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St. Louis Cardinals Invite 27 Non-Roster Players to Spring Training

The St. Louis Cardinals are preparing the way for Spring Training which is now just over two weeks away. The team announced the 27 non-roster players that will officially be a part of camp.

Here’s the share that the St. Louis Cardinals just dropped on social media today.

In case you can’t see the Cardinals share graphic on your device, here’s the list from a press release shared by the team:

PITCHERS (15):Scott Blewett (RHP), Luis Gastelum (RHP), Skylar Hales (RHP), Pete Hansen (LHP), Ixan Henderson (LHP), Austin Love (RHP), Quinn Mathews (LHP), Gerson Moreno (RHP), Packy Naughton (LHP), Max Rajcic (RHP), Hancel Rincón, (RHP), Sem Robberse (RHP), Jared Shuster (LHP), Zack Thompson (LHP), Bruce Zimmermann (LHP)

CATCHERS (3):Carlos Linárez, Graysen Tarlow, Andy Yerzy

INFIELDERS (5):Blaze Jordan, Ramon Mendoza, Brody Moore, Jeremy Rivas, JJ Wetherholt

OUTFIELDERS (4):Mike Antico, Chase Davis, Matt Koperniak, Nelson Velázquez

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Sixers Bell Ringer: Sixers struggle from start to finish in blowout loss at Charlotte

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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Suns Reacts Survey: Who should steer the ship in Phoenix?

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.

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.”

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.

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NBA trade rumors: Injuries to star players complicate deadline moves

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

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Blues' Steep Asking Price For Robert Thomas And Justin Faulk Revealed

The St. Louis Blues’ season has seen almost nothing go right.

Aside from prospects like Dalibor Dvorsky, Otto Stenberg, and Jimmy Snuggerud, who are fitting in at the NHL level, the team’s veterans have underperformed, and the team sits in 31st place in the NHL.

With their issues, changes will certainly be made, and it appears that the Blues are going to be moving on from several players before the trade deadline, at least that’s what’s been reported. 

Robert Thomas, Brayden Schenn, Jordan Kyrou, Pius Suter, Oscar Sundqvist, and Justin Faulk have all generated trade discussions. Schenn and Kyrou, if moved, could fetch strong returns, but the two biggest trade chips in St. Louis might be their No.1 center, Thomas, and their veteran defenseman Faulk.

Trade Market For Blues' Brayden Schenn Is Heating Up; Golden Knights Linked To Blues CaptainTrade Market For Blues' Brayden Schenn Is Heating Up; Golden Knights Linked To Blues CaptainThe NHL's trade market is heating up, and one St. Louis Blues player who is beginning to garner serious interest is Brayden Schenn, with the Vegas Golden Knights currently linked to the 34-year-old captain.

A recent report by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Thomas indicates that the Blues either have to be blown away by an offer to the point where they can’t say no, or they are offered another top-six forward who is younger than Thomas.

In terms of Faulk, Friedman reported that the Blues are looking for a Rasmus Andersson-type return. The Calgary Flames were able to fetch 29-year-old defenseman Zach Whitecloud, defenseman prospect Abram Wiebe, a conditional first-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft, and a conditional second-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft.

Should The Blues Trade For Kraken's Shane Wright?Should The Blues Trade For Kraken's Shane Wright?The Seattle Kraken are open to trading Shane Wright as they look for a top-six winger. The St. Louis Blues are open to trading any veteran forward on their team, including Jordan Kyrou. Is there a deal to be made?

Those are steep asking prices, but demands that teams could afford. Thomas has proven he can be a No.1 center on a playoff team, and Faulk is a veteran two-way defenseman with the ability to kill penalties and quarterback a power play. 

The trade deadline is a little over a month away, and although no teams have really stood out as potential suitors for Thomas and Faulk, the coming weeks should clarify the market for those players.

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Girona scores with diving header in injury time to draw 1-1 with Getafe

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

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Blackhawks send forward Nick Lardis back to minors

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks assigned forward Nick Lardis to Rockford of the American Hockey League on Monday.

The 20-year-old Lardis, one of the team's top prospects, made his NHL debut on Dec. 13. He had five goals and two assists in 21 games with the Blackhawks.

“I think he's done a solid job,” coach Jeff Blashill said of Lardis before the move was announced. “He came in and early on probably was trying to find his way a little bit. I thought he got more confident. So I think he's done a good job of making a first impression to the coaching staff.”

Teuvo Teravainen is expected to return for Tuesday night's game at Minnesota. The veteran forward has been sidelined by an upper-body injury since Jan. 12.

Lardis was selected by Chicago in the third round of the 2023 draft. He had 71 goals and 46 assists in 65 games last season with Brantford in the Ontario Hockey League.

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

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Hornets take a 50-point lead for 2nd time this month, roll past 76ers 130-93

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

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Yoshinobu Yamamoto will pitch for Japan in World Baseball Classic

Japan unveiled its 2026 World Baseball Classic roster on Monday, which included Los Angeles Dodgers stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, as expected.

Ohtani was announced in November to play for Japan, though its not yet known whether he will pitch. Yamamoto’s inclusion was expected as well, though whether he pitched was at least somewhat in question after pitching 211 innings between the regular season and postseason combined, culminating in a heavy World Series workload that included starting and winning Game 6, and getting the final eight outs in Game 7 on zero days rest.

Yamamoto on Monday put those questions to rest. From Taro Abe at Chunichi Sports:

The Dodgers were initially reluctant about Yamamoto’s participation after his full workload last season, but his strong desire prevailed. He returned to Japan immediately after the World Series last year and carefully adjusted his training with his personal trainer, Osamu Yada, building his body to be able to compete in the WBC despite a shorter-than-usual offseason. He commented, “I’ve been training diligently this offseason to build the condition to compete in the WBC.”

Japan won the 2023 World Baseball Classic with strong performances from Yamamoto (two runs allowed in 7 1/3 innings, struck out 12 of his 27 batters faced), who was then pitching for the Orix Buffaloes, and Ohtani (.435/.606/.739 in 33 plate appearances; 9 2/3 innings, two runs, 11 strikeouts, got final three outs in title game).

At the winter meetings in December, Dodgers manager talked about the push and pull of players committing to play in the World Baseball Classic, which takes players out of spring training for potentially a few weeks, and can be especially disruptive for starting pitchers building up toward the major league regular season.

“I don’t want to be dismissive of what it means to them representing their country,” Roberts said in December. “I know the organization doesn’t but I do think that the conversations need to be had, will be had, as far as what each individual is taking on and whatever role that they might be taking on and what potential costs there might be. … But you can’t debate the emotion, what a player might feel of this potential opportunity.”

Japan manager Hirozaku Ibata said at a press conference Monday that the MLB players on Japan are expected to join the team for exhibition games against the Chunichi Dragons on February 27-28. Japan begins its World Baseball Classic schedule in Pool C in Tokyo, with its first game on March 6.

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How The Canucks Should Manage Their Goaltending Over The Final 30 Games Of The 2025-26 Season

The Vancouver Canucks have 30 games remaining in the 2025-26 season. While the organization had hoped Vancouver could get back to the playoffs this year, the campaign has now turned into an opportunity to secure first overall in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. At this point, the focus needs to be on the development of young players as well as evaluating which experienced players should remain for the rebuild. 

One younger player who the Canucks should give more of an opportunity to is goaltender Nikita Tolopilo. The 25-year-old has played in six games with Vancouver this season and looks ready to make the jump to the NHL as a backup. With very little travel over the final 30 games, after the Olympic break is the perfect opportunity to give Tolopilo the reins and show that he can handle a bigger workload in the NHL. 

Before diving into what a plan could look like, it is important to note that Tolopilo getting more starts is only possible if Thatcher Demko is shut down for the season. According to GM Patrik Allvin, there is a chance Demko could be done for the year, but the organization is still exploring all options. For the sake of this article, it will be assumed that Demko is not returning for the rest of the season, leaving Vancouver with a tandem of Tolopilo and Kevin Lankinen. 

While Lankinen should get the majority of starts leading up to the 2026 Winter Olympics as he will be representing Finland at the event, the final 25 games are a different story. As mentioned, with playoffs no longer an option, the Canucks should be focused on developing Tolopilo, which could mean giving him more starts than Lankinen over the final few months of the season. The organization should still have Lankinen play games, but a close to 50% split, or 13 games for Tolopilo, would be best for his development moving forward. 

As mentioned, Vancouver's schedule is very home-heavy after the Olympic break. In fact, the Canucks will only play four games not in the Pacific Time Zone. With virtually no travel and only three back-to-backs, splitting the net between Lankinen and Tolopilo should not be an issue as long as both stay healthy. 

Jan 17, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks goalie Nikita Tolopilo (60) makes a save against the Edmonton Oilers in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Jan 17, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks goalie Nikita Tolopilo (60) makes a save against the Edmonton Oilers in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Overall, how Vancouver manages players over the next few months will be interesting. Trades should open up roster spots, which could be filled with those currently playing for the Abbotsford Canucks. Ultimately, the organization will have the opportunity to see if younger players are ready for bigger roles, which will help with evaluating team needs for the 2026-27 season. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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How to watch Warriors vs. Timberwolves

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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)

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Why Harrison Bader believes Giants' Tony Vitello will be successful MLB manager

Why Harrison Bader believes Giants' Tony Vitello will be successful MLB manager originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Tony Vitello has yet to manage an MLB game, but the Giants manager already has earned the confidence of San Francisco’s newest outfielder Harrison Bader.

Bader, who reportedly agreed to a two-year, $20.5 million dollar contract with the Giants on Monday, explained why he has the utmost belief in Vitello as a first-year MLB manager during an interview on “The Show with Joel Sherman & Jon Heyman.”

“I think it’s awesome, I really do,” Bader said when asked about Vitello’s hire. “Baseball is the same at every single level. You add some guys in the stands, it may speed up a little bit, but it’s the same game. If you have success at a very high level in the SEC, there’s no reason you can’t have success at the major league level. I’m excited for him and his family to go out and test that. I know he has got the energy for that.”

Vitello spent eight seasons at the University of Tennessee, posting an impressive 341-131 record while leading the Volunteers to the school’s first national championship in 2024.

Bader played his college ball at the University of Florida, making connections to plenty of players and coaches who are familiar with Vitello, all of whom seemingly had glowing reviews of the new Giants manager.

“Everybody I’ve spoken to that knows him — and I’m an SEC guy — I’m cut from the cloth of Brad Weitzel, Kevin O’Sullivan, and for those guys who know those guys over at Florida, we’re all cut from the same cloth,” Bader said. “So, that level of baseball, it doesn’t really get better in the country, in the world at that level.

“So I’m excited for him to take what he did, building a really, really good program at Tennessee, I’m excited to play for him and work with him and grow with him and learn from him because you never stop learning in this game at the major league level. So, it’s going to be exciting, I know he brings a lot of energy. Everybody has the greatest things to say about him, and that’s all you can ask for.”

Bader concluded by lauding Vitello’s high-octane energy, citing the need for an invigorated manager over the course of a 162-game season.

“You just want consistent, high, positive energy over the course of a seven, eight month season,” Bader explained. “I certainly have no reason to believe he can’t bring that ands I can’t wait to work alongside him. It’s going to be great, I know he’s excited, I know he has done a lot of things this offseason in creating that level of foundation and familiarity with a lot of his players, which is awesome. He cares a lot, clearly, which is great. I’m just looking forward to it all … I just can’t wait to dive into it all.”

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Sixers get buried in the snow by Hornets

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.
  • 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.
  • 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

  • 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.
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French striker Barry scores fourth goal in five games to rescue 1-1 draw for Everton against Leeds

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

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Cavs reportedly aren’t planning on a ‘drastic shake-up’ at NBA trade deadline

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.

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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.