Category: NBA

After a tough loss against the New York Knicks, the Lakers (29-19) look to redeem themselves against the Brooklyn Nets (13-35) on Tuesday. This is the last stop in their Grammy road trip.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Brooklyn Nets

When: 4:30 p.m. PT, Feb. 3

Where: Barclays Center

Watch: Spectrum Sportsnet

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The Lakers were once again confronted with some harsh realities in Sunday’s loss against the Knicks:

• They’re not going to win many games whenever they shoot 12-45 (28.6%) from the 3-point line
• Losing one quarter by a wide margin can significantly affect the game’s outcome
• They have a tough time against opponents who rebound the ball well
• Their struggles against teams above .500 continue (9-11) has become a concern

Frankly, these points have been reccurring issues throughout the season and the purple and gold have shown very little to no signs of improving. Whether that’s because of roster construction, injuries, JJ Redick’s coaching, players underperforming or everything at once, it’s fair to say that the Lakers won’t go far if these issues continue.

In fact, after the annoying loss to New York, Los Angeles fell to seventh in the competitive Western Conference standings which, as we all know, is play-in territory. This didn’t last long thanks to the Suns’ loss a few hours after, but it’s a warning on what can happen if they don’t start stringing some wins.

Luckily for them, they’ll have a good chance of improving their record right away when they take on a rebuilding Nets team on Tuesday. The Nets are pretty much Michael Porter Jr’s team right now along with a bunch of serviceable role players like Cam Thomas, Noah Clowney and Nic Claxton. They can be competitive at times but truth to be told, there’s no reason for the Lakers to lose to them.

Now in jeopardy of being a play-in team, this has become sort of a must-win game for the purple and gold. They can’t lose games like this anymore, especially with seven of their next 10 games coming against teams above .500. The Nets are one of the very few teams in the league with a bottom-tier offensive and defensive rating. They don’t shoot and rebound the ball well. If there’s a group that’s worse than the Lakers in pretty much everything, it’s them.

The goal is to make sure MPJ — who is averaging 25.6 points a game — doesn’t go off. Same goes with Claxton, who shouldn’t dominate the boards and in the paint against Deandre Ayton. If the Lakers can manage to make sure the Nets don’t have an anomaly type of shooting performance or feast inside the paint, then they should be able to handle them.

The Lakers should also use this as another “get right” game before they head home and their schedule gets tougher. Their biggest competitors will be themselves, especially if their offense underperforms again. Hopefully, the team that shows up is the one that’s determined to close their road trip on a winning note and is serious about being a competitive playoff team this season.

Let’s see if the Lakers can do just that on Tuesday.

Notes and Updates

• The Lakers’ injury report lists Bronny James Jr., (left lower leg soreness) and Austin Reaves (left calf strain) are questionable.
• Adou Thiero (right MCL sprain) is out.
• For the Nets, Haywood Highsmith (right knee surgery) is out and Noah Clowney (lower back sprain) is probable.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.

Mikal Bridges’ epiphany came from a bit of personal reflection. 

After the Knicks win over the Raptors in Toronto last week, when Bridges scored 30 points, his answer on the MSG Network broadcast went viral for how honest he was. Bridges admitted that he was “feeling too entitled” and “wasn’t being coachable.” 

That realization wasn’t prompted by the coaching staff or his teammates — it came from within. 

“I think my biggest thing is being accountable, accountability,” Bridges told The Post after the win over the Lakers Sunday night at Madison Square Garden. “You spend a lot of time by yourself, so just trying to realize what I gotta do to be better. I think that was one of the big things — I wasn’t being accountable enough for things that were happening. And not me being coachable as well, as I should.”

Coach Mike Brown on Sunday claimed that he did not see those comments, but stressed that Bridges has been coachable. 

Still, Bridges has noticed a shift in how he’s operating on the floor. 

“It just makes you play more free,” Bridges said. “Not worrying about nothing but playing the right way.”

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Miles McBride will miss his fourth straight game Tuesday against the Wizards with what the team still lists as left ankle injury management. 

Mitchell Robinson is out, with it being the first leg of a back-to-back. 

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Whatever Brown and his staff is saying at halftime, it’s clearly working.

The Knicks have absolutely dominated second halves during their current six-game winning streak. 

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• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NBA STANDINGS AND KNICKS STATS

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They recorded a net rating of 42.3 points in second halves across those six games.

That’s by far the best in the NBA during that stretch — the next closest is the Cavaliers at 19.7 points.

Compare that to first halves during that stretch, where the Knicks had a net rating of 7.1 points — eighth in the NBA. 

“This is a mature group,” Brown said. “They’re competitive as well. We just tell them what we see, a lot of times they just go out and correct it. It’s more about being locked in and doing the little things, detail-wise, better, and not every other play or every few plays.”

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Across this six-game win streak, opponents have shot just 41.7 percent when Jalen Brunson was the closest defender, according to NBA.com’s tracking stats. 

“I feel like I’ve been better as of recently,” Brunson said after Sunday’s win. “I’m gonna give effort every single time. I’d be a below-the-rim rim protector with my charges. Just find a way to impact the game on that side of the floor as best I can.” 

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — LaMelo Ball overcame an early head-to-head collision with coach Charles Lee to score 24 points, and the surging Charlotte Hornets fought back from a 22-point deficit to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 102-95 on Monday for their seventh straight win.

Kon Knueppel added 17 points, hitting four 3s, and Brandon Miller and Grant Williams each scored 16 as Charlotte pulled within a half-game of the Atlanta Hawks for the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Hornets overcame 17 turnovers while matching their longest winning streak since March 2016.

Trey Murphy III scored 27 points to lead the Pelicans, who have lost six of their last nine. Zion Williamson finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Derik Queen had 16 points.

ROCKETS 118, PACERS 114

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Alperen Sengun matched his season high with 39 points, and Jabari Smith Jr. added 19 to help short-handed Houston overcome the absence of All-Star forward Kevin Durant to beat Indiana.

Durant sat out, coach Ime Udoka said, after spraining his left ankle when he stepped on a fan’s foot. The Rockets already were missing center Steven Adams, who is expected to miss the rest of this season following surgery on his injured left ankle, so Sengun did the heavy lifting.

He made 13 of 25 from the field and 13 of 18 from the free-throw line including 8 of 12 during the fourth quarter. Houston won its third straight, got its fifth victory in six games and captured its third straight on the road.

All-Star forward Pascal Siakam finished with 27 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 25 to lead the Pacers, who charged back from a 12-point deficit in the third quarter to take the lead. But they didn’t have quite enough to extend their winning streak to a season-best three straight.

GRIZZLIES 137, TIMBERWOLVES 128

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 30 points, Ty Jerome added 19 and Memphis built a 20-point lead in the second half and held on for a victory over Minnesota.

Memphis maintained a double-digit advantage through much of the fourth quarter. Minnesota, behind Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards, seemed poised to overtake Memphis, but the Grizzlies never let the Timberwolves within nine points and snapped a six-game losing streak.

Jaylen Wells scored 18 points for Memphis, while Cam Spencer and Vince WIlliams Jr. added 16 points apiece.

Edwards led Minnesota with 39 points and seven rebounds. Jaden McDaniels scored 29 points and DiVincenzo finished with 21, including 13 in the fourth. Minnesota had its four-game win streak halted.

76ERS 128, CLIPPERS 113

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Tyrese Maxey scored 29 points, including seven 3-pointers, Dominick Barlow added 26 points and 16 rebounds, and Philadelphia beat Los Angeles for their fourth consecutive victory.

The game featured two big names who weren’t selected as All-Star reserves: Joel Embiid of the Sixers and Kawhi Leonard of the Clippers.

Embiid had 24 points as he continues to gain full strength after a right ankle injury. The Sixers improved to 11-10 without Paul George, who is serving a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug program.

Leonard led the Clippers with 29 points and Jordan Miller had 21 points off the bench.

Los Angeles was without James Harden, who missed his second straight game due to personal reasons. Coach Tyronn Lue said before the game that Harden was at home in Phoenix.

Everything the Minnesota Timberwolves do right now is under a massive microscope. That microscope’s name is Giannis Antetokounmpo.

It’s hard to watch Jaden McDaniels shoot 18-26 from three during the last two weeks and not think immediately of how a certain team in Milwaukee would think of him. It’s increasingly difficult to watch Julius Randle without wondering if he will be sticking around if Minnesota continues to try to prioritize McDaniels and Naz Reid without getting a deal done for Giannis.

Jaden McDaniels over his last 10 quarters…

Points: 58
Rebounds: 11
Assists: 6
2s: 11 for 18 (61%)
3s: 11 for 14 (79%) https://t.co/fdPhRMkgYa

— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) February 3, 2026

All of that is on the table. It means that so little about tonight’s game is actually about tonight’s game. Still, the nature of this recap means that we do need to talk about what happened against the Memphis Grizzlies instead of thinking about what price, if any, is too high for a current top-three player in the entire association.

(If that price is all three of Naz, Jaden, and Julius, that’s certainly too high for me)

The Wolves did what we all know them to do and came out flat. A first-quarter deficit grew and festered like an ever-spreading cough that no one seems to be able to get rid of. While on the topic of sicknesses, it seems pretty clear that the entire team frequently looks anemic and completely devoid of whatever vitamin is needed to provide consistent effort.

The story of this game was the eight-point lead that the Grizzlies maintained for the entirety of the contest. It is exceptionally difficult to consider the Wolves a good team when they have inverted their early-season form and turn into a pumpkin whenever they face a team below 500.

To Minnesota’s discredit, Memphis was also missing two consistent starters and at least four rotation pieces by my count.

It’s just bad.

Despite a great performance from Jaden, these are the types of games that fuel the desperation necessary for the Wolves to go all in on a Giannis trade. And it doesn’t help when your supposed second option has fans tweeting like this:

Julius looks like he’s volunteering to be the guy traded tonight lol

— Я (@LJJM__) February 3, 2026

The word to describe it is just flat. So much of this team is without depth and without texture. The Wolves are not a product you can trust. They are the gas station sandwiches of the NBA. One day, they are the exact thing you need on a road trip, a shocking bit of excellent normalcy to distract from disappointing other options. Another day, they had you projectile vomiting on the side of the highway about an hour and a half later because the lettuce had started to rot.

All that is to say that anyone who sees Minnesota as a title contender is simply wrong. The unseriousness is unavoidable and is just fully baked into this team as is. Whether that would change in an era focused fully on the Jaden/Ant/Naz trio remains to be seen, but this iteration of the team will not escape who they are.

Maybe we will look back on this recap in a couple of months — as we did last year… and the year before as well — and laugh at this level of declaration, but I think there’s a reason that the Wolves burn out in the conference finals.

The Wolves have the ceiling of being able to beat anyone. The last few matchups with the Thunder have shown that. But their inability to lock in and just show up every day, every hour, every play means that they just cannot stop getting in their own way.

If you missed this whole game, you missed out on nothing. You should’ve watched Unrivaled.

A 16-3 run in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter buried any hope of a Minnesota comeback. What else is there to say about a performance like tonight that hasn’t already been said? Ant started off hot, and then cooled off as the game fell out of grasp. Cam Spencer and Ty Jerome made a bad loss worse for Minnesota.

If there’s a story that continues to stand out, it is how dreadful Mike Conley has been. Whereas Bones Hyland at least has a lesser version of the Jordan Poole/Michael Jordan wheel that he spins every game, Conley is ping-ponging between Hornets Tony Parker and Bucks Jeff Teague.

The old man is, by all accounts, a wonderful teammate and an integral part of the locker room, but the biggest difference maker for the Wolves’ deadline hopes is probably getting number 10 to go from a five-minute-a-game player to a zero-minute-a-game player.

Additionally, it was a terrible night for Naz Reid, who had been the most impactful Wolves player according to most net rating numbers over the past few game winning streak. Naz’s issues tend to mirror the team’s. There’s such a high high, but such a low low. Tonight was quite low.

Basketball is fun. Being a fan of a good team is, typically, fun. The Wolves have once again drained me of my will to watch and my will to support.

That brings us back to the question that looms as large as the last name that would answer it. I’d have no problems putting my own words to it, but I think it’s already been said about as well as it can.

To me the Wolves trading for Giannis puts both potentially crashing and burning AND potentially winning a ring on the near-future table — maybe even equally as likely. I don’t think either of them are foreseeable right now

Your view kinda depends on your appetite for risk/reward

— Jake Paynting (@JakePaynting) February 2, 2026

Goodnight Wolves fans. I’m sorry you had to watch that. I wish you didn’t have to. I wish I hadn’t.

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Up Next

The Timberwolves finish their three-game road trip north of the border as they take on the Toronto Raptors, where they look to end one of the craziest streaks in the NBA, as they have not won a road game in Toronto since January 21, 2004. The game begins at 6:30 PM CT, airing on FanDuel Sports Network.

Highlights

All Times EST

Tuesday, Feb. 3

NBA

Denver at Detroit, 7 p.m.

New York at Washington, 7 p.m.

Utah at Indiana, 7 p.m.

Atlanta at Miami, 7:30 p.m.

L.A. Lakers at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m.

Boston at Dallas, 8 p.m.

Chicago at Milwaukee, 8 p.m.

Orlando at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m.

Philadelphia at Golden State, 10 p.m.

Phoenix at Portland, 11 p.m.

NHL

Columbus at New Jersey, 7 p.m.

Ottawa at Carolina, 7 p.m.

Washington at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

Buffalo at Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m.

Pittsburgh at N.Y. Islanders, 7:30 p.m.

Toronto at Edmonton, 8:30 p.m.

Seattle at Anaheim, 10 p.m.

T25 MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

No. 3 UConn vs. Xavier, 7 p.m.

No. 4 Duke vs. Boston College, 7 p.m.

No. 18 Virginia vs. Pittsburgh, 9 p.m.

No. 19 Saint Louis at Davidson, 9 p.m.

No. 22 St. John’s at DePaul, 8 p.m.

No. 23 Miami (OH) at Buffalo, 6:30 p.m.

No. 25 Tennessee vs. Ole Miss, 7 p.m.

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The NBA officially filled out its All-Star game roster, and it is filled with former Kentucky Wildcats. There will be five total Cats in Los Angeles as the ASG festivities kick off in a little less than two weeks.

The five Wildcats named to the league’s most prolific game are New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns, Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Denver’s Jamal Murray, and Phoenix’s Devin Booker.

Murray, a nine-year veteran with the Nuggets, will appear in his first-ever All-Star Game in 2026. He’s having a career year in Denver, averaging 25.5 points per game, shooting 48.7% from the field, and also 7.5 assists per game. He currently has the Nuggets sitting as the third seed in the Western Conference.

The Wildcats’ guard pipeline never fails to amaze. Maxey, who is playing his sixth season for the 76ers, has been one of the most elite guards in the league this season. Averaging just under thirty points a game, the former Wildcat has become the face of the franchise in Philly. A savvy guard who can score at all three levels.

In a weekend full of celebrities and stars in LA, there will be no shortage of Wildcats around all weekend long. Former Cats are always making BBN proud.

The All-Star game is set for February 15th at the Inuit Dome, the home of the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have the ability to make a bigger move now than they did at this time a week ago. Trading De’Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings opened up avenues for them to get under the second apron more easily, which makes substantial moves easier to get done.

Cavs’ president of basketball operations, Koby Altman, admitted that was part of the motivation for Saturday’s trade. After the deal was finalized, Altman said that the move “positions us better to keep building a championship caliber team now and into the future.”

One of the things that the team seemingly hasn’t been willing to do in the past is give up one of their core four players: Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. That group — based on what was said publicly — was considered mostly untouchable. That might be changing.

ESPN insider, Brian Windhorst, said Monday during a radio hit for ESPN Cleveland that he’s “not as convinced” that keeping that group together is their focus.

Windhorst stated:

“For a while now, it was very clear that they did not want to touch the core four. I think it’s probable that the core four will still be on the team on Thursday afternoon, but I think the fact that I have heard some more willingness to expand beyond that indicates that the Cavs feel a level of pressure with this roster in this season.

“I just want to be careful how I word it, because I think what’s most likely to happen is that the roster, the core, stays intact. But I’m not as convinced that that is 100% their focus as it has been in the last year and a half or so.”

“I’m not as convinced that that is 100% their focus as it has been in the last year and a half,” – @WindhorstESPN on if the Cavs will keep the Core 4 intact through the trade deadline on Thursday 👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/SX7PmYkaim

— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) February 2, 2026

While it’s likely that the core will stay together, it’s notable that there is noise around it breaking up, even if it’s unlikely at this time. Presumably, any move that would shake up the core would have to put them in a better position to compete now, which is difficult to do given how little time is left in the season.

At the same time, there is pressure within the organization to succeed at all levels. This is the most expensive team in the league, and they’re expected to compete at a championship level. Despite their recent strong play, they frankly aren’t near the same level as the other top contenders in the league, and they’re running out of time to prove that they can get there.

The Cavs’ recent success is almost more damning than anything. For example, Allen has consistently played his best basketball in Cleveland when Mobley isn’t available. That showed again on Sunday when he dropped 40 points in a win over the Portland Trail Blazers. You don’t want to make too much from one game, but outside of stretches last regular season, their core group specifically has been less than the sum of their parts — especially in previous playoff runs.

There’s also the tacit admission that the team’s two biggest trades in the last year were misses. The Cavs didn’t win the initial Hunter trade with the Atlanta Hawks, and were wrong to choose Lonzo Ball over either/both Isaac Okoro and Ty Jerome — even though Jerome has only played two games this season. They already moved Hunter and are looking to move Ball as well.

We’ll see if the Cavs make any moves before Thursday’s deadline. They likely won’t make a trade just for the sake of doing so. That’s not how this front office has operated. But it’s worth noticing that they could be open to making a bigger move and finally have the ability to do so.

Altman has often talked about how his team has a long runway to compete. This season, they’re starting to run out of that runway. The plane needs to start flying.

On Sunday, the NBA announced the reserves for the 2026 All-Star Game, which takes place in less than two weeks at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, the new home of the LA Clippers. It goes without saying that there were no Warriors among the reserves … Steph Curry already made the team as a starter, and Jimmy Butler III’s ACL tear ended his slim chances of representing the Dubs in Inglewood.

It’s the season for snubbery, and a lot of fan bases are upset that one of their players didn’t make the cut for the mid-season festivities. So who do you think are the biggest snubs?

Here’s the full lineups as a refresher:

West starters:
Steph Curry (Warriors)
Luka Dončić (Lakers)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
Nikola Jokić (Nuggets)
Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)

East starters:
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Warriors Bucks … for now)
Jaylen Brown (Celtics)
Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
Cade Cunningham (Pistons)
Tyrese Maxey (76ers)

West reserves:
Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers)
Devin Booker (Suns)
Kevin Durant (Rockets)
Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
Chet Holmgren (Thunder)
LeBron James (Lakers)
Jamal Murray (Nuggets)

East reserves:
Scottie Barnes (Raptors)
Jalen Duren (Pistons)
Jalen Johnson (Hawks)
Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers)
Norman Powell (Heat)
Pascal Siakam (Pacers)
Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks)

So who got snubbed? The clear answer in my eyes is Kawhi Leonard. Normally I’m of the mindset that most snubs aren’t worth getting upset over … that in any given year, there are 30 or so players worthy of being All-Stars and it’s hard to make a case that the “snub” actually deserves to make the roster over any of the players ahead of him. But I probably would have picked Leonard over every Western Conference reserve other than Edwards. He’s averaging 27.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.0 steals per game, shooting 39.1% on threes with a 62.5% true-shooting percentage, and playing his usual defense. Add in the fact that his team is hosing the All-Star Game, and it’s truly staggering to me that he didn’t get selected.

There will be replacements announced between now and the February 15 game, and hopefully Leonard is on that list. But for now, he’s my biggest snub.

Who’s yours?

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Cotie McMahon scored 20 points and No. 13 Mississippi rolled to a 71-45 victory over Auburn at neutral site Legacy Arena on Monday night.

McMahon made 7 of 13 shots, 6 of 8 free throws and grabbed seven rebounds for the host Rebels (19-4, 6-2 Southeastern Conference), who have won three straight and five of six.

Sira Thienou totaled 14 points and eight rebounds for Ole Miss. Christeen Iwuala added 12 points and 11 rebounds for her ninth double-double this season. Latasha Lattimore left with an apparent ankle injury in the fourth quarter for the Rebels after scoring six points — leaving her one shy of 1,000 for her career.

Harissoum Coulibaly had 11 points to lead the Tigers (13-10, who have lost four in a row — all to ranked teams.

Mya Petticord had two baskets in a game-opening 10-4 run for Auburn. McMahon made three baskets and four free throws as Ole Miss scored the next 18 points to take a 12-point lead after one quarter. The Tigers missed their last 10 shots and both their free throws, going scoreless over the final 6:58.

Khady Leye's layup 2:01 into the second quarter ended the drought and left Auburn trailing 24-12. McMahon had 15 points as the Rebels took a 35-19 lead into the break. The Tigers shot 28.6% and scored nine points over the final 13:02 of the half.

McMahon scored five in the third quarter to top 20 points for a third straight game and Ole Miss led 50-31.

The Tigers came in averaging an SEC-low 54 points per game and missed their first 11 3-pointers until Kaitlyn Duhon connected with 5:47 left.

Up next

Auburn: At Florida on Thursday.

Mississippi: At No. 21 Alabama on Thursday.

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Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball.

Turns out, Michael Porter Jr. isn’t the only Brooklyn Nets big currently garnering interest around the league. Jake Fischer reports Monday that “sources say that Toronto, in addition to calls on mid-tier centers like Dallas’ Daniel Gafford, has also expressed interest in Brooklyn’s Day’Ron Sharpe.”

Day’Ron continues to be one of the best bigs off the bench this season, currently averaging 21.9 points and a ludicrous 17.7 rebounds per 100 possessions.

There was also news — actually no news — on the Giannis Antetokounmpo front. As Brian Lewis reported exclusively, the the Brooklyn Nets pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo never … actually … began.

That’s what Lewis tweeted exclusively Monday afternoon….

I’m told the #Bucks haven’t received a call from Brooklyn about Giannis Antetokounmpo. I know there’s reporting to the contrary, and I can’t say say what the #Nets will do in the future; but as of now league sources say they haven’t called the Bucks. #nbahttps://t.co/guR4ya9Ghn

— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) February 2, 2026

Lewis added:

[A] highly placed league source familiar with the situation told The Post that — among the calls that the Bucks have fielded on the 31-year-old star — Brooklyn wasn’t among them as of Monday afternoon.

That of course runs counter to some early reporting that Brooklyn, which had long coveted the 6’11” Greek big man, would jump into the trade fray now that the Bucks are willing to listen to offers. As Lewis noted.

Giannis Antetokounmpo will be the most sought-after player at Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. But sources told The Post that — contrary to reports — the Nets haven’t called Milwaukee about the Greek superstar.

For years, Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks hoarded assets in case Antetokounmpo ever decided he wanted to leave Milwaukee and was made available.

The news follows word from Brian Windhorst that the Nets haven’t put Michael Porter Jr. on the market. MPJ, presumably would be a big piece in any Giannis trade Brooklyn would make. Not including him now would indicate that the 27-year-old is likely to be a part of Brooklyn’s long-term plan … or that they will wait til the summer to field offers.

Specifically, Jake Fischer reports that the Raps are pursuing size and although their top target is Donatas Sabonis, they have monitored Sharpe as well.

Toronto will continue to explore its options for an infusion of size. As we’ve reported many times, they have shown an interest in Sabonis for some time … while some in Anthony Davis’ camp still believe that the Raptors will pursue him. Sources say that Toronto, in addition to calls on mid-tier centers like Dallas’ Daniel Gafford, has also expressed interest in Brooklyn’s Day’Ron Sharpe.

The Raptors have all their first round picks through 2032 as well as all but one of their seconds..

The deadline of course is now three days away, Thursday at 3:00 p.m. ET.

• Nets haven’t joined in on the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes yet (S) – Brian Lewis – New York Post

STAVELY, Alberta (AP) — Three Southern Alberta Mustangs junior hockey players were killed Monday morning in a vehicle crash while heading to practice.

RCMP said it responded to the crash at an intersection with Highway 2 in Stavely — about an hour’s drive south of Calgary. JJ Wright and Cameron Casorso, both 18 and from Kamloops, British Columbia, and 17-year-old Caden Fine of Birmingham, Alabama, were killed.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, in a social media post, offered condolences to the players' families and teammates.

“The whole Alberta hockey family is standing with you in sorrow and in prayer,” Smith said. “In the days ahead, I know Albertans will wrap these families and this team in love and support as they navigate a pain no one should ever have to bear.”

RCMP said the crash involved a northbound semi truck pulling gravel and a small passenger vehicle going east. The driver of the semi, a 40-year-old man from Stavely, sustained minor injuries.

The U.S. Premier Hockey League team said on Facebook that it is working closely with authorities and is asking for privacy for the players' families.

“There are no words that can adequately express the depth of our grief," the team said. "These young men were more than hockey players — they were teammates, sons, brothers, friends, and deeply loved members of our Mustangs family and the communities we call home. We are a family, and today our family is hurting.”

At the town’s arena, three white and red jerseys with the last names of the players were draped over a table, along with three upright hockey sticks.

The Kamloops Minor Hockey Association said in a statement that Casorso and Wright grew up in the B.C. organization. Casorso played from 2012 to 2025 and Wright from 2011 to 2025.

“Although their journeys began here in Kamloops, they found a second hockey family and a new bond with the Southern Alberta Mustangs,” the statement said. “These three young men were teammates and friends to many. We are grieving together, as one hockey family forever changed by the loss of these young men.”

The Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League also offered support on social media: “Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who knew them,” the team said.

News of the crash evoked memories of another deadly crash involving a junior hockey team.

In April 2018, 16 people were killed and 13 injured when a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League crashed. The team had been on its way to a playoff game when a semi truck went through a stop sign and into the path of the bus at a rural intersection near Tisdale, Saskatchewan.

The mayor of Humboldt expressed condolences to the Alberta team on Facebook.

“We stand with your community as you mourn this tragic loss, and our thoughts are with all those affected,” Mayor Rob Muench said.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

The Phoenix Suns have been off to a terrific start with already 30 wins under their belt before the All-Star Break. This is a complete 180 compared to last year, as this version of the Suns is viewed as one of the best underdog stories, whereas last year, they were one of the biggest failures. That being said, the Suns have dealt with injuries just like in past years, but have powered through with the depth pieces rising.

One of those big standouts is Dillon “The Villain” Brooks, who has been a massive piece to the Suns’ success this year.

Brooks has come up clutch multiple times for this team, taking over when he needs to be the major x factor on offense. In a recent game, we just saw the proof of this as Devin Booker, Jalen Green, and Collin Gillespie were all out against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons. What did Brooks do? Well, he dropped a career-high 40 points and routed them by almost 20 points.

Dillon Brooks ERUPTED in tonight's win 🌋

☀️ 40 PTS (career-high)
☀️ 8 REB
☀️ 4 AST
☀️ 4 3PM pic.twitter.com/0v2j4jNIfq

— NBA (@NBA) January 30, 2026

Even with all this positive talk and endorsement from fans and players on the squad, Brooks was still snubbed of an All-Star appearance this year. This has left many fans, including myself, confused about how this could have occurred.

"Tell everybody, we have two All-Stars on the team! This man is an All-Star"

Collin Gillespie speaking the TRUTH after Dillon Brooks' career night against the Pistons 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/qdcqXdTupa

— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) January 30, 2026

Luckily, the Suns were at least represented with Devin Booker making it, but this still does not fill the void left by Brooks’ not being there. As I stated earlier, he has come up huge for this team and has been the second or third option on most nights this year. Just look at his recent stats while Booker has been out, with Green sporadically playing as well.

Dillon Brooks over the last 4 games:

29.8 PPG
4.5 RPG
3.0 APG
1.3 SPG
1.0 BPG
56.8% FG
47.6% 3P
89.3% FT
31.9 MPG

All-Star numbers. https://t.co/26sFKVhggdpic.twitter.com/Eksb4cTUjC

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 31, 2026

Even with his awe-inspiring numbers as of late, he has been helping this team win all season long. For someone who was viewed as a throw-in in the Kevin Durant trade, he has changed that narrative, becoming the most valuable piece from that deal so far. This season, he is averaging some career-high numbers. In 31 minutes, he averages 21.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.2 blocks while shooting 45/36/86 from the field. An efficient shooting season while being a leader on both ends clearly captures how much he means to this team.

So, how did he not make it, you may be asking? Well, as we can see, this was the list of other reserves from the Western Conference.

2026 NBA Western Conference All-Star Reserves:

Anthony Edwards (MIN)
Jamal Murray (DEN)
Chet Holmgren (OKC)
Kevin Durant (HOU)
Devin Booker (PHX)
Deni Avdija (POR)
LeBron James (LAL)

— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) February 1, 2026

Even with Brooks not making it, there were a lot of snubs from the Western Conference. Depending on who you ask, they will give a different name, but with it being in Los Angeles at the Intuit Dome, I would have expected a Clipper to make it with their success as of late. Regardless of that, to me, there is a clear person Brooks could have replaced.

Now, this is no hate on that person, but this year it is clear they are not an All-Star and only got the bid for legacy’s sake, and it is LeBron James. James, who was out to start the season, is having an impressive year 23 for sure, but not one that is clearly better than Brooks. He also is not helping the impact of winning on that team, compared to Brooks for the Suns.

That is why it stings most, because of how much Brooks has meant to the success of this Suns team. He has played in a majority of their games, missing only six so far this season, and every time he is needed, he steps up to deliver. It does not matter on which side of the ball it is; he always has the fighting energy to contribute and make a difference. With that fuel, he powers not only for himself but this team as well to make a difference on both ends.

Brooks was so impactful in fact that he earned Western Conference player of the week, for his tremendous play. This is just more proof that he has been a leader who has stepped up countless times for the squad’s success. He is the definition of someone you want on your team and someone you would hate to go against.

WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: DILLON BROOKS 😈 pic.twitter.com/8PJ2GzhwJO

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) February 2, 2026

So even if Dillon is not an All-Star and is not going to be represented, he is still an All-Star to me in my heart. He has helped the Suns change their narrative this year by proving those doubters and haters wrong. That is the best fuel for this team to continue succeeding, especially Brooks, who never backs down.

The Washington Wizards play the New York Knicks tomorrow night. Let’s get to the preview.

Game info

When: Tuesday, Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. ET

Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC

How to watch: Monumental Sports Network, League Pass

Injuries: For the Wizards, Tre Johnson (ankle), Tristan Vukcevic (hamstring), Trae Young (knee, quad) and Cam Whitmore (shoulder) are out. Anthony Gill is day-to-day.

For the Knicks, Mitchell Robinson (ankle), Miles McBride (ankle) and Kevin McCullar are out.

What to watch for

The Wizards kicked off February on the right note with a win against the Sacramento Kings last Sunday. The Knicks will be a much tougher opponent to beat tomorrow night, however. They have won six straight, with their most recent win coming against the Los Angeles Lakers last Sunday.

Hopefully, Washington won’t be caught flatfooted like they were against the Lakers last Friday. Let’s see how things shape up as we head toward the NBA Trade Deadline as well.

Observations after brilliant Barlow's career-high night helps Sixers top Clippers originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Dominick Barlow had the game of his NBA life Monday night.

The 22-year-old forward was tremendous in the opening contest of the Sixers’ five-game West Coast road trip, a 128-113 win over the Clippers at Intuit Dome.

Barlow had a career-high 26 points and a career-best 16 rebounds. Ten of those boards were offensive.

Tyrese Maxey posted 29 points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals. Joel Embiid scored 24 points.

Clippers star Kawhi Leonard recorded 29 points and six assists. 

As was the case Saturday when the Sixers beat the Pelicans, the suspended Paul George was the one unavailable Sixer. 

On the second night of a back-to-back, the 23-26 Clippers’ absences included James Harden (personal reasons) and Derrick Jones Jr. (right ankle sprain). 

The 28-21 Sixers will visit the Warriors on Tuesday night and aim for a fifth consecutive win. Here are observations on their victory vs. the Clippers:

Brilliant Barlow start

Maxey hit two early three-pointers in a row and scored an extremely efficient 16 first-quarter points, shooting 4 for 6 from the floor. 

Barlow was also outstanding. The Sixers seemed to beat the Clippers to every contested ball in the first quarter and Barlow’s energy was everywhere. While the Sixers are obviously a better, more well-rounded team with George, Barlow’s shown he shouldn’t be viewed as a last-ditch starting option. 

The two-way contract player (for now) has started 32 times this season and frequently fit well by doing the dirty work alongside the Sixers’ stars. On Monday, Barlow earned a major chunk of the spotlight. He had two put-back buckets, an and-one layup in transition and a chase-down block on Leonard in the first quarter. All told, Barlow posted 11 points and seven boards in the opening period. The Sixers raced to an 18-2 lead.

Especially with Harden out, it was no surprise that the Sixers’ defense constantly slanted toward Leonard. He missed his first five field goals and the Sixers held Los Angeles to 19 points in the first quarter. 

Sixers turn to three-guard look 

Jared McCain swished a three on his first shot of the night. He played in a three-guard lineup with VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes to begin the second quarter. 

Edgecombe was scoreless until he made two free throws with 9:10 left in the second, but he looked good at point guard and threw several sharp passes in a seven-assist outing. 

Grimes’ first points were of the highlight variety. He exploded for a big dunk on John Collins that the Sixers’ sideline enjoyed. 

Might as well be walkers the way Grimes fought through them 🧟 pic.twitter.com/xuDBcmS1f3

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) February 3, 2026

The Clippers eventually found some success in the second quarter as Leonard and his teammates adjusted to the Sixers’ many double teams. Leonard had a 5-for-5 stretch and the Clippers made a 9-0 run to cut their deficit to 58-44. 

No trouble going wire to wire

Coming off of a 40-point performance vs. New Orleans, Embiid shot 2 for 10 from the floor in the first half. Edgecombe had a very cold shooting game and finished 1 for 11.

Embiid made four throws over the last minute of the second quarter and got into a typical scoring groove in the third. The Sixers still couldn’t turn the game into a no-doubt blowout. They left Jordan Miller free for a wide-open dunk late in the third quarter and head coach Nick Nurse asked for a timeout.

Grimes and McCain both stalled the Clippers’ momentum by knocking down threes in the the closing stages of the third quarter. However, McCain committed a turnover on the Sixers’ last possession of the third and Miller’s subsequent layup trimmed the Sixers’ lead to 100-87.

Barlow reached his career high in satisfying fashion with 8:23 left in the fourth quarter, converting an and-one lefty layup seconds after he’d grabbed an offensive board. He sunk a long-range jumper on the Sixers’ next trip, too.

The Clippers weren’t nearly precise enough in the fourth quarter to pull off a massive comeback. L.A. never led and the Sixers kept a double-digit advantage. Following two straight Leonard missed free throws, Maxey drilled a step-back three. He was able to soak in the final three minutes and change from the bench.

Déjà vu hit the Nets like a truck Saturday.

To end their five-game road trip, the Nets looked lifeless in a 53-point loss to the NBA title-contending Pistons, 130-77.

It marked Detroit’s largest margin of victory in franchise history.

It wasn’t just a typical blowout.

The Nets appeared to silently quit.

This brand of losing is starting to take a toll.

“Man, we just got to learn from it. We just can’t keep getting beat by 50 though,” Nic Claxton said after the loss. “It’s really demoralizing as a group for us. We got to come together and figure out ways to, at least, keep the games closer.”

The Nets are in another rebuilding season with a young squad after using a league record five first-round picks in the 2025 draft.

The front office has made its tanking mission known from the beginning.

“We spent all of our [2025] picks — we had five first-round draft picks this past summer. We have one pick in 2026, and we hope to get a good pick,” team owner Joe Tsai said in October. “So you can predict what kind of strategy we will use for this season.”

Losing has not necessarily been the problem during their 13-35 season.

They currently find themselves fourth in the race for the bottom, with the hope of having favorable odds to land the No. 1 pick.

However, what the Nets have done the last two weeks is a different level of losing.

Prior to their humiliation in Detroit, the Nets were embarrassed by the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 21, losing by 54 points, 120-66.

It was the biggest margin of victory in Knicks history while the Nets earned the lowest-scoring effort in the entire NBA this season.

Four days later, the Clippers beat Brooklyn by 37 points.

There’s losing and then there’s this — utter embarrassment.

“It’s not just that you don’t play consistently hard, it’s then you quit and we cannot allow that,” coach Jordi Fernández said. “It starts with me, gotta create habits, we’ve done it. We’ve done it well. Even in this game you can say the way we started playing basketball, we were trying to match their physicality and play the right way and find ways to score. From there, it was a complete fall down. So, obviously this one hurts. Gotta help them be better.”

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After a 5-0 run in the final seconds against the Knicks bench, the Nets were spared from the worst defeat in franchise history — a 59-point thrashing at the hands of the Clippers last season on Jan. 15.

Going into the season, the second-worst Nets blowout loss was by 52 points in Houston on Oct. 18, 1978.

The losses to the Knicks and Pistons, however, have surpassed the mark to make up the top three of the Nets worst losses in franchise history.

“We found ways to get good shots early on and then we couldn’t. We couldn’t match that, and then it was from frustration to whatever you want to call it,” Fernández added. “It’s forgetting what you’re supposed to do. So, we’ll run it back. We’ll hold [our team] accountable, we’ll give them a hug, whatever the case may be. [We have to] go out there and play better than this.”

For a team that was 7-4 in December with the top defensive rating across the league (105.4) during that span, this is likely not the kind of tank job the Nets leadership had in mind.

It will be on Fernández to guide his young team after a shameful two weeks.