LeBron James is inevitable.

The Los Angeles Lakers star saved his quietly legendary streak of double-digit scoring, then loudly won the game Wednesday against the Indiana Pacers with a tip-in buzzer-beater off a Luka Dončić miss. 

The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Lakers.

James entered the fourth quarter with only three points on 0-for-6 shooting from the field, but he scored on four straight possessions in the span of three minutes to bump his total to 11. He appears to be very aware of the streak.

The flurry coincided with a 10-0 Lakers run to take a 13-point lead early in the fourth. The game nearly turned into a disaster, though, as the Pacers erased that lead with their own 13-0 run and even took the lead at one point. Los Angeles took back control enough to lead by six with two minutes left, but Indiana responded with scores on three straight possessions to take the lead.

That set up James, who was scoreless since reaching 11 points, to get to 13 points on the night in dramatic fashion. He also finished with 13 rebounds and seven assists, with 4-of-12 shooting. Dončić had the more productive night overall, finishing with 34 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

James initially wasn’t sure his tip-in came before the buzzer.

James’ eight career game-winning buzzer-beaters is tied with Kobe Bryant and Joe Johnson for second behind Michael Jordan’s nine.

James hasn’t scored fewer than 10 points in a game since Jan. 5, 2007, a span of more than 18 years, meaning there are legal adults who weren’t alive the last time James didn’t have two numbers in his scoring column. It’s a health accomplishment as much as it’s about performance, as many of these streaks die because a player is forced to leave early due to an injury.

The second-longest streak belongs to Michael Jordan, with 866 games.

James’ heroics saved the Lakers from further tension. The team has been dealing with significant injuries over the past weeks — most notably its two weeks without James due to a groin strain — but had everyone back last weekend. And such, it was a surprise when they got run out of the gym by the Chicago Bulls in James’ first game back.

Another lopsided loss to the Orlando Magic followed, but the Lakers got back in the win column Wednesday. They currently hold a record of 44-28, good for fifth in the Western Conference and a half-game behind the Memphis Grizzlies, who are currently in line to be L.A.’s first-round opponent in the NBA playoffs.

Wednesday obviously wasn’t all good for the Lakers, and they have only 10 games remaining on the regular-season schedule. The team appears to have the talent of a contender; the question is if they can get healthy and back up to speed, like they were during their eight-game win streak, before the games start really counting.

NBA team owners are expected to discuss an initiative to launch a professional basketball league in Europe during meetings this week, Sportico’s Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams reported Tuesday.

The proposed league would be comprised of eight to 10 teams and aims to expand basketball’s presence across Europe and capitalize on the sport’s popularity by being more involved in the economics of its growth overseas. The NBA estimates that the market for basketball in Europe and the Middle East could generate up to $3 billion in annual revenue. 

Franchises in cities such as London or Paris could sell for at least $500 million, according to Sportico. The NBA’s league would sell permanent franchise openings to outside investors — such as sovereign wealth funds, private capital, individuals with capital or even current European basketball clubs. Under that arrangement, the NBA would hold 50% of the team’s equity and new owners hold the other 50%. It’s a model similar to that used for the WNBA until that league was able to raise outside capital in 2022. 

The NBA’s European league could also operate under a “semi-open” model that would create spaces for top EuroLeague teams — for instance, FC Bayern Munich of Germany or Spain’s Real Madrid — to join the NBA venture during the following year.

This initiative is separate from the international basketball league seeking $5 billion from investors that’s being advised by Maverick Carter, LeBron James’ business partner, that aspires to be “an F1 for basketball” and not a direct competitor to the NBA. 

NBA team owners have discussed opportunities in Europe for the past year and the league has launched previous business deals in China and Africa, and played regular season games in London and Paris. Meanwhile, international players including three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić and Victor Wembanyama have become huge stars in the league and grown the NBA’s popularity overseas. 

The owners are scheduled to discuss the European league proposal this week during league meetings in New York City. No formal vote is scheduled during the meetings, but one could be made by the league’s board of governors at any time, according to Sportico.

Rejoice, ball fans, because baseball season has officially arrived. Sure, the Cubs and Dodgers : :

We can’t agree on who might throw the first no-hitter, who might disappoint and who’s still got it, but there’s a clear consensus about one thing.

Whether or not he’s traded from Toronto, Vlad Guerrero Jr.’s walk year is going to be a storyline worth following.

Read more:

Go here for a full breakdown of the best hitter parks.If you want more on Park Factors, check out the three biggest changes for 2025.

Park Factors can dramatically influence a player’s fantasy baseball value.

Left-handed batters have seen a 42% increase in home runs when hitting in Cincinnati over the last three seasons, but they’ve experienced a 23% decrease in San Francisco.

Parks can also affect strikeouts and walks — not just power. And many other factors outside of just dimensions go into whether a venue benefits hitters or pitchers, including mound height, climate, wind and even umpire accuracy due to visibility.

Getting ahead of changes for 2025 — whether they be in park structure or players changing teams — will help win your fantasy league.  

We’ll now examine the best pitching parks for the season. 

Most stats are courtesy of Savant, using a three-year sample.

The following parks are listed with the most extreme at the top, with +/- % being the difference compared to league average:

Seattle was baseball’s most extreme park last season, as T-Mobile decreased run scoring (-21%) as much as Coors Field increased it. Visibility looks like one issue, as no park boosts Whiff Rate more. Temperature and wind are also among many contributing factors to Seattle being an extreme pitcher’s park. Andrés Muñoz had the third-biggest home/road split of any pitcher since World War II last season. 

Here are Seattle’s starting pitchers’ eye-opening home/road splits from last year

• Logan Gilbert (2.49 vs. 3.94)

• Luis Castillo (3.15 vs. 4.25)

• George Kirby (3.06 vs. 3.89)

• Bryce Miller (1.96 vs. 4.07!)

• Bryan Woo (2.47 vs. 3.29)

Mariners’ pitchers will continue to get a huge boost from their home park, but it’s a hurdle for Julio Rodríguez.

Tropicana Field has also decreased walks by 5% and increased strikeouts by 8% over the last three seasons, so the Rays’ move to a new home with Yankee Stadium’s dimensions will have major fantasy ramifications.

Petco Park has actually boosted homers (+4%) over the last three seasons, but it remains a tough place to hit overall. Nick Pivetta’s propensity to give up home runs should remain an issue with his move from Fenway Park (-2%); Pivetta allowed 20 of his 28 homers on the road last year. Still, Pivetta moves from the second-best hitter’s park to the third-best pitcher’s park according to Park Factors. Pivetta has the fifth-best K-BB% since 2023, so he looks like a top-40 fantasy SP after his dramatic change in scenery.

Cleveland suddenly became incredibly HR-friendly for left-handed batters last year after Progressive Field removed some shipping containers and created a “wind tunnel.” Progressive Field had suppressed HR for LHB by 15% over 2022-23, but it boosted them by 16% last season. Progressive Field had decreased HR (both sides of the plate) an MLB-high 23% over 2022-23, but it was more favorable for homers than Coors Field in 2024. It’s best to use three-year samples in Park Factors, but the physical changes could continue to lead to a much different hitting environment in Cleveland.

San Francisco remains an extreme pitcher’s park even after moving in its outfield fences in 2020. That’s likely because climate is the biggest culprit, as Oracle Park is cold and filled with dense air right next to the ocean. Balls simply don’t travel as far there (h/t Barry Bonds the GOAT).

Willy Adames gets a downgrade moving to the Giants. Milwaukee has increased HR for RHB by 11% over the last three seasons, whereas San Francisco has decreased them by 21%. Graphics may show all of Adames’ 150 career home runs theoretically leaving Oracle Park, but the main issue in San Francisco is air density, not park dimensions. Those fly balls simply won’t travel as far in the Bay Area. The Giants haven’t had a 30-homer hitter since 2004 for a reason; every other team has at least one since 2019. Adames also never had more than eight steals in a season before last year, and he now joins a San Francisco organization that was the least likely to attempt a stolen base last season.

Michael Conforto gets a major fantasy boost leaving the Giants. San Francisco has been a bottom-three park for left-handed power (-23%) over the last three seasons, but Dodger Stadium has been the sixth-best (+16%).

Kyle Tucker might lose a few homers with his move from Houston to Chicago. Minute Maid Park has boosted HR for LHB by 10% over the last three seasons, but Wrigley Field has suppressed them by 10%. But it’s only a slight downgrade overall, and the Cubs ran more than the Astros last season. Still, Tucker will be dealing with the windiest conditions in baseball now. 

Meanwhile, pull-happy Isaac Paredes should see a bump moving from Wrigley Field (and Tropicana) to Houston’s short left-field porch. Paredes had twice as many expected homers (26) at Minute Maid Park last season compared to Wrigley Field (13). 

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One of March Madness’ most indelible memories is Ali Farokhmanesh getting the ball with a half-minute left and opting to let fly a wide-open 3-pointer against No. 1 seed Kansas.

“Farokhmanesh, a three… GOOD!“

Fifteen years later, that player is now a college basketball coach. Colorado State announced Wednesday it was promoting Faokhmanesh to head coach after seven years as an assistant in Fort Collins. 

The Colorado State job became open after incumbent head coach Niko Medved left the program to take the same job with his alma at Minnesota.

Farokhmanesh became an instant star in 2010 when his Northern Iowa team, a No. 9 seed, stunned top overall seed Kansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Farokhmanesh, a 6-foot, 190-pound senior, scored a team-high 16 points against a Jayhawks squad that featured future NBA first-round picks Marcus Morris, Markieff Morries, Cole Aldrich and Xavier Henry.

The lasting moment was Farokhmanesh’s shot. The Panthers had led all game, but a last-minute Kansas comeback pushed them within one with 43 seconds left. The Jawyhawks nearly got a turnover and a chance to take the lead before the ball reached Farokhmanesh, who decided to take the shot of his life rather than try to run out the clock.

Between the basket, the upset, the crowd and the call, it was pure March Madness.

The game was effectively sealed seconds later when Kansas’ Tyrel Reed was called for a charge with 26 seconds left.

After the Panthers’ subsequent loss to No. 5 Michigan State in the Sweet Sixteen, Farokhmanesh went undrafted in the 2010 NBA Draft and embarked on a professional career overseas, playing for teams in Switzerland, Austria and the Netherlands.

He retired as a player in 2014 and moved back stateside to begin his coaching career, first as a graduate assistant with Nebraska. He joined Drake as an assistant coach under Medved in 2017, and followed him to Colorado State a year later.

Now, priority No. 1 for his job will be returning to March Madness. The Rams have made three of the past four tournaments, with an upset of No. 5 Memphis in the first round and a heartbreaker against No. 4 Maryland in the second.

The 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament enters the Sweet 16 with all four No. 1 seeds still alive. UCLA, South Carolina, USC and Texas have moved handily through the first two rounds. We also have a couple surprise teams still left in the March Madness bracket. But does any of that change this round?

We asked our USA TODAY Sports Network experts for their bold predictions for the Sweet 16, which starts on Friday. Here are the possible upsets on their radars.

REQUIRED READING: TCU Horned Frogs star Hailey Van Lith opens up about her mental health struggles

TCU vs. Notre Dame prediction

TCU will top the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame won’t have an answer for TCU’s size, and Hailey Van Lith will make sure the Horned Frogs aren’t overwhelmed by the moment. She’s been here before, and having that voice on the floor is going to be an X factor for TCU. — Nancy Armour, USA TODAY 

UCLA vs. Ole Miss prediction

Ole Miss will top UCLA. The Rebels are no stranger to a Cinderella run, spoiling No. 1 Stanford’s tournament in 2023. Ole Miss’ defense will give the Bruins’ guards trouble, and it’ll send UCLA home much earlier than expected. — Cora Hall, Knoxville News Sentinel 

USC vs. Kansas State prediction

Kansas State will top Southern Cal. When JuJu Watkins suffered a season-ending knee inury against Mississippi State in the second round, it did not look good. The Trojans will miss her, and Kansas State, with star Ayoka Lee, clutch up down the stretch to win a close game. — Cory Diaz, Lafayette Advertiser 

LSU vs. NC State prediction

LSU will top the Wolfpack. It’ll be a chalky Sweet 16 with the top teams having distinguished themselves but Kim Mulkey’s squad could make a Final Four push. — Maxwell Donaldson, The Gadsden Times 

Texas vs. Tennessee prediction

Two Longhorns will go off against Lady Vols. The Lady Volunteers’ fantastic March madness run will end dramatically against Texas. Madison Booker and Rori Harmon will combine for 55 points to lift the Longhorns into the Elite Eight. — Meghan L. Hall, For The Win 

Tennessee will top Texas. The Lady Vols have been underrated in this tournament, delivering an upset over No. 4 Ohio State in the second round. The last time the Lady Vols faced the Longhorns was in late January and they lost by four. Coach Kim Caldwell had just given birth to her son and wasn’t there to coach. — Jenna Ortiz, The Arizona Republic 

Women’s basketball schedule for Sweet 16

All times Eastern.

Friday, March 28

• (2) Duke vs. (3) North Carolina | 2:30 p.m. on ESPN
• (1) South Carolina vs. (4) Maryland | 5 p.m. on ESPN
• (2) NC State vs. (3) LSU | 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
• (1) UCLA vs. (5) Ole Miss | 10 p.m. on ESPN

Saturday, March 29

• (2) TCU vs. (3) Notre Dame | 1 p.m. on ABC
• (1) Texas vs. (5) Tennessee | 3:30 p.m. on ABC
• (2) UConn vs. (3) Oklahoma | 5:30 p.m. on ESPN
• (1) Southern California vs. (5) Kansas State | 8 p.m. on ESPN

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Women’s basketball bold predictions: Sweet 16 upset picks

The Oklahoma City Thunder (and the Seattle Supersonics before them) have 51 jersey numbers worn by the players who have suited up for the franchise since its founding at the start of the 1967-68 season. To commemorate the players who wore those numbers, Thunder Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team.

And while those Supersonics jerseys may not remain part of the franchise history should a new team be established in Seattle as was the case with the return of the Charlotte Hornets, they are part of the Thunder’s history today.

For this article, we continue with the 24th jersey number in the series, jersey No. 22, with 20 players in total having donned the jersey in the history of the franchise.

The first of those players did so in the Seattle SuperSonics era, guard alum Danny Young. After ending his college career at Wake Forest, Young was picked up with the 39th overall selection of the 1984 NBA draft by the SuperSonics.

The Raleigh, North Carolina native would play the first 4 seasons of his pro career with Seattle before he was cut by the team in 1988.

During his time suiting up for the Sonics, Young wore only jersey No. 22 and put up 5.0 points, 1.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.0 steals per game.

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Thunder jersey history No. 22 – Danny Young (1984-88)