Sports

By JOSH DUBOW AP Sports Writer SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The Sacramento Kings might just be riding the beam all the way to the NBA playoffs. The resurgent Kings are on the verge of ending the their long playoff drought with first-year coach Mike Brown employing a fast-paced offense led by the dynamic duo of

SAITAMA, Japan (AP) — Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara have become the first skaters from Japan to win the pairs at the world figure skating championships in Saitama. Miura and Kihara were first after the short program on Wednesday and finished second in the free skate. But their two-day total of 222.19 points was good

ZEIST, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch soccer association says five players in the Netherlands squad to face World Cup finalist France in their opening European Championship qualifier have been sent home after contracting a viral infection. Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo, Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt along with Sven Botman, Joey Veerman and Bart Verbruggen

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Katie Meier’s practices at Miami always end the same way. Every player and coach gathers around the midcourt circle, clasps the hand of the person next to them, and someone then quietly offers a few words from the heart. It’s about faith. This season,

By The Associated Press The NCAA Tournament has reached Sweet 16 weekend in the battle for the national championship in men’s basketball. Top seeds Purdue and defending champion Kansas did not make it. This weekend will see games in New York City, Las Vegas, Kansas City, Missouri, and Louisville, Kentucky. The Final Four is in

By The Associated Press The battle for the national championship in women’s basketball is on. Sweet 16 weekend has arrived with a twist this year: There are two regional sites instead of four: Greenville, South Carolina, and Seattle each will host eight teams. The Final Four is in Dallas on March 31 and the championship

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer PRINCETON, N.J. (AP) — Two years ago, Mitch Henderson was coaching a Princeton team that was basically on sabbatical. The Ivy League had called off sports again amid the pandemic as other leagues and the NCAA pushed ahead so the Tigers blended in with other hoops junkies and watched

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Connor McDavid scored his 60th goal of the season with his second of the game 1:31 into overtime to lift the Edmonton Oilers to a 4-3 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. McDavid has 60 goals in 72 games to make him the fastest player to reach the mark since Mario Lemieux

By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Sports Writer DALLAS (AP) — Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said he plans to protest a two-point loss to Golden State after a confusing sequence led to an uncontested basket for the Warriors. Kevon Looney had an easy dunk on an inbounds play with the Mavericks lined up on their offensive

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis had 27 points and nine rebounds, D’Angelo Russell added 26 points and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped a six-game losing streak against Phoenix with a 122-111 victory over the depleted Suns. Austin Reaves had 25 points and a career-high 11 assists after moving

By CLAY BAILEY Associated Press MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Two-time All-Star guard Ja Morant was welcomed back Wednesday night with a standing ovation and cheers throughout the arena in his first action after missing nine games — eight because of an NBA suspension. Morant, who was not in the starting lineup against the Houston Rockets,

By CLAY BAILEY Associated Press MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Ja Morant finished with 17 points and five assists in his return to action after a league-imposed suspension and Jaren Jackson Jr. had season-high 37 points and 10 rebounds as the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Houston Rockets 130-125. Desmond Bane scored 20 points and Tyus Jones

By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Sports Writer DALLAS (AP) — Stephen Curry scored 20 points and assisted on Draymond Green’s tiebreaking three-point play late, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Dallas Mavericks 127-125 in a game with considerable playoff implications. Luka Doncic had 30 points after missing five games with a left thigh strain. But

By MATTHEW COLES Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Damian Lillard scored 30 points, rookie Shaedon Sharpe had a career-high 24 and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Utah Jazz 127-115 to stop a six-game losing streak. Trendon Watford added a season-best 21 points for the Blazers. Portland used a 9-0 run, sparked by

By PAT GRAHAM AP Sports Writer DENVER (AP) — Jeff Carter had a pair of goals, Sidney Crosby scored on a nifty backhand shot in the second period to reach the 30-goal mark for an 11th season and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Colorado Avalanche 5-2. Crosby moved into a tie with Hall-of-Fame center Mario

By JAY COHEN AP Sports Writer CHICAGO (AP) — Tyrese Maxey scored 16 of his 21 points during Philadelphia’s dominant first half, and the 76ers beat the Chicago Bulls 116-91. De’Anthony Melton had 25 points as Philadelphia earned a split of its four-game season series against Chicago. Joel Embiid added 12 points, seven rebounds and