Leif Davis’s superb late header gave Ipswich a 2-1 victory at Derby to strengthen their promotion challenge. The visitors took the lead in the eighth minute when the Derby captain, Lewis Travis, headed a corner into his own net but Derby hit back in the second half and drew level through Rhian Brewster’s penalty.
But Davis had the final word and the home side ended the match with 10 men after Travis’s miserable afternoon ended with him sent off in added time for a second yellow card.
Tottenham Hotspur, wearing second-choice yellow, get the ball rolling. They’re kicking towards the Stretford End in this first half.
The teams congregate in the Old Trafford tunnel. Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes helps his manager Michael Carrick to adjust his black armband, a small but touching moment of togetherness. Carrick and Thomas Frank lead their players out, each carrying a wreath which they place on the turf once trodden so elegantly by the Babes. A poignant beat … then a crackle of expectancy and excitement ahead of the big match. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes.
Faheem Ashraf smashed an unbeaten 29 off 11 balls as Pakistan scrambled past the Netherlands by three wickets to avoid a massive shock in the curtain-raiser of the T20 World Cup in Colombo on Saturday.
‘It’s not been a very nice time of my life,’ he says
Harry Brook wants to draw a line under a “pretty horrendous” past few weeks when revelations about his conduct in Wellington cast doubt on his leadership as he prepares to lead England at the T20 World Cup.
More than three months on from Brook being punched by a nightclub bouncer in New Zealand, hours before captaining England, the saga took on fresh legs when the Yorkshireman claimed to have been on his own, only for the Daily Telegraph to uncover he was accompanied by Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue.
Kurtis Patterson has celebrated his 100th Sheffield Shield appearance in style after bringing up a career-best first-class score of 173 not out for NSW against South Australia.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been named an NBA All-Star for the 10th consecutive season [Getty Images]
Giannis Antetokounmpo is "close" to returning from injury, says Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers, who described the "relief" in the camp after speculation that the two-time MVP might be traded.
The 31-year-old forward remained at the club after Thursday's trade deadline, and Rivers said the other players were "skipping around the gym" after it was confirmed he would be staying put.
Antetokounmpo has been limited to 30 games this season because of injury and has not played since suffering a calf strain on 23 January.
"He's going to play when he's healthy - he's getting close," said Rivers.
"He's working out. He looks good. So I would say hopefully sooner than later."
The Bucks claimed their third consecutive win on Friday night, beating the Indiana Pacers 105-99, but remain 12th in the NBA's Eastern Conference, three wins behind the Charlotte Hornets in the final play-off spot.
The Bucks have a 6-14 losing record when playing without Antetokounmpo, but have won 15 of their 30 games when he has been in the team.
Antetokounmpo averages 30 points, 10 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game and a 65% shooting success this season, earning him a place in the NBA All-Star game.
He has completed a workout on court before the past three Bucks games and posted a clip on social media from the film The Wolf of Wall Street after Thursday's trade deadline passed, along with a message: "Legends don't chase. They attract."
"It was a relief," Rivers said. "I thought Giannis' tweet was like a unifying thing for all the players."
The off-field politics are toxic, Wales are on a terrible run and England are flying, but everyone needs Saturday’s game to be competitive at Twickenham
Are you a Wales fan reading this on the train to London? If so, let’s huddle in tight and try to stay positive. In round one of the Six Nations everyone starts equal. There is rain around and England have a couple of significant injuries. Steve Tandy is a capable guy and there are some talented individuals at his disposal. In this grand old championship miracles have been known to happen.
C’mon boys, believe. That red jersey still represents something special. All that history, all that fabled lineage. Gareth, Gerald, Jiffy, Alun Wyn … they’re all right with you. It’s only 80 minutes and opportunity knocks. Under the radar is a useful place to be. And, look, it’s not even called Twickenham these days. Allianz Stadium could be anywhere.
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers designated reliever Anthony Banda for assignment on Friday after the left-hander won two consecutive World Series rings with the team.
The 32-year-old Banda had a 5-1 record with a 3.19 ERA in 71 games last season. He had an 8-3 record with a 3.14 ERA over two seasons.
Banda has been in the majors for parts of nine seasons with Arizona, Tampa Bay, the New York Mets, Pittsburgh, Toronto, the New York Yankees and Washington. He is a combined 15-9 with 4.44 ERA in 209 games.
The Dodgers claimed catcher Ben Rortvedt off waivers after he was designated for assignment by the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old returns to the Dodgers, which he first joined on July 31 via a trade from Tampa Bay. Rortvedt played 18 games, hitting .224 with one home run and four RBI with Los Angeles. He helped the Dodgers’ starting rotation to an MLB-leading 2.17 ERA in September. He appeared in four playoff games last season.
Rortvedt had previous stints with Minnesota, the Yankees and Tampa Bay.
Los Angeles Clippers (24-27, ninth in the Western Conference) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (32-21, sixth in the Western Conference)
Minneapolis; Sunday, 3 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Minnesota Timberwolves host the Los Angeles Clippers in Western Conference action Sunday.
The Timberwolves are 18-16 in Western Conference games. Minnesota scores 119.5 points and has outscored opponents by 4.7 points per game.
The Clippers are 14-15 against Western Conference opponents. Los Angeles is 3-6 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.
The Timberwolves are shooting 48.1% from the field this season, 1.5 percentage points higher than the 46.6% the Clippers allow to opponents. The Clippers average 112.3 points per game, 2.5 fewer than the 114.8 the Timberwolves give up to opponents.
The teams meet for the second time this season. In the last matchup on Dec. 7 the Timberwolves won 109-106 led by 27 points from Jaden McDaniels, while Kawhi Leonard scored 20 points for the Clippers.
TOP PERFORMERS: Julius Randle is averaging 22.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists for the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards is averaging 27.3 points over the last 10 games.
Kris Dunn is scoring 7.8 points per game and averaging 2.9 rebounds for the Clippers. Leonard is averaging 20.4 points and 4.8 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Timberwolves: 5-5, averaging 117.3 points, 46.3 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 9.4 steals and 6.7 blocks per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.3 points per game.
Clippers: 6-4, averaging 111.7 points, 43.3 rebounds, 23.4 assists, 7.3 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 49.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.8 points.
INJURIES: Timberwolves: Julian Phillips: day to day (wrist), Terrence Shannon Jr.: day to day (foot), Ayo Dosunmu: day to day (quadriceps).
Clippers: Bennedict Mathurin: day to day (not injury related), Bradley Beal: out for season (hip), Yanic Konan Niederhauser: day to day (illness), Darius Garland: day to day (toe), Isaiah Jackson: day to day (not injury related).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
New York Knicks (33-19, third in the Eastern Conference) vs. Boston Celtics (34-18, second in the Eastern Conference)
Boston; Sunday, 12:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Boston seeks to keep its five-game win streak alive when the Celtics take on New York.
The Celtics are 23-12 against conference opponents. Boston has a 5-6 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.
The Knicks are 22-12 in Eastern Conference play. New York averages 117.5 points while outscoring opponents by 5.2 points per game.
The Celtics score 115.6 points per game, 3.3 more points than the 112.3 the Knicks allow. The Knicks average 15.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.0 more made shot on average than the 14.0 per game the Celtics give up.
The teams square off for the third time this season. The Celtics won 123-117 in the last matchup on Dec. 3. Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 42 points, and Mikal Bridges led the Knicks with 35 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Brown is averaging 29.5 points, seven rebounds and 4.7 assists for the Celtics. Payton Pritchard is averaging 20 points and five assists over the last 10 games.
Jalen Brunson is scoring 27.1 points per game and averaging 3.3 rebounds for the Knicks. Landry Shamet is averaging 2.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Celtics: 8-2, averaging 110.9 points, 47.5 rebounds, 25.1 assists, 7.1 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 101.6 points per game.
Knicks: 8-2, averaging 113.6 points, 48.2 rebounds, 27.6 assists, 8.1 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 101.1 points.
INJURIES: Celtics: Jayson Tatum: out (achilles).
Knicks: OG Anunoby: day to day (toe), Karl-Anthony Towns: day to day (eye), Josh Hart: day to day (ankle), Jose Alvarado: day to day (not injury related), Miles McBride: out (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Indiana Pacers (13-39, 15th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Toronto Raptors (31-22, fifth in the Eastern Conference)
Toronto; Sunday, 3 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Indiana comes into the matchup against Toronto after losing three in a row.
The Raptors are 23-14 in Eastern Conference games. Toronto is the league leader with 19.2 fast break points per game led by RJ Barrett averaging 3.8.
The Pacers are 9-25 against conference opponents. Indiana gives up 118.4 points to opponents and has been outscored by 7.7 points per game.
The Raptors average 114.0 points per game, 4.4 fewer points than the 118.4 the Pacers give up. The Pacers average 12.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.2 fewer makes per game than the Raptors give up.
The teams play for the fourth time this season. In the last matchup on Jan. 15 the Raptors won 115-101 led by 30 points from Brandon Ingram, while Pascal Siakam scored 26 points for the Pacers.
TOP PERFORMERS: Scottie Barnes is averaging 19.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.5 blocks for the Raptors. Ingram is averaging 23.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and four assists over the last 10 games.
Siakam is averaging 23.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and four assists for the Pacers. Andrew Nembhard is averaging 1.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Raptors: 6-4, averaging 114.1 points, 42.3 rebounds, 29.9 assists, 8.6 steals and 6.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.9 points per game.
Pacers: 3-7, averaging 109.6 points, 42.5 rebounds, 28.9 assists, 7.7 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.7 points.
INJURIES: Raptors: Jakob Poeltl: day to day (back), RJ Barrett: day to day (injury management).
Pacers: Obi Toppin: out (foot), Ivica Zubac: day to day (personal), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles), Kobe Brown: day to day (not injury related ).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Sacramento plays Cleveland looking to stop its five-game home skid.
The Kings are 9-18 in home games. Sacramento has a 3-4 record in one-possession games.
The Cavaliers are 14-10 on the road. Cleveland is second in the Eastern Conference scoring 119.4 points per game and is shooting 47.4%.
The Kings average 10.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.5 fewer makes per game than the Cavaliers give up (13.9). The Cavaliers average 119.4 points per game, 1.0 fewer than the 120.4 the Kings give up to opponents.
The teams meet for the second time this season. The Cavaliers won 123-118 in the last matchup on Jan. 24.
TOP PERFORMERS: DeMar DeRozan is averaging 19 points and 3.9 assists for the Kings. Malik Monk is averaging 2.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Donovan Mitchell is scoring 28.8 points per game with 4.6 rebounds and 5.9 assists for the Cavaliers. Jaylon Tyson is averaging 18.8 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 53.8% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Kings: 0-10, averaging 109.9 points, 43.2 rebounds, 24.0 assists, 6.5 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 46.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.1 points per game.
Cavaliers: 8-2, averaging 116.7 points, 45.9 rebounds, 28.8 assists, 10.1 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 48.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.6 points.
INJURIES: Kings: Domantas Sabonis: day to day (back), Keegan Murray: out (ankle), De'Andre Hunter: day to day (eye).
Cavaliers: Max Strus: out (foot), Evan Mobley: out (calf), Dean Wade: day to day (ankle), James Harden: day to day (personal).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
NEW YORK — To no one's surprise, Round One between UConn and St. John's men's basketball lived up to all the expectations on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.
But it was the No. 22-ranked Red Storm that emerged as the victor rather than the No. 3-ranked team in the Big East heavyweight matchup.
The Red Storm did so by doing something the Huskies excelled at heading into the game, something that makes them a national championship contender once again: by getting defensive stops down the stretch.
It was an entertaining contest that showed St. John's can go a full 40 minutes and grind out a win against a top-tier team like UConn. It also showed the Huskies are legit contenders once again, seeking a third national title in four years — even if their offense is still a work in progress.
"As hard a game as we've had to play all year," UConn coach Dan Hurley said.
For St. John's, it's the highest-ranked win since 2021 against Villanova, and the highest-ranked win at The Garden for the Red Storm since they took down No. 3 Duke on Jan. 30, 2011. It's also the first three-game winning streak against UConn since the 1999-2000 season, when St. John's swept the regular season series and won the Big East championship game.
The Red Storm's statement win, which puts them within a half-game of first place in the Big East standings, ended an 18-game win streak for the Huskies. It's the first loss for UConn since it fell 71-67 to then-No. 4 Arizona on Nov. 19, and it's just the second overall loss of the year for the Huskies.
"We work too hard to play like that and just lose," UConn forward Alex Karaban said. "We invested too much time to lose, and it's a hard feeling. It's not an easy feeling to sit with right now."
The Red Storm had to fight for their fourth Quad 1 win of the season after an even first half.
That fight began with a 16-6 run to begin the second half to claim a 10-point lead after Bryce Hopkins drilled a 3-pointer at the 13:03 mark. The Huskies allowed the Red Storm to stay in the game — and then grow a double-digit lead — with self-inflicted wounds (like four turnovers in more than six minutes) and by falling into foul trouble.
St. John's turned 15 UConn turnovers, nine of which came from Huskies point guard Silas Demary Jr., into 20 points. The nine turnovers were a season high for Demary, who has otherwise been a home run find out of the transfer portal for the Huskies this season.
"You've got to be in great shape to do what they do," Hurley said of the St. John's defense and the disruption it created for the Huskies' offense. "It disrupts your ability to get into what you want to do offensively.
"I don't think that we turned it over because of their pressure. We turned it over because we lost our (expletive) mind a little bit and they have great defense. That's a top 20 defense, easy. They're hard to beat."
That fight then continued with the St. John's response to UConn's 16-9 run midway through the second half, where it saw its 11-point lead sliced to a single point after Demary hit a 3-pointer from the corner of the Huskies' bench.
A second-chance, tipped-in jumper from Dillon Mitchell off a missed 3-pointer and a 3-pointer from Dylan Darling turned the energy in The Garden back the Johnnies' way, and they closed on a 12-7 run. St. John's physicality around the rim led to 16 second-chance points on nine offensive rebounds.
"We made a lot of big plays tonight, a lot of big plays," Pitino said. "I'm proud of our guys for not panicking one bit at any point in the game."
Zuby Ejiofer was also a difference maker for St. John's across his 34 minutes of action, as he stuffed the stat sheet with 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting, 10 rebounds, seven assists, three blocks and two steals.
"You know you’re going to make me retire because I’m not living life without you," Pitino said of the preseason Big East Player of the Year.
It's the fourth game this season in which Ejiofor finished with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. His 21 points were a key driver of the 50 points the Red Storm received from their frontcourt, (Mitchell had 15 points and Hopkins 14).
"They’re grown-ass men," Hurley said of the St. John's frontcourt. "... They are built for Big East games."
St. John's physicality also helped it earn its first top-25 win of the season. The Red Storm outscored the Huskies 42-22 inside the paint, and got to the line 31 times compared to UConn's 12 free-throw attempts.
Those reasons, and growing guard play, could make Pitino's squad a real tough out in the NCAA Tournament. The Red Storm entered the night on the 5-seed line in projections, but after Friday's win, they should see a bump to a 4-seed.
For UConn, the Huskies miss out on adding a second Quad 1 win in Big East play on the season. Hurley's squad shouldn't see a drop in their projections, as a combined 13-3 Quad 1 and Quad 2 record, which features a win over Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse, is a fine resume to keep them at the 1-seed line.
But for now, St. John's shifts its focus to Xavier at The Garden on Monday night with Round Two against the Huskies not that far in the distance on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, Connecticut. It will likely be a fight for the No. 1 seed in next month's Big East tournament back at The Garden.
Jan 30, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) shoots against the Sacramento Kings during the second quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images | Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
DALLAS — WNBA star Caitlin Clark didn’t seem thrilled when former NBA star Reggie Miller declared her NBA comparison was Payton Pritchard on an NBC pregame broadcast last week. The clip of her seemingly disappointed reaction immediately blew up on the internet, with fans claiming that she appeared offended when Miller compared her to the Celtics guard.
But, when asked about the moment earlier this week, Pritchard shrugged it off.
“I don’t really look into that kind of stuff. I don’t really got a comment,” Pritchard said. “She’s a tremendous player, though.”
Caitlin Clark’s face reaction when Reggie Miller compared her game to Payton Pritchard is just 😂😂😂.
— Andrew Jerell Jones, Luke 1:37 (BlueSky too now) (@sluggahjells) February 2, 2026
The reality is that being compared to Payton Pritchard is no slight. Perhaps Clark was expecting to be compared to a more decorated star, like Steph Curry or Luka Doncic. But it’s not Curry, nor Doncic, who is the NBA’s most efficient isolation player.
That honor goes to the 6’1 Celtics guard.
Pritchard is the NBA’s most efficient isolation player, shooting 63.5% from the field on 1.8 iso attempts per game, per NBA.com.
He wasn’t the least bit surprised when he stumbled upon that efficiency statistic, which made its rounds on social media late last month.
“I feel like it just goes to the work, and it makes me believe that I’m on the right path,” Pritchard said. “And, every year, I get a little bit better and better. And, as long as that’s happening. I don’t want to say that I’ve had drastic jumps year-to-year to go [like[ from 10 to 20 points, but if I’m chipping away, going [up] 3 points, more assists, I’m getting a little bit better, then I’m on the right path. I feel like it’s just another sign that I’m doing what I’m supposed to.”
And, since the viral Caitlin Clark clip, the former Sixth Man of the Year has been especially productive.
In the last three games, he’s averaging 25.7 points on 52.7% shooting, while shooting 45.8% from three. While he’s technically come off the bench for all three of those games, is averaging more minutes in that span (34.5) than he has this season (32.7).
Coming off the bench hasn’t impacted his approach.
“The mindset don’t really change,” he said. “It’s just come out and do what I do — hoop and help the team win.”
If you watch Pritchard play, one of the most remarkable parts of his offensive prowess is how much space he’s able to create against players. He attributes that to three converging elements of his game.
“I think it’s the ability to stop on a dime, [being] strong enough to bump them off, and the handles to be able to create that separation too,” he said. “So it’s all three — setting them up with the handle, a little nudge, and the ability to stop.”
On Tuesday night, Pritchard came off the bench for the first time all season and dropped 26 points on 12-20 FG, including hitting 10 of 12 of his two-point attempts.
Just moments after checking into the game, he drove past Cooper Flagg for a reverse layup. His litany of shots included a fadeaway over Caleb Martin, a floater over Ryan Nembhard, and multiple jumpers over Flagg.
No two shots looked the same because, depending on who was guarding him and at what angle, Pritchard pulled out a different move.
“I’d still shoot it over Wemby — like I had a shot against Wemby, an isolation on top, and I shot, like, an underhand floater,” Pritchard said, recalling a move he made in the Celtics’ game against the San Antonio Spurs last month.
After all, the Oregon star famously spends the entire offseason inviting different elite players from around the world to guard him, so that he can perfect the right counter against each type of defender.
“I’m not really worried about who it is,” he said. “Now, [Wemby] might change the trajectory of my shot. I might shoot a different shot. But that’s why, in the summertime, I’m playing against many different heights and different types of players, because [if I’m going up against] somebody quicker, or somebody stronger, or taller, you’re gonna have to get to a different spot, a different type of shot to get it off.”
In Friday’s 21-point comeback win against the Miami Heat, Pritchard was particularly instrumental. The Celtics guard struggled in the first half (5 points on 1-6 FG), but went crazy in the second, exploding for 19 points on 7-9 shooting.
Afterwards, Jaylen Brown credited him for turning the game around.
“Payton has just developed different aspects of his game,” Brown said. “Offensively, he’s always been able to be a three-point threat. He established that, but now I feel like he’s learning to use his body, get to the midrange, get his shot off, and be effective and efficient, which has helped take him another step, finding ways to get to the basket. He looks great.”
From regular DNPs to one of the NBA’s elite scorers
Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka has long known that Pritchard had this in him. He recalled having three different 1-on-1 meetings with Pritchard through the 2021-2022 season, in which Pritchard fell out of the rotation in favor of Dennis Schroder and Josh Richardson.
Udoka explained to the then-23-year-old that his time was coming, but remembers Pritchard’s eagerness to lace up: “He is always who he’s been — confident, aggressive, but also itching to get that opportunity.”
So, nothing he’s seen since 2022 has surprised him — not the Sixth Man of the Year award last Spring, nor his ascendance this season as the Celtics’ third-leading scorer.
“He’s always been who he is,” Udoka said. “It was opportunity more than anything.”
The Celtics traded Schroder, Richardson, and Romeo Langford at the midseason trade deadline in 2022, paving a pathway for Pritchard to get his much-desired, more consistent minutes.
“Ever since then, he’s taken off,” Udoka said. “You knew he was going to be ready for it.”
Nowadays, the Celtics guard is the NBA’s assist-to-turnover ratio leader, among players who average at least 3 assists per game.
In 2026, he was the Celtics’ second-leading scorer in 2026, averaging 17.8 points per game. In that span, he’s shooting 49.1% from the field and 42.1% from three, an early-season shooting slump in the rearview mirror.
Sometimes, regardless of what the defense throws at him, he just about looks unguardable.
Friday night against the Heat was one of those nights.
“I have a lot of tools in the toolbox,” Pritchard said, matter-of-factly. “So, I pull them out.”
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points, grabbed nine rebounds and had seven assists to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a 114-111 victory over Sacramento on Friday night, sending the Kings to their 11th straight loss.
John Collins added 22 points and Brook Lopez and Kris Dunn each had 15 for the Clippers, who ended a two-game skid.
Darius Garland, acquired from Cleveland earlier in the week, remained out. He hasn’t played since Jan. 14 because of a sprained big toe on his right foot.
Malik Monk had 18 points to lead Sacramento, which hasn't won since beating Washington at home on Jan. 16. Nique Clifford had 16 points and Dylan Cardwell and Devin Carter each had 14 for the Kings. De'Andre Hunter, also acquired from the Cavaliers this week, had six points in his second game for Sacramento.
The Clippers went into halftime trailing 49-48, but took the lead for good with 9:50 left in the fourth quarter on a 3-pointer from Lopez to make it 86-84.
