The Warriors are ready to ramp up for the stretch run, but in their first game after the NBA All-Star break, the team will be without one of its stars — but reportedly will have its new acquisition — when it plays Thursday against the visiting Celtics.
Steph Curry, who became the oldest point guard to be voted as a starter in the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday at age 37, won’t see the court after he returned to the team’s facility Wednesday night and told the training staff his “runner’s knee” prevented him from participating in a live scrimmage.
Atlanta Hawks forward Kristaps Porzingis shoots during warmups before an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Molly J. Smith) AP
“Just wasn’t where he needed to be,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters in San Francisco. “It’s unfortunate. We’ll have an update tomorrow after he goes through his time with the training staff.”
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Curry might undergo another MRI after consulting with Rick Celebrini, the Warriors’ lead medical decision-maker. If he doesn’t play, it would be Curry’s sixth consecutive game on the sidelines.
Curry might undergo another MRI after consulting with Rick Celebrini, the Warriors’ lead medical decision-maker. Jason Szenes for New York PostKristaps Porzingis, the Warriors’ high-profile addition who was acquired in a trade with the Hawks ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline, is expected to play Thursday against the Celtics. NBAE via Getty Images
Kristaps Porzingis, the Warriors’ high-profile addition who was acquired in a trade with the Hawks ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline, is expected to play Thursday against the Celtics. He was officially listed as questionable but told reporters he is “ready to go.”
Porzingis, 30, who was traded for guard Buddy Hield and forward Jonathan Kuminga, averaged 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.29 blocks in 24.3 minutes over 17 games (12 starts) this season with the Hawks.
Porzingis likely will come off the bench in his debut and play in short bursts and have relatively limited minutes, Kerr said.
Acuff scored 49 points on 16-of-27 shooting from the field for the Razorbacks, marking the second-most points scored in a game this season. Only Radford's Dennis Parker Jr., who scored 53 points on a 19-of-24 shooting performance on Dec. 14, 2025, against Coppin State, has topped Acuff's single-game scoring output this season.
The points are the most by an Arkansas player in SEC play.
Acuff, who played all 50 minutes in the game, scored 22 points in the first half for Arkansas. He then followed it up with 19 points in the second half, including a 3-pointer that sent the game to overtime with 11 seconds left in regulation. He scored eight more points in the second overtime period, including three free throws to give the Razorbacks a 113-112 lead with 1:31 left in the game.
Mississippi State's Josh Hubbard also scored 46 points in a 91-85 win for the Bulldogs over Auburn on Feb. 18.
Here's a look at Acuff's full stats against Alabama on Wednesday:
Darius Acuff Jr. points today
Here's Acuff's full stat line from Wednesday's double overtime loss to the Crimson Tide:
Acuff made history on Feb. 18 with not only the highest scoring output of any Arkansas freshman ever, but also the second-most points in a single game in Razorbacks history.
According to Arkansas' record book, Acuff's 49-point outburst trails only Rotnei Clark's 51-point performance vs. Alcorn State on Nov. 13, 2009. His 49 points are also the most by an SEC player since Clark's 51-point game, according to the SEC basketball media guide.
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Nick Martinelli scored 29 points to lead Northwestern to a 78-74 victory over Maryland on Wednesday night to end a five-game losing streak.
Northwestern (11-16, 3-13 Big Ten) led 35-34 at halftime and took control midway through the second half with a 16-3 run fueled by four 3-pointers from Jordan Clayton and Jake West. The surge turned a 50-44 deficit into a double-digit lead and gave the Wildcats control for the final 12 minutes.
Maryland (10-16, 3-12) stayed within striking distance behind Andre Mills, who scored 22 points in the first half and finished with a career-high 39. The Terrapins cut the deficit to three when Mills hit a 3-pointer with one second remaining, but Northwestern sealed the win with a free throw on the ensuing possession.
Clayton added a career-high 20 points for Northwestern on a career-best 6 of 7 from 3-point range. Angelo Ciaravino scored 16 points and the Wildcats made 12 of 21 from beyond the arc while assisting on 20 field goals.
Solomon Washington added 14 rebounds and 11 points for Maryland, which held a 36-24 rebounding advantage but committed 15 turnovers.
The game marked another close finish for Northwestern, which has played 26 games decided by two possessions or fewer since the start of last season, tied for the most among major conference programs.
Observations from Mets’ spring training on Wednesday in Port St. Lucie:
Tobias’ turn
Tobias Myers threw two innings of live batting practice Wednesday.
Mets right-hander Tobias Myers comes off the field after throwing two innings of batting practice on Feb. 18, 2026 Corey Sipkin for New York Post
The right-hander is stretching out for potential starting duty if needed, but otherwise will open the season in the Mets bullpen.
Staying active
Francisco Lindor participated in baserunning drills with his teammates for the first time while rehabbing from left hamate bone surgery, which has left him questionable for Opening Day.
Francisco Lindor runs the bases with his Mets teammates during a drill on Feb. 18, 2026 in Port St. Lucie. Corey Sipkin for New York Post
Caught my eye
In a matchup of potential Hall of Famers, Craig Kimbrel faced Juan Soto twice in live batting practice.
Soto hit an infield grounder and walked in those two plate appearances.
Thursday’s schedule
Full-squad workouts continue ahead of Saturday’s Grapefruit League opener against the Marlins at Clover Park.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant will miss at least two more weeks as he continues his recovery after spraining the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow on Jan. 21.
The Grizzlies announced Wednesday that the two-time All-Star is progressing in his rehabilitation but continues to feel discomfort. The Grizzlies said Morant will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
Grizzlies officials also said guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will undergo surgery Thursday to address misalignment of his right pinky finger. A timeline on his recovery will be announced after the procedure.
Morant, 26, has appeared in just 20 games for the Grizzlies this season. He is averaging 19.5 points, 7.4 assists and 4.6 rebounds.
Although Morant’s name came up in plenty of trade rumors over the last month, the Grizzlies kept him at the trade deadline and instead sent two-time All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz.
Caldwell-Pope, 33, has averaged 8.4 points, 2.7 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 51 games.
MILAN — Artturi Lehkonen’s timing has become a storyline of its own.
When the stakes rise and the clock tightens, the puck seems to find his stick — and more often than not, history follows.
That script played out again Tuesday at Rho Arena, where Lehkonen delivered another signature moment, scoring 3:32 into overtime to lift Finland to a stunning 3–2 comeback victory over Switzerland in the quarterfinals of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. The breakaway winner propelled Finland into the semifinals of an Olympics featuring NHL players for the fifth time in six appearances.
One more time for the bar down SNIPE to keep Finland alive in the Olympic tournament… Artturi Lehkonen man 😮💨
Lehkonen’s flair for decisive goals is hardly new. He scored four game-winners during the Stanley Cup run with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022, including the goal that clinched the Cup and another that sent Colorado to the Final. The year before, he buried the overtime winner that carried the Montreal Canadiens into the Stanley Cup Final. His résumé of pivotal strikes has quietly grown into one of hockey’s most reliable trends.
Against Switzerland, Finland needed every ounce of that pedigree.
Trailing 2–0 with just over six minutes remaining in regulation, Finland’s tournament appeared to be slipping away. Switzerland had dictated the pace early and defended with composure, frustrating a Finnish roster composed entirely of NHL talent.
FINLAND COMES BACK FROM 0-2 DOWN TO WIN IT IN OVERTIME 🇫🇮
Switzerland seized control in the first period with two goals in 72 seconds. Damien Riat opened the scoring at 14:14 after Ken Jäger intercepted a pass behind Finland’s net and fed him for an easy finish into an open cage. Moments later, Nino Niederreiter doubled the advantage, stepping into a one-timer from the left circle off a pass from Pius Suter that sailed over Juuse Saros’ glove, with Niko Mikkola screening his own goaltender.
From there, the Swiss leaned into structure and discipline, protecting the lead with poise and forcing Finland to chase.
Finland finally broke through at 13:54 of the third period when Sebastian Aho snapped a wrist shot past Leonardo Genoni to cut the deficit to one. With Saros pulled for an extra attacker late, Miro Heiskanen tied the game at 18:48, firing a shot from the point that deflected off Swiss defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler and into the net. The equalizer, scored with 1:12 remaining, marked Finland’s latest game-tying goal in Olympic play during the NHL era.
The momentum shift was unmistakable.
Overtime required only one mistake — and one moment of instinct.
Anton Lundell carried the puck cleanly out of Finland’s zone and threaded a pass ahead to Lehkonen, who slipped behind defenseman Dean Kukan. Alone on a breakaway, Lehkonen glided in and snapped a wrist shot past Genoni, sealing yet another chapter in his growing catalogue of clutch performances.
Saros, who surrendered two early goals, steadied thereafter and finished with 21 saves. Genoni turned aside 28 shots in defeat as Switzerland — which dressed eight NHL players — came within six minutes of reaching its first Olympic semifinal.
Finland now advances to face Canada in Friday’s semifinal (10:40 a.m. ET; Peacock, USA [JIP], ICI Télé, CBC Gem, CBC [JIP], SN [JIP], RDS2), turning its attention toward another medal opportunity.
The Finns enter the next round seeking to defend the gold medal they captured at the 2022 Beijing Games, an Olympics held without NHL participation. In previous Olympic tournaments featuring NHL players, Finland has claimed three bronze medals (1998, 2010, 2014) and one silver (2006). Now, with another Lehkonen dagger etched into memory, the pursuit of a second straight Olympic title remains alive.
When the margins disappear and the pressure peaks, Finland has learned a simple truth: if the puck finds Artturi Lehkonen, the ending rarely stays uncertain for long.
SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners and catcher Mitch Garver are finalizing a minor league contract, a person with knowledge of the situation said on Wednesday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical and had not been announced.
The 35-year-old Garver is expected to compete with Andrew Knizner and Jhonny Pereda to back up Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh, the runner-up for AL MVP last year. Garver spent the last two seasons as Raleigh’s backup, though he signed with the Mariners initially to serve as their primary designated hitter.
Across two seasons with Seattle, Garver has batted .187 with 24 home runs, 81 RBIs and a .632 OPS in 201 games. The 2019 Silver Slugger award winner is a .233 career hitter with 106 homers and 309 RBIs in nine major league seasons.
Garver hit a career-high 31 home runs with the Minnesota Twins in 2019, and won a World Series with the Texas Rangers in 2023.
2/12/26 – New York Yankees Paul Goldschmidt reacts while hitting live batting practice during todays workout at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida. Photo by Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Observations from Yankees’ spring training on Wednesday:
Good as Goldy
The Yankees brought back Paul Goldschmidt to crush lefties, and he did so Wednesday, taking Ryan Yarbrough deep in live batting practice shortly after José Caballero did the same.
New York Yankees Paul Goldschmidt reacts while hitting live batting practice. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Bell’ Ringer
Cody Bellinger laced a comebacker at Ben Hess in live batting practice, but the pitching prospect was able to dance out of the way to avoid the friendly fire.
Caught My Eye
If Wednesday is any indication, Trent Grisham is going to be an accurate challenger in the automated ball-strike system (ABS).
The outfielder used multiple challenges in the same at-bat and was proven correct each time, turning strikes into balls against Hess, who turned the tables and challenged one pitch to turn a ball into a strike.
Thursday’s Schedule
The Yankees will hold their last full-squad workout before the Grapefruit League schedule begins Friday.
HOUSTON (AP) — Marta Suarez scored 21 points with the help of 5-for-10 shooting from 3-point range and No. 12-ranked TCU throttled Houston 72-50 on Wednesday night.
Olivia Miles scored 18 points and reserve Veronica Sheffey 11 for TCU (24-4, 12-3 Big 12), which shot just 39% (26 of 66).
Kyndall Hunter scored 20 points for Houston (7-19, 1-14) which struggled shooting even more than TCU, finishing at 23% (14 of 60) including 13% (2 of 15) from beyond the 3-point line.
TK Pitts grabbed 11 rebounds for Houston.
TCU built an 11-6 lead through the midway the first quarter and never trailed. The Horned Frogs led 19-8 at the end of one and 41-19 at the half. Houston produced its best offensive quarter in the third shooting 6 of 16 but were still outscored 22-18.
The Horned Frogs are trying to become the first program in conference history to win two straight regular season championships within three seasons of finishing in last place.
Houston has lost five straight and 14 of its last 15.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Juke Harris scored 20 points to lead five Demon Deacons in double-figure scoring, and Wake Forest jumped out early and cruised past Clemson 85-77 on Wednesday night.
Clemson trailed by as many as 20 points midway through the first half and were down 13 at halftime. The Tigers opened the second half on a 9-1 surge to pull to 46-41 but didn’t get closer.
Sebastian Akins added 16 points for Wake Forest, which shot 55% (28 of 51) overall. Myles Colvin made four 3-pointers and scored all 14 of his points in the first half for the Demon Deacons. Mekhi Mason finished with 13 points and Tre’Von Spillers scored 10.
Wake Forest (14-12, 5-8 Atlantic Coast Conference) has won three consecutive games since ending a five-game skid. Clemson (20-7, 10-4) has lost three straight.
Jake Wahlin made three 3-pointers and scored 17 points to lead Clemson. Carter Welling and Ace Buckner added 13 points apiece.
Wake Forest took the lead for good about two minutes in and used a 22-8 opening run to help build a 45-32 halftime lead. The Demon Deacons had their largest lead, 45-25, with 2:27 left before halftime. Wahlin scored nine first-half points for Clemson.
Wake Forest shot 67% (18 of 27) overall in the first half and made 6 of 12 from long range.
Up next
Clemson hosts Florida State on Saturday.
Wake Forest is on the road Saturday to face Virginia Tech.
Oct 22, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) and forward Dillon Brooks (3) during the second half against the Sacramento Kings at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Suns fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
It was a strong first half of the season for the Phoenix Suns. With many prediction outlets and pundits projecting them to be at the bottom of the standings, they won 32 games and sit in 7th in the Western Conference standings, and just three games out of third place. With the team having a surprising year, Suns Owner Mat Ishbia is making sure to call out people and organizations that had low expectations for the team heading into the season.
32 wins for the Suns and all before the All-Star break… think that puts us above your season prediction/bet of under 31.5 wins @BillSimmons! 👀 You guys usually have great content and good stuff… thanks for all you do. But also keep your eye on the Suns, like I told you… we…
Always fun to see what the so-called “experts” thought about the Suns before the season. Proud of what we’re building here in Phoenix and we are just getting started! https://t.co/K5vjjuEl56
With the eighth hardest strength of schedule remaining, the Suns could have their hands full the rest of the regular season. They play every team ahead of them in the West at least once, and their last game of the season is against the team with the most wins in the NBA, the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have beaten the Suns three out of four times this year already.
The Suns play the Los Angeles Lakers twice down the stretch, two important matchups with a team so close in both conference and divisional standings. The Suns are currently 2-1 in the series this year and need one more win to secure the season victory.
With seeds 3-7 separated by just three games, having the season series win over a divisional opponent could prove to be the difference between being in or out of the Play-In Tournament. For a team like the Lakers that are heavily relying on a 41-year-old LeBron James, those five to six days of rest that come with not being in the play-in could be the difference between going home early or late in the playoffs, on top of the risk of being eliminated in the play-in tournament.
If the Suns are going to avoid the play-in tournament, they’re going to have to play better on the road to finish out the season. While they’re over .500 in their 27 games away from the Mortgage Matchup Center, they have the least amount of wins of any Western Conference team in the top-seven on the road. A major bulk of their road games will come next month, when the Suns have their second six-game road trip of the season. Phoenix has 14 games away and 13 games at home the rest of the way.
One benefit for the Suns is that they are almost the healthiest they’ve been all-year. Dillon Brooks will be out against the San Antonio Spurs coming out of the break due to a suspension for getting his 16th technical foul, but the rest of the team is healthy outside of Grayson Allen, who injured his knee before the All-Star Break. There should be a health update on his injury status soon.
With a tough schedule, a mostly healthy roster and a nearly even split in home and road games the rest of the way, where do you think the Suns will finish in the standings?
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has predicted that Friday’s match against Oman in Kandy will be Glenn Maxwell’s final World Cup appearance for Australia.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Rashaun Agee had 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, Zach Clemence and Marcus Hill scored 14 points apiece, and Texas A&M erased a 13-point second-half deficit Wednesday night to beat Mississippi 80-77 and snap a four-game skid.
Ole Miss (11-15, 3-10 SEC), which had lost four in a row by double figures, has now lost eight straight.
Ruben Dominguez had 13 points and five assists for Texas A&M (18-8, 8-5).
AJ Storr scored 16 of his 21 in the second half and Malik Dia — who left the game due to an apparent ankle injury with almost three minutes remaining — had 20 points on 10 of 14 shooting for the Rebels. Ilias Kamardine added 12 points and Patton Pinkins had 11.
Ole Miss took its biggest lead of the game at 63-50 when Dia threw down a dunk with 11:46 left in the game. He followed with another dunk son after to make it a 10-point lead with 7:06 left. Texas A&M closed the game on a 19-6 run and held the Rebels scoreless for the final 3 1/2 minutes. Dominguez sparked the spurt with a 3-pointer, added three free throws and hit another 3. Clemence had six points before Agee scored the last four of the game.
Texas A&M shot 61% (19 of 31) in the second half.
Agee made a driving layup that capped a 10-2 run and gave the Aggies a 78-77 lead — their first since 18-17 — with 1:58 left.
The Rebels had a season-high 23 fast break points and scored 20 points off 13 Texas A&M turnovers.
OG Anunoby’s toenail is still missing, but he’ll be back in the starting lineup.
Jeremy Sochan arrived and, according to coach Mike Brown, “will get an opportunity.”
So who is the odd man out?
New Knicks Jeremy Sochan will get an opportunity to be in the Knicks’ lineup rotation, according to head coach Mike Brown. Getty Images
It sounds like rookie Mohamed Diawara.
“I’ll play young guys, and I have played young guys in front of vets before,” the Knicks coach said. “But I’m going to give Jeremy an opportunity.”
Diawara, 20, has been a pleasant surprise this season while filling in for injured teammates, flashing two-way potential with a 7-foot-4 wingspan and averaging 20 minutes in the past five games.
He’s shooting 41.3 percent on 3s and coming off a strong performance in a victory over the 76ers, the last game before the Knicks signed Sochan, a 6-foot-8 defensive specialist who plays the same power forward position as Diawara.
Brown explained that Sochan, who is just 22 but in his fourth NBA season, gets the edge because of his experience and since there are just two months to determine his value for the postseason.
Rookie Mohamed Diawara, who has played well recently, will be out of the Knicks’ rotation for the time being. NBAE via Getty Images
Both Diawara and Sochan are free agents in the summer.
“[Sochan] knows the league. The league knows him. He knows the officials and vice versa. So he’s going to get an opportunity,” Brown said. “But at the end of the day, I’m going to play who I think is best for us. Right now Jeremy is new. He hasn’t played for us. So I have to see rather quickly what we have in him before going to the playoffs.”
Still, there are no guarantees of even a short-term sizable role for even Sochan.
With Anunoby returning from a four-game absence for Thursday’s big showdown against the Pistons, the Knicks are fully healthy in the frontcourt.
That means Sochan’s minutes will be squeezed in among those of Anunoby, Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson.
Brown will put the puzzle together with an eye on getting the newcomer on the court.
“I’m not sure how many minutes I’m going to play him, but I plan on trying to use him,” Brown said. “And hopefully we get to a point where he’s versatile enough to play one through five for us.”
Brown’s conversations with Sochan helped push the power forward to sign with the Knicks despite other suitors.
“When you look at Jeremy, you like his size right off the bat,” the coach said. “Especially for a power forward. OG is of that size. But nobody else really is of that size. And you look at the versatility, over the years he’s been able to guard [every position]. So to have that versatility on that end of the floor — it’s huge. Especially if OG is out. We’re a lot smaller if a guy like OG or Josh are both out. And then [Sochan’s] energy, his physicality — all those things that don’t necessarily show up in a stat sheet, in my opinion — would be welcomed by any team, and we were lucky to get him.”
Brown had already removed point guard Tyler Kolek, a 2024 second-round pick, from the rotation to accommodate the arrival of Jose Alvarado.
Sochan’s role seemed less certain after he was cast aside in San Antonio amid shooting struggles and the emergence of a replacement, rookie Carter Bryant.
In New York, Sochan will get a chance to win a role back and a rookie will take a step back.
“We’ve talked a lot and it’s just seizing whatever opportunity I can get,” Sochan said. “And I think one of the reasons I picked New York is it’s a really deep roster, a lot of really talented players. I think it’s a pretty cool opportunity to watch and grow from that too. I think I’m still young, too. So just being around players who have established themselves and have done a lot of stuff in this league is a crazy opportunity for me. … I do believe in myself and I do believe I can do well on the court, too. But I do look at it in the bigger picture. And what’s happening here, I think I can be a part of it.”
