The Florida Panthers took the ice on Thursday night for the final time until after the 2026 Winter Olympic hockey tournament ends later this month.
Playing their cross-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning, for the fourth and final time this season, Florida came up empty despite out-shooting and out-possessing their hosts, losing 6-1.
Tampa Bay got things started early when Brandon Hagel deflected home a shot by Victor Hedman just 2:08 into the game, then the Lightning took a 2-0 lead on a shot by Zemgus Girgensons with 5:52 to go in the period.
Despite Florida outshooting the Lightning 19-7 with a shot attempt edge of 34-14, they went into the middle frame trailing by two.
Things got worse for the Cats early in the second period.
Killing their first penalty of the night, the Panthers couldn’t complete the kill as Jake Guentzel banged home a Darren Raddysh rebound that hit Daniil Tarasov right in the glove, making it 3-0 Lightning at the 74 second mark.
A goal by Erik Cernak with just over two minutes left sent the Lightning into the third period with a four-goal advantage, all but sealing the deal for the Bolts.
Pontus Holmberg and Mackie Samoskevich traded power play goals during the final frame, and Oliver Bjorkstrand popped in a sixth Tampa goal for good measure.
Photo caption: Feb 5, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning center Zemgus Girgensons (28) is congratulated by center Yanni Gourde (37) after scoring against the Florida Panthers during the first period at Benchmark International Arena. (Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images)
DETROIT, MI - FEBRUARY 5: Kevin Huerter #27 of the Detroit Pistons listens to the national anthem before the game against the Washington Wizards on February 5, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Well, the trade deadline is in the books.
The Detroit Pistons, sitting first in the East even after an ugly loss to the Washington Wizards on Thursday, opted to take a more measured approach to the deadline with just one minor deal. Whether that was the right or wrong move is yet to be seen, but the squad took time to break down the deadline from a Pistons’ POV.
1. The Pistons made a relatively minor trade, acquiring Kevin Huerter and Dario Saric + a pick swap with the Wolves for Jaden Ivey. What are your thoughts on the players and assets Detroit acquired?
Brady Fredericksen: I think Huerter is… fine? I don’t think he’s as bad a shooter as he’s shown this season, and I think if you had faith that Fred Vinson could fix the Pistons’ shooting when he got here, you gotta have that same feeling for fixing whatever is off mechanically with Kevin Huerter’s jumper. There’s too big a sample size of good there for me to be convinced he just sucks now. Plus, he’s still shooting 43% on corner 3s over his last 70 games. He’ll get a healthy diet of that in Detroit. The pick swap is whatever, I liked that more when I thought they were going to trade that pick. Dario Saric would have been a cool Pistons addition sometime in 2019.
Wes Davenport: Kevin Huerter might be a great fit. It just comes down to his ability to shoot the basketball. His 3pt% has fallen precipitously since his first season with the Kings, bottoming out this year at 31% so far. But he has history as a very good shooter, even going back to his college days. Huerter is more than a shooter, he can handle and create out of the P&R as well. Good finisher, can hit a pull-up jumper. There’s a lot to like… if that 3pt shot comes back around. The pick swap is nice enough. The team could conceivably move up a few slots to the mid-20s on draft night which might not be a massive swing but is helpful. Saric hasn’t been impactful for some time now. Overall, Huerter does a lot of the stuff Ivey did but adds the ability to shoot off of movement, which they very much needed. Assuming that shot is what is was, not what is has been, of course.
Robbie Bettelon: I don’t think Saric will be here long, and moving up a handful of picks is nice, but I have some excitement about Kevin Huerter. He should at least provide additional gravity around screens as a movement shooter, similar to what Duncan does. Playing with Cade Cunningham should only help his three-point percentage.
Brennan Sims: I like Huerter as a spacer and finisher. Don’t think you need Šarić. I’m hopeful that Huerter will shoot better playing off Cade. He’s another handoff threat who can finish at the cup. The pick is another bonus. It never hurts to have a chance to move up when a class is this loaded.
Max Sturm: I think this all comes down to what they get out of the pick swap. Will it be used to sweeten a future bigger trade, or do the Pistons like someone that a potential move up via the Wolves pick could offer in this summer’s draft? To me, the answers to those questions down the road will say the most about this trade. Huerter can shoot it-despite a down year from three, and has surprisingly good finishing numbers at the rim. But I do wonder if he will play good enough defense to be on the floor consistently come playoff time. In that sense, I’m not sure if he is more than a regular season innings eater, but I hope I’m proven wrong.
2. What will Jaden Ivey be remembered for from his time in Detroit? What’s his “legacy” here, if you will.
Brady Fredericksen: I’ll always remember Jaden Ivey as a guy who worked hard to find his place but never quite found it. He was born into a horrific situation during the Weaver years. He spent a year in Point Guard 101 with Dwane Casey when Cade Cunningham missed the season. He had a disappointing sophomore season under Monty Williams and a really strong 30 games under JB Bickerstaff before the injury. I was never keen on Ivey’s game or fit, but I always appreciated his attitude and work ethic. He never mailed it in, even amidst some bullshit seasons and situations. I’ll always give the guy credit for that, even if I’m left disappointed that all of his never came together in a real way here.
Wes Davenport: Frankly, I don’t think a player who spent only a few seasons’ worth of games with a team earns much of a legacy one way or another. Obviously there is unmet potential, and the personal connections to Detroit make this all the more of a bummer. But legacies are made of more than that, either negative or positive.
Robbie Bettelon: I’ll always remember Jaden Ivey as a player that embraced Detroit and its history as soon as he was drafted. It’s not his fault that the timeline of the team fell this way, but they couldn’t afford to wait to figure out what he was on this roster.
Brennan Sims: It sucks how Ivey’s Pistons tenure turned out. I thought he was one of the steals of the draft when he fell to five. The unfortunate kept happening. He showed promise then 2024 happened. When Ivey was playing the best ball as a pro, more unfortunate stuff. The Pistons went on a run and Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson clearly became 2 and 3 on the team’s young core list. Ron Holland passed him too. Detroit got off to this hot start and haven’t looked back. It’s nobody’s fault it didn’t work out. Hopefully he recaptures that magic from last season.
Max Sturm: I held more Jaden Ivey stock than most, so selfishly this deal was tough on me. For me, it is two things: his emotional reaction to being selected by Detroit on draft night. It felt like an important statement for the organization that a prospect of his caliber wanted to be here during some of its bleakest times. Secondly, I remember a meaningless late season game against the Heat in his rookie year in which he caused so much havoc on their defense that they resorted to blitzing him. Of course, he had the ball in his hands this much because Cade Cunningham was out for the season. Which is pretty much how things went for the two of them, as they never seemed to fully get on the same page (or the same court for that matter). But back to that night against the Heat, while watching paint touch after paint touch by Ivey in which was a much closer game than expected, I remember fantasizing about how tough to guard two creators like him and Cunningham could be on the court together at the same time. We saw glimpses of it but never fully got to see the finished product. And that is a shame.
3. What grade would you give the Pistons at the deadline? Additionally, what is your confidence level on a scale of 1-10 that they can turn this magical regular season into an NBA Finals berth?
Brady Fredericksen: D+. The Pistons needed shooting, but their lack of secondary ball handling still terrifies me come playoff time. I would have liked a more reliable guard option than Caris LeVert and Daniss Jenkins. Maybe Huerter is that. It’s all comes down to this: If Red Velvet plays like he did when he had a real point guard on a playoff team (De’Aaron Fox and the 2022-23 Kings), the Pistons will have a shot to make a run. If he plays like the guy stuck in dysfunction (Kings) and purgatory (Bulls), we’re in trouble. I’ve had questions about the ultimate ceiling of this team all year, and I don’t know if that has changed today, either. I’ll say 5/10.
Wes Davenport: B. They did what we expected them to do — complete a minor trade that improves the roster on the margins. I admit I was surprised to see Ivey go, but after Kyle Metz explained some of the salary implications for the offseason in our Pindown trade deadline primer, it made all the sense in the world. As for the finals? 3/10. Nothing they could have realistically done would have changed that, though. Yeah, they have holes, but who doesn’t? My 3/10 is just out of respect for the amount of injury luck and all the other things that have to fall your way to make a finals run. It’s hard! Not guaranteed for anybody.
Robbie Bettelon: A solid B – nothing fancy, but I do think they’re better now than they were before the deadline. This team needed more shooting, and I believe Cade and Vinson will get Huerter right. My confidence level is at a 6, up from a 5 previously.
Brennan Sims: I’d give them a B+. Ivey’s value was shot but they still got a floor spacer and a pick swap. Pick swap might not do much but this is a stacked draft so why not. Detroit is in the mix with the Knicks, Cavs, Celtics, and maybe the 76ers. Detroit has been the best of that group but their playoff offense could hurt. Their defense will travel and there’s a pathway where that steers them to the Finals. I’d give it a 6.5/10. The Knicks are formidable. Harden + Mitchell could be something, time will tell.
Max Sturm: Also a solid B. The pick swap could come in handy down the line. Maybe Huerter will be a guy. I understand why they wanted to avoid an Ivey extension with it’s embarrassment of riches and a suddenly growing payroll. Not to mention, we did not see the same burst from Ivey post injuries, and it’s fair to wonder if they did in fact maximize the return for him when factoring that in. While not detrimental, it was uninspiring which is understandably hard to sell to fans of Detroit sports these days. Make no mistake, however, the championship hopes remain very real. They have the best defense, an abundance of playmakers, depth, and an immaculate culture on their side. Cade is capable of taking this team the distance in the east, and I believe the right supporting cast is there to help him along. It will, however, come down to shooting and halfcourt efficiency when the game slows down in the playoffs. If the Pistons have enough of that remains to be seen. I’m at a solid 8 level of confidence.
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What do you guys think? Let us know in the comments! 1. The Pistons made a relatively minor trade, acquiring Kevin Huerter and Dario Saric + a pick swap with the Wolves for Jaden Ivey. What are your thoughts on the players and assets Detroit acquired?
2. What will Jaden Ivey be remembered for from his time in Detroit? What’s his “legacy” here, if you will.
3. What grade would you give the Pistons at the deadline? Additionally, what is your confidence level on a scale of 1-10 that they can turn this magical regular season into an NBA Finals berth?
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 5: Isaiah Collier #8 of the Utah Jazz drives to the basket against Nickeil Alexander-Walker #7 of the Atlanta Hawks during the third quarter at State Farm Arena on February 5, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Jazz desperately needed to lose this one, and they did… barely. 119-121 was the final score to this exciting game. The Hawks benefited from a monster game from Jock Landale, who lead the team in scoring with 26 points, to go along with 11 rebounds, and 5 assists. That guy seems to be pretty good, wish we would’ve traded for him. Oh well, Jaren Jackson Jr. is a nice consolation prize.
Ace Bailey – C-
A really tough shooting night for Ace as he went 9/26 from the field and 2/8 from three point range. He did have hit an insanely clutch 3 from deep to tie the game, but missed on the potential game winner. Still it is very encouraging to see the trust the Jazz have in him during these clutch moments. Despite his poor shooting night Ace logged 20 points, 6 rebounds, two steals, and a block. He also had a really athletic deflection late into the game.
Cody Williams – C
Cody Williams was a monster on defense tonight. He had three straight possessions where he made a great defensive play. The first he deflected a pass, stole it, and threw it the length of the court to Collier for an easy bucket. He then followed this with two straight possessions with a block. There is no doubt that Williams is a good defender, he just needs to find consistency with his shot, and he will be a great rotational piece for this Jazz team going forward. “If he had such a good game why give him a grade of C?” you may ask. Well because he shot 2-9 tonight and missed all 3 of his attempts from deep. Still an encouraging outing for Cody Williams though.
Lauri Markkanen – B+
Markkanen only played 23 minutes tonight, but still found a way to be really impactful. He shot well from deep, posted 18 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in his limited time on the floor.
Kyle Filipowski – A
Flip had three ridiculously clutch rebounds in the fourth, and just had a monster game overall. He shot well from deep hitting 2 of his 3 shots from deep. He was in foul trouble for a decent chunk of this game, but he still logged a double-double, finishing with 15 points, 17 rebounds and 1 assist.
Isaiah Collier – A+
Collier truly is a warrior, as he played his second straight game of 48 minutes. He didn’t just flex his stamina in this one however as he also had a career high 25 points. He also logged 3 steals, 11 assists, and 7 boards. Collier was just on another level tonight, as he remained aggressive throughout and had a beautiful lob to Ace on a fast break.
Brice Sensabaugh – B
Brice fouled out of this game with about 5 minutes left in the game, but he was impactful in this one. He shot well from deep, hitting 3/5 of his three pointers. He finished the night with 18 points, four boards and two assists. He did only make 3 of his 6 free throws however.
Svi Mykhailiuk – B+
Svi was really solid in this one, having the best +/- of any Jazzman at +10. He had a decent shooting night going 6/10 from the field for 14 points and adding 4 boards. I’m looking forward to watching him next season when we’re actually trying to play winning basketball.
Oscar Tshiebwe –A
Always a great day when Jazz nation is blessed with Oscar Tshiebwe minutes. He had a very efficient game grabbing two rebounds, and making both of his shots on the night in his 10 minutes of action.
Quin Snyder– F-
Snyder did his best to lose this one, and let Jazz nation down one last time, but his efforts were not enough.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 5: Nickeil Alexander-Walker #7 of the Atlanta Hawks goes up for a shot against Kyle Filipowski #22 of the Utah Jazz during the first quarter at State Farm Arena on February 5, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Hawks were in action on Thursday evening to face the Utah Jazz. With the NBA trade deadline behind them, the Hawks didn’t have most of the players that they traded for in this matchup, but they were able to have Jock Landale in the lineup after acquiring him yesterday. In fact, Landale made the start at center in his first game with the Hawks.
As for the Jazz, they made a big splash acquiring Jaren Jackson Jr. at the deadline, but he was not active for this game.
Landale made an impact early in the game, grabbing multiple offensive rebounds, knocking down a three-pointer, and getting blocks.
Dyson Daniels was able to knock down a three-pointer earlier in the game.
It was a back and forth game between both teams, and the Hawks were able to get stops when they needed on the defensive end to stay within striking distance.
Landale continued his defensive impact on the court with another block.
To end the first half, the Hawks went on a huge run led by Landale, as he knocked down a few three-pointers to cut the deficit. The Hawks ended up with the lead going into halftime, 61-60.
Both teams traded baskets to start the second half, but it was the Jazz that was able to pull away with the lead for most of the third quarter. Landale continued his hot streak throughout the quarter, and his teammates set him up with easy shots.
The Hawks traded buckets with the Jazz throughout the fourth, as stops were hard to come by during crucial moments. One that didn’t stop was the ball movement for the Hawks, and Newell benefitted with an easy layup.
Getting down to the stretch of the game, the Hawks were able to execute and get some shots to go down. With a chance to tie the game or take the lead, the Hawks gave up several offensive rebounds, but in the end they were able to get the stop.
Landale came in clutch once again with a big three-pointer to give the Hawks a 117-116 lead.
The Hawks came back down on the other end and got a big stop, and the Jazz had to play the foul game from there. Alexander-Walker made both of the free throws to give the Hawks a three-point lead with 13.8 seconds left.
The Jazz came down after a timeout and knocked down a three-pointer to tie the game, courtesy of Ace Bailey. The Hawks didn’t call a timeout and decided to take the ball down the court, and Alexander-Walker was the player to deliver, knocking down a tough jumper with 1.3 seconds remaining.
The Jazz called another timeout and advanced the ball, but were not able to get a clean shot off in the end, leading the Hawks to victory.
Johnson finished with 22 points, 16 rebounds, and 15 assists, Landale finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds, and Alexander-Walker finished with 23 points.
The Hawks will be back in action on Saturday to face the Charlotte Hornets.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Jalen Suggs had 15 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for his first career triple-double, Desmond Bane scored 23 points and Paolo Banchero added 22 to lead the Orlando Magic to a 118-98 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night.
Playing 29 minutes in his seventh game after missing eight games with a right knee injury, Suggs also blocked four shots and had three steals.
Egor Demin led the Nets with a career-high 26 points, shooting 6 of 10 from 3-point range. Fellow rookie Nolan Traore matched his career high with 21 points and added seven assists.
Michael Porter Jr., Brooklyn's leading scorer, shot 2 of 13 and scored nine points.
Anthony Black had 18 points and five assists for Orlando and Mo Wagner came off the bench with 14 points and five rebounds in 12 minutes.
The loss was was the 15th in 17 games for the Nets, who came in as the lowest-scoring (107.1) and poorest field-goal shooting (44.3%) team in the NBA. They shot 41.5% and had 19 turnovers.
The Magic, playing the first of four straight home games against opponents with losing records, took a 21-point lead in the first half and led by as many as 26 in the third quarter.
Up next
Nets: Play at home against Washington on Saturday.
The Nashville Predators' penalty struggles and another early deficit prove costly in their final game before the Olympic break, as they fall to the Washington Capitals 4-2 on Thursday in D.C.
The Predators logged 12 minutes in penalties, putting the Capitals on the power play six times. Washington scored twice on the man advantage, which proved the difference in a two-goal game.
Defenseman Jakob Chychrun scored twice for Washington and recorded an assist for three total points. Dylan Strome (2A) and Pierre-Luc Dubois (1G, 1A) had two points each.
For the 39th time this season, the Predators gave up the first goal of the game, coming 4:15 minutes off the stick of Tom Wilson. Dubois scored on the power play to put Nashville in a 2-0 hole for a third straight game.
Chychrun made it 3-0 early in the second period. Jonathan Marchessault got the Predators on the board with an Adam Wilsby shot; Erik Haula deflected it on net, which went off Marchessault's skate.
In the first two minutes of the third period, Michael McCarron drove to the net and scored off a third rebound attempt to make it a one-goal game. Nashville was eyeing its 18th comeback victory of the season.
However, a Marchessault slashing penalty put the Capitals on the power play for the sixth time on the night, and Chychrun scored to restore the two-goal edge.
Justus Annunen allowed four goals on 30 shots and made 26 saves. This was the fifth straight game that the Predators allowed their opponent to register 30-plus shots on net.
The Predators head into the two-week Olympic break with a 26-24-7 record with 59 points. Dropping games to Minnesota and Washington, Nashville is four points outside of a Wild Card spot.
Their first game after the break will be against the Chicago Blackhawks on Feb. 26 at Bridgestone Arena.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 05: Nolan Traore #88 of the Brooklyn Nets throws a pass against Wendell Carter Jr. #34 of the Orlando Magic during the first quarter at Kia Center on February 05, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. 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 Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Brooklyn Nets had their first game on the other side tonight. The other side of the trade deadline. The other side of weeks spent wondering whether Michael Porter Jr. would still be here. The other side of the Cam Thomas “era,” if you can even call it that. Now, it’s about Egor Demin and Nolan Traore and the Flatbush Five!
But while the moves made today brought a collective sense of renewal to Brooklyn and the league at large, the Nets gave us more of the same tonight.
In fairness, Brooklyn did make some incremental improvements early on here in game no. 50. The Nets only trailed their opponent, the Orlando Magic, 27-19 after the first period. They ran with the same five they opened with against the Lakers on Tuesday night, which got beat down through the hardwood and into the Atlantic Yards ruins in the first quarter.
While Egor Dëmin led all Nets after one with eight points, the eye test argues Nolan Traoré played the largest part in helping us get a different solution this time even with a similar formula.
Most conversations about the French ball-handler start with his quickness, but tonight, he channeled it more decisively. Much like Dennis Schröder used to do in Brooklyn, he did well leveraging his speed around the Orlando defense, slamming and softening on the gas pedal at all the right times.
The Magic shooting 3-of-12 from deep in the first also helped. They sure as hell had the looks, though they’re not known for having laser-like accuracy as the league’s fourth-worst 3-point shooting team. Still, Desmond Bane, who’s shot 49.3% against the Nets in his career, began 0-of-4 from downtown.
It’s not like the Nets were any better way out there in logo land. Even with the aforementioned contributions from Traoré and Dëmin, Brooklyn’s offense began 7-of-22 from the field and 3-of-15 from outside. When the Lakers shut down the Brooklyn offense for the length of a commercial break two nights ago, multiple Nets attributed their lack of production to LA’s zone. However, Orlando played man and stayed in the drop for much of first half, and the Nets didn’t fare any better. They missed the basket — and each other — over and over again.
Ziaire Williams gets visibly frustrated with Danny Wolf after not getting a pass on a fastbreak. He slaps the stanchion and picks up a technical, with the ref seemingly thinking it was directed at him.
Then, things got magical for Orlando as the first two periods crossed over, as they enjoyed a 22-6 run. With 6:52 to go in the frame, they found themselves up by a 44-25 score. At that point, Michael Porter Jr. had only three points to his name while shooting 1-8 from the field. He finished with just nine points tonight while shooting 2-13 from the field.
“I think that we were not connected at all throughout the whole game,” Fernández said. “I know our guys are willing to do the right things. And, you know, just find that connection at some point. When you’re always half a second late or not talking when you’re supposed to, all those things are, it’s really hard to win a game.”
The Nets did put together a 9-2 run in the second period’s final two minutes, but that only made the first half deficit slightly less embarrassing — more along the lines of how it feels to get blown by on defense rather than putting up an air ball at the charity stripe. Neither are good, and both things had already happened to Brooklyn by halftime. The Nets went into it down 56-40.
Orlando later scoffed at Brooklyn’s subtle attempt to claw back into it, pushing their lead up to a then game-high 21 points less than four minutes into the third. The Magic kept it there until the start of the fourth as well. They also bullied Brooklyn inside like Flash Thompson on a rainy day, outscoring the Nets there 18-6 during the third period.
Dëmin did his best to fight back, putting down three “Egor bombs” in the period to give himself 21 points going into the fourth. Although they weren’t enough to make this a competitive watch, they gave us a chance to see Dëmin chase down the career-high scoring mark he posted less than a week ago in Utah.
He eventually got there, and had company.
Finishing with 26 points to beat his old mark by one digit, Dëmin shot 8-of-12 from the field and 6-of-10 from deep. Traoré also tied his career-best in scoring with 18, going 7-13 from the field and 3-5 from deep. He did the same in the passing department, dishing seven assists. The 19-year-olds helped each other get to the top of their statistical mountains on a few occasions as well…
“We all know he’s a threat from the three point line,” Fernández said of Dëmin. “Every time he shoots, I think it’s going in. He was 6-for-10, but I felt like he could have been 10-for-10. So, very good, right there. We needed that from him.”
But even before those two reached their milestones, the fourth proved to be a period dedicated to the rookies in a way we’ve yet to see this season. Brooklyn played its final six minutes with all of its rookies — the Flatbush 5 — on the floor, doing so for the first time this year in Game 50. They played the bulk of those minutes against Orlando’s deep bench guys, but it’s still worth mentioning that they won them by a 19-13 margin.
“Every minute matters, and they won their minutes together,” Fernández said. “So, their last seven minutes, they won those minutes, and I’m proud of them for doing that, and that’s what I expect from them every time they play.”
The Nets, of course, still lost the game.
Brooklyn ended up going down without applying any real pressure for a third straight contest. The ended up losing by 24 in the paint. They also turned it over 19 times leading to 24 Orlando points. They lost by 15 or more for the third time this season.
Sure, night like this are never fun, but growth rarely comes without aches. The Nets might as well pay that price now while it’s worth it.
Final: Orlando Magic 118, Brooklyn Nets 98
Milestone Watch
Nolan Traore became the 12th rookie in Nets history with 20+ points and 7+ assists in a game and the first since MarShon Brooks on 3/10/12. He’s also recorded multiple assists in 10+ games.
Egor Dëmin joined Kerry Kittles (30 points, 6-8 3PT) on 2/17/97 as the only rookies in Nets history with 26+ points and 6+ 3PM in a game.
This was Dëmin’s third time making 6+ 3-pointers in a game this season, tied as the eighth-most by a rookie in NBA history.
Dëmin’s 21 points through three quarters tonight are the most he’s had in a game in his career through that stage of the game.
Nic Claxton’s first assist of the game tonight against Orlando was his 188th of the season, which passes Brook Lopez (187 in 2009-10) for the most assists by a center in a single season in Nets franchise history. Claxton has the fourth-most assists by a center in the NBA this season.
Final Words on Thomas
Jordi Fernández spoke on Cam Thomas’ exit with the YES Network’s Meghan Triplett before tonight’s game. The coach acknowledged how both sides can benefit from a fresh start and had some nice words for CT given the circumstances as well
“I think right now, at this point, it’s a new opportunity for everybody, and I think that is extremely valuable,” Fernández said. “Obviously, appreciate his time with us. I’m a better coach than I was before. It’s been fun to coach somebody that can score the level that he can score, and now he has the opportunity to choose where he wants to go and make the impact that he wants to make. So, happy for him, and just we all want to wish him luck.”
Since Thomas’ previous contract was below the the non-tax payer mid-level exception, he can sign with any team, even if their in the first or second apron.
Newcomers on the way
With Cam Thomas, Haywood Highsmith and Tyrese Martin all waived Thursday, the Nets had three openings, but none of their replacements, shooting guard Ochai Agbaji and small forwards Hunter Tyson and Josh Minott, were eligible to play vs. the Magic. The Nets did confirm that Agbaji will wear No. 30.
Next Up
After a three-game run of good competition, the Nets will find themselves back in a tank-off this Saturday while hosting the Washington Wizards, who are tied with them for fourth in the Tankathon rankings at 13-37.
The Wiz Kids took their largest competitive swing in almost a half-decade this week by trading for Anthony Davis — just a week removed from trading for Trae Young. The problem? Both are injured and not expected to suit up anytime soon. Also, Washington loses its pick this summer if they let it stray beyond the top eight. They’re incentivized and set-up to lose on Saturday. Who’s excited? The game tips off at 3:00 p.m. ET.
NEWARK, NJ -- After scoring the overtime winner in a 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, Bo Horvat played hero yet again, helping the New York Islanders to a 3-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night.
With the game deadlocked at 1-1 with not a lot of space out there, Horvat came through, scoring the eventual game-winning goal at 16:33 of the third:
Gimme some Italian Ice! Bo Horvat scores his 24th goal of the season and puts the #Isles up 2-1 late.🚨 pic.twitter.com/PsP0Ruzp0P
Mathew Barzal added an empty-net tally at 19:36 of the third for the 3-1 final.
Here's what happened prior:
Casey Cizikas gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 6:30 of the second period. After Allen turned the puck over to Marc Gatcom along the right half-wall, he shot the puck toward goal. Kyle MacLean redirected the puck on goal before Cizikas buried the rebound for his seventh of the season:
After Ryan Pulock swiped a loose puck stationed behind Sorokin out of danger, the Devils got posession before Jesper Bratt fed Nico Hsicher, who roofed one glove side at 18:26 of the second:
NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 05: Bo Horvat #14 of the New York Islanders celebrates after scoring during the third period of the game against the New Jersey Devils on February 5, 2026 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Graessle/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Up until a little over 16 minutes into the third, this recap had a very different vibe. The Islanders did only register 14 shots on goal, apparently tying their lowest ever against the New Jersey Devils, last done in 2004. Ilya Sorokin needed to put in a Vezina-level (and frankly, Hart-level) performance to keep the Islanders in the game. The fourth line was really the only consistent line tonight, which is never great. And Jonathan Drouin made a terrible turnover that created a clean breakaway that only luckily wasn’t in the back of our net, yet for some reason didn’t get stapled to the bench like Mat Barzal and Anthony Duclair.
But then, Bo Horvat.
For the second game in a row, Horvat came up clutch, picking up the game-winning goal out of nowhere. And Mat Barzal will be taking a four game goal streak into the Olympic break, putting him just six goals away from tying his career high of 23 in a season.
The Islanders sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division and they’ll stay there at least until the season resumes on February 26th, after the Olympic break.
Early on, Emil Heineman had a great chance, putting the puck behind Jake Allen, but across the crease rather than in the net.
Timo Meier took a high sticking penalty, but the Devils killed an inept Islanders power play.
Dawson Mercer had a breakaway after a bad Jonathan Drouin turnover, and his backhand shot went off the post.
The fourth line played well all night and got rewarded when Casey Cizikas got the Islanders on the board 6:30 into the second period, with both Kyle MacLean and Marc Gatcomb picking up the assists.
But then, MacLean took a high sticking penalty, which the Islanders killed largely thanks to Ilya Sorokin. Sorokin was incredible this period, although he got a little bit of help when Adam Pelech made a huge block with his right skate to save a sure goal. Following that, Sorokin made a big save on Dougie Hamilton to keep the Isles’ one goal lead.
Evgenii Dadanov couldn’t get a chance across the goal line for the Devils, but the Islanders got caught in a change after clearing the puck, and Nico Hischier tied the game.
With just a few seconds left in the second, Anders Lee got hit by a Simon Holmstrom shot, and Lee skated off the ice slowly and had to be helped by the training staff down the tunnel at the end of the period. He did return at the start of the third, though.
Sorokin made a save on Connor Brown after a bad pass from Carson Soucy, MacLean had a shot saved by Allen, and Tony DeAngelo had a solid shift where he made a great pass to Heineman in the slot who hit the glass with his shot, and a great pass to Gatcomb who had his shot saved by Allen.
The Islanders had some solid looks, with Ondrej Palat having a shot saved against his former team, and Lee setting up Holmstrom only to have that chance saved by Allen, too.
But then, our hero, the Olympian, the rally bird man himself, Bo Horvat, scored with 3:27 left off the faceoff, picking up the puck behind Hischier and driving to the net to make it 2-1. That goal was Horvat’s 600th NHL point and 24th goal of the season.
The Devils pulled Allen a minute later, and Sorokin had to make a big save as the Islanders essentially defended 6 on 4 when Cizikas broke his stick. But Mat Barzal would extend his goal streak to 4 games, shooting the puck into the empty net as the Isles picked up a massive win heading into the Olympic break.
Next, it’ll be a while before we see more Islanders hockey, when the season resumes for the Isles in Montreal on February 26th. Hopefully everyone will be back well-rested and healthy, especially the latter for our Olympians!
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Bo Horvat broke a tie late in the third period and the New York Islanders went into the Olympic break with a 3-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night.
Horvat went to his backhand off the draw, slipping the puck past goalie Jake Allen, with only 3:27 left to play. Casey Cizikas scored in the second period for the Islanders and Mathew Barzal scored an empty-net goal to seal the win for New York.
Cizikas put the Islanders up 1-0 at 6:30 in the second period, cleaning up a rebound in front of the net. From behind the net, Allen sent the puck around the boards right to Marc Gatcomb while the Devils were in a line change. Gatcomb fired the puck to the slot, where Kyle MacLean got a stick on it, tipping it to Cizikas. Allen made the save on the first tip by Cizikas, but couldn’t control the rebound.
Allen stopped 11 shots.
Two nights after coach Sheldon Keefe lamented his team’s lack of mental toughness, the Devils showed some fight, but the Islanders showed more of it.
Star New Jersey center Jack Hughes remained out for the third straight game with a lower-body injury. Still, New Jersey pummeled New York goalie Ilya Sorokin, outshooting the Islanders 24-14.
Late in the second period, Allen sent an outlet pass up to Jesper Bratt in the neutral zone. Once in the offensive zone, Bratt slid a cross-ice feed to Nico Hischier at the edge of the right circle and his wrist shot beat Sorokin high on his glove side.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 19: Bobby Witt Jr. #15 of Team USA fields a ball in the sixth inning against Team Cuba during the World Baseball Classic Semifinals at loanDepot park on March 19, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images) | Getty Images
March means spring training, roster battles, and this year, a reminder that baseball is very much a global sport. The World Baseball Classic is back, with players representing their native land (or, in some cases, the lands of their ancestors). So many Royals players won’t be in camp early on, they’ll be playing in games that can take on a postseason atmosphere.
Which members of the organization are trading games in Surprise for the WBC spotlight?
Team USA
Team USA brings a stacked squad to celebrate the nation’s semiquincentennial this year. Leading the team will be Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., on the team for a second time. Last time around in 2023, he was still green and sat the bench while the more established stars took the field. This time, he’ll be one of those stars, part of a dangerous lineup of sluggers that includes Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Alex Bregman, Cal Raleigh, and Pete Crow-Armstrong.
Joining Bobby on Team USA is Royals pitcher Michael Wacha. Also on the pitching staff are former Royals Gabe Speier and Brad Keller. They’ll be joined by Joe Ryan, Mason Miller, and Tarik Skubal, with a rookie in Nolan McLean, and a retired future Hall of Famer in Clayton Kershaw.
El Capitán, Salvador Perez, will be leading the Venezuelan squad with fellow Royals All-Star Maikel Garcia. They’ll be joined by Garcia’s cousin, Braves star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. Slugger Eugenio Suárez, Jackson Chourio, Gleyber Torres, and brothers William and Willson Contreras will all be featured in the lineup. The pitching staff will feature Pablo López, Ranger Suárez, and Germán Márquez, as well as former Royals pitcher Angel Zerpa and Andrés Machado.
¡𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟! 🚨 Este es el roster de Venezuela para el Clásico Mundial de Béisbol 2026. 🇻🇪
📺 Por supuesto, este evento lo vivirás a través de @Canal_Televen.
The Dominican team could also be a contender for the championship with a team of stars that includes Ketel Marte, Manny Machado, Julio Rodríguez, Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis, Jr., and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Manager Albert Pujols will have a tough time deciding which stars should be in the lineup. The team also has some veterans, like former Royals first baseman Carlos Santana.
The pitching staff is pretty loaded as well, with Sandy Alcantara, Cristopher Sánchez, and Luis Severino. Closing things out will be the MLB saves leader from last year, Royals reliever Carlos Estévez.
The Puerto Rican team has been beset by issues with getting players insured, which has caused some players to pull out. Still, they will field a formidable roster that includes Royals pitcher Seth Lugo. Other top arms include Edwin Diaz, Fernando Cruz, and Jorge Lopez. The lineup boasts Nolan Arenado, Heliot Ramos, and Willi Castro. Former Royals MJ Melendez, Emmanuel Rivera, and Martín Maldonado will also be on the lineup.
A pair of paisanos from Kansas City will slug for Team Italy – Vinnie Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone. Vinnie hit for the Italians in the last World Baseball Classic. They’ll be joined by former Royals pitcher Michael Lorenzen, Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola, and White Sox catcher Kyle Teel.
Other Royals on rosters include infielder Abraham Toro and pitcher Eric Cerantola on Team Canada, catcher Jorge Alfaro on Team Colombia, catcher Omar Hernandez on Team Cuba, pitcher Eli Morgan on Team Italy, and pitcher Oscar Rayo on Team Nicaragua. Other former Royals include Cheslor Cuthbert (Nicaragua) and Nate Eaton (Great Britain). You can find complete rosters here, and players divided by MLB team here.
Altogether, there are 190 big leaguers on 20 team rosters, including 78 All-Stars. The tournament kicks off on March 5 (March 4 at 9 p.m. CT) in Tokyo.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Avery Hayes scored twice in his NHL debut, Arturs Silovs made 26 saves and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-2 on Thursday night in the final game for both teams before the Olympic break.
Called up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League with the Penguins hit by a series of injuries, Hayes tied at 1 at 9:18 of the period on his first shot on goal. He raced to beat defenseman Jacob Bryson to the puck and put a wrister past goalie Alex Lyon.
Hayes made it 2-1 with 1:13 left in the period, taking Anthony Mantha’s short, backward pass and knocking it in. He's the third Penguins player to score twice in his NHL debut, joining Rob Brown (two goals on Oct. 21, 1987) and Jake Guentzel (two goals on Nov. 21, 2016).
Hayes has 13 goals and 10 assists in 31 games this season in the AHL. He made his NHL debut with Blake Lizotte out for the birth of his first child, Rickard Rakell nursing a lower-body injury and Noel Acciari sidelined by an illness.
Fellow rookie Ben Kindel gave Pittsburgh a 3-1 lead at 7:44 of the second, Tommy Novak made it 4-2 with 4:29 to go in the third, and Kindel had a short-handed empty-netter with 14 seconds to go for his 14th of the season. The Penguins rebounded from a 5-4 overtime loss at the New York Islanders on Tuesday night.
Tage Thompson scored his 30th goal of the season for Buffalo. Jason Zucker also scored, and Lyon stopped 27 shots. The Sabres have lost two in a row.
Zucker opened the scoring for Buffalo at 1:46 of the first period. Thompson scored on a power play to cut it to 3-2 at 1:55 of the third.
NEW YORK (AP) — Rookie Brandon Bussi made 16 saves for his second shutout, Andrei Svechnikov gave Carolina an early lead in the first period and the Hurricanes topped the New York Rangers 2-0 on Thursday night to extend their points streak to 10 games.
Jordan Staal scored into an empty net with 54 seconds left to seal it for the Hurricanes in the final game for both teams before the Olympic break.
The Eastern Conference-leading Hurricanes are 8-0-2 since Jan. 16 and 12-1-3 since Jan. 4.
Jonathan Quick made a season-high 41 saves for the Rangers, who were shut out for the ninth time this season and the seventh at home. New York has lost four in a row.
Svechnikov made it 1-0 game 6:26 into the first period on a wrist shot off an assist from Mark Jankowski. And Bussi, who has won his last seven starts, made that goal hold up.
Bussi’s first career shutout came on Nov. 30, 2025, when he stopped 15 shots against Calgary.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 19: Jimmy Butler III #10 of the Golden State Warriors is guarded by Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Miami Heat during the second half at Chase Center on January 19, 2026 in San Francisco, 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 Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Per the Golden State Warriors, forward Jimmy Butler will finally get surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee, suffered during a home game against the Miami Heat on January 19. Butler garnered the injury on an awkward landing after catching an entry pass thrown high up in the air by Brandin Podziemski.
The surgery will take place in Los Angeles and will be performed by Dr. Bert Mendelbaum.
Warriors say Jimmy Butler will undergo surgery to repair his ACL on Feb. 9th in LA. The surgery will be performed by Dr. Bert Mendelbaum.
Based on the recovery timeline that teammate De’Anthony Melton underwent after undergoing ACL repair surgery (returning exactly one year after the date of the procedure), Butler may return in early February of 2027, in the middle of the 2026-27 season — a month before Stephen Curry’s 39th birthday and Draymond Green’s 37th birthday. At that point, Butler himself will be 37 years old.
Jimmy Butler’s ACL surgery will be Feb. 9th in LA, per the Warriors
De’Anthony Melton returned exactly one year to the date of his ACL surgery this season
The Warriors reassured Butler that they intend to keep him on the team instead of shopping his contract in the days leading up to the trade deadline — a promise they ended up keeping, with reports of Draymond Green being offered instead during negotiations with the Milwaukee Bucks in the Warriors’ attempt to acquire superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Ultimately, the Bucks decided to keep Antetokounmpo.
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 5: Avery Hayes #85 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates with teammates after scoring his first career goal during the first period of an NHL against the Buffalo Sabres game at KeyBank Center on February 5, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Joe Hrycych/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pregame
A trio of forward changes to the lineup tonight, Blake Lizotte is unavailable for tonight due to an impending birth which opens the door for Kevin Hayes to play for the first time since January 11th. Noel Acciari is too sick to play and Rickard Rakell has picked up an injury, opening the door for Avery Hayes to make his NHL debut.
Buffalo gets on the board early, the Penguins turn the puck over in the middle of the ice and the Sabres jump on it. Jason Zucker shoots from outside, Arturs Silovs lunges for it with his glove and he comes up empty. The shot hits the inside edge of the post and goes into the net. 1-0 Buffalo 1:46 into the game.
Hayes has his welcome to the NHL moment, using a burst of speed to sneak past defender Jacob Bryson and create a mini-breakaway out of no where. Hayes finishes is strong on Alex Lyon for his first NHL goal on his first shot (but not first shift). What a moment, 1-1 game.
Evgeni Malkin takes a two-minute high-sticking penalty, the Pens kill it off. Then Hayes goes to set the career goal-to-period ratio. This time it’s a great bump pass from Anthony Mantha and a quick shot from Hayes nets his second of the night. 2-1 Pens.
Ryan Shea takes a penalty 12 seconds later, best timing ever, who would ever notice or remember that?
First 20 minutes is up, Avery Hayes and his family in the stands are on Cloud 9. A dream two-goal first ever period in the NHL has the Penguins up 2-1 on Buffalo.
Second period
Pittsburgh kills off the carryover time from the penalty and continues on.
Bryson’s bad night continues when he blows a tire and goes down, sending Ben Kindel on a 2-on-1. The replay is impressive, Kindel looks hard to his right for the pass the whole way, then suddenly snipes Lyon to the short-side with a perfect shot. 3-1 Pens, thanks to their rookies.
Sidney Crosby is the next in line for a penalty, the Sabres get some looks but can’t score.
The Penguins finally get their first power play of the night when Alex Tuch trips Silovs behind the net. Zone time doesn’t lead to a goal.
Pittsburgh extends their lead and is up by two with 20 to go.
Third period
Evgeni Malkin takes an offensive zone tripping penalty and Buffalo gets their first power play goal on their fourth time. Tage Thompson isn’t pressured down low, he’s got enough time to see that Silovs has left some room at the top of the net. A goal-scorer like Thompson easily finds it, notching his 30th of the season to bring the score to 3-2.
Later a couple of close calls, Egor Chinakhov nearly scores in front of the net, play goes the other way. Thompson bulls through Ilya Solovyov but Silovs makes his best stop of the night to throw out the leg and stop the puck.
Then some mayhem. Peyton Krebs crashes into Silovs, Connor Clifton doesn’t take kindly to that and drops the gloves with Krebs. Clifton gets the better of his former teammate by feeding him a bunch of knuckle sandwiches.
Pittsburgh still gets the power play out of it for Krebs completely barreling into the goalie. No goal, it does drain two more minutes off the clock.
The Pens get some insurance with 4:27 to go. Tommy Novak negates an icing call, the puck finds its way to Chinakhov near the blueline thanks to Malkin getting a piece of the attempted outlet. Chinakhov’s deep shot is stopped, rebound pops to Novak who calmly dekes to the backhand and deposits the trash into the net. 4-2 game.
Buffalo pulls the goalie with over two minutes to go. Mantha goes to the penalty box for hooking with 1:29 to go, the Sabres utilize their timeout to get their plan together. Doesn’t work, Kindel scores the shorthanded empty net goal to make it 5-2.
Some thoughts
Great first goal for Hayes. It’s so fitting that the goal came on a play looked like nothing at the beginning, then only turned into something due completely to the effort that Hayes put into it. Not to get poetic (well, too late for that I suppose) but that’s practically the story of his career in a nutshell as an undersized, undrafted player that could only muster an AHL contract upon turning pro. He proved himself in Wilkes-Barre, got an NHL deal for this season. Impressed in camp and prospect tournaments along the way, still took a while to get his first game in the show now at age 23 and fairly deep into this season. It didn’t take very long for Hayes to show what’s been his “long-term overnight success story” due to the skating burst, extra desire and find the ability to finish and standout, making a real name for himself.
The only thing that could make it even better is a second goal. It was more of a right place at the right time, courtesy of the sweet setup by Mantha, but hey, there’s something to be said about showing up at the right place at the right time.
Along those lines for timing and circumstance working out, you gotta think and remember that had Acciari not been sick OR Rakell been able to play OR Lizotte not need to leave the team for an impending birth, A. Hayes wouldn’t have been called up and played tonight. A lot of stars had to align to get his NHL debut to happen on this night. Wild how it all worked out, which always makes a great story that much more special and fun when so many factors come together in just the perfect way.
Hayes told Hailey Hunter during the first intermission interview on TV that he was changing into his suit while the car service was driving him to Buffalo, having only learned he would be needed and playing late this morning. I mean you just can’t make this stuff up, guy wakes up in Wilkes this morning having scored a goal against the Hershey Bears last night, the next thing he knows he’s scrambling to get to Buffalo in time to make his NHL debut.
Bob Grove Stat of the night: Hayes joins Jake Guentzel and Robbie Brown. Not bad company there.
Per HockeyFights, this was the seventh Penguin fight of the season, coming in Game No. 56. Doesn’t even seem that weird any more with its absence. Probably the most entertaining one of the year too, Clifton hit Krebs with lefts and rights with some pretty good shots.
Silovs didn’t have to be remarkable but his stop on Thompson in the third period when it was a 3-2 game was a complete difference-maker in how this game played out. Pittsburgh was up 3-1, and as you might have heard, have had some struggles with keeping leads late into games this season. (And, as noted in the preview, Buffalo is extremely strong with scoring in the third period). If the game goes to 3-3 on that play – and it well could have – it very well was trending towards being another tough night for the Pens. Get a key stop at a key time and a lot of good things can happen. The Pens got that tonight.
Rust didn’t get on the scoreboard but he did a great job on the PK blocking all kinds of shots, passes, marking up on Josh Doan when he drove to the net for backside plays.
