The Golden State Warriors are back in action tonight, and they’re headed to Texas to take on Klay Thompson, Cooper Flagg, and the Dallas Mavericks. It’s the Warriors first game on the road since January 5, and their first out-of-state game since New Year’s Eve.
Both teams are missing some serious star talent. Here’s the full injury report.
Warriors
Out — Jimmy Butler III (right knee ACL tear)
Sigh. It’s not fun writing it out, but I’ll be doing it a lot, as Butler will be sidelined for the rest of the year, and the start of next season following an ACL tear on Monday night.
Out — Seth Curry (left sciatic nerve irritation)
Curry should be re-evaluated soon, and hopefully can get back on the court before too long. The Warriors could use some extra scoring with Butler out.
Questionable — Gary Payton II (right foot soreness)
I wouldn’t be surprised if GPII sees a bigger role going forward, given the defense and athleticism that the team lost with Butler’s injury. Hopefully he’s good to go tonight.
Mavericks
Out — Anthony Davis (left finger sprain)
Davis was linked to the Warriors a little bit before suffering yet another injury. Now that Butler — whose contract matches Davis’ — is out for a year, you can expect to at least see a little speculation that the teams might swap their injured stars on massive deals. I don’t think there’s much of a chance of it happening, though.
Out — Kyrie Irving (left knee surgery)
Like Butler, Irving has a torn ACL, which he sustained in March of 2025. It’s unclear when he’ll be back on the court.
Out — Dereck Lively II (right foot surgery)
After a standout rookie season in 2023-24, things have gone downhill for Lively. He was limited to 36 games last year, and didn’t show much improvement. And this year he suffered a foot injury after just seven games, and is out for the season.
Out — Dante Exum (right knee surgery)
Exum, unfortunately, saw his season end before it started. He hasn’t played this year and he won’t play this year, as he rehabs from knee surgery.
Doubtful — Daniel Gafford (right ankle sprain)
Gafford plays a critical role for the Mavs with Davis sidelined, but he’s had his own issues staying healthy. He’s missed the last three games, and 15 overall this year.
Probable — Moussa Cissé (illness)
Cissé went undrafted in June, but has filled in for the injury Davis and Gafford on a few occasions this year. He’s a very strong rebounder.
Enjoy the game, Dub Nation. It tips off at 4:30 p.m. PT on Prime.
Several games on Saturday, Jan. 24 have been either postponed or had their tip-off times pushed up, including Duke's ACC bout with Wake Forest and North Carolina's conference game against Virginia, which would have also included the dedication of Virginia's court to former head coach Tony Bennett.
College basketball looks like it's going to deal with quite a few shake-ups, with several situations pending.
Here are the events that have been affected in anticipation of the inclement weather.
Download the free USA TODAY app and turn on “Notifications” to get breaking news updates on the winter storm. Prefer email news alerts? Sign up for those here.
College sports rescheduled due to winter storm warning
All times Eastern
Men's basketball
Saturday's Virginia vs North Carolina tip-off pushed up to noon from 2 p.m. (court dedication to Tony Bennett postponed) (ESPN2)
Saturday's Wake Forest vs Duke tip-off pushed up to noon from 5:45 p.m (The CW)
Saturday's Louisville vs Virginia Tech tip-off pushed up to 2:15 p.m. from 3:15 p.m. (The CW)
Saturday's Little Rock vs UT Martin doubleheader postponed
Saturday's Towson vs North Carolina A&T tip-off pushed up to noon
Saturday's James Madison vs Texas State tip-off pushed up to 1 p.m.
Jacksonville State vs MTSU rescheduled to Friday at 6:30 p.m. from Saturday
Lipscomb vs Florida Gulf Coast rescheduled to Friday, Jan. 23 from Saturday, Jan. 24
Women's basketball
UConn vs Seton Hall tip-off pushed up to noon on Saturday, Jan. 24 from Sunday, Jan. 25
Saturday's Princeton vs Brown tip-off pushed up to noon
Saturday's Eastern Kentucky vs North Florida tip-off pushed up to 11 a.m.
Swimming
Tennessee vs Georgia swim meet rescheduled to 1 p.m. Friday from Saturday
Gymnastics
Friday's Georgia vs Oklahoma meet pushed up to 2:45 p.m. from 6 p.m.
Tim MacMahon of ESPN published a mid-season report on Cooper Flagg Thursday. It featured thoughts from opposing teams’ personnel and statistics comparing him to great teenagers of years past, like soon-to-be Hall of Famer LeBron James. The reviews were raving. One Western Conference scout said he was “better than advertised”. An East scout called him a “winning player”. And, my favorite quote, one West general manager said, “his greatest strength is his competitiveness”.
Throughout the piece, the common sentiment became clear: Flagg is an uber-talented, uber-driven star-in-the-making. What he can be is better than you think, and what he will be has a less volatile floor than you realize. And if you have watched him this season, you have seen this play out in real time. I found a draft profile from around this time last year, where they labeled his weaknesses as not being able to handle perimeter pressure, a question mark over his isolation scoring ability, and the fact that he needs to get stronger to handle contact. It has not even been 50 games into his rookie campaign, and his lack of turnovers (2.2 per game), clutch scoring (ninth most in the NBA), and ability to get downhill at will (53.5 percent on 11.4 drives per game) have put those concerns to rest.
To say the sky is the limit for Flagg would be doing him a disservice. He is improving at a rate even bullish analysts have undersold. The narrative he has had since high school is that his defense would translate to the next level, but it remained to be seen how quickly his offense would come along. In 37 college games, he averaged 19.2 points on 48.1 percent shooting. Through 41 NBA games, he is at 18.8 points on 47.8 percent shooting. Every question we have asked has been answered (except for three-point shooting). As a 19-year-old rookie, the eye test tells you Flagg can be anything he wants. And, according to Tim MacMahon, the league agrees.
The most meaningful aspect of MacMahon’s reporting is that it confirms a thought I have had since the Mavericks secured the number one pick last May: the intangibles will define him, not his raw skill. Being a good player does not make you a part of a winning formula (see Bradley Beal and LaMelo Ball). There is plenty of talent in the NBA. What there is not an abundance of is winners. With the amount of money that has been pumped into not only professional sports but also college sports in the last few years, it is easy to lose sight of winning. Flagg is not someone who has fallen victim to that. His physical frame and talent will prevent him from being less than a very good player. But his mindset, his addiction to improvement, and his singular commitment to winning will make him great. How great he will be is something only he can determine.
At the trade deadline in 2025, the Jays traded for Shane Bieber, who hadn’t pitched in the majors to that point in 2025, coming off Tommy John surgery in 2024. The Guardians received Khal Stephens (who I mentioned was named by his Kryptonian parents).
Shane didn’t pitch for the Jays until August 22nd (my wife’s birthday). He was pretty good, in seven starts, with a 3.57 ERA, batters hit .225/.264/.417 in his 40.1 regular season innings.
The Jays picked him up, planning for the playoffs (we have very hopeful people running our team). He did work out; he made five starts and one relief appearance in the playoffs, with a 3.86 ERA. Unfortunately, what we will remember is the relief appearance (such is the life of a pitcher).
Shane had a player’s option for the 2026 season, which we were pretty sure he would decline, but he didn’t, so he is a Jay going into 2026.
There may be a reason, the team says he is dealing with ‘arm fatigue’ and may not be ready to start the season on the active roster. I’m sure I’m not the only one who reads the words arm fatigue and thinks there may be more going on than they are telling.
Bieber turns 31 in May and is 8 seasons into a very good career. He’s won a Cy Young, received votes to other seasons, got MVP votes once, made two All-Star teams and won a Gold Glove. And he also had the pitcher’s Triple Crown, leading the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts in the strike-shortened 2020 season.
He has a 66-34 record, a 3.24 ERA in 141 starts, 883.1 innings and an 18.5 bWAR. A good run in his 30s, and he would have a shot at the Hall of Fame. But then, that depends on him having good health in his 30s, and that’s the question for the team at the moment. In the Berrios post, I talked about how Berrios might not have a path to the rotation, but there are always things that happen with a pitching staff, there is never enough depth.
Shane throws five different pitches:
A Four Seamer (that averaged 92.6 mph last year).
Slider
Knuckle Curve
Change up
Cutter
Steamer figures him to make 24 starts, throw 143 innings with a 3.87 ERA.
The Sixers’ year-long celebration of the 2001 Eastern Conference Champion squad reaches its apex this month. When the team hosts the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday, Jan. 31, it’ll be a big ol’ reunion.
The organization announced on Thursday that they will “honor the legendary players and coaches who electrified the city, taking the 76ers to the NBA Finals.“ Additionally, the Sixers say that the evening will be ”packed with powerful tributes — pre-game, in-game and at halftime — honoring the grit, heart and legacy of that squad.“
The Sixers, naturally, will be donning their beloved black throwback jerseys as well.
The 2001 team, between Allen Iverson’s MVP heroics and their upset win in Game 1 of the NBA Finals over the Los Angeles Lakers, leaves them as one of the most beloved in the history of Philadelphia even though they didn’t win the championship outright.
Part of it is the way they played: the feisty Iverson scoring in bunches while their defense swarmed everywhere. Part of it is Iverson’s legacy as a transformative presence in the league both on and off the court. Part of it is, simply, that they’re the only truly great Sixers team of the last 40 years.
Though the Sixers appear far away from that level of contention at the momentum even with Tyrese Maxey’s own superstar ascension and the dominant stretches that Joel Embiid has put together this season, celebrating the 2001 team is a reminder of how great things once were for professional basketball in Philly and how maybe, just maybe, they could be that great again one day.
For those wanting to get in on the festivities, the cheapest tickets on Ticketmaster, as of this writing, are $44.18. That’s honestly a bit better than I imagined it would be for a Saturday with all of this going on. I hope Sixers fans pack the house!
For the second time in four days, the Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs will face off when the Spurs travel to Utah on Thursday night.
In the two previous meetings between the Jazz and Spurs this season, the teams split wins, with the Jazz coming away victorious in December and the Spurs winning on Monday.
On the Dec. 27 matchup, Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George combined for 57 points and took advantage of De’Aaron Fox’s absence from the lineup in the win.
On Monday, Victor Wembanyama scored 33 for the Spurs in a 13-point victory at home, maintaining San Antonio’s position as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
Injury Report
Utah Jazz:
Keyonte George — Questionable (Left forearm strain)
Lauri Markkanen — OUT (Return to competition reconditioning)
San Antonio Spurs:
Jeremy Sochan — Questionable (Illness)
Luke Kornet — Questionable (Left abductor tightness)
LeBron James capped off a noisy Wednesday by sharing a sweet moment with his inner circle.
Just hours after a bombshell report claimed his Lakers boss, Jeanie Buss, had grown tired of him, the NBA superstar took to his Instagram page to show he and his loved ones were hardly bothered.
LeBron James and his family held a makeshift birthday party for their private chef on Wednesday night. Lebron James
In a video he shared on IG Stories, James could be seen helping lead an adorable birthday celebration for his private chef, Dena Marino.
James, his wife, Savannah, and their daughter, Zhuri, presented Marino with a slice of cake and a candle, and serenaded her with a rendition of “Happy Birthday to You.”
Chef Dena Marino looked thrilled with the James’ gesture, reposting the Lakers star’s video on her Instagram page. Lebron James
When the gourmet cook blew out the flame, James and his family let out a big cheer.
LeBron James was at the center of an explosive ESPN report earlier Wednesday. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Marino clearly appreciated the gesture — she reshared James’ video with the caption, “All My favs with my Reese’s Cake!” She included two red heart emojis as well.
The James family and Marino have been tight for years. In fact, back in 2021, LeBron shouted out her special “Creamy Cauliflower ‘Carbonara’” on X, writing that it was one of his favorite dishes she’s ever created.
As for the ESPN report regarding Buss’ alleged thoughts on his “outsized ego,” James appeared to take a page out of his agent Rich Paul’s book on the matter by showing he’s got far more things to concern himself with.
The Suns have shocked many NBA fans by being the underdog story of the year. After trading away Kevin Durant and stretching and waiving the remainder of Bradley Beal’s contract, many thought this team was doomed. Yet the players and coach Jordan Ott did not listen to the outside hate. They invested and ground it out this offseason to prove those doubters wrong, and they have done so in every category.
Now over halfway through the season, a team most outsiders thought was a lottery team once again sits as the sixth seed, 10 games over .500 in a tough Western Conference. The best part? This has all been accomplished despite Jalen Green being out for most of this season.
With him just returning in their last game vs the Philadelphia 76ers, we got to see what he can add to this team. Some great playmaking and downhill attacking, while working nicely with the bigs in this lineup. He came off the bench in his return to action, but coach Jordan Ott has stated that he will eventually be in the starting lineup.
Just landed in Miami.
In regards to what Dillon Brooks said about Jalen Green.
He's saying Green will start, be 1st starter to check out game and check back in later in 1st quarter to lead 2nd unit.
Coach Jordan Ott already said Green will start when he returns.
So who comes out of the lineup, and how does this new bench lineup work as a successful unit?
Well, there are two options, and it all depends on the balance you want in the starting lineup. If you take out Collin Gillespie and put in Green, that would leave the Suns with two guards, two wings, and a center, compared to a three-guard lineup if you replaced Green with Royce O’Neale. I know the league has gone positionless, but I do think that, without a true playmaker/initiator for the secondary unit, it troubles them.
Personally, even though I am the Big East Believer and have agreed that Gillespie has earned this starting spot, he is more valuable as the lead offensive guard for the secondary unit than as the third-best scorer in the starting lineup. That would then leave the Suns with an exciting bench unit, and one that can show some great success, like the starters once fully healthy.
The lineup that I think would be the bench is Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, Grayson Allen, Ryan Dunn, and Oso Ighodaro.
Based on the statistics and the fits of these players, this bench unit will be one of the best by the end of the year. Just as I was discussing it, it makes sense.
Gillespie and Allen are the offensive guards who are going to rain three pointers, which the Suns have succeeded in this year. They will be the main offensive focal points, while also being relentless on defense, making key hustle plays. Dunn and Goodwin are going to be the scrappy defenders who take those defensive assignments to heart. They both crash the boards relentlessly, and can both get hot from three at specific points that make you think they should be in a three-point contest. Last but certainly not least is Oso Ighodaro, the man in the middle, the actual connective engine that would keep this unit going with his solid ability to do it all, rebound, score, and defend when you need it most.
Now, looking at the stats, all those words are proven true.
Looking at the stats from Databallr, we can see that this lineup is very successful. An almost +30 net rating is just ridiculous, especially given their very low offensive turnover percentage. This bench unit would prove lethal not only from three-point land, where they shoot 46% from beyond the arc, but also at limiting opponents to 27% from three.
That aggressive on-ball nature from Goodwin and Dunn would be prevalent here, but you also have the hustle and hard work from both Allen, Ighodaro, and Gillespie. Everyone on this lineup has that bruiser mentality of outworking you and having to do that their whole career. This is what brings out the scrappiness and relentless effort on both ends from these guys, their passion and effort, which Ott has embraced. The underdog mentality has prevailed.
By looking at Cleaning the Glass, we can see some similar stats to Databallr, but also some more in-depth analysis. The lineup we are discussing has the fifth-most possessions together this season, yet it is the second-best for this team. Their strength mainly comes from their defense in this unit. As I stated above, they got those dogs, and with a 99.2 pts per possession and 24.6% turnover rate, I’d say they represent that to a tee. This basically means that almost one out of every four defensive possessions results in a turnover for the bench squad, which is just mind-blowing.
Most starting lineups cannot contribute a stat like that, which shows how locked in defensively this team is under coach Ott now.
The culture has shifted for the better, and this is a prime example; this bench will prove it, too. Now that this team is finally fully healthy, we can actually evaluate it at its best potential, which is higher than where it is now, given all the great stories of guys growing internally in this system.
As we hit the halfway point in the NBA schedule, the Los Angeles Clippers finally seem to be salvaging their season, but that progress will be tested tonight when they host the Los Angeles Lakers at Intuit Dome.
The Battle of L.A. season series sits at 1-1 heading into this matchup, and my Lakers vs. Clippers predictions expect LeBron James to be one of the swing factors.
Let's dive right into my NBA picks for Thursday, January 22.
Lakers vs Clippers prediction
Lakers vs Clippers best bet: LeBron James Over 12.5 rebounds + assists (-112 bet365)
LeBron James' injury issues may point to a 41-year-old in his 23rd season, but his stat lines suggest he’s got something left in the tank. James has been able to keep his sciatica and arthritis at bay while starting 2026 with a bang, so look for his fingerprints to be all over tonight’s clash with the Los Angeles Clippers.
With Luka Doncic doing so much of the scoring for the Los Angeles Lakers, I’m targeting LeBron’s rebounds and assists here, and he’s gone past this combo O/U number in four of his past five outings.
James has been getting the job done in both these categories so far this month, with averages of 7.7 RPG and 7.6 APG in January, and he was closing in on a triple-double in L.A.’s win over the Denver Nuggets earlier this week.
Until Austin Reaves returns, LeBron is going to have a larger share of the playmaking, particularly when Luka is on the bench, and there’s just not a lot of secondary ball-handling in the current rotation. Equally, he’s got a big role to play alongside Deandre Ayton on the boards.
At this stage of his career, James can still do the little things that drive winning, and the Lakers will need all of that veteran savvy to hold off their cross-city rivals tonight.
Lakers vs Clippers same-game parlay
The Lakers are 7-3 SU in their last 10 meetings with the Clippers, and an impressive 14-8 on the road this season. With Kawhi Leonard still listed as questionable, the burden on James Harden could once again be massive, and the hosts gave up 138 points to the Chicago Bulls this week.
Harden continues to put up big numbers, and I’ll take the Over on his rebounds prop here. He’s grabbed 4+ boards in six of his last seven games, and the Clippers will gladly keep him closer to the rim if it avoids the Luka defensive assignment.
Lakers vs Clippers SGP
James Over 12.5 reb+ast
Lakers moneyline
Harden Over 3.5 rebounds
Our "from downtown" SGP: Brick by brick
Ivica Zubac has had some miserable possessions trying to guard Doncic on switches in the past, but the Clippers will lean on him for big minutes here. Zubac has posted three straight double-doubles, and he’s finished with 11+ rebounds in his last four games.
Lakers vs Clippers SGP
James Over 12.5 reb+ast
Lakers moneyline
Harden Over 3.5 rebounds
Zubac double-double
Lakers vs Clippers odds
Spread: Lakers -1.5 (+100) | Clippers +1.5 (-120)
Moneyline: Lakers -110 | Clippers -110
Over/Under: Over 223.5 (-110) | Under 223.5 (-110)
Lakers vs Clippers betting trend to know
The Lakers are 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings between these teams. Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Clippers.
How to watch Lakers vs Clippers
Location
Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA
Date
Thursday, January 22, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Lakers vs Clippers latest injuries
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
Victor Wembanyama plus the Utah Jazz means buckets. The San Antonio Spurs star is in the zone, and the Jazz are one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA, but they’ve been putting up a fight on offense lately.
So, my Spurs vs. Jazz predictions explain why these Western Conference foes will light up the scoreboard tonight, and bring you all manner of NBA picks, including a Wemby-fueled SGP.
Wemby has averaged 25.8 points per game over the last 12 games, and helping San Antonio put up 119-plus in three of their last four. He’ll keep cooking against the Utah Jazz.
Utah doesn’t play defense, ranking dead last in defensive rating while surrendering an NBA-worst 127.5 points per game. They allowed 123 points to the Spurs just two games ago.
But the Jazz aren’t rolling over. Even without Lauri Markkanen, they’ve scored 121 ppg over the last six games, cashing the Over in four of their last five.
Spurs vs Jazz same-game parlay
Wemby has a point total of 26.5 for this matchup. He’s topped that number in six times in the last 12 games, including putting up 33 in that recent meeting against the Jazz.
Utah also struggles to defend the perimeter, ranking dead last in opponent 3-point attempts per game, and surrendering the third-highest 3-point shooting percentage.
So, let’s add Stephon Castle Over 1.5 threes to this SGP. He’s shooting 39.1% from deep over the last five games and has gone Over this number three times during that stretch.
Spurs vs Jazz SGP
Over 237
Victor Wembanyama Over 26.5 points
Stephon Castle Over 1.5 threes
Our "from downtown" SGP: George puts in the work from three
Keyonte George will do his part to send this game Over. He went for 30 in that recent game against the Spurs and has hit four or more threes in three straight games.
Spurs vs Jazz SGP
Over 237
Victor Wembayama Over 26.5 points
Stephon Castle Over 1.5 threes
Keyonte George Over 2.5 threes
Spurs vs Jazz odds
Spread: Spurs -12.5 | Jazz +12.5
Moneyline: Spurs -650 | Jazz +475
Over/Under: Over 237 | Under 237
Spurs vs Jazz betting trend to know
The Jazz have hit the Game Total Over in 30 of their last 40 games at home for +19.00 Units and a 43% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Spurs vs. Jazz.
How to watch Spurs vs Jazz
Location
Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Date
Thursday, January 22, 2026
Tip-off
9:00 p.m. ET
TV
KJZZ, FDSN-SW
Spurs vs Jazz latest injuries
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
Kuminga has a standing trade demand, one that Golden State has openly scoffed at. Before Tuesday, Kuminga had sat for 16 straight games, all while the Warriors' front office publicly knocked his trade value.
This stalemate had simply gotten ugly.
But with Jimmy Butler’s ACL tear, Golden State needs to not only play Kuminga but also feature him. It was no coincidence he scored 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting in the first game after Butler’s injury.
Ahead of tonight's matchup against the Dallas Mavericks, the Warriors lack dynamic wings to take the pressure off Steph Curry. Kuminga is one of their only remaining options.
Warriors vs Mavericks same-game parlay
Kuminga isn’t a strong deep shooter, but he takes more shots with Butler out, including from beyond the arc. He averages 3.3 attempts from deep per game without Butler, up from 2.7 when Butler plays.
However, taking more long-range shots — and missing most of them — won’t help Golden State navigate life without the player meant to extend Steph Curry’s title window.
Warriors vs Mavericks SGP
Jonathan Kuminga Over 11.5 points
Jonathan Kuminga Over 0.5 threes
Mavericks +5.5
Our "from downtown" SGP: Dray Fell Off
If Draymond Green was going to summon some gusto to keep the season alive sans Butler, it did not show up on Tuesday, posting a -27 in 22 minutes in an 18-point loss to the Raptors.
Including that night, Green has fallen short of this modest rebounding prop in three straight games and in seven of nine since New Year’s Day.
Over/Under: Over 234.5 (-110) | Under 234.5 (-110)
Warriors vs Mavericks betting trend to know
Dallas has gone 4-1 against the spread in its last five games, exceeding bookmakers’ expectations by an average of 9.7 points per game. Find more NBA betting trends for Warriors vs. Mavericks.
How to watch Warriors vs Mavericks
Location
American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Date
Thursday, January 22, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Warriors vs Mavericks latest injuries
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
France selection for Six Nations caused a huge stir but England’s head coach has no need to spring any shocks
Steve Borthwick names his England squad for the Six Nations on Friday and as much as we do not know about the precise makeup of the chosen party, there is plenty that we do. As much fun as it may be to imagine Borthwick rocking up at Twickenham in a sharp navy suit, ice-white trainers and a few selection bombshells in his pocket, the England head coach is not about to borrow from Fabien Galthié’s playbook.
Galthié’s decision to omit Damian Penaud, Grégory Alldritt and Gaël Fickou has created such a stir because it is radical by any measure but the point here is that Borthwick’s squad, in comparison to England’s closest rivals for the Six Nations title, is significantly more settled. He has a couple of injury concerns, as is always the case at this time of year, and he is expected to reward the recent form of the uncapped Greg Fisilau with a call-up, but what is likely to be most telling is how few surprises it contains.
The organizing committee announced Thursday that Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie will take part in the torch relay. The Opening Ceremony is scheduled for Feb. 6.
The series based off “Game Changers” books has captivated viewers with the fictional story of a Canadian and a Russian hockey player sustaining a decade-long secret relationship.
The first season became the the No. 1 series on HBO Max. Originally developed for the Canadian streaming service Crave, the show scored a distribution deal with HBO and has already been renewed for a second season, and it will broadcast in Italy beginning next month.
It was a good year for Phillies on the Hall of Fame ballot.
As expected, Chase Utley did not get elected in this, his third year on the ballot. Neither did Jimmy Rollins, Bobby Abreu, or newcomer Cole Hamels. Again, no surprises there. However, Utley’s stock increased greatly in 2026, seeing a 19.3% increase from last year’s vote, up to 59.1% (75% is needed for induction). He appears to be on a glide path to eventual enshrinement.
Hamels received a surprisingly encouraging 23.8% in his inaugural appearance on the ballot, a good sign for his future candidacy. Rollins improved to 25.4%, up from 18% a year ago, and Abreu bumped up from 19.5% last year to 30.8% in ‘26. It’s likely Rollins and Abreu will garner enough support to stay on the ballot all 10 seasons, but their induction is far less certain that Utley’s at this point.
All in all, a solid showing, especially for Utley and Hamels, the two most important pieces of the 2008 world champions, and it got me thinking how many of this generation’s Phillies could eventually be Hall of Famers.
How many all-time greats are we watching right now? I believe there are six contenders:
Bryce Harper
Kyle Schwarber
J.T. Realmuto
Trea Turner
Zack Wheeler
Aaron Nola
Sure, players like Cristopher Sanchez and Jhoan Duran are among the very best at their respective positions at the moment, but they’re too early in their careers to even discuss the possibility, so let’s focus on the six veterans who have built up a body of work that allows us to compare them to previous inductees and project what their accomplishments may ultimately look like.
Bryce Harper
Harper may not finish with some of the counting numbers that usually guarantee induction, but as one of the game’s marquee stars and recognized best players for the entirety of his 14-year career, and the fact he’s still just 33 years old, he seems like a shoo-in.
So far, he has compiled 54.0 WAR, ranking him 29th among all-time outfielders. Granted, Harper will play the rest of his career at first base, so a position-to-position comparison won’t really apply for him moving forward. Still, his WAR total is not far behind Vladimir Guerreros’ 59.5 or Ichiro Suzuki’s 60.0, both of whom are already in, and he will surpass those totals over the next two seasons if he averages 3.0 WAR.
In terms of counting stats, Harper is at 1,801 hits, 401 career doubles and 363 homers. He is 137 away from 500, so if he averages 27 bombs a season over the next five seasons, he’ll hit that magic milestone, ensuring enshrinement. Even still, with two MVP Awards, a Rookie of the Year, eight All-Star Game appearances, four Silver Slugger Awards and numerous postseason moments to remember, Harper is the most obvious current Hall of Fame candidate on the roster, provided his career doesn’t collapse in on itself as he hits his mid-30s.
Kyle Schwarber
While Harper put some of his best seasons together in his early-to-mid 20s, Schwarber seems to be saving his best for his 30s. Since joining the Phillies for his age-29 season in 2022, he has slugged a ridiculous 187 homers in four seasons, twice leading the National League in that category, and finishing as the NL MVP runner-up in 2025. He’s only made three All Star Games and last season was the first time he’d cracked the top 15 in MVP voting, but with a career-best 4.7 WAR a season ago, Schwarber’s ability to hit left-handers has turned him into the most feared slugger in baseball.
Schwarber enters his age-33 season with 340 career bombs. With a new five-year contract under his belt, Schwarber is 160 dingers away from 500. He would need to average 32 home runs a season over the life of his contract to get to 500, a task that seems very doable given he’s averaged 46.7 homers a season as a Phillie. Even if his production drops a bit, 32 homers per year feels like a lock.
It’s simple. If he gets to 500 home runs, he’s a lock. If he falls short, he’ll have to have some other kinds of data to warrant inclusion. I’d say the odds are better than not he gets in, based on his recent trajectory.
J.T. Realmuto
With the ink still drying on his new 3-year deal with the Phils, Realmuto can no longer make the claim of being the BCIB (Best Catcher In Baseball) anymore. But for a long stretch, he was.
From 2017 (his penultimate season in Miami) to 2022, Realmuto was worth 24.8 WAR, the most, by far, of any catcher in baseball. Willson Contreras was second (18.8), with Salvador Perez third (14.8). He was named to three All Star teams and took home three Silver Sluggers over that stretch. While catchers have been largely underrepresented in the Hall because they don’t pile up the counting stats the way other position players do, Realmuto’s career 38.7 WAR ranks 27th among all-time catchers. He’ll never reach the heights of the upper-tier catchers in the Hall (Johnny Bench, Gary Carter, Ivan Rodriguez, Carlton Fisk, Mike Piazza and Yogi Berra), but it isn’t crazy to think he could be productive enough over these final three seasons in Philadelphia to warrant real consideration.
Compare his numbers to long-time Cardinals backstop Yadier Molina, who most believe will one day be enshrined. Molina has a career 41.7 WAR, just 3.0 WAR more than Realmuto. J.T. will probably pass him in 2027, if not this year. He’s just 4.0 WAR behind Jorge Posada (who is not in the Hall) and 6.3 WAR behind Buster Posey, who will be on the ballot for the first time in 2027 and is seen as a likely inductee.
Right now, I’d put the odds at 50/50 he becomes a Hall of Famer, but it’s a real conversation that will become even more realistic if he can get his WAR total into the upper 40s with another few 2-3-win seasons in Philadelphia. It’ll be close.
Trea Turner
First, the pros. At 33, Turner is coming off his best season since 2021 with the Nationals and Dodgers, posting a 5+ win season (5.4 WAR) for the first time in four years. He won his second career batting title (albeit hitting just .304), and finished 5th in the MVP voting. He has three All Star nods, two top-five MVP finishes and a Silver Slugger (2022) in his back pocket, 1,531 career hits, 282 doubles, 48 triples and 315 stolen bases. In 11 seasons, he’s been worth 41.9 WAR, for a 162-game average of 5.4 WAR per season.
He’s been a really, really good shortstop for the majority of his career.
Now, the cons. Like with Utley, Turner didn’t play more than 100 games in a season until his age-25 season with the Nationals in 2018. So, he got a late start. He also plays a position in which the demand for greatness is tremendous. His 41.9 WAR ranks just 44th all-time among shortstops, currently 0.1 WAR behind Xander Bogaerts and 1.9 behind Corey Seager, the player who beat him out for NL Rookie of the Year in 2016. Rollins, who piled up 47.9 WAR in his career, is eight full wins better than Turner at this point.
The average WAR for Hall of Fame shortstops is 67.7. Can Turner span the 25.8 WAR needed to hit that number over the final eight years of his contract? He would need to average 3.2 WAR per season through his age-40 season in 2033, likely with some bigger WAR numbers over the next couple seasons to compensate for what will almost certainly be a notable drop as he moves through his 30s.
There are a slew of Hall of Famers who managed to earn enshrinement as much for longevity as a tremendous peak. If Turner averages 184 hits per season over his final eight years, he’ll get to 3,000 and guarantee inclusion. If he averages 121 hits, he’ll reach 2,500. Would that be enough?
Zack Wheeler
The case for starting pitchers is in the process of recalibrating itself before our very eyes. Starters are no longer throwing 250-300 innings a season, they’re not staying in games long enough to earn “wins” and teams are no longer going with four-man rotations, all of which was routine through the 1980s.
Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer are the last of a dying breed. Pitchers are now likely to be based on shorter peaks of greatness rather than a 20+ year career of throwing 220 innings and piling up counting stats. That’s why Felix Hernandez, Cole Hamels, Mark Buehrle and others are finding Hall voters more receptive to their candidacies over the last couple years.
That said, despite being perhaps the most effective starting pitcher since his arrival in Philly in 2020, he likely got too late of a start.
His first good season was in 2014 for the Mets, when he made 32 starts and put up a 3.54 ERA. He then missed all of 2015 and 2016 with Tommy John surgery and pitched in just 17 games in 2017. That ate up his age 25, 26 and 27 seasons. Finally, in 2018, he emerged as a 3-win starting pitcher with New York, earning him a five-year free agent deal with the Phils.
Obviously, he’s blossomed with the Phillies, finishing runner-up in the Cy Young voting twice and earning three All Star nods. He led the NL in WAR in ‘21 (7.5), has three 200+ strikeout seasons and would have had a fourth last year if he hadn’t suffered thoracic outlet syndrome. He’s already turned himself into one of the best starters in franchise history, with a 2.91 ERA in six years and is one of the greatest postseason pitchers in baseball history.
He’s been phenomenal, but unless voters are swayed by his 2020-2025 peak, his 113 career wins and 1,820 strikeouts probably isn’t enough, even with his postseason accolades and Cy Young runners-up finishes. If he’d won both of those awards, we may be singing a different tune.
There’s obviously still a chance for Wheeler to add to his legacy over the next few years, but entering his age-36 season and coming off a concerning injury, he doesn’t have a lot of time left.
Aaron Nola
Unlike Wheeler, the 33-year-old Nola has never been as dominant a starter. He had one season (2018) in which he was an All Star, leading the league with an insane 9.7 WAR and finishing third in the NL Cy Young voting, but he’s never led the league in strikeouts or, really, any pitching category. He has one other top-five Cy Young season (4th in 2022), and is coming off the worst season of his career, an injury plagued 17-start campaign that saw him post a 6.01 ERA and -0.3 WAR.
His 35.3 career WAR is far below where it needs to be, especially when compared to Hamels, who sits at 59.0. He’s signed for another five years, through his age-37 season, and the only way Nola makes Cooperstown is if he somehow finds the form to make a few more All Star teams and increase his strikeout total, which currently sits at 1,876. He’d need to average 225 strikeouts a season over his final five seasons to get to 3,000, a number he routinely reached in his prime but it unlikely to see again in his mid-to-late 30s. A number around 2,500 is more likely.
Nola is a first-ballot Phillies Wall of Famer, but it’s difficult to see how he can pile up enough counting stats on the back end of his career to make a push for Cooperstown.
The Houston Rockets start a two-game road swing tonight, while the Philadelphia 76ers finish a five-game homestand, looking for just their second win of the stretch.
The Rockets will be without big man Steven Adams, while Philadelphia may get both Joel Embiid and Paul George back into the rotation.
That’s why my Rockets vs. 76ers predictions and NBA picks call for Philly to win outright as a home dog on Thursday, January 22.
Rockets vs 76ers prediction
Rockets vs 76ers best bet: 76ers moneyline (+115)
Veteran Houston Rockets center Steven Adams suffered a serious ankle sprain in the last game. “I don't think he'll be back anytime soon,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka later said.
Adams leads the NBA in offensive rebounding, so his absence will be felt on a team that is also No. 1 in the league in that category. The Rockets’ No. 6 shot blocking performance will also suffer.
That lack of a presence in the paint will be a problem, as the Philadelphia 76ers should welcome Joel Embiid back after he missed the last game with an ankle injury.
There’s also a chance Philly gets Paul George back. He’s missed two games with a knee injury and is questionable. The Sixers are just 4-7 this season with neither in the lineup, and seven games over .500 with one or both active.
Regression to the mean should work in Philly’s favor.
Tyrese Maxey, shooting 47% and 40% from three this season, has hit 33 of 88 — 7 of 28 from three — over the last four. He’s ripe for a bounce back, especially with two other scorers in the lineup to help draw attention away from him.
Rockets vs 76ers same-game parlay
The Rockets have gone under in nine of their last 10 games. They are 28th in pace, while the Sixers are 19th.
This cutoff is in line with what Houston has been seeing recently, however. The Rockets faced four Over/Unders this low in the last 10 games and went Under on all of them. Philly faced two this low in its last 10 and split.
Amen Thompson has 34 rebounds in his last four games, nearly one rebound per game higher than his season average. And that was with Adams in the paint. With Adams out, he’s unlikely to see his workload on the boards go down.
Rockets vs 76ers SGP
76ers moneyline
Under 221.5
Amen Thompson Over 7.5 rebounds
Our "from downtown" SGP: By George, He's Still Got It
George playing is the big question mark here, and if he doesn’t, this pushes. So we’ll take him reaching 15 if he suits up.
Rockets vs 76ers SGP
76ers moneyline
Under 221.5
Amen Thompson Over 7.5 rebounds
Paul George Over 14.5 points
Rockets vs 76ers odds
Spread: Rockets -2 (-110) | 76ers 2 (-110)
Moneyline: Rockets -135 | 76ers +115
Over/Under: Over 221.5 (-110) | Under 221.5 (-110)
Rockets vs 76ers betting trend to know
The Houston Rockets have only hit the Moneyline in 20 of their last 45 away games. Find more NBA betting trends for Rockets vs. 76ers.
How to watch Rockets vs 76ers
Location
Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Date
Thursday, January 22, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBCS-Philadelphia, SCHN
Rockets vs 76ers latest injuries
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