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First-timer to stay busy during All-Star weekend

ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 5: Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks drives to the basket during the game against the Utah Jazz on February 5, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Boatman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Jalen Johnson has ascended in meteoric fashion during his five-year basketball career.

Johnson has gone from G Leaguer, to rotation player, to franchise cornerstone in that short span. And now, he’s been named to his first All-Star Game in his career. The weekend festivities will take place in southern California, primarily in the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, the home of the Clippers.

But that won’t be his only involvement next weekend. It was recently announced that he will join fellow Duke Blue Devils Kon Knueppel, a rookie phenom, and Corey Maggette, a retired 14-year NBA veteran, in the NBA All-Star Weekend Shooting Stars Challenge.

In that competition, he’ll take on these three other trios:

  • Team All-Star: Scottie Barnes, Chet Holmgren, Richard “Rip” Hamilton
  • Team Harper: Derek Harper, Ron Harper Jr., Ron Harper Sr.
  • Team Knicks: Jalen Brunson, Karl Anthony-Towns, Allan Houston

The contest makes its first appearance since the 2015 All-Star weekend. In it, there are seven spots on the floor with which the players can shoot from and earn various amounts of points with 70 seconds. Please see the attached PDF for a full set of rules and regulations.

Many will remember franchise icon Dominique Wilkins not only taking part in three straight competitions but winning the three most recent editions of the competition — a veritable dynasty as part of Team Bosh with NBA star Chris Bosh and WNBA star Swin Cash.

The event will take place on Saturday, February 14 after 5 PM EST on NBC and streaming on Peacock.

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Open Thread: Enter to win a Game Night at home

DALLAS, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 5: Julian Champagnie #30 of the San Antonio Spurs and Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks battle for position during the first half at American Airlines Center on February 5, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Per a Spurs press release:

 Game night just got upgraded! The Spurs and Ledger are teaming up to give one lucky fan the chance to host the ultimate Spurs watch party at home. Enter for a shot at winning everything you need to turn your living room into the best seat in the house!

Ledger is teaming up with the Spurs to bring you the chance to win a one-of-a-kind Game night at home experience. The winner will receive Ledger surprises, premium Spurs gear, and all the essentials to host an unforgettable watch party.

I’m not personally a gamer, unless you count Frogger. I was a street-hopping guru. But Spurs gear and a watch party is enough to have me click HERE for my chance to win.

Will you take yours?

Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.

Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.

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10 takeaways as Knicks snap Celtics’ 5-game win streak

Before Sunday’s 111-89 loss to the Knicks, the Celtics had been 7-1 when playing on a Patriots Super Bowl Sunday.

According to statistician Dick Lipe, the lone loss came in 2015, when the Celtics scored just 75 points against the Heat. Later that night, however, the Patriots rallied to earn a thrilling, 28-24, triumph over the Seahawks. Time will tell if history repeats itself, yet it’s an interesting trend to monitor nonetheless.

Here are 10 takeaways as the Knicks deprived the Celtics of their cementing sixth consecutive victory.

1. Oh, shoot

This was one of those games where living and dying by the 3 can sometimes yield a slow and painful death.

The Celtics shot 7 of 41 (17 percent) from distance, posting a season low in points, field-goal percentage (37), 3-point percentage and 3-pointers. Some of the looks just didn’t fall, some were ill-advised attempts and the Knicks certainly deserve plenty of credit for bothering the Celtics with their length.

2. Bruiser Brunson

There’s no denying it. Jalen Brunson (31 points, eight assists) is one tough dude, and he’s in his element as the head of the snake for the Knicks.

Brunson set the tone early with 15 points and four assists in the first quarter alone. He was average after that, but the damage had been done.

3. Grand Theft Alvarado

The Knicks may have made a major theft of their own by snatching Jose Alvarado. He gives New York a different look to accompany Landry Shamet and is a true terror defensively. When he hits shots, watch out.

4. Battling Baylor

Baylor Scheierman was a bright spot for Boston, as he posted 10 points, a career-high 13 rebounds and five assists in the loss.

Scheierman is averaging 10 rebounds per game in his last four contests and is starting to showcase the versatility that made him special in college.

At his core, Scheierman is someone who can make plays, hit shots, battle on the glass, defend at a high level and use his basketball IQ to spearhead runs. He’s starting to do that all at once more consistently.

5. Vuc watch

Nikola Vucevic had a pretty average game, with 11 points and six rebounds in 23 minutes, but it’s still worth taking a closer look at his performance.

The Celtics are really making a conscious effort to look for him in the paint, which is exactly what they should do. Vucevic commands so much attention and is a very skilled passer out of the post.

The chemistry is already there, and it will continue to grow in the coming months as he makes life easier for shooters like Payton Pritchard and Derrick White.

6. Speaking of White

Derrick White contributed 19 points and four assists to go with Jaylen Brown’s team-high 26 points. This was White’s first game shooting 50 percent or better (7 of 14) since late January.

He’s still managed to affect the game in other ways, from shot-blocking to pace-setting, but perhaps he can use this performance as a springboard to bolster his shooting splits.

7. Missin’ transition

The Celtics scored 3 points off turnovers against the Knicks, marking their lowest total since 2021.

The Knicks, meanwhile, scored 16 fast-break points and got plenty of easy looks. It was one of those games where the Celtics had to work hard for everything and the Knicks seemed to generate high-quality attempts at will.

8. Sam I Am

The Celtics missed Sam Hauser (low back spasms) in this one and could have used his spacing and shooting. Anfernee Simons also would have helped (it was still a good move).

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla mixed and matched, turning to Ron Harper Jr., Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh and more, but nothing worked for extended stretches.

9. Kicked by the Knicks

The Celtics are now 1-2 against the Knicks this season, with both losses coming by double digits. After sweeping the regular-season series last year, they’re just a combined 3-6 in playoff and regular-season games since.

It’s enough of a sample size where it’s fair to be a bit concerned if they meet again. The Knicks are a difficult matchup for the Celtics because of their combination of size, shooting, speed and star power.

10. No biggie

It’s just one game, and in a long season, duds like this are going to happen. An important stretch before the All-Star Game awaits, with games against the Bulls on Wednesday and Warriors on Thursday.

The Celtics have still won five of six and 10 of 14. No need to panic.

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Former first daughter Barbara Bush doing her 'dream job' at NBA All-Star Weekend in L.A.

The NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome is days away, and no one is looking forward to it more than Barbara Bush, daughter of former President George W. Bush and the NBA’s vice president of social impact. She found her “dream job” and is loving every minute of it.

“I played basketball until fifth grade. I grew up in Dallas and everyone watched the Mavericks. Then when I moved to Austin it was all about UT," she said, referring to the University of Texas. "I never thought I’d work in basketball. For most of my career I’ve worked in global health with nonprofits. During COVID, I started paying more attention to the NBA as it utilized its arenas for vaccination sites and voting centers since you could be socially distanced and compliant by using them.”

While representing the foundation for which she worked, Bush attended meetings with NBA executives and sought ways to work together.

“I became more and more interested in what they were building,” she recalled. “So serendipitously I mentioned 'If you ever have an opening, I’d love to go through the recruiting process and see what happens.' One year later there was an opening, I applied, and I’ve been with the NBA for about three years now.”

Bush was promoted to her present position in 2023. Collaborating with the Clippers, she is overseeing this year’s All-Star youth and development programming and social impact initiatives, beginning with Thursday’s NBA Cares State Farm Assist Tracker Legacy Project Dedication in celebration of the YMCA’s 175-year anniversary at Weingart YMCA Wellness & Aquatic Center in South L.A.

“The YMCA’s been a great partner with the Clippers for years and years and we feel a strong affinity to the Y, given that our sport was created at a YMCA, so it’s been part of the story of the NBA itself,” Bush said. “We, the National Basketball Players Assn. and the Clippers, are renovating youth-serving spaces, including a STEM lab, teen center and basketball court.”

Read more:Rising Stars set to help kick off NBA All-Star Weekend at Intuit Dome

On Thursday night, seven L.A.-based entrepreneurs will present their companies to a panel of celebrity judges and compete for $200,000 in prizes in the All-Star Pitch Competition at the Kia Forum. Judging will be actress Issa Rae, marketing executive Bozoma Saint John, private equity partners Will Bumpus and Ted Oberwager, and Ann Miller, Nike’s executive vice president of global sports marketing.

“It’s a 'Shark Tank'-style competition, we had 200 companies apply, and this will be the final rounds where seven entrepreneurs get to pitch their business to some pretty well-known judges, so I’m sure they’re going to be nerve-racked,” Bush explained. “It’s really fun and inspiring to watch entrepreneurs have the courage to share in front of an audience their impressive businesses.”

The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Day on Friday morning invites 1,000 local youth from the Beyond the Bell and Woodcraft Rangers programs to participate in clinics teaching fundamentals of the game.

The 18th annual NBA Cares Day of Service is Friday afternoon at the Convention Center, and 500 volunteers will build home structures with Habitat for Humanity and pack essential kits for underserved families with Baby2Baby.

All weekend a Basketball Without Borders Global Camp at the Lakers’ practice facility in El Segundo will bring together elite high school-age prospects from Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe to take part in shooting competitions, life-skills seminars and five-on-five games guided by current and former NBA players and coaches.

“One interesting tie this year is how we’ve reconfigured the All-Star Game so it’s the USA vs. the World, given that so many players are from other countries,” Bush said. “Since NBC is covering the Olympics at the same time, we think it’s compelling to have our format be USA vs. the World.”

Bush is perhaps most excited about the NBA Total Health All-Star Walk on Sunday morning, a two-mile route in Inglewood.

“We’ll be working with Girltrek, a phenomenal nonprofit focused on walking as a way to maintain your health,” she said. “We expect 1,500 people and it’s open to the public. NBA and WNBA legends are participating, and Evernorth Health Services will do biometric screenings and skin cancer checks to take care of yourself before heading to the game.”

Bush acknowledged the Clippers’ role in planning everything the NBA is doing next weekend and praised the franchise for its community outreach.

“What I love about my job is I still get to work on health and social justice issues but from a totally different vantage point,” she said. “We’ll have eyeballs around the world watching so we want to make sure we leave the community better than when we arrived.”

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Guardians News and Notes: Here Comes Baseball

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 16: Bad Bunny looks on prior to the MGM All-Star Celebrity Softball Game at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, July 16, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Super Bowl is over. It’s almost time for baseball.

Pitchers and Catchers report this week in Arizona.

Jim Rosenhaus is interviewing the Guardians’ director of International Scouting.

It’s almost time to see who is in the best shape of their life *TM*.

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NHL power rankings: One Olympian to watch from every team

Plenty happened in the past two weeks in the NHL, including the Columbus Blue Jackets surging under new coach Rick Bowness.

But the NHL is on the Olympic break, so let's look ahead instead of backward.

The league's players are going to the Winter Games for the first time since 2014. Every NHL team will send at least one representative and every country except Italy will have one NHL player.

This version of the NHL power rankings will rate teams based on their performance and it will have an Olympic theme with one Olympian to watch per team.

Here are the latest USA TODAY Sports NHL power rankings:

NHL power rankings

(Number in parentheses indicates the change from the previous rankings of two weeks ago)

1. Colorado Avalanche (0)

Forward Brock Nelson, USA: Nathan MacKinnon is a Hart Trophy candidate (plus MVP of the 4 Nations Face-Off) and Cale Makar is a Norris Trophy candidate. Two-way player Nelson, though, has 29 goals this season and on a U.S. team that chose not to bring Cole Caufield, Jason Robertson and Alex DeBrincat, he can provide some of that offense.

2. Tampa Bay Lightning (0)

Defenseman Victor Hedman, Sweden: The skilled defenseman recently returned from his second injury of the season and was ramping up his ice time. The alternate captain will need to be on top of his game.

3. Minnesota Wild (+2)

Defenseman Quinn Hughes, USA: Hughes was injured before the 4 Nations Face-Off and wasn't able to play. His presence will help a U.S. team that fell one goal short of a championship in the 2025 tournament.

4. Carolina Hurricanes (-1)

Forward Nikolaj Ehlers, Denmark: He's a speedster and has 43 points this season. Denmark has only three regular NHL players among its skaters.

5. Dallas Stars (+1)

Defenseman Miro Heiskanen, Finland: He missed the 4 Nations Face-Off with an injury and Finland missed him. He has twice as many points as the No. 2 defenseman on Finland, his Stars defensive partner Esa Lindell.

6. Pittsburgh Penguins (+3)

Forward Sidney Crosby, Canada: He scored the golden goal in 2010 and scored in the championship game in 2014. He's still putting up big points at 38 and was named Canada's captain.

7. Montreal Canadiens (+3)

Forward Juraj Slafkovsky, Slovakia: He was MVP of the 2022 Olympics, which did not feature NHL players. Slafkovsky finished with seven goals and a bronze medal. He was drafted No. 1 overall that year and is the top Slovakian NHL scorer with 45 points.

8. Detroit Red Wings (-4)

Defenseman Moritz Seider, Germany: He's the only NHL defenseman on Team Germany and is on pace for his best overall season.

9. Buffalo Sabres (-2)

Forward Tage Thompson, USA: Thompson was a potential injury replacement for the 4 Nations Face-Off but wasn't needed. His size, speed and stickhandling ability will make a difference for the USA at the Olympics. It did in the world championships when he scored the clinching goal as the Americans won a rare gold medal.

10. Boston Bruins (+1)

Forward David Pastrnak, Czechia: He's the most dynamic Czech scorer and he'll be counted on even more with Bruins teammate Pavel Zacha missing the tournament with an injury.

11. Vegas Golden Knights (-3)

Forward Mitch Marner, Canada: He set up Connor McDavid's clinching goal in the 4 Nations Face-Off.

12. New York Islanders (0)

Forward Bo Horvat, Canada: He was the Islanders' lone representative until the team traded for Ondrej Palat, and Horvat was injured soon after Canada's announcement. But he's back and heading to the Olympics on a high note. He was second star of the week with five points in three games, including a pair of game-winners.

13. Columbus Blue Jackets (+9)

Defenseman Zach Werenski, USA: He brings a lot of offense from the back end, with 20 goals this season, second among NHL defensemen and first among those at the Olympics.

14. Utah Mammoth (0)

Goalie Karel Vejmelka, Czechia: Anaheim's Lukas Dostal is likely the No. 1 goalie, but Vejmelka has put together several long runs this season.

15. Seattle Kraken (+5)

Goalie Philipp Grubauer, Germany: Grubauer is having a bounce-back season and should be able to provide steady goaltending on a team that could get plenty of goals.

16. Anaheim Ducks (+1)

Forward Mikael Granlund, Finland: He's the captain of Team Finland, which is missing Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov. Barkov is irreplaceable, so all of Finland's forwards will need to step up.

17. Ottawa Senators (-8)

Forward Brady Tkachuk, USA: He had a two-goal game in the 4 Nations Face-Off and though he can't fight at the Olympics like he did in last year's tournament, he'll provide a disruptive presence.

18. Edmonton Oilers (-3)

Forward Connor McDavid, Canada: McDavid and Germany's Leon Draisaitl, the team's lone representatives, are equally important to their countries. McDavid's overtime winner at the 4 Nations gives him an edge.

19. Washington Capitals (+5)

Forward Tom Wilson, Canada: He earned a spot with his 23 goals, his penalty killing and his physical play. But he might have to temper his big hits because the International Ice Hockey Federation uses different standards.

20. Toronto Maple Leafs (+1)

Forward Auston Matthews, USA: The Americans named him captain. If the pure goal scorer can produce at the Olympics, it would help his reputation after playoff disappointments and the lack of a goal at the 4 Nations.

21. Philadelphia Flyers (-5)

Goaltender Dan Vladar, Czechia: No guarantee he sees action, but he did have a 1.09 goals-against average and .951 save percentage in the 2025 world championships.

22. Los Angeles Kings (-3)

Defenseman Drew Doughty, Canada: He doesn't put up the big numbers anymore, but he did win gold medals in 2010 and 2014.

23. Florida Panthers (-10)

Forward Matthew Tkachuk, USA: Look at the description of brother Brady Tkachuk, then add back-to-back Stanley Cup titles to his resume. He wasn't able to finish the championship game in the 4 Nations, scored 23 points with a torn adductor muscle in the playoffs and recently returned from offseason surgery.

24. San Jose Sharks (-6)

Forward Macklin Celebrini, Canada: Celebrini is having a spectacular sophomore season, has been mentioned as an MVP candidate and skated on a line with McDavid during the first Olympic practice.

25. Nashville Predators (+1)

Goalie Juuse Saros, Finland: He will be the Finns' go-to goalie. He didn't have a good 4 Nations but followed that up with a strong world championships.

26. New Jersey Devils (-3)

Forward Nico Hischier, Switzerland: The Devils captain is also the Swiss captain and a solid two-way player.

27. Chicago Blackhawks (0)

Forward Teuvo Teravainen, Finland:Connor Bedard didn't make Team Canada and Teravainen is the Blackhawks' lone Olympian. His numbers are off this season.

28. Calgary Flames (+2)

Forward Martin Pospisil, Czechia: He's the Flames' lone representative after the trade of Rasmus Andersson. He has no points in seven games with the Flames.

29. Winnipeg Jets (-1)

Goalie Connor Hellebuyck, USA: He was the No. 1 American goalie at the 4 Nations. But which goalie is the USA getting? The one who won the last two Vezina trophies and the 2024-25 Hart Trophy? Or the one who was pulled on the road in the playoffs and whose numbers are off this season?

30. New York Rangers (-1)

Forward Mika Zibanejad, Sweden: The Rangers have been a mess this season and already have been sellers. Zibanejad has been one of their better players and recently performed on a big stage with a record five points in the Winter Classic.

31. St. Louis Blues (0)

Goalie Jordan Binnington, Canada: He led Canada to a 4 Nations championship and won a Stanley Cup in 2019. But he has struggled this season as have the Blues. Does he rebound behind a better team?

32. Vancouver Canucks (0)

Forward Elias Pettersson, Sweden: His star has faded the past couple seasons and he was held without a point in the 4 Nations. A rebound in the Olympics could help restore his reputation.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL power rankings: Each team's Olympian to watch

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Photos show Lindsey Vonn's training and crash at the Olympics

MILAN (AP) — Lindsey Vonn came to the Winter Olympics as one of the headline acts of the Games, just a week after tearing the ACL in her left knee. But her chances of winning a medal at 41 came to an abrupt and painful end when she crashed in the women's downhill. Here's a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors of Vonn in Cortina, from her training ahead of the race to her crash on Sunday.

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Pens Points: Crosby named captain for Team Canada

MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 08: Sidney Crosby #87 of Team Canada takes part during training on day two of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 08, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Here are your Pens Points for this Monday morning…

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby was officially named captain of Team Canada’s men’s ice hockey team on Sunday. Crosby previously served as the Olympic captain in 2014 when Canada won gold. [Trib Live]

After a 12-year absence on the Olympic stage, the Penguins’ Olympians are treasuring the moment to represent their home countries once more. [Trib Live]

As the NHL freezes play for the 2026 Olympics, the American Hockey League will trudge on. The Penguins assigned rookie forwards Avery Hayes and Rutger McGroarty to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Friday. [Trib Live]

Updates from around the NHL…

Prosecutors have dropped the most serious assault charge against Penn State hockey star Gavin McKenna, considered a likely top pick in this year’s NHL draft. Still, he remains accused of less serious offenses. [CBS News/Associated Press]

Veteran NHL defenseman Travis Dermott has joined the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack on a player try-out contract, the team announced on Saturday. [TSN]

Auston Matthews was named the captain of the United States men’s hockey team for the 2026 Winter Olympics. [Sportsnet]

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Olympic Break News: Super Monday

Bo leaves for the break as a star. | NHLI via Getty Images

Ever since a couple of friends who most often hosted Super Bowl parties each relocated out of town, I’ve…discovered the sheer joy and found time that comes with not following the NFL. An intense, grueling season of Sundays to myself and my family culminates in Super Bowl Sunday, when I can go wherever I want and not another soul is around.

Yesterday I went hiking and continued reading The Wayfinder; last night I remembered I’ll have very little idea what people are talking about as they run through their small talk this morning. I used to feel obliged to pay attention to maintain that sort of pop culture literacy, but it was very freeing once I got over that.

This is not a self-help column nor a “you should do X” thing, just a transition as the NHL turns toward the Olympics this month and most humans get past the hoopla of the NFL trademarked championship game. I understand there were field goals and AI commercials.

As for us, the other global sports hype machine is now underway. For the men, Olympic hockey starts Wednesday with two games (Slovakia vs. Finland and Sweden vs. Italy). On the women’s side, things began last week already and there are four preliminary round games today, with both the U.S. and Canada in action.

Olympic Hockey News

  • The teams did their captaincy reveals, with little surprises. Sidney Crosby for Canada, Leafs captain Auston Matthews for the U.S., Gabriel Landeskog is good to go and will wear the C for Sweden. [NHL]
  • Bill Daly also skipped the Super Bowl, but for a better reason: He’s headed to Milan. He discusses excitement for Olympic hockey, the talent on display, and how the NHL gets to provide more officials and George Parros as discipline czar. Gulp. [NHL]
  • Jack Hughes couldn’t be there for his team as they were swept by the Islanders, but he’s good to go for Team America. [NHL]
  • Mike Sullivan isn’t publicly naming his starting goalie yet. [Sportsnet]
  • Pavel Zacha is still out, so he’ll miss the Olympics where he was going to play for the Czechs. [ESPN]
  • 32 Thoughts: How Artemi Panarin decided on the Kings, plus random Olympic thoughts. [Sportsnet]
  • Curtis Douglas was fined, and that’s all the supplementary discipline that came from the latest Panthers-Lightning brawl. [Sportsnet]

Islanders News

  • Breaking out of his slump, Bo Horvat receives a parting gift as NHL 2nd Star of the Week. [Isles]
  • Victor Eklund discusses winning WJC gold with Sweden, “playing with men” and such. [Isles]
  • Speaking of Swedes, Dick “no seriously, I’m Swedish” Tarnstrom is the latest Weird Islanders subject. He was waived and claimed by the Penguins, during one of their many dark, bottom-feeder eras that most of their fans pretend never happened. [LHH]
  • Cal Ritchie made a surprise return just before the break and looked pretty good. [Post]
  • They may end up gassed, but at least Bo Horvat and Ondrej Palat will stay in game shape by playing at the Olympics. [Newsday]
  • Also: Three takeaways for the Isles at the break. [Newsday]

Good luck as you discuss that one commercial or that one play today.

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YouTube Gold: Luke Kennard Is Off To A Sweet Start With The Los Angeles Lakers

Feb 7, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luke Kennard (10) shoots against the Golden State Warriors during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Luke Kennard has been in the NBA for a little more than a third of his life now, which is kind of wild to think about. He’s moved around, starting with Detroit, then playing for the LA Clippers, the Memphis Grizzlies and the Atlanta Hawks before being traded to the Lakers just before the trade deadline.

Kennard’s singular gift is hitting shots – he’s leading the NBA in three point percentage at 49.7% – and since he’s playing for Duke legend JJ Redick, he has a coach who knows exactly what to do with that.

Redick said in an interview he sent Kennard some Lakers plays and schemes to get used to and that while a lot of guys wouldn’t bother, he was pretty sure Kennard would.

Maybe he did, because he nailed his first shot and got 10 points in his first appearance in purple and gold. L.A. is still transitioning from the LeBron James era to the Luka Doncic era and spacing is a big deal. Kennard can certainly provide that – and professionalism as well.

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Cardinals free agents 2026: Big calls on Greg Dortch, Zay Jones

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 23: Greg Dortch #4 of the Arizona Cardinals runs the ball after a reception during the second half of the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at State Farm Stadium on November 23, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. The Jaguars defeated the Cardinals 27-24 in overtime. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images

We are officially done with the 2025 NFL season, and congratulations to the Seattle Seahawks for winning Super Bowl LX.

Now, we are into another new era of Arizona Cardinals football, and hopefully we will be talking about the Cardinals in a similar situation as the Seahawks in a couple of years.

It’ll start with free agency in 2026, and we first need to decide who the Arizona Cardinals need to bring back or who they can watch move on.

Let’s take a look.

Cardinals pending free agents 2026

  • Jonah Williams
  • Jalen Thompson
  • Calais Campbell
  • Kelvin Beachum
  • Greg Dortch
  • L.J. Collier
  • Zay Jones
  • Will Hernandez
  • Blake Gillikin
  • Aaron Brewer
  • Pharaoh Brown
  • Matt Haack
  • Simi Fehoko
  • Josiah Deguara
  • Michael Carter
  • Darren Hall
  • Channing Tindall
  • J.J. Russell
  • Travis Vokolek
  • Zonovan Knight
  • Chad Ryland
  • Joshua Karty
  • P.J. Mustipher
  • Starling Thomas V
  • Emari Demercado

There are some names on this list that it feels like should be priorities to be brought back, but I am interested to see what Arizona Cardinals fans think and who they would view as priorities.

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Who would be the Yankees’ current NFL comparison?

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 08: Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots is sacked by Rylie Mills #98 of the Seattle Seahawks during the second quarter in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium on February 08, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The NFL season was concluded last night with the Seattle Seahawks defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX in a relative beatdown, as Seattle’s defense throttled Drake Maye’s offensive line and put him on the ground multiple times forcing some ugly turnovers late in the game. A couple of garbage-time drives made the score a little more respectable, but the Seahawks were in control pretty much the whole way through.

In the old format of Today on PSA, we often included a secondary question on NFL events during the long offseason, checking in after each round of the playoffs to see who were the favorites and what you all thought of particularly flashy games. But with football officially giving way to the start of baseball season, I figured it was a good time for a more lighthearted opener to the day and give a nod to the NFL one last time until the World Series passes the baton back to them and discuss the league through a Yankees-centric lens. So, with that in mind, what NFL team would this current Yankees team appear most similar to?

If we were talking long-term, there’s an argument to be made about those Patriots that just struck out in the title game. New England is seen as the Evil Empire of the NFL, the bad guys that lorded over an entire generation of the game, one of the winningest franchises in the sport, all things that lead to a similar background as the Yankees. On top of that, they underwent a changing of the guard with Tom Brady leaving the team and missed out on the playoffs for a few years, before finding their new captain in Maye and making a surprising charge to the Bowl. It wouldn’t be a far stretch to compare that to what the Yankees did in passing the torch from the Core Four days to the Aaron Judge-led Baby Bombers with the 2013-16 teams trudging through the valley before their 2017 team nearly upset the favored Astros.

If we’re keeping that mindset, the San Francisco 49ers may fit the bill even better. The 49ers boast a legacy of winning from decades past with Joe Montana and Steve Young, and their modern era of teams have been highly competitive but not good enough to win it all. Jimmy Garoppolo and Brock Purdy aren’t quite as flashy a name as Judge is, but their rosters have been star-studded and picked to go deep often, just to come up short to those pesky Chiefs much like the Dodgers stood in the way of the Yankees in 2024. A rival in their division overtook them in the most recent season — for the 49ers, the Seahawks, for the Yankees the Blue Jays — and went to the title game right after demolishing them in the playoffs. That’s pretty uncanny.

If you wanted to look purely at the short-term though, perhaps a team like the Bengals fits their mold best. They have a dynamic superstar in Joe Burrow who led Cincinnati to one Super Bowl appearance, just to lose and then lose out on future opportunities due to injury. Injuries have cost these Yankees significantly over the years, with staff ace Gerrit Cole sitting out last year when he could have tilted the scales back against the Jays, and the 2023 season ended up being lost in no small part to the Yankees missing Judge for the summer thanks to one unpadded section of Dodger Stadium’s walls. On top of that, the Bengals’ head coach Zac Taylor faces an enormous amount of scrutiny for his decision-making, and there’s no denying that Aaron Boone has had his head-scratchers over the years. It’s an element that’s missing in our previous two contenders at the very least, as both Mike Vrabel and Kyle Shanahan respectively are considered two of the best coaches in the league.

Would you say these Yankees mirror the post-dynasty Pats, the legacy-haunted 49ers, or the injury-plagued Bengals? Perhaps a different team completely?

Today on the site, we start off with Estevão considering the fit Anthony Banda could have in the bullpen after he was put on waivers by the Dodgers. Andrew then gives Clete Boyer some shine on his birthday praising his elite defense at the hot corner for the early 1960s Yankees, Andrés previews Jazz Chisholm Jr. ahead of his walk year, and Matt goes back to the signing of fan favorite Masahiro Tanaka as our free agent series’ next feature.

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Can this team actually win the AL Central?

Big day for Buck! (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Tom Pohlad wants you to believe the Twins will be able to contend in this division despite not giving the front office the resources to do so. They have a lot of talent and untapped potential, and maybe a new coaching staff can do a better job of helping them reach their ceiling, but they’re also running a payroll below Metrodome levels when adjusting for inflation and league spending.

FanGraphs projects the Twins to go roughly 80-82 with a 16% chance to win the division and 32% chance to make the playoffs. That feels optimistic relative to how 2025 finished, but it’s important to remember that the Twins were missing Pablo Lopez, Byron Buxton, Bailey Ober, Zebby Matthews, David Festa, and Ryan Jeffers for most of that stretch.

The Twins also still managed to take regular leads into the late innings and lost them thanks to Justin Topa and Cole Sands getting overworked and overtaxed. They were the third-worst bullpen in baseball by WPA after the trade deadline, but will naturally see that improved due to sheer bullpen luck and some combination of Connor Prielipp, David Festa, Marco Raya, Mick Abel, and Kendry Rojas giving a boost in pure stuff, if nothing else.

Their main competition will be the Tigers, led by back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and new acquisition Framber Valdez. The Royals made some additions on the margins but are currently slated to start a 22-year-old rookie catcher at DH. The Guardians, meanwhile, are always a threat due to the black magic and satanic sacrifices they make to start each season. Their most recent sacrifice to the baseball devil was three-time All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase, who reportedly fixed pitches in 48 (!!) separate games in the past two seasons.

That being said, the Twins’ starting pitching is probably the single best position group in the division. The Tigers are giving them a run for their money, but there are still a lot of question marks and health uncertainty behind their two stars. Minnesota’s rotation goes legitimately 12-deep with MLB-caliber starters. Even if several move to the bullpen, they have the prospects to withstand a slew of injuries at any point in the season.

They’ll need better health luck from players who haven’t had it in the past (Lewis, Keaschall, Wallner) and major steps forward from some young hitters (Lee, Roden, top prospects Jenkins and Rodriguez), but that was essentially the formula that allowed the Tigers to compete last year and the Royals to do so in 2024. The Twins are flawed, but they’re also in unquestionably the worst division in MLB.

Do you believe Tom Pohlad that the Twins can compete right now? Does their have to be a major trade to do so, or would a few marginal upgrades in the bullpen be enough with internal development?

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MLB spring training maps 2026: Where every team has camp in Arizona and Florida

You can't tell the baseball players without a program ... and you can't find spring training camps without a map.

Of course, you probably could do both just fine on your own, but why make things difficult?

The 30 Major League Baseball teams' spring headquarters are split evenly between Florida and Arizona. The 15 clubs in the Grapefruit League are more spread out than those in the Cactus League, making trips between the different parks a bit longer drive, on average.

Still, baseball fans who want to hit the road and watch their favorite teams at spring training have any number of options.

Florida spring training map, Grapefruit League sites

2026 REPORT DATES:When pitchers, catchers and full squads are due in camp

Arizona spring training map, Cactus League sites

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Spring training maps: Where MLB teams have camps in Florida, Arizona