What a difference a year makes. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, football clubs have taken some drastic steps to reduce their spending in the January transfer window, and, as a result, the big moves that drive interest in the game at this time of year are nowhere to be seen. At the time of writing, there have been fewer than 15 deals in Europe's "big five" leagues with transfer fees attached. January is traditionally a quieter time than the summer window, but, influenced by the global economic crisis caused by the pandemic, the figures make difficult reading.

Jump to: U.S players linked | Free agents | Expiring contracts | Premier League clubs | European clubs

In January 2020, according to transfer tracking website Transfermarkt, Premier League clubs spent just over €242m on 88 arrivals; in January 2021, the difference is clear, with spending of just €47m on 32 arrivals. Europe is a similar story with German Bundesliga clubs (€196m in 2020 vs. €41m in 2021), Spanish La Liga clubs (€152m vs. €31.2m), Italian Serie A (€215m vs. €17m) and French Ligue 1 clubs (€124m vs. €18.3m) all doing the same.

The transfer window can throw up some surprises -- Odion Ighalo joined Man United on deadline day in January 2020, after all -- so there might be a few things to catch the eye. However, it might be only loan deals, swaps or free transfers this month, so if you've come for news of €100m deals for Borussia Dortmund pair Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho, Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly or Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba, you're likely to be disappointed. Even Barcelona legend Lionel Messi is deferring the decision over this future until the summer. That said, plenty of top teams have some serious needs ahead of the most grueling stretch of the season.

Loan moves have been top of the agenda, and there are already a number of deals completed, but what does Deadline Day hold? Who are the players available for a bargain, and what do the top clubs in Europe still need to do? *All fees via Transfermarkt

Deadline Feb.1: Bundesliga (12 p.m. ET) | Serie A (2 p.m. ET) | Premier League (6 p.m. ET) | La Liga (6 p.m. ET) | Ligue 1 (6 p.m. ET)

Which players could still get a move before the deadline?

Dayot Upamecano: With a reported €42m release clause that comes into effect in the summer, the RB Leipzig defender will likely stay put this month. However, all of Europe's top clubs are after him, and it's possible one (Chelsea or Liverpool?) might try to steal a march on their rivals with an early move.

Dele Alli: After being a central player under Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham, Alli's star has fallen under Jose Mourinho. Now nothing more than a backup, the midfielder needs to move on, and PSG are keen to reunite him with Pochettino on loan.

Christian Eriksen: Having joined Inter Milan only a year ago from Tottenham, the 28-year-old midfielder was told he can leave the club, but he could now be set to stay; his injury time free-kick to defeat rivals AC Milan in Tuesday's Coppa Italia quarterfinal could have been interpreted as a celebration. Arsenal were keen in November before they signed Martin Odegaard, but now a return to Spurs for Eriksen is possible if they move on Alli and work out a deal.

Edin Dzeko: The 34-year-old was linked with a return to Manchester City, as well as to rivals United, but it seems that he might swap Roma for Inter Milan, with Roma landing Alexis Sanchez on loan too.

Joshua Zirkzee: Bayern Munich's young striker hasn't been getting much game time, which is tough to do when Robert Lewandowski is ahead of you in the pecking order. A loan move to Everton or Parma has been reported by Sky Germany, with Parma looking the most likely to land him.

Yves Bissouma: The Brighton midfielder has been being closely followed by Liverpool, sources told ESPN's Julien Laurens; manager Jurgen Klopp views him as a potential replacement for Georginio Wijnaldum, who is out of contract in the summer. If Wijnaldum does move before the window shuts, then £30m might land them Bissouma, though Arsenal, Man United, Chelsea and Real Madrid have also been linked.

Any U.S. players being linked in Europe?

Bryan Reynolds: Roma are leading the race to sign the FC Dallas right-back for around €8m, sources have told ESPN's Tom Hamilton. The 19-year-old has drawn interest from Juventus and Club Brugge, but Roma are now in pole position, and sources said they are optimistic of confirming the move.

Chris Gloster: The PSV Eindhoven and USMNT youth international left-back has drawn interest from Newcastle United, a source told ESPN's Jeff Carlisle. But any move to the Premier League side would be subject to Gloster obtaining a U.K. work permit, and it seems like that won't happen; instead, he could join Danish club SonderjyskE (who have U.S. owners) or stay at PSV.

DeAndre Yedlin: Galatasaray have made an offer for the USMNT and Newcastle United right-back, sources have told ESPN's Tom Hamilton. The Super Lig side have offered Yedlin a three-and-a-half-year deal and are pushing for an answer from the 27-year-old defender. Yedlin's Newcastle contract is up in June, and he has previously expressed his desire to extend his stay at the Premier League side. However, sources said he's now weighing up the offer from Galatasaray.

Paul Arriola: Swansea City are interested in adding the D.C. United winger to their squad on loan, sources have told ESPN. The Championship side have already snapped up Jordan Morris on a loan deal from Seattle Sounders and have returned to America with interest in another U.S. star. Sources said there is a "50/50" chance of the deal happening before Monday's deadline, with Swansea and D.C. United in discussions.

Caden Clark: The New York Red Bulls' midfielder is set to move to RB Leipzig in January 2022, despite playing less than 400 minutes in the first team to date. The Athletic reports that the 17-year-old will move for around $3m, but will stay on loan in New York for a year.

How about free agents?

Diego Costa: Incredibly, the former Chelsea striker is being linked with Manchester City after terminating his contract with Atletico Madrid. With Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero struggling for fitness, Costa would certainly do a job, but according to Sid Lowe the 32-year-old would need to "pay a €15m penalty if he moves to a team in La Liga or the Champions League."

Stephan El Shaarawy: The Italy international is set to return to AS Roma but has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19, according to Sky Sport Italia, and his medical has been delayed. Still only 28, the forward left Roma for Shanghai Shenhua in 2019.

Samir Nasri: The former Arsenal and Manchester City playmaker has been without a club since leaving Anderlecht last summer. He will need to prove himself again, at 33, with AC Milan reportedly keeping an eye on him.

Hulk: The Brazilian might be a self-confessed Arsenal fan, but after leaving Shanghai SIPG last year, he's keen to return to FC Porto. The 34-year-old is still looking for a club, though he has been linked with Turkish club Besiktas, as well as Flamengo, Atletico-MG and Palmeiras back home.

Neven Subotic: After terminating his contract with Denizlispor, Subotic is available at a time when a number of top clubs are looking for a backup defender. At 32, he still has a few years left at the top despite some injury issues and could be of interest to many managers, including his former boss at Borussia Dortmund, Klopp.

Some players have contracts running down, will they move?

Maybe...

Eric Garcia: Manchester City don't want to let him go for nothing next summer, but Barcelona have no money to sign the 20-year-old defender, so he might have to wait unless PSG or Arsenal swoop late, or until the Catalan club somehow works out a deal. The player himself is willing to play for free, but will City let him depart?

Georginio Wijnaldum: Similar to the above, if he doesn't sign a new deal at Liverpool then Wijnaldum looks likely to leave for Barca in the summer. He's very unlikely to move, however, as Liverpool would need a midfield replacement and Barca have no cash unless they get creative.

Memphis Depay: Barcelona and Juventus are the two clubs that have been linked most with the Lyon winger, but a reported fee upward of €20m will be required to land him this month.

Florian Thauvin: With his future at Marseille looking bleak, the 28-year-old midfielder has received reported interest from Tottenham, Leicester, Napoli, Milan, Roma and Sevilla. It looks like he could be allowed to leave this month.

Joshua King: Manchester United were keen on King this time last year, but their interest fizzled out and the Bournemouth forward was relegated at the end of the season. Now Burnley, West Ham and West Brom are offering him a way out.

Not until the summer

David Alaba: The one player they all want. Unable or unwilling to agree a new contract at Bayern, the 28-year-old defender has his pick of Europe's elite clubs. He'll move on a free transfer, most likely to Real Madrid, though there could be a few twists and turns along the way before he decides.

Sergio Ramos: Manchester City are closely monitoring Ramos' situation at Real Madrid with an eye to signing him as a free agent, sources told ESPN's Rodrigo Faez, while PSG have also reportedly made him an offer. Ramos will turn 35 in March, but he's still top class and it looks like he might move on.

Lionel Messi: The world will be watching and waiting for Messi's decision this summer. He won't move before then, and he might even sign a new deal depending on who wins the club's presidential elections in March, but Man City, PSG, various MLS sides including NYCFC, and Newell's Old Boys are in the running should he want to go.

Sergio Aguero: Linked with Barcelona as a possible replacement for Messi, Man City's all-time leading scorer might move away from the Etihad. He'll have his pick of clubs, but at 32, he's a little young to be thinking of his retirement at former club Independiente.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Hakan Calhanoglu: Gab Marcotti wrote about the trio at the start of the month, and Milan need them all if they are to maintain their challenge for the Serie A title this season.

What do the big teams still need?

PREMIER LEAGUE

MAN UNITED

INS: Amad Diallo (£19m, Atalanta)
OUTS: Ethan Laird (loan, MK Dons), Timothy Fosu-Mensah (£1.75m, Bayer Leverkusen)

After the arrival of 18-year-old Amad Diallo, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer still thinks he is two or three players short, but new arrivals -- likely to include a centre-back and a forward -- will have to wait until the summer. Marcos Rojo and Sergio Romero have been given permission to talk to other teams and could leave before the deadline. There's also interest in sending Facundo Pellistri on loan as he has been restricted to U23 games since signing in the summer and Club Brugge have been in touch; Jesse Lingard has already agreed terms for a temporary move to West Ham, but the club have rebuffed enquiries for Donny van de Beek. Sources told ESPN that Manchester United are prepared to wait for West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, while Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho will remain a target -- Rob Dawson.

LIVERPOOL

INS: None
OUTS: Liam Millar (loan, Charlton), Adam Lewis (loan, Plymouth)

A centre-back has been mooted all window long, with Alaba and Upamecano in the conversation, and the injury to Joel Matip might see one arrive if they can do it. Lille centre-back Sven Botman is on the radar of a string of clubs in England, including Liverpool, sources told ESPN, while Ajax's Perr Schuurs has also been considered. But Klopp will need to get creative with a lack of funds available. Brighton midfielder Bissouma is being closely followed by Liverpool, sources told ESPN, with manager Klopp tracking him as a potential replacement for Wijnaldum, who is out of contract in the summer. Derby County wonderkid Kaide Gordon, 16, has also been linked. -- Mark Ogden.

MAN CITY

INS: Filip Stevanovic (£7m, Partizan Belgrade)
OUTS: Morgan Rogers (loan, Lincoln), Mix Diskerud (undisclosed, Denizlispor), Daniel Arzani (loan, AGF)

Manchester City are resigned to losing centre-back Garcia to Barcelona, either before the deadline for €3m or in the summer for free. Pep Guardiola has done his best to convince the 20-year-old to sign a new contract at the Etihad Stadium, but Garcia has been clear in his desire to return to Spain and it will happen eventually. Guardiola says he is not expecting any new arrivals this month, but there will be focus on bringing in an established centre-forward in the summer -- whatever happens with Sergio Aguero's contract, which expires in 2021. -- Rob Dawson

TOTTENHAM

INS: None
OUTS: Jubril Okedina (loan, Cambridge United), Jack Clarke (loan, Stoke)

Jose Mourinho stated Wednesday that he does not expect Tottenham to do any business before Monday's deadline. Sources have told ESPN that Dele Alli is keen on a loan move to Paris Saint-Germain, but chairman Daniel Levy is wavering over allowing a player previously so influential at the club to leave. Levy plays his hand late in the window so nothing can definitively be ruled out, but Mourinho is content with his squad and the club's longer-term targets -- including a centre-back and a new right-back -- will likely be put on hold until the summer. Harry Winks has been linked with a move to Valencia, though the England midfielder is expected to stay in north London. Mourinho's sparing use of Real Madrid loanee Gareth Bale has also taken several Tottenham players by surprise, sources told ESPN. -- James Olley.

CHELSEA

INS: None
OUTS: Charlie Brown (undisclosed, MK Dons), Lucas Piazon (free, Braga), Danny Drinkwater (loan, Kasimpasa), Fikayo Tomori (loan, AC Milan)

New manager Thomas Tuchel will have his own plans, and Chelsea had been keen to sign Rice before the sacking of Frank Lampard, but sources said the 42-year-old was driving the Blues' pursuit of the England international while senior figures at the club had reservations about paying a high fee -- the Hammers demanded £80m last summer -- for a former academy graduate. Chelsea have also been been monitoring the progress of Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, sources told ESPN's Julien Laurens, while the club want to keep veteran striker Olivier Giroud until the end of the season despite interest from Inter and Juventus. Young midfielder Billy Gilmour could depart on loan as he searches for game time. -- Mark Ogden.

ARSENAL

INS: Mat Ryan (loan, Brighton), Martin Odegaard (loan, Real Madrid)
OUTS: William Saliba (loan, Nice), Sead Kolasinac (loan, Schalke), Matt Macey (free, Hibernian), Sokratis (released), Mesut Ozil (free, Fenerbahce)

Arsenal remain hopeful of adding a left-back before Monday's deadline. They have not yet made contact with Southampton over reported interest in Ryan Bertrand and have only minimal funds available; Marseille defender Jordan Amavi has been considered, but again, no formal offer has materalised as of yet. Ainsley Maitland-Niles could leave on loan, but only if another full-back arrives.

The majority of their business has already been done with Martin Odegaard and Mat Ryan arriving on loan while Mesut Ozil, Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Sead Kolasinac have left the Gunners to help reduce their wage bill. Manager Mikel Arteta will continue an overhaul of the squad in the summer with a centre-back among his priorities once Shkodran Mustafi and Calum Chambers depart while they are expected to try to sign goalkeeper David Raya from Brentford having failed with a bid last summer.

The long-term pursuit of Houssem Aouar is set to be complicated by the Lyon midfielder's desire to wait for interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona to materialise this summer before deciding his next move, while Emile Smith Rowe has made a strong impression after breaking into the Arsenal first team, but talk of a new contract is premature, sources told ESPN. -- James Olley.

EUROPE

BARCELONA

INS: None
OUTS: Carles Alena (loan, Getafe)

There is no money for moves, so the club have to turn to youth. There's a vague possibility they might spend €3m on Man City defender Garcia if they can raise it, but with no president or board in place, it's impossible to make a decision. One source at the club told ESPN they hoped to be able to move on Neto and Junior Firpo, the latter of whom is of interest to AC Milan and West Ham United, and that they would also listen to reasonable offers for Philippe Coutinho and Antoine Griezmann. But no club has any money to sign the duo. Moves for Wijnaldum and Memphis Depay, or even an unlikely swoop for Aguero, will have to wait until the summer, as will the future of Messi. But a lot will change in five months. -- Sam Marsden.

REAL MADRID

INS: None
OUTS: Takefusa Kubo (loan, Getafe), Luka Jovic (loan, Eintracht Frankfurt), Martin Odegaard (loan, Arsenal)

With no money to spend at the Bernabeu, there will be no additions even though Karim Benzema and Mariano Diaz are the only two strikers in the squad. Long term, sources told ESPN, the club is looking to land Kylian Mbappe and Eduardo Camavinga, but they would cost a lot and Madrid have bigger issues right now. A free transfer for Bayern star David Alaba looks likely in the summer, but the future of captain and legend Sergio Ramos is unresolved, with PSG and Man City keen to get him for free too. Luka Modric should sign a new contract, but it seems Lucas Vazquez won't, while centre-back Eder Militao has been linked with a move but should stay this month. Sources told ESPN that Odegaard felt let down by Madrid, as he was not given a chance in the first team before being allowed to join Arsenal on loan. -- Alex Kirkland.

ATLETICO MADRID

INS: Moussa Dembele (loan, Lyon)
OUTS: Manu Sanchez (loan, Osasuna), Ivan Saponjic (loan, Cadiz), Diego Costa (released)

Having won the past transfer window with the free transfer of Luis Suarez from Barcelona, Atletico needed to bring in a replacement for Diego Costa and did so with the loan of Moussa Dembele from Lyon. Vitolo could depart, while Lucas Torreira has been a peripheral figure since moving on loan from Arsenal in the summer and Monaco have been interested. The club really wants to renew manager Diego Simeone's contract until 2024. -- Alex Kirkland.

BAYERN MUNICH

INS: None
OUTS: None

Nothing will happen in January, but Alaba will leave in the summer after failing to agree on a new contract. A replacement could come in the form of RB Leipzig's Upamecano, and they are also tracking Gladbach's Florian Neuhaus to take over from Javi Martinez, who will also depart when his deal ends. A new contract for young star Jamal Musiala is on the agenda, while Bayern remain interested in signing Frenkie de Jong, but sources told ESPN the chances of the Dutch midfielder leaving Barcelona are minimal, despite the Catalan club's financial woes. -- Stephan Uersfeld.

DORTMUND

INS: None
OUTS: None

Keeping their top stars including Sancho, Haaland and Gio Reyna was the priority, and that has been achieved. They have been linked with Sassuolo midfielder Manuel Locatelli and Borussia Monchengladbach's Florian Neuhaus, though the latter's €40m release clause is too expensive for Dortmund right now. Mo Dahoud could depart if they get a suitable offer, while sources told ESPN that 16-year-old Julian Rijkhoff will sign from Ajax and be added to the club's U17 side. -- Stephan Uersfeld.

Police are investigating a potential breach of Italy's COVID-19 regulations by Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo after he allegedly travelled between the regions of Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta.

Valle d'Aosta police confirmed to Reuters that an investigation has been opened into a trip to the Alpine town of Courmayeur by Ronaldo and his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Authorities were alerted to his alleged presence in the region by videos on social media showing the couple sitting on a snowmobile and celebrating Rodriguez's 27th birthday.

Movement between 'orange zone' regions in Italy, including Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta, is forbidden under the current government decree.

If Ronaldo is proven to have made the trip, the likeliest outcome is a fine. ESPN has approached Ronaldo's representatives for comment.

- Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only)

In October, Ronaldo became involved in a public row with Italy's sports minister as the pair indirectly accused each other of lying over whether the Portugal international had broken health rules after testing positive for the coronavirus.

Vincenzo Spadafora said the Juventus forward might have infringed the rules by flying back to Italy from national team duty in Portugal after he tested positive for the virus earlier this week.

But in an Instagram video, Ronaldo hit back and said he had done everything by the book.

"A gentleman here in Italy, whose name I won't mention, said I didn't obey the protocol -- that's simply a lie," said Ronaldo from his Turin villa, where he was in quarantine and asymptomatic.

"I followed all the protocols and I will continue to follow them, my conscience is clear.... Everything I did was authorised."

The 35-year-old tested positive for COVID-19 while he was with the Portugal squad.

"They said I broke Italian law and this and that... it's all lies, I did everything properly," he added. "We did everything the right way -- leaving the [Portugal] team, in the air ambulance, arriving in Turin... I did not have contact with anyone."

Spadafora later replied in an interview with the Italian news agency Ansa.

"The fame and skill of certain players does not entitle them to be arrogant, disrespectful to the institutions and to lie," he said.

"On the contrary, the more well known you are, the more you should feel the responsibility of thinking before speaking and setting a good example.

"I'm not going to continue with this matter forever," he added. "I'm not talking about it again and I repeat my wish that everyone who has tested positive recovers quickly."

Pakistan 378 and 22 for 0 (Butt 12*, Abid 10*) need another 66 to win vs South Africa 220 and 245 (Markram 74, van der Dussen 64, Nauman 5-35, Yasir 4-79)

Pakistan were on the cusp of a 1-0 lead after a spectacular South African collapse, supercharged by a five-wicket haul for debutant Nauman Ali, left them needing just 88 to win. After a late flurry of wickets on Thursday, South Africa failed to arrest the slide as Yasir Shah and Nauman made hay. South Africa managed just 58 on top of overnight's score, with 40 from Temba Bavuma the only source of resistance. Even so, it looked set to be in vain, with the home side requiring 66 more to register only their fifth Test win against South Africa.

Hasan Ali began proceedings by getting rid of nightwatchman Keshav Maharaj off the day's first ball, one that kept slightly low to breach Maharaj's defence. Captain Quinton de Kock, who looked unlike himself during his scratchy little stay at the crease, became yet another victim to Abid Ali at short leg off Shah.

South Africa will likely be left to rue two batting collapses this Test, but the manner in which Bavuma, who has had his struggles of late, dug in, there is encouragement to be found. On a raging turner, he found a balance that allowed him to score while neutralising the threat. Alongside George Linde, he struck up another handy little partnership to go with their 42-run stand in the first innings. The sweep shot was used cleverly, pushing back the close-in fielders, and it was to Bavuma's credit that Shaheen Shah Afridi looked somewhat flat with the new ball for a change. Slowly the lead pushed past 75, and South Africa sniffed hope once more.

It was, though, extinguished by another rush of breakthroughs as the second collapse of the innings was initiated when Linde's inside edge was plucked superbly by Imran Butt at leg slip. The batsmen that followed put up little resistance. Nauman spun one through the gate when Kagiso Rabada tried an extravagant cover drive, and completed his five-for when he trapped Bavuma in front, the sweep for once failing him.

With Abid and Butt looking steady in an awkward little spell before lunch, South Africa's hopes of pulling a rabbit out of the hat are fading fast.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

Police are investigating a potential breach of Italy's COVID-19 regulations by Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo after he allegedly travelled between the regions of Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta.

Valle d'Aosta police confirmed to Reuters that an investigation has been opened into a trip to the Alpine town of Courmayeur by Ronaldo and his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Authorities were alerted to his alleged presence in the region by videos on social media showing the couple sitting on a snowmobile and celebrating Rodriguez's 27th birthday.

Movement between 'orange zone' regions in Italy, including Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta, is forbidden under the current government decree.

If Ronaldo is proven to have made the trip, the likeliest outcome is a fine. ESPN has approached Ronaldo's representatives for comment.

- Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only)

In October, Ronaldo became involved in a public row with Italy's sports minister as the pair indirectly accused each other of lying over whether the Portugal international had broken health rules after testing positive for the coronavirus.

Vincenzo Spadafora said the Juventus forward might have infringed the rules by flying back to Italy from national team duty in Portugal after he tested positive for the virus earlier this week.

But in an Instagram video, Ronaldo hit back and said he had done everything by the book.

"A gentleman here in Italy, whose name I won't mention, said I didn't obey the protocol -- that's simply a lie," said Ronaldo from his Turin villa, where he was in quarantine and asymptomatic.

"I followed all the protocols and I will continue to follow them, my conscience is clear.... Everything I did was authorised."

The 35-year-old tested positive for COVID-19 while he was with the Portugal squad.

"They said I broke Italian law and this and that... it's all lies, I did everything properly," he added. "We did everything the right way -- leaving the [Portugal] team, in the air ambulance, arriving in Turin... I did not have contact with anyone."

Spadafora later replied in an interview with the Italian news agency Ansa.

"The fame and skill of certain players does not entitle them to be arrogant, disrespectful to the institutions and to lie," he said.

"On the contrary, the more well known you are, the more you should feel the responsibility of thinking before speaking and setting a good example.

"I'm not going to continue with this matter forever," he added. "I'm not talking about it again and I repeat my wish that everyone who has tested positive recovers quickly."

Mark the calendar: It was nine days into a seven-game road trip before the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers showed any sign of being vulnerable this season, in Thursday's 107-92 loss to the Detroit Pistons.

L.A. mustered just 34 points in the second half -- the fewest the Lakers have scored in any half since LeBron James joined the franchise in 2018 -- and was outscored 25-14 in the fourth quarter by a Pistons team that came into the night with the second-worst record in the league at 4-14.

The Lakers went scoreless for nearly seven minutes -- from the 8:40 mark in the fourth quarter until there was 1:50 on the clock -- as the Pistons' lead ballooned from one to 17. L.A. went on an 0-for-12 drought with two turnovers as Detroit took control.

"I think we just weren't connected defensively at the level we were kind of supposed to be," said Kyle Kuzma, whose 22 points and 10 rebounds were spoiled by the Lakers' late collapse. "Individually, everybody made mistakes and collectively with those made the team defense suffer a little bit."

That team defense, which was ranked No. 1 in the NBA going into Thursday, played without Anthony Davis, last season's Defensive Player of the Year runner-up, who was out with a bruised right thigh.

Whatever explanation might have existed for the poor showing, be it the absence of Davis, the accumulation of road weariness or the challenge of a back-to-back, James didn't want to hear it.

"I mean, we still have games to be played, work to be done," he said. "We got to continue to get better, and you can't really get your mind into the grasp of how many days you are on the road or whatever the case may be. Every team does it. Every team hits a long road trip. We're professionals.

"We got to keep our minds fresh, keep our bodies fresh as much as we can to go out there and put together a complete 48-minute game, or close to 48 minutes. Obviously we haven't done it the last couple of games, and we just got to be better on Saturday."

Coach Frank Vogel challenged last year's Lakers team not to drop consecutive games all season, and it has remained a part of the team culture this year. L.A. made it more than a quarter of the way through the season before failing the mission, losing to Detroit a night after falling in Philadelphia.

The back-to-back losses also marred the Lakers' perfect 10-0 road record to begin the season, which had set a franchise record. They're now 10-2, with games in Boston on Saturday and Atlanta on Monday to finish out the road trip.

While no one sounded the alarm, both Kuzma and James lamented how the Lakers are still trying to find a set rotation, and because of a lack of practice time, end up experimenting with new lineups in the games.

"We're a brand-new team," Kuzma said. "We're playing like 14 people. It's a tough situation. Obviously, we're working through things. The coaching staff is trying to figure out rotations and figure out what works with what best, what players can play certain lineups. And that's just the point of the season we're in."

Kuzma provided a 10,000-foot perspective, saying that losses -- even bad ones like Thursday's -- are "just the beauty of the journey" and the regular season is meant to be a rehearsal to work out the kinks before the playoffs, anyway. And, as the Lakers' road trip stretches beyond a week and a half, he acknowledged the very real challenge of constant travel. "It's still a pandemic out here," he said.

Vogel put the performance on himself, saying he has to do a better job of putting his players in a position to be successful, but ultimately chalked the night up as something that won't faze his team.

"We'll be fine," Vogel said. "You have nights like this in a long season. We'll be fine. We'll bounce back. Not happy, none of us are happy with how we played tonight, but we'll bounce back."

For nine days, the closest head coach Scott Brooks came to some of his players was when he would pass by them on his way in or out of the gated parking lot where the Washington Wizards received their daily COVID-19 tests. Brooks would wave and honk. No one dared roll their windows down -- just to be safe. And while he flashed a friendly smile when passing by, the coach was hiding his own anxiety and fear.

As seven Wizards players entered health and safety protocols over a four-day span in early January, Brooks was thinking the same thing as everyone in the organization.

"'I've been testing negative,'" Brooks told ESPN, thinking back to the 13-day pause between games. "'Does that mean I am going to test positive tomorrow?' I am thinking, 'I know we have a bunch of guys [in protocol]. OK, I'm next. I am with these guys during timeouts, with these guys at halftime. When am I going to get my positive test?'"

"And no matter how tough you wanna be, it's still scary," Brooks said. "People are dying over this."

Outside of one false positive test for a staff member, Brooks and the Wizards staff stayed coronavirus-free. Davis Bertans, Rui Hachimura and Moritz Wagner are set to play against Atlanta on Friday. And while Deni Avdija, Troy Brown Jr. and Ish Smith remain out due to health and safety protocols, they could return against Brooklyn on Sunday.

The Wizards organization came to a halt after a 128-107 win over Phoenix on Monday, Jan. 11. The next day, two players entered quarantine per the health and safety protocol. The day after that, three more players followed. By that Friday, a total of seven Wizards were in the protocol.

• Jan. 9: Bradley Beal pulled from floor an hour before tip (contact tracing), Thomas Bryant tears ACL vs. Miami Heat.

• Jan. 10: Wizards announce Russell Westbrook will miss one week (left quad).

• Jan. 11: Wizards beat Phoenix Suns 128-107.

• Jan. 12: Two players enter health and safety protocol, NBA postpones Jan. 13 game vs. Utah Jazz.

• Jan. 13: Three players enter health and safety protocol.

• Jan. 14: Sixth player enters health and safety protocol, NBA postpones Jan. 15 game vs. Detroit Pistons.

• Jan. 15: Seventh player enters health and safety protocol, NBA postpones Jan. 17-18 games vs. Cleveland Cavaliers.

• Jan. 18: NBA postpones game vs. Charlotte Hornets on Jan. 20, Wizards waive Anzejs Pasecniks.

• Jan. 20: Wizards first practice in nine days with only eight players available, NBA postpones Jan. 22 game vs. Milwaukee Bucks.

• Jan. 23: Wizards sign Alex Len and Jordan Bell.

• Jan. 24: Wizards play first game in 13 days vs. San Antonio Spurs.

• Jan. 26: Wizards lose 107-88 to John Wall and Houston Rockets.

• Jan. 27: Bradley Beal scores 47, lose 124-106 to New Orleans Pelicans.

"These guys are young," Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard said on Thursday night. "And they are away from their families. Rui's entire support network is in Japan. Wagner's parents are all in Germany. Bertans, his wife is pregnant, he had to be away from his wife and kids. Everybody had a unique thing they had to fight through. I am really proud of our team. The last three games were really trying because we were really down to the bone."

Since Washington's postponement against Phoenix, the NBA has taken a more proactive approach to limit the spread of the virus. The league and the National Basketball Players Association agreed to tighten their health and safety protocols, including prohibiting guests into both player and staff hotel rooms on the road and limiting player interactions on the court before and after games.

As of Wednesday, the NBA had postponed 22 games due to teams not having the minimum players necessary to safely play in accordance with health and safety protocols. Twelve of those games have involved the Wizards and the Memphis Grizzlies.

"[The NBA is] learning things as we are going. And I am assuming they learned a lot from us," Brooks said. "I see that more often now, somebody has [the virus] and they shut it down for a couple of games. Because I think it is better to miss two than to miss six."

The NBA certainly watched what the Wizards went through. The organization noted how it played a string of seven teams (Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics, Miami and Phoenix) that had players in or later enter protocol after facing Washington.

"Each iteration or incident is because they're watching contact tracing, they are watching video," said Sheppard, who along with Brooks praised the NBA. "They see this and learn from that and immediately you can adjust."

The Wizards' issues with injuries and coronavirus this season so far has netted them a 3-11 record, the worst in the NBA. Their star guard Bradley Beal has been visibly and vocally frustrated after losses. On Jan. 20, Beal voiced concern about the Wizards playing so soon after being cleared to practice with just eight players. The NBA postponed the Wizards' ensuing game against Milwaukee shortly after Beal and Brooks spoke up.

After scoring 47 points in a 124-106 loss to New Orleans on Wednesday, Beal was asked if he was frustrated with losing and how the season has gone.

"Is the sky blue?" Beal replied.

With nearly half the roster returning from health and safety protocols, the Wizards are optimistic that some level of normalcy can return to their season.

"I think [Beal] is looking at this realistically, these are things that are completely out of our control," Sheppard said. "Life happens. All these little things start popping up and you just go, 'Doggonit. It has been a janky start to the season, for sure.' There has been a lot of fits and starts.

"But now you see a little bit of blue on the horizon."

Former world number six Carla Suarez Navarro says she is responding "very well" to cancer treatment and "dreams" of returning for one last major event - this year's Tokyo Olympics.

Suarez Navarro posted on Twitter on Monday that she was having her last chemotherapy session.

"I don't want people to remember me in a hospital bed, so I'd like to go again into a big tournament," she said.

"It would be a dream to do that - an Olympic Games to say bye to my tennis family and also all my tennis fans."

Suarez Navarro, who had previously planned to retire in 2020, said she has discussed teaming up with Garbine Muguruza, her doubles partner at the Rio 2016 Olympics.

She added that she is looking forward to the moment when she plays again, although acknowledged it will be "slow progress" to recover physically.

"I'll feel so much joy and happiness when that moment comes," she told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"I'll be very thankful and a little bit nervous to be on the court again.

"Hopefully it can happen in Tokyo. Hopefully we can go and play together again but there's a lot that needs to be seen yet."

The seven-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist says her focus remains on treatment and recovering physically, but said she began to reconsider her plans to retire after doctors encouraged her to continue to play tennis.

Suarez Navarro, who is still ranked 85 in the world despite last playing in February 2020, returned to the court for the first time in December to practise with Italy's former world number five Sara Errani in Barcelona.

"What doctors said is basically that tennis and doing a sport was good for me so I decided to carry on with it," she said.

"When Sara Errani came to Barcelona to train, it was really good. I played with her plenty of times - I played doubles with her. It was a very nice experience because it was the first time I'd got hold of a racquet in a few months."

Brisbane Heat and Adelaide Strikers have to win four games in a row if they want to take out the BBL title and it starts with Friday night's Eliminator at the Gabba.

Both sides scraped into the Eliminator with the Heat winning their last two matches to qualify while the Strikers had to sweat on both Hobart Hurricanes and Melbourne Stars losing on the final day to book a ticket to Brisbane to face the Heat.

After a 14-game regular season there is plenty of evidence as to how the two teams are likely to line up, but these are three key areas that could decide the contest with views from the BBL's player acquisition and cricket consultant Trent Woodhill.

Batting-order challenges

Both sides have struggled with the bat throughout the season and both teams have consistently tinkered with their batting orders. The Heat have finally settled on Chris Lynn and Max Bryant as the opening combination with Marnus Labuschagne at No.3 after Bryant was made an X-Factor sub and batted at No. 6 in the Heat's 82-run loss to the Strikers in Adelaide.

The Strikers have also returned to the trusted opening combination of Jake Weatherald and Alex Carey that won them BBL 07, with both men finding form late in the tournament which means overseas batsman Phil Salt is out of position in the middle order.

Balance of the bowling attack

Xavier Bartlett bowled well in the two previous meetings against the Strikers. He was the only bowler to escape unscathed during Carey's scintillating century at Adelaide Oval taking 1 for 30 from four overs, while he took a career-best 3 for 24 in the other meeting with the Strikers at the Gabba.

The Strikers face a similar dilemma with Daniel Worrall. With the new ball often swinging at the Gabba, he seems a good option to include in the XI. The Strikers opted for him instead of left-arm spinner Danny Briggs in their last match against the Thunder and he knocked over Usman Khawaja with the new ball.

"I think they're just working through getting their bowling right," Woodhill told ESPNcricinfo. "Is it an extra spinner or is it an extra quick? I think that's the first one.

"From the Heat's point of view it probably then goes to, are they looking to utilize a [Matt] Kuhnemann, but if not, are they looking to utilise a Bartlett or a [James] Bazley. I think it's then working out which way they want to go, what are their X-Factors and where they need support."

An important X-Factor?

The Heat have been the most adventurous side in the BBL with the use of the X-Factor.

Bartlett was subbed out of the last win over the Scorchers without bowling a ball as the Heat opted for an all-round option in Jack Wildermuth to give extra batting after batting first. He has also previously been subbed out for Morne Morkel after bowling just one over upfront with Morkel bowl four overs in the last 10.

"It's not just about picking your XI," Woodhill said. "It's about how do we cover our bases if things go pear-shaped or we lose the toss or if we don't read the wicket right. That's a great match-up straight away with [Jason] Gillespie and [Darren] Lehmann."

Briggs bowled four overs in each of the wins over the Heat taking 3 for 20 and 1 for 28. The Heat have not used a single left-hander in their top order in their last eight games with the left-arm orthodox of Briggs and the right-arm legspin of Liam O'Connor looking like an excellent option for captain Travis Head to turn to despite the absence of Khan.

"Obviously having no Rashid Khan brings them back to the pack," Woodhill said. "Do you play Worrall with a view that if bowl first you bowl him one upfront? If you bat first, you'll see if there's any movement. Do you bring in another spinner or another batter?

"That's the beauty, they'll lob up on matchday with a plan but that may change once they look at the wicket which I'm guessing is going to be flat."

CONCORD, N.C. – Since the inception of sim racing, fans have dreamt of taking their virtual skills and applying them on a real-world race track.

Bryce Bailey, from Waverly, N.Y., has used winnings from iRacing leagues and specials to help put himself on track in a DIRTcar Sportsman Modified.

Bailey, a rising iRacing talent, won the first DIRTcar eSports race behind the wheel of a Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modified against a field of premier iRacing pros and real-world drivers alike. Now, he is taking his real signature red #2B to Lake View Motor Speedway in South Carolina along with nearly 40 other DIRTcar Sportsman Modified drivers.

Bailey is not the first and certainly not the last to go from virtual-to-reality racing. In 2008, Nissan created a program to train sim drivers on the Playstation game Gran Turismo with the intention of putting them into real race cars and did so with success.

In 2021, iRacing leads the world in auto racing simulation. With the introduction of Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds and DIRTcar 358 Modifieds, dirt track drivers and fans can hone their skills on the virtual dirt in the same race cars we race on tracks across the Northeast, Canada, and down through the eastern U.S..

“The hand-eye coordination you get from iRacing separates the kids now,” Bailey said. “Kids are coming up so fast. We have so many resources to fall back on. The feel of iRacing may not be exact but we’re still staying sharp. It helps you read tracks too as far as what lines you need to run, especially with Weedsport Speedway on here now. The lines you run on Weedsport are the same you would run in real life.”

In addition to his DIRTcar eSports checkered flag, where he held off some of the best in the business, Bailey won the Empire Super Sprint iRacing Series plus other leagues and high profile money races. Now, he is focused on taking that iRacing success to his DIRTcar Sportsman Modified program, starting with Lake View.

Last year, Bailey bought a four-cylinder asphalt racer and won at Lake Erie Speedway against a very strong field of Race of Champions drivers. Now he’s ready for the dirt.

“I ran twice in my Sportsman Modified last year, but 2021 will be my true rookie season,” he said. “This race at Lake View coming up is already one of the most prestigious DIRTcar Sportsman races you can run with all the money they are putting up down there in purse and bonuses.”

The South of the Border Showdown marks the first time DIRTcar Sportsman Modifieds have raced at Lake View Motor Speedway. Although Bailey is up against the best Sportsman drivers out of the Northeast like Kevin Root, Andrew Buff, Zach Sobotka, Kevin Ridley, Tyler Cocoran, and Alan Fink, they will all see Lake View for the first time starting on Thursday, Jan. 28, with a free-to-the-public practice session. That levels the playing field a degree in terms of experience.

“There are a ton of top runners down there,” Bailey said. “Anyone that has won in a Sportsman is going like Kevin Root. The goal is to make the show and maybe get a top 15 but if we can keep our nose clean I’ll be happy. I gotta keep my goals realistic. Kevin Root and I have the same sponsor, FX Caprara. He’s already played a role in my career in helping me out. We actually traded iRacing help for some real-life racing help.”

Bailey has big plans for the rest of 2021, too.

“This year’s plan is to run DIRTcar shows,” he said. “We’ll be at Brewerton, Fulton, Weedsport, Can-Am, plus the big shows. We’ll hit up what we can and race as much as possible.”

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Live Fast Motorsports announced Thursday evening that Frank Kerr will join the team as crew chief for B.J. McLeod this season.

The upcoming NASCAR Cup Series campaign will mark Kerr’s 14th year as a crew chief at the top level of the sport.

“It means so much to have Frank join the team and crew chief,” said McLeod. “He’s the backbone for this new driver/crew chief combination and it’s meant so much as we get our program started to have Frank here.”

After working with racers over the years such as Bobby Labonte, David Gilliland and Corey LaJoie, the Pennsylvania native will lead the No. 78 Ford Mustang team with McLeod.

Throughout his whole life, Kerr has been living and breathing motorsports, whether it was under the hood or behind the wheel.

In his racing career, Kerr was a four-time All Star Circuit of Champions sprint car titlist and collected more than 250 wins in open-wheel competition, including feature wins with the World of Outlaws and the United States Auto Club.