KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Houston Texans might think Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs receive favorable calls from the game officials, but Mahomes doesn't agree.

"I don't feel that way,'' Mahomes said Wednesday as the Chiefs began preparations for Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium. "At the end of the day, the referees are doing their best to call the game as fair and as proper as they possibly can. And all you can do is go out there and play the game that you love as hard as you can and live with the results. ... I think that's what we preach here in Kansas City.

"You get new referees every year, you get new circumstances, and you never can really tell because every play's different and that's what makes the NFL so special. I feel like I've just continued to play the game, and I just try to win, and whatever happens kind of happens.''

The Texans were twice penalized for hits against Mahomes in last week's divisional round game. Both happened on Chiefs scoring drives, with one being on third down to extend the drive.

"We knew it was going to be us versus the refs going into this game," Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. said after the 23-14 loss.

Chiefs versus Bills has developed into one of the NFL's top rivalries. This will be the fourth time in five seasons that the teams have met in the playoffs and their second matchup in the AFC Championship Game. The Chiefs won the first three, but the Bills have won the regular-season matchup between the teams in each of the past four seasons.

The Bills handed the Chiefs one of their two losses this season, winning 30-21 in Week 11 in Buffalo.

"It's just two really good football teams going up against each other,'' Mahomes said. "They have great players at every level on both sides of the ball and they're well coached. And so, when you play great football teams like that, it kind of usually ends with that split type of deal there. We've been able to beat them in the playoffs and they've got us in the regular season. If you look at the games, every game's close, so it just comes out to a play here or there that makes an impact on the outcome.

"When you look at the great rivalries of the NFL, it comes with this. It comes with playing each other every year in the regular season and it comes with playing in the playoffs.''

Mahomes and his Buffalo counterpart, Josh Allen, have had some classic duels. None was better than the divisional round game in 2021, when the quarterbacks combined for seven touchdown throws and more than 700 passing yards as the Chiefs won 42-36 in overtime to advance to the AFC Championship Game.

"I've played against Josh enough times to know that he's going to come out there and play great football, especially in those big moments,'' Mahomes said. "I have to play my best football whenever I get the opportunity to and try to put our team in the best position to succeed. If that's limiting turnovers, if that's changing the field position, whatever that is, you have to find a way that day to win."

Wide receiver Mecole Hardman, one of last year's playoff stars for the Chiefs as they won their second consecutive Super Bowl, will not get a chance for a repeat performance. Coach Andy Reid said Hardman, who has a knee injury, will not be activated off the injured reserve list, meaning his season is over.

Hardman caught the winning touchdown in overtime in the Chiefs' Super Bowl LVIII win over the San Francisco 49ers last year.

Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt has been medically cleared to make his season debut on Saturday against the Golden State Warriors, barring any unforeseen setbacks, coach JJ Redick said Wednesday.

Saturday's game (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC) will be Vanderbilt's first action in nearly a year after he suffered a right midfoot sprain on Feb. 1 that cost him the rest of last season.

He underwent procedures on both of his feet in the offseason -- opting for surgery on his right foot and removing a bone spur in his left foot in May. Those have sidelined him since the start of training camp in September, with his rehabilitation delayed in December when he experienced fluid in his left knee.

Vanderbilt signed a four-year, $48 million contract extension in September 2023 following the Lakers' run to the Western Conference finals but has been largely unavailable since -- appearing in just 29 out of 129 games, including the regular season, in-season tournament, play-in tournament and playoffs.

Prior to his right foot injury last season, however, Vanderbilt was enjoying one of the most productive stretches of his career -- averaging 10.5 points on 66% shooting, 5.4 rebounds and 2.3 steals over eight games.

The Lakers have made major changes since Vanderbilt last appeared on the court, replacing Darvin Ham with coach JJ Redick and recently swapping D'Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith, another forward with whom Vanderbilt will be competing for minutes within L.A.'s rotation.

Dallas Mavericks starting center Dereck Lively II is expected to miss two to three months, sources told ESPN, after he suffered a stress fracture in his right ankle.

Lively missed the past three games and had been listed as questionable for Wednesday night's home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but further testing revealed the fracture, sources said.

The Mavericks said Lively would be reevaluated in four weeks.

Lively, 20, has emerged as an essential player after playing a key role in Dallas' run to the NBA Finals as a rookie last season. He is averaging 9.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7 blocks while shooting 70.1% from the floor this season.

The Mavericks (23-20) have lost 10 of 14 games since superstar Luka Doncic strained his left calf on Christmas. Doncic is scheduled to be reevaluated in the coming days, but no firm timetable has been set for his return.

Kyrie Irving has also missed time recently because of a bulging disk in his back. Irving said he will have to manage the injury for the rest of the season and hopes that he will not have to undergo surgery.

Daniel Gafford, who is averaging 12.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks, provides the Mavericks a quality big man who can step into the starting role. But Dallas' big man depth is thin without Lively and third-string center Dwight Powell, who suffered a right hip strain Friday and will miss his second straight game against the Timberwolves.

The Miami Heat are planning to suspend star guard Jimmy Butler for two games, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Wednesday.

Butler missed a team flight earlier in the day and had plans to join the Heat on Wednesday night, sources said. Now Miami is keeping him home from its two-game road trip Thursday at Milwaukee and Saturday at Brooklyn.

Butler had just returned Friday from a seven-game team suspension for "multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team."

"Through his actions and statements, he has shown he no longer wants to be part of this team," the Heat said in a statement when Butler was first suspended Jan. 3. "Jimmy Butler and his representative have indicated that they wish to be traded, therefore, we will listen to offers."

Sources told ESPN on Friday that the Heat want to find a deal to accommodate Butler's wishes. But the Heat seek a trade that brings back some combination of players who can help the Heat win now, draft capital, movable short-term salary and young talent.

To this point, however, that deal hasn't materialized, and it is far from certain one will before the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline.

For his part, Butler said Friday night that he and the franchise "are where we are" regarding their relationship less than three weeks before the trade deadline.

"I guess it's basketball at this point," Butler said after his return to the court in a loss to the Denver Nuggets. "I know what I'm expected to do while I'm here and try to do that to the best of my ability, but we are where we are."

When Butler was asked what would happen if he was still on the team Feb. 7, he smiled.

"We're playing a lot of 'what-ifs,' ain't we?" Butler said. "I'm going to hoop."

Last month, sources told Charania that Butler's list of preferred trade destinations included the Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors.

Butler is in the last guaranteed year of his contract; he has a player option worth more than $52 million for next season.

Information from ESPN's Tim Bontemps and The Associated Press was used in this report.

The Los Angeles Angels have signed two-time All-Star shortstop Tim Anderson to a minor league deal, USA Today reported Wednesday.

The 31-year-old free agent and former batting champion is looking to revive his career after a two-season slump.

Anderson slashed .245/.286/.296 with one home run in 123 games in 2023, his last season with the Chicago White Sox.

Things got worse in 2024 with the Miami Marlins, as he posted a .214/.237/.226 slash line with zero homers in 65 games.

Anderson led the majors with a .335 batting average in 2019 and made the American League All-Star teams in 2021 and 2022.

A first-round draft pick by Chicago (17th overall) in 2013, Anderson is a career .278 hitter with 98 home runs, 347 RBIs and 121 stolen bases in 960 games.

Field Level Media contributed to this report.

Reliever Paul Sewald has agreed to a one-year deal with the Cleveland Guardians, the team announced Wednesday.

The contract is worth $7 million, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The addition of the 34-year-old right-hander, who has 84 saves during an eight-year big league career, gives the Guardians a setup arm for closer Emmanuel Clase.

The deal includes a $10 million mutual option for 2026 with a $1 million buyout, according to sources and multiple reports, and includes a $1 million signing bonus and a $5 million salary this year, when he could earn $500,000 in performance bonuses for relief appearances.

Cleveland designated right-hander Pedro Avila for assignment to open a roster spot and also agreed to a minor league contract with right-hander Riley Pint.

Sewald had a 4.31 ERA last year with 16 saves for the Arizona Diamondbacks, losing his closer's job at the start of August. He didn't make his season debut until May 7 due to a strained left oblique and didn't pitch after Sept. 8 due to discomfort on the left side of his neck. His fastball average velocity dropped to 91.4 mph from 92.2 mph.

Sewald is 20-25 with a 4.09 ERA for the New York Mets (2017-20), Seattle Mariners (2021-23) and Arizona (2023-24). He had a $7.35 million, one-year contract with the Diamondbacks last season.

Avila went 5-1 with a 3.25 ERA in 50 games for the Guardians, who acquired him in a trade last April from San Diego. The right-hander became an invaluable member of Cleveland's top bullpen as he provided long relief for first-year manager Stephen Vogt. He's the third reliever to leave the AL Central champions this winter, following Eli Morgan and Nick Sandlin, who were both traded.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Seeing a friendly face is supposed to be a good thing.

Yet when Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa take to the court for their Australian Open semi-final on Thursday, it may only add to the pressure.

The pair are close friends with Sabalenka going so far as to call Badosa her "soulmate" in Stuttgart last year.

"I love Paula very much," the 26-year-old Belarusian said.

"She is an incredible person. It is very important to have friends on the circuit, so when you find someone who you feel is your soulmate, it is the best thing that can happen to you."

Their friendship has grown over the past few years with the pair practising together and wearing matching outfits during the 2024 US Open, as well as posting about each other on social media.

"We realised that we had very similar personalities and we get along very well, and that we're both very, very competitive," Badosa told the Tennis Channel's Inside-In podcast, external in March.

"It's very nice for me having a friend on tour because it's very tough to find."

But with a place in the final at stake, that friendship will have to be put on hold in Melbourne.

This is not the first meeting between the two - they have played eight times before, with Sabalenka winning the past six - but it is comfortably the most high-profile.

World number one Sabalenka is bidding to win a third straight Australian Open title, while it is 27-year-old Badosa's first time in the last four of a Grand Slam.

The Spaniard shocked sixth seed Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals as her remarkable recovery from a back injury, that she feared would force her to retire only a year ago, continues.

"It's tough to play your best friend," Sabalenka said after beating Badosa in Stuttgart.

However, difficult as it may be, once they walk out on Rod Laver Arena, all sentiment will be put to one side.

"We know how to separate things," Badosa added.

"We decided a long time ago that off the court we are friends, while on the court she really wants to win, I really want to win," said Sabalenka, who beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the quarter-finals.

"So on the court we are competitors and there is no place for friendship."

Earlier this week, 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic refused to do his usual on-court interview after his fourth-round win against Jiri Lehecka following what he described as "insulting and offensive" comments by Channel Nine's Tony Jones.

Jones shouted "Novak, he's over-rated, Novak's a has-been, Novak kick him out" towards Djokovic fans while live on air at the Australian Open on Friday.

The Australian broadcaster has since apologised for his remarks but Shelton says that incident was not a one-off.

"I've been a little bit shocked this week with how players have been treated by the broadcasters," he said.

"I don't think that [Djokovic being mocked] was just a single event. I've noticed it with different people, not just myself."

Shelton also referred to an "embarrassing and disrespectful" on-court interview with 19-year-old American Learner Tien after his shock second-round victory against fifth seed Daniil Medvedev.

The on-court interviewer told Tien "19-year-olds aren't meant to be that good" before asking him if he had heard of his third-round opponent Corentin Moutet.

"I feel like broadcasters should be helping us grow our sport and help these athletes who just won matches on the biggest stage enjoy one of their biggest moments," added Shelton.

"I feel like there's just been a lot of negativity. I think that's something that needs to change."

BBC Sport has contacted Tennis Australia, which organises the Australian Open, for comment.

A clear double bounce in the Australian Open quarter-final between Iga Swiatek and Emma Navarro has reignited the debate over how tennis uses video technology.

Navarro lost a point when she trailed 6-1 2-2 A-40 despite the ball bouncing twice in front of a stretching Swiatek, who went on to win 6-1 6-2.

Because Navarro continued playing, instead of immediately stopping the point, the American eighth seed was unable to challenge the call.

The Australian Open has introduced a video review system for the first time this year - but it can only be used on a point ending call or when a player stops play.

Afterwards Navarro said the incident did not "cause a momentum swing" but still believes there should be a change to the system.

"I think we should be able to see it afterwards," Navarro said.

"It happened so fast. In the back of your head you're like, 'OK maybe I can still win the point even though it wasn't called'.

"It's going to be a downer if I stop the point and it turns out it wasn't a double bounce.

"It's tough."

Five-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek said she "wasn't sure" if it was a double bounce after it was suggested she should have conceded the point.

"It was hard to say because I was full sprinting. I don't remember even seeing the contact point," said the Polish second seed.

"I don't know. Sometimes you don't really look when you hit the ball.

"I thought this is like the umpire's kind of job to call it. I was also waiting for the VAR, but I didn't see it so I just proceeded."

Anticipation was high among the Australian fans arriving at Rod Laver Arena that De Minaur could cause a shock - particularly given the uncertainty about Sinner's condition.

A pale-looking Sinner was visibly shaking in his chair during his fourth-round win over Rune and benefitted from an enforced 20-minute break when the net broke.

But Sinner looked healthy in a performance where he proved again to be a class above De Minaur.

The world number one struck the ball sweetly and consistently to outlast De Minaur in the rallies.

Clinching six breaks of serves, and saving just the one chance for De Minaur in the second set, illustrated his dominance.

Afterwards Sinner said he had "a very easy day" on Tuesday, hitting with his coaches for only "half an hour or 40 minutes" to maintain rhythm.

"I felt ready for today," Sinner added.

"When you play a night session you try to sleep as long as you can and eat healthy."

De Minaur came into the match with a terrible record against his opponent, losing all nine of their previous meetings and winning just one set in the process.

The 25-year-old Australian was looking to end that unwanted run and become the first home player since 2005 to reach the men's singles semi-finals.

But what was expected to be a raucous atmosphere failed to materialise on a cool Melbourne night.

It was testament to Sinner's assured display that he largely silenced the majority of the 15,000 fans.

"Right now my worst match-up on tour is Jannik. The head to head doesn't lie," said De Minaur.

"In these types of conditions where it's a little bit colder and you can't really get the ball out of his strike zone, he can just unload and not miss. It's tough."