BOTTOM LINE: Charlotte will try to keep its four-game road win streak alive when the Hornets play Houston.
The Rockets have gone 17-5 in home games. Houston scores 115.5 points while outscoring opponents by 5.4 points per game.
The Hornets are 12-15 on the road. Charlotte ranks fourth in the Eastern Conference shooting 37.0% from 3-point range.
The Rockets are shooting 47.2% from the field this season, 0.1 percentage points lower than the 47.3% the Hornets allow to opponents. The Hornets are shooting 46.3% from the field, 0.3% higher than the 46.0% the Rockets' opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kevin Durant is averaging 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists for the Rockets. Jabari Smith Jr. is averaging 2.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Miles Bridges is averaging 18.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists for the Hornets. Brandon Miller is averaging 23.7 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Rockets: 7-3, averaging 109.6 points, 48.8 rebounds, 25.0 assists, 9.4 steals and 6.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.9 points per game.
Hornets: 8-2, averaging 113.4 points, 48.7 rebounds, 26.6 assists, 6.1 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 104.1 points.
INJURIES: Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle), Dorian Finney-Smith: out (ankle).
Hornets: Tidjane Salaun: day to day (illness), KJ Simpson: out (hip).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Indiana Pacers (13-38, 15th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (20-29, 12th in the Eastern Conference)
Milwaukee; Friday, 8 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Milwaukee hosts the Indiana Pacers following the Milwaukee Bucks' 141-137 overtime victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Bucks are 6-4 against opponents in the Central Division. Milwaukee has a 9-20 record against opponents over .500.
The Pacers are 3-8 against the rest of the division. Indiana is 6-29 against opponents over .500.
The Bucks average 14.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.4 more made shots on average than the 11.4 per game the Pacers give up. The Pacers average 12.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.7 fewer made shots on average than the 14.3 per game the Bucks give up.
The two teams match up for the third time this season. The Bucks defeated the Pacers 111-94 in their last matchup on Dec. 24. Kevin Porter Jr. led the Bucks with 24 points, and T.J. McConnell led the Pacers with 16 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Ryan Rollins is averaging 16.8 points, 5.5 assists and 1.5 steals for the Bucks. Kyle Kuzma is averaging 14.0 points over the last 10 games.
Pascal Siakam is averaging 23.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and four assists for the Pacers. Jarace Walker is averaging 14.7 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Bucks: 3-7, averaging 109.3 points, 42.1 rebounds, 27.1 assists, 6.6 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 46.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.9 points per game.
Pacers: 4-6, averaging 112.4 points, 43.1 rebounds, 30.0 assists, 7.3 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 47.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.1 points.
INJURIES: Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo: out (calf), Gary Harris: out (hamstring), Bobby Portis: out (hip), Taurean Prince: out (neck).
Pacers: Micah Potter: day to day (hip), Aaron Nesmith: day to day (hand), Obi Toppin: out (foot), T.J. McConnell: day to day (knee), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles), Andrew Nembhard: day to day (back).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Lando Norris insists he enters the new Formula One season highly motivated to retain the world championship he won for the first time last year. The McLaren driver believes his maiden triumph has only given him greater confidence in his ability to defend the title.
Norris won the championship after an intense competition that went to the wire. After a three-way fight with his teammate, Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, Norris sealed the title by just two points at the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi.
The Golden State Warriors made a move on Wednesday, Feb. 4, in an attempt to keep themselves contenders in the Western Conference.
The Warriors added center Kristaps Porziņģis in the final hours before the NBA’s trade deadline, coming to a reported agreement with the Atlanta Hawks. The Warriors sent Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to Atlanta in return.
For months, the Warriors were expected to trade Kuminga and were considered a candidate to land disgruntled Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. The latter has seemingly changed, with Golden State having "moved on" from Antetokounmpo in the wake of this deal, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
Here's grades for the Kristaps Porziņģis deal:
Kristaps Porziņģis trade grades
Golden State Warriors grade: B
The Warriors are finally moving on from Kuminga, who had shown flashes of his talent and potential but never appeared to be on the same page as the Golden State coaching staff.
Porziņģis could be seen as low-risk, high-reward. If he is healthy, he could be just what the Warriors need: a center that can shoot the basketball. He also adds much-needed size near the rim.
Atlanta Hawks grade: B
Kuminga provides a level of athleticism and physicality to the Hawks at the forward position. He has also shown the ability to score and play solid defense during his time with the Warriors. Hield was a positive bonus in the trade, being one of the better long-range shooters in the league. He will also add a lighthearted and fun energy to the locker room.
DENVER, COLORADO - FEBRUARY 04: Josh Manson #42, Nathan MacKinnon #29, Valeri Nichushkin #13 and Devon Toews #7 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrate after a goal against the San Jose Sharks at Ball Arena on February 04, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
In their last game before the NHL Olympic break, the Colorado Avalanche took on the San Jose Sharks at Ball Arena. While they tried to lose but were unsuccessful, the Avalanche secured a 4-2 win before a group of eight players head off for the Winter Olympics in Milan.
Let’s break down all the action from tonight!
First Period
After a lackluster offensive performance in the last game, the Avalanche brought some energy to start the game and outshot San Jose 14-5. Of course, there was more power play futility to witness as the Avalanche couldn’t convert on two early opportunities. While the Avs had some good looks overall in the first period, Yaroslav Askarov stopped every single shot he saw, and kept this game at a 0-0 tie heading into the second period.
Second Period
Just over a minute into the second period, Artturi Lehkonen would get the Avs on the board first and give them a 1-0 lead as he crashed the San Jose net, and managed to find the puck in a scramble and put it past Askarov. There was a video review to make sure there wasn’t anything illegal in the mess at the net front but the goal stood.
Lehkonen would give the Avs a 2-0 lead, as Nathan MacKinnon would find him with a phenomenal cross-ice pass as he came flying into the offensive zone, and he made no mistake and one-timed the puck past Askarov. With 17 shots put on net in the second period alone, the Avalanche were firmly in control after the second period.
Third Period
It should have been an easy win at that point but San Jose would tie the game at 2-2, though, with goals from Timothy Liljegren and Philipp Kurashev, both of which came early in the second period. Liljegren would beat Mackenzie Blackwood with a one-timer, and Kurashev would manage to put a bit of a knuckle-puck past Blackwood to tie the game.
After that the game felt a bit tense for the next 10 minutes but Josh Manson saved the day and scored the go-ahead goal to give the Avs the lead back, as he let a one-timer rip from the point and beat Askarov cleanly to give Colorado a 3-2 lead.
Brock Nelson would add an empty-net goal for the Avalanche after that, giving us the final score of 4-2 and a secured victory.
Takeaways
It was certainly nice to see the Avs end on a high note before heading off for the NHL Olympic break. Over the past few games, it wasn’t really hard to see that they had kind of looked past these games and seemingly were just wanting to get to the Olympic break, which is understandable, but it was still nice to see them depart for the next three weeks riding off of a win. Now, Colorado gets some really valuable time for their injured players to rest up and relax, while a handful of them head off to Milan to represent their respective countries in the Olympics. Hopefully, we get to watch some exciting Olympic hockey, and the rest of the Colorado team now gets some valuable time to rest up before the NHL regular season continues after the break.
Upcoming
With the NHL Olympic break now in full swing, Colorado’s next regular-season game is at home on Wednesday, February 25th against the Utah Mammoth at 7 p.m. MT.
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Matvei Gridin had a goal and an assist for the rookie's first multipoint game in the NHL, leading the Calgary Flames to a 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night.
Ryan Lomberg scored the go-ahead goal at 6:44 of the third period. Jonathan Huberdeau and Connor Zary also scored for Calgary. Nazem Kadri, MacKenzie Weegar and Zach Whitecloud had two assists apiece.
The Flames took the season series against their provincial rival, winning three of four meetings.
Leon Draisaitl had two goals and Kasperi Kapanen also scored for the Oilers, who limped into the Olympic break on a three-game losing streak. Evan Bouchard had three assists.
Flames goalie Devin Cooley stopped 36 shots. Tristan Jarry made 21 saves for Edmonton.
A bouncing puck in front went on net off Lomberg's skate, forcing Jarry to kick out his pad. Lomberg buried the rebound to give the Flames a 4-3 lead.
Calgary led 3-1 before Draisaitl scored his second power-play goal of the game at 18:26 of the second period. Kapanen tied it 4:17 into the third.
Draisaitl (1,036) moved past Mark Messier (1,034) into fourth place on Edmonton’s career points list. Draisaitl is seven back of Jari Kurri for third. Wayne Gretzky (1,669) leads, followed by Connor McDavid (1,178).
Edmonton has given up goals on five consecutive penalty kills after Calgary converted each of its first two power plays in the first period.
Gridin’s third career goal was his second in three games as the 19-year-old continues to impress on a line with Huberdeau and Morgan Frost.
The San Antonio Spurs walked onto the floor at Frost Bank Center knowing the circumstances were tilted in their favor. Oklahoma City arrived shorthanded, resting much of its regular rotation and leaning heavily on its bench. What followed, however, was not a quiet night or an easy victory.
Instead, the Spurs had to earn every possession of a 116-106 win, fending off a Thunder group that played free, fast and with nothing to lose — the kind of opponent that can turn a routine night into an uncomfortable one if focus slips.
For long stretches, the game felt more like a test of discipline than talent.
San Antonio built an early 22-point lead behind aggressive drives to the basket and steady shot-making, but the Thunder’s reserves refused to go down without a fight in the second half. Each time the Spurs appeared ready to pull away, Oklahoma City responded with energy plays — loose balls, quick cuts, and timely perimeter shooting — keeping the game within reach.
The Spurs’ offense, defined by rhythm and ball movement, came in waves. When it stalled, Keldon Johnson became the stabilizer. Johnson attacked the paint, absorbed contact and finished through traffic, providing the kind of physical scoring that kept San Antonio from drifting too far off course. His presence was a reminder of how valuable a reliable scorer can be on nights when execution isn’t crisp.
“I felt we got a little unfocused at times,” Johnson said. “Ultimately we got the win, but there are things we need to learn to clean up, you know, be tighter on and be better on. We pulled together in the end and got it done, but we definitely need to be better.”
Oklahoma City continued to hang around into the fourth quarter, turning the final minutes into something more tense than expected. The Thunder trimmed the lead to single digits and briefly threatened to make the closing stretch uncomfortable for the home crowd.
That’s when De’Aaron Fox took control.
Fox’s speed changed the tone of the game late. He pushed the pace, broke down defenders off the dribble and delivered timely baskets that steadied the Spurs when the margin felt in doubt. His late-game command didn’t show up as a dramatic takeover, but as a series of calm, efficient decisions — the kind that quietly shut the door.
Meanwhile, Victor Wembanyama made his impact felt in subtler ways. Even when he wasn’t the focal point of the offense, his length altered shots, discouraged drives and helped the Spurs control the paint when the Thunder tried to generate momentum inside. His presence alone forced Oklahoma City to think twice about attacking the rim during critical possessions.
By the time the final buzzer sounded, the Spurs had done enough — not flashy, not flawless, but effective.
“Getting our minds prepared in shootaround to play those guys and then to go out there not being like that is tough,” Spurs guard Stephon Castle said. “We still got it done. Whatever five is on the court for them [OKC] and they are a good matchup. So it was tough regardless.”
The win carried more weight than the box score might suggest. San Antonio matched its win total from last season, a small sign of progress for a team still learning how to close games and manage expectations. Nights like this, against an opponent with nothing to lose, often reveal as much about a team’s maturity as marquee matchups do.
For Oklahoma City, the loss still came with encouragement. Their bench-heavy lineup played with pride and confidence, showing why depth and development remain pillars of the franchise’s long-term vision.
For the Spurs, the takeaway was simpler.
They survived a trap game, leaned on experience when needed, and walked away with a win — the kind that doesn’t dominate highlight reels but quietly builds a season. As the schedule tightens and tougher opponents loom, San Antonio will look back on nights like this as lessons in patience, focus and finishing the job.
“I think we did what we had to do to get the win,” a disappointed Spurs Coach Mitch Johnson said. “I think there are a lot of things that could have been better. It was good to see us finish the job, but we’ll try to continue to get better from this one.”
Game Notes
The Denver Nuggets’ double OT loss to the New York Knicks combined with San Antonio’s win puts the Spurs two games up on Denver for second place a jam packed Western Conference with the All-Star break around the corner.
Victor Wembanyama and Keldon Johnson combined for 47 of the Spurs’ 116 points. A good night at the office for them both.
Carter Bryant continued to show his growth in his rookie season, scoring 11 points in 13 minutes. Coach Johnson said Bryant has learned from his mistakes earlier in the season. “When you have a young player, they’re never mistake free, so once they figure out that, then sometimes they’re free to play with more effort and energy,” he said of the rookie.
Speaking of rookies, Dylan Harper missed Wednesday’s game, but it will be interesting to see if he available for Thursday’s road contest against Dallas.
And Thursday also brings the trade deadline. Who will still on the roster by tip-off Thursday night? Pounding the Rock will bring you all the latest news as it happens.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shane Wright scored twice to lead the Seattle Kraken to a 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night.
Vince Dunn and Adam Larsson also scored and Chandler Stephenson and Frederick Gaudreau each had two assists for the Kraken, who have won five of their last six games. Joey Daccord made 25 saves.
Andrei Kuzmenko scored both of Los Angeles' goals and Darcy Kuemper made 19 saves.
The Kings took a 1-0 lead at 7:42 of the first period when Kuzmenko scored on the power play.
Wright tied it at 1 at 9:16 on a backhander for his first goal of the game and Larsson put Seattle up 2-1 at 10:14 on a one-timer. Dunn made it 3-1 on the power play at 15:21.
Kuzmenko cut it to 3-2 on the power play at 10:27 of the second period, but Wright gave the Kraken a two-goal lead again with a power-play score at 5:50 of the third.
SEATTLE (AP) — Bennett Stirtz hit four 3-pointers and finished with 22 points, Alvaro Folgueiras scored 16 points, and Iowa beat Washington 84-74 on Wednesday night for its fifth consecutive win.
Tavion Banks had 11 points and Cooper Koch also scored 11, all in the second half, for Iowa (16-5, 6-4 Big Ten). Banks missed a free throw with 29 seconds left in the first half to break his streak of 30 consecutive made free throws — four shy of the program record set by Chris Street (1993) and Jordan Bohannon (2018).
Hannes Steinbach had 20 points and 12 rebounds for Washington (12-11, 4.-8) and his 15 double-doubles this season are the most by a freshman in program history. Isaiah Stewart had 14 double-doubles for the Huskies in 2019-20.
Zoom Diallo had 16 points, a career-high 12 assists and six rebounds and Wesley Yates III scored 15 points for Washington.
Franck Kepnang threw down a dunk that gave the Huskies a seven-point lead with 18:41 left in the game but they went without a field goal for the next seven-plus minutes. Washington was 0 for 6 from the field and committed two turnovers during an 18-4 Iowa run that made it 63-56 with 12:59 to play and the Hawkeyes led the rest of the way.
Washington shot 76.9% (20 of 26) in the first half — the third-best shooting half in the Big Ten since the 2018-19 season — but made just 9 of 25 (36%) from the field after halftime.
Free agent pitcher Framber Valdez and the Detroit Tigers have agreed to a $115 million, three-year contract, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Wednesday night.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced.
Valdez became one of baseball’s most durable starters with the Houston Astros. Now, the left-hander is set to join a Tigers rotation anchored by two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal.
Skubal went to a record-setting salary arbitration hearing Wednesday, with the left-hander asking for $32 million and the Tigers offering $19 million.
Valdez is a two-time All-Star and 2022 World Series champion. He was Houston’s ace last season with a 13-11 record and 3.66 ERA, and became a free agent for the first time.
He struck out 187 and walked 68 in 192 innings, and had a major league-high 12 wild pitches while making $18 million on a deal reached last offseason that avoided salary arbitration. He started Houston’s last four season openers.
Since making his major league debut in 2018 with the Astros, he is 81-52 with a 3.36 ERA. The 32-year-old Dominican averaged more than 191 innings the past four seasons, joining Giants right-hander Logan Webb as the only two pitchers to throw at least 175 innings each of those years.
Valdez was 15-7 with a 2.91 ERA over 28 games in 2024 and threw a no-hitter in 2023, when he was an All-Star for a second straight season. He is 8-4 with a 4.34 ERA in 17 postseason games, including 16 starts.
Valdez pitched in two World Series for the Astros, and was the winning pitcher in the clinching Game 6 that secured their 2022 championship against Philadelphia.
In the 2022 Series, he was 2-0 in two starts while allowing two runs over 12 1/3 innings (1.46 ERA) with 18 strikeouts. A year earlier, he gave up 10 runs and 12 hits over 4 2/3 innings (19.29 ERA) in two starts against Atlanta.
Valdez rejected a $22,025,000 qualifying offer from the Astros in November, so they would receive a compensatory pick after the fourth round of the 2026 amateur draft if he completes his deal with Detroit, which would forfeit its third-highest selection.
Valdez pitched a no-hitter against Cleveland on Aug. 1, 2023. He came close to another one just more than a year later against Texas, but that bid was broken up when Corey Seager homered with two outs in the ninth inning.
Two pitches after Trent Grisham’s slam in the Yankees’ 7-1 victory on Sept. 2, Valdez crossed up catcher César Salazar by throwing a 92.8 mph sinker to Anthony Volpe. Salazar moved his glove downward as the pitch approached the plate, an indication he was expecting a pitch with less velocity and more break. The ball hit him in his chest protector.
Just before the pitch Grisham sent over the fence, Salazar had motioned for Valdez to step off the mound. Valdez and Salazar both said after the game the pitch that hit the catcher wasn’t on purpose.
Astros manager Joe Espada insisted a day later the situation was “100%” resolved in his mind, and he wanted to “get past this and get back to baseball,” and he met with both players.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist and the Vegas Golden Knights snapped a five-game losing streak with a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night.
Ivan Barbashev scored a goal for the fourth straight game, and Cole Reinhardt, Pavel Dorofayev and Alexander Holtz also had goals for the Knights. Mark Stone had a pair of assists.
Akira Schmid made 21 saves, including a spectacular stop on Vancouver's Pierre-Olivier Joseph midway through the second period when he dove across the crease to snag the puck with his glove and preserve a 3-1 lead.
Elias N. Pettersson and Joseph had goals for the Canucks, who have now lost three in a row and six of their last seven games and remain in last place in the NHL. Teddy Blueger had a pair of assists and Kevin Lankinen made 26 saves.
After a scoreless first period, things heated up in the second when the teams combined to score on four straight shots, with all four goals coming in a span of 2:30 and Vegas taking a 3-1 lead.
With two third-period goals, the Golden Knights now have 75 third-period goals this season, the most in the NHL. Eichel has 21 multipoint games this season.
Up next
Canucks: At home against Winnipeg on Feb. 25.
Golden Knights: Host Los Angeles on Thursday night.
The Vancouver Canucks will officially enter the 2026 Winter Olympic break after a 5–2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. Two defencemen found the scoresheet for Vancouver, with Elias Pettersson and Pierre-Olivier Joseph scoring the Canucks’ lone two goals of the game. Kevin Lankinen made his second consecutive start, stopping 26 of 31 shots faced and will now head to Italy to represent Finland at the Olympics.
Despite not being the most eventful, the start of this game didn’t go poorly for the Canucks. They managed to limit Vegas to seven shots on goal while also killing a penalty. While Lankinen did end up having to make a couple of big stops, for the most part, Vancouver did their due diligence to keep high-danger chances away from their goaltender.
Vancouver’s power play has been a talking point as of late as well, as prior to tonight, they’d only scored once in their last nine games. As a change-up, the Canucks switched their first-unit up by subbing Garland in for Jonathan Lekkerimäki. They were unable to convert on their lone power play awarded in the first period, generating only two scoring chances.
Tonight was a big game for defenceman Elias Pettersson, who faced his fair share of challenges in the first period after being crunched into the boards by Vegas forward Keegan Kolesar. In the second period, it was the young Pettersson who gave the Canucks a bit of life by joining the rush and scoring after Vancouver quickly allowed two goals.
Last game, the line of Liam Öhgren, Teddy Blueger, and Conor Garland played well for the Canucks. This trio repeated their efforts tonight, generating some jump early on in a scoreless first period while also generating a fair amount of chances for the Canucks. Vancouver’s first goal of the game came as a direct result of this line’s drive into the O-zone, with Blueger’s retrieval along the boards factoring into Öhgren’s rush feed to Pettersson. This line’s efforts didn’t stop there, however, as more O-zone pressure from the trio gave Joseph the space to shoot the puck on Akira Schmid, giving the defenceman his first goal as a Canuck after being denied earlier in the game.
Despite being able to cut their deficit to one, Vancouver suffered a brief collapse at the start of the third period that allowed Vegas to widen the gap to three within the span of a minute. Pavel Dorofeyev was left all alone at Lankinen’s back-door on the Golden Knights’ first goal of the third period, while Alexander Holtz capitalized on an open opportunity in the slot to make it 5–2 for Vegas. From there, the Canucks were unable to generate enough quality chances to cut the lead, putting only four shots on goal during the final period.
"You've gotta experience it," Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote said post-game of what can be worked on regarding not letting quick goals-against impact the team. "We're a young team [...] we're going to see blips of it here and there. We need everyone on board and when we're playing our best hockey, everyone is, we had blips of it today, but we just have a tiny breakdown there, a couple mistakes on a couple of goals, leave the slot open just on bad reads, and that'll continue to be worked on, and it is what it is. It's a young group. This level of a team, that experience, they're going to take advantage of that in these situations."
The Canucks will officially enter the 2026 Olympic break with a record of 18–33–6, cementing themselves safely in 32nd in the NHL throughout the bulk of February. When they return, they could end up regaining quite a few bodies in the lineup, as Marco Rossi, Brock Boeser, Filip Chytil, Nils Höglander, and Zeev Buium are all currently out.
Feb 4, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) skates against Vancouver Canucks left wing Liam Ohgren (92) during the first period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Stats and Facts:
Canucks enter the 2026 Olympic break with a record of 18–33–6
Vancouver has scored only power play goal in their last 10 games
Teddy Blueger is now up to four goals and three assists in eight games since returning from injury
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
No Scoring.
2nd Period:
5:09 - VGK: Jack Eichel (20) from Rasmus Andersson and Mark Stone
6:34 - VGK: Cole Reinhardt (3) from Braeden Bowman and Shea Theodore
7:11 - VAN: Elias Pettersson (D) (2) from Liam Öhgren and Teddy Blueger
7:39 - VGK: Ivan Barbashev (16) from Mark Stone and Jack Eichel
19:51 - VAN: Pierre-Olivier Joseph (1) from Conor Garland and Teddy Blueger
3rd Period:
2:33 - VGK: Pavel Dorofeyev (25) from Mitch Marner and Reilly Smith
3:31 - VGK: Alexander Holtz (3) from Keegan Kolesar and Jeremy Lauzon
Up Next:
With tonight’s loss, the Canucks are now on break as the 2026 Winter Olympics begin. Elias Pettersson (Sweden), Kevin Lankinen (Finland), Teddy Blueger (Latvia), Anri Ravinskis (Latvia), Filip Hronek (Czechia), David Kämpf (Czechia), and Lukas Reichel (Germany) will now head to Italy to represent their respective countries. Vancouver’s next game isn’t until February 25, when they take on the Winnipeg Jets at Rogers Arena at 7:00 pm PT.
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Jan 18, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Dalen Terry (7) drives against Brooklyn Nets during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
After a forgettable run in Chicago, Dalen Terry will have an opportunity for a career reset in the Big Apple.
The Chicago Bulls have traded the former Arizona Wildcats guard to the New York Knicks, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday night. The Bulls received Guerschon Yabusele in return.
The New York Knicks are trading Guerschon Yabusele to the Chicago Bulls for Dalen Terry, sources tell ESPN.
Terry has appeared in 34 games this season, averaging 3.5 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists. He is in the last year of his rookie contract.
Terry is shooting a career-best 41.3 percent from 3-point range on 46 attempts. Overall he’s shooting 44.1% from the field.
The 23-year-old joins a contending Knicks team that is tied for second place in the Eastern Conference.
Terry was drafted 18th overall in 2022 after two seasons at Arizona. He played supporting minutes in his first season with the Bulls, and has averaged about 12 minutes per game over the last two-and-a-half seasons.
Terry’s playing time was starting to increase over the past few games. He played 29 and 28 minutes in back-to-back games against the Miami Heat over the weekend.
Terry figures to add more depth to the Knicks backcourt, with New York currently dealing with injuries to shooting guards Josh Hart and Miles McBride.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Cam Spencer hit three key baskets late in the fourth quarter and finished with 20 points, and Ty Jerome added 28 as the Memphis Grizzlies beat Sacramento 129-125 on Wednesday night, sending the Kings to their season-worst 10th straight loss.
Spencer hit a 3-pointer with 2:08 remaining in the fourth to give Memphis a 122-118 lead. After GG Jackson hit a jumper, Spencer added a 16-foot jumper with 43 seconds left to keep the margin at four points. After the Kings pulled within a point on DeMar DeRozan's 3, Spencer hit a 3-pointer with 18 seconds left to restore the four-point lead and help seal the win.
Jaylen Wells scored 18 points, Jackson added 16 and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 15 as Memphis won its second straight. Santi Aldama, back in the lineup after missing four game with a right knee injury, had 12 points and six rebounds.
The Grizzlies were playing their first game since trading Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz on Tuesday in an eight-player, three-draft-pick deal. Memphis has also been engaged in talks about moving star guard Ja Morant. The trade deadline is Thursday afternoon.
Domantas Sabonis scored 20 of his 24 points in the first half and added 15 rebounds for the Kings, whose last victory came on Jan. 16 against Washington, the final game of a four-game win streak.
DeRozan scored 20 points, Nique Clifford added 14, and Russell Westbrook and Malik Monk had 13 points apiece. Zach LaVine scored 11 and Devin Carter 10 for Sacramento, which also had losing streaks of seven and eight games earlier this season.
Westbrook moved into 14th place on the NBA’s career scoring list with a 3-pointer at the 10:06 mark of the first quarter. He moved past Hakeem Olajuwon (26,946) and has 26,597 career points. Elvin Hayes ranks 13th with 27,313.
De’Andre Hunter, who was acquired by the Kings in a trade with Cleveland on Saturday, started in his Sacramento debut. He hit his first attempt, a 3-pointer, and finished with nine points.
Up next
Grizzlies: At Portland on Friday and Saturday night.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 04: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers scores against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first half at Intuit Dome on February 04, 2026 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Wally Skalij/Getty Images) | Getty Images
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player. A “B” represents an average game for that player.
Donovan Mitchell
29 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds, 4 steals
Mitchell brings energy nearly every night, but some games, he plays like he’s been shot out of a cannon. This was one of those outings.
That effort was coupled with just a good all-around game. Mitchell got to the basket at will, set up his teammates well, took care of the ball, and was active defensively. It was the perfect game from someone who looked reenergized by the team’s recent additions.
Allen didn’t dominate the scoring column like he did against the Portland Trail Blazers, but he had a noticeable impact on this game. He controlled the paint defensively and played with force on offense.
The Cavs don’t need Allen to lead them in points every night. They do, however, need him to play with energy and focus. He did so again this evening.
Grade: B+
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Tyson has continually made the most of the touches he gets offensively. That happened again in Los Angeles as he went 7-10 from the floor, 3-3 from three, all while playing good defense.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson has called Tyson the “ultimate role player” at various points the last two seasons. Tyson has continually proven Atkinson correct, but performances like this make you wonder how good he can be if you continue to scale up his usage.
Grade: A
Sam Merrill
11 points, 0 assists, 1 rebound
Merrill was an active off-ball mover and hit some threes. It was the exact performance you want from him, even if he didn’t make a large impact elsewhere.
Bryant came in, got offensive rebounds (three), blocked some shots (two), and made the most of his chances to score. He even got rewarded for a deep seal in transition, which you absolutely love to see. You’d sign up for performances like this from your third big every night.
Tomlin was the one Cavalier who didn’t have an efficient scoring night. He went 1-7 from the field, but was still helpful due to his energy and effort. This was reflected in his plus/minus of +16
Grade: B–
Dennis Schröder
11 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 3 steals
Schroder showed you the energy and straight-line attacking that he can provide. Both are things the second unit has desperately needed. Also, contributing three steals is helpful.
This was a solid debut, even if it wasn’t an efficient shooting game. He went 5-14 from the field and 1-5 from deep.
Grade: B+
Craig Porter Jr.
7 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals
Porter being able to shift to a more off-ball role worked tonight. He played well alongside Schroder. He’ll need to keep doing that if he’s going to continue to get steady minutes once James Harden joins the team on Friday.
Grade: B+
Keon Ellis
6 points, 0 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal
Ellis was disruptive defensively. He showed what he can do on that end in the limited minutes that he played. I’m interested to see how he performs when he gets a longer runway and gets more acclimated with the team’s system.
