MADISON, Wis. (AP) — John Blackwell scored 23 points, including Wisconsin's last seven points in the final minute, and the Badgers rallied to defeat short-handed Minnesota 67-63 on Wednesday night.
Wisconsin trailed by 18 points at halftime against a Golden Gophers team missing leading scorer Cade Tyson, who was out with an ankle injury. Six players were unavailable due to injury and only seven players saw action for Minnesota.
Nick Boyd's jumper gave Wisconsin a 51-50 lead with 6 1/2 minutes remaining, the Badgers' first lead since it was 3-0. There were six lead changes in the next 5 1/2 minutes, the last coming when Blackwell made two free throws for a 62-61 lead with one minute remaining.
Jack Janicki blocked Isaac Asuma's 3-point try with 45 seconds left and Blackwell drained a 3-pointer for a 65-61 lead with 19 seconds remaining. Minnesota's Grayson Grove dunked a rebound with nine seconds left to make it 65-63 then Blackwell finished off the win with two free throws.
Boyd scored 21 points for Wisconsin (15-6, 7-3 Big Ten).
Bobby Durkin scored 20 points, Asuma 16 and Langston Reynolds 12 for Minnesota (10-11, 3-7), which has lost six straight.
After trailing 35-17 and making only one two-point shot in the first half, Wisconsin scored the first 10 points of the second half and extended the run to 15-2 through the first eight minutes.
A four-point play by Braeden Carrington got Wisconsin within 50-49 with seven minutes remaining. The Badgers had outscored Minnesota 32-15 at that point of the second half.
CLEVELAND — The Lakers avoided a potential disaster when star guard Luka Dončić returned to Wednesday night’s matchup against the Cavaliers late in the first quarter after taking a scary fall into the stands just a few minutes into the game.
But what they didn’t avoid was another double-digit loss in LeBron James’ return to northeast Ohio, with uncertainty about his NBA future beyond this season.
The Lakers were blown out by the Cavaliers 129-99 at Rocket Arena during a game in which James uncharacteristically struggled in front of a crowd showering him with adoration throughout the evening.
LeBron James drives to the basket during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 28, 2026. NBAE via Getty ImagesLebron James throws chalk in the air before the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 28, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Dončić finished with 29 points, six assists and five rebounds after returning, but the Cavaliers outscored the Lakers 72-44 in the second half, including 42-22 in the third, for their fifth consecutive win.
James finished with 11 points on 3-of-10 shooting to go with six turnovers, five assists and three rebounds.
The only time the Cleveland crowd cheered louder than it did for James?
When his son and teammate, Bronny James, scored eight points in the fourth quarter – a dunk and a pair of 3-pointers – during garbage time when the Cavaliers had full control.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade tries to get past Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James. David Richard-Imagn Images
What does it mean?
The Lakers will have to wait even longer to go on a three-game winning streak – something they’ve done once since the end of November.
They also dropped to 28-18 on the season, maintaining their No. 5 spot in the Western Conference standings and 3-2 on the “Grammy” trip.
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Jarrett Allen, center, fights for control of the ball with Los Angeles Lakers forward Jake LaRavia. AP
Turning point
There were two distinct moments Wednesday: when the Cavaliers took control of the game, and when they grabbed it by the throat, ensuring the Lakers were going to suffer another double-digit loss.
The first happened immediately after halftime, when the Cavaliers outscored the Lakers 19-10 in the opening few minutes of the third quarter to take a 76-65 lead after making seven of their first eight shots, including four 3-pointers.
The Cavaliers still had the game under control after calling timeout at the 4:29 mark of the quarter after a James layup in transition cut the Lakers’ deficit to 82-70.
Rui Hachimura, who went scoreless in 18 minutes after missing all seven of his shot attempts, passed up a corner 3 attempt and turned over the ball on the Lakers’ first possession after the timeout. That led to a De’Andre Hunter layup in transition that started a 17-7 Cleveland run to close the quarter, with the Cavaliers leading 99-77 starting the fourth.
LeBron James drives to the basket during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 28, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
MVP: Jaylon Tyson
The second-year wing continued his strong season, finishing with 20 points, six rebounds and six assists in 29 minutes.
He was also the recipient of a couple of offensive fouls against James, who struggled to get into a rhythm for most of Wednesday.
Stat of the game: 28.1%
After having one of their best shooting games of the season in Monday’s win over the Bulls in Chicago, the Lakers followed it with one of their worst.
They knocked down just nine of their 32 3s against the Cavaliers, including 5 of 18 in the second half.
Dončić (3 of 8 on 3s) and Gabe Vincent (11 points; 3 of 4 on 3s) were the only Lakers to knock down a shot from beyond the arc until Bronny James made a pull-up 3 with 2:53 left.
Dalton Knecht made a late 3 in garbage time before the younger James made another 3, leading to loud cheers from the Cleveland crowd.
Bronny James dunks the ball during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 28, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Up next
The Lakers’ trip will continue with a matchup against the Wizards on Friday.
It’ll be their second-to-last city of the trip before playing two games in New York, with matchups against the Knicks on Sunday and Nets on Tuesday, respectively.
Wednesday evening was just another game for the Minnesota Timberwolves where their opponents, the Dallas Mavericks, were missing the majority of their rotation players. The number one overall pick, Cooper Flagg, was out for just the fourth game of the season. Joining him on the sidelines was Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, Derek Lively, and a handful of others.
This was going to be a high risk, low reward game.
Would it surprise you if I told you that Minnesota came out of the gates fumbling the ball all over the place? How about them giving up a ton of offensive rebounds and second chance opportunities to Dallas? Yeah, I didn’t think so. It was the Mavericks total lack of talent on the floor that allowed the Wolves stay even. Anthony Edwards was particularly quiet on the floor early, matching his recent performance off the court.
Julius Randle was playing in his hometown of Dallas with his mother in attendance. Perhaps her presence gave Randle the motivation to carry Minnesota on the offensive end. He chipped in 10 of his game-high 31 points in the opening quarter.
The game started to lean in the Wolves favor as we got a glimpse into the potential future of the Wolves frontcourt. To deal with their early rebounding woes, Chris Finch subbed in rookie Joan Beringer to pair with Naz Reid. Both immediately injected energy into game. Reid had a quick seven-point burst. Beringer contributed to five more points by rim running and crashing the flash. We even got a Reid to Beringer lob!
A double-digit Minnesota lead was briefly sliced down due to an incessant fouling problem. Luckily, the zombie Mavericks couldn’t even muster up 50 points in the first half, giftwrapping the Wolves a 10-point lead at the half. Sadly, Minnesota came out of the tunnel with about the same energy they had in the first half. Jaden McDaniels quickly picked up his fourth foul while Edwards continued to display poor body language on the defensive end.
What was missing from those two seemed to available in spades from Donte DiVincenzo. Big Ragu was all over the court, even after picking up a season-high tying four steals in the first half alone. He nearly detonated a Slam Ball-esque one-handed jam over Daniel Gafford, and then seconds later almost converted on an all heart full court sprint in transition.
The Wolves mostly sat at a comfortable 13 to 16 point lead in the third quarter, at times allowing the Mavericks to slice it down to nine. However, easy buckets for Edwards (Who later showed he did have a voice, picking up a technical foul for complaining) and more vintage Randle bully ball kept the home team at bay. Beringer continued to provide a glance at the crystal ball, violently swatting away a Caleb Martin layup attempt, then finishing the third quarter off with a buzzer-beating putback.
Minnesota held a 17-point lead heading into the final stanza which never diminished to single-digits again.
As mentioned at the start of this recap, it was going to be a low reward game. Randle raised the floor on the offensive end. The French towers buoyed the defensive end. Reid popped off against second and third stringers. DiVincenzo brought the invaluable intangibles. Bones Hyland continued to show some extra pop off the bench that Finch has been so desperately searching for. Even Mike Conley did some things!
All of that more than balanced out a slow night by McDaniels and (another) relatively muted night from Edwards.
If you don’t have social media, the Wolves have moved up to the sixth seed in the Western Conference and are just about one to two games back from homecourt advantage in the postseason.
Box Score
Up Next
The Wolves hop on a quick flight to visit the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, January 29 at 8:30 pm CT. The last time these two teams clashed, we got an epic finish. Catch this one on Prime Video.
Another game against a quality team equals another blowout loss for the Lakers. In defeats, the Lakers have continued to have the same problems and they were exposed once again in Cleveland.
LA struggled to slow down the Cavaliers’ offense, and in the third quarter, they got outscored by 20, which essentially ended the game. Points in the paint were also a problem as they lost that battle 60-48.
Barring a trade, the 2025-26 Lakers are what they are at this point. And, it appears that’s a team that’s a player or two away from being a player or two away from being an elite squad.
So, let’s dive into the loss. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
The Cavs gave LeBron a tribute before the game that moved him to tears. That was touching to see, and with so much uncertainty about his future, it’s clear he’s soaking it all in.
LeBron James was stirred to tears during the Cleveland Cavaliers tribute video to him in the 1st half tonight (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/AJ2ZQqr20V
Once play began, LeBron was subpar. He had far too many turnovers and struggled from the field, going 3-10. James tried to tough it out and played in the fourth despite appearing to have hurt his ankle, but the game was far out of reach.
Hopefully, this loss won’t also include a significant injury to James that forces him to miss time. LeBron can only miss one more game if he wants to remain eligible for NBA awards.
This game was all about what LaRavia didn’t do. He had zero rebounds and failed to hit a 3-point shot. Perhaps when Austin Reaves returns, he can go back to the bench where the variance of his performances will hurt the Lakers less.
On paper, Ayton had a good game. He was perfect from the field, scoring 10 points in 19 minutes. But when you watch the game, you see mediocre defense and a player who couldn’t impose his will on either end of the floor.
Luka avoided disaster in the opening quarter when he slipped due to the Cavs’ floor being raised. He exited the game for a moment but was able to return.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick said the elevated floor was a “safety hazard” and that sounds about right.
Dončić continued to play, but it did appear like his ankle was bothering him the rest of the way.
Vincent played well in this game and was a bright spot in this loss. That’s not saying much, nor does it change his role on the Lakers, but it was nice to see him make some baskets.
This was an awful performance from Hachimura. Hopefully, this is just a bump in the road because he looked like he was finding his groove over the last couple of games.
Considering that Timme barely reached double-digit minutes and most of that came during garbage time, there isn’t much to learn from his play in this game.
Grade: C-
Bronny James, Maxi Kleber, Dalton Knecht
This trio only got garbage time action. The Cavs fans liked watching Bronny score.
He returned to Cleveland — next to the city where he was born, the team he spent his first seven seasons in the NBA with — then returned and won a ring. He is the hometown hero, and they welcomed him back with a tribute video.
All season long, the conventional wisdom in league circles has been that LeBron will play one more season, kind of a farewell tour, but it will not be with the Lakers. A return to Cleveland has always been speculated as one of the most likely final stops in LeBron's unparalleled career.
Cleveland "would gladly welcome James back this summer if he wanted to return," ESPN Dave McMenamin reported on Wednesday, just before this homecoming game. This is a Cavaliers team poised to contend again next season in the East, it would be him leaving on a high note.
Could we see LeBron in the wine and gold one more time? He was not about to walk down that road Wednesday night.
"I don't know what the future holds," LeBron James said. "I'm just trying to live in the moment."
LeBron echoed what he always says, that he and his family will discuss his future after the season ends. He doesn't know if this season, his 23rd in the NBA at age 41, will be his last.
Just don't be surprised if the ultimate outcome is LeBron James back in Cleveland for one more campaign.
LeBron James’ latest return to Cleveland proved to be an emotional one.
James was honored with a tribute video during the Cavaliers’ 129-99 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night, and it appeared to bring him to tears.
The four-time MVP was clearly emotional while on the bench as Cleveland showed the video on the screens at Rocket Arena. Among the highlights shown during the video was his playoff game against the Detroit Pistons in 2007, when he scored 25 straight points.
“... Obviously, with the moment they put up there with the Detroit game and looking up in the rafters and seeing our championship banner, it was a lot of reflecting for sure,” James said during his postgame media availability.
James also said that "being present" led to the outpouring of emotion.
James finished the game with 11 points, five assists and three rebounds in 27 minutes of play. He shot 3-for-10 from the field and was 0-for-3 from the 3-point line. He also had six turnovers.
While he largely struggled, the game still had plenty of highlights for James. One of them was having his mother, Gloria, in attendance for the game.
“My mom got to watch her son and her grandson play in the NBA at the same time,” James said.
James' son, Bronny James, also plays for the Lakers and he finished the game with eight points in eight minutes of play and had a highlight dunk late in the game. He went 3-for-3 from the field and 2-for-2 from the 3-point line.
MIAMI (AP) — Paolo Banchero had 31 points and 12 rebounds, Anthony Black scored 26 points and the Orlando Magic beat the Miami Heat 133-124 on Wednesday night to snap a four-game skid.
Desmond Bane finished with 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting and Jalen Suggs scored 16 for the Magic, who are 3-0 against the Heat this season.
Simone Fontecchio scored 23 points in 19 minutes for the Heat. Norman Powell added 22 points and Bam Adebayo had 21.
Franz Wagner (left ankle sprain) missed his fourth straight game for the Magic while Miami was without Tyler Herro (ribs) and Davion Mitchell (shoulder).
The start of the game was delayed by seven minutes because one of the rims was uneven.
The Magic went on a 14-0 run in the fourth quarter and led 121-104 with 5:47 remaining before the Heat rallied and got within 128-122 on Powell’s three-point play with 1:25 left. Banchero and Suggs made two free throws each in the final minute to secure the win.
Orlando finished with 36 assists and shot 16 of 38 from 3-point range.
Down nine at halftime, the Magic outscored the Heat 40-20 in the third period behind 13 points from Banchero and 10 from Black. Orlando forced seven turnovers and had a 7-1 advantage in offensive rebounds in the quarter.
Miami erased a 14-point deficit late in the first quarter and outscored Orlando by 16 in the second to lead 68-59 at the break. Fontecchio scored 14 points, including three 3-pointers, in the second.
Up next
Magic: Host Toronto on Friday.
Heat: At Chicago on Thursday in a game rescheduled from Jan. 8, when unplayable court conditions at United Center forced a postponement. It's the first of three games against the Bulls in a four-day span.
Neither head coach in tonight’s Raptors vs Knicks match-up pays much attention to the NBA standings. Darko Rajakovic made a pact with himself to avoid them until the All-Star break. Mike Brown, coach of the Knicks, also commented that he doesn’t pay much attention to his team’s place in the rankings. It’s more about focusing on each game, one at a time.
Tonight’s game, though, had many standings implications. The Raptors and Knicks are pretty close to eachother in the top-four spots in the Eastern Conference. A win from either team would have been a great advantage in that battle.
On the Raptors’ side, they came into this game on a four-game streak, having won their last four West Coast road trip games. Though they haven’t beaten the Knicks in several years, New York came into this game on the second night of a back-to-back, missing a few players.
Should be a recipe for success?? It was, until the third quarter — when everything fell apart.
disappointing to see a game that started out with so much promise (raps’ d in the 1st half was some of the best they’ve played all year) go all the way off the rails. offensive process fell apart & they had no answer for ny’s wings. og took their lunch & stuffed them in a locker
Toronto had a 10-point lead going into the second quarter and a 4-point lead at halftime. By the end of the third, the Raptors were down 12 points, and it was a 20-point game in the fourth.
The Raptors stopped taking care of the ball, leading to reckless turnovers. They were pretty cold when it came to shooting all night, but while the Knicks recovered from a cold start, the Raptors got colder. Toronto only shot 38% from the field on the night, and 27% from three-point range. It was, for lack of a better word, a gross display of basketball.
Maybe they should trade for Giannis. I mean, if this is the effort you’re going to give, why not blow it up?
What is it about the Knicks that the Raptors just can’t figure out? It’s been years of this, and it feels like this New York team just has the Raptors number every single time.
That’s the kind of game you need to just forget and move on from, and the Raptors will do that as they head back out of cold Toronto and into the Orlando heat this Friday for a quick road trip.
The New York Knicks (29*-18) played at MSG last night and fought deep into the night before finally knifing the Kings. Just 24 hours later, they took the floor in Toronto to face the Raptors (29-20). The Raps had rested since Sunday and won four straight. A fatigued Knicks team versus one of the hottest in the league? With Immanuel Quickley having a career year? Some of us had concerns. So a 119-92 win? Quoth YIK: “Didn’t see that coming.”
The game had an unpromising start. The visitors opened with a turnover-soaked first quarter and scrambled after an ill Jalen Brunson exited early, managing just 18 points. They steadied in the second behind Towns’ absurd rebounding and improved team defense, clawing their way to a four-point deficit at halftime. After another uneven stretch to start the third, New York went on a 64-26 run to the finish line, riding Mikal Bridges’ unstoppable shooting, Anunoby’s full-court impact, and another solid game by Josh Hart (playing on a sore ankle, no less).
New York outshot the Raps (50% to 38% FG, 37% to 27% 3PT), applied relentless interior pressure (winning the paint, 60–38), and superior ball movement (32 assists)—most of the good stuff happening after intermission. Bridges led the way with 30 points on 12-of-15 shooting, while Anunoby delivered a ferocious two-way performance with 26 points, six steals, and five assists. The hobbled Hart was everywhere, piling up 22 points, six boards, and six dimes, and Jalen Brunson, clearly not at full strength, still steadied the offense with 13 points in 30 minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns struggled to score (8 points on 3-of-11 FG) but grabbed a staggering 22 rebounds and fouled nobody (nobody!) in 35 minutes.
Off the bench, Tyler Kolek made the most of his chance. He orchestrated the offense with 10 assists in 19 minutes and a team-high +23, while Landry Shamet chipped in timely shooting (9 points, three threes).
Brandon Ingram carried Toronto with 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting, but faded late, while Scottie Barnes filled the box score (17 points, 10 boards, 5 dimes) and committed five turnovers. OAKAAKUYOAKs RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley both labored ineffectively: the former chipped in 14 points and eight boards but shot 3-of-13; the latter managed just seven points.
That finish gives our heroes a four-game win streak, a 3-0 season series lead, and ownership of third place. Rejoice, fans!
[Editor’s Note: Boston lost to Atlanta, tying them with New York for second place.]
First Half
Woof, what a start. In the first three minutes, New York committed four turnovers, missed all three shot attempts, and watched Toronto score seven unanswered points. Coach Mike Brown called a timeout, out of which Towns committed a backcourt violation.
New York’s shooting was atrocious. Their defense is worse. When Collin Murray-Boyles fired a pass to a cutting Barrett for an uncontested layup, Bridges jogged helplessly behind. Making matters worse, Jalen Brunson was fighting an illness and subbed out after five minutes. While the leaderless Knicks fumbled and bumbled, the Canadians went up by nine.
With multiple players absent or ailing, Mike Brown drew deeply from his bench. Recent DNPs Tyler Kolek, Mohamed Diawara, and Ariel Hukporti reported for duty midway through the frame, as did Guerschon Yabusele, who’s likely sipping the last of his New York coffee. Even Jordan Clarkson checked in around the two-minute mark. With the reserves in, the Raptors were unconcerned. Spoiler: In the entire half, allll those bench guys contributed a total of five points.
Making matters worse, Landry Shamet tried to reverse direction and hurt his leg or groin—and his leg was already sleeved in a brace. Shamet limped off the court to watch the quarter play out from the bench. Whether your vantage was from up close or upstate New York, it was unpleasant, and when the buzzer buzzed, the score on this dud was 28-18.
Yet again, an assortment of Brunson, Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart couldn’t break 18 points. Hard to believe that somewhere in his lair, James Dolan isn’t dusting off his Melo-scented nuclear button.
We’ve seen KAT disappear. Now behold the vanishing OG!
In the second quarter, the game improved somewhat. Towns couldn’t make a shot, missing 5-0f-6 so far, but was hauling in rebounds at a record rate. By the five-minute mark, his total was 15 and climbing. On the other hand, he’d been blocked four times by Murray-Boyles in the second quarter alone. Note: CMB stands 6’7”.
Good news—Shamet returned, hit a triple, and moved well. And the Knicks’ defense improved enough to hold the Raptors to just 6-of-26 shooting in the second quarter. Although the Raptors shot terribly from the field in the first half (31% FG, 35% 3PT), they made plenty of hay at the free-throw line. By intermission, they had attempted 18 freebies in New York’s six. Both teams had missed one at the stripe.
Down 34–22 around the nine-minute mark, New York outscored Toronto by eight from there. That cut the score to 51–47 at halftime. Kind of surprisingly, every Knicks mini-run coincided with Towns being on the floor. Because, the rebounding! KAT finished the frame with 16 rebounds, the most by any NBA player in a half this season. And yet: four points on 2-of-9 shooting. And yet: no fouls. It’s always a mixed bag, innit?
Meanwhile, but Bridges was starting to cook. . . .
The Knicks scored 28 points in the paint to Toronto’s 14, but had been outrebounded 29-26 and missed 15-of-19 three-point attempts. After committing a season-high 21 turnovers last night, they kept the party going with 11 more in the first half tonight. Anunoby was the only New Yorker in double-digits with 14 points; for Toronto, Ingram and Barnes had 13 apiece. Quickley, who delivered a 40-burger earlier this month, had scored three points.
Second Half
The Knicks spent much of the quarter knocking on the door. More turnovers and offensive fouls hindered their progress, however. Toronto continued to benefit from free throws and defensive lapses. Last night, New York had no answer for DeMar DeRozan; tonight, the role was picked up by Ingram. There’s always someone.
Josh Hart was playing on a sore ankle. He’d finish the game with over 35 minutes and made plays like this:
New York finally cobbled together a decent run (with buckets by Shamet, Bridges, and Hart) and overtook the Raps with an Anunoby pick-six late at the four-minute mark. That gave them some momentum, and the train kept going—a 27-4 run helped them close the quarter ahead 82-70. Players on the floor during the scoring party? Kolek, Shamet, Bridges, Anunoby, and Towns. Mikal was especially incendiary, having made 10 of his first 11 shots, including 3-of-4 from deep, and Anunoby—who recorded seven giveaways yesterday—was stealing and blocking and scoring (10-of-16 thus far).
New York won the quarter 35-19, and a stunned hush fell over the city of Toronto. Check out this sequence, culminating in a krazy KAT dime:
Early in the fourth quarter, Kolek turned his ankle and had to leave the court. It was a disappointing break for the rookie who’s been in and out of the rotation this season and hungry for opportunities. A DNP for the previous two contests, the sophomore had dished 10 dimes in 19 minutes at the time of the injury (and only three turnovers).
Meanwhile, New York was rolling. The Knicks rattled off multiple threes (Hart twice, Shamet, Bridges) and paired them with rim pressure and dunks from OG and Bridges. The lead ballooned to 22 halfway through the period. For the villains, Barnes, Quickley, and Barrett missed jumpers in succession, and Toronto’s scoring dwindled to occasional dunks and free throws. By pairing defensive rebounding with blistering shooting, New York was a chainsaw, and Toronto folded like a maple leaf.
He had been passive and struggling for about a month, carrying the look and feel of a player who wasn’t on the level necessary for his team to succeed.
But something changed during Wednesday’s 119-92 victory over the Raptors. He went from unsure to extremely effective, dropping a game-high 30 points and carrying the Knicks to a feel-good win under difficult circumstances.
Mikal Bridges shoots a long jumper during the Knicks’ 119-92 blowout victory over the Raptors on Jan. 28, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. NBAE via Getty Images
“In the past weeks… I think the past weeks I was just… just feeling like I wasn’t being coachable to my standard,” Bridges said. “I don’t know what it was — maybe I was feeling too entitled. But it was something where I had to sit down and talk to myself a little bit, and just look at yourself in the mirror and what type of player I want to be.
“It was affecting me personally on both sides of the ball.”
Bridges and the Knicks came alive in the third quarter in Toronto. And on the same day news broke that the Bucks were fielding offers for Giannis Antetokounmpo — a development that interests New York’s front office — the short-handed Knicks pulled off an impressive comeback.
The heroes were the wings, Bridges and OG Anunoby, who combined for 56 points and keyed the second-half turnaround that extended New York’s winning streak to four games.
They compensated for a sickly off night from Jalen Brunson, who was battling an illness and managed just 13 points and sat most of the second half.
There was also a tactical adjustment from the players and staff, realizing they have to fight the Raptors ball pressure with quick drives rather than half-court sets.
“We had to throw out everything we had to do offensively in terms of sets and early offense and say, ‘Hey, if they’re up in you, go by them,’” coach Mike Brown said.
Karl-Anthony Towns was ineffective offensively (just eight points) but provided the highlight of the evening — a nifty over-the-shoulder pass to Bridges during that game-breaking third-quarter run. Towns sprinted to the hoop from the trail position, just in time to grab an offensive rebound — the 19th of his season-high 22 boards Wednesday — and shovel his no-look assist to a streaking Bridges while falling out of bounds.
It gave the Knicks a nine-point lead, which expanded to 27 by the final buzzer.
“I took a good guess that [Bridges] would be in that area, trusted him,” Towns said. “Trust was rewarded, he was exactly where I thought he was and we were able to get two points and keep the momentum going.”
OG Anunoby looks to make a play during the Knicks’ blowout road win over the Raptors. John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
The Knicks (29-18) improved to 3-0 against the Raptors (29-20) this season. They trailed by as many as 12 in the first half and won the second 72-41. They killed the Raptors spirit with a 13-0 run to end the third quarter, perhaps their best stretch since New Year’s Eve.
Bridges scored 19 of his 30 points in the third quarter, shooting 12-for-15 overall. It was his best game in a long time. Same with Anunoby.
“[Anunoby] had six steals, seven deflections. Those numbers are unheard of defensively,” Brown praised. “The thing I loved about OG was his ability to attack the rim. He attacked the rim like a grown man. His finishes were unbelievable.”
The result had implications on the standings. The teams entered Wednesday in a virtual tie for third in the East, behind the Pistons and Celtics. The Knicks are now a full game ahead.
Karl-Anthony Towns drives to the basket as Sandro Mamukelashvili defends during the first half of the Knicks’ road win over the Raptors. Getty Images
Brown said it didn’t matter, not in January.
“I haven’t looked at it recently, but I know we’re right there. There’s still a lot of basketball left,” the coach said. “Every game is important. Try to go get it. But it’s not the end of the world because there’s a long season left. If we win, it doesn’t necessarily mean we’re going to finish ahead of them. If they win, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to finish ahead of us.”
Still, it was an impressive finish given the circumstances. The Knicks were missing players and visibly exhausted in the first half after playing Tuesday night and flying from New York to Toronto. Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson were load managing and unavailable. Josh Hart, who finished with 22 points and six assists, was dealing with a sore ankle.
The team was also enduring trade rumors following the news about the availability of Antetokounmpo, who is a Knicks target and will require a haul in return.
At least for one night, it was easier to forget about the Greek Freak. And easier to remember what Bridges is capable of.
LOWELL, Mass. (AP) — Alina Muller scored the winning goal in the eighth round of the shootout, Aerin Frankel had 30 saves and the Boston Fleet beat the New York Sirens 4-3 on Wednesday night at the Tsongas Center in the final game for both teams before the PWHL's Olympic break.
Abby Newhook, Liz Schepers and Jamie Lee Rattray also scored goals for the Fleet.
Boston (8-2-2-2) leads the league with 30 points this season.
Kristyna Kaltounkova scored two goals for the Sirens and Kristin O'Neill added another. Kaltounkova leads the PWHL with 11 goals this season, one more than Minnesota’s Kendall Coyne Schofield, and is just the third rookie in league history to score double-digit goals. Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle scored 11 goals in the inaugural season and Sarah Fillier had 13 for the Sirens in 2024-25.
New York (7-0-2-7) has lost three in a row and four (three in overtime) of its last five. Kayle Osborne stopped 32 shots for the Sirens.
Kaltounkova drew penalties that gave New York power plays for the final 1:57 of regulation and that last 1:10 of overtime. The Fleet went into the game killing a league-high 96.9% of its penalties.
The Fleet beat New York 2-0 on Dec. 17.
Boston played in its second consecutive shootout, the Fleet's third in the last four games and fourth this season.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Brandon Miller scored 26 points, Moussa Diabate had 18 points and 20 rebounds and the Charlotte Hornets topped their victory total from all of last season, beating the Memphis Grizzlies 112-97 on Wednesday night.
Charlotte had won four straight to improve to 20-28 after finishing 19-62 last season. Miles Bridges added 20 points, and LaMelo Ball had 16. Diabate was 9 of 10 from the field in the first night of a back-to-back.
Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis with 26 points. Cedric Coward had 17. The Grizzlies have lost four in a row to fall to 18-27. Star guard Ja Morant is out at least three weeks because of a left elbow injury.
Miller scored 14 points in the first quarter to help Charlotte take a 36-28 lead. The Hornets led 29-13 with 3:56 left. The Hornets led 62-55 at the half, and had a 9-75 edge after three quarters.
The Knicks took control in the second half to rout the Toronto Raptors, 119-92, on Wednesday night.
Here are the key takeaways...
-- On the second leg of a back-to-back, traveling from New York to Canada in the process, the Knicks did not start off so hot. They had three turnovers in their first five possessions and were 0-for-2 on the other two possessions, missing two three-pointers, which would be a theme of the night.
-- With nothing happening offensively in the first four minutes and looking for a spark with his team down 14-5, head coach Mike Brown put in Tyler Kolek for Jalen Brunson and Kolek immediately responded with an assist on a three-pointer by OG Anunoby. New York went on a mini 5-0 run after the move, and with the help of its defense, mostly coming from the bench, it was able to get back into the game.
-- Still, it was an ugly opening quarter by the Knicks, who scored just 18 points on a paltry 6-for-20 from the field. They relied way too heavily on the deep ball, settling for tough shots and going 2-for-12 from beyond the arc. It was there that New York was missing Mitchell Robinson (ankle) and his offensive rebounding prowess, getting outrebounded in the quarter, 16-9.
-- The Raptors weren't much better (8-for-19 from the floor), but they were efficient from deep (3-for-5) and the free-throw line (9-for-10) to go into the second quarter with a 28-18 lead.
-- The poor shooting by both teams continued in the second. Toronto missed its first seven shots of the quarter before hitting back-to-back threes, and the Knicks began the frame 4-for-15. After the two made threes, the Raptors missed their next eight shots, but despite going 2-for-17 for eight minutes, their lead barely shrank because of their ability to get to the line and knock down free throws.
-- Meanwhile, New York was dealing with its own terrible shooting and turnovers, too. At halftime, the Knicks had 11 giveaways after a season-high 21 turnovers on Tuesday night. After all that, though, New York was still able to keep it within a reasonable margin and ended the half on a mini 5-0 run to cut the deficit to 51-47.
-- Brunson had just nine points, and the Knicks' bench could only add five points despite six players seeing at least three minutes, but Anunoby (playing against his former team) led all scorers with 14, and Karl-Anthony Towns ended up picking up the slack on the glass with 16 rebounds (six offensive) at the half.
-- Things changed tremendously after the break for New York, with one player in particular stepping up in a massive way. Mikal Bridges (with just six points in the first half) put on a clinic in the third quarter, going 7-for-8 from the field, 3-for-4 from deep and 2-for-2 from the line.
-- What was once an 11-point deficit with eight minutes left to play in the quarter quickly turned into a 12-point lead by the Knicks at the end of the frame, thanks to the play of Bridges who scored the final 11 points in the quarter as part of a 20-2 New York run that ended the third. Overall, the Knicks outscored the Raptors, 35-19, in the quarter.
-- Anunoby also had a nice quarter (nine points) as he continued his solid play with Brunson and Towns struggling to find the net all night.
-- Suddenly red-hot offensively, which was a total reversal of the first half, New York continued its dominance in the final frame by putting up another 37 points. After such a rough start, the Knicks ended the night shooting 50 percent (45-for-90) from the field and finished 14-for-38 from deep.
-- Bridges (30), Anunoby (26) and Josh Hart (22) did most of the damage for New York while Brunson and Town took a backseat, combining for just 21 points. KAT did finish with 22 rebounds, imposing his size on the shorter Raptors team.
-- As for Brunson, he was questionable before the game with an illness and although he played 30 minutes, it was clear he wasn't 100 percent healthy. However, Kolek filled in nicely as a facilitator and finished with a career-high 10 assists in 20 minutes.
Game MVP: Mikal Bridges
Bridges came alive in the second half, which allowed the Knicks to take the lead and ultimately get the win (outscoring the hosts 72-41 after the half) following such a poor shooting performance in the first half.
LeBron James got emotional during his trip back to Cleveland on Wednesday night as he watched highlights from his 25-point Eastern Conference Finals Game 5 performance from 2007.
The heartfelt moment occurred during a stoppage in play during the first quarter of the Lakers’ 129-99 loss to the Cavaliers at Rocket Arena.
James, 41, teared up as the clip played, attempting to wipe his face with his Lakers jersey before grabbing a towel from underneath the bench to try and presumably dry the tears from his eyes.
Lakers forward LeBron James reacts on the bench during a video tribute shown on the scoreboard during a timeout in the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on Jan. 28, 2026. David Richard-Imagn Images
LeBron James broke down in tears during his Cavs tribute video man
According to the Associated Press, it was the first time the Cavs had honored the four-time MVP by playing the highlights from that game, usually putting clips on the video board of his Game 7 effort in the 2016 NBA Finals when Cleveland won it all over the Warriors.
The emotional moment came on the same night James — who finished the night with 11 points and five assists — reached 60,000 career regular-season minutes, becoming the first player to do so in NBA history.
James spent 11 of his 23 years in the NBA with the Cavaliers over two stints.
He eventually left Cleveland for the second time in 2018 via free agency to go to Los Angeles.
Questions have continued this season about what James’ future holds for him in LA and in the NBA.
LeBron Jamesof the Los Angeles Lakers looks on before the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 28, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NBAE via Getty Images
ESPN reported Wednesday that the Cavaliers “would gladly welcome” the NBA superstar back this summer if he wanted one more go in Cleveland.
Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell seemed intrigued by the idea when speaking to the California Post ahead of Wednesday’s game, but he ultimately said that wasn’t something he had control over.
“That ain’t up to me,” Mitchell told The California Post. “That ain’t up to me. I’m focused on these guys in the locker room. And from that point, everything else kinda goes where it does. But that ain’t me.
“I’m focused on what we got here and I’m excited for that.”
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Sayvia Sellers scored a career-high 38 points, Avery Howell had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and No. 25 Washington defeated No. 16 Maryland 83-80 in double overtime on Wednesday night for the Huskies' fifth consecutive win.
Addi Mack's jumper that got Maryland within 77-76 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the second overtime was the final made basket of the game. Washington made 6 of 8 from the line in the final minutes to finish off the win.
Sellers scored seven points in the second extra period. Her fifth 3-pointer opened the scoring and the Huskies never trailed.
The score was tied at 46 heading to the fourth quarter and there would be five more ties in regulation, including a 3-pointer by Elle Ladine that sent the game to overtime. The Huskies were 6 for 25 from 3-point distance in regulation.
Sellers made a go-ahead basket for a one-point lead with four seconds left in overtime but Maryland's Saylor Poffenbarger drew a foul after an offensive rebound and made one free throw to tie it.
Yarden Garzon scored 24 points and Mack 20 for Maryland (17-5, 5-5 Big Ten). Poffenbarger had 16 points and 14 rebounds.
Ladine scored 10 points for Washington (17-4, 7-3) and Brynn McGaughy had 11 rebounds.
Mack buried three 3-pointers in the first quarter and Maryland raced out to a 22-11 lead. Maryland a 35-23 halftime lead.
Sellers scored eight points in Washington’s 13-2 run that tied the score at 39 halfway through the third quarter. She scored 14 of Washington’s 23 points in the third and the score was tied at 46.
Up next
The Terrapins host Oregon on Saturday.
The Huskies return to Seattle for a home game against Illinois on Sunday. ___
