Ranking the top 10 sports events Feb. 20-26 you won’t want to miss:
NO. 1: NASCAR: 59th DAYTONA 500
Details/TV: At Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Sunday, 11 a.m., Ch. 11
One-hundredth of a second in a NASCAR event would seem to physically translate to the width of a hood sponsor decal.
Those who measure such things with the help of a photo finish and a little imagination say it’s 4 feet of distance. Give or take a pebble.
After 500 miles, the 0.011 margin was what Denny Hamlin got in squeezing past Martin Truex Jr., in last year’s NASCAR Super Bowl, making it the closest finish in the event’s history.
All of that, of course, guarantees nothing this time for Hamlin.
Over the last 30 years, only a handful of drivers have won this thing twice, and only two of them — Dale Jarrett and Jeff Gordon — have won it three times.
According to VegasInsider.com, bet on Dale Earnhardt Jr., who took a front-row spot during Sunday’s qualifying but is coming off a season where he missed the second half because of concussion issues. He was given 5-1 odds of winning this year, with Brad Keselowski second at 8-1. Defending Cup Series winner Jimmie Johnson is with Truex and Kevin Harvick at 10-1. Chase Elliott, who has won the pole the last two years, is a 15-1.
Hamlin? Slotted at 12-1, because of that back-to-back win factor somehow playing into the strategy that one has a tougher time repeating. The Daytona 500 hasn’t had a repeat winner since Sterling Marlin won in 1994-1995.
“Some of NASCAR’s greatest drivers haven’t won two of them,” Hamlin told the Associated Press, “much less two in a row.”
Then there’s Danica Patrick, at 100-1, the pole-winner at Daytona four years ago, but she remains winless on the NASCAR circuit with only six Top-10 finishes in 154 races, none in the top five. Her best last year was 11th at Charlotte, North Carolina in October.
The 34-year-old, who has also gone through sponsorship ups-and-downs and lawsuits in the news this past offseason, said last week in a NASCAR Live interview: “I really believe in the power of positive thinking and intentions. I know that being more positive and happy and upbeat do nothing but positive things for you. My word over the last month or so with everything that has been going on is just ‘hope.’ I hoped and believed it would all work out.”
Like hoping the fuel tank is half full rather than half empty at a critical moment.
Also this week: Can-Am Duel races to determine the 30 final grid spots: Thursday at 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., FS1
NO. 2: COLLEGE BASKETBALL:
UCLA at ARIZONA
Details/TV: Saturday, 5:15 p.m., ESPN
USC at ARIZONA
Details/TV: Thursday, 7 p.m., Pac-12 Network
The No. 6 Bruins (24-3, 11-3) and No. 5 Wildcats (25-3, 14-1) make for good TV: ESPN slotted this one in its national prime-time window and also added the swarm from the “GameDay” crew to talk it up starting at 9 a.m.
Arizona unleashed six players in double figures and scored a season high in points, running past the Bruins 96-85 at Pauley Pavilion on Jan. 21 and marking their territory in the Pac-12. Lauri Markkanen, the 19-year-old 7-foot freshman from Finland, had 18 of those points and seven rebounds for Arizona. Lonzo Ball had 24 points to lead the Bruins before a sellout of 13,659 on that day.
The Trojans saw Markkanen score 23 points against them, including rainbow 3-pointer with 33 seconds left and the shot clock expiring, that secured Arizona’s 73-66 win at the Galen Center a few night’s earlier. Marrkanen, who leads the conference in 3-point shooting percentage, has since been named a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award and the Naismith Trophy, as has UCLA’s Ball.
Also this week for UCLA: at Arizona State, Thursday at 6 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
Also this week for USC: at Arizona State, Sunday at 3:30 p.m., Pac-12 Net
Also this week in Southern California:
Long Beach State: vs. Cal Poly, Walter Pyramid, Thursday at 7 p.m., ESPN3; at UC Davis, Saturday at 5 p.m., ESPNU
Cal State Northridge: vs. UC Davis, Matadome, Thursday at 7 p.m.; vs. UC Irvine, Matadome, Saturday at 7:30 p.m., ESPN3
Loyola Marymount: vs. San Francisco, Gersten Pavilion, Thursday at 7 p.m.; at Pacific, Saturday at 7 p.m.
Pepperdine: vs. Saint Mary’s, Firestone Fieldhouse, Thursday at 7 p.m.; vs. San Francisco, Saturday at 1 p.m., Spectrum SportsNet
Also this week nationally: Louisville at North Carolina, Wednesday at 6 p.m., ESPN; Oregon at Cal, Wednesday at 6 p.m. ESPN2; Butler at Villanova, Wednesday at 6 p.m., FS1; Florida at Kentucky, Saturday at 11 a.m., Channel 2; Creighton at Villanova, Saturday at noon, Channel 11; Duke at Miami, Saturday at 1 p.m., Channel 2; Oregon at Stanford, Saturday at 1 p.m., Pac-12 Net; Syracuse at Louisville, Sunday at 11 a.m., Channel 2; Wisconsin at Michigan State, Saturday at 11 a.m., Channel 2.
NO. 3: NHL: DUCKS AT KINGS
Details/TV: At Staples Center, Saturday, 1 p.m., FSW, Prime Ticket
Until they meet again in the final regular-season game on April 9 in Anaheim. Then, perhaps the playoffs? The only other Staples Center meeting between the freeway rivals was a 4-0 Ducks’ victory as John Gibson stopped 30 shots.
Also this week for the Kings: at Colorado, Tuesday at 6 p.m., FSW; vs. Boston at Staples Center, Thursday at 7:30 p.m., FSW
Also this week for the Ducks: at Arizona, Monday at 6 p.m., Prime Ticket; vs. Boston at Honda Center, Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Prime Ticket
Also this week in the NHL: Stadium Series: Philadelphia vs. Pittsburgh at Heinz Field, Saturday at 5 p.m., Channel 4
NO. 4: NBA: CLIPPERS at WARRIORS
Details/TV: Thursday, 7:30 p.m., TNT
It’s the first game out of the All-Star break, and we must go through this charade again? The Clippers are physically second in the Pacific Division behind leader Golden State, but 12 games separate them, as does the Warriors’ nine-game win streak over them. The latest measuring stick came Feb. 2 as the Warriors easily won by 13 – Steph Curry scored 29 points with just three 3-pointers. Kevin Durant had 26 points and 10 assists. The Clippers gave up three dunks and had four turnovers to start the game. Curry forced two steals, feeding Durant and JaVale McGee for consecutive dunks that started the rout.
Also this week for the Clippers: vs. San Antonio at Staples Center, Friday at 7:30 p.m., Prime Ticket; vs. Charlotte at Staples Center, Sunday at 6:30 p.m., Prime Ticket.
NO. 5: NBA: SPURS AT LAKERS
Details/TV: At Staples Center, Sunday at 12:30 p.m., Spectrum SportsNet
The Lakers have already lost twice to the Spurs this season, and eight times in a row overall. Kawhi Leonard has scored 23 and 31 in the two Spurs wins already, and even Pau Gasol doesn’t seem to enjoy being on the winning end of these things. Need to soften the blow? Try a new Josiah Cintrin’s Mac ‘N’ Cheese dog at the Staples Center concession stand, going for $9.50 and boasting just 468 calories. You’re welcome.
Also this week: at Oklahoma City, Friday at 5 p.m., Spectrum SportsNet
NO. 6: NBA TRADE DEADLINE
Details/TV: Thursday, noon
Deal us in. Denver forward Wilson Chandler is supposed to be on the Clippers’ radar, but he’s no Carmelo Anthony, Paul George, Jimmy Butler or even Jahlil Okafor when it comes to bigger names who could switch jerseys.
NO. 7: MLB EXHIBITION OPENERS
DODGERS vs. WHITE SOX
Details/TV: At Glendale, Arizona, Saturday, 12:05 p.m., SportsNet LA
ANGELS vs. MILWAUKEE
Details/TV: At Tempe, Arizona, Saturday, 12:10 p.m., FSW (delayed at 4 p.m.)
It doesn’t matter who starts, who finishes or who Dave Roberts or Mike Scioscia throws in there in between. It’s all the motivation some of us need for an AZ road trip, with no stopping in Blythe. These open up the Cactus League play, so pace yourselves.
NO. 8: COLLEGE BASEBALL:
CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE at PEPPERDINE
Details/TV: At Malibu, Tuesday at 2 p.m.
LONG BEACH STATE at USC
Details/TV: Dedeaux Field, Tuesday at 6 p.m.
If it stops raining, these local-on-local ballgames will satisfy the itch. Let’s make it a Tuesday doubleheader.
NO. 9: GOLF: PGA TOUR HONDA CLASSIC
Details/TV: At Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Thursday-Sunday, Channel 4, Golf Channel
They’ve escaped from L.A. with their a bit of their dignity and now head to the East Coast, with a World Golf Championship match in Mexico, a World Golf Championship match play in Austin, Texas and a few other stops along the way before the April 6-9 Masters at Augusta. Set your watches.
NO. 10: HORSE RACING: BAFFLE STAKES
Details/TV: At Santa Anita, Monday, first post, noon
Baffled by what to do on a Presidents’ Day holiday? There’s this turf race for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita. Throw some dead presidents at it.
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