SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 19: Jimmy Butler III #10 of the Golden State Warriors is helped off the court
The Golden State Warriors defeated the Miami Heat 135-112 on Monday night, improving to 25-19 on the season and 11-4 over the team’s past 15 games. They continued climbing in the standings, hoping to escape the play-in. Yet, all that success became a moot point when Jimmy Butler III’s right knee bent in the wrong direction after he landed awkwardly catching a pass in the third quarter.
Butler screamed in pain, collapsed, and laid on the floor for several minutes as he was surrounded by his teammates. He had to be helped off the floor by Buddy Hield and Jonathan Kuminga while he put no weight on his right knee. Regardless of the game’s outcome, no event on Monday has more of an impact on the Warriors championship prospects than Butler’s prognosis. But a best case scenario will likely sideline him for weeks, and a worst-case could end his season.
The Warriors were able to withstand a collapse for the moment after Butler’s exit. Steph Curry seemed to calm the team’s nerves with a step back three and a continued stretch of hot shooting helped the Warriors head into the fourth quarter with a 104-93 lead.
With Golden State already missing Butler and Draymond Green (who didn’t play due to an ankle sprain) for the final quarter, Curry was quickly pushed to the bench after unnecessarily picking up his fifth foul. Yet, for the second time in his Dubs tenure, Buddy Hield stepped up in a game when a star went down with an injury.
The Warriors season hangs in the balance, outside the confines of the court for the moment, but a scoring spurt from Hield and an explosion from Brandin Podziemski propelled Golden State to a 24-point lead that allowed Curry to rest for the remainder of the game. Hield scored 16 points on 6-for-9 shooting from the field (4-for-7 from three) while Podziemski scored a game-high 24 points on 9-for-18 shooting (3-for-7 from three).
Nearly everyone on the Warriors who played on Monday played well. Butler had 17 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals before he got hurt in 20 minutes of action. Quinten Post and Moses Moody combined for 28 points while shooting 7-for-11 from three. Even in a relatively quite night from Curry, he recorded 19 points and 11 assists.
The Warriors will get little time to reset without Butler. They will be back on the floor for the second half of a back-to-back tomorrow night when they face the Toronto Raptors.
NY Daily News | Peter Sblendorio: The Hall of Fame class of 2026 will be revealed tonight, and efforts to track the revealed ballots thus far paint a very good picture for some former Yankees. With a little more than half of the ballot publicly revealed, Carlos Beltrán has appeared on a strong 88.9 percent of the ballot, putting him in the pole position to make the 75 percent threshold to become a Hall of Famer. Joining him currently with revealed ballots is Andruw Jones at 83.9 percent, and a number of other candidates like Chase Utley and Félix Hernandez are trending well in the mid-50s and 60s.
Andy Pettitte has seen a spike up from his recent numbers, polling at 56.7 percent as opposed to his 27.9 percent result last year, though his case comes with a major caveat considering he was involved in the steroid scandal of the 2000s having admitted to using HGH, and a lot of the voting base that chooses not to reveal their ballots have a staunch anti-steroid bloc. HGH was not a banned substance at the time though, so perhaps they’ll swing towards Pettitte as he is on his eighth year on the ballot.
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Reminiscing is en vogue lately, as the trend of looking back on 2016 has taken over social media. The Yankees have a lot to look back on as they reflect on the journey they’ve been on over the last decade, as they saw their current captain make his debut in the wreckage of a season that finally signaled the end of the last World Series core. Now that Aaron Judge has spent a decade in the league the Yankees have gotten back to but lost in the World Series, and are still hunting for that magical moment for the new core, but the 2016 season stands firm as a turning point in the franchise.
MLB.com | Mark Feinsand: Tarik Skubal stands head and shoulders above the rest of the crowd of trade candidates remaining, but there’s still a fine field of players who could move either over the winter or when teams reconsider around the deadline. Jazz Chisholm remains on this list but with a lot of water thrown on those plans, now that Bo Bichette has signed elsewhere, and arms like Sandy Alcantara and Freddy Peralta have the spotlight alongside Nico Hoerner as the most anticipated names to watch.
NY Post | Greg Joyce: The Yankees made a depth signing on Monday, inking Seth Brown to a minor-league deal. The outfielder/first baseman had a standout 2022 with the Athletics, hitting 25 home runs with a .749 OPS, but cratered over the next three years producing only 29 more bombs and dropping to a .667 OPS. He’ll stand as insurance in case nothing else comes of the Cody Bellinger talks, but it’s fair to say that they aren’t planning around him beyond handing out a spring training invitation.
SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler left Monday night's 135-112 victory against the Miami Heat at Chase Center with an apparent right knee injury.
The Warriors were leading 77-75 with 7:41 remaining in the third quarter at the time of the injury stoppage.
Butler jumped to receive a lob pass from guard Brandin Podziemski, which was met with contact from Heat guard Davion Mitchell as Butler was landing and going up for a layup.
It seemed as if Butler's knee buckled as he immediately fell to the ground before being tended to by the Warriors' medical staff.
Jimmy Butler had to be helped to the locker room after appearing to injury his knee pic.twitter.com/sOSpAxbbAP
Golden State's Jimmy Butler went down, grabbing his right knee, during the third quarter of the Warriors' game against the Heat. Butler and Davion Mitchell both went up as Butler tried to receive a pass in the post, and he landed awkwardly.
Jimmy Butler had to be helped to the locker room after appearing to injury his knee pic.twitter.com/sOSpAxbbAP
Butler had to be helped off the court and could not put any weight on his leg. The Warriors ruled him out for the remainder of the game.
Butler had a sprain of this same knee last season, and a meniscus tear in it back in 2018.
Butler is averaging 20.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists a game for the Warriors this season. Golden State has been 9.2 points per 100 possessions better with Butler on the court this season.
CHICAGO - The Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets squared off on Monday night at the United Center for a Central Division battle. This game had some extra juice, however, as Jonathan Toews returned to Chicago for the first time as a road player.
At the first TV timeout, the Blackhawks and their fans honored Toews with a tribute video and a long standing ovation. He took multiple laps to loud cheers from the crowd that adores him so much.
one of the best to wear a Blackhawks sweater... welcome back Jonathan Toews‼️ pic.twitter.com/L2VvLyEOuY
It wasn't for a lack of chances on both sides, but there was no scoring until after the midway point of the second period. At 13:21, Jason Dickinson scored his 6th of the season to make it 1-0 Blackhawks. That lead would hold through the second intermission and into the third period.
That was the end of scoring on a goalie in the contest. Connor Bedard added an empty net goal late in the third, and the Blackhawks skated away with a 2-0 victory over the Jets.
Spencer Knight helped spoil Toews' return, as he earned his third shutout of the season. Knight made 32 saves on 32 shots, outdueling the reigning Hart Trophy winner in Connor Hellebuyck.
Although the fanbase was so engaged with the idea of celebrating Toews, the modern-day Blackhawks came out with a winning mentality, and they earned two big standings points. When they play to their capabilities, they have proven that they can beat anyone.
Bedard's empty net goal was big for him and the team. He hadn't scored since coming back from injury, but now he has that stress off his shoulder again.
"It matters," Jeff Blashill said after the game on Bedard finding the empty net to get back on track. "He certainly had a number of chances since he's been back. I thought he set up a number of people. He could have more points. Hopefully, that starts a waterfall of production."
Bedard has 20 goals through 36 games played. He is on a 38-goal pace if he plays every game for the rest of the season, which is much more than his career high of 23.
Earning a good home win in front of an incredible crowd was what this team was looking for to end a three-game skid. Knight captured a shutout, Bedard broke out, and they were able to hold onto a lead.
The Blackhawks are back in action on Thursday night. They will pay a quick visit to the Carolina Hurricanes before playing the Tampa Bay Lightning at home on Friday night.
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CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Simon Nemec scored at 1:18 of overtime to give the New Jersey Devils a 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Monday night.
Nemec took a backhand pass from Jack Hughes and beat goalie Devin Cooley from close range.
Jacob Markstrom made 21 saves to help New Jersey rebound from a 4-1 home loss to Carolina on Saturday night for its third victory in four games.
Dawson Mercer opened the scoring for New Jersey at 7:51 of the second period, and Nazem Kadri tied it at 9:44 of the period. Rookie Matvei Gridin got his first NHL assist on Kadri's goal.
Cooley stopped 29 shots. The Flames had won two in a row.
Devils defenseman Luke Hughes left in the second period after appearing to be shaken up during a puck battle along the boards.
Defenseman Zach Whitecloud made his Calgary debut after being acquired from Vegas on Sunday along with two draft picks and a prospect in a trade that sent longtime Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson to the Golden Knights. Whitecloud had two shots and three blocked shots in 22:33.
The Dallas Mavericks defeated the New York Knicks on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, winning 114-97 . Both teams had players nursing injuries, but it was the Mavericks who ended up with the big win.
Let’s get to the grades!
Cooper Flagg: B
18 PTS / 7 REB / 3 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 28 MIN
Flagg had a solid game, but it was somewhat muted by a minutes restriction and Max Christie providing a lot of scoring punch. His four turnovers were somewhat glaring, but he hit 50% of his 14 shot attempts and chipped in a bit of everything.
Max Christie: A+
26 PTS / 6 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 35 MIN
Christie went absolutely out of his mind and it was a sight to behold. I’ve recently written about how nice it is to see him do more than shoot threes, but Monday night it was plenty nice to see him hoisting the long ball. Christie was 9-for-13 including a mind-boggling 8-for-10 from deep. His second half play came down to earth a bit, but it hardly mattered with the Mavs taking a 20+ point lead into the final frame. He led all scorers and hit a career high in three-point field goals for top marks.
Caleb Martin: C+
3 PTS / 1 REB / 3 AST / 3 STL / 1 BLK – 24 MIN
Most of Martin’s contribution came in the form of stuff you won’t see in a box score. He hounded the Knicks on defense, an effort highlighted by another three steals, but otherwise left the offense to others.
Naji Marshall: B
19 PTS / 8 REB / 4 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 33 MIN
Marshall couldn’t be stopped in the first half, driving relentlessly to eviscerate the Knicks’ defense. As the game went on, he took more three-pointers, but only hit 1-for-6, driving his shooting percentage down. His game was very similar to Flagg’s, with his blemish being a lower shooting percentage rather than a high turnover total.
Dwight Powell: B
2 PTS / 5 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 28 MIN
As ridiculous as it sounds, Powell is getting a bump for the absolute beating he took at the hands of Karl Anthony-Towns. Throughout his NBA career, Powell has been hit in the face more than a professional boxer, but Monday night was next level. Towns is known for his flailing knees, but Powell took a variety of groin shots and stayed professional, using it as motivation to play harder. In respect of his actual game, there isn’t much to talk about. The Knicks’ bigs decimated the Mavericks bigs, but Powell was a pro doing the dirty unsung work.
Klay Thompson: A-
14 PTS / 5 REB / 2 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 21 MIN
I’m inclined to go a bit high on Thompson’s grade, which seems counterintuitive relative to his recent play. That said, he did a nice job intangibly on defense, while grabbing boards, getting steals and even tossing a couple of assists to his teammates. In the limited time he played, it was a good game that looked better than even the box score may suggest.
Ryan Nembhard: C+
4 PTS / 3 REB / 5 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 22 MIN
Nembhard didn’t have a huge impact on the stat line, struggling to find his shot (2-for-7) with a 5:2 assist-to-turnover ratio. Extra credit for checking in late in the third quarter to settle things down when the Mavericks were a bit out of sorts – it won’t show up in any statistical category, but it was undoubtedly significant and allowed Dallas to enter the fourth quarter with a 23-point lead.
Moussa Cisse: A-
15 PTS / 9 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 4 BLK – 20 MIN
Cisse did his best to match the Knicks’ size, and while his numbers may not have been as pretty at Karl-Anthony Towns’ or Mitchell Robinson’s numbers, he did work in just under 20 minutes of play. His four blocks were a menace to the Knicks, but his three turnovers and four fouls didn’t help his cause. Stepping up and hitting two free throws when the Knicks decided to Hack-A-Cisse was bigger than the final score may indicate.
Final Thoughts
Both teams were a bit beat up coming in, but Dallas was coming off two lopsided wins while New York has been struggling of late. The Mavericks came in like a wrecking crew, dropping the most first-half points the Knicks have given up all season. As expected, things got a bit closer here and there in the second half, frankly getting too close for comfort late in the fourth quarter before Dallas closed it out. The Mavericks have plenty of struggles right now with a lot of players out or having just returned, but you wouldn’t have known it in what was basically a full on drubbing of the Knicks Monday night.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
The Pittsburgh Penguins got off on the right foot to begin their four-game Western road swing on Monday.
And they did it in statement fashion.
Despite several pushes from the other side, the Penguins defeated the Seattle Kraken, 6-3, giving them 57 points on the season and putting them in a tie with the New York Islanders for second place in the Metropolitan Division standings. The Penguins also created some separation between themselves and the Washington Capitals, who have played two more games than the Penguins and are three points behind them.
Connor Dewar scored two goals for the Penguins, Sidney Crosby registered two points in his 1,400th NHL game, and Stuart Skinner stopped 20 of 23 Seattle shots to earn his fifth win in the last six games.
The Penguins needed this win. And they earned it, too, even if it got a bit hairy at times.
Defenseman Parker Wotherspoon opened the scoring a little less than six minutes into the game with a snipe from the left point for his second of the season. A few minutes later, Brett Kulak took a hooking penalty, and the Penguins headed to the penalty kill. Dewar ended up with a breakaway opportunity on the kill, and he buried the shorthanded goal to give the Penguins the 2-0 lead.
But, then, Seattle began to respond a bit. Ben Meyers cut the Kraken deficit to 2-1 with a goal from the net-front late in the first, and Ryan Lindgren capitalized on a loose rebound given up by Skinner to tie the game at 2-2.
Yet, the Penguins didn't fold. Instead, they responded immediately. Kulak got the puck on his stick after an offensive zone faceoff win by Crosby, walked the blue line, and fired a bullet past Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord to restore the lead for the Penguins.
Justin Brazeau scored off the rush for the Penguins early in the third period to give the Penguins an insurance goal, and - once again - Seattle pushed. Eeli Tolvanen scored a power play goal for Seattle five minutes later to make it 4-3.
But with a little more than three minutes remaining in regulation, Crosby took control of the puck behind Daccord's net, and he found Rickard Rakell - who was waiting on the doorstep - with a connecting pass. Rakell shot from the goal line and banked the puck off of Daccord's pad to give the Penguins another insurance goal.
Dewar added an empty-netter with 30 seconds left to give the Penguins the 6-3 win.
Even if the Penguins weren't at their best throughout the 60 minutes and saw some momentum go the other way, they still found ways to respond, and they shut things down at the end of the game, too.
Here are some takeaways from this huge win in Seattle:
- Even when Seattle was pushing in the second and third periods - and they did have a few periods of sustained momentum - the Penguins always seemed to have a response.
After Lindgren scored to tie the game at 2-2 - and erase the 2-0 lead the Penguins had built - they did not crumble like they had during their December losing streak. Instead, they went right back to work, and Kulak scored his goal just 51 seconds after to give the Penguins back the lead.
Again, after Seattle came out strong to start the third, the third line and Brazeau answered that momentum swing with an insurance goal. And, again, after Tolvanen scored on the power play to make it 4-3, the Penguins and Skinner responded, and Rakell earned his insurance goal later in the period.
This version - the healthier version - of this Penguins' team is relentless. They don't crater when momentum swings the other way, even if they do get burned. Instead, they respond, and it's making a great deal of difference for them.
There's something to all of that.
- Speaking of the third line, I thought this was a much stronger game for them. They were generating chances in the offensive zone all night long, and Brazeau's goal was simply a fruit of those labors finally paying off.
Ben Kindel and Anthony Mantha were doing their part as well. If they can play at the level they did Monday, the third line will, once again, become a formidable threat for Pittsburgh and give them a triple punch as far as scoring depth.
- What an addition Dewar has been for the Penguins.
When they acquired the 26-year-old forward and defenseman Conor Timmins last season from the Toronto Maple Leafs at the last minute on deadline day, they only gave up a 2025 fifth-round pick to get both. They ended up flipping Timmins for Connor Clifton and a second-rounder, and Dewar - in the month of January - tied his career-highs of 11 goals and 19 points with his empty-net goal.
It's not an exaggeration to say that the Penguins may very well have the best fourth line in hockey. I've sung Blake Lizotte's praises, and Noel Acciari has been very, very good this season in his role on that line and on the penalty kill.
But Dewar - not unlike Brazeau, except in a bottom-six role - has been a revelation. And the Penguins, if they make the playoffs, should consider extending the pending-RFA just like they extended Lizotte.
- One of the only negatives to come out of Monday was the power play. It was 0-for-3, and it had trouble generating much of anything, even if the second unit had a few looks.
I think this unit really misses Erik Karlsson. They're struggling with zone entries right now, and he really helps in that regard. Karlsson made the trip, so hopefully, he'll be back sooner rather than later to aid the first unit.
And as for the second unit, Egor Chinakhov is playing the left flank, but I'm not so sure this is the best use of his deployment. He gets a lot of touches on the power play, and his shot is his greatest weapon. Yet, when he receives the puck, he has to reset in order to set himself up for a shot, and oftentimes, it gives the opposition an opportunity to obstruct.
If he's going to get a lot of touches, the Penguins should put him in the best position to use that weapon of a shot. He should either be on the left wall or in the slot. I feel like this is, kind of, a no-brainer at this point.
- This is the second straight game in which the first line was very effective for the Penguins. And it's nice to see Rakell getting on the board again, as this was his second straight game with a goal directly set up by Crosby.
The Crosby-Rakell connection has always been special, and Rakell has looked much more himself in the last several games. Once Rakell gets his goal-scoring traction back, it will only make the top line - and the Penguins - that much more dangerous.
So, hopefully, he can continue what he's doing and continue to make any trade talk moot.
- Kulak really deserves a lot of credit for the way he's been playing lately. It took him a couple of weeks to settle in, but now that he has, the Penguins - and Kris Letang - all of a sudden look a whole lot better on the blue line.
Once Karlsson comes back - and if Kulak and Letang can sustain their level of play - the Penguins should have a pretty good top-four. There are still a lot of questions that remain on their bottom pairing, but if they're still in the playoff picture come the trade deadline, that's an area they can look to add to without spending too much.
But, in any case, good for Kulak. He was in the midst of one of the worst stretches of hockey in his career when he left the Edmonton Oilers, and it's nice to see him looking like his reliable-with-some-offensive-upside self lately.
- The Penguins will travel to Alberta to take on the Calgary Flames on Wednesday before facing the Oilers on Thursday in the second half of the back-to-back. Then, they will conclude their Western trip against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.
Two wins on this road trip feels like a must, but it sure would be nice to take three of these four games. No other team in the Metro - other than the division-leading Carolina Hurricanes - are playing particularly great hockey right now, so it's a great opportunity for the Penguins to beat two non-playoff teams in Calgary and Vancouver and create some separation.
But, beyond that, this is when you also start looking at the regulation wins column. Regulation wins is the first tiebreaker when it comes to the standings, and right now, the Penguins have 19. While that's more than the 17 the Islanders have, it's not more than Washington's 21, Florida's 22, Boston's 21, or Buffalo's 20. And those are all teams in the wild card picture.
Look: The best path to the playoffs is always being one of the three best teams in your division. That much is clear. But the East is so tight, and teams have been so inconsistent this season that it's critical for the Penguins to check as many of the "tiebreaker" boxes as possible.
We're approaching the end of January as well as the Olympic break, when many teams will determine their trade deadline strategy. These things really matter.
So, it can't be stressed enough how important this road trip is for the Penguins. They need to collect as many points as possible - and they need to do it in regulation.
In a matchup that felt far more like May than January, the Pistons outlasted the Celtics 104–103 on Monday night at Little Caesars Arena, surviving a final Jaylen Brown jumper that fell just short at the buzzer.
The Celtics jumped out to an early 16–8 lead behind Brown’s scoring and strong defensive activity, but the momentum didn’t last long. Jalen Duren scored seven straight points to halt the run, setting the tone for what became a bruising night in the paint.
With four minutes remaining in the quarter, the game’s intensity boiled over. Thirty seconds after Isaiah Stewart checked in, he and Jaylen Brown were assessed double technical fouls following a brief altercation, punctuating an already physical opening quarter.
Boston closed the first with a narrow 29–26 advantage, but the warning signs were there.
Detroit seized control in the second, outscoring Boston 33–22 and flipping the game with defensive playmaking and physicality. Rim protection and activity disrupted Boston’s offensive rhythm, forcing turnovers that the Pistons consistently capitalized on. Detroit scored 19 points off Boston’s 14 turnovers.
Brown carried the scoring, while contributions came in waves from others. Five Celtics reached double figures, but Boston struggled to generate consistent offense against the NBA’s No. 2 defense. The Pistons’ defensive pressure, highlighted by emphatic blocks at the rim from Stewart and Cade Cunningham, helped build their confidence heading into the break.
Boston made its push coming out of halftime. A pair of Sam Hauser three-pointers and a short jumper trimmed the Pistons’ lead to one early in the third, injecting life back into the game.
Payton Pritchard provided a needed spark, scoring 10 points in the quarter to keep the Celtics within striking distance as Detroit leaned on hot shooting from Duncan Robinson and Tobias Harris to maintain its edge.
The game settled into a possession-by-possession battle from there.
The fourth quarter mirrored the rest of the night — physical, tense, and tightly contested. Boston had chances to take control and answered just enough to keep their hopes alive. Ultimately, a communication breakdown on a Tobias Harris three-pointer and a pair of missed free throws from Brown proved to be the difference.
Down one in the final moments, the Celtics put the ball in Brown’s hands for a potential game-winner. His jumper was off the mark, and Detroit escaped with the one-point victory.
WHAT A GAME. Jaylen Brown's shot bounces off the rim and the Pistons hold on to win! 😱 pic.twitter.com/ZCYnI05qDH
The Celtics showed fight and resilience, but the Pistons’ second-quarter surge and defensive connectivity proved decisive. Brown led Boston’s scoring effort with 32 points, and played a large part in Cade Cunningham’s quiet 16-point outing. Tobias Harris’ 25 points, Jalen Duren’s 18 points and nine rebounds, and Duncan Robinson’s five three-pointers elevated the Pistons just out of the Celtics’ reach.
Payton Pritchard chipped in 17 points, while Sam Hauser put together another solid night with 16 points on four made threes. Derrick White’s 1-for-11 outing was difficult to dismiss in a game where both sides were searching for production.
This one came down to margins — a missed shot, poor ball security, and missed free throws. Detroit flexed their muscles defensively, and handled those moments just a bit better.
The Celtics head back home for a rematch against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, a team they dropped a close one to as well just a week ago.
The 2026 Hall of Fame Class will be announced on Tuesday. Several former Braves on on the ballot for consideration, but the one name that likely is being followed the most is Andruw Jones. In his 9th and second to last year of initial eligibility, Jones is projected to have a very good shot at finally being inducted. While many in Braves Country have been known for years Jones deserves the honor, we will know if it happens in reality in less than 24 hours.
Braves News
Less than a day after learning of the injury to Ha-Seong Kim, the Braves signed utility player Jorge Mateo to a one-year deal. He will also be the backup shortstop to Mauricio Dubon.
The Dallas Maverick won their third straight game in blowout fashion Monday afternoon in New York, dominating the Knicks 114-97.
Dallas made was hot from three yet again, getting out and punishing a lackadaisical Knicks team that didn’t seem all that interested in playing this game. As we’ve seen from this Mavericks team time and again, if you’re unprepared or not ready to play, Dallas will jump on you, despite their poor record.
The Mavericks were led by a game-high 26 points from Max Christie, while Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns each scored 22 points for the Knicks.
Let’s get to the numbers.
3: Consecutive first-halves the Mavericks scored 70 or more points
The Mavericks are currently the 27th ranked offense in the NBA, according to Cleaning the Glass. They entered this matchup making just 34 percent of their threes, a bottom-third of the league number. Even at full-strength (well, what counts for full-strength for this Dallas squad), this Mavericks team hasn’t scored the ball well most of this season. Now they look like the Showtime Lakers.
It’s very funny and strange that Dallas has gone on this heater at perhaps the most shorthanded this roster has been all season — Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford, and PJ Washington are out, Cooper Flagg missed both Jazz games, and that’s not even counting Dereck Lively and Kyrie Irving, one who is out for the season, and the other who hasn’t played a single game yet. This ragtag group of two-way rookies and undrafted free agents (along with a few obviously key veterans) have propelled Dallas to score 70 points or more in the first half of each of the last three games.
Just a remarkable streak for a team that couldn’t hit water if they fell out of a boat. Who knows how long it can last, but it’s fun to watch.
15: Points scored by Moussa Cisse
A career night for the Mavericks talented two-way big man, Moussa Cisse did what’s he’s done all season when given time: plays his ass off, run the floor hard, rebound, and block shots. Cisse added the cherry on top by finishing lobs and dump-off passes, scoring a career-high 15 points while also grabbing nine rebounds and blocking four shots.
Cisse clearly has something, yet he’s still very raw. He fouls a lot, which makes it hard for him to stay on the floor, but he’s improving — the Knicks game signaled the third-straight 20-plus minute night from Cisse, the first time he’s played 20 minutes or more in three straight games all season. The Mavericks should do what they can to free up room to sign Cisse to a full contract, so he can get as much time on the floor as possible before the season ends.
32: Mavericks fastbreak points
Dallas literally ran New York off the floor in this one, outscoring the Knicks in transition 32-6. It was a stark contrast — the Mavericks looked like they were consistently two or even three steps ahead of a plodding Knicks team.
The Mavericks pushed at every opportunity they got, and funny enough a lot of those transition buckets were threes. Dallas scored only 44 points in the paint in this one, and while Dallas certainly had a decent amount of layups and dunks on the break, they were able to push ahead and get the Knicks scrambling while Max Christie and Klay Thompson sprinted to the line. Despite being a road game and a unique start time, the Mavericks never looked sluggish. Kudos to them.
A showdown between one of the league’s top offenses facing one of the league’s staunchest defenses ended with defense winning out as a Jaylen Brown contested jumper bounced off the rim, and the Detroit Pistons outlasted the Boston Celtics 104-103 in front of a raucous Little Caesars Arena crowd.
It was a prize fight for 48 minutes, going back and forth with the Celtics hitting deep threes and Detroit’s defense creating running opportunities. It also featured two freshly minted All-Star starters as Cade Cunningham faced Brown. Brown won the matchup 32 points to 16, but Cunningham won the war.
Cade’s wrist is obviously still impacting his offense, and he was relatively selective with his shots. The ones he did take, beyond 15 feet anyway, were flat. But Cade played a brilliant facilitation game and attacked the rim when the opportunity presented itself. Cunningham had 14 assists and zero turnovers and was able to get himself to the line 10 times.
The belt for this one goes to Tobias Harris. The soft-spoken Detroit veteran played his best game of the season, with a team-high 25 points. He hit several huge threes on a night when Detroit struggled with its shot. The Pistons also called his number often, as they took advantage of size mismatches by feeding the power forward in the post to back down an undersized Celtics defender and get a clean look at his patented 10-foot turnaround jumper. Harris also delivered defensively, switching and playing solid help and man-to-man defense. It was Harris who got the assignment to guard Brown with 4.4 seconds remaining, with the entire arena knowing exactly where the ball was going as Boston looked for a game-winning shot.
Detroit also got a big boost from Jalen Duren early. He was nearly unstoppable inside with his face-up game, his deft footwork to create easy looks at the rim, and his rim pressure in the pick-and-roll. He finished with 18 points and nine rebounds
When the Pistons weren’t turning to Unc to patiently dissect Boston’s defense, they relied on their defense to create offense. The Pistons had a 19-4 advantage in points off turnovers and a 20-3 advantage on the fastbreak. Again and again, the Pistons had an answer for whatever Boston was able to throw at them.
Whether it was Brown’s all-around offensive brilliance or 11 combined threes from Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard, Detroit never looked like a team that expected anything less than a victory when the final buzzer sounded. And they were right. Again. Because they put themselves in a position to rely on their defense for one final possession. And their defense was up to the task.
The Pistons team is imperfect. It’s clear they need more shooting. But it is also clear they have so many ingredients needed to deliver a championship. Tonight they faced off against one of the best teams in the league and came out on top. It’s just what they do.
DENVER — Alex Barré-Boulet didn’t just answer the call — he made it count.
The 28-year-old forward, the Colorado Eagles’ leading point producer and a key contributor for the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate, was summoned on short notice to replace Valeri Nichushkin, who was ruled out of Monday afternoon’s game against the Washington Capitals. Nichushkin was scratched after sustaining minor injuries in a multi-car accident while en route to the arena, forcing the Avalanche into a last-minute lineup adjustment.
Barré-Boulet Serves as Late Call-Up for Nichushkin
Barré-Boulet, who has recorded 12 goals and 25 assists for a team-leading 37 points in 36 games with the Eagles, received the call roughly two hours before puck drop. Unlike in boxing, where late replacements can decline a fight, hockey doesn’t afford that luxury. When the call comes, you go.
And Barré-Boulet made the most of his opportunity.
He recorded an assist in Colorado’s 5–2 victory, earning his first NHL point in more than two years. Just under six minutes into the opening period, Barré-Boulet left a pass for Parker Kelly at the top of the zone. Kelly carried the puck in, slammed on the brakes, and fed Cale Makar for a point shot that Kelly deflected past Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren to give Colorado a 1–0 lead.
The goal marked Kelly’s ninth of the season — a career high for the 26-year-old — but it carried added significance for Barré-Boulet. It was his first NHL point since December 21, 2023, when he scored for the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 5–4 win over the Vegas Golden Knights.
Credit: Jonathan Dyer. Barré-Boulet's last NHL goal to date.
Perhaps even more notable, Barré-Boulet hadn’t dressed for an NHL game in well over a year.
Barré-Boulet Makes an Impact
Making an impact on such short notice did not go unnoticed by head coach Jared Bednar.
“I liked him. That line did some good things for us. They drew a few icings, had a good forecheck, drew a penalty,” he stated. “They were able to sustain some o-zone time in the second period. We were able to jump out our top guys and get a favorable matchup a couple times.
“Short notice for sure and he came in and did a nice job. (Washington) shortened their bench a little bit, so did we. So they didn’t see a lot of ice time in the second half of the game.”
Prior to Monday night, Barré-Boulet had not appeared in an NHL game in more than 15 months. His last outing came on October 10, 2024, when he suited up for the Montreal Canadiens against the Boston Bruins in the final game of a brief two-game stint. He recorded no points and picked up two penalty minutes during that stretch.
Since then, Barré-Boulet has spent the bulk of his time with Montreal’s AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket, where he enjoyed a strong 2024–25 campaign. In 64 regular-season games, he posted 22 goals and 41 assists for 63 points, then added three goals and 11 points in 13 playoff appearances.
Barré-Boulet was reassigned to the Eagles following the game, but he returned to the AHL having reinforced what the Avalanche saw during the preseason. His two-way play is no fluke. He has shown he is more than just a scorer — he is committed to rounding out every aspect of his game, a standard he has set throughout his professional career.
That approach will likely be rewarded with another call-up down the line when the Avalanche need him again.
Knicks celeb super fan Ben Stiller had a social media meltdown watching the Knicks drop their fourth straight game aon Monday in an ugly 114-97 defeat at the hands of the Mavericks at Madison Square Garden
Stiller, whose ride-or-die fandom has been on full display during the Knicks’ recent playoff runs, seemed to speak for most Knicks fans during the game.
He followed it up by posting, “f———————” a short while later.
“This is a team issue not a player issue,” Stiller continued in a third post during the Knicks game.
The New Yorker tried to remain in good spirits with his last post on the game writing, “Trying to stay positive.”
Comedian Ben Stiller reacts on celebrity row during the first half when the New York Knicks played the Phoenix Suns Saturday, January 17, 2026 at Madison Square Garden. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Fellow Knicks fans likely know Stiller’s pain after the team dropped its fourth consecutive game and suffered its ninth loss in its last 11 games since New Year’s Eve.
Ben Stiller’s thread of tweets on X during the Knicks-Mavericks game on Monday night. X @BenStiller
“I’m okay with the boos,” Knicks head coach Mike Brown told reporters after the game. “I mean, if we’re playing crapy…boo. If I was in the stands, I’d probably boo too. You pay [hard-earned] money to come to the game, and this is a form of entertainment for the fans, they know good basketball and they know bad basketball. And we didn’t play good basketball in the first half, so I’m okay with the boos.”
Brown took his team to task in earlier comments during his postgame press conference and even dropped an F-bomb at one point, which he paused and apologized for.
“Bottom line is we gotta lock in and do our job for 48 minutes. There was nothing to be said at halftime except do your job,” he said.
Tyrese Maxey – 17 VJ Edgecombe – 5 Paul George – 5 Joel Embiid – 4 Andre Drummond – 2 Dominick Barlow – 1 Adem Bona – 1 Justin Edwards – 1 Quentin Grimes – 1 Jared McCain – 1 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
The Sixers welcomed the Indiana Pacers to South Philly on Martin Luther King Jr. Day for a Monday night tilt between Eastern Conference foes. Paul George was the lone Sixer unavailable in this one as part of his load management plan for his knee. The Sixers came into this one riding the news of Tyrese Maxey having been named an Eastern Conference All-Star starter.
The Sixers jumped out to an early 33-30 advantage after the first quarter behind some efficient scoring inside the arc. The Sixers were led in the first by none other than Joel Embiid and Maxey. Embiid poured in 10 points, knocking down a perfect 5-for-5 from the floor. Maxey put 11 on the board of his own. The Pacers were spear headed by Joel Embiid countrymate Pascal Siakam who put in nine points.
The Sixers went cold in the second quarter, only mustering 17 points in the period. The Pacers went to the intermission with a 55-50 lead led by Andrew Nembhard and Siakam.
The Sixers got it revved back up in the third quarter putting in 32 points in the period. The third quarter was similar to the first. Embiid was firing on all cylinders. He led the Sixers with 21 points heading into the fourth quarter. The Sixers took a slim 82-81 advantage into the final frame. Former Sixer T.J. McConnell was a thorn in the Sixers’ side as he led all bench scorers with 10 points after three.
The fourth quarter was a slow grind to start as the Pacers took an early 88-86 lead. The Sixers from there would go on a 21-3 run led by a career high eight steals from your newest All-Star starter, Tyrese Maxey. The Sixers would take a commanding lead at 107-91 with just 3:00 to go in the ball game and not surrender it from there. The Sixers would go on to win this one by a final score of 113-104.
Tyrese Maxey: 29 points, 8 assists, 8 steals, 12-for-24 from the field
Maxey set a career high with eight steals in this one. Maxey became just the second Sixer in franchise history to go for 25 points, eight assists and eight steals, and the first since Allen Iverson in 2003. Maxey is also the first Sixers guard since Iverson 16 years ago to be named an NBA All-Star starter. The newest-minted Sixers All-Star starter was a nightmare to stop from getting to the rim in this one. Maxey poured in 14 of his 29 points in the final period to stretch the Sixers lead and pull away for the win.
Joel Embiid: 30 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 10-for-17 from the field, 9-for-10 from the foul line
Embiid continues to show he is still one of the best big men in the game of basketball. This marked 14 consecutive games of 20+ from Embiid, a sight common for Sixers fans over the years. Embiid started off this one knocking down his first five attempts from the field and, after a quiet second quarter, got it rolling again in half No. 2 to help carry the Sixers to victory.
