Sports
Grizzlies pursue season sweep of skidding Spurs
Feb 3, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (14) handles the ball as San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) defends during the fourth quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images The Memphis Grizzlies will be looking to complete a season-series sweep of the San Antonio Spurs when the clubs meet for a fourth and final time Saturday night in Tennessee.
Continuing a trend they began in January 2021, the Grizzlies have dominated their Southwest Division rival this season, winning at home by 28 points and on the road by 14 and 19.
The Grizzlies have won 16 of the teams’ last 17 matchups.
As opposed to the first three meetings, San Antonio will play this time without Victor Wembanyama, who put up some strong numbers against the Grizzlies in defeat before he was diagnosed with a season-ending blood clot in his right shoulder on Feb. 20. The Spurs have gone 1-4 since then, losing their past four in a row.
Against Memphis this season, Wembanyama recorded three double-doubles while averaging 19.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 5.3 blocks.
The Grizzlies have gained the upper hand in the series due to superior depth. Ja Morant and Desmond Bane topped 20 points in both of their games against the Spurs. GG Jackson did it in his only meeting. Santi Aldama reached that level in two of his three. Jaren Jackson Jr. did so once, while putting up 19 on both other occasions, and Jaylen Wells also did it once.
Memphis likely will have to lean on multiple players once again as it will be enduring the second night of a back-to-back. The Grizzlies endured a double whammy Friday at home against the New York Knicks, exhausting themselves in a tight battle that they lost 114-113.
The Grizzlies were able to use 10 players for at least 12 minutes each, but they face the possibility that Bane won’t complete the back-to-back because of a sore left groin. He went 35 minutes against the Knicks and compiled 24 points and 12 rebounds.
Key reserve GG Jackson sat out the Friday game with an eye irritation, so he would be well rested should his vision be 20-20 on Saturday.
“He’s just dealing with some eye inflammation,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. “He had some imaging. We’ll see how things come up from the tests and how he feels.”
The Spurs, meanwhile, are wrapping up a four-game trip that so far hasn’t produced any wins. They were swept by a total of 24 points in back-to-back games by the New Orleans Pelicans before taking a 118-106 loss at Houston on Wednesday.
With two days off between games, the Spurs received a surprise visit from coach Gregg Popovich, who left the club in November after suffering what was labeled a mild stroke. Popovich, 76, told Spurs players he would not return to coaching this season, leaving that task to Mitch Johnson.
“Mitch Johnson and his staff have done a wonderful job, and the resolve and professionalism the players have shown, sticking together during a challenging season, has been outstanding,” Popovich said in a statement. “I will continue to focus on my health with the hope that I can return to coaching in the future.”
The Grizzlies will see Bismack Biyombo as a Spur for the first time. The 14-year veteran, who played 30 games with the Grizzlies last season, was signed to a rest-of-season contract this week after playing six games on 10-day deals.
Serving as San Antonio’s starting center, Biyombo had double-doubles in both games against the Pelicans at the start of the trip, but the Rockets limited him to four points and three rebounds.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Spurs swingman Keldon Johnson wins NBA's Sixth Man award
Apr 10, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) drives to the basket against Dallas Mavericks center Moussa Cisse (30) during the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images The NBA announced Wednesday that San Antonio Spurs swingman Keldon Johnson has been voted the league’s Sixth Man of the Year by a 100-member global media panel.
The seventh-year veteran earned the John Havlicek Trophy for delivering 13.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while shooting 51.9% from the field and 36.3% from 3-point range. He was the only player in the league to come off the bench in all 82 games.
“It’s a little emotional,” Johnson said on ESPN after he was revealed as the winner. “It’s a big accomplishment. A lot of hard work goes into an award like this.”
Johnson ranked as the No. 5 scorer and No. 4 rebounder on a squad that posted the league’s second-best record (62-20) during the regular season.
The 26-year-old Kentucky product has spent his entire NBA career with the Spurs after being drafted with the 29th overall pick in 2019. He joins Manu Ginobili (2007-08) as the only Spurs to be named Sixth Man of the Year.
During Johnson’s first four years in the league he was an everyday starter for the Spurs, starting in 205 of the 224 games he appeared in. But during his fifth season he started to embrace the role as a spark plug off the bench, which has paid dividends.
“I started for a long time,” Johnson said. “Now, it’s my time to come off the bench. I just continue to analyze the game, come off the bench, go in there and just do my thing.”
“I wanted to be part of something special here in San Antonio. I knew that in order for me to really be the best for our team that coming off the bench was probably my best possibility. At first, it was tough. I had to (control) my ego and put the team first. After that, the sky was the limit.”
Johnson received 63 of the 100 first-place votes and collected 404 points. The Miami Heat’s Jaime Jaquez Jr., claimed 34 first-place votes and finished second in the balloting with 331 points. Jaquez averaged 15.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists while serving as a reserve in 74 of his 75 appearances this year.
Denver’s Tim Hardaway Jr. took third in the voting while Minnesota’s Naz Reid, Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart and New York’s Mitchell Robinson each received one first-place vote.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Josh Naylor, Cal Raleigh rally Mariners to walk-off win over A's
Apr 22, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor (12) celebrates with teammates, including second baseman Cole Young (2, right) after hitting a walk-off RBI-single against the Athletics during the ninth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images Josh Naylor singled home Cal Raleigh with two outs in the bottom of the ninth as the host Seattle Mariners defeated the Athletics 5-4 Wednesday afternoon to salvage the finale of a three-game series with their American League West rivals.
The A’s tied the score in the top of the inning on Nick Kurtz’s one-out homer to straightaway center off Mariners closer Andres Munoz (3-2), who blew the save opportunity but ended up getting the victory.
Raleigh, who homered for a third consecutive game, sparked the winning rally with a two-out single to center. He advanced to second as Julio Rodriguez grounded a single into left and scored on Naylor’s liner to left off Joel Kuhnel (0-1).
Raleigh and Naylor each went 3-for-5 as the Mariners collected a season-high 14 hits. Seattle starter Logan Gilbert allowed six hits and three runs over four innings while Athletics starter Aaron Civale also gave up six hits and three runs while going 5 1/3 innings.
The A’s took a 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks, in part, to a unique hit by Carlos Cortes. Kurtz drew a leadoff walk and Shea Langeliers singled to right field, sending Kurtz to third. Cortes rifled a 107.8-mph liner up the middle that hit Gilbert in the midsection and lodged inside his jersey. After the umpires huddled, they ruled it a hit that loaded the bases.
After trainer Kyle Torgerson checked out Gilbert and gave him the green light to stay in the game, Tyler Soderstrom’s sacrifice fly to center drove in Kurtz and Jeff McNeil’s two-out single to center brought home Langeliers.
The Mariners got a run back in the bottom of the first as J.P. Crawford, Rodriguez and Naylor loaded the bases with singles to set up Randy Arozarena’s sacrifice fly to left.
Cortes reached on an infield single leading off the third and scored on Jacob Wilson’s one-out double to left to make it 3-1.
Raleigh led off the bottom of the frame with a homer to right off A’s starter Aaron Civale.
The Mariners made it 3-3 in the sixth after Naylor led off with a single to center. one out later, the A’s brought in Brady Basso to replace Civale. Pinch-hitter Mitch Garver greeted Basso with a RBI double to center.
Seattle took the lead off Mark Leiter Jr. in the seventh. Crawford grounded a one-out single into right and advanced as Raleigh’s sinking liner got past right fielder Cortes for a double. Crawford scored as Rodriguez grounded out to short.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer's contract extended through 2032-33 season
Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen Deboer looks on before the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Indiana Hoosiers at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Alabama and coach Kalen DeBoer have reached agreement on a two-year contract extension through the 2032-33 season, the school announced Wednesday.
The deal will reportedly increase DeBoer’s earnings to $87.5 million over the next seven seasons.
The University of Alabama’s System Board of Trustees Compensation Committee formally approved the deal Wednesday.
DeBoer is 20-8 in two seasons with the Crimson Tide after taking over for legendary Nick Saban, who retired after the 2023 season.
“We are excited about the opportunity to continue our time in Tuscaloosa with this contract extension,” DeBoer said in a news release. “This University has become a special place to us, and I look forward to working to ensure that Alabama football remains at the forefront of college football.
“This program has a long history of success and an unmatched tradition that I was eager to be a part of two years ago, and I cannot wait to keep coaching our guys and bring more championships to Alabama.”
DeBoer’s contract reportedly includes a $10 million buyout through January that drops to $8 million for the following 12 months before dipping again to $6 million.
Alabama went 9-4 in DeBoer’s first season in 2024 and missed the College Football Playoff. It went 11-4 last season, defeating Oklahoma in the first round of the CFP before being annihilated 38-3 by eventual champion Indiana.
“We are pleased to extend Coach DeBoer and are proud to have him leading the Crimson Tide football program,” Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne said in the news release. “He is an excellent coach and has done a commendable job developing our student-athletes.”
DeBoer, 51, is 57-17 over the last six seasons, including going 12-6 at Fresno State from 2020-21 and 25-3 at Washington in 2022-23. He guided the Huskies to the 2023 CFP title game before falling to Michigan.
Earlier in his career, DeBoer went 67-3 at Sioux Falls over five seasons, winning NAIA national championships in 2006, 2008 and 2009.
–Field Level Media
Spurs swingman Keldon Johnson wins NBA's Sixth Man award
Josh Naylor, Cal Raleigh rally Mariners to walk-off win over A's
