4:00 AM ET Ralf Rangnick is dealing with increased player unrest at Manchester United — ESPN’s Insider Notebook has the latest. PLUS: Ed Woodward’s big United regret. Jump to: Woodward’s Kane disappointment | Benzema shirt in demand at Alcoyano | Ruthless Conte plans major Spurs clear-out | Red card romance Rangnick battling with Man United’s
1:00 AM ET Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia — Rafael Nadal has advanced to the semifinals of an ATP tournament in Melbourne without taking the court in his quarterfinal match. The 20-time Grand Slam singles champion received a walkover on Friday when his Dutch opponent Tallon Griekspoor withdrew. Officials didn’t initially confirm why Griekspoor couldn’t play.
11:23 PM ET As the Omicron variant continues to run roughshod, the NBA is requiring non-boosted players to undergo daily COVID testing through the All-Star break in mid-February and is restricting those players’ attendance at large indoor gatherings, bars and clubs, according to a memo obtained by ESPN on Thursday night. Elevated daily testing of
12:54 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN NEW YORK — After the Boston Celtics blew their latest lead of the season in a heartbreaking 108-105 defeat at the hands of the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, coach Ime Udoka repeatedly called out his team for a lack of mental toughness. “I think it’s a lack
1:38 AM ET Associated Press PHOENIX — Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns have turned into some of the league’s best closers. It’s a big reason they’ve reached 30 wins before any other team in the NBA this season. Paul had a triple-double with 14 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, and the Suns improved
12:44 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN NEW YORK — Despite helping his team engineer a remarkable comeback from 25 points down against the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night, star forward Julius Randle wasn’t happy. Midway through the fourth quarter, Randle made a layup and, as he ran back to the other end
10:16 PM ET Associated Press TAMPA, Fla. — Nikita Kucherov had a pair of nifty assists in his return from a lengthy injury during Tampa Bay’s three-goal third period, and the Lightning beat the Calgary Flames 4-1 on Thursday night. Corey Perry, Brayden Point, Ondrej Palat and Alex Killorn scored to help Tampa Bay (23-8-5,
10:35 PM ET Associated Press KAPALUA, Hawaii — Patrick Cantlay and Jon Rahm didn’t need much time to get back into the swing of competition Thursday in the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Coming off the longest voluntary breaks of their careers, Cantlay overcame a bogey start with flawless play at Kapalua for a 7-under 66
5:49 PM ET Associated Press ANAHEIM, Calif. — The scheduled game Thursday night between Anaheim and the Detroit Red Wings has been postponed to Sunday because of COVID-19-related issues affecting the Ducks. Anaheim placed center Sam Carrick, goaltender John Gibson, defenseman Hampus Lindholm and right wing Vinni Lettieri into the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols. The Red
5:16 PM ET Associated Press WASHINGTON — Washington Wizards announcer Glenn Consor apologized Thursday for a reference to Houston player Kevin Porter Jr.’s father on Wednesday night’s broadcast. Porter made a 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left to beat the Wizards 114-111. Consor said: “You’ve got to give credit. Kevin Porter Jr., like his dad, pulled