Sports
Grizzlies, Kings battle as potential deadline moves still loom
Feb 2, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) reacts with forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr. (8) after a basket during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images Sacramento Kings fans might get one last chance to say goodbye to Domantas Sabonis as the upcoming trade deadline looms over the Memphis Grizzlies’ visit to California’s capital on Wednesday night.
The Kings have lost nine consecutive games and plummeted to the bottom of the NBA standings, sparking numerous trade rumors, including recent speculation on their star center.
Interested teams saw Sabonis round back into starter-worthy shape in the past two weeks, when he returned from a 17-game absence due to a strained left knee to play seven times over the course of 14 days.
Having started three games in a row — and averaging 12.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in those contests — the three-time All-Star was held out of the second night of a back-to-back last Thursday in Boston before missing Sacramento’s trip finale Saturday at Washington with a sore back.
The Kings went 0-6 on the trip, during which rumors intensified of a possible Sabonis trade to Toronto. The in-season deadline is Thursday afternoon.
Sacramento returns home with a new player, having acquired De’Andre Hunter from the Cleveland Cavaliers for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis.
More moves are anticipated, as DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Malik Monk have all played recently, with their names appearing in various internet reports.
Kings coach Doug Christie looks forward to the day when his guys can be a little more single-minded.
“You’d be remiss to think that those type of things affect you a little bit,” he assured reporters during the trip. “It can bring your energy up or down. And that’s where, as I told them, we have to hold each other and help each other in those moments.”
Surely, the Grizzlies can relate. They have played 12 of their last 14 games without standout point guard Ja Morant, who seemingly is content waiting until after Thursday to see where he’ll be hanging his jersey the rest of the season as he deals with a sore left elbow.
The Grizzlies have received a longer look at their potential point guard of the future over the last two games, with Ty Jerome making his season debut after recovering from a calf injury. The veteran averaged 19.5 points and seven assists in a two-game stretch against the Minnesota Timberwolves, helping Memphis break a six-game losing streak Monday with 19 points and eight assists in just 20 minutes.
With Zach Edey and Santi Aldama also out of action recently, Memphis coach Tuomas Iisalo has been glad to see Jerome step right in and aggressively lead the team at its point of attack.
“(He) did all the things that we expected him to do for us this season — create out of the pick and roll, also be a threat off the ball and opening up space for other guys,” Iisalo gushed to reporters after Monday’s 137-128 win. “You need the handler and the screener to have enough creation that they don’t need to rely on team reactions, but they create a two-on-one situation, they create good enough looks. Ty is definitely that guy.”
Both teams will avoid the distraction of having a game on trade-deadline day, with the Grizzlies getting a day off Thursday before continuing a five-game trip in Portland, while the Kings will be awaiting a visit from the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Stephon Castle posts triple-double, Spurs cruise past Bucks
Mar 28, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) shoots during the first quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images Stephon Castle amassed his fourth triple-double of the season and was among seven teammates in double-figure scoring, as the visiting San Antonio Spurs cruised to their eighth straight win via a 127-95 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday afternoon.
The Spurs (56-18) were victorious for the 13th time in their past 14 games and remain hot on the heels of Oklahoma City for both the top seed in the West and the best record in the league. San Antonio is two games back of the defending champion Thunder with eight contests left to play.
San Antonio ran off to a 28-point lead late in the second quarter, led by 22 at halftime and by 23 heading into the fourth period after repelling a tepid rally from the Bucks. The Spurs swept a three-game road trip to Miami, Memphis, and Milwaukee by at least 25 points in each victory.
Castle finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 23 points and 15 rebounds. Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson added 16 points each. Dylan Harper scored 14, De’Aaron Fox hit for 12, and Julian Champagnie had 11 in the win.
Gary Trent Jr. scored 18 points to lead the Bucks, who played without Giannis Antetokounmpo (left knee) for the sixth straight game. Myles Turner had 15, Ryan Rollins and Ousmane Dang hit for 12 each, Andre Jackson Jr. tallied 11, and Jericho Sims racked up 10 points and 10 rebounds for Milwaukee (29-44).
The Spurs sprinted away from an 11-9 lead with a 10-2 run capped by Champagnie’s 3-pointer at the 5:32 mark that granted San Antonio a 13-point advantage. A Sims layup with two seconds left in the first quarter allowed the Bucks to stay within 37-24.
San Antonio pushed the lead to 28 points after Wembanyama’s layup with 1:57 left in the second period before the Bucks got a basket by AJ Green and then a 3-pointer from Trent to trim their deficit to 67-45 at the break.
Castle’s tremendous first half (15 points, six rebounds, and six assists) paced the Spurs while Harper and Vassell added 10 points each before halftime. Trent had 11 points in the first half to lead the Bucks.
Milwaukee came out with purpose after halftime, drawing to within 71-58 when Pete Nance canned a 3-pointer three minutes into the third quarter. But the rally was short-lived as San Antonio swung back, building the margin back to 25 points after Harrison Barnes’ jumper from beyond the arc with 2:32 to play in the period.
–Field Level Media
Sports
U.S. routed by Belgium in World Cup prep
Mar 28, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; USA’s Weston McKennie (8) controls the ball against Belgium’s Brandon Mechele (4) during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images With the 2026 World Cup just around the corner, the U.S. men’s national team’s debut this year began on a sour note after being routed 5-2 by Belgium in Atlanta on Saturday.
The U.S. had a 4-0-1 record in its final five matches last year and looked to be in form Saturday when Weston McKennie gave the Americans the lead in the 39th minute.
Then, everything unraveled quickly on goals by Zeno Debast in the 45th, Amadou Onana in the 53rd and a penalty from Charles De Ketelaere in the 59th before Dodi Lukebakio increased the advantage in the 68th and 82nd minutes.
Patrick Agyemang made it 5-2 in the 87th after a Ricardo Pepi takeaway in front of the Belgium goal.
The U.S. opens World Cup play on June 12 vs. Paraguay, but coach Mauricio Pochettino is more concerned with the match against Portugal on Tuesday, also in Atlanta, which will be his final chance for evaluation within the U.S. structure.
After that, the U.S. will not take the field again before the roster is announced May 26. Three days later, the Americans play Senegal in Charlotte, with the final tune-up June 6 in Chicago versus Germany.
McKennie claimed the lead off a corner kick by Antonee Robinson when he sliced between two defenders, leapt, then redirected the ball with the inside of his right foot for his 12th international but first in three years.
Robinson, who did not play for the U.S. in 2025 because of injuries, made his first appearance since Nov. 18, 2024, and was active from the start.
He drilled a shot from distance that forced a save by Senne Lammens in the ninth minute. The Manchester United keeper also denied a close-range shot by McKennie in the 17th.
Debast scored his first goal with a low knuckler from 25 yards to the lower left corner after the initial save by Matt Turner on Jeremy Doku traveled outside the box, where he immediately sent it back.
Onana scored from the top of the box for the lead, and De Ketelaere converted from the spot after Tim Ream’s handball. The defense was in disarray for the final two goals with Belgium roaming freely in the box.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Trail Blazers hosting Wizards as they hunt down No. 8 seed
Mar 22, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Portland Trail Blazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter reacts in the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Fresh off a painful slip-up, the Portland Trail Blazers continue their pursuit of the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference when they host the Washington Wizards on Sunday.
The Trail Blazers had won five of six games, the previous two by 35 and 31 points, before dropping a 100-93 home decision against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.
The setback leaves Portland (37-38) 1.5 games behind the Los Angeles Clippers for the No. 8 berth — a play-in spot in which one win gets you into the main draw — with seven games remaining.
It was a missed opportunity for the Trail Blazers, and interim coach Tiago Splitter said the defeat was a blow for the team’s mood as well.
“Not great,” Splitter said of the team’s mood. “I think we all felt that we were in a growing moment, and this one hits hard.”
The Trail Blazers were sloppy with 25 turnovers, their fourth time with at least 25 this season and one off their season worst, which they accomplished twice.
Jrue Holiday scored 23 points, Deni Avdija added 20 and Jerami Grant had 19, but the trio of Toumani Camara (3 of 9), Donovan Clingan (2 of 9) and backup Scoot Henderson (3 of 11) were a combined 8-for-29 shooting for 23 points.
Portland scored just 17 points on 6-for-18 shooting to go with seven turnovers in the fourth quarter.
“Offensively, we were very poor,” Splitter said. “We didn’t make shots, turned over the ball all over. … We didn’t have it offensively.”
Grant exited the contest in the third quarter when he injured his right calf. He was slated to undergo testing Saturday.
“I’m always hopeful,” Grant said afterward. “Like I said, I can put some pressure on it, so it shouldn’t be too crazy.”
Washington (17-56) has dropped 17 of its last 18 games after losing 131-126 to the host Golden State Warriors on Friday night.
The Wizards lost 16 in a row before routing the Utah Jazz 133-110 on Wednesday in the second contest of a four-game road trip. But they returned to their losing ways after allowing 72 first-half points to the Warriors.
Rookie Will Riley had 22 points, five rebounds and five assists for Washington. The 20-year-old has topped 20 points four times this month and missed by one point on two other occasions.
Bilal Coulibaly had 21 points but was limited to 19 minutes by coach Brian Keefe for the second straight game. Bub Carrington had 16 points and played just 26 minutes, while Alex Sarr had eight points and nine boards while getting just 23 minutes of action.
“Our health of our players is our No. 1 thing,” Washington coach Brian Keefe said, explaining each of those players had a minutes limit. “We want to keep the rotation … similar rotations that they’re used to playing together. And when they hit (the minutes limit), that’s kind of it.”
Backup Anthony Gill scored 14 points on 7-for-9 shooting against Golden State and is averaging 13.3 points on 25-for-33 shooting (75.8%) over the past four games.
Sarr had 29 points and 12 rebounds when Washington notched a 115-111 home victory over the Trail Blazers on Jan. 27. Clingan collected 20 rebounds to go with 14 points for Portland.
–Field Level Media
Stephon Castle posts triple-double, Spurs cruise past Bucks
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