Ankle

LaDainian Tomlinson is one of three San Diego Chargers who have been ruled out of Sunday's home opener against the Baltimore Ravens. The star running back, who sprained his right ankle in Monday night's 24-20 win at Oakland, will miss just the second game of his career due to injury. The first was in January when a groin injury kept him out of San Diego's playoff loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Also out are center Nick Hardwick (ankle) and defensive end Travis Johnson (groin)

Saturday was another day for Kobe Bryant to test his sprained left ankle, another day to gauge his progress before he decides whether to play after missing five consecutive Lakers games. Asked after practice whether Tuesday's game at Memphis would be a definite date for his return, Bryant said, "It should be. If not, I'm firing everybody." If he plays Tuesday, Bryant will have rested his ankle for 18 days. How the ankle responds Sunday after more treatment while the Lakers take another day off from practice will be another key step for Bryant.

The journey back from a fractured ankle has taken awhile, but UCLA wide receiver Jerry Johnson appears to have arrived in the nick of time. Johnson, a junior, will appear in his first game this season when the Bruins play California on Saturday. UCLA is without receivers Randall Carroll , Taylor Embree , Shaquelle Evans and Ricky Marvray , who were suspended for one game for their part in a brawl during the Arizona game Thursday. Nelson Rosario and Josh Smith are the only receivers available who have played this season.

PHILADELPHIA — LeBron James had 23 points, 10 assists and six rebounds in his return from a two-game absence, and the Cleveland Cavaliers won for the 14th time in their last 19 road games with a 100-95 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night. James was in the starting lineup after missing the previous two games because of an injured right ankle, and the league's leading scorer recorded his 26th double-double. He entered the game averaging 30 points, 8.5 assists and 7.2 rebounds.

Kevin Guppy has spent the majority of his time as an MLS League Pool goalkeeper with Chivas USA. In coming weeks, he may get his first shot in the net for the team. Because of Dan Kennedy's torn biceps, Chivas USA is down to one goalkeeper. Zach Thornton was set to start at Saturday night against the Seattle Sounders but still nursed an ankle injury. With Thornton still recovering and Kennedy out for the season, odds are Guppy will see some playing time during the remainder of the MLS season.

MINNEAPOLIS — Scott Downs hobbled out of the visiting clubhouse on crutches Thursday, symbolic of an Angels bullpen that was battered and bruised in a 10-9 loss to the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. With veteran right-handers LaTroy Hawkins and Jason Isringhausen unavailable because they were sore after pitching the night before, Hisanori Takahashi, Kevin Jepsen and Rich Thompson were tagged for seven runs and 10 hits as the Angels coughed up a six-run, fifth-inning lead. The last time the Angels surrendered a six-run lead and lost was on May 14, 1994, when they had a 7-0 lead against Seattle and lost, 10-7.

Kings fans have become conditioned to hope for the best but expect the worst. Their fears date back decades. From Charlie Simmer shattering his leg in March 1981 to end a spectacular season and Marty McSorley's illegally curved stick in Game 2 of the 1993 Stanley Cup finals, fans' hopes have been dashed in too many cruel ways. So when center Anze Kopitar, the team's leading scorer, fell in a heap after twisting his right ankle on an innocuous play along the boards Saturday, fans held their collective breath.

The professional scouts were out in force Tuesday afternoon for the Southern Section Division 1 wild-card playoff game that featured two top pitching prospects, Hueneme's Jesus Valdez and Dana Point Dana Hills' Peter Tago. Valdez was clocked throwing 91 mph in a perfect first inning. Tago touched 94 mph and gave up a run-scoring double to Valdez in the first inning. But Hueneme's hopes suffered a severe blow on that double because Valdez rolled his ankle going into second base.

Reporting from Johannesburg, South Africa -- The Australians were complaining Friday about the threadbare state of the Ruimsig Stadium field in the South African town of Roodepoort. The Americans, meanwhile, were sweating out an injury to starting striker Jozy Altidore. The two national teams play each other at the stadium on Saturday in the final World Cup tuneup for both, but it is Altidore's situation that is the more troubling. The striker's right ankle was hurt during training Wednesday, and on Friday evening U.S. Soccer still had him listed as "day to day."