Sports

A 2022 visit to TD Garden arranged by then-coach Dwane Casey gave Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart a firsthand look at playoff intensity, and the article says that experience helped shape their goals as the Pistons rose to the top of the Eastern Conference.

Since Rick Bowness was hired, Elvis Merzlikins has stopped 59 of 63 shots (.937) in two recent wins as Columbus extended a four-game streak.

The Lions have hired former Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, who spent three seasons as an NFL OC and is associated with a physical, gap-based rushing approach and heavier tight-end usage.

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza led the Hoosiers to a 27-21 national championship win on Jan. 19, and his success prompted watch parties and celebrations in his Miami hometown.

Stephen and Seth Curry said they take pride in carrying on their father Dell Curry's NBA legacy after the Hornets announced they will retire Dell's No. 30 jersey in March.

At the United Center, Chicago fans gave Jonathan Toews a sustained three-minute ovation during Monday night's game and he responded with waves, kisses and extra laps; it was his first game in Chicago as a Winnipeg Jets player after 15 seasons with the Blackhawks.

Jayson Tatum completed an hour-long public workout Monday as part of his recovery from last spring's ruptured Achilles. The Celtics have not set a timeline for his return.

Fernando Mendoza struggled through a difficult spring after transferring to Indiana but improved methodically and delivered a breakout performance on Sept. 20 against No. 9 Illinois en route to winning the Heisman and heading into the national championship.

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has a distinctive, coach-like speaking style that teammates, family and staff say is genuine; he studied public speaking in school and practiced how he presents himself long before recent national attention.

The New England Patriots beat the Houston Texans 28-16 as multiple turnovers and strong defensive plays helped New England advance to the AFC Championship Game.

C.J. Stroud threw four interceptions in the Texans' 28-16 divisional loss to the Patriots, and teammates and coach publicly expressed support as the team enters the offseason.

Elon upset Hofstra 89-85 on the road and improved to 12-7 overall and 4-2 in the CAA, putting the Phoenix in a tie for second place in the conference.

A tweet from South Carolina coach Dawn Staley helped arrange games with Coppin State and other HBCUs; South Carolina won the recent visit 90-48 and the Baltimore crowd of 3,371 was reported as the second-highest in Coppin State history.

Indiana supporters heavily outnumbered Oregon fans at the Peach Bowl semifinal in Atlanta, and Indiana's 56-22 win advanced the Hoosiers to the College Football Playoff national championship.

Miami's 2025 team has leaned on former Hurricanes such as Michael Irvin and Ray Lewis for messages and visits, and the team is one win away from the program's first national title since 2001.

Jaylon Tyson scored 39 points in the Cavaliers' 117-115 win over the 76ers, and his two-way play is providing Cleveland a wing who can contribute on both ends of the floor.

Marco Kasper assisted on the tying goal and scored an empty-net goal in Detroit's 4-2 win over the San Jose Sharks, ending a long personal scoring drought. The article also notes rookie defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka saw limited late-game minutes and mentions the March 6 trade deadline as a looming roster consideration.

Elly De La Cruz said the Cincinnati Reds did not give him permission to play in the 2026 World Baseball Classic because he was dealing with a quad injury; he hopes to represent the Dominican Republic in future tournaments.

At Redsfest, manager Terry Francona said he is focused on the players currently on Cincinnati's roster and praised the team's core. The club has made modest offseason moves, and president Nick Krall said he expects to add a bat before spring training.

The Sacramento Kings expect All-Star forward Domantas Sabonis to return Friday after missing 27 games with a partially torn meniscus in his left knee; he is officially listed as questionable.

Analyst Matt McCall said Louisville must adapt while freshman Mikel Brown Jr. remains sidelined with a lower back injury, and his eventual return could force role and rotation changes similar to Kansas' experience.

Marcus Freeman addressed the close of Notre Dame's 2025 season and outlined steps for the program's future, while the school added eight transfer portal pickups this cycle to address roster needs.

Klay Thompson passed Damian Lillard to move into fourth on the NBA's all-time 3-pointers made list after sinking six 3s in the Mavericks' win over Utah; he now has 2,809 career 3-pointers.

On the '05-'06 reunion night, the Buffalo Sabres beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-3 as Tage Thompson recorded a hat trick and two primary assists.

The New York Knicks lost 126-113 to the Golden State Warriors after Jalen Brunson sat out with an ankle sprain; Karl-Anthony Towns struggled in the second half and New York has lost seven of its last nine games.

Nick Taylor shot an 8-under 62 and shares the first-round lead with Kevin Roy at the Sony Open in Honolulu; The Sentry at Kapalua was canceled because of water issues and wind arrived later in the day.

The Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-1 as new coach Rick Bowness' team held steady and goalie Elvis Merzlikins made 30 saves in a calm performance.

President Donald Trump welcomed the Florida Panthers to the White House in the East Room to mark their consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 2024 and 2025.

Zdeno Chara's No. 33 was retired at TD Garden in a ceremony that celebrated a career built on hard work, leadership and a 2011 Stanley Cup, with teammates and family taking part.

The Knicks listed Jalen Brunson day-to-day after a right ankle sprain suffered in Sacramento; a sports medicine physician said it appears to be a low-grade sprain but noted repeated sprains can undermine ankle stability.