The Philadelphia Flyers and their most senior players had the opportunity to completely flip the narrative around the franchise, but instead only fell victims to it in the worst way imaginable.
On Wednesday night against the Utah Mammoth, veteran forward Garnet Hathaway had the opportunity to seal a 5-3 victory with an empty-net goal clean in his sights in the offensive zone.
Instead, the 34-year-old was stripped from behind before even attempting a shot, and less than a minute later, Mammoth star Clayton Keller drove hard on Travis Sanheim, who flailed at a loose puck attempting to control it, embarrassing the Flyers and tying the game at 4-4.
In overtime, loose, lifeless plays by Owen Tippett and Travis Konecny allowed the Mammoth to both win back possession and score the game-winning goal, dooming the Flyers to yet another devastating loss.
Of course, things didn't start that way.
Konecny had just beaten the Vegas Golden Knights with two individual breakaway efforts that propelled Philadelphia to a life-preserving 2-1 win, and the Flyers appeared to be on cruise control on Wednesday night, too.
Evidently, the Flyers got too loose with 3-0 and 4-2 leads, even with a been-here, done-that guy like Christian Dvorak leading the way with two goals.
Merely days ago, I posited that, if the Flyers really can't turn the page on the narrative that they can only play half a season before invariably collapsing, they might just be plainly incapable of doing so as currently constructed.
The Flyers are now 3-5-2 in their last 10 games; only the New York Rangers (2-7-1 and defeated the Flyers during that stretch), Dallas Stars (3-5-2), Washington Capitals (3-6-1), Calgary Flames (3-6-1), and Vancouver Canucks (1-8-1) have been as bad or worse than the Flyers as of late.
Washington and Dallas are the only teams in that mix with positive goal differentials
Yes, the Flyers are just three points out of the second wildcard spot in the East, but the Boston Bruins, who occupy that spot, are 8-2-0 in their last 10.
An experienced Boston team is playing its best hockey when it matters the most, while the Flyers are playing easily their worst.
Good teams find ways to win when they don't play well, and that's the difference between a rebuilder and a perennial postseason competitor, at the least.
Both players and fans have seen this movie before, and both sides are, or at least should be, on the same page when it comes to a narrow playoff miss not being acceptable.
It's become clear the Flyers don't have the requisite star talent to compete with the best, and the talent they do have is hindered by a system dedicated to being as low-event as possible.
When the gameplan fails, the Flyers lack the creativity and the sheer skill to break the cycle. The players who have been here before have as many answers as anybody else.
The good news for the Flyers is that injured goalie Dan Vladar should return soon, but the bad news is their next game is against the NHL's best team in the Colorado Avalanche, who boast an astounding 34-5-9 record, .802 points percentage, and a +77 goal differential that is miles clear of the closest team (Tampa Bay, +49).
When Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis were traded for each other in the most shocking and controversial deal in NBA history, there was (understandably) little focus on the others included in the six-player, three-team deal. Sure, fan favorite Maxi Kleber and salary filler Markieff Morris were headed to Los Angeles, but Mavericks fans had other things on their mind. Along with the oft-injured and past-his-prime Davis, Dallas netted just one first-round pick for Doncic’s services. Apart from that, the only other asset Dallas received for the most talented player in franchise history was a young flyer, a throw-in guard named Max Christie. Many in Dallas couldn’t have picked him out of a lineup.
Since that fateful night almost a year ago, Christie has done everything in his power to endear himself to the beleaguered Maverick faithful. Unlike Davis, he’s played in nearly every game for Dallas. Christie got to work right away after arriving, scoring 15 points or more in each of his first six games post-trade. Though he cooled down to end the season, there were plenty of flashes to indicate that he could be an intriguing piece for the future.
This season, Max Christie is in the midst of a meaningful leap. On a Mavericks team woefully devoid of 3-point shooting, he’s been a godsend. Christie is shooting 45.9% from deep on 5.5 attempts per game. That percentage is sixth in the NBA and first among players with at least 200 3-point attempts. He’s been a spot-up marksman, shooting 47.7% on 172 total attempts (per Synergy Sports). And Christie has even mixed in 47 pull-up threes, hitting a perfectly respectable 38.3% on those. Coach Jason Kidd praised Christie’s growth while encouraging him to shoot even more, a great vote of confidence for a player who’s become essential to the Mavericks’ success. Christie has established himself as one of the premier shooters in the league, and that alone, coupled with his 22-year-old youth, would make him a player worth hanging onto.
But Christie has taken big steps in other areas of his game, too. When you shoot the ball like Christie has this season, you become a fixture on opposing teams’ scouting reports. Defenses see Christie’s three-point percentage and want to run him off the line and force him to put the ball on the floor. And to his credit, Christie has responded well to this.
Attacking closeouts is an essential counter for great shooters, and Christie looks comfortable doing so. The pull-up middy has been a weapon for him in these situations, as Christie is shooting a sparkling 52% on pull-up two-pointers this year. When he’s not finding the midrange, he’s attacking the basket and putting more pressure on the defense.
And, most importantly, there have been signs that indicate growth for Christie beyond great shooting. Among all NBA players with at least 50 possessions as a pick-and-roll ball handler, Christie ranks first in both points per possession (1.23, per NBA.com) and effective field goal percentage (65.1%). Though Christie barely meets this arbitrary threshold with 53 possessions, and it’s an admittedly small sample size (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the league with 354 such possessions), it’s still impressive. Since December 1st, Christie has taken the pick-and-roll creation to a new level, averaging 1.50 PPP on 18-28 shooting from the field (75% eFG, per Synergy). For a guy who doesn’t have the ball in his hands a lot, he’s made the most of his opportunities in creating for himself.
Where Christie really thrives is in transition. Among all players with at least 80 transition possessions, Christie ranks first in PPP (1.52, per NBA.com) and second in eFG% (78.5%). Christie sprints down the floor off misses, turnovers, and even makes, constantly looking for the ball and making good decisions when he gets it. He leverages his above-average athleticism to beat defenders down the court and finish at the rim. Watching Christie and Flagg run the break together has been a joy, and their transition dominance is a big reason why the Mavericks are second in the NBA in fastbreak points per game.
Despite all these improvements on offense, there’s still meat on the bone with Christie’s game, especially in the halfcourt. Christie is 10-of-13 from the floor off cuts (per Synergy), so Kidd would be very wise to draw things up to get Christie moving around off-ball and wreaking havoc more often. Christie also needs more pick-and-roll reps, both as a ball handler and screener; he’s posting a sparkling 1.39 PPP as a screener in just 18 total possessions (per NBA.com). And though Christie is great in the restricted area (68% FG), he’s been poor in the paint outside the restricted area (36.7% FG). He desperately needs to add a consistent floater and tack on some strength to fight through contact. Christie’s playmaking also leaves a bit to be desired, but that’s okay for an off-guard who shoots it like he does.
Defensively, Christie is a bit tougher to evaluate. He has very good size and athleticism for a guard, and generally does a good job with screen navigation. His motor on the defensive end is strong, and his plus wingspan allows him to generate some deflections and wall off drives. The Mavericks have been marginally better defensively with Christie off the floor, but given the injuries and roster context of this season, that can mostly be taken with a grain of salt. While I don’t believe Christie will ever be a defensive stalwart or generate crazy steal and block numbers, he’s got the physical tools, motor, and basketball IQ to perform solidly on that end.
As the Mavericks look to build their team of the future around Cooper Flagg, it’s important to roster young, cost-controlled players on a similar timeline as their 19-year-old phenom. At age 22, Christie is showing the kind of improvement and impact that demands prioritization. A 6’5” guard with legitimate 3-point shooting, plus athleticism, defensive potential, and pick-and-roll creation chops is the perfect kind of player to deploy next to Flagg. Max Christie might not ever sniff an All-Star team or win any awards, but if he continues on his current trajectory, he’ll be a positive starter in this league for a long time. The Mavericks need as many of those guys as they can get.
As longtime readers know, in addition to being a die hard Spurs fan, I am the proud father of a die hard Spurs fan. My twelve-year-old daughter Elizabeth and I most commonly spend our father-daughter dates at the Frost Bank Center. Some memorable outings were Dirk Nowitzki’s farewell game, the 2023 NBA Draft, and the Silver & Black Scrimmage.
But no night beats last Monday against the Utah Jazz.
For MLK Day, we made our way down to the Frost Bank Center for the mid-afternoon game. This time we had to arrive even earlier as Elizabeth had been chosen to be the Spurs Ball Kid for the game. We signed in with game-ops and then Tre, a wonderful member of the Spurs Hype Squad, escorted us down to the court.
Walking the hardwood alone was a treat. I caught a smile across her face and some pep in step as we made our way to the Spurs basket.
For those who haven’t been to a live game, when the Spurs come out for the pregame shoot around, there is an equipment crew. During this time, they are grabbing loose balls and tossing fresh ones out to the players. The Spurs Ball Kid is a role they’ve had as far back as I can remember. A child gets to help the crew distribute balls to the players as they warm up.
On Monday Elizabeth joined them.
She was tossing basketballs to corner shooters, one of them being three-point specialist Julian Champagnie, who Elizabeth listed as her favorite player.
While the in-arena announcement was introducing her, Julian heard his name called as her favorite and his ears perked up.
She finished the shoot around and then was invited to line up with the players to high five the Spurs starters, amost incredible experience.
After all that excitement, there was still a game to watch. At the end of the first half, she once again distributed basketballs to the players during their shoot around before the second half commenced.
The Spurs had a great night. Champagnie scored 13 points hitting 3 threes and grabbing 4 rebounds, both categories of which he is gaining recognition.
After the game, he invited Elizabeth down to receive his game-worn jersey, which he’d signed. Due to timing — the Spurs were heading out immediately after to make the trip to Houston for the second night of a back-to-back — he wasn’t able to deliver it personally, but we got to thank the crew who she’d been with for both shoot around distributions.
She played it cool when she saw the jersey, but as we exited the Frost Bank Center she was skipping to the car, the most excited I’d seen her in a long time. Although she was ahead of me, I am pretty sure I heard her singing his name as she danced on in the moonlight.
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Welcome to Inside the Suns, your weekly deep down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team. Each week the Fantable – a round table of Bright Siders – give their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.
Fantable Questions of the Week
Q1: What is your opinion of Jordan Goodwin and his impact on the court this season?
Ashton: What a stud player.
This will bleed into Q2 (not quarterly, you corporate nerds), but I specifically waited until the conclusion of the Suns and 76’ers to try to answer this.
The deal is you can’t cut Goodie’s minutes. He played 20 minutes on Tuesday, the same as Green. Unless there is some fantastic trade at the table. I also agree that Goodwin is off the table.
Do I put him in the untouchable realm? Of course not, but his player value is skyrocketing.
OldAz: What strikes me with Jordan Goodwin is how different he seems in this stint with the Suns compared to his previous. The JG we see now is tenacious, ball hocking on defense, and embodies this team’s personality of effort and energy every minute he’s on the court. He has certainly improved his three-point shot, and his uncanny knack for collecting rebounds is awesome.
What I can’t figure out is if he was like this in his first stint and it just didn’t fit as well, or if this is all about his growth over the last few years. It is striking because what he is doing embodies the culture of this team so perfectly and makes me wonder if the reason it didn’t work before is that one person on the floor hustling with four guys standing around just doesn’t look nearly as impressive.
Kudos to Bryan Gregory for snatching him up when he became available and to Jordan Ott for making sure JG gets the minutes he deserves by hustling and doing everything on the floor this team needs.
Rod: It’s rather amazing to think that, at this time last year, Goodwin wasn’t actually on an NBA squad. He was playing for the South Bay Lakers in the G League…and that was on a standard G League contract, not even a two-way. The Lakers didn’t sign him to a two-way until the trade deadline and then converted his two-way to a standard NBA deal near the end of the 2024/25 season. Thankfully, the Lakers decided to waive him last July because they had the opportunity to sign Marcus Smart and needed the roster spot to do so, which gave the Suns the opportunity to claim him.
I wasn’t very impressed by his addition at first because he really didn’t impress me much in his first time with Phoenix (which was only half a season before he was part of the trade with Brooklyn that brought Royce O’Neale to the Suns), but he has most definitely impressed me this time around! He’s a tenacious defender and rebounder who plays bigger than his actual size, plus he’s developed a solid three-point shot, which all makes him a perfect fit for this team.
Q2: There is some belief among fans that Jalen Green’s return will hurt the Suns’ defense. What’s your opinion on this?
Ashton: Again, I waited until the conclusion of the 76’ers game to try and answer this question. These are my takeaways from a firm and solid NBA basketball perspective.
I have no takeaways.
The reality is that the sample size is just too small to make a definitive judgment on Green’s defense. He was not the “pigeon,” and I thought he held up well in the game, especially when the Suns needed to protect the lead in the fourth quarter. I was basically begging and pleading with the game chat to answer this question. But I would say the fanbase trusts his defense. I will mention that Goodwin had two steals while Green had none. I am not saying this is the end-all-be-all for defensive metrics, but it is worth noting.
Now, if this were a question about Green’s offensive potential? The dude should star in the next “Fast and the Furious” series, where he drives a Ferrari to Mars. Wow, that man could move fast, and it should translate to hustling back on D, and while some of the commentators may highlight Book and Green, I was actually most entertained with Green and Goodie. What a duo, and there are actually 3 “Gs” to sub with (Grayson, Gillespie, Goodwin).
Whoever plays the best defense will most likely get the most minutes.
OldAz: I think this is overblown. A lot of these fears are about reputation, and when you step back and think about it, the same can be said for almost all of the Suns’ current roster. Booker has constantly been fighting a reputation as a poor defender, yet we have all seen Booker play good defense when he is engaged and part of a team’s defensive concept. Mark Williams has been banned as a poor individual defender, yet he anchors a very effective Suns defensive team.
A lot of the players are undersized and simply make up for it with energy and effort, and kind of like I referenced in question one, defense looks a whole lot better when five guys are on the same page putting forth the same energy and effort. There’s no reason to believe that Jalen Green will not fall right in line with these team concepts and apply his great athleticism on both ends of the court.
Rod: After watching him in the Philadelphia game, I can’t really agree with this. He may not be a great defender, but I saw nothing to indicate that he was a poor one either. The effort I saw him give on the defensive end was great, and that alone means a great deal. One play that quickly comes to mind is when, in the 4th quarter, he was guarding Tyrese Maxey and used his speed and quickness to keep him away from the basket and ultimately force him into taking a contested shot (which he missed). I think he’s going to fit in just fine with this group and be a net positive on the court.
Q3: If Nick Richards is traded before the deadline, this would probably move rookie Khaman Maluach up to his spot on the Suns’ center depth chart. Some fans have voiced the opinion that this would be unwise, considering Mark Williams’ injury history. What’s your opinion?
Ashton: This is a very nuanced question. Nick Richards is traded for whom? And does that person take the open roster spot? Is it for another big man?
Personally, I would just like to trade Richards for any type of salary flexibility and maybe a second-round pick. Richards should be begging to get out of town. Minutes are going to be hard to come by with this talented bench line-up, and if he can see more playing time elsewhere, he should be traded.
Mark Williams has been a warrior for the Suns, and the change of scenery has done him well in the Valley. So, what injury history? Turn the page and let the man play. Oso can still man the C position.
Khaman Maluach is a bit of an enigma. I would absolutely love for him to join the bench-mob revolution that the Suns are currently experiencing. But again, where do the minutes come from? If you look at KM’s stats from the G League, they are really quite good. He excels at the FT line and in rebounding. But his NBA stats suck due to a lack of playing time.
This is a chicken-and-egg question. But it ultimately comes down to how many minutes the Suns can afford to give Man Man? The answer is not many unless (holds breath) an injury occurs in the frontcourt. Keep KM in the development league.
OldAz: There is a reason Oso has passed Richards on the depth chart, and that Richards gets almost as many minutes over the last month as Maluach. The injury concern is understandable, and if Williams or even Oso gets injured, there is going to be a significant step down for the team. The real question is how big the gap is between a veteran like Richards, who really lacks athleticism and anything he really does special on the floor, and the inexperience but high upside of KM.
In my opinion, worrying about the third-string center is a good problem to have, and if they find the right deal to get under the salary threshold or to bring back a solid player, they simply need to pull the trigger and let the chips fall where they may when it comes to injuries.
Rod: I understand that concern, but I don’t think it should be the deciding factor as to whether to trade Richards or not. Following the trade deadline, the Suns will have 31 games left, and if Williams stays healthy until then, I see no reason to play things overly cautious. Sure, there would be some risk in moving Richards then, but I think that risk may not be as high as others. And while Maluach may not seem ready for meaningful minutes yet, we won’t know that for certain until he’s actually given meaningful minutes to play. If the return for Nick outweighs the risk, make the move.
As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!
Quotes of the Week
“We’re going to stick to it. No one in the Suns uniform or on the staff like how we started that third quarter, but the starters then figured it out and they did it collectively.” – Jordan Ott on the Philadelphia game
“I just think we just continue to get better. Even when it doesn’t feel great, we find ways to win.” – Jordan Ott
“I’m just trying to be a star in my role.” – Jordan Goodwin
“I think we’re taking a lot of pride in being that bench unit, playing together, playing fast. Sharing the basketball. Flying around on defense. Just having that identity going in there and changing the speed of the game has been really good.” – Oso Ighodaro
“We never put an expectation on anything. We just want to come out here and play the right way and that’s what we’ve been doing this year.” – Devin Booker
Suns Trivia/History
On January 23, 2016, Tyson Chandler tied Paul Silas’ franchise record of 27 rebounds in a 98-95 win over the Atlanta Hawks.
On January 28, 2014, the Suns signed Leandro Barbosa to a contract for the rest of the season. It was Barbosa’s 2nd stint with the Suns after playing his first 7 years in the league in Phoenix. Barbosa had begun the 2013-14 season playing in his home country of Brazil for Esporte Clube Pinheiros after tearing the ACL in his left knee while playing for the Celtics in 2012-13. The “Brazilian Blur” had been signed by the Suns to back-to-back 10-day contracts before getting the rest of the season contract offer from them.
On January 29, 1984, the NBA’s first All-Star Saturday took place in Denver at McNichols Arena. The first Nestle Crunch Slam-Dunk winner was Phoenix’s Larry Nance, who used a two-ball windmill dunk to beat favorites Julius Erving and Dominique Wilkins.
On January 29, 2007, the Suns’ previous longest win streak of 17 games came to an end in Minnesota 121-112 on the final game of a 5-game road trip. The Suns entered the fourth quarter up 95-94 but went ice cold from the field, making only 29.4% of their shots (5 of 17) in the quarter and were outscored 27-17 while the Timberwolves hit 60.0% of their FG attempts (12 of 20).
This Week’s Game Schedule
Friday, Jan 23 – Suns @ Atlanta Hawks (5:30 pm) Sunday, Jan 25 – Suns vs Miami Heat (6:00 pm) Tuesday, Jan 27 – Suns vs Brooklyn Nets (7:00 pm)
This Week’s Valley Suns Game Schedule
Friday, Jan 23 – Valley Suns @ Texas Legends (7:30 pm) Sunday, Jan 25 – Valley Suns vs Austin Spurs (3:00 pm) NBA TV Tuesday, Jan 27 – Valley Suns vs Austin Spurs (8:00 pm) ESPN+
Important Future Dates
Feb. 5 – Trade deadline (3:00 pm ET) Feb. 13-15 – 2026 NBA All-Star weekend in Los Angeles, CA March 1 – Playoff eligibility waiver deadline March 28 – NBA G League Regular Season ends March 31 – 2026 NBA G League Playoffs begin April 12 – Regular season ends (All 30 teams play) April 13 – Rosters set for NBA Playoffs 2026 (3 p.m. ET) April 14-17 – SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament April 18 – NBA Playoffs begin
We’re less than 30 days out from the start of NC State’s 2026 baseball season, so now’s as good a time as any to get to know the team before they hit the diamond. The Wolfpack will be looking for their third trip to Omaha in the last six seasons, so let’s figure out how they’ll get there (keep your “on a plane” jokes at home where they belong). We’ll try and tackle this in a few parts:
Part II will look at the returnees from 2025’s Auburn Regional squad
Part III will look at the newcomers, both transfers and freshmen
Part IV will look at the non-conference opponents
Part V will tackle the ACC slate facing the Pack
Let’s get to it!
Who’s Back
If you read Part I of this series and saw the 22 players exiting the program, you might be a little apprehensive to dive into this one. Hey, I don’t blame you – that’s a reasonable reaction at a surface level. Fear not, though, there’s plenty of reason for optimism for the 2026 Wolfpack, and it starts with who’s back from last year’s team.
Heath Andrews – JR – RHP
Preston Bonn – rFR – C
Landon Carr – rJR – RHP
Cooper Consiglio – JR – LHP
Jacob Dudan – JR – RHP
Brayden Fraasman – SR – OF
Ty Head – SO – CF
Drew Lanphere – rJR – C
Truitt Manuel – rFR – RHP
Ryan Marohn – JR – LHP
Chris McHugh – JR – 1B
Kaden Morris – rFR – RHP
Anderson Nance – SO – RHP
Luke Nixon – JR – INF
Brandon Novy – SO – 1B/3B
Julien Peissel – rJR – RHP
Tristan Potts – SO – LHP
(Starters and key contributors in bold)
By a quick count, that’s four starters plus a key contributor returning to the lineup plus two-thirds of the weekend rotation and three of the top four relievers by innings pitched in 2025. That’s a solid basis to start a club with, especially in today’s current transfer portal climate. Let’s take a closer look at those coming back, starting with the players who didn’t play as crucial a role last season.
Preston Bonn was a late addition to the Wolfpack’s freshman class of 2025 and spent the year redshirting while Alex Sosa started 40 games behind the dish and Drew Lanphere accounting for the other 16 starts at catcher. With Sosa now gone, the 6’0, 187 lbs Bonn has a chance for playing time.
Landon Carr redshirted last year after notching a single appearance in February with a scoreless inning against Ohio State. The redshirt wasn’t planned, as Carr ended up needing elbow surgery to repair his UCL (internal brace, not Tommy John). The first year back from elbow surgery can be a crapshoot, so we’ll see what Carr can contribute in 2026, but his a very talented arm with experience from his time in the JUCO ranks. Pre-surgery, he featured a mid-90’s fastball complimented by a changeup and breaking ball.
Like Carr, Truitt Manuel redshirted the 2025 season after elbow surgery. Unlike Carr, Manuel’s surgery occurred in fall 2024 so he’s had more time to recover and his chances to be back to form will be higher. A super athletic righty, Manuel can pitch in the mid-90’s with a changeup and a breaking ball. He got high reviews for his work in the fall, so he’s a player to watch for this spring.
Kaden Morris is a 6’8, 220 lbs righty from Clayton who is flying under the radar after redshirting last year. He’s a former Top 300 national recruit with a low-90’s heater that plays up due to his size and delivery. Morris is a true project arm, so it will be interesting to see what he has to offer after a year a change of working with Chrysler and crew.
Like Carr and Manuel, Julien Peissel missed all of the 2025 season due to injury, but his was a torn ACL in his knee rather than an elbow injury. Unlike Carr and Manuel, Peissel has experience at the D1 level after playing his first two collegiate seasons at UNCG where the 6’1, 186 lbs righty went 6-6 with a 4.65 ERA over 129.2 IP with a 7.9 BB% and 16.3 K%. He has a low-to-mid-90’s fastball, a breaking ball, and a splitter. Peissel should be back to full strength by the start of the season and will feature into a bullpen role, or possibly the Wolfpack’s midweek starter once he works back into multiple-inning stamina.
Two rising sophomores who emerged late in the 2025 season and figure to play more prominent roles in 2026 are Brandon Novy and Tristan Potts. Novy is a big body corner infielder with power to match his size. He hit .271/.462/.500, 2 2B, 3 HR, 24.6 BB%, 12.3 K%, 0-0 SB over 65 plate appearances across 24 games with 11 starts. Novy started the last eight games of the year during which he hit .355 with all three of his home runs coming during that stretch. More than just a masher with an ability to hit to all fields, Novy should see plenty more PAs this year, whether that’s in the field or at DH.
On a team with just four southpaws, Potts should see plenty of opportunities to make an impact as a reliever this year. After a pair of February appearances, the Waxhaw native didn’t see the mound again until April but impressed down the stretch. For the year, Potts posted a 2.35 ERA over 7.2 IP spanning 11 appearances with a 5.4 BB% and 18.9 K%. The numbers are more impressive when you consider the competition he toed the rubber against (Coastal Carolina, Richmond, Virginia, Louisville, UNCW, Miami, Stetson, CCSU).
Despite losing Dominic Fritton to the draft, the returning pieces of the pitching staff is one of the primary reasons for optimism for NC State heading into 2026. That starts with Heath Andrews and Ryan Marohn returning to their weekend rotation roles, as well as stud 2025 relievers Jacob Dudan and Anderson Nance, and what should be a bounce-back season from Cooper Consiglio.
Andrews had an up-and-down sophomore season in 2025, showing glimpses of dominance but also struggling at times with command, which often resulted in his pitching from behind in counts and ultimately getting hurt because of it (15 2B, 13 HR surrendered in 2025). Built like a strong safety, the physical righty posted a line of the season of 4-3, 6.02 ERA, 64.1 IP, 7.5 BB%, 18.0 K%. Andrews features a low-to-mid-90’s fastball that pairs with a slider that can be devastating when ahead in the count. He also has a changeup and added a cutter in the fall.
A 2025 3rd Team All-ACC selection, Marohn is more than just a crafty lefty although he’ll occasionally get tagged with that moniker because of his ability to throw four pitches for strikes. He sits in the low-90’s with his fastball but can run it up to 95, and the pitch plays up thanks to his ability to control his changeup, curveball, and slider. Marohn’s final 2025 line was 8-3, 3.38 ERA, 85.1 IP, 5.4 BB%, 26.0 K% over 14 starts, including two complete games and three outings of 10+ strikeouts. The two-year starter spent time with the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team last summer and holds career marks with the Wolfpack of 12-5, 1 SV, 3.62 ERA, 144.1 IP, 7.2 BB%, 22.5 K% across 30 appearances, including 24 starts.
Getting first crack at the third spot in the weekend rotation will be Dudan, a shutdown reliever over his first two seasons with NC State who received some starting experience in the Cape Cod League last summer. The Dude went 2-2, 5 SV, 3.90 ERA, 30.0 IP, 12.7 BB%, 30.6 K% over 22 games last season, including one start. He struggled out of the gate last year with a 20.25 ERA through his first four appearances, but settled in with scoreless efforts in 14 of his last 18 outings, allowing multiple runs in just one of those appearances. Dudan has a career line at State of 6-4, 11 SV, 4.27 ERA, 78.0 IP, 14.6 BB%, 27.8 K%. The 2024 Freshman All-American and USA Baseball Collegiate National Team member is looking to change his arsenal heading into his first year as a starter, leaning less on his devastating slider and high-90’s four-seam fastball combo, and mixing in a changeup and sinker to keep hitters off-balance. Putting it all together as a starter will put him in line to be a 1st round pick in this year’s MLB Draft. The fallback is to return to his role as one of college baseball’s most dominant closers.
Nance took the mound last spring with the quiet confidence of a 6th year senior stone cold killer. On his way to All-ACC Freshman and Freshman All-American honors, Nance pitched to an 8-2 record with 1 save and a 3.50 ERA over 18 appearances (1 start) covering 54.0 IP. He posted a 4.9 BB% and 23.7 K% while getting stronger in every start, with his fastball gaining velocity as the season progressed. He was at his best in mid-April, going 14.0 IP of scoreless ball with 19 K in outings against East Carolina, California, and Clemson. Nance would seem like the more obvious choice to slide into the weekend rotation, but he’ll play the swingman role for the Pack in 2026 with his mid-90’s fastball – that can reach the upper 90’s – complimented by his breaking ball and changeup.
Consiglio burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2024, going 5-4 with a 4.97 ERA over 15 appearances, including 5 starts, and 41.2 IP with a 13.5 BB% and 21.3 K%. After spending time with the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team that summer, he struggled out of the gate but appeared to right the ship come early March going 7.0 combined innings of scoreless ball with 1 BB and 9 K against UNCG and NC A&T. Unfortunately, those were the last two scoreless outings of his season as his control waned. That wasn’t a lack of control just in finding the strike zone, but missing the outer third of the plate by leaving the ball out over the heart of the plate and hitters doing damage with it. The end result was a 1-4, 10.59 ERA, 34.0 IP, 13.9 BB%, 21.1 K% line. The good news is that Consiglio had a great summer up on the Cape Cod League and followed up with an impressive fall for the Pack. He should jump right into the top lefty bullpen arm for State, eating a bunch of meaningful innings.
Getting to the lineup, and speaking of players with a bit of hype coming from their fall camp performance, Brayden Fraasman returns after posting a .279/.329/.498, 12 2B, 11 HR, 6.8 BB%, 16.2 K%, 3-5 SB campaign a year ago. The former JUCO transfer from Lincoln Trail CC in Illinois played in the MLB Draft League last summer, but went undrafted thereafter. Fraasman popped at times last year, including winning ACC Player of the Week honors in late April after torching Clemson (.692, 2 HR, 7 RBI), but he faded in May as strikeouts and a lack of walks took their toll on his effectiveness at the dish. He did finish 5-for-17 in the NCAA Regional with 2 2B and a HR, and the toolsy outfielder should have an even stronger 2026 in his second year of ACC play.
Ty Head was NC State’s highest rated player in the 2025 freshman class, and he lived up to it by earning All-ACC Freshman honors with a .274/.433/.402, 11 2B, 4 HR, 19.8 BB%, 11.5 K%, 6-6 SB effort. That’s not to say anything of his defense, which featured a slew of magnificent highlights throughout the season. After playing up in the Cape Cod League last summer and being back on campus for fall work, Head is primed for a breakout 2026 season, even if that walk rate isn’t replicated. With all his tools and ability to play all three OF positions, he’ll be a name to watch as a draft-eligible sophomore in this year’s MLB Draft.
Following three seasons in Raleigh, slowly working his way up from bullpen catcher to parttime backup catcher to fulltime backup catcher and parttime starter, Drew Lanphere hit the transfer portal in look of an opportunity to be a fulltime starter. When Alex Sosa hit the transfer portal himself, it made a ton of sense for the Wendell native to return to Raleigh for a fourth season. He’ll face competition from a pair of freshman, but neither have what Lanphere does: experience. Lanphere has played in 68 games over the last two years with the Wolfpack, posting a line of .244/.376/.331, 5 2B, 3 HR, 16.7 BB%, 17.7 K%, 0-0 SB. In 2025, he hit .217/.383/.289, 3 2B, 1 HR, 20.6 BB%, 12.1 K%, 0-0 SB. While the triple slash won’t wow you, the underlying numbers (that BB%, K%, and his .250 BABIP) are clear indicators that a breakout season could be in store. Not to mention that he’s was the best defensive catcher on the field for State last year.
In what turned out to be a way underrated transfer signing before the 2025 season, Chris McHugh quickly acquitted himself at the ACC level, posting a line of .365/.462/.533, 12 2B, 7 HR, 9.7 BB%, 16.9 K%, 1-3 SB on his way to 2nd Team All-ACC honors. He then went on to a successful season in the Cape Cod League, hitting .250/.347/.462, 7 2B, 5 HR, 10.7 BB%, 13.2 K%, 3-3 SB on the same Wareham team as Consiglio. The stocky righty has more power to tap into than his 2025 numbers indicated, but even without, he’s a professional hitter who is a tough out every time steps to the plate. He’s also worked some in left field this year to help provide the Wolfpack with more flexibility in the lineup. Regardless of where he’s positioned, he should again put up an All-ACC type season.
Luke Nixon, the son of Trot Nixon – gah! Sorry, it’s just a reflex at this point – returns for his third year in Raleigh already having 108 starts under his belt. In 2025, he hit .295/.386/.459, 15 2B, 5 HR, 8.3 BB%, 14.6 K%, 14-16 SB and has a career line of .270/.390/.411, 20 2B, 9 HR, 11.5 BB%, 14.9 K%, 28-34 SB over 111 career games. Nixon, too, spent last summer in the Cape Cod League, and that experience should help him in 2026. With the defensive versatility to play pretty much any position, Nixon will again be expected to man second base while also providing a top-of-the-order level bat. He’s an All-ACC caliber player.
When the USC men's basketball team ran back into the locker room after pregame warmups, Alijah Arenas lingered on the court for a few more seconds to get some extra shots up before running back into the tunnel, smile on his face, to join his teammates.
The team came back out a few minutes later, and Arenas dapped up as many people sitting courtside at Galen Center as he could. "TV off" by Kendrick Lamar blared over the speakers as Arenas' name was announced over the PA.
The crowd roared and gave the freshman a long standing ovation moments before he made his collegiate debut for the Trojans, starting in a 74-68 loss to Northwestern on Wednesday, Jan. 21. And while he had his struggles, most of it was to be expected.
"When you do this long enough and you inject a super talented player, the results are not so shocking to me," head coach Eric Musselman said postgame. "When you put someone in and he goes three-for-15 from the field, that's a lot of shots in his minutes, but he can create his own shot. And you know, he should be a high school senior who reclassified, missed an entire summer, and then you're throwing him in the middle of Big Ten play so he doesn't have non-conference play and all that stuff, just based on injury.
"It's a difficult thing for any super talented player to go through."
Arenas scored eight points while shooting just 20% from the floor in 29 minutes, taking on a much bigger role than Musselman originally envisioned after Chad Baker-Mazara fouled out after playing just 13 minutes.
Just a few months ago, this night – just getting on the court – seemed far away for Arenas.
In the early morning hours on April 24, 2025, Arenas – son of three-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas – was involved in a serious car accident that put him in a medically induced coma. His Tesla Cybertruck malfunctioned and lost control before striking a fire hydrant and a tree. Gilbert later recounted on the All the Smoke podcast that his son was trapped in the vehicle for 10 minutes, unable to break the car's bulletproof windows, as the engine caught fire.
Arenas had no major injuries from the crash and made a full recovery within a few days. Another setback for the incoming five-star came three months later however, when he tore his right meniscus in practice and required surgery. With an original recovery timeline of six-to-eight months, there was a real possibility that Arenas could have missed the entire 2025-26 season.
But here Arenas was, exactly six months later and just over a month after returning to full practices with the team, being thrown right into the fire.
Early in the first half, Arenas showed exactly why he was a highly coveted five-star recruit. Getting the ball in transition, the freshman took Max Green's ankles, sending the Northwestern guard diving onto the floor. Arenas slashed towards the hoop, took off and did a Jamal Murray-esque spin in mid-air to avoid Wildcats big man Arrinten Page for a layup on the second bucket of his college career to give USC a five-point lead.
Plays like that made it easy to see why the Galen Center crowd held its breath every time Arenas touched the ball, waiting for him to do something amazing.
It didn't always pay off – like towards the end of the first half when Arenas spun his way through the Northwestern defense into the paint and tried to lay it up, only for the ball to jam against the rim on its way up. Arenas still played like a freshman in his first game for the most part, but he didn't hesitate to let the ball fly.
"I've seen him play a lot in high school and marveled at his talent, size, athleticism, shot making ability," Northwestern head coach Chris Collins said. "I mean, he's going to be playing basketball for a long, long time. Anytime you come off with a late injury, there's going to be some rust. But ... he is a big time player. The more he plays, he's just going to keep getting better."
The Trojans entered the second half trailing by three after going ice cold offensively down the stretch in the first. They spent the rest of the night playing catch up. They came within one of the Wildcats twice in the final five minutes, but each time they were called for a foul on a made shot. Both times, Northwestern converted the and-one.
Jordan Marsh led the USC rally with a game-high 19 points, all of which came in the second half. Baker-Mazara had 14 points before fouling out. Jacob Cofie led the game in rebounds with 12.
At one point in the second half, Arenas was fouled and had to exit the game briefly due to what appeared to be bleeding from his left knee. He emerged from the tunnel minutes later with a sleeve over his knee and re-entered the game.
While Arenas' presence is certainly a positive for the Trojans, it wasn't enough to stop the team from continuing to flounder, losing for the fourth time in six games. With games against No. 2 Michigan, No. 10 Michigan State and No. 4 Purdue, this was expected to be a tough part of the schedule for USC. But faltering down the stretch against a Northwestern team that was winless in Big Ten play entering Wednesday was not in the cards.
"Extremely concerned," Musselman said. "Critical, critical loss tonight. Brutal."
The Trojans now find themselves at an impasse in the season, with five conference losses and over a month left to go in the season. Arenas showed flashes of what he can be in his debut, but there might be some growing pains to be expected along the way.
The Hornets shot 17% from three (1st percentile). Three-point defense can be difficult to diagnose on first watch. Well-defended shots can result in makes, and giving up uncontested threes can result in misses. There’s just a lot of variance there. The best defense is often done by limiting outside shots from the opponent’s best three-point shooters. The Cavs didn’t do that as Kon Knueppel (2-10 from three), Brandon Miller (3-11), and LaMelo Ball (0-10) all attempted more threes than their season-long averages. Based on that, this might have been a case of Cleveland benefiting from a horrendous shooting night from Charlotte.
Charlotte’s eight three-point makes were their fewest on the season. It was also their worst percentage as they went 8-47 (17%) from distance. Their lowest mark in a game up until this point was 25%. This was an uncharacteristically bad shooting night for a top-ten three-point shooting team.
The Cavs didn’t shoot much better as they went 8-40 (20%) from three (2nd percentile). This was also Cleveland’s worst shooting night of the season, and the second game in a row they only hit eight outside shots. This was the fifth time this season they’ve shot 25% or worse from three, and the first time they’ve won such a game.
This was the second game in a row the Cavs had just 34 field-goal makes. That ties their lowest total of field goals in a game.
Cleveland outscored Charlotte 25-17 on second-chance points. Both teams struggled to end defensive possessions with rebounds, but the Cavs did a better job of capitalizing on their second-chance opportunities. This was ultimately the difference in a game where both teams struggled offensively.
Nae’Qwan Tomlin provided a career-high seven offensive rebounds. His ability to create additional scoring opportunities for the Cavs has been incredibly helpful this season. Tomlin came into this game in the 95th percentile for offensive rebounding percentage. As a result, the Cavs as a team have grabbed 3.8% more of their missed shots from the field when Tomlin is on the court (86th percentile). This was the fourth time he’s had four or more offensive rebounds in a game.
Evan Mobley tied a season-high with 14 rebounds. This was the third time he’s reached that mark.
The Cavs had three players with multiple blocks: Mobley (3), Jarrett Allen (2), and Craig Porter Jr. (2).
This was the seventh time this season Porter has recorded two or more blocks in a game. Both rejections were on Ryan Kalkbrenner, who is exactly a foot taller than Porter.
Cleveland’s 18 fourth-quarter points were the first time they’ve been held under 20 points in the final frame. It’s also the fewest points they’ve had in any quarter in a win this season.
The Cavs tied a season-high with 21 turnovers. It was the second-straight game they committed 21 turnovers, and the fourth game in a row they had 16 or more.
Donovan Mitchell is responsible for a season-high eight of those turnovers.
Despite having eight more turnovers than Charlotte, the Cavs only lost the points off turnover battle by one point. The Cavs’ ability to create offense off the Hornets’ 12 giveaways went a long way in making sure they won this game.
This was the first time the Cavs have won this season when they’ve scored 105 points or less. Cleveland is now 1-7 in such games. This was the third time they’ve failed to reach the 100-point mark.
The Hornets were held to just 12 points in the second quarter. That ties the fewest points they’ve scored in a quarter all season.
Charlotte scored 26 fast-break points. They were in the 94th percentile for points scored in transition. Some of that is due to being able to run off of steals, but they also did a good job of getting into the open floor off defensive rebounds. This is an area the Cavs could’ve done a better job in defensively.
The Cavs’ half-court defensive rating of 59 is their best this season by a wide margin. Their previous best for a single game coming into this was 84.6.
The NBA trade deadline is exactly two weeks away, so it’s time to take stock of the rumors that are out there.
It’s important to note that not everything that’s leaked this time of the year can be believed, at least not without appropriate skepticism. Whenever a report bubbles up that cites anonymous sources, it bears asking why one party — from the player side or from the team — would want that information to go public. Put another way: this is the time of year when posturing and negotiation can happen through the press.
Antetokounmpo seemingly wants to preserve optics and doesn’t want to be the bad guy in this scenario. But Antetokounmpo, 31, is the best player in the Eastern Conference and a legitimate MVP threat when fully healthy. It’s more likely that the Bucks will look to be buyers — hello, Ja Morant? — to try to appease Antetokounmpo, who’s under contract through the 2026-27 season, with a player option the following year.
The reality here is that the Bucks — even if they did want to move Antetokounmpo to rebuild and recoup assets — have no incentive to do so now.
While there is the pressure of the deadline, prospective trading partners are limited in the players and draft capital they can offer. That changes over the offseason, once teams like the Lakers, Heat, Warriors and others are able to deploy further future draft capital to entice Milwaukee.
For Antetokounmpo to be on a different team Feb. 6, he would have to make it ugly and demand a deal. This one, at least right now, seems unlikely to happen.
Come the offseason, however, that may be a very different story.
The Athletic reported this week that the Knicks, who are Antetokounmpo’s reported preferred destination, might not be ruling out a trade of Towns, their 30-year-old floor-spacing big.
And while the temptation is to think Towns can be the centerpiece in a trade for Antetokounmpo, it’s an odd fit, and the Bucks would almost certainly be interested in New York’s wings. For one, Milwaukee just signed Myles Turner, who has a similar skill set to Towns. For another, Towns has been criticized recently — most notably from his own head coach — for his lack of effort during a game against the Kings.
The Knicks, though, made their first conference finals in 25 seasons last year. They clearly have the roster to compete in the East. Team owner James Dolan made it clear when he fired Tom Thibodeau in June, that it was NBA Finals or bust. He also has said that this build has enough to win a championship.
Similar to Milwaukee, New York is probably more likely to package some of its depth for another role player than it is to trade Towns.
A left hand injury that’s set to sideline Davis well beyond the deadline may have cratered any chance he had of being traded. Davis, already, has been an injury liability in Dallas, playing just 29 of a possible 86 games since he joined the Mavericks last February.
Given his massive salary, age, and health issues, his value is as low as it has ever been. That’s the frustrating part for the Mavericks; Davis is averaging 20.4 points and 11.1 rebounds when he’s on the floor. He was the headliner in the infamous trade that sent Luka Dončić to the Lakers.
It’s challenging to see any team being comfortable with the prospect of shipping real assets for Davis, who may not align with the team’s timeline. Still, a young team that has shown improvement like the Hornets, who would likely love a veteran presence, may be an intriguing option.
Could the Warriors, who have sorely lacked a consistent offensive threat in the paint and who just lost Jimmy Butler to a torn anterior cruciate ligament, be another potential fit? Golden State is desperate to make use of the window with Stephen Curry and does have Jonathan Kuminga to dangle in a deal.
This is where the reports get interesting. NBA insider Chris Haynes reported that the Grizzlies are very comfortable with the idea of keeping Morant. The read here appears to be that Memphis hasn’t been blown away by the market for Morant and is trying to build leverage.
NBA insider Marc Stein also reported that Morant doesn’t want to be dealt. Yet the Grizzlies are currently outside of the play-in picture in the West and will likely continue to listen to any offers that come their way. This appears to be a case where Memphis needs to feel that the offer presents suitable value.
One thing helping a potential deal: in the two games since Morant returned from a right calf contusion, he has combined to score 47 points and dish 25 assists. That type of play could entice teams like the Timberwolves or Warriors to push for a deal.
This feels like a deal that will get done, though a knee sprain has seemingly slowed Porter, who has nonetheless been a positive for Brooklyn this year.
But the Nets are going nowhere and Porter’s value has never been higher. Brooklyn has been loading up on draft capital, so this could present the best chance to leverage Porter’s play into more picks.
The Pistons, Warriors, Lakers and Bucks could be potential fits.
This is another one that seems inevitable. Kuminga became eligible for a trade Jan. 15, and he simply has not been a fit on Steve Kerr’s team — even with the injury to Jimmy Butler.
Kuminga is more of an athletic slasher, whereas Golden State thrives best when its role players are spot-up shooters. Kuminga’s defense is also suspect, and given that the Warriors are undersized, they cannot afford to have a weak link on that side of the floor.
But Golden State also hasn’t done a good job of propping Kuminga’s value up, eventually removing him from the rotation; in a loss Tuesday, Jan. 20 against the Raptors, Kuminga scored 20 points on an efficient 7-of-10 shooting and hauled in 5 rebounds in 21 minutes. It was his first action since Dec. 18.
Kuminga is still only 23 and is on a one-year deal (with a club option for next season), so a team that deals for him may want more than a short-term rental.
The Kings, Mavericks, Lakers, Bucks and Nets may be potential destinations.
Missing a couple games due to injury could be the difference between winning and losing the NBA Rookie of the Year award in 2026.
That's how close the race between former Duke teammates Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel remains as the league approaches next month's trade deadline. Since USA TODAY Sports last published its NBA rookie rankings two weeks ago, Flagg missed two games due to an ankle injury and that was enough to push Knueppel back to the top of the heap with the 2025-26 season halfway done.
The rest of the top five stays the same, but there's more movement in the back half of the rankings this week as another top-15 pick from the 2025 NBA Draft and an undrafted rookie on a two-way contract emerged.
Here's a breakdown of how all the rookies stack up for the entire 2025-26 season:
The former North Carolina and Arizona star fully emerged as an offensive weapon off the bench during Portland's recent stretch of 10 wins in 13 games, averaging 15.8 points and three 3-pointers per game on 37.5% shooting from beyond the arc.
The No. 9 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft started nine consecutive games at center for Jakob Poeltl and further reinforced early comparisons to Draymond Green. Murray-Boyles was a two-way force for the Raptors, averaging 10.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.6 stocks (steals + blocks). He aggravated a thumb injury and did not play in Toronto's win over Golden State on Jan. 20.
Harper had his best offensive performance in more than two weeks when he scored 15 points on 6 of 7 shooting and dished out five assists off the bench in the Spurs' 123-110 win over the Utah Jazz on Jan. 19.
Fears ranks among the top five rookies in minutes, points and steals per game and has nine games in which he's scored 20 or more points. He's also played in every game for the Pelicans this season. But a recent rough patch shooting the ball and the team's defensive issues when he's on the court are looming issues.
The Russian point guard trails only Knueppel among NBA rookies in 3-pointers made and 3-point percentage, and the Nets' defensive metrics improve significantly when he's on the court. Demin recently sat out a game due to injury management and the 19-year-old is still struggling at times with adjusting to NBA physicality.
Coward returned from a two-game injury absence and didn't seem to miss a beat despite a minutes restriction, shooting 50% from the field and better than 39% from 3-point range over the Grizzlies' next four games. His all-around play puts him among the top five rookies this season in minutes, points, rebounds, NET rating and player efficiency rating.
Queen leads all rookies in rebounds per game and ranks second in assists and blocks, continuing to flourish as a multi-faceted offensive option in New Orleans. The 6-9 center has four double-doubles in January and appears to be part of the contingent of Pelicans' players that won't be available at the NBA trade deadline.
The No. 3 pick cooled off a bit after a recent hot streak before producing 25 points in a Jan. 20 loss to the Phoenix Suns. Edgecombe leads all rookies in minutes played and steals, ranks third in scoring, 3-pointers made, assists and plus/minus, and he's among the top five in blocks and NET rating for the season.
Flagg missed two games against the Jazz due to an ankle injury, but returned to the Mavericks' lineup in their 114-97 win over the New York Knicks on Jan. 19. He finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists in more than 27 minutes of action.
Knueppel's magical rookie season continued with another string of consistently impressive all-around performances featuring incredibly accurate shooting, heady playmaking and subtle two-way contributions for the Hornets. He hasn't been held below double digits in scoring since Thanksgiving and recently became the fastest player in franchise history to reach 800 points.
After a close loss against the Detroit Pistons, Boston came back home to play their final matchup of the season against the Indiana Pacers where they proceeded to run them out of the gym, winning by a final score of 119-104. Boston did a great job when it came to defending the Pacers tonight, holding them to 37-94 (39%) shooting. The Celtics offense also showed up big time, opening up a 23-point lead in a great bounce back win back in front of the home crowd.
I think it is safe to say that Sam Hauser is officially back. Hauser pushed his three-point percentage back up over 40% on the season in his third great performance in a row, finishing with 17 points, 6 rebounds on 6-8 shooting from the field and 5-7 from three. I really think Hauser has started to develop into the second-best offensive player on the Celtics right now over his most recent hot stretch. At a time where the Celtics needed a second scoring option, Hauser has really turned up his game and has been on fire from three.
Hauser hit the first two threes that he attempted in the first quarter in quick succession. The first one came on the first shot of the game for the Celtics. Some nice ball movement from Derrick White set up Hauser for a wide-open corner three. The second came in a similar fashion, but this time Payton Pritchard drove to the free throw line and found Hauser on the opposite corner.
Hauser would hit 3 more wide open threes in similar fashion but his best play of the night came on his two-point attempt at the 7:05 mark of the fourth quarter. Hauser received the ball on the far corner and Pascal Siakam went to contest his shot. Instead, Hauser made a spin move out of the corner and hit a midrange jumper over Siakam instead. Just incredible bag work that you don’t see out of Hauser that often.
This was one of the best all-around games we have seen from Jaylen Brown this season, finishing with 30 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals on 11-22 shooting. Brown was incredibly efficient tonight, taking over the game when it came to straight drives to the paint. Brown opened up his scoring night with a driving finger roll over Johnny Furphy and then made a great play where he attacked Jay Huff at the rim and finished over him for an And-1.
Brown continued to be aggressive in the second quarter where he scored 10 of his 30 points. He hit a nice fadeaway jumper over Quenton Jackson, drove aggressively at Aaron Nesmith to finish a layup, and finally, after getting blocked by Micah Potter, he was able to grab his own rebound and finish with a layup.
Brown had a fine third quarter but the fourth quarter is where he really put the game away for good. This was highlighted by a steal on an errant pass by Aaron Nesmith where he took it all the way back for a driving layup that should have been an And-1.
After a rough showing against the Pistons, Neemias Queta bounced back with a big performance, finishing with 17 points, 9 rebounds and 5 blocks.
Queta’s first block came when Andrew Nembhard was going up for a layup in the first quarter that he swatted away. The second block came when Jackson left a dump off pass for Tony Brady who attempted to put up a shot, but Queta stuffed it before he even had the chance. The third came when Johnny Furphy got the ball in the corner and decided he wanted to drive to the basket where Pritchard was standing underneath. Before he made contact with Pritchard, Queta came flying out of nowhere to send Furphy’s attempt out of bounds. The fourth came when Pascal Siakam went driving to the basket, but Queta played some great help defense and was able to spike the shot off of the back board. Finally, the last block came when Ben Sheppard was trying to heave up a three as the shot clock expired, but Queta was right there on the contest to force the 24 second violation.
Jordan Walsh finished the game with 3 points and 5 rebounds but it felt like he was everywhere tonight on defense. Walsh had a great run in the second quarter that started with some great defense on Siakam. Siakam had Walsh on the block and went to work on him like he normally loved to do. Walsh wasn’t going to make it on him however as he stood his ground and forced Siakam to put up a wild shot that looked like it got tipped.
This was followed up by a great block by Neemias Queta that put the Celtics on the fast-break where some nice ball movement occurred. Simons passed it to Queta up top who sent it to Hauser who drew two defenders and found Walsh for a wide open three that he was able to knock down, forcing a Pacers timeout.
Walsh’s best play of the night came on the block he was credited for in the third quarter. Jarace Walker pump faked to get Jordan Walsh in the air. Instead of taking the shot, he decided to pass it to Ben Sheppard in the corner where he attempted a three. However, Walsh was able to recover well on the initial pump fake and sent Sheppard’s shot into the third row.
Much like Queta, Luka Garza had a rough game in Detroit when it came to being matched up with their bigs. In this game however, he was able to bounce back and make a ton of winning plays, finishing with 8 points and 6 rebounds. Garza is a master when it comes to grabbing offensive rebounds and this play is a good microcosm of his performance on the glass. After Scheierman missed a layup, Garza was able hit the ball up to himself, grab another rebound, and got fouled by Isaiah Jackson on his third attempt to get free throws.
Garza showed off his masterful finishing skills at the basket tonight at the 4:54 mark of the first quarter. After setting a great screen on Andrew Nembhard for Pritchard, Payton pump faked a three and found Garza rolling to the basket on a bounce pass. Garza then used a beautiful deceleration step to let let Walker fly by him and finish the layup.
Any time we get to see Hugo Gonzalez come in to the game, it is always going to be a fun time and tonight he made some great plays despite finishing with only 5 points and 2 rebounds. His best play of the night came after Anfernee Simons missed a midrange jumper in the second quarter. Hugo battled on the offensive glass over a crowd of Pacers players, came up with the ball, bobbled it, then got control to pass it to Jaylen Brown. Brown then found Gonzalez who relocated back to the corner for a wide open three that went down and got the TD Garden on its feet.
His other great play came off of an inbounds pass. White was passing it in and Gonzalez made a great cut to the basket off of a nice back screen by Queta to finish a wide open layup.
NBCSports Boston showed an interesting graphic during their broadcast tonight where it showed the Celtics rank dead last in free throw differential at home at -6.3 and 21st on the road at -1.4. In this game however, Boston was able to buck the trend as they shot 25 free throws on the night compared to Indiana’s 23. The Celtics did a much better job of hitting their free throws in this game as well, finishing the night 23-25 (92%). Joe Mazzulla said in his post game press conference that they need to find ways to win even when they aren’t shooting well and getting to the free throw line is a great start.
The Celtics' free throw differentiat at home is significantly worse than on the road. Wild. pic.twitter.com/0fJUouciDc
The Celtics did a great job when it came to protecting the pain in this matchup against the Pacers. Thanks to the help of Neemias Queta, Boston finished the night with 6 blocks and only allowed Indiana to score 40 points in the paint. On the flip side, the Celtics finished with 48 points in the paint and shot 24-42 (57%) in that area. Boston was also dominant on the glass in this game, out-rebounding Indiana 54-42. This is a great bounce back from their loss to the Pistons and it was helped by the Pacers not having a legitimate big man.
10. Three Point Differential
In the three prior matchups with the Pacers this season, the three point shot has been the great equalizer. In the first matchup, the Pacers shot 60% from three in the first half and 5% from three in the second half leading to a 103-95 Celtics win. In the second matchup, Boston shot 51% from three and blew out Indiana 140-122. In the third matchup, Boston shot 26% from three as a team while Indiana 43% of theirs to beat the Celtics 98-96. In this matchup, the three pointer was not the biggest equalizer with both teams hitting 12 threes on the night but Boston was able to hit them at a more efficient clip, shooting 12-31 (39%) over Indiana’s 12-45 (27%).
Celtics Shooting Zone (left) Pacers Shooting Zone (right) (Via NBA.com)
There’s no doubting that one of the main strengths of the Pittsburgh Pirates is their starting pitching. It looks like that unit will be even stronger this season with the impending return of Jared Jones.
In 2024, Jones went 6-8 with a 4.19 ERA, 1.192 WHIP and 132 strikeouts in 121 innings and looked one of Pittsburgh’s best young pitchers. Jones then went down with elbow surgery on his right throwing arm and missed all of 2025. But he’ll be back in 2026 and is targeting a timeline of sometime between March and May.
Jones started throwing in December, did a bullpen session in January, and remains on track for the the original injury timeline of 10-12 months after having surgery in May of 2025.
“I’m feeling pretty good right now, haven’t had a pretty big hiccup yet, and I’m very grateful for that. It’s been pretty smooth. Just getting back into everything and starting to throw again and getting off the mound, everything feels great, and like how it’s coming out the hand and getting ready to pitch again is what I’m looking forward to most here.”
When healthy, the now 24-year-old Jones will join 23-year-old Paul Skenes, 23-year-old Bubb Chandler, 26-year-old Braxton Ashcraftt, and the old man of the group, 29-year-old Mitch Keller in a young and talented rotation this season. And with the Bucs making some moves to brighten up the offense, including adding Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn, and Jake Mangum, the Pirates should be offering their rotation some better run support this season.
If the Bucs get that offense and Jones can come back healthy and back into the rotation, the Bucs are strong enough on the mound that even league average run support would make a huge difference. The Pirates scored a worst-in-the-league 583 runs last season. Is adding around 100 runs to get to league average possible? That remains to be seen, but with a healthy Jones back in the fold to tighten up the rotation, the Bucs would certainly be making some noise in the division if they can get there.
Outfielder Kyle Tucker speaks during a news conference at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday. Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes is to his right. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers made the signing of free-agent outfielder Kyle Tucker official Wednesday, capped off with an introductory news conference at Dodger Stadium.
Tucker's four-year, $240-million deal included a $64-million signing bonus, and the $60-million average annual value is the second-highest in baseball history, without factoring in deferred money, behind Shohei Ohtani’s $70 million in his 10-year deal with the Dodgers that runs through 2033.
Despite lucrative offers from the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays, Tucker went with the two-time defending World Series champions, who made room on their 40-man roster by designating outfielder Michael Siani for assignment.
“It’s a big decision, so you still got to weigh out everything,” Tucker told reporters, “but this team and this city and the fan base kind of makes it a little bit easier to make some decisions. That is just ultimately what we wanted to do, is come here and be part of that and try to win another World Series.”
With Tucker firmly in place, here are three takeaways from Wednesday:
Where does Tucker slot in the lineup?
Manager Dave Roberts said Tucker will play right field, with Teoscar Hernández sliding back to left field, the position he held down in his first season with the team in 2024.
It was not a surprising announcement, coming on the heels of Mookie Betts establishing himself as Gold Glove finalist at shortstop and Hernández struggling in right field last season.
As far as where Tucker will bat in the lineup, Roberts indicated he'd likely bat second or third.
"I don't want you guys to hold me to it right now," Roberts said jokingly, "but second or third seems to make sense."
What about Tucker's demeanor?
Tucker was asked about his perceived casual playing style, which he acknowledged is a reputation that's lingered because of "a little bit of my demeanor."
“I try to do my best out there regardless of how I feel or what the situation is,” he told reporters.
The Dodgers said they sought out clubhouse personnel, training staff, teammates and coaches to find out about Tucker’s competitive makeup and work ethic.
“His demeanor is such that it’s not an outward exuberant personality and so I think that can be misconstrued,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman told reporters. “For us, it’s about how does he compete, how does he work? For that we got very comfortable that when he’s in the box, when he’s in the outfield, he competes as well as anybody.”
Roberts, who said he did his own vetting of Tucker with other managers and coaches, believes the 29-year-old is a potential most valuable player candidate with the ability to win another Gold Glove.
“There’s an inner fire that I’ve seen,” Roberts said.
Are the Dodgers done dealing?
After addressing their two biggest needs this offseason, the bullpen and outfield, via free agency, the Dodgers appear to be relatively set with their roster a little more than three weeks before pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Arizona.
"There's still some things we're kicking around and some conversations that have been ongoing for a little bit that we're going to continue to enhance and build up depth," Friedman told reporters.
Asked if the Dodgers still are in the market for starting pitching, Friedman said: "We are not."
That appeared to play out Wednesday night when the Mets acquired starting pitcher Freddy Peralta in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers.
The 29-year-old right-hander had been someone the Dodgers were interested in, the Athletic reported this week. Considering their rotation already projected to feature Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki, the reported interest in Peralta was surprising.
But coming off a grueling postseason in which the starters, Yamamoto in particular, carried a heavy load, the Dodgers already were thinking about ways to navigate next season — especially with the World Baseball Classic in March.
Last month during winter meetings, Roberts hinted at a six-man rotation as a way to give starters extra rest over a long season. Among the Dodgers' four starting pitchers during the postseason — Yamamoto, Snell, Glasnow and Ohtani — only Yamamoto pitched the entire season. Snell and Glasnow spent significant time on the injured list, and Ohtani didn't make his pitching debut until June.
The Dodgers have plenty of young pitchers who could step in, from ascendant minor-league prospect Jackson Ferris, to returning 2024 breakout rookies River Ryan and Gavin Stone, to the more-established Justin Wrobleski and Emmet Sheehan.
Welcome to Thursday. Cody Bellinger is Yankee. Freddy Peralta is a Met. Yoán Moncada is an Angel again for some reason. Hurrah.
Today on the site, Josh will offer his thoughts on Cody Bellinger’s new contract, Peter will spotlight the late Brian Dayett for our Yankees Birthdays series, and Matt will open an unfortunate page from franchise history by remembering the ill-fated Kei Igawa signing. Michael will also delve into Hall of Fame voting trends and determine if this year’s boost in balloting means that Andy Pettitte could make it to Cooperstown before his BBWAA eligibility expires in two years.
Questions/Prompts:
1. Acknowledging up front that it’s possible that Milwaukee just preferred the Mets’ system to the Yankees’, would you have wanted the Yankees to trade someone like George Lombard Jr. to get Peralta?
2. There was plenty of discussion yesterday on the site, but do you have any further thoughts on Cody Bellinger returning now that you’ve had a chance to think about it some more?
In the first game of their Alberta back-to-back, the Pittsburgh Penguins went into the Saddledome and handled the Calgary Flames by a score of 4-1 on Wednesday night. Goals from Evgeni Malkin and Egor Chinakhov put the Penguins in front 2-0, but a late second period tally by the Flames halved the deficit and set up what looked to be a tight third period of hockey. A month ago, the Penguins may have folded after giving up a momentum shifting goal, but the January Penguins responded with a pair of third period markers to lock down a second straight victory on this road trip. [Pensburgh]
There’s no rest for the weary with the Penguins right back in action tonight, making the short trip from Calgary to Edmonton to take on the Oilers in another late night affair. Puck drop is set for 9:00 PM and will be broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh.
Pens Points…
Ben Kindel figured he was going to playing a lot of hockey in Calgary this season as a member of the Calgary Hitmen, his WHL side. Plans changed when he made the Penguins roster out of training camp, making this homecoming extra special for the rookie. [The Athletic $$]
Kyle Dubas put together a very successful offseason for the Penguins with multiple moves that have worked out very well. One of those moves was bringing in Anthony Mantha, a power forward coming off a major injury who turned into a key piece of the Penguins successes. [Trib Live]
While the outside additions this offseason were nice and have played a huge role in what the team has done this season, there is still little doubt to whom is main reason behind the Penguins success, it’s the captain Sidney Crosby who is putting together another age defying year. [Sports Illustrated]
There is a potential big name that could be dealt in a trade and there is a chance the Penguins could take a big swing if he’s available. Jason Robertson and the Dallas Stars are at an impasse in contract talks meaning he could be dealt for assets if no deal is reached. [The Hockey News]
If the Penguins can sustain this success and qualify for the playoffs, and perhaps even if they fall just shy, there will be a strong case in favor of Kyle Dubas being named the NHL’s General Manager of the Year for building this competitive of a roster in what was supposed to be a potentially ugly season. [The Hockey News]
Arturs Silvos has bounced back from a rocky stretch of play, but even with that, the Penguins have a clear No. 1 goaltender in Stuart Skinner at the moment and it’s time for the coaching staff to handle the goalie rotation as such moving forward. [The Hockey News]
NHL News and Notes…
Just two weeks out from the Opening Ceremonies of the 2026 Winter Olympics and the United States was forced into an emergency roster change. Seth Jones will miss The Games with an upper body injury and is being replaced on the roster by Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe. [NHL]
Making the jump from the junior ranks to the collegiate game has not been the smoothest transition for top NHL Draft prospect Gavin McKenna. Many are saying his draft stock has taken a bit of a hit this season, but perhaps his game is being diseceted a little too much from afar. [Daily Faceoff]
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Rory McIlroy took a double-bogey seven in a 1-over opening round of 73 to start the Dubai Desert Classic trailing eight shots behind clubhouse leader Francesco Molinari on Thursday.
Playing the 18th hole as the ninth of his round, McIlroy’s chip approach for his third shot pitched in front of the green and rolled back into the water. After taking a penalty, his next approach left McIlroy six feet from the pin needing two putts.
McIlroy’s playing partner, Tommy Fleetwood, also dropped a shot on the 18th after making bogey also at the 14th and 16th. The world Nos. 2 and 3 both carded 73.
The third member of the stellar group of Ryder Cup winners, Tyrrell Hatton, shot a 2-under 70 to begin the defense of his Dubai title at Emirates Golf Club. Another Ryder Cup teammate, Shane Lowry, also was on 2 under.
Molinari hit eight birdies in a 7-under 65, including four in his first five holes starting at the 10th. He later had three straight birdies through the ninth to finish his round.
Mikael Lindberg was two shots back in second place with a 5-under 67, and Joel Girrbach was alone in third place in the clubhouse on 4 under.
A group of players on 3 under included Wenyi Ding, the 21-year-old former Arizona State University student from China.
NHL Rumors: Flyers Have Target To Consider In Canucks ForwardThe Flyers could use another bottom-six center and should consider targeting this Canucks forward because of it. 
Flyers' High-Upside Prospect Changes Teams to Salvage Lost SeasonHaving played just 35 total games across the last two seasons, a high-upside <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> draft pick has made a move and decided to change teams in order to salvage a lost season of development.
