INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Los Angeles Rams receiver Odell Beckham Jr. suffered an injury to his left knee on a noncontact play with 3 minutes, 50 seconds remaining in the second quarter of Super Bowl LVI Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals and did not return.
“We don’t know yet, we’re gonna wait to hear,” Beckham told CBS Sports after the game when asked about the extent of the injury.
Beckham was running toward the right side of the field on a crossing route, but it appeared as though his left foot got caught in the turf. He dropped a pass thrown by quarterback Matthew Stafford and clutched his left leg as he fell to the turf.
Beckham took off his helmet while on the ground and was soon looked at by athletic trainers on the field before being helped off. He was looked at briefly in the medical tent on the Rams’ sideline before heading to the locker room.
He was listed as questionable to return at halftime. With less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Rams officially downgraded Beckham to out.
The Rams offense struggled after losing Beckham, who had two receptions for 52 yards and scored the first touchdown of the game when he beat Mike Hilton in the right corner of the end zone for a 17-yard score. But Stafford ultimately engineered the winning drive in the fourth quarter of Los Angeles’ 23-20 victory.
After the game, Beckham tweeted: “THIS WAS EXACTLY GODS PLAN.”
THIS WAS EXACTLY GODS PLAN.
— Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) February 14, 2022
“This is everything I’ve ever dreamed of, you know,” Beckham told CBS Sports. “And there was a moment I was in the back room and they told me I was done, I couldn’t play. And I had to come back out there and be a part of this because it’s so much bigger than myself. And these boys pulled through and made it happen.”
Rams veteran receiver Robert Woods, who has been out since November with a torn ACL, said he comforted Beckham at halftime.
“Yeah I actually spent some time with him in the locker room before coming out after halftime and just, really just held him,” Woods said. “It’s tough. He’s dealt with a lot I would say his whole career … but just being able to hold him and say ‘I’m right with you.’ I’ll be here every step. Every rehab day. … He’s a competitor I know he’ll be back even stronger and hopefully he’s back with us.”
According to ESPN Stats & Information research, Stafford was 2-of-6 for 25 yards and an interception in the first half after the Beckham injury. He started 10-of-12 for 140 yards and two touchdowns, one to Beckham.
Beckham was signed by the Rams after being released by the Cleveland Browns at midseason. After a slow start to his Rams career, Beckham has delivered in the postseason. In three NFC playoff games, he had 19 catches on 23 targets for 236 yards and a touchdown, with a long of 31 yards. He was second only to Cooper Kupp in receptions and yards.
Beckham tore his left ACL in 2020 while with the Browns. He’s scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next month.
ESPN Staff Writer Brady Henderson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Hundreds of Rams fans took to the streets in downtown Los Angeles Sunday night to celebrate the team’s Super Bowl victory over the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium.
The LAPD declared the celebration an unlawful assembly, and “issued a dispersal order in the area of 11th and Hope Street.”
“The crowd is to disperse eastbound on 11th Street from Hope and southbound on Hope from 11th Street immediately,” the LAPD tweeted.
Video from the scene shows a large crowd of people dancing and celebrating on the street as several cars attempt to drive through. At one point, several people were seen jumping on top of one of the vehicles passing through the area.
Fireworks were also set off in the middle of the street several times during the celebration gathering in downtown L.A.
“We ask those that are celebrating tonight, celebrate responsibly,” LAPD said. “Do not allow your actions to tarnish a great Super Bowl win.”
We ask those that are celebrating tonight, celebrate responsibly. Do not allow your actions to tarnish a great #SuperBowl win. Obey all police orders and clear the streets around the area of 11th and Hope.
On Saturday at the 2022 Winter Olympics, snowboardcross legend Lindsey Jacobellis won another gold — this time in the new event of mixed snowboardcross with teammate Nick Baumgartner. Jacobellis, at 36 was already the oldest American woman to win Olympic gold when she won it three days ago, while Baumgartner, 40, becomes the first snowboarder to win an Olympic medal in his 40s.
In men’s hockey, the U.S. bested Canada in the preliminary round — the first time Team USA has beaten the neighbors to the north since the Vancouver Olympic Games in 2010.
We have updates from the action here:
Soaking up his last Olympics
Shaun White’s Olympic career is over. He finished fourth in the halfpipe, his last Olympic event, on Friday, after announcing earlier in the Games that these would be his final Olympics.
Before leaving Beijing, he’s taking in a few events. The three-time gold medalist has been spotted at men’s ice hockey and ice skating.
Spotted: @shaunwhite and the women’s team in the stands for the men of @usahockey. 🇺🇸#WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/ozdsRJVQ1C
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) February 12, 2022
The legend @shaunwhite is in the house for the rhythm dance! pic.twitter.com/h4hA6eoi2a
— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) February 12, 2022
White’s next stop might not be in Beijing. He told The Associated Press that he plans to leave for Los Angeles to attend Super Bowl LVI.
Dazzling dancers
There’s been a lot of noise in figure skating the past few days over Russian Kamila Valieva’s doping case, but the ice dancers came out to dazzle in the rhythm dance.
France’s Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron, the 2018 silver medalists, took the lead as expected, followed by reigning world champions Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov from Russia.
Team USA’s two medal contender teams, Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue as well as Madison Chock and Evan Bates, are in third and fourth place, respectively. Chock, who slipped during her and Bates’ routine, said she was “a bit disappointed” after seeing their score, but told NBC: “It’s not over yet.”
Defying gravity. @chockolate02 and @Evan_Bates move into third with 84.14 points. #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/NaNeTVDXpF
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) February 12, 2022
But the Valieva case did hang over the ice, especially when Russia’s Diana Davis and Gleb Smolkin performed. While Davis skated, the cameras panned to her mom, Eteri Tutberidze. Tutberidze, who coaches Valieva as well as Russia’s two other women’s skaters, has come under scrutiny in the past few days.
And last but certainly not least, check out the Elton John-inspired outfits of Canada’s Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier. — Elaine Teng
The oldest team in the race wins it all
Three days after winning her first Olympic gold, American Lindsey Jacobellis became the first woman snowboarder to win two gold medals in the same Games when she and teammate Nick Baumgartner, 40, won the debut of mixed team snowboardcross. And since she’s 72 hours older than she was on Wednesday, Jacobellis, 36, eclipsed her previous record as the oldest American woman to win Olympic gold.
Talk about a redemption tour for Jacobellis and Baumgartner, the two oldest snowboarders competing in Beijing and the oldest pair racing Saturday at Genting Snow Park. With his gold, Baumgartner became the first snowboarder to win an Olympic medal in his 40s. It’s also safe to say he is the only snowboard medalist with a 17-year-old son nearly the same age as some of his competitors.
Baumgartner’s win comes in his fourth Olympics and two days after he finished in 10th place after being eliminated in the quarterfinal round of the men’s race. In his post-run TV interview, Baumgartner broke down in tears, saying he felt he had let his supporters down by failing to medal once again. At the time, he didn’t know he would race the mixed team event with Jacobellis. He says coaches informed him on Friday that he would have one more chance at a medal.
As heavy snow blanketed the course throughout the morning, Baumgartner and Jacobellis were calculated and precise, their experience their greatest asset on a course that changed between each heat.
HISTORIC GOLD for @TeamUSA!@LindsJacobellis and Nick Baumgartner win gold in the first-ever Olympic mixed team snowboard cross! #WinterOlympics | #WatchWithUS 📺 : @nbc and @peacockTV 💻 : https://t.co/PXMUVgJZ8P pic.twitter.com/aRsLjp7pDG
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 12, 2022
In the final, Baumgartner made an incredible pass over a jump toward the middle of the course to take the lead and give Jacobellis a slight edge heading into her race. “Woah!” he yelled as he crossed the line. “Yeah! Let’s get this!”
Jacobellis was once again brilliant in her final. But as much fun as it was to watch her race, it was equally entertaining to watch Baumgartner narrate Jacobellis’ race. When she crossed the finish line in a tight crouch, her signature blonde braid flying behind her, Baumgartner screamed and ran to his teammate.
“Oh my god, that was beautiful,” he said, and then hugged Jacobellis. “Another gold medal for you.”
Few other people in the world understand what the past 16 years has been like for each of them.
“The greatest in the world walks away with two gold medals now,” two-time gold medalist Seth Wescott said on the broadcast. ” And Baum gets his gold.”
Jacobellis’ three medals (two gold, one silver) in snowboarding tie Shaun White, Jamie Anderson and six others for the most snowboarding medals by any Olympian. — Alyssa Roenigk
U.S. beats an old foe in men’s hockey
Team USA defeated Canada 4-2 in their Beijing Olympic men’s ice hockey preliminary-round showdown, outskating their archrivals and preying on Canadian mistakes.
Captain Andy Miele had a goal and an assist while goalie Strauss Mann made 35 saves for the U.S. (2-0-0), which took over first place in Group A ahead of Canada (1-1-0).
“Having a win like that will give us confidence going forward. We feel really good about that effort,” forward Brian O’Neill said.
It was statement win for the Americans. While Canada brought a veteran-laden team to Beijing — its captain Eric Staal is a 17-year NHL veteran — the U.S. roster comprises primarily NCAA players. Read more, from Greg Wyshynski, here.
KENNY AGOSTINO!
He won the National Championship in 2013 with @YaleMHockey, and now puts @TeamUSA two up over Canada! #WinterOlympics | #WatchWithUS 📺 : @USA_Network and @peacockTV 💻 : https://t.co/DaRR18atEa pic.twitter.com/Z6pX0JERbZ
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 12, 2022
With friends like these, retirement doesn’t sound half bad
Shaun White’s final Olympic run was Friday — and Tony Hawk, Lindsey Vonn and Kelly Clark were there for him virtually with messages of support as he retires:
Legendary messages from some legendary friends.
We surprised @ShaunWhite with heartfelt messages from @TonyHawk, @LindseyVonn, and @thekellyclark. 🥲 pic.twitter.com/L2puDtj0tC
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 12, 2022
It is snowing … at the Winter Olympics!
While that might not sound like breaking news, in a region that experiences little snowfall and has seen only a light dusting so far this season, it is. The skiers and snowboarders competing in Yanqing and Zhangjiakou, the two locations hosting mountain events in China, are the first to compete on mountains covered with 100% artificial snow. But Monday morning at Genting Snow Park, heavy snowfall blanketed the course during the Olympic debut of mixed team snowboardcross.
IT’S SNOWING!
The debut of mixed team snowboard cross features @TeamUSA gold medalist @LindsJacobellis and Nick Baumgartner.
📺 : @nbc and @peacockTV 💻 : https://t.co/PXMUVgJZ8P pic.twitter.com/8mleX1ZmMa
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 12, 2022
And while snow is great for the region, it’s an unwelcome nuisance during a race. Snow slows down the course and makes the surface uneven. In snowy conditions, team wax techs become indispensable on-snow pit crews, adjusting the bases of their riders’ snowboards to match the challenging, changing conditions.
Between heats on Monday, workers could be seen using shovels and blowers to clear the loose snow from the course, while others strapped into snowboards and side-slipped the course much like they do in-between runs at halfpipe contests. Despite the snow, the show must go on. — Alyssa Roenigk
This just doesn’t look real
But, it is. In fact, these are pictures from more than 80 years ago. Ski jumping in Illinois was brought over to the U.S. by Norwegian immigrants who settled there. The first event was held at Soldier Field in 1936 — and crushed ice was used for the jumping and landing areas. Two more events were held in 1937 and 1938, and they got so popular that the entire field was packed with fans, sometimes up to 60,000:
Because there are three ski jumpers from Illinois, I am obligated to repost photos of when Ski Jumps were held at Soldier Field pic.twitter.com/keuQCcsAV0
— Blake Schuster (@Schustee) February 12, 2022
In 2022, there are three ski jumpers representing Illinois at the Olympics in Beijing: Kevin Bickner, Casey Larson and Patrick Gasienica. — Aishwarya Kumar
Snowboard judging under scrutiny
Did Canadian slopestyler Max Parrot grab his knee or his board during his Olympic gold-medal run?
That question is blowing up in snowboard circles, and it’s made more intriguing because the rider who finished second landed the toughest trick of the contest. More on the controversy.
Jason Brown becomes No. 1 fan
USA’s Jason Brown mesmerized the world with his exquisite free skate a few days ago, finishing sixth. His job as a competitor might be over, but he’s just getting started as Team USA’s cheerleader:
🗣 GO TEAM USA! 🇺🇸
We wonder how many events we’ll see @jasonbskates at? #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/86S8U7grvH
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) February 12, 2022
Brown, 27, will be at several events in Beijing, cheering on his teammates. — Aishwarya Kumar
Team USA defeated Canada 4-2 in their Beijing Olympic men’s ice hockey preliminary round showdown on Saturday, outskating their archrivals and preying on Canadian mistakes.
Captain Andy Miele had a goal and an assist, while goalie Strauss Mann made 35 saves for the U.S. (2-0-0), which took over first place in Group A ahead of Canada (1-1-0). The last win for Team USA over Canada in men’s Olympic hockey was on Feb. 21, 2010, at the Vancouver Winter Games.
It was a statement win for the Americans. While Canada brought a veteran-laden team to Beijing — their captain, Eric Staal, is a 17-year NHL veteran — the U.S. roster comprises primarily NCAA players. Their moments of inexperience were overshadowed by their speed and tenacious forechecking against Canada.
“We didn’t back down from their physical play,” Miele said. “I love the way our team responded. I’m so proud of this group. We took a beating. They kept on going forward, we kept on coming back at them and got the outcome that we deserved.”
Canada struck first just 1:24 into the game. After U.S. forward Ben Meyers turned the puck over at center ice, Canada’s Josh Ho-Sang sent a pass across the attacking zone to forward Mat Robinson. He sent a long-distance shot from the wing that goalie Strauss Mann misplayed, not getting his stick down on the ice to block it, and Canada had the early 1-0 lead.
Rather than getting down, the U.S. struck back quickly thanks to two of the professional veterans on the team. Just 1:10 later, Miele took a terrific touch pass from Brian O’Neill to break in on a 2-on-1. Defenseman Alex Grant slid down to block a potential pass to U.S. forward Kenny Agostino, but Miele kept the puck and deposited a backhand shot over goalie Eddie Pasquale, who had dropped to the ice too early.
The U.S. took the lead with 1:16 left in the first period. Defenseman Jake Sanderson, who arrived late to the Olympics after being in the COVID-19 protocol, skated the puck deep into the Canadian zone. His pass was blocked by Canada right to Sean Farrell, who had five points in the Americans’ win over China. He passed the puck to Meyers for a goal and a 2-1 advantage heading into the second period.
The Americans made it 3-1 just 2:37 into the second by using their forecheck to force Pasquale into a turnover. Forward Nathan Smith poked the puck away from the goalie to Nick Shore behind the net. His pass found Brendan Brisson in front, and the Vegas Golden Knights prospect caught Pasquale way out of position for an easy goal — his second of the Olympics.
“The kids can play, I think it’s safe to say,” Agostino said. “It’s clear we’ve got a lot of speed and a lot of talent, but I think this was a man’s game tonight: Canada-U.S.A., there’s no real explanation needed. I think all of them stepped up and played like men out there.”
The U.S. earned the first power play of the game, but it was Canada that ended up on the scoreboard. Center Matty Beniers, playing the point, made an ineffective pinch to try to keep the puck in the attacking zone. Instead, Canada sprung out on a 2-on-1 break and Corban Knight, a former NHL journeyman, scored a shorthanded goal to cut the lead to 3-2 with 5:47 left in the period.
Team USA scored a critical insurance goal 6:13 into the third period, on a play that Mann started with a poke check. Miele collected the puck and dumped it into the Canadian zone. Then came two Canadian miscues: Defenseman Maxim Noreau misplayed the puck and turning it over to Miele, and then Pasquale let a wobbly blast from Agostino squeak through for the 4-2 lead.
“I fought the puck pretty much all night,” Pasquale said. “I gave up two weak ones. If I make those two saves, we’re 2-2 going into overtime.”
The U.S. preserved that lead through Canada’s 5-on-3 power play late in the third period, when Mann made seven saves and got help from his goal post on one Canadian chance — one of four posts they hit in the game.
The Americans close out the preliminary round Sunday against Germany. The Canadians play host China.
On Saturday in Beijing, snowboardcross legend Lindsey Jacobellis won another gold — this time in the new event of mixed snowboardcross with teammate Nick Baumgartner. Jacobellis, at 36 was already the oldest American woman to win Olympic gold when she won it three days ago, while Baumgartner, 40, becomes the first snowboarder to win an Olympic medal in his 40s.
We’re also watching men’s hockey, as the U.S. and Canada meet in the preliminary round. Canada won its first game of the tournament 5-1 over Germany. USA started with an 8-0 win over China.
We’ll have live updates from the action here:
Jacobellis and Baumgartner win — as the oldest pair in the field
Three days after winning her first Olympic gold, American Lindsey Jacobellis became the first woman snowboarder to win two gold medals in the same Games when she and teammate Nick Baumgartner, 40, won the debut of mixed team snowboardcross. And since she’s 72 hours older than she was on Wednesday, Jacobellis, 36, eclipsed her previous record as the oldest American woman to win Olympic gold.
Talk about a redemption tour for Jacobellis and Baumgartner, the two oldest snowboarders competing in Beijing and the oldest pair racing Saturday at Genting Snow Park. With his gold, Baumgartner became the first snowboarder to win an Olympic medal in his 40s. It’s also safe to say he is the only snowboard medalist with a 17-year-old son nearly the same age as some of his competitors.
Baumgarter’s win comes in his fourth Olympics and two days after he finished in 10th place after being eliminated in the quarterfinal round of the men’s race. In his post-run TV interview, Baumgartner broke down in tears, saying he felt he had let his supporters down by failing to medal once again. At the time, he didn’t know he would race the mixed team event with Jacobellis. He says coaches informed him on Friday that he would have one more chance at a medal.
As heavy snow blanketed the course throughout the morning, Baumgartner and Jacobellis were calculated and precise, their experience their greatest asset on a course that changed between each heat.
HISTORIC GOLD for @TeamUSA!@LindsJacobellis and Nick Baumgartner win gold in the first-ever Olympic mixed team snowboard cross! #WinterOlympics | #WatchWithUS 📺 : @nbc and @peacockTV 💻 : https://t.co/PXMUVgJZ8P pic.twitter.com/aRsLjp7pDG
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 12, 2022
In the final, Baumgartner made an incredible pass over a jump toward the middle of the course to take the lead and give Jacobellis a slight edge heading into her race. “Woah!” he yelled as he crossed the line. “Yeah! Let’s get this!”
Jacobellis was once again brilliant in her final. But as much fun as it was to watch her race, it was equally entertaining to watch Baumgarter narrate Jacobellis’ race. When she crossed the finish line in a tight crouch, her signature blonde braid flying behind her, Baumgartner screamed and ran to his teammate.
“Oh my god, that was beautiful,” he said, and then hugged Jacobellis. “Another gold medal for you.”
Few other people in the world understand what the past 16 years has been like for each of them.
“The greatest in the world walks away with two gold medals now,” two-time gold medalist Seth Wescott said on the broadcast. ” And Baum gets his gold.”
Jacobellis’ three medals (two gold, one silver) in snowboarding tie Shaun White, Jamie Anderson and six others for the most snowboarding medals by any Olympian. –Alyssa Roenigk
It is snowing … at the Winter Olympics!
While that might not sound like breaking news, in a region that experiences little snowfall and has seen only a light dusting so far this season, it is. The skiers and snowboarders competing in Yanqing and Zhangjiakou, the two locations hosting mountain events in China, are the first to compete on mountains covered with 100% artificial snow. But Monday morning at Genting Snow Park, heavy snowfall blanketed the course during the Olympic debut of mixed team snowboardcross.
IT’S SNOWING!
The debut of mixed team snowboard cross features @TeamUSA gold medalist @LindsJacobellis and Nick Baumgartner.
📺 : @nbc and @peacockTV 💻 : https://t.co/PXMUVgJZ8P pic.twitter.com/8mleX1ZmMa
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 12, 2022
And while snow is great for the region, it’s an unwelcome nuisance during a race. Snow slows down the course and makes the surface uneven. In snowy conditions, team wax techs become indispensable on-snow pit crews, adjusting the bases of their riders’ snowboards to match the challenging, changing conditions.
Between heats on Monday, workers could be seen using shovels and blowers to clear the loose snow from the course, while others strapped into snowboards and side-slipped the course much like they do in-between runs at halfpipe contests. Despite the snow, the show must go on. — Alyssa Roenigk
This just doesn’t look real
But, it is. In fact, these are pictures from more than 80 years ago. Ski jumping in Illinois was brought over to the U.S. by Norwegian immigrants who settled there. The first event was held at Soldier Field in 1936 — and crushed ice was used for the jumping and landing areas. Two more events were held in 1937 and 1938, and they got so popular that the entire field was packed with fans, sometimes up to 60,000:
Because there are three ski jumpers from Illinois, I am obligated to repost photos of when Ski Jumps were held at Soldier Field pic.twitter.com/keuQCcsAV0
— Blake Schuster (@Schustee) February 12, 2022
In 2022, there are three ski jumpers representing Illinois at the Olympics in Beijing: Kevin Bickner, Casey Larson and Patrick Gasienica. — Aishwarya Kumar
Snowboard judging under scrutiny
Did Canadian slopestyler Max Parrot grab his knee or his board during his Olympic gold-medal run?
That question is blowing up in snowboard circles, and it’s made more intriguing because the rider who finished second landed the toughest trick of the contest. More on the controversy.
Jason Brown becomes No. 1 fan
USA’s Jason Brown mesmerized the world with his exquisite free skate a few days ago, finishing sixth. His job as a competitor might be over, but he’s just getting started as Team USA’s cheerleader:
🗣 GO TEAM USA! 🇺🇸
We wonder how many events we’ll see @jasonbskates at? #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/86S8U7grvH
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) February 12, 2022
Brown, 27, will be at several events in Beijing, cheering on his teammates. — Aishwarya Kumar
Trending on Twitter
After Week 1 of the Games, three Japanese and two American athletes are among the most mentioned on Twitter:
Top 5 athletes mentioned on Twitter globally during Week 1 of the #Olympics:
1️⃣Yuzuru Hanyu: Japan 2️⃣Shoma Uno: Japan 3️⃣Nathan Chen: USA 4️⃣Chloe Kim: USA 5️⃣Wakaba Higuch: Japan
(via Twitter)
— Mark J. Burns (@markjburns88) February 11, 2022
Event schedule (all times ET)
8:05 p.m.: Women’s curling round robin (multiple matches)
9 p.m.: Mixed team snowboardcross finals
11:10 p.m.: Men’s hockey prelim – Canada vs. USA
1:05 a.m.: Men’s curling round robin – USA vs. Norway
5 a.m.: Men’s ski jumping large hill final
6 a.m.: Ice dance, rhythm dance
7 a.m.: Women’s round robin curling (multiple matches.
Chloe Kim and Eileen Gu will be leaving Beijing with more than just gold medals.
On Thursday, Gu came to support longtime pal Kim, 21, during the women’s halfpipe final at the 2022 Olympics. The American clinched a first-place finish with a whopping score of 94 during her first run.
When the two-time gold medalist’s big win became official two runs later, Kim celebrated with Gu, who embraced her with a wide smile and showered her with praise. Later, the 18-year-old continued to share her admiration for Kim on her Instagram Story, honoring the monumental achievement.
Chloe Kim won her second Olympic gold medal in Beijing.AP
Follow all the 2022 Olympics action
“@chloekim did it again!!!” Gu wrote, accompanied by a sweet picture of the pair hugging. “So proud to have you as a friend, inspo, and big sister all in one.”
Gu, who was born and raised in San Francisco, is representing China during the Winter Games. She triumphed in the women’s freestyle skiing big air competition on Tuesday, narrowly defeating France’s Tess Ledeux for a gold-medal finish.
The duo both grew up in California and have known each other for years and have remained close as their careers on the slopes grew. Gu spent much of her childhood skiing in Lake Tahoe and honing her skills there. Kim, a Southern California native, regularly practiced 150 miles south at Mammoth Mountain.
Eileen Gu shared her love for Chloe Kim on her Instagram.InstagramChloe Kim during the Olympic halfpipe final.AP
While the snowboarding halfpipe competition signaled the end of Kim’s Olympics, Gu still has two more events to go. She will take place in both the women’s slopestyle and women’s freeski halfpipe competitions.
The slopestyle qualification round will take place on Sunday with the event final on Monday. Gu will finish her packed Olympic slate with the halfpipe qualifiers on Friday Feb. 17 and the finals the next day.
Most likely, she’ll have Kim on the sidelines cheering her on.
American-born Gu has competed for China during the Beijing Olympics. AP
DALLAS — Hours after the Mavericks traded their other player on a maximum contract, Luka Doncic sizzled as Dallas’ lone star, scoring a career-high 51 points in a 112-105 win over the LA Clippers on Thursday.
As fans filled the American Airlines Center, where workers had to remove giveaway posters of Kristaps Porzingis from the seats after he was traded to the Washington Wizards on Thursday, the buzz was about the former All-Star that the Mavs moved before the trade deadline. It didn’t take long for Doncic to command the crowd’s attention.
Doncic swished a 26-foot step-back 3 on the Mavs’ first possession to open the floodgates. He finished the first quarter with 28 points — the most by any NBA player in a quarter this season — on 10-of-13 shooting, including 7-of-10 from 3-point range.
“When you feel like that, you just don’t want to be stopped and keep going,” Doncic said. “All the shots felt good. I missed two 3s — even those felt great. They were switching. They didn’t want me to create, so I had to go to work.”
Doncic torched the Clippers’ switching defense — repeatedly exploiting center Ivica Zubac on the perimeter, as he did during Dallas’ seven-game series loss in the first round last season — until L.A. adjusted by sending traps at him to force the ball out of his hands. Doncic finished 17-of-26 from the floor and 7-of-14 from 3-point range while also recording nine rebounds and six assists.
“Luka was aggressive from the start and the guys just went for the ride,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said.
It was the fifth 50-point performance in Mavs history and first for the 22-year-old Doncic, who is already a two-time first-team All-NBA selection. He could have attempted to tie or break Dirk Nowitzki’s franchise record of 53 points — set in an unforgettable 2004 overtime shootout against Houston’s Tracy McGrady — but dribbled out the final possession with the win secured.
“You don’t shoot that shot,” said Doncic, who couldn’t recall having a 50-point performance at any level. “It’s disrespectful.”
Doncic described the news of the Mavs’ trade, which sent guard Spencer Dinwiddie and forward Davis Bertans to Dallas, as “shocking.”
The Mavs envisioned the Porzingis as a long-term co-star alongside Doncic when they acquired the 7-foot-3 former All-Star from the New York Knicks in a 2018 blockbuster deal, from which Dallas still owes one of the two first-round picks it gave up. There were glimpses of that potential, but the Mavs decided to move on from Porzingis midway through his five-year, $158 million contract extension, as first-year general manager Nico Harrison cited “flexibility and depth” as the primary reasons to make the trade.
Injuries were a significant factor in preventing Porzingis, who averaged 20.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game during his stint in Dallas, from ever establishing star-level consistency with the Mavs. He played in only 134 games during his Dallas tenure. He arrived while recovering from surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee and had his first season prematurely end in the playoffs due to a meniscus injury in his right knee that required another operation, which sidelined him to start last season.
Porzingis played in 34 of 55 games this season, when he was sidelined by a variety of injuries and illness, most recently a bone bruise in his right knee.
“Obviously, we’re going to miss KP,” Doncic said. “We were building something great here. It didn’t obviously work out. I wish him the best, and we’ve got two new guys who are welcome. Bertans is a great shooter. Dinwiddie can put the ball on the floor and he can score. The NBA is a business.
“He went through a lot with the injuries. I think this year, he was way better. Like I said, the NBA is a business, and I wish him the best in the future.”
With Porzingis’ departure, the Mavs are back at square one in their search for a star to pair with Doncic, who expressed faith in Harrison and governor Mark Cuban to construct a roster capable of contending consistently.
“I trust them, whatever move they make,” said Doncic, who was ecstatic that starting forward Dorian Finney-Smith agreed to a four-year, $55 million extension after Thursday’s deadline. “I think I have great teammates. A lot of people can do a lot of stuff, and I’m really good now. I think we’re playing great basketball.”
Asked if the Mavs could contend without a second star, Kidd said: “We’ll see. I’m the coach who has to put them in a position to be successful, get paid, find a way to win. As we go through this journey, we’ll see if we come across a No. 2 guy. It could be the team that we have where there is no real second star. You’ve just got guys who play roles at a very high level. And you’ve seen teams win championships that way, too.”
Mechelle Voepel covers the WNBA, women’s college basketball, and other college sports for espnW. Voepel began covering women’s basketball in 1984, and has been with ESPN since 1996.
Villanova beat the UConn women’s basketball team 72-69 on Wednesday in Hartford, Connecticut, ending the No. 8 Huskies’ 145-game regular-season conference winning streak that dated back to March 2013 and was the longest in NCAA women’s basketball history.
Counting conference tournament games, the streak was 169 games.
UConn’s last loss to a conference foe in the regular season came at Notre Dame, which was followed by a loss to the Fighting Irish in the championship game of the 2013 Big East tournament. However, the Huskies rebounded to win the national championship that season, the first of four titles in a row.
UConn then moved to the American Athletic Conference in 2013-14 and didn’t lose to a conference foe in seven seasons in that league. The Huskies moved to a restructured Big East last season and went 18-0 in the regular season and won the conference tournament, beating Villanova 84-39 in the semifinals.
It was a very different matchup on Wednesday between the Huskies and the Wildcats, who moved to 16-6 overall and 10-3 in the Big East. Villanova has won eight in a row and 13 of its past 14.
“Our defense came up pretty big, for sure,” said Villanova’s Denise Dillon, who took over last season at her alma mater after longtime coach Harry Perretta retired. “We put up 72 against UConn. Saw a lot of players contributing.
“We’re just excited. We talked about shrinking the scoring gap against UConn. I’m so proud of this group.”
The Wildcats shot 51.8% from the field, including 45.5% (10-of-22) from behind the arc. Lior Garzon led Villanova with 19 points, while Maddy Siegrist (17 points, 12 rebounds) and Brianna Herlihy (15, 10) each had double-doubles.
“Games have to be won; they’re not preordained,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “You’ve got to lose at some point, otherwise you’re not in a good conference. Losing to a good team like Villanova, they deserved to win.
“I thought today, they were way more physical than us. They just worked harder at it. This was just not a good day. Losing is part of basketball, and you have to figure out how it happened and then move on and get ready for the next one.”
Losing hasn’t been part of the Huskies’ conference slate for a very long time. But a lot has hit UConn this season, including injuries and health issues.
The Huskies on Wednesday were without center Olivia Nelson-Ododa, who didn’t feel well prior to the game and said she couldn’t play, and guard Caroline Ducharme, who has missed the past two contests after a head injury. Star guard Paige Bueckers has been out since sustaining a knee injury on Dec. 5 in a win against Notre Dame.
But UConn freshman guard Azzi Fudd, who returned recently from a foot injury, followed up her 25 points in a win over Tennessee on Sunday with 29 against Villanova. Fudd and guard Christyn Williams each played all 40 minutes for the Huskies, who used six players total.
Williams scored 24 points but said afterward that she felt the loss was her responsibility.
“With guys being out, we’re not going to use that as an excuse,” Williams said. “As long as we have five, we should be ready to go. As a senior, I have to make sure that my team is ready to go. This game is on me. I apologize to my teammates, and it won’t happen again moving forward.”
Asked his thoughts on Williams, Auriemma said, “I don’t like the idea that one person is responsible for it. I don’t think that’s ever the case.”
“You have to be able to score inside and outside. You’ve gotta have some kind of balance in your offense. You can’t rely just on how many jump shots you’re going to make that game,” he said. “It’s mind-boggling that we’re not able to score in the lane more than we do. And then, it’s hard to get good shots against a good defensive team in Villanova.”
Why the Bengals will win: Joe Cool Burrow is the difference in a close game. He leads his team down the field to set up the winning field goal, giving the franchise its first Super Bowl win.
Super Bowl LVI MVP: Joe Burrow
Bold prediction: The Bengals’ defense holds Cooper Kupp to under 100 yards receiving.
Kurt Warner: Rams 28, Bengals 17
Why the Rams will win: The Rams have the more balanced team and, in turn, have more ways to beat the opponent. I think Cincinnati’s O-line will have trouble vs. the Rams’ front four, and Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp will stay hot!
Super Bowl LVI Co-MVPs: Matthew Stafford AND Cooper Kupp
Bold prediction: No TDs for Kupp, Odell Beckham or Ja’Marr Chase.
Judy Battista: Bengals 24, Rams 21
Why the Bengals will win: The Bengals beat the AFC’s No. 1 seed and the “best” team in the league. They are battle-tested, well-balanced and have the feel of a team of destiny. And I’m spooked by the lulls the Rams have gone through in their playoff games.
Super Bowl LVI MVP: Joe Burrow
Bold prediction: Bengals rookie kicker Evan McPherson becomes a Super Bowl legend with a last-minute field goal.
Maurice Jones-Drew: Rams 38, Bengals 31
Why the Rams will win: Football games are won in the trenches, and the Rams take advantage of the mismatch between their defensive line and the Bengals’ O-line. Stopping one pass rusher may be doable, but accounting for Aaron Donald, Von Miller and Leonard Floyd is another story.
Super Bowl LVI MVP: Cooper Kupp
Bold prediction: Rams sack Joe Burrow 12 times.
Dan Parr: Rams 27, Bengals 18
Why the Rams will win: My heart is leading me toward the Bengals, but the Rams have too much of an edge in the trenches for me to pick Cincinnati. Only some Matthew Stafford miscues can stop L.A.
Super Bowl LVI MVP: Matthew Stafford
Bold prediction: The Rams build an early lead and don’t look back, setting a Super Bowl record by sacking Joe Burrow eight times.
Marc Ross: Bengals 31, Rams 30
Why the Bengals will win: The young, talented Bengals have arrived sooner than anyone expected, and they have the attitude and magic working in their favor. Joe Burrow has been on a historic run since his final season at LSU, and it continues as he leads the Bengals to victory, becoming the first player to win the Heisman Trophy, a national championship and a Super Bowl.
Super Bowl LVI MVP: Joe Burrow
Bold prediction: Ja’Marr Chase will set a Super Bowl rookie receiving record with two TD receptions vs. Jalen Ramsey.
Ali Bhanpuri: Bengals 27, Rams 24
Why the Bengals will win: Burrow dissects the Rams’ secondary with patience, pinpoint passes and efficient scrambles, mitigating L.A.’s relentless pass rushers and earning the Bengals their first Super Bowl title. Hollywood’s upstaged old guard ushers in a new generation of unapologetically cool cats.
Super Bowl LVI MVP: Joe Burrow
Bold prediction: The Bengals force more sacks than the Rams.
Steve Mariucci: Rams 30, Bengals 24
Why the Rams will win: The Rams’ pass rush will be too overwhelming for the Bengals.
Super Bowl LVI MVP: Cooper Kupp
Bold prediction: Kupp and Ja’Marr Chase each have over 150 receiving yards.
Ireen Wüst of the Netherlands threw her hands above her head after finishing her 1,500-meter speedskating race on Monday. It was a great time, and she knew it: 1 minute 53.28 seconds, a new Olympic record.
The hard part was still to come.
Her race run, Wüst sat, hunched over, hands folded in front of her as Miho Takagi of Japan, the best 1,500 skater in the world this season, took the ice for the final pair of the night. As Wüst stared at the ground, unable to watch, Takagi circled the track again and again until she finished. Her time, 0.44 of a second slower, gave Wüst the gold medal. It also rewrote her mind-boggling list of accomplishments.
With the victory, Wüst became the first person to win an individual gold medal at five Olympics — she first won the 3,000 meters in Turin in 2006 — and, at age 35, the oldest speedskating gold medalist ever. The medal, her sixth gold, was her 12th medal overall, more than any speedskater and third most among all Winter Olympians.
“The first time is the easiest one to win,” Wüst said of collecting gold medals. “Winning for the fifth time is the hardest.”
Wüst’s fellow Dutchwoman Antoinette de Jong finished third. The American Brittany Bowe, who was hoping to win her first individual Olympic medal, was a disappointing 10th.
Wüst had a solid but not superlative season heading into the Olympics. But she said on Monday that she had felt a sense of calm and confidence after making it through the crucible of qualifying out of the Netherlands, the world’s top speedskating nation, and carried that feeling through this week.
“When it’s really important, I can show something extra,” she said. “And that’s the feeling I had when I woke up.”
Wüst confirmed after the race that she would retire after this season. She plans to marry her girlfriend, Letitia de Jong, this summer — their wedding has been postponed several times because of the pandemic — and said she was looking forward to exploring life outside the all-encompassing world of elite competition.
“I always say age is just a number,” she said. “But I’m 35, and I really want to have children, so at some point you have to quit.”
