Sports
Duke coach Manny Diaz makes homecoming to Miami vs. No. 5 Canes
Aug 30, 2024; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz runs out onto the field before the game against the Elon Phoenix at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images The game between No. 5 Miami and visiting Duke on Saturday afternoon feels a bit personal.
That’s because of the presence of Manny Diaz, a Miami native who is in his first season as the Blue Devils’ head coach.
Diaz was the Hurricanes’ defensive coordinator (2016-18) and their head coach (2019-21). Current Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal got a 10-year, $80 million from Miami after Diaz got fired.
That’s just one of the subplots of this Atlantic Coast Conference game in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Miami (8-0, 4-0), which is off to its best start since going 10-0 to begin 2017, is powered by an explosive offense and enters the game as a big favorite.
The Hurricanes rank No. 1 in the nation in average points scored (46.8) and third-down-conversion percentage (59.8).
Miami quarterback Cam Ward is second nationally in passing touchdowns (24) and third in passing yards per game (343.3).
But it’s not just Ward.
Miami’s Xavier Restrepo ranks second in the ACC in receiving yards (710). For his career, he is second in Hurricanes history with 174 catches and third with 2,427 receiving yards. He moved past ex-NFL stars Reggie Wayne and Michael Irvin, respectively, in those categories. Both career records are in sight.
At running back, Miami relies on starter Mark Fletcher Jr., Damien Martinez and Ajay Allen, who has the speed and moves to break tired defenses.
Last week, in a 36-14 win over Florida State, the 232-pound Martinez bruised his way to 148 rushing yards, a 9.9-yard average and two touchdowns.
“Damien’s a tough dude who’s hard to bring down,” Cristobal said. “You’re not going to arm-tackle him.”
However, Duke’s strength is on defense, where it ranks second in the ACC in average points allowed (18.6). Nationally, the Blue Devils are tied with Alabama for 20th place in that category.
The Blue Devils (6-2, 2-2) also are No. 1 in the nation in fumbles recovered (10).
The other interesting matchup on Saturday is Miami’s vulnerable defense — which has allowed 34 or more points in three of its past four games — against a shaky Duke offense that ranks tied for 14th in the league in scoring (26.0).
Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy spent his first two college seasons with the Texas Longhorns, and he appeared in seven games (two starts) in relief of QB Quinn Ewers, completing 40 of 71 passes for 477 yards and three touchdowns, with three interceptions.
This season, the 6-foot-5 redshirt sophomore has completed 58.6 percent of his passes for 17 TDs, with five interceptions.
Murphy’s top playmakers are running back Star Thomas and a pair of wide receivers who could give Miami trouble: Eli Pancol and Jordan Moore.
Thomas has 785 scrimmage yards and six TDs. Pancol has 36 receptions, 446 yards and six TDs. And Moore has 34 catches, 481 yards and four TDs.
As for Diaz, 50, he isn’t billing it as a “revenge” game
.
“Revenge is a poor motivation,” he said when asked about facing the Hurricanes. “I learned a lot at Miami. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough, but that’s OK.
“I will say that the ACC schedule-makers have a heck of a sense of humor.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Heat: Link for LeBron James presser posted by mistake
Nov 5, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) reacts after making a basket against the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre. The Heat beat the Raptors 104-95. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-Imagn Images The Miami Heat said a live-stream link titled “LeBron James Introductory Press Conference” was posted by mistake to the team’s YouTube channel.
The post, which included the date July 27, was later deleted. A team spokesperson told ESPN on Tuesday night that the club’s social media department had been preparing for the possibility of the superstar forward rejoining the Heat and errantly published the link.
James, 41, who won two NBA championships in four seasons with Miami from 2010-14, is a free agent for the first time since 2018 after announcing last month that he would not re-sign with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Potential landing spots for the league’s all-time leading scorer other than Miami reportedly include the Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers (another former team) and the Golden State Warriors.
James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds in 60 games with the Lakers in 2025-26. The four-time NBA champion owns career averages of 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.4 assists in a record 1,622 games over 23 seasons.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Spurs C Victor Wembanyama to grace NBA 2K27 cover
Dec 27, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts after scoring during the first half against the Utah Jazz at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images Spurs star Victor Wembanyama will grace the cover of the NBA 2K27 video game, ESPN reported on Wednesday.
The 7-foot-4 center powered San Antonio to the 2026 NBA Finals, with the Spurs falling to the New York Knicks in five games last month.
In his third NBA season, Wembanyama averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and a league-leading 3.1 blocks.
Previous cover athletes in the NBA 2K series have included Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Allen Iverson, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal and Jayson Tatum.
Wembanyama, 22, is the third Spurs player to make the cover of at least one version of the game, joining Tony Parker (NBA 2K16, French version) and Pau Gasol (NBA 2K17, Spanish version).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Astros turn to Peter Lambert in bid for sweep of reeling Marlins
Jul 11, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Peter Lambert (38) comes off the field after he pitches against the Texas Rangers during the third inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images A spate of unrelenting injuries to the rotation resulted in 14 different pitchers making starts for the Houston Astros this season, with Ronel Blanco joining that group on Monday when he made his season debut after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Hayden Wesneski, slated to make a rehab start for Triple-A Sugar Land on Thursday, should be next to return for Houston.
The Astros claimed their three-game interleague series against the Miami Marlins with a 5-3 victory on Tuesday behind Tatsuya Imai.
Five Astros have made at least 10 starts, a collection that doesn’t include ace Hunter Brown, who returned from an extended stint on the injured list in mid-June.
“Some of those guys that we’re getting back have pitched out of the bullpen, so as we continue to map out the next couple of weeks and consider adding some pitching at the deadline, with all those pieces, would they fit,” Astros manager Joe Espada said.
“We’re going to move some things around so we can make this work.”
Right-hander Peter Lambert (8-5, 3.03 ERA) is scheduled to start on Wednesday as the Astros pursue the series sweep.
Lambert is 2-0 with a 1.02 ERA in three starts this month and has allowed one run or fewer in each start, including on June 17 against the Baltimore Orioles. He worked six innings in that game and surrendered one run on three hits and three walks with a season-high 10 strikeouts over six innings.
Lambert is 1-0 with a 6.35 ERA in four career appearances (three starts) against the Marlins. In his previous start against Miami on May 2, 2024, he allowed four runs on five hits and three walks with three strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings and did not factor into a 5-4 loss with the Colorado Rockies.
Right-hander Sandy Alcantara (10-5, 3.89) has the starting assignment for Miami.
Alcantara has produced a quality start in all three starts this month, going 1-1 with a 2.14 ERA. He went 7-0 with a 2.98 ERA during a seven-start stretch before a 3-2 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on July 10.
He did not factor into the decision of a 2-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers last Friday after allowing one run on three hits and four walks with seven strikeouts over six innings.
Alcantara has faced the Astros once previously. He surrendered six runs on nine hits and one walk with five strikeouts over seven innings in an 8-2 home loss on Aug. 4, 2025.
All-Star shortstop Otto Lopez returned from a two-game injury hiatus (finger) for the Marlins, which allowed Miami manager Clayton McCullough to tinker with his lineup.
Lopez batted leadoff for the ninth time this season and finished 0-for-3 with two walks. McCullough is aiming to build protection around left-handed hitting Kyle Stowers with the right-handed hitting Lopez and Heriberto Hernandez, plus switch-hitting Xavier Edwards.
“Just trying to have Stowers be shielded as best I can from left(-handed pitching), and if they are going to throw left on Stowers, then at least you have Otto and (Hernandez) around him, X (Edwards) behind him,” McCullough said.
“Before Otto got hurt, I was thinking about potentially going this route with hitting him (leadoff), hitting Bert (third). If people still want to bring in left on Stowers to try to mitigate some of his slug, at least they’re going to have to go through Bert and X before they get to (lefty Liam) Hicks.”
–Field Level Media
Heat: Link for LeBron James presser posted by mistake
Spurs C Victor Wembanyama to grace NBA 2K27 cover
