sports news update

Both Simons and Stanley are shooting guards and have never competed in the dunk contest before. It looks like the slate if contestants for this year's NBA Slam Dunk Contest is almost complete now that shooting guards Anfernee Simons and Cassius Stanley are expected to participate in the competition, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski . On Friday, it was reported by The Athletic's Shams Charania that Knicks forward Obi Toppin would be participating in the dunk contest as well. If this dunk contest is like those before it, then there should be room for one final contestant. The dunk contest will be held directly before the All-Star Game that is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. EST on March 7 on TNT.  Simons, a 6'3" second-year player with the Trail Blazers, is averaging 8.5 points a game and shooting 41% from three-point range. Stanley is a 6'5" wing with the Pacers but only averages four minutes of playing time per night.  Toppin is a rookie ...

Michigan added Texas Tech transfer Alan Bowman on Sunday after a pair of departures at the quarterback position. Former Texas Tech quarterback Alan Bowman announced his decision to transfer to Michigan on Sunday.  Bowman entered the transfer portal in January. He threw for 1,602 yards in eight starts last season, finishing the year with 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions.  Bowman joins Michigan after two quarterbacks left the program over the last two months. Senior Dylan McCaffrey announced his decision to transfer to Northern Colorado in January, and junior Joe Milton entered the transfer portal on Feb. 18. Bowman will now likely compete for the starting spot at Michigan alongside junior Cade McNamara and freshman J.J. McCarthy. McNamara threw for 425 yards and five touchdowns last season. McCarthy is the No. 2 pro-style quarterback in the class of 2021, per the 247Sports composite rankings . Michigan's offense has sputtered in recent years unde...

The San Antonio Spurs look to continue their winning ways despite being short-handed and with changing rotations when they host the Brooklyn Nets on Monday in the first of a back-to-back against teams from New York City. San Antonio will battle the Knicks on Tuesday to complete the two-games-in-two-nights set. The Spurs have won three of their past four games, including a 117-114 victory over New Orleans on Saturday as DeMar DeRozan returned from personal leave, scored 32 points and matched a season high with 11 assists. It was the Spurs' first victory since they were forced to postpone four game because of COVID-19. Keldon Johnson, Derrick White, Rudy Gay, Devin Vassell and Quinndary Weatherspoon were held out for San Antonio because of health and safety protocols. "Players want to play," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said after the win. "The guys that fill in for people that are hurt, they don't want their teammates to be hurt, but if they are they want...

The Utah Jazz have the best record in the NBA. They have lost consecutive games just once this season. They'll try to continue rolling when they visit the erratic New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night. The Jazz avoided a potential second consecutive loss when they beat the Magic 124-109 on Saturday in Orlando. Utah got off to a sluggish start as it completed a back-to-back, having lost at Miami 124-116 the night before. "We're not allowed to be tired," said coach Quin Snyder, whose team is now 5-1 on the back end of games on consecutive days. Donovan Mitchell was scoreless in the first quarter but scored 15 of his 31 points in the third quarter as the Jazz pulled away from a four-point halftime lead. Utah scored 70 points in the second half. "The way we started the game we weren't pushing the ball as much as we wanted to, and we didn't get some of the catch-and-shoot threes," Snyder said. "I think we just committed to that. "I felt ...

The Dallas Mavericks look to end their final road swing before the NBA All-Star break with a win on Monday when they face the slumping Orlando Magic. Dallas opened its three-game, Eastern Conference trip Feb. 25 with a 111-97 loss at Philadelphia but rebounded on Saturday to snap the Brooklyn Nets' eight-game winning streak in a 115-98 rout. Kristaps Porzingis scored 18 points and grabbed four rebounds in his return to the lineup from a three-game absence, the result of lower-back tightness. Perhaps more crucial to the Mavericks' win were Porzingis' three blocked shots. "His rim protection and defense was the best that it's been all year," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said in his postgame press conference. "It just shows the amount of work that he's been putting in over the last 10 or 11 days." Porzingis' performance came amid rumors of trade talk involving the 7-foot-3 post player. "I don't know what's going on behind the sc...

The Philadelphia 76ers will look to rebound from a disappointing loss when they host the Indiana Pacers on Monday. The Sixers fell 112-109 in overtime at home to the undermanned Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday. It's unclear whether Tobias Harris will be able to return from a right knee contusion. Harris missed the game against the Cavaliers and it was evident that the Sixers were a different team without their standout swingman. Joel Embiid had 42 points and 13 rebounds while Ben Simmons added 24 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Without Harris and with Seth Curry missing 12 of his 13 field-goal attempts, the Sixers came up short. "I thought we just came out flat. Zero energy tonight ... which shows you just a lack of discipline," Sixers coach Doc Rivers said. It was only the third home loss all season for the Sixers, who ended the night a half-game ahead of the Brooklyn Nets for first place in the Eastern Conference. The bench, which provided 46 points in ...

Kevin Durant will still be an All-Star Game captain even though he won't be appearing in the game itself. Kevin Durant will still be an All-Star Game captain even though he won't be appearing in the game itself, according to ESPN's Rachel Nichols . It is unclear if Durant will be in attendance at next Sunday's exhibition in Atlanta. On Friday, the NBA announced that Durant would not play in the NBA All-Star Game because of a left hamstring strain, which has caused him to miss the last seven games. This season, the 11-time All-Star is averaging 29 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game in 19 appearances. Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis was named Durant's injury replacement, while Celtics forward Jayson Tatum will replace Durant in the starter pool for the All-Star draft. Lakers forward LeBron James will captain the opposing All-Star Game team. The NBA All-Star Draft will air on TNT on Thursday, March 4 at 8 p.m. ET, with the game set to take place next...

Former Notre Dame star defensive tackle Louis Nix was found dead on Saturday after previously being reported missing. Former Notre Dame star defensive tackle Louis Nix was found dead on Saturday after he was previously reported missing, members of his family told two Jacksonville television stations. He was 29. According to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Nix was last seen leaving his father's residence on Wednesday morning. On Saturday evening, in the wake of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office issuing an advisory earlier that day  saying it was attempting to locate Nix, the JSO announced Nix had been found, but did not go into detail on his condition . However, CBS/Fox affiliate Action News Jax reported that Nix's mother confirmed Nix had died. WJXT TV-4 reported Nix's death according to family members, citing that Nix's brother told WJXT TV-4 on Saturday night that Nix is “gone.” According to the Florida Times-Union , Jacksonville police are investi...

The kick is up and...no good? See how the referees cost Eastern Washington three points against Idaho. The fifth down. Maradona's Hand of God goal. And now, Eastern Washington's made field goal that wasn't enters into the lore of worst officiating mistakes of all time. That's the level of referee malpractice that occurred in Saturday night's FCS matchup between the Eagles and Idaho. Take a look and try to figure out how the officials deemed this chip-shot field goal attempt from Eastern Washington's Seth Harrison no good. The footage isn't IMAX quality, but the ball can clearly be seen going through the uprights. The official underneath the right goal post isn't quite in position as the ball is kicked, and is clearly confused after the ball ricochets off the scoreboard. After a moment of what I can only assume was deep contemplation, he waves his arms to signal no good. The play happened with just over 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter and ...

One Sheriff shared photos of Kobe Bryant's remains with a bartender and other civilians, including niece. Vanessa Bryant wants the names of the Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies who she alleges took unauthorized photos of the 2020 helicopter crash site that killed her husband, Kobe, her daughter, Gianna, and seven others in in 2020 made public, according to the Los Angeles Times .  County lawyers are fighting Bryant on this issue because they believe having the sheriff's names made public will leave them as unprotected targets from hackers. Bryant's lawsuit is seeking damages for negligence and invasion of privacy for the alleged photos of the victims of the crash.  The Sheriff's Department internal affairs report found that one sheriff took 25 to 100 photos of the crash site and sent them to multiple other deputies who shared them with others. The lawsuit also alleges that a deputy trainee who was guarding the crash site received pictures of Bryant's re...

Acho, 30, will host the "After the Final Rose" episode for this season of "The Bachelor" after regular host Chris Harrison's absence following his controversial comments. Bachelor Nation, rejoice: Your show has found a new captain, at least for the immediate future. Amid usual host Chris Harrison's absence from the show, football analyst Emmanuel Acho will step in to host the upcoming "After the Final Rose" episode for this season of The Bachelor . Acho announced the move via Twitter Saturday afternoon. Harrison has stepped away from his hosting duties after his controversial comments defending the behavior of current contestant Rachael Kirkconnell, who came under criticism after Instagram photos surfaced of her attending an Antebellum-themed sorority party in 2018. Appearing in an interview with former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay, Harrison defended Kirkconnell's actions, asserting that while the theme of the party was not acceptable ...

Most of what the Grizzlies displayed in their 28-point win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday vanished when the teams met in the second game of a back-to-back on Friday in Memphis. The most glaring area of regression came defensively, with the Grizzlies showing little of the tenacity that fueled their success the previous game. In their 119-99 loss to the Clippers, the Grizzlies allowed Los Angeles to shoot 55 percent, and for a team seeking a playoff berth following a three-season hiatus, consistency remains the buzzword for advancing that goal. The Grizzlies will open the final week of the first half on Sunday against the host Houston Rockets. Memphis has dropped three of four games, with their last six losses coming by double digits. "You've got to have consistency night in and night out, especially when you beat a team like we did last night," Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. "I thought defensively our urgency wasn't really there. We had that (...

Nix played for Notre Dame from 2010 to 2013, helping lead the Irish to the national title game in 2012. He was reported missing on Feb. 24. Police in Jacksonville are searching for former Notre Dame defensive lineman Louis Nix, who was reported missing on Wednesday, per the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office . His mother filed the report on Friday after not having contact with him since Tuesday, according to Ben Kercheval of CBS Sports . Nix suddenly stopped communication with his mother, who believes he could be in trouble, according to Ben Becker of WJAZ-TV . Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly took to Twitter to seek assistance for locating Nix, urging the Notre Dame network to reach out to Nix and help locate him. Nix played for Notre Dame from 2010-13, redshirting during his freshman season in 2010. He notched 122 tackles and 14 tackles for loss during his three seasons. In December, Nix was shot during a robbery at a Jacksonville gas station. He required surgery to recover, tho...

Sacramento Kings' forward Harrison Barnes' path to financial literacy began his rookie year in the NBA when it was time to sign his first league contract. Barnes feels that the late start can be a major disadvantage. He wants to help educate Black and Brown kids at a young age and stress the importance of financial literacy and how that can help to close the wealth gap in minority communities. "You know, for me, growing up, the idea of generational wealth wasn't something we talked about because it was more so about how do you get by day to day, month to month, year to year," Barnes tells SI. Barnes has teamed up with the app Goalsetter to help "draft" 1 million Black and Brown kids to financial freedom by providing them their first savings account with $40 already deposited, and access to financial literacy content.

Durant's routine follow-up MRI on his left hamstring will require him to take additional recovery time, according to the Nets. Injured Nets forward Kevin Durant will remain out through the NBA All-Star break, the team announced Friday.  Durant had a routine follow-up MRI on his left hamstring that will require him to take additional recovery time, according to the team. "The latest images provided a clearer picture of the hamstring and while we are confident that Durant will return at full strength, this extra recovery time will allow him to perform at the level at which he has played this season once he returns," the team statement reads. Durant will undergo rehabilitation and will be re-assessed following the All-Star break. The two-time NBA champion was named one of two captains for the 2021 NBA All-Star game on March 7 in Atlanta.  With Durant sitting for additional rest, Pacers star Domantas Sabonis is expected to replace Kevin Durant on the Eastern Confer...

One team that's made a rapid move up the standings and another that would love to do the same hook up Saturday night when the Minnesota Timberwolves visit the Washington Wizards. The Wizards shocked NBA observers with three wins in four games on a tough Western swing, which came in the wake of three straight triumphs at home. A 6-17 club with the worst record in the Eastern Conference just two weeks ago, the Wizards will be chasing a seventh win in their past eight games when they begin a stretch of eight of 10 at home bridging the All-Star break. Washington coach Scott Brooks realizes he and his once-COVID-ravaged squad could be on the verge of something special. "There's times where we just could have said, 'I just want this to end. Can we just fast-forward to the 2021-22 season?'" he said this week. "But we didn't. We chipped away." The keys to the turnaround have been an All-Star guard and a former two-time All-Star Game Most Valuable P...

"Being a 9 year NBA veteran doesn't protect me from being called 'coronavirus' on the court." Former NBA player and Santa Cruz Warriors guard Jeremy Lin condemned racism that he and other Asian Americans are facing, writing on social media that his generation is "tired" of dealing with prejudice and bigotry.  In a Facebook post , the nine-year NBA veteran detailed how Asian American experience racism.  "Something is changing in this generation of Asian Americans. We are tired of being told that we don't experience racism, we are tired of being told to keep our heads down and not make trouble," Lin wrote. "We are tired of Asian American kids growing up and being asked where they're REALLY from, of having our eyes mocked, of being objectified as exotic or being told we're inherently unattractive. We are tired of the stereotypes in Hollywood affecting our psyche and limiting who we think we can be. We are tired of being invisi...

Six Raptors coaches, including Nick Nurse, will enter the league's health and safety protocols and miss Friday's game against the Rockets. Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse and five other coaches entered the NBA's health and safety protocols, the team announced  on Friday. The six coaches will not be on the bench for Friday's game against the Houston Rockets . General manager Bobby Webster is slated to address the media at 5:45 p.m. ET prior to the matchup. Nurse and the five assistant will be working remotely, Toronto announced in a statement, and details of their return will be made public "when appropriate." According to the NBA's health and safety protocols for this season, anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 either has to test negative twice 24 hours apart or go at least 10 days after the first test or the onset of symptoms before returning. At this time, it is not known whether the six coaches tested positive or were identified as high-...

ESPN continues to make Mike Greenberg the face of the network. 1 .  On the latest episode of the SI Media Podcast , during a conversation about Jim Nantz’s current negotiations with CBS, The Ringer ’s Bryan Curtis made the point that viewers don’t watch sports just because of the announcers. Fans are going to watch NFL games, the NCAA Tournament, the NBA playoffs, etc., no matter who is calling the action. This is true for the NFL draft as well. So with ESPN needing a host for this year’s draft after parting ways with Trey Wingo, t he network reportedly has turned to Mike Greenberg . You’d think the network would want to use someone who has a connection to the NFL or college football, but that isn’t nearly as important as the opportunity for cross-promotion Greenberg provides. The fact is, Greenberg has sort of become the face of ESPN. I’m not sure there’s another employee the Worldwide Leader values more outside of maybe Stephen A. Smith. ESPN broke up a successful morning...

Kyrie Irving reiterated his stance that the NBA should change its logo to Kobe Bryant after initially advocating for the move on his Instagram page and receiving support from Vanessa Bryant. So, should the NBA change its logo to honor Bryant? Sports Illustrated host Robin Lundberg discussed the idea with SI's Ben Pickman and Wilton Jackson.

Kyle Lowry's agent denied a Philadelphia Inquirer report that said the Toronto Raptors wanted to wind up on the Sixers with the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Clippers as other possible destinations. But let's say he was indeed dealt, which of those teams makes the most sense for Lowry? Sports Illustrated host Robin Lundberg discussed with SI's Ben Pickman and Wilton Jackson.

Ben Simmons declared himself the best defensive player in the NBA following a Philadelphia 76ers win over the Dallas Mavericks. Given that and the play of Joel Embiid this season, the Sixers duo is standing out this season. So, with Anthony Davis sidelined, are Embiid and Simmons the best duo currently on the floor together? Sports Illustrated host Robin Lundberg discussed with SI's Ben Pickman and Wilton Jackson.

It is not a secret that Horford's tenure in Philadelphia didn't go exactly as planned. He opened up to The Crossover about this past year and his time in Oklahoma City. Al Horford knew it was coming. His lone season in Philadelphia wasn’t bad—it was awful. The lowest scoring average since his second season. The lowest shooting percentage of his career. A three-point percentage not seen since he wasn’t shooting three-pointers. Horford’s addition—at the premium price of a four-year, $109 million deal—was supposed to push Philadelphia into the Finals. Instead, the Sixers were broomed out of the first round of the playoffs. “I just think, just putting it all out there, I just think it just wasn't a good fit,” Horford said in a telephone interview. “We just weren't jelling. We weren't meshing. And obviously, we had a lot of big guys out there in particular out playing and it just wasn't fitting.” The Sixers agreed. In December, Philadelphia flipped Horford an...

James Dolan has the thinnest skin. Lighten up, Jim Few people in America are as worthy of scorn and ridicule as Knicks owner James Dolan, who has done little in his life except use the power bestowed to him by his father’s monopolistic business to run a beloved NBA franchise into the ground. What Dolan hates more than anything is having these failures pointed out to him. When a fan yelled at Dolan in 2019 to “sell the team,” Dolan responded by banning the guy from Madison Square Garden for life . When a robust “sell the team” chant broke out during a particularly embarrassing Knicks loss last season, Dolan reportedly instructed Garden security to remove a teenager who joined in on the chant. So it should come as no surprise to hear that Dolan once whined to the commissioner of the NBA about a four-minute YouTube video that took a few mild jabs at him. Adam Malamut, the cocreator of the Bleacher Report series Game of Zones , appeared on the Rejecting the Screen podcast this week...

Will Kyle Lowry, Andre Drummond, and John Collins be on the move? The Crossover plays NBA trade matchmaker. The biggest blockbuster of the 2020–21 season already occurred when James Harden left Houston in January, but that doesn’t mean we won’t see a flurry of activity before the March 25 trade deadline. A championship point guard could be on the move, as could a mercurial All-Star center. A flood of Eastern Conference contenders are likely to be hunting for veteran upgrades, while likely lottery teams could look to secure a young piece before free agency. The Harden deal changed the championship landscape in an instant. Perhaps the right move could have a similar impact next month. So who are the most likely high-profile names on the move in the coming months? Check out The Crossover ’s list below: Kyle Lowry Lowry is the best available piece on the market if Toronto is in fact willing to ship him. And based on recent reports , that very well could be the case in the coming week...

Former Jazz guard Elijah Millsap accused team executive Dennis Lindsey of making racist remarks during a 2015 end-of-season meeting. The Utah Jazz is cooperating with a NBA investigation into former Jazz guard Elijah Millsap's allegations of insensitivity against executive vice president of basketball operations Dennis Lindsey, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski . Millsap, 33, alleged that Lindsey made bigoted comments during a 2015 end-of-season meeting, according to ESPN.  The investigation will examine notes taken in an April 2015 meeting attended by Millsap and three Jazz officials. The meeting included Lindsey, coach Quin Snyder and general manager Justin Zanik, who was then the assistant general manager tasked with taking notes of the conversation. Utah retained outside help to assist the league in its review of the matter. Utah officials, including Lindsey, encouraged the NBA office to open a review of Millsap's allegations.  Millsap made a series of post...

The Golden State Warriors look to complete a revenge trifecta Friday night when they host the Charlotte Hornets in San Francisco. Stephen Curry scored 24 points as the Warriors won on the road against the Indiana Pacers 111-107 on Wednesday night, avenging a home loss to the Eastern Conference club in January. The Warriors extracted a similar measure of revenge one night earlier against the New York Knicks, and now get a shot at the Hornets, who stunned Golden State with a late comeback for a 102-100 home win last Saturday. As Golden State attempts to win a third straight game for the first time this season, the Hornets have given no indication they will be a gracious guest. Charlotte has opened a six-game trip by splitting a pair against two of the West's top teams, losing 132-110 at Utah on Monday before holding off Phoenix 124-121 on Wednesday. Former California prep whiz LaMelo Ball will be making his first appearance in his home state as an NBA rookie after contributing ...

Goran Dragic put it perfectly when asked about his Miami Heat teammate, Jimmy Butler. "He's our leader," Dragic said. "We need him." Butler and the Heat, winners of four straight games, will try to keep it going on Friday night when Miami plays host to the red-hot Utah Jazz, who have the best record in the NBA. In Wednesday's 116-108 win over the Toronto Raptors, Butler had 27 points, including 14 in the crucial fourth quarter. Butler also had a game-high 10 assists, eight rebounds and three steals. And, to top it off, he made a season-high three 3-pointers, including two in the final minutes. "That was a quintessential Jimmy game," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "It was an all-around, winning game." Miami is still not 100 percent health-wise. But Dragic returned on Wednesday after missing nine straight games due to an ankle injury. It is also possible that Tyler Herro will return on Friday. He has been out due to a hip injury, an...

The Chicago Bulls will try for their first four-game winning streak of the season when they host the Phoenix Suns on Friday night. Chicago is coming off a 133-126 overtime win against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. The Bulls blew a 10-point lead in the final five minutes of regulation but rallied with a 7-0 run to start overtime. Another win would boost Chicago to .500 for the first time since Jan. 5, when the team improved to 4-4. All-Star guard Zach LaVine, who led the Bulls with 35 points against Minnesota, said he and his teammates were learning how to win under first-year head coach Billy Donovan, who replaced Jim Boylen during the offseason. "Billy's been great, man," LaVine said. "Total 180 from what we had last year, 'cause we pretty much have the same team. We've had our share of ups and downs, games we should have won and didn't come out and play the right way, but our approach and my approach is just so much different mentally. I...

SI's Madelyn Burke, Rohan Nadkarni, and Michael Pina share their takeaways from the second half schedule release The NBA recently released the schedule for the second half of the 2021 season. The nature of playing during a pandemic has made the whole season constantly fluid with multiple postponements. These postponements have stacked a lot of games in a relatively small window for a few teams. SI's Madelyn Burke, Rohan Nadkarni, and Michael Pina share their takeaways from the second half schedule release.

Beasley will serve 120 days on work release or home monitoring after the NBA season is over for his charges. Minnesota Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley will be suspended for 12 games by the NBA after pleading guilty to a felony charge of threats of violence for angrily aiming a rifle at a couple and their teenage daughter in an SUV last September. Beasley, 24, said in a statement on Instagram that he will take time to reflect on his decisions. "I apologize to all the great fans out there who have supported me during this difficult time and I promise I will come back very soon as a better person and player," Beasley said.  On Feb. 9, Beasley was sentenced to 120 days in the Hennepin County Workhouse on work release or home monitoring. The Timberwolves also released a brief statement after Beasley's suspension was announced by the NBA. Beasley will serve the 120 days after the NBA season is over. A local judge also sentenced Beasley to three years on probation th...