Sports News – Page 192 – Worldwide Sports News

January 22, 2026

Houston Rockets vs. Philadelphia 76ers game preview

Before we start with the preview, I want to thank Holly and Xiane for stepping in and handling the game previews while I was celebrating my brother’s marriage. As always, I’m worried that you guys liked them way more than me and will try to get rid of me. For now, you’re still stuck with me, but you should definitely continue enjoying their writing. They’re both great and deserve your attention.

The Houston Rockets finally won the second game of a back-to-back last week against a shorthanded Minnesota Timberwolves team. Those had been an issue for Houston because back-to-backs mean no Steven Adams. Now, Houston will be without Adams for an indefinite amount of time and have to navigate all games without their big Kiwi.

Their next test takes them to Philadelphia, where the 76ers have absolutely surprised a lot of people with their start to the season. We all knew Joel Embiid and Paul George would miss some games, and both have missed 19 contests so far. Still, Philly has thrived thanks to an MVP-level campaign from Tyrese Maxey, solid play from Quentin Grimes, and potential Rookie of the Year frontrunner V.J. Edgecomb. Those three have been the backbone of the squad with veterans like Kelly Oubre Jr. and Andre Drummond, the Sixers look to be in much better shape moving forward than they have at times in previous years.

And that doesn’t count Jared McCain, who was looking like the no-doubt Rookie of the Year last season before injuries ended his season early and then another one took him down right before this season started. He’s struggled so far this season and is with the G-League. If he figures things out, he adds another layer to Philly’s strategy and makes them even more difficult to defend.

Tip-off

6pm CT on January 22, 2026

How To Watch

Space City Home Network

Injury Report

Rockets

Steven Adams: OUT

Sixers

Joel Embiid: GTD

Paul George: GTD

The Line (as of this post)

N/A

Check here for updates

Looking ahead because we can

Friday night on the road against the Detroit Pistons

January 22, 2026

Do The Penguins Have What It Takes To Target Jason Robertson?

It's safe to say that the Pittsburgh Penguins are exceeding expectations so far this season, as they are squarely in the playoff race and thwarting any talk of the draft lottery entirely.

As it stands now, they are second in the Metropolitan Division with 59 points, and they are on pace for 99 points this season. There is a pretty good chance that - if this pace holds - the Penguins will be soft buyers at the deadline, adding to fill some holes on their roster but doing so without mortgaging the future.

But there is also another option for the Penguins, and it's something that is picking up more and more steam: What if the Penguins go big?

And one of the biggest names out there is Dallas Stars superstar Jason Robertson.

Robertson, 26, continues to put together impressive campaigns for the Stars, as he has 29 goals and 58 points in 50 games. That puts him on pace for 48 goals and 95 points, which is right on par with career numbers.

Of course, it's worth noting that if Robertson - a pending restricted free agent (RFA) - is dealt from Dallas, it likely will not occur until the offseason. The Stars are in the midst of a playoff race and currently sit 12 points behind the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche at second in the Central Division, so trading the 6-foot-3, 204-pound left winger prior to the deadline would certainly hurt their playoff goals.

Latest Jason Robertson Contract Estimate Puts Stars in Cap TroubleNew estimate of Jason Robertson's next contract from NHL insider sparks concern on being able to retain the 26-year-old star forward.

But that doesn't mean it won't happen. Yes, the Stars are projected to have over $16 million in cap space this summer, so, hypothetically, they should be able to pay Robertson - who just switched agents - without issue. But the Stars also have seven other pending-UFAs and RFAs, and if Robertson is paid north of $12 million - as is rumored that he wants - it may be a bit tough for the Stars to fill out their rest of their roster and account for extensions like Thomas Harley's without shedding cap elsewhere.

If Dallas and GM Jim Nill are serious about contending long-term, Robertson will be in a Stars' uniform next season. But if they feel they can't make it work, they should expect a pretty hefty return on the market.

So, do the Penguins and GM/POHO Kyle Dubas have what it takes to acquire Robertson, should he become available?

Is Penguins' GM Kyle Dubas The Clear Frontrunner For GM Of The Year?Pittsburgh Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas has had quite the year - and, if things continue to go well for them, he deserves some recognition.

Actually, they are in a better position than most of the other teams who would probably be interested in Robertson's services and could realistically have a shot.

For one, the Penguins have boatloads of cap space to spare. According to PuckPedia, they are projected to have $52.9 million next season, and even if they have a lot of decisions to make on pending-UFAs and RFAs - they have 12 - none of them project to command a very high cap hit. So, financial flexibility is not an issue, and the Penguins can basically afford to pay Robertson whatever he wants.

In addition, and contrary to popular belief, the Penguins do have assets. Yes, the Stars, allegedly, aren't very interested in draft picks and prospects, but those assets are likely to be part of any package regardless because of the caliber of player they'd be trading. Pretty much any Penguins' prospect - aside from Ben Kindel and Sergei Murashov - should be fair game, and the Penguins have all three of their first-round picks for the next three seasons in addition to six second-round picks and six third-round picks.

NHL Insider: Penguins Could Take Swing At Stars' Jason RobertsonPenguins eye scoring sensation Jason Robertson. If Stars can't sign him, Pittsburgh prepares to trade for the rising star.

A scoring winger who is cost-controlled would make sense as part of a return, and the Penguins have that in Rickard Rakell or Bryan Rust. As would an NHL-ready prospect such as Rutger McGroarty. There is even talk of the Stars coveting a defenseman, too, and this could be a situation where a third team can get involved and take on Pittsburgh's draft capital as part of the deal to send the Stars a blueliner, assuming the Stars wouldn't be interested in prospect-level defensemen.

In some scenarios, the Penguins might have to get a little bit creative. But if the Penguins wanted to, they could make this work, even if they were forced to part with an additional asset in order to outbid other teams and get the deal across the finish line.

It would almost certainly cost more than this, but as a starting point, the Penguins are probably looking at something along the lines of Rakell, McGroarty, and a 2026 first-round pick. And if the Penguins do indeed make the playoffs, losing that first-rounder is going to sting a whole lot less, especially since they may have a high second-rounder in this year's draft if the Winnipeg Jets continue to lose hockey games.

Pittsburgh Penguins' scoring winger Rickard Rakell is one of the players who could make sense in a potential trade with the Dallas Stars for Jason Robertson. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

There are a few other teams that could probably make a compelling offer, too. The Washington Capitals are projected to have $36.5 million in cap space next season and - like the Penguins - seem to be back on the upswing and have some compelling prospects. But they also have a bit more cap obligation than the Penguins, especially if Alex Ovechkin returns for another NHL season next year, and their NHL roster isn't chock-full of players Dallas would want or that Washington would part ways with.

The Anaheim Ducks - another team on the upswing - could be players because of their cap situation and capital/prospect pool as well. But, like the Capitals, they have some existing cap obligations, primarily to young RFAs like Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, and Olen Zellweger, all of whom will be due for a substantial raise. And they're unlikely to part with any of their younger cost-controlled NHL assets, even if they have a few enticing veterans they could bargain with.

There's also the Detroit Red Wings, who have both the cap space ($42.7 million) and the prospect pool to make it work but don't necessarily have the available or cost-controlled, coveted NHL assets to pull it off. Perhaps teams like the Los Angeles Kings, Carolina Hurricanes, and New Jersey Devils make some degree of sense, as they have a few good but expendable NHL assets that they could leverage in a trade.

All in all, if Robertson is available, there are going to be a ton of teams vying for his services, and whoever comes out on top will likely end up paying a steep price. He's the exact kind of player a team on the verge of coming out of a rebuild should be vying for, as he provides the superstar talent for the better part of the next decade that such a team might otherwise be lacking.

So, the Penguins may have to give up quite a lot, but that's the price you pay for a premier NHL player in his prime who still has at least an entire contract extension's worth of elite years left in the NHL.

Newly Acquired Defenseman Could Be Sneaky Good Pickup For PenguinsUp to this point in the season, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> have been one of the most active teams in the league on the trade market.

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

January 22, 2026

Knicks end losing streak with 120-66 win over Nets

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks broke a four-game losing streak without breaking a sweat, crushing the Brooklyn Nets 120-66 on Wednesday night in the most lopsided victory in franchise history.

Jalen Brunson scored 20 points and Landry Shamet was 6 for 6 on 3-pointers and added 18 for the Knicks, who led by as much as 59 points before the 54-point victory that surpassed the previous largest victory margin of 48 points.

The Knicks had lost nine of their last 11 games so this was a good time to play Brooklyn, because they never lose to the Nets these days. New York won its 13th straight meeting in the local rivalry.

The Knicks were already on track to win this one easily before outscoring the Nets 16-0 to open the fourth quarter, extending a 32-point lead to 104-56.

Michael Porter Jr. shot 4 for 14 and was limited to 12 points, but was still the leading scorer for a Nets team that has lost eight of nine.

Two days after the Knicks were booed frequently while trailing by 30 points in the first half of their 114-97 loss to Dallas, the scoreboard was crooked in their favor.

A 14-0 run gave the Knicks an 18-6 lead midway through the first quarter, and they closed the period with a 14-3 spurt to open a 38-20 lead after Shamet finished the period with consecutive 3-pointers.

The Knicks led 60-38 at the break. They then outscored the Nets 60-28 in the second half.

CAVALIERS 94, HORNETS 87

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 24 points, Evan Mobley added 14 points and 14 rebounds and Cleveland jumped out to 21-point first-quarter lead and held on to beat Charlotte for its fifth road win in the last six games.

Jaylon Tyson scored 14 points and Jarod Allen added 13 points and nine rebounds for the Cavaliers, who held the Hornets to 32 points in the first half on 26% shooting.

Brandon Miller finished with 24 points and Kon Knueppel had 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead Charlotte, which made just 8 of 46 3-point attempts and was outrebounded 60-47.

The Cavs bolted to a big lead in the first quarter after making 11 of 15 shots from the field to open the game.

Cleveland’s stifling on-ball pressure defense repeatedly forced Charlotte into uncharacteristic turnovers and hurried shots.

Mitchell set the tone for the Cavaliers with 14 points in the first half, and Cleveland’s defense never allowed Charlotte to get into any rhythm in the first two quarters. The Hornets tied a season low with 12 points in the second quarter and trailed 56-32 lead at the break.

CELTICS 119, PACERS 104

BOSTON (AP) — Jaylen Brown had 30 points and 10 rebounds and Boston opened a 23-point first-half lead before coasting to a victory over Indiana.

Sam Hauser hit five 3-pointers, scoring 17 points for Boston, and Neemias Queta had 17 points and nine rebounds. The Celtics bounced back from Monday night’s one-point loss at Eastern Conference-leading Detroit.

Pascal Siakam had 32 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers, who had won four of seven games since losing 13 in a row in December and January. Jarace Walker scored 19 points off the bench for Indiana.

Hauser hit his first three attempts from 3-point range — two of them in the game’s first 68 seconds. The Celtics led 57-34 with 3:22 left in the second quarter, but Indiana cut the deficit to nine in the third before Anfernee Simons hit a 3-pointer.

The Pacers never got back within single digits.

HAWKS 124, GRIZZLIES 122

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Jalen Johnson had 32 points and 15 rebounds and a key basket in the closing minute as Atlanta used a fourth-quarter burst and held on to defeat Memphis.

Luke Kennard and Onyeka Okongwu added 18 each for the Hawks, who snapped a four-game losing streak.

Ja Morant led Memphis with 23 points and 12 assists. His 3-point attempt at the horn was off the mark. Jaylen Wells finished with 18 points, while Jaren Jackson Jr. and Cedric Coward scored 17 points apiece.

Memphis held a 110-108 lead with 5:39 left, but the Hawks scored eight straight points, capped by a pair of free throws from Johnson. Memphis never overtook the Hawks the rest of the way, but were within 122-121 on a Coward 3-pointer with 1:09 left.

Johnson’s basket from the lane with 40 seconds left kept the Grizzlies at bay.

There were 21 lead changes and 14 ties in the game.

PISTONS 112, PELICANS 104

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jalen Duran scored 20 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, Daniss Jenkins added 17 points and Detroit never trailed while cruising to its fourth straight victory, beating New Orleans.

Duncan Robinson had 15 points while shooting 4 of 9 from 3-point range for the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons, who have won seven of their last eight.

Saddiq Bey scored 20 points to lead the Western Conference-worst Pelicans, who have lost 14 of their last 16.

Zion Williamson, who started after being listed as questionable with an illness, went to the locker room early in the third quarter and didn’t return. He had 4 points and four rebounds in 15 minutes.

Trey Murphy III shot just 6 of 19 from the floor and finished with 17 points, ending his streak of eight straight games with at least 20 points. Micah Peavy also had 17 points and added seven rebounds and four steals for New Orleans.

THUNDER 122, BUCKS 102

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 40 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds and NBA-leading Oklahoma City withstood multiple injury-related absences to trounce Milwaukee.

The Thunder won for the seventh time in eight games despite playing without Jalen Williams (strained right hamstring), Isaiah Hartenstein (strained right soleus), Alex Caruso (strained right adductor), Aaron Wiggins (sore right groin) and Jaylin Williams (bruised left glute).

Gilgeous-Alexander picked up the slack, as the reigning MVP shot 16 of 19 from the floor.

Oklahoma City’s Ajay Mitchell scored 18 points in the first half and ended up playing 25 minutes before leaving with a hip bruise. Kenrich Williams also scored 18 points for the Thunder, who shot 54.4% from the floor.

Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo had 19 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists.

RAPTORS 122, KINGS 109

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Scottie Barnes scored 14 of his 23 points in the third quarter and Toronto beat Sacramento.

Barnes shot 8 of 17 and had eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals while posting his season-high fifth consecutive game with 22 or more points.

Brandon Ingram also had 23 points for the Raptors, who outscored the Kings 43-21 in the third quarter and won in Sacramento for the first time since Jan. 25, 2023. Sandro Mamukelashvili added 22 points and nine rebounds. Immanuel Quickley scored 18 points.

One day after shooting 59% overall while tying its season high with 21 3-pointers in an 18-point win over the Golden State Warriors, Toronto’s offense had sporadic success against Sacramento,

The Raptors blew a nine-point lead in the first quarter and trailed by nine at halftime before Barnes found his rhythm. He made five of six shots in the third quarter to help Toronto regain the lead and take control.

Russell Westbrook scored 23 points for the Kings. Zach LaVine had 19 points and five assists. Malik Monk scored 17.

Sacramento has lost three straight since its season-high four-game winning streak.

January 22, 2026January 22, 2026

Australian Open 2026: Novak Djokovic eases to clinical win over Francesco Maestrelli – as it happened

Ten-time winner beats Italian qualifier 6-3 6-2 6-2 in second round
Serbian could face Botic van de Zandschulp next at Melbourne Park

Djokovic to serve first…

Cries of “Nole!” as the living legend strides out onto a sunbathed Rod Laver Arena. He unpacks his bags in front of a knot of Serbian fans and pulls on a white crocodilian hat. Maestrelli is wearing his baseball cap backwards, like a Steve Buscemi meme.

January 22, 2026

No. 7 Nebraska beats Washington 76-66 to extend its winning streak to 23 games

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Pryce Sandfort scored 23 points to lead No. 7 Nebraska past Washington 76-66 Wednesday night, extending the unbeaten Cornhuskers’ winning streak to 23 games.

The Huskers (19-0, 8-0), who earned their highest ranking in program history this week, were in control throughout against injury-plagued Washington and are alone in first place in the Big Ten. The Huskies (10-9, 2-6) lost for the fifth time in six games.

Sandfort had his third straight game with at least 20 points. Sam Hoiberg added 14 points, Rienk Mast had 12 and Jamarques Lawrence 11.

Hannes Steinbach had his 11th double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Huskies, who were playing their fourth top-15 opponent in 15 days and have used nine different starting lineups because of a run of injuries. Zoom Diallo added 18 points and six assists.

NO. 1 ARIZONA 77, CINCINNATI 51

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Motiejus Krivas scored 17 points, Ivan Kharchenkov added 14 and the Arizona pulled away late to beat Cincinnati and remain one of three unbeaten teams in the country.

Cincinnati (10-9) tested Arizona with an early 14-1 run to take a 20-16 lead midway through a rugged first half, but Arizona responded for a 33-27 halftime advantage. The 7-foot-2 Krivas thrived in the physical environment with 8 points, five rebounds and a block before the break.

Krivas continued his good work in the paint during the second half, scoring a handful of tough, close-range buckets to keep the Wildcats ahead.

Arizona used a 20-4 run over a nearly 10-minute stretch of the second to methodically build a 58-44 lead. The Wildcats had a 48-14 advantage on points in the paint.

Cincinnati was coming off a 79-70 win over No. 2 Iowa State on Saturday. They were trying to become the first team to knock off the No. 2 and No. 1 teams in consecutive games during the regular season since Kansas did it during the 1989-90 season, beating LSU and UNLV.

The Bearcats were led Baba Miller’s 14 points. Cincinnati couldn’t overcome a tough shooting night, finishing just 17 of 56 (30.1%) from the floor.

NO. 8 GONZAGA 84, PEPPERDINE 60

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Davis Fogle scored 17 points and Gonzaga pounded Pepperdine, beating the Waves for the 51st consecutive time despite missing its top two scorers because of injuries.

Tyon Grant-Foster and Mario Saint-Supery each scored 12 points for Gonzaga (20-1, 8-0 West Coast Conference) which won its 13th straight game overall. This is also the 29th consecutive season the Bulldogs have won at least 20 games. They rank second to only Kansas, which has a streak of 37 20-win seasons.

Styles Phipps scored 13 points and Aaron Clark 10 for Pepperdine (6-15, 1-7 West Coast), which lost to Gonzaga by 40 points at home this season. The Waves have not won in Spokane since 1998. Their last victory in the series was in 2002 in Malibu, California.

NO. 11 ILLINOIS 89, MARYLAND 70

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Andrej Stojakovic had 30 points and nine rebounds to lead Illinois to a victory over Maryland.

David Mirkovic had 15 points and nine rebounds, Keaton Wagler scored 13 points and Jake Davis had 12 points for the Illini (16-3, 7-1 Big Ten), who won their eighth straight.

The Illini played without senior guard and second-leading scorer Kylan Boswell, who broke his right hand in practice on Monday, will have surgery Thursday and is expected to be sidelined until mid-February. Boswell is averaging 14.3 points per game.

He had played in all 124 games in his college career — 71 in two seasons at Arizona and 53 in two seasons at Illinois — before Wednesday.

Diggy Coit, who scored 43 points Sunday in Maryland’s win over Penn State, was held to 15 points and guarded primarily by Stojakovic.

Andre Mills had 16 points and Solomon Washington had 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Terrapins (8-11, 1-7), who are in a stretch of four of five games on the road.

NO. 22 NORTH CAROLINA 91, NOTRE DAME 91

Caleb Wilson had 22 points while frontcourt mate Henri Veesaar added a double-double to help North Carolina beat Notre Dame.

The 7-foot Veesaar had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Tar Heels (15-4, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), who had lost three of four amid an abrupt defensive downturn — notably against shots from behind the arc.

The Tar Heels didn’t have any trouble this time, with the Fighting Irish (10-9, 1-5) struggling since losing leading scorer Markus Burton to left-ankle surgery in early December. North Carolina got off to a fast start from outside and kept firing, making a season-high 13 3-pointers while shooting 50.8% overall to send the Irish to a fifth straight loss.

The Tar Heels led 42-33 at halftime, then rolled out of the break with 10 unanswered points to blow the game open — powered by Veesaar’s immediate jumper, a 3-pointer and a layup during the spurt.

Wilson was strong out of the gate while working more in the post, with the star freshman finishing 8 for 11 from the field to go with seven rebounds and five assists.

Sir Mohammed scored 14 points, while Jalen Haralson added 13 to lead Notre Dame, which shot 36%. The Fighting Irish did manage to shoot well from outside early, but Notre Dame went just 2 of 13 on 3s after halftime and finished the game at 8 for 25 (32%).

January 22, 2026

Knicks looking for consistency to get season back on track after largest win in franchise history

The Knicks sure needed that one.

New York's 120-66 win over the Nets on Wednesday night not only snapped a four-game losing streak, but showed the MSG crowd -- and themselves -- that the team that was one of the best in the NBA is still there.

And there was a lot to like from Wednesday's performance.

The offense, which entered ranked in the bottom five of the league for January, scored 120 points, their highest since a win in Portland back on Jan. 11 (six games). The defense, which was much-maligned all season, allowed an NBA season-low 66 points on 29 percent shooting. And the 54-point margin is the biggest in Knicks franchise history.

"Just seeing us play the way we’re capable of playing…the things that we did out on the floor, we talked about, we drilled, watch film on," coach Mike Brown said after the win. "And our guys are more than capable of. To go see them put it together for 48 minutes was a lot of fun."

Consistency, or the lack thereof, has been the key for the Knicks during this rough patch. Some nights they'll play inspired basketball on both ends of the floor, and others look like their loss to the lowly Mavericks this past Monday.

“A win. It’s the most important thing. Find a way to break the ice and put one in the left column," Karl-Anthony Towns said. "Good game, good day for us to show what we’re capable of. Consistency is what makes champions. We've got to find that consistency of bringing this kind of intensity, energy and execution every single night."

Towns, unfairly or not, has been the face of the Knicks' struggles. Coach Brown has subtly called out Towns' need to "sacrifice" in his system, while the big man has acknowledged his struggles to adapt.

On Wednesday, Towns did it all. He scored 14 points on 5 of 8 shooting (2-for-3 from three) while coming down with eight rebounds, dishing three assists and getting one steal. He was a plus-21 on the court in his 20 minutes and his energy level was up and consistent throughout the game.

He was asked how the team can build on this win, and the second-year Knick said, with a grin, “Try to get two wins in a row, so sure. Execute plays with this aggression and have this kind of determination every single night.”

Amidst the Knicks' 2-9 stretch, there was a report that captain Jalen Brunson called a players-only meeting. The All-Star starter had a team-high 20 points in 30 minutes and said on the MSG floor after the game that the Knicks did some "soul-searching" the last few days.

"We just had to refocus and get back to who we are," Brunson said. "This is a good step for us, but we've got to continue to press the issue of getting better every single day."

Josh Hart, who had a near-double-double, downplayed the players-only meeting, saying the media "dragged" it and that the players just talked.

"We know what we have to do," Hart said. "We cleaned some up in film and practice and today in walkthrough. We know we haven’t been able to play up to our capabilities. We’re going to continue to build off this win."

"I think losing four in a row better get everyone on the same page. Glad tonight that everyone looked like they saw what was going on and what we needed to stop the bleeding," Towns said of the meeting. "I thought we did a good job of showing what we’re capable of tonight. Consistency is what’s going to make us great. And it’s going to make this season a successful season. We just go to build off of this."

New York's next game comes against the 76ers, a team they've lost twice to at home already this season. This time, they'll be in Philadelphia for a 3 p.m. tip on Saturday afternoon.

January 22, 2026

Knicks get back on track with biggest win in their history, beating Brooklyn by 54 points

NEW YORK — The New York Knicks hadn’t won at all in more than a week. They had never won like this in 80 years.

The Knicks ended their four-game losing streak Wednesday night with the most lopsided victory in franchise history, beating the Brooklyn Nets 120-66.

Jalen Brunson and the starters were already done for the night after three quarters, with the Knicks ahead 88-56. But instead of coasting to the finish, the reserves poured it on, outscoring the Nets 16-0 to open the fourth as the lead ballooned to 104-56.

“We’ve been in the midst of a pretty rough stretch and it’s not about just one game right now. There’s got to be a continual pursuit for us getting better and growing,” swingman Landry Shamet said. “So, fourth-quarter blowout, cool, whatever. It’s an opportunity against a talented NBA team to build and grow on some of the things that we’re trying to grow on and get better at. So kudos to our guys continuing to carry the standard and finish out the right way.”

Brunson scored 20 points and Shamet had 18 in just 15 minutes, going 6 for 6 from 3-point range. The Knicks shot 57.5% from the field and led by as much as 59 points.

The Knicks had lost nine of their previous 11 games and were just two days removed from the low point of their season. They trailed by 30 points in the first half Monday at home against Dallas, booed repeatedly in their 114-97 loss.

The 54-point victory surpassed three 48-point wins that had stood as the previous franchise record. Karl-Anthony Towns, a target of some of the boos Monday, was asked what the Knicks needed Wednesday.

“A win. That was the most important thing, just finding a way to break the ice and get one in the left column,” Towns said. “So good game, good day for us to show what we’re capable of, but consistency is what makes champions and we’ve got to find that consistency and bring this kind of intensity and energy and execution every single night.”

They certainly do it against the Nets. They have won the last 13 meetings in a three-year winning streak and have handed Brooklyn its two worst losses of this season. The Knicks won 134-98 on Nov. 9 at Madison Square Garden.

“Tonight was even worse and I’m the one responsible for it,” Nets coach Jordi Fernandez said.

The Knicks limited the Nets to 29% shooting, outscored them 12-0 in second-chance points and 29-4 on the fast break.

But New York is a team built to compete for a championship and the Nets are headed for the lottery. The Knicks know a more realistic test comes Saturday when they visit the Philadelphia 76ers, who won both matchups this season in New York.

“This was a good step for us,” Brunson said, “but we’ve got to continue to press the issue of getting better every single day.”

January 22, 2026

Steve Cohen can’t contain his excitement as Mets acquire All-Star Freddy Peralta: ‘Incredible week’

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Freddy Peralta is heading to the Mets as part of a blockbuster deal, Image 2 shows Steve Cohen showed his excitement in a social media post on Wednesday night — peralta cohen

Where there was smoke came fire. It just took a few extra days for the Mets.

Six days after Steve Cohen took to X to make a joke about the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes — invoking a papal conclave joke that set social media ablaze — before the Dodgers ultimately beat out New York for his services, the Mets owner took to the platform again on Wednesday night to show his excitement over the game-changing events that transpired over the last 24 hours.

After making the Bo Bichette signing official and trading for White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. on Tuesday night, the Mets continued a huge week on Wednesday by agreeing to a deal with hard-throwing reliever Luis Garcia and then trading for Brewers right-handers Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers.

“What an incredible week. Let’s go Mets !” Cohen wrote on X in the moments after the team made the trade with Milwaukee official.

Last Thursday, Cohen gave social media plenty of fodder when he posted “Let me know when you see smoke,” as the Tucker proceedings came to a head shortly before he signed a four-year, $240 million contract with Los Angeles.

About 12 hours after the Mets’ $220 million bid fell short, they poached infielder Bo Bichette on a three-year pact — right as it looked like the Phillies were going to land him on a long-term commitment.

Freddy Peralta is heading to the Mets as part of a blockbuster deal. Getty Images

The trades have come fast and furious this week, with the team getting Roberts — a 2023 All-Star outfielder — along with Peralta and Myers in deals one day apart.

Peralta, 29, gives the Mets a bona fide ace and is coming off a career year with a 2.70 ERA and National League-leading 17 wins. He has thrown at least 165 innings in each of the last three seasons and over 173 in the past two.

Steve Cohen showed his excitement in a social media post on Wednesday night. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

With the two trades, the Mets have sent away four young players, three of whom are still prospects.

Utilityman Luisangel Acuña and minor league pitcher Truman Pauley went to the White Sox, while pitcher Brandon Sproat and infielder/outfielder Jett Williams got dealt to Milwaukee.

January 22, 2026

How new Met Freddy Peralta has fared at Citi Field, against NL East

Milwaukee Brewers' Freddy Peralta pitching.

Freddy Peralta will have some new digs to get used to pitching in and some teams that he will be seeing more often of following a late-night trade to the Mets on Wednesday.

The right-hander was dealt from the Brewers to the Amazin’s in a deal that also sent Tobias Myers to Queens, in exchange for prospects Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams.

The move means the two-time All-Star will be toeing the slab much more at Citi Field this year compared to how often he’s pitched there previously in his eight years in the major leagues.

Freddy Peralta was traded to the Mets on Wednesday night. AP

The righty has only taken the mound in Flushing twice in his career, both of which have come in the past two seasons.

In all, Peralta has a 2-0 record with a 2.25 ERA and 14 strikeouts at Citi Field.

His first appearance in Queens came in a 3-1 win by the Brewers on March 29, 2024. He went six innings and allowed just one run. Peralta’s second start came on on July 2, 2025, in a 7-2 drubbing of the Mets.

The move to the Mets also means Peralta is going to become quite familiar with the National League East.

He already has some familiarity with the division, having faced the Braves, Marlins, Nationals and Phillies a combined 36 times.

The starter has five wins against the Braves over eight starts while posting a 4.26 ERA.

Peralta’s 3.12 ERA against the Phillies is the best mark he holds against an NL East team, though he has an 0-2 record in seven starts.

He has a 3-4 record against the Marlins with a 4.03 ERA and 58 strikeouts and a 5.82 ERA against the Nationals with 41 strikeouts.

The acquisition added to a busy week for the Mets, which included signing Bo Bichette and adding Luis Robert Jr. in a trade with the White Sox.

“What an incredible week. Let’s go Mets!” owner Steve Cohen posted on at Citi Field on Wednesday night following the Peralta deal.

January 22, 2026

BCB After Dark: Are you interested in Chris Bassitt?

It’s Wednesday evening here at BCB After Dark: the coolest spot for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. We’re so glad you decided to stop by. Come on in out of the cold. There’s no cover charge this evening. We still have a few tables available. The hostess can lead you to your table. 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 night I asked you about infielder/left fielder Miguel Andujar, who was linked to the Cubs in at least one report. I was pretty skeptical about signing him (even though I think he’s a solid player) because I didn’t see the fit. The majority of you agreed, as 68 percent of you were against the idea.

Here’s the part with the music and the movies. The second round of the BCB Winter Science Fiction Classic is coming to a close. But as always, you’re free to skip ahead to the baseball stuff at the end. We’re OK with that.

For those of you who like showtunes, tonight we have vocalist Jordan Fisher performing “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Emmet Cohen is on piano. Peter Martin plays keyboards, Tivon Pennicott is on tenor sax, Yasushi Nakamura is the bassist and Joe Farnsworth is on drums.

(Fun fact: My wife hates that movie. She hated it as a child and she hates it today. Her well-meaning sister gave her a blu-ray copy of it for Christmas one year and she had to pretend that she liked it.)

This is a brand new video released just yesterday.

You voted in the BCB Winter Science Fiction Classic and there are a lot of Star Trek fans among my readers. I guess there are a lot of Star Trek fans among people who write here as well. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan advanced over the number-one seed, Blade Runner. As I had written, Blade Runner is the one film that gets mentioned most often as the best science fiction film of all time if you don’t pick 2001: A Space Odyssey. But you like Kirk, Spock, McCoy and especially Ricardo Montalban as Khan.

Tonight we are going to the final quadrant of our tourney, the “modern” bracket, to finish out the second round. Number-two seed Brazil (1985) goes up against Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991).

2. Brazil. (1985) Directed by Terry Gilliam. Starring Jonathan Pryce, Robert De Niro and Katherine Helmond.

Here’s what I wrote last time about Brazil.

3. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991). Directed by James Cameron. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton and Robert Patrick.

Here’s what I wrote last time about Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Both films are terrifying in their own way. Brazil scares me with its portrait of a totalitarian world where the rich live lives of pointless conspicuous consumption. The rest of us live in a world desensitized to the capricious violence and cruelty of the state and that the only way to survive is to remain as anonymous as possible.

While I’m not worried about time-traveling killer robots, I sure as heck am worried about the artificial intelligence future that created the nightmare future of Terminator 2.

So now it’s time to vote.

You have until Monday to vote. Coming up on Monday is the final matchup of the second round, where The Matrix takes on Back to the Future.

Welcome back to everyone who skips the music and movies.

Earlier this week I asked you if you thought the Cubs should improve their pitching depth by signing Zac Gallen. I suppose it’s not quite right to say that Gallen would “improve depth” because he’d probably be one of the better pitchers in the rotation. But it would mean that other pitchers would move down the pecking order and provide more depth.

One pitcher on the free agent market who would improve the Cubs’ depth but has gotten very little attention for some reason is right-hander Chris Bassitt. Bassitt has been as solid of a pitcher over the past five years that you could ask for. He just finished a three-year, $63 million deal with the Blue Jays where he made over 30 starts every year and pitched over 170 innings every year. He posted a Fangraphs WAR of between 2.3 and 2.6 in all three seasons with the Blue Jays. In fact, according to Fangraphs, Bassitt has had a WAR above two in every season since 2019, not counting the shortened 2020 season. But he pitched well in 2020 too.

I haven’t heard the Cubs connected to Bassitt at all, but I have heard people arguing that Bassitt is a better pitcher than Zac Gallen. He did indeed have a better 2025 season than Gallen, although we’ve been over that 2025 may be an outlier bad year for Gallen. Bassitt also is a more extreme ground ball pitcher, which plays in to the Cubs strong infield defense. He probably would also cost a lot less than Gallen.

I’ll add that Bassitt pitched very well in the postseason last year for the Blue Jays as well.

So why is Gallen so much more highly regarded that Bassitt? For one, age is a huge factor. Bassitt is heading into his age 37 season whereas Gallen is going into his age 30 season. As he ages, Bassitt’s fastball velocity is dropping. He only averaged 91.4 miles per hour on his fastball last season, which is down from 92.7 the year before and definitely down from the 94 mph or so he threw when he was young.

Bassitt also struggles with left-handed pitching a lot more than Gallen does. While their overall results are similar, Bassitt is the type of pitcher you might want to skip against a lefty-heavy lineup. However, since the Cubs have several good left-handers, that might not be as big of a problem for the Cubs.

Bassitt also has some experience pitching out of the pen, so if he’s not one of the top five or six starters on the Cubs, he could become a long man in the bullpen.

So basically, Bassitt would serve as an upgrade on Colin Rea, if you think he’s better than Colin Rea.

Bassitt’s age actually plays in well for the Cubs in that he’s probably not going to get more than a one-year deal at this point. I’m proposing a one-year, $17 million deal for Chris Bassitt? If you were running the Cubs, would you make that offer?

Thank you for stopping by tonight and all week. We really appreciate your patronage. Please get home safely. Stay warm out there. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again next week for more BCB After Dark.

January 22, 2026

Agee's 23-point, 10-rebound double-double powers Texas A&M to 88-68 win over Mississippi State

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Rashaun Agee had 23 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists as Texas A&M cruised by Mississippi State 88-68 on Wednesday night.

The Aggies (15-4, 5-1 Southeastern Conference) have won eight of their last nine, their only loss coming at the hands of then-No. 24 Tennessee 87-82 in double overtime.

Agee was 7 of 14 from the field and 9 for 9 from the free-throw line. His nine double-doubles this season are second most in the SEC behind Florida's Rueben Chinyelu (10).

Rylan Griffen added 15 points, and Jacari Lane and Pop Isaacs each scored 10 for Texas A&M. Lane led the Aggies with six assists.

Texas A&M led for over 32 minutes of game time, last trailing just before the midway point of the first half. Agee made a layup to put the Aggies ahead 19-18, and they did not trail again, holding a 44-33 lead at the break.

Brandon Walker scored 16 points in 19 minutes off the bench for the Bulldogs (10-9, 2-4). King Grace had 13 points, Josh Hubbard 12 points and Jayden Epps scored 11. Achor Achor grabbed 10 rebounds to go with six points.

Mississippi State has lost four straight games.

Up next

Texas A&M: The Aggies host South Carolina on Saturday.

Mississippi State: The Bulldogs host No. 15 Vanderbilt on Saturday.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

January 22, 2026

Padres Reacts Survey: Take your pick of three free agent starters

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

The worst kept secret of the offseason is the San Diego Padres do not want to add significant money to their payroll. Reports surfaced after Nolan Arenado was traded from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Arizona Diamondbacks the Padres were involved in the trade discussions for the third baseman, but they wanted the Cardinals to pay more of Arenado’s salary. The Diamondbacks will pay him $11 million for the next two seasons.

It was recently reported that San Diego president of baseball operations and general manager A.J. Preller was considering additions to his roster but was not ready to make a move. At the time the thought was Preller was waiting for the asking prices of free agents to drop and/or he needed to trade away some of the money already on the roster to create financial flexibility. We may never know what he was waiting for, but we can speculate.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athleticreported earlier this week that some potential free agent pitchers the Padres might target are Lucas Giolito, Nick Martinez or Justin Verlander. An addition of one of those players is not going to send the Friar Faithful into a frenzy, but it may be all we have to look forward to.

Lucas Giolito

Giolito is a 6-6, 245-pound 31-year-old right-hander from Southern California. Maybe he wants to return home and pitch close to family and friends in San Diego. He spent the 2025 season with the Boston Red Sox and pitched in 26 games, finishing with a 10-4 record with a 3.41 ERA over 145.0 innings. Giolito spent the bulk of his major league career with the Chicago White Sox and holds a career 4.30 ERA. It should ne noted that Giolito did not pitch in 2024 because he had surgery to repair his right elbow ulnar collateral ligament in March of that year.

Nick Martinez

Padres fans are very familiar with Martinez, 35, and what he can bring to the rotation. He spent two years in San Diego in 2022 and 2023 before signing with the Cincinnati Reds as a free agent. He spent 2024 and 2025 with the Reds and threw 165.2 innings. He appeared in 40 games and 26 of those were starts. Martinez finished 11-14 with a 4.45 ERA. Preller does not typically bring former players back, unless it’s in a front office or coaching role as we have seen with manager Craig Stammen or developmental coach Wil Myers, but considering the need for pitching he might make an exception with Martinez.

Justin Verlander

Verlander and his career speaks for itself. He is a sure-fire Hall of Famer and despite being 42 years old, he still wants to pitch and keeps getting opportunities. Verlander spent 2025 with the San Francisco Giants and started 29 games. He finished with a 3.85 ERA over 152.0 innings, but his final record of 4-11 was not what you expect from a player of his stature. Of course, wins and losses are not solely on the pitcher, so perhaps a season in San Diego with a solid defense behind him would flip the record.

If we are to believe the reporting of Rosenthal, which I will admit is difficult to do due to his constant praise for the Los Angeles Dodgers and his unconfirmed disdain for the Padres, which one of Giolito, Martinez or Verlander would you, the readers of Gaslamp Ball, want San Diego to sign?

Results of the poll will be published later this week.

January 22, 2026

Kapke's 3-pointer with 22 seconds left sends Boston College past Pitt 65-62

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. (AP) — Boden Kapke scored 19 points and his 3-pointer with 22 seconds left was the game-winning basket as Boston College left Pittsburgh in the ACC cellar with a 65-62 win on Wednesday night.

Fred Payne also scored 19 points and Donald Hand Jr. added 18 points as the Eagles (9-10, 2-4) shot 45% (25 of 55) from the field despite 32% (7 for 22) from 3-point range.

Roman Siulepa and Cameron Cohren each scored 13 points, Brandin Cummings 11 and Barry Dunning Jr. and reserve Nojus Indrusaitis 10 each for Pittsburgh. Cohren and Siulepa grabbed 12 and 11 rebounds, respectively.

Following Kapke's 3, Cummings missed a deep 3 attempt with nine seconds left. After a Pitt (8-11, 1-5) intentional foul, Siulepa stole the inbounds pass and fed Cummings who missed another attempt from 3 as time expired.

Pitt, Notre Dame and Florida State sit at the bottom of the conference at 1-5, a game behind California, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and BC.

Up Next

Pitt: The Panthers host North Carolina State on Saturday.

Boston College: The Eagles visit Notre Dame on Saturday.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

January 22, 2026

Mets’ David Stearns ‘thrilled’ to add Freddy Peralta, Tobias Myers in deal with Brewers

David Stearns said early Wednesday that he was still looking to acquire a frontline starter this offseason.

Just hours later, the Mets' President of Baseball Ops was able to deliver.

According to SNY analyst and SiriusXM's Jim Duquette, Stearns was considering multiple options, but talks heated up with his old club, and he was able to complete a deal to bring ace RHP Freddy Peralta from Milwaukee to Queens.

He had to pay a hefty price with top prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat heading to the Brewers, but it’s certainly worth it to acquire one of the top arms available on the trade market.

“Acquiring Freddy brings another established starter to help lead our rotation,” Stearns said in a statement. “Throughout this offseason, we sought to complement our rotation with another front-end pitcher, and we’re thrilled we are able to bring Freddy to the Mets.”

Peralta is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, in which he finished fifth in National League Cy Young voting after leading the league in wins (17) and finishing fourth in ERA (2.70).

The two-time All-Star has made 30+ starts each of the past three seasons.

And he isn’t the only piece being acquired in the deal.

The Mets were also able to grab an intriguing arm with control, bringing in RHP Tobias Myers, who has accumulated a 3.15 ERA in 49 games the past two seasons.

Myers is much more than just a throw-in, as he provides Carlos Mendoza with a steady piece for the bullpen and even more rotation depth.

“Tobias has become an extremely valuable Major League pitcher,” Stearns said. “His ability to pitch out of both the rotation and bullpen allows him to help our team in multiple ways. His addition adds to another quality, young major league arm to our organization.”

Owner Steve Cohen certainly seems amped about the moves as well…

What an incredible week. Let’s go Mets !
— Steven Cohen (@StevenACohen2) January 22, 2026

January 22, 2026

Eaglestaff hits 6 3s, scores 23, West Virginia beats Arizona State 75-63

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Treysen Eaglestaff hit six 3-pointers and finished with 23 points to help West Virginia beat Arizona State 75-63 on Wednesday night.

Brenen Lorient made 7 of 11 from the field and scored 15 points for West Virginia (13-6, 4-2 Big 12). Jasper Floyd had 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting and added five rebounds, four assists and three steals. Honor Huff, who went into the game averaging 17.1 points per game, scored eight on 2-of-9 shooting.

Maurice Odum had 17 points and eight assists, Massamba Diop scored 14 points, and Noah Meeusen added 11 points for Arizona State (10-9, 1-5). The Sun Devils have lost three straight and seven of their last eight.

Lorient hit a 3-pointer that gave the Mountaineers the lead for good with 11:55 to play, Chance Moore followed with a three-point play and Floyd made a layup to cap an 8-0 spurt in a 65-second span that made it 53-46.

Diop threw down a dunk and Anthony Johnson added a three-point play that made it a two-point game. Floyd then answered with a 3 and a layup before Eaglestaff made a 3-pointer and converted a three-point play that gave West Virginia a 64-54 lead with five minutes remaining.

The Mountaineers shot 51% (27 of 53) from the field and hit 11 3-pointers.

The Sun Devils won the only other matchup between the teams 65-57 a year ago to the day.

Up next

West Virginia: The Mountaineers visit No. 1 Arizona on Saturday.

Arizona State: The Sun Devils host Cincinnati on Saturday.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Tip-off

How To Watch

Injury Report

Rockets

Sixers

The Line (as of this post)

Looking ahead because we can

Access the Mets beat like never before