Sports Desk

The gasps from the crowd at Crypto.com Arena — a mix of shock from Lakers fans and anticipation from fans rooting for the local hero — grew each time LaMelo Ball pulled up from seemingly more and more audacious spots on the court. The Charlotte Hornets star guard held three fingers to his bicep each time he splashed a shot through the net. He stared up into the packed stands to meet the eyes of his hometown crowd.

The former Chino Hills star ignited the Hornets to a 135-117 win over the Lakers on Thursday with 30 points and 11 assists. After a quiet three points in the first half, Ball erupted for 27 points after halftime, including eight made three-pointers on 12 attempts in the second half that gave the L.A. crowd flashbacks of the brace-faced freshman on Chino Hills’ famous undefeated team.

“We all know LaMelo,” Lakers guard Marcus Smart said. “He’s been playing like that since he was in high school. To us, they’re some crazy shots, but to him, those are his shots.”

Ball, now 10 years removed from the 35-0, national championship season with the Huskies, still plays with the looseness of the freshman who was hooping with his older brothers. But the 24-year-old is now starting to own the maturity of a six-year NBA veteran.

“He’s always been an explosive scorer, explosive passer, but now he knows how to win games when it comes down to, what, two possessions, one possession,” said Hornets guard Miles Bridges, who had 25 points, including five baskets assisted by Ball. “He knows how to make the right play and win the game.”

Ball, averaging 20.4 points, 7.8 assists and 5.2 rebounds, has a career-high plus-2.8 plus-minus rating this season. Ball’s traditional stats are modest compared to some of his stat-stuffing early seasons when he averaged more than 30 points and eight rebounds in each of his first two years in the NBA, but he is playing more efficiently than ever in some ways. He has a 120.8 offensive rating and a 42.2% assist percentage, which estimates the percentage of a player’s teammates’ field goals they assist while on the court. His assist percentage trails only Denver superstar Nikola Jokic.

“We’ve always marveled at his shot making, but the thing that I think continues to just impress me, the thing that continues to help our team get better and better is that he’s trusting the pass,” said Hornets coach Charles Lee, who called Ball the team’s “emotional leader.” “I think that he’s really maximizing everyone around him. He’s making them better. … And then he just does what Melo does: He’s a shot maker.”

Ball hit back-to-back three-pointers to start the third quarter. With his confidence growing, he started pulling up earlier in the shot clock. He danced with Lakers center Deandre Ayton, driving toward the lane on the 7-footer to only pivot back and drain another three. Fading away out of the corner of the court and almost into the laps of his teammates on the Hornets bench, Ball hit a rainbow three over Smart’s outstretched hand.

“I was really just playing for real,” Ball said.

Ball did not play in the Lakers’ first game against the Hornets in Charlotte, N.C., because of an ankle injury. In November, the Lakers held off a fourth-quarter surge from the Hornets, who showed how dangerous they can be. Young and athletic, with eager drivers and knock-down shooters, the Hornets can be one of the NBA’s most dangerous offenses. In the 15 games since Ball returned from a three-game absence because of an ankle injury, Charlotte has the top-ranked offense in the league. The Hornets hung 150 points against Utah. They blew out the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

“Our coaching staff and the guys in the locker room, we all knew that they got our full respect and attention pregame,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “And I thought we fought. Just another team that has a hot shooting night.”

The Lakers, who next play consecutive games at Portland on Saturday and at home against Toronto on Sunday, have lost four out of the last five. They are 25th in opponent three-point shooting, allowing teams to shoot 37.3% from three.

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has confirmed he will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season.

The Austrian, 51, will leave as a Palace legend having led the Eagles to their first major trophy when they beat Manchester City to win the FA Cup last season.

That victory meant Glasner also took charge of Palace in this season’s Conference League – their first experience of a major European competition – while they beat Liverpool on penalties in August’s Community Shield.

“In respect of Ollie Clarke, the club maintains that the appropriate protocols and governance procedures regarding player suspensions were followed and that both the club and the player complied with the terms of the suspension as notified to them by the FA at all times,” Swindon said in a statement., external

“Ollie Clarke will complete his suspension as notified and will not be available for the forthcoming fixtures against Salford City (League Two and FA Cup) and Bromley (League Two).”

Robins top scorer Drinan, 27, was a half-time substitute despite not being named on the teamsheet.

It took until the 64th minute for Drinan’s presence to be questioned, leading to an eight-minute delay in play, with the forward eventually staying on the pitch.

Swindon boss Ian Holloway admitted the club expected “some sort of action” over what they have now described as a clerical error.

“In relation to the matter concerning Aaron Drinan, the club acknowledges that his name was inadvertently omitted from the official team sheet,” Swindon said.

“This was a clerical error in the completion of match documentation. The club wishes to make clear that there was no intention to mislead, deceive, or gain any sporting or competitive advantage.

“Aaron Drinan was, at all times, a fully registered and otherwise eligible player to participate in the fixture.”

The EFL said “the two matters will now be considered by an individual disciplinary commission”.

Wayne Rooney says caretaker head coach Michael Carrick will “steady the ship” at Manchester United, but fans shouldn’t be fooled by his calm persona.

United confirmed that Carrick would take charge until the end of the season – succeeding Ruben Amorim – on Tuesday.

Rooney and Carrick were team-mates at Old Trafford, playing together on 366 occasions and winning five Premier League titles together.

“Michael’s great fun. He is a great character, but don’t be fooled by how calm he looks,” Rooney said on the latest edition of BBC podcast The Wayne Rooney Show.

“He can have fun as well, but make no mistake, he’d be going in there now with full focus.”

Carrick made 464 appearances for United across a 12-year spell and had a three-game stint as caretaker manager at the club in 2021, winning two games and drawing one.

The 44-year-old managed Middlesbrough between 2022 and 2025.

“It is probably the obvious choice really because I don’t think there are any top, top managers available at the minute.

“I think it is the right choice at this moment in time.

“It is a difficult task of course. Where Manchester United are at the minute is not a good place and Michael has to go in and steady the ship.”

Zoe Stratford took two weeks to bask in England’s Women’s Rugby World Cup glory.

Then it was back to the grind.

Shortly after lifting the world title in front of nearly 82,000 people at Twickenham, the England captain and her club and country team-mate Natasha Hunt were picking up something else – the keys to a new business venture.

While each of the Red Roses earned a World Cup-winning bonus of £20,000 and the most lucrative of their central contracts are worth just short of £50,000, all of England’s squad have to make plans for life after rugby.

Wing Abby Dow, 28, retired after the tournament to pursue a career in mechanical engineering. Hooker May Campbell combines her rugby with working at a crypto payment company. Amy Cokayne is a police officer in the Royal Air Force.

Lock Stratford and scrum-half Hunt have chosen a different route, opening a coffee shop together.

The pair have premises close to Kingsholm, where they run out for PWR side Gloucester-Hartpury.

“It’s been incredibly fun renovating it, putting our ideas into it,” said Stratford.

“With rugby we had so much intensity coming into the World Cup. Afterwards we were a bit exhausted with it, so this gave us a new lease of life.

“We didn’t just have rugby, we could put our energy into this coffee shop and making it ours.”

Their shop is called ‘MoZo’ – an amalgamation of Stratford’s first name and Hunt’s nickname ‘Mo’.

Stratford says that the venture has given her a valuable distraction from sport, allowing her to switch off when she is away from the pitch.

“It is super important to have these other interests,” she added.

“I think the reason so many of the girls are successful is because they have interests besides rugby. The coffee shop give us that release.”

Both Stratford and Hunt have been getting stuck in on the shop floor working shifts, including on the day of Gloucester men’s match against Castres in early December.

“I am terrible at coffee art,” Stratford said when asked about the skill of making patterns and pictures in the frothy top of drinks.

“I stick to the till. Mo is very good though. Sometimes I mess the stock up and she is pulling her hair out with me, but it is cool.

“It is something we have wanted to do and hopefully we will grow it.”

Three-time defending champions Gloucester-Hartpury have won all seven of their PWR games this season, while both Stratford and Hunt were named in a 47-strong England training camp this month.

England begin the defence of their Women’s Six Nations title against Ireland at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham on 11 April.

A league of potentially 16 teams is also being looked at, combining the regular 10 to 12 franchises with open spots that teams will be able to qualify for.

With the rise in popularity of basketball and the NBA in Europe, the American league is holding six games in four different European cities across the next three seasons, with London, Manchester, Berlin and Paris hosting games between 2026 and 2028.

Silver said talks with Real Madrid, who play in the EuroLeague and are regarded as one of the greatest basketball clubs in Europe, were “more in the category of fact-finding”, but he confirmed discussions had taken place with another EuroLeague side, Alba Berlin, whose Uber Arena hosted the NBA game.

“We’re trying to find the best combination of the old and the new; the tradition and the innovation,” said Silver.

Alba Berlin, he said, was “the model of the type of club that we would like to see in a potential European league”.

Reports say the existing EuroLeague has concerns about the new venture, threatening legal action against the NBA should clubs break existing agreements to take part in the new competition.

But Silver said he does not think the two leagues would clash, adding: “There’s plenty of room for competition”.

In a back-and-forth high-scoring affair Thursday night, the Lakers led by 13 points in the second quarter before the Charlotte Hornets rallied to build a 15-point lead in the third quarter.

In the end, the Hornets kept the momentum they stole from the Lakers, rolling to a 135-117 win at Crypto.com Arena.

The Lakers’ defense couldn’t slow down LaMelo Ball in the second half and it was unable to stop the Hornets’ blistering three-point shooting.

As a result, the Lakers (24-15) lost for the fourth time in five games.

“I mean, it doesn’t matter who it is. Doesn’t matter the team, doesn’t matter the player,” Marcus Smart said. “If they were shooting 20% [before], they’re shooting 50%. And it’s unfortunate, but that’s part of the game. It’s tough. We got to figure it out. We got to play with a little bit more urgency on that end, especially, and kind of impose our will.

“It’s not easy. Especially when you play for the Lakers, you always are the hunted— no matter what.”

The Hornets shot 53% from the field in the second half, 54% percent from three-point range. Ball had 27 of his 30 points in the second half. After the Lakers closed to within 10 points with 2 minutes and 30 seconds left in the fourth, Ball’s back-to-back three-pointers essentially closed out the game.

“He had some crazy shots, but that’s what he do,” said Luka Doncic, who scored 39 points. “He was shooting a lot of threes off the dribble … so he got really hot. So it’s kind of hard to stop.”

Charlotte forward Brandon Miller looks to pass in front of Lakers star LeBron James in the first quarter Thursday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

Even with all of the Lakers’ starters scoring in double figures, it wasn’t enough. LeBron James, who didn’t speak to reporters after the game, had 29 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Jake LaRavia had 18 points, Deandre Ayton scored 12 points and Smart had 10.

The start of the game was so different for the Lakers.

Doncic blew a kiss to the crowd and threw his hands in the air after drilling a first-quarter three. Doncic smiled at the Lakers’ bench after shooting another three-pointer a short time later.

During those moments, Doncic epitomized the kind of joy Lakers coach JJ Redick wants to see his team exhibit.

The rest of the Lakers followed Doncic’s lead as the team built a 48-55 lead in the second quarter.

Doncic led the Lakers in the first quarter, scoring 19 points on seven-for-12 shooting, which included a trio of threes. The Lakers had 14 three-pointers in the game, but it wasn’t enough to stop a more consistent Charlotte attack.

The Lakers were outscored 34-16 in the second quarter, 40-38 in the third and 31-24 in the fourth.

“We all knew that they got our full respect and attention pregame and I thought we fought,” Redick said. “Just another team that has a hot shooting night.”

Etc.

Redick said backup center Jaxson Hayes had an MRI scan that revealed hamstring tendinopathy in his left leg. Hayes, who is averaging 6.3 points per game, missed the last two games with a hamstring injury. “It’s hopefully a short-term thing and hopefully he’ll be back at some point this weekend,” Redick said. The Lakers play at Portland on Saturday before facing the Toronto Raptors at home on Sunday.

CITY SECTION

Animo Venice 62, Animo Pat Brown 57

CNDLC 54, Rise Kohyang 51

Collins Family 62, Alliance Bloomfield 35

New Designs Watts 43, Burton 31

Smidt Tech 61, Stern 48

Triumph Charter 79, Valley Oaks CES 20

WISH Academy 66, Animo Watts 42

SOUTHERN SECTION

Ambassador 60, Compton Early College 45

Animo Leadership 79, Summit View West 48

Arcadia 72, Crescenta Valley 54

Beaumont 55, Citrus Valley 37

Bishop Diego 56, Foothill Tech 45

Burbank 69, Burroughs Burbank 50

Calvary Baptist 90, Bethel Christian 12

Chino 66, Don Lugo 54

Colton 55, Arroyo Valley 36

Crespi 63, Chaminade 52

Crossroads Christian 67, NSLA 29

Damien 64, Chino Hills 41

Desert Christian Academy 56, San Jacinto Valley Academy 50

Diamond Ranch 51, Chaffey 50

Eisenhower 64, Kaiser 57

Elsinore 79, San Jacinto 52

Etiwanda 61, Rancho Cucamonga 56

Fairmont Prep 50, Capistrano Valley Christian 31

Fillmore 58, Carpinteria 41

Fullerton 59, Placentia Valencia 56

Garden Grove 68, Costa Mesa 31

Great Oak 74, Temecula Valley 66

Harvard-Westlake 47, Loyola 36

Hillcrest Christian 71, Beacon Hill 57

Katella 50, Ocean View 44

Laguna Hills 77, Godinez 67

La Habra 61, Sonora 54

Los Osos 63, Upland 60

Magnolia Science Academy 51, Downey Calvary Chapel 33

Montclair 66, Ontario 62

Palm Desert 72, La Quinta 37

Palm Springs 38, Shadow Hills 33

Palm Valley 31, Noli Indian 24

Rancho Mirage 65, Xavier Prep 38

Redlands East Valley 85, Yucaipa 55

Riverside Notre Dame 88, Carter 72

Samueli Academy 50, Avalon 39

San Jacinto Leadership 53, Nuview Bridge 20

San Fernando Valley Academy 70, Glendale Adventist 24

Segerstrom 80, Westminster 34

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 71, St. Francis 48

Sierra Canyon 83, Alemany 48

Silverado 72, Victor Valley 54

St. Monica Academy 68, Desert Christian 60

Summit 74, Grand Terrace 40

Summit Leadership 52, AAE 45

Temecula Prep 98, Santa Rosa Academy 69

Temescal Canyon 48, Tahquitz 33

Trinity Classical Academy 64, Lancaster Baptist 53

United Christian Academy 46, La Sierra Academy 40

Valley Torah 73, Santa Clarita Christian 67

Vistamar 81, Wildwood 43

Webb 60, Tarbut V’ Torah 56

Western Christian 69, Newport Christian 57

INTERSECTIONAL

Canyon Country Canyon 75, Canoga Park 50

CSDR 60, CSDF 22

Ft. Lauderdale (FL) Calvary Christian 71, St. John Bosco 60

GIRLS

CITY SECTION

Animo Venice 40, Animo Pat Brown 29

Animo Watts 69, WISH Academy 36

New Designs Watts 21, Burton 20

Northridge Academy 70, Fulton 10

SOCES 34, Vaughn 23

Stern 30, Smidt Tech 29

Triumph Charter 48, Valley Oaks CES 14

VAAS 37, East Valley 29

SOUTHERN SECTION

Alemany 67, Immaculate Heart 32

Alpaugh 31, SLOCA 26

Animo Leadership 38, Summit View West 36

Arroyo Valley 43, Riverside Notre Dame 28

Barstow 56, Granite Hills 21

Bishop Amat 66, St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 63

Bishop Diego 61, Santa Clara 10

Bishop Montgomery 78, St. Monica 47

Burbank Burroughs 76, Burbank 42

Calvary Baptist 63, Bethel Christian 19

Cantwell-Sacred Heart 59, St. Mary’s Academy 27

Chino 79, Don Lugo 21

Chino Hills 59, St. Lucy’s 11

Crescenta Valley 67, Arcadia 57

Crossroads 64, Windward 56

Desert Christian Academy 39, San Jacinto Valley Academy 32

Dos Pueblos 46, Oxnard 38

El Toro 46, Trabuco Hills 40

Etiwanda 67, Rancho Cucamonga 33

Flintridge Sacred Heart 42, Mayfield 25

Fontana 44, Carter 39

Knight 41, Antelope Valley 11

Lakewood St. Joseph 54, La Salle 45

Lancaster 58, Palmdale 33

Loma Linda Academy 56, Mesa Grande Academy 20

Los Alamitos 51, Newport Harbor 15

Mary Star of the Sea 49, Paraclete 44

Notre Dame Academy 57, Marymount 48

NOVA Academy 46, Anaheim Discovery 22

Ontario 42, Montclair 17

Palm Desert 60, La Quinta 45

Pasadena 59, Muir 49

Redlands 44, Cajon 38

Quartz Hill 65, Highland 57

Sacred Heart of Jesus 70, Pomona Catholic 13

San Bernardino 70, West Valley 28

San Jacinto 57, Elsinore 24

San Jacinto Leadership 68, Nuview Bridge 20

San Juan Hills 58, Dana Hills 22

Santa Margarita 47, JSerra 43

Shadow Hills 60, Palm Springs 36

Shalhevet 53, Compton Early College 2

Silverado 58, Victor Valley 30

St. Bernard 75, San Gabriel Mission 20

St. Bonaventure 85, Thacher 13

St. Monica Academy 43, Desert Christian 35

Temecula Prep 51, Santa Rosa Academy 26

Trinity Classical Academy 86, Lancaster Baptist 21

Vistamar 47, Wildwood 8

Xavier Prep 50, Rancho Mirage 10

Yucaipa 90, Redlands East Valley 25

INTERSECTIONAL

Castaic 60, Lake Balboa College 11

CSDR 59, New Mexico School for the Deaf 11

World champion Luke Littler beat veteran Paul Lim 6-1 to reach the quarter-finals of the Bahrain Masters.

On his first trip to the oche since retaining his world title at Alexandra Palace on 3 January, Littler put in a statement performance.

The 19-year-old had an average of 106 as he brushed aside 71-year-old Singaporean Lim.

“Not a chance! I will say it now,” England’s Littler replied when asked if he will still be playing into his 70s.

“He’s just class and I wonder when is he going to retire? He still goes very strong in the practice room as well.”

Littler faces Wales’ Gerwyn Price, who saw off Motomu Sakai 6-3, in the last eight. Price was last year’s runner-up in Bahrain after beating Littler in the semi-finals.

Second seed Luke Humphries is also through after a 6-0 win against Abdulla Saeed, while World Championship runner-up Gian van Veen defeated Man Lok Leung 6-2.

Michael van Gerwen is set to play defending champion Stephen Bunting in the quarter-finals.

Tammy Abraham could return to Aston Villa, Manchester United hope to sign Carlos Baleba in the summer, and Jean-Philippe Mateta is a target for Juventus.

Aston Villa want to seal a permanent deal for England striker Tammy Abraham, who is currently on loan at Besiktas from Roma. The 28-year-old spent 2018-19 on loan at Villa and helped them earn promotion to the Premier League. (Times – subscription required), external

Manchester United are growing increasingly confident they will sign Cameroon midfielder Carlos Baleba, 22, from Brighton in the summer. (Sun), external

Juventus have made an inquiry about signing France striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, 28, from Crystal Palace this month as they seek a long-term replacement for Serbia attacker Dusan Vlahovic, 25. (Sky Sports), external

Inter Milan, Napoli and Fiorentina are all contenders to move for Manchester United and England defender Harry Maguire, 32, in January. (Tuttomercato – in Italian), external

Nottingham Forest and Brazil defender Murillo, 23, is being considered by Manchester United as they look for a long-term Maguire replacement. (Mail), external

Chelsea want to bring in a defender this window with Bournemouth‘s Argentina international Marcos Senesi, 28, among several targets. (Talksport), external

Manchester United caretaker head coach Michael Carrick is keen to sign Middlesbrough’s English midfielder Hayden Hackney, 23, who is also attracting interest from Tottenham. (Teamtalk), external

Valencia have approached Brentford about the availability of 28-year-old Nigeria midfielder Frank Onyeka. (Sky Sports), external

West Ham look set to miss out on Toulouse defender Charlie Cresswell, 23, after Wolfsburg submitted a bid of £15.6m for the Englishman. (Athletic – subscription required), external

Nottingham Forest are pushing to sign Italy and Inter Milan midfielder Davide Frattesi, 26. (Tuttomercato – in Italian), external

England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo could look to secure a loan exit if his playing time at Manchester United does not improve this month, with Napoli leading the race for the 20-year-old. (Star), external

Crystal Palace and Brighton are competing with Celtic and Norwich for Dundalk’s 17-year-old Irish defender Vinnie Leonard. (Football Insider), external

Aston Villa could move for Real Madrid and Spain midfielder Dani Ceballos, 29, after missing out on signing Conor Gallagher. (Talksport), external

Tottenham are exploring options to sell Argentine striker Alejo Veliz, 22, who is currently on loan at Rosario Central and are in talks with Brazilian club Bahia. (Athletic – subscription required), external

Galatasaray, Napoli, Juventus and clubs in Saudi Arabia are monitoring Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva, 32, who is in the final year of his deal with Manchester City and yet to agree an extension. (Caught Offside), external

Wolves are hoping to beat a host of Premier League rivals to two Scottish teenagers – Dundee United striker Kai Hutchinson, 15, and 17-year-old Aberdeen midfielder Cooper Masson. (Teamtalk), external

Sheffield United have registered their interest in England midfielder Ross Barkley, 32, who is struggling for regular game time at Aston Villa. (Football Insider), external

For the second time in as many months, the Dodgers swooped in to secure a major free-agent signing.

After weighing multiple offers this week, outfielder Kyle Tucker reportedly agreed to a four-year, $240-million contract with the Dodgers on Thursday.

Tucker, who reportedly had been offered $50 million per year by the New York Mets and received overtures from the Toronto Blue Jays, is a four-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger whose left-handed bat will fit into the middle of the Dodgers’ lineup.

The signing addresses an area where the Dodgers were in need of an upgrade, after the outfield corps posted minus-1.6 wins above replacement in 2025.

But the question heading into the offseason was how the Dodgers would go about improving their outfield. Although they had plenty of financial flexibility at the start of the offseason, with more than $60 million in salary from last season coming off the books, the front office also touted potential internal options. Some of those included Alex Call, Hyeseong Kim and Ryan Ward, who was named the Pacific Coast League’s MVP in 2025 and was added to the Dodgers’ 40-man roster this offseason.

The team used that flexibility to make a splash last month when they signed reliever Edwin Díaz to a three-year, $69-million deal, emerging as a surprise winner after Díaz appeared on track to sign elsewhere.

Chicago Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker bats against the Colorado Rockies on Aug. 31.

(David Zalubowski / Associated Press)

They seemingly followed a similar pattern with Tucker, who spent last year with the Chicago Cubs after he was traded by the Houston Astros following the 2024 season. When reports emerged about the Mets offering a short-term deal worth $50 million per year, the Dodgers appeared to be out of the running.

But instead they landed another marquee free-agent signing in Tucker, who turns 29 on Saturday. They are banking on the productivity he’s shown when healthy — he’s a career .273 hitter with an .865 OPS — but he’s dealt with injuries the last two seasons. With the Cubs in 2025, Tucker hit .280 with 17 home runs before the all-star break, but a fractured right hand and a left calf strain slowed him down as he finished with 22 home runs. He served as the Cubs’ designated hitter during their postseason run, which ended in a five-game loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in the division series.

While it was a poor day for the Brits, it was a day of success for Georgia – who count among their coaching team one of the most controversial figures in ice skating.

The afternoon session contained the men’s short program, and leading the field is another Georgian – Nika Egadze, who registered an impressive score of 91.28.

Egadze is coached by Eteri Tutberidze, who drew headlines for her berating of Kamila Valieva at the 2022 Olympics.

Tutberidze was sat next to Egadze as the results were announced in Sheffield, hugging her charge after his score came in.

He then defended Tutberidze’s training methods in his media conference, telling the BBC: “I really like to work with Eteri, I have skated with her for nine years.

“We are really well connected, as a whole team. And she listens to me more now.”

In the media conference after his pairs win with Metelkina, Berulava revealed they had used Tutberidze’s private rink to practice while waiting for their visa issues to be resolved.

Tutberidze previously worked with the Russian national team, whose athletes are banned from these championships – and will compete as neutrals at Milan 2026 – because of the country’s ongoing aggression in Ukraine.

The fight over horse racing tracks’ right to legally install slot-machine-like terminals in their facilities to allow betting on past races hit the boiling point on Thursday when Santa Anita installed 26 Racing on Demand machines at the track on the ground floor of the grandstand. They will be in operation after 11 a.m. on live racing days.

At the crux of the issue is the legality of slot-machine-type terminals. Is it pari-mutuel wagering, where the payoff is determined by the amount of money bet, and considered a game of skill? Or is it a game of chance, such as slot machines and most table games? If it is a pari-mutuel game of skill, then it is governed by the state regulatory agency, the California Horse Racing Board. If it is a game of chance, it is governed by the tribes, who hold exclusive purview over most non-pari-mutuel wagering in the state.

“This puts it on a collision course with the tribes,” said Victor Rocha, conference chair of the Indian Gaming Assn., who said he did not have advance notice of this. “They clearly know what they are doing, they are smart guys, but it is clearly gambling. They will get the appropriate response, politically speaking.

“When you put illegal gambling machines in a liquor store, it gets shut down. If Santa Anita has illegal machines, they should be out of business. California didn’t sign up for racinos [the term for race tracks that have casinos].”

The addition of the machines was first reported by the Paulick Report.

Determining if these machines are skill or chance remains the unresolved issue, with each side claiming the view that best suits their advantage. The machines, which fall in the specter of Historical Horse Racing, have the look and feel of a slot machine with a rapid churn of money. You get scant information on the horses or jockeys you are currently betting on. The default on these machines is you just see the last two to three seconds of the race. The tracks contend that because they give you minimal handicapping information, and that you are not betting against the house but other players, it’s a game of skill.

One loophole that the tracks are trying to use on this was the passing of a three-by-three bet in April 2024. In it, you have to pick first, second and third in three pre-chosen races. All the wagers go into the same pari-mutuel pool, where you compete against other bettors. The track does take a percentage off the top, although in this case, the percentage and distribution are not known. In most areas, Historical Horse Racing uses about an 8% takeout. Live horse racing has an average takeout of 20% but it varies by type of bet. This is the first time the three-by-three has been used on past races.

“I think like sweepstakes and prediction markets, everyone has lost their mind when it comes to gambling,” said Rocha. “Everyone is looking for a loophole. [Santa Anita] has been champing to get into digital gaming. This is clearly a violation of state compacts. You can expect a very full-throated reply.”

A couple play a Historical Horse Racing electronic gambling machine at the Nash Casino. Santa Anita Park in Arcadia has installed comparable machines.

(Boston Globe via Getty Images)

The Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) foreshadowed a move like this on page 25, item 41, of its Race Meet Agreement with Santa Anita where it said:

“Wagering on Concluded Races. Track shall not import and conduct wagering on concluded races at Santa Anita Park or Online without first obtaining the consent of the TOC and the CHRB. TOC hereby consents for Track to have at Santa Anita Park up to forty (40) self service totalizator terminals that facilitate wagering on concluded races.”

No one thought much of it at the time as the consortium working on the HHR project didn’t seem to be doing much. If the machines are allowed to stay at Santa Anita, it is expected they will soon be installed at Del Mar and Los Alamitos.

What is expected to go on now is the fight over if the machines can stay there. If it’s a case of winning friends and influencing people, the track is already in a deficit by not telling the group that regulates the sport that this was coming.

“Like everyone else, we had heard rumors, but the CHRB was unaware of this actual move,” a CHRB spokesman said in a statement.

Historical horse racing betting terminals sparked controversy when they were installed in Idaho. Similar machines were installed at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia.

(Otto Kitsinger/AP)

The CHRB was anticipating an ask to amend the track’s license that would allow it to place what they thought would be Historical Horse Racing machines at Santa Anita. It even asked its legal staff to come up with an opinion about if putting the machines in would be legal. The Times request for the document was turned down citing attorney-client privilege.

But neither Santa Anita nor the Thoroughbred Owners of California requested an agenda item by the cutoff 12 days ago.

Santa Anita’s owner, the Stronach Group, did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

In fact, no one seems to want to talk about this. Santa Anita did not even put out a news release about this new betting opportunity at the track. And, it did not even mention it in its racing day newsletter “Stable Notes,” which generally touts things for fans such as $2 hot dogs and free parking.

However, in a one-page fact sheet about Racing on Demand, TSG painstakingly tries to explain why it “Does Not Violate Tribal Gaming” and why it has “Existing Authority.”

In a section titled “What It’s Not,” it makes these points about what it isn’t:

“— A slot machine.

“— House-banked gambling.

“— Historic Horse Racing (as operated in Kentucky, Virginia or other states.)”

The tribes have enormous political influence in California, in part, because of the millions of dollars it spends in political contributions. They are known to freely litigate any challenge to their sovereignty over most non pari-mutuel gambling in the state. And they almost always win.

Last year, the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 831, which prohibited companies from offering types of online sweepstakes that are seen by the tribes as a threat to their gambling exclusivity. The combined vote was 120-0.

Don’t look for Jared Verse to appear bare-chested on Sunday night at Soldier Field in Chicago.

In 2024, before a late-December game against the New York Jets in New Jersey, Verse and other Rams outside linebackers apparently tried to make a point about their toughness by going through warmups in a 20-degree temperature sans shirts.

Verse said Thursday that former Rams linebacker Michael Hoecht instigated the demonstration.

Another is not expected on Sunday when the Rams play the Chicago Bears in an NFC divisional-round game in temperatures that could have a wind chill below zero degrees.

“Hoecht’s not here right now,” Verse said, laughing heartily, “so I don’t feel like taking mine off. It might be in short sleeves like always. But shirtless…”

Verse, the 2024 NFL defensive rookie of the year, made the Pro Bowl for the second time after recording 7½ sacks, a number that does not fully represent his impact on opposing offenses.

Under first-year coach Ben Johnson, the Bears averaged 25.9 points and 369.2 yards per game, which ranked ninth and sixth respectively, among 32 NFL teams. The Bears were third in rushing (144.5 yards per game) and 10th in passing (225.1).

Quarterback Caleb Williams passed for 27 touchdowns, with seven interceptions. He was sacked only 24 times, third-fewest in the league behind the Rams and the Denver Broncos, each of which allowed 23 sacks.

“He looks comfortable,” Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula said of Williams, who also rushed for nearly 400 yards and three touchdowns, “He looks calm.”

Tight end Colston Loveland is Williams’ favorite target. Loveland had a team-best 58 receptions during the regular season, and Loveland and receivers DJ Moore and Rome Odunze each had six touchdown catches.

In the Bears’ 31-27 wild-card victory over the Green Bay Packers, which was played in wind-chill of 26 degrees, Williams completed 24 of 48 passes for 361 yards and two touchdowns, with two interceptions. Loveland was targeted 15 times, and had eight catches for 137 yards.

Rams coach Sean McVay said Williams has played well in and out of rhythm.

“Those second-reaction plays, where he’s getting flushed to his right or getting flushed to his left and guys understand how to be able to work with him,” McVay said, “those are the ones that are really scary.”

Jumping or lunging at Williams is futile, Verse said, because “he’s very able to get away from anything you bring to him.” So it is imperative to wrap up the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

“It’s impossible to say like he won’t get away from one of us,” Verse said, “but we all have to keep pursuing him and be able to make that tackle on him.”

The weather and conditions could cause both teams to rely on their rushing attacks.

Bears running back D’Andre Swift rushed for nine touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass during the regular season. In the wild-card game, Swift carried the ball 19 times for 55 yards.

Last season, the Rams’ season ended in the divisional round on a cold, snowy day in Philadelphia.

Verse said he would not be affected by the cold conditions in Chicago, citing his youth in Ohio and time spent in New York.

“I’m used to playing in the hail,” he said. “That really doesn’t faze me or anything like that.”

Etc.

Backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo did not practice because of a back issue, according to the injury report … Guard Kevin Dotson, sidelined for three games because of an ankle injury, was limited in his first practice since he was injured on Dec. 18 against the Seattle Seahawks. Dotson said this week that he intended to fully test the ankle, with hopes of playing on Sunday. … Shula, a candidate for several NFL head coach vacancies, said he would participate in interviews Friday after the Rams have completed installing their game plan for the Bears. “Full focus on the Bears, “ Shula said, “and then after practice [Friday] worry about that.”

If the Chargers were a home, general manager Joe Hortiz and coach Jim Harbaugh are in agreement: its foundation is set in stone.

The team is going to continue to build its offense around quarterback Justin Herbert, that much is clear. But as the renovation begins — with Harbaugh parting ways with offensive coordinator Greg Roman and offensive line coach Mike Devlin earlier this week — the Chargers coach said Thursday he knows that growth is necessary after back-to-back years of first-round playoff exits.

Hortiz concurred with his longtime colleague.

“That’s what the offseason is for; time to look at things internally and look externally to see how you can get better,” said Hortiz, who is wrapping up his second season with the organization alongside Harbaugh. “You’ve got a nice structure, and that’s what we have here. But we’re going to keep renovating every room. And right when you get done with the bathrooms, you go to the kitchen. But you know what? You can’t ignore the bathroom.” Hortiz added: “You can’t focus all your attention on one room and let the other ones fall too.”

The duo avoided placing blame on Herbert’s trend of postseason woes, offensive line construction or Roman, a similar retread of talking points from last year’s post-hoc presser of vague talking points.

Hortiz made one thing clear: He won’t consider any season a success until the Chargers claim their first Super Bowl title.

“Did we do Justin a disservice or whatever word you want to put it?” Hortiz said. “We weren’t good enough and our goal was to be good enough. I did [team owner] Dean [Spanos] a disservice. I did coach a disservice. We all did, all of us together. We want to win the Super Bowl, and so we’ve got to get better.”

That begins with finding a new “head coach of the offense,” Harbaugh said. Under Roman, the Chargers only scored one touchdown across two playoff games.

“A fresh start, a new direction,” Harbaugh said of his reasoning to fire Roman. “Fresh start for [Roman], fresh start for our team, for our offense.”

Harbaugh said he hopes to bring in a new offensive coordinator with a “physical” identity. Hortiz adding that the job — especially coaching Herbert — is an “attractive position,” and that they’ll plan on bringing in the best possible candidate to work alongside Harbaugh, casting a wide net.

Chargers passing game coordinator Marcus Brady was first to interview for the offensive coordinator job, meeting with assistant general manager Chad Alexander, Hortiz and Harbaugh on Thursday.

Outside of Roman and Devlin, Hortiz announced that linebackers coach NaVorro Bowman is departing the Chargers and coaching altogether. Bowman, who played for Harbaugh when he coached the San Francisco 49ers, is planning to help his son, Notre Dame High junior guard NaVorro Bowman Jr., navigate the college recruitment process, Hortiz said.

Outside of coaching personnel changes — which could include defensive coordinator Jesse Minter departing for a head coaching job — Hortiz said he wants to use some of the more than $100 million in projected salary-cap space to retain some of the Chargers’ pending free agents.

Outside linebackers Odafe Oweh and Khalil Mack (who said this week that he’d contemplate retirement for the second consecutive season), wide receiver Keenan Allen and left guard Zion Johnson are set to become free agents in March. Hortiz said he hadn’t talked with wide receiver Quentin Johnston and his representation about whether they would pick up his fifth-year option.

“We have to be smart,” Hortiz said. “We’ll spend money, but we’re going to spend money internally too, because there’s a lot of guys we’d like to have back.”

When Eric Musselman and his staff carefully pieced together this USC team through the transfer portal last spring, the lineup announced Tuesday night ahead of the Trojans’ 88-71 win over Maryland was probably not what they had in mind.

Ryan Cornish, the Dartmouth transfer starting at one guard spot, didn’t scratch the rotation until December. Kam Woods, the other starting guard, wasn’t even enrolled at USC until late last month. And in the middle, 7-foot-5 center Gabe Dynes had been playing a mere seven minutes a night just a few games prior.

It was a far cry from the group Musselman thought he’d have at this point in his second season at USC, with the bulk of the Big Ten schedule still ahead. But Alijah Arenas, the five-star freshman guard, was reduced to icing his knee on the sideline, his return delayed at least one more week. Chad Baker-Mazara, USC’s leading scorer in December, spent most of Tuesday night stretching out his sore neck, unable to go, and Rodney Rice, the Trojans’ leading scorer in November, was laid up at home recovering from shoulder surgery he’d undergone that day.

The onslaught of injuries made the last two months, in the words of USC’s coach, both “draining” and “the most challenging ever.” But aside from two blowouts in the state of Michigan and a blown fourth-quarter lead to Washington, the Trojans haven’t looked all that much worse for the wear on paper, having stacked up 14 wins, and trending toward an NCAA tournament invite for the first time since 2023.

They’ve done so by becoming a different team, nearly night in and night out.

“We’re constantly reinventing ourselves,” Musselman said. “Every game has a different identity.”

Over the Trojans’ last five games, Musselman hasn’t used any one lineup more than 6.9% of the time, according to the analytics site KenPom.com. Jordan Marsh, who led USC in scoring with 20 on Tuesday night, had played a combined seven minutes over the previous two games. Terrance Williams, meanwhile, went from starting against Michigan State to scraping together just seven minutes against Minnesota and Maryland.

In Tuesday night’s win, 36 of the Trojans’ 46 points in the second half came from either Dynes, Marsh, freshman guard Jerry Easter or forward Jaden Brownell, none of whom were expected at the start of the season to rank among the top five in scoring for USC. The game before that, in Minneapolis, USC got just a single point from its bench after halftime — and a combined 43 from Baker-Mazara and Ezra Ausar.

The only thing that’s remained consistent about USC’s approach is how often it has changed. Musselman has tried just about everything, at one point starting each of the 10 members of USC’s rotation.

“A good team has players step up,” Musselman said.

Cornish is one. He’d played a total of eight minutes through the month of November, but quickly earned the trust of USC’s staff for his effort on defense and his willingness to do the little things, like box out and take charges.

“I just wanted to produce in some way where I could help the team,” Cornish said.

He started at guard on Dec. 9 at San Diego, just his third game in the rotation. He’s been in the starting lineup since.

Dynes has also suddenly become a key piece in the Trojans’ rotation, fulfilling the hype that accompanied him in the preseason. The center has averaged over 23 minutes per game over USC’s last five, as Musselman has trusted him for longer stretches, leaning on his rim protection and his improving offense.

“He’s turning into a real, real factor for us,” Musselman said.

With Dynes in the lineup, 6-9 forward Jacob Cofie has routinely kicked out to the wing, where he’s been asked to make three-pointers and defend on the perimeter. That’s been a boon to his confidence, Cofie said, as USC’s three-big lineup has been a fixture since the start of the Big Ten slate.

“Every game has got a different mismatch,” Musselman said Tuesday. “It’s up to our staff to try to help figure out who and when they can help us.”

Even just a week ago, that felt like an increasingly impossible task. The Trojans were coming off two blowout losses to Michigan and Michigan State, their season suddenly heading in the wrong direction. Plus, they were worn out. “We needed a rejuvenation,” Musselman said. So they spent four nights together, taking it easy, eating meals as a team, alleviating any pressure that might have built up.

“We went through some adversity with the first two road games,” Marsh said. “But as a group, we just got more connected, more bonded.”

What that group will look like a few weeks from now is unclear. The earliest Arenas is likely to return is next Wednesday against Northwestern — though his actual return date could come down to when Arenas’ inner circle signs off that he’s ready.

Baker-Mazara, meanwhile, is dealing with a neck issue, yet Musselman seemed a bit frustrated with the sixth-year senior’s situation when asked about it Tuesday. He said that Baker-Mazara hadn’t practiced the previous two days.

“We’re gonna roll with who’s practicing hard,” he said. “It’s that point in the season where everybody gets a little banged up. We’ve got a group that practices so hard — Ezra [Ausar], Jacob [Cofie], Gabe [Dynes].”

It’ll take everything they’ve got to keep up with No. 5 Purdue. The Boilermakers boast a lineup that’s spent years together learning their roles and fitting into a system.

USC, in many ways, will bring the opposite to the table. There’s no telling who might start Saturday at Galen Center.

“But that also could be the ace up our sleeve,” Cornish said. “We can throw so many different looks against them. They don’t know what they’re preparing for.”

The North Carolina home of late NASCAR driver Greg Biffle was burglarized less than a month after he, his wife and two children were among the seven people who died in a plane crash near Charlotte.

According to a Jan. 8 incident report by the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, a backpack and $30,000 in cash were stolen from Biffle’s home in Mooreville, N.C. The alleged incident was classified as a burglary at a residence with forcible entry.

Investigators believe someone entered a safe at the home during the alleged incident, Sheriff Darren Campbell said Wednesday, and some guns and memorabilia are also missing from the estate. No one was home at the time of the alleged incident.

The incident report states that the home was last known to be secure on Jan. 7 at 3 p.m.

“Currently, no arrest has been made,” Campbell said in a statement. “Investigators are continuing to review all evidence, including digital and other available information, as the case remains under investigation.”

Biffle was a retired driver who won more than 50 races across NASCAR’s three circuits, including 19 in the Cup Series. He, his wife, Cristina, and children Ryder, 5, and Emma, 14, were on a business jet that took off from Statesville Regional Airport headed for Florida on the morning of Dec. 18.

Soon after takeoff, the plane attempted to return and land back at the Statesville airport but hit the ground short of the runway and burst into flames. There were no survivors. No cause of the crash has been released.

A public memorial service for the victims is scheduled for Friday morning at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

At least 20 people allegedly colluded with known gamblers to fix basketball games, according to a federal indictment filed Thursday.

The indictment filed in Philadelphia cites charges of “bribery in sporting contests” and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, to fix men’s college and Chinese professional basketball games.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania announced the sweeping indictment that involves players from 17 college teams from 2022 through 2025. The scheme also involved two gamblers — Shane Hennen and Marves Fairley — who were indicted in October for their alleged role in an NBA sports gambling scheme that included Miami Heat star Terry Rozier.

The most prominent player indicted Thursday was Antonio Blakeney, the leading scorer at Louisiana State in 2016-2017 and a veteran of two seasons with the Chicago Bulls. The shooting guard has played for professional teams in China, Israel and Bahrain since last playing in the NBA in 2019.

According to the indictment, the scheme began with attempts in the 2022–23 season to fix games in the Chinese Basketball Assn. Blakeney, who played for the Jiangsu Dragons and led the league in scoring with 32.1 points a game, is alleged to have been recruited by Hennen and Fairley to shave points.

Hennen and Fairley were included in the indictment along with others who worked as AAU coaches or personal trainers and recruited players to shave points, often in the first halves of games. Prop bets — wagers on specific events or occurrences within a game that aren’t tied to the final score — also were placed on certain outcomes based on the agreements with players. Payments of as much as $20,000 were made to players, the indictment alleges.

“Protecting competition integrity is of the utmost importance for the NCAA. We are thankful for law enforcement agencies working to detect and combat integrity issues and match manipulation in college sports,” NCAA president Charlie Baker said in a statement Thursday. “The pattern of college basketball game integrity conduct revealed by law enforcement today is not entirely new information to the NCAA. Through helpful collaboration and with industry regulators, we have finished or have open investigations into almost all of the teams in today’s indictment.”

Colleges under investigation include DePaul, Saint Louis, La Salle, Eastern Michigan, Robert Morris, Fordham, Buffalo, Tulane, Northwestern (La.) State, Nicholls State, Southern Mississippi, North Carolina A&T, Kennesaw State, Coppin State, New Orleans, Abilene Christian and Alabama State.

The indictment estimates the gamblers conspired with as many as 39 players across those 17 Division I teams to fix games.

“Our enforcement staff has opened sports betting integrity investigations into approximately 40 student-athletes from 20 schools over the past year,” Baker said. “While some of the investigations are ongoing, 11 student-athletes from seven schools were recently found to have bet on their own performances, shared information with known bettors, and/or engaged in game manipulation to collect on bets they—or others—placed. This behavior resulted in a permanent loss of NCAA eligibility for all of them.

“Additionally, 13 student-athletes from eight schools were found to have failed to cooperate in the sports betting integrity investigation by providing false or misleading information, failing to provide relevant documentation and/or refusing to be interviewed by the enforcement staff. None of them are competing today.”

At least four of the players charged are currently active: Simeon Cottle of Kennesaw State, Camian Shell of Delaware State, Carlos Hart of Eastern Michigan and Oumar Koureissi of Texas Southern. Cottle, in fact, scored 21 points Wednesday night in Kennesaw State’s victory over Florida International and is the leading scorer in Conference USA.

Baker said the NCAA tries to root out sports betting violations through a “layered integrity monitoring program” that covers more than 20,000 games, but admits the organization can’t do it alone.

“We still need the remaining states, regulators and gaming companies to eliminate threats to integrity — such as collegiate prop bets — to better protect athletes and leagues from integrity risks and predatory bettors,” he said. “We also will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement. We urge all student-athletes to make well-informed choices to avoid jeopardizing the game and their eligibility.”

The Princess of Wales hosted the England team at Windsor Castle to celebrate their Women’s Rugby World Cup triumph in September. England beat Canada 33-13 at Twickenham to lift the trophy for a third time.

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On the eve of the Dodgers’ final regular season series at Dodger Stadium, Clayton Kershaw announced his retirement. There would be one final regular season start at home, then one final regular season start at Seattle, then one final World Series appearance at Dodger Stadium, then one final World Series championship celebration at Dodger Stadium.

“I know they’re going to get one more next year,” Kershaw told the crowd, “and I’m going to watch just like all of you.”

This is Hollywood, so get me rewrite. Kershaw did not change his retirement script Thursday, but he did alter it, joining Team USA for the World Baseball Classic.

Team USA opens the World Baseball Classic in Kershaw’s home state of Texas, facing Brazil on March 6. For all that Kershaw has accomplished in his Hall of Fame career — a most valuable player award, three Cy Young awards, three World Series championships, 3,000 strikeouts and a no-hitter among them — he never has participated in the World Baseball Classic.

Kershaw committed to play for Team USA in 2023, saying it would be “probably my last chance to do it.” He was unable to secure the insurance required for MLB participants after spending time on the injured list in 2022 because of a back injury.

“It’s just such a great group that it would have been really fun to be a part of,” Kershaw said then. “It’s almost like an All-Star Game with meaning. I was getting really excited about it.”

At the height of his career, Kershaw would have been an easy choice to start the most important games for Team USA. But the Team USA roster features Cy Young winners Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal as well as top starters Logan Webb and Joe Ryan, so Kershaw appears more likely to make any appearances out of the bullpen.

That is how the Dodgers used him in the postseason. Kershaw made two relief appearances during their championship run, most memorably in the 12th inning of Game 3 of the World Series. The Toronto Blue Jays had the bases loaded with two out, and Kershaw came in to retire Nathan Lukes on a ground ball, in a dramatic eight-pitch at-bat.

Edgardo Henriquez and Will Klein combined to follow Kershaw with six scoreless innings, and the Dodgers won in the 18th inning — their only World Series victory at Dodger Stadium — on a home run by Freddie Freeman.

This will be the sixth World Baseball Classic. Team USA has won once, in 2017 at Dodger Stadium. Japan has won three times, including the most recent tournament in 2023, with Shohei Ohtani striking out then-Angels teammate Mike Trout for the final out.

Kershaw will join longtime Dodgers catcher Will Smith on Team USA. The WBC finals this year are scheduled for Miami from March 15-17.

Tommy Fleetwood finishes with monster putt to move to within three shots of leader Rory McIlroy at the Dubai Invitational. Fleetwood won the inaugural title last year.

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