v Page 165 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Rockets-Lakers series 'much deeper' than LeBron James-Kevin Durant tilt
A pair of NBA legends will square off once more when the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets face off in a first-round series starting Saturday in Los Angeles.,Kevin Durant led the Rockets to the No. 5 seed in his first season with the team, while LeBron James has helped guide the Lakers to the N...

Illinois G Andrej Stojakovic announces return for 2026-27 season
Illinois standout guard Andrej Stojakovic said Friday he is returning to the Fighting Illini for the 2026-27 season.,Stojakovic posted the news on his Instagram account, asking, "Did I make you nervous?" In an attached video, he lowers a newspaper then lowers his sunglasses and says, "I'm back.",His...

Kyle Larson looks to defend title at Kansas' AdventHealth 400
Through eight Cup Series races, five different drivers have been the first to the checkers and positioned their teams nicely at the top of the standings.,Reigning series champion Kyle Larson is hoping it's his turn to join that list Sunday at the AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, K...

Matt Fitzpatrick catches break en route to 63, takes RBC Heritage lead
Matt Fitzpatrick of England shot a spotless, 8-under 63 to vault into the lead halfway through the RBC Heritage on Friday in Hilton Head Island, S.C.,Fitzpatrick climbed to 14-under 128 at Harbour Town Golf Links, while Norway's Viktor Hovland came close to tying him at the end of the day but settle...

Storylines abound as Scottie Barnes, Raptors open series at Cavs
Success came quickly for Toronto Raptors power forward Scottie Barnes, who won the Rookie of the Year award and got a taste of the playoffs four years ago.,Two All-Star selections followed, but a return to the postseason proved elusive until now.,The fifth-seeded Raptors will challenge the fourth-se...

Rapids seek to spoil debut of Inter Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos
The surging Colorado Rapids host an Inter Miami side in flux on Saturday in Commerce City, Colo.,The Rapids (4-3-0, 12 points) posted a 6-2 home rout of the Houston Dynamo last Saturday. Rafael Navarro and Kosi Thompson each scored a brace and Josh Atencio also scored for Colorado. The Rapids also a...

Rivalry continues as Nuggets host Timberwolves for Game 1
Denver slugged its way past Minnesota in 2023 on its way to the NBA title. The Timberwolves derailed a Nuggets repeat with a Game 7 upset in 2024.,Act III of this sometimes-bitter rivalry kicks off Saturday afternoon when No. 3 Denver hosts No. 6 Minnesota for Game 1 of the Western Conference quarte...

Stars take win streak into playoffs as Wild goalies await
The Dallas Stars are entering the Stanley Cup Playoffs on a different path this season.,When they host the Minnesota Wild in Game 1 of their first-round series on Saturday, the Stars will be riding a five-game winning streak.,A year ago, Dallas entered the playoffs on a season-long seven-game skid, ...

Hurricanes brace for stern challenge vs. surging Senators
The Carolina Hurricanes worked all season to secure the top seed in the Eastern Conference, and now they turn their attention to the next phase of the season on Saturday afternoon.,They'll welcome the Ottawa Senators for the opener of the first-round series in Raleigh, N.C.,"We've been eager for thi...

Report: Retirement an option on table for Lakers' LeBron James
LeBron James will lead the Lakers into the first-round of the NBA playoffs against the favored Houston Rockets in Los Angeles in what could be the final series of his storied 23-year career.,Unless it isn't.,The Athletic reported Friday that James, 41, is considering retiring from the league he ente...

Montreal opens new chapter against visiting Red Bulls
CF Montreal will be under new leadership against the visiting New York Red Bulls on Saturday afternoon.,Montreal (1-6-0, 3 points) parted ways with head coach Marco Donadel after dropping its home opener 2-1 to the Philadelphia Union last weekend. After just over a year in charge, Donadel boasted th...

Toronto FC eager to continue to collect points vs. Austin FC
Toronto FC will look to build on a seven-week undefeated stretch when they host offensively challenged Austin FC Saturday afternoon.,The Reds (3-2-2, 11 points) reside in sixth place in the Eastern Conference despite conceding more goals (11) and they have scored (10). ,Toronto earned points in its ...

Report: NWSL nearing vote on calendar shift
The NWSL reportedly is considering a switch to a fall-to-spring schedule to align with other top soccer leagues -- including MLS. ,ESPN reported on Friday that the NWSL's board of governors is expected to vote on the issue later this month.,Currently, the NWSL season runs from March to November. Top...

Stars D Nils Lundkvist signs 2-year, $3.5M extension
Dallas Stars defenseman Nils Lundkvist signed a two-year, $3.5 million contract extension, the team announced Friday.,The deal runs through 2027-28 and adds to a big week for the 25-year-old Swede, who announced the birth of his first child -- a son -- on Tuesday and whose team opens the playoffs on...

Notre Dame, Villanova to open basketball season in Rome
Villanova and Notre Dame will open their 2026-27 basketball seasons on Nov. 1 in Rome.,The men's and women's teams from both schools will play a doubleheader in the Italian capital that day in what has been named the Eternal City Tip-Off.,It is no shock that these two schools were chosen to take par...

WR Zay Flowers blames ex-coach for Ravens' injury issues
Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers theorized the cause of injury issues in Baltimore was former coach John Harbaugh's demanding practice schedule.,Flowers said on the podcast "4th and South" the Ravens were in "full pads all the time" and didn't have ample time for recovery and treatment of injuries. ...

Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic withdraw from Madrid Open
World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz and No. 4 Novak Djokovic both withdrew Friday from next week's Madrid Open because of injuries.,Alcaraz is dealing with a right wrist injury that forced the 22-year-old Spaniard to pull out of the Barcelona Open on Wednesday before his second-round match.,Djokovic is bothe...

Canucks dismiss GM Patrik Allvin after last-place finish
The Vancouver Canucks fired general manager Patrik Allvin on Friday after the club's last-place finish in the Western Conference.,Allvin was hired on Jan. 26, 2022. Since then, the Canucks have one playoff appearance. They won the Pacific Division in the 2023-24 season (50-23-9, 109 points) but lost...
Three College Football Teams Poised for Breakout Seasons in 2026
A look at three college football teams poised for major turnarounds in 2026, including Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, and Florida....

D-backs' Michael Soroka, riding hot streak, turns focus to Blue Jays
The Arizona Diamondbacks will return home as one of the hottest teams in baseball, set to open a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night in Phoenix.,Since a 9-6 win over the Detroit Tigers on March 30, the Diamondbacks have won 11 times. Only the San Diego Padres (12) have won m...