FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A busy week for Lionel Messi and Inter Miami ended with a relatively easy night at the office.

Messi and Inter Miami played their best game of the young season, relying on three first-half goals to oust Sporting Kansas City in the first round of their Concacaf Champions Cup series, winning 3-1 on Tuesday night at Chase Stadium (4-1 on aggregate score).

Messi scored in the 19th minute, taking a pass from Luis Suarez off his chest, then swinging his legendary left boot to send a goal into the back of the net to start the night.

Rookie Tadeo Allende (45’+1’) and Suarez (45’+3’) scored two minutes apart in first-half extra time to help Inter Miami advance to the Round-of-16 in the Champions Cup.

Inter Miami’s next opponent will be Jamaican league champion Cavalier FC. They’ll play at Inter Miami on March 6, then in Jamaica on March 13.

“Guys like obviously Messi and Suarez, they know the moments in the game. They just know. And they operate at such a different level than other players. They’ve, they’ve done it at all leagues and levels, different types of games — Champions League, whatever,” Sporting KC coach Peter Vermes said after the loss. 

“Against this team, if you can score… it can change the game. But if you let them get ahead of you, the game can open up, because with one chance, they can just break you.” 

Messi played 68 minutes on Tuesday night, shortly after Messi and Suarez were both fined undisclosed amounts for MLS rules violations. Both were found to have violated the face/head/neck area for separate instances in the club’s season opener.

Messi scored a goal in each of the two matches against Sporting KC in the first round, helping the club take a 1-0 lead in the series last week before Tuesday’s lopsided win.

Messi had two assists during Inter Miami’s 2-2 draw with New York City FC in the MLS season opener Saturday. But his postgame actions, including squeezing the back of NYC assistant coach Mehdi Ballouchy, warranted action from the MLS disciplinary committee. Suarez also grabbed the back of defender Birk Risa’s neck after the halftime whistle as both players argued on the pitch before teammates intervened.

Overall, Messi and Inter Miami have played three matches in six days and eight matches in 40 days when you include their preseason, which included visits to Las Vegas, Peru, Panama, Honduras and Tampa Bay, Florida.

They’ll have six days until they’re back in action again, and can use the rest.

“We were hit by the start of the season with three games in six days with travel, with some injuries that we didn’t expect to happen. And well, you have to manage all these situations,” Mascherano said when asked about pulling Suarez and Sergio Busquets in the 81st minute after Messi’s early exit. “The important thing is that they understand this situation — that it’s for their own good and that once they’re well, we’ll be stronger. In the end, it’s about being able to count on all of them for as many games as possible.” 

Inter Miami’s next match in the MLS season is away against the Houston Dynamo on March 2, in the second edition of MLS and Apple TV’s ‘Sunday Night Soccer’ showcase.

The club will also host FC Charlotte on March 9 between their next set of Champions Cup matches.

Here’s everything you need to know about Inter Miami-Sporting Kansas City tonight:

Messi leaves the game as substitute: Inter Miami 3, Sporting KC 1

Lionel Messi’s night is over. He’s been substituted off in the 68th minute of the match. He handed the captain armband to Jordi Alba before trotting off the pitch.

Memo Rodríguez goal: Inter Miami 3, Sporting Kansas City 1

Sporting KC’s Memo Rodríguez came off the bench, and scored a goal five minutes later, ricocheting his shot off Inter Miami defender Maxi Falcon in the 63rd minute.

Inter Miami leads 3-1 in the match, and 4-1 on aggregate score.

Luis Suarez goal: Inter Miami 3, Sporting KC 0

Add Luis Suarez in the scoring column. Suarez beautifully played an errant deflection in the penalty area, then squared up for a swinging right kick as he scored his first goal of the season just before halftime (45’+3’).

Inter Miami’s commanding aggregate lead is 4-0 in the Champions Cup matchup against Sporting KC.

Expect some substitutions for Messi, Suarez and some other Inter Miami standouts in the second half.

Tadeo Allende goal: Inter Miami 2, Sporting KC 0

Inter Miami rookie Tadeo Allende has scored on an assist from Jordi Alba, just before halftime (45’+1) to help his side increase its commanding lead against Sporting KC. Messi sent an outlet pass to Alba, who found Allende cutting toward the net for the score.

Inter Miami is now up 3-0 on aggregate score, and should coast the rest of the way.

Lionel Messi goal highlight: Inter Miami 1, Sporting KC 0

Lionel Messi took a ball off his chest, and swung his legendary left boot. Messi has scored in the 19th minute to give Inter Miami a 1-0 lead against Sporting KC in the second leg of their Champions Cup matchup.

Luis Suarez gets the assist for the volley Messi sent into the back of the net to double Inter Miami’s lead in the series. Inter Miami leads 2-0 on aggregate score in the series, with Messi scoring both goals.

Is Messi playing tonight?

Yes, Messi is a starter for Inter Miami tonight. Here are the starting lineups for both clubs.

What time does Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City match begin?

The game will begin at 8 p.m. ET (9 p.m. in Argentina) on Tuesday night.

How to watch Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City match?

The match will be available to watch FS2 in English and ViX in Spanish.

Who leads the Inter Miami-Sporting KC Champions Cup series?

Inter Miami leads 1-0 on aggregate score. Messi scored the only goal in the first-round series.

What score does Inter Miami, Kansas City need to advance?

Inter Miami would advance to the next round with a win or draw by any score.
Kansas City would advance by scoring two or more goals in a one-goal victory (2-1, 3-2, etc.).
If SKC is up 1-0 after regulation, the match will be tied on aggregate score and go to a penalty shootout to determine the winner.

Who does Inter Miami or Sporting Kansas City face next round?

Jamaican league champion Cavalier FC earned a bye to the round of 16 in the Champions Cup tournament, and awaits the winner of Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City.

When is Messi’s next game with Inter Miami?

Inter Miami’s second MLS game of the season will be on the road against the Houston Dynamo on March 2 during the second edition of the league’s ‘Sunday Night Soccer’ showcase.

Sporting Kansas City’s game plan: Slow Messi

Sporting KC coach Peter Vermes has routinely praised Messi before their matchups. Their plan is to deny Messi the ball and not give away possession in transition, but he knows Messi can still enforce his will at any time.

“There’s so many different coaches that have tried over the years, but you really just can’t put a game plan in for him because he’s one of those players, which there’s not very few, that can change the outcome of the game on their own,” Vermes said.

Inter Miami coach Javier Masherano faces tall task leading Messi

Messi is being coached by his former Barcelona and Argentina teammate Javier Mascherano in Inter Miami’s 2025 season. Despite the inherit pressure to help the club reach new heights, Mascherano is taking his new job in stride. It certainly helps having Messi and three other teammates in Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba by his side.

“I’m not under pressure. I’m here, trying to do my best, trying to help the players to have success,” Mascherano said during Inter Miami’s preseason. “We are happy because we are doing the right things. We see on the pitch that we are working (well). It’s important going forward, keeping the same mentality we have now.”

MLS commissioner Don Garber shares excitement for 2025, 2026

Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber believes the next two years will be a pivotal stretch for soccer in the United States. The 2025 MLS season marks the league’s 30th season. The FIFA Club World Cup will be played later this summer in the United States, and the FIFA World Cup next year is co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

“The World Cup is going to raise the attention of the sport in ways that nobody ever dreamed of,” Garber told USA TODAY Sports. “And I tell people who don’t understand soccer or MLS, they have no idea how big the World Cup is going to be. … Just wait, it’s going to be epic.”

On Tuesday, the women’s college basketball, WNBA and Olympic legend announced that, after 20 years in the WNBA, she is retiring.

In the hours following her announcement, tributes flooded in, not only from those close to Taurasi, but also from around the sports world. This includes her coach at UConn, Geno Auriemma, who also happens to be college basketball’s all-time winningest coach .

‘It’s hard to put into put into words, it really is, what this means. When someone’s defined the game, when someone’s had such an impact on so many people and so many places. You can’t define it with a quote,’ Auriemma said in a statement on Tuesday.

‘It’s a life that is a novel, it’s a movie, it’s a miniseries, it’s a saga. It’s the life of an extraordinary person who, I think, had as much to do with changing women’s basketball as anyone who’s ever played the game.’

Taurasi and Auriemma built the UConn women’s basketball program into one of the sport’s powerhouses over the guard’s four-year career from 2000 through 2004. In four seasons with the Huskies, Taurasi helped lead UConn to three consecutive national championships from 2002 to 2004. UConn was only the second program to achieve that feat, after Tennessee from 1996-98.

UConn went 139-8 overall and 22-1 in the NCAA Tournament with Taurasi. She further etched her name as one of the great women’s college basketball players with back-to-back Naismith National Player of the Year awards in 2003 and 2004.

She currently ranks 10th on UConn’s all-time scoring list and was the first player to finish with at least 2,000 points, 600 assists and 600 rebounds in a career.

But the player-coach relationship between Taurasi and Auriemma extends further than the four years they shared in Storrs, Connecticut. Of Taurasi’s six Olympic gold medals, the most basketball gold medals won by a single player – male or female – in Olympic history, two of them came with Auriemma as her Team USA coach. The first one came at the 2012 London Olympics, with the second one coming four years later at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

‘In my opinion, what the greats have in common is, they transcend the sport and become synonymous with the sport. For as long as people talk about college basketball, WNBA basketball, Olympic basketball: Diana is the greatest winner in the history of basketball, period,’ Auriemma said in his statement.

Taurasi finishes her 20-year WNBA career – all with the Phoenix Mercury – as a three-time WNBA champion and the league’s all-time leading scorer.

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With his March Madness debut not too far away, Cooper Flagg continues to be one of the top players in men’s college basketball.

His latest showing came in a game in which he didn’t necessarily need to be the go-to scorer for No. 2 Duke. He still impacted the scoring sheet, similar to his game vs. Illinois over the weekend at Madison Square Garden.

The 6-foot-9 guard, who is considered the No. 1 overall prospect in the NBA draft, finished with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting with six assists and five rebounds in the Blue Devils’ 97-60 rout of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.

Given the margin of victory for the Blue Devils, Duke coach Jon Scheyer rested Flagg for the final six minutes of the second half. With the win, Flagg helped Duke improve to 16-1 in ACC play and 25-3 overall on the season.

Duke, who will next take on Florida State on Saturday, is currently projected as a No. 1 seed in both USA TODAY and Joe Lunardi’s latest NCAA Tournament projections. Tuesday’s win over Miami improved Duke’s record against Quad 3 opponents to a perfect 9-0.

Here’s a look at Flagg’s full stats against Miami on Tuesday:

Cooper Flagg points today

Here’s Flagg’s full stat line from Tuesday’s road win at Miami:

Points: 16 points
Shooting: 6 of 9 (66.7%)
3-point shooting: 1 of 2 (50%)
Rebounds: 5
Assists: 6
Steals: 0
Turnovers: 0

Cooper Flagg stats

Entering Tuesday’s game at Duke, Flagg ranked third in the ACC in scoring at 19.5 points per game and eighth in the conference with 4.0 assists per game. He leads Duke in every statistical category: scoring, rebounds (7.7), assists, steals (1.6) and blocks (1.1).

Here’s a full look at Flagg’s season stats at Duke entering Tuesday’s game vs. Miami:

Points: 19.5
Rebounds: 7.7
Assists: 4.0
Blocks: 1.1
Steals: 1.6
Shooting: 48.6%
3-point shooting: 37.3%

DALLAS — Representatives from Notre Dame and college football’s 10 Bowl Subdivision conferences did not reach an agreement on the 2025 College Football Playoff format after gathering for over seven hours inside the Grand Hyatt at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Tuesday.

Multiple conference commissioners said the group could meet again in March.

Both Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey told reporters after a meeting in New Orleans last week that they believe the way the CFP seeds its participants must change. Neither stopped to speak to the gathered media on Tuesday, but ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said that the group discussed the issue of seeding at the end of the meeting.

That discussion did not yield a decision.

The distribution of first-round byes forms the crux of the seeding issue. Under the 12-team playoff format deployed in 2024, four byes were awarded to the conference champions ranked highest by the CFP selection committee. Last season, those four teams were Oregon (Big Ten), Georgia (SEC), Boise State (Mountain West) and Arizona State (Big 12).

Had byes been distributed only according to the final CFP rankings, Oregon (Big Ten), Georgia (SEC), Texas (SEC) and Penn State (Big Ten) would have been the committee’s picks.

Sporting fairness is not the only force driving the issue. The SEC and Big Ten are financially incentivized to negotiate for a more favorable setup as it relates to first-round byes. In 2024, conferences received $4 million for each of their members that cracked the field and another $4 million for every school that reached the quarterfinals. The four teams with byes earned a free ticket into that round.

‘I think it’s too early,’ Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said. ‘The CFP’s going to run some models and then come back to us next month.’

Any change to the College Football Playoff format in 2025 requires the unanimous consent of the 10 FBS commissioners ‒ and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua. Changing the format for 2026 will not require unanimous consent.

According to College Football Playoff executive director Rich Clark, the group did not discuss the 2026 playoff format at Tuesday’s meeting.

Commissioners from the ACC, Big 12, MAC and American Athletic Conference declined to say what ‒ if anything ‒ might compel them to agree to the seeding change the Big Ten and SEC are pushing for, citing the need to gather further information.

Clark said the College Football Playoff would begin gathering the data the commissioners requested as early as Wednesday. Everyone who spoke to the media after the meeting declined to get into specifics on the data they wanted to review.

‘Some of it’s historic, some of it’s data, some of it is just understanding how things happened last year and even previous years so that we can take a good look back and make good decisions,’ Clark said.

Clark said the group is hoping to have a decision made on the 2025 format ‘soon.’

‘For (2025), that’s obviously the most pressing, because that’s for next season,’ he said. ‘We’re hoping that if we can get together next month that we can come to some decisions on 2025. For (2026), we have a little bit more time for that, but we want to get there, too. It’s important that we make these decisions for 25 now, because they’re going to impact what happens in 26 and beyond.’

Reach Texas Insider David Eckert via email at deckert@gannett.com. 

For a second consecutive week, there’s a change at the top of the USA TODAY Sports women’s basketball coaches poll. It took two overtime periods and a raucous atmosphere, but Notre Dame’s stay at No. 1 this time around lasted for just one week after a loss to North Carolina State.

Texas will now take a turn as the highest-ranked squad in the nation. The Longhorns, who becomes the fifth different team to occupy the No. 1 position this season, received 22 of 31 first-place votes and head the coaches poll for the first time in program history. The first coaches poll began in 2003-04. season Texas was ranked No. 1 in the media poll prior to that season.

UCLA is back up to No. 2, claiming seven first-place nods, though the Bruins narrowly survived at Iowa on Sunday at nearly the same time as Notre Dame was upended at North Carolina State. Southern California climbs to No. 3 with a single first-place vote on the eve of its rematch with UCLA. Notre Dame retains a top vote but falls to No. 4 overall.

TOP 25: Complete USA TODAY Sports women’s basketball poll

The next three positions remain unchanged as Connecticut, South Carolina and LSU hold serve. No. 8 TCU and No. 9 North Carolina each climb a spot, and North Carolina State vaults into the top 10 after toppling the Fighting Irish.

Georgia Tech is the lone team dropping out of the rankings. Oklahoma State joins at No. 23.

It comes as a result of an altercation in the departure area of Denver International Airport, according to a Denver Police probable cause statement obtained by NBC 9News in Denver.

Wilhoite appeared in court Monday, where he was advised of the charges. Court records show that bail was set at $5,000 bond or $500 cash. The coach opted for the cash option, posting the $500 and was later released.

USA TODAY Sports reached out to Wilhoite’s attorney for comment.

The incident occurred at the airport on Sunday when Wilhoite left his 2021 Ford Bronco unattended. Upon returning to the vehicle, an officer approached the coach, telling him he couldn’t leave the car like that.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

‘Shut the (expletive) up,’ Wilhoite told the officer, according to the probable cause statement. The officer repeated to Wilhoite that he could not leave his vehicle unattended and the coach had the same reply, proceeding to bump the officer in the chest.

The officer gave Wilhoite a return shove, resulting in the coach punching the officer, who fell to the ground.

Wilhoite proceeded to get back in his car when the officer used his Taser on the Broncos’ coach. After that, Wilhoite drove away and was later arrested.

‘We are aware of a situation involving Michael Wilhoite that occurred Sunday and are in the process of gathering more information,’ the Broncos said in a statement.

The coach just wrapped up his second season with the Broncos after joining Sean Payton’s staff ahead of the 2023 season. The 38-year-old previously worked for Payton in New Orleans as a defensive and special teams assistant from 2019-20. He then went on to coach linebackers for the Los Angeles Chargers from 2021-22 before rejoining Payton again.

Wilhoite played six seasons in the NFL after going undrafted out of Division II Washburn University, playing five seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and one year with the Seattle Seahawks.

Documents show Wilhoite is expected to appear in court again on March 10.

Inter Miami stars Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez have been fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Soccer’s Disciplinary Committee following separate incidents during the club’s season opener, the league announced Tuesday.

After the final whistle blew in the 2-2 draw Saturday, Messi squeezed the back of the neck of New York City FC coach Mehdi Ballouchy, causing the coach to clench his shoulders while looking back at the Argentine World Cup champion. Video of the incident went viral during the opening weekend of the 2025 MLS season.  

Consider the fine a slap on the wrist — or a squeeze to the neck, if you will — for Messi, the reigning MLS MVP in his first discipline from the league since his monumental arrival in July 2023.

Messi and Suarez both violated the hands to the face/head/neck of an opponent policy, the MLS disciplinary committee’s announcement said.

Suarez grabbed the back of New York City defender Birk Risa’s neck after the halftime whistle as both players argued on the pitch before teammates intervened.

Messi, Suarez and Sergio Busquets were among Inter Miami players who contested a NYCFC player should have received a second yellow card and an ejection before halftime during the game.

An immediate red card was issued to Inter Miami’s Toto Aviles in the 23rd minute, forcing Inter Miami to play with just 10 players for most of the match.

Messi had two assists against New York City — one in the fifth minute to Aviles, and one in the 100th minute to Telasco Segovia to salvage the club’s home opener. A fuming Messi received a yellow card from the lead official as the match ended.

Ballouchy started a conversation with Messi near the sideline after the card was pulled. Inter Miami assistant Javier Morales also approached Ballouchy as Messi briefly walked away before turning back toward Ballouchy and then squeezing the back of his neck.

Messi will play for Inter Miami play in its Concacaf Champions Cup on Tuesday night against Sporting Kansas City, leading the first-round series 1-0 in aggregate score.

Inter Miami’s next MLS match is on the road against Houston Dynamo on March 2, in the second edition of MLS and Apple TV’s ‘Sunday Night Soccer’ showcase.

After 25 years of dominating basketball courts, from college to the WNBA to the Olympics, Diana Taurasi is finally calling it a career.

The former UConn star announced her retirement on Tuesday. Taurasi is undoubtedly one of the greatest basketball players the world has ever seen. Her stats back up that claim up.

Taurasi retires as the WNBA’s scoring leader by a wide margin, nearly 3,000 points ahead of second-place Tina Charles. She’s been part of some of the greatest teams of all-time and helped build dynasties.

Here’s a quick look at her two-plus-decade basketball career, by the numbers:

Diana Taurasi by the numbers

Olympic gold medals … 6 (most in Olympic basketball)
NCAA championships … 3
WNBA championships … 3
Career points … 10,646 (ranks first in WNBA)
All-WNBA selections … 14 (first in WNBA)
WNBA All-Star selections … 11 (second in WNBA)
Career 3-pointers made … 1,447 (first in WNBA)
Field goals made … 3,341 (first in WNBA)
Scoring titles … 5 (first in WNBA)
Seasons played … 20 (first in WNBA)
Career Assists … 2,394 (fourth in WNBA)
Steals … 518 (18th in WNBA)

When did Diana Taurasi win her last championship?

Taurasi’s latest championship came in 2014. That same year, Taurasi finished second in MVP voting, averaging 16.2 points per game.

Even into her age-42 season, Taurasi only ever averaged fewer than 14 points per game once (2019). Taurasi had offseason back surgery ahead of that season and dealt with a hamstring injury during the season as well. She played only six games that year.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks square off in a game that has a major emotional tie on Tuesday, that would be superstar Luka Doncic.

The NBA’s trade season culminated in a seismic trade that sent the beloved Mavs superstar, Doncic, to L.A. in exchange for Lakers big man Anthony Davis. The trade and its unfolding ramifications have been massive, expecially for Dallas fans still left scratching their collective heads.

Just three weeks removed from the trade, Doncic will suit up for his fifth game in purple and gold. It marks the first time he faces his former team.

Follow along as USA TODAY will provide updates and highlights from what is sure to be an electric night from Los Angeles.

What time is the Lakers game tonight?

Luka Doncic suits up for the Los Angeles Lakers in his first clash with the Dallas Mavericks since the trade that sent him west. The game starts at 10 p.m. ET with coverage on TNT.

All times Eastern.

Game starts: 10 p.m. ET

Lakers vs. Mavericks TV channel: How to watch

TV channel: TNT and TruTV

Lakers vs. Mavericks stream: How to stream Luka Doncic game

The game will be carried on Max. You can also watch on Sling.

Watch NBA games on TNT with Sling

Is LeBron James playing tonight?

Yes. Los Angeles Lakers star forward LeBron James has been upgraded to available against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday. James was initially listed on the injury report for left foot injury management, an issue that sidelined him for the Lakers’ Feb. 8 win over the Indiana Pacers and the 2025 All-Star Game on Feb. 16.

Watch: Jordan releases new Luka Doncic commercial

Luka Doncic’s highly-anticipated matchup against his former team on Tuesday has spawned a new Jordan Brand advertisement. The sports apparel company released an ad that features Doncic swapping out a Texas license plate on his purple-and-yellow sports car for a California license plate, symbolizing his new home with the Los Angeles Lakers. The ad is set to the tune of George Strait’s “All My Ex’s Live in Texas,” a nod to Doncic’s contentious departure from the Dallas Mavericks. 

The ad closes with the message, ‘Full tank. No mercy.”  

Doncic signed an endorsement deal with Air Jordan in December 2019. 

Kyrie Irving visits Kobe and Gigi Bryant statue 

Ahead of the Mavericks’ matchup against the Lakers on Tuesday, Kyrie Irving paid tribute to the late Kobe and Gigi Bryant by visiting their statue outside the Crypto.com Arena. The statue depicts Bryant kissing the top of Gianna’s head as they sat courtside at a Lakers game in December 2019, less than a month before their tragic deaths.

“(Bryant) was a genuine friend, a genuine big brother, and losing someone like that was one of the hardest things to deal with, to grieve over it,” Irving said of Bryant in November. 

Why was Luka Doncic traded to the Lakers?

‘A lot happened quickly when news broke that Dončić would be joining the Lakers, with both players surfacing in their new cities within days. Then came the reports and speculation about why this deal happened, and why the Mavericks ultimately elected to move on from Dončić, a 25-year-old superstar seemingly about to enter the prime of his career. leading up to this moment. There was delight from Lakers fans, disgust from lots of Mavericks fans, and an infusion of interest and curiosity from diehard and casual NBA fans alike.’ — Mark Giannotto

Who won the Lakers-Mavericks Luka Doncic trade?

‘Luka Doncic has played four games for the Los Angeles Lakers, and Anthony Davis has played one game for the Dallas Mavericks since the blockbuster trade between the two teams involving those two All-Stars […]

‘It’s still early, and sweeping conclusions are unjustified, but so far, the Lakers have won the trade – on the court and in the court of public opinion.’ — Jeff Zillgitt

Luka Doncic stats: Points and more since joining Lakers

Games: 4
Points/Game: 19
Rebounds/Game: 7.5
Assists/Game: 5.8
FG%: 38.8
3PT%: 27.3
Minutes/Game: 27.8

Predictions for Mavericks vs. Lakers:

Sporting News: Lakers 115, Mavs 110

Sloan Piva writes, ‘LA should dictate the pace at home – it has scored 25.6 fast-break points per game over the past three games (best in the NBA in that stretch) – and we like unsung heroes like Jaxson Hayes and Jarred Vanderbilt to play big parts down low against the Mavs’ injury-plagued front court. 

‘Don’t fall into the trap of laying the points with LA, though. Pride is at stake for Jason Kidd’s team, and the Mavs sit top-eight in a loaded West for a reason. They’re 7-1 against the spread over their past eight games, and likely pissed off after taking their worst loss in that stretch their last time out. They might not come out of Los Angeles with a win, but they also probably won’t get wiped out completely by the Don and his new family.’

DeMarcus Cousins: Luka will feast

During an appearance on television, Cousins said, ‘I know how I felt when I made my return to the team that traded me. I was a shark in bloody water. I expect nothing less from Luka. I think it’s gonna be a lot of emotion. I think it’ll be a lot of antics. And I think he’s coming out firing right away. I think he’s gonna try to make a statement.’

FanDuel: Lakers to win

FanDuel gives the Lakers a 57.9% chance of winning Tuesday’s game. Furthermore, FanDuel also points out that the Lakers have a stellar 16-10 record against the spread when playing at home.

Odds, lines for Mavericks vs. Lakers:

*All odds via BetMGM

The Los Angeles Lakers are favorites to defeat Dallas in Tuesday’s NBA matchup, according to the BetMGM basketball odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering sports betting promos in 2024.

Odds as of Monday evening.

Spread: Lakers (-9.5)
Moneylines: Lakers (-425); Mavericks (+320)
Over/under: 230.5

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Will President Donald Trump invite the Philadelphia Eagles to the White House or won’t he?

That was the question on the minds of many after the Philadelphia Eagles crushed the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs to win Super Bowl LIX earlier this month.

Turns out he will.

Trump ended the speculation from the Oval Office on Tuesday, saying the winning NFL team would be invited.

“I thought it was a great performance by them,” he said. “And absolutely they’ll be extended that invitation.”

Trump then directed White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to offer the invitation “right away,” adding, “We’re gonna do it sometime today.”

While championship teams in major professional and college sports leagues have visited the White House for decades, the traditional visits became more sporadic − and controversial − during Trump’s first term, in part because of public criticism he levied against specific leagues and groups of athletes.

NBA teams, whose players are predominantly Black, either were not invited to visit the White House or declined to attend during Trump’s first term.

For NFL teams, the visits became especially fraught after Trump repeatedly blasted the league and players who kneeled during the national anthem to protest racial inequality. Only one of the four teams that won a Super Bowl during Trump’s first term in office made a trip to the White House (the New England Patriots, in 2017).

The Eagles were slated to visit with Trump after their Super Bowl win in 2018 until the White House withdrew its invitation on the eve of the scheduled ceremony. NFL Network reported at the time that Philadelphia had planned to send a contingent of fewer than 10 players to the ceremony, and then-White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders publicly accused the team of trying to pull ‘a political stunt.’

The White House instead hosted a brief, awkward event the next day that it described as a celebration of America. The South Lawn event amounted to the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner and God Bless America and brief remarks from Trump − but no members of the team.

Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House Correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on X @SwapnaVenugopal