Sports
Sweden adds Marcus Johansson, Hampus Lindholm to Olympic roster
Jan 11, 2025; San Jose, California, USA; Minnesota Wild center Marcus Johansson (90) warms up on the ice before the game against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images Sweden added Wild forward Marcus Johansson and Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm to its Olympic hockey roster Tuesday.
They are injury replacements for Ducks forward Leo Carlsson and Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin for the upcoming competition in Milan, Italy.
Johansson, 35, has 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists) in 48 games this season for Minnesota. Lindholm, 32, has 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) through 39 games for Boston.
Carlsson is recovering from thigh surgery on Jan. 16 and Brodin is sidelined with a lower-body injury.
Seeking its first Olympic gold medal in men’s ice hockey since 2006, Sweden opens against tournament host Italy on Feb. 11. NHL players are taking part for the first time since 2014.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Spurs pursue season-series-clinching win against Lakers
Feb 7, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) shoots in the first half against the Dallas Mavericks at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images Surging toward the All-Star break, the San Antonio Spurs will begin a back-to-back scenario before some much-deserved rest when they hit the road to face the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.
The second half of the back-to-back for the Spurs, who arrive in California on a four-game winning streak, will be against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday in San Francisco. The All-Star Game will be in the Los Angeles area on Sunday.
The Lakers were on a three-game winning streak and had an eight-point lead in the third quarter on Monday before falling 119-110 to the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder. Los Angeles was without Luka Doncic (hamstring) for the second consecutive game.
The Spurs got past the Thunder 116-106 on Wednesday, then earned consecutive victories over the Dallas Mavericks, including a 138-125 home decision on Saturday when they scored a season-high 81 points in the first half.
Stephon Castle poured in a career-high 40 points in a triple-double that included 12 rebounds and 12 assists. Victor Wembanyama added 16 points and 11 rebounds.
“Having a game like this is definitely a dream come true,” said Castle, who shot 15 of 19 from the floor. “It’s good to have (going) into the break and definitely a good sign. It felt good to be out there and comfortable with every shot I took and to see them go in.”
With a victory on Tuesday, San Antonio would match its longest winning streak of the season, five games, done twice before.
The Spurs have a 2-1 record against the Lakers going into the season finale between the teams. Castle is scoring 20.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists against Los Angeles this season.
In the most recent game between the teams, the Spurs earned a 107-91 home victory on Jan. 7 behind 27 points from Keldon Johnson, matching his season high. It was the Lakers’ second-lowest scoring game of the season.
LeBron James logged 22 points and 10 assists in the Lakers’ loss to the Thunder on Monday in the opener of the back-to-back. James played a team-high 36 minutes. The 41-year-old veteran, in his record 23rd NBA season, has played on consecutive days just twice this season, both times in mid-January.
Marcus Smart added 19 points for Los Angeles while Austin Reaves had 16 in his fourth game after missing more than a month with a calf strain. The Lakers made half of their 84 shots in the game but were outscored 26-19 in the fourth quarter.
“I was pretty bad in that second half,” said Reaves, who shot 1 of 7 from the floor and was called for a technical foul after halftime. “I have to be better than that.”
Now the Lakers will have limited preparation time following a loss to the top team in the Western Conference before facing the second-best club, the Spurs.
“When you play the best teams … you have to have a really high level of effort and you have to have a really high level of execution,” Los Angeles coach JJ Redick said. “It’s gotta be both. I thought for the most part our effort was fantastic (against the Thunder), and in the key stretches of the game, our execution wasn’t great.”
While the Lakers are 14-8 in home games this season, the Spurs are 16-10 in road games.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Acaden Lewis, Villanova thriving ahead of Marquette matchup
Feb 7, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Villanova Wildcats guard Acaden Lewis (55) dribbles against the Georgetown Hoyas during the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images In his first season at Villanova, head coach Kevin Willard has been lucky to have another Wildcats newcomer running his offense.
Freshman point guard Acaden Lewis aims to lead Villanova to its fourth straight win Tuesday when the Wildcats host Marquette in Big East action.
While playing all 23 games for the Wildcats (18-5, 9-3 Big East), Lewis leads them in assists (5.3) and steals (2.0) while contributing 12.4 points per game. He made two clutch 3-pointers and finished with 26 points on 11-of-15 shooting in Saturday’s 80-73 road victory over Georgetown.
“I have the utmost confidence in him,” said Willard. “He is progressing just the way you want a freshman to progress. He’s been great at getting everyone involved. Tonight, we needed him to score and he did that.”
Tyler Perkins chipped in with 15 points while Duke Brennan added 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Wildcats, who remain on track to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022.
Meanwhile, Marquette (9-15, 4-9) is looking for its fourth win in six games following a stretch in which the team lost nine of its previous 10 contests.
The Golden Eagles topped Butler on Saturday, posting a 70-55 home victory as Chase Ross scored 19 points and Adrien Stevens pitched in with 18. Stevens and Ross combined to make 10 3-pointers for Marquette, which shot an impressive 45.2% from beyond the arc (14 of 31).
“It’s a testament to all of our guys, particularly our guards,” Golden Eagles coach Shaka Smart said. “Creating pretty high-quality outside shots.”
Villanova has won two straight meetings with Marquette after losing the previous eight matchups.
In the first encounter this season, the Wildcats posted a 76-73 victory in Milwaukee on Jan. 10. Lewis led the way with 20 points and eight assists, helping to overcome Nigel James Jr.’s 31 points for the Golden Eagles.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Why the New England Patriots Can Get Back to the Super Bowl After Ugly Loss
The New England Patriots were overmatched in Super Bowl LX, losing to the Seattle Seahawks 29-13 on Sunday night in Santa Clara, Calif.
After the sting subsides and the New England fan base has had time to lick its wounds, those fans will turn the page and begin thinking about next season. When they do, they’ll ponder the following question: Can the Patriots return to the Super Bowl next year?
Despite how things unfolded Sunday, the answer is an unequivocal “yes.”
New England’s level of success this season was unexpected — the Patriots were 4-13 in 2023 and 2024 — and it’s certainly reasonable to expect the team to take another step forward next year.
New England will lose some players to free agency, but none who you would call “core” contributors. Edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson, an unrestricted free agent, may be the best of the bunch.
What Vrabel said after Patriots loss
“Disappointed,” first-year New England head coach Mike Vrabel said following Sunday’s loss.
“I reminded them that we’re 307 days into what hopefully is a long, successful relationship and program. It’s OK to be disappointed and upset together. … Every year, somebody’s going to lose this game. We have to remember what it feels like and make sure it’s not repeatable.”
The quarterback/coach combo is in place with Drake Maye and Vrabel, and the defense has cornerstone pieces with cornerback Christian Gonzalez, 23, and tackle Milton Williams, 26, both of whom are in their prime.
Of course, to make another lengthy playoff run, Maye will have to perform like he did in the regular season — not the postseason. Maye was sacked 21 times and had four passes intercepted in four playoff games.
“You’re going to have times like this and it’s how you bounce back,” Maye said. “All those guys in the locker room are going to use this as fuel and I’d go to war with those guys any time, any day, anywhere. It’s motivation to get back here and not have this feeling and have what they’re feeling out there. … Can’t wait to get back and play in another one.”
Vrabel said the significant jump the Patriots made this season won’t be very valuable if the organization can’t find ways to improve the team in the offseason.
The New England fan base can also take solace in the fact that the team’s front office earned high marks in both free agency and the draft last season.
Sunday’s outcome certainly highlighted New England’s shortcomings and will undoubtedly influence what team management does to help the roster.
Even with a low draft position, the Patriots should be able to bolster their offensive line and add a much-needed playmaker to their offense. Those two areas are arguably where the team needs the most upgrading.
The schedule will be more difficult next season, but the Patriots play in the weaker of the two conferences. Two of the top teams in the AFC — Buffalo and Baltimore — will each have a first-year head coach next season, and the AFC East is certainly manageable. It always helps to play the New York Jets twice a year.
DraftKings lists New England at +1200 to reach next year’s Super Bowl, behind Seattle (+950), the Los Angeles Rams (+950), and Buffalo (+1000).
It shouldn’t surprise anybody if the Patriots get there.
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