Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz will announce on Feb. 2 that he is stepping down, according to a report from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
The report from Friedman also indicates Trotz will continue in the role until his replacement can be found.
The Predators have announced a news conference on Feb. 2. The release said Trotz will have an announcement at Bridgestone Arena along with CEO Sean Henry and owner Bill Haslam. The Predators did not disclose the nature of the announcement.
The timing of this decision sets up a challenging rest of the season. With the Predators' record at 25-23-6 (56 points) and four points out of the final wild card spot, they are within striking distance of the playoffs. But in the ultra competitive Western Conference, their chances of a deep playoff run are slim. Trotz has indicated he's been willing to listen to offers on players like Ryan O'Reilly, Michael McCarron, and Michael Bunting at the trade deadline, which is on March 6.
Trotz, 63, took over as general manager in 2023 after the retirement of David Poile. Trotz was the first coach in Predators history, coaching from 1998 until 2014.
When Trotz took the job, he made a flurry of changes in an attempt to change the locker room culture. Matt Duchene's contract was bought out, Ryan Johansen was traded to Colorado, and the team signed center Ryan O'Reilly. The moves worked to transition the team away from the previous core and into a new look.
But many moves by Trotz came under heavy scrutiny. The decision not to sell Alex Carrier at the deadline in 2024, then sign him over the summer, then trade him just two months into the next season. The decision to sign Juuse Saros to an eight-year contract, instead of transitioning to Yaroslav Askarov in net. Losing Dante Fabbro in waivers to Columbus. Trading Luke Schenn to the Penguins for a third round pick, then seeing the Penguins immediately flip him for a second round pick. It was hard to find wins among the many apparent losses.
As the team looks for its next general manager, it will be worth noting if they keep with tradition and stay within the "Predators family" or if they look outside of the organization.
PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 31: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins carries the puck against Vladislav Gavrikov #44 of the New York Rangers at PPG PAINTS Arena on January 31, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
There were some sketchy moments over the past two games, but the Pittsburgh Penguins kept their winning streak going this past week with a 6-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night and a 6-5 win over the New York Rangers on Saturday afternoon. The week got off to a rocky start with a sloppy first period against the Blackhawks before they flipped the switch and absolutely steamrolled them over the remaining 40 minutes. Saturday’s game against the Rangers was pretty much the exact opposite as they dominated the first 44 minutes and jumped out to a 5-1 lead, before having to cling to a one-goal lead in the closing seconds after allowing four third period goals.
The third period goals against are concerning given what this team has done previously this season, but they still managed to get the two points. They enter this week having won six games in a row, seven of their past eight games and have at least one point in each of their past nine games. That has them sitting on Monday with the sixth-best points percentage in the entire NHL and the third-best points percentage in the Eastern Conference.
Lately, they have done what you would expect a good team to do and beat up on teams below them in the standings.
This week the schedule gets a little bit tougher with three pretty significant games against potential Eastern Conference playoff contenders as they go into the Olympic break.
The week begins on Monday night, at home, against the Ottawa Senators.
From a record and standings perspective, the Senators have been one of the more disappointing teams in the NHL this season having gone from a playoff spot in 2024-25, to a team that is struggling to stay in contention. But their record is also a little misleading and not a great reflection of the way the team has played.
There might not be a team in the NHL that has been hurt by goaltending more than them.
Ottawa is a top-10 goal-scoring team this season (ninth in the NHL at 3.33 goals per game) with a 54.01 percent expected goals share during 5-on-5 play (fourth-best in the NHL). They do a lot of things well, and have typically controlled the pace of play in their games.
They just can not get a save. From anybody. The Senators enter play on Monday with an all-situations team save percentage of just .868, which is 32nd out of 32 teams in the NHL. With even adequate or league average goaltending this might be a playoff team again. This is not a game to be taken lightly, especially with the Senators coming in having won three games in a row, outscoring their opponents by a 16-4 margin. It is also worth noting that two of those wins were against the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche.
They are capable of playing very well. Lately, they are. They are also finally getting some saves. Ottawa won the first meeting this season by a 4-0 margin, in Ottawa, back in December.
The Penguins then have a quick turnaround with a back-to-back situation on Tuesday night when they travel to Long Island for a massive game against the New York Islanders.
The Islanders are right behind the Penguins for the second spot in the Metropolitan Division.
Entering play on Monday, the Penguins are two points ahead of the Islanders for that second spot with two games in hand.
The Islanders also play on Monday night against the Washington Capitals (at Washington), so both teams will be playing the second half of a back-to-back with travel. That helps even things out for both teams.
The outcomes of Monday’s games could really change the stakes for that Tuesday game on Long Island.
A Penguins win, combined with an Islanders loss, would give the Penguins a four-point lead over the Islanders going into Tuesday’s game (with still two games in hand) and give them a chance to take a really commanding lead in that race for the second spot in the Metropolitan Division.
A Penguins loss on Monday, combined with an Islanders win, would draw the Islanders even in terms of total points and give them a chance to move ahead on Tuesday with a win.
There is potentially a lot happening there.
This Islanders team is also winning in the most New York Islanders way imaginable. They do not really do anything particularly well. They are not a great offensive team. They are 32nd out of 32 teams in expected goals against per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play. They are 29th in the NHL in expected goal share during 5-on-5 play.
So how are they winning and staying in the race? It is the goaltending. Ilya Sorokin is playing out of his mind, and after a couple of down years (by his standards, anyway) he is back to playing like one of the truly elite goalies in the NHL.
They also have Matthew Schaefer. The No. 1 overall pick has stepped right into the NHL and made an almost unbelievable impact. We really have not seen an 18-year-old defenseman impact games and a team the way he has in decades. If ever. He is legit. He is the real deal. The Penguins won the first meeting of the season by a 4-3 margin in their home opener.
The Penguins then close out their pre-Olympic break schedule on Thursday with a road game at the Buffalo Sabres. It was not even two months ago that game looked like a potential win that you could pencil in given how bad the Sabres started the season and how they looked like every other Sabres team from the past 14-15 years. Lately, though, they have been one of the hottest and best teams in the league, look like a playoff team, and are playing like a playoff team. That is not going to be an easy game.
Not only is Buffalo playing exceptionally well, it also has some really high-level players that can take over games in forward Tage Thompson and defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. The Penguins won the first meeting of the season against the Sabres, in Pittsburgh, but it was not one of their crisper or cleaner games.
This is going to be a challenging week, not only in terms of opponent, but also because of going on the road and having another back-to-back situation. The good news: They will have Bryan Rust back for Tuesday’s game against the Islanders, even if that creates a lineup crunch that will probably take Rutger McGroarty out of the lineup. If the Penguins can get three or four points out of this week, that would be a fine result and really keep their momentum going into the Olympic break and keep them in a great position in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
WASHINGTON, D.C -- Former New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz is stepping down as Nashville Predators' general manager, per Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
Trotz will stay on until he can hire his replacement.
The now 63-year-old took over for longtime Nashville general manager David Poile on July 1, 2023, just a season after former Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello relieved him of his coaching duties following a disappointing 2021-2022 season.
Trotz, who helped lead the Islanders to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals in 2020 and 2021, won the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2018 and made the playoffs in his first season at the helm in Nashville, losing in the first round to the Vancouver Canucks after six games.
After missing the playoffs in 2024-2025, Trotz's current team sits four points out of the second wild-card spot, last beating the Islanders 4-3 at UBS Arena on Saturday.
The Predators will be holding a press conference at 12 PM CT to make this move official.
The second half of Monday's doubleheader on Peacock features plenty of star power as Tyrese Maxey and the 76ers (27-21) are out West to take on Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers (23-25).
Philadelphia will be minus one star as they take the court minus Paul George who will be sitting for the second game since being suspended for 25 for PED use late last week. The Sixers did win in their first game minus George, knocking off the Pelicans in Philly, 124-114. Dominick Barlow started in place of George. He scored eight points and pulled down 3 rebounds in 28 minutes. Joel Embiid scored 40 in 39 minutes to pace the offense.
The Clippers walked over the Suns last night in Phoenix, 117-93, for their fourth win in their last five games. Kawhi Leonard paced the offense with 25 points. James Harden (personal) missed the game. Defense continues to be the underlying story in the Clippers’ recent run of good play. Ty Lue’s team is allowing just under 100 points per game (99.6) over their last five outings.
This is the final meeting of the regular season between these teams. They met in Philadelphia on November 17 with the 76ers outlasting the Clippers, 110-108, outscoring LA 37-25 in the fourth quarter. Tyrese Maxey scored 39 in the win. James Harden had 28 for the Clippers. Neither Embiid nor Leonard dressed for their respective games in that game.
Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch Live: 76ers at Clippers
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Game Odds: 76ers at Clippers
The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Philadelphia 76ers (+114), Los Angeles Clippers (-135)
Spread: Clippers -2.5
Total: 220.5 points
This game opened Clippers -2.5 with the Total set at 221.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Joel Embiid (ankle) is listed as probable for tonight’s game
Paul George (susp.) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
Los Angeles Clippers
James Harden (personal) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game
TyTy Washington Jr. (hamstring) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
Bradley Beal (hip) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
Derrick Jones Jr. (knee) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
Important stats, trends and insights: 76ers at Clippers
The Clippers are 13-9 at home this season
The 76ers are 12-8 on the road this season
The Clippers are 24-24 ATS this season
The 76ers are 27-21 ATS this season
The OVER has cashed in 23 of the Clippers’ 48 games this season (23-25)
The OVER has cashed in 25 of the 76ers’ 48 games this season (25-23)
Tyrese Maxey has gone 4-9 (44.4%) from 3-point range in each of his last 2 games
Rookie VJ Edgecombe has picked up 4 or more assists in 6 of his last 9 games
Kris Dunn has picked up at least 1 steal in 7 of his last 9 games
John Collins has pulled down 15 rebounds (9 at Phoenix, 6 at Denver) in his last 2 games
Collins has totaled 6 or more rebounds just 3 times in his last 10 games
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s 76ers and Clippers’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the 76ers on the Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the 76ers +2.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 220.5
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Groundhog Day feels like “Groundhog Day” for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who face a repeat opponent in the Memphis Grizzlies tonight.
Minnesota scored a 17-point road victory at Memphis on the weekend, with center Rudy Gobert falling just short of what would have been his 23rd double-double of the season.
My Timberwolves vs. Grizzlies predictions and NBA picks like the 7-foot Frenchman to double-up in this double feature in Memphis tonight.
Timberwolves vs Grizzlies prediction
Timberwolves vs Grizzlies best bet: Rudy Golbert to record a double-double (-110)
Memphis is missing several starters and key players, including leading rebounders Zach Edey, Santi Aldama, and possibly Jaren Jackson Jr. (questionable). With holes in the frontcourt, the Grizzlies’ rebound rate has tumbled during the team’s current six-game losing skid.
That depleted interior has also led to a spike in points in the paint from those opponents, with Memphis going from an average of just 48.6 PITP allowed to 53.3 points against in the key over the last six contests.
Gobert’s offense is somewhat limited to putbacks off rebounds and easy looks at the hoop. He leads the Wolves in offensive rebounds as well as second-chance points and picks up 8.8 of his average 10.8 points per game in the paint. Gobert's contributions could see a spike given the questionable designations of stars Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle.
Gobert recorded nine of his 22 double-doubles over his 14 games in January and just missed No. 23 by one point on Saturday (9 points, 16 rebounds).
Player projections for Monday’s return meeting in Memphis have Gobert’s offensive output north of 11 points with a ceiling of 12.3 while his rebound forecast calls for double figures and a high of 12 boards.
Timberwolves vs Grizzlies same-game parlay
The Timberwolves are picking up steam with four straight wins and ATS victories, including Saturday’s 17-point win at Memphis.
The Grizzlies are missing so many key players and so could the Timberwolves (Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle). I don’t see Minnesota shooting better than 50% from the floor in this return matchup.
Timberwolves vs Grizzlies SGP
Timberwolves -7.5
Under 229.5
Rudy Gobert to record a double-double
Our "from downtown" SGP: Go long, Gobert!
Our game projections call for a 118-109 Timberwolves win, which would cover the spread and stay below the total. Cam Spencer will put in a better effort for the thin Grizzlies after scoring just five points on the weekend.
Timberwolves vs Grizzlies SGP
Timberwolves -7.5
Under 229.5
Rudy Gobert to record a double-double
Cam Spencer Over 10.5 points
Timberwolves vs Grizzlies odds
Spread: Timberwolves -7.5 | Grizzlies +7.5
Moneyline: Timberwolves -315 | Grizzlies +255
Over/Under: Over 229.5 | Under 229.5
Timberwolves vs Grizzlies betting trend to know
The Grizzlies are 2-10 SU and 3-9 ATS as a home underdog this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs. Grizzlies.
How to watch Timberwolves vs Grizzlies
Location
FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Date
Monday, February 2, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock
Timberwolves vs Grizzlies latest injuries
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SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 27: Former Padres pitcher and Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman stands on the mound for the ceremonial first pitch before the game against the Atlanta braves on opening day at Petco Park on March 27, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Trevor Hoffman - Getty Images
Padres FanFest was the unofficial kickoff to the San Diego Padres season giving fans a chance to hear from front office personnel, the manager and various players. The Padres started the week leading into FanFest with the announcement of the San Diego promotional schedule, which included nine different bobbleheads. The collectibles included players past and present as well as Don Orsillo and Mark Grant from the Padres television booth. The Friar Faithful who responded to the Padres Reacts Survey on Gaslamp Ball said they would like to get to Petco Park for the opportunity to receive the Trevor Hoffman bobblehead. The Hall of Fame closer converted 601 saves during his MLB career and will be fondly remembered for his time in San Diego, which included a 53 save season in 1998 that helped the Padres reach the World Series against the New York Yankees.
Padres News:
Fernando Tatis Jr. spoke openly at Padres FanFest about his offensive struggles during the 2025 season. He attributed some of the issues to mechanics and some in the media have questioned whether off-field issues, such as a lawsuit with a lender, may have taken some of his focus away from the field. Whatever the issue or issues were, Tatis Jr. said they are behind him and he is ready to show why he believes he is one of the best players in the game.
Mark Polishuk of MLB Trade Rumors says the Padres have shown interest in free agent first baseman and former Padre Ty France. The Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Mets and New York Yankees are also reported to be interested in France.
New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto has committed to play for Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. Athletics starter Luis Severino and Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Dennis Santana also committed to the team.
With Eugenio Suarez signing with the Reds, the Diamondbacks have shifted their focus to other free agents and they are reportedly interested in first baseman Carlos Santana.
There are so many official and unofficial baseball dates every year as the calendar flips from December to January. This one has even more than most with the WBC, but the first big milestone for the Red Sox is Truck Day. What Fenway Fest begins — a focus on the 2026 season rather than 2025 — Truck Day formalizes.
JetBlue Park in For Myers might be 1,480 miles away from Fenway Park in Boston but it will seem like home once the players arrive.
I try and make it to Truck Day on my commute every year. Some years are more crowded with well-wishers and TV news than others. 2019 was a pretty excited crowd. 2023 it was effectively 0 degrees with a very strong wind chill. In 2025 there was no one waiting as I passed through. Usually there is at least one TV camera set up capturing stock footage of people walking past Fenway Park. I know they showed up later, but the unofficial survey based on going by the scene the same time every year showed less interest in the Sox, somehow. That’s at least as accurate as checking for an early spring based on the routine of a groundhog, which is appropriate here in 2026. And this morning? Three TV cameras were set up catching B-roll. Get excited!
The same list of bits, bobs, and whatchamacallits is piled into a tractor trailer or two every year. And while some of this could be shipped directly to Florida there’s probably enough other stuff that it just makes sense to have the staff in Boston take care of it. With all the trouble the league has had with uniforms the past few seasons there might even be necessary quality control. Plus anything that ended the year at Fenway Park and needs to get to Florida and a nice feeling of tradition and you’ve got more than enough reason to have people show up on a cold Monday ton wish the team good luck.
20,400 baseballs
1,100 bats
200 batting gloves
200 batting helmets
320 batting practice tops
160 white game jerseys
300 pairs of pants
400 t-shirts
400 pairs of socks
20 cases of bubble gum
60 cases of sunflower seeds
The high is 59 in Fort Myers vs 31 in Boston today, although it’ll be in the teens while they are loading the truck.
After the truck leaves Boston it will make a short stop in Worcester! Be at Polar Park (Madison Street side) at about 12:45 for your chance to see the truck and the WooSox mascot crew.
So, if you’re around, stop by in Boston or Worcester. Maybe see Wally. Probably see a small convoy full of the stuff that makes baseball playable. Remember that after the truck the pitchers and catchers will report to Spring Training. Then everyone else. Then it’s time for workouts, games, and finally Opening Day.
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 01: Will Riley #27 of the Washington Wizards drives to the basket against Devin Carter #22 of the Sacramento Kings during the second half at Capital One Arena on February 1, 2026 in Washington, DC. 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 Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Wizards swarmed defensively in the first half and built a 17-point lead, slacked off enough to give back the entire advantage, and then let the deep bench mob play the entire fourth quarter to escape with a 116-112 victory.
If you’re worried about The Tank, yeah — be worried. It was Washington’s 13th win of the season, which puts them in a tie with the Brooklyn Nets for fourth worst winning percentage. The Utah Jazz — with their propensity for thoroughly unethical tanking shenanigans — lurk at sixth worst, scant percentage points behind.
Wizards rookie Will Riley carried the team’s offense for extended stretches of their 116-112 win over the Sacramento Kings. | NBAE via Getty Images
Ashamed owners of the league’s worst winning percentage? The Sacramento Kings.
The Kings thought they’d be good. Or hoped they would be. Or something. They’re the Kings, which means they could turn a fairly promising roster with an interesting future into this in just two off-seasons. Their roster-building strategy appears to have been finding guys who have less impact on winning than you’d think based on their reputation and glory stats (points, rebounds, assists). Their big three: DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Domantas Sabonis. Check, check, check.
Plus, Sabonis was out. Again.
All three are good-to-very-good players, by the way. None of them have quite the impact you’d want or expect.
The Kings broadcast kept mentioning the trade they’d made, which shipped out some guys and brought back a guy. The deal: Dennis Schroder, Keon Ellis, Dario Saric, and a second round pick for De’Andre Hunter. I’m not sure they missed anyone they traded last night, except perhaps in spirit. It’s doubtful Hunter would have helped much. It’s a classic, “Hey, how ‘bout that.“ kind of move — give up not much to get not much. It doesn’t make them better, younger, or cheaper, and they actually gave up a draft pick to do it. #SoKings.
There was a game, and I was entertained. As mentioned in the lede, the Wizards were all over the Kings defensively in the early going. They kept deflecting passes and poking at the ball and forcing Sacramento to reset their offense. The Kings were working hard to generate difficult shots, and it showed — they shot 4-22 in the first quarter and committed six turnovers.
And then, the Wizards did the kind of thing 19-21 year olds are prone to do: they slacked off a bit. The attention to detail waned, the maniacal effort drooped, and the Kings started getting easier shots and wider paths to the basket. This is normal developmental stuff, and head coach Brian Keefe responded by rewarding the play-hard deep bench mob with all of the fourth quarter minutes.
Thoughts & Observations
My habit of watching the opposing team’s broadcast may have backfired on me. Not because the Kings broadcast is bad — Kayte Christensen is a strong analyst, and Kyle Draper is decent on play-by-play — but because they never addressed why Justin Champagnie didn’t play. In their defense, I did a quick google this morning and didn’t find a definitive answer.
My first quarter notes are filled with words like “deflection” and “pressure.” Those words stop appearing midway through the second quarter.
At 6:32 of the first quarter, Bilal Coulibaly had what I jotted down as a “sleight of hand” steal. It was so quick and casual, I missed it live — DeRozan was dribbling and suddenly the ball was loose. I rewound and on replay, I could see Coulibaly’s superb ball targeting and defensive disruptiveness.
When Sacramento’s Nique Clifford converted a layup with 9:15 remaining in the second quarter, it was the Kings’ first field goal in more than 10 minutes of game time.
This is the version of Coulibaly the Wizards want. He defended well, attacked on offense, and set up teammates. He’s so quick and long that he should be able to generate paint touches nearly any time he wants. Big things for him to work on: tighten up the ball handling, trust his athleticism when trying to finish (in other words: go over people, accept the contact, and get to the free throw line), and work on that three-point shooting.
Want an example of Keefe’s play design prowess? Check the video at 7:15 of the third quarter. The team ran a high staggered pick-and-roll for Middleton with screens from Kyhawn George and Marvin Bagley III. Coulibaly was positioned in the weakside corner; Carrington out top on the wing. The staggered screen forces the weakside defender (LaVine) assigned to Carrington to come over to help on Middleton. Just as Middleton comes off the screens and LaVine has to commit, Coulibaly cuts baseline. The Coulibaly cut has to be covered by the low man (Maxime Raynaud). Meanwhile Carrington drifts to the corner — each step lengthening LaVine’s eventual closeout. Middleton makes the pass, and Carrington suddenly has the ball with literally not a single Sacramento defender on his side of the floor. He nails the wide open three.
Late in the third quarter, Jamir Watkins got yet another open court strip. This time, his victim was LaVine. It’s not as flashy as Grand Theft Alvarado, but it’s effective.
Devin Carter was a YODA favorite despite being small — strong production and eye-popping athleticism. That athleticism was on display on a spectacular dunk at 9:09 of the fourth quarter.
9:09 — Devin Carter SPECTACULAR dunk in transition — 95-95
DeRozan wanted to attack Anthony Gill and kept forcing switches to get him. It was mostly successful by DeRozan’s standards — he got the relatively difficult midrange jumpers he wanted, and mostly made them. That said, I thought Gill did his job properly. He kept DeRozan away from the paint and contested the low value shots the Wizards would have wanted him to take.
One cool thing: Throughout the fourth quarter, the team’s starters cheered for the bench mob like a collective Anthony Gill.
Amusing moment: Late in the game, Sacramento’s broadcasters were calling for the Kings to foul Washington. Meanwhile, Kings coach Doug Christie was hollering at his players NOT to foul. When they finally did, he was thoroughly disgusted. In that situation — down three with 23 seconds to go in the game and 16 seconds on the shot clock — the Kings didn’t need to foul.
Sacramento is now on a nine-game losing streak.
The Wizards have won three of their last four.
It was fun to see Will Riley leading the team’s offense for an extended stretch. He finished with 18 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists. His offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) was a lofty 131 (average so far this season is 115.4).
Sharife Cooper — generously listed at 6-0 — was the game’s leading rebounder. He had seven boards in 13 minutes of action, including a tip-in with 37 seconds remaining to put Washington up 115-110.
Bagley punished the Kings (who drafted him, never figured out how to use him, and then traded him for next to nothing) with 15 points (on 7-8 shooting) and 6 rebounds in 19 minutes.
Four Factors
Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).
The four factors are measured by:
eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)
FOUR FACTORS
KINGS
WIZARDS
LGAVG
eFG%
51.2%
59.7%
54.3%
OREB%
31.0%
35.1%
26.1%
TOV%
14.5%
17.6%
12.8%
FTM/FGA
0.310
0.125
0.209
PACE
97
99.5
ORTG
116
120
115.4
Stats & Metrics
PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).
PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.
POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.
ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is 115.5. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.
USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%.
ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.
+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 114, the league — on average — would produced 22.8 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -2.8.
Players are sorted by total production in the game.
We’re just two weeks out from the All-Star break, and “silly season” is right around the corner. To prepare for these end-of-season shenanigans, most of the players listed in this week’s column play for teams who aren’t expected to make the playoffs.
Moussa Diabaté and the surging Hornets are an exception, and so is Collin Murray-Boyles, who continues to play well for the fourth-seeded Toronto Raptors. This week’s top add, Kelly Oubre Jr., is set for big minutes with Paul George suspended until at least March 25 due to violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy.
Ace Bailey is getting hot after a slow start to his rookie campaign, and Ty Jerome wasted no time getting back into the action in Saturday’s season debut. Dylan Cardwell’s role continues to grow, and Kyle Kuzma should stick with the starters until Giannis Antetokounmpo is available again.
Below are the top fantasy basketball waiver wire adds for Week 16.
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Priority Adds
1. Kelly Oubre Jr.
2. Ace Bailey
3. Saddiq Bey
4. Moussa Diabaté
5. Dylan Cardwell
6. Ty Jerome
7. Jarace Walker
8. Collin Murray-Boyles
9. Kyle Kuzma
10. Day’Ron Sharpe
Saddiq Bey, New Orleans Pelicans (41 percent rostered)
Bey is right on the fringe of being featured in this article due to his surging roster percentage, but he’s been too good to ignore. I’ll include him for one last week before he’s taken in more than half of Yahoo! leagues. Over his last six games, Bey has averaged 25.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 3.2 triples across 32.2 minutes. He's been a strong source of points, steals, triples and boards, contributing across the board and offering top-10 per-game fantasy value over the last week.
Kelly Oubre Jr., Philadelphia 76ers (31 percent rostered)
Oubre Jr. has started eight straight games with averages of 15.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.4 blocks and 2.0 triples. He posted a 19/10/4 line on Saturday, and more big games could be on the horizon. Paul George is serving a 25-game suspension, which clears the runway for Oubre Jr. to take on an expanded role. Oubre Jr. had standalone value with PG available, but he gets a significant boost with this expanded opportunity.
Ace Bailey, Utah Jazz (29 percent rostered)
The rookie has started 11 straight games, and he’s turned up his production over his last seven. In those seven games, Bailey has posted 16 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.6 blocks and 2.0 triples across 30.3 minutes. Bailey has shot 47.5% from the floor and a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line. The No. 5 pick is heating up, and fantasy managers should add him while they can.
Moussa Diabaté, Charlotte Hornets (27 percent rostered)
Diabaté continues to see big minutes as Charlotte’s starting center, averaging 30 minutes across his last five outings. In that span, the big man has averaged 12.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.6 steals and 1.0 swats while shooting 73% from the floor. Ryan Kalkbrenner's run with the first unit is over, and it appears to be Diabaté's job to lose.
Kuz has taken on an increased workload with Giannis Antetokounmpo on the sideline, averaging 17.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.3 triples across 33.3 minutes over his last three games. He ranks 101st in per-game fantasy value over the last week, and he should remain with the first unit until Giannis returns.
Collin Murray-Boyles, Toronto Raptors (25 percent rostered)
After a four-game absence, Murray-Boyles has started three straight games and logged 28.3 minutes per tilt. In those contests, he’s averaged 6.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.3 swats while shooting 50% from the floor. His value as a scorer and rebounder has been minimal, but he’s been elite on the defensive end, and fantasy managers should pick him up if he was dropped.
Ty Jerome, Memphis Grizzlies (21 percent rostered)
Jerome made his season debut in Saturday’s loss to Minnesota, and he made an impact right away. The offensive-minded guard started the game and posted a 20/1/6/1 line with two triples in just 19 minutes. Cam Spencer was on a roll, but Jerome’s immediate insertion into the starting lineup and surprisingly productive night were not expected. Jerome put up some monster lines for the Cavs last season, so Saturday’s showing is not a fluke.
Over his last five outings (four starts), Walker has posted 16.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.8 steals and 2.2 triples across 27.6 minutes. The stretch big shot 52.6% from the floor and 76.5% from the charity stripe in that span, offering serviceable efficiency. Walker looks like he’s found a permanent spot in the starting five, and he’s doing enough in multiple categories to be rostered in standard leagues. Add him while he’s still available.
Over his last six games, Sharpe has averaged 8.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.2 blocks across 19.2 minutes. He continues to come off the bench behind Nic Claxton, but Sharpe is a great source of rebounds, steals and FG% who is widely available. He’s got tremendous upside for bigger numbers if Claxton is forced to miss time or if Brooklyn gives him a longer look down the stretch of another lost season.
Cardwell has recorded at least one blocked shot in nine straight games. Over those nine games, he’s averaged 5.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 2.1 swats while shooting 75% from the field. The big man has seen his playing time tick up, logging 22.9 minutes in that span, and he could be in line for even more moving forward. His two-way deal was converted to a standard contract following the De’Andre Hunter trade, and with Sacramento out of the playoff picture, Cardwell could be an end-of-season stud.
A lot of good things happened on Saturday night in the Senators 4-1 win over the visiting New Jersey Devils. The Sens played an excellent game, Linus Ullmark was excellent in his return, and the club won their third game in a row.
But Sens defenseman Tyler Kleven also did something cool. According to NHL Public Relations, the 24-year-old unleashed the hardest slapshot in the NHL this season.
Kleven's shot was clocked at 103.51 miles per hour, harder than shots by the former leader, Boston forward Morgan Geekie (103.03 MPH), and New York Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock (103.01), both recorded back in November.
Steve Warne discusses the recent play of Nick Cousins and if the Sens should re-sign him.
Kleven really stepped into one on Saturday hammering the puck more than eight miles per hour harder than any of his other shots this season. He now stands tied for 10th among defensemen with 20 shots that have been recorded at over 90 miles per hour.
Along with Geekie (2) and Pulock (3), two other NHL players have recorded multiple 100-plus mph shot attempts this season. They are Winnipeg Jets defenseman Colin Miller and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Louis Crevier (three each).
Kleven has 10 points in 49 games this season, already matching the total he had in 79 games in his rookie season last year. He's also seen an uptick in ice time, going from 14:28 to 16:46.
Kleven and the Senators return to action on Monday night in Pittsburgh, opening a stretch where they play eight of the next nine games on the road.
Steve Warne The Hockey News
This story is from The Hockey News Ottawa. You can visit the site here or click on one of their latest articles below:
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 30: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins battles against Ridly Greig #71 of the Ottawa Senators at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Who:Ottawa Senators (26-21-7, 59 points, 7th place Atlantic Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (28-14-11, 67 points, 2nd place Metropolitan Division)
When: 7:00 p.m. eastern
How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh, streaming on ESPN+
Pens’ Path Ahead: The Olympic break is rapidly approaching, the Pens have two more road games (tomorrow night on Long Island, then Thursday in Buffalo) before putting a pin in the NHL season for three weeks.
Opponent Track: It’s high time for the Senators to get it in gear if they want to salvage their season with a playoff run, and they just might be getting that rolling. Ottawa has won three straight games, in impressive fashion by a 16-4 total score over Vegas, Colorado and New Jersey. Overall they’re 6-2-2 in the last 10 games. After tonight, the Sens fly to Carolina to play the Hurricanes tomorrow, so they’ll have to keep those considerations in mind with some lineup/goalie decisions.
Season Series: Ottawa won a 4-0 game back on December 18th in the first matchup of the year. After tonight, the Pens go back to Ottawa on March 26th for the third and final game.
Hidden Stat: The Penguins have not been a good matchup with Ottawa lately. The Sens are 8-1-1 against Pittsburgh since the start of the 2022-23 season.
Getting to know the Senators
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Drake Batherson – Tim Stutzle – Claude Giroux
Brady Tkachuk – Dylan Cozens – Ridley Greig
Nick Cousins – Shane Pinto – Michael Amadio
Stephen Halliday – Lars Eller – Fabian Zetterlund
DEFENSEMEN
Jake Sanderson / Artem Zub
Thomas Chabot / Nick Jensen
Tyler Kleven / Jordan Spence
Goalies: Linus Ullmark and James Reimer
Potential scratches: Kurtis MacDermid, Nikolas Matinpalo
Injured Reserve: David Perron
Ullmark started on Saturday stopping 26/27 shots in his first game back from a month-long personal leave of absence for mental health reasons. That battle was compounded by unfounded rumors via social media.
Giroux, 38, doesn’t have a contract for next season. Not sure if he intends to retire or not but always a chance for someone in his position that tonight could be his last game playing against the Pens in Pittsburgh. Same could probably be pointed out for the aged former Penguins Perron and Eller in the last year of their contracts and the final visit to Pittsburgh on the season scheduled tonight (although Perron won’t be playing tonight due to injury).
Ottawa’s an interesting team in that they’ve put the pieces together with several high draft picks, now it should be time to see what they can do. They’re not exactly young-young for an NHL team (everyone is 23+) and almost all of their core (Tkachuk, Batherson, Chabot, Sanderson, Stutzle) has all been around and together for 4-5-6 seasons now in a lot of cases. It looked like they might have been turning the corner when they qualified for the playoffs last year for the first time since Chris Kunitz bounced them in 2017, but it’s been right back down this season so far.
As we’re about to discuss, there’s no mystery why the team is in the position they are in..
Key to the game: Exploiting Ottawa’s goaltending
It’s no exaggeration to say the Senators have had their season derailed by goaltending. Hockey is a complex sport where factors from several different areas all matter and add up, but in this instance it’s pretty simple: the Senators haven’t gotten enough goaltending to be competitive. With such a poor foundation to build upon, it’s just impossible to go anywhere.
If the Sens were getting even below-average goaltending behind their elite team defence, they'd be in a very solid position right now. Allowing only one goal last night is a good start, but in fairness it was against the Devils…https://t.co/iA5WzxgvUFhttps://t.co/PjeGynHG54pic.twitter.com/3uJS1rOyVB
Of course, the big hope is that the worst could be behind them if Ullmark is able to play up to his capabilities – he’s been one of the league’s better goalies in prior years with Boston and Buffalo. The physical tools and abilities are there, his step away from the team to get the mental areas under control could be the key to the season at this point for the Sens. They can’t keep up with those types of inputs (best xG defense, worst goaltending) and expect to go far.
That makes for a simple but ruthless game plan for the Pens. Go knock down the confidence. The Pens have been one of the NHL’s best first period teams this year, getting out to an early lead and deflating the confidence of the goalie and whole team would be a clean and easy path to a win tonight. Don’t let them get on track in that area and take advantage of what’s been shaky at best as Ullmark looks to keep building back up, assuming he plays since Ottawa has another game tomorrow. If it’s not Ullmark, then the task becomes picking on an almost 38-year old James Reimer.
And now for the Pens
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby – Justin Brazeau
Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin
Rutger McGroarty – Ben Kindel – Anthony Mantha
Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Noel Acciari
DEFENSEMEN
Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson
Brett Kulak / Ryan Shea
Ilya Solovyov / Connor Clifton
Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner
Potential Scratches: Bryan Rust (serving the third game of his three-game suspension), Kevin Hayes
IR: Kris Letang (broken foot, out at least four weeks), Ryan Graves, Filip Hallander, Caleb Jones, Jack St. Ivany
You can tell Evgeni Malkin is gutting it out with his shoulder seemingly giving him more problems with every passing game in the last handful of games. Will he be able to make it to the Olympic break?
This will be the last game without Rust playing, at least. And with the inspired way McGroarty has been flying around the team still figures to have some decent options for the rest of the week, even though it obviously would be difficult to replace someone with the weight that comes with having a Malkin-type star in the lineup.
After Skinner had perhaps his sloppiest game as a Penguin on Saturday against the Rangers, does the team now turn to giving Silovs two out of the three games in the Mon-Tues-Thurs split? Makes sense as of now.
Winning streak leaders
Not a Crosby or Rakell or Karlsson to be found in the team’s top scorers of the course of their six-game winning streak. The contributions are coming from everywhere, most notably and noticeably from their impressive fourth line of Dewar, Lizotte and Acciari seemingly always putting their imprint on a game. That Mantha-Kindel connection has really been coming through and paying big dividends too.
There are 10 games scheduled across the National Hockey League this evening. My NHL player props for all the action will include Quinn Hughes, Cole Caufield, and Rasmus Dahlin.
Quinn Hughes has been fantastic since coming over to the Minnesota Wild, and he’s riding an eight-game point streak. However, there’s not a lot of value in the Over for his points prop, so I’m focusing on Hughes’ ability to put pucks on net.
The defenseman is averaging 2.72 SOG this season, and he’s cashed the Over in back-to-back contests. Hughes had three shots on target in a 7-3 win over the Oilers on Saturday and had another four last Thursday against the Flames.
Hughes is averaging 3.08 SOG at home this season, and the Wild will welcome the Montreal Canadiens to Saint Paul this evening.
We shift over to the Habs for my second prop. Cole Caufield is having another fantastic campaign for Montreal, which looks poised to make the playoffs. The American has scored 32 goals, which leads the team.
Caufield ranks third in the league in scoring, and he’s found the back of the net in seven of his last eight appearances, including twice in a victory against the Sabres on Saturday.
January was huge for the 25-year-old, as he scored 13 goals. He also netted against the Wild last month and will keep it rolling.
Rasmus Dahlin continues to impress as a playmaker for the Buffalo Sabres. He’s registered 33 helpers in 2025-26, and in January, the 25-year-old handed out nine assists. He’s hit the Over in three consecutive outings.
During that span, Dahlin has four helpers. He had an assist in a loss to the Canadiens on Saturday, and also handed out another helper a couple of days before that against the Kings.
The Sabres take on the Florida Panthers tonight, and Dahlin has two assists against them this season across two meetings. He’s also tallied 17 helpers on the road.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
We are launching a new daily article here at South Side Sox, more prominently than our items that pop up on The Feed. It falls under the category of White Sox Discussions, which you’ll see in a few weeks will also be our new branding for Game Threads.
Given recent events, there are more and more Crosstown losses to get hot and bothered over. And there have been playoff losses that stung: 1959, 1983, 2000, 2008, 2020, 2021. Some bonehead plays have keyed comical and tragic losses on the South Side. Or maybe it’s a historic loss from 2024, be it No. 107 to break the franchise mark or 121 to set the all-time modern record.
With the team just needing to fall six games worse than .500 to reach the lowest mark in franchise history, there are 9,714 regular season losses and another 32 in the postseason. But which is the one you cannot shake?
Jul 22, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (5) celebrates with Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien (2) after the game against the Athletics at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Good morning.
Evan Grant writes that the Texas Rangers have done the heavy lifting as far as winter roster moves, but there are still a handful of budget free agents that could make sense ahead of spring training.
At The Athletic, Jim Bowden grades each club’s offseason moves and hands out passing marks to the Rangers for their offseason maneuvering.
Matt Snyder ranks and grades the free agent shortstop signings from recent years where Corey Seager’s deal with Texas lands at No. 1. Winning the World Series as World Series MVP will do that.
And, Russell Dorsey checks out the upcoming top spring training storylines for each team with the hunt to get back to October being the theme for Texas this year.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 18: Michael Porter Jr. #17 of the Brooklyn Nets dribbles against Norman Powell #24 of the Miami Heat during the first half at Barclays Center on December 18, 2025 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. 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 Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Michael Porter Jr. is averaging 25.6 points and 3.2 assists, both career-highs. Throw in his seven rebounds a night and the fact that he is true-shooting 61.8% (+3.8% over league-average) on a team devoid of other high-end talent, and it seems like an ironclad All-Star case.
Not so. The NBA announced the full list of All-Star reserves on Sunday afternoon; Porter Jr. did not make the cut. Nearly three weeks after NBA PR released full voting results for All-Star starters, it came as a bit of a surprise. In that round of voting, MPJ was firmly inside the cut line among players, fans, and media. Reminder: for all the silliness of the All-Star game format this season, the selection process remains unchanged, and a dozen players from each conference are selected…
Courtesy: NBA PR
The coaches, however, are responsible for selecting the reserves, and they did not deem MPJ worthy of his first All-Star appearance. They did not heed the words of peer Jordi Fernández: “We’ve competed for a lot of games, and he’s a big reason why we’re there. He’s just doing his job, and it’s not about him; it’s about the group. So if you think about his impact on competitiveness, that’s what All-Stars do, and that’s why Mike should be there.”
So, was MPJ a snub? Well, we can’t say that without examining the rest of the field…
The Locks
Donovan Mitchell
Jalen Johnson
Jalen Duren
Scottie Barnes
Though 25 points a night ain’t what it used to be, it’s still a steep hill to climb. No 25 PPG scorer (over a full season) has missed the All-Star game since 2017, when Damian Lillard and Karl-Anthony Towns both fell victim to statflation. Of course, MPJ’s averages may fall in March and April, but his scoring output is typically All-Star worthy, even in today’s day and age.
That being said, Porter Jr. was firmly behind these four players in the All-Star race. Only Mitchell is out-scoring Porter, but the other three are simply too impactful on teams much better than the Nets (yes, even the Atlanta Hawks). Moving on.
The Questionables
Pascal Siakam
After a deep-dive, I almost put Pascal Siakam in the category above. The two have similar arguments despite being on 13-win teams, but Siakam is just a little easier to buy.
Brooklyn’s net rating is 11 points per 100 possessions better when MPJ is on the floor; that’s the eighth-highest mark in the NBA (min. 700 minutes). Pascal Siakam is one of the seven guys ahead of MPJ on that list, and crucially, he’s played nine more games (and 338 more minutes) than Brooklyn’s leading scorer. The Indiana Pacers are absolutely horrific — even worse than the Nets — without Siakam, but respectable with him.
If they had played the same amount of minutes, Siakam and MPJ would be neck-and-neck. Siakam is averaging a comparable 24/7/4, on similar usage, but with a 56.4 TS%. However, he has an edge on defense, and though I doubt the coaches went this far down the rabbit hole, Siakam has been considerably better in the clutch.
Siakam: 8-14 record in clutch games, 52.1% true shooting.
Porter Jr.: 4-15 record in clutch games, 45.2% true shooting.
The case for Porter Jr. rests on his production for a terrible team, hoping not to be punished for the lack of talent around him. Well, Siakam has been as good if not better, played more minutes, and if we’re really going to dive into their impact on winning, Siakam has been better in the clutch for a team that has a better clutch record.
Norman Powell
If Norman Powell and Michael Porter Jr. magically swapped places, the latter would have made the All-Star game. Is that right? Must the Miami Heat — 27-24, sitting atop the Play-In sect of the Eastern Conference — be rewarded with an All-Star?
Powell is having a great season, no doubt. He’s averaging about 24/4/3 on 61.2% true shooting as the unquestioned leader of a Heat offense that was hyped early in the season for their blinding pace and refusal to set ball-screens. Powell has been firing catch-and-shoot threes per usual, but he’s been getting his own too.
Here’s the thing. The Miami Heat have the NBA’s 17th-best offensive rating and the 6th-best defensive rating. Defense drives them. Yes, Powell has been not just great but vital to Miami’s offense, particularly with Tyler Herro playing just 11 games. However…
Miami: 111.9 offensive rating without Powell, 117.4 with Powell (+5.5 swing).
Brooklyn: 105.4 offensive rating without MPJ, 117.5 with MPJ (+12.1 swing).
The Heat have a tough time scoring (and a slightly easier time defending) without Powell, who leads them to decent offense. The Nets have an horrific offense without Porter Jr., who leads them to decent offense. Credit Jordi Fernández for his creativity if you want, but you can’t vote head coaches to the All-Star team.
Porter Jr. has scored more at a more efficient clip. He’s also created more offense for his teammates, whether you only look at assist numbers or also factor in how his gravity as a shooter opens up cuts for others. No doubt Norman Powell has had similar offensive impact for a much better team, but has he been better than MPJ (in 60 more total minutes)? Not quite.
Karl-Anthony Towns
If the All-Star game were about rewarding year-over-year improvements, Karl-Anthony Towns wouldn’t be making the trip to Los Angeles. He’s been substantially worse than last season, converting twos at a career-low rate and making threes at the lowest clip since his rookie season. Per Cleaning the Glass (which filters out garbage time), the Knicks have actually been slightly better with him on the bench. After a stellar inaugural campaign in NYC, this is a clear step back for KAT.
But he’s still a great player. He’s averaging 20-and-12, leading the league in rebounds per game. Because New York rebounds when he’s on the court, their defense survives; they don’t stop opponents on first chances. While he’s struggling to make shots, opponents still respect his 3-point shooting, a necessary ingredient to New York’s offense.
Has he been better than Michael Porter Jr., though? I don’t think so.
Now that he’s no longer operating with world-class efficiency, KAT has less margin for error on defense. Again, he’s not an outright negative on that end thanks to his rebounding, but because he does little else well at such a premium position, it’s tough to argue his defense has made him a better player than MPJ this season. Especially when…
KAT: 23.33 points per 75 possessions on 59.4% true shooting (+1.4% relative to league-average), 1.15 assist-to-turnover, 25.8 usage%, +0.22 net swing.
MPJ: 28.95 points per 75 possessions on 61.8% true shooting (+3.8% rTS), 1.30 assist-to-turnover, 30.6 usage%, +11.0 net swing.
Jalen Brunson is the head of the snake in New York. I don’t want to be so reductive as to say any #1 option is better than any #2 option (that’s First Take stuff) but in the case of Michael Porter Jr. vs. Karl-Anthony Towns, it’s clear the latter has been better on offense. Yes, KAT has played about 160 more minutes, but I don’t think minutes + defense are enough to close the gap.
And hey, Pascal Siakam is in the All-Star game. Team success only means so much this year. Advantage: MPJ.
What happened, what’s next?
Erik Slater and I talked about MPJ’s All-Star snub on the latest episode of Locked On Nets…
I would love to avoid homer-ism and call it an “exclusion” and not a “snub” but it’s not my fault the head coaches made the wrong call. If Siakam is in, MPJ should be in. Not because he’s been better than Siakam (he hasn’t, in my opinion), but because it removes the barrier of team success from the equation.
Did something change in the last three weeks, or did the coaches just have far different opinions than players/fans/media? The Nets have suffered some embarrassing blowouts recently, but was that enough to swing opinion? Have Siakam, KAT, and Powell — all in their thirties — just built up that much more goodwill around the league? Or is the Nets’ reputation/brand simply at the bottom of the totem pole?
Whatever the case may be, Porter Jr. still has a chance to be named an All-Star by the commissioner. With Giannis Antetokounmpo set to miss the weekend’s festivities with injury, Adam Silver must select one Eastern Conference reserve to replace him (and, knock on wood, anybody else who gets hurt over the next week or two).
But MPJ may be a victim of timing. Joel Embiid has played just 28 games, but he’s going God Mode right now. LaMelo Ball also has a strong case for a surging Charlotte Hornets team, and like Embiid, has much more name recognition than MPJ.
Michael Porter Jr.’s next chance to get through to Adam Silver will come on Tuesday evening, when the Brooklyn Nets take on the Los Angeles Lakers at home. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
Raphielle Johnson
Kurt Helin
Quinn Hughes Over 2.5 SOG
Cole Caufield anytime goal
Rasmus Dahlin Over 0.5 assists
