Sports
The Los Angeles Clippers Were Finished Until Kawhi Leonard Took Over
The hottest team in the NBA was left for dead around the holidays, looking old and slow with a window as a contender seemingly closed.
Barely a month later, the Clippers have managed to become the comeback story of the year. And yet getting that revival to complete feel-good status remains a work in progress.
Drama enveloped the Clippers early. In October, the NBA began to investigate a report that the team had circumvented the salary cap by compensating star forward Kawhi Leonard through an outside sponsorship deal. The investigation continues.
By early December, their reunion with former star Chris Paul soured and he was sent home from a road trip with the team no longer having a use for his services. Paul’s locker remains but sits empty each game night.
On the court, it was even more embarrassing. The Clippers won just six times over their first 27 games, with 10 of those games coming without Leonard because of more injury issues. While knee pain has railroaded Leonard in recent years, he was slowed by foot and ankle pain this year.
When the Clippers lost 121-101 at Oklahoma City on Dec. 18, they were on a five-game losing streak with losses in 10 of their last 11 games. What followed next was improbable.
On Dec. 20, Clippers blogger and podcaster Robert Flom was at his wit’s end. “If they go 15-3 in any stretch this season I will print and eat this tweet,” Flom posted to X.
Leonard has said he didn’t know anything about the tweet, even as fans in the rowdy “The Wall” section of the two-year-old Intuit Dome chanted “Eat the tweet” last week. But Leonard sure played like a man on a mission.
Starting with their 103-88 victory over the cross-town Los Angeles Lakers shortly after the tweet appeared, the Clippers not only went on a 15-3 run — they added a 16th victory in the stretch with a 115-103 win at Utah on Tuesday.
Once desperate for victories, Tuesday’s triumph over the Jazz was about revenge. After all, the Clippers’ early-season mess started with an uncompetitive 129-108 loss at Utah on opening night.
From hopeless to vengeful, all in a short period of time, is the arc of cinema.
A 6-21 start seemed like the signal to tank and maximize their first-round draft pick. But the Clippers did not have that option. The champion Thunder own L.A.’s first-round pick following the unfulfilling Paul George trade before the 2019-20 season.
Making matters worse is that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also went to the Thunder in the deal.
This season, the Clippers actually have nothing to lose for.
With Leonard back to full strength, the game plan from head coach Tyronn Lue was to lean into the six-time All-Star like never before. On defense, a frenetic new approach — while playing without big man Ivica Zubac for a stretch — awakened the team.
Leonard’s game has always operated with a team-wide approach. Sure, he scored, but he was just as inclined to get others involved. Even with the Clippers, while playing alongside James Harden and Zubac, Leonard had been just as willing to pass as to score.
A quicker tempo on offense now has Leonard leading the charge. His 8.6 attempts from three-point range over the team’s recent run of success is well above his 4.3 career mark and his 6.0 number over his first 17 games of the season.
Since Dec. 20, Leonard is scoring 31.1 points per game. It has him up to 27.9 on the season, ahead of his 27.1 mark in 2019-20 when he first joined the Clippers and his 21.2 mark in 2015-16 with the San Antonio Spurs, when he finished second in MVP voting.
Harden has settled into 19.3 points per game since Dec. 20 as the team’s secondary scoring threat. It is below his season average of 25.4 points. He has also improved to 3.3 turnovers a game during the run, as opposed to 3.9 over his first 25 games.
Now comes the hard part. The Clippers are not young. Only recently have fresh faces like Jordan Miller, Kobe Sanders and Yanic Konan Niederhauser been asked to make significant contributions. Young energy has been refreshing.
But the veterans make it go. Can Leonard, at 34, keep delivering with a heavy load? Can Harden, at 36, continue to run the offense? Zubac is still 28, but three-point threat Nico Batum is 37.
Almost at .500 for the first time this season, the Clippers will continue to press their luck and step on the gas. They have no other choice.
And for the record, Flom printed the tweet and ate it Monday during an episode of the Clips N Dip podcast, even after Leonard doubted the health benefits.
Welcome to our weekly PGA Tour gambling-tips column, featuring picks from GOLF.com’s expert prognosticator, Brady Kannon. A seasoned golf bettor and commentator, Kannon is a host and regular guest on SportsGrid, a syndicated audio network devoted to sports and sports betting, and is a golf betting analyst for CBS Sportsline. You can follow Brady on Twitter at @LasVegasGolfer, and you can read his picks below for the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational, which gets underway Thursday in Orlando, Fla.
As the PGA Tour shifts from west to east and the season’s first major championship nears ever closer, a heavy dose of big-boy events is currently dominating the Tour calendar. The Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill will mark the third Signature Event in four weeks — and next week is another with the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. Like Riviera two weeks ago, the API is another 72-player field that features a 36-hole cut. The top 50 players and ties will make it to the weekend, along with anyone sitting within 10 shots of the lead.
Bay Hill Club & Lodge was originally designed by Dick Wilson and Joe Lee but later became Arnold Palmer’s baby and like Arnie liked to do, he tweaked the golf course many times over. What we have now feels like the masterpiece: a par 72 course that stretches to nearly 7,500 yards and features relatively narrow fairways and large, firm, and fast Bermudagrass greens. This will mark the third straight season that the tournament has been classified as Signature status on Tour. It is very much a Florida-style track with 84 sand bunkers, palm trees, thick, penal rough. It’s susceptible to extreme winds, and nine of the 18 holes feature water hazards that are very much in play.
Certainly much of the agronomy is different at Bay Hill than at Riviera but what remains the same is both are stern tests of golf that will require a player do just about everything very well. Both accuracy and distance are needed off the tee. Ball striking is crucial, and even though the greens are large, hitting them in regulation is difficult. The rough is especially thick. Scrambling around the greens is paramount – and then putting on these fast and firm surfaces is a real challenge.
;)
2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational odds: Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy battle for betting favorite
There isn’t necessarily one or two areas of emphasis that lead to success on this golf course but more so, every club in the bag needs to be firing at a high level. One particular stat that is worth noting is Hole Proximity from 200+ yards, as Bay Hill, when including the par 3 holes, has more approach shots of this length than any other regular Tour stop golf course. So add long-iron play to your long list of necessities this week.
Course form has proven to be a strong indicator here at Bay Hill and so has Open Championship or links golf success. The forecast is calling for winds in the 10-15 MPH range with chances of thunderstorms looming in the afternoons. For correlated courses this week, I used TPC Scottsdale – Scottie Scheffler being a recent example of a player that has won twice at both venues. I also used TPC Craig Ranch, another venue that is home to a Scheffler victory. Finally, from a links perspective, I used the Renaissance Club where they play the Genesis Scottish Open, Royal Portrush (yet another place Scheffler has won), and Royal St. George’s, home to the 2021 Open Championship.
Tommy Fleetwood (20-1)
The last time we landed on the Englishman, he cashed an outright win for us at the Tour Championship last August. He’s played twice so far on Tour this season, finishing fourth at Pebble Beach and seventh two weeks ago at the Genesis Invitational. He’s twice been 10th here at Bay Hill and once finished third. Fleetwood finished runner-up at Royal Portrush in 2019 and has finished fourth and sixth at the Scottish Open. Over the last 24 rounds, he ranks third in this field for Scrambling and 13th in Hole Proximity from 200+ yards.
Matt Fitzpatrick (25-1)
Another Englishman that has been playing wonderful golf this season, Fitzpatrick finished top 10 earlier this year in Phoenix at TPC Scottsdale and ranks fourth on Tour for Strokes Gained: Approach. Over the last 24 rounds, he is fourth in this field for Hole Proximity from 200+ yards. He’s finished ninth, 14th, and 22nd here at Bay Hill, 20th and fourth at Royal Portrush, and fourth and sixth at the Scottish Open.
Hideki Matsuyama (37-1)
The last time we were on Matsuyama he lost in a playoff in Phoenix to Chris Gotterup. That was his second runner-up finish in Phoenix, a place he’s also won twice. He’s been as high as sixth here at Bay Hill and third at TPC Craig Ranch. Matsuyama ranks second in this field for Hole Proximity from 200 yards or more and is No. 1 on Tour in Scrambling. His kryptonite this season has been off the tee. If he can find more fairways this week, he will be tough to beat. Despite losing strokes off the tee to begin this season, Matsuyama has finished 13-11-2-8-28 in five starts. I have to hope that a week off between starts helped him work things out with the driver. I do believe that when Matsuyama has his A-game, he is one of the few players in the world who can beat Scheffler and McIlroy.
;)
Getty Images
Robert MacIntyre (58-1)
Like Matsuyama, the Scotsman really just has one soft spot this season and that is with his approach play. Everything else has been solid and the short game has been magnificent. MacIntyre finished fourth in Hawaii to begin the year and was 20th two weeks ago at Riviera. He finished 11th here at Arnie’s place last season and two starts prior to that, took sixth in Phoenix. His links prowess is some of the best in the game, finishing sixth at Royal Portrush in 2019 and seventh last summer. He was eighth at Royal St. George’s in 2021 and went from runner-up to outright winner at the Scottish Open in 2023 and 2024.
Nicolai Hojgaard (60-1)
Hojgaard was red-hot last week at the Cognizant Classic over the weekend. After making the cut on the number, he shot 66-65, the lowest weekend total in the field, to finish sixth. A few weeks before that, he was third at TPC Scottsdale. He was 14th at The Open Championship at Royal Portrush last July and has finished fourth and sixth at the Scottish Open. Over the last 24 rounds, Hojgaard ranks 15th in this field for SG: Approach, sixth for Driving Distance, and is 19th for Hole Proximity from 200+ yards. He is 10th on Tour for SG: Off the Tee and is 44th in Scrambling.
Even though the women’s world championship is just around the corner, two-time defending champ Team Rachel Homan will be sitting at home, watching on the television like everyone else.
In order to reach the women’s world championship in Canada, you need to win the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, something Homan’s team didn’t compete in this season.
However, according to Homan’s longtime teammate Emma Miskew, who has won five Scotties championships, it’s not because the team didn’t want to be there.
Miskew and teammates Homan, Tracy Fleury and Sarah Wilkes are coming off an Olympic bronze-medal win just over a week ago at Milano Cortina 2026.
But, now, their season as a team is over.
To wear the maple leaf at the Olympic Games, you have to win the trials, which Homan easily did. With the win, however, came a decision made by Curling Canada in the summer of 2025 that was relayed to all the teams competing at those trials.
Curling Canada “strongly recommended” the winner shouldn’t compete in the Scotties because of its proximity to the Olympics.
“Our viewpoint was based on focusing performance on the Olympics, and with the four-player teams’ departure scheduled for a couple days after the conclusion of the Scotties, it was determined that it would not be in the best interest of the women’s trials winners to compete in the Scotties, and go through the pressure and rigours of potentially 10 days of competition, and then turn around and fly to Europe and compete in an even more pressure-packed event less than two weeks later,” a Curling Canada spokesperson told Sportsnet.
“The teams and entire high-performance program understand that rest and preparation for the Olympics is paramount over competing in the Nationals.”
The Scotties took place from Jan. 23 to Feb. 1, while the women’s discipline at the Olympic event began on Feb. 12.
Miskew understands that logic.
“(Playing in the Scotties) probably wouldn’t be ideal prep heading into an Olympics,” she said.
But there are also larger issues, Miskew said.
“I think our biggest issue with it is that for the last 16 years now, so, multiple (quadrennials), the men can do both and the women cannot,” she said. “It’s always this scheduling-conflict reason, but no one has ever made any effort to change the schedule so that it doesn’t only affect the women.”
Not only did Miskew and her rink lose out on defending their Scotties championship for the third year in a row, but they also lost out on up to $100,000 of prize money.
“One of the biggest things about it too is the prize purse at the Scotties and the Brier is substantial, and we aren’t given the opportunity to play for any of that purse, nor do you get any compensation for winning the trials,” Miskew said on the podcast. “So, yeah, we were just a little disappointed that it’s continuing to be an issue where there’s an inequality between the men and the women.”
Asked by Sportsnet if Team Homan will receive compensation for winning trials and not getting to compete in the Scotties, a Curling Canada spokesperson replied, “They had access to financial incentives and support through the Canadian Olympic Committee, based on Olympic qualification and performance.”
Miskew said that when word was starting to spread that they chose not to go to the Scotties, Curling Canada didn’t tell people why.
“No one piped up from Curling Canada and said, ‘Actually, we said they couldn’t go.’ So, it made it look (bad), and, especially too, because the Scotties were in Mississauga (and) we’ve repped Ontario for years,” Miskew said. “We had a lot of people that bought tickets and stuff expecting us to be there.”
The spokesperson for Curling Canada said, “We did (put out a comment). Our response was distributed to media outlets that were asking this question in December.” In a story published on Dec. 2, The Canadian Press cited a statement provided by Curling Canada that said Team Homan would “not return to defend” its title, but more specifics were not given.
Curling Canada’s ticket announcement said, “With Team Rachel Homan’s victory at the Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials … her trip to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy means she will not play as Team Canada at the 2026 Scotties.” No further reason was cited.
Would Team Homan have played if the schedule had been changed?
“It’s hard to know because we knew we weren’t given the option. Maybe we would have not played like the (Players’ Championship) and then done the Scotties,” Miskew said. “We don’t fully know what we would have decided to do, but we weren’t given a choice. Or, if it was like a week earlier, probably would have been a great opportunity to get some games.”
Miskew pointed to the fact Brad Jacobs (who won the Olympic gold medal) was allowed to play in the Brier that started just six days after his gold-medal match.
“Jacobs is (playing in the Brier). They’re probably tired, but (Curling Canada) doesn’t care because they’ve already played the Olympics, got the result, and now they can go and play free, for a good sum of money,” Miskew told John Cullen on the Broom Brothers podcast.
“Realistically, (Jacobs) is going to make the playoffs, which comes with at least 30 or 40 grand or whatever it is. I mean, it’s not even all about the money. It’s kind of the principle, too.”
Dates for the Scotties during the next Olympic year are already set and, if nothing changes, the same problem would happen. The Scotties are scheduled for Jan. 18-27, 2030, while the first day of the Olympics is Feb. 1, 2030.
So, will Curling Canada look into changing the schedule?
“Curling Canada will be discussing the schedule with the Athlete Council to get more feedback before we finalize any plans for the 2030 quadrennial. Changing dates would create some issues with other events such as the Grand Slam of Curling, the Rock League, and our Member Associations and their playdown systems but we will look at all avenues before making any final decisions for the next quadrennial,” the spokesperson said, adding shifting dates would create “many domino effects for other curling stakeholders.”
A spokesperson for The Curling Group, which owns the Rock League and Grand Slam of Curling, said it hasn’t nailed down dates beyond the 2027-28 season for Rock League or GSOC events.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Olympians cannot help but marvel at one another.
“Self Magazine” asked numerous Olympic and Paralympic athletes who their “Olympic crush” is, and several stars were not afraid to give their answers.
Gold medal figure skater Alysa Liu named a summer Olympian.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Gold medal winner Alysa Liu and Amber Glenn during the Olympic Figure Skating Exhibition Gala at the Milano Ice Skating Arena on Feb. 21, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (Tim Clayton/Getty Images)
“I think my Olympic crush is probably Suni Lee. She’s so pretty and very stylized. You know what I’m saying? I like that, yeah,” Liu said of the two-time gold medalist.
Another figure skater, Amber Glenn, also went with a gymnast.
“I have many Olympic crushes. Laurie Hernandez,” Glenn said. “I love that she’s openly queer and that she is completely herself, a little bit of a nerd, just like me.”
Hernandez was part of the 2016 team in Rio that won gold. She earned silver on the balance beam.
Laurie Hernandez at the 2016 Rio Olympics. (Reuters)
Speed skater Brittany Bowe was asked the same question, but it wasn’t that difficult for her — she is engaged to women’s hockey captain Hilary Knight.
“There’s no thinking outside the box on that one,” she joked.
The two became engaged the day before Knight’s team won gold over Canada. Knight shared the moment on social media, captioning a video of the two athletes in matching Team USA gear, “Olympics brought us together. This one made us forever.”
Kendall Coyne, left, and Hilary Knight celebrate after the victory ceremony for women’s ice hockey at the Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 19, 2026. (Hassan Ammar/AP Photo)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The United States brought home 12 gold medals from Milan, setting a new personal best for the Winter Olympics. The country’s previous record was 10, which it accomplished in Salt Lake City 24 years ago.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Related Article
Where has this Wolves resurgence come from?
Wolves are doomed for relegation, sitting 14 points adrift from safety with 10 games to go. But if we’re being honest, they haven’t looked like a team destined for the drop as of late.
Molineux has witnessed two of the biggest upsets of the season over the past two weeks, with Rob Edwards’ men first holding leaders Arsenal to a 2-2 draw before stunning high-flying Aston Villa with a comfortable 2-0 win!
Both results could well prove pivotal to both sides in achieving their respective ambitions – whether that be title or Champions League-based – and with Liverpool also in the hunt for top five, can Wolves hurt another of the division’s top teams?
Will Castle3 March 2026 17:45
James Milner: Jurgen Klopp told me to have a break when I retire – but then I’m running marathons
Here’s our interview with legendary former Liverpool midfielder James Milner, who broke the record for most Premier League appearances last weekend…
Walking into Brighton’s Elite Football Performance Centre, I was swiftly approached by a member of the club’s communications team. “Have you got the frames?” he asked this bemused writer, who only had his phone, laptop and notepad with him. It turns out he was after a different Will; not from The Independent, but from Guinness World Records. We were both here for James Milner.
For Milner, his record-breaking 654th Premier League appearance was just another game. “Massive victory on the road, delighted for the boys and travelling fans, thanks for the support,” read his very ordinary Instagram post, with the comments limited, after Brighton’s hard-fought win at Brentford. No self-congratulations, no fuss. It was very run-of-the-Milner.
The 40-year-old had his priorities straight. “I’ve always just tried to get on with my job and keep my head down really,” Milner said, ironically surrounded by journalists – and the aforementioned GWR dignitary, adorned in the trademark blue blazer and tie – who had all congregated on the south coast to discuss his remarkable milestone. “I know obviously there’s been a lot of talk around this sort of thing, but for me, I just want to do my job and [was] especially pleased to get the win, that was so important for us at the weekend. So to contribute to that, that’s always number one.”
Will Castle3 March 2026 17:30
Arne Slot admits he gets no ‘joy’ from Premier League set-piece dominance
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has expressed a distinct lack of enjoyment for the current style of football prevalent in the Premier League, though he concedes it represents “the new reality” of the game.
“First of all you have to accept it. I think it is mainly here in the Premier League; if I watch other leagues I don’t think there is so much emphasis on set-pieces,” he stated, drawing a stark contrast with the Eredivisie, where he observes goals disallowed and fouls on goalkeepers called more frequently.
“Here you can almost hit a goalkeeper in his face the referee will say just go on. Do I like it? My football heart doesn’t like it. Now most of the games I see in the Premier League are not, for me, a joy to watch.
“But it is always interesting because it is so competitive and that’s what makes this league great because there is so much competitiveness – everyone can win against everyone.”
Will Castle3 March 2026 17:15
The first time was so nice…
It’s not often that two teams play each other in an identical fixture twice in the space of three days.
But that’s the scenario that Wolves and Liverpool find themselves in, playing tonight in the Premier League before squaring up in the FA Cup on Friday.
One less team to study match footage of, I guess.
Will Castle3 March 2026 17:10
Predicted line-ups
Wolves XI: Sa; Mosquera, S Bueno, T Gomes; Tchatchoua, A Gomes, J Gomes, H Bueno; Arokodare, Mane; Armstrong.
Liverpool XI: Alisson; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Ekitike.
Will Castle3 March 2026 17:08
Liverpool team news
Florian Wirtz remains unavailable for Liverpool after suffering a back injury in the warm-up ahead of their match at Nottingham Forest.
Jeremie Frimpong, meanwhile, made his comeback from a hamstring problem against West Ham, easing pressure on Liverpool’s problem position of right-back.
Will Castle3 March 2026 17:06
Wolves team news
Wolves will likely bring in Angel Gomes to join his namesake Joao Gomes in a double pivot after Andre sustained an injury last time out.
Teenage starlet Mateus Mane, who is rumoured to have admirers at Anfield, is near-certain to start.
Will Castle3 March 2026 17:04
When is Wolves vs Liverpool?
Wolves’ meeting with Liverpool kicks off at 8:15pm GMT on Tuesday 3 March at Molineux.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the UK can watch the game on TNT Sports 1, with coverage starting at 7pm GMT. Subscribers can also stream the match on discovery+.
Will Castle3 March 2026 17:02
Wolves vs Liverpool live
Despite being 14 points off safety, Wolves have not looked like a side doomed for relegation of late, with Rob Edwards’ side boasting results against teams in the top four in their last two home outings. They notched a late draw against leaders Arsenal two weeks ago before dispatching high-flying Aston Villa in a Midlands derby on Friday night.
Liverpool will be seeing a lot of Wolverhampton this week, with tonight’s clash coming just three days before they return to the Black Country to face this opposition in the FA Cup fifth round.
Will Castle3 March 2026 17:00
Terence Crawford retired off the back of a victory over Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. Coach Brian McIntyre was instrumental in the gameplan to make that happen.
‘Bud’ Crawford moved up two divisions from his previous outing to challenge for Canelo’s undisputed super-middleweight world title, fighting his way to a unanimous decision victory to become champion in a fifth weight class.
The 38-year-old from Omaha, Nebraska announced his retirement not long after, calling time on an undefeated campaign that was helmed by trainer ‘BoMac’ from start to finish after they had worked together in the amateur ranks.
With Canelo set to return in September in pursuit of more world titles, BoMac believes he has the man to stop that happening: Lester Martinez.
Speaking to Pro Box TV, the acclaimed trainer talked up his charge’s chances, and said Crawford had to raise his game when sparring Martinez prior to the Alvarez fight.
“People are starting to talk about Lester Martinez. It’s great, man. He fits right in there. I personally feel he could beat Canelo. You know we got the blueprint, right?
“He damn sure [helped Crawford]. It was great work. That is where you saw Bud’s greatness come in, by switching up his styles, what he to do to get the work in with Lester. Lester, one of his weaknesses [could] sometimes play against him, but [he] got past that and to push Terence to a level where he needed to go and to get out there and do what he wanted to do in the [Canelo] fight. It was phenomenal.”
Martinez fought Christian Mbilli for the WBC interim title on the undercard of Canelo–Crawford, with the bout ending in a split draw. Mbilli, after retaining the interim belt, has now been upgraded to full champion in the wake of Crawford’s retirement.
A rematch was ordered in the wake of the fight and may still take place, with Mbilli currently weighing up his options for his first defence, another of which being Canelo himself.
Guatemala’s Martinez has time on his side at 30 years old and just 20 fights into his campaign, and many feel a world title is within his reach, particularly with the brain of BoMac in the corner. Should the opportunity to face the Mexican icon present itself, the coach believes he can solve that puzzle once more. First up is Immanuwel Aleem on March 21, again for the interim WBC strap.
Galatasaray have dismissed reports claiming that Victor Osimhen and some of his teammates are owed unpaid salaries.
In recent days, several Turkish media outlets reported that the Nigeria striker had not been paid for two or three months. The rumours gained more attention after Osimhen did not celebrate some of his recent goals.
One moment that raised questions was his calm reaction after scoring against Juventus in the UEFA Champions League knockout stage. Some fans suggested his muted celebration was linked to the alleged salary issues.
Osimhen later explained that he chose not to celebrate out of respect for Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti, his former coach at Napoli. However, the speculation continued despite his clarification.
Galatasaray president Dursun Özbek has now responded firmly to the claims. The 76-year-old businessman insisted that the club has paid all players in full and on time.
He said reports of unpaid wages were false and disrespectful to the professionalism of the players. According to him, Galatasaray have not defaulted on any salary payments and do not owe any player outstanding wages. He added that bonuses and incentives are also paid as agreed.
While the debate continues off the pitch, Galatasaray are enjoying an impressive season.
Under coach Okan Buruk, they currently lead the Turkish Süper Lig by four points ahead of rivals Fenerbahçe. In Europe, they have reached the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 12 years, where they will face Liverpool.
Domestically, they are also preparing for a Turkish Cup fixture against Alanyaspor.
Osimhen has played a major role in the club’s success this season. The Super Eagles forward has scored seven goals in the Champions League and 10 in the league.
However, he is expected to miss the cup game against Alanyaspor as the club manages his fitness ahead of the important league derby against Beşiktaş this weekend.
YouTuber KSI buys a minority stake in Dagenham & Redbridge and says he wants to take the sixth-tier club to the Premier League.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The World Baseball Classic is right around the corner, and Team USA is looking to avenge their loss to Team Japan in the finals.
Team Japan beat Team USA 3-2 in thrilling fashion to win in 2023, when Shohei Ohtani struck out Mike Trout in an electric battle to end the game. Ohtani and Trout were teammates on the Los Angeles Angels at the time of the game.
The tournament begins on Wednesday, March 4, but Team USA does not play until Friday night. New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge is Team USA’s captain.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Aaron Judge (99) of Team USA looks on during a workout at Papago Park Sports Complex in Phoenix, Arizona, on March 2, 2026. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
There are five teams in each pool, and each team will play four games over six days during pool play. The United States, Mexico, Italy, Great Britain and Brazil are in Pool B. They will play their pool games at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas.
Eight of the 20 teams will advance to the quarterfinals, which are single elimination. The semifinals begin a day after the quarterfinals end, and the final will be played Tuesday, March 17.
Before Team USA officially begins the tournament, they will play the San Francisco Giants in an exhibition game on Tuesday. Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes will start in that game. Team USA will play the Colorado Rockies in an exhibition game on Wednesday.
(L-R) Byron Buxton (25), Kyle Schwarber (12), Roman Anthony (3) and Aaron Judge (99) of Team USA walk from the field during a workout at Papago Park Sports Complex in Phoenix, Arizona, on March 2, 2026. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
Below is a list of Team USA’s schedule during pool play and who will start for them.
Friday, March 6 – USA and Brazil – 8 p.m. ET – FOX/FOX Deportes – Giants ace Logan Webb will start
Saturday, March 7 – Great Britain and USA – 8 p.m. ET – FOX – Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal will start
Sunday, March 8 – Mexico and USA – 8 p.m. ET – FOX/FOXD – Skenes will start
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Pitcher Paul Skenes (30) of Team USA throws during a workout at Papago Park Sports Complex in Phoenix, Arizona, on March 2, 2026. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
Tuesday, March 10 – Italy and USA – 9 p.m. ET – FS1/FOXD – New York Mets rookie Nolan McLean is scheduled to start
If the United States advances out of pool play, the quarterfinals begin on Friday, March 13.
The FOX Sports family of networks (FOX, FS1, FS2, FOX Deportes), the FOX Sports App and Tubi will combine to air all 47 games of the World Baseball Classic.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Related Article
English Football League clubs are set to cast a crucial vote on Thursday concerning a significant expansion of the Championship play-offs for the upcoming season.
The proposal aims to increase the number of participating teams from four to six, mirroring the National League’s model.
Should the motion pass, the top two teams in England’s second tier would still secure automatic promotion, but the play-off spots would extend to those finishing between third and eighth.
This would be a departure from the current system, which involves only teams placed third to sixth.
The vote, scheduled for late Thursday morning, requires a majority from all EFL clubs, alongside a separate majority among Championship clubs, to be carried.
Thursday’s decision, it is understood, will focus solely on the principle of expanding the play-offs, with the precise format to be determined at a later stage, potentially during the league’s annual general meeting this summer.
The National League’s six-team format sees clubs finishing fourth and seventh, and fifth and sixth, face off in single-leg eliminators.
The winners then progress to join the second and third-placed teams in the semi-finals.
Last season, Oldham Athletic notably triumphed in the National League play-offs despite finishing 23 points adrift of second-placed York, a result that intensified discussions around the limited two promotion spots from the fifth tier to League Two.
While a debate concerning a potential increase of National League promotions to three teams is anticipated, no vote on this matter will take place this week.
Such a decision would necessitate the prior distribution of full briefing papers and voting slips.
The two-day all-club meeting, which commenced on Wednesday, also includes addresses from David Kogan and Richard Monks, the chair and chief executive of the Independent Football Regulator.
Kogan recently called for a new financial settlement to be agreed between the Premier League and EFL amid fears that relegation is a “near death sentence” for some clubs.
Iowa State dropped to a No. 4 seed in CBS Sports Bracketology following its 73-57 loss at No. 2 Arizona on Monday night. It marked the Cyclones’ third loss in their last four games and underscored just how tightly packed teams in the Nos. 2-4 seed range are with less than two weeks until Selection Sunday.
Less than two weeks ago, Iowa State landed as the fourth No. 1 seed in the March Madness bracket preview. But with little separating teams 6-14 in the overall seeding hierarchy, recent struggles have come with a cost for the Cyclones, who are still a solid 14-6 across Quad 1 and Quad 2 games.
Texas Tech rose from a No. 4 seed to a No. 3 seed to replace Iowa State as it continues thriving without star forward JT Toppin. The Red Raiders have won three straight since losing their leading scorer and leading rebounder for the season due to a knee injury. In that time, they have hit 45.1% of their 3-pointers. Among their victories is a Saturday road win over Iowa State that could be especially impactful if the selection committee compares the teams side-by-side.
Here is a glimpse at how the CBS Sports Bracketology model sees the top of the bracket entering a busy Tuesday of action.
Bracketology top seeds
Check out the full field of 68 at the CBS Sports Bracketology hub.
Movement since the preview
Another faller since the Feb. 21 bracket preview is Purdue. The Boilermakers landed on the No. 2 line when the selection committee offered its annual glimpse at the top 16 overall seeds. Now the Boilermakers are a No. 3 seed following consecutive losses to Michigan State and Ohio State.
Among those on the rise since the bracket preview is Michigan State. The Spartans are on a four-game winning streak and now reside on the No. 2 seed line in CBS Sports Bracketology after landing as a No. 4 seed in the committee’s preview. Florida and UConn have also risen in our model. The Huskies landed as the top No. 2 seed in the bracket preview but are the fourth No. 1 seed in CBS Sports Bracketology following recent losses from former No. 1 seed contenders like Iowa State, Houston and Purdue.
After landing as a No. 3 seed in the bracket preview, Florida is now nipping at UConn’s heels for the final No. 1 seed. The Gators can wrap up an outright SEC title with a win over Mississippi State on Tuesday. Alabama has also quietly risen from a No. 5 seed in CBS Sports Bracketology to a No. 3 seed while piecing together an eight-game winning streak highlighted by this past Saturday’s road win over Tennessee.
Rematch rules
Amid conference consolidation and the proliferation of nonconference matchups between high-major schools, the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee faces challenges in attempting to avoid regular-season rematches. The 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket featured three potential second-round games between conference teams, although none came to fruition.
The committee will still seek to minimize conference meetings and nonconference rematches, and our model is coded to do the same. However, NCAA bracketing principles permit games between conference teams in the second round, so long as the teams played each other just once before the NCAA Tournament. For conference teams that met twice prior to the NCAA Tournament, principles state they should not meet prior to the Sweet 16. If the teams played three times, NCAA bracketing principles state they should not play before the Elite Eight.
Concerning rematches of nonconference games, NCAA bracketing principles state that they should be avoided “in the First Four and first round.” The committee will also “attempt to avoid” nonconference rematches in the second round. But the committee has historically prioritized keeping teams on their natural seed line over changing their seed line for the sake of avoiding a rematch.
5 picks our expert loves
Big screen, real OLED, huge discount: this LG deal is easy to like
‘Facing the unimaginable’: Community rallies to support family after sudden death of young mum
-
Politics5 days agoITV enters Gaza with IDF amid ongoing genocide
-
Fashion4 days agoWeekend Open Thread: Iris Top
-
Politics11 hours agoAlan Cumming Brands Baftas Ceremony A ‘Triggering S**tshow’
-
Tech3 days agoUnihertz’s Titan 2 Elite Arrives Just as Physical Keyboards Refuse to Fade Away
-
Business7 days agoTrue Citrus debuts functional drink mix collection
-
NewsBeat6 days agoCuba says its forces have killed four on US-registered speedboat | World News
-
Sports4 days ago
The Vikings Need a Duck
-
NewsBeat3 days agoDubai flights cancelled as Brit told airspace closed ’10 minutes after boarding’
-
NewsBeat6 days agoManchester Central Mosque issues statement as it imposes new measures ‘with immediate effect’ after armed men enter
-
NewsBeat3 days agoThe empty pub on busy Cambridge road that has been boarded up for years
-
NewsBeat2 days ago‘Significant’ damage to boarded-up Horden house after fire
-
NewsBeat3 days agoAbusive parents will now be treated like sex offenders and placed on a ‘child cruelty register’ | News UK
-
NewsBeat7 days agoPolice latest as search for missing woman enters day nine
-
Entertainment1 day agoBaby Gear Guide: Strollers, Car Seats
-
Business6 days agoDiscord Pushes Implementation of Global Age Checks to Second Half of 2026
-
Business5 days agoOnly 4% of women globally reside in countries that offer almost complete legal equality
-
Tech4 days agoNASA Reveals Identity of Astronaut Who Suffered Medical Incident Aboard ISS
-
Politics3 days ago
FIFA hypocrisy after Israel murder over 400 Palestinian footballers
-
Crypto World7 days agoEntering new markets without increasing payment costs
-
NewsBeat2 days agoEmirates confirms when flights will resume amid Dubai airport chaos