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How to watch Thunder vs. Cavs: TV/live stream info, preview for MLK Day Quadruple header on NBC, Peacock

The NBA's Martin Luther King Jr. Day slate on Monday features four exciting matchups on NBC and Peacock. The quadruple header tips off with the Milwaukee Bucks vs the Atlanta Hawks at 1:00 PM ET. The Oklahoma City face the Cleveland Cavaliers at 2:30 PM ET, and the Dallas Mavericks take on the New York Knicks at 5:00 PM ET. The day wraps up with an Eastern Conference showdown between the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons at 8:00 PM ET. Live coverage begins at 12:00 PM ET on NBC and Peacock.

See below for additional information on how to watch all four games and follow all of the NBA action on NBCSN and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the course of the 2025-2026 season.

Click here to sign up for Peacock!

Oklahoma City Thunder Storylines

The Thunder's five-game win streak was snapped on Saturday with a 122-120 loss to the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center. ShaiGilgeous-Alexander posted 39 points, and ChetHolmgren contributed 14 points and 11 rebounds for his fourth double-digit rebounding effort in five outings. AaronWiggins (18 points) and AjayMitchell (15 points) led the bench in scoring.

At 35-8, the Thunder lead the Association in wins and sit atop the Western Conference standings, 5.5 games ahead of the San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets. They'll look to defend their title and become the first team since the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors to win back-to-back championships.

RELATED: Four things to watch for during Martin Luther King Jr. Day NBA quadruple header on NBC

Cleveland Cavaliers Storylines

The Cavaliers came back from 11 points down in the fourth quarter to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 117-115 on Friday night for a second straight win. JaylonTyson scored a career-high 39 points and dished to EvanMobley for a game-winning dunk with 4.8 seconds left. De'Andre Hunter added 16 points off the bench, Mobley finished with 15, and DonovanMitchell posted 13 points, nine rebounds and 12 assists.

Mitchell is scoring a career-high 29.2 points per game, and he's looking to finish the season as the first Cavalier to average at least that many since LeBronJames averaged 29.7 in the 2009-10 campaign.

Monday's matchup will be the first meeting of the Thunder and Cavaliers this season. The teams faced off twice last season, and the home team won both matchups.

RELATED: Dominique Wilkins reflects on first MLK Day games 40 years ago, honor of playing on day

How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs Cleveland Cavaliers:

  • When: Monday, January 19
  • Where: Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH
  • Time: 2:30 PM ET
  • Live Stream: Peacock and NBCSN
  • TV Channel: NBC

What other NBA games are on NBC and Peacock for MLK Day?

How to watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock:

Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.

Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.

How to sign up for Peacock:

Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You’ll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.

NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule

Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.

What devices does Peacock support?

You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.

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Stailee Heard's triple-double highlights Oklahoma State women's 86-58 drubbing of No. 19 Iowa State

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Stailee Heard had 18 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists and Oklahoma State routed No. 19 Iowa State 86-58 on Sunday, sending the reeling Cyclones to their fifth consecutive loss.

It was Heard's first career triple-double and the third in Oklahoma State history. She is averaging 20.8 points over the past four games.

Before Sunday, Iowa State's losing streak included only one loss by double digits. Oklahoma State's 13-0 run in the middle of the second quarter put the Cyclones down by 16 points and they never recovered.

Oklahoma State went on to score 30 points in the second period and led 43-21 at halftime. Micah Gray hit three 3-pointers and scored 12 points in the quarter and the Cowgirls shot 61%.

In the third quarter, the Cyclones cut into their 22-point halftime deficit and had it down to 51-35 before Haleigh Timmer scored 10 points in a 15-0 run that made it 66-35 after the third quarter.

Entering the fourth, Audi Crooks and Jada Williams were the only players with more than three points for Iowa State (14-5, 2-5 Big 12). Crooks, the nation's leading scorer at 27.6 points per game, finished with 15 points and seven rebounds. Williams had 15 points and seven assists. Iowa State, second in the nation with 21.9 assists per game, had 11 on Sunday.

Timmer finished with 16 points, Gray had 15 and Lena Girardi added 11 off the bench for the Cowgirls (16-4, 5-2).

Oklahoma State is 28-2 at home over the past two seasons.

Iowa State opened the season with 14 consecutive wins and was ranked as high as No. 10 in the AP Top 25.

Up next

Iowa State: Hosts Cincinnati on Wednesday.

Oklahoma State: Plays next Sunday at Colorado.

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Hornets vs Nuggets Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NBA Game

The sky seemed to be falling for the Denver Nuggets when Nikola Jokic was facing an extended spell on the sidelines, but instead, they’re on a hot streak heading into tonight’s matchup with the Charlotte Hornets.

Denver is 6-1 in its last seven games, and my Hornets vs Nuggets predictions expect big-time production from the hosts’ role players against a Charlotte team that brings an ugly 8-15 road record to Ball Arena.

Read on for my NBA picks ahead of this battle on Sunday, January 18.

Hornets vs Nuggets prediction

Hornets vs Nuggets best bet: Peyton Watson Over 18.5 points (-115)

The Denver Nuggets have needed contributions from up and down the roster to survive Nikola Jokic’s absence, and Peyton Watson’s emergence has to be among the biggest pluses to come out of this stretch.

It’s easy to forget that Watson averaged just 8.1 PPG last season, but he’s looked like a different player this year, with a major take-off this month in an expanded role. Spreading his wings as an offensive force, he’s averaging 23.6 PPG in January.

Watson has gone past this O/U number in nine of his last 10 outings, including a 21-point effort yesterday against the Washington Wizards, and I see Denver leaning on his athleticism in the second game of a back-to-back set.

While Watson’s 48% mark from 3-point range isn’t sustainable, he can get buckets in other ways, too. In addition to Jokic, the Nuggets will still be without Cam Johnson and possibly Christian Braun, so shot volume shouldn’t be a factor.

The Charlotte Hornets gave up 136 points against the Golden State Warriors last night, and there’s no reason to think the visitors’ defense will fare any better with Watson & Co. on the charge.

Hornets vs Nuggets same-game parlay

Give me the team that’s finding a way to grind out victories and maximizing its talent. The Nuggets are 12-6 at Ball Arena this season, and 26-16 ATS overall, and Jamal Murray is coming off a lights-out effort against Washington. I can’t trust the Hornets offense to show up here after some wildly erratic totals in January.

Brandon Miller has put together consecutive strong shooting nights, but his assist tallies have been even steadier. He’s dished 4+ dimes in four straight games, and I expect him to flash his playmaking skills in what should be an end-to-end contest.

Hornets vs Nuggets SGP

  • Peyton Watson Over 18.5 points
  • Nuggets moneyline
  • Brandon Miller Over 3.5

Our "from downtown" SGP: Doing Things the Hardaway

Tim Hardaway Jr. has knocked down 17 threes across his past four outings, and he dropped 30 points on the Wizards last night. With the Nuggets short on sharpshooters, Hardaway has a neon green light to let it fly from beyond the arc.

Hornets vs Nuggets SGP

  • Peyton Watson Over 18.5 points
  • Nuggets moneyline
  • Brandon Miller Over 3.5 assists
  • Tim Hardaway Jr. Over 3.5 threes

Hornets vs Nuggets odds

  • Spread: Hornets -1.5 (-110) | Nuggets +1.5 (-110)
  • Moneyline: Hornets -120 | Nuggets +100
  • Over/Under: Over 228.5 (-110) | Under 228.5 (-110)

Hornets vs Nuggets betting trend to know

The Nuggets are 9-1 SU in their last 10 matchups against the Hornets. Find more NBA betting trends for Hornets vs. Nuggets.

How to watch Hornets vs Nuggets

LocationBall Arena, Denver, CO
DateSunday, January 18, 2026
Tip-off8:00 p.m. ET
TVFDSN SE Charlotte, Altitude

Hornets vs Nuggets latest injuries

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Ha-Seong Kim injured, will miss much of 2026

The Atlanta Braves have announced that starting shortstop Ha-Seong Kim sustained an injury in Korea and had surgery to repair a torn tendon on his middle finger. The surgery took place today and is expected to miss four to five months.

Kim was signed this off-season on a one-year, $20M contract after the Braves claimed him off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays in September 2025. Kim opted out of his player option but ended up back with Atlanta.

Atlanta swapped last year’s starting shortstop Nick Allen for super-utilityman Mauricio Dubon who will likely no be the team’s starting shortstop unless the Braves make a move prior to Spring Training.

Atlanta doesn’t proven big league options at shortstop behind Dubon. Look for the Braves to make a move to add a player with at least some shortstop experience to provide depth in the organization. Nacho Alvarez, Jr. has played shortstop in the minors but would not be a full-time options. The team has minor leaguers Luke Waddell and Jim Jarvis at Triple-A who both have extensive experience at shortstop.

Former Brave Luke Williams is a free agent. The team recently parted with Vidal Brujan and Brett Wisely who were both utility depth options.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa is the most experienced shortstop on the free agent market.

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European football: Barcelona slip up at Real Sociedad while Milan stay in hunt

  • La Liga lead cut to one point after surprise 2-1 defeat

  • Füllkrug scores first goal in Italy since leaving West Ham

Real Sociedad damaged Barcelona’s title defence with a surprise 2-1 home victory as Hansi Flick’s side fell to a first defeat in 12 matches. The Catalan side, who hit the woodwork four times and had two goals disallowed, now lead their rivals Real Madrid by only a point at the top of La Liga after Álvaro Arbeloa’s side beat Levante on Saturday.

Sociedad, now unbeaten in four games under their new American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo, had Carlos Soler sent off late on but managed to hold on.

Continue reading...
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Carnegie scores 32, grabs 11 rebounds and Georgia women beat No. 16 Ole Miss 82-59

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Dani Carnegie had a career-high 32 points and 11 rebounds, Trinity Turner added 13 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, and Georgia beat No. 16 Mississippi 82-59 on Sunday.

Georgia (16-3, 2-3 SEC) earned its first Quad 1 win of the season. The Lady Bulldogs snapped a 11-game home skid against teams in the AP Top 25 and beat a ranked opponent by 20-plus points for the first time since 2006.

Carnegie, a Georgia Tech transfer, made 11 of 17 from the field, 5 of 8 from 3-point range, and 5 of 7 from the free-throw line.

Christeen Iwuala led Ole Miss (16-4, 3-2) with 13 points and 10 rebounds and Sira Thienou scored 12. Cotie McMahon — who went into the game averaging a team-high 19.2 points on 49.6% shooting — finished with nine points on 1-of-13 shooting to go with 11 rebounds and five assists.

Rylie Theuerkauf made two free throws that gave Georgia the lead for good less than 2 1/2 minutes into the game and sparked a 16-2 run that made it 19-6 with 1:04 left in the first quarter. Debreasha Powe capped a 7-0 spurt with a 3-pointer that trimmed the deficit to nine points with 7:12 remaining in the first half, but Carnegie answered with a layup and the Lady Bulldogs led by double figures for the final 26-plus minutes.

Georgia shot 55% (29 of 53) from the field and made 8 of 16 from behind the arc.

Ole Miss made 21 of 71 (30%) from the field, 5 of 19 (26%) from 3-point range.

Up next

Ole Miss: Visits Missouri on Thursday.

Georgia: Plays Thursday at Arkansas.

___

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JJ Redick says officials admitted they ‘got off to a bad start’ in Lakers-Blazers game

A nice overall game flow is not what fans saw when the Lakers played the Blazers on Saturday night.

The whistle was active and erratic during the opening quarter. Portland was awarded a whopping 22 free throws, which was the most in any quarter for any team this year. To contextualize that even further, the Blazers average 27 free throws per game. The Lakers only took three free throws in the opening quarter and ended the night with 21. The Blazers shot more free throws in one quarter than the Lakers did all game

Given that Portland dominated Los Angeles, nothing the officials did caused the Lakers to lose.

However, just because the way a game was called didn’t affect the result doesn’t mean the decisions were right, or consistently ruled the same way.

This officiating conversation was part of the dialogue postgame, with Lakers head coach JJ Redick revealing that the referees acknowledged their inconsistency.

“There’s always going to be fouls,” Redick said. “You can sit there and go through and watch every single [foul]. I do it sometimes. I’ll watch film and I’ll watch a play and ‘Wait a minute. Let me rewind that, zoom in, slow it down.’ The officials dont have that luxury. It’s more about the way the game is called. They got off to a bad start tonight and they admitted that to me.

“And then they were all over the map. Making calls and not actually making a call. That happened multiple times where we have to go over, ‘What’s going on? What’s the actual call here?’ I couldn’t get great communication from Pat [Frasher] all night, which we’ll put in the feedback. I’ve talked about it. It’s not to single them out or it’s not the reason we lost. For whatever reason, you’d have to ask probably the other 29 coaches, it feels like the inconsistency night to night within a game has been there for most of these crews.”

This isn’t the first time Redick has shown frustration with the officials.

Earlier this season, he seemed to reach his breaking point with the inconsistency from the refs combined with the NBA not communicating with him after he complained.

At least in the Blazers game, the officials acknowledged the bad start, even if Redick was displeased with the communication he got from crew chief Pat Fraser.

Another odd call later in this game was the flagrant foul on LeBron James.

He went up to attempt a block a shot by Donovan Clingan and the play was deemed a flagrant 1 foul. That seems like an odd call given the replay. If what LeBron did is the standard criteria for a flagrant call, then no player can ever contest a shot in the air without it being deemed a flagrant.

It’s hard for Redick and the Lakers to adjust to the officiating if what’s a foul and what isn’t is changing game to game and even play-by-play.

Given that this has been a theme for Redick and the Lakers, they’ll have to keep bringing it up and try to better understand what’s allowed throughout the year.

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

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Highlights: Victor Wembanyama’s clutch heroics clinch win against T-Wolves

Coming off a win against the Milwaukee Bucks, the Spurs battled the Minnesota Timberwolves for their final meeting of the season. After a slow first quarter, the Spurs’ offense exploded in the second, outscoring the Wolves 48-22. Holding a 25-point lead, the Wolves responded in the third quarter by outscoring the Spurs 40-27, and trailed the silver and black by 12 entering the fourth. Minnesota’s momentum continued as Anthony Edwards dropped 26 of his 55 points in the fourth quarter alone. Meanwhile, the Spurs combated Edwards with Victor Wembanyama. Around 3:28 remaining, Edwards and Wemby traded clutch buckets multiple times. Anytime Edwards gave the Wolves the lead, Wemby would tie it up. With a two-point lead with a little over a minute remaining, Donte DiVincenzo drained a go-ahead three-pointer to give the Wolves a one-point lead. Wemby responded by splashing a go-ahead mid-range jumper to give the Spurs back the lead. After Wemby blocked Joan Beringer’s shot at the rim, Keldon Johnson nailed a dagger three to give the Spurs a four-point lead with 17 seconds left. Then, things got interesting. After Wemby missed a technical foul free-throw, Edwards drained a stepback three to cut the lead to one. De’Aaron Fox was fouled, made both of his free throws, and fouled Edwards while up by three. Edwards made the first, missed the second, and Julian Champagnie secured the rebound while being fouled.. Just to make things more dramatic, Julian missed both free throws, but Wemby saved the day with a key offensive rebound. After getting fouled, Wemby made the first free-throw, but was called for a lane violation after attempting to miss the second one. Edwards missed a half-court shot, and the Spurs won 126-123.

Victor Wembanyama led the way with 39 points (12-23 FG, 11-14 FT), nine rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. It has been a while since Wemby last played at least 30 minutes in a game, but he played 31 against the Wolves. Milwaukee was just the beginning, but this game has Spurs fans reminiscing on his monster games, especially the season opener versus Dallas. Not only was he dropping buckets from everywhere on the court, but he was dropping CLUTCH buckets. He also had a clutch block and a clutch rebound. Simply put, this man can do everything.

Wemby dime! On the fastbreak, Wemby lasers the ball to Champagnie, who finishes with a two-handed slam! Julian finished with seven points, five rebounds, two assists, and a steal.

Pulling out all the moves! Wemby pulls out a spin move into a eurostep and into a floater! How?!

UNREAL WEMBY SEQUENCE! Late in the second, Wemby goes on a hot streak and drains three straight bombs from three-point land!

UNGUARDABLE! Wemby uses his patience and drives his way into the paint and throws it in over Jaylen Clark!

Here’s another angle!

UNREAL HOOPS SEQUENCE! With Edwards on fire, Wemby responds each time with a bucket of his own!

CLUTCH ON BOTH ENDS! After giving the Spurs the lead back with a mid-range jumper, Wemby blocks Beringer’s reverse layup at the rim!

GAME! Wemby stands above all and grabs the rebound off the missed free throw to seal the game!

Here’s another angle! How do you box him out?!

De’Aaron Fox dropped a double-double: 25 points (10-17 FG, 3-4 FT) and 12 assists to go along with three rebounds and a block. D-Fox splashed shots from everywhere on the court: middies, threes, floaters, layups, and dunks. Since Stephon Castle was dealing with foul trouble, D-Fox assumed the primary guard role and dropped dimes. After being Batman in Sacramento, games like this show he can be extra comfortable being Robin.

Lay it up high! D-Fox drives in on Edwards and lays it up high for the deuce!

Too fast! D-Fox lulls the defense to sleep and drives past Clark for the finish!

Too open! D-Fox catches the pass from Castle, takes a few dribbles, and pulls up for the wide-open middy!

FLIGHT 4 CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF! After DiVincenzo throws the ball to Champagnie, he throws it ahead to Keldon, who throws it ahead to a wide-open D-Fox who finishes with two hands!

After the game, D-Fox was called upon to bang the drum for the Frost Bank Center fans!

Keldon Johnson dropped 20 points (8-14 FG, 3-5 3PT), two assists, a rebound, and a steal. Another KJ game that feeds his 6MOTY campaign. When the Spurs went on a cold streak, KJ went to work. Not only did he go to work, but he also came up clutch for the silver and black. He continues to spark the Frost Bank Center every time he makes a hustle play, and he will continue to be the heart and soul of this team.

K3LDON! KJ knocks down the contested corner three late in the first. Subtle foreshadowing!

K3LDON: CLUTCH EDITION! KJ beats the shot clock buzzer with a three and gives the Spurs a four-point lead with 17 seconds remaining!

Dylan Harper dropped nine points, three rebounds, and three assists. Dyl continues to slash his way to the basket like a veteran guard. In just 21 minutes, he was a combo guard that found guys in the right spots and finished with zero turnovers. He also provided solid defense and was not afraid to go after boards. He still needs to polish his finishing, but he has plenty of time to figure it out.

HARP3R! Dyl uses the Wemby screen to free himself up for the wide-open trey!

P&R to perfection! Dyl finds Luke Kornet cutting to the basket off the pick-and-roll for the easy finish! Luke finished with eight points, six rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and a steal.

Stephon Castle dropped eight points, nine assists, six rebounds, and three steals. Even though Steph struggled from the field, he filled the stat sheet all-around. He dished dimes, grabbed boards, but most of all played solid defense. Besides the three steals, he was tasked with guarding Edwards. While he stayed in front of him, he also ended up fouling out in the fourth with 28 minutes played. Besides turnovers, Steph is still working on playing without fouling, and he knows it’s something he can fix.

Threading the needle! Steph finds a wide-open Luke who is split between the defense for the deuce!

Slippery! Lindy Waters III corrals the pass from going out of bounds, splits defenders, and finishes at the rim!

All in all, this game turned from a blowout into a classic. Albeit the Spurs blew another huge lead to the Wolves, they still found a way to finish the game. Ant’s 55 versus Wemby’s 39 is the type of duel NBA fans dream of. Elite shot-making no matter the defense: It’s like a game of NBA2K broke out with the sliders maxed out. Nonetheless, D-Fox and KJ were instrumental in their roles to help clinch the squad’s first win against Minnesota this season. Hopefully, Devin Vassell is finally back on Monday versus Utah.

Finally, here are the full game highlights.

The Spurs take on the Utah Jazz on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at 4:00 P.M. (CST) on FDSN-SW.

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Artemi Panarin ‘Confused’ But ‘Ok’ With Rangers' Decision Not To Give Him Contract Extension

Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

The mood was somber and frankly sad when speaking with Artemi Panarin after the Rangers’ 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday afternoon to discuss his future. 

It had been just over 24 hours since Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury issued a letter to fans emphasizing the organization's plan to retool the roster, which could mean saying “goodbye to players that have brought us and our fans great moments over the years.”

As part of the firestorm of news that followed Drury’s letter, it was reported that had an individual meeting with Panarin and informed him that he will not be offered a contract extension, while the team is prepared to work with him and agent Paul Theofanous to trade him anywhere he wishes to go. 

Panarin is a player who since signing a seven-year, $81.5 million contract with the Rangers in 2019, has embraced and loved playing in New York under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden. 

While he was still able to muster up a smile for the reporters talking with him after the game as he usually does during interviews, the sadness and discomfort were evident in his tone given that his tenure with the Rangers could be over within a matter of weeks if not days.

“It's hard to say how I feel, still confused, but yeah, (the) team decided to go in a different direction,” Panarin said. “I'm ok with that. I'm a Rangers player right now so I gotta play every game 100%.”

Upon addressing the difficult reality at hand, Panarin shifted the conversation back to hockey since in his words he “say (said) everything, what I want to say about this situation.” 

On Saturday afternoon, Panarin managed to record one goal, two assists, and three points, but it felt meaningless with the veteran forward essentially confirming that by the March 6 NHL Trade Deadline, he won’t be a member of the Rangers.

“I obviously think the world of him, he's an elite player,” Mike Sullivan said of Panarin. “He's one of the best Rangers of his generation. I think his body of work speaks for itself, and what he's accomplished in the league. 

Rangers Take Sentimental Tone After Emotional Win In Response To The Letter 2.0Rangers Take Sentimental Tone After Emotional Win In Response To The Letter 2.0In the New York Rangers’ first game on Saturday afternoon since the Letter 2.0 was issued by Chris Drury, emphasizing the team’s intentions to go into a retool, they secured a 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, snapping a five-game losing streak. 

“I think to have a game he had today, after the last couple of days, is, once again, he's one of the guys that I'm talking about when I talk about the types of people that we have in the room, their character, and how much they care. I think his game today was representative of that. He's a great person. He's an elite player. He drives offense in so many ways, and he continues to do that for us.”

His inevitable exit from The Big Apple is still one that hasn’t fully set in and is difficult to fathom for Panarin, but he’s accepted that he’ll have to embark somewhere else for what may be the final chapter of his career.

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Coit ties program record with 9 3s, scores 43; Maryland beats Penn State 96-73

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — David Coit tied the program's single-game record for made 3-pointers and scored a career-high 43 points — 30 in the first half — to help Maryland beat Penn State 96-73 on Sunday for the Terrapins' first Big Ten Conference win this season.

Coit made 14 of 22 from the field, 9 of 14 from behind the arc and 6 of 8 from the free-throw line. The 5-foot-11 graduate transfer from Kansas had his second 40-point game and his third game making at least eight 3s this season.

Maryland (8-10, 1-6) snapped a four-game skid. The Terrapins set season highs for points (96), field goals made (33), field-goal percentage (54.1%), 3-pointers made (18) and 3-point field-goal percentage (52.9). Maryland outrebounded Penn State 39-21.

The Nittany Lions (9-9, 0-7) have lost five straight and eight of the last nine.

Elijah Saunders scored 16 points and Darius Adams 14 for the Terrapins. Solomon Washington had 11 rebounds to go with six points, two steals and a block.

Kayden Mingo made 7 of 12 from the field and finished with 19 points and five assists for Penn State. Dominick Stewart added 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting, Eli Rice scored 13 and Josh Reed added 11 points.

Coit hit a 3-pointer and made a layup before Saunders added a 3 that capped a 9-0 run, made it 13-9 and gave the Terrapins the lead for good. A few minutes later, Coit sandwiched a three-point play and a 3-pointer around a layup by Darius Adams to extend the lead to 36-21 and Maryland led by double figures for the final 29-plus minutes.

Up next

Penn State: Hosts Wisconsin on Thursday.

Maryland: Plays Wednesday at No. 13 Illinois.

___

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The Hockey Show: Panthers still banged up, Sabres suddenly setting NHL on fire

This week The Hockey Show featured one of the more surprising teams in the NHL this year.

In addition to their usual attention paid to the happenings of the Florida Panthers, THS co-hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork welcomed Shawn DePaz to the show.

Sean is the producer for the What Chaos! podcast and he’s also a massive Buffalo Sabres fan.

The Sabres just happen to the hottest team in the league, currently holding a playoff spot and looking to end the team’s 14-year postseason drought.

This week’s show also saw the boys discuss the disaster that is the New York Rangers and touched on some numbers that were retired in Detroit and Boston.

Wins and fails of the week included a player showing up to a game dressed as Batman, an unbelievably ridiculous assist by Abbey Murphy for the University of Minnesota, a collective wardrobe choice by a team visiting the White House and a poorly timed decision by Oilers goalie Tristian Jarry.

As a bonus this week, Roy's daughter Claire was in studio with us to record the show. She may or may not have taken over the telestrator at one point. 

You can check out the full show and interview in the videos below:

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NHL fines Steven Stamkos for unsportsmanlike conduct during Predators, Golden Knights game

The NHL Department of Player Safety announced on Sunday that Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos had been fined $2,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct towards an opponent while on the bench. 

During Saturday's game, Golden Knights defenseman Jeremy Lauzon hit Predators forward Jonathan Marchessault, dumping him into the Predators' bench.

While trying to get back into the play, Stamkos stuck the blade of his stick under Lauzon's visor and in his face. 

It's been disputed that Stamkos was trying to keep Marchessault's skate blade away from Lauzon's face. Ryan O'Reilly also shoved Lauzon from the bench during the altercation. 

The irony of the situation is that Lauzon spent four seasons with the Predators and was traded to Vegas this past offseason for Nicolas Hague. Marchessault spent seven seasons with the Golden Knights before signing with the Predators in the 2024 offseason. 

The Predators lost to the Golden Knights, 7-2. 

This is the third time in his career that Stamkos has been fined by the NHL. On Nov. 23, 2017, he was fined $5,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct after spraying a water bottle at a referee. 

On March 21, 2018, Stamkos was fined $5,000 for a dangerous trip against Toronto Maple Leafs' defenceman Morgan Rielly. 

Stamkos has never been suspended. This is the first time this season a Nashville Predators player has been fined by the league. 

The Nashville Predators will host the Buffalo Sabres next on Tuesday at Bridgestone Arena at 7 p.m. CST 

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Heckler yells 'leave Greenland alone!' during US national anthem at NBA game in London

LONDON (AP) — A heckler yelled “leave Greenland alone!” while Vanessa Williams sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” before tipoff of an NBA game in London between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Orlando Magic on Sunday.

U.S. President Donald Trump has insisted that the U.S. should control Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, and said earlier this week that anything less than the Arctic island being in U.S. hands would be “unacceptable.”

The heckler's outburst drew some scattered laughter and applause. Williams was unfazed and completed the song.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

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Cade Cavalli, Nationals agree to $870,000 deal, settle arbitration case with smallest gap

WASHINGTON — Right-hander Cade Cavalli and the Washington National avoided salary arbitration Sunday when they agreed to a one-year contract worth $870,000, a deal that includes a 2027 team option.

When the sides exchanged proposed arbitration salaries on Jan. 8, Cavalli asked for $900,000 and the Nationals offered $825,000. The $75,000 gap was the smallest among the 18 players who failed to reach agreements with their clubs on the swap day.

His agreement calls for an $862,500 salary this year, the midpoint between the filing numbers. The team option is for $4 million with a $7,500 buyout.

Cavalli, 27, was eligible for arbitration for the first time after going 3-1 with a 4.25 ERA in 10 starts in his first regular-season big league action since 2022. He had a $760,200 salary while in the major leagues and $370,100 while in the minors, earning $579,832.

Selected by Washington with the 22nd overall pick in the 2020 amateur draft, he made his big league debut on Aug. 26, 2022, his lone appearance that year. He hurt his arm during a spring training game against the Mets on March 14, 2023, and had Tommy John surgery a week later.

He began a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment on May 20, 2024, but made just three outings totaling 8 1/3 innings.

Cavalli started 2025 at Class A Fredericksburg and was promoted to Double-A Harrisburg on April 24 and Triple-A Rochester five days later. He returned to the major leagues on Aug. 6 after going 4-17 with a 5.47 ERA in 17 minor league starts last year. Cavalli pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings against the Athletics in his return and got his first big league win on Aug. 16 against Philadelphia.

Seventeen players remain scheduled for hearings, to be held from Jan. 26 to Feb. 13 in Scottdale, Arizona.

In the most prominent case, two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal asked for a record $32 million, while the Detroit Tigers offered the left-hander $19 million.

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Jake Sanderson's Blunt Goaltending Critique Hits Hard In Ottawa

In the aftermath of Saturday night’s embarrassing overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens, one postgame quote from Jake Sanderson resonated across the nation’s capital.

"I think Leevi (Merilainen) made some good saves,” Sanderson stated when asked about the performance of the goaltending. “But, at the end of the day, you’ve got to make more than 10 saves to win the game.”

After a tough home loss to Montreal, Jake Sanderson, who's normally reserved in his post game comments, voiced his displeasure about goaltending and "playing an away game at home."

It would not count on the stat sheet, but it was one of the few shots that Merilainen faced Saturday night.

The 23-year-old goaltender allowed six goals on 19 shots. According to Natural Stat Trick’s game log, the Senators held the Canadiens to seven five-on-five shots, with the remaining shots occurring on the power play, while the Canadiens had an empty net, or in overtime.

Staked to a two-goal lead with less than five minutes left in the game, the Senators had complete control.

The loss created a unique situation for Sanderson.

Jake Sanderson is not typically at the forefront of candid commentary after difficult losses. Usually, when the Senators experience these types of games, the burden falls on the captain, Brady Tkachuk, or on other well-regarded veterans like Claude Giroux or Thomas Chabot.

The reason for that is two-fold. These players are part of the designated leadership group within the Senators’ room, but they are also comfortable in front of microphones and known for offering lengthy, measured reflections on the game.

It is not that Sanderson is incapable of doing that, but he often feels reserved. There is an enthusiasm for the game and the sport, but the defenceman never veers out of his lane.

Which is why Saturday night’s comment resonates so much.

It was blunt and unadulterated honesty.

In an organization that keeps its cards close to its chest, refusing to disclose lineups or the starting goaltender ahead of last night’s game, Sanderson said what everyone was thinking out loud.

After the game, I am sure Sanderson would have apologized to Merilainen for publicly calling out the goaltending, but I hope his comments last night do not dissuade him from being candid in the future.

His frustration is palpable and for good reason. His team’s season hangs in the balance simply because they have not gotten enough saves.

In the last 30 years, no team in the NHL has experienced a lower save percentage than the Senators’ current .865 save percentage. To find a worse mark, you would have to go back a couple of years earlier to the Senators’ first two seasons after they rejoined the NHL. 

Since the start of the 1990-91 season, only the inaugural 1992-93 Senators (.852) and 1993-94 Senators (.857) have been worse.

Keep in mind that the 1992-93 Senators were one of the worst teams in NHL history, winning just 10 of 84 games. Only the 1974-75 Washington Capitals have had a lower recorded points percentage (.131) than that inaugural Senators team (.143).

When asked to assess Merilainen’s performance last night, head coach Travis Green took issue with the goaltending, but did so while showing some empathy.“

It’s hard to give (Merilainen) a pass,” admitted head coach Travis Green. “Six goals on 18 shots and I’m sure he’d like to have one or two back, but I feel bad for him.”

It has to be tough for Merilainen, who has been thrust into the spotlight following Linus Ullmark’s decision to take a leave of absence from the team. Last night was his 11th consecutive start, a string of games born out of necessity because Ullmark’s absence and the lack of confidence the organization obviously has in the alternatives who have been recalled from Belleville.

After last night’s loss, Merilainen has -14.22 goals saved above expected metric through 20 appearances. Only the St. Louis Blues’ Jordan Binnington (-14.82 GSAx) has a lower mark, and he has played in seven more games.

Goalie is a volatile position, and the condensed schedule in this Olympic year probably has not helped, as Merilainen does not have much time between appearances to refine the technical aspects of his game. If bad habits or a shaky confidence creep into his game, the opportunity for them to bleed into his next start is real, given the team's schedule of playing every other night.

After two consecutive wins over the Canucks and Rangers, the hope was that Merilainen could build off those games and continue to tighten up his game.

Last night’s effort was disastrous, however.

The good news is that Green acknowledged in his postgame media availability that the plan was for Linus Ullmark to travel with the team on their three-game road trip through Detroit, Columbus, and Nashville. That may not mean he is on the verge of playing, but he has skated and practiced with his team these past few days.

Once Ullmark returns, the Senators should return Merilainen to Belleville to get his game and swagger back.

The expectation is that James Reimer will make his Senators debut on Sunday afternoon in Detroit. Despite the fact that he has not played in an NHL game since last April, the organization needs to see what they have.

“It’s a little bit frustrating,” Green acknowledged last night while describing the pattern of losing games where they outplay the opposition. “But, I give our team a lot of credit. They are battling. They are playing good hockey. Our goalies have not been at their best, and we know that. Our team is still bringing it.”

With a new and veteran goaltender likely making his debut, Green will need his players to continue to bring that fight and resiliency on Sunday (5 pm at Detroit).

Graeme Nichols
The Hockey News Ottawa

This story is from The Hockey News Ottawa. You can visit the site here or click on one of their latest articles below:

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