BOSTON - 1986: Kevin McHale #32 of the Boston Celtics makes a move to the basket against Buck Williams #52 of the New Jersey Nets during a game played in 1986 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1986 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There’s no question that Larry Bird was the beating heart of the 1980’s and early ‘90’s Boston Celtics, but no one wins championships by themselves and one of Bird’s greatest teammates was Kevin McHale.
Hailing from Hibbing, Minnesota, McHale attended Minnesota before entering the NBA in 1980 when Red Auerbach pulled off a legendary trade: he swapped the #1 pick to Golden State for the #3 pick and Robert Parish.
The Warriors then took Purdue’s Joe Barry Carroll – quickly named Joe Barely Cares by NBA fans – and Boston had two future Hall of Famers.
McHale came off the bench as a sixth man for a few years before joining Bird and Parish as starters. And what a career he had.
McHale was celebrated for his footwork and his elegant post moves. In today’s game, there is less demand for this kind of play, but the guy was essentially unstoppable inside. Basketball is cyclical like most things, prone to fashionable ideas.
We’re basically out of the small ball era and a player who can consistently score inside is going to be a valuable asset. McHale is a great role model for those players.
Incidentally, for a small town, Hibbing has produced some remarkable people. Aside from McHale, Hibbing is the hometown of baseball legend Roger Maris, Vincent Bugliosi, who prosecuted Charles Manson and his stooges, Robert Mondavi, who sold a whole lot of wine, Gus Hall, who ran four times for U.S. president as the nominee of the U.S. Communist Party, Gary Puckett of Gary Puckett and the Union Gap and perhaps most famously, legendary musician Bob Dylan.
Plus there have been not one but two goalie fights.
Plenty still remains this season before the Stanley Cup is finally hoisted in June, starting when NHL players head to Milan, Italy, to play in the Olympics for the first time since 2014.
Here are the key dates for the rest of the 2025-26 season, starting with the upcoming Olympic break:
When is the Olympic break?
The NHL will take a break from Feb. 6-24 for the 2026 Winter Olympics. There are seven games on the schedule on Feb. 5. No trades can take place during the Olympic break.
When is the Olympic men's hockey tournament?
The tournament starts on Feb. 11 with two games. The USA opens play on Feb. 12 against Latvia. All teams will play three games during the round robin, which runs through Feb. 15. The top four teams get byes to the quarterfinals.
Playoff qualification games are on Feb. 17 for teams ranked fifth through 12th, quarterfinals are Feb. 18 and semifinals are Feb. 20.
The bronze medal game is Feb. 21 and the gold medal game is Sunday, Feb. 22.
Rose wins Farmers Insurance Open with 72-hole record
Total of 265 pips Woods’s 1999 mark by one
Justin Rose became the first wire-to-wire winner at Torrey Pines in 71 years, starting with a six-shot lead and never letting anyone get any closer to him Sunday as he closed with a two-under 70 to win the Farmers Insurance Open.
Rose opened with a 62 on the North course and never let up, playing even better on the South course that has hosted two US Opens. He broke the 72-hole tournament record at 23-under, 265, one better than Tiger Woods in 1999. George Burns also shot 266 in 1987. “Sorry, T-dub, if you’re watching,” Rose said.
First, a disclaimer: Brad Stevens often works in the shadows.
Some of Stevens’ most notable acquisitions as Celtics president of basketball operations have come relatively out of the blue (Derrick White, Kristaps Porzingis and Anfernee Simons, to name a few examples), while he’s tended to avoid popular names linked to Boston in trade rumors.
So, if you hear a name mentioned in the same sentence as the Celtics ahead of the NBA trade deadline (Thursday at 3 p.m. ET), that certainly doesn’t mean the player will wind up in Boston.
As you’ll see, the Celtics’ top priority appears to be adding frontcourt depth to augment Neemias Queta and Luka Garza. Stevens is hard to predict, however, so we’re not ruling out anything between now and Thursday.
Here’s a roundup of Celtics-related rumors, which we’ll update as the deadline gets closer.
Wednesday, Jan. 28: According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, Celtics big man Chris Boucher is drawing “exploratory interest” from the Hawks, Sixers and Suns, among other teams. Boucher has appeared in just nine games for Boston this season, so he’s an obvious trade candidate if the C’s can find a willing partner.
Tuesday, Jan. 27: Earlier this season, the Celtics reached out to the Clippers about a trade for big man Ivica Zubac, per HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto. While Zubac would be a great fit in Boston, Los Angeles has rebounded from a slow start to become a fringe playoff contender, which makes a deal seem unlikely.
Friday, Jan. 23: The Celtics are “in the marketplace” for “a big-time starting center,” ESPN’s Shams Charania reports. While Charania didn’t mention any specific names, Mavericks center Daniel Gafford is among potential trade candidates to watch this week.
Wednesday, Jan. 15: The Athletic’s Jay King cited Nets big man Nic Claxton as a potential target to watch ahead of the trade deadline. Claxton still has two additional years remaining on his contract and is making $25.4 million this season, so he wouldn’t come cheap.
Tuesday, Jan. 14: Matt Moore, author of the Hardwood Paroxysm newsletter, reports the Celtics have “long held interest” in Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. Memphis very well could move Jackson before the deadline, but the C’s would have to give up a haul for the former Defensive Player of the Year.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - DECEMBER 11: Anfernee Simons #4 of the Boston Celtics dribbles the basketball up court during the second half of the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on December 11, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
1. Dominant Defensive Performance
The Celtics held the Bucks to only 79 points, the lowest point total that a team has finished with against Boston this season. The previous low was 90 points against the New Orleans Pelicans on October 27th. After allowing 26 points in the first quarter, Boston only allowed 16 in the second, 19 in the third, and 18 in the fourth quarter.
When asked postgame if Joe Mazzulla changed any part of his defense after the first quarter, he said that they were just playing “a little bit more physical” but nothing else changed a whole lot. He highlighted the Bucks shooting 5-8 from three in the first quarter which is over their average three point percentage and that led to the defensive physicality going up and the Bucks shooting 5-26 from beyond the arc for the rest of the game.
Bucks Shooting Zone Chart (Via NBA.com)
2. Jaylen Brown Big Second Half
For the 26th time this season, Jaylen Brown has scored 30+ points in a game, finishing with 30 points and 13 rebounds on 12-20 shooting from the field and 4-6 from three. A lot of Brown’s impact came in the second half, scoring 22 of his 30 points and really iced the game early with a couple of big runs.
After scoring 8 points in the first half, Brown finished the third quarter with 12 points. Brown operated flawlessly in the midrange and scored the Celtics first 7 points of the second half. He started with a beautiful jumper over Kyle Kuzma on the baseline, then hit a wide open pull up jumper coming off a Neemias Queta screen, and finally he ended his midrange mastery with an And-1 jumper over Ryan Rollins. Brown wasn’t done in the third quarter however, splashing a three and drawing a goaltending against Myles Turner.
Moving on to the fourth quarter, the Bucks were on a 9-0 run midway through the quarter and cut the Celtics lead to 19. That was when Brown started another scoring tear, going on a personal 10-0 run to ice the game for Boston.
He started the run with a nice driving layup on Ryan Rollins. Then he moved on to a wide open three pointer on the wing. The next basket came off of a missed shot by Brown, but Queta made a nice save before it went out of bounds and he was able to get a second chance and make an easy layup. The final basket felt like the dagger in this game as Derrick White made a nice cross court pass to Brown for a wide open corner three, a Bucks timeout, and a loud cheer by the TD Garden crowd.
Anfernee Simons had a great game against the Bucks, finishing with 27 points shooting 10-18 from the field and 6-10 from three. This is the 9th time this season that Simons has scored over 20 points off of the bench this season and in this game he had an offensive explosion in the last 2:25 of the first quarter, scoring 11 straight points.
Simons began his offensive explosion with getting Gary Trent Jr. on an island and making a straight line drive to the basket for a layup. Next, Derrick White got a steal and found Simons wide open on the fast break for three. The third basket was arguably his best play of the night. Guarded by Pete Nance, Simons hit him with a nasty crossover and hit a step back three in his face. Finally for final bucket of the quarter, he shot a heat check three over Amir Coffey at the buzzer to tie the game.
If this was Anfernee Simons’ last game in TD Garden, he sure did go out with a bang and to a standing ovation from the TD Garden faithful as he checked out of the game.
4. Derrick White Great Offensive Performance
In a season with some offensive inconsistency from Derrick White, this game was one of his better all-around games this year. White finished with 17 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds on 6-14 shooting and you could feel the impact that he made with his scoring and playmaking.
After hitting two threes in the first quarter, White started to find his groove with two buckets in the second quarter and one in the third. In the last minute of the second quarter, White hit Myles Turner with a nice crossover and finished a layup over a good contest. The next basket had AJ Green on an island and White hit a pull up midrange jumper over him. Finally, around the start of the third quarter, he had another nice mid range jumper, getting wide open on bad defense by Kyle Kuzma.
Out of White’s eight assists, I would say he had three that really were really impressive. The first came in the first quarter off of a stolen pass by White where he found Anfernee Simons on the fast break for a three. The second came in fourth quarter where he drew the attention of three Bucks players and was able to find Neemias Queta wide open for a hook shot. Finally, White made a cross court pass to Brown who was wide open in the corner for three to seal the victory for the Celtics.
One battle that I was paying attention to in this game was Neemias Queta against Myles Turner. Queta was coming off of a dominant performance against the Sacramento Kings and I thought that with the lacking inside presence that Myles Turner presents, he could feast. My theory was proven correct in this case with Queta finishing with 14 points and 8 rebounds on 7-10 shooting while Turner finished with only 7 points and 4 rebounds on 2-8 shooting.
The first bucket he had came on play where he faked a handoff to Brown and turned the corner for a big slam that Turner just let happen because he wasn’t paying attention. Next one came when Queta was streaking down the court and took Turner one-on-one under the basket. After a few pump fakes, he was able to hit a nice hook shot. The third came in the second quarter when Jordan Walsh was cutting to the basket, Turner decided to double him on the baseline and was late to contest Queta who hit a wide open shot. Finally, Pritchard made a nice bounce pass to Queta under the basket that he was able to finish with a reverse layup over Turner.
Jordan Walsh’s final stat-line of 6 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block on 2-6 shooting might not look impressive but if you watched the game you would know how much of a menace he was on the Bucks all night long.
Starting with the two baskets Walsh made, both of them were an instance that he was able to make something out of nothing. The first came on a pass from Brown who wasn’t intending to pass it to Walsh, but it ended up with on the perimeter. To save the play, Walsh pump faked a wide open three that Pete Nance bit on and drove to the basket to finish a tough layup. The second bucket he scored was a similar driving layup over Nance that he finished with an and-1.
Walsh’s rebounding was the big story however, as all 5 of his rebounds on the night came as offensive rebounds. These were the highlights of his hustle play in this game and was a big reason why the Celtics won the rebounding battle.
Hugo Gonzalez finished with 0 points in this game so you would think there isn’t anything to talk about with his performance but I really liked the way he played in this game. He also had 5 rebounds and 2 steals and similar to Jordan Walsh, Hugo was terrorizing the Bucks on defense, making the extra effort.
His 2 steals in this game were some great plays, the first coming on a play where Ryan Rollins air mailed a pass that Hugo was tracking like Christian Gonzalez on the Patriots, and started a fast break. The second came in the fourth quarter where White back-tapped Kyle Kuzma. Gonzalez ran with the steal and found Derrick Whtie who ended up getting fouled on his shot attempt. Hugo had a couple miscues on offense in this game that would have given him some easy baskets, but in 17 minutes that were played, he was a +11 overall, showcasing his positive impact.
Without Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks really have no presence under neath the basket and it showed in the points in the paint battle. Boston outscored them 42-28 and with Milwaukee’s three point shooting falling off a cliff throughout the game, that was the biggest outlier for their loss. Not only did they get manhandled there, they lost the rebounding battle as well. The Celtics out-rebounded the Bucks 52-40 and 17 of Boston’s rebounded were on the offensive side. Just a dominant paint performance by the Celtics.
9. Positive Assist-Turnover Ratio
After only turning the ball over 7 times against Sacramento on Friday, Boston continued their streak of limiting turnovers with only 9 against Milwaukee while forcing 10 against the Bucks. This is huge for the Celtics because turnovers have been a big deal in a lot of Boston’s losses so the face they were limited today was great. Not only were the Celtics great with the turnovers, but they also finished with 24 assists on the night. A lot of these assists resulted in wide open shots as the Bucks defense was a step behind the Celtics on what felt like every possession. If Boston shot even a little bit better than the 15-42 (36%) from three, the Celtics probably win this game by 50 points.
10. Pioneers Classic Champs
The Bucks vs Celtics game today was the Pioneers Classic Game celebrating the 75th anniversary of the NBA’s first black players Chuck Cooper, Earl Llyod, and Nathaniel “Sweetwater” Clifton. Cooper made history with the Celtics, becoming the first black player to get drafted to the NBA in the second round of the 1950 NBA Draft. Cooper is in the Basketball Hall of Fame and played 6 seasons in the NBA, 4 of which with the Boston Celtics but also with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks and the Fort Wayne Pistons. Boston also honored other legends in this game, including the families of Bill Russell, Tom “Satch” Sanders, K.C. Jones, and Sam Jones.
Boston was able dominate Milwaukee all night long, winning 107-79 and receiving the inaugural Pioneers Classic Trophy. Jaylen Brown was given the trophy in his postgame interview and said “What an honor to be able to celebrate the legacy of the people that came before us.”
"What an honor to be able to celebrate the legacy of the people that came before us."
It appears the Milwaukee Bucks might actually be interested in dealing superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo before the NBA’s Feb. 5 trade deadline.
After the Bucks reportedly started listening to trade offers for the two-time MVP last week, when he expressed his desire to play elsewhere, Milwaukee is doing more than just listening while deciding whether to trade its franchise icon before Thursday’s deadline or wait until the offseason.
ESPN’s Shams Charania joined “SportsCenter” on Sunday night and shared the latest on where negotiations stand between the Bucks and interested teams.
“Over the weekend, the Bucks remain engaged with NBA teams that have interest, that have given aggressive proposals,” Charania said. “My understanding is they’ve submitted counteroffers to those aggressive proposals as well.”
Whether the Bucks trade the 10-time All-Star before Thursday’s deadline or wait until the offseason remains to be seen and almost certainly will depend on whether one of the interested teams can put together an offer compelling enough to convince Milwaukee to deal Antetokounmpo now as opposed to over the summer, when his trade market could be more robust.
“The Heat, Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, the New York Knicks, those have been the most serious suitors in the mix so far for Giannis, but it all comes down to the price point for him, right?” Charania explained.
“A young player and a surplus of draft picks. So who meets that mark between now and the next four days up until Thursday’s NBA trade deadline? The Bucks have to manage the risk and reward, whether you do a deal now or you wait until the offseason when Giannis only has one year left. That gives him even more control to figure out and dictate his future in the offseason.”
If the Bucks indeed are sending out counteroffers to interested teams, that’s a strong indicator that one of the biggest trades in league history might be right around the corner.
LeBron James has been selected for a record-extending 22nd consecutive NBA All-Star game by being named among the reserves from the Western Conference.
The 41-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star was not selected as a starter in January but was among the seven reserves chosen from each of the Eastern and Western Conferences by NBA coaches.
James, who missed his side's first 14 matches of the 2025-26 campaign because of sciatica, has played 31 times this season and is averaging 21.9 points per game.
"It wasn't a goal of mine to come into the season, miss the first 14 games and say, 'OK, I can be an All-Star'," James told reporters after playing in the Lakers' 112-100 defeat against the New York Knicks.
"I just wanted to get back to playing the game at a high level I knew I was capable of once I kind of worked the rust off of missing pre-season, training camp and my summer workouts, which I've never done in my whole career.
"So I didn't think about the All-Star Game, to be honest."
James was selected for the NBA All-Star game in 2025 but did not play because he picked up an injury.
Kevin Durant, who plays for the Houston Rockets, Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns and Anthony Edwards from the Minnesota Timberwolves were also selected as a Western Conference reserves.
The All-Star game has been revamped this season and will feature two teams of players from the United States and one team of international players.
They will compete in a round-robin tournament of four 12-minute games. The top two teams will then face each other in a championship game.
João Pedro stepping up for Rosenior, Arsenal frontmen show their teeth and stretched Liverpool are fighting on
João Pedro is enjoying life under Liam Rosenior. The versatile Brazil forward was excellent after coming on at half-time against West Ham. João Pedro, who has five goals in his last five games, helped Chelsea complete their comeback from 2-0 down by scoring his side’s first and then creating Enzo Fernandez’s stoppage-time winner. Chelsea chose well when they beat Newcastle to the signing of the 24-year-old from Brighton last summer. João Pedro was excellent at the Club World Cup, but despite dealing with fitness issues has still has 12 goals in all competitions this season. Capable of playing as either a No 9 or a No 10, the Brazilian was important for Enzo Maresca but has improved since the Italian’s departure. “I’ve had very, very good conversations with him already, probably four in my office,” Rosenior said last week. “I think he’s sick of my office, where I’ve said to him ‘If you play with intensity with your quality, the quality comes out’.” Jacob Steinberg
Fantasy hockey managers looking to tinker with their rosters will benefit from zeroing in on specific categories. Whether you are looking for long-term fits or short-term options, there should be a plethora of potential pickups to help your squads. Due to the Olympic Break, Week 18 in Yahoo leagues will go from Monday, Feb. 2, to Sunday, March 1. Weekly transaction limits will not change during that period.
Let's get into this week's suggestions for your consideration.
Akira Schmid, G, Golden Knights (31% rostered) for Starts/Wins
Schmid has a 15-6-6 record this season with two shutouts and a 2.55 goals-against average. He has been working in a timeshare with Adin Hill, as both netminders have struggled recently. Schmid has lost his last three outings (0-2-1) while allowing 10 goals on 77 shots, but he had a four-game winning streak before that, with 88 saves on 96 shots. He could get back on track against the last-placed Canucks if he starts on Wednesday in the first half of a back-to-back for the Golden Knights. Vegas also concludes Week 18 with three games after the Olympics.
Gustav Forsling, D, Panthers (31% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots/Blocks
Forsling is on pace to reach at least the 30-point plateau for a fifth straight regular season. While he continues to struggle with offensive consistency, he has chipped in four assists in the last four games. He has four shots on goal, three blocked shots and one power-play helper over that span. The 29-year-old defender has 64 shots, 59 blocks and 38 hits through 54 outings this campaign. Florida plays three times before the break and has another three-game week after the Olympics.
Anthony Mantha, LW/RW, Penguins (29% rostered) for Goals/Points/Shots
Mantha has amassed five goals, 11 points and 15 shots on net over his past eight appearances. He has netted five goals on eight shots while adding three helpers and a plus-6 rating during his four-game point streak. He has three multipoint efforts and an incredibly unsustainable shooting percentage over that span, but he has been a valuable middle-six forward this campaign. He ranks second on the team with 19 goals and 31 even-strength points through 53 appearances. Pittsburgh plays three times this week and has another three matches after the break to finish Week 18.
Claude Giroux, LW/RW, Senators (26% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots/Hits
Giroux has accounted for one goal, five assists (two on the power play), 11 shots on net, five blocked shots and 12 hits in his last eight games. He has reached the scoresheet in two straight outings while posting one goal on five shots and one helper. The veteran forward sits third on the team with 28 assists. He has been skating on the top line with Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson, who rank first and second, respectively, on the club in scoring. Ottawa plays five times in Week 18, including three before the break.
Justin Sourdif, C/RW, Capitals (13% rostered) for Goals/Points/Shots/Hits
Sourdif has generated nine goals, 16 points, 31 shots on net and 14 hits in his last 14 appearances. Despite missing three games due to injury, he is tied with Dylan Strome for the most points (14) among Washington forwards since the calendar flipped to 2026. Sourdif has three goals, three assists, 16 shots, four blocks and seven hits in the past six matches. He has been superb in the team's middle six this campaign while developing chemistry with Tom Wilson, who leads the Capitals in goals and points. Washington plays six times in Week 18, including three contests before the break.
Alexander Wennberg, C, Sharks (10% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots/Blocks/Faceoffs
Wennberg hasn't gone more than two straight games without picking up at least one point in his last 24 appearances. He has five goals and 18 assists during that span, including five power-play points (three goals, two assists). He also has accumulated 37 of his 70 blocked shots during that stretch. He sits third among all forwards in blocks this season. Wennberg leads the Sharks with 415 faceoff wins, albeit with a 44.8 winning percentage. He is averaging a career-high 20:48 of ice time per game while skating on the second line and occupying a first-unit power-play spot. He's on pace to reach the 55-point plateau for the second time in his NHL career. San Jose has two games this week and three more after the Olympics to complete Week 18.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau, C/RW, Islanders (10% rostered) for Goals/Points/Shots/Hits/Faceoffs
Across his past eight contests, Pageau has compiled five goals, seven points, 13 shots on target and 13 hits. He has notched 12 goals and 24 points through 47 appearances this season. He also sits second on the team with 413 faceoff wins and has a career-best 60 winning percentage. The third line of the Islanders is leading the charge offensively recently, making Pageau a solid option. The Islanders play six times in Week 18, including three contests before the Olympics.
Jack Quinn, RW, Sabres (8% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots/PP
Over his last 12 games, Quinn has collected five tallies and 12 points. His four-game point streak ended in Saturday's 4-2 loss to Montreal, but he logged 17:28 of ice time, including 5:23 on the man advantage. He is producing from the second line, and his promotion to the first power-play unit should boost his fantasy value. Buffalo plays six times during Week 18, including three times before the break.
Max Domi, C/LW, Maple Leafs (6% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots
After a slow start this season, Domi ramped up his production in January. He has generated five goals on 27 shots and 13 points in his last 16 outings. The 30-year-old forward has three goals and four helpers during his five-game point streak. He has been effective on the top line skating alongside Auston Matthews, but he does not have a spot on the first power-play unit. Still, Domi could be a worthy pickup for at least Toronto's final two games before the break. The team also plays three times in four nights after the Olympics to wrap up Week 18.
Barrett Hayton, C, Mammoth (3% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots/Faceoffs
Across his last nine outings, Hayton has three goals, seven points, 25 shots on target, five blocked shots and five hits. He has landed on the scoresheet in four of the past five games while earning five points (two goals, three assists). The 25-year-old center also has one tally and two helpers during his three-game point streak. Hayton ranks second on the team with 301 faceoff wins and has won 53.1% of his draws this campaign. He skates on the second line and works with the top power-play unit. Utah plays twice this week and three more times immediately following the break.
Schedule awareness is one of the simplest ways to gain a weekly advantage in fantasy basketball. Knowing when game volume and matchups align allows managers to make sharper lineup decisions, build more effective streaming plans and extract additional value from the waiver wire. In this article, we will analyze the weekly schedule to plan for optimal roster management.
Days with fewer than six games
These are dates to target players for streaming options from the following teams:
Monday, Feb. 2 - NOP at CHA, HOU at IND, MIN at MEM, PHI at LAC
Teams with more than three games this week
Make sure to activate players and target weekly pickups from the following teams:
vs. Timberwolves, at Kings, at Trail Blazers, at Trail Blazers
The Grizzlies open with their toughest opponent of the week, as they take on the Timberwolves, who are limiting opponents to the league's fifth-lowest field-goal percentage. However, they also give up the third-most points per game to opposing point guards, which could allow Ty Jerome to build on a solid showing in his last outing. Up next, the Grizzlies meet with the Kings, who give up the league's fourth-most points, along with the second-most points in the paint per game and the second-highest field-goal percentage.
With a handful of injuries among the Grizzlies' lineup, Cedric Coward has a great opportunity to step up on the offensive end and take advantage of the lackluster defense. Moving ahead, the Grizzlies close the week with back-to-back games against the Trail Blazers, who give up the league's eighth-most points and most turnovers per game. They also give up the fourth-most points per game to opposing centers, which provides an ideal chance for Jaren Jackson Jr., Santi Aldama, and Jock Landale to prosper.
Toronto Raptors
vs. Timberwolves, vs. Bulls, vs. Pacers
The Raptors open their week against a tough opponent in the Timberwolves, but they have the personnel to take advantage at the point-guard position, where Immanuel Quickley and Jamal Shead have been doing a good job lately. Up next, a meeting with the Bulls, who give up the league's fifth-most points, including the fourth-most points in the paint per game. Raptors forwards Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram do a great job getting to the lane for easy buckets and should look to make the most of the opportunity. Finally, the Raptors close the week with another favorable matchup, as they take on the Pacers, who give up the league's sixth-most points per game and the fifth-highest field-goal percentage. They also give up the third-most points in the paint, which again favors the aforementioned players, while guys like Collin Murray-Boyles and Sandro Mamukelashvili should also find room to stand out.
Milwaukee Bucks
vs. Bulls, vs. Pelicans, vs. Pacers
The Bucks begin Week 16 against the Bulls, who are struggling on the defensive end, especially guarding the interior, as they give up the league's fifth-most points per game to opposing centers and the most points per game to opposing power forwards. Despite missing Giannis Antetokounmpo from the lineup, the Bucks should still be able to make the most of the situation by following the lead of Bobby Portis, Kyle Kuzma and Myles Turner, who will be in an ideal position to thrive.
Next, the Bucks meet with the Pelicans, who give up the league's third-most points, including the second-most 3-pointers per game and seventh-highest field-goal percentage. This should be a matchup where Ryan Rollins, A.J. Green and Gary Trent Jr. look to step up and use their long-distance shooting to claim the upper hand. Finally, the Bucks finish up the week against the Pacers, who give up the league's second-most free throws and fourth-most rebounds per game, which once again should allow space for the Bucks' bigs to make their mark, while drives to the basket to draw fouls will be an area where the entire squad must look to contribute.
Miami Heat
vs. Hawks, at Celtics, at Wizards
The Heat begin their week against the Hawks, who have yet to find stability on the defensive end, as they give up the league's seventh-most points per game and eighth-highest field-goal percentage. They also give up the fifth-most rebounds per game, which should mean a great opportunity for Bam Adebayo and Kel'el Ware to establish an advantage down low. Moving ahead, the Heat take on the Celtics, who, although they sit in third place in the East, also give up the league's fifth-most 3-pointers per game. Guys like Andrew Wiggins, Norman Powell and Pelle Larsson will be critical in ensuring their squad can derive the most benefit from downtown. Lastly, the Heat clash with the Wizards, who have one of the worst defenses in the league, giving up the second-most points, along with the fourth-most free throws and most rebounds per game. They also give up the fifth-most points in the paint. This poses a prime opportunity for guys like Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Simone Fontecchio to flourish.
Atlanta Hawks
at Heat, vs. Jazz, vs. Hornets
The Hawks open the week against the Heat, who give up the league's ninth-most points and second-most rebounds per game. The battle on the interior will be critical in determining which side comes out on top, putting the pressure on Jalen Johnson to adjust, especially if Onyeka Okongwu remains sidelined. However, Okongwu could also be ready to go, which would be a major benefit for his side in that specific area. Up next, the Hawks encounter the Jazz, who give up the league's most points, including the most 3-pointers per game and the second-highest field-goal percentage. They also give up the league's second-most turnovers per game.
Finally, the Hawks wrap their week against the Hornets, who give up the league's seventh-highest 3-point shooting percentage and sixth-most turnovers per game. Dyson Daniels, who averages 1.9 steals per game, is the perfect candidate to pad his stats on the defensive end in the matchup. The Hawks have a handful of top-notch shooters, including CJ McCollum, Luke Kennard and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who will likely find the chance to get going.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - JANUARY 30: The Boston Bruins logo is seen behind a skeleton prior to the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series game between the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning at Raymond James Stadium on January 30, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Oy.
1st Period
Things did not start well at all. Brandon Hagel ended up getting the opening goal within the first 11 seconds of the game after beating his defender clean on body position, and put the puck straight past Swayman for the Lightning to go up 1-0.
Mercifully, the Bruins managed to take advantage of their foes being a bit off-kilter, and Alex Steeves got a centering feed from Michael Eyssimont to tie the game up! 1-1 Everybody.
Not too long after this, a significant amount of nonsense occured. There were mass scrums, there was a goalie fight after Jeremy Swayman decided he needed to take out Brandon Hagel…
…and there were penalties. Oh man, were there penalties.
Those penalties came up big for the Lightning. Very big.
First, Oliver Bjorkstrand got a rebound out of a net-front scramble…
While there will be much discussion of the second period and the validity of the penalties called, the sad reality is that the Bruins had plenty of opportunity at even strength during this period to respond, and unfortunately the team that met the moment was the Lightning, and Nikita Kucherov in specific. No penalties, no man disadvantages, just a great pass and a good shot. 5-5 Everybody.
Your TOI Leader was Charlie McAvoy, who logged 30:19 tonight.
This was a winnable game that the Boston Bruins got suckered into giving away. The Bruins got up big thanks to good hard work and an early command of the unusual ice, which seemed to flummox the Lightning and seemingly caused Vasilevskiy to have trouble with tracking the puck. Things were looking really, really good, and then the Lightning started drawing some attention, and that attention turned into violence, which turned into a series of penalties that were either inexplicable to call or completely avoidable. Regardless of what you think of the Lightning, they are still full of extremely talented players, and those talented players made mincemeat of the B’s 5-on-3 PK, which allowed them a chance to get back into this one, and for all the hemming and hawwing we’ve done and will continue to do about those penalties, the game tying goal and the game-starting goal were even strength tallies made by forwards beating the backcheck in front of them fair and square and in extremely inconvenient times. OT wasn’t much better, and while Swayman did what he could in the shootout, Jake Guentzel was just too much. Boston falls to 4-2-0 in Outdoor games.
The refereeing in this game was, to put it nicely, complete and total buttcheeks. Granted, and given how unhappy we are right now I think we can admit some of the penalties that Boston got through the 2nd and 3rd period were genuine, reckless, and frankly idiotic to take, others were just bizarrely enforced or late whistled or just missed entirely. The Lightning went 3-for-8 tonight where Boston only went 1-for-3 on the power play, and Tampa was only short-handed during the 1st period. That should say everything.
I will stop short at calling this game rigged or something like that. Boston made a hard pivot towards a more conservative, defensive shell game after the nightmarish 2nd period and allowed the Lightning to slowly find cracks in their defense; not exactly hard to do given the talent on display. They might’ve been let back in after a major kerfuffle, but the refs are just bad at their jobs, and the Lightning are great at gaming bad refs. Sometimes this becomes enormously apparent like tonight. Right now, the Bruins aren’t good enough to overcome that. The longer term goal is getting to the point where you can. B’s
Jeremy Swayman faced almost 45 shots tonight; a vast majority of which happened in the second half of the second period. That’s as much an indictment on the defense in front of him as it is the fact he had a truncated version of that defense in front of him for most of the 2nd period. That .891 SV% does not even begin to tell the whole story; he made some heroic saves to keep this team in a truly frustratingly wonky game. He also fought Andrei Vasilevskiy tonight, which I’m sure he enjoyed. Maybe if you wanna goalie fight you should have a couple of practice rounds in your pads at Warrior. Just to get the form.
I had to watch the NHL in ASL broadcast and I highly recommend it; the ESPN broadcast was miserable as it usually is, and the ASL broadcast by comparison was nothing but crowd noise, basic information, and only occasionally some missed shots but that was a function of the main camera. I can’t vouch for the ASL commentators’ performance, but they both seemed pretty engaged with what was going on and updated the viewer frequently.
Tonight, the Bruins lost. They played out on dogs#!t ice, got up big, lost it all thanks to bad penalties and even worse refereeing, and still pulled a point off of the division leaders and are rapidly coming for Colorado’s hide in the race for the President’s Trophy. Last time, the B’s were the ones to come back and nearly make it an extra time game. They now know they can at least hang, at least for a little bit. Now they have to start thinking about whether or not they can survive a playoff series against this team; because if things hold as they are, the Bruins will face the Lightning again in April; both in the regular season and playoffs. Plenty of decisions to be made; pre-Olympic deadline is almost here, and the post-Olympic deadline isn’t that far off afterwards. Much to consider here, and let’s hope Don Sweeney is ready to make the best decision for the long-term health of this squad.
Still just two points at the beginning of February. The game was dramatic and stupid but you gotta get on the bus to Sunrise anyway.
The Bruins have their final game before the Olympic break on Wednesday, when they take on the Florida Panthers. That game drops the puck at 7pm EST. It’s a TNT/HBO game, so adjust your watching accordingly.
Boston Celtics (31-18, third in the Eastern Conference) vs. Dallas Mavericks (19-30, 11th in the Western Conference)
Dallas; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Dallas aims to end its three-game home slide with a win against Boston.
The Mavericks have gone 14-14 in home games. Dallas leads the Western Conference with 35.0 defensive rebounds per game led by Anthony Davis averaging 8.0.
The Celtics are 15-10 on the road. Boston is ninth in the Eastern Conference scoring 116.1 points per game and is shooting 46.9%.
The Mavericks average 11.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.2 fewer makes per game than the Celtics allow (14.2). The Celtics are shooting 46.9% from the field, 0.8% higher than the 46.1% the Mavericks' opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cooper Flagg is scoring 19.8 points per game with 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists for the Mavericks. Naji Marshall is averaging 18.0 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 54.4% over the last 10 games.
Payton Pritchard is scoring 16.8 points per game and averaging 4.3 rebounds for the Celtics. Jaylen Brown is averaging 26.1 points and 8.0 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Mavericks: 5-5, averaging 118.4 points, 46.8 rebounds, 25.6 assists, 7.7 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.5 points per game.
Celtics: 7-3, averaging 114.1 points, 47.2 rebounds, 24.3 assists, 7.2 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.1 points.
INJURIES: Mavericks: Dereck Lively II: out for season (foot), P.J. Washington: day to day (head), Brandon Williams: day to day (leg), Kyrie Irving: out (knee), Dante Exum: out for season (knee), Anthony Davis: out (hand).
Celtics: Jayson Tatum: out (achilles).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Chicago Bulls (24-26, ninth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (18-29, 12th in the Eastern Conference)
Milwaukee; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Milwaukee heads into the matchup against Chicago after losing five in a row.
The Bucks are 14-17 in Eastern Conference games. Milwaukee averages 13.8 turnovers per game and is 8-8 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponents.
The Bulls are 3-8 against Central Division teams. Chicago ranks fifth in the league scoring 17.9 fast break points per game. Ayo Dosunmu leads the Bulls averaging 3.6.
The Bucks' 14.5 made 3-pointers per game this season are just 0.7 more made shots on average than the 13.8 per game the Bulls allow. The Bulls average 14.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.5 more makes per game than the Bucks give up.
The teams meet for the third time this season. In the last matchup on Dec. 28 the Bucks won 112-103 led by 29 points from Giannis Antetokounmpo, while Coby White scored 16 points for the Bulls.
TOP PERFORMERS: Ryan Rollins is scoring 16.5 points per game with 4.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists for the Bucks. Bobby Portis is averaging 14.1 points and 7.6 rebounds while shooting 46.9% over the past 10 games.
Nikola Vucevic is averaging 16.9 points, nine rebounds and 3.8 assists for the Bulls. White is averaging 3.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Bucks: 2-8, averaging 103.0 points, 41.5 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 7.0 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 44.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.6 points per game.
Bulls: 5-5, averaging 116.2 points, 44.3 rebounds, 30.4 assists, 6.3 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.0 points.
INJURIES: Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo: out (calf), Gary Harris: day to day (hamstring), Kevin Porter Jr.: out (oblique), Taurean Prince: out (neck).
Bulls: Noa Essengue: out for season (shoulder), Zach Collins: out (toe), Kevin Huerter: out (back), Tre Jones: out (hamstring), Josh Giddey: out (hamstring), Jalen Smith: out (calf).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
New York Knicks (31-18, second in the Eastern Conference) vs. Washington Wizards (13-35, 14th in the Eastern Conference)
Washington; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: New York is looking to continue its six-game win streak with a victory over Washington.
The Wizards are 8-19 against Eastern Conference opponents. Washington averages 15.2 turnovers per game and is 7-6 when it wins the turnover battle.
The Knicks are 21-11 in conference games. New York ranks sixth in the Eastern Conference with 26.8 assists per game led by Jalen Brunson averaging 6.1.
The Wizards are shooting 45.8% from the field this season, 0.4 percentage points lower than the 46.2% the Knicks allow to opponents. The Knicks average 15.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.2 more made shots on average than the 13.8 per game the Wizards allow.
The teams square off for the second time this season. The Knicks won the last meeting 119-102 on Nov. 4, with Karl-Anthony Towns scoring 33 points in the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kyshawn George is shooting 44.6% and averaging 15.5 points for the Wizards. Bub Carrington is averaging 2.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Mikal Bridges is scoring 15.7 points per game and averaging 4.2 rebounds for the Knicks. OG Anunoby is averaging 18.8 points and 5.2 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Wizards: 3-7, averaging 110.4 points, 43.2 rebounds, 25.7 assists, 9.7 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 44.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.8 points per game.
Knicks: 6-4, averaging 110.3 points, 48.5 rebounds, 26.3 assists, 8.8 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 100.9 points.
INJURIES: Wizards: Tristan Vukcevic: out (hamstring), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), Tre Johnson: out (ankle), Alex Sarr: out (calf), Trae Young: out (quad).
Knicks: Miles McBride: out (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Phoenix Suns (30-20, seventh in the Western Conference) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (23-27, 10th in the Western Conference)
Portland, Oregon; Tuesday, 11 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Portland will try to end its five-game slide when the Trail Blazers take on Phoenix.
The Trail Blazers have gone 18-14 against Western Conference teams. Portland has a 9-12 record in games decided by 10 or more points.
The Suns are 20-14 against Western Conference opponents. Phoenix is third in the Western Conference with 15.7 fast break points per game led by Devin Booker averaging 3.4.
The Trail Blazers average 14.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.9 more made shots on average than the 12.1 per game the Suns allow. The Suns average 113.8 points per game, 4.1 fewer than the 117.9 the Trail Blazers give up to opponents.
The teams square off for the second time this season. In the last meeting on Nov. 19 the Suns won 127-110 led by 19 points from Booker, while Shaedon Sharpe scored 29 points for the Trail Blazers.
TOP PERFORMERS: Donovan Clingan is shooting 51.8% and averaging 11.1 points for the Trail Blazers. Sharpe is averaging 22.9 points over the last 10 games.
Dillon Brooks is scoring 21.1 points per game and averaging 3.6 rebounds for the Suns. Collin Gillespie is averaging 3.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Trail Blazers: 4-6, averaging 110.1 points, 47.8 rebounds, 21.6 assists, 8.6 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 44.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.0 points per game.
Suns: 6-4, averaging 109.7 points, 41.0 rebounds, 23.1 assists, 9.5 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 44.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.3 points.
INJURIES: Trail Blazers: Deni Avdija: out (back), Scoot Henderson: out (hamstring), Matisse Thybulle: out (knee), Jrue Holiday: out (personal), Vit Krejci: out (ankle), Kris Murray: out (back), Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).
Suns: Jalen Green: out (hip), Devin Booker: out (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
