This weekend is sure to be incredibly exciting for sports fans. Whether it be rival matches, teams striving for glory or fallen giants attempting to make a comeback, the drama is sure to be nothing short of spectacular. There are a plethora of matchups to look out for, so get ready for a weekend of intense battles that could potentially decide the fate of team's seasons. Be sure to stay tuned and don't miss out on the action - this weekend is sure to be one for the ages.

NBA: Lakers @ Pelicans (Feb 4th)

This week’s matchup between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Los Angeles Lakers would usually be glossed over by the majority of the NBA media. The Lakers are struggling down in 13th place in the Western Conference after another difficult season, and the Pelicans aren’t doing much better in 10th. Both teams have star power, with Zion Williamson, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, and Brandon Ingram lining up for the two teams, but the chemistry just isn’t there for either team at the moment. But there is one big story that is potentially going to happen at this game.

The legendary behemoth of basketball, LeBron James, is nearing the all-time NBA regular season points record, with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record total of 38,387 points in sight for the all-time great James. At the time of writing, James is just 89 points shy of the total, and with a game against the Indiana Pacers in between, it’s possible that he could break the record against the Pelicans with a huge performance. James has scored over 40 points in many games this season, and doing so twice in the next few days will see him break the record in spectacular fashion.

You wouldn’t bet against him, and this will truly be an unforgettable moment in basketball history when it happens. Save the date.

EPL: Everton - Arsenal (Feb 4th)

After the saddening if predictable sacking of struggling manager Frank Lampard, Everton come into this clash against high-flying Arsenal looking nervously above them as they lie in 19th place and on a run of four losses in their last five games. They have appointed former Burnley manager Sean Dyche to bring his brand of no-nonsense physical soccer to toughen up a team that has been in freefall for the last few weeks. Whether he will be able to turn things around so quickly is doubtful, and he really has the hardest test in front of him for his first match in charge.

Arsenal have shocked everyone in the Premier League this season by staying in first place pretty much all season so far. They are five points ahead of second-place Manchester City, with an extra game in hand as well, and their brand of attacking, flowing soccer has won them plenty of plaudits over the past few months. They also signed Chelsea’s midfield general Jorginho before the January transfer window closed, and they will be confident in carrying on their excellent form to this game against lowly Everton.

We will see how each team fares, but Arsenal have to be favorites for this clash, and a win here will put them even further away from the chasing pack in this most surprising of seasons.

UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Spivac (Feb 4th)

The UFC makes its comeback this weekend with a fascinating card for the latest round of UFC Fight Night. The powerful and dangerous Derrick Lewis (26-10-0) takes on the unrelenting will of Sergey Spivac (15-3-0) in the heavyweight division in a blockbuster main event, with the winner in all likelihood going to get closer to a title shot while Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane wait to battle it out for the title in March. These two always provide an entertaining fight for the neutral, and we can’t imagine anything changing this time around.

Other than the main event, down the card, Jung Da Un (15-3-1) takes on Devin Clark (13-7-0) in the light-heavyweight division in the battle of two strong-willed fighters that leave nothing in the octagon. Da Un, in particular, is one of the most complete fighters to come out of South Korea, but he only fought once in 2022, losing in the first round to Dustin Jacoby in July. He really needs this fight to get back some momentum and get his UFC career back on track.

PGA Tour: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (Feb 2nd-5th)

The golf season has just restarted, and one of the first big championships of the year is the prestigious AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, which takes place this weekend. Last year’s tournament saw some stellar performances from the likes of Jordan Spieth and Beau Hossler, but a stunning win from Tom Hoge capped off a fantastic last day, and this year’s tournament promises to be just as exciting.

Huge names such as Spieth and Matt Fitzpatrick are scheduled to play, and in the battle for ranking points, the contest is really hotting up. Defending champion Hoge is seeking to reclaim his throne after an indifferent season, and he will pray that this tournament can jumpstart a return to form before the most important majors this year. Whatever happens, it promises to be a cracker of a competition.

Author: Dan Anderson

Darlington Schedule

Complete schedule for Darlington on TV and stream