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
Lakers star Luka Doncic suspended 1 game after 16th technical foul
Mar 27, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) drives against Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams (1) during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images The NBA suspended Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic for one game without pay on Saturday for receiving his 16th technical foul this season, and he will miss Monday’s game against the visiting Washington Wizards.
Doncic, the league’s leading scorer, was assessed a technical along with Brooklyn forward Ziaire Williams when they jostled each other with 5:12 remaining in the third quarter of the host Lakers’ 116-99 victory on Friday.
An offensive foul was called seconds earlier on Doncic, and a video review showed him pushing Williams, with the Nets player retaliating by swiping at Doncic’s face.
The 16th technical triggered an automatic suspension, which will cost Doncic 1/174th of his annual salary, about $264,000, per ESPN. League rules stipulate that following the 16th technical, for every two additional technicals, the player will be suspended another game without pay.
The Lakers had successfully appealed Doncic’s most-recent technical for a yelling match with Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze on March 21. The league rescinded the technicals.
Doncic, 27, is averaging 33.7 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds for the Lakers (48-26), who are in third place in the Western Conference with eight games remaining in the regular season.
A six-time All-Star guard, Doncic has been selected All-NBA first team five times and was the 2018-19 NBA Rookie of the Year.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Marta Suarez scores 33 as TCU upends Virginia in Sweet 16
Mar 28, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; Texas Christian University Horned Frogs guard Olivia Miles (5) and forward Marta Suárez (7) embrace after a called foul during the second quarter of the game against the Virginia Cavaliers in the Sweet Sixteen game of the Sacramento Regional 4 of the women’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images Marta Suarez scored a career-high 33 points, Olivia Miles added 28 points in a near triple-double and third-seeded TCU ended Virginia’s magical NCAA Tournament run with a 79-69 victory in the Sweet 16 in Sacramento on Saturday.
Miles had 10 rebounds and eight assists and Suarez had 10 rebounds as the Horned Frogs (32-5) overcame a one-point halftime deficit by scoring the first 11 points of the third quarter to take control.
The Horned Frogs will make their second straight Elite Eight appearance when they meet top-seeded South Carolina on Monday.
Suarez had 13 points in the third quarter, when Miles had six assists and four rebounds as the Frogs pushed their lead to 15. The 10th-seeded Cavaliers did not get closer than eight until the final 31 seconds.
Miles’ two free throws with 26.1 seconds left for a 77-69 lead clinched it. She is one of four Division I players with at least 600 points, 250 rebounds and 100 assists.
Paris Clark had 20 points and Kymora Johnson had 18 for the Cavaliers (22-12), the lowest seed to reach the Sweet 16 since 2022.
Clara Silva had eight points and eight rebounds for TCU, which had a 38-29 edge on the boards and limited Virginia to 41% shooting.
Virginia led by seven late in the first quarter. TCU took a 35-33 lead with 1:09 left in the first half, when Suarez made a free throw after Romi Levy was called for a Flagrant 1 foul for pulling Miles down as she drove to the basket.
Clark’s three-point play gave the Cavaliers a 36-35 lead at halftime.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Troy appoints NC State assistant Adam Howard as new coach
Nov 13, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Fred Hoiberg and assistant coach Adam Howard watch play during the first half against the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images North Carolina State assistant Adam Howard is the new head coach at Troy, the school announced Saturday night.
Howard replaces Scott Cross, who left after the NCAA Tournament to become head coach at Georgia Tech. Cross finished his seven-year tenure with five straight 20-win campaigns.
Troy went 22-12 this season and reached the NCAA tourney for the second straight season. The Trojans, seeded 13th, were routed 76-47 by Nebraska in the first round of this year’s tournament.
Howard will look to continue the success. He had a two-season stint as an assistant with Troy (2016-18) earlier in his career with the Trojans qualifying for the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
Last season was Howard’s lone campaign at NC State, which went 20-14 and reached the NCAA Tournament before losing to the Texas in the First Four. Wolfpack coach Will Wade departed for LSU after the season.
Howard’s other stops as an assistant coach include Southern Miss (2012-14), Tennessee (2014), South Alabama (2018-22) and Nebraska (2022-25).
Howard resigned at Tennessee in November 2014, citing personal reasons, during a time when he and then-Volunteers coach Donnie Tyndall were being investigated by the NCAA for recruiting violations at Southern Miss, where Tyndall was previously the head coach.
–Field Level Media
Lakers star Luka Doncic suspended 1 game after 16th technical foul
Marta Suarez scores 33 as TCU upends Virginia in Sweet 16
