TEMPE. Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Coyotes will likely be sold to Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith shortly after the team’s final game and will include a provision guaranteeing current owner Alex Meruelo an expansion team if a new arena is built within five years, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Saturday. The $1 billion sale is expected to happen between the Coyotes’ final game of the 2023-24 season on Wednesday and the start of the playoffs on Saturday, barring unforeseen circumstances, the person said on condition of anonymity because the planned deal has not been announced. The deal will transfer the franchise’s hockey operations first to the NHL and then to Smith, who plans to move the team to Salt Lake City, and Meruelo will maintain business operations to move forward with a planned $3 billion project that will include a new arena in north Phoenix. Meruelo also will continue to own the Tucson Roadrunners, the franchise’s AHL affiliate, and plans to move the team to Mullett Arena in Tempe, the current temporary home of the Coyotes. Once an arena is built, Meruelo will pay back the $1 billion and move forward with

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Reserve Kenneth Lofton Jr. scored a season-high 27 points and the Utah Jazz beat the Clippers 110-109 on Friday night after playoff-bound Los Angeles clinched the fourth seed in the West. Bones Hyland led the Clippers with 20 points off the bench and Amir Coffey added 16. Dallas’ loss to Detroit ensured the Clippers’ seeding and put the Mavericks in fifth before the Clippers tipped off. The Mavs and Clippers will meet in the first round for the third time in five years. “Getting the fourth seed in a tough conference — you got four teams that won 50 games — it means a lot to have the homecourt advantage in the first round,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “Winning our (Pacific) division for the first time in 10 years says a lot about just staying with it even through tough times.” Clippers star Kawhi Leonard missed his seventh straight game with right knee inflammation and is not expected back until the playoffs start next weekend. “Hopefully, he will be playing,” Lue said. “That is what we want to see.” The Clippers beat Denver, Utah, Cleveland and Phoenix shortly after Leonard went down. “To win four

Arizona Coyotes players have been informed the NHL club is expected to relocate to Salt Lake City, a person with knowledge of the meeting said Friday night. General manager Bill Armstrong flew to Edmonton, Alberta, to tell players about the team’s potential move to Utah before its game against the Oilers, the person told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been announced. Players and officials could visit Salt Lake City next week, possibly as soon as after the season finale Wednesday, which could be the final game at 5,000-seat Mullett Arena in Tempe. Coyotes players were not available following Friday night’s 3-2 overtime win over Edmonton and coach Andre Tourigny said he would only take questions about the game. “This team has been through a lot of adversity,” Tourigny said. “The first time the rumor came around, we didn’t manage it well and we shoot ourselves in the foot, went on a 14-game losing streak. Our guys are showing how proud they are, how much they care for each other and how much they want to have success with each other. It’s cool to feel that, cool to see them cheering each other and