Cavaliers, Kevin Love finalizing contract buyout; Heat to emerge as suitor: Sources  —  The Cleveland Cavaliers and Kevin Love are finalizing a contract buyout, with the Miami Heat expected to emerge as a suitor for the five-time All-Star should the sides finalize parting ways, league sources tell The Athletic.

Rob Manfred: MLB ready if Diamond Sports Group can't pay teams  —  PHOENIX — The impending bankruptcy of Diamond Sports Group, the company that owns Bally's 19 regional sports networks, will not affect fans' ability to watch their favorite teams play, Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred …

Heat go into All-Star break with a thud after falling 116-105 in Brooklyn  —  NEW YORK — Typically the NBA midseason doldrums end after the All-Star break.  —  For the Miami Heat, their final game before the break left no room for complacency.  —  Entering the night 1 1/2 games behind …

LeBron James returns as new-look lineup beats Pelicans  —  After three games off to rest his sore foot, James (21 points) joins Anthony Davis (28) and D'Angelo Russell (21) to help spark the Lakers to a 120-102 victory in their final game before the All-Star break

Yankees' Frankie Montas to undergo shoulder surgery, could miss entire season  —  On the day pitchers and catchers report to spring training, the Yankees are already down a starter.  Frankie Montas will undergo surgery on his right shoulder and could miss the entire 2023 season, manager Aaron Boone revealed.

Gators' big man Colin Castleton breaks hand during win against Ole Miss  —  Florida big man Colin Castleton broke his right hand in Wednesday night's game against Ole Miss, delivering a major loss for the Gators during their first victory in two weeks.  —  The school announced the injury following …

New MLB bases ‘look like a pizza box,’ Alex Cora says  —  Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said he agrees with Major League Baseball's new rules but offered one notable quip on the first day of spring training.  —  “The bases, they're the bases,” Cora told reporters Tuesday.

Bowman, Larson give Hendrick sweep of front row at Daytona  —  Alex Bowman wins his third career Daytona 500 pole and will be joined by Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson on the front row for NASCAR's season opener.  Jimmie Johnson and Travis Pastrana both qualify.

Focus of A's ballpark pursuit has shifted to Las Vegas, MLB commissioner says  —  PHOENIX — More than two months after Rob Manfred said he'd check in with new Oakland mayor Sheng Thao on the Oakland Athletics' ballpark situation, the baseball commissioner said he has not yet communicated with Thao …

Chicago Cubs are talking like contenders.  So let's hold them accountable if they don't improve this year.  —  ExpandAutoplay  —  1 of 85  —  Ron Coomer, left, moderates as Cubs manager David Ross, from second left, first base coach Mike Napoli, third base coach Willie Harris …

Chicago Bulls — without the injured DeMar DeRozan — need a spark to end 4-game skid: 'We're just getting stagnant'  —  INDIANAPOLIS — The Chicago Bulls are in a rut.  That was clear enough from their four-game losing streak in which they topped 100 points only once …

With rebuild in rearview mirror, the young Orioles are 'excited to see what we've got' with eye on playoffs  —  After the trade deadline in August, when Mike Elias, the Orioles' executive vice president and general manager, said “it's liftoff from here” and suggested significant free-agent additions …