Kuzma's 31 points help Wizards top Kings, end streak
Kyle Kuzma scored 31 points and the Washington Wizards snapped a fivegame losing streak with a 109-102 home victory win over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night.
Kuzma, who also had six rebounds, had missed the team's previous two games with shoulder soreness. Deni Avdija added 17 points and Corey Kispert scored 15, sending Sacramento to their first loss in the last five meetings in Washington.
Former Warrior Jordan Poole scored 14 for the Wizards.
De'Aaron Fox had 25 points and Malik Monk scored 20 to lead the Kings, who fell to 16-8 in back-toback games. Domantas Sabonis had 14 points and 13 rebounds for his 52nd consecutive double-double.
Meanwhile, the Kings said Kevin Huerter will be sidelined with a dislocated left shoulder and labral tear.
BANCHERO KEYS MAGIC'S WIN OVER PELICANS >> Paolo Banchero had 20 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists for second career triple-double, overcoming early shooting woes to help the Orlando Magic beat the New Orleans Pelicans 121-106 in Orlando.
At 42-28, the Magic wrapped up their second winning seasons in 12 years.
Jalen Suggs led Orlando with 22 points, and Franz Wagner added 18.
Trey Murphy III had 21 points for New Orleans. Zion Williamson added 20 points, seven rebounds and eight turnovers.
The Pelicans lost forward Brandon Ingram early in the second half to what appeared to be a left knee injury.
G LEAGUE IGNITE PROGRAM ENDING >> The G League Ignite will not play after this season.
The team, initially based in Walnut Creek and now based in Henderson, Nev., will be shut down according to the NBA because of “the changing basketball landscape, including the NCAA's Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) policy and the advent of collectives and the transfer portal” as its primary reasons.
The program was started by the NBA to give players who aren't yet eligible for the draft — but who didn't want to go to college — a chance to essentially play professional basketball and prepare for the draft as part of a developmental but still competitive program.
The changes in college basketball, particularly those allowing athletes to cash in through NIL deals, made the college experience more attractive to the types of players that the Ignite originally targeted.
There are nine Ignite veterans currently on NBA rosters, including Scoot Henderson, Jalen Green, Dyson Daniels and the Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga.
Golf
STREELMAN LEADS AT INNISBROOK WITH 64 >> Kevin Streelman has a new ball marker to help with alignment that required USGA approval before he teed off in the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, Fla. He had 10 consecutive oneputt greens on his way to a 7-under 64 and a one-shot lead.
Streelman took advantage of gorgeous weather while it lasts with birdies on all four of the par 5s on the Copperhead course at Innisbrook. He took only 24 putts for the round.
Kevin Roy, who lost his PGA Tour card last year and is playing on a sponsor exemption, had eight birdies in his round of 65.
Streelman tried out a new ball marker during the pro-am. The circular piece on the top has a solid line and it has a long spike to put in the ground. He looks at the line and can turn the piece to give him a good visual before lining up his golf ball.
But he wanted to make sure it was legal, so the PGA Tour rules staff checked with the USGA. The spike can be no longer than an inch, so Streelman filed it down to that size.
Carl Yuan was in the group at 66 and he had a good time under direct orders from his wife. It was his birthday. He turned 27. She didn't want him overthinking golf.
Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas were among those at 68.
NFL
LIONS RELEASE SUTTON AMID SEARCH FOR HIM >> The Detroit Lions released Cameron Sutton as authorities continue to search for the defensive back to serve a domestic violence warrant in Florida.
The team announced the move on the X social media platform without offering any other details.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office in Florida, which includes Tampa, has asked for help in finding Sutton, a seven-year pro who just finished his first season with the Lions.
The warrant is for domestic battery by strangulation, a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison.