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Knicks lose third straight game as defensive woes continue against rebuilding Magic

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:25 GMT

No Jalen Brunson and no defense down the stretch equaled a disheartening Knicks defeat.After allowing 18 points in the final four minutes — including multiple wide open treys — the Knicks finished their two-game Florida trip winless with a 111-106 loss Thursday night to the Magic.It was a third straight defeat overall for the Knicks (42-33), whose defense is becoming increasingly problematic as the season winds down. Still sitting fifth in the East, they’ve dropped six of their last nine games and are now five games behind the Cavs for fourth seed and just 1 ½ games ahead of No. 6 Miami.”Right now, our team is out of sorts,” Tom Thibodeau said. “You have to pull together in rough times. You get into things together, you get out of things together. There are going to be ups and downs we have to navigate. Everyone does.”New York was without Brunson, who sat with a sprained right hand sustained during Wednesday’s loss in Miami. Bruns...

Magic beat Knicks as rotation alterations continue to take shape

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:25 GMT

As a two-way player for the Orlando Magic, Kevon Harris more than understands the importance of staying ready.It’s why he’s fit in the rotation seamlessly in the previous few games in place of Jalen Suggs, who wasn’t available for Thursday’s 111-106 home win over the New York Knicks Knicks because of a concussion.Harris, who brings similar defensive qualities as Suggs, didn’t play as the Magic once again altered the rotation with Suggs sidelined.Coach Jamahl Mosley opted to use a double-big reserve lineup with Moe Wagner and Goga Bitadze to counter the Knicks’ frontcourt size.The move paid off, with the Magic (31-43) beating the Knicks (42-33) for their first winning streak since early February.Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 21 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. He scored 5 points in the final 1 1/2 minutes to help clinch the victory.Cole Anthony had 18 points and 6 rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench.Franz Wagner had 16 points, 6 assists, 3 re...

Nets lose 5th in a row, blow 10-point lead late vs Cavs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:25 GMT

Every fan in attendance at Barclays Center rose to their feet for the most pivotal possession in Thursday’s encore matchup between the Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers: Game on the line, single-possession game, who takes the last shot?This time it was Spencer Dinwiddie, who sized up his man with a flurry of crossovers before driving the lane for a high-arching layup that should have been the nail in the coffin.Plot twist: It wasn’t — the embodiment of the all the struggles the Nets face now with no stars left to bail out Brooklyn down the stretch of tight games.Cavs star Donovan Mitchell hit a step-back mid-range jumper to bring Cleveland within two, then the Nets turned the ball over, with the ball finding its way to Mitchell, who attacked the rim and got to the foul line.Mitchell made the first free throw then missed the second before recovering his own miss. He missed the tip-in, but the ball found its way to forward Isaac Okoro, who hit a game-winning three that le...

Orioles observations on Cedric Mullins’ homer in return from WBC, Grayson Rodriguez’s continued struggles and more

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:25 GMT

After two weeks away, the Orioles have their leadoff hitter back.Cedric Mullins, who played for the United States at the World Baseball Classic, returned to Sarasota on Thursday and resumed his spot in center field and atop the Orioles’ lineup. And he did so in style, ripping a three-run home run to center field in his second at-bat in Baltimore’s Grapefruit League game against the Detroit Tigers.Mullins played periodically for a Team USA club stacked with most of the best position players the country has to offer, including outfielders Kyle Tucker, Mike Trout and Mookie Betts. That left Mullins on the bench for most of Team USA’s games, but that didn’t prevent him from making an impact when he did see the field. Mullins hit a triple and a home run with two RBIs in his 10 at-bats at the WBC.“It was amazing,” said Mullins, adding that his solo home run against Cuba was the highlight. “All-around amazing experience. I’d recommend anybody...

SDG&E customers pack room for last public hearing on rate hike

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:25 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Dozens of people packed the Sherman Heights Community Center to speak out about a proposed rate hike from San Diego Gas and Electric. SDG&E is proposing a $3 billion budget from 2024-2027, which would increase rates by an average of $18 a month. According to SDG&E, this would be an average increase.The proposal first needs to go through the California Public Utilities Commission, or CPUC, which regulates utility companies across the state.The CPUC held two virtual meetings to hear public comment on the proposal. On Thursday, it held its first in-person meetings, at 2 and 6 p.m. “People in San Diego are really upset with the rate hikes of SDG&E,” said Derek Casady, a customer of SDG&E and a member of Public Power San Diego, a group efforting to change the region to a "publicly owned municipal utility." “We need to have public power, not investor- owned power." Casady's speech was met with a loud applause.“You basically get what you tolerate and I'm done t...

Drone strike kills US contractor in Syria; US retaliates

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:25 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. contractor was killed and five U.S. service members and one other U.S. contractor were wounded when a suspected Iranian drone struck a facility on a coalition base in northeast Syria on Thursday, the Pentagon said.In a statement released late Thursday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said U.S. Central Command forces retaliated with “precision airstrikes” against facilities in eastern Syria used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. The Defense Department said the intelligence community had determined the unmanned aerial vehicle was of Iranian origin.“The airstrikes were conducted in response to today’s attack as well as a series of recent attacks against Coalition forces in Syria” by groups affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard, Austin said. Overnight, videos on social media purported to show explosions in Syria’s Deir Ez-Zor, a strategic province that borders Iraq and contains oil fields.Iran-backed militia groups and Syrian forces co...

Radioactive water leaks at Minn. nuclear plant for 2nd time

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:25 GMT

MONTICELLO, Minn. (AP) — The company that owns a nuclear power plant northwest of Minneapolis said Thursday that water containing a radioactive material is leaking from the plant for a second time, but there is no danger to the public and the facility will power down Friday to begin working on permanent repairs. The announcement by Xcel Energy comes about a week after Minnesota regulators announced that 400,000 gallons (1.5 million liters) of water containing tritium had leaked from the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant back in November. The delay in making an announcement about the leak raised questions about public safety and transparency, but industry experts said there was never a public health threat. The new leak, announced a day after Xcel Energy says it was discovered, was found to be coming from a temporary fix to the original leak, the company said in a statement. This time, the leak is anticipated to be in the hundreds of gallons. “While the leak continues to pose no ri...

Love and support always part of equation for Chicago teacher

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:25 GMT

CHICAGO — High expectations, love and positivity all add up to success for Jacqueline Dooley, a Chicago math teacher.Dooley, an 8th-grade math teacher, is March's Teacher of the Month. She said her job brings her joy and she said her assignment is supporting her students. Character and community building are suburban kindergarten teacher’s priority She has been teaching for 17 years and spent the past three years at Perspectives Middle Academy in Chatham.She is also a pastor and is guided by faith. She said she loves to see her students grow. Chicago math teacher says it’s truly his students that should be Teacher of the Month Several of her students nominated her teacher of the month.Award sponsor Howard Ankin visited the school to present a $1,000 check.

More Rain on the Way; Severe Weather Threatens South...

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:25 GMT

Friday afternoon snapshot—Mildest temperatures to occur far south/SW of Chicago—near 50°— "Lake breeze" to keep areas adjacent to Lake Michigan in the upper 30s to around 40°Friday afternoon snapshot—Mildest temperatures to occur far south/SW of Chicago—near 50°— "Lake breeze" to keep areas adjacent to Lake Michigan in the upper 30s to around 40°Seconds storm system of the week is likely to bring healthy precipitation totals to much of the metro area Total precipitation by later Saturday:While slushy accumulations are possible, especially areas north/NW of Chicago by Saturday morning, the highest probability of impactful snow accumulations is likely to fall across portions of Wisconsin, including the Madison area.Probability of 4” or more snow by Saturday afternoon: ​Weather history: Chicago Snow Climatology Since snow records began in 1885; 75% of years have logged measurable snow beyond March 24. Nearly 50% of those years produced a 1"+ snowfall.

Longhorns baseball on 11-game tear going into Big 12 opening series vs. Texas Tech

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:25 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — After a wild 17-11 win over Incarnate Word on Tuesday, the Texas Longhorns are riding an 11-game winning streak into the Big 12 Conference opening series against Texas Tech.The three-game set begins Friday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field and is on the back end of a 14-game homestand, but the Longhorns know the Red Raiders will present a much larger challenge than anyone else they've played at the friendly confines the past two weeks.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newsletters"We've been able to make some really good adjustments when you look at communication on the field pre-pitch and with the ball in play," Longhorns head coach David Pierce said. "We've done a good job of taking care of business, and now it's time we go out and see how we fare in the Big 12."The Red Raiders are 18-4 on the season and ranked No. 14 in the D1Baseball.com national poll, and the series in A...