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Timberwolves vs Rockets Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NBA Game

The Minnesota Timberwolves will be without their best player tonight, but they still have a chance to push the Houston Rockets toward the Play-In Tournament.

That would mark a steep fall for a team that entered the season with legitimate title aspirations following the arrival of Kevin Durant.

My Timberwolves vs. Rockets predictions recognize the immediate Minnesota value in Anthony Edwards’ absence.

Read more in my NBA picks for Friday, January 16. 

Tip-off is set for 9:30 p.m. ET at Toyota Center in Houston, with the game airing on ESPN.

Timberwolves vs Rockets prediction

Timberwolves vs Rockets best bet: Jaden McDaniels Over 16.5 points (-105)

Jaden McDaniels scored 14 points in Tuesday’s first quarter at Milwaukee, which is the reason he cashed this same prop by only half a point, adding a second-quarter 3-pointer. The Minnesota Timberwolves were so walloping the Bucks that McDaniels eased up.

He has now cleared this prop in six of eight games without Anthony Edwards in the lineup this season, averaging 19.9 points in those eight games, up from 13.5 points in 31 games alongside the Minnesota superstar.

McDaniels takes 10.1 shots per game with Edwards in the lineup, jumping to 13.75 without the MVP candidate. Maybe even more notable, McDaniels’s field-goal percentage rises to 55.5% in that increased usage, up from 51.0%. 

The 25-year-old is a more complete player than given credit for, and that often shows up when the Timberwolves’ best offensive player is on the bench.

Timberwolves vs Rockets same-game parlay

Doubt Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard in all defensive matchups. He logged 19 minutes last night and finished a team-worst minus-10.

Yes, it was a 20-point loss to Oklahoma City, but some of that stemmed from Sheppard’s defensive issues. Minnesota point guard Donte DiVincenzo shouldn’t need much space to score in this matchup.

The McDaniels–DiVincenzo pairing has been a key reason the Timberwolves are 5-1 ATS in their last six games without Anthony Edwards, compared to just 13-17 ATS with Edwards since Nov. 1.

As brilliant as Edwards is, Minnesota often plays with sharper focus in his absence.

Timberwolves vs Rockets SGP

  • Jaden McDaniels Over 16.5 points
  • Donte DiVincenzo Over 14.5 points
  • Timberwolves +4.5

Our "from downtown" SGP: Gobert or Go Home

Prior to Rudy Gobert’s one-game suspension on Tuesday, he had cleared this prop in six straight games. Minnesota's center may be playing the best basketball of his career.

Timberwolves vs Rockets SGP

  • Jaden McDaniels Over 16.5 points
  • Donte DiVincenzo Over 14.5 points
  • Rudy Gobert Over 11.5 rebounds
  • Timberwolves moneyline

Timberwolves vs Rockets odds

  • Spread: Timberwolves +4.5 (-110) | Rockets -4.5 (-110)
  • Moneyline: Timberwolves +150 | Rockets -180
  • Over/Under: Over 222 (-110) | Under 222 (-110)

Timberwolves vs Rockets betting trend to know

Houston has lost seven straight games against the spread, falling short of bookmakers’ expectations by an average of 13.1 points. That includes four outright losses as a favorite. Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs. Rockets.

How to watch Timberwolves vs Rockets

LocationToyota Center, Houston, TX
DateFriday, January 16, 2026
Tip-off9:30 p.m. ET
TVESPN

Timberwolves vs Rockets latest injuries

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Josh Lowe to Angels, Gavin Lux to Rays and Brock Burke to Reds in 3-team trade

The Tampa Bay Rays sent outfielder Josh Lowe to the Angels as part of a three-team trade in which left-handed reliever Brock Burke went from Los Angeles to Cincinnati.

Infielder Gavin Lux moved from the Reds to Tampa Bay and minor league right-hander Chris Clark from the Angels to the Rays.

Lowe, who turns 28 on Feb. 2, batted a career-worst .220 with 11 homers and 40 RBIs last year. He injured his right oblique for the third time in 13 months and didn’t play between the March 28 opener and May 15.

Lowe has a one-year, $2.6 million contract and is on track to be eligible for free agency after the 2028 World Series. He has a .250 average with 43 homers and 170 RBIs in five big league seasons, all with the Rays.

Lux, 28, hit .269 with five homers and 53 RBIs in his only season with the Reds. He agreed last week to a $5,525,000, one-year contract and can become a free agent after this year’s World Series.

He has a .256 average with 33 homers and 208 RBIs in six seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2019-24) and the Reds, who acquired him last January for minor league outfielder Mike Sirota and a draft pick. Lux missed the 2023 season after tearing his right ACL in a spring training game.

Burke, 29, was 7-1 with a 3.36 ERA in 68 relief appearances and one start for the Angels. He has a $2,325,000 salary also also can become a free agent after this year’s World Series.

Clark, 24, was a fifth-round draft pick in 2023 from Harvard and was 4-10 with a 4.73 ERA in 20 starts last year for Class A Inland Empire, High A Tri-City and Double-A Rocket City.

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Why Jordi Fernández is exactly what this Nets team needs

Winning isn’t the assignment in Brooklyn right now. Growth is.

This Nets team is unlikely to be competitive today, tomorrow, or anytime soon. Unless patience becomes a box-score category.

The process may be frustrating, but Jordi Fernández appears to be the ideal coach for the long, unglamorous road ahead.

The second-year coach is built for the slow burn, handling the delicate mindset of his young players with a mix of patience, constructive criticism, and encouragement.

Tough Love Pays Off

Fernández has had no problem identifying where his young players fall short, both privately and in public. Each rookie has taken a turn under the spotlight, with Fernández addressing his concerns to the media when necessary.

His messages are blunt and direct, and they often come with immediate results.

After rookie Drake Powell played just over two minutes during a 119–111 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on December 12, Fernández didn’t sugarcoat his decision to sideline the rookie. When asked about the 20-year-old’s limited playing time, he made it clear that Powell’s performance leading up to that moment didn’t meet his standard.

“These young guys need to understand how important every minute you play is,” Fernández said. “If the intentions are there, I’m completely fine. But if the mistakes are from easing into the game, that’s not how we do it here.”

Powell responded the next game by scoring 13 points while adding four rebounds, three assists, and a steal during Brooklyn’s 127–82 blowout win over the Milwaukee Bucks. He’s continued to show steady improvement on both ends of the floor over the past month, highlighted by a career-high 16 points in Wednesday’s 116–113 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, even knocking down a clutch three to cut the deficit with five seconds left…

Powell said he welcomed the honesty and understood where Fernández was coming from.

“I respect him for that,” Powell said of Fernández. “It just shows that he cares, not only about me as a basketball player, but as a human being.”

Following the Dallas game, he delivered a similar, but shorter, message to fellow rookie Egor Demin, who shot just 14 percent from the field while forcing several contested attempts.

“He’s gotta be better, otherwise the minutes are gonna go down, and somebody else will take advantage of them,” Fernández said.

Demin responded with a statement game of his own, leading Brooklyn with 17 points against Milwaukee and carrying that momentum throughout the month. At this point in the season, he ranks second among all rookies in three-pointers made with 79 on 39.1% shooting and is on pace to break Kerry Kittles’ franchise rookie record of 158 made threes. Moreover, in the month of January, he’s shot better and made more threes than Kon Knueppel in one fewer games.

Fernández’s criticism is direct, but it’s also balanced. Just as quickly as he challenges his young players, he’s willing to praise them when they deserve it. Less than a week after calling out the two rookies, he highlighted the way they bounced back.

“I think they both did a great job. We knew that that was in them,” Fernández said. “Our guys care and we know how much they care, especially these two kids. They came back and they did what was best for the group and their performance was up to our standards.”

For inexperienced players who are still acclimating and adjusting, sometimes they simply need to be reminded of what they are capable of.


A Different View of the G League

In many organizations, being sent to the G League can feel like a punishment.

For Jordi Fernández, who spent several seasons as the head coach of the Canton Charge, the league is viewed as a developmental tool that allows players to log meaningful live reps as they adjust to the pace and physicality of professional basketball.

“We have a system in place. It’s important for players to see what the path is to get better,” Fernández said. “I’ve been in the G League as a head coach. All of our players but one have played in the G League. It’s something that we embrace and believe in.”

All but one Nets rookie — Demin — has spent time with Brooklyn’s G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, as Fernández maintains a consistent line of communication with the developmental staff out in Uniondale.

Fresh off Danny Wolf’s 25-point, 13-rebound performance against the Capital City Go-Go on Nov. 10, the rookie forward pointed to the continuity between both staffs.

“We’re one big group. My position coach here and my position coach back in Brooklyn are in communication,” Wolf said. “They talk about the same things, watch the same film and help me. They do a great job sharing ideas with each other.”

By the end of the month, the Michigan product was ready for consistent NBA action, scoring a career-high 22 points while adding four assists and four rebounds in a 116–99 loss to Milwaukee.

Within the span of three months, fellow rookie first-round pick Nolan Traore went from struggling in the G League and looking unplayable at the NBA level to earning a call-up and averaging 21.6 minutes per game for Brooklyn this month.

“He took full advantage of the opportunities he had with Long Island,” said Fernández. “And when he came back here, he did so with a different spirit and a lot more confidence.”

Just this week, Long Island’s Grant Nelson who played for Brooklyn in the Summer League and training camp, credited the Brooklyn and Long Island performance teams with helping him get beyond knee soreness than has troubled him since his freshman year in college five years ago.

“I think it really shows how good the performance staff is here and what they’ve done to get me back on the court and be ready for when I get back on the court,” Nelson told ND’s Scott Mitchell. “The performance staff did a great job, and everyone really cares about me, which really meant a lot.”

Letting The Work Show

While the process doesn’t need to be rushed, each of the team’s young investments appears to be trending upward, despite the scrutiny and confusion that followed the team’s draft decisions.

What was once questioned as drafting three players at the “same position” has proven to be far from it. While the media guide may list Demin, Traore and Ben Saraf as point guards, Fernández has found a way to emphasize their unique skill sets to the team’s benefit.

Meanwhile, Powell’s strengths are being maximized to make him look like a value pick after serving a limited role in college, while Wolf has surprised many by translating his unique combination of size and coordination to the NBA after earning Fernández’s trust.

So far, so good. The Nets were heavily criticized on Draft Night for using five first round picks, the first time any team had done that. One issue was developing that many firsts all at once. It will be a while before final grades are handed in but at the moment, the professor and his students seem to be doing fine.

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Ducks Acquire Jeffrey Viel From Bruins

The Ducks made a trade on Friday morning, acquiring forward Jeffrey Viel from the Boston Bruins in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick. The Bruins will receive the better pick between the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers.

Viel, 28, has appeared in 10 NHL games this season for the Bruins. He spent most of last season in the AHL with the Providence Bruins.

Undrafted out of the QMJHL, Viel signed a two-year entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks in 2019. Playing the role of an agitating grinder, Viel spent two seasons in the AHL before getting NHL experience during the shortened 2020-21 season. He continued to split time between the NHL and AHL before spending the entire 2023-24 season in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose, the Winnipeg Jets’ AHL affiliate.

Viel’s sandpaper play style matches what head coach Joel Quenneville is looking for from his bottom-6 and also mirrors the style of play that general manager Pat Verbeek displayed during his playing days. A fourth line consisting of Viel, Ross Johnston and Ryan Poehling could prove to be an irritating combination for opponents.

With Nikita Nesterenko being assigned to AHL San Diego on Thursday, the Ducks had an open roster spot to accommodate Viel. Because the Bruins are at home on the East Coast, Viel is unlikely to play in either Friday or Saturday’s games against the Los Angeles Kings.

Related articles:

Takeaways from the Ducks 3-1 Win over the Stars

Takeaways from the Ducks 5-3 Loss to the Sabres

Takeaways from the Ducks 5-2 Loss to the Hurricanes

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BYB 2026 Tigers prospect reports #45: RHP Preston Howey

The Detroit Tigers draft strategy under Scott Harris has focused on prep talent and a few value plays for college players. That has left them looking for bargain development projects with their other picks in order to save the money to go overslot on their main targets. Right-hander Preston Howey fits that mold, receiving the minimum bonus to sign as a college senior out of St. Mary’s College as the Tigers’ 14th rounder in the 2024 draft. The now 23-year-old Howey didn’t receive any particular notice on draft day, but he emerged as a low key interesting relief prospect for the Tigers in 2025.

Howey threw a little in 2024 after the draft, and then began the 2025 season at High-A West Michigan. He worked in a relief role for most of the season before the Tigers let him stretch out and make nine starts to close out the year. He threw 62 innings total, posting a 3.19 ERA. A bout of walks over his final few starts hurt his peripheral numbers but were likely caused by the extra workload late in his first pro season. Prior to that he’d pounded the strikezone and was very rarely hit hard.

The right-hander stands just 5’10” with a compact, athletic build and gets a little above average extension to the plate. He’s shown a little increase in velocity in pro ball, as Howey was pretty comfortably sitting 94 mph later in the season and touching 95-96 mph. A relatively low release gives him decent plane to the top of the zone, and a year of work turning his above average fastball spin into better riding action out of his three-quarters arm slot helped him take better advantage of those traits. Still, it’s not explosive ride and he’ll need a little more gas to really turn the fastball into an above average weapon.

The breaking ball is a firm slider at 87 mph and while it played down a little due to its inconsistency, the best ones were above average with tight late break. His circle change is about the same speed and while it doesn’t fall off the table, its deception and late fade drew some ugly swings from Midwest League hitters. That pitch is unlikely to be a significant factor for him unless there’s a real breakthrough. As a four year college pitcher, Howey does have more experience and less obvious upside than some, but if he can find a bit more velo and break that slider off consistently he’ll rapidly become a more interesting relief prospect.

Howey already has pretty solid fastball command, and he used that to good effect in High-A. Hitters rarely hit anything hard in the air, and while he didn’t draw a ton of whiffs with his slider, those should come with better command of the pitch. While the Tigers did move him into a starting role late in the year, that was probably more out of necessity, and not his actual path to an eventual big league role. If he can build a little more velocity to sit 96-97 mph in relief and refine the slider a little more, he’ll turn himself into a quality middle relief prospect next summer as he tackles the Double-A level.

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Live by the Dillon, die by the Dillon

Games on the road against quality competition are never easy, and the margins can get razor-thin in a hurry. The Phoenix Suns are coming off two losses where they easily could have walked away with wins in both. When that starts happening, the ‘disease of what if’ begins to creep in.

In this case, that conversation circles around Dillon Brooks.

Everything Brooks has brought to Phoenix, the attitude, the toughness, the edge, has reshaped this team. His brand of basketball, and the way he pulls teammates into that same mindset, is stamped all over the Suns you see now. I would not trade that for anyone. This team needed a cultural overhaul, and Brooks delivered it.

With that said, the next hurdle for him is self-awareness. If that part sharpens even a little, the Suns probably add a few more marks in the win column.

Look at last night. With Devin Booker and Jalen Green out, a combined $86.4 million in payroll, it was clear someone had to carry the load. That someone was Grayson Allen. He finished with 33 points on 11-of-25 shooting and set the tone offensively from the opening tip. Doing that on the road, against the top team in the Eastern Conference, a group with the second-best defensive rating in the NBA, is no small ask. What stood out most, though, was how the Suns stayed true to who they are. They competed. They absorbed the contact. They gutted it out. That says plenty about the culture they are building.

They had plenty of hurdles to clear. Jalen Duren living in the paint. A physical team more than willing to push back. But one of the biggest hurdles ended up being Dillon Brooks himself.

The inefficiency was brutal. He finished 4-of-16 from the field for 16 points and fouled out with 6 personals. On paper, that looks like a familiar Dillon Brooks night, especially when the stars are sidelined. He is always willing to take the shots, and I am not going to crush him for that instinct. But there are nights when you can feel it early. When you know you do not have it. Last night was one of those nights for Brooks.

I would have much rather seen more deference to Collin Gillespie or Jordan Goodwin than what we got offensively from Brooks. Gillespie took 10 shots and turned them into 18 points. Goodwin took 8 shots and finished with 7 points. Both were giving the team something cleaner within the flow.

The same theme showed up against Miami. The over-aggressiveness. The emotions creeping over the line. The flow of the game getting junked up late when the Suns were still in it. Every team needs an enforcer, and Phoenix needed one that night. But self-awareness has to step in at some point. No need to exaggerate follow-throughs. That is how Brooks picked up a technical that was later rescinded. That is how he ended up with a flagrant 1 after a missed three that would have tied the game in the final minute. Those moments matter. The Heat capitalized, the lead ballooned, and the Suns never recovered.

Over the last two games, Brooks is shooting 3-of-16 from deep. That comes out to a cool 18.8%. No one is asking him to be something he is not. This is about self-awareness. About understanding what helps the team most in that moment.

The best thing he can give this group is opportunity. Opportunity comes from recognizing when the shot is not there, staying engaged on the floor, and resisting fouls that add nothing and disrupt the rhythm. The Suns are a team built on flow. When that flow gets interrupted, everything tightens.

Brooks can bring the antics. He can bring the edge. Those things have value, especially when Devin Booker and Jalen Green are out there to steady the offense. That is part of his role. When those two are missing, and he is asked to be a stabilizing force, the role changes. The edge still matters. Going over it does not.

So far on this trip, he has crossed that line. Two games. Eleven fouls. Two flagrants. One technical that later got rescinded. The point Norman Powell made still counted. That part does not get taken back.

Yeah, it really is the 85%, 15% equation with Dillon Brooks. You love what he gives you most of the time, and you brace yourself for the part that makes your blood pressure spike. That is the deal. That is the Dillon Brooks experience. You live by the Dillon. You die by the Dillon. Over the last two games, the Suns have died by it.

That is why getting Devin Booker and Jalen Green back matters so much. Their presence shrinks Brooks’ shot diet and lets him slide back into the role where he thrives. The disruptor. The irritant. The emotional anchor who tilts the floor without having to carry the offense. If that comes with a little more cerebral feel and self-awareness layered on top, even better. That is the version of Dillon Brooks this team needs when it is whole again.

Until then? The focus needs to be on making winning plays, not plays that prevent you from winning.

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NBA Power Rankings Watch: the Mavericks need to reset the vision

With mounting injuries, contradicting sourced reporting, and a will-they-won’t-they soap opera of trade rumors involving Anthony Davis, very little is going right for the Dallas Mavericks. The league’s trade deadline needs to get here asap so fans can accept whatever reality is next, and the team needs to refocus their vision. Part of that is accepting reality and positioning themselves as best they can for this summer’s NBA Draft.

All that considered, there are still some bright moments to hold to in these games. Cooper Flagg continues to flash brilliance. He is now nursing an ankle injury, but his composure and ability remains on display most nights. Players like Naji Marshall, mentioned below in this week’s Power Rankings Watch, has stepped up his game — perhaps just in time for said deadline. And Klay Thompson just moved himself into fourth all time in three-pointers. With so much in limbo it’s important to celebrate those mini victories.

ESPN

Rank: 24

Last week: 23

Forward Naji Marshall has been one of the bright spots of a difficult season in Dallas. He’s averaging career bests of 13.6 points and 54% shooting, and his production has increased to 16.9 points on 58.6% shooting in his 17 starts. He has been especially productive attacking off the dribble, shooting 60.7% off of drives. According to NBA Advanced Stats, only Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have a higher field goal percentage among the players who rank in the top 50 in points off of drives. — MacMahon

The Athletic

Rank: 24 (Tier 4: Not the Tier to Fear)

Last week: 23

Preseason win total: 41.5
On pace to win: 29

Vegas and the national broadcasters were on NicoVision when it came to projecting this Mavericks team. Some even thought Kyrie Irving would be back by now. Alas, here the Mavericks are, with their injury-prone big men out of commission, top free-agent acquisition D’Angelo Russell playing zero 20-minute games since Thanksgiving and Cooper Flagg splitting awesome games with forgettable outings.

NBA

Rank: 25

Last week: 25

  • At this point, Davis has played in just 29 of a possible 74 games since he was acquired (along with Max Christie) for Luka Dončić. This season, the Mavs are 10-10 with Davis in uniform, but they’ve been outscored by 4.6 points per 100 possessions in his 626 minutes on the floor.
  • The Mavs were outscored by 28 points (54-26) in the restricted area in Chicago on Saturday, falling to 4-15 without Davis. They’ve scored just 106.7 points per 100 possessions over those 19 games, only slightly better (107.5 scored per 100) in Cooper Flagg’s 844 total minutes on the floor without Davis.
  • The offense was ugly on both ends of the floor in Sacramento on Tuesday, but the Mavs got the win with two go-ahead buckets in the final minute. Flagg had the first (a tough, lefty finish off the glass) and assisted on the other (a Brandon Williams 3), and he’s now 4-for-6 on shots to tie or take the lead in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime. Those four buckets are tied for fourth league-wide.

Coming up: With their loss in Utah on Thursday, the Mavs are 0-6 (one of three winless teams) in rest-advantage games. They’ll have two more – vs. Brooklyn and Denver – as they play a four-game homestand this week.

Bleacher Report

Rank: 26

Last week: 25

The Dallas Mavericks pummeled the Utah Jazz on Thursday, but it’s tough to find big takeaways from a game without Cooper Flagg and Lauri Markkanen.

Dallas lost to Utah just one week earlier, is 4-7 in its last 11 and recently got some bad news on Anthony Davis. He may not need surgery on his injured hand, but he’s going to be out for several weeks and could still be traded before the deadline.

With Flagg now nursing his own ankle injury, all signs are pointing to the Mavericks more aggressively chasing improved lottery odds down the stretch.

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Takeaways: Flyers Leave Pointless in Pittsburgh, Losing Streak Extends to Five Games

There are two kinds of losses in the NHL: losses that feel like one-off nights and losses that start to resemble patterns. The Philadelphia Flyers’ 6–3 defeat to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday leaned toward the latter.

Philadelphia showed stretches of the assertive, organized hockey that has carried it through much of the season, particularly in a dominant second period, but those moments were swallowed by recurring issues: slow starts, untimely penalties, and an inability to convert territorial control into scoreboard pressure.

The result was a fifth straight loss, and one that stings a little more coming against a bitter division rival that now leads the season series 2–1.

1. The Opening Act Sets the Tone—And the Tone Is Wrong.

Before most of the crowd had settled, the Flyers were already playing from behind. Pittsburgh scored twice in the first period with a directness that contrasted sharply with Philadelphia’s tentative puck play. The Penguins didn’t need elaborate sequences—just quick exits, clean entries, and a willingness to attack seams the Flyers left open through the middle.

This has, unfortunately, become a pattern in recent games. The Flyers' starts have grown cautious, almost procedural, as if the group is waiting for the game to reveal itself instead of seizing it. Defensemen retreated a half-beat too far, forwards arrived late on first touches, and breakouts lacked the crisp support options that contributed so crucially to the team's success earlier in the season. By the time the Flyers began to find their legs, they were already chasing a two-goal deficit against an opponent content to counterpunch.

The psychological tax of that dynamic is evident. Every shift becomes heavier when the margin for error has vanished before the game has truly begun.

2. Discipline as a Recurring Self-Inflicted Wound.

If the slow starts are the disease, penalties have been the accelerant. Philadelphia took a series of minors that felt avoidable and, worse, ill-timed. Each trip to the box functioned as a reset button for Pittsburgh, erasing the Flyers’ best sequences before they could mature into sustained pressure.

Against Tampa Bay earlier in the week, the Flyers were penalized 12 times. Thursday wasn’t quite that extreme, but the theme persisted: discipline eroding just as momentum appeared within reach. 

It doesn't help that the Flyers' special teams are still leaving something to be desired. Their power play is currently sitting last in the NHL at just 15% effectiveness, and while their penalty kill is in a better position in 21st place at 77.8%, it hasn't shown the dominance it once did not all that long ago. 

3. A Second Half That Promised Everything—and Delivered Too Little.

In the middle frame of this game, the Flyers started to look like themselves again.

Rodrigo Abols scored his third goal of the season—he’s now tied for second on the team with eight points since Dec. 20—and Matvei Michkov snapped his drought in the third period with his tenth, continuing his uncanny knack for producing against the Penguins (six points in seven career games).

Nick Seeler added his second of the year in the final frame, and Denver Barkey orchestrated sequences with the poise of a veteran, finishing with two assists. 

But the Flyers kept conceding. One loose puck management decision became a rush against, one missed layer became a goal, and the air left the bench. It has happened too often in this skid: Philadelphia plays well enough to deserve a different scoreline, but not well enough to protect itself from a single lapse.

4. Goaltending Caught in the Crossfire.

Sam Ersson was pulled early in the second period, replaced by Aleksei Kolosov, who was called up in the absence of Dan Vladar, who left early in the game against Buffalo and is getting evaluated for an unspecified injury.  

The move was not an indictment of Ersson alone; too many chances arrived uncontested, and too many cross-seam passes reached their target without resistance. Still, the change spoke to a growing unease.

Over the last five games, Flyers goaltenders have been asked to be crisis managers rather than backstops. Defensive layers that once arrived automatically are now inconsistent. When that happens repeatedly, even average chances begin to feel dangerous.

Kolosov provided some relief, but no matter who has been in net across these five games, Philadelphia has been leaking goals in bunches, and no goalie thrives in that climate.

Aleksei Kolosov (35). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)
Aleksei Kolosov (35). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)

5. Barkey Shines, Which Is Both Hopeful and Telling.

Denver Barkey was the Flyers’ most compelling player, driving transition with speed and courage, picking up two assists and repeatedly arriving at the interior ahead of Pittsburgh defensemen.

It was also revealing. When a player fresh out of junior hockey is the engine in a rivalry game, it highlights how quiet some established voices have become. Michkov’s goal (assisted by Barkey), and his spirited response of dropping the gloves after Barkey absorbed a heavy hit, showed pride, but the broader attack remains disjointed—which is even more disappointing considering how much scoring they've enjoyed this season across all four lines.

What This Night Says About the Larger Pattern

Thursday night was not a blowout in spirit until the scoreboard made it one. Almost more frustratingly, it was a series of small failures stacked on top of one another.

Those habits have turned a manageable rough patch into a five-game slide in which opponents have piled on goals and forced Philadelphia into impossible scripts. The group that once prided itself on structure and steadiness now looks hurried and, at times, unsure of where the next answer will come from.

Losing to Pittsburgh always amplifies the sting, but the real concern is not the opponent—it is the repetition. Until the Flyers repair their starts, rediscover discipline, and convert their good minutes into safe leads, nights like this will continue to feel less like aberrations and more like warnings.

It's still January, so it would be unfair to say that the season is entirely lost, but what has been lost—at least for right now—is the advantageous position they held in the Metropolitan Division (they've slid from third to fifth), and what is in danger of slipping through their fingers is a comfortable shot at the postseason. 

Catastrophizing and placing the brunt of the blame on any single player is unproductive in times like these. This is their first major losing streak, and their first significant test of self-evaluation and resiliency, under Rick Tocchet. Time will tell how they handle bouncing back from this rough patch because while the tide may be receding, the tsunami has not hit the Flyers' shores just yet.

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Report: Bo Bichette and New York Mets have agreed to a 3-year, $126 million contract

NEW YORK — Bo Bichette and the New York Mets agreed to a three-year, $126 million contract, two people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was subject to a successful physical.

The infielder Bichette can opt out after the first and second season. He would receive $47 million for one year and $89 million for two years, one of the people said.

The deal does not contain any deferred money and Bichette gets a full no-trade provision.

A two-time All-Star shortstop, Bichette hit 18 home runs and 94 RBIs for the Blue Jays in 2025. He homered off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 of the World Series.

Bichette was injured last season in a Sept. 6 collision with Yankees catcher Austin Wells. It kept him out of the lineup until the World Series. He returned for Game 1 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers and played second base for the first time in six years.

Bichette finished second in the major leagues to Yankees slugger Aaron Judge with a .311 batting average this season, hitting 18 homers with 94 RBIs in 139 games.

He’s twice led the AL in hits.

Bichette turns 28 in March and had played his entire career with the Blue Jays since they drafted him in the second round of the 2018 draft. The son of former big leaguer Dante Bichette, Bo Bichette is a career .294 hitter with 111 home runs and 437 RBIs in 748 career games.

Bichette was one of the last remaining big name free agents after Kyle Tucker agreed to a four-year, $240 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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Analyzing the Josh Lowe Trade Return

Waking up to the news that the Rays traded Josh Lowe was bittersweet.

The first thing I wrote for DRaysBay was how excited I was about Josh Lowe heading into the 2023 season. The power and speed combo was exciting at the time, and the data suggested all he needed was an opportunity. Fast forward almost three years later, and I still think Josh Lowe can be an everyday ML player. I’m happy for him that he’ll have that opportunity with the Angels.

With that said, let’s look at the Rays 2026 outlook.

Short-term impact of the trade

I’m excited about the path to playing time this provides for Jacob Melton. Jacob Melton (and subsequently the Rays OF production and offense as a whole) might be the biggest winner in this trade.

I’ve already written about Melton, but a summary of what to expect from him is that he provides plus power, speed, and defense at all three OF positions with enough of a hit tool to make him an above average everyday player. Melton will have an even greater opportunity to win a roster spot during spring training.

The Rays also acquired a one-year stopgap in Gavin Lux – possibly to buy some time before Jadher Areinamo could be ready to take over the everyday 2B role in 2027. Lux seems like a relatively safe player the further he gets from his ACL tear in 2023, but his profile may be a bit redundant as he is incredibly similar on both sides of the ball to Richie Palacios (who also has dealt with some knee-related injuries). But Lux has no options, so I expect him to be on the Opening Day roster with some kind of role that includes reps at second base. Palacios has one more option year remaining, so he may be on the outside-looking-in this spring.

Lux has been a roughly average producer in his career. He pairs below average power with an above average hit tool to provide value at multiple positions. Lux’s acquisition continues the trend we’ve seen this offseason where the Rays are leaning more into bat-to-ball ability, possibly at the expense of power and impact.

The second base depth chart took a hit when Brandon Lowe was traded away, but it looks to be in an okay spot now with Lux. I think recent returnee Brett Wisely might not have a seat on the roster when the music stops at the end of spring training. He’s almost certainly behind both Lux and Palacios on the depth chart as a LH utility guy who can play a decent second base. Wisely is also out of options, so he might not even make it to AAA to serve as depth.

Long-term impact of the trade

This trade doesn’t end at Melton and Lux though. I think the main target in this trade was Chris Clark.

Clark is a low-slot RHP with a fastball that sits in the low 90s and can touch 95-96 at times. He’s 6’4, so his lower release height relative to his frame coupled with above average extension adds a layer of deception that helps his stuff play up a bit. He primarily works off an average two-seam fastball in the zone, and he has flashed a four-seam variant for whiffs above the zone.

Clark’s best pitch is his low 80s sweepy breaking ball. It’s an above average pitch that he’s comfortable throwing to both sides of the plate and he has plus feel for it. Clark also has shown a mid 80s offspeed pitch that looks like a split or kick grip with above average vertical separation from his fastball. While it might not be a viable offering yet, I think that it might be an above average pitch someday if he can continue to refine his command of it and maybe find a way to add some velocity separation from the fastball (that could mean adding more heat to the fastball or subtracting some from the offspeed pitch).

The command and control across Clark’s arsenal looks average and he doesn’t currently generate a ton of swing and miss, so he fits the profile of a backend starter right now; however, if he continues to develop his offspeed pitch or add a cutter to bridge his fastball and breaking ball shapes, I could see a mid-rotation starter. His feel for spin evident in his breaking ball suggests a cutter might be relatively easy for him to add to his toolbox.

Either way, Clark doesn’t appear to have much reliever risk as there’s room to add velocity, more pitches, and even refine his command.

Conclusion

The Rays traded from a position of surplus at the major league level to gain a pitching prospect they’ve potentially coveted while simultaneously filling a gap at second base in the short-term.

Interestingly, Gavin Lux is essentially Richie Palacios without options, as they have nearly identical power, plate skills, and defensive versatility.

Chris Clark is a slower-burn development project for Winston Doom and his team, but I think if we squint, we can see a potential mid rotation starter with interesting release traits and a pair of solid secondary pitches.

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Rockets look to bounce back versus Minnesota

After a disapointing loss following a bad fourth quarter, the Houston Rockets look to get back on track with a win versus the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.

With a solid defensive effort and team intensity, Minnesota is on the rise. Anthony Edwards leads the Wolves’ excellent scoring balance, and Julius Randle and Naz Reid provide strong interior play.Additionally, they recently defeated the Bucks handily, which gives them confidence. Meanwhile, Houston’s recent performance has been inconsistent, including a 20-point loss to the Thunder in which offensive difficulties were a significant problem. The Rockets average about 119 points per game and have impressive rebounding stats, but they have cooled off in recent games. Kevin Durant leads the Rockets in scoring ar 25-26 points per game, and has been receiving contributions from Alperen Şengün and other pieces (Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. etc).

The big story tonight is Anthony Edward’s injury. It was confirmed yesterday that the star guard would miss a second straight game with a foot injury. This should drastically alter the game plaan for Houdton as they can now focus more of their deffensive efforts on pl;ayers like Julius Radle and Rudy Gobert/

Tip Off

8:3o pm

How To Watch
ESPN, or Space City Home Network

Injury Report
Rockets
Fred VanVleet: Out (Acl),
Dorian Finney-Smith: Day-To-Day (Ankle),
Tari Eason: Day-To-Day (Ankle)

Minnesota

Anthony Edwards: Out (Foot)

Terrence Shannon Jr: Out (Foot)

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Lakers reportedly trying to trade 2032 first round pick for multiple future firsts

The Lakers haven’t made any significant roster moves during the season so far, but they have a couple more weeks to do so before the NBA trade deadline arrives.

While the team hasn’t officially stated the ways they might want to improve in the immediate future, we do have some reports hinting at the direction they want to go.

For starters, getting younger appears to be a key for Los Angeles. That makes sense given that their biggest star is now Luka Dončić, who is 26 years old.

So, all moves the Lakers make must be based on building sustainable winning for years to come.

On a recent episode of “The Kevin O’Connor Show,” Kevin discussed a way the Lakers could gain the assets needed by trading away their first-round pick for multiple future firsts as part of a trade package.

Kevin O’Connor: “Now, the really interesting thing with them is they’ve been shopping around their future 2032 first round pick for multiple first round draft picks similar to what the Suns did a year ago when they traded their 2031 pick to the Jazz for three lesser firsts in ‘25, ‘27 and ‘29. So, it seems like the Lakers are looking for two or three than future firsts that are worse individually than their future firsts, giving them more parts to put together in Vincent-plus-Vanderbilt or Vincent-plus-Kleber types of packages.”

As O’Connor mentioned, the Suns made a similar move last year, trading away their 2031 first for three lesser first-round picks.

If Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka can turn his draft pick into two or three and then acquire the wing they need before the Jan. 5 deadline, this would be one of the most impressive trades he’s done.

This type of deal would make a ton of sense for LA. It would increase their limited draft capital, and if it brings in a young wing, like say Herb Jones, that’d be a great move for the franchise.

It’s been reported that the Lakers called the Pelicans about Jones, but the price point was above LA’s means. If they can offer multiple firsts instead of one, maybe that’s enough to convince New Orleans to part with Jones.

The most recent reports indicate the Pelicans aren’t interested in trading away Jones or any of their other core players, but it’s an ongoing situation and things can always change.

Besides Jones, there are other young wings the Lakers can try to trade for. Players like Jonathan Kuminga have connected with LA, and it’s clear when you watch this team that adding wing depth would be a great way to improve this roster.

Now, it’s a matter of execution, and if Pelinka can find the right partner to help him execute this multifaceted deal.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

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Rays, Reds, Angels make three-team deal

The Tampa Bay Rays, Anaheim Angels and Cincinnati Reds have made an interesting three-team trade that has former Rangers pitcher Brock Burke going from Anaheim to Cincinnati, Chris Clark going from Anaheim to Tampa, Gavin Lux going from Cincinnati to Tampa, and Josh Lowe going from Tampa to Anaheim.

From Anaheim’s perspective, this is a move that fits in with what they’ve been doing all offseason — acquiring players coming off a bad year(s) but who have been successful in the past, in the hope of recapturing that past glory. Lowe, a lefthanded hitting right fielder who turns 28 next month, and who is the younger brother of former Ranger first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, had a big 2023 season for the Rays, slashing .292/.335/.500 in 501 plate appearances, going 32 for 35 on the basepaths, and putting up a 3.7 bWAR.

Lowe has not come close to that the past two seasons, however. In 2024-25, he has put up a .230/.292/.378 slash line in 822 plate appearances with a 0.8 bWAR, albeit while continuing to be very good on the basepaths (43 of 48 on stolen base attempts). He has especially struggled against lefthanded pitchers, putting up a 459 OPS in 2025 and a 547 OPS in 2024.

So Lowe would seem to be, at this point, a marginal platoon outfielder. He is, however, in just his first year of arbitration eligibility, and is under team control through 2028. If the Angels can get him hitting again like they did in 2023, they have a pretty good player for a decent period of time.

The cost to the Angels is fairly slight. Burke, a 29 year old lefty, was originally acquired by the Rangers from Tampa in a different three-team trade seven years. After having his career de-railed due to shoulder issues, Burke ended up being a surprisingly good member of the Rangers’ bullpen in 2022. He regressed in 2023, though, and ended up being waived early in 2024 after putting up a 9.22 ERA in 13 innings. He was claimed on waivers by the Angels and has been a useful middle reliever for them since then, with a 3.40 ERA in 82 innings over 90 appearances.

Burke is a free agent after 2026, as is Lux, so the Reds are not gaining or losing anything from a team control perspective in this swap. Lux was once a consensus top 10 prospect in MLB while coming up in teh Los Angeles Dodgers’ system, and his presence was part of the reason the Dodgers were willing to let Corey Seager depart. Lux missed all of 2023 due to injury, though. Upon his return in 2024, he slashed .251/.320/.383 while splitting time between second base and shortstop.

The Reds acquired Lux for outfielder Mike Sirota and a competitive balance pick last offseason in a deal that worked out great for L.A., as Sirota is now their #3 prospect (per BA) after posting an OPS in excess of 1000 while splitting the 2025 season between low-A and high-A, and they used the draft pick of Arkansas outfielder Charles Davalan, their #6 prospect, per BA.

Lux put up a good OBP but hit for little power in 2025, slashing .269/.350/.374 with 5 homers in 503 plate appearances while splitting time between DH, left field, and second base. The Reds apparently saw enough, and cashed him in for Brock.

This doesn’t look like a real exciting return for the Rays. Lux gives them a multi-positional guy who gets on base, and we know that they like that, but they only get him for a year. Clark was a 2023 5th round pick out of Harvard who hasn’t made BA’s top 30 list for the Angels either of the past two seasons.

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Mets projected lineup with Bo Bichette: Where will NY's new All-Star play?

For at least one season, the New York Mets' lineup should once again be elite, and a treacherous prospect for opposing pitchers. 

Their Jan. 16 agreement with infielder Bo Bichette on a three-year, $126 million deal doesn't necessarily replace departed slugger Pete Alonso, but invigorates the lineup with one of the game's most elite hitters. 

And Mets fans still crying over the loss of No. 1 free agent Kyle Tucker to the Los Angeles Dodgers are now reminded that they have plenty of All-Stars and future Hall of Famers, too. 

Combined with $765 million man Juan Soto and perpetual All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor, Bichette both lengthens and diversifies New York's lineup. Bichette banged out 181 hits in 139 games in 2025, and twice led the AL in hits, in 2021 (191) and 2022 (189). 

It also lessens the reliance on young cornermen Mark Vientos and Brett Baty, who will still get plate appearances at first, third and designated hitter, along with previous acquisition Jorge Polanco.  But don't get too comfortable: Bichette has opt-out clauses after the first two years of this deal, and a healthy and regularly productive 2026 season means he'll almost certainly hit the market again next winter at age 28.

Mets projected starting lineup with Bo Bichette

  1. Francisco Lindor, SS
  2. Juan Soto, RF
  3. Bo Bichette, 3B
  4. Jorge Polanco, 1B
  5. Marcus Semien, 2B
  6. Mark Vientos / Brett Baty, DH
  7. Francisco Alvarez, C
  8. Carson Benge, LF (prospect)
  9. Tyrone Taylor, CF

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mets projected lineup with Bo Bichette: Where does All-Star fit?

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The Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals are both problems for the MLB

Kyler Tucker, the top free agent on the market, just signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He signed a 4-year deal that pays him $60 million a year. Just like last offseason, the defending champs are pretty much buying an All-Star team. As much as some people do not want to admit it, the MLB has a Dodgers problem. However, the Washington Nationals are also a problem for the MLB.

With the CBA expiring after this season, baseball has a lot of problems to resolve. They have to solve the Dodgers problem and the Nationals problem. One team is a financial super power with unprecedented access to cash, while the other team refuses to give out free agent contracts worth more than $15 million.

All of this is alienating fans and setting the stage for an inevitable showdown at the CBA negotiation table. Fans have pretty much come to terms with the fact that there will be a lockout next year. The only question now is how long will the work stoppage last. Hopefully it does not eliminate the entire season.

It is crystal clear that the MLB financial system is broken. Right now, the Dodgers are paying more in luxury tax bills than 11 teams are in total payroll. On both ends of the spectrum, that is a problem. Fans do not want to see teams buy a dynasty, but they also do not want to see other teams not try to win at all.

This is why many fans are warming up to the idea of a salary cap and salary floor system. It is what we see in the NBA, NFL and NHL. This system works well also. We see non-traditional markets succeed in a way that would be impossible to pull off in the MLB. In this system, the Kansas City Royals creating a dynasty would be basically impossible. 

Some fans argue that any owner can spend like the Dodgers. Maybe that was true five or six years ago, but this just ignores the economic reality of the situation now. Including the luxury tax, the Dodgers expenses are over half a billion at this point. There are only a handful of teams that could sustain that level of spending.

Some fans may not want to admit it, but the MLB has a serious Dodgers problem. Their insane TV deal, access to international markets and hedge fund led ownership group gives them a situation other teams cannot compete with. This is fun for Dodgers fans, but a real bummer for the other 29 fanbases.

However, the Dodgers are not the only problem the MLB is going to have to deal with. The Washington Nationals represent the other side of the coin. After winning the World Series in 2019 with a top 10 payroll, Nationals ownership suddenly stopped spending money.

It has gotten to the point where the Nats are one of the most frugal teams in all of baseball. On the surface, it appears as if Nats ownership has totally checked out. That is a problem and is alienating the fanbase. Since the 2020-21 offseason, the Nats have not given out a free agent contract worth more than $15 million. This is honestly a slap in the face for fans.

A salary floor is needed in this sport. As smart as teams like the Brewers and Rays are, they will never overcome the financial firepower of the Dodgers. Even the bigger market teams are struggling to keep up with the financial Goliath that is the Los Angeles Dodgers.

When the Nats and Dodgers take the field for the Nationals home opener, there will be 14 players making at least $10 million. All 14 of them will be wearing Dodgers blue. This is just an example of a system that is completely broken.

Forget about owners vs players for a second, this system is not in the best interest of the consumer. Baseball is built on the backs of the fans. Right now, the system is not working for the fans. Only three or four teams have any chance to grab the real free agents. We pretty much know who will win the World Series already.

The CBA is looming like a dark shadow over the league right now. Nobody is happy with the status quo at the moment and there is a real appetite for change among fans. Owners will be fighting for a salary cap, and for the first time in recent memory, the fans will be behind them.

However, a salary cap simply will not work without a floor. The Dodgers are not the only problem here. Teams like the Nationals are just as big of an issue. The Nationals are not a small market club, but ownership is spending like that. They have thrown in the towel. This is not only bad for Nats fans, but also the sport.

A work stoppage is coming after this season. Hopefully the fans are considered in these negotiations. I have my doubts because the more likely scenario is the owners and players fighting for their own interests. As the MLB grows as a financial entity, it feels like the fans are being left behind.