the Heat as Adebayo and head coach Erik Spoelstra were teasing each other after the star was out.

As Adebayo’s minutes seemed to mirror Wembanyama’s, as Spoelstra inserted Kel’El Ware into relief as the Spurs star was relieved, the Miami big man’s competitive edge came to the fore. Now in the midst of a five-game losing streak, Adebayo would chime in on the heated exchange with Spoelstra, including his NSFW reaction to not wanting to attend the play-in tournament for the fourth consecutive season.

“I mean, he’s been watching what I’ve been doing the last number of games,” Adebayo said while recording 18 points (5-17 FG, 2-10 from deep) with four assists and three rebounds. “I don’t want to be in the play-in. So some of it is, yes, he has to save me from myself, but at the same time, I don’t want to be in the play-in. So every game, I’m going to try to go out there and do my best to push this team and force us out of this.”

Bam Adebayo barked back and forth with Erik Spoelstra from the beginning:

“Some of it is that he has to protect me from myself, but at the same time, I don’t want to be in the f**king play-in…”

Full response: #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/gxHj4gxPVh

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 24 March 2026

Heat’s Erik Spoelstra ‘barking’ at him and Bam Adebayo at each other

While the Heat weren’t able to maintain their identity in the loss to the Spurs, it started with the defense, as the team struggled on the boards, getting out-rebounded 62-38 in addition to giving up 136 points. San Antonio also won the second-chance points battle 25–6, and excelled in the paint, scoring 60 in that area compared to Miami’s 40.

Adebayo played a stellar 45 minutes in Saturday’s loss to the Houston Rockets, but that was unlikely to be the case on Monday, as Spoelstra said he liked Adebayo’s competitive nature.

“He and I were barking at each other. That’s why I love him. I think he loves me,” Spoelstra said, laughing. “But even if he doesn’t, I’ve still got to do what’s best for the team. You know, I don’t want to play him 24 minutes in a row every half. If I’m forced to do it like Houston did, I’ll do it. But it’s the first half. I didn’t think it was necessary, you know. So some minutes, yes, most of the minutes are matchup ones. But it shouldn’t be all the minutes for us.”

Erik Spoelstra talks about him and Bam Adebayo “barking” at each other.

“That’s why I love him, I think he loves me,” Spoelstra said, laughing. “But even if he doesn’t do that, I have to do what’s best for the team, I don’t want to play with him for 24 minutes straight…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/ZKS2cX4I2C

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 24 March 2026

One of the words spoken in Spoelstra’s postgame press conference after the loss in Houston was that the Heat are going through “pain,” a feeling that continues to be “uncomfortable” during this skid.

“We’re being tested right now, we’re not the only team that’s being tested,” Spoelstra told ClutchPoints. “It feels uncomfortable, no doubt about that. We definitely got outplayed tonight, in basically every aspect of the game. It’s a game, I understand the other four, but there are some really good things in other games, even more so, and we just have to stay the course.”

Erik Spoelstra was asked about the “pain” the Heat are going through after their loss to the Rockets and speaking about his situation after the Spurs:

“We’re being tested right now… It feels uncomfortable, there’s no doubt about it…”

Full response: #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/rXxRb08Dtj

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 24 March 2026

What the Heat lacked in the Spurs defeat, and what a ‘good problem’ they have

As the Heat disappointed against the Spurs in almost every category, one area that can’t be seen in the statsheet is the “competitive spirit” that the team lacked, as Adebayo reiterated, shouting out Myron Gardner’s energy despite the result.

“We didn’t bring competitive spirit. That’s really what it was. Shout out to Myron Garner, man, I looked up to Myron because he plays so hard,” Adebayo told ClutchPoints after Gardner played 18 minutes and scored nine points. “We honestly need to match his energy, all of us, because we play like this, we’ll be a completely different team, but our energy has to transfer, and then basketball is going to be basketball. We missed shots, whatever, but you have to continue to play through the missed shots. I felt like we let those shots get to our heads, and it affected us on the other end.”

Asked Bam Adebayo what was the catalyst for Spurs’ disappointing defeat:

“We didn’t bring the competitive spirit, that’s really it, shout out to Myron Gardner… We just needed to match his energy honestly…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/9FoUc3vONX

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 24 March 2026

Another challenge for Miami in the game was having the healthiest roster in a long time, with the return of Andrew Wiggins (toe), Jaime Jacquez Jr. (hip), and Norman Powell (calf) from injury. While Spoelstra is still looking for the right rotation to use with 10 games left, Herro would say it’s a “good problem to have.”

“I’m not sure, but we’ve got to figure it out. I’d rather be completely healthy than not go out there, so we have a good problem to have. It’s a good problem to have, and we’ve just got to get back on track,” Herro said after scoring 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field with five rebounds.

Tyler Herro speaks after the Heat’s fifth consecutive L, this time for the Spurs.

We talk about what needs to be fixed, including me asking him if being the healthiest he has been in a long time is part of the problems.

Says it’s a “good problem” for every healthy person. #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/lYMQOZJRC0

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 24 March 2026

Summer ‘keeps releasing the rope’

The Heat are trying to recover from the pain Spoelstra talks about, playing time is limited after the loss to the Spurs, making it a tough adjustment to have a fully healthy roster for the first time. Despite being an All-Star this season, mostly as a starter, Powell’s coming off the bench has been a step up.

After scoring 21 points on seven of 18 shooting from the field and four of 11 from deep, Powell talked about how the team continues to “let go of the rope” even in adversity.

“I think when things get tough, we let go of the rope,” Powell told ClutchPoints. “I think that’s what happens when we lose like this. We get hit, have some adversity, miss some shots and then everyone starts worrying about what happened on offense, and teams take advantage of that and keep punishing us. When we get hit, we keep going.”

Asked Norman Powell about the five consecutive defeats and what he saw in the defeat:

“I think when things get tough, we let go of the rope… have some adversity, miss some shots, then everyone starts worrying about what happened on offense and teams take advantage…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/V1KJahjCy2

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 24 March 2026

As previously stated, there are now 10 games left in the regular season as the Heat are now 38-34, leaving them in ninth place in the Eastern Conference heading into a two-game road trip on Wednesday and Friday, both of which they will face the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The LA Clippers were the hottest team in the NBA entering Saturday night’s contest against the worst team in the NBA. The Sacramento Kings entered the contest with a league-worst record of 16–51, while the Clippers had won 28 of their previous 39 games, coming back from 15 games under .500 in a single season to climb above .500 for the first time.

What followed was a potentially season-changing play.

The Clippers lost the game against the shorthanded Kings, 118–109, but it was a contest in which they fell behind by 20 points and never got involved. There was a stretch in the fourth quarter where the Clippers got within three, but it coincided with Kawhi Leonard, who suffered an injury in the first half that required stitches, exited the game with 9:27 remaining in the fourth quarter and did not return due to a sprained left ankle.

Leonard was out of favor in the next game against the San Antonio Spurs, leading to another loss against the second-best team in the NBA despite holding an 18-point lead in the first half. Benedict Mathurin suffered a toe injury in that loss that has kept him out of the Clippers’ three-game road trip, and depending on how his toe responds to rehab and treatment, it could keep him out even longer.

On Wednesday and Thursday the Clippers head to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans, a venue that has famously suited the franchise over the past half-decade. And if you’re a fan of the team, it was no surprise that the Clippers lost both games that Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland played in, with both having to sit out.

This was seen as a huge opportunity for the Clippers to make a run at the Western Conference standings and potentially clinch a play-in berth. It was a long shot, but entering the Kings game on March 14, the Clippers climbed to a 34–32 record, trailing the seventh-seeded Phoenix Suns by just four games in the loss column and the Denver Nuggets by six games in the loss column.

The Clippers are now in a three-way tie for the 8th seed. The injuries came at the worst possible time, as they have now lost 4 games in a row (including the 3rd worst teams in the league).

LA has lost all its momentum and is unable to make any headway on the Suns, who have also lost 4 games… pic.twitter.com/qjZXrDvSCk

– Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) 20 March 2026

LA had a very favorable schedule based on strength of schedule and remaining advantage games compared to their opponents, while the Suns were facing a road trip that included the Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, and San Antonio Spurs.

Now the Clippers are riding a four-game losing streak, holding no lead on Phoenix despite their four-game losing streak, while the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers come right behind them to try to avoid the dreaded 9-10 play-in game.

The Clippers are considered one of the easiest remaining schedule powers, with several games against the Dallas Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks still on tap. However, it appears this season will be reduced to three games:

March 31 vs. Portland Trail Blazers
April 10 @Portland Trail Blazers
April 12 vs. Golden State Warriors

Entering Friday, the Clippers, Blazers and Warriors are all tied in the loss column with 36 losses. The Clippers are dealing with injuries to Kawhi Leonard and Benedict Mathurin, the Blazers are still without Shaddon Sharp, and the Warriors are without Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler.

LA currently holds a 2-1 series lead over the Warriors with one game remaining on the final day of the season. Last season, the Clippers and Warriors played a game on the final day of the NBA regular season to decide who would receive a top-six seed and who would advance to the play-in tournament.

The Clippers currently lead 2–0 in their season series against the Trail Blazers, with two more games in the final two weeks of the season.

It remains to be seen how troublesome Kawhi Leonard’s ankle injury is and how serious Benedict Mathurin’s toe injury is, but with the Blazers having won four of their last six games and the Warriors expected to get Stephen Curry back by the end of the month, we could be in for an epic battle for play-in positioning.

We’re only two races into the 2026 Formula 1 season, and Ferrari has the best race starts on the grid, a driver lineup that most teams would sell internal organs for and a car that’s capable of beating Mercedes on a good day. Scuderia Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur also spent part of his post-race media session in Shanghai drawing a line in the sand over the start procedure controversy. And for once, the Ferrari team principals are completely right to do so.

Backstory matters here. A year ago, Vasseur came to the FIA ​​and said the 2026 start process would be a problem.

“A year ago, I went to the FIA,” Vasseur said in China. “I raised my hand early in the process and said, ‘Guys, this is going to be hard.’ The answer was clear that we had to design the car fitting with the regulation, not replace the regulation fitting with the car.”

Ferrari did exactly that. He created a smaller turbo that spun more efficiently, built a power unit to meet the new regulations, and showed off in Melbourne, with Charles Leclerc going from fourth to first at Turn One. Lewis Hamilton did basically the same thing from the second row in China. Rivals noticed, were outraged, and immediately began lobbying for changes, with George Russell even calling Ferrari “selfish” for preventing further changes in the process.

“We designed the car fitting with the regulation, the five-second change, the blue light story, didn’t help us at all,” Vasseur said, “but I think at one level enough was enough.”

Asked if the case was closed, he didn’t hesitate: “For me, yes.”

Good. This should be stopped. Ferrari identified a problem, raised it through the proper channels, asked for it to be dealt with, and then went and dealt with it better than anyone else in the paddock. Penalizing competence because your competitors didn’t do their homework is not supposed to be the way sporting rules work, and the FIA ​​would now embarrass itself by bowing to that pressure.

Vasseur and the Ferrari project selective outrage

But the thing is, being right about this particular battle doesn’t mean that Ferrari’s relationship with regulation drama has suddenly become healthy. It’s not like that.

The Scuderia has spent the better part of two decades treating the rule book as both a weapon and a crutch, depending on which way the wind is blowing. When the rules are in their favor it’s a matter of integrity of the game. When the rules don’t do it, it’s a political conspiracy. The fact that Vasseur has a legitimate complaint right now doesn’t erase the pattern and it’s hard to miss the pattern when you’re watching it play out in real time.

Mercedes is still ahead. Ferrari is still lagging behind in straight-line performance which matters most at the start. Vasseur candidly acknowledged the deficit, saying the team was “eight tenths off in Melbourne, six tenths off on Friday in China, four tenths off on Saturday” and needed to work on the chassis, tires and engine to close that gap – not just on one parameter. It’s honest self-assessment, and it’s the kind of conversation that shows Vasseur understands where the real work lies.

Ferrari and this cultural malaise

The problem is that in the broader culture of Ferrari there is a gravitational pull toward lateral performance. Hamilton and Leclerc are two of the best drivers alive, there’s real speed in the car, and Japan is coming in 10 days with a circuit that could highlight Mercedes’ straight-line advantage in a way it didn’t in Shanghai. There are legitimate reasons for optimism in Maranello. None of this has anything to do with the politics of the initiation process.

Ferrari’s best path to the championship – their first since 2008 – runs directly through improving Mercedes over the course of the season, not by blocking rule changes that help rivals catch up. Vasseur knows this.

“Racing hasn’t changed,” he said. “All components of the demonstration are still on the table.”

This is the correct framing. Beginners are a weapon right now and there is nothing wrong with using them. Turning them into a season-long narrative, however, is a distraction Ferrari can’t really afford.

Win the argument at the start line. Win the season in the wind tunnel. They are not the same thing.

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

San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet has been a constant for the team throughout the season, stepping up in the absence of Victor Wembanyama. He found himself starting for the All-Star big man on several occasions this season, which he jokingly talked about white noise podcast.

“Vic was out for a while and then he was back on minutes restriction and coming off the bench,” Kornett said. “And we were doing pretty well. And nobody really asked me how I felt about it. I don’t know if you’re familiar with Wally Pipp. It was fun too because there was the All-Star thing going on and it felt like I was the starter on the team. I saw a lot of votes going the other way.”

Wembanyama returned to the Spurs lineup this season after playing only 46 games in the 2024–2025 season due to deep vein thrombosis. He made one appearance earlier this season in his third year in the league, but was slightly derailed by a calf strain. After being out for a few weeks, he returned in time for the in-season tournament and Christmas Day games versus the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the Spurs coaching staff moved him off the bench out of an abundance of caution. Instead, Luke Cornet began managing Vembanyama’s minutes following the injury.

The Spurs were actually able to remain competitive in the Western Conference without Wembanyama, posting a 10–5 record in 15 games without him this season. Kornet certainly played a role, averaging 6.7 points and 6.2 rebounds on 65% from the floor.

When the Los Angeles Lakers signed free agent Marcus Smart over the summer, they were determined to prove he could still compete for a championship contender. And while his team hasn’t been consistent enough this season to earn that label, Smart and the Lakers have the third-best record in the Western Conference standings. Marcus knows he is fortunate to still have an NBA career.

According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, after helping the Lakers earn a 127-125 overtime win against the Denver Nuggets, Smart reflected on his 2022 injury that resulted in him nearly losing his right arm.

“I was taken to the ER and lost a lot of blood,” Smart told ESPN. “I passed out. …That’s how I lost a lot.”

Smart, who missed the game-winning shot against the Lakers during his time with the Boston Celtics in 2018, regained consciousness after receiving 20 stitches.

“The doctor looked me in the eyes and told me, ‘I don’t know how you still use your right hand,'” Smart said. “‘You should thank God sincerely every day.'” The piece of glass that had cut into his hand was just millimeters away from ceasing its use completely.

“They said it fit perfectly between every tendon in my hand without causing any damage,” Smart said. “And they had to leave the extra piece in, because they said it would cause more damage if we took it out.”

That piece of glass is still in Smart’s right hand.

“For six years after the incident with the glass, I still had the glass in my hand and I used to play with it. And there were times when my hand would go numb because of it. Many times, in many games, I couldn’t control it. I had to play and there were times when I was shooting the ball and just, I had no feeling in the arm, in the hand.”

Still, the 32-year-old Smart can impact wins at a high level, which he proved by finishing with 21 points and five steals against the Nuggets.

Marcus Smart criticizes Lakers haters

Lakers veteran Marcus Smart hasn’t let the haters stop him. Reflecting on the most horrific injury of his career, Smart had time to reflect on those who do not consider the Lakers a legitimate threat to win a title.

“Basically, we’re tired of listening to people,” Smart said. “I know I am. And if you’re competitive, if you have any kind of competitor in you, you’re going to get tired of that too. So you want to try to prove them wrong.”

The Lakers beat the Rockets 100-92 on Monday, extending their winning streak to six.

Chelsea have seen many strikers pass through Stamford Bridge this century. Few have made as much of a mark as Diego Costa, who has now officially announced his retirement at the age of 37.

The former Blues forward confirmed the decision in an interview with the podcast mario’s wayHosted by his former teammate Mario Suárez. “It’s been a long time since I retired. My agent was looking around for something, but I lost the desire to keep playing.” He said.

brazilian outlet globo esporte That story was reported and reminded that Costa had not played a competitive match since December 2024, when he featured for Grêmio in Brazil. However, for Chelsea supporters, his story is strongly linked to the club’s most impressive recent era.

Premier League winner with bite

Chelsea signed Costa from Atlético Madrid in 2014. In his first season, he scored 20 Premier League goals and helped the club win the title under José Mourinho. They then achieved another league victory in 2016–17, this time under Antonio Conte, where he again finished as a key attacking figure.

Costa’s style divided opinion throughout England. He was combative, physical and tireless. Still he was decisive. He scored important goals in big matches and gave Chelsea the edge they often lacked in tight matches.

Overall, he won two Premier League titles and one League Cup with the Blues. In all competitions, he scored 59 goals in 120 appearances. This return underlines how central he was to Chelsea’s success during that period.

From Stamford Bridge to the Broad Forum

After leaving Chelsea in 2018, Costa returned to Atlético Madrid. He later had stints in Brazil with Atlético-MG, Botafogo and Grêmio. His last official appearance took place in late 2024.

Nevertheless, his prime years were in the Premier League. Despite being born in Sergipe, Brazil, he represented Spain at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups.

A mark in Chelsea’s recent history

Time has softened the edges of the controversy surrounding his Stamford Bridge exit. All that remains are silver vessels and tablets.

Costa was not subtle. He was not universally loved outside West London. However, during their peak, they embodied a ruthless Chelsea team built to win at any cost.

For a club that is struggling to find long-term stability, his retirement also serves as a reminder. Reliable, title-winning numbers of nine are rare. Chelsea had one in Diego Costa – and they knew it when he was at his best.

In a rare moment of on-court anger, Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic lost his temper in their game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night, and fans’ reactions to it are epic.

During his 11 years in the NBA, Jokic has become not only one of the greatest centers to ever play the game, but one of the best ballplayers the league has ever produced. There’s no better proof of his elite status than being an eight-time All-Star, three-time NBA MVP and leading the Nuggets to their only championship in 2023.

Still, what has made Jokic’s rise to great status so unique is that he has done it with a very calm and almost robotic approach to the game. Although he may complain to the referee with some regularity, he rarely goes too far or too little with his emotions. However, that changed on Friday night vs. the Thunder.

In the fourth quarter of a highly competitive game between two NBA Finals contenders, the Thunder forward continued the questionable play he is known for by delivering a hip check to the Nuggets center as he began running down the court after OKC scored. This move really wore Jokic down, and it brought out an anger in him that fans had never seen before.

Nikola Jokic immediately got to his feet to confront Dort and the Thunder player was forced to retreat in anger. However, his teammate Jaylin Williams came to his rescue. This definitely created a new GIF on social media as the Denver star’s face looked almost mentally disturbed, like the Batman villain nicknamed The Joker.

Of course, social media being what it is, NBA fans weren’t going to let that wild moment go without opinions, and some fans had some hilarious thoughts on Jokic becoming the Joker we all want.

In an Instagram post from SportsCenter’s account, fans posted crazy clown faces Batman: The Animated Seriesleonardo dicaprio in the the wolf of wall streetHeath Ledger’s great performance dark knightAnd a young Ozzy Osbourne.

In reference to the comments _SeanGregory suggested Jokic was telling Williams, “I’ll feed you to my horses.” WarriorsStock commented, “Jokic looks like someone stole one of his horses.” While Lawrence Johnson said, “Brother turned into Hitman 47 very quickly.”

In an Instagram post for ESPN at the time, KennyChaojr said, “Jock brothers red eye ok 🙂.” Coolken40 said, “Jokic wanted to eat his liver with some lima beans.” And Nest.G said, “Absolutely lol. Dort nasty!”

Suffice it to say, fans loved seeing Nikola Jokic in full Joker mode, especially against a player like Dort, who has earned a lot of frustration from fans for his playing style 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

It’s a tough life for the Chicago Bulls. They are on a losing streak of 10 consecutive matches, their longest in seven years. At the same time, accusations of tanking are being made against the Bulls in order to achieve a higher ranking in the NBA Draft Lottery.

However, according to Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic, Matas Buzelis vehemently denied those claims. Instead, Bouzelis took advantage of his intense desire to win.

“I don’t really like that term. And people might think (we’re tanking), but I’m going out and trying to win every night. All these guys are too.”

Undoubtedly, the losing streak is taking a toll on Bouzelis. On Tuesday, Chicago lost its 10th straight to the Charlotte Hornets, 131-99. A game in which Bouzelis scored a season high of 32 points.

Asked about his ongoing development after the Chicago Bulls’ latest loss, Bouzelis said, “I’m sorry, I just… I want to win games, and that’s everything.”

Additionally, the Bulls are still in the adjustment phase with the new roster after several trades. Trades that sent Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Nikola Vucevic and Kevin Huerter.

But to hear Bouzelis tell it, that’s no reason not to play to win.

“When you trade half the team, and you bring in new guys, it’s tough,” Buzzellis said. “However, that’s no excuse. We have to come and figure it out. And I’m going to say it again: I know we’re capable of doing that.”

The Bulls will close out the month against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday. They are currently at 24-35.

No team in the NBA this season has blown more double-digit leads in the fourth quarter than the Toronto Raptors, a trend that reared its ugly head in a 110-107 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic was furious over a non-call in the first half, which came before Toronto gave up a 15-point lead in the final frame. Losing against the league’s better teams has also been a consistent trend.

According to Josh Levenberg of TSN Sports, the Raptors have lost 15 times against the NBA’s top teams.

“The Raptors are 4-15 against top-10 teams. Last night, Darko lamented the lack of focus to close out those games, but he’s going to have to wear that down,” Levenberg reported. “They were in control, up by 12 when they started the fourth without Barnes and Ingram (vs. Wembey). With that went a 7-0 run and gave up momentum. Unforced error.”

The Raptors’ lead was cut to 10 in the fourth quarter. The Spurs immediately made it a game. Devin Vassell’s 21 points led six Spurs players into double figures, including De’Aaron Fox (20 points) and Dylan Harper, who had 15 points off the bench.

Brandon Ingram (20 points) and Immanuel Quickley combined for 40 points on 15 of 34 attempts. The Spurs held the Raptors to 17 points in the final frame.

Scotty Barnes’ injury hurts Raptors’ momentum

Raptors All-Star Scottie Barnes has been hampered by a foot injury, according to reports. As fans were looking for answers after the game, as TSN’s Josh Levenberg reported, Barnes playing through pain was reportedly one of many obstacles the Raptors faced during the second half of their loss to the Spurs.

Barnes was reportedly playing “on one leg” and he was “playing through the pain”, as head coach Darko Rajakovic told TSN’s Josh Levenberg after the game.

With 23 games left in the season, the Raptors’ recent struggles are a new development as they battle for position in the Eastern Conference.

The Los Angeles Lakers have been a bit of Jekyll and Hyde this season. When things go right, it looks like they can compete with any team in the league. But when things are not going well, the team does not look very competitive.

After being defeated by the Boston Celtics on Sunday, the Lakers suffered a blowout 110-109 loss to the Orlando Magic. The loss dropped Los Angeles to 34–23, two games ahead of the Phoenix Suns in the Pacific Division.

The teams will face off in the desert on Thursday. Thankfully for the Lakers, Phoenix will once again be missing some of their most important pieces.

According to AZ Central’s Duane Rankin, Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Jordan Goodwin, Haywood Highsmith and Cole Anthony have all been ruled out. Of course, Booker is the biggest loss for the Suns.

Booker strained his right hip last week against the San Antonio Spurs. In the three games since, Phoenix’s offense has been mediocre. The Celtics also beat them by 16 points, 97-81, on Tuesday night. In the first game against the Portland Trail Blazers, they were able to score only 77 points.

With the Lakers likely to play the Big Three, it could prove difficult for the Suns to keep up.

The second unit in Los Angeles could also get a boost. Backup center Jackson Hayes was upgraded to probable on Wednesday, while Rui Hachimura is listed as questionable due to illness.

The Lakers have had their share of troubles, but for the most part the offense has not been a part of them. The defensive end of the court has left a lot to be desired. But with Jalen Green struggling in his return, and the Suns lacking many other scoring options, Thursday appears to be a prime opportunity to get back in the win column.

This game could go a long way in determining the division winner. The Suns have won two of the first three meetings and a Lakers loss would ensure a tiebreak for Phoenix.

The Oklahoma City Thunder visit the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night looking to continue their recent form. The defending champions have won four of their last five matches and face a team that has also built momentum with two wins on the bounce.

According to the official injury report, the Raptors have been handed a big assignment with the return of Scottie Barnes to the roster. Barnes missed the win over the Milwaukee Bucks due to personal reasons, which was only the second time he did not suit up all season.

Meanwhile, the Thunder are missing several players, including players like Shai-Gilgeous Alexander and Jalen Williams, with Chet Holmgren and Alex Caruso both listed as questionable. However, they recorded a dominant win over the Cleveland Cavaliers last time out despite missing stars, with Holmgren running the show and finishing with 15 points and 17 rebounds.

Scotty Barnes’ injury status vs. Thunder

Barnes averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.6 assists, earning his second All-Star appearance. His return gives the Raptors some much-needed optimism, especially considering the Thunder’s absence.

The Raptors (34-23) didn’t miss Barnes on Sunday and beat the Milwaukee Bucks 122-94 behind an impressive 32-point performance from Immanuel Quickley. However, that is unlikely to be true against a team that has gone 44-14 so far in the league.

Of course, the Raptors are missing other players as well, with a series of rotational stars on G League assignment, with Jakob Poeltl not expected to suit up either.

Raptors injury report

Jakob Poeltl: Out (lower back strain – injury management)

Chucky Hepburn: Out (G League – Two-Way)

AJ Lawson: Out (G League – Two-Way)

Elijah Martin: Out (G League – Two-Way)

Jonathan Mogbo: Out (G League – On Assignment)

thunderbolt injury report

Alex Caruso: Questionable (left ankle sprain)

Chet Holmgren: Questionable (lower back spasms)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: Out (abdominal strain)

Jalen Williams: Out (strained right hamstring)

Ajay Mitchell: Out (abdominal strain/left ankle sprain)

Thomas Sorber: Out (right ACL surgical recovery)

The Sacramento Kings are signing a former top-10 draft pick amid a historic losing streak. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Killian Hayes has agreed to a 10-day contract with the Kings, who have lost a franchise-record 16 consecutive games.

Hayes, the No. 7 pick in the 2020 NBA draft, spent three seasons with the Detroit Pistons before they released him midway through the 2023-24 campaign. He signed with the Brooklyn Nets last season and spent most of his time with the team’s G League affiliate before a short NBA stint on a 10-day contract.

The 6-foot-5 point guard averaged 9.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists on 42/38/83 shooting splits in 27.0 minutes per game in six appearances with Brooklyn. However, the Nets decided not to re-sign Hayes at the conclusion of a 10-day deal.

Killian Hayes signs 10-day contract with Kings after Cavs G League stint

Hayes turned down interest from the EuroLeague this offseason and signed a contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers before training camp. The Cavaliers waived him and assigned him to their G League affiliate. He impressed during his G League tenure, averaging 22.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 8.4 assists and 1.6 steals on .474/.318/.804 shooting splits in 19 appearances.

Hayes should get a chance to prove his worth with the struggling Kings, who recently signed Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis and De’Andre Hunter out for the season.

With LaVine sidelined, Russell Westbrook has served as Sacramento’s starting point guard in recent games. Devin Carter has filled the point guard minutes on the second unit.

The Kings will travel to face the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday.

It’s been a tough season for the Sacramento Kings, even by their standards.

Coming off a 139-122 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, the Kings have been winless in their last 16 games spanning more than a month. And Charles Barkley, of course, for always speaking his mind. there was no going back When criticizing Sacramento’s terrible play, whether it was 15 or 16 in a row.

“You can’t play 15 good teams in a row… Come on, man,” Barkley said on ‘Inside the NBA’ via Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. “These teams are doing things like the Harlem Globetrotters here (against them). Come on, man. These guys are doing things like the Globetrotters here.”

It’s certainly true that the Kings haven’t played 15 — or now 16 — good teams in a row. In fact, before losing to the Spurs and Orlando Magic, Sacramento played the New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz, both of whom are much closer to competing for the first overall pick than a playoff spot. Despite Utah and New Orleans having the third and second worst records, respectively, in the Western Conference, the result was a pair of blowouts.

On February 9, the Pelicans defeated the Kings 120–94. Two days later, Sacramento also lost to the Jazz, 121–93. During this losing streak, the Kings have not played any team more than once, meaning they have lost to more than half the NBA in a little over a month.

Of course, that’s acceptable for Sacramento, which has its first-round draft pick this year. If that doesn’t happen, losing three players – Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis and De’Andre Hunter – to season-ending surgeries in the last few weeks would be the worst news. But for the Kings, it only solidifies that they will have the best chances in the NBA Draft Lottery.

The Kings, who recently set a new record for the longest losing streak in franchise history, can add to that tally on Monday evening when they play the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a five-game road trip.

On Saturday, the Chicago Bulls suffered their eighth consecutive loss, falling to the Detroit Pistons 126–110. Despite this, Josh Giddy, who is Recently coming back from a hamstring injuryAchieved a lot.

In this process, Giddi joined likes According to Alyssa Bergamini of 670 The Score, Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic are one of only eight players to accumulate 300+ rebounds and 300+ assists this season. Other players include Doncic, Jokic, Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Deni Avdija, Scottie Barnes and Julius Randle.

Overall, Giddy finished his second complete game with 27 points and six rebounds in 27 minutes of play. Additionally, he took 10 wickets for 16 runs from the field. Additionally, he recorded his seventh 25+ point game this year, a career best and leading the team in that category.

Giddy played 21 minutes against the Toronto Raptors on Thursday. He came out with 5 points, five assists and four rebounds. Giddy made only 1 of 6 shots from the field as Chicago lost to the Raptors, 110–101.

Giddy has played 35 games this season and is averaging 18.2 points, 8.7 assists and 8.5 rebounds per game. As a result of the loss, Chicago is now 24–33. The Pistons are now 42-13 and have the best record in the East. On Sunday, the Bulls remain at home to take on the New York Knicks.

Next Tuesday they play at home against the Charlotte Hornets. A game in which Giddy’s former teammate, Coby White, will return After my business with Charlotte. After that, the Bulls will conclude February with a home game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, February 26.

The Sacramento Kings have entered historically difficult territory with a 15-game losing streak that not only represents the longest losing streak in franchise history, but also underscores the decline of a team that just two years ago looked poised for sustained Western Conference relevance. Sacramento’s 131–94 loss to the Orlando Magic pushed the team to 12–45, the worst record in the NBA, and extended its winless streak to January 16.

Keegan Murray, who returned after missing six weeks due to an ankle injury against the Magic, was at a loss for words after the game.

“It’s hard. Honestly, I don’t really have the words to explain it. I don’t know if anyone has the words to explain what’s happened over the last three or four years, but obviously we have to change something because it obviously can’t happen. Not many teams in NBA history have had 15 consecutive losing seasons,” he said, according to The Sacramento Bee.

The Kings were competitive against Orlando from the beginning and led 28–18. However, the Magic responded with typical efficiency, shooting 16-of-21 (76.2%) in the second quarter and making a franchise-record 27 three-pointers.

The losing streak comes with a real injury crisis. Domantas Sabonis (meniscus surgery) and Zach LaVine (hand surgery) are out for the season, removing Sacramento’s primary interior facilitator and leading scorer from the rotation.

In particular, the absence of Sabonis, who averaged 19.2 points, 11.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists, has hurt Sacramento’s offensive structure, which has been exacerbated by LaVine’s absence. Despite this, Murray’s return has given them a ray of hope.

He scored 15 points and eight rebounds on 6-of-13 shooting (3-of-7 from three) against the Magic and will only be expected to continue to grow from here. Despite this, there is no doubt that the Kings now have a mountain to climb to save themselves this season.

They will now face the San Antonio Spurs, which begins a five-game road trip.

While Aston Villa fans cursed and wondered what Marco Bizot was doing against Newcastle United, others were much less surprised.

Analyst René van der Gijp was one of them. And he has come forward to defend the Aston Villa goalkeeper today Comments broadcast by Voetbal Primeur.

Bizot received a red card against Newcastle United during a 3–1 FA Cup defeat on Valentine’s Day. The referee showed the 34-year-old a straight red for a moment in first-half stoppage time, which will likely haunt him for some time.

a moment of madness

He went 40 yards from his goal before bringing down Jacob Murphy in a reckless challenge near the halfway line.

Aston Villa were leading 1–0 at the time and looked set to progress, thanks to Tammy Abraham’s opener.

Instead, the departure turned the game upside down. Aston Villa conceded goals in the second half, resulting in their elimination in the fourth round.

Bizot will now serve a domestic suspension and will miss Villa’s upcoming Premier League match against Leeds United as a result.

“Goalkeepers do strange things”

He has already apologized publicly through social media. He called the incident a “moment of madness” and expressed regret.

Unai Emery later defended his number two. He labeled the goalkeeper “brilliant” and insisted he would learn from the experience.

Now Van der Gijp has stepped forward to defend him. According to him, such incidents happen only for the goalkeeper to show off.

“They’re goalkeepers, Wilfred, you were one yourself,” he told host Wilfred Zinni. “It never surprised me, you know.

“You’ve seen them too, Johan (Derksen). I never thought it would be strange when a goalkeeper did something like that. It’s in their nature. Goalkeepers always do strange things. It’s in their nature.”