CHAMPAGNE, Ill. (AP) — Berry Wallace scored a career-high 29 points, 12 in the fourth quarter, and No. 25 Illinois held off a fourth-quarter rally to defeat Northwestern 74-71 on Sunday.
Illinois took the lead for good with 2 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter and led 58-51 heading to the fourth. Although Illinois remained in front, Northwestern cut it to one on a 3-pointer by Xamiya Walton with seven minutes to go and again on a layup by Casey Harter with 2:15 remaining.
At that point, Wallace scored in the paint for a 73-70 lead, then Tayla Thomas hit one free throw to get Northwestern within 73-71. Both teams came up empty on their next two possessions before Cearah Parchment made a free throw for a 74-71 lead with nine seconds left. Northwestern's Caroline Lau missed a potential tying 3-pointer with one second left.
Parchment had 10 points and 11 rebounds for the fourth double-double of her freshman season. Aaliyah Guyton had 13 points for the Illini (15-4, 5-3 Big Ten).
Grace Sullivan scored 21 points, Walton 19, Harter 13 and Lau 12 for Northwestern (8-11, 2-6). The rest of the Wildcats managed six points — all by Thomas.
There were four ties and seven lead changes in the first half. Illinois scored the last 12 points of the second quarter to erase a five-point deficit and the Illini led 40-33 at halftime.
Illinois outscored the Wildcats 11-2 in a 3 1/2-minute stretch of the third quarter, building a 58-43 lead. Three-pointers by Harter and Walton helped Northwestern get within 58-51 heading to the fourth.
There were only 13 turnovers in the game, five by Northwestern and eight by Illinois.
Illinois was won seven straight in the series after losing the previous 14.
Up next
Illinois: The Illini play Saturday at No. 24 Nebraska.
Northwestern: The Wildcats host No. 3 UCLA next Sunday.
For the last two months, there has been a song looping in my head whenever Jalen Green comes up. Richard Marx, softly crooning in the background, whispering a promise into the void.
Wherever you go Whatever you do I will be right here waiting for you Whatever it takes Or how my heart breaks I will be right here waiting for you
I have been right here waiting. And I hope my heart don’t break. It feels painfully appropriate at this point, equal parts hope, patience, and checking the injury report daily.
We know we are getting close. Suns head coach Jordan Ott said yesterday that Jalen Green got in another five-on-five run after morning shootaround. “Everything seemed to be good,” Coach Ott stated. “So we’ll see. Still going in the right direction.”
That is the kind of update that makes you sit up a little straighter. Not fireworks. Not a declaration. But enough to tell you the wheels are turning, and the return is no longer theoretical.
So…will Green suit up in Brooklyn on Monday night? Questionable.
Jalen Greeb is QUESTIONABLE to play tomorrow against the Nets.
The last time we saw him was on November 8 against the Clippers. He made it 6:48 into that game, but was then gone in the first quarter after re-aggravating the hamstring that already cost him the first 8 games of the season. It felt cruel. It also felt very Suns.
Before that night, Green had played in 192 consecutive games, playoffs included, without missing time. Then he arrives in Phoenix and the basketball gods get weird. To the team’s credit, they have been careful with it. This is a player built on speed. If you are running on a flat tire, you are not helping anyone.
We still do not know the exact severity. A grade two hamstring usually means 3 to 6 weeks. A grade three can stretch into months and even flirt with surgery. This one lingered long enough to make you wonder. Whatever it was, the Suns chose patience, and with a player like Green, that is the only move that makes sense.
But alas, the designation finally changed. That alone feels like progress. It does not guarantee anything, and it does not mean he is ready to roll, but it is a step forward. He is not listed as probable yet, but for the first time in a while, the door is actually open. He could see the floor again.
And the timing matters. Brooklyn is young, energetic, but they are not going to apply the same defensive pressure Phoenix saw from Detroit, Miami, or New York on this trip. That makes this a softer landing spot, if there is such a thing in the NBA.
So here we are. The questionable stage. Actual movement. Real momentum. Now we wait another day to see if Jalen Green finally suits up and plays basketball for Phoenix again.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Kristýna Kaltounková and Anne Cherkowski each scored a goal, Kayle Osborne had 31 saves and the New York Sirens beat the Montreal Victoire 2-1 on Sunday at Capital One Arena as part of the PWHL’s Takeover Tour.
The game, played in front of 17,228 fans, set an attendance record for a professional women’s hockey game in the United States, according to Monumental Sports & Entertainment. The previous record of 16,014 fans was set Nov. 28 at the inaugural home game for the Seattle Torrent.
Montreal (5-2-0-5) had its three-game win streak snapped.
Sarah Fillier had two assists for New York (7-0-1-5), which has won five of six. The Sirens have 22 points, four behind league-leading Boston and one ahead of third-place Minnesota.
Kaltounková, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 PWHL draft, has nine goals this season, tied with Minnesota's Kendall Coyne Schofield for most in the league.
Maggie Flaherty scored a power-play goal for the Victoire late in the first period.
Kaltounková slammed home the rebound of a shot by Fillier to open the scoring 84 seconds into the game. The Sirens had failed to convert on their previous nine power-play opportunities and are just 5 of 40 with an extra skater this season.
Cherkowski gave the Sirens a 2-1 lead with 5:13 left in the second period. Fillier poked a faceoff to Levis, who flicked a wrister that was redirected by Cherkowski over the glove-side shoulder of goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens for the rookie's first career goal.
Desbiens had 25 saves for the Victoire.
The Victoire beat New York 4-0 in Montreal on Nov. 25 and Osborne had a career-high 43 saves as the Sirens evened the season series with a 4-3 home win on Jan. 2.
DETROIT — The Boston Celtics could be once again be without Payton Pritchard when they close out a four-game roadtrip against the Detroit Pistons on Monday night. Pritchard missed Saturday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks with left ankle soreness — his first absence of the year — and is questionable with the same injury ahead of Monday’s game.
But the Celtics didn’t miss a beat with their starting point guard; Baylor Scheierman started in Pritchard’s place, and Boston defeated Atlanta 132-106.
Three other Celtics are on the injury report alongside Pritchard; Josh Minott will miss his 8th-straight game with an ankle sprain, while Jayson Tatum continues to rehabilitate a ruptured Achilles tendon. It’s been about 8 months since Tatum first suffered the injury, and his timeline to potentially return this season is uncertain. And, Chris Boucher, who has been out of the rotation since late November, is questionable with low back spasms.
Celtics Injury Report vs. Detroit (1/18):
Chris Boucher – Low Back Spasms – QUESTIONABLE Josh Minott – Left Ankle Sprain – OUT Payton Pritchard – Left Ankle Soreness – QUESTIONABLE Jayson Tatum – Right Achilles Repair – OUT
The Pistons, meanwhile, have a clean injury slate.
The Pistons have been the best team in the Eastern Conference
Monday’s game between the Celtics and the Pistons is a battle between the two best teams in the East. The Celtics (26-15) have the second-best record in the East, while the Pistons lead the way with a 30-10 record.
The Celtics and Pistons have faced off three times this season, and each time, the games have gone down to the wire, with the Pistons winning two of three contests. When the two teams first matched up in October, the Pistons came away with a 6-point win. In November, on the eve of Thanksgiving, the Celtics emerged victorious by 3 points. And, in December, the Pistons won by 7. Saturday will mark the fourth and final regular-season match-up between the two teams.
Both teams come into the Monday night matchup with plenty of momentum, having won two in a row; the Celtics have won 7 of their last 10 games, while the Pistons have won 6 of their last 10.
Celtics-Pistons will tip off at 8pm on Saturday at the Little Caesars Arena.
DALLAS (AP) — Brandon Hagel’s tiebreaking goal midway through the second period proved to be the winner, and Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 19 saves on 20 shots as the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Dallas Stars 4-1 on Sunday.
Rookie Dominic James and Jake Guentzel each had a goal and an assist, and Pontus Holmberg added a late empty-net score for the Lightning, who bounced back from a shootout loss at St. Louis on Friday that ended a franchise record-tying 11-game winning streak. Tampa Bay has a 13-game points streak and they are tied with Carolina atop of the Eastern Conference with 64 points, second overall to Colorado (74).
Hagel took a pass at the goal line to the left side of Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger, playing off the line, and muscled the puck through the stick of Stars defenseman Esa Lindell for a 2-1 lead. It was Hagel’s sixth winning goal this season, tied for second in the NHL behind Nashville’s Steven Stamkos, who has seven.
Tampa Bay is a league-best 18-4-4 on the road and 20-1-0 when leading after two periods.
Vasilevskiy (20-7-3) has 10 straight 20-win seasons and is 17-4-3 in his career against Dallas.
Oskar Back scored for the struggling Stars, who came off a 2-3-1 road trip and have lost three straight in regulation, scoring one goal in each game. Oettinger, tied for eighth in the NHL with 17 wins, stopped 22 shots and is 1-4-2 in his last seven starts.
Dallas, tied with Minnesota for second overall in the West with 63 points, lost for the fifth time in regulation in 25 games when scoring first.
Back opened the scoring four minutes in and four minutes later James evened the score. Two of James’ four goals this season have been scored in the last seven games.
The Dallas Mavericks (17-26) have won five games in their last eight as they prep for a rare Monday afternoon tilt against the New York Knicks (25-17) at Madison Square Garden. The little spurt the Mavericks are on is a rare kind of mirage — it’s the kind you know is too good to be true even as it appears before your eyes.
The Mavs’ last two wins have come against the tanking Utah Jazz in two games where big man Jusuf Nurkic registered back-to-back DNP-Coach’s Decision designations. Utah is not even trying to camouflage its tank, as the mounting losses leave deep tracks up and down the team’s muddy record. Now Dallas’ schedule takes a bleak turn, with the team’s next 13 opponents sporting a combined win-loss record of 316-224. Only two opponents in that upcoming stretch have a losing record: the Milwaukee Bucks (17-24) next Sunday and the Charlotte Hornets (15-27) two games later on Jan. 29. A 1-12 stretch is certainly possible if you’re looking ahead, even if something like 3-10 is slightly more likely.
The last time the Mavericks and the Knicks met, New York outlasted Dallas 113-111 on Nov. 19 at American Airlines Center behind 28 points and five assists from former Maverick Jalen Brunson. Naji Marshall and D’Angelo Russell led the Mavs in that loss with 23 apiece off the bench.
Here are three things to look out for as the Mavs get ready to battle the Knicks for the last time this season.
Thompson’s hot trigger
Klay Thompson has been on a tear in a more focal role in the Mavericks’ last two games. He scored a season-high 26 points on 6-of-13 shooting from behind the arc in Thursday’s 144-122 win over the Jazz before pouring in 23 more (matching his previous season-high mark) on 6-of-11 shooting from deep in Saturday’s rematch. It’s been Thompson’s most prolific two-game stretch as a Maverick so far, but he’s been playing well for longer than that. He’s scored 18 or more in four of his last six games as injuries have erased the production usually carried by Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis.
With P.J. Washington (personal), Daniel Gafford (ankle) and Davis (finger) all still out for the Dallas Mavericks, Thompson will need to continue his hot streak to help give the Mavericks a chance against the objectively superior Knicks playing behind their home crowd in Manhattan. Flagg (ankle) has been upgraded to questionable on the latest NBA injury report as of Sunday afternoon.
This six-game stretch has already done wonders for Thompson’s trade value. It remains to be seen whether its continuation can help lift the injury-riddled Mavs to anything close to competitive against the first quality opponent of the tough 13-game stretch ahead.
Brunson bitten by the same bug
The Mavs may be catching New York at a convenient time, though. Brunson went to the bench just minutes into the Knicks’ 112-101 loss at the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday with an ankle injury and hasn’t played in the team’s last two losses to the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns. New York has hit hard times in the New Year, losing eight of the team’s last 10 games dating back to Dec. 31.
New York is a shell of itself without Brunson’s ability to create both his own shot and quality looks for his teammates, but some deeper issues may be starting to show themselves in the new year. Murmurs about the job first-year head coach Mike Brown is doing are starting to surface, and Brunson’s ankle injury only serves to increase the angst surrounding one of the most highly scrutinized teams in the NBA.
The Knicks had not submitted an updated injury report to the NBA as of 2:15 p.m. CDT on Sunday. If Brunson is not available on Monday, that changes the tenor of the matchup significantly. Depending on Flagg’s own availability, Mavs fans could talk themselves into some unfounded optimism here, though backup Miles McBride has stepped up admirably in the Knicks’ last two games. He scored 25 points and dished six assists in the loss to the Warriors and had 23 and five against the Suns.
The 3-point line with no curve
In each of the Mavs’ last three wins, the team has shot 41% or better from 3-point range. There is no secret sauce here. When the Mavs shoot it better, they give themselves a chance to win. When they don’t, they look clueless.
Flagg or no Flagg, Davis or no Davis, Brunson or no Brunson, Dallas has to keep up with their opponent from beyond the arc. Monday’s game will be no different. If the Mavericks can limit turnovers and shoot it well, they’ll be in this game. If they don’t, they won’t.
Little extraneous analysis is necessary to diagnose this very frustrating team.
How to watch
The Mavericks and the Knicks will tip off their matinee show at 4 p.m. CDT on Monday from Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. The game will be locally televised on NBC and will stream on Peacock.
How to watch: Monumental Sports Network, League Pass
Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
Injury Report
Clippers: Kawhi Leonard – Questionable (Ankle), Bogdan Bogdanovic – Out (Hamstring), Derrick Jones Jr. – Out (Knee), Bradley Beal – Out (Hip)
Wizards: Tristan Vukcevic – Out (Knee), Bilal Coulibaly – Out (Back), Cam Whitmore – Out (Shoulder), Trae Young – Out (Knee)
Pregame notes
The Washington Wizards come back home after a 3-game road trip against Western Conference foes, that did not yield a win. Now they will try their luck at home against another Western Conference foe, the Los Angeles Clippers.
If you have been watching the NBA season this year, you are probably familiar with how much the Clippers struggled to start the season. Their struggles have been well-documented, but do not let that fool you, this team has played much better basketball as of late. They have won 14 out of their last 16 games, including a win over the Wizards in Los Angeles this past Wednesday. They have been sparked by the play of their two stars, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.
On the other side, the Wizards have lost six straight games coming into this one. Maybe this is according to plan as the team just a few weeks ago had won six of 10 games and looked poised to possibility play out of their position to guarantee top-8 pick in the draft. Make no mistake about it, this team’s young players will continue to play hard and we will continue to see progress, but Monday’s matchup looks tough going against one of the hottest teams in the league.
Memphis Grizzlies' Ja Morant registered 24 points, five rebounds and 13 assists on his return from injury [Getty Images]
The Memphis Grizzlies cruised to a 126-109 victory over the Orlando Magic in the first NBA regular-season match to be hosted in London since 2019.
As part of the stardom that the NBA attracts, courtside at London's O2 Arena was full of famous faces, including footballers Virgil van Dijk and Declan Rice, Formula 1 driver Kimi Antonelli and actress Rosamund Pike.
American singer Vanessa Williams sung the US national anthem before the game but during her performance a heckler shouted "leave Greenland alone".
The remark drew some applause from the crowd but Williams continued unfazed.
It comes after US President Donald Trump said he would impose tariffs on eight European allies, including the United Kingdom, if they oppose his proposed takeover of Greenland.
Trump insists the autonomous Danish territory is critical for US security and has not ruled out taking it by force - a move that has drawn widespread criticism.
NBA glam comes to London
Arsenal and England midfielder Declan Rice was among the many footballers in attendance [Getty Images]
Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry was also courtside in close proximity to the Orlando bench throughout the match, alongside NBA legend Tony Parker.
Both Henry and Pike received cheers from the crowd in atmosphere akin to that of an American game at times. The atmosphere might have been even better if it had been a more even contest.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan was shown on screen, met with a huge chorus of boos, which quickly turned to cheers when the camera switched to show former Real Madrid and Brazil footballer Marcelo.
Before tip-off, NBA greats John Amaechi and Steve Nash both addressed the crowd, with Desmond Bane and Santi Aldama, of the Magic and Grizzlies respectively, also thanking the fans for their support.
Morant inspires Grizzlies
The Grizzlies, who have struggled for consistency this season, dominated the early stages and led by 17 points late in the first quarter.
From there it became an even contest, with the score difference varying little in the last three quarters and the Magic's hopes of a fightback limited by the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies were inspired by star point guard Ja Morant on his return from an ankle sprain that resulted in him missing six matches. His name received the loudest cheer from the crowd before the tip-off.
Morant put up 20 points in the first half, 15 of which came in the second quarter.
He was only due to make a limited appearance on his return but played for 28 minutes as he scored 24 points, with team-mate Jock Landale adding 21 from the bench.
Wendell Carter Jr impressed for the Magic with 18 points, while team-mate Paolo Banchero added 16 points, eight rebounds and nine assists in a 36-minute outing.
The return to London was the second part of a double-header between the two sides, with the Magic beating the Grizzles 118-111 on Thursday in Berlin.
"I think all players should actually want to come and have the opportunity to play over here and actually experience everything us and the Magic got to in this last week," said Morant.
His Grizzlies team-mate Jaren Jackson Jr added: "We were here to perform and I'm glad everyone had a great time.
"We've been embraced since we've been here in Berlin and in London. This is definitely a place I'd love to revisit."
What next for the NBA in Europe?
A sellout crowd of 18,424 were in attendance at the NBA's first regular-season match in London in seven years [Getty Images]
A win for Memphis in London marks the end of the NBA's two-match stay in Europe.
In 2027, Manchester will host its first regular-season match, joining up with Paris to host a double-header next January. Paris and Berlin will both host matches in 2028.
Long term, the NBA has plans to launch an independent European league that could start as early as the 2027-28 campaign, with conversations currently ongoing with potential investors, sponsors and stakeholders over how that could look.
The NBA has faced resistance from EuroLeague, the continent's current primary club competition.
EuroLeague has threatened the NBA with legal action, should it approach any current EuroLeague clubs over joining the formation of a new division.
Real Madrid and Alba Berlin both played in last season's EuroLeague. While Real Madrid remain a EuroLeague team, Alba Berlin withdrew from the competition after 24 years at the start of this season. Both are understood to be open to joining NBA Europe.
By the time Manchester's Co-op Live hosts an NBA match next January, there will be a much clearer picture over if the league is happening, how it will look and when it is expected to launch.
LIMA, Peru (AP) — Mateo Pulcini made a pair of big par putts over the final hour and finished with a 3-foot par save on the second playoff hole to win the Latin America Amateur Championship on Sunday, earning the Argentine a spot in the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open.
Pulcini, at 25 the oldest winner of the Latin America Amateur since it began in 2015, closed with a 2-under 68 and outlasted Missouri senior Virgilio Paz, who was trying to become the first winner from Venezuela.
“We dream to play and to win this,” Pulcini said. “I have no words right now. I'm so happy, and so grateful for the people around me.”
Paz, who also had a 68 at Lima Golf Club, pulled into a share of the lead with a 25-foot birdie putt on the difficult par-4 17th. Pulcini, who played his college golf at Oklahoma Christian and a final year at Arkansas, stayed tied for the lead by following with a 20-foot par putt.
On the 18th hole in regulation, Paz went over the green and ran his chip some 8 feet by the hole, making that to join Pulcini at 5-under 275 and force only the second playoff in tournament history.
And then the big Argentine got his biggest break on the first playoff hole. From a bad lie in the right rough, his shot was headed for the trees and somehow missed all the big branches, leaving him some 40 yards short of the pin. He pitched that to 18 feet and made the par putt to send the playoff to another hole.
“It was a lot of nerves coming in,” Pulcini said. “As always, I tried to have fun, to laugh. Being in that position I was dreaming of at the beginning of the week, why not take advantage and enjoy?”
Paz was in the left rough on the 18th, partially blocked by trees, and caught a flyer that went right of the green and settled in a dirt swatch framing a tree. Stooped over to stay below the limbs, he chipped out to about 25 feet and missed the par putt.
“It was a fun fight, a long day,” Paz said. “I'm proud of myself what I did. I go back to school happy.”
Pulcini is the third Argentine winner. Chile also has produced three winners.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have provided an injury update for two-time All-Star Darius Garland.
“Cavaliers guard Darius Garland injured his right great toe on January 14 at Philadelphia. Further evaluation and imaging at Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine on Saturday revealed a Grade 1 right great toe sprain. Garland will be re-evaluated in seven to 10 days. During that evaluation period, Garland will undergo a series of treatments and rehabilitation, and his status will be updated as appropriate.”
This is not the same toe that Garland previously injured last season (which required surgery in the summer) and then re-aggravated earlier this season. Instead, Garland is now rehabbing a separate injury on his other foot.
We’d expect the Cavs to be cautious with this injury, considering what happened last year. Garland rushed back for the NBA Playoffs and seemingly only made his injury worse. The Cavs would like to avoid repeating that outcome and having another injury progress to needing surgery.
Assuming Garland is out for the next 10 days, that means he will miss games against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Charlotte Hornets, Sacramento Kings, Orlando Magic (twice), and Los Angeles Lakers.
There’s never a good time to lose your All-Star point guard, but this current stretch isn’t the most ideal. Cleveland has just been finding its groove with big wins over the Philadelphia 76ers. Now, they face a daunting week of basketball without one of their most important players.
The Cavs also gave updates on other players. Kenny Atkinson said that he doesn’t expect Sam Merrill to be out much longer, Max Strus was on the court for a workout after practice, and Dean Wade was available to practice and could suit up against the Thunder tomorrow.
Cleveland is 24-19 and will need big-time performances from Craig Porter Jr., Lonzo Ball, and possibly even Tyrese Proctor to make up for the momentary loss of Garland.
The NBA's Martin Luther King Jr. Day slate on Monday features four exciting matchups on NBC and Peacock. The quadruple header tips off with the Milwaukee Bucks vs the Atlanta Hawks at 1:00 PM ET. The Oklahoma City face the Cleveland Cavaliers at 2:30 PM ET, and the Dallas Mavericks take on the New York Knicks at 5:00 PM ET. The day wraps up with an Eastern Conference showdown between the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons at 8:00 PM ET. Live coverage begins at 12:00 PM ET on NBC and Peacock.
See below for additional information on how to watch all four games and follow all of the NBA action on NBCSN and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the course of the 2025-2026 season.
The Thunder's five-game win streak was snapped on Saturday with a 122-120 loss to the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center. ShaiGilgeous-Alexander posted 39 points, and ChetHolmgren contributed 14 points and 11 rebounds for his fourth double-digit rebounding effort in five outings. AaronWiggins (18 points) and AjayMitchell (15 points) led the bench in scoring.
At 35-8, the Thunder lead the Association in wins and sit atop the Western Conference standings, 5.5 games ahead of the San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets. They'll look to defend their title and become the first team since the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors to win back-to-back championships.
The Cavaliers came back from 11 points down in the fourth quarter to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 117-115 on Friday night for a second straight win. JaylonTyson scored a career-high 39 points and dished to EvanMobley for a game-winning dunk with 4.8 seconds left. De'Andre Hunter added 16 points off the bench, Mobley finished with 15, and DonovanMitchell posted 13 points, nine rebounds and 12 assists.
Mitchell is scoring a career-high 29.2 points per game, and he's looking to finish the season as the first Cavalier to average at least that many since LeBronJames averaged 29.7 in the 2009-10 campaign.
Monday's matchup will be the first meeting of the Thunder and Cavaliers this season. The teams faced off twice last season, and the home team won both matchups.
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
How to sign up for Peacock:
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You’ll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.
NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule
Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Stailee Heard had 18 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists and Oklahoma State routed No. 19 Iowa State 86-58 on Sunday, sending the reeling Cyclones to their fifth consecutive loss.
It was Heard's first career triple-double and the third in Oklahoma State history. She is averaging 20.8 points over the past four games.
Before Sunday, Iowa State's losing streak included only one loss by double digits. Oklahoma State's 13-0 run in the middle of the second quarter put the Cyclones down by 16 points and they never recovered.
Oklahoma State went on to score 30 points in the second period and led 43-21 at halftime. Micah Gray hit three 3-pointers and scored 12 points in the quarter and the Cowgirls shot 61%.
In the third quarter, the Cyclones cut into their 22-point halftime deficit and had it down to 51-35 before Haleigh Timmer scored 10 points in a 15-0 run that made it 66-35 after the third quarter.
Entering the fourth, Audi Crooks and Jada Williams were the only players with more than three points for Iowa State (14-5, 2-5 Big 12). Crooks, the nation's leading scorer at 27.6 points per game, finished with 15 points and seven rebounds. Williams had 15 points and seven assists. Iowa State, second in the nation with 21.9 assists per game, had 11 on Sunday.
Timmer finished with 16 points, Gray had 15 and Lena Girardi added 11 off the bench for the Cowgirls (16-4, 5-2).
Oklahoma State is 28-2 at home over the past two seasons.
Iowa State opened the season with 14 consecutive wins and was ranked as high as No. 10 in the AP Top 25.
The sky seemed to be falling for the Denver Nuggets when Nikola Jokic was facing an extended spell on the sidelines, but instead, they’re on a hot streak heading into tonight’s matchup with the Charlotte Hornets.
Denver is 6-1 in its last seven games, and my Hornets vs Nuggets predictions expect big-time production from the hosts’ role players against a Charlotte team that brings an ugly 8-15 road record to Ball Arena.
Read on for my NBA picks ahead of this battle on Sunday, January 18.
Hornets vs Nuggets prediction
Hornets vs Nuggets best bet: Peyton Watson Over 18.5 points (-115)
The Denver Nuggets have needed contributions from up and down the roster to survive Nikola Jokic’s absence, and Peyton Watson’s emergence has to be among the biggest pluses to come out of this stretch.
It’s easy to forget that Watson averaged just 8.1 PPG last season, but he’s looked like a different player this year, with a major take-off this month in an expanded role. Spreading his wings as an offensive force, he’s averaging 23.6 PPG in January.
Watson has gone past this O/U number in nine of his last 10 outings, including a 21-point effort yesterday against the Washington Wizards, and I see Denver leaning on his athleticism in the second game of a back-to-back set.
While Watson’s 48% mark from 3-point range isn’t sustainable, he can get buckets in other ways, too. In addition to Jokic, the Nuggets will still be without Cam Johnson and possibly Christian Braun, so shot volume shouldn’t be a factor.
The Charlotte Hornets gave up 136 points against the Golden State Warriors last night, and there’s no reason to think the visitors’ defense will fare any better with Watson & Co. on the charge.
Hornets vs Nuggets same-game parlay
Give me the team that’s finding a way to grind out victories and maximizing its talent. The Nuggets are 12-6 at Ball Arena this season, and 26-16 ATS overall, and Jamal Murray is coming off a lights-out effort against Washington. I can’t trust the Hornets offense to show up here after some wildly erratic totals in January.
Brandon Miller has put together consecutive strong shooting nights, but his assist tallies have been even steadier. He’s dished 4+ dimes in four straight games, and I expect him to flash his playmaking skills in what should be an end-to-end contest.
Hornets vs Nuggets SGP
Peyton Watson Over 18.5 points
Nuggets moneyline
Brandon Miller Over 3.5
Our "from downtown" SGP: Doing Things the Hardaway
Tim Hardaway Jr. has knocked down 17 threes across his past four outings, and he dropped 30 points on the Wizards last night. With the Nuggets short on sharpshooters, Hardaway has a neon green light to let it fly from beyond the arc.
Hornets vs Nuggets SGP
Peyton Watson Over 18.5 points
Nuggets moneyline
Brandon Miller Over 3.5 assists
Tim Hardaway Jr. Over 3.5 threes
Hornets vs Nuggets odds
Spread: Hornets -1.5 (-110) | Nuggets +1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Hornets -120 | Nuggets +100
Over/Under: Over 228.5 (-110) | Under 228.5 (-110)
Hornets vs Nuggets betting trend to know
The Nuggets are 9-1 SU in their last 10 matchups against the Hornets. Find more NBA betting trends for Hornets vs. Nuggets.
How to watch Hornets vs Nuggets
Location
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Date
Sunday, January 18, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN SE Charlotte, Altitude
Hornets vs Nuggets latest injuries
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