The Sports Report: Lakers make another big trade

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

From Dan Woike: Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ general manager and frequent target of the team’s fan base for inaction on the trade market, sat in front of cameras and told everyone there was no way to wave a “magic wand” and make the right center appear.

For months the Lakers’ front office signaled there wasn’t a center available who fit their price range and roster needs, needs that got only more obvious once Pelinka dealt Anthony Davis and Max Christie for Luka Doncic.

And Tuesday, as he sat next to Doncic, Pelinka pledged to address that need, while asking for patience.

But Wednesday night with the NBA’s trade deadline a little more than a half a day away, a center did appear — and there was hardly any magic involved.

The Lakers acquired 23-year-old 7-footer Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets, emptying what little was left in their asset arsenal to acquire a talented player with a history of injuries.

To get Williams, a former first-round pick, the Lakers sent rookie Dalton Knecht, a 2030 first-round pick swap and their 2031 unprotected first-round pick to the Hornets. The Lakers also included forward Cam Reddish to create a roster spot they could fill on the buyout market.

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Doncic-Davis trade survey

Do you think the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade is a good one for the Lakers? Vote in our survey here. Results will be announced Friday.

UCLA BASKETBALL

From Anthony De Leon: The highly anticipated matchup between UCLA and Ohio State — two of the nation’s top-10 women’s basketball teams — turned into a battle of who could generate offensive rhythm.

Ultimately, No. 1 UCLA came out on top as the Bruins turned a three-point lead into a 13-point rout, fending off a stingy No. 8 Ohio State to secure a 65-52 Big Ten victory at Pauley Pavilion.

UCLA, which led at one point by 11, went into the fourth quarter clinging to a two-point lead. That was quickly erased by a three-pointer by the Buckeyes.

But a scoring onslaught carried the Bruins, led by Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez, who had eight and nine points in the quarter, respectively.

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UCLA box score

Big Ten standings

AP top 25 rankings

USC BASKETBALL

Kiki Iriafen scored 15 points to lead a balanced attack as No. 7 USC never trailed in an 86-64 victory over Wisconsin on Wednesday.

USC (20-2, 10-1 Big Ten) was finishing a two-game trip after its 15-game winning streak ended Sunday with a 76-69 loss at Iowa.

Wisconsin (11-12, 2-10) lost for the 10th time in 11 games to drop below .500 for the first time this season.

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USC box score

Big Ten standings

AP top 25 rankings

DODGERS

From Jack Harris: For the first of what’s certain to be many times, following a blockbuster offseason of seemingly limitless roster spending, Dodgers players were asked about the same hot-button topic last weekend.

Were they surprised how the rest of the sport recoiled in the face of the team’s freewheeling winter, in which the Dodgers made half a dozen significant signings and blew past every other team’s payroll?

Did they agree with the argument that has emerged in some corners of the industry, that the defending champions’ stop-at-no-cost attitude might be bad for baseball and potentially harmful to the sport’s already fragile scale of competitive balance?

And most of all, did they feel like MLB’s new evil empire — big-money villains with targets on their backs before they’ve even reported for the start of spring training?

Unsurprisingly, the Dodgers saw things differently. And in their first public appearance as a team during Saturday’s DodgersFest fan event, they responded with answers that painted a different picture of what has become the league’s biggest offseason story.

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USC FOOTBALL

From Benjamin Royer: Chad Bowden and Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman worked together to build a football program that led the Fighting Irish to the national championship game last month.

So when USC hired Bowden on Jan. 24 to become the Trojans’ general manager — an ever-growing title and position in the modern college football landscape — a big question remained: What would the relationship between Trojans coach Lincoln Riley and Bowden look like?

Bowden, whose salary is expected to exceed $1 million, accelerated the bonding process by moving in with the coach — at least temporarily.

“I’ve been able to stay at Coach Riley’s house over the last week and a half,” Bowden said at his introductory news conference Wednesday morning. “That’s been a really great experience. I’ve been able to have some of his steaks and balsamic Mickey Mantle’s steaks that he makes.”

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HORSE RACING

From John Cherwa: A lawsuit against Santa Anita executives argues officials at the legendary track conspired to blame trainers for the horse death crisis in 2019.

The suit, filed by former longtime publicity director Mike Willman, alleges that Santa Anita “directly and indirectly instructed [Willman] to mislead government investigators, regulators and the public about what was really going on and at a minimum confuse and obfuscate so that the public would never find out the reasons why so many horses were dying.”

Attorneys for Willman filed the suit Nov. 27 after the 19-year employee was fired in March for allegedly directing a slur at one of his employees. The suit contends it was a joke and alleges retaliation, wrongful termination, age discrimination and defamation.

A representative of the Stronach Group, owner of Santa Anita and a named defendant, said it does not comment on pending litigation.

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KINGS

Kevin Fiala had two goals, Warren Foegele scored on a penalty shot, and the Kings beat the Montreal Canadiens 6-3 on Wednesday night.

Vladislav Gavrikov, Brandt Clarke and Trevor Moore also scored for the Kings, who have won 11 of their last 12 home games. Darcy Kuemper made 18 saves.

Building on a 4-2 win at Carolina on Saturday, the Kings won the opener of a six-game homestand.

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Kings captain Anze Kopitar welcomes fellow Slovenian Luka Doncic to L.A.

Kings summary

NHL scores

NHL standings

SUPER BOWL 59

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Super Bowl LIX: Start time, teams, how to watch and halftime show

Super Bowl 59
Sunday
at New Orleans
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs
3:30 p.m., Fox

THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1943 — Montreal’s Ray Getliffe scores five goals to lead the Canadiens to an 8-3 triumph over the Boston Bruins.

1958 — Ted Williams signs a contract with the Boston Red Sox for $135,000, making him the highest paid player in major league history.

1967 — Muhammad Ali successfully defends his world heavyweight title with a 15-round decision over Ernest Terrell in the Houston Astrodome.

1970 — The NBA expands to 18 teams with the addition of franchises in Buffalo, Cleveland, Houston and Portland.

1981 — Wayne Gretzky scores three goals and three assists in a 10-4 Edmonton victory over the Winnipeg Jets, giving him 100 points in the season.

1985 — Seventeen-year-old Dianne Roffe becomes the first U.S. woman to win a gold medal in a World Alpine Ski Championship race, capturing the giant slalom in 2:18.53.

1988 — Chicago’s Michael Jordan wins the NBA Slam Dunk contest with a perfect score of 50 on his final dunk, in front of a hometown crowd at Chicago Stadium.

1990 — Brett Hull of the St. Louis Blues scores his 50th goal, making him and his Hall of Famer father, Bobby Hull, the only father-son combination in NHL history to reach that milestone.

1993 — Riddick Bowe easily wins his first defense of his WBA and IBF heavyweight boxing titles by beating Michael Dokes in the first round of their championship bout held at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

2005 — The New England Patriots win their third Super Bowl in four years, 24-21 over the Philadelphia Eagles. It’s their ninth straight postseason victory, equaling Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers.

2011 — New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady becomes the first unanimous choice for The Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player Award.

2011 — Aaron Rodgers throws three touchdown passes and Nick Collins returns an interception for another score, leading the Green Bay Packers to a 31-25 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl.

Compiled by the Associated Press