Jim Lampley is entering the ring again. His ring – a place the award-winning announcer called home for more than 30 years until HBO Boxing turned off the lights in 2018.

The Emmy winner, 76, is scheduled to call a boxing card featuring Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez on Friday in Times Square. It’ll be the first time in more than six years viewers will hear the smooth-toned, distinctive voice on the blow-by-blow call.

“I had dispensed with the notion that anybody was ever going to ask me to call fights again,’’ Lampley told USA TODAY Sports. “So it’s thrilling. It really is.’’

Fred Sternburg, a publicist inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, said he thinks Lampley might become the oldest announcer to handle blow-by-blow duties.

“If it’s a fact, it scares me,’’ said Lampley, who was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2015. “But being scared is often good.’’

So says the announcer who covered 14 Olympics and called legendary boxing matches such as Buster Douglas’ shocking knockout victory over Mike Tyson in 1990 and George Foreman winning the heavyweight title at age 45 with a knockout of then 26-year-old Michael Moorer in 1994.

Now it’ll be Garcia vs. Rolando “Rolly’’ Romero, Haney vs. Jose Carlos Ramirez and Lopez vs. Arnold Barboza Jr. Lampley has had to prepare while promoting his recently released memoir – “It Happened! A Uniquely Lucky Life In Sports Television,’’ – and also welcoming a 12th grandchild into his blended family.

And now, a new chapter unfolds in New York.

“You don’t expect at my age to become the busiest man on the planet,’’ Lampley said, “but I kind of feel as though I am at this particular time.’’

How did Jim Lampley boxing return unfold?

On Feb. 1, Lampley was at the David Benavidez-David Morrell Jr. fight when members of the media found him. They called his attention to a post on X from Turki Al-Sheikh, the Saudi who’s become arguably the most powerful figure in boxing.

“I would like to have and invite Mr. Jim Lampley on the live broadcast of one of our upcoming cards,’’ the post read.

They were words Lampley had been waiting to hear since HBO shuttered its boxing division.

“It was a change in his life that he maybe still hasn’t entirely gotten over,’’ said Lampley’s wife, Debra, who of HBO’s Boxing closing down added, “It was dark days. They still had his contract, so he couldn’t work anyplace else.’’

When HBO bought out Lampley’s contract in 2020, the offers he thought would come never did.

So Lampley, who lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, taught a class in media for five semesters at his alma mater, North Carolina. Then, in 2023, he joined PPV.com, for whom he has co-hosted a live viewer chat during pay-per-view fights and also interviewed boxers. He was visible again.

Then came Al-Sheikh’s post. Followed by a meeting with the Saudi power broker.

“I shook his hand, I looked him in the eye,’’ Lampley said. “I have a personal relationship now and a friendship with Turki Al-Sheikh.’’

Perhaps a friendship that could lead to more announcing work for Lampley?

“Let’s do one and see what Turki thinks about it,’’ Lampley said. “It’s all up to him. … I’m not going to jump the gun or take any step ahead beyond where he wants to be. And all I know for certain about where he wants to be is let’s do this. So let’s do this and not get ahead of ourselves.’’

Jim Lampley, John Grisham and a book tour

On April 24, best-selling author John Grisham appeared with Lampley at a book signing event in Chapel Hill to help promote Lampley’s book.

“If you had told me a year ago, oh, you’ll be promoting your own book and John Grisham will be your co-host at a bookstore, I would’ve thought, this is insane,’’ Lampley said. “What are we talking about here? And we sold a hundred books, which is a pretty good haul.’’

Soon Lampley and his wife will be traveling to California to continue promoting the book. But first comes fight night.

“Am I going to be underprepared? I sort of feel like that might possibly be the case,’’ Lampley said. “I felt under-prepared for every one of the hundreds of fights that I called in my career leading up to this point. And I will feel the same way again next Friday night.

“In a way that’s good because it leaves you open to the spontaneous discovery of whatever happens in front of you in the fight, and you never know for sure.’’

Garcia, the featured fighter on the boxing card Friday night, is among those excited about Lampley’s return.

‘That’s one of the biggest things I think boxing was missing,” Garcia said. ‘A great voice, great commentator, and he tells the story good while you’re fighting. … I mean, he’s the best in the game. So for him to come back is huge. Shout out Turki for that.”

Ryan Garcia vs. Rolly Romero

DiVincenzo was called for the foul as Doncic drove toward the rim for a shot with 1:01 left in the quarter. Doncic fell to the court and winced in pain before getting up and making both free throws. The Lakers quickly fouled so they could sub out Doncic and look at him in the locker room.

Doncic, who was wearing a back brace when he returned from the locker room for the second half, was on the court to start the third quarter. His mobility was clearly affected, but he played most of the rest of the game.

Doncic missed 32 regular-season games this season, mostly with knee and calf injuries.

The Timberwolves won the game 103-96 and the series 4-1. Doncic had 28 points, seven rebounds and nine assists.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ landed Luka Doncic in a blockbuster trade with the Dallas Mavericks in February to bolster the team’s championship aspirations, but the Lakers’ playoff run is over soon after it began.

The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Lakers 103-96 in Game 5 on Wednesday to clinch the first-round series 4-1. The Timberwolves led by as many as 14 points in the first half, but the Lakers fought back to take the lead, 88-87, with 6:29 remaining in the game. However, Minnesota responded and closed out the game and the series on a 15-9 run to defeat the Lakers on their home floor at Crypto.com Arena. 

Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert led the way with playoff career-highs in points (27) and rebounds (24), in addition to two blocks. Anthony Edwards struggled to get going from behind the arc, shooting 0-of-11 from 3, but he finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds. 

The Lakers superstar duo of Doncic and LeBron James both played through injuries in the matchup. Doncic suffered a lower back injury in the first half, but still managed to score a game-high 28 points and added nine assists despite being less than 100%. James, who was also roughed up in the second half, finished with 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

It marks a disappointing end for the No. 3 seed Lakers. Here’s a recap of Game 5:

Final: Timberwolves 103, Lakers 96

Check out the top highlights from Game 5:

End of Q3: Timberwolves 81, Lakers 80

The Lakers outscored the Timberwolves 31-22 in the third quarter to come within one point heading into the fourth quarter. Luka Doncic returned to the court at the start of the third quarter and scored 13 of his 25 points in the third quarter despite being visibly hobbled with a lower back injury. The Lakers took their first lead of the game with 2:38 remaining in the quarter after a three from Dorian Finney-Smith. 

The Timberwolves, on the other hand, came out flat. Rudy Gobert has a team-high 24 points, while Anthony Edwards has 13. 

Kyrie Irving at Lakers game

Dallas Mavericks superstar Kyrie Irving was spotted court-side at crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles to take in Game 5 between the Timberwolves and Lakers. Irving, who suffered a torn ACL in March, was former teammates with both LeBron James and Luka Doncic.

Luka Doncic returns

Doncic is back on the court to start the third quarter with what appears to be a brace on his lower back.

Halftime: Timberwolves 59, Lakers 49

The Timberwolves head to the locker room with a double-digit advantage over the Lakers through the first two quarters, leading 59-49. The Lakers, who haven’t led at any point in the contest so far, don’t appear to have an answer for Rudy Gobert’s size. Gobert is up to a game-high 15 points and eight rebounds through two quarters, shooting an efficient 7-of-10 from the field. Anthony Edwards added 10 points. 

The Lakers ended the quarter with superstar Luka Doncic, who appeared to injure his back on an awkward fall. He had a team-high 12 points before his exit. LeBron James and Rui Hachimura each have 10 points. 

Luka Doncic heads to locker room after hard foul

Doncic was driving to the basket as the Lakers trailed the Timberwolves 55-47 with 1:01 left in the second quarter when he was fouled by Donte DiVincenzo. Doncic proceeded to fall awkwardly and instantly grimaced in pain while grabbing his back. He knocked down both free throws before being subbed out on the next play. Doncic skipped the bench and instantly went back to the locker room. He exited with 12 points.

End of Q1: Timberwolves 31, Lakers 22

The Los Angeles Lakers have to win to keep their season alive and they didn’t get off to the best start in Game 5. Luka Doncic and LeBron James combined for nine points (1-of-8) in the first quarter. To make matters worse, Doncic is in foul trouble with two entering the second quarter. 

The Minnesota Timberwolves jumped to a 21-9 lead over the Lakers and led by as many as 14 points in the first quarter. Rudy Gobert has a team-high nine points, while Julius Randle added eight points. 

Lakers head coach JJ Redick abruptly exits presser

At the end of Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick’s pregame press conference before Game 5 on April 30, he was asked by a reporter if he leans on an assistant coach or has someone who can help him make rotation decisions given that five players played the entire second half in the Lakers’ Game 4 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“Are you saying I’m inexperienced, and that was an inexperience decision that I made,” Redick replied. “Do you think I don’t talk to my assistants about substitutions every single timeout?

The reporter replied: “No, I just think there’s a lot of coaches who lean on their assistants in those situations.”

“As do I,” Redick said. “Every single time. That’s a weird assumption.”

Timberwolves lineup for tonight: Starters for Game 5

Lakers lineup for tonight: Starters for Game 5

Lakers vs. Timberwolves Game 5 schedule

Game 5 of the NBA playoff series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, April 30.

How to watch Lakers vs. Timberwolves: Time, TV, streaming info

• Time: 10 p.m. ET
• TV: TNT
• Stream: Fubo
• Location: Crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles)

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

Was this — a blowout in a potential closeout game — an aberration, or did the Houston Rockets just unlock a formula to steal this series from the Golden State Warriors?

Wednesday night was just one game, so it’s difficult to put too much stock into this being an NBA playoffs series-defining momentum shift that spells trouble for the experienced and well-coached Warriors. But Houston’s 131-116 demolition showed that the Rockets’ best bet is unleashing their speed and athleticism to destabilize Golden State’s offense.

Still, the Warriors need just one win to dispatch the No. 2 seed.

But from tipoff, this game felt different.

The Rockets pressed Golden State on defense, using their length and speed to force the Warriors into long possessions and making Golden State work deep into the shot clock. The Rockets often forced turnovers, swiping seven steals before halftime. Houston also dropped into a zone, further slowing and frustrating Golden State’s operation.

Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, the two prominent Warriors players, missed their first seven combined shots, and forward Amen Thompson lulled Curry into a pair of uncharacteristic early giveaways.

The saving grace for Golden State was its bench, which scored 21 of the team’s first 29 points. But, by the time Golden State had scored its 29th point, the Rockets were already up by 25.

The Warriors clearly cannot compete against elite teams in the West if both Curry and Butler are off.

Houston’s defensive assault and subsequent up-tempo pace injected confidence and flow into the young offense. At the half, the Rockets were shooting a ridiculous 69.4% from the field — including 9-of-15 (60%) from 3. Houston also hammered the paint, with a 28-12 advantage there. Those seven Rockets steals before halftime also sparked a 10-2 lead on fastbreak points headed into the locker room.

And, as Golden State tried to contain Houston’s speed, the Warriors found themselves out of position; the Rockets made 20 trips to the free throw stripe by the end of the second quarter, converting 17.

It was telling that Warriors coach Steve Kerr subbed out his veteran Big 3 of Curry, Butler and Draymond Green with 5:50 left to play … in the third quarter. It was a concession that showed Kerr understood this was a lost game.

The Warriors did eventually close the gap to 14 on a 25-7 run, but that was sparked by Golden State’s third-string players after Kerr had emptied the bench.

Kerr, however, is a four-time NBA champion as a head coach, and one of the premier minds in basketball. He and the Warriors will almost certainly scheme up tweaks to try to neutralize Houston’s pace ahead of Friday’s Game 6 matchup in San Francisco.

The Rockets are trying to become just the 14th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 series deficit to advance in the playoffs, a deficit that has claimed a whopping 95.5% of teams that have encountered it.

Wednesday night showed if Houston is to push this series to the brink, it must keep leaning into its speed and athleticism — things that the Warriors cannot match on the floor, no matter what Kerr draws up on the clipboard.

Maia and Alex Shibutani are making a stunning return to competitive figure skating.

The ‘Shib Sibs’ announced Thursday morning that they will be back in competition next season ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, returning to the sport more than seven years after they last skated for Team USA. Maia Shibutani, now 30, and Alex Shibutani, now 34, stepped away from figure skating after winning Olympic bronze in ice dance at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.

‘Our experiences and the new skills we’ve developed during our time away from competition have brought us different perspectives and created some exciting new possibilities,’ Alex Shibutani said in a news release. ‘We don’t take any of this for granted. We’re really enjoying the process and look forward to performing and competing together again.’

The Shibutani siblings are among the most prominent ice dancing teams in U.S. history. After making their senior world championships debut in 2011, they went on to win three world medals, two national titles and two Olympic medals − in the ice dance and team events at the 2018 Games. They were inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2023, which was their first year of eligibility.

While the Shibutanis never formally announced their retirement, they were thought to be done after the 2018 Winter Olympics. Following those Games, they declined to compete at the 2018 world championships and said they would be taking a year off. Maia Shibutani then had surgery in late 2019 to remove a tumor from one of her kidneys, which was found to be cancerous.

As she recovered, the siblings began to shift their focus to other endeavors, writing four children’s books and trying new roles in choreography, photography and other creative lanes.

‘These past seven years have challenged and inspired us in ways we never expected,’ Maia Shibutani said in a statement. ‘I’m so happy and grateful to be healthy and in a position to make the decision to return to the sport I love in this way.’

The Shibutanis announced they will be training with two of their longtime coaches, Marina Zoueva and Massimo Scali − presumably with hopes of making it back to the Olympic Games for a third time. They finished ninth at the 2014 Sochi Games.

The ‘Shib Sibs’ will join a competitive U.S. ice dancing field that had one of its best ever performances at the most recent world figure skating championships in Boston, led by Madison Chock and Evan Bates, who won their third consecutive title. Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko finished just off the podium in fifth, followed by Caroline Green and Michael Parsons in ninth. Only three U.S. ice dance teams will compete in Milan.

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on social media @tomschad.bsky.social.