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Football season is over. Here's what you missed so far in college basketball

A college football national champion has been crowned, which means it’s time to turn the spotlight on college basketball.

The men’s season is in full swing as conference play is underway, and there has been plenty to discuss — from sensational freshmen, national title favorites and disappointments. The season is more than halfway done, and Selection Sunday is just 54 days away before one of the most exciting months in sports tips off.

So what’s happened in the first two months, and what should be paid attention to as we approach the NCAA tournament? Here are the top storylines in college hoops:

Who is the best college basketball team so far?

Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) dribbles the ball during the second half of the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at McKale Memorial Center.

Arizona sits atop the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll with a perfect 18-0 start.

The Wildcats have running through every opponents ever since the season opening win over defending champion Florida, with a blend of young (Koa Peat and Brayden Burries) and experience (Jaden Bradley and Motiejus Krivas) paving the way. They average 90 points a game, win by an average margin of 21 points and have done it against talented teams with a 7-0 Quad 1 record.

Arizona has been a regular-season power under Tommy Lloyd, but he may finally have the right recipe to break the long Final Four drought in Tucson.

Plenty of national championship contenders exist

While Arizona is at the top, other teams lurking in the water. It sounds odd, but there's parity — it's just at the top level, as you can easily make the case for several teams to win it all.

Michigan, Connecticut, Purdue, Duke have proven to be formidable teams that are on a straight path to March. You also can't forget Houston, Gonzaga, Iowa State and Nebraska (more on the Cornhuskers soon). It's making for a very compelling race for the top seeds in the bracket.

Last season was the second time and first since 2008 with all four No. 1 seeds making the Final Four. There's a solid chance that could happen again in 2006.

Can Florida repeat?

What's harder than winning a national championship? Doing it again, and Florida is learning how challenging it is to repeat.

The Gators lost so much from last season's title team, but Todd Golden restocked it to give optimism they could contend. It was a rough beginning with a season opening loss to Arizona and a 5-4 start, falling to marquee opponents in close contests. However, Florida has found a rhythm since then, winning eight of its past nine with some notable ranked wins during the stretch. While it has five losses, they've all been by at least six points.

It feels like Florida has mostly been written off from defending its crown, but don't count out the Gators just yet. They have found an identity and can be a top-four seed in a bracket.

Historic runs for Nebraska, BYU

Two programs are chasing unprecedented highs, one expected and one out of nowhere.

Let's start with Brigham Young, which brought in talented freshman AJ Dybantsa to take the Cougars to the next level after reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2011. BYU is on track, eyeing those signature wins that will solidify what could lead to their first Final Four in program history.

In Lincoln, it's a dream. Nebraska remains undefeated, rallying the campus around a sport that hasn't had much significance. The Cornhuskers have proven they aren't a fluke and not only are in position to finally get their first NCAA tournament win, but there could be much more in store.

Fantastic freshmen

Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) reacts during the second half against the Southern Methodist Mustangs at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

This may be the best freshmen class in some time, with the new kids on the block taking over and having NBA teams drooling of them turning pro.

Dybantsa has not disappointed from BYU, showcasing No. 1 pick potential with 22.5 points per game. Duke's Cameron Boozer is a certified bucket-getter for the Blue Devils, and Kansas' Darryn Peterson has commanded the floor, even though injuries have limited him. An emerging star has been North Carolina big man Caleb Wilson.

You also can't forget Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. and Houston guard Kingston Fleming, Peat and Burries at Arizona, as well as several other talented freshmen. They'll all be fun to watch in the tournament and could make up most of the lottery picks in the 2026 NBA draft.

Braden Smith chases assist record

Preseason national player of the year favorite Braden Smith is still in great position to win the award, with the Purdue guard closing in on the all-time assists record while leading a Boilermakers team still chasing that first national title.

Smith leads the country with 9.4 assists per game, and with 927 career dimes, is 149 more away from Bobby Hurley's record of 1,076. With that average, Smith can break the 36-year-old record by the time the NCAA tournament begins, cementing himself among the best point guards to play the game. The Boilermakers are hoping there are more opportunities for him to go up the leaderboard deep in March.

Big 12, Big Ten powers

The toughest conference is really a tie between the Big 12 and Big Ten, making it a gauntlet for any team to survive. Combined the conferences make up 10 of the top 13 spots in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, with five each.

Both leagues dominated the nonconference schedules, winning more than 80% of such contests and the only two to have a winning percentage over 50% against other Power conference teams. It's going to be entertaining to watch these conference races and who ends up at the top, and there's a great chance the national champion emerges from the Big 12 or Big Ten.

ACC is back

After sending just four teams to the NCAA tournament last season, the ACC has responded emphatically and looks like it can prove its worth against other Power conferences.

It's no surprise Duke, North Carolina and Louisville have done well, but there's been some surprises like Virginia, surging under Ryan Odom, and Clemson not skipping a beat. There's also been NCAA tournament-worthy starts from Miami, NC State and SMU, with squads like Virginia Tech, Stanford and California lurking. It's been a fun league to watch again. There's a good chance the ACC can double its amount of bids in March, and not just have Duke be the only one advancing.

Who steps up in SEC?

The SEC was the class of college basketball last season with a record 14 teams in March Madness, two of whom made the Final Four. The conference isn't as strong as it was, but it remains as open of a race to who can emerge.

There's no real power team, with Vanderbilt leaking after its 16-0 start. Florida has been mentioned, and other squads in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia and Texas A&M have shown potential but aren't just complete. Kentucky and Tennessee have mostly disappointed and are hard to trust. The SEC will likely send at least eight teams, but you can't confidently say who those eight will be and if they will be able to replicate any success.

Transfer portal frustration

A major talking point has been the new players coming to college basketball, and whether they should be allowed to play. There's been some controversy about allowing former professional basketball players to play college basketball, whether they were in the G League or actual NBA draft picks.

They've been ruled eligible to play, drawing the ire of the most prominent coaches in the country from Tom Izzo to John Calipari as the NCAA watches. Will the trend continue, or will there be changes made after so much disapproval?

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College basketball top storylines to watch with college football over

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The unlikely rise of Baylor Scheierman

Following another playoff-like matchup against the Eastern Conference–leading Detroit Pistons, head coach Joe Mazzulla praised the defensive strides second-year wing Baylor Scheierman has made, even in defeat. 

When asked about Scheierman’s growth as a decision-maker on both ends of the floor, Mazzulla pointed to a different area of development. “To me, his growth is more about his defensive versatility,” he said. 

That versatility has not gone unnoticed by those who regularly watch the Celtics. Scheierman exceeded expectations defensively as a rookie, particularly as a playmaker on that end, but seeing him take on such varied assignments — “sometimes he’ll guard the best player, sometimes he’ll guard the big,” as Mazzulla noted — stood out enough to warrant a deeper look into his defensive impact. 

Last year, albeit in low minutes, we didn’t see much of Scheierman guarding many different positions or quite frankly, the ability to, and the numbers show it per Bball Index. 

A portion of this is definitely attributed to the fact that more of his playing time last season came in garbage minutes, but even as he began to crack the rotation toward the end of the year, he was typically matched up against low-usage players on opposing teams.  

This year, things look much different.  

Scheierman has dramatically flipped several metrics that have proven important to the Celtics this season, including matchup difficulty, defensive positional versatility, and the percentage of time spent guarding stars and starters. Among those, the spike in matchup difficulty stands out most.  

His defensive impact is impressive on its own, but it becomes even more striking when considering that he’s gone from guarding the least threatening players to consistently taking on the league’s top scorers.  

Last season, he ranked at the very bottom of the league, just the 3rd percentile, in matchup difficulty. This year, he has catapulted to the 70th percentile, a shift that has been a major factor in boosting his overall defensive positional versatility grade from the 58th percentile to an elite 98th percentile, placing him among the league’s best. 

Mazzulla highlighted Scheierman’s versatility in Monday’s game, saying, “There’s a couple possessions where he’s on [Isaiah] Stewart, a couple possessions where he’s on [Cade] Cunningham.” The Stewart matchup, in particular, may have flown under the radar.  

The Celtics’ bigs ran into serious foul trouble in the first half. Neemias Queta picked up two fouls, while Luka Garza accumulated four in just three minutes and 15 seconds of play. Xavier Tillman saw some time, but for the final three minutes of the second quarter, Scheierman, who hadn’t played in the opening frame, was tasked with playing center on defense.  

Here, he hits an important three stopping a Pistons run then goes down and matches up with Stewart. As Cade drives, he’s right there to stop the drive forcing a shot over the top which allows Derrick White to swat it.  

In the third quarter, Sam Hauser picked up his fourth foul just three minutes in, which led to Scheierman logging the remaining nine minutes of the period. During that stretch, he matched up with Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, and Tobias Harris on multiple possessions.  

He also shined in the team’s only win over the Pistons this season, logging a season-high 30 minutes, scoring 13 points, and delivering strong defensive play.  

But when we talk about versatility, there’s one clip that sums it all up.  

Mazzulla closed his remarks on Scheierman by saying, “I think just his continued growth in defensive physicality and understanding of the system is kind of where he’s made the most growth to where you build a level of trust.”  

When your coach is willing to ask you to guard superstars as different as Cade Cunningham and Victor Wembanyama, it’s safe to say that trust has been earned. 

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Cup of Cavs: NBA news and links for Wednesday, Jan. 21

Good morning, it’s Wednesday, January 21st. The Cleveland Cavaliers are 24-20 and play the Charlotte Hornets tonight on the road.

Cleveland is 1-1 against the Hornets this season. They dropped their first meeting in a disappointing overtime loss, then bounced back a week later to beat the Hornets 139-132 in Rocket Arena. The Cavs were 4-0 against the Hornets last season.

Today’s Game of the Day

  • Oklahoma City Thunder at Milwaukee Bucks – 9:30 PM, ESPN, FanDuel Sports Network

Even if these two teams aren’t in the same stratosphere, I can’t pass up a chance to watch Giannis Antetokounmpo try to work his way around this elite Thunder defense. It’s like watching an immovable object take on an unstoppable force. Few teams in the league can give Giannis a greater challenge than the Thunder.

OKC has won three of its last four matchups with the Bucks. Their last loss was in the 2024 NBA Cup Final, when Milwaukee took home the trophy. I’m not sure if anyone remembers that, so I figured I’d remind you, just in case.

The Rest of the NBA Slate

  • Indiana Pacers at Boston Celtics – 7:30 PM
  • Brooklyn Nets at New York Knicks – 7:30 PM
  • Detroit Pistons at New Orleans Pelicans – 8 PM
  • Atlanta Hawks at Memphis Grizzlies – 8 PM
  • Toronto Raptors at Sacramento Kings – 10 PM

Cavs links of the day

NBA links

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Why It's Okay If The Islanders Have A Quiet Trade Deadline

The New York Islanders' seven-game road trip continues along into its second and final week, with just one game left on Wednesday night in Seattle.

The trip featured a good amount of shaky play, with some stretches showcasing the Islanders at their best and others revealing just where their flaws lie.

Islanders Treading Water Without Scoring PunchIslanders Treading Water Without Scoring PunchIt takes two to tango, but with the Islanders still sitting in second place, the sooner they can add some offensive support, the likelier they are to remain there.

Still, they've gone 3-2-1 and boast a pair of impressive wins over the Edmonton Oilers and Minnesota Wild. With just Wednesday night against Lane Lambert's Seattle Kraken remaining, a quick evaluation of the road trip would be a success, especially if they can head home with another two points. 

The Islanders have held onto second place in the Metropolitan Division for the duration of their time away. Heading into the trip, the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals were the closest divisional foes to catching them.

The Flyers have gone 1-5-1 since the trip began. The Capitals didn't fare any better, going 2-4-0. The Pittsburgh Penguins took advantage and have flown into second place with a 3-2-2 record during this time.

The Islanders find themselves five points ahead of the Flyers and Capitals, and two points ahead of the Penguins (who are in third). To call it a safe position would be slightly overstating it, but New York's in a great spot.

All of this preamble brings us to the meat and potatoes of the quandary Islanders' General Manager Mathieu Darche finds himself in.

During the trip, the Islanders also found themselves linked to both Rasmus Andersson and Kiefer Sherwood, with both ultimately getting dealt elsewhere. 

Both went for premium prices (Andersson a 1st, 2nd, and roster player, Sherwood two 2nds), showcasing just how expensive the trade market is for buyers right now.

While that could very well change as more teams tumble off the playoff radar, as of now, there are only a handful of clear sellers, and one of them will not make any trades with you (New York Rangers). 

All of this puts Darche in a bind. He knows the team needs a lift both defensively and offensively. The organizational hope defensively seems to be giving Isaiah George a look when the team returns home.

10 Islanders Defense Trade Targets: Short-Term & Long-Term Solutions10 Islanders Defense Trade Targets: Short-Term & Long-Term SolutionsWhether it's a replacement for Alexander Romanov on the left side for the rest of the season or a long-term right-side defenseman, here's 10 options.

Offensively, any help would need to come from outside the organization. Some looked to Steven Stamkos as a clear target, but Nashville's been on fire and now seems unlikely to sell.

Using The Athletic's Trade Board, here's the top forwards available: Artemi Panarin, Nazem Kadri, Vincent Trocheck, Elias Pettersson, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Blake Coleman, Stamkos, and Andrew Mangiapane.

Of those top eight, three of them reside in the Metropolitan Division, making things a no-go. Nazem Kadri has nine goals in 49 games this season, but he's shooting a career-low 6.5% and is one year removed from a 35-goal season.

Kadri, 35, has three more years at $7 million, and if acquired, could become an in-house Jean-Gabriel Pageau replacement if the Islanders don't re-up with Pageau.

But it really doesn't make any sense to give the assets Calgary would want. At 35 years of age, he doesn't fit the opening window of contention. Ditto that for Stamkos, though the argument for Stamkos is his generational shot. 

Kotkaniemi and Mangiapane are both salary dumps and would not make the Islanders any better. The Rangers won't trade Panarin and Trocheck to the Islanders, with the Islanders forking over an enormous haul, killing any deal in its crib.

That leave two names. Elias Pettersson and Blake Coleman.

Pettersson would make a lot of sense, but comes with the recent baggage of a serious downturn in play and a giant contract. A deal in-season feels improbable. Coleman would be solely to improve the bottom six, and wouldn't cost all too much. 

Coleman, like Stamkos, won two Stanley Cups with Darche in Tampa Bay. It's worth keeping an eye on.

10 Forward Trade Targets For Islanders — How LTIR Opens The Door10 Forward Trade Targets For Islanders — How LTIR Opens The DoorThe Islanders’ offense remains an issue, but the cap isn’t. A breakdown of 10 potential trade targets and how LTIR changes the deadline picture.

With all that being said, is it the worst thing in the world if the Islanders have a quiet trade deadline?

The only type of deals that make any sense would be for cheap rentals (like Coleman) or a player like Pettersson or Jordan Kyrou, forwards who would make the Islanders better now and in the future.

The 2026 Draft is seen with immense value, and the Islanders hold two first-round picks. They don't have any second-round picks, thanks to the Josh Bailey salary dump three years ago.

The prospect pool continues to strengthen. Bridgeport's in a position to fight for a playoff spot. 

For Darche, it has to be about building things right. Dismantling the newly-built prospect pool and draft pick assets does not make sense.

Similarly, Darche is faced with decisions on Anders Lee and Pageau, both of whom will become free agents in July. 

There's no world where the Islanders trade their captain in-season, especially while in a playoff position. Pageau, however, would command a haul. The ability to acquire another first-round pick and potentially recoup a second-rounder in this draft would be immensely valuable.

Islanders’ Deadline Decisions: Darche, Lee, Pageau Address Contract UncertaintyIslanders’ Deadline Decisions: Darche, Lee, Pageau Address Contract UncertaintyMathieu Darche weighs in on Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau ahead of the NHL trade deadline, as both Islanders veterans speak on their futures.

But, again, Pageau's a massive part of this team. Does trading him make any sense when the team's cruising in a playoff spot? Likely not.

It's worth noting that Brock Nelson spent virtually the entire 2024-25 season stapled to the top of The Athletic's Trade Board, usually a darn good indicator of a player set to be dealt.

Pageau hasn't appeared on the list at all this season, while Lee only appeared at the very beginning of the season before getting removed.

All this begins to paint a picture of what could be a very quiet deadline.

Smaller moves, depth pieces, little swings. Those make sense. If Darche can pull off an in-season blockbuster that makes sense for this team's competitive window, he'll do it. Odds aren't in his favor, historically.

As the march toward the Olympic Roster Freeze continues, more trades will happen, and more players will become available. Perhaps more viable candidates appear, and the feeling of a relatively quiet deadline fades.

For now, the quiet path is the best one forward. There's no need to rush anything. 

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Warriors defense collapses witohut Butler in 145-127 loss

After 16 consecutive DNP-CDs, Jonathan Kuminga returned to the court Tuesday night and put up 20 points. The out-of-favor Buddy Hield made all six of his three-pointers on his way to 25 points. But the Golden State Warriors starters didn’t play any defense and the Toronto Raptors shot 21-for-34 on three-pointers in a 145-127 win.

The starting lineup seemed to be reeling without Jimmy Butler, who is out for the season with a torn ACL. Brandin Podziemski joined the starters in Butler’s place, and the team replaced Quinten Post with Gui Santos to start the second half. Steph Curry missed his first five three-pointers. In the first quarter, the starters missed all seven of their threes and shot 6-for-17 overall while Toronto ran out to a 26-10 lead.

That lead would grow to 30 points midway through the third quarter, before Kuminga and Buddy Hield helped cut the lead to 108-94 with 12 minutes to play. Hield’s fifth three-pointer got the lead to single digits with five minutes to go, but the Raptors answered with back-to-back threes from Brandon Ingram (22 points 4-for-6 from deep) and Sandro Mamukelashvili (14 points, 4-for-4 on threes) that shut down the comeback.

Hield was +10 in 19 minutes, meaning the Warriors were -28 in the 29 minutes when he sat. Will Richard was +7 in his 23 minutes and Kuminga was +3, but the team simply couldn’t stop the Raptors scorching shooting. The Raptors scored 70 points in the first half, the highest total the Warriors have given up all season, then scored 75 in the second half.

The main culprit was Immanuel Quickley, who tied a career high with 40 points and made nearly every shot he took. Quickley was 11-for-13 from the field, 7-for-8 on three-pointers, and a perfect 11-for-11 from the foul line — all while dishing out 10 assists. Five of those dimes turned into three-pointers, meaning Quickley was involved in 12 of Toronto’s 21 threes — and three more turned into layups or dunks. He had three turnovers, but got two steals. It may have been one of the most efficient 40-point games in NBA history.

Scottie Barnes was nearly as efficient, shooting 12-for-18 and handing out 11 assists, while also making both his free throws. And Mamukelashvili, one of the best free agent bargains of the summer, finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds, along with four assists, two steals, and a block. He also showed off a sweet shot fake when the Warriors over-committed to stopping him behind the arc.

The loss ended the Warriors’ four-game win streak and a stretch where they went 12-4 in 16 games. But it also reignited the years-long debate about Jonathan Kuminga, who is either a victim of Steve Kerr, a victim of his agent, a future All-Star, an untradeable player, a waste of Steph Curry’s prime, or the player who’s about to spark the Warriors’ run to a Cinderella play-in tournament run.

Hield and Kuminga are the most common Warriors to see in trade rumors and they both demonstrated their usefulness. They could easily end up back in the starting lineup or back out of the rotation when the Warriors go on the road again, though Kerr called Hield “one of the most professional players I’ve ever coached.”

It’s hard to blame the team for coming out flat after the emotional devastation of the Butler injury. It’s impressive that Kuminga responded so well after his month on the bench and it’s somewhat stunning that Kerr managed to play 13 guys significant minutes and even got LJ Cryer and Malevy Leons some run.

It’ll be interesting to see what happens leading into the trade deadline and when the Warriors go on the road for the first time in two weeks. They have to hope it includes more three-point defense.

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Fantasy Basketball Trade Analyzer: Now's the time to sell high on Michael Porter Jr.

Adding players off the waiver wire can help fantasy basketball managers navigate injuries to their squad. However, for those who need more of a long-term solution, a trade might be the best way to increase their chances of winning a championship. Here are some players to consider buying low on, selling high on or who are worth holding onto in fantasy at this time.

The Spurs are 5-4 over their last nine games. Despite their winning record, Fox has underwhelmed with averages of 15.7 points and 1.4 3-pointers. One of the biggest reasons for his decline was him shooting 27.1% from three during that span. For the season, he has shot 34.3% from deep.

The good news is that Fox still averaged 5.0 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.0 steals during that nine-game span. His usage rate won't match his tenure with the Kings because of all the talent around him on the Spurs, but he is an efficient scorer, shooting 47.0% from the field for his career. His recent shooting woes might have created a rare buy-low opportunity for him in fantasy.

Since returning from injury, Zubac has averaged 12.1 points and 9.9 rebounds over his last nine games. In four of those games, he played fewer than 28 minutes. However, he has logged at least 30 minutes in three of his last five games as he continues to be further removed from his ailment.

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Zubac hasn't been able to replicate his production from his breakout campaign last season, but he hasn't exactly been a disappointment by providing 14.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. He is also shooting 60.5% from the field and 72.2% from the charity stripe. His slow start in his return from injury makes him someone to try to acquire at a discount.

There is nothing about Porter's stats that indicates he should be someone to sell in fantasy. He is having the best season of his career, averaging 25.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 3.8 3-pointers. After never averaging more than 13.6 shots per game for a season in his career, he has jacked up an average of 18.8 shots a night with his new team.

The reason to consider selling high on Porter is that he has sat out two of the last six games for the Nets. As they build up losses, they are looking for excuses to rest Porter, not play him more. If Porter isn't dealt by the trade deadline, we could see plenty of rest days for him down the stretch. Now might be the time to capitalize on his excellent first half.

Trading Ball right now isn't exactly moving him at his peak value. He has seen his role decline this season, averaging the fewest minutes of his career. He has even come off the bench in two of the last six games. In his last two games, he played a total of 40 minutes. With his reduced role, Ball has averaged 19.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.2 steals, and 3.7 3-pointers over his last 10 games.

The Hornets have not won many games during Ball's tenure with the franchise. With Kon Knueppel emerging in his rookie campaign and Brandon Miller finally healthy, Ball may continue to see fewer minutes during the second half of the season. His production hasn't completely torpedoed, and he has a lot of name value, so see if you can still trade him for a valuable return. Rest days could also come into play for Ball down the stretch, with the Hornets likely to miss out on the playoffs again.

Jalen Suggs (knee) remains out for the Magic, but their depth chart has improved lately with Franz Wagner returning from injury. He played limited minutes in both of his first two games back, yet the initial results were not encouraging for Bane. In Wagner's first game back, Bane scored 13 points on 13 shot attempts. In the second game, he produced 11 points over 12 shot attempts.

Wagner's return from injury hurting Bane's usage rate is worrisome because Bane is already having the least efficient season of his career. He is shooting 44.8% from the field and just 33.2% from behind the arc. Across his last 12 games, he has shot 24.1% from deep. Even with all of that in the fold, it's difficult to complain too much with Bane averaging 18.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.6 three-pointers for the season. Wagner's return doesn't help his fantasy value, but also don't panic and trade Bane away at a discount. 

Bridge has hit a rough patch. Over the last seven games, he has only averaged 14.0 points. That's despite him shooting 50.7% from the field and 44.1% from 3 during that span. For the season, he shoots 44.6% from the field and 33.7% from behind the arc.

Part of the reason for Bridges' recent decline in scoring is that the Hornets have been involved in some blowouts. Four of their last seven games were decided by at least 20 points. In two of those games, he logged 22 and 23 minutes. He averages 33 minutes per game for the season, so as the Hornets are involved in closer games, Bridges should play a lot. Don't read too much into his recent disappointing stat lines.

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Carlos Beltran Hall of Fame worthy despite sign-stealing scandal

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Carlos Beltrán's involvement in the Astros sign-stealing scandal did not end up costing him a spot in the Hall of Fame

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Carlos Beltrán’s involvement in the Astros sign-stealing scandal on their way to the 2017 World Series title tarnished his reputation and cost him the Mets managerial job — but it didn’t ultimately keep him out of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Beltrán was inducted in his fourth year on the ballot with 84.2 percent of the vote, and on a Zoom call Tuesday, the former Met and Yankee acknowledged his past transgressions made his road to Cooperstown more difficult.

“There’s no doubt the Astros situation has been a topic,” Beltrán said, adding that it wasn’t “positive” for him.

“At the end of the day, when I look at my career, when I look at the things in the game of baseball, there’s no doubt you’re gonna go through ups and downs,” Beltrán said. “You’re gonna make good decisions [and] you’re gonna make so-so decisions, right? And, also, you’re gonna make bad decisions.”

That includes his involvement in Houston’s plan to steal signs in 2017 — which included the banging of trash cans to alert hitters of pitches— including in the playoffs, when they beat the Yankees in the ALCS on their way to a championship in Beltrán’s final season of his playing career.

“When I retired from baseball, I thought everything I built… meaning like relationships and good people, I was able to relate myself with, I thought that was gonna be lost,’’ said Beltrán, who later worked for the Yankees and is currently a special advisor for the Mets. “Being back in the game, I still receive love from the people. I still receive love from the players. The teammates inside the clubhouse know the type of person that I am. At the same time, I understand that’s also a story I have to deal with.”

Now he can tell that story as a Hall of Famer, as Beltrán will be enshrined in July, alongside Andruw Jones and Jeff Kent, another former Met.

Carlos Beltrán’s involvement in the Astros sign-stealing scandal did not end up costing him a spot in the Hall of Fame. Paul J. Bereswill

Beltrán’s rise up the ballot was steady in his four years, beginning at 46.5 percent in his first year of eligibility to 70.3 percent last year. 

He’s wrestled with his reputation for years, telling The Post in 2022 that he knew many fans would not be as forgiving as some of his ex-teammates and even opponents.

“That’s a battle I will not win,” Beltrán said then of his standing with many fans. “No matter how much I try to excuse what I did in the whole situation, I will not win. I know that when I’m around [the ballpark] and around the players, they acknowledge me and shake my hand. The perception I had from the fans, I lost some of that.”

He remains respected around the game and said Tuesday he hasn’t given up on his goal of possibly managing.

Beltrán said the fact he’s able to work with the Mets and owner Steve Cohen has allowed him to stay “relevant” in the game and perhaps boosts his chances of getting back in the dugout after his first attempt was derailed by the reports of the scandal in 2019.

“Managing is something I’d love to try at some point if God gave me the opportunity,’’ Beltrán said.

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Australian Open 2026: De Minaur, Andreeva and Tiafoe in action on day four – live

Live updates from all of the action at Melbourne Park
Bencic outclasses Boulter | Sinner through | Mail Daniel

G’day and welcome to the Australian Open 2026 – day four!

There’s an absolutely indecent quantity of glorious tennis ready to enrich our working day. The pick of the night matches on our show courts features Maria Sakkari against Mirra Andreeva, a second tough assignment for the most precocious tenniser in the world, but don’t be surprised if the wily Hamed Medjedvoci gives Alex de Minaur more trouble than seems likely.

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Player Grades: Lakers vs. Nuggets

In back-to-back games, the Lakers have rallied in the second half to pull out wins. On Sunday against the Raptors, they trailed by three entering the fourth before coming out on top.

Then, on Tuesday in Denver, they were down by 14 entering the third quarter and shut down the Nuggets’ offense, holding them to just 36 points the rest of the way.

Winning games while trailing for most of them isn’t a recipe for success, but it was encouraging to see the Lakers fight back in both games and get victories against a pair of winning teams.

So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.

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LeBron James

34 minutes, 19 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 6 turnovers, 2 fouls, 8-15 FG, 1-1 3PT, 2-6 FT, +13

This was a complete game from LeBron. He attacked the paint all night long and was integral in LA’s comeback. His emphatic dunk in the fourth put an exclamation point on the game and killed any hopes the Nuggets had of winning.

Grade: B+

Jake LaRavia

27 minutes, 7 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 3 turnovers, 2 fouls, 3-5 FG, 0-2 3PT, 1-1 FT +4

LaRavia disappeared in this game. He didn’t bring much offense, the defense was poor and the rebounding was non-existent. If he is going to remain a starter, he has to be more consistent.

Grade: D

Deandre Ayton

15 minutes, 4 points, 8 rebounds, 1 foul, 2-5 FG, -1

Considering Ayton was ruled out for the second half, grading him feels a bit unfair. Overall, he was cleaning up the glass well and started a bit slow offensively. Hopefully, his eye injury isn’t too serious, and he can return soon.

Grade: B

Marcus Smart

31 minutes, 15 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 fouls, 4-9 FG, 3-6 3PT, 4-5 FT, +6

Smart was a second-half superstar for the purple and gold. All of his 15 points came after halftime. Not only did he score for LA, but he did his typical Smart things. He was hustling and flying around the court, being a ball of energy. The Lakers took that momentum and used it to change the trajectory of the game.

Grade: A-

Luka Dončić

36 minutes, 38 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals, 3 turnovers, 2 fouls, 12-21 FG, 3-9 3PT, 11-12 FT, -2

This was Luka’s first game since being named an All-Star as a Laker. He demonstrated why he was the NBA’s top vote-getter with his performance against the Nuggets.

In the first quarter, he was a perfect 6-6 from the field. As the game progressed, his rebounding and assists increased and he dismantled Denver.

This was a superstar performance from Dončić and a reminder that regardless of their current position in the league, the Lakers have a very bright future with Luka entering his prime.

Grade: A

Gabe Vincent

17 minutes, 5 points, 3 fouls, 1-2 FG, 1-2 3PT, 2-3 FT, +3

If Vincent’s shot isn’t falling, he doesn’t need to be playing. In this game, his shooting was limited, but his play helped more than it hurt.

Still, the minutes felt like a bit much given what he has provided since returning from his lower back injury.

Grade: C

Jaxson Hayes

23 minutes, 9 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 fouls, 4-5 FG, 1-4 FT, +16

With Ayton out, Hayes had to step up and he was fantastic. He did what he always does, and that’s score near the rim, be explosive and be a willing defender.

Grade: B+

Rui Hachimura

28 minutes, 9 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 fouls, 4-13 FG, 1-3 3PT, -2

This was the most Hachimura has played since returning from his calf injury. His scoring was efficient, but he looked much better and had a good rebounding game.

If he continues to play this well and no other Lakers step up, don’t be surprised if he’s back in the starting lineup during this road trip.

Grade: B–

Jarred Vanderbilt

18 minutes, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 foul, 0-2 FG, 0-1 3PT, -2

While Vanderbilt’s strongest qualities are on the defensive side of the ball, he needs to provide some offense as well. In this game, he scored no points and missed both shot attempts. The defense was good, and he gave the Lakers some size, but he needs to do more.

Grade: C+

Drew Timme

11 minutes, 9 points, 3 rebounds, 1 foul, 4-6 FG, 1-1 3PT, 0-1 FT, +5

Timme has been taking advantage of his opportunities. He had a great game against the Raptors, and the moment he checked in, he hit a 3-pointer at the top of the key.

He brought some offensive production and positive defensive energy to this game, helping LA earn a rare win in Denver.

Grade: B+

JJ Redick

Redick adjusted well to losing his starting center. He gave Timme more time, and he also made some other good moves, like increasing Hachimura’s minutes.

While Redick played 10 guys, he still ran a tight rotation, with everyone who played logging at least 10 minutes.

Grade: A

Tuesday’s DNPs: Maxi Kleber, Dalton Knecht, Kobe Bufkin, Bronny James

Tuesday’s inactives: Austin Reaves, Adou Thiero, Chris Mañon

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

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J.T. Miller Paints Positive Picture After Rangers' Loss To Kings

 Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
 Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers have come out empty-handed on their west coast road trip thus far, dropping a 5-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night and a 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night. 

The Rangers’ matchup against the Kings marked the homecoming of both Jonathan Quick and Vladislav Gavrikov back to Los Angeles. 

For Quick, who played against his former team just one day before his 40th birthday, was not as sentimental about his return to Los Angeles, given that he had played against the Kings a couple of times since his departure during the 2022-23 season, while also playing for multiple teams since then.

“It was three teams ago, right? Special going back to Vegas, Columbus — the more recent teams,” Quick said. “Obviously appreciate the fan support here in LA, while I was here.”   

For Gavrikov, on the other hand, it was his first time returning to Crypto.com Arena to play the Kings since signing a seven-year $49 million contract with the Rangers. 

He received a tribute video in the first period and spoke fondly about his time in Los Angeles after the game. 

“It was great,” Gavrikov said of his emotions watching the tribute video. “I have a lot of friends here, a lot of good memories of all the positivity, lucky to play here, and grateful to have met those people and be part of the organization." 

While the Rangers found themselves in a 2-2 game heading into the second period, thanks to goals from Will Cuylle and J.T. Miller, it was defensive zone lapses and struggles to break the puck out of their own zone that ultimately put them in a hole. 

In the middle frame, the Kings were able to capitalize on the Rangers’ mistakes and jumped to a 4-2 lead, which the Rangers were unable to comeback from. 

Despite some of their defensive woes and high-danger chances that they allowed, the Blueshirts actually held a 36-27 advantage in shots on net by the night’s end. 

The Rangers had numerous chances to climb back into this game, including during a 5-on-3 power play in the second period, but the theme of the season continues to be the team’s lack of scoring no matter how many chances they may generate, which was once again the story of Tuesday night’s loss. 

“We pride ourselves on getting the looks at the end of the day,” Miller said. “We were a shot or two from winning the last two games, so they are important. Gotta bear down in those situations, but at the end of the day it’s bittersweet. We are doing a lot of good things to get the looks.”

Jonathan Quick Makes Return To Los Angeles As His 40th Birthday Approaches Jonathan Quick Makes Return To Los Angeles As His 40th Birthday Approaches Jonathan Quick is set to start against his former team as the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a> take on the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night.&nbsp;

It’s now been three games since Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury submitted a letter to fans revealing the team’s plan to retool the roster. 

From Miller’s perspective, the Rangers have done a good job of blocking out the noise and feel they’ve actually elevated their game since the letter was issued. 

“There’s been a lot going on around us over the last week. Over the last few games, there’s a lot to like in our game,” Miller said. “It’s not going to be perfect, we are trying our a–s off. A lot of distractions, and I think we are just trying to learn and build and try to improve in some areas on a daily basis.”

The Rangers will be back in action on Friday night against the San Jose Sharks.

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Houston faces Philadelphia on 3-game win streak

Houston Rockets (26-15, fourth in the Western Conference) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (23-19, fifth in the Eastern Conference)

Philadelphia; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Houston seeks to extend its three-game win streak with a victory against Philadelphia.

The 76ers have gone 11-12 at home. Philadelphia scores 116.5 points and has outscored opponents by 1.1 points per game.

The Rockets are 11-12 in road games. Houston leads the Western Conference with 16.1 offensive rebounds per game led by Steven Adams averaging 4.5.

The 76ers' 13.0 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.4 more made shots on average than the 12.6 per game the Rockets allow. The Rockets are shooting 47.9% from the field, 1.4% higher than the 46.5% the 76ers' opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Tyrese Maxey is averaging 30 points, 6.7 assists and 2.1 steals for the 76ers. Joel Embiid is averaging 21.8 points and 6.2 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Kevin Durant is averaging 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists for the Rockets. Reed Sheppard is averaging 2.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: 76ers: 5-5, averaging 116.3 points, 42.3 rebounds, 22.8 assists, 10.6 steals and 6.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.3 points per game.

Rockets: 5-5, averaging 105.9 points, 50.1 rebounds, 21.9 assists, 7.7 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 43.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.7 points.

INJURIES: 76ers: Paul George: day to day (knee), Joel Embiid: day to day (injury management).

Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out (ankle).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Denver plays Washington, seeks 5th straight road win

Denver Nuggets (29-15, third in the Western Conference) vs. Washington Wizards (10-32, 14th in the Eastern Conference)

Washington; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Denver hits the road against Washington trying to continue its four-game road winning streak.

The Wizards are 6-14 on their home court. Washington allows the most points in the Eastern Conference, giving up 123.6 points and is allowing opponents to shoot 47.6%.

The Nuggets are 17-7 on the road. Denver averages 121.4 points and has outscored opponents by 4.4 points per game.

The Wizards' 12.6 made 3-pointers per game this season are just 0.5 fewer made shots on average than the 13.1 per game the Nuggets allow. The Nuggets are shooting 49.9% from the field, 2.3% higher than the 47.6% the Wizards' opponents have shot this season.

The teams play for the second time this season. The Nuggets won the last meeting 121-115 on Jan. 18. Jamal Murray scored 42 points to help lead the Nuggets to the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Alex Sarr is averaging 17.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks for the Wizards. Tre Johnson is averaging 12.9 points over the last 10 games.

Murray is averaging 26 points and 7.4 assists for the Nuggets. Peyton Watson is averaging 22 points and 6.2 rebounds over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Wizards: 2-8, averaging 110.5 points, 43.0 rebounds, 24.0 assists, 8.7 steals and 5.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.1 points per game.

Nuggets: 6-4, averaging 110.4 points, 36.8 rebounds, 25.1 assists, 6.0 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.0 points.

INJURIES: Wizards: Tristan Vukcevic: day to day (knee), Bilal Coulibaly: out (back), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), Trae Young: out (quad).

Nuggets: Cameron Johnson: out (knee), Tamar Bates: out (foot), Nikola Jokic: out (knee), Jonas Valanciunas: out (calf), Christian Braun: day to day (ankle).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Sacramento faces Toronto in non-conference play

Toronto Raptors (25-19, fourth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Sacramento Kings (12-32, 14th in the Western Conference)

Sacramento, California; Wednesday, 10 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Raptors -4.5; over/under is 223.5

BOTTOM LINE: Russell Westbrook and the Sacramento Kings host Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors in non-conference play.

The Kings are 9-15 on their home court. Sacramento has a 10-22 record against opponents above .500.

The Raptors are 13-9 on the road. Toronto is the NBA leader with 19.2 fast break points per game led by RJ Barrett averaging 4.0.

The Kings average 10.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.2 fewer makes per game than the Raptors allow (12.8). The Kings average 114.2 points per game, 6.5 fewer points than the 120.7 the Kings give up.

TOP PERFORMERS: Westbrook is averaging 15.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and seven assists for the Kings. Zach LaVine is averaging 2.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Immanuel Quickley is shooting 42.4% and averaging 16.3 points for the Raptors. Jamal Shead is averaging 1.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Kings: 4-6, averaging 110.3 points, 41.3 rebounds, 24.6 assists, 6.6 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.4 points per game.

Raptors: 5-4, averaging 115.4 points, 41.8 rebounds, 30.9 assists, 7.6 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.7 points.

INJURIES: Kings: Keegan Murray: out (ankle).

Raptors: Jakob Poeltl: day to day (back), Collin Murray-Boyles: day to day (thumb), RJ Barrett: day to day (ankle), Ja'Kobe Walter: day to day (hip).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Trail Blazers play the Heat on 3-game win streak

Miami Heat (23-21, eighth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (22-22, ninth in the Western Conference)

Portland, Oregon; Thursday, 10 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Portland will attempt to keep its three-game win streak alive when the Trail Blazers take on Miami.

The Trail Blazers are 12-10 in home games. Portland is fourth in the Western Conference in rebounding with 45.2 rebounds. Donovan Clingan paces the Trail Blazers with 10.9 boards.

The Heat are 8-14 on the road. Miami is sixth in the NBA with 45.7 rebounds per game led by Kel'el Ware averaging 9.8.

The Trail Blazers' 14.0 made 3-pointers per game this season are the same per game average that the Heat allow. The Heat average 119.5 points per game, 1.3 more than the 118.2 the Trail Blazers allow to opponents.

The teams square off for the second time this season. In the last meeting on Nov. 9 the Heat won 136-131 led by 29 points from Nikola Jovic, while Deni Avdija scored 33 points for the Trail Blazers.

TOP PERFORMERS: Clingan is scoring 11.3 points per game and averaging 10.9 rebounds for the Trail Blazers. Shaedon Sharpe is averaging 21.6 points and 4.8 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Bam Adebayo is averaging 17.2 points and 9.6 rebounds for the Heat. Norman Powell is averaging 19.7 points and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 49.6% over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Trail Blazers: 8-2, averaging 116.5 points, 44.6 rebounds, 23.9 assists, 7.9 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 46.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.2 points per game.

Heat: 4-6, averaging 115.0 points, 45.0 rebounds, 28.3 assists, 8.0 steals and 3.4 blocks per game while shooting 44.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.2 points.

INJURIES: Trail Blazers: Jerami Grant: day to day (achilles), Scoot Henderson: out (hamstring), Matisse Thybulle: out (thumb), Robert Williams III: day to day (knee), Jrue Holiday: day to day (calf), Blake Wesley: out (foot), Kris Murray: out (back), Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).

Heat: Tyler Herro: out (toe), Kel'el Ware: day to day (hamstring).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Clippers take on the Lakers, look for 4th straight home win

Los Angeles Lakers (26-16, fifth in the Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (19-24, 10th in the Western Conference)

Inglewood, California; Thursday, 10 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Clippers host the Los Angeles Lakers trying to prolong a three-game home winning streak.

The Clippers are 10-14 against Western Conference opponents. The Clippers have an 11-15 record in games decided by 10 or more points.

The Lakers are 4-5 against Pacific Division teams. The Lakers are 5-0 in games decided by less than 4 points.

The Clippers average 112.3 points per game, 4.2 fewer points than the 116.5 the Lakers give up. The Lakers are shooting 49.6% from the field, 2.6% higher than the 47.0% the Clippers' opponents have shot this season.

The teams meet for the third time this season. The Clippers won 103-88 in the last matchup on Dec. 21.

TOP PERFORMERS: Ivica Zubac is scoring 14.8 points per game with 10.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists for the Clippers.

Luka Doncic is scoring 33.5 points per game with 7.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists for the Lakers. LeBron James is averaging 22.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and seven assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Clippers: 7-3, averaging 112.5 points, 38.9 rebounds, 23.3 assists, 8.9 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.3 points per game.

Lakers: 5-5, averaging 113.4 points, 42.6 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 6.9 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.6 points.

INJURIES: Clippers: Kawhi Leonard: day to day (ankle), Bradley Beal: out for season (hip), Derrick Jones Jr.: out (knee), Bogdan Bogdanovic: out (hamstring).

Lakers: Austin Reaves: out (calf), Adou Thiero: out (knee), Deandre Ayton: day to day (eye).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.