Sport

Justin Herbert or Drake Maye?

Both quarterbacks have had outstanding seasons and will meet on a huge stage Sunday night, each looking to pick up his first victory in the NFL playoffs.

Whereas Herbert is 0-2 in Chargers postseason games, Maye is making his first postseason appearance for the New England Patriots after assembling a most valuable player-caliber season.

Herbert hasn’t gotten as much MVP mention but has been elite, especially considering the state of his injury-riddled offensive line, which has a new configuration virtually every week.

Jim Harbaugh and the Patriots’ Mike Vrabel are two of the league’s most talented coaches too, and this figures to be a balanced matchup.

The Patriots won 14 games — a whopping 10 more than the year before — but didn’t play a lot of great quarterbacks, a middler’s row that included Cam Ward, Spencer Rattler, Dillon Gabriel and a 40-year-old Joe Flacco.

Twice the Chargers have lost playoff games at New England, falling short in the AFC championship game to end the 2007 season and a divisional game in 2018.

How the Chargers can win: The Chargers need to put the Patriots on their heels by slowing the running game, which has been New England’s key to winning lately, and force the pass. Maye’s receivers don’t have a lot of big-play potential. On defense the Patriots are solid but not overwhelming. The Chargers need to be effective on third down — need to stay in third-and-manageable — to keep drives alive and keep that Patriots defense on the field. Of course protecting Herbert is a priority and it’s a challenge with an offensive line that’s constantly being reshuffled. If the Chargers score early and often, they can take the crowd out of the game.

How the Patriots can win: New England has to stay out of obvious passing situations against an opportunistic Chargers defense. That means leaning on the running game, something the Patriots have done the last month. The Patriots need to shore up the defense against the run, although the Chargers don’t thrive on that with a banged-up Omarion Hampton and backups. If the Patriots can avoid the turnovers and establish a methodical tempo, they can inch away with field goals.

Victor Osimhen scores one and sets up another to send Nigeria into the last four of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Nigeria powered to a deserved 2-0 victory over Algeria in their Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal with second-half strikes from Victor Osimhen and ‍Akor Adams to set up a semifinal with hosts Morocco.

Osimhen steered home a long cross from the left by Bruno Onyemaechi ⁠two minutes into the second half on Saturday as Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane made a bizarre jump to try ​and stop the effort, but ended up getting his angles wrong and conceding an ‍easy goal.

Adams increased Nigeria’s lead 10 minutes later as Osimhen unselfishly fed him the ball, and he took it around Zidane before placing it into an empty net.

It was an impressive performance by Nigeria, who two months ago missed out ‍on World Cup ⁠qualification, as they overwhelmed their opponents from the start at the Grand Stade de Marrakesh, looking more determined, quicker around the field and stronger in the challenges, and denying their opponents a single scoring chance.

Algeria were already hanging on grimly in the first half, with Nigeria having good chances to be ahead at the break.

Algeria centre back Ramy Bensebaini cleared off the line in the 29th minute from Calvin Bassey after the depth of Ademola Lookman’s free kick ​was misjudged by Zidane and the Nigeria fullback was able to steer an ‌effort goalward from a tight angle.

Bensebaini hooked it clear, although television replays looked to show the whole circumference of the ball had crossed the line. A VAR check in the absence of goal line technology, however, ‌did not award a goal.

In the 37th minute, a poor clearance from Zidane to full-back Aissa Mandi was intercepted by Alex Iwobi, who quickly ‌fed the ball to Adams, but the Sevilla striker‘s left-footed effort ⁠missed the target with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Adams also headed against the upright in the 82nd minute as Osimhen’s enterprise and persistence again set him up with a clear chance.

Algeria had been forced to play extra-time before winning their last-16 clash ‌against the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Tuesday and the exertion could have been the reason many of their key players turned in listless performances. In contrast, Nigeria had a comfortable 4-0 win over Mozambique ‍on Monday.

Nigeria, who have reached the last four 17 times in the last 20 tournaments they have qualified for, will take on Morocco in Rabat in the semifinals on Wednesday.

The Super Eagles, who had a far from ideal preparation with reports of bonuses not being paid, will face host Morocco in the second semifinal in Rabat on Wednesday.

Defending champions Ivory Coast play seven-time champions Egypt in Agadir later on Saturday for a place against Senegal in the first semifinal.

Cloudlflare CEO threatens withdrawal of Milano-Cortina Olympics funding following fine by Italian communications watchdog.

United States internet company Cloudflare has threatened to pull its services in Italy, including for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, after being fined 14 million euros ($16m) for failing to tackle online piracy.

Italy’s independent communications watchdog, Agcom, announced the fine on Thursday for “ongoing violation of the anti-piracy law”, notably failing to disable content flagged under its “Piracy Shield” system.

The system allows rightsholders of livestreamed events to report pirated content through an automated platform, with providers required to block the content within 30 minutes.

In a lengthy post on X late Friday, Cloudflare chief executive Matthew Prince condemned what he said was a “scheme to censor the internet”.

He said the system had “no judicial oversight”, no appeal process and no transparency, and required services to block content not just in Italy, but globally.

Cloudflare had already launched legal challenges against the scheme and would now fight the fine, which he called “unjust”.

He also said his company was considering “discontinuing the millions of dollars in pro bono cyber-security services we are providing the upcoming Milano-Cortina Olympics”.

Prince said he would be discussing the issue with US officials in Washington, DC, next week and would then head to Lausanne for talks with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which is organising the February 6-22 Winter Games in northern Italy.

He also warned his company could discontinue its free cybersecurity services for Italy-based users, remove all servers from Italian cities and scrap plans to invest in the country.

Cloudflare is a platform that provides services including security, traffic management and optimisation for websites and applications.

It claims to manage about 20 percent of global internet traffic.

Agcom says that since its adoption in February 2024, Piracy Shield has led to the disabling of at least 65,000 fully-qualified domain names (FQDN) and approximately 14,000 IP addresses.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

BOYS

CITY SECTION

Dorsey 75, Northridge Academy 67

El Camino Real 60, Carson 40

Fairfax 80, North Hollywood 43

Harbor Teacher 43, Torres 33

LA Hamilton 47, Marquez 40

LA University 74, Franklin 52

Santee 71, Rise Kohyang 39

SOCES 74, Lincoln 73

South East 59, Locke 45

View Park 44, Orthopaedic 40

Westbrook 57, Maywood CES 56

Wilmington Banning 50, Verdugo Hills 37

WISH Academy 50, University Prep Value 47

SOUTHERN SECTION

ACE 57, Victor Valley Christian 45

Agoura 52, Newbury Park 48

Alhambra 57, Montebello 43

Aliso Niguel 39, Beckman 37

Anaheim 57, Garden Grove Santiago 42

Anaheim Canyon 75, Santa Ana Foothill 52

Animo Leadership 61, Ambassador 58

Arcadia 69, Muir 45

Arlington 73, Hemet 66

Arrowhead Christian 68, Linfield Christian 53

Arroyo 79, Pasadena Marshall 57

Ayala 67, Diamond Bar 63

Azusa 77, Duarte 76

Banning 77, Desert Mirage 30

Bassett 51, Pomona 18

Bell Gardens 69, San Gabriel 49

Beverly Hills 57, Culver City 48

Big Bear 98, AAE 49

Bishop Amat 91, Gardena Serra 49

Blair 95, South Pasadena 78

Bonita 68, Walnut 51

Brea Olinda 67, Garden Grove Pacifica 53

Burbank Burroughs 72, Glendale 64

Calabasas 81, Westlake 70

California 84, El Rancho 39

California Lutheran 66, Desert Christian Academy 65

Calvin Christian 63, Cornerstone Christian 28

Cathedral 73, Cantwell-Sacred Heart 69

Cerritos 60, Whitney 32

Chaminade 55, Loyola 48

Citrus Hill 80, Canyon Springs 55

Corona Centennial 89, Norco 21

Corona Santiago 70, Eastvale Roosevelt 63

Crescenta Valley 77, Burbank 64

Desert Hot Springs 69, Cathedral City 46

Downey 78, Firebuagh 38

Dunn 60, Grace 53

Edgewood 67, Workman 34

Edison 75, Newport Harbor 70

El Dorado 69, Sonora 60

El Toro 53, Mission Viejo 48

Excelsior Charter 79, Lucerne Valley 34

Foothill Tech 66, Cate 39

Fountain Valley 56, Huntington Beach 49

Gahr 54, Dominguez 52

Glendora 54, Claremont 33

Hacienda Heights Wilson 62, Charter Oak 52

Harvard-Westlake 78, Crespi 53

Indian Springs 64, Pacific 32

JSerra 80, Orange Lutheran 66

Keppel 79, Schurr 50

Laguna Beach 69, Irvine University 48

La Habra 69, Crean Lutheran 56

Lakeside 72, Heritage 53

Lakeview Leadership 69, PAL Academy 22

La Salle 63, Mary Star of the Sea 38

La Sierra 52, Jurupa Valley 51

La Serna 49, Santa Fe 47

Long Beach Cabrillo 59, Long Beach Jordan 53

Long Beach Poly 78, Compton 50

Long Beach Wilson 65, Lakewood 52

Los Alamitos 80, Marina 60

Maranatha 45, Heritage Christian 44

Mater Dei 95, Servite 76

Mira Costa 69, Peninsula 28

Moorpark 58, Camarillo 54

Murrieta Valley 70, Great Oak 67

North Torrance 47, West Torrance 42

Northview 45, West Covina 37

Oaks Christian 72, Thousand Oaks 65

Ontario Christian 79, Woodcrest Christian 58

Orange 60, Estancia 59

Oxford Academy 64, Artesia 62

Oxnard 60, Rio Mesa 50

Oxnard Pacifica 73, Dos Pueblos 70

Paloma Valley 65, Vista del Lago 42

Palos Verdes 53, Wiseburn-Da Vinci 51

Pasadena 86, Hoover 20

Perris 52, Valley View 51

Pilibos 69, Mesrobian 35

Pioneer 79, Glenn 41

Portola 69, Irvine 44

Ramona 87, Norte Vista 77

Rancho Christian 78, Liberty 39

Rancho Verde 76, ORange Vista 46

Rio Hondo Prep 51, Chadwick 50

Riverside King 62, Corona 53

Riverside North 44, Moreno Valley 41

Riverside Prep 65, CIMSA 52

Rosemead 38, South El Monte 33

Rowland 41, Covina 40

Rubidoux 56, Patriot 43

San Bernardino 94, Miller 45

San Marcos 73, Buena 35

San Marino 60, La Canada 53

Santa Ana Valley 40, Magnolia 33

Santa Barbara 64, Ventura 37

Santa Clara 48, St. Bonaventure 45

Santa Rosa Academy 81, United Christian Academy 40

Sequoyah 51, Hillcrest Christian 47

Sierra Canyon 78, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 74

Sierra Vista 69, Garey 35

Silver Valley 53, Hesperia Christian 46

Simi Valley 93, Del Sol 42

Southlands Christian 50, Avalon 49

South Torrance 50, Torrance 46

St. Anthony 79, St. Bernard 71

St. Genevieve 67, Paraclete 41

St. John Bosco 74, Santa Margarita 73

St. Monica 78, St. Paul 60

Temecula Valley 79, Vista Murrieta 73

Temple City 66, Monrovia 49

Twentynine Palms 59, Yucca Valley 33

University Prep 59, Desert Christian 45

Valencia 84, Canyon Country Canyon 58

Vasquez 97, PACS 52

Village Christian 90, Cerritos Valley Christian 34

Warren 86, Paramount 57

Webb 75, Newport Christian 48

Western 68, Savanna 54

Westminster La Quinta 60. Rancho Alamitos 48

Woodbridge 66, St. Margaret’s 50

Yorba Linda 49, Sunny Hills 48

INTERSECTIONAL

Buckley 64, Taft 61

Rolling Hills Prep 72, Narbonne 42

GIRLS

CITY SECTION

Marquez 36, MSCP 31

Panorama 38, Fulton 7

South East 61, Huntington Park 36

SOUTHERN SECTION

AAE 46, Big Bear 31

Arcadia 69, Muir 31

Arroyo 26, Pasadena Marshall 19

Ayala 41, Diamond Bar 32

Banning 66, Desert Mirage 14

Bonita 41, Walnut 24

Brentwood 61, Crossroads 32

Buena Park 72, Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 20

Burbank Burroughs 58, Glendale 42

Camarillo 59, Moorpark 31

Capistrano Valley Christian 49, Samueli Academy 35

Cerritos 72, Whitney 58

Chaparral 61, Murrieta Mesa 60

CIMSA 42, Riverside Prep 24

Corona Centennial 96, Norco 8

Costa Mesa 60, Westminster 36

Crescenta Valley 77, Burbank 39

Desert Chapel 45, Joshua Springs Christian 15

Desert Christian 37, University Prep 26

Downey 53, Gahr 16

Duarte 61, Azusa 23

Edgewood 44, Workman 25

El Dorado 48, Crean Lutheran 30

El Modena 61, Santa Ana Foothill 27

El Rancho 38, California 31

Esperanza 47, Anaheim Canyon 34

Etiwanda 69, Villa Park 49

Fillmore 44, Santa Clara 19

Flintridge Prep 73, Pasadena Poly 37

Fullerton 51, Laguna Hills 35

Garden Grove 47, Ocean View 23

Glendora 61, Claremont 32

Godinez 43, Placentia Valencia 23

Hacienda Heights Wilson 75, Charter Oak 20

Hemet 33, Canyon Springs 20

Hesperia 54, Apple Valley 38

Hesperia Christian 56, Silver Valley 54

Holy Martyrs Armenian 49, AGBU 23

Indian Springs 62, Pacific 28

Irvine 45, Northwood 34

Keppel 53, Schurr 34

La Canada 54, San Marino 22

La Puente 32, Ganesha 22

La Serna 51, Santa Fe 40

La Sierra 30, Jurupa Valley 29

Lawndale 55, Hawthorne 9

Leuzinger 77, Compton Centennial 28

Liberty 46, Vista del Lago 27

Loara 44, Anaheim 39

Long Beach Jordan 72, Long Beach Cabrillo 5

Lucerne Valley 42, Excelsior Charter 38

Murrieta Valley 61, Great Oak 19

Newbury Park 55, Agoura 33

Nogales 63, Baldwin Park 42

North Torrance 47, West Torrance 35

Norwalk 49, Bellflower 40

Oak Hills 78, Burbank Burroughs 33

Oak Park 91, Royal 10

Oakwood 61, Burbank Providence 15

Ontario Christian 86, Lakewood St. Joseph 51

Palos Verdes 55, Wiseburn-Da Vnci 50

Pasadena 53, Hoover 43

Patriot 62, Rubidoux 9

Pioneer 55, Glenn 30

Ramona 62, Norte Vista 18

Riverside King 60, Corona 47

Riverside Poly 52, Hillcrest 51

Rowland 58, Covina 30

Sage Hill 73, Portola 45

San Bernardino 61, Miller 19

Santa Ana Valley 45, Western 38

Santa Clarita Christian 45, Faith Baptist 37

Santa Paula 73, Carpinteria 43

Saugus 79, Golden Valley 39

Savanna 44, Westminster La Quinta 21

Sierra Vista 60, Garey 38

St. Margaret’s 64, Laguna Beach 41

Southlands Christian 22, St. Lucy’s 19

South Torrance 49, Torrance 41

Temple City 53, Monrovia 34

Thousand Oaks 67, Oaks Christian 32

Twentynine Palms 62, Yucca Valley 20

Valencia 82, Canyon Country Canyon 55

Village Christian 68, Cerritos Valley Christian 56

Vista Murrieta 51, Temecula Valley 48

Warren 57, Mayfair 32

West Covina 32, Northview 25

Westlake 61, Calabasas 57

Woodbridge 50, Irvine University 16

Yorba Linda 42, Sunny Hills 32

INTERSECTIONAL

Archbishop Mitty 80, Fairmont Prep 45

Chatsworth 49, Northridge Academy 40

Newport Beach Pacifica Christian 67, North County San Marcos 53

Rosary Academy 53, King/Drew 44

West Ranch 82, Vaughn 11

New documents filed Friday in the Rose Bowl’s breach-of-contract case against UCLA that also accuses Kroenke Sports and Entertainment of meddling on behalf of SoFi Stadium revealed communication between UCLA and a top Kroenke executive dating back as far as August 2024.

An email sent that month from UCLA chief financial officer Stephen Agostini’s assistant to executives from Kroenke Sports and Entertainment and SoFi Stadium sought coordination of a Zoom meeting between the parties in September 2024 under the subject heading “UCLA Football Discussion.” The importance level was listed as “high.”

A list of proposed meeting attendees included Agostini; UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond; UCLA athletics chief financial officer Chris Iacoi; Kroenke Sports and Rams president Kevin Demoff; SoFi Stadium executives Greg Kish and Mike Forrester; and Mitchell Ziets, chief executive officer of Tipping Point Sports, a boutique sports advisory firm based in New Jersey.

“Please review the scheduling opportunities below and let me know what is possible,” wrote Shelley Stanley, Agostini’s executive assistant. “A reply sooner rather than later would be greatly appreciated, given that we are on the heels of the Fall quarter and the beginning of the UCLA football season.”

A subsequent email sent by Demoff to Agostini in late September 2024 under the subject heading “Next Get Together” inquired about another meeting.

“Steve,” Demoff wrote in the email, “I figured with all of the changes/craziness that I would give the group some time, but let me know when is a good time to get our teams together to go back through and financials/pro formas related to SoFi in order to help moving things along. Next week is poor for me personally but we are ready to jump in!”

As part of another email exchange between Demoff and Agostini in December 2024 under the subject heading “Updated Projections,” Demoff wrote that he “had our group re-run everything to really focus on reducing expenses and where we think there is opportunity for UCLA to grow revenue. Attached is the deck that they have provided. I’ve been scrambling all week between LA, Denver, Dallas and now NYC and haven’t had a ton of opportunity to connect on the phone, but wanted to share this with you ahead of the holidays so that you can start to dig in.”

In an email timestamped 13 minutes later, Agostini replied that he would “look at this now.”

The attachment that Demoff referenced was not included as part of the discovery documents related to the ongoing dispute between UCLA and the Rose Bowl Operating Co. and the City of Pasadena. The latter entities are trying to force the school to honor the terms of a lease agreement that does not include an opt-out clause and requires the Bruins to keep playing at the Rose Bowl through the end of the 2043 season.

The plaintiffs have alleged that UCLA abandoning the Rose Bowl, where the school has played home football games since 1982, would cause “irreparable harm necessitating equitable relief and for which monetary damages alone would be inadequate.”

According to court documents, the City of Pasadena faced $184,355,000 in outstanding debt on bonds issued to finance stadium modernization and renovations as of last June. Revenue from UCLA football games has been used to service the debt as part of the agreement between the entities, ensuring that Pasadena taxpayers would not be burdened with that expense through withdrawals from a general fund used to support city services.

The Rose Bowl is also expected to spend at least $28.5 million before the 2026 season to construct a field-level club in the south end zone that would enhance UCLA’s game-day experience and generate revenue for the school.

Meanwhile, UCLA’s athletic department is seeking new sources of revenue after running up $219.55 million in debt during the past six fiscal years, though an athletic department spokesperson has said that deficit has been covered by the university, bringing the balance to zero.

UCLA has not publicly stated its intentions for its football future other than to say it continues to evaluate its options. But the new documents show that the school has been contemplating the possibility of a move for more than a year.

Last month, Kroenke Sports and Entertainment and SoFi Stadium were added as defendants to the Rose Bowl’s complaint against UCLA and accused of tortious interference. UCLA and SoFi Stadium officials have said they would not comment on ongoing litigation.

A hearing on UCLA’s motion to compel arbitration and keep the proceedings out of open court is set to be heard Jan. 22 in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Sixth-tier Macclesfield FC beat reigning champions Crystal Palace. With 117 places between the teams, it’s the biggest upset in FA Cup history.

MATCH REPORT: Macclesfield 2-1 Crystal Palace

Watch Macclesfield FC documentary on BBC iPlayer: Managing Macclesfield FC

Available to UK users only.

Shortly after adjusting the bandages on his head after picking up an injury early in the match, Paul Dawson nods home Macclesfield’s opener to put them ahead against Crystal Palace.

WATCH ON IPLAYER: Macclesfield FC v Crystal Palace

Available to UK users only.

The City Section might have a contender for small-schools basketball success in Sylmar-based Triumph, a charter school that opened in 2010 and is having its best season ever.

The Jaguars, under coach Fabian Avila, have been led by the Garcia brothers, Antonio, a 6-foot-3 senior, and Damian, a freshman point guard.

Antonio was one of the leading scorers in the City Section last season and is averaging 19 points this season.

“He’s very strong and physical,” Avila said.

His brother is averaging 11 points.

Probably the best win for Triumph was over AGBU when Antonio scored 22 points.

Triumph, which has an enrollment of fewer than 400 students, relies on multiple-sport athletes. One of the players is playing basketball and soccer simultaneously.

Avila is in his ninth year and said this is his best team. There are no transfers and all are students from the Sylmar area.

Last season, the team made it to the Division IV semifinals before losing when it was down to five players because of injuries. This season, the roster is at 13 with freshmen helping out.

The school has won one City title — in boys’ volleyball.

The big question is where Triumph will be placed in the playoffs depending on computer rankings.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

A further five of Saturday’s SPFL fixtures have been postponed, including Greenock Morton v Dunfermline Athletic and Queen’s Park v St Johnstone in the Championship.

Frozen pitches have caused the cancellation of the two second-tier games.

Alloa Athletic v Montrose (frozen pitch) and Peterhead v Hamilton Academical (waterlogged pitch) in League 1 are off and, in League 2, frozen pitches mean Dumbarton v Clyde and East Kilbride v Spartans will also be rearranged.

Annan Athletic’s home game against Elgin City in League 2 was called off after a Friday pitch inspection revealed another frozen surface.

People across Scotland are being warned to prepare for more snow and ice this weekend.

The Lakers have two of the best clutch players in the NBA in LeBron James and Luka Doncic. They have been the best clutch team in the NBA this season because of them and because they have led the way for the Lakers. They have won an NBA-best 13 games in the clutch this season.

But when the game hung in the balance Friday night, when the Lakers needed James and Doncic to be clutch, neither was able to deliver, their inability to do so a direct result in L.A. dropping a 105-101 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks at Crypto.com Arena.

For as much as James did in keeping the Lakers in the game by scoring 13 of his 26 points in the final quarter and by nearly collecting a triple-double with 10 assists and nine rebounds, it was his last-second turnover that doomed them.

For as much as Doncic did in producing a near triple-double with 24 points, nine assists and nine rebounds, his poor shooting and foul trouble was not helpful in the end.

“I’d love to go undefeated in clutch games for a season, but you know, you can’t get too high, can’t get too low on stats like that,” James said. “You just play the game. And they made some plays. Big three by [Myles] Turner by our bench; obviously the free throws down the stretch by KP [Kevin Porter Jr.]. So, we had our chances.”

The score was tied at 101-101 after Jake LaRavia (13 points) drilled a three-pointer off a pass from Doncic.

Lakers guard Luka Doncic, center, makes a backwards pass over Bucks guard AJ Green (20) during the first half Friday night at Crypto.com Arena.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

The Lakers never scored again. James missed a driving layup for the lead that was blocked by Giannis Antetokounmpo. Then Doncic fouled Porter on a three-pointer with 16.2 seconds left. It was Doncic’s sixth foul.

“I think we missed a couple of good shots down the stretch. Then I fouled (out). I had six fouls. First time in a long time,” Doncic said. “So, that’s on me. I can’t foul at that point.”

Porter made two of the three free throws for a 103-101 Bucks lead.

Doncic was asked about the foul.

“Yeah, I don’t think he shoots like that,” Doncic said of Porter’s three-pointer. “The referee said it was a foul. So, I guess it’s a foul.”

Still, the Lakers were down only two points and they still had James on the court.

But on his drive to the basket, James lost control of the ball for a turnover with 1.5 seconds left.

“For me? … I turned the ball over. You definitely can’t do that at that point and time,” James said. “So, Giannis, he made a great play by getting his arm and tipping it from behind, but can’t turn the ball over — obviously.”

Doncic lamented his shooting during the game.

He made his first two three-pointers to start the game, but it was all downhill from there. He was eight-for-25 shooting the field and had a rating of minus-14.

“Obviously my shot didn’t go well today,” Doncic said. “You know, could get better shots. So, wish I could have executed better than that.”

The Lakers played their fourth game this week, at times looking sluggish because of the workload.

It was the kind of night that saw Doncic pick up his fifth foul with 2.1 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Lakers trailed by as much as 12 in the second quarter, looking a bit slow.

So much — if not all — of the Lakers’ game plan was on trying to deal with the nearly unstoppable force that is Antetokounmpo.

And much of that job went to Lakers center Deandre Ayton, whom the LA felt was best equipped to handle the assignment because of his size (7-foot), length and strength.

But it also was going to take the Lakers as a group to slow down Antetokounmpo, who finished with 21 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Jarred Vanderbilt gave the Lakers a big effort with nine points and nine rebounds off the bench, and his usual tough defense.

Hachimura update

Lakers forward Rui Hachimura missed his sixth consecutive game because of right calf soreness. Hachimura has been working out and there is some hope that he can play Monday night in Sacramento.

“He’s made a lot of progress just in terms of regaining strength and mobility in his calf and had a good workout today,” coach JJ Redick said. “There’s a lot of optimism that he’ll be available Monday, but we’ll see how the next few days go.”

On a night honoring JuJu Watkins, maybe the school’s most accomplished athlete ever, the Sierra Canyon boys’ basketball team did her alma mater proud by holding off Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 78-74 on Friday in a Mission League showdown in Chatsworth.

The game aired live on ESPN2 and the host Trailblazers relished the opportunity to showcase their skills on a national stage, showing why they deserve to be ranked among the best in the country.

Brandon McCoy led the way with 21 points, including several dunks, Brannon Martinsen scored 18, North Carolina-bound Maximo Adams had 17 and Jordan Mize added 12 for Sierra Canyon, which trailed 33-28 at halftime.

A three-pointer by Mize capped a 9-0 run to start the third quarter.

Ranked No. 1 in the Southland by The Times, Sierra Canyon (15-1 overall, 2-0 in league) won its 10th consecutive game since its sole defeat to Forestville (Md.) Bishop McNamara on Dec. 6 at the Capital City Showcase in Washington, D.C.

NaVorro Bowman Jr. had a game-high 36 points, including a desperation heave from half court that pulled the Knights (13-6, 0-2) to within 55-50 entering the fourth quarter. He had 14 points in the first quarter, 21 by halftime, and sank six three-pointers. Zachary White added 14 for No. 6 Notre Dame, which was trying to rebound from a four-point loss to unranked Loyola in its league opener.

JuJu Watkins became the first Sierra Canyon athlete to have their jersey retired during a ceremony at halftime of Friday night’s Mission League boys’ basketball game in Chatsworth.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Watkins’ No. 12 jersey was retired in a moving ceremony at halftime, making her the first Trailblazer to be so honored. The 2021-22 girls’ basketball California Player of the Year is now a star at USC.

“What makes JuJu special isn’t what she did but how she did it,” said Sierra Canyon girls’ coach Alicia Komaki. “She gave her heart to this place, she left her legacy and this is a reminder of her excellence.”

Mize hopes his jersey will hang from the gym rafters one day.

“We talked about this being a big game and how there would be a big crowd,” he said. “I knew this was very important for JuJu, so I can’t let her down. We got it done but I think we’re still getting better.”

It’s been a steady progression by Onley since the London-born cyclist joined the Netherlands-based team, Team Picnic–PostNL, in 2023.

His first individual professional win came the following January in an uphill finish on stage five of the 2024 Tour Down Under, ultimately finishing fourth overall.

Onley, though, came into that year’s Tour de France “just trying to go for stage results, which meant there is certain days when I would sit up and take it a bit easier”.

That was with the knowledge that he was not in a position “to be fighting for a top-five finish overall”.

That all changed last year.

“It really feels like it came quite quickly in the last few months before the Tour,” he said.

“Everything started to click into place and so I was starting to gain a lot more confidence in myself as well.”

While he was initially targeting stage wins in his second Tour de France, with the general classification being a secondary aim, it soon became clear that a podium finish was a possibility.

Onley would finish just over a minute behind third-placed Florian Lipowitz of Germany. Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard was eight minutes in front in second, while winner, Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia, was 12 minutes better off.

“I still feel very far away,” the Scot said as he looked forward to the coming season. “To the front two, there is a big gap from the rest of us, but I definitely feel that, in the next couple of years, a podium finish is definitely possible if things go the right way for me.

“And there’s also two other Grand Tours in Italy and Spain where sometimes the competition’s slightly less deep. If it goes the right way, then why can’t I try to win one of those?”

World number one Aryna Sabalenka reached the final of the Brisbane International for the third year in a row with a 6-3 6-4 win against Karolina Muchova.

Sabalenka is aiming to win a third Australian Open title in four years later this month and continued her preparations with a dominant victory to set up a final against Marta Kostyuk, who beat fourth seed Jessica Pegula 6-0 6-3.

A French Open runner-up in 2023, Czech Muchova had won her previous three matches against Sabalenka.

But Muchova had no answer to the Belarusian’s power at the Queensland Tennis Centre and, although three match points slipped away, Sabalenka sealed victory when a Muchova shot sailed long.

“I’m super happy that today was the day when I was able to get the win,” Sabalenka said.

New Delhi, India – On January 3, 2026, a single directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) quietly ended the Indian Premier League (IPL) season of Bangladesh’s only cricketer in the tournament, Mustafizur Rahman, before it could even begin.

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), a professional Twenty20 franchise based in Kolkata that competes in the IPL and is owned by Red Chillies Entertainment, associated with Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, were instructed by India’s cricket board to release the Bangladesh fast bowler.

Not because of injury, form, or contract disputes, but due to “developments all around” – an apparent reference to soaring tensions between India and Bangladesh that have been high since ousted former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received exile in New Delhi in August 2024.

Within days, Mustafizur signed up for the Pakistan Super League (PSL), the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) protested sharply, the IPL broadcast was banned in Bangladesh, and the International Cricket Council (ICC) – the body that governs the sport globally – was pulled into a diplomatic standoff.

What should have been a routine player transaction instead became a symbol of how cricket in South Asia has shifted from a tool of diplomacy to an instrument of political pressure.

Cricket has long been the subcontinent’s soft-power language, a shared obsession that survived wars, border closures, and diplomatic freezes. Today, that language is being rewritten, say observers and analysts.

India, the financial and political centre of world cricket, is increasingly using its dominance of the sport to signal, punish, and coerce its neighbours, particularly Pakistan and Bangladesh, they say.

The Mustafizur affair: When politics entered the dressing room

Rahman was signed by KKR for 9.2 million Indian rupees ($1m) before the IPL 2026 season.

Yet the BCCI instructed the franchise to release him, citing vague external developments widely understood to be linked to political tensions between India and Bangladesh.

The consequences were immediate.

Mustafizur, unlikely to receive compensation because the termination was not injury-related, accepted an offer from the PSL – picking the Pakistani league after an Indian snub – returning to the tournament after eight years.

The PSL confirmed his participation before its January 21 draft. The BCB, meanwhile, called the BCCI’s intervention “discriminatory and insulting”.

Dhaka escalated the matter beyond cricket, asking the ICC to move Bangladesh’s matches from the upcoming T20 World Cup, which India is primarily hosting, to Sri Lanka over security concerns.

The Bangladeshi government went further, banning the broadcast of the IPL nationwide, a rare step that underlined how deeply cricket intersects with politics and public sentiment in South Asia.

The BCB on January 7 said the International Cricket Council (ICC) has assured it of Bangladesh’s full and uninterrupted participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, dismissing media reports of any ultimatum.

The BCB said the ICC responded to its concerns over the safety and security of the national team in India, including a request to relocate matches, and reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding Bangladesh’s participation while expressing willingness to work closely with the Board during detailed security planning.

Yet for now, Bangladesh’s matches remain scheduled for the Indian megacities of Kolkata and Mumbai from February 7, 2026, even as tensions simmer.

Navneet Rana, a BJP leader said that no Bangladeshi cricketer or celebrity should be “entertained in India” while Hindus and minorities are being targeted in Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Indian Congress leader Shashi Tharoor questioned the decision to release Mustafizur Rahman, warning against politicising sport and punishing individual players for developments in another country.

A pattern, not an exception

The Mustafizur controversy fits into a broader trajectory.

While all cricket boards operate within political realities, the BCCI’s unique financial power gives it leverage unmatched by any other body in the sport, say analysts.

The ICC, the sport’s global body, is headed by Jay Shah, the son of India’s powerful home minister Amit Shah – widely seen as the second-most influential man in India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The IPL, meanwhile, is by far the richest franchise league in the world.

India, with 1.5 billion people, is cricket’s biggest market and generates an estimated 80 percent of the sport’s revenue.

All of that, say analysts, gives India the ability to shape scheduling of events and matches, venues, and revenue-sharing arrangements. This, in turn, has made cricket a strategic asset for the Indian government.

When political relations sour, cricket is no longer insulated.

Nowhere is this clearer than in India’s relationship with Bangladesh at the moment. India has historically been viewed as close to Hasina, whose ouster in 2024 followed weeks of popular protests that her security forces attempted to crush using brutal force. An estimated 1,400 people were killed in that crackdown, according to the United Nations.

India has so far refused to send Hasina back to Bangladesh from exile, even though a tribunal in Dhaka sentenced her to death in late 2025 over the killings of protesters during the uprising that led to her removal. That has spurred sentiments against India on the streets of Bangladesh, which escalated after the assassination of an anti-India protest leader in December.

Meanwhile, attacks on Hindus and other religious minorities in Bangladesh since August 2024 – a Hindu Bangladeshi man was lynched last month – have caused anger in India.

Against that backdrop, the BCCI’s move to kick Rahman out of the IPL has drawn criticism from Indian commentators. Senior journalist Vir Sanghvi wrote in a column that the cricket board “panicked” and surrendered to communal pressure instead of standing by its own player-selection process, turning a sporting issue into a diplomatic embarrassment.

He argued Bangladesh did not warrant a sport boycott and warned that mixing communal politics with cricket risks damaging India’s credibility and regional ties.

Echoing the concern, Suhasini Haidar, diplomatic editor of The Hindu, one of India’s largest dailies, said on X that the government was allowing social media campaigns to overpower diplomacy. She referred to how Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar had travelled recently to Dhaka to attend the funeral of former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia, and wondered why Bangladeshi cricketers couldn’t then play in India.

Cricket analyst Darminder Joshi said the episode reflected how cricket, once a bridge between India and its neighbours, was increasingly widening divisions.

That was particularly visible late last year, when India and Pakistan faced off in cricket matches months after an intense four-day aerial war.

The Asia Cup standoff

The 2025 Asia Cup, hosted by Pakistan in September, was meant to be a celebration of regional cricket.

But citing government advice, the BCCI informed the ICC and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) – the sport’s continental governing body – that India would not travel to Pakistan.

After months of wrangling, the tournament was held under a hybrid model, with India playing its matches in the United Arab Emirates while the rest were hosted in Pakistan.

But in three matches that the South Asian rivals played against each other during the competition – India won all three – the Indian team refused to publicly shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts.

“There is no rule in cricket that mandates a handshake. Yet players often tie each other’s shoelaces or help opponents on the field, that is the spirit of the game,” Joshi, the cricket analyst, told Al Jazeera. “If countries are in conflict, will players now refuse even these gestures? Such incidents only spread hate and strip the game of what makes it special.

“Sporting exchanges once softened bilateral tensions; this decision does exactly the opposite, making the game more hostile instead of more interesting.”

The controversy did not end with the final. India won the tournament, defeating Pakistan, but refused to accept the trophy from ACC President Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman and Pakistan’s interior minister.

The trophy remains at the ACC headquarters in Dubai, creating an unprecedented limbo that has defied resolution despite multiple ICC and ACC meetings. The BCCI requested that the trophy be sent to India. Naqvi has refused.

From bridge to divider

Unlike Pakistan, Bangladesh has historically enjoyed smoother cricketing ties with India. Bilateral series continued even during political disagreements, and Bangladeshi players became familiar faces in the IPL.

The Mustafizur episode marks a turning point. The current moment stands in stark contrast to earlier eras when cricket was deliberately used to soften political hostilities.

The most celebrated example remains India’s 2004 tour of Pakistan, the so-called “Friendship Series”.

That tour took place after years of frozen ties following the Kargil War, an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place from May to July 1999.

The then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee personally met the Indian team before departure, handing captain Sourav Ganguly a bat inscribed with the Hindi words: “Khel hi nahi, dil bhi jeetiye” which translates to “don’t just win matches, win hearts too”.

Special cricket visas allowed thousands of Indian fans to travel across the border. Pakistani then-President Pervez Musharraf followed the games and publicly lauded Indian cricketers who developed followings of their own in Pakistan.

The 2008 Mumbai attacks, carried out by fighters that Pakistan acknowledged had come from its territory, froze cricketing ties.

But in 2011, when India and Pakistan faced off in the World Cup semifinal in Mohali, Indian then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh invited his Pakistani counterpart, Yousuf Raza Gilani, over – the two premiers watched the match together in what was widely seen as an act of “cricket diplomacy”.

By intervening in a franchise-level contract and linking it, however obliquely, to geopolitical tensions as has happened with the Mustafizur case, the BCCI sent a clear message, say analysts: Access to Indian cricket is conditional.

Sport journalist Nishant Kapoor told Al Jazeera that releasing a contracted player purely on political grounds was “absolutely wrong” and warned it would widen mistrust in the cricketing ecosystem.

“He is a cricketer. What wrong has he done?” Kapoor said.

Sean Dyche has called for some of his Nottingham Forest players to “have a look in the mirror” after an “unacceptable” first-half performance in their FA Cup loss at Wrexham.

Forest were the first Premier League side in third-round action and the first casualty at the hands of lower league opposition.

Having made eight changes from Tuesday’s Premier League win at West Ham, Dyche watched in fury as his side trailed their Championship opponents 2-0 at the break.

They fought back to make it 3-3 and force extra-time at Stok Cae Ras, but were beaten 4-3 in the penalty shootout after Igor Jesus and Omari Hutchinson had their spot-kicks saved by home keeper Arthur Okonkwo.

“The first half was completely unacceptable,” Dyche told TNT Sports.

“I let the players know and there are certain individuals that certainly know and they have to look in the mirror.

“But the strangeness of football, some players that came on in the second half were a credit and we went on and looked like a Premier League side.

“You can’t do that in the first half, it’s completely unacceptable. It’s unacceptable to me, but I said you have to look in the mirror because that’s unacceptable to the badge as well.

“They all knock on the door and say, ‘why aren’t I playing?’. Well the evidence is quite honestly there for some, not for all.”

While Dyche praised those who came off the bench – including two-goal Callum Hudson-Odoi – for acting as a “catalyst” for their second-half comeback, he continued to berate his side’s efforts in a poor first 45 minutes.

“I could have taken all of them off [at half-time],” he added. “The tempo, the mentality to take the game on was lacking so badly in the first half.

“Slow, methodical, we have done a lot of work on that. There was basically no intent, no real desire to make a difference. Second half, the changes were terrific.

“The facts of the matter are we’ve got to make changes. They showed their hand and won’t be knocking on my door saying, ‘why aren’t I playing?’ again, that’s for sure, that first-half group.”

PHILADELPHIA — Trevor Zegras scored twice for the Philadelphia Flyers in his first game against his former team to lead them to a 5-2 win over the Ducks on Tuesday night.

Cutter Gauthier scored his 20th goal of the season for the Ducks in his second game in Philadelphia against the franchise he forced to trade him — and turned him into one of Philly’s biggest sports villains — as the Ducks lost their seventh straight game.

On a night the Flyers honored late founder Ed Snider, the arena was packed with fans just happy to root again for a team in playoff contention.

Flyers fans mostly showed up to boo — and profanely chant — at Gauthier. They roared in the second period when Garnet Hathaway cleanly crushed Gauthier into the boards.

The Flyers were forced to trade Gauthier, the fifth overall pick in the 2022 draft, a year ago because he wouldn’t sign, train or even communicate with the Flyers. Gauthier has never made his exact excuse for wanting out publicly clear — just one more reason for Flyers fans to jeer him like a pro wrestling bad guy.

There was a scary moment early in the second when Ross Johnston leveled Jamie Drysdale — who the Flyers acquired for Gauthier — and the defenseman was face down on the ice for several minutes. The stretcher came out but Drysdale was eventually helped up and walked with assistance to the locker room.

Johnston was hit with five minutes for interference and given a game misconduct.

The two teams made another big trade with each over the summer when the Flyers landed Zegras once Anaheim concluded he no longer fit the Ducks’ roster as they attempt to end their seven-year playoff drought.

Zegras — who followed Gauthier with two straight goals in the first period for a 2-1 lead —will be a restricted free agent this summer. The Flyers expect him to be a key part in their ascent in the East standings.

Cam York and Travis Sanheim also scored for the Flyers and Nikita Gregbenkin added an empty-netter. Alex Killorn had a goal for the Ducks.

The WNBA and its players union will not agree to another extension of the collective bargaining agreement after the deadline passes Friday night, WNBPA vice president Breanna Stewart said.

That does not mean players will strike or the league will lock them out. Stewart told reporters Thursday at a practice for the Unrivaled three-on-three league that players would continue to negotiate in good faith.

With the deadline just before midnight Friday, the league wouldn’t confirm that the sides won’t reach an extension. A spokesman did say the league would “continue to negotiate in good faith with the goal of reaching a deal as quickly as possible.”

“Our focus remains on reaching an agreement that significantly increases player compensation while ensuring the long-term growth of the business,” a spokesperson said.

The league and the players had two previous extensions and met several times this week. Any stalled negotiations could delay the start of the season. The last CBA was announced in the middle of January 2020, a month after it had been agreed to.

It easily could take two months from when a new CBA is reached to get to the start of free agency, which was supposed to begin this month.

While a strike or lockout isn’t imminent, both sides could change their viewpoints.

Stewart said calling a strike is “not something that we’re going to do right this second, but we have that in our back pocket.” The league hasn’t been considering a lockout, according to a person familiar with the decision. The person spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations.

As of Thursday, the sides remained far apart on many key issues, including salary and revenue sharing, and it seems unlikely a deal could be reached before Friday’s deadline.

Revenue sharing a sticking point in talks

The league’s most recent offer last month would guarantee a maximum base salary of $1 million that could reach $1.3 million through revenue sharing. That’s up from the current $249,000 and could grow to nearly $2 million over the life of the agreement, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told AP. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations.

Under the proposal, players would receive in excess of 70% of net revenue — though that would be their take of the profits after expenses are paid. Those expenses would include upgraded facilities, charter flights, five-star hotels, medical services, security and arenas.

The average salary this year would be more than $530,000, up from its current $120,000, and grow to more than $770,000 over the life of the agreement. The minimum salary would grow from its current $67,000 to approximately $250,000 in the first year, the person told the AP.

The proposal also would pay young stars like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers, who are all still on their rookie contracts, nearly double the league minimum.

The union’s counter proposal to the league would give players around 30% of the gross revenue. The players’ percentage would be from money generated before expenses for the first year and teams would have a $10.5-million salary cap to sign players. Under the union’s proposal, the revenue sharing percent would go up slightly each year.

Union wants expansion fees included; league saying no

The union feels that the $750 million in expansion fees that the league just received with the addition of franchises in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia by 2030 should be considered revenue and included in projections. The league says that the money actually goes to all the current teams to make up for the future money they’ll be losing by dividing the total revenue by more franchises.

Other major sports leagues like the NBA, NHL and NFL don’t include expansion fees in their revenue-sharing structures. Major League Baseball’s salary structure is not tied to its revenue, so expansion fees don’t matter.

League wants players to pay for own housing

With the potential new minimum salary at approximately $250,000, the WNBA has said that like most every other pro league, players should pay for their own housing.
The union’s stance is that teams should continue to pay for players’ housing.

Why stalled negotiations could delay the season

An extended delay in getting a deal done could cause a number of problems, specifically getting the season started on time or even played for several reasons. There are several factors that indicate that time is near:

• Free agency: With nearly all the veterans free agents this offseason, this will be the biggest year in the league’s history as far as potential movement. Free agency was supposed to start this month. However, once a new CBA is reached, it could take both parties two months to get free agency started.
• Revenue-generating events could be delayed: The release of the schedule has been delayed. In the past the league tried to get it out before the holidays so teams could sell tickets. With so many players potentially changing teams as free agents, new merchandise wouldn’t be able to be sold.
• Expansion draft: With Portland and Toronto entering the league this year, an expansion draft has to be held. Last year when Golden State came into the WNBA, a draft was held in December. Teams need to figure out who they will be protecting from being selected in the draft, and that is made more complicated because of all the free agents.