Category: Basketball

The Nets will officially be represented at 2026 NBA All-Star weekend. 

Brooklyn youngster Egor Demin has been selected to participate in the Rising Stars Game. 

Demin is the 17th Net to be named to the event, and the first since Jarrett Allen and Rodions Kurucs in 2019.

He’s also the first BYU player to participate since Shawn Bradley in 1994.

The 19-year-old certainly has done enough to earn his spot during his outstanding first NBA campaign, and he's solidified himself as a key piece of Brooklyn’s backcourt moving forward. 

Demin has started 31 of his 39 games, and he's topped double digits in points in 19 of those. 

He currently ranks second among rookies in threes made per game (2.4) and threes made on the season (95). 

The sharpshooter also set the franchise record for triples in a game with seven back on Dec. 29 against the Warriors. 

The Rising Stars event will take place on Friday, Feb. 13, at 9 p.m. ET at Intuit Dome.

Charles Bediako’s much-discussed return to college basketball will continue for nearly another two weeks – not solely because of a court order or a judge’s ruling, but with a little help from Mother Nature.

The Alabama center’s temporary restraining order against the NCAA was extended by another 10 days due to counsel’s unavailability for the scheduled injunction hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 27.

In an order on Monday, Jan. 26, Judge James Roberts Jr. of the Tuscaloosa (Alabama) County Circuit Court wrote that Taylor Askew, an attorney for the NCAA, was unable to attend the hearing because of “weather issues” where he lives in Tennessee. Roberts added that the next hearing will be "reset later by a separate order."

BREAKING: Temporary restraining order allowing Charles Bediako to play for Alabama has been extended pic.twitter.com/NIhN1lALRq

— Ryan Phillips (@JournoRyan) January 26, 2026

REQUIRED READING: Paying attention to Texas Tech yet? You should. That and more from college basketball weekend

After three years of playing professionally in the NBA G League, Bediako returned to Alabama, where he played from 2021-23, after Roberts granted him a temporary restraining order on Wednesday, Jan. 21.

In his first game back with the Crimson Tide, the seven-footer had 13 points, three rebounds, two blocks and two steals while making five of his six field-goal attempts in 25 minutes in a 79-73 loss at home against Tennessee on Jan. 24.

With Roberts’ decision, Bediako will be eligible to compete in at least the next three games for Alabama: Jan. 27 against Missouri, Feb. 1 at No. 21 Florida and Feb. 4 against Texas A&M.

Bediako was not selected in the 2023 NBA Draft, and while he has never played an NBA game, he suited up in 82 G League games over three seasons, including, most recently, for the Motor City Cruise on Jan. 17, one week before his first game back with Alabama.

He’s one of several former G League players who has joined a college roster this season, a trend that has raised the public ire of notable figures across the sport, as well as the NCAA itself, which said such moves are “taking away opportunities from high school students.” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo described it as “utterly ridiculous.” Even Alabama coach Nate Oats, a former high school coach in Michigan, spoke up last month after Baylor brought in former NBA Draft pick James Nnaji, saying the increased prevalence of such players was “taking opportunities away” from high schoolers.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alabama's Charles Bediako gets NCAA restraining order extended because of weather

The NBA has announced its rosters for the 2026 Rising Stars game. Sophomore standout Jaylon Tyson will be there to represent the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Tyson is averaging 13.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. He’s gone from a fringe rotational player to a bona fide starting-caliber talent in the first half of the season. His leap as a three-point shooter (46% this season) is only one of many reasons for his success.

“He’s just built up the equity, and that’s confidence in himself,” Atkinson said. “It started in Summer League, then he just built it with his work.”

The Cavs have fully embraced Tyson’s breakout. He’s started in 27 games this season and is playing close to 30 minutes per game. No one would have predicted this in the summer, but even Cleveland’s veterans have recognized his importance. Donovan Mitchell, especially, has taken Tyson under his wing.

“Donovan has believed in him since day one,” said Aktinson. “He’s anointed him, like, ‘okay, I need you, we’re going to get you better.‘ So I think that when your superstar believes in you, that’s even more important than when the coach believes in you.”

Tyson is joined by other rising stars such as Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle and Alex Sarr. He’s the first Cavalier on a standard contract to play in the game since Evan Mobley in his rookie and sophomore seasons. Emoni Bates was selected to the G-League Rising Stars in 2024.

The Cavaliers, who have the most expensive roster in the NBA, are hamstrung by their financial situation. That limits them from adding talent at the trade deadline or in the offseason — and makes young talent like Tyson all the more important. This is their easiest, if not only, option for improving the roster without making any major changes. That means Tyson’s development is more than an inspiring story; it’s pivotal to the future of the franchise.

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Monday backed a proposed fan boycott of World Cup matches in the United States because of the conduct of President Donald Trump and his administration at home and abroad.

Blatter was the latest international soccer figure to call into question the suitability of the United States as a host country. He called for the boycott in a post on X that supported Mark Pieth's comments in an interview last week with the Swiss newspaper Der Bund.

Pieth, a Swiss attorney specializing in white-collar crime and an anti-corruption expert, chaired the Independent Governance Committee's oversight of FIFA reform a decade ago. Blatter was president of the world's governing body for soccer from 1998-2015; he resigned amid an investigation into corruption.

In his interview with Der Bund, Pieth said, “If we consider everything we’ve discussed, there’s only one piece of advice for fans: Stay away from the USA! You’ll see it better on TV anyway. And upon arrival, fans should expect that if they don’t please the officials, they’ll be put straight on the next flight home. If they’re lucky.”

In his X post, Blatter quoted Pietha and added, “I think Mark Pieth is right to question this World Cup.”

The United States is co-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico from June 11-July 19.

The international soccer community's concerns about the United States stem from Trump's expansionist posture on Greenland, travel bans and aggressive tactics in dealing with migrants and immigration enforcement protestors in American cities, particularly Minneapolis.

Oke Göttlich, one of the vice presidents of the German soccer federation, told the Hamburger Morgenpost newspaper in an interview on Friday that the time had come to seriously consider boycotting the World Cup.

Two weeks ago, travel plans for fans from two of the top soccer countries in Africa were thrown into disarray when the Trump administration announced a ban that would effectively bar people from Senegal and Ivory Coast from following their teams unless they already have visas. Trump cited “screening and vetting deficiencies” as the main reason for the suspensions.

Fans from Iran and Haiti, two other countries that have qualified for the World Cup, will be barred from entering the United States as well; they were included in the first iteration of the travel ban announced by the Trump administration.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer standings:

Tyrese Maxey – 18
VJ Edgecombe – 6
Joel Embiid – 6
Paul George – 5
Andre Drummond – 2
Dominick Barlow – 1
Adem Bona – 1
Justin Edwards – 1
Quentin Grimes – 1
Jared McCain – 1
Kelly Oubre Jr. – 1
Trendon Watford – 1
15th roster spot – 1

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The Sixers traveled to Charlotte for a Monday afternoon tilt against Eastern Conference foe the Charlotte Hornets. The Sixers were without the services of Joel Embiid and Paul George in this one as part of their respective knee injury management plans.

today’s first five:

🔔 @TyreseMaxey
🔔 @vj_edgecombe
🔔 @AndreDrummond
🔔 @KELLYOUBREJR
🔔 @Dominickbarlow_pic.twitter.com/vYCWO8Jnew

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 26, 2026

The Sixers struggled from the opening tip in this one. The Hornets’ ball movement, pace and balanced scoring attack jumped them out to an early 28-22 advantage at the conclusion of the first period. It would only get worse from there.

after 1. @cryptocompic.twitter.com/1ewHfmZfhT

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 26, 2026

The Hornets really blew this game open in the second quarter. Charlotte shot a blistering 57% from the floor in the first half. The Sixers struggled on the glass and even when the Hornets missed it seemed that they would get an extra possession on the glass. Charlotte outrebounded the Sixers by 10 in the first half. The Hornets’ ball movement and player movement had the Sixers defense in a bind. Charlotte finished the half with 19 assists on their 25 made field goals. The Sixers’ backcourt of Maxey and Edgecombe combined to go 3-for-17 from the field in the first half. The Hornets held a 69-44 lead at the halftime break.

breakaway dunk. pic.twitter.com/oJHBQ28Oj6

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 26, 2026

The Hornets’ barrage continued in the third as they outscored the Sixers by a resounding 40-15 score in the third period. The Sixers seemingly waved the white flag as they emptied the bench less than halfway through the quarter, facing a 40-point deficit. The Hornets led 109-59 after three quarters of play.

The Sixers won their lone quarter of the game in the fourth, by a 13-point margin, courtesy of strong play from Quentin Grimes and Jared McCain to close out the game that was well out of hand.

Time for the Bell Ringer.

Kelly Oubre Jr: 17 points, 7-for-12 from the field

Oubre was the lone Sixers starter to crack double figures in this game. Regardless of the situation, you can always count on Oubre for effort and energy. Kelly got to the rim for a few nice drives and scores early in this one to keep the Sixers attached in the first quarter. There was a lot of blame to go around for this game playing out in the manner that it did — Oubre shouldn’t get any.

Jared McCain: 16 points, 6-for-13 from the field, 4-for-8 from three, 3 rebounds, 3 assists

Jared McCain poured in 16 points in 23 minutes in this one — a lot of those coming late in the game when the outcome was already decided. It was nice to see McCain knock down some shots as he has struggled this year in his return from injury. Let’s hope this can be a confidence builder for McCain that springboards him into a bounce back second half of the season.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Suns fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

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When injuries hit, the math changes. The vibes change. The pecking order gets shoved into a blender, and someone hits “high.” And when the guy who normally calms the room, the one who bends defenses just by standing there and breathing, goes down, the ripple effects are impossible to ignore.

That’s Devin Booker. Fringe All-Star or not, the Suns orbit around him, and Sunday in Miami was our first real reminder of what life looks like when the sun disappears behind the clouds.

Booker hasn’t had his most efficient shooting season, and that’s fine. That’s not the point. His gravity still warps the floor. His decision-making still lubricates the offense. With him out there, everyone else knows where to stand, when to cut, and why the ball is coming their way. Through 41 games with Booker, the Suns average 41.8 made field goals on 25 assists per night, good for a clean 1.6 assist-to-turnover ratio. Things make sense. The ball hums. The gears stay oiled.

Take him out, and the picture gets fuzzier. In the five games he’s missed, that drops to 37.4 made field goals and 22.8 assists, with the assist-to-turnover ratio dipping to 1.5. Not catastrophic. Not a five-alarm fire. But noticeable. You feel it. You see it. The offense hesitates, like it’s waiting for someone to raise their hand and say, “Alright, I’ve got this.”

Suns with and without Devin Booker this season:

With — Without —
117.7 ORTG (6th) 102.1 ORTG (30th)
113.0 DRTG (11th) 117.8 DRTG (26th)
+4.6 NETRTG (T-6th) -15.7 NETRTG (30th)

There is no doubt Devin Booker is… pic.twitter.com/VleuKdDDuQ

— Booker Muse (@DevinBookerMuse) January 26, 2026

And that’s the real question now. If Booker isn’t there to conduct the orchestra, who’s grabbing the baton?

Is it Grayson Allen, leaning harder into his ability to put the ball on the deck, touch the paint, and kick it back out before the defense can blink? Is it Royce O’Neale, quietly keeping things organized and unsexy while doing the connective tissue work no one puts in the box score? Is it Jordan Goodwin, turning pressure into playmaking? Or does Dillon Brooks need to embrace his inner point forward and focus less on shot hunting and more on keeping the ball alive?

Because against Miami, the ball stuck. It stalled. Possessions ended in isolation purgatory instead of movement and advantage. That’s not who this team has been, and it’s not who they can afford to be while Booker heals up.

That’s what this week’s Suns Reacts is all about. If the offense has to run through someone else for a stretch, who do you trust to steer the ship? Who should Jordan Ott lean on to initiate, organize, and keep the whole thing from drifting sideways?

Sound off. The floor is yours.

The 2026 NBA trade deadline is suddenly less than two weeks away and the clock is beginning to tick for teams trying to pull off a deal. The rumors and speculation have been a constant, from the preseason all the way up until now, and already one big star, Trae Young, was dealt earlier this month ahead of the deadline crunch.

There hasn't been a move since then. But Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ja Morant, Anthony Davis, Domantas Sabonis, Jonathan Kuminga and, more recently, Karl-Anthony Towns are among the former All-Stars and notable NBA players that have been dangled in potential trade scenarios. All could be on different teams in less than two weeks, but each is just as likely to wind up sticking around past the deadline in spite of their possible availability at the moment.

The biggest reason for such uncertainty, beyond the salary cap and chemistry ramifications of pulling off a trade mid-season? Injuries.

Antetokounmpo, Morant and Davis are each not playing at the moment, with a decent chance none are back in the lineup by the trade deadline. Kuminga just suffered an injury last week as well. Sabonis, meanwhile, just returned after a lengthy absence from a knee injury. That means the days ahead will be filled with even more speculation to sift through.

Here's a look at some of the latest NBA trade deadline rumors:

NBA TRADE DEADLINE POWER RANKINGS: How Giannis, Ja Morant and more stack up

Giannis still in-demand despite injury, potential agent drama

Antetokounmpo continues to lead the conversation surrounding the NBA trade deadline, even after he suffered another calf injury on Friday, Jan. 23 that is likely to sideline him past Feb. 5. The Milwaukee Bucks star spoke afterwards about making a playoff push when he returns, and the team has reportedly been trying to beef up its roster around Antetokounmpo at the deadline, not trade him. But teams around the league are nonetheless still preparing as if he could become available in hopes the Bucks change their mind, according to NBA reporters Marc Stein and Jake Fischer.

Antetokounmpo's representation moving forward could also be an added layer in discussions about his future after a report from Henry Abbott of True Hoop that "Giannis was close to firing his longtime agent Alex Saratsis over his failure to get Giannis traded from the Bucks." The report also states LeBron James' agent and longtime friend, Rich Paul, is believed to be trying to recruit Antetokounmpo to be his client with the pitch that "he’s the guy who can get a star player where he wants to go."

Not so fast on Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns trade talk

Forward Karl-Anthony Towns came up in trade speculation last week as the Knicks endure some unexpected headwinds and pressure mounts due to their NBA championship expectations. He was even floated as a possible piece in a potential trade for Antetokounmpo.

But The Athletic reported Friday, Jan. 23 that the Knicks have "not engaged in any discussions about a possible Towns trade this season and plan to stick with him through this rough patch.

NBA POWER RANKINGS: New No. 1 team unseats Thunder at top

New Orleans Pelicans not pursuing Ja Morant

The market for Ja Morant remains quiet, particularly now that the Memphis Grizzlies star is out at least three weeks with an elbow injury and likely won't return to action until after the trade deadline. You might be able to scratch the Pelicans off the list, too, despite social media scuttlebutt that suggested the Pelicans were pursuing Morant. Stein reported there are no discussions between the Pelicans and Grizzlies concerning a Morant trade.

Though the Grizzlies are fielding offers for Morant for the first time ahead of the trade deadline, he could remain with the franchise past Feb. 5. Morant indicated previously he wants to stay in Memphis, and concerns about his durability and contract situation linger as obstacles for the Grizzlies.

Domantas Sabonis linked to four teams

It's been no secret the Sacramento Kings want to be active in trying to overhaul their roster at the trade deadline, and Sabonis is seen as one of the players most likely to change teams. The Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns are teams that have expressed interest in acquiring Sabonis, according to The Athletic, with the Raptors of particular interest given their spot near the top of the Eastern Conference standings.

Sabonis has appeared in five of the Kings' past six games after missing nearly two months with a knee injury. He's averaging 12.6 points, 9.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists while averaging less than 23 minutes per game since his return.

Boston Celtics looking to add 'big-time starting center'

The Celtics remain an Eastern Conference contender this season despite the absence of star Jayson Tatum, and they could be buyers at the trade deadline after spending this past offseason as sellers getting off the contracts of Jrue Holliday and Kristaps Porzingis.

“They’ve been in the marketplace, trying to go get a big-time starting center potentially," ESPN's Shams Sharania said on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Friday, Jan. 23. "They’re going to be aggressive in moving the needle. They’ve got assets. They’ve got contracts to play with.”

Onyeka Okongwu (Atlanta Hawks), Daniel Gafford (Dallas Mavericks), and former Celtics big man Robert Williams III (Portland Trail Blazers) are potential targets, according to NBC Sports, if Boston can't land an elite option like Ivica Zubac (Los Angeles Clippers) or Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies).

Sixers open to trading Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon

The Philadelphia 76ers are in a weird spot with a new star in Tyrese Maxey, one of the league's best rookies in VJ Edgecombe and the aging and expensive Paul George and Joel Embiid on the roster. It's come together functionally this season, with the Sixers sitting within the top-six of the Eastern Conference standings before games played on Jan. 26.

But the team is $7 million above the NBA's luxury tax threshold and only about $1 million from being a first-apron team and facing penalties under the league's collective bargaining agreement, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. The report goes on to state the expiring contracts of Andre Drummond and Eric Gordon could be dealt to stay out of the luxury tax, although Philadelphia could be forced to attach a second-round draft pick to facilitate a transaction.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA trade rumors amid Giannis, Ja Morant, Anthony Davis injuries

MADRID (AP) — Victor Reis scored with a diving header in injury time to give Girona a 1-1 home draw against Getafe on Monday and extend its unbeaten run to four matches in the Spanish league.

Girona was one of La Liga’s form sides coming into the game at the Estadio Municipal de Montilivi but it went behind after 59 minutes when Luis Vazquez got on the end of a nice delivery from Juan Antonio Iglesias Sanchez.

However, Reis threw himself at a last-gasp cross from Alex Moreno to lift the home side into 10th place on 25 points.

The late goal meant Getafe's winless run extended to seven games in the league, but the point lifted it out of the relegation zone into 16th place, one point above Mallorca.

Only four points separate Mallorca and ninth-place Osasuna.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Brandon Miller scored 30 points, and the Charlotte Hornets took a 50-point lead for the second time this month on the way to rolling past the Philadelphia 76ers 130-93 on Monday afternoon.

All five Hornets starters finished in double figures. Kon Knueppel and Moussa Diabate scored 12, LaMelo Ball added 11 and Miles Bridges finished with 10 for Charlotte, which has won three straight games for the first time this season.

It was 28-22 after one quarter — and then Charlotte outscored Philadelphia 81-37 over the next two quarters, taking a 109-59 lead into the fourth.

Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 17 for Philadelphia. Jared McCain added 16 and Quentin Grimes had 14 for the 76ers, while Tyrese Maxey was held to a season-low six points on 3-for-12 shooting in 25 minutes. Maxey's scoring average dropped a full half-point to 29.4 per game.

Charlotte became the first team since Phoenix in February 2009 to lead by 50 or more points in two separate games within the same calendar month. The Hornets led Utah by 57 on their way to a 150-95 win on Jan. 10.

The Hornets had one other lead of 50 or more points in the NBA's play-by-play era, which goes back to 1996. It's now happened twice more in a span of just over two weeks.

The game was moved up to a 3 p.m. start because of extreme weather conditions in the Charlotte area, all related to Winter Storm Fern.

Ryan Kalkbrenner had 13 points and nine rebounds off the bench for Charlotte. Philadelphia outscored the Hornets 34-21 in the fourth quarter and still took its second-worst loss of the season. The 76ers lost to Orlando by 41 on Nov. 25.

Up next

76ers: Host Milwaukee on Tuesday.

Hornets: Visit Memphis on Wednesday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

The Golden State Warriors face the Minnesota Timberwolves for the second night of a sudden back-to-back. The game will tip off Monday at 6:30 PM PT in Minneapolis and will be broadcast on Peacock.

Back for another matchup.

🏀 GSW at MIN
🕡 6:30 pm PT
📺 @peacock
📻 @957thegame
📲 https://t.co/6BLvDT0Wyn@Betway || #DubNationpic.twitter.com/PqIUrejfOE

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 26, 2026

Previously with the Warriors:

Originally scheduled for Saturday, the Warriors–Timberwolves matchup was postponed to Sunday as protests intensified throughout Minneapolis in the wake of recent fatal shootings involving ICE agents. Many questioned whether the one-day delay provided enough time for fans, players, and the broader community to process the events surrounding the city.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr says the Timberwolves were “suffering” through play amid the unrest in Minneapolis.

“They were struggling with everything that’s been going on and what the city has been through. So, it was very sad. It was a sad night.”

More: pic.twitter.com/wFiKbcYEe1

— Sam Gordon (@BySamGordon) January 26, 2026

Regardless, the league moved forward with Sunday’s game, and the Warriors snapped a two-game losing streak with a 111–85 win over the Timberwolves. Golden State’s defense set the tone, as the team recorded 20 steals — the most in any NBA game this season — and turned those takeaways into a comfortable 22-point lead by the fourth quarter.

Kerr said the Warriors were sharp with their game plan and defensive rotations: “We didn’t make many mistakes. Took advantage of opportunities that were there. Lots of guys diving on the floor for loose balls.”

— Sam Gordon (@BySamGordon) January 26, 2026

What to watch for tonight:

The blowout victory should prove helpful heading into Monday’s rematch, now the second game of a back-to-back. Steph Curry, who was able to rest Sunday’s game early after playing just 28 minutes, is listed as questionable with a knee injury but says he hopes to play Monday night.

Steph explains his knee flare-up yesterday and said he hopes to play again tomorrow pic.twitter.com/AeUf5vXqJj

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 26, 2026

However, with De’Anthony Melton and Al Horford inactive after playing the day prior, Golden State’s rotation will be short on experience and depth. Playing shorthanded, the Warriors will once again need their defense to carry them. 

A major focus will be slowing down the Timberwolves’ backcourt of Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo. Edwards led Minnesota with 32 points and was a consistent mismatch on the perimeter, while DiVincenzo scored 22 points, including six threes.

DDV IS COOKIN' 🔥 pic.twitter.com/yugKZQ97Kn

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) January 25, 2026

Enjoy the game Dub Nation. GO WARRIORS!!! 

Projected Starters

Warriors: Steph Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, Gui Santos, Draymond Green

Timberwolves: Donte DiVincenzo, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert

How to watch Regular Season Game 48

Who: Golden State Warriors (26 – 21) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (27 – 19)

When: Monday, January 26th, at 6:30 p.m. PT

Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota

TV: Peacock (available on fuboTV)

So, did they only tell Kelly Oubre Jr. the time of the game had been moved up?

The Sixers turned in their worst performance of the season, getting boat raced 130-93 by the Charlotte Hornets Monday afternoon.

Tyrese Maxey had perhaps the worst game of his career, finishing with just six points and six assists shooting 3-of-12 from the floor. VJ Edgecombe was only slightly better, putting up nine points on 2-of-11 shooting and six rebounds. 

Oubre was the only Sixer to show up in the first half, leading them with 17 points, going 7-of-12 from the floor. Brandon Miller led all scorers with 30.

With this not being just the front, but the road end of a back-to-back, Joel Embiid and Paul George were both out with left knee injury management while Charlotte was only down Mason Plumlee.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

• This shorthanded bunch certainly didn’t start as crisp with the matinee tip off. Of the Sixers’ first three baskets of the game, two of them were putbacks and two of them were also transition baskets. Oubre knifing his way through the paint for a right-handed layup was their first clean look of the day.

K9 on his old stomping grounds. pic.twitter.com/luIg1aleTV

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 26, 2026

• They weren’t stopping Charlotte, who made eight of their first 10 shots of the floor with every member of their starting five getting involved. When the Sixers finally did get a good contest in the form of an Andre Drummond block, the loose ball found its way to Moussa Diabate who unexpectedly buried a long jumper to beat the shot clock.
• Jared McCain checked in late in the first, getting his first action in four games and first non-garbage time minutes in six. He was too long on his first three-point attempt and his second one just bounced on — both of those came on the same possession. Between his struggles and Quentin Grimes’ recent play, they are just getting no scoring production from the bench. Grimes shot 28% from three over his last 12 games coming into this one. While Grimes was able to draw a foul shooting one, it was Jabari Walker who hit their first three of the game with just over 30 seconds left, cutting the Hornets’ lead to six.

Second Quarter

• Even if it was Kon Knueppel, it was good to see McCain go right at a defender and transition for a layup. His next drive attempt though was blocked by Miles Bridges. He finally got a three to fall but an illegal screen by Drummond wiped it off the board. Defensively, the Sixers continued to get shredded off the dribble and gave up a ton of open baskets in the paint as a result.
• So many struggles start from the top, and it didn’t help that the Sixers’ offensive engine was off to another slow start. A 1-of-4 start saw Maxey start to defer a bit early. Checking back into the game, he came off a screen to get a three off and missed everything — it wouldn’t be his first airball of the quarter. They went over three minutes without a field goal before Edgecombe got on the board there with a three and a fast break dunk.

A quick five points for VJ Edgecombe and the Sixers are showing signs of life. pic.twitter.com/aNbz1b1DO6

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) January 26, 2026

• The Hornets called a timeout to squash momentum and it worked. They immediately broke the Sixers’ full-court press for an open layup. After an Oubre three they scored on their next four trips down the floor. Trendon Watford checked into the game for the first time, got some good looking runners off the dribble, but couldn’t get either of them to go. His dunk attempt over Ryan Kalkbrenner went even worse. After playing a half that would have looked bad even for last year’s team, the Sixers went into the break trailing by 25.

Third Quarter

• Both teams picked right up where they left off with Miller coming off a screen to hit a wide open three and the Sixers following it up with Drummond missed free throws. Maxey shortly airballed another three. It feels pretty safe to say that he’s gassed at this point in the season. Not only is he still leading the league in minutes and minutes per game, but he’s played anywhere from one to five less games than the next four guys behind him.

Sixers-Hornets summary:

Philly currently has one fewer made three during offensive foul stoppages (2) than they have for the entire game (3)

— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) January 26, 2026

• Only a few minutes into the second half and plenty were ready to shut Maxey and Edgecombe down for the night to finally get them some rest. That’s not typically Nick Nurse’s way though. He left both of them out there, but at least started to go deeper down his bench by throwing Justin Edwards out there for the first time.
• Both were finally pulled with a little over five minutes to go in the third. Even better, McCain was able to see the floor for some extended run. It was good to see the white flag finally be waved but falling down by 50 was still embarrassing. For as many blowouts as there are in the modern era only teams trying to lose every night like the Nets and Jazz have trailed by that much this season. McCain got himself another layup off the dribble but still struggled to build on that as the Sixers went into the fourth quarter in a 50-point hole.

Fourth Quarter

• Yeah, by this point it was just Jared McCain watch, so here’s how he finished out his day. He finally got a three to fall when Dominick Barlow swung it to him, but missed his next open attempt. He is a better shooter than the amount of open looks he’s missed, but the way he’s pressing to make up for that and his inconsistent minutes are more than enough to hamper that development. He was quiet for much of the quarter but got a few more threes up, getting two more to fall, finishing with 16 points shooting 6-of-13 from the floor and 4-of-8 from deep.

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — French striker Thierno Barry scored his fourth goal in five games to give Everton a 1-1 draw at home to Leeds on Monday.

Leeds was dominant in the first half and took the lead in the 28th minute when Anton Stach’s low cross from the right ran across the 18-yard box to James Justin, who stormed in at the far post to score with a low shot.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin almost doubled Leeds lead three minutes later but hit the post from about four meters out. Leeds' early superiority was highlighted by the visitors having more shots in the first half — 10 — than in any league game since September 2021.

However, Everton coach David Moyes changed to a back three for the second half and the switch brought his side right back into the game.

Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow denied Barry an earlier equalizer and Iliman Ndiaye, back in the side after winning the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal, also came close for Everton.

But it was Barry who finally got the goal 14 minutes from time when the big forward got in front of a Leeds defender to stab home a low cross from Idrissa Gueye, another of Everton’s returning Senegal contingent.

"His workrate is always really honest and he works hard but we need goals and he got one for us tonight,” Moyes said of the former Basel and Villarreal striker.

“The first half we weren’t at it and in the second half we were much better," Moyes added. “Thankfully, we got a goal back. We were fortunate to only be 1-0 down at halftime, but I could say the same as the second half — we could have maybe got a second goal.”

The draw was a blow to Everton’s European hopes. A win would have taken it into seventh, but it remained in 10th, one of four teams on 33 points.

Leeds moved to 26 points, six above the Premier League relegation zone and two points behind the clubs above it, Tottenham and Crystal Palace.

“Overall, it is a good result for us," Leeds coach Daniel Farke said. “It is another sign we are on a very good path. We edge another point closer to what we want to achieve. To come here with such a brave performance and come away with one point is encouraging but the job is not done yet. We still need to win a few more points.”

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t have the start to the season many expected, but they’re starting to head in the right direction. Going into Monday’s game against the Orlando Magic, the Cavs have won three straight, six of their last eight, and 10 of their last 14. This has landed them just two games out of the second spot in the Eastern Conference.

Despite being 47 games into the season, the Cavs still haven’t gotten a chance to see how this group looks when fully healthy. Max Strus (foot) has yet to play, and Darius Garland (toe) has admitted to not being 100% so far this season, and there’s no guarantee that he will be. Both injuries can make it difficult to evaluate what this team needs.

According to Chris Fedor of cleveland.com, the Cavs aren’t planning on having a “drastic shake-up” at the deadline. Right now, this includes hanging on to Dean Wade and De’Andre Hunter. Both are players the Cavs have received offers for.

That doesn’t mean that the Cavs couldn’t make a minor move. Fedor pointed to Lonzo Ball as the player “most likely to depart.”

Ball does have value as an expiring contract. He is making $10 million this season and has a team option for next year. That could make him an attractive piece for a team looking to shed money going into next season.

The issue from the Cavs’ perspective is that they can’t take back anyone making more than $10 million in any deal for Ball, and they can’t aggregate contracts. This limits who they could possibly trade Ball for.

Fedor mentioned Jose Alvarado and Naji Marshall as players that the Cavs could target. The issue if you’re trying to trade for Marshall is that the Dallas Mavericks are currently over the first apron. Since Ball makes more than Marshall, the deal wouldn’t be legal from Dallas’s perspective unless a third team were to be involved.

The Cavs’ current cap sheet, combined with the injuries they’ve had to deal with this season, makes it difficult to predict what exactly the Cavs will do. But we’ll find out soon enough.

The NBA trade deadline is Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. ET.

VERONA, Italy (AP) — Former Aston Villa striker Keinan Davis scored for the seventh time this season as his Udinese beat struggling Verona 3-1 on Monday.

Verona remained second bottom of Serie A, equal on 14 points with last-placed Pisa, and it rarely looked like recording its third win of a dismal season.

Udinese took the lead after 23 minutes with a deflected shot from Arthur Atta. Although Emmanuel Orban equalized for Verona three minutes later, Verona’s hopes did not last long into the second half.

Alessandro Zanoli put Udinese back in front 13 minutes into the second period. Jordan Zemura’s free kick was blocked by the wall and while the ball fell awkwardly for Zanoli, his deft volley with the outside of his boot sailed into the top corner.

Davis’ confident finish after 66 minutes sealed the points for Udinese.

It remains in 10th but is now on 29 points, equal with ninth-placed Lazio, and one point behind Bologna.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer