Sports
Nikola Vucevic ready for Celtics debut against Heat
Feb 1, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) drives to the basket as Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) defends during the second half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images Nikola Vucevic could make his debut with the Boston Celtics when they take on the visiting Miami Heat on Friday night.
Boston acquired Vucevic, 35, in a trade with the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday. The Celtics gave up guard Anfernee Simons and a 2026 second-round draft pick in the deal. Boston also received a future second-round pick.
Vucevic, a 6-foot-9 center, is averaging 16.9 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game in 48 games this season, but he hasn’t been as effective at the defensive end of the court.
“I know some of the limitations I have,” Vucevic told The Athletic. “I’m aware of them.”
Neemias Queta has been Boston’s starting center this season. The Celtics have also used center Luka Garza, whose skillset is similar to what Vucevic brings.
Queta and Garza both started in Wednesday’s 114-93 road victory over Houston. Queta finished with 10 points, 19 rebounds and five blocks in the win. Garza, who made his second start of the season, added 19 points and six rebounds.
“It just helped us on multiple fronts,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said when he was asked about the double-big lineup. “It helped us defensively. It helped us offensively with matchup recognition. We were able to kind of be in our matchups because of that. I thought those guys did a great job. I thought Luka and Neemi were great. Neemi was kind of the best version of him.”
The Celtics also reportedly made two minor moves Thursday. Boston sent Chris Boucher to Utah, and traded Josh Minott to Brooklyn. Like Vucevic, Boucher is in the final year of his contract.
The Heat will be looking to end Boston’s four-game winning streak Friday.
“We’re just going to forge ahead until we conquer it,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “It’s disappointing. I see the potential with our team. I really do.
“That ability to sustain — get a quality win and then do it again. Then rinse and repeat. That’s what all the very good teams are able to do. They’re just more consistent.”
The Heat didn’t have Andrew Wiggins (left hamstring tightness) for Tuesday’s 127-115 home loss to Atlanta. Norman Powell (personal reasons) and Tyler Herro (ribs) also did not play against the Hawks. Powell has missed Miami’s last three games and Herro hasn’t played in the last 11.
Herro didn’t make the two-game trip that includes Sunday’s game against the Washington Wizards. Wiggins and Powell will likely be back against the Celtics.
“Whoever we got out there, we take the approach we always have what it takes to win,” Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. said. “Obviously, guys are dealing with things. We want them to get better, get all the rest they can so they’re healthy when they come back to us. Until then, we’re gonna try to hold it down as best we can.”
Atlanta made 21 of 50 3-point attempts Tuesday. Chicago also made 20 of 40 shots from beyond the 3-point arc in a 125-118 win over Miami on Saturday, one day before the Bulls shot 14.6% on 3-point attempts (6 of 41) in a 134-91 loss to the Heat.
“We just couldn’t get it done defensively (against Atlanta),” Jaquez said. “They lit us up from 3 — something that’s kind of been a theme for us the last couple (losses).”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Royce Lewis' HR helps Twins dispatch Orioles
Mar 28, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Minnesota Twins pitcher Taj Bradley (26) delivers during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images Royce Lewis hit a two-run home run and the Minnesota Twins won for the first time under first-year manager Derek Shelton by beating the host Baltimore Orioles 4-1 on Saturday.
Six Minnesota pitchers combined on a five-hitter while striking out 16 batters and walking six.
The Twins prevailed despite managing only four hits – including two by Byron Buxton – with the bats. The outcome came in the second game of the season-opening series.
Anthony Banda (1-0) was the winning pitcher with two-thirds of an inning of relief. Cole Sands worked the ninth and was credited with a save.
The Orioles stranded 11 runners on base. Jeremiah Jackson had two hits for Baltimore.
Minnesota starter Taj Bradley struck out nine in 4 1/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits but he was finished after 92 pitches.
Orioles starter Kyle Bradish (0-1) was done after 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits and taking the loss. He walked three and struck out four.
Baltimore scored first on Jackson’s run-scoring single.
Josh Bell’s sacrifice fly tied it in the fourth. When Lewis belted his homer in the fifth, it gave the Twins a lead for the first time this season.
Lewis had 13 home runs last year while playing a career-high 106 games.
Banda entered behind Bradley and notched strikeouts for his two outs and then Kody Funderburk fanned the first two Orioles in the sixth, so it meant that 13 of the first 17 outs recorded by the Twins came via strikeouts.
The Orioles loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth. Eric Orze got Gunnar Henderson on a flyout to end the threat.
The Twins tacked on a run in the seventh on Kody Clemens’ two-out single that drove in Lewis.
Baltimore used five pitchers, registering a total of 10 strikeouts.
The result handed Baltimore’s Craig Albernaz his first loss as a big-league manager.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Ta’Niya Latson scores 28 as South Carolina blows out Oklahoma
Mar 28, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Ta’niya Latson (00) looks to shoot the ball against the Oklahoma Sooners during the second quarter 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 Ta’Niya Latson scored 28 points to help top-seed South Carolina beat fourth-seeded Oklahoma 94-68 in a Sweet 16 matchup Saturday in Sacramento.
Latson set the tone from the start, scoring eight points during the Gamecocks’ 10-0 run to start the game.
South Carolina will take on the winner of Saturday’s TCU-Virginia matchup Monday.
The Gamecocks (34-3) are looking for their sixth consecutive Final Four appearance.
South Carolina lost the regular-season matchup between the teams 94-82 in overtime Jan. 22.
In their NCAA Tournament matchup, though, the Gamecocks never gave the Sooners a chance for any kind of a late push.
Latson helped make sure of that, hitting a jumper on the opening possession, nailing a 3-pointer shortly thereafter, then hitting three free throws after being fouled less than three minutes into the game to put her team up 10-0.
Oklahoma briefly cut the deficit to six, but after the first quarter, South Carolina’s lead never dipped below double figures.
Latson finished 7 of 11 from the floor with five assists. The Gamecocks shot 50.7% from the floor.
Raven Johnson added 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting, and Tessa Johnson scored 14.
The Sooners (26-8) were led by freshman Aaliyah Chavez, who had 21 points. Oklahoma finished with a season-low nine assists, while South Carolina had 21 on 34 field goals.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Top teams Natus Vincere, Team Vitality clinch sports in BLAST Open Spring grand final
BLAST Premier 2022 CS:GO Team Vitality continued its dominance while Natus Vincere held strong to set up a matchup of top-seeded teams in the best-of-five grand final after wins in the semifinals of the BLAST Open Spring on Saturday at Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Both teams received byes to the semifinals after undefeated runs in group play. Team Vitality still has yet to drop a game as they defeated Aurora Gaming 2-0 to set up a clash with Natus Vincere, which downed PARIVISION 2-1.
The 16 teams in the $400,000 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive event were split into two groups of eight that contested double-elimination brackets in Copenhagen, Denmark. The top three finishers in each bracket advanced to the six-team playoffs in Rotterdam.
The winning team will earn $150,000 along with three BLAST Frequent Flyer tokens.
Team Vitality was dominant against Aurora Gaming, claiming 13-5 victories on Inferno and Nuke. Israel’s Shahar ‘flameZ’ Shushan had a match-high 37 kills and a plus-15 K-D differential. Ali ‘Wicadia’ Haydar Yalcin had a team-best 30 kills for the all-Turkish side, but had a minus-2 K-D differential.
Natus Vincere had a tougher time with PARIVISION but still came away with the victory, winning 13-11 on Dust II and 13-7 on Mirage to clinch it after falling 13-8 on Inferno. Ukrainian Ihor ‘w0nderful’ Zhdanov paced Natus Vincere with 59 kills and a match-best plus-17 K-D differential. Dzhami ‘Jame’ Ali led the way for all-Russian PARIVISION with 50 kills and a plus-3 K-D differential.
BLAST Open Spring prize pool (cash prize, BLAST Frequent Flyer tokens)
1. $150,000, 3
2. $60,000, 1
3-4. $40,000, 1 — PARIVISION, Aurora Gaming
5-6. $20,000, 1 — Team Falcons, The MongolZ
7-8. $10,000 — FURIA, Team Spirit
9-12. $7,500 — TYLOO, NRG, 9z Team, Team Liquid
13-16. $5,000 — FaZe Clan, B8, MOUZ, Ninjas in Pyjamas
–Field Level Media
Royce Lewis' HR helps Twins dispatch Orioles
Ta’Niya Latson scores 28 as South Carolina blows out Oklahoma
