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Wizards snap 16-game skid with second road win

MINNEAPOLIS -- Kyle Kuzma scored a season-high 31 points and the Washington Wizards beat the short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves 105-103 on Saturday night to end a 16-game losing streak.
Jordan Poole scored 19 points, Bilal Coulibaly had 14 and Jonas Valanciunas added 13 points and 10 rebounds to help Washington win for the seventh time this season.
It was just the Wizards' second road win of the season, as they ended a 21-game road winless streak that was tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers (26) and Washington (25) for most within a season since 2010-11.
The 16-game losing streak was tied for the longest in Wizards history.
Washington, which led by seven with under four minutes to play, turned the ball over with 11 seconds left clinging to a two-point lead. But a 3-point try by Minnesota's Nickeil Alexander-Walker rimmed out with three seconds left. Corey Kispert grabbed the rebound and the Wizards ended a 21-game road slide.
Jaden McDaniels led Minnesota with 23 points and 12 rebounds -- his first career game with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. Rudy Gobert had 16 points and 16 rebounds, but Minnesota's five-game winning streak ended.
Minnesota was playing without two starters. All-Star Anthony Edwards sat out with an illness and Julius Randle missed his first game with a groin injury, something coach Chris Finch said would keep him out "more than a few days." Naz Reid, who started for the first time this season, left early in the third quarter with a right finger sprain.
Information from ESPN Research and The Associated Press was used in this report.
Lakers, 1-9 in 'city' jerseys, ditch alternate kit

NEW YORK -- The Los Angeles Lakers opted for a wardrobe change Saturday before playing on perhaps basketball's biggest stage, Madison Square Garden.
L.A. was scheduled to wear its "city edition" uniforms, with "Lake Show" stitched across the chest, against the New York Knicks. However, after falling to 1-9 this season in those alternative uniforms following Tuesday's loss in Philadelphia, Lakers players decided to wear their purple and black "statement edition" uniforms.
"I'm just hopeful that we're wearing matching jerseys and matching shorts," Lakers coach JJ Redick said jokingly before the game. "I don't really care what color the jerseys are."
The change ended up working out for the Lakers, who upset the Knicks with a 128-112 win.
The team is scheduled to wear the Lake Show uniforms seven more times this season after Saturday. A Lakers source told ESPN the team will reassess its uniform schedule during the All-Star break.
Anunoby exits loss to Lakers with foot sprain

The New York Knicks ruled forward OG Anunoby out for the remainder of Saturday's 128-112 loss to the visiting Los Angeles Lakers after he left the contest with a right foot sprain in the third period.
Anunoby suffered the injury on a transition play, in which he caught the ball at the 3-point line then appeared to plant his right foot awkwardly, causing him to stumble over without anyone making contact with him. Coach Tom Thibodeau immediately called a timeout, both to give the wing a chance to recover and to preserve New York's possession.
The Madison Square Garden crowd went quiet immediately after Anunoby tumbled over and teammate Karl-Anthony Towns checked on him.
Anunoby had left the Knicks' bench area for an extended amount of time during the second quarter before returning from the tunnel area to rejoin his teammates just before halftime. He didn't play for the last six minutes of the first half; a stretch in which the medical staff was examining him, according to Thibodeau.
"He went to get checked for something at the end of the half," Thibodeau said following the loss. He added that Anunoby got X-rays, and that the tests were negative. He wasn't sure whether an MRI had been performed yet.
Anunoby, who suffered a hamstring injury in last season's Eastern Conference semifinals and hasn't logged more than 70 games in a season since his rookie year in 2017-18, agreed to a five-year, $212 million deal to stay with New York during the offseason. A premier defender, the 27-year-old joined the Knicks last season via trade and made an immediate impact. Since the start of the 2023-24 campaign, New York has gone 52-19 with him in the lineup and just 30-29 without him.
"We're obviously praying for the best, but I know as much as you guys do right now," All-Star guard Jalen Brunson said. "He's huge for our team, so we're just praying for the best."
If he were to miss considerable time with the injury, it would strain an already heavily taxed Knicks' starting lineup. Heading into Saturday's contest, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart and Anunoby ranked first, second and third in the league, respectively, in total minutes played, while star guard Jalen Brunson ranked sixth.
'HUH!!!!' -- Social media reacts to blockbuster Luka Doncic trade to the Lakers

A late night three-team trade left the NBA world stunned.
A little after midnight on Sunday, the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers in a three-team deal for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
The Utah Jazz, also part of the three-team trade, acquired Jalen Hood-Schifino, a 2025 second-round pick from the LA Clippers and a 2025 second-round pick from Dallas.
NBA players couldn't believe their eyes when the trade occurred, but before you ask:
Yes, this is real. Sources tell ESPN: Full trade:
- Lakers: Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, Markieff Morris
- Mavericks: Anthony Davis, Max Christie, 2029 LAL 1st
- Jazz: Jalen Hood-Schifino, 2025 Clippers 2nd, 2025 Mavericks 2nd https://t.co/bltojdTaQj
Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 2, 2025
The trade garnered a plethora of puzzled reactions from around the league.
Here are the best reactions across the NBA to the blockbuster late-night trade.
WOWWWWW NO F WAY
Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) February 2, 2025
I'm sick rn.... https://t.co/IGiojb3OXT
Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) February 2, 2025
April fools right?
Jalen Brunson (@jalenbrunson1) February 2, 2025
Huh?????
Josh Hart (@joshhart) February 2, 2025
!!
Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) February 2, 2025
Shams got hacked?
Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) February 2, 2025
Wow it's real lol I'm going to sleep
CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) February 2, 2025
Did somebody steal shams phone??
13am Adebayo (@Bam1of1) February 2, 2025
Nah shams gotta be hacked
Alex Caruso (@ACFresh21) February 2, 2025
Luka lake show
Dwight Howard (@DwightHoward) February 2, 2025
DWade (@DwyaneWade) February 2, 2025
De'Aaron Fox (@swipathefox) February 2, 2025
wtf ?????
Tyler Herro (@raf_tyler) February 2, 2025
HUH!!!!
Tyrese Maxey (@TyreseMaxey) February 2, 2025
This wasn't on my bingo card for Saturday night
Tristan Thompson (@RealTristan13) February 2, 2025
Excuse me...... They Did Not Just Trade Luka....
Maxx Crosby (@CrosbyMaxx) February 2, 2025
Yoo wtf going on in Dallas?
Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) February 2, 2025
Am I dreaming? https://t.co/08BBIA3jvn
Puka Nacua (@AsapPuka) February 2, 2025
Sources: Luka to Lakers, AD to Mavs in stunner

The Dallas Mavericks are trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis and a 2029 first-round pick in a stunning blockbuster deal, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Saturday night.
Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris are also heading to the Lakers while Max Christie heads to Dallas, sources said.
The Mavericks approached the Lakers recently and offered Doncic in a trade, sources said. Lakers brass met and decided that the 25-year-old Doncic has the ability to be the face of the franchise for the next decade while also giving Davis a win-now situation in Dallas.
The Mavs, meanwhile, had major concerns about moving forward with Doncic due to his constant conditioning issues and the looming commitment of another supermax contract extension this summer, sources told ESPN's Tim MacMahon.
"I believe that defense wins championships," Mavs general manager Nico Harrison told MacMahon regarding his motivation to trade Doncic for Davis. "I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We're built to win now and in the future."
The Utah Jazz, a third team in the deal, are receiving Lakers guard Jalen Hood-Schifino as well as 2025 second round picks from the LA Clippers and Mavericks.
Padres to play Bogaerts at SS, Cronenworth at 2B

When Xander Bogaerts arrived at spring training one year ago, he was informed his new position was second base.
This year, Bogaerts will be back at his familiar shortstop when the San Diego Padres open spring training later this month in Peoria, Ariz.
Jake Cronenworth also will be moving back to second base after being the team's primary first baseman last year.
The moves come after stellar defensive shortstop Ha-Seong Kim signed with the Tampa Bay Rays. Kim won a Gold Glove award in 2023 for his play at three infield positions.
"Once it looked like Kimmy was not going to be able to come back ... the way the team was getting built, it looked like it was an opportunity for Bogey to play short," Padres manager Mike Shildt told reporters Saturday. "So I had a great conversation with Bogey probably a month ago. He had already had his head around wanting it and training to go back and play shortstop. He was very enthusiastic about it."
Bogaerts spent his first nine-plus seasons with the Boston Red Sox and was a fixture at shortstop. He never won a Gold Glove, but he committed 10 or fewer errors six times.
He joined the Padres as a free agent prior to the 2023 season and committed just eight errors in 146 games during his first year.
But with it clear that Kim was the best defensive infielder on the roster, the two traded positions last spring and Bogaerts moved to second base. The four-time All-Star made six errors in 85 games at the position but never seemed to be a true fit.
Cronenworth, meanwhile, excelled at second base in 2022, when he made four errors in 147 games (142 starts) at the position. He started 80 games at first base last season and 66 at second. Cronenworth got many of his starts at second with Bogaerts sidelined due to a fractured left shoulder.
Cronenworth, a two-time All-Star, said he likes having the roles defined.
"Not just for me, but for everybody, it gives us clarity for where we're going to be and how we can prepare," Cronenworth said. "It's the same guys coming back. Maybe in a couple different spots, but we have a great infield."
Bogaerts played shortstop late in the regular season and in the postseason after Kim sustained a season-ending shoulder injury. Cronenworth moved to second base during the same time period.
Ohtani on track despite 'complicated' surgery

LOS ANGELES -- Shohei Ohtani said he is "on schedule" in his attempt to return as a two-way player this season, despite what he described as a "complicated surgery" to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
Ohtani, who spoke at the Los Angeles Dodgers' annual preseason fan event on Saturday at Dodger Stadium, initially injured his non-throwing shoulder while sliding in Game 2 of the World Series, then played the next three games and underwent surgery on Nov. 5, six days after helping to deliver a championship.
The torn labrum added another layer of complication to a pitching rehab that already consisted of a second repair of his ulnar collateral ligament, but the Dodgers expect Ohtani to hit by the start of the season -- they'll open in Japan on March 18 -- and pitch in their rotation by May.
"And it might be earlier," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Ohtani, who underwent his most recent elbow surgery in September 2023, threw multiple bullpen sessions before the Dodgers' postseason run last fall and started playing catch again in December. But he has yet to throw off a mound this offseason, which makes it difficult to pinpoint a return to pitching.
"I think the biggest determinant is going to be when I first pitch my bullpen," Ohtani said through an interpreter. "Then I think we're going to really get a feel for when I'll be able to be on a big league mound."
When he does, Ohtani will join arguably the deepest, most talented rotation in the sport. And before then, he'll lead arguably the deepest, most talented lineup in the sport.
His presence now symbolizes the Dodgers' elevation into another financial stratosphere.
Since signing Ohtani to a highly deferred 10-year, $700 million contract in December 2023, the Dodgers have added practically every player they've wanted. Two front-of-the-rotation starters, Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and a slugging corner outfielder, Teoscar Hernandez, joined within four weeks of Ohtani's deal.
This offseason, after securing their first full-season title since 1988, the Dodgers signed starter Blake Snell, extended utility man Tommy Edman, brought back Hernandez, added outfielder Michael Conforto, struck a deal with infielder Hyeseong Kim, convinced pitching prodigy Roki Sasaki to join them and inked Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates to round out what was already a deep bullpen.
"The crazy part is you're thinking like, once we sign someone, 'OK, that's it.' Then we sign another guy and it's like, 'OK that's it.' And it just keeps going," Snell said. "To see how invested they are in us winning, investing in the best team they can possibly assemble, it's pretty special."
A winter that saw the Dodgers splurge for more than $1.2 billion was followed by them committing nearly $450 million on seven players, with longtime ace Clayton Kershaw and popular utility man Enrique Hernandez still expected to be added at some point. Their 2025 competitive-balance-tax payroll projects to $380 million, according to Spotrac, well above the highest luxury tax threshold and roughly $80 million more than the second-place Philadelphia Phillies.
Glasnow likened the 2025 Dodgers to "The Avengers," but baseball fans in other cities -- and some executives of other teams -- have come to view them more by the popular designation given to star-studded New York Yankees teams of the 2000s: "The Evil Empire."
Roberts says he believes the proverbial villain role is one his players will have to "embrace," but at this point, with only 10 days left before the start of spring training, it's mostly just being dismissed.
"If any other teams or fan bases want to get upset, you know what to do -- follow what the Dodgers are doing," Snell said.
"It is what it is," added Mookie Betts, who expects to transition full time to shortstop this season. "What are we supposed to do? We want to win. And as a player, of course we want all the best players."
Any anger the Dodgers' spending has triggered outside of L.A. has been met with fervent excitement from their own fans.
Saturday's event offered another prominent example.
The Dodgers couldn't host this year's Fan Fest inside their ballpark due to a massive, ongoing renovation project that will enhance both clubhouse spaces. Instead, they hosted fans in various Dodger Stadium parking-lot areas and nonetheless drew a capacity crowd of about 25,000. At one point, Freddie Freeman signed an image of his iconic, walk-off World Series moment that was tattooed onto a man's leg. It was at least the second time he'd come across that this offseason.
"It takes you back and makes you realize that sports means so much to people," Freeman said. "You know when you're out there playing and the fans are going nuts, you feel that. But then when you come into personal contact with these fans and they tell you how much it means to them, and then they show you how much it means to them, it's actually really cool. And I think it's so amazing that people would go through the pain of putting me on their body."
'That is Oakland': Thousands celebrate Henderson

OAKLAND, Calif. -- When Ken Griffey Jr.'s baseball-star father struggled to get through to the talented teen, Rickey Henderson somehow could.
The younger Griffey, who considers himself fortunate to have roamed the New York Yankees clubhouse and hit on their field alongside so many all-time greats, made sure to listen and learn.
"I was 15 years old when I met Rickey, and he accepted me in the locker room along with Dave [Winfield] and a couple other guys," Griffey said. "When they talk about it takes a village to raise a kid, I'm thankful for Rickey and Dave and everybody else who raised me."
Henderson died Dec. 20 at age 65 shortly before his Christmas birthday. He was celebrated by former teammates, executives, friends and fans Saturday at the arena next to the Oakland Coliseum where he played for so many years and, later, had a field named for him.
From Dusty Baker, Tony La Russa and Joe Torre to ex-teammates Jose Canseco, Carney Lansford, Dennis Eckersley, Dave Stewart and Winfield, Hall of Famers Reggie Jackson and Frank Thomas and home run king Barry Bonds, nearly 3,000 people made their way through steady Bay Area rain to honor the one-of-a-kind Hall of Famer.
MC Hammer and wife, Stephanie, performed the Oakland rapper's tune "Goin' up Yonder."
Another Oakland star, Basketball Hall of Famer Gary Payton, credited Henderson for inspiring his success, albeit in another sport.
"It came from him. It came from me looking at him," Payton said. "That man right here, that is Oakland: Rickey Henderson."
Former Athletics general manager Sandy Alderson recalled how most conversations with Henderson began with the brazen base stealer "telling me bluntly, 'Rickey needs a new contract.'"
"I'm only one executive who could tell you Rickey could be a pain in the neck," Alderson said.
But he also watched Henderson as a fan, admiring someone because "he was unique in his talents, his charismatic flair and his special hometown history."
"On Dec. 20, 2024, you all and we all lost a little bit of our childhood," Alderson said.
When Stewart won MVP honors after the earthquake-interrupted 1989 World Series in which the A's swept the San Francisco Giants, Henderson had a little fun with his close pal.
Henderson had hit .474 with a home run, two triples, a double, three RBIs and three stolen bases over those four games.
"We were talking and whispering in each other's ears, you saw we were always pretty much close to each other when we were in uniform," Stewart said. "And Rickey, when I was announced as the MVP, and I think he was shocked as he probably should have been because he did hit almost .500, but he briefly whispered in my ear, he said, 'You know, if you was not there in the community helping all those people, you wouldn't have gotten that award.'"
For Griffey, Henderson's care and attention to detail meant the world as the slugger began on his path and dreamed big in what would ultimately be his own Hall of Fame career.
One spring training day in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, when the veterans were doing their late work, Griffey was shagging balls for the big leaguers. Henderson always said hi on Day 1, and paid attention to Griffey's progress.
"We'd go on the back field and Rickey would hit balls to me, and I'm wondering, 'Why is he only hitting them to me?'" Griffey said. "Found out that he said, he told my dad later on, 'He's got a special talent. I just want to see how far he can go.' I am 15 years old. ... Rickey was like a brother, an older brother, an uncle, and sometimes I think that he was thinking that he was my damn dad, too."
Ireland start title defence with convincing win over England

Watch highlights as Ireland score three tries in a dominant second-half display as they launched their bid for an unprecedented third successive Six Nations title with a bonus-point victory over England in Dublin.
READ MORE: Holders Ireland seal bonus-point win over England
Watch highlights on Six Nations Rugby Special on BBC iPlayer.
Available to UK users only.
Holders Ireland seal bonus-point win over England

Ireland: Keenan; Hansen, Ringrose, Aki, Lowe; Prendergast, Gibson-Park; Porter, Kelleher, Bealham, Ryan, Beirne, Baird, Van der Flier, Doris (capt).
Replacements: Sheehan, Healy, Clarkson, Henderson, Conan, Murray, Crowley, Henshaw.
England: Steward; Freeman, Lawrence, Slade, Murley; M Smith, Mitchell; Genge, Cowan-Dickie, Stuart, Itoje (capt), Martin, T Curry, B Curry, Earl.
Replacements: Dan, Baxter, Heyes, Chessum, Cunningham-South, Willis, Randall, F Smith
Sin bin: M Smith (25)
Referee: Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand)
Touch judges: James Doleman (New Zealand) & Hollie Davidson (Scotland)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)