Sports
Ice-cold Kings prepare to host confident Clippers
Dec 30, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers center Brook Lopez (11) and forward John Collins (20) reach for a rebound after a missed shot by Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook (18) in the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Two recent Cleveland Cavaliers have a chance to go head-to-head for the first time for new teams nearly 2,500 miles from their old home when the Los Angeles Clippers visit the Sacramento Kings on Friday night.
Dealt from the Cavaliers in separate trades 48 hours apart earlier in the week, Darius Garland is hopeful of making his Clippers debut while De’Andre Hunter is set to suit up for the second time for the Kings when the Pacific Divisions clubs clash.
Garland could only sit and watch when the Cavaliers, coincidentally, were scheduled to play the Clippers in Los Angeles on Wednesday while their trade, which brought James Harden to Cleveland, was still pending approval.
With Harden also sitting out, the Cavaliers won the game 124-91.
Meanwhile, in Sacramento, the Kings introduced Hunter to his new home fans before a 129-125 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. Hunter, acquired for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis, had just nine points in 26 minutes as a starter in his Kings debut.
The last time Garland and Hunter went head-to-head actually wasn’t all that long ago. While Garland had been a career-long Cavalier, Hunter was acquired by Cleveland from Atlanta last February. He had previously faced Garland in Hawks-Cavaliers matchups 12 times, with the Hawks winning seven of those games.
While the Clippers could have Garland in the lineup Friday, they likely won’t have Bennedict Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson, who were picked up at Thursday’s deadline along with three draft picks for Ivica Zubac and Kobe Brown.
Garland hasn’t played since Jan. 14 because of a sprained big toe on his right foot, but reportedly has indicated he’s ready to return as soon as the Clippers need him.
Coach Tyronn Lue hasn’t said when that will be, but clearly has already envisioned a new look with the speedy Garland moving into the spot vacated by the lead-footed Harden.
“He’s different from James and we can play different with a faster pace,” Lue noted to reporters after the deal. “It’s going to be exciting. I’ve known DG for a while, and having a young point guard under my tutelage, I think it’s the first time I have had one since Kyrie (Irving).”
The Clippers have lost two in a row and three of four since Kawhi Leonard, Harden and Zubac led a 9-1 surge that got Los Angeles back in playoff contention. The visit to Sacramento tips off a four-game trip.
Despite the arrival of Hunter, the Kings dropped a 10th straight when outfinished by the Grizzlies on Wednesday.
Sacramento was mentioned in as many rumors as any team leading into the deadline, but in the end, elected to retain Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Russell Westbrook.
Kings coach Doug Christie said he looks forward to pairing Hunter with Keegan Murray, who is being pointed to a return from a sprained left ankle after the All-Star break.
“I’m just excited to see them (together),” Christie told reporters in the wake of the Cleveland trade. “When you think about it, you got two long wings. They both play the right way for the right reasons. They are team players. They’re going to do all the little things that equate to winning.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Miko Rantanen, Stars double-up Penguins
Mar 28, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston (53) and Pittsburgh Penguins center Ben Kindel (81) fight for the puck during the second period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Miko Rantanen scored in his first game in nearly two months, and the Dallas Stars tallied three unanswered second-period goals to end a four-game skid and defeat the host Pittsburgh Penguins 6-3 on Saturday.
Rantanen and Jason Robertson each had a goal and an assist for Dallas (44-18-11, 99 points), which had gone 0-3-1 in its last four. The Stars trailed 1-0 and 2-1 in this contest before exploding for three goals, two on the power play, in the second.
Rookie Justin Hryckowian, Lian Bichsel and Mavrik Bourque also scored for the Stars, who swept the two-game season series with Pittsburgh after winning in Dallas in December.
Erik Karlsson had a goal and two assists for Pittsburgh (36-21-16, 88 points), which was playing without both Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby due to lower-body injuries.
Anthony Mantha and Noel Acciari also scored for Pittsburgh, which lost its third game at PPG Paints Arena in the past week. The Penguins were outscored 17-6 in those three home contests.
Mantha redirected a Karlsson slapshot to put Pittsburgh in front on a power-play goal just over two minutes into the game.
Hryckowian evened the score for Dallas early in the second period, capitalizing on a broken play that left him wide open in front of the net with the puck.
Karlsson answered for the Penguins 48 seconds later with a wrister for his 13th goal of the season. In the process, he broke two franchise records for defensemen.
The goal was his ninth in March, the most in a single month by a Penguins blueliner. This was also his ninth multi-point game in March, which broke Randy Carlyle’s mark, set in December 1980, for most multi-point games in a single month by a defenseman.
The Stars responded over the next few minutes. Robertson scored on the power play 7:12 into the period to even the game. It was Robertson’s 40th goal, tying him with Wyatt Johnston for the team lead.
Three minutes later, Rantanen, who had missed 15 games in a row with a lower-body injury, tallied his 21st of the season on another power-play opportunity.
Bichsel doubled the Stars’ advantage less than 90 seconds later on a strange sequence. He went behind the goal, stapled to Karlsson, proceeded to throw the Swede’s stick to the floor with no whistle, and then scored what turned out to be the game-winner.
Jake Oettinger improved to 7-1-0 in his career against Pittsburgh. He allowed three goals on only 12 shots, as Pittsburgh posted four, five and three shots over the three periods. Stuart Skinner made 20 stops for the Penguins.
Dallas, which entered with the fourth-best road record in the league, improved to 22-8-7 away from home.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tobias Harris sparks Pistons to road win over Timberwolves
Mar 28, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris (12) dribbles the ball as Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) and guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (1) defend during the second half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images Tobias Harris scored 18 points on 7-for-10 shooting, and the Detroit Pistons pulled away for a 109-87 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday afternoon in Minneapolis.
Ronald Holland II and Daniss Jenkins chipped in 13 points apiece for Detroit (54-20), which won for the sixth time in its past seven games. Paul Reed added 12 points off the bench, and Jalen Duren notched a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds.
Donte DiVincenzo led Minnesota (45-29) with 22 points and made five shots from beyond the arc. Rudy Gobert finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Julius Randle notched 11 points despite missing 11 of 13 shots from the field.
Detroit outscored Minnesota 60-43 in the second half to seal the victory.
The Pistons opened the second half on a 7-1 run to go ahead by double digits. Ausar Thompson made a layup to finish the run and put Detroit ahead 56-45 with 9:53 to go in the third quarter.
By the start of the fourth quarter, Detroit increased its lead to 14 points. Caris LeVert knocked down a pullup jump shot from 15 feet to make it 74-60 in favor of the Pistons.
The TImberwolves trailed by double digits for the duration of the fourth quarter. They fell behind by 20 points when Harris made a free throw with 6:04 to play.
The Pistons held on to a 49-44 advantage at the half.
Detroit led by as many as 13 points before the break. Duren made a pair of free throws to put the Pistons on top 37-24 with 9:40 remaining.
Minnesota responded with a 15-6 run to cut the deficit to 43-39 late in the half.
Both teams played without their top players. Anthony Edwards remained out for the Timberwolves because of inflammation in his right knee, and Cade Cunningham remained out for the Pistons as he recovers from a collapsed lung.
The Timberwolves also played without Jaden McDaniels (knee) and Ayo Dosunmu (calf). Terrence Shannon Jr. made his second career start in the backcourt.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tobias Harris sparks Pistons to road win over Timberwolves
Mar 28, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris (12) dribbles the ball as Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) and guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (1) defend during the second half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images Tobias Harris scored 18 points on 7-for-10 shooting, and the Detroit Pistons pulled away for a 109-87 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday afternoon in Minneapolis.
Ronald Holland II and Daniss Jenkins chipped in 13 points apiece for Detroit (54-20), which won for the sixth time in its past seven games. Paul Reed added 12 points off the bench, and Jalen Duren notched a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds.
Donte DiVincenzo led Minnesota (45-29) with 22 points and made five shots from beyond the arc. Rudy Gobert finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Julius Randle notched 11 points despite missing 11 of 13 shots from the field.
Detroit outscored Minnesota 60-43 in the second half to seal the victory.
The Pistons opened the second half on a 7-1 run to go ahead by double digits. Ausar Thompson made a layup to finish the run and put Detroit ahead 56-45 with 9:53 to go in the third quarter.
By the start of the fourth quarter, Detroit increased its lead to 14 points. Caris LeVert knocked down a pullup jump shot from 15 feet to make it 74-60 in favor of the Pistons.
The TImberwolves trailed by double digits for the duration of the fourth quarter. They fell behind by 20 points when Harris made a free throw with 6:04 to play.
The Pistons held on to a 49-44 advantage at the half.
Detroit led by as many as 13 points before the break. Duren made a pair of free throws to put the Pistons on top 37-24 with 9:40 remaining.
Minnesota responded with a 15-6 run to cut the deficit to 43-39 late in the half.
Both teams played without their top players. Anthony Edwards remained out for the Timberwolves because of inflammation in his right knee, and Cade Cunningham remained out for the Pistons as he recovers from a collapsed lung.
The Timberwolves also played without Jaden McDaniels (knee) and Ayo Dosunmu (calf). Terrence Shannon Jr. made his second career start in the backcourt.
–Field Level Media
Miko Rantanen, Stars double-up Penguins
Tobias Harris sparks Pistons to road win over Timberwolves
