INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — If you still didn’t like the NBA’s newest All-Star Game format, you probably just don’t like All-Star games. That seemed to be the sports sphere’s consensus after the U.S.-against-the-world, round-robin tournament produced an entertaining show. Something about the setup compelled these stars to play their exhibition at a level much closer to real competition than usual. But not everything was rosy at the NBA's annual midseason showcase. The dunk contest was widely criticized for lacking excitement and star power. Damian Lillard won his third 3-Point Contest in impressive fashion.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Tyler Reddick won the Daytona 500 in a car owned by Michael Jordan when Chase Elliott crashed as he and Reddick were battling for the win. Reddick, in a Toyota for 23XI Racing, led only one lap: the one to the checkered flag for the team owned by the NBA Hall of Famer and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin. Jordan was the face of the December federal antitrust lawsuit that NASCAR settled on the ninth day of trial. The settlement changed the revenue-sharing model in the United States’ top motorsports series.
MILAN (AP) — The three U.S. women who will be going for Olympic gold when their figure skating competition begins Tuesday night are role models for a whole new generation. They call themselves the “Blade Angels,” but they are hardly the innocent ice princesses of yesteryear. Amber Glenn is 26 and speaks candidly about LGBTQ+ rights, politics and mental health. Alysa Liu retired at 16, spent two years of self-discovery, and made a comeback while becoming a hero to the alt, punk and emo crowd. Isabeau Levito may portray an ice-princess image, but her searing sarcasm comes through away from the cameras. Together, they also will be trying to rescue what has been a largely disappointing Olympics for the American figure skating team.
MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid will have Kylian Mbappé back when it returns to Portugal looking for some payback against José Mourinho’s Benfica in the Champions League. The two teams meet again at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday in the first round of the knockout stage. It comes three weeks after Mourinho’s team stunned his former club in a 4-2 win that allowed Benfica to qualify and kept Madrid from automatically reaching the round of 16. The rematch highlights a knockout round that also includes defending champion Paris Saint-Germain against Monaco and Inter Milan facing Norwegian outsider Bodø/Glimt.
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Collin Morikawa had to wait more than two years to win again on the PGA Tour. First he had to wait 20 minutes on the 18th hole at Pebble Beach to try to make birdie. He delivered in the clutch for a 67 to win by one shot over Sepp Straka and Min Woo Lee in the cold wind at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He also had to respond to a Sunday charge by Scottie Scheffler. The world's No. 1 player made three eagles in his round of 63. He settled for an 18th consecutive top 10.
MILAN (AP) — Sweden has an incredibly difficult path through the Olympic men's hockey tournament. The seventh-seeded Swedes play Latvia in the qualification round Tuesday with the winner of facing off against the U.S. in the quarterfinals. Switzerland beating Czechia in overtime set up a qualification matchup against winless Italy. Czechia and Denmark play with the winner next going up against the machine that is Canada. Germany set itself up nicely with France up first and a matchup in the quarters against Slovakia.
MILAN (AP) — Who says there's no fighting in hockey at the Olympics? Tom Wilson dropped the gloves late in Canada's game against France to go after the player who delivered a forearm to the head of teammate Nathan MacKinnon. Wilson fought Pierre Crinon, who was given a two-minute minor penalty and apologized to MacKinnon after the hit. Unlike the NHL, where it is a five-minute major penalty, fighting is a game misconduct under international rules, so Wilson and Crinon were ejected.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — LeBron James still hasn’t decided whether his unprecedented 23rd NBA season will be his last. The 41-year-old James again confirmed he is not on a farewell tour this season with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 41-year-old James again confirmed he is not on a farewell tour this season with the Los Angeles Lakers, even tough he teared up during a tribute to his career in Cleveland last month. James repeated his regular declarations that he hasn’t made a decision and he is focused on the final 28 games of the regular season with the Lakers. James could be a free agent this summer.
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Controversy is swirling in curling at the Winter Olympics. The Canadian men’s and women’s teams, as well as the British men’s team, have now been accused of the same infraction: double-touching the curling stone after it is released. It comes as Canada, a historic curling powerhouse, finds its ego bruised. Its mixed doubles team didn’t even play for a medal, and the women's team can't afford to lose more matches if it wants to reach the medal round.
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State fired basketball coach Jerome Tang on Sunday night, four days after many Wildcats fans showed up with bags over their heads for a home blowout. Athletic director Gene Taylor announced the move in a statement, saying: “Recent public comments and conduct, in addition to the program’s overall direction, have not aligned with K-State’s standards for supporting student-athletes and representing the university.” The school said an interim head coach will be announced soon, and that a national search for a replacement has started. Kansas State is 10-15 overall and 1-11 in the Big 12. In four seasons at the school, the 59-year-old Tang was 71-57 overall and 29-39 in the conference.
Finals
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final (8)Illinois 71 Indiana 51