Connect with us

Sports

Shot-clock craziness and an Anthony Davis injury plague Lakers' loss to Warriors

Published

on

Shot-clock craziness and an Anthony Davis injury plague Lakers' loss to Warriors

It took 22 minutes for the Lakers and the Golden State Warriors to play the final 110 seconds Saturday night, their showdown in Los Angeles buried in an avalanche of replay reviews and shot-clock malfunctions.

“Guys are scrambling, competing their asses off,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “And then boom, everything just stops.”

It took the smallest edge of a sneaker to wipe a LeBron James three-pointer off the board.

“I’ve never seen that be called before like that,” James said after playing his 1,480th career game, and scoring 40 points.

And earlier it took 28 seconds for the Warriors to capitalize on one possession when the shot clock mysteriously reset.

Advertisement

“Their points didn’t get taken away ‘cause the clock malfunctioned,” Ham said. “They continue to play through but it is what it is.”

What it was, actually, was a bit of a mess — the Lakers losing, 128-121, a crucial game to the team directly behind them in the Western Conference standings, losing crucial ground on the ones ahead of them and, in the process, losing Anthony Davis after only one quarter.

Davis sustained a swollen left eye and blurred vision — the team called it an “eye contusion” — after he took an elbow from Warriors rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis late in the first quarter. The Lakers forward will be reevaluated in the lead-up to Monday’s game with Atlanta.

“He got an elbow to the left eye, wasn’t able to see out of that left eye, vision blurred,” Ham said. “But looking at the doctors, they were working on him from the time he left the floor and went back to the training room through halftime. So the biggest thing is just making sure he’s OK and we’ll get an update on him pretty soon.”

Advertisement

It was the most pressing question after the loss — how the Lakers handled (and didn’t handle) Davis’ absence.

“When you lose AD, it just hurts the balance of our team,” James said. “We’ve been pretty good, our coaching staff has been pretty good with having a certain rotation and how we work in our rotations, so now that changes a lot of things.

“So, it was, obviously, Golden State, you tip your hat to them. They played exceptionally well. Obviously, having [Stephen Curry] back changed their dynamic. You can see the difference between when Steph is on the floor and the last couple of games when he didn’t play. So it’s just tough when you have a big component to the puzzle and then you don’t have it.”

The Lakers (36-32) all understood that. The fourth quarter? Kind of a mystery.

It started early in the final frame after Taurean Prince made a three. The following Warriors possession, the shot clock jumped from 10 seconds back to the original 24. Jackson-Davis eventually scored, four seconds after the clock should’ve expired.

Advertisement

Lakers star LeBron James reacts after play was stopped because of a shot-clock malfunction during the fourth quarter Saturday.

(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)

“The shot clock malfunctioned during live play at that time and that is not a reviewable matter,” crew chief David Guthrie said to a pool reporter.

In regard to the James three, Guthrie said the play can be overturned by review (all close threes/twos are) at a dead-ball stoppage.

Advertisement

“James’ left foot is out of bounds as he begins to shoot,” Guthrie said.

An image of the play on the game broadcast showed James’ heel over the sideline, but there appeared to be a shadow under his foot.

“I didn’t believe I stepped on the line, obviously,” James said. “I knew how much space I had over there. And when I shoot, I shoot on my tippy toes, so it’s kind of hard for me to have a heel down.”

The points were taken away during a review the Lakers initiated on an out-of-bounds call that resulted in a jump ball. After the Warriors won the tip, Draymond Green chased down the ball and threw it off Austin Reaves.

The Lakers again challenged, officials saying Green was out of bounds when he made the save.

Advertisement

Following that review, it took nearly nine minutes for play to restart because the shot clock wouldn’t run. Eventually, after four attempts, the game continued with Lakers public address announcer Lawrence Tanter counting down the shot clock inside the final 10 seconds.

At one point during the delay, James looked over at the broadcast table and said “I’m too old for this s—.”

“It was just stay loose as much as we probably could. I mean, obviously, it was a lengthy pause of the game,” James said.

Advertisement

Sports

Auburn fans shower officials with debris after wild buzzer-beater gets overturned

Published

on

Auburn fans shower officials with debris after wild buzzer-beater gets overturned

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

A chaotic scene unfolded at Auburn University on Tuesday night as a wild buzzer-beater was waved off well after the Tigers had celebrated on their own court.

With 0.6 seconds remaining and Auburn trailing 90-88, KeShawn Murphy, somehow left wide open, caught an inbounds pass and nailed a long 3-pointer for what was thought to be the game-winner.

However, officials went to the scorer’s table to review the play, which was awfully close.

 

Advertisement

Auburn Tigers players watch the replay of a possible game-winning shot that was called back as Auburn Tigers take on Texas A&M Aggies at Neville Arena in Auburn, Alabama on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (Jake Crandall/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Ultimately, officials ruled that the shot had not gone off in time, ending the Tigers’ celebration and prompting one from Texas A&M.

The officials quickly made themselves public enemy number one and were showered with debris from fans on their way off the court. At least one referee needed his head to be covered.

One fan sitting courtside even turned his back and threw his drink over his shoulder aimed at an official.

“They didn’t say a word. They just said it was no good and ran off the floor. I probably wouldn’t want to talk to me in that moment, anyway,” Auburn head coach Steven Pearl, who took over for his dad, Bruce this season, said after the game. “So, I get why they’d run away from me. Just from the angles that I saw, it looked like it was off his fingers. But that was just, I don’t have all the same angles they have.”

Advertisement

Texas A&M Aggies players celebrate victory as Auburn Tigers take on Texas A&M Aggies at Neville Arena in Auburn, Alabama, on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (Jake Crandall/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

LOOKING BACK AT THE SPORTS GAMBLING CONTROVERSIES THROUGHOUT 2025, WITH NBA AND MLB INVESTIGATIONS LEADING WAY

It is now six losses in their last 10 games for the Tigers after starting 5-1. They lost in the Final Four last year to Florida, who won the national championship over Houston.

Auburn (9-6, 0-2) led 47-37 at halftime and extended the margin to 61-45 with 12:29 remaining.

KeShawn Murphy of the Auburn Tigers reacts after officials ruled that his last-second shot did not beat the shot clock to win the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Neville Arena on Jan. 6, 2026 in Auburn, Alabama. (Stew Milne/Getty Images)

Advertisement

Texas A&M answered with a steady run fueled by outside shooting, taking its first lead at 8:42 when Pop Isaacs buried a 3-pointer. The Aggies followed with back-to-back triples from Isaacs to open a five-point cushion that they would not relinquish, by the skin of their teeth.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Former NFL player Jordan Shipley is in critical condition after accident on his ranch

Published

on

Former NFL player Jordan Shipley is in critical condition after accident on his ranch

Two-time All-American wide receiver and prominent Outdoors Channel host Jordan Shipley is in critical condition after an accident on his ranch in Texas, his family said in a statement.

Shipley, 40, was described as stable after remaining hospitalized Tuesday night in Austin. The statement said a machine that he was operating near his hometown of Burnet caught fire. The former Texas great suffered “severe burns on his body.”

Shipley abruptly retired in 2012 after three NFL seasons primarily because of persistent concussion issues and chronic knee problems. He quickly transitioned to television shows that showcased his passion for deer hunting, co-hosting “The Bucks of Tecomate” and “Tecomate Whitetail Nation.”

“It was not hard at all,” Shipley said at the time of retiring at 27. “Only because I never saw myself as a football player first. Don’t get me wrong, I worked my tail off for football and I loved it but never saw that as my whole identity because I had such a big background in outdoors. Really, with this opportunity I had I was actually pretty excited about moving forward.”

Although he enjoyed a strong rookie season with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2010 with 52 receptions for 600 yards and three touchdowns, he is best remembered as a record-setting player at Texas.

Advertisement

Shipley starred as a receiver and a kick returner from 2006 to 2009, setting program single-season records in 2009 with 116 receptions and 1,489 yards. He also remains the career leader for receptions with 248 and ranks second in career receiving yards with 3,191, behind Roy Williams. Shipley also returned four punts or kickoffs for touchdowns.

After being drafted in the third round by the Bengals, he became one of the most popular players with Cincinnati fans, and his No. 11 jersey was worn by thousands. After a debilitating knee injury early in the 2011 season, he was never the same player, and he had short stints with Tampa Bay and Jacksonville before retiring.

According to his family, Jordan was operating a machine at his ranch when it caught fire. He managed to free himself from the machine, but “not before sustaining severe burns on his body in the process.” Jordan was airlifted to the hospital in Austin.

“He was able to get to one of his workers on the ranch, who drove him to a local hospital. He was then care-flighted to Austin, where he remains in critical but stable condition,” the statement said.

Shipley’s younger brother, former Texas wide receiver Jaxon Shipley, 33, asked for prayers in a statement on Instagram: “Please pray for full healing and no infections or other issues on his road to recovery. I don’t want to get into all the details, other than his life was spared today by the grace of God and the sheer will to live. I believe prayer is effective so I’m asking anyone and everyone to lift Jordan up in prayer.”

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Sports

Tom Izzo explodes on former Michigan State player in wild scene: ‘What the f— are you doing?’

Published

on

Tom Izzo explodes on former Michigan State player in wild scene: ‘What the f— are you doing?’

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo has been known to get visibly angry with his players over his years in East Lansing, but what happened Monday night against USC was different.

Izzo let loose his frustration on a former player.

During the Spartans’ blowout over the Trojans, 80-51, Izzo was spotted unloading on former Michigan State center Paul Davis, who played for the team from 2002-06, after he caused a disturbance in the stands.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Advertisement

Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts to a call during a game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena Jan. 2, 2026, in Lincoln, Neb. (Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)

Referees pointed out Davis, who was a spectator, from his courtside seat after he was among many in the building who disagreed with a call in the second half. Davis stood up and shouted at referee Jeffrey Anderson.

Anderson responded with a loud whistle, stopping play and pointing at Davis. Then, Anderson went over to Izzo to explain what happened, and the 70-year-old coach went ballistic.

2026 MEN’S NCAA TOURNAMENT PROJECTIONS: NEBRASKA’S RISE CONTINUES, NOW A NO. 2 SEED

First, he was motioning toward Davis, and it was clear he asked his former center, “What the f— are you doing?”

Advertisement

Davis was met by someone asking him to leave his seat, and that’s when Izzo went nuts. He shouted “Get out of here!” at Davis, who appeared to gesture toward Izzo, perhaps in apology for disturbing the game.

Izzo was asked about Davis’ ejection after the game.

“What he said, he should never say anywhere in the world,” Izzo responded when asked what happened. “That ticked me off. So, just because it’s 25, 20 years later, I’m going to have to call him tomorrow and tell him what I thought of it. And you know what he’ll say? ‘I screwed up, coach. I’m sorry.’”

Izzo quickly clarified that what Davis said “wasn’t something racial” and “it wasn’t something sexual.”

Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo protests a call that benefited the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first half at Jack Breslin Student Events Center Dec. 2, 2025. (Dale Young/Imagn Images)

Advertisement

“It was just the wrong thing to say, and I’ll leave it at that.”

Davis later met with reporters Tuesday, apologizing for his actions.

“I’m not up here to make any excuses. I’m up here to take accountability, to own it,” Davis said. It was a mistake that will never happen again. It was a mistake that’s not me, but, unfortunately, last night it was.”

Izzo said Davis was one of his “favorite guys” during his time playing for the Spartans. He had a breakout sophomore campaign with 15.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and two assists per game in 30 starts for Izzo during the 2003-04 season.

Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts during a game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena Jan. 2, 2026, in Lincoln, Neb.  (Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)

Advertisement

In his senior year, Davis averaged 17.5 points, a career-high, in 33 games.

He was taken in the second round of the 2006 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. Davis played just four seasons in the league, his final one with the Washington Wizards.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Trending