Suns’ Booker takes Davis’ All-Star spot

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker was selected to replace injured Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis in the NBA All-Star Game.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver choose Booker to take Davis’ spot a day after Booker was snubbed by the league’s head coaches for a reserve spot in the March 7 game in Atlanta.

The second half of the NBA schedule will be hectic, all the way to the end. The league released the list of games that will be played between March 10 and May 16, with Memphis and San Antonio — two of the teams that dealt with long unplanned shutdowns because of coronavirus-related issues — set to play 40 times apiece, tied for the most in the league during the 68-day sprint to the end of the regular season.

And every team is scheduled to play on the final day of the regular season, a rarity. The 15 games on May 16 will mark the first time that every NBA team plays on the same day since Nov. 25, 2016 — and the first time all have done so on the final day of the regular season since April 16, 2014.

SECOND HALF SET >> NFL

STEELERS PLAN FOR ROETHLISBURGER AT QB >> The Steelers plan on having quarterback Ben Roethlisberger back for an 18th season. Team president Art Rooney II released a statement saying he and Roethlisberger have met to figure out a way to ease the financial pressure caused by Roethlisberger’s contract. Roethlisberger, who turns 39 next month, carries a $41 million salary cap number for 2021 and is due a $15 million roster bonus on March 20, shortly after the new league year begins.

MLB

YANKEES’ GERMAN APOLOGIZES >> Yankees pitcher Domingo Germán gave a public apology for actions that led to a lengthy suspension under Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy, a day after he spoke with New York teammates and admitted he had engaged in dangerous conduct.

Speaking softly and dabbing his eyes at times, Germán said through a translator he wanted “to sincerely apologize to the Steinbrenner family, my teammates, the front office and those around me who love me. I have made mistakes of which I’m not proud of.”