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Reports: Suns get All-Star Kevin Durant in trade with Nets

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WAMC

The Phoenix Suns acquired 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets, according to multiple reports. The outlets, citing unnamed sources, said the Suns added Durant to a starting lineup that already includes an All-Star backcourt of Chris Paul and Devin Booker, along with center Deandre Ayton. Phoenix sent Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and additional draft compensation to the Nets. The Suns also receive forward T.J. Warren in the deal.

The Los Angeles Lakers are trading Russell Westbrook to Utah and reacquiring guard D’Angelo Russell from Minnesota in a three-team, eight-player deal, a person with knowledge of the trade told The Associated Press. Los Angeles is also getting guard Malik Beasley and forward Jarred Vanderbilt from the Jazz, bolstering its core around LeBron James in a bid to jump-start its sputtering season. Minnesota is getting Mike Conley Jr. and Nickeil Alexander-Walker from Utah along with three second-round picks, while the Lakers are sending Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones and their first-round pick in 2027 to Utah with Westbrook. Westbrook’s tenure with his hometown team lasted just 130 tumultuous games.

Kyrie Irving scored 24 points in his Dallas debut and the Mavericks defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 110-104. The eight-time All-Star was traded to the Mavs on Sunday from the Brooklyn Nets. Irving was part of a 13-0 spurt early in the game, scoring eight points on a jumper and back-to-back 3-pointers. Irving had four rebounds and five assists in 37 minutes of what amounted to a dress rehearsal before injured Luka Doncic returns to give the Mavs a powerhouse backcourt. The Clippers were led by Norman Powell with 24 points.

Malcolm Brogdon and Derrick White scored 19 points apiece to lead the Celtics to a 106-99 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Three of Boston’s regular starters were out and Jaylen Brown joined them in the first half after colliding with Jayson Tatum under the basket. Tatum had 12 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for Boston. The Celtics won for the fourth time in five games to add to the NBA’s best record. The 76ers are second in the Atlantic Division and third in the Eastern Conference, having lost both matchups with the Celtics this season. Joel Embiid scored 28 points and James Harden added 26 points and 11 assists for the Sixers. They lost their second game in a row. They had won nine of their previous 11.

LeBron James is 38 years old. He is in Season 20 of his NBA career. He is, by conventional basketball-playing standards, ancient. History says his decline should have started already. Except it hasn’t. Not even close. And count that as just another example of what sets James apart from so many other greats, so many other superstars of their sport who were good enough for long enough to climb atop some lists in the record books.

James Harden averaged 36 points a few seasons ago. Devin Booker once scored 70 in one game. There are many more players doing much more scoring now than when LeBron James began his NBA career in 2003-04. A player scoring like Harden in his peak years could be flirting with 40,000 points in a mere 15 years, but even that might not reach where James will put the record. Perhaps young players such as Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum or Victor Wembanyama could have a chance. Or maybe the player hasn't even been born.

NHL

Chris Kreider and Filip Chytil got New York off to a strong start in the first period and the Rangers held on to beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 for their third straight win. Alexis Lafreniere and Mika Zibanejad also scored for the Rangers, who have won four straight and 11 of the last 14 at home. K’Andre Miller had three assists and Jacob Trouba added two, and Igor Shesterkin had 22 saves. Conor Garland, Vasily Podkolzin and Elias Pettersson had goals for the Canucks. Quinn Hughes had two assists and Spencer Martin finished with 17 saves.

Captain Jamie Benn broke a scoreless tie 23 seconds into the second period of his 1,001st career game, and the Dallas Stars beat the Minnesota Wild 4-1. Benn’s 20th goal on a perfect feed from 19-year-old rookie Wyatt Johnston started a three-goal second for the Western Conference-leading Stars. Radek Faksa’s one-timer on a precision 2-on-1 pass from Tyler Seguin came five minutes later, and Jani Hakanpaa tipped in a shot from Roope Hintz. Joel Eriksson Ek scored on a power play to get Minnesota within 3-1 late in the second period. The Wild had Ryan Hartman’s goal just 30 seconds later called off for goalie interference against Jordan Greenway.

NFL

This year’s Super Bowl features a rare matchup of the NFL’s top two teams from the regular season. The Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs were the league’s only 14-game winners, marking just the sixth time since the 1970 merger that the squads with sole possession of the two best records in the regular season met for the championship. The last time it happened came after the 2013 season when Seattle beat Denver 43-8 in a matchup of 13-win teams.

Patrick Mahomes says he’s “definitely in a better spot” when it comes to his ailing right ankle than he was for the AFC championship game. The All-Pro quarterback also says he doesn’t expect to be limited by it when he leads the Kansas City Chiefs against the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl. Mahomes spoke before Wednesday's practice at Arizona State's facility. He said he'll probably continue to get treatment on the ankle he hurt against Jacksonville in the divisional round throughout the week and possibly right up until kickoff.

The Philadelphia Eagles left their dog masks at home. Back in the Super Bowl five years after winning the first Lombardi Trophy in franchise history, the Eagles took a different path to reach this one. They’re 1 1/2-point favorites against the Kansas City Chiefs, per FanDuel Sportsbook, after outscoring the Giants and 49ers 69-14 in the playoffs. Last time here, the Eagles became the first No. 1 seed to enter the playoffs as a home underdog. After sneaking past Atlanta in the divisional round, they were underdogs against Minnesota in the NFC championship game. They routed the Vikings and went on to beat Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the favored New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.

UCONN WOMAN’S BASKETBALL

UConn lost back-to-back games for the first time in three decades after the fourth-ranked Huskies were beaten 59-52 by Marquette on Wednesday night. The Huskies, who were playing three nights after an 81-77 home loss to No. 1 South Carolina, lost consecutive games for the first time since March 1993. Chloe Marotta had 19 points and Jordan King added 18 for Marquette (16-8, 9-6 Big East), which beat UConn (21-4, 13-1) for the first time in 17 meetings. Dorka Juhasz led UConn with 15 points.

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Tyrin Lawrence knocked down a 3-pointer from the right corner at the buzzer as the Vanderbilt Commodores snapped an 11-game skid against its in-state rival by upsetting sixth-ranked Tennessee 66-65 Wednesday night. Students rushed the court and joined the Commodores in celebrating easily the biggest win in coach Jerry Stackhouse’s fourth season. Then the Commodores celebrated by running along the courtside slapping high-fives. Tennessee had a chance to finish off the win. The Vols didn't score again after Olivier Nkamhoua's 15-foot jumper with 50 seconds left. Lawrence finished with a team-high 19 points

David Guistina is the host of Capital Connection, Legislative Gazette, and Morning Edition and the producer of the Media Project on WAMC.