Sports Desk

Welcome back to The Times’ Lakers newsletter, where we are freezing out butts off on this East Coast trip.

As the team continues to work its way through the Grammy trip, your usual scribe who writes this newsletter, Thuc Nhi Nguyen, is off to Milan to cover the Winter Olympics. That means you are stuck with me, Broderck Turner, for the next month to discuss the Lakers here.

Austin Reaves’ return?

At some point on this eight-game trip, the prevailing thought was that Austin Reaves would return to play after being out with a left calf strain. But we are still waiting for that to happen.

The Lakers’ last game on this trip is Tuesday at Brooklyn, meaning Reaves will have been out a little over 5 ½-weeks since the injury first occurred during the Christmas Day game against the Houston Rockets.

Reaves had been upgraded from out to questionable for the games at Washington on Friday night and the New York Knicks on Sunday, but didn’t play.

And for the Nets game Tuesday, the Lakers have listed Reaves as questionable.

Lakers coach JJ Redick said Reaves worked out on Saturday but it was not “like a stay-ready game.”

Before the Lakers played the Knicks, Redick said Reaves would be a game-time decision.

Reaves did not play, missing his 19th straight game.

“Yeah, I just would say he’s day to day, game to game, however you want to phrase it,” Redick said after the Lakers lost to the Knicks. “ We’re hopeful to have him for Tuesday, but he’s gotta feel 100% confident.”

In many ways, Reaves and the Lakers face a conundrum regarding his health.

Reaves always wants to play and the Lakers need him to play, but calf injuries can be tricky and can lead to more serious injuries if they aren’t completely healed.

Reaves had missed three games in December with a mild left calf strain, returned to play against the Suns and then went down one game later against the Rockets on Christmas.

Reaves was then diagnosed with a Grade 2 left gastrocnemius (calf) strain and was given a timeline of four to six weeks before a return to play.

Luka Doncic had been out with a calf strain for more than a month when the Lakers traded for him from the Dallas Mavericks last February.

“It’s definitely hard with a calf. I’ve been through that. It’s not an easy injury,” Doncic said Sunday night. “So, we just want him to be healthy. If he’s not ready to come back, don’t come back. But obviously, we’d love to have him out there. We can’t wait for his return.”

Reaves is averaging career-high in points (26.6), assists (6.3) and rebounds (5.2) per game. He is shooting 50.7% from the field.

His outstanding play means Reaves is in line for a big payday. The Lakers can pay him a maximum deal of five years worth about $241 million.

So, yes, Reaves is understandably being cautious.

Trade winds

Dalton Knecht is apparently being used as trade bait by the Lakers.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Two of the players people around the NBA said the Lakers had shown some interest in were traded for each other last week, leaving L.A. still searching for the right move to make … or not to make.

Cleveland traded De’Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings for Keon Ellis, two wing players that had been attached to the Lakers as possible candidates to be acquired.

The NBA trade deadline is Thursday at noon PST.

So, the Lakers still have time to do a deal, but people not authorized to speak publicly on the matter say teams have little interest in guards Gabe Vincent and Dalton Knecht, the two most prominent players the Lakers seem to be pushing.

The Lakers do have a first-round draft pick they can attach to one of them, but so far appear hesitant to make it part of a deal.

MSG nostalgia

Was this LeBron James’ final game in Madison Square Garden?

(John Munson / Associated Press)

So, after LeBron James had 22 points, six assists and five rebounds against the Knicks, he was asked if it was weird to think that game the Lakers played the Knicks could be his last time playing in Madison Square Garden.

James, in his 23rd season, has given no indication on when he will retire.

“At the end of the day, everything has to come to an end at some point,” James said. “So, no matter what it is, it’s going to be like, ‘I’ll never play again in Madison Square Garden. I’ll never play again in certain arenas. I’ll never play again, period.’ So, at that point it doesn’t matter. You’re going to always miss it. You’re going to miss the game in general. So this one will always have a special place in the journey because it is Madison Square Garden. But yeah, when that time comes, yeah, for sure.”

On tap

Tuesday at Brooklyn (13-35), 4:30 p.m. PST

The Lakers end their eight-game trip against a Nets team that has the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference. The Nets have lost eight of their last 10 games. Michael Porter Jr. leads the Nets in scoring, averaging 25.6 points per game.

Thursday vs. Philadelphia (27-21), 7 p.m.

Just as the 76ers started to play better and get healthy, Paul George was suspended 25 games without play for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy. But the 76ers still have All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey, who is averaging 29.2 points per game, and center Joel Embiid.

Saturday vs. Golden State (27-23), 5:30 p.m.

It has become one of the more enjoyable moments to see LeBron James and Warriors All-Star guard Stephen Curry, two of the NBA’s elder statesmen still flourishing, perform against each other. But Curry is dealing with a right knee injury, leaving his status unclear.

Status report

Bronny James (left lower leg soreness) is questionable and rookie forward Adou Thiero (right MCL sprain) is out.

Cold, cold, cold

It was pretty cold in New York.

(Adam Gray / Associated Press)

Man, this trip has been a cold one.

Snow in Washington, D.C.

Snow in New York.

Snow when I was in Dallas, which meant it took 12 hours to get home to L.A. because of flight cancellations and delays.

How about this weather report in New York over the weekend — 20 degrees, but feels like 3. So, hearing from friends back home saying they were on the beach in shorts while I was freezing was just mean.

Survey time

It’s a hot topic in our letters basket….. Do you want LeBron James to return to the Lakers next season?

Click here to vote in our survey.

Favorite thing I ate this week

A maritozzo and a latte from illy in Italy.

(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)

Hey, it’s Thuc Nhi here! Ciao from Milan! I made it here after one aborted landing attempt at the Charles de Gaulle airport, which forced me to sprint through the terminal after customs to catch a 70-minute connection that was more like 30 minutes. My bags didn’t catch up, but a maritozzo and a latte from illy made the wait a little sweeter. The Italian cafe chain has a location in the CityLife shopping mall across a park from the Main Press Center and after the traditional first-day Olympic activities of getting my credential validated and getting lost learning the press center layout, I definitely deserved a treat. For more Olympic adventures, you can follow me on Instagram.

In case you missed it

Despite All-Stars’ efforts, Lakers fade vs. Knicks on anniversary of Luka Doncic deal

Lakers star LeBron James named an NBA All-Star for a record 22nd time

‘We want Bronny’: Guard Bronny James shines during Lakers’ ugly loss to Cleveland

Cavaliers court raises safety concerns again as Luka Doncic injures leg

‘Like it was yesterday.’ Lakers lose in emotional return to Cleveland for LeBron James

Caitlin Clark as NBA analyst? Will she talk about praise from Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves’ return?

Until next time…

As always, pass along your thoughts to me at broderick.turner@latimes.com, and please consider subscribing if you like our work!

From Gary Klein: Coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead signed extensions that will keep them with the Rams for at least several more years.

Will quarterback Matthew Stafford decide to return and join them for an 18th NFL season?

“Our hope is that he does,” McVay said Monday during a videoconference with reporters, “But I think that with respect to his timetable … whenever he feels ready to make that announcement we’ll let him be able to do that.”

McVay spoke minutes after the Rams announced that McVay and Snead had signed extensions, ensuring the most important combination in the organization remains intact.

McVay, 40, and Snead, 55, were entering the final years of their contracts.

McVay, who was hired in 2017, and Snead, who has been the general manager since 2012, had previously been extended after Super Bowl appearances in the 2018 and 2021 seasons. They had offers on the table before this season but did not sign them.

The Rams have made two Super Bowl appearances and have been in the playoffs seven times in McVay’s nine seasons.

“As we enter their 10th season together, it is only fitting to reflect on the tremendous success Sean and Les have brought to this franchise, and the indelible impact they have made on Los Angeles and the NFL,” Rams owner Stan Kroenke said in a statement. “They continue to embody the standard of this franchise to compete for championships, consistently delivering a product that our fans and city can be proud of.”

Continue reading here

Super Bowl

Sunday

at Santa Clara

Seattle vs. New England

3:30 p.m. PT, NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, KLAC AM 570

Halftime show: Bad Bunny

National anthem: Charlie Puth

Odds: Seahawks favored by 4.5 points

Over/Under: 45.5 points

Clippers lose to 76ers

Tyrese Maxey scored 29 points, including seven 3-pointers, Dominick Barlow added 26 points and 16 rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Clippers 128-113 on Monday night for their fourth consecutive victory.

The game featured two big names who weren’t selected as All-Star reserves: Joel Embiid of the Sixers and Kawhi Leonard of the Clippers.

Embiid had 24 points as he continues to gain full strength after a right ankle injury. The Sixers improved to 11-10 without Paul George, who is serving a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug program.

Continue reading here

Clippers box score

NBA standings

Dodgers’ Edwin Díaz will pitch in WBC

New Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz will pitch for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic in March, it was announced Monday.

Díaz, who signed a three-year, $69-million contract in December as the most sough-after reliever in free agency, pitched for Puerto Rico in the 2023 WBC but tore the patellar tendon in his right knee while celebrating a win over the Dominican Republic that pushed the team into the quarterfinals. He missed the entire 2023 MLB season as a result.

The 31-year-old Díaz has a 2.82 ERA and 253 saves over his nine-year career. In that time, no other MLB reliever tops him in strikeouts (839), while only Kenley Jansen has recorded more saves (334). With the New York Mets last season — his second since returning from knee surgery — Díaz also had one of his best career campaigns, posting a 1.63 ERA with 28 saves in 31 opportunities and 98 strikeouts in 66 ⅓ innings.

Continue reading here

This day in sports history

1944 — Syd Howe of the Detroit Red Wings scores six goals in a 12-6 victory over the New York Rangers. Howe is the first player to score six goals in a game since Cy Denneny of the Ottawa Senators in 1921.

1956 — Austria’s Toni Sailer wins the men’s downhill to become first Olympic skier to sweep three Alpine events.

1976 — Washington’s Dave Bing, in his final NBA All-Star game apperance, wins the MVP and leads the East to a 123-109 victory over the West in Philadelphia. Bing has 16 points and four assists.

1980 — Larry Bird hits the first three-point shot in the history of the NBA All-Star Game.

1982 — Steve Mahre, twin brother of overall champion Phil Mahre, becomes the first American male skier to win a gold medal in an Olympics or world championship competition when he edges Sweden’s Ingemar Stenmark in the giant slalom at the worlds.

1990 — Bill Shoemaker, the world’s winningest jockey, finishes fourth on Patchy Groundfog in his final ride at Santa Anita. The 58-year-old Shoemaker finishes his 40-year career with $123,375,524 in earnings, a record 8,833 wins, 6,136 seconds and 4,987 thirds in 40,350 starts.

1998 — Dino Ciccarelli becomes the ninth NHL player to reach 600 goals when he scores on a power play with 5:09 remaining in the third period to give the Florida Panthers a 1-1 tie against the Detroit Red Wings.

2000 — World Wrestling Federation mastermind Vince McMahon unveils his latest creation: the XFL, a new pro football league.

2001 — One year later, the XFL muscles its way onto the national sports scene with its first two games. With exuberant cheerleaders and trash-talking players, the Las Vegas Outlaws beat the New York/New Jersey Hitmen 19-0, while the Orlando Rage beat the Chicago Enforcers 33-29 before a crowd of 35,603 in Orlando.

2002 — Adam Vinatieri’s 48-yard field goal as time expires gives Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots their first Super Bowl title with a 20-17 win over the two-touchdown favorite St. Louis Rams.

2006 — Martin Brodeur becomes the third goaltender in NHL history to reach 100 shutouts when New Jersey blanks Carolina 3-0. Brodeur joins Terry Sawchuk (115) and George Hainsworth (102).

2008 — Eli Manning and the New York Giants end New England’s unbeaten season and pull off one of the great Super Bowl upsets. Manning throws a 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds left to beat the Patriots 17-14.

2013 — The Baltimore Ravens survive a power outage at the Super Bowl to edge the San Francisco 49ers 34-31. Jacoby Jones returns the second-half kickoff 108 yards, a Super Bowl record, to give Baltimore a 28-6 lead. Moments later, lights lining the Superdome fade. When action resumes 34 minutes later, Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers score 17 consecutive points, getting as close as 31-29. Baltimore stops San Francisco on fourth-and-goal from the 5 with under 2 minutes left when Kaepernick’s pass sails beyond Michael Crabtree in the end zone.

2017 — Tara VanDerveer becomes the second NCAA women’s coach to reach 1,000 victories when No. 8 Stanford beats USC 58-42 to give the Hall of Famer a milestone before a home crowd at Maples Pavilion.

2019 — Super Bowl LIII, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA: New England Patriots beat Rams, 13-3; MVP: Julian Edelman, NE Patriots, WR; Patriots’ 6th SB victory

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Times keep changing in high school sports, but some things stay the same, such as neighborhoods embracing their local sports teams whether they win or lose.

In the city of South Gate, there’s three high schools nearby one another, which draws fans to gyms, football fields, soccer fields, baseball and softball diamonds.

South Gate and South East are set to play in a Friday night Eastern League basketball game. Legacy is also in South Gate.

Steven Reyes, an assistant basketball coach at South Gate, offered an observation about participating in the rivalry games:

“This is a really strong local sports story because it’s not just about basketball — it’s about the city. In South Gate, three high schools are battling for city bragging rights, and every matchup feels like a playoff game. The gyms are packed, the community shows up, and the players know they’re representing more than just a team.

“What makes it special is the rivalry. These kids grow up playing against each other, they know each other, and when they face off, it’s personal — but in a competitive, respectful way. Each school has a different style, different identity, and it creates real drama throughout the season.

“It’s the kind of story that shows how sports bring a city together. Parents, alumni, and students are all invested, and the outcome actually matters to the community. This isn’t a one-game story — it’s an ongoing battle for pride, momentum, and respect. That’s why it’s compelling.”

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

Jordan Stolz will be trying to win multiple gold medals in speedskating the Milan Cortina Olympic Games.

(Morry Gash / Associated Press)

Since making his Olympic debut at 17, Stolz has become a star in international speedskating. He was the first man to win three world championships in one year in 2023 and repeated in the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters in 2024. He also competes in the team pursuit. U.S. speedskating has several medal contenders, including two-time Olympic bronze medalist Brittany Bowe and gold medalist Erin Jackson, who became the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal at the Winter Olympics in 2022.

In the old days, during the 1980s and 1990s, when the Notre Dame-Crespi basketball rivalry was in peak form, it would get so hot in Notre Dame’s sold-out gym that they’d have to open windows from high above or sweat would be everywhere. Then came the invention of air conditioning, but Friday’s Mission League tournament semifinals were also super hot in terms of intensity and top performances.

Notre Dame (20-6) was able to pull out an 82-78 victory over Crespi on the strength of four consecutive pressure free throws made by standout junior guard NaVorro Bowman Jr. in the final 14 seconds to earn the Knights a championship game appearance against host Sierra Canyon on Wednesday night.

Crespi (19-11), which went on the road to upset Harvard-Westlake on Saturday, gave the Knights plenty to sweat about. The Celts held a 70-67 lead with 4:46 left until a Josiah Nance three tied the score and started a 10-0 Notre Dame run. A three by sophomore Zion Lanier off an assist from Bowman with 1:10 left put the Knights on top 77-70. The Celts were forced to foul and never got closer than two points.

Notre Dame has produced some outstanding high school guards in the past five years, from Dusty Stromer to Mercy Miller to Angelino Mark, who’s a freshman at Rutgers and showed up Monday night to root for his former teammates. But Bowman is headed to rarefied air. From making threes to powering his way through defenders to converting layups to making a seemingly impossible off-balance shot Monday, he has been in a class by himself.

He’s averaging 23 points and finished with 32 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

“He’s a special player,” Notre Dame coach Matt Sargeant said. “He shows up in big moments. He’s super mentally tough.”

His father was an NFL player, and Bowman has the family genes to perform at his best when the team needs him the most. Crespi was trying to cover him closely in the first half. Notre Dame players kept setting him screens, but Bowman was a little bit off, missing six shots. In the second half, he couldn’t be stopped.

“I had to lock in,” Bowman said.

The game was briefly halted early in the second quarter when the officials gave a warning to Sargeant and Crespi coach Derek Fisher to stay in their coaching boxes. Adding to the drama, Fisher’s wife was asked to leave the gym by Notre Dame officials. Both teams plowed through the distractions to put on a terrific second half that went back and forth.

Isaiah Barnes finished with 24 points and Cayman Martin had 20 points. Ilan Nikolov helped out Notre Dame with 19 points.

“This has been a rivalry for years,” Bowman said. “It feels good to win twice.”

Wednesday’s Mission League tournament final will also decide league MVP honors. The league champion gets to pick who the MVP is, so if Notre Dame wins, it surely will be Bowman.

Sierra Canyon 103, Loyola 74: The Trailblazers (22-1) received 30 points from Brandon McCoy and 23 points from Maxi Adams, both of whom were selected for the McDonald’s All-American Game in an announcement on Monday.

Mater Dei 92, Orange Lutheran 65: Luke Barnett scored 31 points to lead Mater Dei in an opening game of the Trinity League tournament.

JSerra 78, Servite 53: Ryan Doane had 16 points for the Lions.

Cleveland 61, Chatsworth 56: Harout Posheyan had 14 points and Charlie Adams 13 for Cleveland, which clinched the West Valley League championship. Aaron Krueger had 13 points for Chatsworth.

Brentwood 71, Viewpoint 56: Ethan Hill had 24 points and 20 rebounds for Brentwood.

Los Alamitos 68, Edison 61: Tyler Lopez led the way with 17 points.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
MONDAY’S RESULTS

BOYS
CITY SECTION
Angelou 86, Diego Rivera 46
Animo Robinson 59, Animo City of Champions 57
Bell 56, South Gate 38
Birmingham 74, Granada Hills 59
Crenshaw 52, Dorsey 47
Downtown Magnets 94, Central City Value 62
El Camino Real 66, Taft 60
Fairfax 62, Westchester 44
Fulton 50, Panorama 45
Garfield 34, Legacy 26
Grant 78, Monroe 55
Jefferson 71, West Adams 65
Lakeview Charter 51, Valley Oaks CES 25
LA Roosevelt 57, Huntington Park 42
Los Angeles 67, Manual Arts 26
Marquez 94, Maywood Academy 44
Maywood CES 43, Elizabeth 38
North Hollywood 78, Chavez 24
Orthopaedic 52, USC-MAE 22
Palisades 82, LA Hamilton 45
Simon Tech 48, Brio College Prep 46
SOCES 54, Hollywood 49
Sotomayor 42, Torres 38
Sun Valley Poly 60, Verdugo Hills 58
Van Nuys 69, Canoga Park 51
View Park 52, Harbor Teacher 33
Washington Prep 61, LA Jordan 52

SOUTHERN SECTION
Acaciawood 69, Southlands Christian 58
AGBU 63, de Toledo 53
Aliso Niguel 57, El Toro 46
Animo Leadership 39, AHSA 20
Animo Robinson 59, Animo City of Champions 57
Apple Valley 71, Sultana 50
Arlington 56, Riverside North 46
Arroyo 53, Rosemead 49
Azusa 52, Garey 40
Big Bear 84, California Lutheran 65
Bishop Montgomery 74, Bishop Amat 67
Bonita 70, Ayala 53
Brentwood 71, Viewpoint 56
Cantwell-Sacred Heart 67, St. Genevieve 51
Channel Islands 69, Nordhoff 46
Chino 73, Don Lugo 54
Citrus Hill 67, Vista del Lago 57
Citrus Valley 60, Beaumont 56
Colony 67, South Hills 54
Corona del Mar 59, Newport Harbor 51
Covina 61, Northview 49
CSDR 71, University Prep 66
Crossroads 62, Campbell Hall 60
Desert Chapel 56, Mesa Grande 50
Diamond Ranch 71, Chaffey 56
Dominguez 79, Compton Early College 24
Dos Pueblos 59, Buena 56
Duarte 71, Baldwin Park 34
Eastside 79, Palmdale 56
Edgewood 70, Pomona 13
Fairmont Prep 70, Capistrano Valley Christian 40
Faith Baptist 81, Valley Torah 65
Gabrielino 69, Pasadena Marshall 43
Garden Grove 75, Costa Mesa 44
Glendora 80, Walnut 58
Golden Valley 50, Saugus 28
Hacienda Heights Wilson 51, West Covina 44
Hawthorne MSA 53, Geffen Academy 46
Hemet 83, Perris 55
Heritage 64, Canyon Springs 50
Highland 71, Lancaster 36
Holy Martyrs Armenian 63, Le Lycee 49
Indian Springs 83, Miller 49
Indio 79, Yucca Valley 49
JSerra 78, Servite 53
Keppel 71, Bell Gardens 38
Laguna Hills 65, Godinez 55
Lancaster Baptist 62, PACS 48
La Palma Kennedy 61, Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 55
La Puente 54, Workman 32
La Salle 76, Paraclete 30
La Serna 51, Whittier 45
Legacy College Prep 69, Downey Calvary Chapel 41
Long Beach Poly 57, Millikan 66
Los Alamitos 68, Edison 61
Los Altos 83, San Dimas 64
Malibu 81, Fillmore 42
Marina 76, Huntington Beach 72
Mary Star of the Sea 54, Salesian 53
Mater Dei 92, Orange Lutheran 65
Mesrobian 55, Samueli Academy 52
Milken 59, YULA 50
Millikan 66, Long Beach Poly 57
Moreno Valley 62, Valley View 35
Newbury Park Adventist 55, Glendale Adventist 33
Norte Vista 93, Jurupa Valley 58
Ocean View 63, Katella 52
Ontario 63, Montclair 61
Orange Vista 64, Liberty 59
Palmdale Aerospace 75, Trinity Classical Academy 66
Palm Desert 95, La Quinta 32
Palm Valley 56, Joshua Springs Christian 36
Paloma Valley 59, Lakeside 49
Pilgrim 78, Summit View 38
Placentia Valencia 60, Fullerton 43
Quartz Hill 66, Antelope Valley 50
Ramona 94, Patriot 47
Redlands East Valley 83, Yucaipa 55
Rio Hondo Prep 77, EF Academy 39
River Springs Magnolia 65, Temecula River Springs 33
Rubidoux 51, La Sierra 34
San Bernardino 65, Buena Park 53
San Clemente 69, Tesoro 64
San Fernando Valley Academy 51, Highland Hall 39
San Gabriel Academy 62, Newport Beach Pacifica Christian 53
San Marcos 67, Oxnard Pacifica 46
Santa Barbara 71, Rio Mesa 46
Santa Clarita Christian 67, St. Monica Academy 65
Santa Fe 68, California 58
Santa Paula 92, Carpinteria 48
Santa Rosa Academy 63, Warner 46
San Jacinto Valley Academy 51, Nuview Bridge 25
Segerstrom 66, Westminster 25
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 82, Crespi 78
Sierra Canyon 103, Loyola 74
Sierra Vista 69, Nogales 53
Silverado 68, Victor Valley 28
Southwestern Academy 32, Waverly 27
St. Anthony 75, St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 68
St. Bernard 80, St. Paul 65
St. Bonaventure 60, Cate 47
Trabuco Hills 56, Mission Viejo 52
United Christian Academy 65, Anza Hamilton 47
Valencia 67, Canyon Country Canyon 64
Verbum Dei 53, Gardena Serra 50
Westmark 49, Lighthouse Christian 18
West Torrance 74, SEED: LA 42
Woodcrest Christian 74, Desert Hot Springs 26

INTERSECTIONAL
Compton 82, South East 36
Santa Maria Valley Christian 51, Maricopa 44

GIRLS
CITY SECTION
Angelou 31, Diego Rivera 24
Animo Robinson 67, Animo City of Champions 11
Bell 66, South Gate 20
Birmingham 61, Granada Hills 57
Central City Value 56, Downtown Magnets 9
Cleveland 58, Chatsworth 30
Crenshaw 65, Dorsey 21
Eagle Rock 37, Arleta 31
East Valley 24, Fulton 22
El Camino Real 59, Taft 41
Garfield 86, Legacy 23
Grant 72, Monroe 5
Harbor Teacher 68, Hawkins 27
Huntington Park 33, LA Roosevelt 19
LA Hamilton 86, Palisades 83
Los Angeles 40, Manual Arts 26
Marquez 55, Maywood Academy 16
Maywood CES 52, Elizabeth 11
North Hollywood 65, Chavez 16
Northridge Academy 75, Vaughn 13
Santee 61, New West Charter 22
Sotomayor 35, Torres 22
USC-MAE 38, Orthopaedic 15
Venice 75, LACES 37
Verdugo Hills 75, Sun Valley Poly 16
Washington Prep 57, LA Jordan 20
West Adams 59, Jefferson 15
Westchester d. Fairfax, forfeit

SOUTHERN SECTION
AGBU 60, Buckley 33
Alemany 55, Notre Dame Academy 17
Animo Robinson 67, Animo City of Champions 11
Apple Valley 43, Sultana 29
Barstow 36, Granite Hills 17
Beaumont 63, Citrus Valley 55
Bonita 49, Ayala 38
Brentwood 63, Viewpoint 22
Cajon 31, Redlands 26
Calvary Baptist 64, Packinghouse Christian 41
Chaffey 47, Diamond Ranch 34
Chino 66, Don Lugo 25
Claremont 72, Diamond Bar 37
Crossroads 60, Campbell Hall 56
CSDR 50, University Prep 38
Duarte 47, Baldwin Park 40
Edgewood 47, Pomona 11
Gabrielino 39, Pasadena Marshall 19
Ganesha 34, Bassett 22
Glendora 57, Walnut 46
Hacienda Heights Wilson 60, West Covina 44
Hart 54, Castaic 14
Hawthorne 40, Animo Leadership 13
Hawthorne MSA 33, Geffen Academy 25
Heritage 59, Canyon Springs 21
Immaculate Heart 63, Flintridge Sacred Heart 34
Indian Springs 55, Miller 28
Jurupa Valley 34, Norte Vista 17
Keppel 67, Bell Gardens 13
Knight 60, Littlerock 15
Lancaster Baptist 44, PACS 36
La Puente 37, Workman 32
La Serna 71, Whittier 42
La Sierra 36, Rubidoux 4
Liberty 45, Lakerside 41
Los Alamitos 74, Edison 31
Louisville 47, Burbank Burroughs 21
Mater Dei 60, JSerra 46
Milken 58, Burbank Providence 21
Newbury Park Adventist 46, Glendale Adventist 21
Nogales 66, Sierra Vista 47
Northview 55, Covina 46
Oak Hills 69, Hesperia 38
Ojai Valley 38, Pilgrim 34
Ontario 37, Montclair 12
Orange Lutheran 48, Santa Margarita 44
Pacific 53, Entrepreneur 9
Palm Desert 52, La Quinta 40
Paloma Valley 60, Orange Vista 36
Pilibos 56, Shalhevet 51
Quartz Hill 59, Antelope Valley 35
Rancho Christian 105, Hemet 43
Ridgecrest Burroughs 40, Serrano 26
Riverside North 32, Arlington 27
Riverside Poly 74, Perris 10
Rosemead 47, Arroyo 18
Samueli Academy 54, Legacy College Prep 14
San Dimas 58, Los Altos 41
San Gabriel 40, Alhambra 37
San Jacinto Valley Academy 58, Nuview Bridge 32
Santa Clarita Christian 40, St. Monica Academy 34
Sante Fe 48, California 28
Santa Rosa Academy 44, Warner 35
Saugus 54, Golden Valley 36
Schurr 49, Montebello 36
Silverado 37, Victor Valley 32
South El Monte 30, El Monte 11
South Hills 41, Colony 20
Southwestern Academy 37, New Covenant Academy 22
St. Bonaventure 67, Thacher 22
St. Lucy’s 39, Mountain View 15
St. Mary’s Academy 48, Mesrobian 29
Trinity Classical Academy 92, Palmdale Aerospace 23
Twentynine Palms 61, Coachella Valley 22
Valencia 64, Canyon Country Canyon 46
Vista del Lago 37, Citrus Hill 34
Webb 50, First Baptist 17
Westridge 36, EF Academy 33
Windward 55, Archer 24
Woodcrest Christian 52, Desert Hot Springs 39
Yucaipa 90, Redlands East Valley 21
Yucca Valley 50, Indio 36
YULA 68, New Roads 6

INTERSECTIONAL
Panorama 39, Beverly Hills 36
Santa Maria Valley Christian 59, Maricopa 15

Prop Jeremy Loughman will make his first Ireland appearance in two years against France in the opening game of the 2026 Six Nations on Thursday, but there is no place in the starting team for James Lowe, James Ryan or Tadhg Furlong.

With Ireland’s three first-choice loose-heads, Andrew Porter, Paddy McCarthy and Jack Boyle, all missing through injury for the game at the Stade de France (20:10 GMT), the 30-year-old Loughman will play at Test level for the first time since the Six Nations of 2024 and make his first international start since November 2022.

Loughman’s Munster team-mate Michael Milne, who won his only two previous caps against Georgia and Portugal in July, will be the loose-head back-up on the bench.

With Hugo Keenan missing because of the fractured hand he sustained in training last week, Jamie Osborne starts at full-back in what will be his first action since Ireland faced Japan in November.

Osborne had been expected to be in a straight shootout for the 15 jersey with Jacob Stockdale, but the Ulster player instead takes the place usually occupied by James Lowe on the left wing.

The exclusion of British and Irish Lion Lowe is not the only big call made by head coach Andy Farrell, with Connacht’s Cian Prendergast wearing six in the absence of Ryan Baird.

With Tadhg Beirne, who was another option to start at blind-side, joining Joe McCarthy in the second row, that means there is no place in the starting line-up for James Ryan who is one of six forwards on the bench.

Tyrese Maxey scored 29 points, including seven 3-pointers, Dominick Barlow added 26 points and 16 rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Clippers 128-113 on Monday night for their fourth consecutive victory.

The game featured two big names who weren’t selected as All-Star reserves: Joel Embiid of the Sixers and Kawhi Leonard of the Clippers.

Embiid had 24 points as he continues to gain full strength after a right ankle injury. The Sixers improved to 11-10 without Paul George, who is serving a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug program.

Leonard led the Clippers with 29 points and Jordan Miller had 21 points off the bench.

The Clippers were without James Harden, who missed his second straight game due to personal reasons. Coach Tyronn Lue said before the game that Harden was at home in Phoenix.

Leonard had two dunks and a three-pointer in the fourth, but the Clippers couldn’t put together a sustained run and he finished the game on the bench.

Maxey, Barlow and Embiid combined to score 22 points in the third when the Sixers were outscored 34-28, but still led 100-87.

The Sixers led the entire game, going up by 23 points before settling for a 72-53 halftime advantage.

The Clippers are 8-3 over their last 11 games as they try to stay within range of at least making the play-in tournament.

“He is someone who has a lot of potential and I believe we can help take his game to the next level.”

Now he has taken what should be a step up to the Scottish Premiership, the striker told Rangers’ website: “I plan to make the most of this opportunity.”

Naderi has dual German and Bulgarian citizenship through his father, while he also qualifies for the Czech Republic through his mother.

He started with local club Dynamo Dresden as a youth before joining Monchengladbach’s academy, playing for their second team before his move to Hansa.

Naderi becomes Rangers’ fourth signing of the January transfer window following the arrival of winger Andreas Skov Olsen on loan from Wolfsburg, midfielder Tochi Chukwuani from Sturm Graz and defender Tuur Rommens from Westerlo.

He arrives on a transfer deadline day when midfielder Joe Rothwell joined Sheffield United from Rangers on a permanent deal, while centre-half Clinton Nsiala was sent to Westerlo on a loan with an option to buy.

A college football recruiting dead period has begun, which means Servite will be a lot quieter after college recruiters visited during the past two weeks making sure they stop by to evaluate the team’s outstanding starting offensive tackles, Drew Fielder, a junior, and Elisha Mueller, a sophomore.

Let’s just say that Fielder, the 6-foot-6, 280-pound starting left tackle, has “blown up” as a college prospect as coaches recognize his growing size, strength and ability entering his senior year. Mueller, 6-foot-4 and 310 pounds, has been attracting big-time interest since his freshman season as a right tackle starter and was a sophomore All-American.

Together, they should form quite a duo in the Trinity League this fall.

“You feel real confident in your ability to win in the trenches,” coach Chris Reinert said.

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

Think of Mike Buckley as a kind of double agent.

Not the sinister kind, who give away state secrets for money or revenge; Buckley is privy to much lower-level intelligence. But that doesn’t mean it’s not just as valuable to the people involved.

Buckley is the Kings’ goaltender coach and his chief pupil is Darcy Kuemper, who will be playing for Team Canada in the Milan Cortina Olympic hockey tournament. Buckley will be in Milan coaching for Team USA. And if the competition goes to form, Canada and the U.S. will meet in the final.

You can see where this is going.

So would Buckley give up the goods on his NHL goalie if it meant helping his national team win a gold medal?

“I probably have a little bit more insight being with him on a day-to-day basis. But at the end of the day, the players still have to execute,” said Buckley, like Kuemper, a first-time Olympian. “So if I tell someone to shoot somewhere at a certain time or a certain spot, they’re going to have to be able to execute that.”

The answer then is maybe.

Still, that’s a dilemma Buckley will probably never face since Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues, who was spectacular in goal in last year’s Four Nations Face-off, will probably start for Canada in Milan. But with the Kings sending four other players (defenseman Drew Doughty, Canada; and forwards Adrian Kempe, Sweden; Kevin Fiala, Switzerland; and Joel Armia, Finland) plus Canadian equipment manager Darren Granger to the Olympics, there’s a good chance guys who have shared a dressing room since September will be competing against one another.

Kings forward Kevin Fiala controls the puck while playing for Team Switzerland at the 2025 world championships.

(Michael Campanella / Getty Images)

The same goes for the Ducks, who are sending four players — goalie Lukas Dostal and defenseman Radko Gudas, Czechia; forward Mikael Granlund, Finland; and defenseman Jackson LaCombe, U.S. — to Milan. Ducks star Leo Carlsson, who was expected to start for Sweden, will miss the Games after undergoing surgery to repair a rare injury in his left thigh last month.

So while the Olympics may bring countries together, it also has the potential to turn teammates against one another — at least temporarily.

In the group stage of the tournament, for example, Armia and Finland will play against Kempe’s Sweden. And Canada, with Kuemper and Doughty, will face Switzerland, which is led by Fiala.

“It’s obviously going to be a little strange,” Gudas said. “It’s only for a few games. For that amount of time, you can put things aside a little bit.”

Those kinds of match-ups were rare in the last two Olympic tournaments since NHL players didn’t take part, sidelined by a dispute over insurance, travel costs and scheduling issues. This year 147 NHL players are on the 12 Olympic rosters, with all 32 NHL clubs represented.

Not all the top NHL players will be in Milan, however. Russia has been banned from the tournament because of the country’s invasion of Ukraine, meaning Alexander Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer, won’t play.

Granlund, who won a bronze medal with Finland in 2014, the last time NHL players participated in the Olympics, is glad to be back.

“It was such a cool experience,” he said. “It’s one of the biggest honors I can have as a hockey player, playing for a country in the Olympics. There’s no player in the NHL who wouldn’t go.”

That’s due in large part to the rush that comes with wearing your country’s colors on your chest.

“It’s tough to explain how much it means,” he said. “You grow up in a country like Finland, watching the national team play. As a kid you’re dreaming to play for that team.

“Every single time you put that jersey on, it’s such a pride you feel.”

Doughty, who already has two gold medals, agreed, saying the only time he sings along with the Canadian anthem is at the Olympics.

Kings defenseman Drew Doughty controls the puck while playing for Canada in the Four Nations Face-Off last year.

(Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)

“When we hear it in the NHL, I’m not singing,” he said. “But when you’re wearing a Canadian jersey, that’s one of the biggest moments you can have.”

Not just for the guys on the ice. Granger, the equipment manager, will be making his third trip to the Olympics with Canada. And the journey never gets old.

“It’s not something that you apply for. It’s something that you’re asked to do,” he said. “So I don’t take that lightly. It’s an honor.”

The equipment managers may have the most difficult job in the Olympic hockey tournament since they must prepare and maintain the sticks, skates, gloves and uniforms for 25 players, some of whom they’ve never met. That means checking in with the equipment managers of rival NHL teams to get prepared.

“We have quite a few players that are particular about certain things,” he said. “After a while, you just kind of get used to what those things are. If it’s a player that likes to use three sticks a game, then making sure he has that. If it’s a guy that likes to change gloves every other game, making sure you have enough.”

Yet if Canada wins the tournament, Granger’s reward won’t be a gold medal. Olympic rules say medals only go to the players, leaving the equipment managers, trainers and coaches — even coaches with inside information like Buckley — out in the cold.

“That’s OK,” Buckley said. “I just want the players to get one.”

From Broderick Turner: Sunday marked the one-year anniversary of the Lakers’ acquisition of Luka Doncic.

Coach JJ Redick acknowledged he felt “stressed” knowing about the trade before the Lakers played the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden that night in 2025.

While his stress may have faded, Redick couldn’t have liked what he saw from the Lakers on the same floor one year later.

Despite a strong effort from Doncic, the Lakers struggled with their shooting and lost 112-100 to the Knicks on Sunday night.

Doncic finished with 30 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Lakers’ 45% shooting from the field and 29% shooting from three-point range.

With the Lakers in sixth place in the uber-competitive Western Conference at 29-19, Doncic was asked where he thought they stood in their pursuit of an NBA championship.

“We’re in a good spot,” Doncic said. “Obviously, got some work to do. But I think today we obviously missed a lot of good looks, but I think we have a great group.”

Continue reading here

Lakers box score

NBA standings

Lakers star LeBron James named an NBA All-Star for a record 22nd time

Clippers continue to surge

Kawhi Leonard scored 25 points and the Clippers, playing without James Harden, routed the Phoenix Suns 117-93 on Sunday night.

Leonard, who was left off the Western Conference All-Star reserves announced earlier Sunday, had eight rebounds as well as his 27th consecutive game with 20 or more points. Ivica Zubac had 20 rebounds as the Clippers bounced back from a loss at Denver on Friday and dominated the inside, outrebounding Phoenix 63-35 and outscoring the Suns 64-18 in the paint.

Jordan Miller had 20 points, John Collins scored 16, Zubac had 14 and Kobe Sanders had 12 for the Clippers, who shot 51.8% from the field. Sanders started for Harden, who missed the game for personal reasons.

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Clippers box score

NBA standings

No. 2 UCLA women have little problem with No. 8 Iowa

From Steve Galluzzo: Angela Dugalic scored 22 points off the bench, Kiki Rice had 17 and Lauren Betts added 16 as the UCLA women’s basketball team recorded its eighth win against a ranked opponent with a dominant 88-65 victory over No. 8 Iowa on Sunday afternoon at Pauley Pavilion.

“I’m proud to be part of this team,” Dugalic said. “It’s fun to play with these girls. We’re not taking any team for granted. At the end of the day, if you’re our next opponent, that’s who we’re concentrating on.”

The No. 2 Bruins (21-1 overall, 11-0 Big Ten) won their 15th straight game and improved to 10-0 at home. They lead the conference by one game over No. 9 Michigan, which beat No. 13 Michigan State in overtime Sunday.

Charlisse Leger-Walker finished with 10 points, five assists and five rebounds. Gianna Kneepkens added 10 points, four assists and four rebounds, and Rice dished out seven assists for UCLA, which improved to 3-1 all time against Iowa and 3-0 under coach Cori Close.

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UCLA box score

Big Ten standings

USC women rout Rutgers

From Kara Alexander: The USC women’s basketball team rolled to a 71-39 win over Rutgers on Sunday at Galen Center.

The Trojans (13-9, 5-6 Big Ten) got off to a slow start, ending the first quarter trailing by three points. Rutgers (9-13, 1-10) held the lead until the 5:39 mark in the second quarter when Kara Dunn hit a pair of free throws.

USC picked up its defensive pressure in the second quarter, which helped ignite its offense.

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USC box score

Big Ten standings

Should Dodgers visit the White House?

From Bill Shaikin: In 1970, two years before he died, Jackie Robinson spoke at his son’s high school graduation.

“In a land where we declare that we have liberty and justice for all,” Robinson said, “it seems that slogan really means liberty and justice for all as long as you do and say what some people want you to do and say.”

Those words ring uncomfortably true today.

Robinson often spoke out on civil rights, challenging both political parties. If you visit the Jackie Robinson Museum, as the Dodgers did when the museum opened in 2022, you see displays on civil rights and economic opportunity and social justice before you get to the baseball showcases.

“Jackie’s passion was civil rights and equality, and more so than baseball,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said then. “It was more of, baseball was just a vehicle for him to use his voice, which is pretty cool to see and actually pretty inspiring.”

In these perilous times, in which “indivisible” has been replaced by “you’re with us, or you’re the enemy within,” Robinson’s team will have the opportunity to celebrate its latest World Series championship at the White House.

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Plaschke: Haters beware! Villainous Dodgers begin three-peat quest with a party

Tai Babilonia broke barriers

From Kevin Baxter: Tai Babilonia’s life changed forever when she was asked to hold a boy’s hand.

At first she resisted.

“I didn’t want to,” she remembered. “He’s a yucky boy.”

But Mabel Fairbanks, Babilonia’s skating coach, wouldn’t take no for an answer, bribing the 8-year-old with stickers and a Barbie doll if she would just reach out and grab the hand of 10-year-old Randy Gardner.

It would be another 40 years before she let go.

By then Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner had become one of the most decorated pairs in U.S. figure skating history, their individual names eventually melding into one.

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Kings lose to Hurricanes

Sebastian Aho scored early in overtime to lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a 3-2 win over the Kings on Sunday.

Brandon Bussi made 11 saves on just 13 shots by L.A. to continue his dominant rookie season, while Jordan Staal and Alexander Nikishin also scored for the Hurricanes, who have earned at least a point in eight straight games (6-0-2).

Samuel Helenius and Quinton Byfield scored for the Kings and Anton Forsberg made 31 saves. The Kings wrapped up their road trip with a 3-1-1 record with one game (last Monday at Columbus) postponed because of severe winter weather.

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Kings summary

NHL standings

Ducks defeat Vegas

Chris Kreider scored two goals, Lukas Dostal made 27 saves and the Ducks swept their three-game season series with the Vegas Golden Knights with a 4-3 victory on Sunday night.

Cutter Gauthier scored and Ryan Poehling added an empty-net goal for the Ducks, who earned their eighth victory in 10 games overall despite nearly blowing an early 3-0 lead during a third period dominated by Vegas.

Ducks right wing Troy Terry returned from an 11-game absence with an upper-body injury, and center Mason McTavish also returned after missing five games.

The Ducks had their eighth consecutive sellout as they returned from a five-game trip to begin a nine-game homestand. Anaheim doesn’t play another road game until March 10.

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Ducks summary

NHL standings

Rams lose OC to Cardinals

From Gary Klein: Rams coach Sean McVay goes through it nearly every year.

The Rams have a successful season and other NFL teams raid his coaching staff.

Mike LaFleur, the Rams’ offensive coordinator for the last three seasons, is the latest to parlay his time with McVay into an NFL head coaching opportunity.

The Arizona Cardinals on Sunday hired LaFleur as head coach.

LaFleur, 38, is the seventh former McVay assistant to land an NFL head coach job.

Continue reading here

Super Bowl

Sunday
at Santa Clara
Seattle vs. New England
3:30 p.m. PT, NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, KLAC AM 570
Halftime show: Bad Bunny
National anthem: Charlie Puth
Odds: Seahawks favored by 4.5 points
Over/Under: 45.5 points

This day in sports history

1876 — The National League forms, consisting of teams in Philadelphia, Hartford, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Louisville, St. Louis and New York.

1936 — Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson are the first members elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

1954 — Bevo Francis of Rio Grande College scores 113 points in a 134-91 victory over Hillsdale. Francis, breaking his own record for small colleges (84) set two weeks earlier against Alliance College.

1959 — Vince Lombardi signs a five-year contract to coach NFL’s Green Bay Packers.

1962 — Using a fiberglass pole, John Uelses becomes the first man to vault more than 16 feet, indoors or out. Uelses, a Marine Corps corporal, clears 16¼ during the Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden in New York.

1970 — Pete Maravich becomes first to score 3,000 college basketball points.

1977 — Toronto’s Ian Turnbull scores five goals to set an NHL record for defensemen, leading the Maple Leafs past the Detroit Red Wings 9-1.

1991 — New Hampshire’s basketball team ends its 32-game losing streak at home with a 72-56 win over Holy Cross. The NCAA-record streak started on Feb. 9, 1988.

1994 — Lenny Wilkens gets his 900th NBA victory, and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Orlando Magic 118-99. Wilkens runs his regular-season mark to 900-760, trailing only Red Auerbach’s 938 in NBA regular-season victories.

1999 — Austria’s Hermann Maier and Norway’s Lasse Kjus ski to an unprecedented tie in the super-G to mark the start of the world championships.

2001 — Stacy Dragila breaks her world indoor pole vault record by a half-inch with a 15-2 1/4 vault at the Millrose Games.

2003 — Atlanta Thrashers star Dany Heatley joins Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux by scoring a record-tying four goals in the NHL All-Star Game. His Eastern Conference team loses the first All-Star shootout 6-5.

2009 — Kobe Bryant breaks the current Madison Square Garden record with 61 points to lead the Lakers to a 126-117 victory over New York. Bryant, who hits all 20 of his free throws, tops the previous visitor record of 55 points held by Michael Jordan and the overall record of 60 by Bernard King.

2012 — Sam Gagner has four goals and four assists in the NHL’s first eight-point game in 23 years, and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Chicago Blackhawks 8-4.

2013 — California Institute of Technology’s baseball team ends a 228-game losing streak with a 9-7 victory against Pacifica, the Beavers’ first win in nearly 10 years. Caltech hadn’t won since Feb. 15, 2003, 5-4 against Cal State Monterey Bay.

2014 — The Seattle Seahawks win their first Super Bowl title, crushing the favored Denver Broncos 43-8. The Seahawks led 36-0 before Denver finally scored on the last play of the third quarter.

2017 — Patrick Marleau scores his 500th career goal, Chris Tierney tallies twice and San Jose beat Vancouver 4-1. Marleau becomes the 45th NHL player to reach 500 goals, scoring in the first period on a power play.

2020 — Super Bowl LIV: Kansas City Chiefs beat San Francisco 49ers, 31-20; MVP: Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs, QB; Chiefs’ first Super Bowl victory in 50 years.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Welcome back to the Times of Troy newsletter. When you read this, I will hopefully be lying on a beach somewhere on Maui. Which means the Times of Troy will be taking a brief break next week. A tanner — read: redder — version of me will be back and recharged the following Monday. With the whole family coming and three kids under three in the mix, though, hopes of reaching peak relaxation may be slim!

But before I’m off, let’s dive a little deeper into the defense that the Trojans’ new defensive coordinator, Gary Patterson, plans to bring with him to USC.

In the 1997 edition of the American Football Coaches Assn.’s annual Summer Manual, Patterson, then just 37 and in his second year as New Mexico’s defensive coordinator, laid out his vision for the scheme that later became his calling card.

The 4-2-5, at that time, was unique in college football. The spread offense was just starting to take root, and Patterson wanted a scheme built to stop it. What he designed, it turns out, would still stand up almost three decades later.

That’s primarily because Patterson’s defense was built specifically to be adaptable, year to year, week to week, even play to play.

“Defenses must have enough flexibility in their scheme to limit offenses in their play selection, but be simple enough to be good at what they do,” Patterson wrote in 1997. “During a game we must look like we do a lot, but only do enough to take away what offenses do best.”

Patterson’s scheme has evolved plenty since then. But the principles remain the same. At its most basic level, the scheme uses four down linemen, two linebackers and a “five-spoke secondary” that utilizes three safeties (strong, weak and free). The safeties, in Patterson’s defense, are the glue that binds the scheme together. At any point, two of the three can walk up — to defend the run, for instance — and the look becomes more of a 4-4 defense. Or one can move up for a 4-3 look. It all depends on the offense’s personnel and tendencies.

“He’s going to scout you until his eyeballs come out,” former Texas coach Tom Herman said back in 2018.

The ability of Patterson’s defense to adapt on the fly to fit the situation makes it difficult to exploit. The idea, as Patterson sees it, is to confuse the offense as much as possible, both at the line of scrimmage and in the defensive backfield.

That’s not a revolutionary concept. What makes his approach especially distinctive is that every play includes two separate calls on defense, one for the front six and another for the secondary. The secondary is actually split into two as well, allowing Patterson to have each side playing different coverages, if he so desired. Meaning on any given play, one cornerback might be in man coverage while the other is in zone.

Sounds complicated, right? Well, that’s the idea.

“At first, I thought, ‘Man, it’s gonna be hard,’” said David Bailiff, who was Patterson’s first defensive coordinator at Texas Christian. “But it’s like algebra. When you get it, it’s a piece of cake. And he’s a great teacher of it, too.”

How his defense might look at USC is still to be determined. As of last week, Patterson was still learning his new players’ names, let alone understanding how to use their skillsets. But he said last week that he expects to “add to what we do” at USC now that he can get bigger, faster and stronger athletes on the field than he had at TCU.

He’d initially conceived of the 4-2-5 to account for a talent disparity at New Mexico and TCU, where Patterson only cracked the top 20 in recruiting class rankings once in two decades as coach. At USC, though, that won’t be a problem. Which begs the question: What might Patterson’s defense look like with a host of four- and five-stars at his disposal?

“The better the athlete we have, the more an offense must contend with our individual ability, plus the multiplicity of the scheme,” Patterson wrote in 1997. “We want offenses to guess what they should spend most of their time working on. Our job is to find out what their answer is.”

Patterson hasn’t led a defense since 2021. But as he sets out to install his scheme in the coming months at USC, the hope is that it’s the answer to what’s been missing through four years of Lincoln Riley.

Way-too-early game-by-game prediction for 2026

The Big Ten rolled out its schedule for 2026, and USC’s slate is just as challenging as we expected. There are way too many questions still to be answered to have any real idea how the season might shake out for the Trojans. But as a thought exercise, why not give it a go, anyway?

Aug. 29 vs. TBD: USC hasn’t finalized who will fit into this slot (more on that below), but whoever it winds up being won’t stand a chance of upending the Trojans in their season opener.

Sept. 5 vs. Fresno State: The Bulldogs were no pushover in Year 1 under Matt Entz, who traded his post as USC’s linebackers coach for Fresno. But USC has too much firepower.

Sept. 12 vs. Louisiana: The Ragin’ Cajuns have one of the best nicknames in college football. And that’s where their advantages over USC stop.

Sept. 19 at Rutgers: Traveling as far east as possible for a Big Ten opener isn’t ideal, and I could see USC opening a bit rusty. The Trojans still roll.

Sept. 26 vs. Oregon: Here’s where things get interesting. It will have been almost a decade since USC last beat the Ducks when they meet this fall in the Trojans’ conference home opener. Dante Moore is back, but I think this game will be more evenly matched in 2026. My instinct says it’s a loss, but I reserve the right to change later.

Oct. 3 vs. Washington: This is a tricky one, especially right after the Oregon matchup. Husky quarterback Demond Williams is the real deal, even if he did try to bail for LSU in the offseason. That shouldn’t be an issue when he hits the field. Especially since the defense backing him up could be among the best in the nation. USC barely escapes with a win in this first simulation.

Oct. 10 at Penn State: Woof. USC travels to State College at the end of a three-game gauntlet that could decide its season. We don’t know much about the Nittany Lions yet, but I believe in Matt Campbell, and playing at Beaver Stadium — and probably in a White Out game — is no joke. Another toss-up, but if USC’s beat-up at all by this point, it could struggle.

Oct. 24 at Wisconsin: Camp Randall is one of college football’s best venues, but the Badgers won’t be able to keep up with USC.

Oct. 31 vs. Ohio State:Halloween at the Coliseum delivers USC’s most frightening matchup of 2026. My guess — and I’m going out on a limb here — the Buckeyes will be dominant again. If USC can score a win here, making the Playoff should be a foregone conclusion.

Nov. 14 at Indiana: The defending champs may look a lot different next season, but I still trust Curt Cignetti to get it done. Especially at home. USC starts 3-4 in the Big Ten.

Nov. 21 vs. Maryland: The loss to Maryland two years ago was one of the worst in my tenure on the USC beat. The Terps are better now, but I don’t see USC slipping up again.

Nov. 28 at UCLA: It’s impossible to say what UCLA will look like in the fall, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Bob Chesney has them competing right away. For now, I’ll stick with USC as my crosstown winner.

Final record: 8-4.

USC will need to reach 10 wins to make the College Football Playoff. But it might be an uphill climb just to reach nine. USC will need to win at least one of its matchups against Oregon, Indiana and Ohio State, then also survive toss-up games against Penn State and Washington.

Zachariah Branch helped USC defeat San Jose State 56-28 in 2023.

(Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)

—USC has just 11 games scheduled for 2026. What’s going on with that 12th game? With Notre Dame and USC unable to reach a deal to extend their rivalry, USC still has one slot left to fill in its 2026 non-conference slate. That open game will be played at the Coliseum, during Week Zero on Aug. 29 because by opting to play in Week Zero, USC will get the privilege of a second bye during the season, where other Big Ten schools only have one. The problem is playing that early requires an exemption from the NCAA. So if USC intends to play the game at home, that means its only path to playing in Week Zero is to find a team that’s also playing at Hawaii. Any team playing Hawaii is allowed an exemption to play a 13th game in its season. Very few teams fit that criteria and still have an opening in Week Zero. But one makes the most sense, and it’s an opponent that USC opened the season against not that long ago: San Jose State. Don’t be surprised to see the Spartans come to the Coliseum again for the season opener in August 2026.

—Gary Patterson is bringing at least one defensive assistant of his choice to USC. Paul Gonzales, who spent last season as Baylor’s defensive pass-game coordinator, will be the Trojans’ defensive backs coach, taking the place of Doug Belk. Gonzales worked closely with Patterson from 2013 through his 2021 exit at Texas Christian, where he worked with cornerbacks and safeties. USC already has a cornerbacks coach in Trovon Reed. So we can assume that Gonzales will work with the safeties, which are critical in Patterson’s scheme.

—Defensive line coach Shaun Nua and offensive line coach Zach Hanson are staying put. Both had opportunities to leave USC after the season and ultimately opted to stay. Keeping Hanson is especially significant. The Trojans’ standout offensive line coach was in the mix to become an offensive coordinator at his alma mater, Kansas State, where his close friend, Collin Klein, is now the head coach. Yet Hanson still opted to stay, which I think is telling.

—The USC women’s win over No. 8 Iowa might have saved the season. Hopes of a postseason run were looking a bit bleak for USC before last Thursday night’s impressive home upset of the Hawkeyes. But the Trojans are now up to 20th in the NET rankings, with three Quad 1 wins, while a softer part of the schedule approaches. USC still can’t afford to drop too many of its nine remaining games, but the Iowa win is a sigh of relief on that front.

—New Dedeaux Field is still under construction. And will be when USC’s baseball season opens against Pepperdine on Feb. 13. That shouldn’t be a problem when it comes to playing actual baseball games. But the baseball offices, press box and concession stands aren’t finished yet (though, there will be temporary options). As such, baseball games will be free to fans this season. But USC not being able to deliver on the amenities that were promised by the time the stadium opens is a big miss for a baseball program that deserves more respect and could’ve used a boost in fan support. USC chose to prioritize finishing the football facility. Most schools probably would have done the same. For what it’s worth, Andy Stankiewicz, who just led the Trojans to their first NCAA tournament in a decade, has been very understanding of the whole situation.

Olympic sports spotlight

Freshman Max Exsted has been with USC’s men’s tennis program for just a few weeks, but he’s already made quite an impression. The mid-year addition from Minnesota has already won Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice in the first three weeks of the season.

That’s a great sign for a men’s tennis program that must replace an ITA All-American and All-Big Ten player in Peter Makk. The Trojans are 4-3 to start this season under seventh-year coach Brett Masi, whose contract was extended through 2028 in October as part of USC’s wider efforts to lock up its reliable Olympic sports coaches long term.

USC has made the NCAA tournament in four of six seasons under Masi. The expectation should be that that continues this year.

Times of Troy survey results

We asked,”How do you feel about the Gary Patterson hire?”

The results, after 414 votes

Cautiously optimistic it could work, 69.6%
Thrilled! We got a Hall of Famer!, 16.8%
Mildly concerned it will fail, 8.9%
Convinced this will be a disaster, 4.7%

In case you missed it

Ezra Ausar helps USC hold on for a win over struggling Rutgers

Kennedy Smith and USC women stun No. 8 Iowa in a huge statement win

New USC defensive coordinator Gary Patterson outlines his vision for the Trojans’ defense

USC faces brutal Big Ten football slate in 2026

What I’m watching this week

Jon Bernthal and Tessa Thompson in “His & Hers.”

(Courtesy of Netflix)

The mystery thriller genre has really hit a stride recently, with shows like “All Her Fault,” “Beast in Me” and “Task” all getting mentions in this space over the last several months. I don’t think “His & Hers” belongs in that group of standouts, but I’m willing to see it through.

That’s mostly on account of the always-charming Tessa Thompson, who plays a former TV anchor drawn back into an investigation when a murder takes place in her small Georgia hometown. Her estranged husband, played by Jon Bernthal, just happens to be the detective assigned to the case. Both are under serious suspicion right from the jump.

There’s high off-the-rails potential here, as tends to be the case with Netflix thrillers. But it’s also an easy binge, and now that I’ve watched a few episodes, I need to know where this mystery goes.

Until next time …

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at ryan.kartje@latimes.com, and follow me on X at @Ryan_Kartje. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

But Celtic manager Martin O’Neill was attracted to his “experience of high-level football”.

“He has also been involved in European competition, so we are bringing in a talented, experienced, international forward to really enhance our attacking options,” he told Celtic’s website.

Adamu is eyeing a league and Scottish Cup double while scoring “a lot of goals” and wants “to improve as a player”.

Asked what kind of player Celtic fans will see in action, he added: “I’m dangerous in the box and hungry for goals. That’s what the manager sees in me and I want to show that on the pitch.”

The announcement of 22-year-old Mvuka’s signing came eight minutes after the closure of the January transfer window.

However, the Norwegian is no stranger to the Scottish champions, having played against them in the Conference League in 2022 for Bodo/Glimt, where he was a team-mate of Celtic winger Sebastian Tounekti.

He joined Lorient in 2023 but has made only five starts and 10 substitute appearances for the side sitting ninth in Ligue 1.

“Joel is a talented player who has a very good level of experience achieved at some really good clubs,” O’Neill said.

“He will give the squad another option, he is very quick, able to play on both wings”

The 20-year-old Arthur has made just three appearances for Premier League outfit Brentford, including two starts in his season’s League Cup.

However, O’Neill thinks the England youth international is “an excellent player, with real attributes, good height, strength and speed”.

His arrival allows Stephen Welsh to return to Motherwell on loan after being recalled as cover during January.

Meanwhile, Kenny heads for the side sitting third in League One having failed to become a first pick since O’Neill’s return to Celtic.

The 22-year-old Irishman, signed in January 2024 from Shamrock Rovers, has played 22 times for Celtic this season, 12 of them starts, and scoring six times.

“It’s an exciting challenge. We know that the club is not at the place that it should be, but I’m here to help the team and to bring what I can to achieve our goal.”

Disasi has not played for more than a year for Chelsea and was placed in the club’s so‑called “bomb squad” after failing to secure a move last summer and deemed surplus to requirements by former head coach Enzo Maresca.

He later worked his way back into the under‑21s and first‑team training, although he did not make a senior appearance.

Disasi joined Chelsea from Monaco in 2023 in a £38m deal and spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa.

But he is determined to prove his worth at West Ham as he added: “The club has given me the opportunity to show my quality on the pitch. I spoke with all the people here, and I feel that they really wanted me, so that’s why I’m here.

“Everyone knows my situation in the last few months, so I just want to get back on the field, feel the sensation of games and help the team.”

A father driving his daughter and two other families from the Santa Clarita Flyers hockey club to a tournament in Colorado was killed last week in a horrific crash in treacherous weather.

Three days later the Flyers won the Western Girls Hockey League 12U title with a 1-0 victory in overtime Sunday, their fifth win of the tournament.

The players met for two hours the night of the accident and decided they would participate rather than pull out and head home.

“We knew that the families in the crash would want us to play and decided not just to do it for ourselves, but do it for them mostly,” Flyers captain Sophia Boyle told Denver 9News. “We are more than a team. It’s like we are a giant family.

“We knew what we wanted, we tried our hardest and we got it.”

The driver of a Colorado Department of Transportation plow truck traveling on snow-covered and wet roads Thursday morning lost control on Interstate 70, drove through the median and hit the Flyers’ Ford Transit van head-on, according to the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office.

The van was knocked down an icy embankment before coming to rest, and the driver, Manuel Lorenzana of Chatsworth, was pronounced dead at the scene. Four children were treated for minor injuries at a local hospital; a fifth was flown to a trauma center with critical injuries. Three adults were admitted to the hospital, one in serious condition.

Lorenzana, 38, a noted tattoo artist and lifelong San Fernando Valley resident, was remembered as “a hero and the epitome of what an amazing man, father, partner and friend should be,” his family wrote on a GoFundMe page.

“He was the most thoughtful, loving and supportive man to his soulmate April, and the most caring, involved, fun, kind and loving parent, and best friend, to his daughter Brody.”

Brody was released from the hospital and joined her teammates Saturday. After opening the double-elimination tournament with two victories Friday and a loss in their first game Saturday, the Flyers advanced with a 14-0 win.

Santa Clarita Valley residents gathered at the Flyers’ home rink, the Cube Ice and Entertainment Center, to watch a stream of the game that unfortunately malfunctioned. Still, the crowd stayed, with several people refreshing the league’s website to keep up with the game and shouting when the Flyers scored.

Two victories Sunday — both shutouts — gave the Flyers the title. Moments before the championship game, the Flyers raised their sticks in a silent nod to Manny Lorenzana. Khaleesi Bewer scored the winning goal in overtime, and afterward the Flyers sang Katy Perry’s “California Gurls. ”

“It’s unbelievable how much people have rallied behind these girls,” said Prescott Littlefield, president of the Flyers organization. “If there is a silver lining to this, the amount of support they’ve gotten is beyond my ability to comprehend. The families are so grateful.”

Southern California will be well represented on the West team for the McDonald’s All-American Game on March 31 in Glendale, Ariz.

Selected to the boys team are Jason Crowe Jr. from Inglewood, Christian Collins from St. John Bosco, Brandon McCoy and Maximo Adams from Sierra Canyon. Former Sherman Oaks Notre Dame player Tyran Stokes also made the team.

Crowe is committed to Missouri and Adams to North Carolina.

Jerzy Robinson from Sierra Canyon and Cydnee Bryant from Corona Centennial made the girls team.

Robinson is committed to South Carolina and Bryant is a Kansas commit.

Thousands of cheering fans surround the ice at the Honda Center. The arena is loud, packed with fans in Anaheim Ducks jerseys. As the puck drops and the action starts, players zoom back and forth until — boom! A shot, and the Ducks score. But when the music hits for the first goal of the game, it’s not the typical “We Will Rock You” by Queen. It’s “Come Out and Play” by local heroes, and one of Orange County’s most influential punk bands, the Offspring.

To celebrate the third annual Come Out and Play Night, the Ducks have once again collaborated with the band for an evening of hockey, music and special exclusive merchandise for fans. The event will take place Tuesday at the Honda Center against the Vancouver Canucks. The collaborative effort began in 2024, but at the time, no one knew if it would last, including the Offspring’s guitarist, Kevin “Noodles” Wasserman, who told The Times in a phone interview from Canada while on tour with Bad Religion that he and the band hoped it would be more than a one-time event. “This was the first time we’d ever teamed up with an organized sports team, and the fact that it’s an Orange County team, where we grew up, made it feel right,” Noodles said. “It’s been really fun, but we had no idea how long it would last. Now it’s three years later.”

Merrit Tully, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of the Ducks said that the concept for the collaboration between the club and the Offspring came organically as part of an evolution the organization was going through.

“We started putting a lot more emphasis on the in-arena experience a little over three years ago. That gave us the opportunity to rethink music, not just as something played between periods, but as something that could really elevate the experience for fans and players alike,” Tully said. “As this was happening, we approached our 30th season, and we were really leaning into our Orange County roots. We looked at collaborating with the Offspring, since they grew up just a few miles from here, and their rise happened at the same time our franchise was starting. This just felt authentically Orange County in a way that was hard to ignore.”

Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal and Noodles hold albums by the Offspring.

(Jordan Bathe)

For Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal, who was recently named NHL Third Star of the Week, having a collaboration with a band like the Offspring has special sentimental meaning. “I remember growing up hearing rock music a lot back in my home country, the Czech Republic,” Dostal said. “My parents would play punk rock and metal when they were driving me to the rink for practice, so hearing the Offspring now kind of brings me back to that.”

Dostal said that he loves many rock and alternative bands he remembers hearing back in his home country, such as Linkin Park. He also said that, as an athlete, music is part of his daily regimen, and it is the same with the Ducks. “We listen to music every day, before practice, before games. It’s a big part of how we get ready,” he said. “I grew up listening to this kind of music, so whenever I hear these songs, it just pumps me up.”

For fans who attended the two previous Come Out and Play Nights, people should expect lots of enthusiasm and high energy, mixing the intensity of a concert and a hockey game. “Those nights definitely had a different vibe. You can feel it from the ice,” Dostal said. “The fans are excited, the music is louder, and it just feels like something special for everyone in the building.”

Noodles said he agreed with Dostal and added that he thinks the collaboration makes sense because there are a lot of parallels between punk rock and sports like surfing, skating and ice hockey. “With surfing and skating, there’s always been that mix of flow and violence. You’re carving, you’re gliding, and then sometimes you take a wave on the head,” he said. “Hockey has that same thing. It can be really violent, but then there are moments where it’s all speed and movement.”

With a band having a successful career for over three decades, Noodles said there have been instances of being approached by professional athletes who are fans of the Offspring. “Over the years, we’ve had professional athletes come up to us as fans for sure. One time, Dennis Rodman came out onstage with us and did ‘Come Out and Play,’” he said. “Our producer, Bob Rock, is a huge hockey fan and really got us into going to the Ducks and Kings games.”

Members of the band the Offspring pose for a photo during a pre-game puck ceremony of the game between the Anaheim Ducks and the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 27, 2025, at Honda Center.

(Debora Robinson / NHLI via Getty Images)

Noodles said he appreciates that a band like the Offspring has generations of fans and values how much the OC music scene is still thriving. “We’ve always had late teens and early 20s kids in the front row, but now we’re seeing younger kids and their parents, too. There’s a really wide age range at our shows now, and that’s been pretty cool to see,” he said. “The Orange County scene is still really alive. You see a mix of people from the old bands, but there are also a lot of younger bands coming up. I actually love going to see younger bands because nobody cares who I am. I can just stand in the pit and watch the show.”

This idea of generations of fans is also seen in the NHL, and Dostal agrees it can be seen with fans of the Ducks. He said this is one of the reasons he loves working with an OC band. “The Offspring are local, the Ducks represent Orange County, and I’m really happy I can be part of something that connects the two,” he said. Dostal also said that a custom collaborative design on a mask will be revealed at the Come Out and Play Night against the Canucks. “I worked with the guys in the Offspring, we threw around ideas together, and I told them they could basically do whatever they wanted. I’m really excited for fans to see it,” Dostal said.

Fans of the Ducks and the Offspring can expect a night to remember. It’s all about connection, and giving fans of the music and the team a chance to bring the worlds of sports and punk together for one special night. “Beyond ticket sales, we look at how fans respond in the building,” Tully said. “When we score and the arena reacts together to an Offspring song, that tells us the connection is real.”

Dostal agreed with the sentiment and said he is humbled by the collaborative event, which he said is fan emphasized. “The Offspring is a huge band all over the world, so being able to work with them and represent that on the ice is something I really appreciate.”

New Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz will pitch for Puerto in the World Baseball Classic in March, it was announced Monday.

Díaz, who signed a three-year, $69-million contract in December as the most sough-after reliever in free agency, pitched for Puerto Rico in the 2023 WBC but sufferd a right patellar tendon tear while celebrating a win over the Dominican Republic that pushed the team into the quarterfinals. He missed the entire 2023 MLB season as a result.

His announcement comes days after it was revealed Dodgers teammate Shohei Ohtani will not pitch in the WBC in order to focus on ramping up to pitch during the season without restrictions. Yoshinobu Yamamoto will pitch for Team Japan and catcher Will Smith and recently-retired left-hander Clayton Kershaw will be on the Team USA roster.

After five seasons as football coach at Orange Lutheran, Rod Sherman is leaving. The school announced Monday that “effective today, Rod Sherman has concluded his tenure as head football coach.”

Last week, there was speculation of Sherman’s future after a social media post indicated he was out as coach. In response to a text, Sherman said he was still head coach.

Sherman, who also helped his wife, Kristen, coach flag football at Orange Lutheran, went 3-9 last season, including two forfeit losses. During the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs, the Lancers upset No. 1-seeded St. John Bosco.

His team won a Southern Section Division 2 championship in 2021 and went 33-29 overall in five seasons. It was his second stint at Orange Lutheran. He had been an assistant coach and athletic director starting in the 1990s when Jim Kunau was head coach, then left to be a head coach in Colorado. The school indicated it will launch a search for Sherman’s replacement.

His wife is still listed as Orange Lutheran’s flag football coach but that is expected to change, too.

The team’s general manager, Kyla Laulhere, and offensive line coach Chris Ward will run the program until a new head coach is finalized. Ward, a graduate of Mater Dei and UCLA, has no interest in being head coach. Offensive coordinator Austin Pettis, an Orange Lutheran graduate, could be a top candidate.

Coaching in the Trinity League has become similar to a college or NFL team. The expectations are so high that not winning at a top level can result in a coaching change within three to five years. JSerra also made a change this past season. Santa Margarita had a first-year coach this past year, alumnus Carson Palmer, who won a Division 1 and state title.

Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta’s move to AC Milan has been called off because of issues with his medical.

But Palace are still set to sign Wolves forward Jorgen Strand Larsen in a £48m deal before Monday’s 19:00 GMT transfer deadline.

France forward Mateta, who has been nursing a knee issue, had an initial medical examination on Sunday followed by additional tests on Monday.

The Italian club have now pulled out of the £30m deal for the 28-year-old, who wants to leave Selhurst Park.

Palace had been unwilling to let him go without having a replacement, but agreed a deal for Strand Larsen and granted Mateta permission to have an initial medical in London before flying to Milan.

Nottingham Forest have also been interested in the striker and had a £35m bid rejected by Palace last weekend.

After the 1-1 draw at Forest on Sunday, Palace manager Oliver Glasner said: “I expect either Mateta or someone else here as a striker.

“Everybody is really working very hard, but it is so close to the end of the window, so it makes it more difficult. I always try to be positive, so I hope.

“Worst case, we sell Mateta and no-one comes in, then it’s not a good window for Palace.”

SANTA CLARA — The Rams took care of their first order of business, signing coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead to contract extensions, the team announced Monday.

McVay, 40, and Snead, 55, were entering the final years of their contracts.

McVay, who was hired in 2017, and Snead, who has been the general manager since 2012, had previously been extended after Super Bowl appearances in the 2018 and 2021 seasons. They had offers on the table before this season but did not sign them.

The Rams have made two Super Bowl appearances and have been in the playoffs seven times in McVay’s nine seasons.

The Rams finished 12-5 this season and advanced to the NFC championship game before losing to the Seattle Seahawks, who play the New England Patriots on Sunday in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

The Rams will now turn their attention to possible extensions for receiver Puka Nacua, defensive lineman Kobie Turner, edge rusher Byron Young and offensive lineman Steve Avila.