VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Anthony Duclair scored twice and the New York Islanders beat Vancouver 4-3 on Monday night, handing the Canucks their 11th consecutive defeat.
Tony DeAngelo had a goal and an assist for the Islanders (27-17-5). Ryan Pulock's second goal of the season put New York ahead for good with 4:02 remaining in the second period.
Rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer and British Columbia product Mathew Barzal each had two assists. Ilya Sorokin stopped 29 shots.
Duclair has seven goals in his last seven games after scoring four in his first 38 appearances this season.
Max Sasson, Evander Kane and Drew O’Connor scored for the NHL-worst Canucks (16-28-5), who have lost eight straight games in regulation. They are 0-9-2 during the losing streak, and still winless in 2026.
Kevin Lankinen made 28 saves for Vancouver, which fell to 4-14-3 at Rogers Arena and hasn't won at home since Dec. 6.
Sasson gave the Canucks an early lead, scoring 2:49 into the game, and Kane put them up 2-1 with his eighth goal of the season before the end of the first period.
But the Canucks gave up two goals in 1:24 late in the second and couldn’t recover in the third despite a late goal from O’Connor.
Pulock gave the Islanders a 3-2 lead when he took a pass from Schaefer at the top of the slot and sent a shot over Lankinen.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was at the NBA's presentation to potential investors on Monday over a proposed European NBA league [Getty Images]
London hosted its 10th regular-season NBA match on Sunday as the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Orlando Magic 126-109, but there was a different feel to the occasion than in previous games in the city.
Three days on from the Magic's win over the Grizzlies in Berlin's first regular-season NBA match, the Grizzlies' victory concluded a European double-header that brought much excitement around the sport and its potential room for European growth.
In 2027 Paris and Manchester will host a double-header - the latter also getting its first NBA in-season match - while in 2028 Berlin and Paris will take another game each.
All four cities are among those being touted by the NBA as part of its long-term plans for an independent European league that could launch within two years.
Football clubs including Manchester City and Real Madrid are among targets for the NBA to have teams in a European league, with representatives from both attending a presentation on Monday in London.
At grassroots level, basketball is the fastest-growing sport in the UK and has received further recent investment from the NBA, UK government and regionally.
But, professionally, the UK is significantly straggling on its European counterparts and, while there were a record four UK-listed players on NBA rosters in starting squads this season, it is still a low number compared to other European nations.
As plans continue to develop over a potentially transformative NBA European league, there is a sense that this is a major moment for the future of British basketball.
The plans for 'NBA Europe' and why now?
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has described NBA Europe as a "decade-long" project [Getty Images]
The NBA is planning to launch an independent European league under the working title of NBA Europe.
Talks remain ongoing, but plans lead towards it starting as a league of 12-16 teams that could include a merit-based qualification system as well as promotion and relegation.
London, Manchester, Paris and Berlin are expected to have teams in NBA Europe.
The league is expected to consist of existing teams, new sides and football clubs that currently do not have associated basketball teams.
Talks are in preliminary stages, but there is optimism around the plans and, under the NBA's running, they have the potential to transform European basketball's landscape.
London is being tipped to be among the key cities for the NBA's European hopes, despite its lack of basketball presence.
It is unlikely that London will be a franchise that is part of a football team, with the city earmarked to become a model city to be emulated at other NBA Europe locations.
This is also in part because of London's global appeal to US audiences, and infrastructure that includes the O2 and a reported new indoor arena in the process of being built.
"We know that here in London in particular, in many ways we think this market is tastemakers for much of Europe," said NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
"The last I looked, I think the O2 is the leading arena throughout Europe and, from a revenue standpoint, exceeds most arenas around the United States.
"Culturally, all the top acts come through there. There is this New York-London connection from a fashion and music standpoint."
An increasing number of international players in the NBA, a growing viewership in the league across Europe, and the fact that five of the NBA's past seven Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards have been won by Europeans point towards a prime opportunity for the NBA to capitalise.
The NBA has worked on European plans in collaboration with the International Basketball Federation (Fiba), the sport's international governing body.
As well as Silver describing interest from potential investors and sponsors as "significant", current and former players have been showing their support for a European NBA league.
"The NBA has been such a successful brand and they have talked about expansion for 20 years ever since I was in the league, so I'm excited that this next step is finally here," Dirk Nowitzki, the first European to win the MVP award, told BBC Sport.
"If the NBA normally does something, they do it right. Hopefully it is going to be good for European basketball and exciting."
The challenges faced by the NBA
EuroLeague chief executive Paulius Motiejunas (right) has criticised the NBA's plans and questioned whether they are necessary [Getty Images]
The NBA's main opposition has come in the form of EuroLeague, which operates Europe's primary club basketball competition.
EuroLeague has been strong in its objection to NBA Europe and has recently threatened the NBA with legal action should it approach EuroLeague clubs over a switch.
"I'm here to grow basketball in Europe, to make it better," EuroLeague chief executive Paulius Motiejunas told BBC Sport in October.
"From time to time, you have these new projects or new ideas coming. They can either grow the status quo or make it much better or they can hurt.
"I truly believe that this will only hurt the status quo rather than make it better if it continues to be in a way that it has been presented."
There are other stumbling blocks and logistical issues to work out, such as scheduling, ticket pricing, format and travel.
Should the league go ahead under current proposals, teams from potential franchises in London and Manchester travel could travel as far as Turkey and Greece for matches.
"It's a good idea. It's a matter now of travel. Can you logistically do it and how would you logistically set it up?" Isiah Thomas, a 12-time NBA all-star, told BBC Sport.
"Twenty or 30 years ago, you didn't have the type of logistics that we have now in terms of moving around the countries and moving around different places worldwide.
"Logistically, now you can easily set up tournaments, and there's enough talent and in different countries where you can really have a pool of resources that you can continually pull from because the game is being taught at a very early young age."
Silver said an NBA European league will measure success in its infancy by the overall growth of the sport in Europe, rather than commercially.
NBA Europe may have to play matches in smaller arenas early on while larger ones are constructed.
Early suggestions are that ticket prices would be in line with pricing for European sporting events.
What next?
NBA legend Tony Parker (left) attended Sunday's game in London alongside former Arsenal footballer Thierry Henry [Getty Images]
Following Sunday's match in London, the NBA hosted an invite-only presentation about NBA Europe to potential stakeholders, investors and sponsors.
Representatives from Manchester City, Real, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and AC Milan were in attendance, as were basketball clubs Olimpia Milano and Alba Berlin.
Private equity firms also attended, including JP Morgan, KKR and Raine.
NBA legends Pau Gasol and Tony Parker featured at the meeting, as did former Sweden and Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
"I'm a believer that if NBA comes with a business case and a business model and can combine it with the European fans, it will be a perfect match," said Ibrahimovic.
"That's why we are here - to make it successful and to make it magic, because we believe in it."
It is understood that investors wanting to enter a team in the league will be charged an entrance fee of between 500m euros (£434m) and 1bn euros (£868), decided on a case-by-case basis.
The NBA remains open to potential majority investment from sovereign wealth funds for NBA Europe franchises. At present, they can only invest up to 20% in an NBA franchise.
By the time Manchester hosts a double-header with Paris in 12 months, there will be a much clearer picture of the future of the NBA Europe plans and whether a 2027-28 season launch is realistic.
"It would be fantastic to grow the game and hopefully elevate it to new heights in Europe," said two-time MVP Steve Nash, whose family originates from London.
"(There is a) huge upside in London because it's not traditionally a basketball city or country in the UK.
"To build a fanbase, to build a club, to bring new fans into the game would be incredible for Europe, basketball and the NBA.
"The players coming into the league are more and more international; the fans are growing throughout the world. London would be a fantastic place to bring the game."
Reality, however, doesn’t usually cater to idealism.
The Blueshirts could not match the Ducks — and several of their ex-teammates — in an empty-net-abetted 5-3 loss Monday night, marking their ninth defeat in the past 12 games. While the Rangers came out swinging in their first game after Chris Drury’s retooling announcement, the energy and execution wasn’t as formidable this time around.
On the heels of the organization’s statement, coach Mike Sullivan accurately pointed out how the Rangers have been engulfed in outside noise since last season.
The hope is that some organizational transparency ahead of the Olympic break would alleviate some of the pressure.
Between poor puck management and a slow start to the third period Monday, any buoyancy the Rangers may have had was weighed down.
Anaheim Ducks left wing Jeffrey Viel (28) scores a goal against New York Rangers goaltender Spencer Martin (41) during the second period at Honda Center. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“One of the simplest, easiest ways to beat yourself is to not manage the puck appropriately,” Sullivan said after the loss. “If you do, you give teams opportunities to create easy offense And I think in a few of the events of tonight, we beat ourselves because we didn’t take care of the puck.”
Exactly four minutes into the game, the Rangers were able to capitalize on some extended zone time.
Mika Zibanejad tipped the puck back to Matthew Robertson, whose slap shot from the top of the zone went five-hole on Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal. It counted as the rookie defenseman’s third goal of the season and his first since the last time the Rangers faced Anaheim on Dec. 15.
The Ducks swarmed below the hash marks later in the period, creating some traffic in front of Rangers goalie Spencer Martin. A puck deflected off Robertson’s skate and right to Mason McTavish for the 1-1 score.
Alex Killorn #17 of the Anaheim Ducks celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period against the New York Rangers at Honda Center on January 19, 2026. NHLI via Getty Images
Scoring on the power play in a third straight game, the Rangers retook the lead on Artemi Panarin’s 19th goal of the season. Despite some prime chances to even the score later in the game, the power play converted on two of its four opportunities.
Anaheim applied significant pressure on a goalie who was making just his second start of the season.
Jeffrey Viel scored his first goal as a Duck to even the score at two-all, cleaning up a rebound after the Rangers were hemmed in their zone.
Anaheim later made it a 3-2 game on their second power-play opportunity of the period. Alex Killorn buried a puck that had already trickled past Martin off Jacob Trouba’s shot.
Matthew Robertson, center, celebrates his goal with teammates during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. AP
Just over a minute into the third period, Drew Helleson’s keep-in at the blue line allowed Cutter Gauthier to give the Ducks a two-goal lead. While Vladislav Gavrikov’s power-play goal cut the Rangers deficit to one, the visitors weren’t able to find the equalizer.
“I think the guys are doing their very best to take a professional approach through this process,” Sullivan said Monday morning. “It’s been a tough couple of weeks here, most recently. I do think that these guys take a lot of pride in what they do, and they and they care a lot. I’ve had this conversation with you guys on so many different occasions, and it’s not just coach speak, it’s my honest assessment of this group of players. … Does it change the mindset? It may, in some strange way. There’s clarity of direction and people understand where we’re all at right now. I think there’s no speculation.
“There’s clarity in the direction. And maybe clarity might bring a little bit of a freer spirit with that clarity. I’m not sure, to answer your question. I think time will tell.”
Islanders' Anthony Duclair, back right, Mathew Barzal (13) and Calum Ritchie (64) celebrate during the second period after Duclair's second goal against the Vancouver Canucks in an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Call it an inkblot test of a win.
On one hand, the Islanders overcame a horrid start to take two points from the Canucks on Monday with a 4-3 final, and six games into a seven-game road trip without their leading scorer, it is something to still be getting points.
And on the other, well, this looked like a mess at various points, and the Islanders have been playing with fire the entire trip. Are we really going to laud the Islanders for gritting out two points against the 32nd-ranked team in a 32-team league, which lost its 11th in a row Monday after trading their own leading scorer, Kiefer Sherwood, the same morning?
The Islanders would point out, and rightly so, that they all count the same in the standings, that there’s no such thing as an easy night in this league and that after nearly two weeks on the road, they are in desperate need of some rest and recovery.
“That was a found-a-way-to-win game,” Anders Lee told The Post. “… We’re walking outta here with two points. You gotta win games when you’re not at your best.”
All fair. And still, it’s hard not to feel uneasy about how this one went.
The Islanders struggled badly to handle Vancouver’s physicality, lost too many battles and — it feels like a broken record by now — were poor in front of both nets. They were discombobulated throughout the game’s early stages, and the newly put together second line of Max Tsyplakov, Cal Ritchie and Emil Heineman lasted all of one period, with two goals against, before Tsyplakov was unceremoniously benched.
Islanders’ Anthony Duclair, back right, Mathew Barzal (13) and Calum Ritchie (64) celebrate during the second period after Duclair’s second goal against the Vancouver Canucks in an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. AP
Nevertheless, Vancouver couldn’t put them away early, and the Islanders worked their way back into this one. They took a 3-2 lead on a Ryan Pulock snipe at 15:58 of the second, less than two minutes after Anthony Duclair’s second goal of the night had tied the game on the power play.
The Islanders gave Vancouver a window of opportunity by wasting a 1:39-long 5-on-3 at the start of the third, but instead of seizing momentum, the Canucks fumbled it themselves.
They failed to convert their own power play shortly afterward, then the Islanders dutifully made it 4-2, with Tony DeAngelo slamming in Lee’s rebound.
Skating at 6-on-5, the Canucks got back within one on Drew O’Connor’s tip-in from Filip Hronek to throw a scare into the Islanders. That was all they could do though.
Ilya Sorokin #30 of the New York Islanders blocks a shot during the third period of their NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on January 19, 2026 in Vancouver, British Columbia. NHLI via Getty Images
“We started to be better in our one-on-one battles,” coach Patrick Roy said. “That was the big difference. I think we gave nine chances after the first, it was way too many. So we had to refocus on our defense and play better defensively.”
Duclair, who loosed a right-circle wrister for the Islanders’ first goal of the night, has been one of few unambiguous positives for the club’s struggling offense on this trip. Since his hat trick two weeks ago against New Jersey, he’s looked like a wholly different player, confident and decisive.
“I’m using [Casey] Cizikas’ stick, made the switch,” Duclair said, revealing that his first game with the different stick was the five-point night against the Devils. “Think that’s why it’s going in.”
Islanders’ Ryan Pulock (6), Matthew Schaefer (48) and Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) celebrate Pulock’s goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the second period of an NHL hockey game, in Vancouver, B.C., Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. AP
His chemistry with Mat Barzal, who is always engaged when returning home to Vancouver, was on display Monday as the top line put together a strong night. So too was the offensive prowess of the Matthew Schaefer-Pulock pair, with the rookie dynamic as ever, and saving a goal by clearing Evander Kane’s shot off the line after it trickled through Sorokin in the third.
On the other side of the ledger, start with Tsyplakov, whose confidence looks plainly shot. He looked lost on Monday, was unceremoniously benched after the first period and it’s getting hard to see how this situation gets fixed.
“It’s on me,” Roy said of that situation, adding that Tsyplakov will likely stay in the lineup against the Kraken. “He didn’t play a bad game. Just, he hasn’t played a lot and sometimes when that happens, you just want to go with the guys that you think you got the best chance to win [with].”
Cal Ritchie saved his night by notching an assist in his third straight game but otherwise looked stuck in the same funk he’s been in lately.
The Islanders lack of physicality, as a team, was on stark display here too. The Canucks bum-rushed them in the first, the visitors looked bewildered and a better opponent would have surged to an easy win.
Getting two points isn’t enough reason to ignore the wake-up call.
TheRockets won their matchup against the Pelicans on Sunday pretty easily, with the return of Dr. Jaswishy, and Kevin Durant eclipsing Dirk Nowitzki’s career scoring mark. Dirk had recorded a nice congratulatory video for Kevin Durant, which was played in Toyota center upon points 31,362 being scored. That is, truly, a lot of basketball points.
Tonight’s matchup is with the Spurs, and will mark the 5th and final game of Houston’s much needed home stand. But don’t worry, they’ll be off to Philadelphia and Detroit later this week, lest their home/road games played split become too normal. The Rockets can finish this stretch 4-1 with a win, but in the Spirit of AK I can only suggest that a dismal, dispiriting loss will occur. It’s better not to hope, as the Texans demonstrate in Divisional Round year after year.
Anyhow this should be a good one, as it will be on NBA/Peacock, after their big day of mostly not great MLK day games (Detroit v Boston was very good).
Looking ahead because we don’t have to take it day by day – the Pretty Decent 76ers on Thursday.
Tip Off
7:00PM CT
How To Watch Peacock/NBA
Injury Report Rockets Steven Adams: Out (Ankle)
Fred VanVleet: Out (Acl), Tari Eason: Day-To-Day, One Day At A Time, Play It By Ear, (Ankle)
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Alex Killorn broke a second-period tie, rugged newcomer Jeffrey Viel scored his first goal of the season and the Anaheim Ducks beat the New York Rangers 5-3 on Monday night.
Cutter Gauthier scored twice on his 22nd birthday — the second into an empty net in the final minute — to push his season total to 22. Mason McTavish also scored to help Anaheim to its fourth victory in a row following a nine-game losing streak.
Lukas Dostal made 19 saves, surviving a wild scramble on a late 21-second two-man advantage.
Matthew Robertson, Artemi Panarin and Vladislav Gavrikov scored for New York, and Spencer Martin stopped 21 shots in his fourth NHL game of the season.
Seeing time with Igor Shesterkin sidelined by a lower-body injury, Martin was back in goal after stopping 25 shots Saturday in a 6-3 victory in Philadelphia that ended a five-game losing streak.
Killorn gave Anaheim a 3-2 lead with 1:58 left in the second period. He scored off a rebound of Jacob Trouba’s long shot after a prolonged scramble behind the goal.
Gauthier padded the lead at 1:01 of the third, and Gavrikov countered for New York at 7:11 with a long shot on a power play.
Viel tied it at 2 at 8:29 of the second with his first goal for the Ducks and the first in 12 NHL games this season. Acquired from Boston on Friday for a 2026 fourth-round pick, Viel controlled Ryan Poehling’s feed from the blue line and beat Martin from close range.
Viel had no points and 30 penalty minutes in 10 games this season for Boston, and added another fighting major in his Ducks debut Saturday night in a 2-1 overtime victory over Los Angeles. In 66 career NHL games, he has four goals, two assists and 188 penalty minutes.
While it wasn't pretty early against Vancouver, the Islanders got the win, a 4-3 victory to improve to 3-2-1 on their seven-game road trip with one game to go.
Ilya Sorokin made 29 saves for the Islanders. Kevin Lankinen made 28 saves for Vancouver.
Here's how the game unfolded:
The Islanders couldn't have been more off defensively to start the game.
Their defensive-zone coverage was lackluster, leading to Vancouver striking first at 2:49 of the first courtesy of fourth-line center Max Sasson.
Fortunately for the Islanders, Ilya Sorokin was able to keep the Canucks from adding to their slim 1-0 lead before Anthony Duclair wired home the 1-1 equalizer at 10:11 of the first after a tremendous feed from Tony DeAngelo:
That was Duclair's 10th goal of the season, with Matthew Schaefer notching his 20th assist of the season.
The Canucks did get back on top, with Evander Kane deflecting an Elias Pettersson wrist shot at 14:48 after Maxim Tsyplakov turned the puck over on the breakout.
Matthew Schaefer appeared to tie the game at 2-2 on a glorious effort, but Vancouver won a challenge for offside.
The Islanders scored two unanswered goals in the second period to enter the third period up 3-2.
First, it was Duclair scoring his second goal of the game, this time on the power play from the bumper spot off a nice feed from Ritchie at 14:34 of the second:
Schaefer notched his second straight multi-point game and seventh multi-point game of the season.
Tsyplakov sat for 11:15 in that second period.
The Islanders had a chance to double their lead with a 5-on-3 power play early in the third, but the Canucks killed it off.
DeAngelo got the Islanders that critical two-goal lead. After Anders Lee peeled to the front of the net, his shot banked off Lankinen and went right toward DeAngelo, who buried the rebound at 10:15 of the third:
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 19: Jimmy Butler III #10 of the Golden State Warriors is helped off the court
The Golden State Warriors defeated the Miami Heat 135-112 on Monday night, improving to 25-19 on the season and 11-4 over the team’s past 15 games. They continued climbing in the standings, hoping to escape the play-in. Yet, all that success became a moot point when Jimmy Butler III’s right knee bent in the wrong direction after he landed awkwardly catching a pass in the third quarter.
Butler screamed in pain, collapsed, and laid on the floor for several minutes as he was surrounded by his teammates. He had to be helped off the floor by Buddy Hield and Jonathan Kuminga while he put no weight on his right knee. Regardless of the game’s outcome, no event on Monday has more of an impact on the Warriors championship prospects than Butler’s prognosis. But a best case scenario will likely sideline him for weeks, and a worst-case could end his season.
The Warriors were able to withstand a collapse for the moment after Butler’s exit. Steph Curry seemed to calm the team’s nerves with a step back three and a continued stretch of hot shooting helped the Warriors head into the fourth quarter with a 104-93 lead.
With Golden State already missing Butler and Draymond Green (who didn’t play due to an ankle sprain) for the final quarter, Curry was quickly pushed to the bench after unnecessarily picking up his fifth foul. Yet, for the second time in his Dubs tenure, Buddy Hield stepped up in a game when a star went down with an injury.
The Warriors season hangs in the balance, outside the confines of the court for the moment, but a scoring spurt from Hield and an explosion from Brandin Podziemski propelled Golden State to a 24-point lead that allowed Curry to rest for the remainder of the game. Hield scored 16 points on 6-for-9 shooting from the field (4-for-7 from three) while Podziemski scored a game-high 24 points on 9-for-18 shooting (3-for-7 from three).
Nearly everyone on the Warriors who played on Monday played well. Butler had 17 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals before he got hurt in 20 minutes of action. Quinten Post and Moses Moody combined for 28 points while shooting 7-for-11 from three. Even in a relatively quite night from Curry, he recorded 19 points and 11 assists.
The Warriors will get little time to reset without Butler. They will be back on the floor for the second half of a back-to-back tomorrow night when they face the Toronto Raptors.
Coach Jordan Ott of the Phoenix Suns was a longtime assistant with the Nets.
After six years as a Nets assistant, Jordan Ott returned to Brooklyn on Monday as head coach of the Suns, leading them to a 126-117 victory at Barclays Center.
He packed a career’s worth of ups and downs into those six seasons.
“Yeah, just good memories. Six years. A lot of good people, a lot of good players. Saw the whole gamut of seasons (in) six seasons,” said Ott. “But yeah, it’s good to be back. Just different in the other locker room, but another game, ready to go.”
Ott arrived in Brooklyn in 2016 as an assistant on Kenny Atkinson’s staff. He helped oversee their first rebuild, and watched them form the Big Three. He outlasted his mentor to work under successors Jacque Vaughn and even Steve Nash — on the staff for their Eastern Conference semifinal classic vs. Milwaukee — before taking his hard-earned lessons to the Lakers in 2022.
Coach Jordan Ott of the Phoenix Suns was a longtime assistant with the Nets. Getty Images
Now he’s taken over the Suns, and has former Nets forward DeMarre Carroll on his staff.
“I think it was just so many different seasons, from where we started, those first couple years of just the development piece,” said Ott. “I mean, it’s cool with DeMarre now, like, bringing him in that group in that third season with Kenny. Go to the playoffs with a different group that was developing but with great veteran leadership. And then it shifted; it shifted to the superstars. And we were close, through all those ups and downs of those couple seasons.
“We were close, stepping on the line in Game 7. So, just got to be prepared. Gotta be prepared for a lot of different stuff. I don’t know what’s next, but attack each day, every day is a new challenge. Early in those Brooklyn years we didn’t have draft picks, so it was all about, ‘How can we maximize the group that we have?’ And that was influential. Never had to go through a time where, ‘Hey, play this, do this.’ We were all trying to win every single night. So, overall good experience.”
The Nets started rookie Drake Powell and Terance Mann in the backcourt vs. the Suns. Powell finished with 11 points while Mann added 10.
Michael Porter Jr. returned after sitting out Sunday’s loss in Chicago. But rookie Egor Dëmin (left plantar fascia injury management), backup center Day’Ron Sharpe (illness/throat contusion), and Cam Thomas (left hamstring injury management) were out against Phoenix.
Rookie Ben Saraf was in the G League.
Jalen Green was out for the Suns.
When the Nets were mulling offers for Mikal Bridges, they rejected an offer of Green and a couple of their first-round draft picks back from Houston. They eventually pried five first-rounders and a swap from the Knicks for Bridges.
NY Daily News | Peter Sblendorio: The Hall of Fame class of 2026 will be revealed tonight, and efforts to track the revealed ballots thus far paint a very good picture for some former Yankees. With a little more than half of the ballot publicly revealed, Carlos Beltrán has appeared on a strong 88.9 percent of the ballot, putting him in the pole position to make the 75 percent threshold to become a Hall of Famer. Joining him currently with revealed ballots is Andruw Jones at 83.9 percent, and a number of other candidates like Chase Utley and Félix Hernandez are trending well in the mid-50s and 60s.
Andy Pettitte has seen a spike up from his recent numbers, polling at 56.7 percent as opposed to his 27.9 percent result last year, though his case comes with a major caveat considering he was involved in the steroid scandal of the 2000s having admitted to using HGH, and a lot of the voting base that chooses not to reveal their ballots have a staunch anti-steroid bloc. HGH was not a banned substance at the time though, so perhaps they’ll swing towards Pettitte as he is on his eighth year on the ballot.
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Reminiscing is en vogue lately, as the trend of looking back on 2016 has taken over social media. The Yankees have a lot to look back on as they reflect on the journey they’ve been on over the last decade, as they saw their current captain make his debut in the wreckage of a season that finally signaled the end of the last World Series core. Now that Aaron Judge has spent a decade in the league the Yankees have gotten back to but lost in the World Series, and are still hunting for that magical moment for the new core, but the 2016 season stands firm as a turning point in the franchise.
MLB.com | Mark Feinsand: Tarik Skubal stands head and shoulders above the rest of the crowd of trade candidates remaining, but there’s still a fine field of players who could move either over the winter or when teams reconsider around the deadline. Jazz Chisholm remains on this list but with a lot of water thrown on those plans, now that Bo Bichette has signed elsewhere, and arms like Sandy Alcantara and Freddy Peralta have the spotlight alongside Nico Hoerner as the most anticipated names to watch.
NY Post | Greg Joyce: The Yankees made a depth signing on Monday, inking Seth Brown to a minor-league deal. The outfielder/first baseman had a standout 2022 with the Athletics, hitting 25 home runs with a .749 OPS, but cratered over the next three years producing only 29 more bombs and dropping to a .667 OPS. He’ll stand as insurance in case nothing else comes of the Cody Bellinger talks, but it’s fair to say that they aren’t planning around him beyond handing out a spring training invitation.
SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler left Monday night's 135-112 victory against the Miami Heat at Chase Center with an apparent right knee injury.
The Warriors were leading 77-75 with 7:41 remaining in the third quarter at the time of the injury stoppage.
Butler jumped to receive a lob pass from guard Brandin Podziemski, which was met with contact from Heat guard Davion Mitchell as Butler was landing and going up for a layup.
It seemed as if Butler's knee buckled as he immediately fell to the ground before being tended to by the Warriors' medical staff.
Jimmy Butler had to be helped to the locker room after appearing to injury his knee pic.twitter.com/sOSpAxbbAP
Golden State's Jimmy Butler went down, grabbing his right knee, during the third quarter of the Warriors' game against the Heat. Butler and Davion Mitchell both went up as Butler tried to receive a pass in the post, and he landed awkwardly.
Jimmy Butler had to be helped to the locker room after appearing to injury his knee pic.twitter.com/sOSpAxbbAP
Butler had to be helped off the court and could not put any weight on his leg. The Warriors ruled him out for the remainder of the game.
Butler had a sprain of this same knee last season, and a meniscus tear in it back in 2018.
Butler is averaging 20.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists a game for the Warriors this season. Golden State has been 9.2 points per 100 possessions better with Butler on the court this season.
CHICAGO - The Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets squared off on Monday night at the United Center for a Central Division battle. This game had some extra juice, however, as Jonathan Toews returned to Chicago for the first time as a road player.
At the first TV timeout, the Blackhawks and their fans honored Toews with a tribute video and a long standing ovation. He took multiple laps to loud cheers from the crowd that adores him so much.
one of the best to wear a Blackhawks sweater... welcome back Jonathan Toews‼️ pic.twitter.com/L2VvLyEOuY
It wasn't for a lack of chances on both sides, but there was no scoring until after the midway point of the second period. At 13:21, Jason Dickinson scored his 6th of the season to make it 1-0 Blackhawks. That lead would hold through the second intermission and into the third period.
That was the end of scoring on a goalie in the contest. Connor Bedard added an empty net goal late in the third, and the Blackhawks skated away with a 2-0 victory over the Jets.
Spencer Knight helped spoil Toews' return, as he earned his third shutout of the season. Knight made 32 saves on 32 shots, outdueling the reigning Hart Trophy winner in Connor Hellebuyck.
Although the fanbase was so engaged with the idea of celebrating Toews, the modern-day Blackhawks came out with a winning mentality, and they earned two big standings points. When they play to their capabilities, they have proven that they can beat anyone.
Bedard's empty net goal was big for him and the team. He hadn't scored since coming back from injury, but now he has that stress off his shoulder again.
"It matters," Jeff Blashill said after the game on Bedard finding the empty net to get back on track. "He certainly had a number of chances since he's been back. I thought he set up a number of people. He could have more points. Hopefully, that starts a waterfall of production."
Bedard has 20 goals through 36 games played. He is on a 38-goal pace if he plays every game for the rest of the season, which is much more than his career high of 23.
Earning a good home win in front of an incredible crowd was what this team was looking for to end a three-game skid. Knight captured a shutout, Bedard broke out, and they were able to hold onto a lead.
The Blackhawks are back in action on Thursday night. They will pay a quick visit to the Carolina Hurricanes before playing the Tampa Bay Lightning at home on Friday night.
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CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Simon Nemec scored at 1:18 of overtime to give the New Jersey Devils a 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Monday night.
Nemec took a backhand pass from Jack Hughes and beat goalie Devin Cooley from close range.
Jacob Markstrom made 21 saves to help New Jersey rebound from a 4-1 home loss to Carolina on Saturday night for its third victory in four games.
Dawson Mercer opened the scoring for New Jersey at 7:51 of the second period, and Nazem Kadri tied it at 9:44 of the period. Rookie Matvei Gridin got his first NHL assist on Kadri's goal.
Cooley stopped 29 shots. The Flames had won two in a row.
Devils defenseman Luke Hughes left in the second period after appearing to be shaken up during a puck battle along the boards.
Defenseman Zach Whitecloud made his Calgary debut after being acquired from Vegas on Sunday along with two draft picks and a prospect in a trade that sent longtime Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson to the Golden Knights. Whitecloud had two shots and three blocked shots in 22:33.
The Dallas Mavericks defeated the New York Knicks on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, winning 114-97 . Both teams had players nursing injuries, but it was the Mavericks who ended up with the big win.
Let’s get to the grades!
Cooper Flagg: B
18 PTS / 7 REB / 3 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 28 MIN
Flagg had a solid game, but it was somewhat muted by a minutes restriction and Max Christie providing a lot of scoring punch. His four turnovers were somewhat glaring, but he hit 50% of his 14 shot attempts and chipped in a bit of everything.
Max Christie: A+
26 PTS / 6 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 35 MIN
Christie went absolutely out of his mind and it was a sight to behold. I’ve recently written about how nice it is to see him do more than shoot threes, but Monday night it was plenty nice to see him hoisting the long ball. Christie was 9-for-13 including a mind-boggling 8-for-10 from deep. His second half play came down to earth a bit, but it hardly mattered with the Mavs taking a 20+ point lead into the final frame. He led all scorers and hit a career high in three-point field goals for top marks.
Caleb Martin: C+
3 PTS / 1 REB / 3 AST / 3 STL / 1 BLK – 24 MIN
Most of Martin’s contribution came in the form of stuff you won’t see in a box score. He hounded the Knicks on defense, an effort highlighted by another three steals, but otherwise left the offense to others.
Naji Marshall: B
19 PTS / 8 REB / 4 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 33 MIN
Marshall couldn’t be stopped in the first half, driving relentlessly to eviscerate the Knicks’ defense. As the game went on, he took more three-pointers, but only hit 1-for-6, driving his shooting percentage down. His game was very similar to Flagg’s, with his blemish being a lower shooting percentage rather than a high turnover total.
Dwight Powell: B
2 PTS / 5 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 28 MIN
As ridiculous as it sounds, Powell is getting a bump for the absolute beating he took at the hands of Karl Anthony-Towns. Throughout his NBA career, Powell has been hit in the face more than a professional boxer, but Monday night was next level. Towns is known for his flailing knees, but Powell took a variety of groin shots and stayed professional, using it as motivation to play harder. In respect of his actual game, there isn’t much to talk about. The Knicks’ bigs decimated the Mavericks bigs, but Powell was a pro doing the dirty unsung work.
Klay Thompson: A-
14 PTS / 5 REB / 2 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 21 MIN
I’m inclined to go a bit high on Thompson’s grade, which seems counterintuitive relative to his recent play. That said, he did a nice job intangibly on defense, while grabbing boards, getting steals and even tossing a couple of assists to his teammates. In the limited time he played, it was a good game that looked better than even the box score may suggest.
Ryan Nembhard: C+
4 PTS / 3 REB / 5 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 22 MIN
Nembhard didn’t have a huge impact on the stat line, struggling to find his shot (2-for-7) with a 5:2 assist-to-turnover ratio. Extra credit for checking in late in the third quarter to settle things down when the Mavericks were a bit out of sorts – it won’t show up in any statistical category, but it was undoubtedly significant and allowed Dallas to enter the fourth quarter with a 23-point lead.
Moussa Cisse: A-
15 PTS / 9 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 4 BLK – 20 MIN
Cisse did his best to match the Knicks’ size, and while his numbers may not have been as pretty at Karl-Anthony Towns’ or Mitchell Robinson’s numbers, he did work in just under 20 minutes of play. His four blocks were a menace to the Knicks, but his three turnovers and four fouls didn’t help his cause. Stepping up and hitting two free throws when the Knicks decided to Hack-A-Cisse was bigger than the final score may indicate.
Final Thoughts
Both teams were a bit beat up coming in, but Dallas was coming off two lopsided wins while New York has been struggling of late. The Mavericks came in like a wrecking crew, dropping the most first-half points the Knicks have given up all season. As expected, things got a bit closer here and there in the second half, frankly getting too close for comfort late in the fourth quarter before Dallas closed it out. The Mavericks have plenty of struggles right now with a lot of players out or having just returned, but you wouldn’t have known it in what was basically a full on drubbing of the Knicks Monday night.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
