Luka Doncic is likely off his minutes restriction as the Lakers return to work against Charlotte
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Luka Doncic is going back to work with the Los Angeles Lakers, and he's likely back to full speed as well. Coach JJ Redick says Doncic probably won't have a minutes restriction this week after his deliberate start to his Lakers tenure before the All-Star break. When the Lakers host Charlotte, Doncic will play in his third game back following a 6 1/2-week absence due to a strained left calf suffered on Christmas while playing for the Mavericks. The Slovenian superstar played in both of the Lakers' final two games before the All-Star break, but he played only 47 total minutes.
NFL projects salary cap between $277.5M and $281.5M in 2025, rising by as much as $26M
NEW YORK (AP) -- The NFL salary cap will be between $277.5 million and $281.5 million for the 2025 season, rising as much as $26 million from last year. The bump is great news for Cincinnati, which is hoping to sign receiver Tee Higgins to a long-term contract. It also means more money for Minnesota to re-sign quarterback Sam Darnold or Kansas City to bring back guard Trey Smith or Super Bowl champion Philadelphia to keep linebacker Zack Baun. It's also significant for teams projected to be over the cap when the new league year begins in March.
No. 1 Auburn overcomes a rough offensive performance to beat Arkansas 67-60
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) -- Johni Broome had 16 points and 13 rebounds and No. 1 Auburn overcame a rough offensive performance to beat Arkansas 67-60 on Wednesday night. After winning at Alabama on Saturday in a game between the top teams in the poll, Auburn (24-2, 12-1 Southeastern Conference) avoided its second straight home loss. Chad Baker-Mazara added 15 points for the Tigers, and Chaney Johnson had 14. Adou Thiero led Arkansas (15-11, 4-9) with 16. Johnell Davis had 14. The teams combined to hit seven of 43 3-point attempts.
With the Dodgers' organization watching, Roki Sasaki has some success throwing live batting practice
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki threw 27 pitches over two innings of live batting practice at Camelback Ranch in front of hundreds of fans and several teammates. It also seemed like the entire Los Angeles Dodgers organization was watching behind home plate. Sasaki wasn't particularly fazed by the attention Wednesday and looked much more comfortable than last week, when he was a little wild during a bullpen session in chilly weather. He recorded two strikeouts, including one on back-to-back splitters to Eddie Rosario.
Seven Chilean men are charged with burglarizing the homes of Mahomes, Burrow and other star athletes
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Seven men from Chile have been charged in Florida federal court with allegedly orchestrating burglaries at the homes of prominent professional athletes around the country. The FBI complaint in Tampa federal court doesn't name the athletes, but it lists burglaries already made public involving the Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals, as well as players for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies. Authorities say the Chilean group stole about $2 million in expensive watches, jewelry, cash and other valuables, including a safe the group later cracked.
Researchers confirm Hall of Famer Bobby Hull had CTE when he died 2 years ago
CHICAGO (AP) -- Bobby Hull's widow says the Hall of Famer and two-time NHL MVP who helped the Chicago Blackhawks win the 1961 Stanley Cup had chronic traumatic encephalopathy when he died two years ago. Researchers at Boston University's CTE Center found that Hull had stage 2 CTE when he died in 2023. He was 84. Hull struggled with short-term memory loss and impaired judgment over his final decade. He chose to donate his brain after seeing former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Stan Mikita decline late in his life. Deborah Hull says Bobby "felt strongly no other family should have to endure CTE." CTE is a degenerative disease that that can be diagnosed only posthumously.
Mbappé hat trick for Real Madrid dumps Man City out of Champions League. PSG and Dortmund advance
Kylian Mbappé scored a hat trick, Erling Haaland stayed on the bench injured and Real Madrid has dumped Manchester City out of the Champions League. Mbappé's trio of goals in a 3-1 win gave Madrid a 6-3 victory on aggregate in their knockout playoff. Paris Saint-Germain beat French rival Brest 7-0 to run up a 10-0 aggregate score. PSV Eindhoven ousted Juventus in the only one of the eight playoffs this week that went to extra time. Defender Ryan Flamingo scored in the 98th minute for a 3-1 win on the night and 4-3 on aggregate. Borussia Dortmund eliminated Sporting Lisbon. The round of 16 draw is made Friday.
College baseball future may see greater imbalance in competition, high school prospects squeezed out
Division I baseball coaches and administrators expect there will be fewer opportunities for high school recruits at the top level of the sport once rosters are reduced and if the NCAA extends athlete eligibility from four to five years. They also predict the removal of scholarship limits and increased earning potential through revenue sharing will create a greater imbalance in competition. All is contingent on a federal judge approving the settlement of antitrust allegations against the NCAA and the nation's biggest conferences. A hearing is set for April 7 and changes would go into effect July 1.
NASCAR deals Daytona 500 pole winner massive fine for 2nd consecutive year
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Daytona 500 pole-winner Chase Briscoe was dealt a major penalty Wednesday when NASCAR said Joe Gibbs Racing had a modified spoiler on the No. 19 Toyota in time trials. Joe Gibbs Racing was docked 100 driver/owner points and 10 playoff points. The spoiler base is a single-source part that cannot be modified and was discovered in NASCAR's inspection process. JGR was also fined $100,000 and crew chief James Small was suspended for four races. Briscoe now goes to Atlanta Motor Speedway with negative 67 points in the standings. He dropped from 10th in the standings to 39th.
A home game for San Antonio, a homecoming for Kevin Durant when Suns and Spurs meet in Austin
Kevin Durant went back to the Bay Area last weekend. He's now going back to school. A nostalgic time for Phoenix's All-Star forward continues Thursday, when Durant and the Suns play San Antonio in Austin, Texas. It'll be both a home game for the Spurs and a homecoming for Durant, since the game brings him back to where he played his one college season with the Longhorns. Durant says "I appreciate the NBA for setting this up. This is a unique time."