CHICAGO (AP) — Coby White scored 24 points, Ayo Dosunmu had 19 and the Chicago Bulls beat the Brooklyn Nets 124-102 on Sunday night to split a home-and-home set.
The Nets won the opener 112-109 on Friday night in Brooklyn.
Nikola Vucevic added 17 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for Chicago. Matas Buzelis also scored 17 points.
Nolan Traore scored 16 points for Brooklyn. Danny Wolf and Jalen Wilson each had 14. The Nets have lost nine of 11.
Dosunmu had 3-pointers at the beginning and end of a 10-0 run late in the first quarter to help the Bulls take a 39-22 lead into the second. Chicago led 70-51 at the half and the advantage stayed above 20 points for most of the second half.
The Bulls average more than 20,000 fans at the United Center, but there were plenty of empty seats at tip-off, which came 30 minutes after the Los Angeles Rams and Bears kicked off their NFC division round game a few miles away at Soldier Field. The Bears’ first touchdown occurred just before an early timeout and got a loud roar from the crowd when a replay was shown on the video board.
Up next
Nets: Host Phoenix on Monday night.
Bulls: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night.
Actor Vanessa Williams was tasked with singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" before the game at London's O2 Arena.
During Williams' rendition of the song, a member of the crowd was heard interrupting and drawing a reaction from the crowd. "Leave Greenland alone," the audience member yelled before the comment was met with cheers from the crowd.
Loud booing for the US national anthem at the O2 this evening.
The heckling that took place on Sunday is just the latest incident in which a sporting event has served as a platform for a member of the audience to share its displeasure for the U.S. president and his foreign policies. Canadians booed during the national anthem in 2025 after verbally threatening to raise tariffs on goods.
The NBA previously had held a game in London annually from 2011 until 2019 (other than during the 2012 season). The league returned for Sunday's game after holding a game between the Magic and Grizzlies in Berlin on Thursday.
CHICAGO (AP) — Coby White scored 24 points, Ayo Dosunmu had 19 and the Chicago Bulls beat the Brooklyn Nets 124-102 on Sunday night to split a home-and-home set.
The Nets won the opener 112-109 on Friday night in Brooklyn.
Nikola Vucevic added 17 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for Chicago. Matas Buzelis also scored 17 points.
Nolan Traore scored 16 points for Brooklyn. Danny Wolf and Jalen Wilson each had 14. The Nets have lost nine of 11.
Dosunmu had 3-pointers at the beginning and end of a 10-0 run late in the first quarter to help the Bulls take a 39-22 lead into the second. Chicago led 70-51 at the half and the advantage stayed above 20 points for most of the second half.
The Bulls average more than 20,000 fans at the United Center, but there were plenty of empty seats at tip-off, which came 30 minutes after the Los Angeles Rams and Bears kicked off their NFC division round game a few miles away at Soldier Field. The Bears’ first touchdown occurred just before an early timeout and got a loud roar from the crowd when a replay was shown on the video board.
Up next
Nets: Host Phoenix on Monday night.
Bulls: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night.
We’ve finally passed it: the halfway marker. 42 games are officially filed away, and just 40 more contests remain. So set up camp, pitch your tent, fill your water reserves, light a fire, roast a s’more, burn a marshmallow beyond recognition, try again, same result, cut your losses, and ingest the charcoal-esque blackness of a failed marshmallow roast between two graham crackers. Take your rest, because if you thought the first half of the season would be challenging, it would be best to learn to disconnect from your emotions, and simply allow the remaining season to wash over you like the tide.
We’ve witnessed the rebirth of the 2023-24 era Lauri Markkanen. We’ve celebrated the emergence of rising star Keyonte George as he knocks on the door of All-Star consideration. We’ve been brought to tears by the majestic flight of rookie Ace Bailey, and we’ve likewise been brought to tears by the incorporeal return of Taylor Hendricks. Brice Sensabaugh scored 43 points in a game — that was real.
We’ve mourned victories and applauded defeat. We’ve watched with bated breath as Utah dangles its first-round pick inches from the fangs of the rabid dog that is OKC. We’ve made new friends, and we’ve forged new rivalries.
The Dallas Mavericks’ fanbase has signed a declaration of war against the Utah Jazz (for… losing to them? Tanking better than the team with Cooper Flagg? I’m not entirely clear), which is something that Spurs fans should be able to empathise with, being Dallas’ storied in-state rival.
This season, San Antonio is everything that Utah is not. They boast certifiable stars in Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox. They have nailed their recent draft picks like Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper. Utah hopes to compete in the distant future; San Antonio promises to confront them in the Playoffs if that day ever arrives.
The result of this basketball game shouldn’t really be in question (the Spurs are home favorites by 16.5 points at the time of writing this), but the dichotomy between these two teams compels me toward introspection.
The Utah Jazz (14-28) visit the San Antonio Spurs (29-13) with near-perfectly inverse records. The visitors lose nearly as often as the hosts win, and vice versa. This is true despite the fact that these two are virtually identical in average age of their players, Utah (25.3 years old average), the eighth-youngest roster in the NBA, and San Antonio (26.3 years), just one year older (per NBAage.com, which is a phenomenal URL for exactly this type of data). The fundamental difference between these two teams is the quality of their depth chart, where the Spurs are so age-efficient with their roster that they possess a player whose mere existence threatens the dynamic of basketball at large.
Their most apparent advantage over the likes of Utah? Draft position. The Spurs have selected second, fourth, and first in the past three drafts, while the Jazz were left with scraps, picking fifth, tenth, and ninth in the same years.
And with a larger margin for error, the Spurs have hit the bullseye every. Single. Time. Is Utah cursed with poor lottery luck? Will the Jazz ever be rewarded for their misery with a top pick, or are they doomed to circle their goals in perpetual motion? This question will gradually be answered as the season reaches its twilight, but for the moment, Utah faces yet another challenge.
So here we sit at the midpoint of the 2025-26 journey. Staring into the face of a team miles ahead of the Jazz despite beginning in the same place just a few years ago. Set in the southern end of the Lone Star State, the Utah Jazz square off against the San Antonio Spurs.
How to watch Utah Jazz vs San Antonio Spurs:
Date: Monday, Jan 19, 2026 Time: 4:00 PM MT Location: Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX Channel: Jazz+, KJZZ Odds: SAS -16.5
Calvin Barrett is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. He has covered the NBA and College Sports since 2024.
HOUSTON (AP) — Kingston Flemings had 20 points and eight assists, Chris Cenac Jr. added a career high-tying 18 points and No. 7 Houston extended its winning streak to 11 games with a 103-73 victory over Arizona State on Sunday night.
Cenac, who also had eight rebounds and five assists, had 12 points and led six Houston players with at least eight points in the first half as the Cougars (17-1, 5-0 Big 12) built a 56-29 lead at the break. Houston shot 55% and was 8 of 16 from 3-point distance in the first half.
Emanuel Sharp and Milos Uzan each had 16 points and Joseph Tugler finished with 12 points and seven rebounds for Houston, which shot 56% and was 12 for 25 from long distance. The Cougars, who posted their highest point total of the season, have won 15 straight games at home.
Houston forced 17 turnovers and converted them into 31 points, and held a 44-22 advantage in points in the paint.
Andrija Grbovic scored 14 points, Anthony Johnson added 12 and Bryce Ford and Noah Meeusen scored 10 apiece for Arizona State (10-8, 1-4). The Sun Devils shot 41% and were 9 of 25 on 3-pointers. Arizona State was 20 of 24 from the free throw line, but lost for the sixth time in seven games.
Houston jumped out to a 30-5 lead on a layup by Flemings with about 11½ minutes remaining in the first half. Cenac had 10 points, and Flemings had six points in the game-opening run. The Cougars shot 12 of 15 from the field to start the game.
Houston got off to a fast start for the second straight game. The Cougars opened up their 77-48 win over West Virginia on Wednesday with a 28-5 run.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers guard Darius Garland will be sidelined for at least one week due to a sprained right great toe.
Garland suffered the injury on Jan. 14 at Philadelphia and missed Friday's game against the 76ers. The Cavaliers said further evaluation and imaging on Saturday revealed a Grade 1 sprain. The seventh-year guard will be reevaluated in seven to 10 days as he undergoes treatment.
The two-time All-Star has missed 16 games this season due to a nagging injury to his left great toe, which he struggled with during the closing month of last season and the playoffs. Garland had surgery on the toe during the offseason.
Garland is averaging 20.2 points and 7.4 assists over this last 16 games. He was shooting 50.4% from the floor and made 42 of 100 3-pointers.
The Cavaliers have been plagued by injuries all season. After having the best record in the Eastern Conference last season, they are 24-19 and fifth in the East going into Monday afternoon's game against the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
Adding to the laundry list of question marks, LeBron James is expected to be a game-time decision, as is to be the case with every back-to-back going forward.
The Lakers are getting some much-needed relief on Sunday, with both Ayton and Hayes expected to back on the court. It also appears as though they've dodged a bullet as neither Smart or LaRavia were listed on the injury report.
That leaves the two biggest questions that likely won't be definitively answered until we get closer to tip-off: Will Dončić and James take the court vs. the Raptors?
Here's everything you need to know about the status of the two Lakers stars:
Dončić is questionable to play with left groin soreness, according to the latest NBA injury report released at 5:30 p.m. ET. He originally told reporters on Jan. 12 he "felt something" in his groin/inner thigh area during pregame warmups, but he ended up playing through both games of the Lakers' back-to-back early last week.
Dončić also played in Thursday's loss to the Charlotte Hornets, scoring 39 points before sitting out on Saturday.
Is LeBron James playing tonight?
James is also listed as questionable for Sunday night's games, which is to be expected after the 41-year-old said as much to reporters a week ago.
“I’m 41 years old. Every back to back for the rest of the season is TBD.”
LeBron James makes one thing certain — he is TBD for all back-to-back games in his 23rd NBA season 😭
James did play in the Lakers' most recent back-to-back on January 12 and 13, logging 33 minutes in each and coming up just one rebound shy of a 31-point triple-double in a 141-116 blowout win over the Hawks.
In Saturday night's loss to the Trail Blazers, James scored 20 points and led the team in assists and rebounds with nine and eight, respectively.
Lakers injuries
Ayton and Hayes both did not play on Saturday, leaving the door open for Drew Timme to see extended minutes at center. Smart limped off the court following a collision midway through the fourth quarter, but he was not listed on Sunday's injury report. Both Ayton and Hayes are also expected to return against Toronto.
The only other names on the Lakers injury report ahead of the game are Reaves (left calf strain) and Thiero (right MCL sprain), who have both missed extended time and are expected to be re-evaluated towards the end of the month.
It’s the second half of a home-and-home. The Nets (12-27) are looking for a rare road win to sweep the mini-series, but the tanking crowd is eyeing those lottery balls. Chicago (19-22) is desperate to get back to .500 and stop a four-game slide.
🏀 Game Info
Tip: 7:00 PM ET
TV: YES Network | Gotham Sports App
Radio: 101.9 FM / 660 AM WFAN
⚠️ Injury Report
Nets:
Michael Porter Jr. (OUT – Rest)
Drake Powell (OUT – Left Knee Injury Management)
Ziaire Williams (OUT – Return to Competition Reconditioning)
Haywood Highsmith (OUT – Right Knee Surgery Recovery)
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Unlike their last back-to-back, this one could actually have matchups factored into decisions here.
The Sixers released their injury report ahead of their home contest against the Indiana Pacers Monday. Nothing on it is too shocking with Joel Embiid and Paul George both listed as questionable with left knee injury management.
Despite it being a downgrade, both have been listed as probable for the past several games, this just boils down to this Pacers matchup being the front end of a back-to-back as they’re set to take on the Phoenix Suns Tuesday at home as well.
The two of them have both played in nine of Philly’s last 10 games, the only one missed also being a back-to-back last week in Toronto. Both of those legs were against the Raptors, so it didn’t really matter which one of the two they sat out. With the Suns being a notably tougher matchup than the 10-win Pacers, there’s actually a decision to make there if George and Embiid can only be available for one of those games.
Neither of the two have played both games of a back-to-back this season, but it’s worth noting that George was a very late scratch in that first game against the Raptors. Perhaps playing in both legs may be something he’s looking to do soon.
After being assigned to the G-League over the weekend, Jared McCain is listed as doubtful. Funnily enough, it was the Pacers G-League affiliate, the Noblesville Bloom, McCain played against in his first game with the Blue Coats since being sent down again. He didn’t exactly light the world on fire either, going for 15 points on 18 shots in six turnovers playing 30 minutes in a Coats loss.
Jared McCain played 30 minutes in the Delaware Blue Coats' 126-102 road loss against the Noblesville Boom. His line:
The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder have been by far the most impressive team this season. Their +14 net rating is over five points better than their closest competitor. It’s why they started the season on a 70-win pace.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, on the other hand, have been one of the most disappointing teams this season. They’ve taken a noticeable step back from where they were last year, as they’ve already surpassed their loss total for all of last season.
Despite how differently things have gone for both the Cavs and Thunder, they enter this game playing at a pretty similar level.
Oklahoma City has cooled off dramatically in recent weeks. They’ve lost three of their last eight and dropped their previous outing to the Miami Heat. Their offense has struggled recently, as they have the 14th-ranked offense over the past two weeks.
This game should provide a good measuring stick for where the Cavs are right now, even though both will be without key starters. The Thunder will be without Jalen Williams, and the Cavs will be without Darius Garland.
Cavs injury report: Darius Garland – OUT (toe), Sam Merrill – OUT (hand), Dean Wade – PROBABLE (knee), Max Strus – OUT (foot), Chris Livingston – OUT (G League), Luke Travers – OUT (G League)
Thunder injury report: Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring), Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (right soleus), Thomas Sorber – OUT (ACL), Nikola Topic – OUT (surgical recovery), Brooks Barnhizer – DOUBTFUL (G League)
CHAMPAGNE, Ill. (AP) — Berry Wallace scored a career-high 29 points, 12 in the fourth quarter, and No. 25 Illinois held off a fourth-quarter rally to defeat Northwestern 74-71 on Sunday.
Illinois took the lead for good with 2 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter and led 58-51 heading to the fourth. Although Illinois remained in front, Northwestern cut it to one on a 3-pointer by Xamiya Walton with seven minutes to go and again on a layup by Casey Harter with 2:15 remaining.
At that point, Wallace scored in the paint for a 73-70 lead, then Tayla Thomas hit one free throw to get Northwestern within 73-71. Both teams came up empty on their next two possessions before Cearah Parchment made a free throw for a 74-71 lead with nine seconds left. Northwestern's Caroline Lau missed a potential tying 3-pointer with one second left.
Parchment had 10 points and 11 rebounds for the fourth double-double of her freshman season. Aaliyah Guyton had 13 points for the Illini (15-4, 5-3 Big Ten).
Grace Sullivan scored 21 points, Walton 19, Harter 13 and Lau 12 for Northwestern (8-11, 2-6). The rest of the Wildcats managed six points — all by Thomas.
There were four ties and seven lead changes in the first half. Illinois scored the last 12 points of the second quarter to erase a five-point deficit and the Illini led 40-33 at halftime.
Illinois outscored the Wildcats 11-2 in a 3 1/2-minute stretch of the third quarter, building a 58-43 lead. Three-pointers by Harter and Walton helped Northwestern get within 58-51 heading to the fourth.
There were only 13 turnovers in the game, five by Northwestern and eight by Illinois.
Illinois was won seven straight in the series after losing the previous 14.
Up next
Illinois: The Illini play Saturday at No. 24 Nebraska.
Northwestern: The Wildcats host No. 3 UCLA next Sunday.
For the last two months, there has been a song looping in my head whenever Jalen Green comes up. Richard Marx, softly crooning in the background, whispering a promise into the void.
Wherever you go Whatever you do I will be right here waiting for you Whatever it takes Or how my heart breaks I will be right here waiting for you
I have been right here waiting. And I hope my heart don’t break. It feels painfully appropriate at this point, equal parts hope, patience, and checking the injury report daily.
We know we are getting close. Suns head coach Jordan Ott said yesterday that Jalen Green got in another five-on-five run after morning shootaround. “Everything seemed to be good,” Coach Ott stated. “So we’ll see. Still going in the right direction.”
That is the kind of update that makes you sit up a little straighter. Not fireworks. Not a declaration. But enough to tell you the wheels are turning, and the return is no longer theoretical.
So…will Green suit up in Brooklyn on Monday night? Questionable.
Jalen Greeb is QUESTIONABLE to play tomorrow against the Nets.
The last time we saw him was on November 8 against the Clippers. He made it 6:48 into that game, but was then gone in the first quarter after re-aggravating the hamstring that already cost him the first 8 games of the season. It felt cruel. It also felt very Suns.
Before that night, Green had played in 192 consecutive games, playoffs included, without missing time. Then he arrives in Phoenix and the basketball gods get weird. To the team’s credit, they have been careful with it. This is a player built on speed. If you are running on a flat tire, you are not helping anyone.
We still do not know the exact severity. A grade two hamstring usually means 3 to 6 weeks. A grade three can stretch into months and even flirt with surgery. This one lingered long enough to make you wonder. Whatever it was, the Suns chose patience, and with a player like Green, that is the only move that makes sense.
But alas, the designation finally changed. That alone feels like progress. It does not guarantee anything, and it does not mean he is ready to roll, but it is a step forward. He is not listed as probable yet, but for the first time in a while, the door is actually open. He could see the floor again.
And the timing matters. Brooklyn is young, energetic, but they are not going to apply the same defensive pressure Phoenix saw from Detroit, Miami, or New York on this trip. That makes this a softer landing spot, if there is such a thing in the NBA.
So here we are. The questionable stage. Actual movement. Real momentum. Now we wait another day to see if Jalen Green finally suits up and plays basketball for Phoenix again.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Kristýna Kaltounková and Anne Cherkowski each scored a goal, Kayle Osborne had 31 saves and the New York Sirens beat the Montreal Victoire 2-1 on Sunday at Capital One Arena as part of the PWHL’s Takeover Tour.
The game, played in front of 17,228 fans, set an attendance record for a professional women’s hockey game in the United States, according to Monumental Sports & Entertainment. The previous record of 16,014 fans was set Nov. 28 at the inaugural home game for the Seattle Torrent.
Montreal (5-2-0-5) had its three-game win streak snapped.
Sarah Fillier had two assists for New York (7-0-1-5), which has won five of six. The Sirens have 22 points, four behind league-leading Boston and one ahead of third-place Minnesota.
Kaltounková, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 PWHL draft, has nine goals this season, tied with Minnesota's Kendall Coyne Schofield for most in the league.
Maggie Flaherty scored a power-play goal for the Victoire late in the first period.
Kaltounková slammed home the rebound of a shot by Fillier to open the scoring 84 seconds into the game. The Sirens had failed to convert on their previous nine power-play opportunities and are just 5 of 40 with an extra skater this season.
Cherkowski gave the Sirens a 2-1 lead with 5:13 left in the second period. Fillier poked a faceoff to Levis, who flicked a wrister that was redirected by Cherkowski over the glove-side shoulder of goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens for the rookie's first career goal.
Desbiens had 25 saves for the Victoire.
The Victoire beat New York 4-0 in Montreal on Nov. 25 and Osborne had a career-high 43 saves as the Sirens evened the season series with a 4-3 home win on Jan. 2.
DETROIT — The Boston Celtics could be once again be without Payton Pritchard when they close out a four-game roadtrip against the Detroit Pistons on Monday night. Pritchard missed Saturday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks with left ankle soreness — his first absence of the year — and is questionable with the same injury ahead of Monday’s game.
But the Celtics didn’t miss a beat with their starting point guard; Baylor Scheierman started in Pritchard’s place, and Boston defeated Atlanta 132-106.
Three other Celtics are on the injury report alongside Pritchard; Josh Minott will miss his 8th-straight game with an ankle sprain, while Jayson Tatum continues to rehabilitate a ruptured Achilles tendon. It’s been about 8 months since Tatum first suffered the injury, and his timeline to potentially return this season is uncertain. And, Chris Boucher, who has been out of the rotation since late November, is questionable with low back spasms.
Celtics Injury Report vs. Detroit (1/18):
Chris Boucher – Low Back Spasms – QUESTIONABLE Josh Minott – Left Ankle Sprain – OUT Payton Pritchard – Left Ankle Soreness – QUESTIONABLE Jayson Tatum – Right Achilles Repair – OUT
The Pistons, meanwhile, have a clean injury slate.
The Pistons have been the best team in the Eastern Conference
Monday’s game between the Celtics and the Pistons is a battle between the two best teams in the East. The Celtics (26-15) have the second-best record in the East, while the Pistons lead the way with a 30-10 record.
The Celtics and Pistons have faced off three times this season, and each time, the games have gone down to the wire, with the Pistons winning two of three contests. When the two teams first matched up in October, the Pistons came away with a 6-point win. In November, on the eve of Thanksgiving, the Celtics emerged victorious by 3 points. And, in December, the Pistons won by 7. Saturday will mark the fourth and final regular-season match-up between the two teams.
Both teams come into the Monday night matchup with plenty of momentum, having won two in a row; the Celtics have won 7 of their last 10 games, while the Pistons have won 6 of their last 10.
Celtics-Pistons will tip off at 8pm on Saturday at the Little Caesars Arena.
