Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers host Nicola Jokic and Nuggets in 1st playoff game at new Intuit Dome

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Steve Ballmer is about to realize his long-held dream of the Los Angeles Clippers hosting playoff games in their own arena.

Eleven years after buying the once laughingstock franchise, the 69-year-old billionaire is getting the last laugh. Led by a healthy Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers resume their first-round series in Game 3 Thursday night at the new Intuit Dome against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

“I think it’s the best basketball you can watch,” Jokic said of the closely contested series that's tied 1-1.

The arena will host next year's All-Star weekend and be the basketball venue for the 2028 Olympics.

While the Clippers were opening the playoffs in Denver, their fans watched on a giant video board at the plaza outside Intuit Dome.

Fans attending Thursday night will find a towel and noisemaker at their seats and those who arrive 30 minutes early will get a Leonard T-shirt.

“I expect it to be rockin' in there,” Clippers All-Star James Harden said.

So does Nuggets interim coach David Adelman.

"They have the crowd at the end towards our bench. It's like a high school crowd, which is actually really cool," he said, referring to The Wall, a 58-row section of Clippers superfans. “That building, it's very loud whether the crowd is cheering or not, so we have to be prepared for that.”

When/where to watch: Game 3, 7 p.m. EDT (TNT)

Series: Tied 1-1

BetMGM says: Knicks by 1.5

What to know: The Pistons beat the Knicks on the road 100-94 in Game 2, evening the series and ending the NBA’s longest losing streak in the playoffs at 15 games. Little Caesars Arena, home of the Pistons since 2017, will host its first playoff game on Thursday night. Detroit’s Cade Cunningham scored 33 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in Game 2 after he had 21 points on 8-of-21 shooting and 12 assists in his postseason debut. Jalen Brunson scored 37 points for the third-seeded Knicks and didn’t get much help from Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby as both were limited to 10 points after each scored 23 points in Game 1. The Pistons led the opener by eight points through three quarters before New York took control with a 21-0 run. Detroit’s starting center, Isaiah Stewart, is day-to-day with a knee injury after playing in Game 1 and missing Monday night’s game.

When/where to watch: Game 3, 9:30 p.m. EDT (TNT)

Series: Thunder lead 2-0

BetMGM says: Thunder by 8.5

What to know: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will look to move closer to sweeping the Grizzlies in Game 3. Memphis has been swept in the playoffs previously five times, most recently in 2016 by San Antonio. Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t shooting his best at 33% so far, but it’s hardly mattered. The Grizzlies were blown out in the first two games, but they did make it closer — albeit only by 19 points — in Game 2. Still, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault expects the Grizzlies to get a lift playing in front of their home crowd for the first time in the series.

When/where to watch: Game 3, 10 p.m. EDT (NBA TV)

Series: Tied 1-1

BetMGM says: Clippers by 5.5

What to know: The Clippers tied the series with a four-point win in Game 2, led by Leonard's 39 points on 15 of 19 shooting and Ivica Zubac's 17th straight double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds. Jokic had a triple-double for the Nuggets. Denver's Michael Porter Jr. practiced Wednesday and Adelman is hopeful the forward's sprained left shoulder will allow him to play in Game 3. Several of the Nuggets players and staff were sickened by a stomach bug earlier in the week that appears to be abating. Little has separated the two teams in the first two games, with Denver taking the opener by two points in overtime. The Clippers' defense against the Nuggets' offensive prowess has made for an entertaining matchup.

AP Sports Writers Cliff Brunt, Larry Lage, Arnie Melendrez Stapleton and Teresa M. Walker contributed to this report.

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

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts following Game 1 in an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Detroit Pistons, Saturday, April 19, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) and forward Tobias Harris (12) high-five at the end of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the New York Knicks, Monday, April 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives toward the basket to make a 2-pointer at the end of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Detroit Pistons, Monday, April 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, left, shoots during the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies, Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant shoots during the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray drops back to defend after hitting a basket against the Los Angeles Clippers in the second half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac, left, argues with referee Tyler Ford after calling a foul on Zubac in the second half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series against the Denver Nuggets, Monday, April 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Steve Ballmer, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, heads to a courtside seat to watch the second half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series against the Denver Nuggets, Monday, April 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, left, collects a loose ball as Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard defends in the second half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives past Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (32) in the second half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

U.S. forces have boarded another oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea. The announcement was made Friday by the U.S. military. The Trump administration has been targeting sanctioned tankers traveling to and from Venezuela.

The pre-dawn action was carried out by U.S. Marines and Navy, taking part in the monthslong buildup of forces in the Caribbean, according to U.S. Southern Command, which declared “there is no safe haven for criminals” as it announced the seizure of the vessel called the Olina.

Navy officials couldn’t immediately provide details about whether the Coast Guard was part of the force that took control of the vessel as has been the case in the previous seizures. A spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard said there was no immediate comment on the seizure.

The Olina is the fifth tanker that has been seized by U.S. forces as part of a broader effort by Trump’s administration to control the distribution of Venezuela’s oil products globally following the U.S. ouster of President Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid.

The latest:

Richard Grenell, president of the Kennedy Center, says a documentary film about first lady Melania Trump will make its premiere later this month, posting a trailer on X.

As the Trumps prepared to return to the White House last year, Amazon Prime Video announced a year ago that it had obtained exclusive licensing rights for a streaming and theatrical release directed by Brett Ratner.

Melania Trump also released a self-titled memoir in late 2024.

Some artists have canceled scheduled Kennedy Center performances after a newly installed board voted to add President Donald Trump’s to the facility, prompting Grenell to accuse the performers of making their decisions because of politics.

Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum says that she has asked her foreign affairs secretary to reach out directly to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio or Trump regarding comments by the American leader that the U.S. cold begin ground attacks against drug cartels.

In a wide-ranging interview with Fox News aired Thursday night, Trump said, “We’ve knocked out 97% of the drugs coming in by water and we are going to start now hitting land, with regard to the cartels. The cartels are running Mexico. It’s very sad to watch.”

As she has on previous occasions, Sheinbaum downplayed the remarks, saying “it is part of his way of communicating.” She said she asked her Foreign Affairs Secretary Juan Ramón de la Fuente to strengthen coordination with the U.S.

Sheinbaum has repeatedly rebuffed Trump’s offer to send U.S. troops after Mexican drug cartels. She emphasizes that there will be no violation of Mexico’s sovereignty, but the two governments will continue to collaborate closely.

Analysts do not see a U.S. incursion in Mexico as a real possibility, in part because Sheinbaum’s administration has been doing nearly everything Trump has asked and Mexico is a critical trade partner.

Trump says he wants to secure $100 billion to remake Venezuela’s oil infrastructure, a lofty goal going into a 2:30 meeting on Friday with executives from leading oil companies. His plan rides on oil producers being comfortable in making commitments in a country plagued by instability, inflation and uncertainty.

The president has said that the U.S. will control distribution worldwide of Venezuela’s oil and will share some of the proceeds with the country’s population from accounts that it controls.

“At least 100 Billion Dollars will be invested by BIG OIL, all of whom I will be meeting with today at The White House,” Trump said Friday in a pre-dawn social media post.

Trump is banking on the idea that he can tap more of Venezuela’s petroleum reserves to keep oil prices and gasoline costs low.

At a time when many Americans are concerned about affordability, the incursion in Venezuela melds Trump’s assertive use of presidential powers with an optical spectacle meant to convince Americans that he can bring down energy prices.

Trump is expected to meet with oil executives at the White House on Friday.

He hopes to secure $100 billion in investments to revive Venezuela’s oil industry. The goal rides on the executives’ comfort with investing in a country facing instability and inflation.

Since a U.S. military raid captured former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, Trump has said there’s a new opportunity to use the country’s oil to keep gasoline prices low.

The full list of executives invited to the meeting has not been disclosed, but Chevron, ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips are expected to attend.

Attorneys general in five Democratic-led states have filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s administration after it said it would freeze money for several public benefit programs.

The Trump administration has cited concerns about fraud in the programs designed to help low-income families and their children. California, Colorado, Minnesota, Illinois and New York states filed the lawsuit Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

The lawsuit asks the courts to order the administration to release the funds. The attorneys general have called the funding freeze an unconstitutional abuse of power.

Iran’s judiciary chief has vowed decisive punishment for protesters, signaling a coming crackdown against demonstrations.

Iranian state television reported the comments from Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei on Friday. They came after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei criticized Trump’s support for the protesters, calling Trump’s hands “stained with the blood of Iranians.”

The government has shut down the internet and is blocking international calls. State media has labeled the demonstrators as “terrorists.”

The protests began over Iran’s struggling economy and have become a significant challenge to the government. Violence has killed at least 50 people, and more than 2,270 have been detained.

Trump questions why a president’s party often loses in midterm elections and suggests voters “want, maybe a check or something”

Trump suggested voters want to check a president’s power and that’s why they often deliver wins for an opposing party in midterm elections, which he’s facing this year.

“There’s something down, deep psychologically with the voters that they want, maybe a check or something. I don’t know what it is, exactly,” he said.

He said that one would expect that after winning an election and having “a great, successful presidency, it would be an automatic win, but it’s never been a win.”

Hiring likely remained subdued last month as many companies have sought to avoid expanding their workforces, though the job gains may be enough to bring down the unemployment rate.

December’s jobs report, to be released Friday, is likely to show that employers added a modest 55,000 jobs, economists forecast. That figure would be below November’s 64,000 but an improvement after the economy lost jobs in October. The unemployment rate is expected to slip to 4.5%, according to data provider FactSet, from a four-year high of 4.6% in November.

The figures will be closely watched on Wall Street and in Washington because they will be the first clean readings on the labor market in three months. The government didn’t issue a report in October because of the six-week government shutdown, and November’s data was distorted by the closure, which lasted until Nov. 12.

FILE - President Donald Trump dances as he walks off stage after speaking to House Republican lawmakers during their annual policy retreat, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)