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Cubs BCB After Dark: Should the Cubs sign Zac Gallen?

It’s another week here at BCB After Dark: the hippest spot for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. We’re open again for business. We’re so glad you decided to stop by. Come in out of the cold. We can check your coat for you. The hostess will seat you now. Bring your own beverage.

BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.

Last week I asked you if, after the trade for Edward Cabrera and the signing of Alex Bregman, the Cubs were now the team to beat in the National League Central. Seventy-two percent of you agreed that the Cubs are now the favorites in the Central. Another 27 percent went with the defending champs, the Brewers. The Reds managed to eke out one percent of the vote, which was more than what the Pirates and Cardinals got.

Here’s the part where we listen to music and talk movies. The BCB Winter Science Fiction Classic is well underway, but you’re still free to join in the fun. But you’re also free to skip that. You won’t hurt my feelings.

Tonight we’re featuring the Charles Mingus Sextet in Norway in 1964 playing the Billy Strayhorn tune made famous by Duke Ellington, “Take the ‘A’ Train.”

Mingus is the bassist, of course, and Eric Dolphy plays bass clarinet. Jake Byard is on piano, Clifford Jordan on tenor sax, Johnny Coles on trumpet and Dannie Richmond is the drummer.

You voted in the BCB Winter Science Fiction Classic between Star Wars and Alien and Alien pulled off the upset. A mild upset, to be sure, but an upset nonetheless. I did call it the “Star Wars bracket” afterall. I do wonder if Star Wars’ reputation has suffered because of the uneven quality of all the recent intellectual property spinoffs. I’ve only seen a few of them and I haven’t really considered myself a “Star Wars fan” since I was about 14 years old. But I know that there are millions out there that still revere it. But the same is true of Alien, I guess.

Tonight we have the second semifinal of the “Star Wars” bracket between the number-one seed Blade Runner and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

  1. Blade Runner (1982). Directed by Ridley Scott. Starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer and Sean Young.

Here’s what I wrote last time about Blade Runner.

Blade Runner is the one film that gets mentioned a lot as an alternative to 2001: A Space Odyssey when critics are naming the greatest science fiction film of all time. I guess Stalker and Metropolis might get a few mentions as well, but it’s those two that, it seems to me, get mentioned the most often. It’s not hard to see why. Both of them are science fiction films with ambition. They both are trying to transcend the genre and elevate it at the same time.

Here’s the opening scene of Blade Runner. I considered giving you the famous “tears in rain” speech as a clip, but since that’s a spoiler at the end of the film, I thought it best to avoid giving you that one for those of you who still haven’t seen it. But those of you already familiar with it can click on the link above if you want to relive it.

5. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) Directed by Nicholas Meyer. Starring William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and Ricardo Montalban.

Here’s what I wrote last time about The Wrath of Khan.

It’s entirely possible that I’ve seen The Wrath of Khan more than any other film. I don’t really keep track so I don’t know, but I’ve seen it a lot. If I just want a film for pure entertainment value, there’s not much better than The Wrath of Khan. There’s a saying that these kinds of films are only as good as their villain, and it doesn’t get much better than Montalban playing Khan here. But the film also takes advantage of our familiarity with the crew of the Enterprise and lets them play into their strengths as well. There’s also a video online where director Meyer explained how he made Shatner do take after take in order to tire him out and get a more subdued and world-weary Kirk. That somewhat explains the good job Shatner did here as well.

The scene where Khan reveals himself on Ceti Alpha Five.

Now it’s time to vote.

You have until Wednesday to vote. Coming up next, Brazil (1985) takes on Terminator II: Judgment Day (1991).

Welcome back to everyone who skips the music and the movies.

In the time between the Cubs failing to sign NPB-import Tatsuya Imai and the Cubs trading for Edward Cabrera, there was a lot of talk about the Cubs pivoting to free agent Zac Gallen to bolster their starting rotation. There was also a lot of talk about the Cubs interest in Zac Gallen earlier as Bob Nightengale erroneously reported, as Bob is wont to do, that the Cubs had come to terms with Gallen. Nightengale may have been wrong about the signing, but other writers did confirm that the Cubs were interested in the former Diamondbacks right-hander.

It did seem like the Cubs interest in Gallen was over after the recent moves. For one, trading for Cabrera lessens the need for a starting pitcher on the Cubs. Two, the signing of Alex Bregman puts the Cubs right up against the luxury tax threshold and it is widely assumed that even if the Cubs were willing to go a little above that, they wouldn’t go enough over it sign a major free agent.

But the market for Gallen, 30, has not developed like he and his agent Scott Boras would have liked. There are a few reasons for that. The first is that Gallen, an ace in 2022 and 2023 and not much worse in 2024, had a poor season in 2025. We’ll get into that a bit later. The other reason is that Gallen turned down a qualifying offer from the Diamondbacks and teams are reluctant to give up a draft pick on top paying a lot of money for someone who isn’t elite. If you just base it on his 2025 season, Gallen isn’t an elite pitcher anymore. So it seems that Boras is pivoting to his normal tactic in such situations—have the player sign a short-term deal that would get him back on the market for a big payday while h’e still young.

Thus, Bruce Levine dropped a bit of a bombshell over the weekend when he reported that the Cubs and Boras are still talking about a deal that would bring Gallen to Chicago on a short-term deal. Such a deal would put the Cubs way over the luxury tax threshold that they’ve been reluctant to cross in recent years, but it’s also not something that ownership can’t afford, from everything we know.

So why might the Cubs bust the budget and lose a draft pick for Zac Gallen? The Cubs starting rotation currently looks like this:

Matthew Boyd

Cade Horton

Shōta Imanaga

Jameson Taillon

Edward Cabrera

There’s also Justin Steele, who will return from elbow surgery sometime this year. Let’s pencil him in for June. The Cubs top pitching prospect, Jaxon Wiggins, could also be ready for the majors around mid-season or so.

There’s also Colin Rea and Javier Assad who can join the rotation or pitch out of the bullpen.

So if the Cubs already have 5 starters, two in reserve and two who could join the team midseason, why would they want Gallen so much they’d be willing to break the budget for him?

For one, the Cubs would hope that Gallen would be an improvement over one of the five pitchers currently in the rotation. If you have a chance to improve your team, you should. Yes, Gallen had a poor year last year with an ERA of 4.83. He had a career-low strikeout percentage. But he did improve greatly by the end of the season. In the final two months of the year, Gallen made 11 starts and put up an ERA of 3.32. His strikeout rate also increased back to what it had been from 2021 to 2024, when Gallen was good. If you think that Gallen figured out whatever was wrong from March to July, then Gallen is a near-ace pitcher who can be acquired for the price of a solid middle-of-the-rotation guy and for far fewer years.

But the biggest reason to do so is to just add depth to the rotation. We all know that in the National League Division Series, through an injury to Horton and just general ineffectiveness of Imanaga, the Cubs ran out of starting pitchers. Horton has battled injuries throughout his career. So has Cabrera. Truth be told, Boyd isn’t far removed Tommy John surgery in 2023. While the Cubs hope Steele will be back sooner rather than later, there is no guarantee of that.

On top of that, Boyd, Imanaga, Taillon and Rea are all free agents after this upcoming season. The Cubs are going to have to find more pitchers for 2027 and beyond.

The big reason not to sign Gallen is, if you look at the totality of his 2025 season, that he’s a declining pitcher on who has just passed 30. I don’t think 30 is as old for a pitcher as it is for a position player, but Gallen does have a lot of innings on his arm. If you don’t think Gallen’s last two months truly represent a return to form, then you probably don’t want to sign Gallen for any price, considering the loss of a draft pick attached.

The other reason is that because Gallen rejected a qualifying offer, the Cubs would lose their second-round draft pick for signing him. The good news is that the Cubs are getting a pick after the second-round for losing Tucker. It’s better to have two draft picks than one here, but at least the Cubs would only be moving down a few picks had they just re-signed Tucker and signed no one who’d gotten an offer.

Al wrote a piece earlier this winter on the Cubs interest in Gallen. It’s worth revisiting, even if the circumstances have change.

I’m going to propose that the Cubs offer Gallen a two-year deal worth $40 million, with a mutual option for a third year for another $20 million. If the Cubs decline the option, there’s a $4 million buyout. If Gallen declines it, there’s no penalty. In any case, Gallen can go back on the market in two years and if he pitches well, get one last big deal. If he doesn’t pitch well, at least he’s guaranteed $44 million.

So should the Cubs offer this deal?

Thanks for stopping by tonight. It’s always good to see you. Please get home safely. Stay warm out there. Tell your friends about us. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow evening for more BCB After Dark.

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Nets’ putrid defense far too much to overcome in loss to Suns

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Nic Claxton #33 of the Brooklyn Nets makes a jumping pass during the first half when the Brooklyn Nets played the Phoenix Suns Monday, January 19, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. , Image 2 shows Michael Porter Jr. #17 of the Brooklyn Nets drives top the basket as Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns defends during the first half when the Brooklyn Nets played the Phoenix Suns Monday, January 19, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

Once again, a slow start and sieve-like defense were too much for the Nets to overcome Monday, lit up 126-117 by the Suns before 17,344 at Barclays Center.

The Nets put seven scorers in double figures but still spent much of the night teetering on being blown out. That’s how bad their defense was as they fell for the seventh time in their last eight games.

It’s hard to picture the Nets (12-29) snapping that skid unless they start guarding and getting back in transition. They allowed 57.1 percent shooting, and 20-for-39 from 3-point range.

“Oh man, it was a real physical game out there. Credit to them, they punched us in the mouth first. And we just tried to respond, match their physicality,” said Ziaire Williams, who had 15 points in his first game back since Jan. 7. “They’re a good ball club, man. They play really well together, the ball was moving. So it took a lot of second and third efforts out of us.”

Michael Porter Jr. had 23 points to lead seven Nets in double figures despite playing without Egor Dëmin, Cam Thomas and Day’Ron Sharpe. But Brooklyn couldn’t get a stop on the other end.

Brooklyn remains fifth in the lottery race. They’re a game behind idle Sacramento, and kept pace a game ahead of sixth-place Utah, which lost.

Michael Porter Jr. #17 of the Brooklyn Nets drives top the basket as Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns defends during the first half when the Brooklyn Nets played the Phoenix Suns Monday, January 19, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post

The Nets allowed a misprint-like 71.4 percent in a first quarter that saw them fall behind by 15. They conceded 6-for-9 from deep in that opening period, and trailed 28-13.

Dillon Brooks scored 27 points and Devin Booker 24 for the Suns.

Jordan Ott — who spent six years as a Nets assistant from 2016-22 — came back for the first time as a head coach. His Suns, projected to win just 30 games this season, are on pace for 50. They’re 11-4 over their last 15 games and lit the Nets up.

Brooklyn led 9-7 after Nic Claxton (12 points, eight rebounds, six assists) kicked out to Noah Clowney for a 3-pointer. But they coughed up the next eight unanswered points, in a run that eventually reached 21-4.

Drake Powell #4 of the Brooklyn Nets puts up a shot over Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns during the first half when the Brooklyn Nets played the Phoenix Suns Monday, January 19, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post

Brooklyn spent the rest of the night chasing.

Booker hit a short jumper to put the Nets in a 64-44 hole.

It was still 72-57 with 1:37 left in the half before the Nets closed on an 11-0 run, capped by Terance Mann’s 3-pointer to beat the buzzer.

That got the Nets within four at the break.

Nic Claxton #33 of the Brooklyn Nets makes a jumping pass during the first half when the Brooklyn Nets played the Phoenix Suns Monday, January 19, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post

Brooklyn fell behind by 18 in the fourth quarter before they mounted a 16-3 run to get back in it. A Porter jumper pulled them within five, and he scored again to make it 114-109 with 5:34 to play.

A Clowney and-one on a driving floater pulled the Nets within 118-114. But Brooks drilled a 3-pointer and the Nets never challenged.

“They’re a great team. When we went over it in scout, they told us they’re No. 1 in 3-point attempts in transition, and we saw that real quick,” said Williams. “So, they gave us the game plan; it just took us too long just to really dial in. And we dug ourself a little hole.”

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Knicks' Jalen Brunson on recent struggles, MSG crowd boos: 'I’d be booing us too'

The Knicks lost for the fourth straight time on Monday night, but the 114-97 rout at the hands of the short-handed Dallas Mavericks was the worst of them all.

The loss, which was essentially decided at halftime with New York down 75-47, led to an exasperated crowd at Madison Square Garden to rain down boos from the rafters to show their frustration with the team.

Jalen Brunson, who did not shoot the ball well (9-for-24), was asked after the game what went wrong in the team's latest fiasco, and a clearly frustrated Brunson was up front about the team's struggles.

"We just didn’t follow the game plan at all," he said. "... As a team, we know what we have to do. It’s either we do it, we care enough to do it or we don’t."

While Brunson mentioned that it's a "long season," he also emphasized the importance of fixing the issues that have been plaguing New York as soon as possible.

"We gotta figure this out fast," he said, while also acknowledging that he has all the confidence in the guys in the locker room to do so.

As for the boos that have made their way to MSG after such a special start to the season, Brunson did not hold back.

"I’d be booing us too," he said. "Straight up."

Head coach Mike Brown also weighed in on the jeering from the fans and agreed with Brunson's point of view.

"I'm okay with the boos," he said. "If we're playing crappy, boo. If I was in the stands, I'd probably boo, too. You pay hard money to come to the game."

Following the loss, the Knicks are now 25-18 (third place in the East) and 2-9 in their last 11 games. They still sport an impressive 16-6 record at home, second-best to the Detroit Pistons in the conference, but have lost three of their last four at MSG with Monday's loss not even close.

"I’d be disappointed, too," said Karl-Anthony Towns. "Fans spend their hard-earned money, they give us so much love and motivation to go out there and they expect the results and so do we. Fans are doing their part, we gotta do our part."

Part of doing their part involves tightening up on defense. On Monday, New York let the Mavs shoot 48 percent from the floor and 47 percent from deep. Those numbers were even worse in the first half after the Knicks gave up 75 first-half points.

In fact, the Knicks have only kept their opponents to under 100 points three times this season and none since Nov. 30, which spans 25 games.

"We all need to do some soul-searching, some looking in the mirror," said Josh Hart. "Right now we're playing embarrassing basketball. We're not executing on the offensive end. Defensively, we've been abysmal. We've been terrible defensively all year."

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Brooklyn Nets get burnt by Phoenix Suns, lose 126-117

The Brooklyn Nets hosted the Phoenix Suns at the Barclays Center Monday evening. It was the first time in a while where the two teams meeting didn’t feel like running into an ex out in public.

No Kevin Durant. No Cam Johnson. No Mikal Bridges. Not even any of Phoenix’s future first rounders were in the backdrop tonight — just a whole lot of buckets on a day to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Brooklyn and Phoenix collectively began tonight shooting 6-of-10 from deep. Two were put in Drake Powell, who returned to the starting lineup with Egor Dëmin held out for injury management…

Although Powell’s name fell into the point guard slot on the pregame lineup card, ball-handling was done by a committee for Brooklyn. Terance Mann got some reps, even dishing seven assists in the first half, as did Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton. (Cam Thomas was also out for injury management.)

Despite the group effort, the Brooklyn’s offense was overshadowed in the first, and for most of the game. While the Nets came out hot, the Suns were white dwarfs, posting 71/67 splits in the first quarter. Dillon Brooks added seven points while shooting 4-of-5 from the field. Phoenix also controlled the game’s pace, grabbing eight points on the break.

The Nets (naturally) caught up a bit when Nolan Traoré checked in at the 4:19 point of the period. He, Jalen Wilson, Danny Wolf, Tyrese Martin, and Ziaire Williams, who returned after missing a week of ball with an illness, cut the deficit to nine after it had ballooned to 15 at one point, yet Phoenix maintained a 40-26 lead after one…

“I’m just grateful just to be out here,” Williams said of his return. “Woke up one morning feeling fine, and then I ended up sick, and missing games, and it was just a reminder of just how anything can be taken away from you by any time…I missed playing with these guys.”

It was the first time the Nets gave up 40 points in a quarter since November 9th. In the second, Michael Porter Jr. looked to get it all back.

After going scoreless in the opening frame, MPJ dropped 13 points while shooting 5-6 from the field. Traoré also continued his run of impressive play since coming up from Long Island. The sequel to his career night in Chicago on Friday started with 10 first half points while shooting a perfect 3-3 from the field. He didn’t get any more in the second half…but still finished the game as a +4.

Williams also hit two threes in the period’s final two four minutes. Mann also put one in for submission seconds before the deadline…

But again, every positive at the offensive end doubled as a negative at the other. Rather than switching, Brooklyn played more of in a drop this evening. Devin Booker and company went to work with the extra space provided. The Suns added 32 more points in the second, maintaining 63/46/91 splits as a team at half, where theu led the Nets by a 72-68 tally.

The Nets also probably threw one too many high doubles at Booker, who had the poise and precision all night to pass out of them and find open shooters.

“We were kind of giving them that shot, trying to live with that rather than Booker ISO,” Mann said. “So, just the ability to make shots down the stretch. They’re a veteran team.”

Even as the shots continued to fall for Phoenix, the Nets did well to keep the deficit from fully reinflating in the third. But while the Phoenix lead didn’t boil, the frustrations for Brooklyn did. Booker and Dillon Brooks each found success baiting the Nets and befooling officials early in the period. The Suns drew nine free throw attempts in the quarter’s first eight minutes after getting 11 in the entire first half.

Fernández said the game was “called like a rugby match,” post game. Williams also noted he felt there were one or two wrongful whistles, but he also tipped his cap to his old teammate.

“I love Dillon to death, man,” he said. “That’s my guy. That’s my big brother. He taught me so much. It’s really dope to see him really flourish this year. I feel like he’s an all star, in my opinion…He’s a great teammate. I hate playing against them but love him on your team. His competitiveness is second to none and I definitely learned a lot of tips and tricks from him.”

The Nets made it a 112-105 game with 7:04 to go after Tyrese Martin connected on a transition three. Porter Jr. followed that up with a quick five, getting three with glam and two with grit…

But the mounting pressure from Brooklyn only caused Phoenix’s offensive crystallize and its ball movement to shine. As the Nets repeatedly looked to trap Booker, the Suns the rock with pace and precession, pulling the Brooklyn defense as if it were pizza dough before baking it with a bucket.

“They’re a good ball club, man,” Williams said. “They play really well together, ball was moving.”

The Nets had possesson down nine with a little over a minute to go, but could only draw up a Powell step back three out of the timeout. It clanked off the side rim. Down too much and too late to make playing the foul game acceptable, Brooklyn didn’t down quietly, but a bit quieter than usual.

Final: Phoenix Suns 126, Brooklyn Nets 117

Milestone Watch

  • Terance Mann’s seven assists in the first half against the Suns are tied for his most in a game this season (fourth time) and tied the most in a half in his career (2/8/22, LAC at MEM).
  • This was Nolan Traoré’s second career half with 10+ points, joining his 14 points in the second half last night against Chicago.

Halfway There

It’s a common misconception that the All-Star break marks the halfway point in the NBA regular season. That’s usually when we’re about two-thirds of the way there. Believe it or not, tonight was Brooklyn’s 41st game, meaning they’re now at that halfway point. Here was Ziaire Williams’ answer on what the Nets have learned and want to take into second half:

“Yeah, for sure, man, just a whole list of things. Off the top of my mind, we just got to start better. We start off 0-7 and we figured out, but even with tonight, we figured it out, and came up just short. But it’s all a growing process, growing pains, and the best part is, we have a full locker room of guys who want to win and wan’t to compete at the highest level. I feel like that’s the hardest part, is finding a group that loves each other and enjoys going to war with each other every night, and we have that, and that’s the culture that Jordi and the rest of the staff are building. So, we’ll figure it out, and there’s a lot of better days ahead, just got to stay in the process.”

No change in the Tankathon rankings. Nets still is sixth, still two games out of fourth.

Injury Report

The only Net to miss tonight’s game not for injury management or a G-League assignment was Day’Ron Sharpe. The Nets tagged him with an illness/throat contusion injury designation pregame. We’ll monitor the situation and update as we learn more.

Next Up

Brooklyn hasn’t beaten their cross town rival since January of 2023, and even with the Nets sporting the league’s fifth-worst record, it feels like they’ll have a solid chance to break that streak on Wednesday night. The Knicks are in one of their worst losing spells in the Leon Rose era right now, having dropped eight of their last 10 games. The quest for redemption tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden.

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Kansas Jayhawks basketball coach Bill Self hospitalized

Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self was reportedly hospitalized on Monday and did not travel with the team to Colorado "out of an abundance of caution," according to ESPN.

Per ESPN, the school said Self was feeling "under the weather" and was later taken to LMH Health, where he was reportedly given IV fluids. According to a statement released by the school, Self is "feeling better but did not accompany the team to Boulder."

Self had another health scare last summer, when he was hospitalized in July after experiencing "some concerning symptoms," wrote Bozello. He was released two days after undergoing a medical procedure in which two stents were placed. He also underwent a similar procedure in 2023 and missed that year's Big 12 and NCAA tournaments due to chest tightness and balance concerns.

Self has been one of the most decorated coaches in college basketball history since taking the helm at Kansas in 2003, leading the Jayhawks to 14 consecutive Big 12 championships from 2004-2018. He's coached Kansas to four final four appearances and national titles in 2008 and 2022 — making him the only coach in school history to win multiple national championships. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017. On Nov. 12, 2024, Self passed Allen Phog as the winningest coach in Kansas history.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kansas Jayhawks basketball coach Bill Self hospitalized

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Game Recap: Suns get hot from three, take down Nets 126-117

NEW YORK— The Phoenix Suns defeated the Brooklyn Nets 126-117 on Monday night. The team is 26-17 on the year and winners of two straight. Collin Gillespie, Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks all scored at least 22 points and combined for 73 points. Phoenix hit 20 threes for just the fourth time this season in one of their best shooting performances of the year.

Brooklyn stayed resilient throughout the matchup. It was not an easy win for the Suns. Despite multiple 20-point leads, the Nets clawed back to cut the lead down to four in the fourth quarter.

Phoenix is now 2-2 on their road trip with two games left, and as head coach Jordan Ott eluded to pregame, Jalen Green could make his return to the court tomorrow against the Philadelphia 76ers for his first game action since November 8th. Phoenix looks to be getting some help soon.

The Suns continue to take advantage of lesser opponents. Brooklyn now 12-29 on the year after the loss, they haven’t loss a game to a team not in the play-in or in the playoffs since October. Phoenix is now tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for 6th in the Western Conference.

Game Flow

First Half

The Suns started hot from the field, hitting five of their first eight shots. Dillon Brooks made three early triples, an encouraging sign considering he shot 17% from three last week. Strong ball movement and penetration gave the team a 30-15 lead early on.

Grayson Allen got in on the strong shooting action. He hit two triples early on. Just like Brooks, he struggled with his shot last game going 4/13 behind the arc against the Knicks.

After one the Suns led 40-26.

Phoenix stayed hot from behind the arc to start the second quarter with Gillespie and Ryan Dunn getting in on the action. When the Nets started to gain some momentum leading to a Suns timeout, Phoenix stayed looking for threes with a Royce O’Neale wing three.

With a firm lead, the Suns were spreading the ball around. Jordan Ott was relying on his second unit in the second frame. Isaiah Livers got in the game and had some touches and Oso Ighodaro was doing a lot of ball handling.

Around the halfway point of the quarter, the Suns’ lead started hovering around 20 points, but the Nets cut into it with threes, ball movement and physical defense. The Nets ended the half on a 24-8 run.

At the end of two the Suns lead 72-68.

Second Half

Phoenix got their lead back up to double digits early in the second half. Brooks, Booker and Collin Gillespie all got some easy looks as the team kept a steady lead as the pace started to slow down. Phoenix had a lot of strong ball movement.

After three, the lead that the Suns built to end the first quarter was completely back. Suns led 103-89 heading into the fourth.

Brooklyn did not lay down to start the fourth. Thanks to their hot shooting and the Suns struggling to score, the Nets cut the lead to 5. With four minutes to go the Nets cut it down to four after a Noah Clowney And-one for their 27th point of the quarter in less than 8 minutes, but never got any closer.

Despite Dillon Brooks picking up his 14th technical of the season, the Suns built a sizable lead to take home their 26th win of the year.

Up Next

Phoenix will head to Philadelphia to face the 76ers tomorrow. Jalen Green is set to return for his first game since November 8th. Bright Side will be on the scene with live coverage. Follow HoldenSherman1 on X for updates throughout the game.

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Sergei Bobrovsky, Alex Nedeljkovic drop gloves in rare goalie fight

Goalie fights are rare in the NHL nowadays because linesmen try to keep combative netminders apart.

But there was one Monday night because Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky charged down the ice and went after the San Jose Sharks' Alex Nedeljkovic before anyone could react.

The scrap happened during the third period after Florida's Evan Rodrigues hit Vincent Desharnais, who had tripped the Panthers' Mackie Samoskevich. Nedeljkovic left the crease to join the scrum, which drew the ire of Bobrovsky.

Bobrovsky had the gloves off and Nedeljkovic dropped his, and both masks came off. Nedeljkovic eventually took Bobrovsky down.

Each goalie got five minutes for fighting and two minutes for leaving the crease.

This was the NHL's first goalie fight since Mike Smith and Cam Talbot in February 2020.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Goalie fight! Sergei Bobrovsky, Alex Nedeljkovic drop gloves

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Brandon Bussi makes 17 saves as the Hurricanes beat the Sabres 2-1

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Brandon Bussi made 17 saves for his 18th win of the season, Seth Jarvis scored the go-ahead goal on a power play early in the third period and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 on Monday.

Andrei Svechnikov had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes, who have won three straight and secured at least one point for the eighth time in their past nine games. Sebastian Aho assisted on both of Carolina’s goals, giving him nine in five games.

Bussi improved to 18-3-1 and now has the most victories for a goaltender in his first 22 NHL starts. Six of his saves came on U.S. Olympian Tage Thompson, including a highlight-reel glove stop and another with two seconds remaining.

Rasmus Dahlin scored for the Sabres, who have lost back-to-back games for the first time since Dec. 5 and 8. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 26 of 28 shots as Buffalo began a five-game road trip.

The Hurricanes have a 13-game home winning streak against the Sabres, the league’s longest active streak of its kind.

AVALANCHE 5, CAPITALS 2

DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and an assist to reach 1,100 career points and Colorado beat Washington.

Parker Kelly, Victor Olofsson and Artturi Lehkonen also scored to help Colorado bounce back from a 7-3 loss to Nashville on Friday night — the Avalanche’s first home regulation loss of the season.

MacKinnon joined Hall of Famer Joe Sakic as the only players in franchise history to reach 1,100 points. Scott Wedgewood made 22 saves, including several big ones in the third before Colorado scored two late goals.

Jakob Chychrun and Ethen Frank scored for the Capitals in the opener of a six-game trip. Alex Ovechkin added an assist to give him 1,665 points. He’s four away from tying Wayne Gretzky for the fifth-most in NHL history by a player with one franchise (Gretzky had 1,669 with Edmonton in the NHL, and another 104 with the Oilers in the WHA).

PENGUINS 6, KRAKEN 3

SEATTLE (AP) — Brett Kulak broke a second-period tie with his first goal of the season, and Pittsburgh beat Seattle.

Kulak, acquired from Edmonton in December as part of the trade for goalie Tristan Jarry, scored for the first time since last year’s Western Conference final. The defenseman ripped a one-timer to give the Penguins a 3-2 lead with 5:15 left in the second.

Several other unlikely offensive contributors chipped in for the Penguins (23-14-11). Fellow defenseman Parker Witherspoon got the scoring started with a wrister from the point that slid past Seattle goalie Joey Daccord for his third of the season.

Pittsburgh center Connor Dewar scored short-handed in the first period and added an empty-net goal with 29.6 seconds remaining. Dewar’s first goal marked the third straight game the Kraken (21-18-9) have yielded a short-handed goal.

SHARKS 4, PANTHERS 1

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Will Smith scored in his second consecutive game after missing a month because of injury, and San Jose spoiled Matthew Tkachuk’s season debut by beating the two-time defending champion Florida Panthers in a game highlighted by a rare goalie fight.

Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky beelined out of his crease and all the way down the ice to take on San Jose’s Alex Nedeljkovic, who had inserted himself into a scrum in the corner with 14 minutes left. Fans chanted, “Bobby! Bobby!” and cheered the netminder nicknamed “Bob” who has backstopped the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles.

The second meeting between the teams this season, and first since Nov. 8, got increasingly chippy with pushing and shoving after whistles and more than a few punches thrown.

Between the whistles, the Sharks also got goals from defensemen Vincent Desharnais and Mario Ferraro and 36 saves from Nedeljkovic. Barclay Goodrow sealed it with an empty-netter, and San Jose won hours after general manager Mike Grier signaled his team is going for it this season following a lengthy rebuild by acquiring winger Kiefer Sherwood in a trade with Vancouver.

Tkachuk skated just under 21 minutes and had three shots on goal in his first game since helping Florida repeat and hoisting the Cup in June. The 28-year-old winger, who was picked to play for the U.S. at the Olympics next month in Milan, underwent surgery last summer to deal with a sports hernia and torn adductor muscle.

Eetu Luostarinen scored the Panthers’ goal. Bobrovsky allowed three on 27 shots, giving up several juicy rebounds that San Jose capitalized on.

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11 stats to explain Cavs one-sided 136-104 loss to Thunder

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers weren’t able to get their offense going as they fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder 136-104.

The stats in the table below are from Cleaning the Glass.

Effective Field Goal PercentageOffensive Rebounding PercentageOffensive Turnover PercentageFree Throw Rate
Cavs41.8%, 3rd percentile36.1%, 82nd percentile19.8%, 10th percentile30.8, 87th percentile
Thunder68.3%, 97th percentile16.3%, 5th percentile12.3%, 72nd percentile14.4, 17th percentile

Now, let’s dive into the numbers.

  • The Cavs couldn’t get anything to fall, going 8-35 (22.9%) from three (5th percentile). This was their lowest three-point percentage for a game this season. It’s a make-or-miss league. The best teams are typically the ones that make the highest percentage of threes. Their inconsistent outside shot is part of the reason why the results have been as they are.
  • This was Cleveland’s fourth time shooting 25% or worse from beyond the arc. They’ve lost all four times they’ve done so. Last season, the Cavs only shot 25% or worse three times.
  • The Cavs’ eight three-point makes tie their fewest for a game this season. The Cavs’ three-point volume has gone down considerably lately. They were in the 25th percentile for three-point attempts on Monday. Shooting fewer threes has been a recent trend. They’re 12th in three-point attempts since Dec. 13 and 18th in January. This comes after leading the league in attempts at the start of the season. The Cavs didn’t need more three-point attempts, considering how bad they were shooting it. However, it is alarming how much the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction. I’m not sure what the offensive identity of this team is on nights like this.
  • The Thunder outscored the Cavs by 45 points from three. It doesn’t matter how good you are in other areas. There’s no overcoming being outscored by this much from three. The Thunder shot extraordinarily well from deep as they connected on 23 of their 47 attempts (48.9%).
  • The poor shooting was compounded by not being able to finish inside as the Cavs converted just 47.2% of their shots at the rim (3rd percentile). The Cavs did their best to get to the rim. They went 17-36 on shots in the restricted area (90th percentile for attempts). But that doesn’t matter if you aren’t able to get anything to fall. The Thunder were able to pack the paint because of how bad Cleveland was shooting from three. They never could establish any kind of offensive flow.
  • Oklahoma City registered a 130.7 half-court offensive rating (99th percentile). The Thunder executed exceptionally well in the half-court. They swung the ball to the open man and trusted their offensive process. The Cavs dared players like Lu Dort to beat them with their outside shot, and they did.
  • The Cavs turned it over 21 times. This led to Oklahoma City getting 23 points off turnovers compared to Cleveland’s eight.
  • Cleveland outscored Oklahoma City 22-5 on second-chance points. The Cavs secured 24 second-chance opportunities to the Thunder’s four. The Cavaliers did this without letting the Thunder run in transition, as Oklahoma City was in the 9th percentile in transition points off of live offensive rebounds. This is the only area of the game the Cavs excelled in.
  • Cleveland’s 24th different starting lineup was outscored by 12 points in just over 10 minutes of play. The Cavs went with a starting group of Donovan Mitchell, Jaylon Tyson, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. That group struggled to get anything going offensively due to their lack of ball handling. They also didn’t do enough defensively to make it work. I understand and even agree with the reasoning behind this group. It just didn’t work.
  • The Cavs are 2-8 when Mitchell scores 21 or fewer points in a game he plays. The Cavs have gone as Mitchell has from a scoring perspective this season. When he scores more than 35, they usually win. When he scores 21 or fewer, they almost always lose.
  • Mitchell shot just 27.8% from the field. It was his third-worst shooting percentage for a game this season. Similar to his scoring numbers, the Cavs are 2-6 when he shoots under 40% from the field.

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Valeri Nichushkin Injured After Involvement in Multi-Car Accident

DENVER — Valeri Nichushkin was a late scratch Monday night against the Washington Capitals, as the Colorado Avalanche announced just before puck drop that the forward had suffered an upper-body injury.

Following the game, head coach Jared Bednar revealed that the 30-year-old was involved in a multi-car accident on his way to the arena.

CREDIT: GUERILLA SPORTS. Jared Bednar's post-game media availability.

To fill the void in the lineup, the Avalanche recalled Alex Barre-Boulet, who received the call roughly two hours before puck drop.

Barre-Boulet, an unoriginally undrafted forward who hails from Montreal, made the drive from Loveland and arrived in time to make his Avalanche debut, recording a point in Colorado’s 5-2 win. It marked his first NHL point since December 21, 2023, when he scored a goal for the Tampa Bay Lightning against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Meanwhile, Nichushkin is scheduled to be re-evaluated on Tuesday.

“It was a fender bender, but serious enough to keep him out of the lineup today,” Bednar said. “The roads were icy when the guys were coming in this morning and slick, and there was a multiple vehicle accident.”

The absence marks Nichushkin’s second injury-related setback this season. He previously missed eight games with a lower-body injury after blocking a shot in a November 11 game against the Anaheim Ducks, a 4-1 Avalanche win. Through 38 games this season, Nichushkin has recorded 11 goals and 27 points.

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GOALIE FIGHT: Sharks' Nedeljkovic & Panthers' Bobrovsky Scrap

The San Jose Sharks picked up a big 4-1 win against the Florida Panthers on Monday. With this, the Sharks have improved to a 25-20-3 record and are now third in the Pacific Division standings.

The Sharks' victory against the two-time reigning Stanley Cup champions also featured a goalie fight.

Sharks goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic and Panthers netminder Sergei Bobrovsky dropped the gloves, much to the excitement of the fans in attendance. 

With 14 minutes left in the third period, the Sharks and Panthers players got into a scrum after the whistle behind San Jose's net. This led to Bobrovsky charging down the ice and going after Nedeljkovic. From there, the two goaltenders had their fight. 

Goalie fights don't happen too often, but when they do, they are always a treat for fans. Nedeljkovic ended up having the upperhand in the scrap, too, as he landed the takedown on Bobrovsky. 

Besides having a good fight, Nedeljkovic also had a strong game between the pipes for the Sharks. He stopped 35 out of 36 Panthers shots he faced, which equates to a .972 save percentage. With this, there is no question that he had a great performance for the Sharks in this one. 

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Penguins Captain Sidney Crosby Hits Career Milestone On Monday Night

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby hit another career milestone against the Seattle Kraken on Monday night.

He skated in his 1,400th NHL game, becoming the 45th player in NHL history to accomplish that feat. 

Crosby had a strong performance in this game, recording two assists and now has 1,742 career points. He also compiled his 512th multi-point game, good for fifth-most in NHL history.

He's one away from tying Mark Messier and Marcel Dionne for the third-most multi-point games in NHL history.

This win catapulted the Penguins to second place in the Metro, at least for the time being. The New York Islanders will have the chance to retake that spot if they get at least a point against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday night. 

The Penguins will be back in action on Wednesday against the Calgary Flames. 

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more! 

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Sixers get back on track with win over Pacers

Well, if you’re only going to play well for like five minutes, the last five minutes of the game are probably the best time to do it.

The Sixers played with their food all night but still came away with a 113-104 win over the Indiana Pacers Monday night.

Tyrese Maxey again didn’t live up to the All-Star starter status he had just earned for most of the night, but he did have a career-high eight steals and got going in the fourth to finish with 29 points shooting 12-of-24 from the floor. Joel Embiid cooled off after a scorching first quarter, but also found it again in the fourth, leading all scorers with 30 points and nine rebounds on 10-of-17 shooting.

VJ Edgecombe didn’t make a field goal in the first half but got his coveted poster in the second, putting up 11 shooting 3-of-9 from the floor. Kelly Oubre Jr. started in place of Paul George and had his best scoring output since returning from injury, going for 18 on 8-of-14 shooting while Andrew Nembhard led the Pacers with 25.

On the front end of a back-to-back, PG was ruled out for this one with left knee injury management while the Pacers were without Bennedict Mathurin, Obi Toppin and, obviously, Tyrese Haliburton.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

  • Oubre kicked off what was a pretty fast offensive start, blowing past Johnny Furphy on his first two touches of the game to get right to the basket. Embiid eased into the game, stepping into his midrange early and often. The Pacers started just as well, getting the Sixers to overplay passes and swing to wide open baskets.
  • No one’s start was more impressive than Embiid’s though, automatic with his jumper, making his first five shots of the night. That was the type of pace required at the start of this with Indiana starting the game 8-of-12 from the field. A couple tie-ups that led to steals were the only resistance the Sixers offered early.
  • The majority of that defense was thanks to Dominick Barlow, who not only grabbed a couple of steals, but created a couple layup opportunities running off of rebounds. Maxey picked up that baton once more of the second unit checked in, cheating off a couple of times to poke the ball away for three steals as the Sixers led by three after a high-scoring first.

Second Quarter

  • The second unit of Adem Bona, Jabari Walker and Trendon Watford all out there together was asking a lot offensively. That only became a tougher burden when Maxey subbed out for Edgecombe to start the second quarter. Even swapping out Barlow for Walker, that lineup was only able to score one basket in the half-court and that was a difficult layup by Quentin Grimes.
  • Despite the starters trickling back into the game, it remained a struggle to score as well as stopping the Pacers. Maxey got himself open looks off the dribble but missed his first two jumpers off the dribble and was not looking to get to the basket at all outside of transition. Edgecombe, scoreless, was again not looking for his shot much.
  • Just as Oubre hit a three that could have settled things down, they had another breakdown getting back on defense and the Pacers got those three points back instantly. Even if they wanted to just run everything through Embiid to fight back that wouldn’t have worked as he shot 0-of-3 in the quarter. The only thing keeping the Sixers in this game was their ability to generate turnovers. The Pacers turned it over five times in the second after giving it away six times in the first. A T.J. McConnell-esque backcourt steal from Maxey cut the Pacers lead to five, but they couldn’t get a good shot up on the last possession of the half to make it any closer.

Third Quarter

  • The Sixers only looked slightly better coming out of the break. Edgecombe looked to attack the basket more, got fouled a couple of times, though he split both trips at the line. Maxey attacked the basket once, missed the layup but it was putback by Barlow. They got a bit of good luck to bounce their way when Aaron Nesmith smoked an open dunk, the rebound leading to an open Oubre three.
  • Edgecombe’s continued attack to the basket paid off — he finally got his first field goal of the night with a layup and putback his own missed floater a few moments later. Perhaps most importantly he finally got that poster he’s been looking for all season, throwing it down over Sixers legend Tony Bradley.
  • It wasn’t a perfect defensive quarter by any means. Indiana’s guards were doing a lot of cooking off the dribble, and the two turnovers were the fewest the Sixers had generated in a quarter so far. On the Pacers’ final possession they finally swarmed T.J. McConnell so he couldn’t get his 10-footer off, kicking out for a missed three that allowed the Sixers to hang on to a one-point lead.

Fourth Quarter

  • Some more up-and-down minutes to start the quarter from Maxey, who opened it with his fifth steal of the game and yet another fastbreak layup. He missed his next two shots, tough looks in the midrange, but got the rebound on the second and was able to put that back.
  • The second unit frontcourt of Walker and Bona gave the Sixers really strong minutes, helping them hold the Pacers scoreless for over two and a half minutes. Walker’s hustle doesn’t always show up in the box score, but it certainly did in this one with his three steals. The only bad thing was the Sixers’ half-court offense once again stalled out and they only extended their lead to six.
  • It took them way longer than anyone would have wanted, but the Sixers finally looked like a team that could put the lowly Pacers away in the final minutes of the game. Embiid knocked down a three upon returning and that seemed to relax everyone. Maxey continued his attack on the following possession, one more basket from Embiid followed and the Pacers were ready to call timeout to pack it in for the night.
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Carmelo Anthony got an up close look at what’s plaguing Karl-Anthony Towns’ Knicks game

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns #32 looks for the open man as Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall #13 defends during the first half, Image 2 shows Carmelo Anthony gives his take on Karl-Anthony Towns' Knicks struggles this season

Carmelo Anthony saw firsthand what he believed had been ailing Knicks star Kar-Anthony Towns. 

It’s no secret that Towns has been struggling this season for the Knicks under Mike Brown’s offensive system and is having one of the worst shooting seasons of his career. 

Anthony, who recently took in a Knicks game courtside, explained what he’s been seeing with KAT’s game during NBC’s “NBA Showtime” Monday afternoon ahead of the Knicks’ Martin Luther King Jr. Day 114-97 blowout loss to the Mavericks.

Carmelo Anthony gives his take on Karl-Anthony Towns’ Knicks struggles this season. X @NBA_Courtside

“When it comes to KAT, [he] shot an airball in the fourth quarter the other day and I…screamed out, ‘it’s over with. Leave it alone, on to the next one,’” Anthony explained. “He looked back and said, ‘Aight I got you OG.’ But for him to shoot that airball and for him to acknowledge what I said in that moment, you were thinking about it. So you cannot think like that throughout the course of the game when you’re playing basketball, because now you’re worrying about what people are saying about me.”

Towns finished Monday’s game tied for the team lead in points, with 22 on 9-of-19 shooting. 

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns #32 looks for the open man as Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall #13 defends during the first half. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

When Towns was subbed out at one point during the game, the Madison Square Garden crowd booed him, according to The Post’s Stefan Bondy. 

Towns entered the game shooting a career-worst 46.6 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from 3-point range. He’s averaging 20.9 points per game this season. 

The Knicks have struggled as of late, with Monday’s loss their fourth straight.

They’ve lost nine of their last 11 games dating back to New Year’s Eve.

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Victor Wembanyama rains threes on the Jazz, leads Spurs to blowout win

After a close, tense win over the Timberwolves, the Spurs got a nice blowout against an inferior opponent, closing out their homestand the right way. Victor Wembanyama put on a show on the day he was announced as an All-Star starter, dropping seven three-pointers on his way to 33 points to lead San Antonio to a 123-110 victory over the Jazz.

The win is not a surprise, since the Jazz didn’t have Lauri Markkanen and have been likely purposefully dropping in the standings, but Utah shocked the Spurs earlier in the year, showing there’s something about them that can give San Antonio fits. At least for a while, that proved to be true on Monday. The recipe for a blowout was there early, but the visitors weathered a Victor Wembanyama three-point onslaught and a focused, high-pace attack in the opening frame, mostly by making a few threes, hitting some tough looks inside the arc, and avoiding turnovers. Had it not been for a few slow rotations by a Spurs team that looked a little lackadaisical on defense, the lead would have probably been larger than eight after the first 12 minutes, but the Jazz deserve credit for starting strong and staying within striking distance even as their second unit struggled.

Likely thinking about the second game of a back-to-back set in Houston on Tuesday, Mitch Johnson decided to go deeper into his bench than usual, sending in Lindy Water III and Kelly Olynyk to start the second quarter. It turned out to be a bad decision, as the lack of familiarity in the units they were a part of was evident. Even when those two sat, the defense remained shaky at times against a Jazz offense that moved the ball beautifully and consistently found the open man, finishing the half with 18 assists in as many made buckets and getting to the line at will as the Spurs’ players tried to scramble back to contest open looks. Fortunately, the Spurs had built a buffer earlier and scored enough to prevent the lead from fully evaporating. San Antonio was still ahead at the break, but only by four, and Utah seemed to have had momentum on their side.

The memories of the awful third quarter against the Timberwolves were fresh in everyone’s minds, and the Spurs have been known to head into the second half with less than ideal effort, so the threat of a close game in which the rotation players would have to log heavy minutes to squeak out a win was real. Fortunately, no one looked nonchalant this time. Stephon Castle was aggressive, attacking the rim to help San Antonio erase a significant first-half free-throw disparity. The threes continued to fall, and the defense got stops, which led to transition opportunities. All three guards had great stretches, and even Carter Bryant, who has had some rough rookie moments this season, looked comfortable on the floor, knocking down shots and playing with physicality on the other end. Keyonte George tried to keep his team afloat, but couldn’t. After three, the Silver and Black were up 16.

No lead is safe in the modern NBA, as the Wolves reminded San Antonio two nights ago, but the Spurs were locked in, and without Markkanen, the Jazz simply lacked the firepower to threaten a comeback. The lead ballooned to 24 past the halfway mark and Wembanyama sat the rest of the way. Utah made some shots that made the final score look closer than it felt in the second half, but the win was never in question.

Game notes

  • Wembanyama edged out Anthony Edwards to be the fifth All-Star starter in the West thanks to the fan vote. He showed on Tuesday why he has earned the attention of the viewing public by hitting jumper after jumper and being a formidable defensive presence, finishing the game with 33 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks, and two steals on just 27 minutes. Next accomplishment? An All-NBA team, health permitting.
  • De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper combined to score 47 points in 27 shots to go with 21 assists. Granted, it came against a bad team, but performances like this one, in which none of them dominate the ball and all find their moments to shine, are what made the trio so tantalizing earlier in the year.
  • Both teams logged over 30 assists. It wasn’t always the prettiest of games, but the ball moved a lot. The Jazz, even when not at full strength, run a good offense. If they add one extra piece and a rim protector, Will Hardy will lead them back to the playoffs in no time.
  • It wasn’t a good Keldon Johnson game, but the rest of the regular rotation players were all productive. The starting forwards stepped up, with Champagnie hitting outside shots and pulling down boards and Barnes attacking the rim and dishing out assists. Luke Kornet was also rock-solid off the bench.
  • There was also a surprisingly strong performance from a fringe rotation guy: Carter Bryant. It wasn’t looking good after he passed up two shots and was called for a charge in his first possessions, but he steadied himself and had arguably his best night of the season. He was a disruptive defender and strong finisher, showing off the tools that made him a lottery pick. Yet the most impressive aspect of his game was how he reacted to that initial adversity. It will take time and patience, but he could be a good two-way wing eventually.

Play of the game

Dylan Harper has been praised for looking mature beyond his years, but don’t confuse maturity with a lack of fire. The staredown on Nurkic after the dunk shows that the rookie has an edge to him.

Next game: at Houston Rockets on Tuesday

The Spurs will visit one of their rivals in the second game of a back-to-back. It should be an intense and physical battle between two of the West’s best.