GEAR MAG

Pacers Clippers Basketball

Brook Lopez had 17 points for the Clippers while Darius Garland had 12 in his first home game since beingacquired in a tradefrom the Cleveland Cavaliers last month.

Pascal Siakam had 29 points in his return after sitting out three games with a left wrist sprain to lead Indiana, but the Pacers lost their seventh in a row and fell to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with a 15-47 record.

Jay Huff had 18 and was 4 of 8 on 3-pointers, and Jarace Walker finished with 17.

The Clippers led 42-25 after one quarter and 63-51 at halftime, with Leonard racking up 20 points. The Clippers pulled away with a 16-2 run in the third quarter to extend a seven-point lead to 21 points.

The Clippers shot 12.2 percentage points better from the field (55.1%) than the Pacers (42.9%).

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Norchad Omier had only one basket but according to the Clippers, became the first Nicaraguan to score in the NBA.

Up next

Pacers: At the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.

Clippers: Visit San Antonio on Friday night.

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/hub/nba

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided byData Skriveand data fromSportradar.

Minutes before he tried to fit his 7-foot-1 frame into a padded folding chair here at Madison Square Garden, his team escaped witha 103-100 winWednesday, March 4 over the Knicks that didn't come without drama.

New York whittled an eight-point deficit inside the final three minutes, eventually putting upa pair of clean looksinside the final six seconds with the chance to tie the game. The first shot was long — the second one, short.

And so, the Thunder outlasted New York in another reminder that, for Oklahoma City, things won't come easy.

"We made enough plays down the stretch on both ends to close it out," Holmgren told reporters. "They made some plays, too — they just didn't quite convert. If they do, it's a different-looking game."

Oct. 26: The Brooklyn Nets' Michael Porter Jr. dunks in front of the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center.

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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents

This Thunder team isn't nearly as dominant as the one that won the championship last season. For one, Oklahoma City already has more losses (15) than it did last year (14), with 18 games still remaining. For another, points are more difficult to come by; this season's Thunder ranks seventh in offensive rating, scoring 116.9 points per 100 possessions, after it ranked third in the league (119.2) last year.

Ultimately, it may not matter. The Thunder (49-15) remain the best team in the NBA and are a legitimate threat to become the first team to repeat as NBA champions since the Warriors did so in 2018. This is only magnified when you consider that they've done all this despite being saddled with injury issues since training camp.

Jalen Williams, an All-Star last season, has played just 26 games and is currently out with a strained right hamstring. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander just returned from a nine-game absence. Center Isaiah Hartenstein has played just 35 games, and he left the Knicks game Wednesday midway through the third quarter with left calf tightness. Alex Caruso (left hip contusion) was also knocked out.

But as they have all season long, role players filled in.

"We're a pretty deep team," Gilgeous-Alexander said after the game. "With the injuries we've gone through this year, for us to still be in the mix for the top seed in the league and in the West is pretty impressive."

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Against the Knicks, third-year guard Cason Wallace started his 51st game of the season. He was the primary defender on Knicks All-Star Jalen Brunson andswiped 4 steals on the night. Veteran forward Kenrich Williams played just 6:13 in the game — all in the fourth quarter — and hit a big 3 early in the period that quieted a New York run.

"It just speaks to the guys that have had to step up, like Isaiah Joe, Cason — the past few weeks have transformed their game and have shown what they can be as basketball players in big roles," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "Guys like myself come back and kind of diminish their role and it's a little bit unfair. Hats off to those guys for doing whatever the team asks from them, literally. If the team asks them to do more, they do more. If the team asks them to do less, they do less.

"To win a championship, no matter how good your best players are, you need to have those guys on your team. We know that, and we're thankful for them, for sure."

Prior to Wednesday night's game, Williams went through an extended shootaround session in which he moved with ease and didn't appear hampered whatsoever. He was loose, he joked with Gilgeous-Alexander, and he laced shot after shot.

If he can stay on the floor, he'll provide a massive boost for the Thunder on both sides, especially late in games. Williams earned All-Defensive second-team honors last season and his shot creation in the NBA Finals helped the Thunder close the Pacers.

Yet, the final 18 games of the regular season will test this team more than any stretch since winning the title.According to Tankathon.com, the Thunder have the NBA's third-toughest remaining schedule (.535), and Oklahoma City only has a 3½-game lead on the Spurs for the top seed in the West.

And if the Thunder are to retain the No. 1 seed, it will be because of games like these — games against great teams, on the road in iconic venues — games in which the Thunder are shorthanded, for them to pave the foundation to get there.

"I don't have pixie dust," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "It's those guys. They're the ones executing. They've got the competitive maturity at this point to understand how to win. That doesn't mean we'll win every game, but they understand the path you have to walk through.

"Their ability to click in the way they did tonight is a necessary skill. And it's great for us to get experiences like this — and have success in those experiences. That's how you build your muscle through the course of the regular season to make yourself as mentally tough as you can be."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Thunder aren't dominating NBA standings ... but still are team to beat

D.J. Wagner scored 15 points and Meleek Thomas added 13 points for the Razorbacks (22-8, 12-5 SEC), who bounced back strongly after a 111-77 loss at then-No. 7 Florida on Saturday.

Acuff was well on his way to his fifth double-double with 19 points and eight assists in the first half, and Brazile had 17 points when the Razorbacks built a 56-34 lead at the break.

Matas Vokietaitis scored 21 points, Tramon Mark added 18 points and Dailyn Swain had 16 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Longhorns (18-12, 9-8).

Arkansas, averaging 89.8 points per game, recorded its seventh 100-point game of the season and finished 16-1 at home.

The Razorbacks shot 58.3% and made 11 of 19 3-point attempts after hitting a season-low 40.0% from the floor against Florida. Acuff had four 3-pointers and Brazile and Wagner each made three.

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Brazile was 9 of 11 from the field and had seven rebounds. Billy Richmond III recoded eight points and nine rebounds.

Acuff's 3-pointer gave the Razorbacks their biggest lead at 72-44 just under five minutes into the second half, and Texas never got closer than 15 after.

Texas point guard Jordan Pope, averaging 13.1 points per game, did not score and played only four minutes due to foul trouble. He picked up his third foul eight minutes into the game and his fourth less than 10 seconds into the second half.

Arkansas is projected as a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament by several ranking systems.

Swain made two free throws in the first minute before the Razorbacks went on a 19-2 run to take early control. Acuff and Brazile made 3-pointers, and Acuff had four assists during that stretch.

Acuff scored 11 consecutive Arkansas points in the final five minutes of the first half to extend the lead to 47-30, and Brazile added six straight points for a 53-34 advantage. Acuff's three in the final seconds increased the lead to 56-34 at halftime.

--Field Level Media

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Here's what to know.

What are the main headlines?

• Warship torpedoed: A US submarine sank an Iranian warship in international waters off the coast of Sri Lanka, killing more than 80, according to Sri Lankan officials.

• Turkish interception: NATO air defense systems shot down an Iranian missile hurtling towards Turkey's airspace Wednesday. This is believed to be the first time NATO forces have intercepted an Iranian missile traveling towards a member country since this conflict began.

• US soldiers identified: On Wednesday night, the Pentagon publicly identified the two remaining service members killed in a drone attack in Kuwait on Sunday. The other four soldiers killed were previously identified on Tuesday.

• Senate vote: Republicans rejected a resolution Wednesday that would have reined in US President Donald Trump's war powers.

• "Early days": The US will start striking deeper into Iran and the operation is still in its early days, warned top US officials on Wednesday.

• US objectives: The White House press secretary said the US goals are to destroy Iran's ballistic missile program, "annihilate" its naval presence, dismantle its terrorist proxies and prevent it from pursuing a nuclear weapon. Regime change was not a primary objective, she said.

• School bombing: The White House didn't rule out that the US military had carried out a strike on a girls' elementary school in Iran during the initial joint US-Israeli strikes, which killed at least 168 children, according to Iranian state media.

What's happening in Iran and Lebanon?

• Overnight strikes: Israel launched its 11th wave of attacks against Iran since the conflict began, with flyover strikes across Tehran overnight into Thursday, targeting military infrastructure.

• Lebanon attacks: Israel also said late Wednesday it has again started striking Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut, without providing details. Israel has battered parts of the country all week, after the Iran-backed military group fired projectiles from Lebanon into Israel.

• Death tolls: More than 1,100 civilians have been killed in Iran since Saturday, according to a US-based human rights group. And at least 77 people have been killed by Israeli bombardment in Lebanon, according to the country's health ministry – including three paramedics.

• Miserable conditions: Many residents in southern Lebanon have embarked on grueling journeys after Israel ordered them to evacuate; some displaced families have been forced to sleep on the streets at night. Many Tehran residents have fled to the countryside, while those who remain shelter at home, living in fear of constant bombardment.

• Next supreme leader: Iran's top clerics are still working to choose a successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by the US-Israel strikes on Saturday. Israel has warned that any new leader would be "an unequivocal target for elimination."

What's happening in the rest of region?

• Iran strikes back: Iran launched a fresh barrage of missiles toward Israel overnight into Thursday. It also continues to fire at neighboring Gulf states, which are armed with American weapons and air defenses, although the US says the pace of Iran's aerial assaults have slowed.

• Death tolls: While the largest death tolls are in Iran and Lebanon, more than two dozen people have been killed elsewhere – by Iranian strikes in Israel and Gulf nations, as well as by US-Israeli airstrikes in Iraq.

• Attack on Amazon: Iran launched a drone attack on an Amazon data center in Bahrain, a state-affiliated news agency reported. Iranian drones have also targeted two Amazon facilities in the United Arab Emirates.

• Oil spill: Oil is leaking from a tanker anchored off Kuwait after a nearby explosion. All crew members are safe, but the spill could cause environmental damage.

• Kurdish-Iranian cooperation: The president of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region and the Iranian foreign minister pledged "cooperation" in a phone call on Wednesday. CNN previously reported that the CIA is aiming to foment rebellion in Iran by arming Iranian Kurds.

• Diplomatic departures: The US authorized non-emergency staff and their families to depart several Middle Eastern countries on Wednesday, and Qatar authorities are evacuating residents living near the US Embassy, after Iranian strikes this week targeted US facilities across the region.

• US evacuations: The first US evacuation flight left the Middle East on Wednesday, after the Trump administration faced backlash for not having an evacuation plan ready. More than 17,500 Americans have returned to the US from the Middle East since February 28, the State Department said late Wednesday.

• Travel disruptions: Israel began reopening its main international airport for incoming flights, with the first of two return flights landing on Thursday. Some flights have departed major Middle Eastern hubs, including Dubai and Jeddah, but many travelers are still scrambling to find ways out of the region.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

Thousands have managed to leave the region on commercial flights from key hubs in the United Arab Emirates – however, the situation remains challenging as the conflict intensifies and flight schedules remain in disarray.

The first US-faciliatedcharter flight of Americansleft the Middle East on Wednesday, and "additional flights will be surged throughout the region," said the State Department.

Emotional scenes of reunions at airports around the world speak to the anxiety families have been feeling over the last several days.

Here's what travelers need to know.

What are governments advising?

The State Department has urged US citizens to leave a number of countries in the Middle East "due to serious safety risks" as the US-Israel war on Iran enters its sixth day.

The State Department on Wednesday called on US citizens in countries including Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to fill out acrisis intake formto "receive departure assistance information from the Department of State about available aviation and ground transportation options."

Almost 3,000 Americans have called to register with the department, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said on CNN on Wednesday. He added that Americans who wish to leave the region and have registered with the State Department should be ready to go as they wait for information from the department.

Americans in other countries who wish to receive assistance are still told to call the 24/7 hotline: +1-202-501-4444. More than 120 people are fielding calls at that 24/7 call center, a State Department official said.

"We will proactively reach out when charter flights, charter buses, other options are available. When they call, when they register, we have people right now, hundreds of people proactively making calls. Advice for American people in the region: be ready to go quickly once you receive that call," Pigott said.

An earlier post on X from a State Department consular affairs official on Monday had called on US citizens to depart "using available commercial travel" from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Other nations have issued similar warnings as they work to assist stranded travelers in the region.

Canada's government posted a notice on X advising travelers to "leave the United Arab Emirates as soon as you can secure a flight option." It has also advised Canadians to avoid all travel to Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Palestinian territories, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar and the UAE and to avoid nonessential travel to Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

The United Kingdom's government says British nationals in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestinian territories, Qatar and the UAE should register their presence to receive direct updates from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

The Australian government has opened an emergency portal for citizens in Israel, Iran, Qatar and the UAE, and warned its citizens overseas to be prepared for serious travel disruptions in the days ahead.

Australians have beenadvisednot to travel to most destinations in the Middle East. This includes Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestinian territories, Qatar, Syria, the UAE and Yemen. They should also reconsider the need to travel to Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Is Middle East airspace still closed?

The Middle East is home to several major airlines, including Emirates and Etihad in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and Qatar Airways, based in the Qatari capital, Doha.

All three of those cities are major global hubs, with millions of passengers transiting through them each year.

Emirates, which had suspended all flights to and from its bases, resumed alimited numberof repatriation and freight flights Monday night. All scheduled Emirates flights to and from Dubai will remain suspended until at least 11.59 p.m. UAE time on March 7, according to its website.

TheDubai Airports websiteadvises travelers not to proceed to the airport unless they have been contacted directly by their airlines.

All ofEtihad's scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 6 a.m. UAE time on March 6.

Qatar Airways flights to and from Doha's Hamad International Airport remainsuspendeddue to the closure of Qatari airspace.

However, Qatar Airways announced Thursday it will start operating a limited number of relief flights departing from neighboring countries to aid stranded passengers. In astatement posted to X, Qatar Airways said it will begin operating flights from Muscat in Oman to London Heathrow, Berlin, Copenhagen, Madrid, Rome and Amsterdam, as well as from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia to Frankfurt.

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Israeli flag carrier El Al is working to repatriate its customers as well, with the airline's first rescue flight, from Athens, landing at Ben Gurion Airport outside Tel Aviv Thursday morning. "We are working to place all El Al passengers whose flights were canceled on rescue flights, at no additional cost," said a statement from the airline.

How many flights have been canceled?

Thousands of international flights have been canceled each day since Sunday, according to data fromFlightAware.com, with the chaos likely to continue this week for those still struggling to get out.

Outside the region, other airlines continue to reroute or cancel flights that had been scheduled to fly near the conflict zone.

German airlineLufthansa, for instance, has suspended regular flights to and from Dubai until March 6. It has also suspended flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil, Dammam, and Tehran until March 8.

What should you do if your flight is canceled?

Travelers are advised to check with their airline or travel agent as soon as possible for information on rebooking and refunds, though passengers are reporting difficulties getting assistance because of high caller volumes.

Policies vary according to the airline, with options for refunds or fee-free rebooking. Policies fromEmiratesandEtihadare listed on their websites, with specifics subject to change as the situation evolves.

Airlines outside the region, such asBritish Airways, are also offering flexibility to affected travelers.

What about cruises?

Cruise ships in the region have also been affected, with thousands of passengers and crew waiting on vessels that have been waylaid in ports in the UAE and Qatar.

Among them isthe Mein Schiff 5, operated by Germany-based TUI Cruises, which is now in Doha Port after completing its itinerary. TUI has canceled other cruises scheduled to commence in the region in coming days.

TUI's chief executive Sebastian Ebel said Tuesday that the company plans to repatriate German customers stranded in the Middle East within several days, Reuters reports.

TUI Cruises said that a special Emirates flight departed from Dubai to Munich with 218 guests from Mein Schiff 4, its vessel in Abu Dhabi.

Swiss-Italian operator MSC Cruises said its vessel, the MSC Euribia, is remaining in Dubai following guidance from US regional military authorities, according to Reuters.

On Wednesday, the cruise line said it's working directly with airlines, including Emirates and Etihad Airways, requesting "priority" for passengers on return flights.

"At present, airlines operating flights have indicated that they will follow an order of priority based on the original flight date," said an MSC Cruises' spokesperson.

The cruise line said it's also working on chartering flights from Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Muscat "to speed up the repatriation."

What else is being done for stranded passengers?

In addition to the US, many countries are working to get their stranded nationals home safely, with evacuation flights now underway.

On Thursday, the New Zealand government said in a statement it's exploring all options.

"With airspace closed and most commercial flights not operating, we continue to recommend that New Zealanders shelter in place — or take any safe and practical opportunities that are available to leave the region," said Foreign Minister Winston Peters.

"As part of preparing for all contingencies, we are pre-deploying New Zealand consular staff and two Defence Force planes to the region — so that they can be ready when conditions allow to assist with any civilian evacuation operations."

Canada is also working to evacuate some of its citizens from the Middle East, the country's foreign minister said on Wednesday.

Canadian nationals in Israel will be bused to the Egyptian border. In Beirut, limited numbers are being put on planes. The government is also trying to arrange charter flights out of the UAE as the airspace begins to open, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand told a press conference.

The British foreign minister said the UK is working with airlines to boost evacuations, while France, Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic have also begun arranging flights out of the region.

CNN's Kylie Atwood, Jennifer Hansler, Trista Kurniawan, Rhea Mogul, Maureen O'Hare, Rebekah Riess, Laura Sharman, Francesca Street, Paula Newton and Hilary Whiteman contributed to this report.

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Women's Asia Cup Soccer India Vietnam

Jeon Yu-gyeong opened the scoring in the 12th minute and Park Soo-jeong doubled the lead in the 15th. Mun Eun-Ju put the result beyond doubt ni the 56th with a close-range volley.

Mun scored moments after Olivia McDaniel made an impressive fingertip save to deny Son Hwa-yeon's curling left-foot shot.

The South Koreans scored from the resulting corner with Mun pouncing after McDaniel punched away the curling incoming kick but not getting it clear of the box.

South Korea leads Group A with six goals from two wins following its opening3-0 result against Iran on Monday.Philippines' bid for a quarterfinal spot is precarious after losing to the Koreans after an opening1-0 loss to Australia.

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Australia, the 2023 World Cup semifinalist, was playing Iran later Thursday at the Gold Coast.

In her pre-match news conference, strikerSara Didar choked back tearsas she shared the concerns of her Iranian team for their families and loved ones amid thewarat home while they're away contesting the continental championship.

State of play

In Group B openers on Tuesday, Myong Yu Jong had a first-half hat trick inNorth Korea's 3-0 win over Uzbekistanand defending champion China beat Bangladesh 2-0.

In Group C,Japan beat Taiwan 2-0 and Vietnam edged India 2-1with a goal in stoppage time to edge India 2-1 at Perth on Wednesday.

AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

The son of boxing legend Manny Pacquiao was scheduled to fight Luis E. Santana Figueroa on the Elijah Pierce-Lorenzo Parra card on Feb. 28. Pacquiao Promotions was the promoter for the fight card.

But Jimuel Pacquiao's fight on the card was removed and little information was made public about why the fight did not happen. USA TODAY reached out to Pacquiao Promotions for comment.

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Now, Jimuel Pacquiao's next fight will be on April 3 in Temecula, California, according to Ring Magazine. An opponent was not announced. It will be Pacquiao's second professional fight.

Manny Pacquiao through the years

Pacquiao's first professional fight was also in Temecula, ending in a majority draw against Brendan Lally at Pechanga Resort Casino on Nov. 29, 2025.

Pacquiao has a professional record of 0-0-1. He went 6-4 in 10 amateur fights.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Jimuel Pacquiao fight date set: Everything we know