Malfunctioning arena horn delayed Pistons-Cavaliers for 13 minutes
The Detroit Pistons hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers at Little Caesars Arena on Friday night in a game that featured more than just basketball drama.
In the third quarter, with the Pistons clinging to a slim 65-64 lead, a power surge triggered an electrical malfunction, sending the arena’s overhead horn into an unrelenting blare. The deafening buzzer refused to quit, halting play for nearly 13 minutes as staff scrambled to silence the rogue noise.
Players returned to the benches, then warmed up on the court while arena workers battled the short-circuit atop the giant scoreboard.
Eventually, they cut power to the board, muting the horn to a roaring cheer and standing ovation from the relieved crowd.
Play resumed using a manual air horn for timeouts, though the scoreboard flickered back on soon after.
Adding to the chaos, a separate delay occurred when Cavaliers guard Dennis Schroder pointed out a profane fan, leading to an ejection.
Despite the interruptions, the Pistons prevailed in overtime, 122-119, proving they could handle both opponents and technical difficulties.
Ex-MLB pitcher sentenced to life in prison for 2021 murder
Former Major League Baseball pitcher Dan Serafini was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2021 shooting death of his father-in-law and the attempted murder of his mother-in-law during a burglary at their home near Lake Tahoe.
Serafini, 51, was convicted in July 2025 of first-degree murder in the death of Gary Spohr, attempted murder of Wendy Wood, and first-degree burglary.
Spohr was killed in the June 2021 attack, while Wood survived the shooting but died a year later by suicide. The crime occurred at the couple’s residence in Homewood, California.
Prosecutors argued that Serafini harbored deep resentment toward his wife’s wealthy parents, presenting evidence of angry emails, text messages, and statements indicating he was willing to pay $20,000 to have them killed. A co-defendant, Samantha Scott, a friend and former nanny, pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact.
During sentencing on Friday, Serafini addressed the court, maintaining his innocence and describing himself as a “broken, imperfect man that makes mistakes.”
Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire stated that the attack’s impact extended beyond the victims, deeply affecting family and community members. Serafini’s motions for a new trial were denied.
Serafini, drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1992, pitched for several MLB teams, including the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, and Colorado Rockies over an 11-year career.
Former Giants first-round pick takes over as IFL commissioner
Former NFL offensive lineman Justin Pugh, selected 19th overall by the New York Giants in the 2013 draft, has been appointed commissioner of the Italian Football League (IFL).
After an 11-year career that included stints with the Giants and Arizona Cardinals, Pugh is transitioning to lead the IFL, which has operated since 1980 and completed 44 seasons of American football in Italy.
The league has crowned 12 different champions in its Italian Bowl history.
Pugh shared his excitement in a public statement, highlighting American football’s established roots and passionate following in Italy. He committed to modernizing the league’s infrastructure, bolstering governance, raising competitive standards, and developing a sustainable framework for long-term expansion across Europe.
Leveraging his high-level NFL experience, Pugh plans to position the IFL as a credible, forward-thinking organization that links Italian football to the international game. He described Italy as uniquely positioned—thanks to its cultural prestige and market potential—to elevate American football beyond sport into a platform merging athletic excellence with global appeal.
“Our objective is to position the IFL as a structured, credible and forward looking institution, capable of connecting Italian Football to the broader international ecosystem of the game. Italy has the talent, the market and the symbolic power to play a meaningful role in the global development of American Football, Pugh said, in part.
This role underscores ongoing initiatives to grow the game worldwide, with Pugh focused on structure, ambition, and meaningful progress starting immediately.
Linda Cohn rips ‘bitter’ Keith Olbermann in debate over US Men’s hockey
Former ESPN colleagues Linda Cohn and Keith Olbermann clashed on social media after the U.S. men’s hockey team won gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics in a dramatic 2-1 overtime victory over Canada.
The controversy arose when Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who played for Team USA and scored during the tournament, joined most teammates in visiting the White House to celebrate with President Donald Trump. Matthews skipped Trump’s State of the Union address that evening.
A Toronto Star opinion piece criticized Matthews, claiming he prioritized Trump over his allegiance to Canada and the Leafs, failing as team captain. Cohn defended him on X, calling the take misguided and urging critics to “be better.”
Olbermann attacked Cohn, labeling her a “self-obsessed politically motivated clown.”
Cohn fired back sharply, accusing him of gaslighting and bullying a former colleague.
The exchange highlighted lingering tensions between the former SportsCenter anchors, who worked together in the 1990s. Cohn emphasized Olbermann’s perceived irrelevance since leaving sports media.
Falcons dismiss assistant after deeply troubling accusations arise
The Atlanta Falcons dismissed assistant defensive line coach LaTroy Lewis on Friday amid deeply troubling sexual assault allegations stemming from an incident during his time at the University of Michigan.
The allegations involve a reported sexual assault, including rape and battery, that occurred on December 5, 2024, at Weber’s Hotel in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The accuser, a woman who met Lewis through a dating app in July 2024, intended to meet him to return gifts and end their communication. She alleges the encounter turned aggressive, resulting in the assault. She reported the incident to then-Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore shortly afterward, though no immediate action was taken by the university at that time.
The accuser’s attorney recently filed an incident report with the Ann Arbor Police Department and sought a protective order against Lewis. Police confirmed an active investigation into the 2024 allegations, with Lewis identified as the suspect.
A separate January 2025 police response to a verbal argument involving the pair resulted in no charges.
The Falcons, who hired Lewis as assistant defensive line coach in February, stated they were gathering information after the claims surfaced publicly on Thursday night via social media reports. They dismissed him hours later.
Lewis’ attorney described the allegations as false, stating he intends to fight them vigorously.
The case adds to ongoing scrutiny of Michigan’s football program following Moore’s December 2025 firing for unrelated misconduct.
Video: Nikola Jokic snaps after what he deemed ‘unnecessary foul’
In a heated fourth-quarter moment during the Denver Nuggets’ 127-121 overtime loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night, Nikola Jokic reacted strongly to what he called an “unnecessary” foul by Luguentz Dort.
With 8:03 left in regulation and the Thunder leading 90-88, Jokic was running up the court without the ball when Dort backed into him and extended his right leg, tripping the three-time MVP and sending him to the floor. Jokic quickly got up, confronted Dort angrily, and delivered a chest bump.
The incident escalated as Thunder center Jaylin Williams intervened, leading to shoves and jersey-grabbing between Jokic and Williams. A scrum was formed involving players, coaches, and officials before the situation was calmed.
Officials reviewed the play and upgraded Dort’s foul to a Flagrant Foul 2 for unnecessary and excessive contact with high injury potential, resulting in his automatic ejection. Jokic and Williams received offsetting technical fouls.
Crew chief James Williams explained the call, noting the contact’s danger and how it sparked an unresolved altercation.
Jokic later described the foul as “an unnecessary move and a necessary reaction.”
“There is no such thing — I think there’s not supposed to be those things on a basketball floor. So, it was just an unnecessary move and a necessary reaction by me,” he said, via ESPN.
The physical, chippy matchup featured prior tensions, including an early technical on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after he threw the ball at Jokic following contact.
Jokic finished with a triple-double of 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 14 assists, though he shot 9-of-25 from the field.
The Nuggets dropped to 4-7 since his return from injury. The teams square off again on March 9 in Oklahoma City.
Fan ejected from Pistons-Cavaliers game over his message to Dennis Schroder
A Detroit Pistons fan was ejected from the team’s Friday contest for allegedly shouting a profane message at Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dennis Schroder.
Schroder halted play as the Cavaliers led the Pistons 98-92 midway through the fourth quarter at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich. The veteran guard directed the referees’ attention to a fan who allegedly went too far with his trash talk while sitting courtside.
A fan was ejected from Cavs-Pistons for something he said to Dennis Schroder.pic.twitter.com/gvOOIH0dV7
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 28, 2026
Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff, who coached the Cavaliers last season, tried to calm Schroder down by asking him to share what the fan had said. Schroder played for the Pistons last season after being included in the trade that sent Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors.
“Tell me what he said. Tell me what he said,” Bickerstaff was heard asking Schroder.
The two then approached the officials to get the fan escorted out of the venue.
The fan missed the Pistons’ crunch time comeback, as the home team forced overtime and won 122-119. Schroder was sloppy in a leading role on Friday as both James Harden and Donovan Mitchell were out of the lineup for Cleveland due to injury.
The German-born guard committed eight turnovers, accounting for nearly half of the Cavaliers’ 17 giveaways.
Lakers veteran looked so fed up with Deandre Ayton
Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart appeared visibly frustrated with Deandre Ayton during their Friday matchup against the Phoenix Suns.
A clip of a few Lakers defensive lapses went viral on social media after the team’s 113-110 loss at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz. The slow-footed Ayton had trouble fighting over screens, leading to a trio of uncontested three-point makes for the Suns.
Fans couldn’t help but notice Smart shooting daggers at Ayton after a couple of the makes.
Marcus Smart was VISIBLY frustrated by Deandre Ayton’s defense on multiple occasions last night 😬
— LakersMuse (@LALMuse) February 27, 2026
(Via @iztok_franko)
pic.twitter.com/2nDuQOvi0V
Smart, the 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year, clearly has high standards when it comes to that side of the floor. He’s one of the few plus defenders on a Lakers squad that ranks dead last in defensive rating among playoff-contending teams through two-thirds of the season.
Some fans, however, argued that Smart was equally at fault for some of those defensive miscues, with Ayton being made to be a scapegoat for their poor team-wide rotations.
most of the plays are on marcus. a big shouldn’t be chasing guards. wtf are we doing here
— BO (@theKofacts) February 27, 2026
Nah, Only 1 of those 3 plays is on Ayton. The other 2 are on Marcus. Why the big chasing down guards? That's on you dude. That's like asking Shaq to chase down Steph Curry. Are you serious?
— wheesper (@wheespersnap1) February 27, 2026
Ayton may have been demotivated to try on defense because of frustration about his role in Lakers head coach JJ Redick’s offense. The Lakers center took offense to allegedly being utilized like Clint Capela, which drew a response from Capela himself.
The Lakers have virtually been a .500 team since their 15-4 start to the season, going 2-5 over their last seven games. The cracks within the team are seemingly starting to show as the losses start to pile up.
NFL team told Fernando Mendoza to ‘get arrested’ before draft
Fernando Mendoza had a clear answer in mind when asked about the most bizarre exchange he had during his NFL pre-draft interviews.
The Las Vegas Raiders are projected to make Mendoza the first name called at the 2026 NFL Draft. But that didn’t stop other teams from getting to know the Indiana alum.
During an interview with CBS reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala, Mendoza shared that one team made a pretty off-color joke to give said team a chance to draft him.
“It was, ‘Hey, maybe you should get arrested,’” Mendoza said when asked about the most bizarre question he got. “I was a little confused, but then I was like, to slide … so you could slide in the draft.”
The most bizarre question that Fernando Mendoza has been asked during his draft interviews
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) February 27, 2026
"It was: 'Hey, maybe you should get arrested.' I was a little confused, but then it was like to slide."
🎤: @AKinkhabwala pic.twitter.com/33RaeHkaPT
Mendoza did not reveal which team had made the joke, but stated that it was not one of the franchises that had formally interviewed him.
It may have been an exec from one of the later-drafting teams trying to build some rapport with Mendoza, but instead ended up sounding like that oddball uncle everyone has who had too much to drink at a family function.
Given Mendoza’s family-friendly persona, he seems like the last guy expected to have any run-ins with the law.
How much money Travis Kelce could make as an analyst is revealed
Travis Kelce might not have to take much of a pay cut if he decides to go from the gridiron to the studio.
The longtime Kansas City Chiefs tight end Kelce could be in line to make at least $15 million per year as a studio presence, Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reported on Friday. Marchand does also note though that Kelce would ideally like to be calling games in the booth if he does transition into television.
An 11-time Pro Bowler, a seven-time All-Pro, and a three-time Super Bowl champion with the Chiefs, Kelce is not under contract for the 2026 NFL season. But he did make a total cash figure of $17.25 million last season with Kansas City.
$15 million per year for studio work is a pretty staggering figure and dwarfs what brother Jason Kelce is currently making with ESPN. Marchand reported last year that the elder Kelce is on a three-year, $24 million contract with The Worldwide Leader.
As for Travis, it sounds like he could make even more than $15 million per year if he lands his desired job in the broadcast booth. The veteran tight end would probably be well worth that figure too given his status as a household name amid his relationship with fiancée Taylor Swift.
For now, it sounds like Kelce intends to play another season in the NFL based on both what he has been saying and what Kansas City head coach Andy Reid has been saying as well. But when Kelce decides to finally hang them up, a large bag is almost guaranteed to be waiting for him from the media industry.
Josh Hart hits back at an angry Knicks fan
Josh Hart does not exactly have much sympathy for his critics these days.
The New York Knicks guard Hart got called out this week over social media by an angry fan. The Knicks fanbase was venting on X about head coach Mike Brown’s rotations, namely, the lack of minutes for younger players like Tyler Kolek and Mohamed Diawara.
“I truly despise MB’s rotations,” one user wrote. That led to a comment from another user who replied, “I also despise @JoshHart being on the roster.”
Hart, who was tagged in the post, fired back at the fan in a post to X of his own on Friday. “Welp deal with it,” said Hart in response.
Welp deal with it https://t.co/zG8TUCj8Q5
— Josh Hart (@joshhart) February 27, 2026
The 30-year-old Hart was actually a fan favorite in New York last season with his do-it-all and play-any-position skillset as the Knicks advanced to the conference finals. But he has regressed in every major statistical category this year (11.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game overall) and is quickly losing the faith of the local fanbase.
One factor may be that Hart, who is under contract through 2028, has been in and out of the lineup with ankle issues and has appeared in just 47 of the Knicks’ 59 games so far. But even Hart himself would admit that something is slightly amiss in New York right now as he recently had a damning quote about the team’s play.
Brian Windhorst says he was confronted by an NBA All-Star center
Brian Windhorst apparently got himself into trouble with one NBA All-Star.
The ESPN analyst Windhorst shared an interesting story during the latest episode of “The Hoop Collective.” Windhorst said that he was confronted during the 2024 Paris Olympics by Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo.
While Team USA Basketball was competing in Paris, Windhorst suggested on television that Adebayo’s minutes for Team USA should have potentially been going to Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum instead. Adebayo did not care for that take though and proceeded to confront Windhorst.
“I was explaining on TV, ‘I don’t see how Tatum is going to play unless somebody else doesn’t play.’ And I was like, ‘Maybe Bam Adebayo [shouldn’t play],” said Windhorst. “So I said that on American TV. And the next day … Bam was like, “Really? I’m not gonna play? I defend 1 through 5, bro.’”
Indeed, Adebayo, the five-time All-Defensive team selection, is a far superior defender to Tatum and thus made more sense on a USA Basketball roster with an excess of talented scorers already. Ultimately, Team USA went on to win the gold medal, defeating France by a final score of 98-87 in the championship game.
Meanwhile, this is far from the only time that Windhorst has drawn backlash with some of his opinions on the air. He was once notably accosted on the street by angry New York Knicks fans and also recently sparked negative attention by appearing to make a weight joke about Luka Doncic.
Notable update surfaces about Russell Westbrook’s future
Russell Westbrook may have something to smile about despite the Sacramento Kings being the worst team in the league this season.
It would not be shocking if the former MVP guard Westbrook signs a new deal with the Kings this summer, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported on Friday. Siegel notes that Westbrook has become “a leading voice” for the team both on and off the court this season and that Sacramento “values his production and skills.”
Westbrook, now 37 years old, is in his first season with the Kings. He signed a one-year, $3.6 million contract with the team over the summer (representing the veteran’s minimum salary).
In terms of statistics, Westbrook has been doing very well for himself this year. He is starting for Sacramento and has been averaging 15.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game overall (a modest increase over the numbers that he was putting up last season as a bench player for the Denver Nuggets).
Of course, the Kings absolutely stink right now and have the worst record in the NBA at 14-47. But thanks to a wonky roster construction and horrific luck with injuries, Sacramento’s issues run far deeper than just Westbrook.
Westbrook has had some difficulties this season, most notably with his wife recently receiving a death wish from an angry fan. But if the California native Westbrook wants to return to the Kings next season on another minimum deal (this time projected to be around $3.9 million), it sounds like the door is very much open for that possibility.
Bam Adebayo gets brutally honest about the Heat
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo sounds deeply unhappy about the state of the organization.
Adebayo got brutally honest following the team’s 124-117 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pa. on Thursday night. Miami’s second straight defeat leaves them just two games above .500 and facing the possibility of having to take part in the NBA Play-In Tournament again.
“I don’t want to be in this s–t no more. We’re better than being in the play-in every year for the last four years,” Adebayo said.
Bam Adebayo is tired of being in the play-in
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) February 27, 2026
“I don’t wanna be in this sh*t no more. We’re better than being in the play-in in the last 4 years.”
(h/t @WadexFlash)
pic.twitter.com/iNSZwczNsT
As Adebayo indicated, this would be the fourth consecutive season the Heat have been forced to take part in the play-in. They managed to progress through to the first round in each of the last three years, and even made an unlikely run to the NBA Finals in 2023, but have had no playoff success since.
The Heat pride themselves on being an organization that regularly contends for championships, but they have never quite found a way to replace Jimmy Butler since his exit a year ago. They now sit at 31-29 and are eighth in the Eastern Conference, but their ambitions are much higher than that.
As for Adebayo, he is averaging 18.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game this season. His frustration appears to be growing, and one can understand why some people thought he might get traded, even if that did not come to pass.
Khris Middleton linked to 2 teams amid buyout rumors
Khris Middleton may be getting a realistic chance this year of competing for his second career NBA championship.
The Dallas Mavericks forward Middleton has been mentioned as a potential buyout candidate as the team continues to sink, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported on Friday. Though the Mavericks themselves are signaling that they would like to keep Middleton for the remainder of the season, two teams are said to be at the front of the line if Middleton does get bought out — the Denver Nuggets and the San Antonio Spurs.
Now 34 years old, Middleton is a three-time NBA All-Star who was a major part of the Milwaukee Bucks’ 2021 championship team. But he was traded to the Washington Wizards last year as part of the Kyle Kuzma deal and then eventually sent to Dallas earlier this month as part of the Anthony Davis trade.
Overall on the season, Middleton has averaged 11.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game over 40 total appearances between Washington and Dallas. He is also in the final year of his contract at a sizable $33.3 million.
The Mavericks do not have much basketball reason to keep Middleton around either. With roughly a month-and-a-half left in the regular season, Dallas’ postseason hopes are all but toast at 21-37 (12th in the Western Conference).
Meanwhile, Denver is No. 4 in the West at 37-22 and San Antonio is No. 2 in the West at 43-16. Middleton has had some troubling injury woes in recent years but would still have a lot to offer to either of those contending teams as an efficient one-on-one scorer.
Eagles’ asking price for AJ Brown is revealed
The Philadelphia Eagles have not yet decided if they will trade AJ Brown this offseason. If they do, however, the wide receiver will not come cheap.
NFL executives expect Eagles general manager Howie Roseman to put a high price tag on Brown and refuse to trade the wide receiver if that price is not met. According to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, there is some belief that the Eagles might ask for both a first- and second-round pick in exchange for Brown.
At the very least, it is believed there is no real chance the Eagles would let Brown leave for anything less than the second-round pick the Pittsburgh Steelers gave up to acquire DK Metcalf last offseason.
Essentially, the Eagles are holding firm on Brown’s value even after a down season. He barely crossed the 1,000-yard plateau in the team’s inconsistent offense last season, but had back-to-back 1,400-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023.
One thing that is not clear is what would happen if Brown pushed for a trade. In all likelihood, the Eagles would still try to move him on their terms, although there have been some indications that Brown might not be deadset on a move away from Philadelphia after all.
If Brown is dealt, there appears to be one team that he would really like to play for.
Diego Pavia jokes about concerns about his maturity
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia does not seem too overly concerned about whether NFL teams are worried about his maturity level.
Pavia was asked about such concerns at the NFL Combine on Friday, and he was content to make light of that narrative. He joked that Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea had always liked to tell his players that they weren’t finished developing mentally yet.
“Coach Lea always pressed that your frontal lobe isn’t fully developed until you’re 25, and I just turned 24. So I’ve got like 365 days to go,” Pavia said, via Madelyn Burke of CBS Sports.
It’s a pretty good one-liner from Pavia, though it is highly unlikely to make teams feel any better about him if they do not think he will take the sport seriously enough. Realistically, those concerns will likely have to be addressed in private interviews either way.
Pavia’s larger-than-life personality endeared him to college football fans. However, his behavior after finishing second in Heisman Trophy voting left a lot of people unimpressed, and NFL teams undoubtedly took notice of that, too.
At 24, Pavia is not really a high-end prospect, and that is only further reinforced by concerns about his height. If he catches on in the league, it will be as a depth player, and no team is going to want to keep someone on the roster for that purpose if they’re going to cause issues off the field.
George Pickens unlikely to sign franchise tag with Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys have used their franchise tag on wide receiver George Pickens, but it does not sound like he has any intention of actually playing on it.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported from the NFL Combine Friday that it is unlikely Pickens will report to the team without a long-term contract. That means the wide receiver is not expected to sign the tag.
“I do not expect to see Pickens in the facility unless and until there is a long-term deal. Don’t expect him to sign the tag yet,” Rapoport said.
From our Combine coverage on @NFLNetwork: The #Cowboys officially franchise tagged WR George Pickens and all that it means. pic.twitter.com/FrvyRDzgaS
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 27, 2026
Rapoport also noted that it is not impossible that another team might come in with a big trade offer for Pickens and sign him to a long-term deal instead. That has been suggested before as well.
In other words, the Pickens situation is far from resolved, though this cannot come as a huge surprise to the Cowboys. They essentially took this step to ensure he would not hit the open market, and it gives them several months to try to work out a long-term deal with their standout wide receiver.
Pickens is coming off a breakout year in Dallas. He caught 93 passes for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns, and should command a significant salary from the Cowboys or someone else.
Former Lakers player thinks LeBron James should leave the team
A former Los Angeles Lakers player and coach thinks it is time for LeBron James to move on and find a new team.
Byron Scott, who spent 11 years playing for the Lakers and another two as their coach, suggested it was time for James to leave the Lakers. While he does not believe James needs to retire, he does believe it would be best for all involved for James to play somewhere else next season.
“I’m a fan, but I don’t mince words. I think this should be his last year here. You don’t have to go home, but you’ve got to get the hell up out of here,” Scott said.
Byron Scott like all REAL Laker fans wants Lebron to Leave the Lakers 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/ldh90UL0mC
— TheTruth (@TheTruth8240) February 27, 2026
While James remains an excellent player, there is certainly a perception that the Lakers are moving on and making Luka Doncic their focal point instead. James has also made it clear that he thinks the current iteration of the Lakers cannot win a title, which may help push him out the door anyway.
James is averaging 21.5 points, 7.0 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game this season at age 41. He is certainly playing well enough to keep going if he wants to, and he has already started getting linked to some new teams when his contract expires this summer.
Clint Capela fires back at Deandre Ayton
Clint Capela was not a fan of a catching a stray this week from Deandre Ayton.
The Los Angeles Lakers center Ayton went viral after Wednesday’s loss to the Orlando Magic over a shady comment that he made referencing Capela. Ayton, apparently unhappy about his role on offense with the Lakers, made a loud comment in the locker room in which he said “I’m not no Clint Capela!”
On Thursday, the Houston Rockets center Capela got wind of Ayton’s remark and decided to fire back. He quote-posted a graphic of Ayton’s comment to his Instagram Story and included a shady caption of his own.
“U got 2 of the best floor general[s] in the game my dawg Lockinnn,” said Capela along with laughing-face emojis.
Clint Capela’s IG story. pic.twitter.com/qoZVx04Kyt
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 27, 2026
The former No. 1 overall pick Ayton feels that there is more to his game than simply catching lobs at the rim, which Capela has been one of the best in the NBA at doing over the last several years. But Capela’s retort is that Ayton is playing with Luka Doncic and LeBron James, so any offensive woes are probably Ayton’s own fault.
In any case, the Lakers went on to lose on Thursday as well to the Phoenix Suns, falling by a final score of 113-110 at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz. Ayton finished that game with a hapless two points on 1/3 shooting and four rebounds, continuing on what has been a rough debut season for him in L.A. from the very start.
