Sports

A couple of stars have instant chemistry. A cocksure point guard never learned about adjustment periods. And a second-draft candidate is in an ideal situation.Let’s open the notebook to run through three new fits since last week’s NBA trade deadline that have caught my eye.The new-look CavaliersThe first pick-and-roll James Harden and Jarrett Allen ever ran together might have told us something.Early in Harden’s introductory game with the Cleveland Cavaliers, his new center jogged to the right side of the court to set a screen for him. But his defender, rookie Maxime Raynaud, strayed from Allen too soon. The Kings were blitzing Harden, sending two guys at the dribbler.Allen noticed.Before laying the pick, he “slipped” it, drifting to the elbow and then rolling to the hoop. He received a pa...

The sides that come ninth to 24th will compete in the two-legged knockout play-off ties in February and there could be two British sides involved.Forest fell to a 1-0 defeat by Braga in Portugal, a result that practically confirms Sean Dyche's side will be in the play-offs.Mathematically, Forest, in 16th, can still finish eighth, but would need to beat Hungarian team Ferencvaros at the City Ground and hope the eight sides directly above them all dropped points.However, Forest will still be keen to win next Thursday as the sides coming ninth to 16th will play the second legs of their knockout play-off ties at home.Celtic were 2-0 ahead against Bologna, but down to 10 men, before the Italians fought back to earn a 2-2 draw. However, the point leaves Martin O'Neill's side on eight points and ...

The NBA was in a crisis in 2007. The FBI was investigating Tim Donaghy for allegedly betting on games he refereed and, potentially, influencing those games with his whistle.The league needed to know how deep the rot went. Then-commissioner David Stern, for the first time, hired Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, a prestigious white-shoe law firm a few blocks away from the league office in midtown Manhattan.About a year after that first call to Wachtell Lipton, the firm authored the Lawrence Pedowitz report, a 133-page summary of its investigation into Donaghy that meticulously ferreted through allegations about the league’s now former referee and, more importantly, calmed nerves around NBA headquarters.Two decades later, when the NBA has a big problem on its hands — like possible salary c...

Aston Villa are on a superb run of form.They have won 20 of their past 25 matches (D1, L4) with only Arsenal (21) having won more among teams in Europe's big-five leagues during that period.Their blip on Sunday against Everton meant they missed out on the chance to move second, within four points of Premier League leaders Arsenal - Emery's old club.He made six changes against Fenerbahce and his side dominated, with the 1-0 scoreline flattering the 28-time Turkish champions.After the match Emery praised his players for "respecting" the competition, adding he was "so, so happy" with their response.Villa's match-winner Jadon Sancho scored his first goal for the club on his 19th appearance since joining on loan from Manchester United in September."It's nice to have a manager that backs you and...

Getty Jeremy Sochan #10 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on November 26, 2025 in Portland, Oregon. The New York Knicks are targeting a Feb. 19 debut for their latest acquisition, Jeremy Sochan, who will join the roster after All-Star weekend.According to the New York Post’s Stefan Bondy, the Knicks are confident Sochan will pass his physicals and be ready for the clash against the Detroit Pistons next Thursday, which will be the team’s first game after the weeklong All-Star break. “Jeremy Sochan is expected to join the Knicks on Monday and will be available Thursday vs Pistons, the first game back from All-Star break, sources say,” Bondy reported on Thursday. “Heard the o...

Tottenham Hotspur are searching for their eighth manager/head coach (interim and permanent) since 2019 after sacking Thomas Frank on Wednesday amid a run of two wins in 17 Premier League games.Frank, who only joined in the summer following seven successful years as Brentford boss, leaves Spurs in a relegation battle, just five points clear of West Ham United in 18th place with 12 league matches left. This follows a dismal 2024-25 Premier League campaign when they finished 17th but won the Europa League under Ange Postecoglou, who was himself fired after two seasons in charge.Spurs do not play until their north London derby at home to Premier League leaders Arsenal on February 22, giving their hierarchy time to decide what to do next. John Heitinga, who joined Frank’s coaching staff less th...

Getty LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James continues rewriting the record books at an age when most players have long since retired. The Los Angeles Lakers forward posted 28 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds Thursday night in a 124-104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at Crypto.com Arena.The milestone came with 2:06 remaining in the fourth quarter when James secured his 10th rebound. At 41 years and 44 days old, he became the oldest player in NBA history to record a triple-double, surpassing Karl Malone‘s previous record set in 2003.The crowd gave James a standing ovation as he checked out moments later, recognizing they had witnessed another piece of history from a player who keeps finding ways to defy age. ...

For two consecutive years, there was no relegation fight in the Premier League.White flags were waved weeks in advance and fates were accepted by clubs unable to compete in the elite division of English football. Luton Town’s 26 points (from the 114 available) in 2023-24 was as good as it got for any of the six teams who headed straight back down to the Championship they’d left 12 months earlier.This season is sure to be different.For all it is possible to conclude that Wolverhampton Wanderers have already lost their battle to remain a Premier League team, and Burnley too, given their own chasm to bridge, even after Wednesday’s win at Crystal Palace, there is congestion building above the presumably doomed duo.A West Ham United revival has seen them collect 10 points from five games, drawi...

Getty Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on prior to the game against the Toronto Raptors at Crypto.com Arena on January 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. Slovenian guard Luka Doncic missed his fourth consecutive game due to a hamstring strain when the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Dallas Mavericks, 124-104, on Thursday — the final game before the All-Star break.After the win, Lakers head coach JJ Redick provided an injury update on Doncic, who reportedly practiced with his teammates before the Mavericks clash.“He’s progressed really good,” Redick said of Doncic, via The OC Register.“I think part of him, you know, wanted to push to get back part of the break, but, you know, we just got to be cautious with th...

A play-off push looks unlikely for both the Jazz, who are 13th in the Western Conference, and the Pacers, who sit 14th in the Eastern, and thoughts appear already to be turning to next season and how their roster will be assembled.Utah led by nine points in the fourth quarter of their meeting with Orlando on 8 February but went on to lose 120-117, while they beat Miami 115-111 two days later."Agree to disagree. Also, we won the game in Miami and got fined? That makes sense," Utah owner Ryan Smith posted on social media.Head coach Hardy defended his decision to bench Markkanen and Utah have also announced Jackson Jr will have season-ending surgery on his knee after this weekend's All-Star games."I sat Lauri because he was on a minutes restriction," Hardy said. "So if our medical team puts a...