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Deadspin | NBA roundup: Wizards edge Blazers, halt 9-game skid

Deadspin | NBA roundup: Wizards edge Blazers, halt 9-game skid

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Jan 27, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr (20) takes a shot over Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) during the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Alex Sarr produced 29 points, 12 rebounds and six blocks as the Washington Wizards ended their nine-game losing streak with a 115-111 win over the visiting Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night.

Khris Middleton and Kyshawn George scored 19 points apiece for Washington, which won for the first time since Jan. 6. Tre Johnson added 18.

Washington won despite being outrebounded 69-46 in a game that featured six ties and 19 lead changes.

Shaedon Sharpe put up 31 points as Portland dropped its third game in a row. Deni Avdija totaled 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Thunder 104, Pelicans 95

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points while leading Oklahoma City to a home win over New Orleans. The Thunder snapped a two-game losing streak while halting the Pelicans’ two-game winning streak.

Chet Holmgren helped the Thunder create some separation in the third quarter, scoring 14 of his 20 points and pulling down seven of his 14 rebounds in the period. He finished with five blocks and three assists.

Zion Williamson had 21 points and 11 rebounds for New Orleans. Saddiq Bey amassed 16 points and 13 boards.

Knicks 103, Kings 87

Karl-Anthony Towns hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter for host New York, which never trailed again as it pulled away from Sacramento.

Towns posted 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Knicks, who outscored the Kings 31-15 in the fourth to earn their third win in a row. New York’s Jalen Brunson scored 11 of his 28 points in final 3:48.

DeMar DeRozan scored a game-high 34 points for the Kings, who have lost six straight following a season-high four-game winning streak. Domantas Sabonis logged 11 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists.

76ers 139, Bucks 122

Paul George scored 32 points and Joel Embiid added 29 to highlight Philadelphia’s victory over visiting Milwaukee.

George shot 9 of 15 from 3-point range as Philadelphia earned its 25th win, surpassing last season’s total. Tyrese Maxey contributed 22 points and nine assists for the Sixers, while VJ Edgecombe pitched in with 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.

Myles Turner recorded 31 points and Ryan Rollins notched 24 for the Bucks, who remain without Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf). Bobby Portis registered 17 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists.

Pistons 109, Nuggets 107

Cade Cunningham recorded 22 points and 11 assists, Tobias Harris also scored 22 points, including two free throws with two seconds remaining, and visiting Detroit beat Denver.

Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson put up 14 each for the Pistons, who have won nine of their past 11.

Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 24 points but missed two free throws on separate trips to the foul line in the final seconds that could have sent the game to overtime.

Suns 106, Nets 102

Mark Williams scored a season-high 27 points, Dillon Brooks added 26 points and host Phoenix held off Brooklyn, sending the Nets to their sixth straight loss.

Grayson Allen scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half, and his driving layup with 12 seconds capped a game-ending 10-2 Phoenix run.

Michael Porter Jr. scored a season-high 36 points and made six 3-pointers for the Nets, who overcame a 12-point first-half deficit and led 100-96 with 3:33 left before the Suns rebounded.

Clippers 115, Jazz 103

Kawhi Leonard scored 21 points while James Harden tallied 16 points and 10 assists as Los Angeles won for the ninth time in 10 games, beating Utah in Salt Lake City.

Kris Dunn and Brook Lopez chipped in 14 points apiece for the Clippers, who scored 23 points off 17 Jazz turnovers. Dunn and Harden combined for nine steals.

Ace Bailey led Utah with 20 points. Lauri Markkanen added 19 points for the Jazz, who have one win in their past eight games. Utah played without starters Keyonte George (rest) and Jusuf Nurkic (illness). Markkanen returned to action after missing seven games because of illness.

–Field Level Media

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Deadspin | Larry Fitzgerald thanks all of Arizona: ‘You gave me a home’ Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Larry Fitzgerald and his son Devin Fitzgerald unveil his bust during the Class of 2026 enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 8, 2026. One day after being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, longtime Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald paid for a full-page ad in the Arizona Republic to thank everyone who made a Minnesota native feel welcome in the state he calls home. After being selected by the Cardinals with the third overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, Fitzgerald spent all 17 years of his NFL career in Arizona. He caught 1,432 passes for 17,492 yards and 121 touchdowns while earning 11 trips to the Pro Bowl. Fitzgerald ranks second to Jerry Rice on the NFL’s all-time lists for receptions and receiving yards. He stands sixth in touchdown catches, trailing Rice, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Chris Carter and Marvin Harrison. Here’s the message Fitzgerald penned for his Arizona Republic ad: People have asked me countless times what it felt like to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The truth is, it was one of the greatest honors of my life. But this really isn’t a Hall of Fame story. It’s a thank-you letter. I arrived in Arizona as a 20-year-old kid who didn’t know a single person. I had no idea this desert would become the place that would shape me into the man I am today. The day I landed was the same day the nation learned Pat Tillman had lost his life. Pat is one of America’s great heroes. I stepped off the plane into a state where its people were carrying real grief, and something inside me grew quiet. I started paying attention. You learn quickly what loyalty looks like when it isn’t just a word. For the next 17 seasons, I quietly measured myself against the standard Pat Tillman set. I’m still not sure I ever lived up to it. Somewhere along the way, Arizona stopped being the place where I lived and became the place I was from. It happened through a thousand ordinary moments until one day, I realized this was simply home. Not because I was a Hall of Famer. Not because I was a wide receiver. Just because the people of this state allowed me to be Larry. You don’t fall in love with a place because of its stadiums. You fall in love on quiet mornings hiking Camelback Mountain. On crisp fall afternoons walking a golf course. During summers in Flagstaff and standing among the red rocks of Sedona that remind you just how small you are in the best possible way. When I stopped playing football, I walked away quietly. I’m known for my Irish goodbyes. Arizona even gave me that. Yet you kept showing up for me anyway, especially through the work of my foundation. Your support was never conditional. You never asked me to be anything other than myself, and somehow that was always enough. Arizona gave a kid from Minneapolis something he didn’t even know he was searching for. Belonging. And that sense of belonging changed me. After a while, you weren’t cheering for a wide receiver anymore, you were cheering for one of your own. So this isn’t really a story about 17 years in a Cardinals uniform or a bronze bust in Canton. It’s the story of a young man who was welcomed by a state that owed him nothing and gave him everything. Thank you, Arizona. Thank you for letting a kid from somewhere else become one of your own. Thank you for embracing not just the player, but the man. You gave me far more than a career. You gave me friendships that will last a lifetime. You gave me purpose beyond football. You gave me a place where my children will always know they belong. Most of all, you gave me a home. With love and gratitude, (signed) Larry Fitzgerald HOF 26 –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Larry #Fitzgerald #Arizona #gave #homePro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Larry Fitzgerald and his son Devin Fitzgerald unveil his bust during the Class of 2026 enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 8, 2026.

One day after being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, longtime Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald paid for a full-page ad in the Arizona Republic to thank everyone who made a Minnesota native feel welcome in the state he calls home.

After being selected by the Cardinals with the third overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, Fitzgerald spent all 17 years of his NFL career in Arizona. He caught 1,432 passes for 17,492 yards and 121 touchdowns while earning 11 trips to the Pro Bowl.

Fitzgerald ranks second to Jerry Rice on the NFL’s all-time lists for receptions and receiving yards. He stands sixth in touchdown catches, trailing Rice, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Chris Carter and Marvin Harrison.

Here’s the message Fitzgerald penned for his Arizona Republic ad:

People have asked me countless times what it felt like to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The truth is, it was one of the greatest honors of my life.

But this really isn’t a Hall of Fame story.

It’s a thank-you letter.

I arrived in Arizona as a 20-year-old kid who didn’t know a single person. I had no idea this desert would become the place that would shape me into the man I am today.

The day I landed was the same day the nation learned Pat Tillman had lost his life. Pat is one of America’s great heroes.

I stepped off the plane into a state where its people were carrying real grief, and something inside me grew quiet. I started paying attention.

You learn quickly what loyalty looks like when it isn’t just a word.

For the next 17 seasons, I quietly measured myself against the standard Pat Tillman set. I’m still not sure I ever lived up to it.

Somewhere along the way, Arizona stopped being the place where I lived and became the place I was from.

It happened through a thousand ordinary moments until one day, I realized this was simply home. Not because I was a Hall of Famer. Not because I was a wide receiver. Just because the people of this state allowed me to be Larry.

You don’t fall in love with a place because of its stadiums. You fall in love on quiet mornings hiking Camelback Mountain.

On crisp fall afternoons walking a golf course. During summers in Flagstaff and standing among the red rocks of Sedona that remind you just how small you are in the best possible way.


When I stopped playing football, I walked away quietly. I’m known for my Irish goodbyes. Arizona even gave me that. Yet you kept showing up for me anyway, especially through the work of my foundation. Your support was never conditional. You never asked me to be anything other than myself, and somehow that was always enough.

Arizona gave a kid from Minneapolis something he didn’t even know he was searching for.

Belonging.

And that sense of belonging changed me.

After a while, you weren’t cheering for a wide receiver anymore, you were cheering for one of your own.

So this isn’t really a story about 17 years in a Cardinals uniform or a bronze bust in Canton.

It’s the story of a young man who was welcomed by a state that owed him nothing and gave him everything.

Thank you, Arizona.

Thank you for letting a kid from somewhere else become one of your own.

Thank you for embracing not just the player, but the man.

You gave me far more than a career. You gave me friendships that will last a lifetime. You gave me purpose beyond football.

You gave me a place where my children will always know they belong.

Most of all, you gave me a home.

With love and gratitude,

(signed)

Larry Fitzgerald

HOF 26

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Larry #Fitzgerald #Arizona #gave #home">Deadspin | Larry Fitzgerald thanks all of Arizona: ‘You gave me a home’ Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Larry Fitzgerald and his son Devin Fitzgerald unveil his bust during the Class of 2026 enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 8, 2026. One day after being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, longtime Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald paid for a full-page ad in the Arizona Republic to thank everyone who made a Minnesota native feel welcome in the state he calls home. After being selected by the Cardinals with the third overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, Fitzgerald spent all 17 years of his NFL career in Arizona. He caught 1,432 passes for 17,492 yards and 121 touchdowns while earning 11 trips to the Pro Bowl. Fitzgerald ranks second to Jerry Rice on the NFL’s all-time lists for receptions and receiving yards. He stands sixth in touchdown catches, trailing Rice, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Chris Carter and Marvin Harrison. Here’s the message Fitzgerald penned for his Arizona Republic ad: People have asked me countless times what it felt like to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The truth is, it was one of the greatest honors of my life. But this really isn’t a Hall of Fame story. It’s a thank-you letter. I arrived in Arizona as a 20-year-old kid who didn’t know a single person. I had no idea this desert would become the place that would shape me into the man I am today. The day I landed was the same day the nation learned Pat Tillman had lost his life. Pat is one of America’s great heroes. I stepped off the plane into a state where its people were carrying real grief, and something inside me grew quiet. I started paying attention. You learn quickly what loyalty looks like when it isn’t just a word. For the next 17 seasons, I quietly measured myself against the standard Pat Tillman set. I’m still not sure I ever lived up to it. Somewhere along the way, Arizona stopped being the place where I lived and became the place I was from. It happened through a thousand ordinary moments until one day, I realized this was simply home. Not because I was a Hall of Famer. Not because I was a wide receiver. Just because the people of this state allowed me to be Larry. You don’t fall in love with a place because of its stadiums. You fall in love on quiet mornings hiking Camelback Mountain. On crisp fall afternoons walking a golf course. During summers in Flagstaff and standing among the red rocks of Sedona that remind you just how small you are in the best possible way. When I stopped playing football, I walked away quietly. I’m known for my Irish goodbyes. Arizona even gave me that. Yet you kept showing up for me anyway, especially through the work of my foundation. Your support was never conditional. You never asked me to be anything other than myself, and somehow that was always enough. Arizona gave a kid from Minneapolis something he didn’t even know he was searching for. Belonging. And that sense of belonging changed me. After a while, you weren’t cheering for a wide receiver anymore, you were cheering for one of your own. So this isn’t really a story about 17 years in a Cardinals uniform or a bronze bust in Canton. It’s the story of a young man who was welcomed by a state that owed him nothing and gave him everything. Thank you, Arizona. Thank you for letting a kid from somewhere else become one of your own. Thank you for embracing not just the player, but the man. You gave me far more than a career. You gave me friendships that will last a lifetime. You gave me purpose beyond football. You gave me a place where my children will always know they belong. Most of all, you gave me a home. With love and gratitude, (signed) Larry Fitzgerald HOF 26 –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Larry #Fitzgerald #Arizona #gave #home

When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.

The team boasted future Pro Football Hall of Famers; wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss and defensive tackle John Randle. Plus, there were a ton of other stars including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, center Matt Birk and running back Robert Smith. The Vikings were loaded with star power.

The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.

That summer I first laid my eyes on a 16-year-old high school junior named Larry Fitzgerald Jr. The son of a local media member and close friend of Vikings’ head coach Dennis Green, Little Fitzy was a ball boy during training camp and on game days. It turns out, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is very likely the most famous former NFL ball boy in history.

On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.

Fitzgerald was already known as the best Minnesota high school prospect in years and he was considered one of the best high school players in the country. Seifert told me the buzz was that the kid was, no doubt, headed to the NFL in a half decade or so. Seifert was on the money. I’m not sure the Hall of Fame was mentioned or not.

But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.

I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.

One day after training camp, a nameless Vikings’ wide receiver camp body was getting extra work on a JUGS machine, catching balls. He was being tutored by Fitzgerald, who was showing this player how to properly approach the incoming ball. This was a child instructing a grown man an NFL team deemed good enough to attend training camp.

Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.

In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.

There was no I’m-going-to-be-a-star attitude. He was genuine and he worked his tail off with the rest of the ball boys. There was no entitlement. It was as if he was using his time around an NFL camp as an internship for his future. He passed with flying colors.

I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.

Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it.

#Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making">Larry Fitzgerald’s Hall of Fame induction is 25 years in the making When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.The team boasted future Pro Football Hall of Famers; wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss and defensive tackle John Randle. Plus, there were a ton of other stars including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, center Matt Birk and running back Robert Smith. The Vikings were loaded with star power.The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.That summer I first laid my eyes on a 16-year-old high school junior named Larry Fitzgerald Jr. The son of a local media member and close friend of Vikings’ head coach Dennis Green, Little Fitzy was a ball boy during training camp and on game days. It turns out, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is very likely the most famous former NFL ball boy in history.On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.Fitzgerald was already known as the best Minnesota high school prospect in years and he was considered one of the best high school players in the country. Seifert told me the buzz was that the kid was, no doubt, headed to the NFL in a half decade or so. Seifert was on the money. I’m not sure the Hall of Fame was mentioned or not.But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.One day after training camp, a nameless Vikings’ wide receiver camp body was getting extra work on a JUGS machine, catching balls. He was being tutored by Fitzgerald, who was showing this player how to properly approach the incoming ball. This was a child instructing a grown man an NFL team deemed good enough to attend training camp.Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.There was no I’m-going-to-be-a-star attitude. He was genuine and he worked his tail off with the rest of the ball boys. There was no entitlement. It was as if he was using his time around an NFL camp as an internship for his future. He passed with flying colors.I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it. #Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making

Follow Sportstar for extensive coverage of the tenth edition of the TNPL, from live scores and match reports to exclusive analysis and features.

TOSS

Tiruppur Tamizhans won the toss and chose to bowl first.

PLAYING XIs

Nellai Royal Kings: Athish SR(w), D Santhosh Kumar, Ajitesh Guruswamy, U Mukilesh, Rithik Easwaran, Sonu Yadav(c), Muhammed Adnan Khan, Ramalingam Rohit, Emmanuel Cherian, NS Harish, Rocky Bhasker

Tiruppur Tamizhans: Tushar Raheja(w), Amit Sathvik, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Mohamed Ali, Uthirasamy Sasidev, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore(c), M Mathivannan, S Mohan Prasath, R Silambarasan, Esakkimuthu A, T Natarajan

Published on Aug 09, 2026

#TNPL #Live #Allround #batting #display #propels #Nellai #Royal #Kings">TNPL 2026 Live: All-round batting display propels Nellai Royal Kings to 206/8 Follow Sportstar for extensive coverage of the tenth edition of the TNPL, from live scores and match reports to exclusive analysis and features.TOSSTiruppur Tamizhans won the toss and chose to bowl first.PLAYING XIsNellai Royal Kings: Athish SR(w), D Santhosh Kumar, Ajitesh Guruswamy, U Mukilesh, Rithik Easwaran, Sonu Yadav(c), Muhammed Adnan Khan, Ramalingam Rohit, Emmanuel Cherian, NS Harish, Rocky BhaskerTiruppur Tamizhans: Tushar Raheja(w), Amit Sathvik, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Mohamed Ali, Uthirasamy Sasidev, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore(c), M Mathivannan, S Mohan Prasath, R Silambarasan, Esakkimuthu A, T NatarajanPublished on Aug 09, 2026 #TNPL #Live #Allround #batting #display #propels #Nellai #Royal #Kings

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