Draymond Green more open to future coaching career now than he was two years ago

Draymond Green more open to future coaching career now than he was two years ago originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green isn’t ready to leave the NBA anytime soon — but for the first time, he’s no longer shutting the door on what could come next.

After the Warriors’ 119-97 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night, Green spoke candidly about his evolving mindset toward coaching, acknowledging that the idea resonates with him more now than it did even a couple of years ago.

“As I get closer to the end, I think a little bit more about it, and I’m definitely closer than I was a couple years ago,” Green told reporters. “You had asked me two years ago, I would’ve told you hell no.”

That shift, Green explained, stems from his growing sense of responsibility to pass down what he’s learned — and a belief that the game loses something when veteran knowledge isn’t shared.

“You play this game for all these years, and then you’re just done — like, where does the knowledge go?” Green said. “What did you do? What did you give back to those to keep it moving forward, to keep the game growing? You owe it to the game to leave it in a better place than it was when you found it.”

Green credited former NBA player Pete Myers for instilling that philosophy in him early in his career, and emphasized it’s why he’s intentional about mentoring younger players whenever he can.

That approach hasn’t gone unnoticed inside the locker room. Third-year guard Brandin Podziemski pointed to Green’s basketball IQ and leadership.

“Really, really smart guy when it comes to basketball,” Podziemski said. “X’s and O’s, knows how to talk to people, how to be a leader — all things you’d want in a good coach, I think he brings, so I could definitely see that in his future for sure.”

Jimmy Butler echoed that sentiment, praising Green’s anticipation and feel for the game.

“His basketball mind is out of this world,” Butler said. “He sees all the plays before they happen. He’s always studying the game, and he wants everybody to be great. I actually really do believe he’d be a phenomenal coach.”

For now, Green insists his focus remains on playing.

“I still think I’ve got quite a bit left in the tank,” he said. “But it’s definitely not a ‘no’ anymore.”

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Ex-Padres co-owner Fowler to take Lincoln controlling stake

Ron Fowler pictured at a baseball game in white open-necked shirt and dark jacket while working as executive chairman of San Diego Padres
Ron Fowler left his role as executive chairman of the San Diego Padres in 2020 [Getty Images]

A former executive chairman and co-owner of Major League Baseball team the San Diego Padres is set to take a controlling stake in League One club Lincoln City.

American Ron Fowler initially bought a minority interest in third-tier Lincoln in April 2024, and he is now poised to replace Arizona-based Harvey Jabara as the majority shareholder if his bid is cleared by the English Football League.

Lincoln's board approved a proposal from Fowler to increase his stake - through his company Liquid Investments - to more than 25% on 11 December.

Fowler, whose son Andrew is also involved in the club, will take on the position of chairman at LNER Stadium and will "assume responsibility for the funding of the club for the immediate future".

The ownership shake-up at Lincoln, who are second in the table, was confirmed as a "future development" in the club's annual accounts covering the 12 months up to June 2025.

"Acquiring 25% or more of the share capital is regarded by the EFL as acquiring control and consequently Liquid Investments Inc will need to demonstrate they are eligible to acquire control and are able to and will provide the necessary funding to ensure the club can continue to operate post-acquisition," the club noted in its report.

Fowler will take on responsibility for a promotion-chasing club that reported a loss of just under £2.9m relating to the 2024-25 season.

While the club's turnover was a record £8.5m, up from just under £7m the previous season, their losses were down from just under £3m a year earlier.

It was also a season in which the club's shareholders put £3.6m into the club.

Funding that Fowler now intends to put into the club is said to have already been "earmarked" for "various projects at the LNER Stadium".

Fowler is a business owner in the beverage industry in the United States.

He turned his attention to English football after his involvement in the Padres came to an end in March 2022, having served as vice-chairman after passing on control of the MLB team 16 months earlier.

Blue Jackets Win First Game Under Rick Bowness, Beating Calgary For Second Straight Win

Dante Fabbro(3), Charlie Coyle(8,9-ENG), Zach Werenski(17-PPG), and Boone Jenner(8-GWG) powered the CBJ offense, and Jet Greaves made 29 saves to beat the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night. 

The Rick Bowness era has begun with a win. 

The Blue Jackets jumped on the Flames quickly in the first period by scoring twice. But when the Flames scored in the dying seconds of the second period to tie the game, you could feel the energy get sucked out of Nationwide Arena. 

They didn't quit though. Blue Jackets superstar Zach Werenski scored a power play goal with about 15 minutes to play to put Columbus back on top, but per the norm, it didn't last long. Mikael Backlund scored the Flames third power play goal of the night to tie the game yet again, this time at three. Another blown third period lead.

But Captain Boone Jenner would not be stopped on Tuesday night. Having already registered a fight, he would score what would end up being the game winner with 1:34 left in the game. He then recorded an assist on Charlie Coyle's empty net goal to record the rare Gordie Howe Hat Trick. 

They do need to clean the penalty kill up though. They gave up three power play goals that almost cost them this win. 

Bowness said of the win, "We asked them to compete and we did. We competed. We played very well. In the first 40 minutes, we weren't giving them anything 5-on-5. Clearly, the penalty kill is the one that set us back, so we'll work on that. We can fix that."

Team Notes Per CBJ PR

  • Columbus (1-1-0) and Calgary (1-1-0) concluded the season series with both teams winning their respective home contests.  The home team has now won eight of the past nine games in the overall series.
  • With both teams scoring five goals in their respective victories, the winning team has now scored four or more goals in seven of the last 10 games of the series.
  • Both teams won their games by multiple tallies and have done so in five-straight meetings as well as in nine of the past 10 outings in the all-time series.
  • The Jackets won their second consecutive game and opened a stretch of seven of the next eight games at Nationwide Arena.
  • The Blue Jackets scored first for the 26th time this season, 21st time at Nationwide Arena, and are 16-6-4 when doing so (8-4-1 at home).
  • Columbus head coach Rick Bowness earned the win in his first game behind the bench.

Final Stats

CBJ APP
CBJ APP

Player Stats

  • Dante Fabbro scored his 3rd goal.
  • Charlie Coyle his 8th and 9th goals of the season. He also collected his 20th assist and had 7 shots on goal. He posted his third three-point performance of the season with two goals and an assist (2-1-3) and has goals in back-to-back games for the first time this season (3-1-4). He now sits two goals shy of 200 for his career (198-316-514, 996 GP).
  • Zach Werenski scored his 17th goal and had 2 assists. He also had 5 shots on goal. He posted his fifth three-point effort of the season with a goal and two assists. He has points in each of his past 15 contests at Nationwide Arena (11-18-289, 11 multi-point outings), for the second-longest home points streak in club history and trailing his 22-game streak from Nov. 1, 2024 – Feb. 22, 2025. He has notched 50 points for the third-straight campaign and became the fourth active U.S.-born defenseman with as many consecutive seasons (Adam Fox from 2021-22 to 2024-25; Quinn Hughes from 2021-22 to 2024-25; John Carlson from 2017-18 to 2019-20). Werenski improved his career mark against Calgary to 6-8-14 with five multi-point efforts in 16 career games, including 4-5-9 in his last seven games played and has 4-4-8 in his eight career home games with back-to-back multi-point performances at home vs. the Flames (2-3-5).
  • Boone Jenner scored his 8th goal, had two assists, and had a fight. He registered the first Gordie Howe hat trick of his NHL career tonight after scoring the game-winning goal with 1:34 remaining in the third period as well as assisting on Coyle’s empty net tally and earning a fighting major against Rasmus Andersson in the second period. His seventh multi-point effort of the season (1-1-2) also makes him one assist shy of 200 for his NHL career (207-199-406, 773 GP). He also became the third player in franchise history with 30 career game-winning goals, behind only Rick Nash (44) and Cam Atkinson (42)
  • Jake Christiansen picked up his 2nd assist.
  • Dmitri Voronkov recorded his 14th assist.
  • Adam Fantilli got his 17th assist. He also won 9/14 faceoffs.
  • Kirill Marchenko tallied his 22nd assist.
  • Kent Johnson set a season high with 20:55 time on ice.
  • Ivan Provorov had 6 shots on goal.

Team Stats

  • The Jackets power play went 1/4.
  • The Columbus PK couldn't make a stop, giving up 3 power play goals on three chances.
  • Columbus won 55.4% of the faceoffs - 36/65
  • The Blue Jackets had 21 hits.

Up Next: Columbus is back home to play the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday. 

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What the first half of the season has shown about Nick Nurse's offensive scheme

What the first half of the season has shown about Nick Nurse's offensive scheme originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

So much is made from fans and commenters that Nick Nurse doesn’t run any plays, that he’s taking a lazy approach to calling the Sixers offense.

Now nearing the halfway point of the season, the Sixers have posted a middling offensive rating (114.8), ranking 13th in the league, while shooting the 15th-most threes, making the 14th-most and not excelling in any specific statistic so far.

There are fair criticisms of the job Nurse has done so far this season but let’s dive into what the ideas are behind the offense.

Nurse’s main offensive philosophy lies in creating mismatches in isolation, something that helped him elevate the Raptors from early round playoff purgatory into NBA Champions.

The 2019 champion Raptors had a slew of isolation scoring experts.

Kawhi Leonard, Pascal Siakam, Fred Van Vleet, and Kyle Lowry all excelled at their individual shot making. 

Putting them in positions to succeed was something Nurse leaned on for his offense.

Creating mismatches by getting his guards isolating opposing bigs, or identifying the weak defensive link for Leonard and Siakam to exploit, the Raptors were able to create advantages on offense with their given offensive skill sets.

While Nurse also had set plays to get easier looks for shooters, or open looks at the rim, he also understood that the offensive firepower in the NBA can be unleashed in isolation.

This offensive strategy would not work with every NBA team. A certain roster build is necessary that includes several gifted scorers who are capable on the defensive end. Players who are upper tier athletes who won’t back down from moments where the focus is solely on them.

Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Paul George and VJ Edgecombe are four players that Nurse loves to put in the same isolation situations.

All four guys (wild that one of them is a rookie) are able to get their own shot against defenders. 

While fans clamor for Nurse to “run more plays” (something he does a lot of already and something we will dive into in the future), oftentimes the best offense can come just from putting one of the aforementioned Sixers in an isolation that favors them.

The concepts on offense don’t have to be complex. With the right players it can look like nothing is happening. The simplicity of the ball screen has stayed in the NBA for as long as it has because it’s so effective.

A simple ball screen to get Maxey onto a big man on the perimeter, or to get Embiid the ball deep in the post against a much smaller player can be all you need.

Nurse also runs a fair number of “empty side” ball screens, to eliminate any help defense that can come from the baseline. This helps Maxey and Embiid work in ample space and use their prowess to carve defenses.

The true speed bump for Nurse’s offense has been the changing availability up and down the roster.

The pace of the offense changes violently depending on which players are available. It can be the frantic, blazing offense commanded by Maxey, or the methodical, all-eyes-on-me offense that Embiid has anchored for several seasons now.

The Maxey offense is wild. It’s fast. It’s fun. It’s something Philadelphia hasn’t seen in a long long time and it’s a change of pace turned up to the highest notch.

Maxey could well be one of the twitchiest players the league has seen, blending his straight line quickness with deceleration that confounds defenders and leaves them guessing if they should try to follow him to the rim, or try to retreat with him to the three point line.

His improved playmaking has elevated his teammates as oftentimes, more than one defender is needed to stop the simplest of Maxey isolations.

It’s a tough ask to find another player who has his combination of speed, shooting, handle, strength, flexibility, and overall burst.

Play too close and he goes right around you. 

Take a step back, he shoots right over you.

But a bigger defender on him? He’s too fast for them.

Put a quicker guard on him? He’s too strong for them!

Although Maxey’s Most Improved Player Award from 2023-24 sits somewhere in his home, you could argue this current season has been the true breakout as Maxey ascends towards super stardom.

Maxey gives Nurse’s offense movement with the ball in his point guard’s hand. His breaking down of defenses opens passing windows, cutting lanes, and shooting opportunities for himself and others. 

Maxey has run ball screen actions with several players as his screener this season. Embiid, Jabari Walker, Dominick Barlow, Andre Drummond, Adem Bona, Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes. Jared McCain, Trendon Watford, Kelly Oubre (ok basically the whole roster) have been involved in screening for Maxey.

Teams will throw their best guard and wing defenders on Maxey or give him different looks to try to slow him down.

While this can work to an extent, the lesser defender on the screener can get switched onto Maxey.

The most notable so far was on Edgecombe’s game winner in Memphis. The Grizzlies attempt to hide a weaker defender Ja Morant on Edgecombe.

The Sixers put him in the ball screen action to force him and the Grizzlies into a decision with quick communication. 

The Grizzlies decide to blitz Maxey who finds Edgecombe with an open shot for the lead.

Given that Maxey has taken such another huge leap, the offensive hub that has been Embiid for seasons on end seemed to be dwindling to an end.

That was until the recent surge of play that looks as close to the Embiid of old as we have seen in some time. 

This offense has been predicated on Embiid operating out of the post, trying to find cutters when he’s double teamed, drawing fouls on defenders reaching, and scoring on practically everyone who faces him.

This style led him to a scoring title, MVP, and a staple as the top points scorer in the league. 

As injuries continue to beat him down, he can no longer be the initiator of the offense. 

The physical toll of his style of play draws too much contact for his body.

Putting him against smaller defenders later in the possession is something that can extend his longevity.

With Maxey now leading the offense and controlling the ball, Embiid has transitioned to more of a decoy and play finisher for the first time in a long time.

Nurse’s offense doesn’t give Embiid as many post ups as before. He’s now operating in the middle of the floor near the free throw line, often receiving a pass from Maxey who has created an advantage.

Trusting his offensive players to capitalize on the smallest of advantages may not be the flashiest offense, but Nurse and Maxey have led the Sixers to a 22-16 start in a season that had the potential to repeat the abject failure of the 2024-25 season. 

If the simplicity of the offense can sustain for the rest of the season and into the spring time will be the true test to see what Nurse has up his sleeve.

While the main philosophy of Nurse’s offense relies on these mismatches and tiny advantages, there are several other sets Nurse runs to give his players a favorable chance to score.

More on Nurse’s offense will come in the following weeks.

Canadiens: Third Period Collapse Leads To Overtime Loss

After claiming a 6-3 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday night, the Montreal Canadiens were taking on the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night. Alexander Ovechkin and the Caps have had the Habs’ number of late, but without Tom Wilson, Jacob Chychrun, Justin Sourdif and Pierre-Luc Dubois, the locals came out flat, so to speak.

Of course, the Caps still had Alexander Ovechkin, but the Great Eight is not as much of a threat without his proper supporting cast. Even on the power play, the sniper still just stands there waiting for the perfect feed, even though it’s clearly not coming. At times, the fans even booed their once-devastating man advantage. Still, thanks to a fantastic third frame, the Capitals came back from 0-2 to win 3-2 in overtime.

Ex-Canadiens First-Rounder Lands Extension With New Team
Canadiens: Hutson Was “Grounded”
Canadiens: It Wasn’t Perfect, But It Was Enough

A Big Milestone For Gallagher

Brendan Gallagher has made the headlines recently, but not necessarily for the right reasons, as fans and media alike have started questioning whether he’ll remain in the lineup when the injured Habs are ready to return. In this game, however, he scored an important goal, not only because it gave the Canadiens a 2-0 lead, but because it was the 243rd of his career, which means he’s now tied with Mats Naslund for the 14th most goals scored while playing for the storied franchise.

Of course, Gallagher needed 881 matches to reach the milestone while Nastlund only needed 617 games, but still, for a fifth-round pick to have that kind of career with the same franchise is quite a feat. Gallagher has earned everything he has done in his career, nothing was ever given to him.

Frankly Disappointing For Montembeault

If there remained any doubts about whether Samuel Montembeault was fully back, they should have been eclipsed by his performance tonight. Flawless through 40 minutes after having made 17 saves, the Canadiens’ goaltender was put through a real test in the third as we faced 16 shots. While he did allow two goals, they were both nice deflected shots from Ethan Frank, and neither can be held against the Habs’ goaltender.

Montembeault's puck tracking and rebound control were on point, and he played a calm, collected game despite mounting pressure, especially late in the game. Without his heroics, the Caps wouldn’t have needed the overtime period to seal the deal. Washington added another 10 shots in the extra frame, and the goaltender stood tall as captain Nick Suzuki was stuck in the box, but with 39 seconds left, Connor McMichael called game.

Without Guhle, But With Anderson

Since the game was the second part of a back-to-back, the Canadiens elected to give Kaiden Guhle a night off and to bring Jayden Struble back into the lineup. While the decision makes sense from a workload management standpoint for Guhle, it meant that Noah Dobson spent 28:37 on the ice and Mike Matheson 27:54. Meanwhile, Arber Xhekaj only saw 7:03 of action, the fact that he was in the penalty box for so long after getting 17 penalty minutes didn’t help his cause much, and Jayden Struble only played 9:43 after he looked a bit worse for wear following a hit.

In his first game in 13 days, Josh Anderson did well, scoring the Canadiens’ first goal as they were on the penalty kill.

While the Canadiens leave Washington with a point, they could definitely have used two, and sooner rather than later, they may start regretting not having many regulation wins, since it's the first tiebreaker if points are tied.


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How Warriors, Blazers players made NBA history with impressive 3-point barrage

How Warriors, Blazers players made NBA history with impressive 3-point barrage originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Although the Warriors blew out the Portland Trail Blazers 119-97 on Tuesday, the two teams combined to make NBA history. 

With 10 players on the Warriors and 11 Trail Blazers making at least one 3-pointer, the two teams set an NBA record for most players with at least one 3-pointer made in a single game.

Warriors guards De’Anthony Melton and Moses Moody led the way, both tying for a game-high four 3-pointers made. Golden State finished with a whopping 40.4 3-point percentage.

The Warriors attempted 57 three-point shots against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday night, tying a season-high.  

“The ball just went in. Sometimes it’s that simple,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr explained to reporters after the win. “We had some good looks the other night that didn’t go, and you just keep firing, and we did that. [57] threes [attempted] is a lot.” 

Steph Curry, the NBA all-time 3-point leader, made just two 3-pointers, which were his only field goals made in the game. Entering Wednesday, he is tied with Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell for most 3-pointers made this season (143). 

Each Portland player who entered the game made at least one 3-pointer. However, the Trail Blazers finished with just a 29.8 3-point percentage. 

The previous record was 20 players in a game, done three separate times, according to SportRadar. The first occurrence of 20 different players making a 3-pointer came between the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks on Aug. 4, 2020, during the NBA bubble. 

This season, the most players in a single game to make a 3-pointer was 18, done twice. Both games included Golden State and Portland: Trail Blazers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder on Nov. 23 and Thunder vs. Warriors on Dec. 2. 

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Knicks coach Mike Brown discusses Kings tenure ahead of 'emotional' return

Knicks coach Mike Brown discusses Kings tenure ahead of 'emotional' return originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Mike Brown will make his first return to Sacramento on Wednesday night since being fired by the Kings less than two months into the 2024-25 season.

Brown, who was hired by the New York Knicks in July 2025, spoke to the media in Sacramento on Tuesday for nearly seven minutes to discuss his tenure with the Kings that ended abruptly and as a shock to the entire NBA.

Sacramento hired Brown in 2022, and his impact was immediate. He brought a winning culture back to California’s capital, helping lead the team to end a 17-year playoff drought as the Western Conference’s No. 3 playoff seed.

Brown shared what he learned from his time in Sacramento.

“Every day you feel like you’re learning, whether you’re learning from something good or something bad,” Brown said (h/t CBS13’s Jake Gadon). “But there are a lot of stuff I learned. Trying to figure out different types of problems we had. Trying to enhance whatever we had that was good here. There’s just a tremendous lateral growth that I went through here. Not just on the floor, but out in the community, too.

“I really enjoyed being out in the community and getting to know the people out there. That was a lot of fun as well.”

The “Beam Team” Kings won 48 games during Brown’s first season as head coach. He was awarded Coach of the Year, and then-general manager Monte McNair was named Executive of the Year.

Sacramento won two games less the following season, but the Western Conference shakeup dropped the Kings all the way to the ninth seed.

The Kings defeated the Warriors in the first Play-In game but fell to the New Orleans Pelicans in the second game that would have sent them to a first-round playoff series.

After making the playoffs in his first season and falling just short in his second, there was increased pressure riding on Brown and the Kings entering the 2024-25 season. But a 13-18 start to the campaign was enough for Kings ownership and front office to part ways with Brown, as he was fired while driving to the airport for a road trip.

Brown was asked if he was surprised that he wasn’t given more leeway after the newfound success and culture refresh he brought to the city.

“Those situations, it’s part of life. Sometimes things happen. You may think one thing, you may think another thing, but at the end of the day, who knows? The best thing you can do in life is keep moving forward. That’s what myself and my family has done. We really love New York. We’ve embraced the change.

” … [There are] a lot of good things if you keep your mind present and moving forward, and that’s what we’ve done. We’ve really enjoyed our time being in New York, even though it’s been a short amount of time so far.”

Brown was let go on Dec. 27, 2024. He didn’t land — or seek — another NBA job the rest of the season.

Instead, he chose to utilize the time to travel with his wife, never letting the thought of his Kings tenure potentially being his last NBA head-coaching gig.

“I never really think that way,” he said. “When it happened, you process it real quickly and then literally, my wife and I went to Australia, then from there we went to Brooklyn, then we went to Puerto Vallarta and then we went to St. Barts. It’s life, you know? You keep moving forward. You can really beat yourself up if you try to guess or figure out what should’ve happened, why it happened, what could’ve happened, all that stuff. So, life is short. I try to embrace it.

“I enjoy what I can enjoy and control what I can control. If I can’t control it, try to find something else to do.”

Brown said he doesn’t have any regrets from his time in Sacramento, but rather thinks about the “what-ifs” from the injuries the team sustained in his second year.

Former starting Kings shooting guard Kevin Huerter suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in March. A few weeks later, Malik Monk, the runner-up for Sixth Man of the Year, also was ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a calf injury.

Brown believes the Kings would have won 50 games had they not lost those players to injuries.

After Brown was fired, Doug Christie replaced him as interim head coach. Christie had the interim tag removed from his title for the 2025-26 season, in which the Kings currently hold a 10-30 record.

A lot has changed since the last time Brown stepped into the Golden 1 Center building. Most notably, former Kings franchise point guard De’Aaron Fox was traded to the San Antonio Spurs last February. The Kings also hired Scott Perry as their new general manager after relieving McNair of his duties.

Brown was asked about the massive turnover since his departure, but he kept his response vague.

“Not being here, you don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors,” Brown said. “So I don’t think much about it. They have their reasons for doing it because they’re here every day and I’m not. I can’t say much on that.”

One Kings player who remains from the Beam Team era is fourth-year forward Keegan Murray, someone Brown said he loves and is excited to see, as evidenced by his “KEEGAN! MURRAY!” chant.

Brown is focused on his new team, the Knicks, who are 25-14 and the No. 2 seed in the East, but he acknowledged it will be an emotional night as he steps into the building where he has many unforgettable memories in a city he still has a lot of love for.

“I think the crowd will be good,” Brown said. “You never know. I enjoyed my time here. I enjoyed the fans here. Hopefully, they appreciate what we accomplished while I was here. … The reality of it is, coming back here, a place we really enjoyed, yeah, it’s a little emotional.

“But at the end of the day, the fans, if they cheer me or hug me when they see me, trust me, they want to kick my ass and the Knicks’ ass. And we want to do the same.”

Touché.

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Fantasy Basketball Trade Tips: Buy Lows, Sell Highs & Holds

The NBA trade market is officially open for business. With Atlanta already sending Trae Young to Washington and the NBA Trade Deadline approaching, roster values are beginning to shift across the league. Savvy fantasy basketball managers don't have to wait for the next blockbuster to act, though, as this is often the best time to capitalize on slumps, hot streaks and changing team directions.

Whether you're looking to buy low on proven talent, sell high on an unexpected breakout or stay patient with a struggling star, these fantasy basketball trade tips will help you navigate the market and position your roster for the stretch run.

Adebayo is in the midst of a disappointing stretch, averaging just 13.0 points over his last 10 games. He attempted 12.1 shots per game during that span, which isn't far off from his season average of 13.6 attempts. However, the main reason for his decline in scoring is that he shot just 41.3% from the field.

Even with Adebayo struggling with his efficiency, he provided 10.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game during that 10-game span. With him attempting more 3-pointers this season, his overall shooting percentage has declined to 45.6%. Still, it's difficult to complain too much with him providing 16.8 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 3-pointers per game. This might be an opportunity to acquire him at a slight discount in a trade.

Much like Adebayo, Castle has gone cold from the field. Over his last nine games, he has shot just 34.2%, including 24.1% from behind the arc. That left him to average 13.9 points and 0.8 3-pointers. On the bright side, he still averaged 5.2 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.2 steals over those nine matchups.

Castle is not a good 3-point shooter. He shot 28.5% from behind the arc during his rookie season and is shooting 27.3% this season. Still, he is shooting 46.1% from the field while providing 17.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 2025-26. He should remain a very valuable fantasy option during the second half of the season, so try to acquire him now before he gets his shot back on track.

Nembhard is having a breakout season, averaging 17.5 points, 7.1 assists and 1.9 3-pointers. With Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) out, Nembhard has played 32 minutes per game and with a career-high 23.9% usage rate so far. Prior to this season, he had never posted a usage rate higher than 16.3%.

While Nembhard is thriving, the Pacers are not. They have the second-worst record in the NBA as they find themselves basically out of the playoff hunt already. Entering Wednesday, they are 9.5 games behind the Bulls for the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers could become a tanking team during the second half, which might mean rest days are on the horizon for Nembhard. See if you can trade him now for a player with a better outlook down the stretch.

Entering Monday's game against the Hornets, Collins was in the midst of his best stretch of the season. Across the previous five games, he averaged 19.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 3.2 3-pointers. It certainly helped his cause that he played 33 minutes per game during that span. However, he also showed efficiency that is not sustainable, shooting 72.2% from the field and 69.6% from behind the arc.

Collins came back to reality against the Hornets, posting three points and five rebounds over 30 minutes. Ivica Zubac recently returned from injury and has been playing more each game, so Collins could see his playing time dip again soon. In a disappointing season while averaging 13.1 points and 5.0 rebounds, this might be a rare opportunity to sell high on him in a trade.

The Hawks decided to take their franchise in another direction when they traded Young to the Wizards. It appears that the Grizzlies are prepared to do the same with Morant. Morant is currently out with a calf injury, but it was reported last week that Memphis is entertaining offers to deal him before the trade deadline.

Injuries and poor shooting have plagued Morant this season. He has appeared in just 18 games and shot 40.1% from the field. Never a great 3-point threat, he has shot an abysmal 20.8% from deep so far. His value is at a low point right now, so don't trade him at a discount. A move to a new team could revitalize him for the stretch run.

One of the reasons why the Hawks wanted to trade Young is because of how poorly their defense performed when he was on the floor. They have been much better when Alexander-Walker plays more minutes. Not only is Alexander-Walker a big upgrade on the defensive end of the floor, but he is having the best offensive season of his career with his averages of 20.7 points and 3.0 3-pointers.

With Young out of the picture, Alexander-Walker is set up to start alongside Dyson Daniels for the remainder of the season, barring another trade. The Hawks acquired CJ McCollum in the trade with the Wizards, but he has come off the bench in both of his first two games with his new team. McCollum is not a good defender and is in the later stages of his career, so he will likely remain in that bench role moving forward. There's no need to consider selling high on Alexander-Walker as he could remain a stellar fantasy option moving forward.

Fantasy Hockey Trade Tips: Auston Matthews, Adin Hill among players to strike a deal for as we approach Olympic break

There are a plethora of NHL games between now and the Olympic break on Feb. 6, and there won't be a lot of time left to make deals when the NHL resumes action on Feb. 25 until the Trade Deadline of March 6.

Best of luck with your fantasy hockey trades this week.

Auston Matthews, C, Maple Leafs (100% rostered)

Matthews has been on a tear of late, reminiscent of previous seasons when he was a top-five fantasy forward in the NHL. Matthews has eight goals and six assists in nine games since the Christmas break, a far-cry better than his 14 goals and nine assists across 31 appearances before the break. Matthews has shown a renewed interest in playing at a top level, something that wasn't there earlier in the season. 

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Matthews and Connor Bedard for Noah Dobson and Kirill Marchenko. (This has to be a give-up trade in a dynasty pool, otherwise it makes absolutely no sense. Matthews and Bedard are far superior to Dobson and Marchenko in redraft leagues.)

Adin Hill, G, Golden Knights (66% rostered)

Hill has been out of action since Oct. 20 with a lower-body injury and could return to the lineup as early as Thursday at home versus Toronto. The Golden Knights have really missed his play, as the combination of Akira Schmid, Carter Hart (who is currently out of action with a lower-body injury) as well as Carl Lindbom in an occasional role, has not done the job this season in Hill's absence. Hill was the backbone of the Golden Knights in 2024-25, posting a 32-13-5 mark with a 2.47 GAA and a .906 save percentage. Anything close to those peripherals the rest of the way will go a long way to aiding the Golden Knights in winning the Pacific Division title.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Hill and Nico Hischier for Jake Allen and Jack Hughes. (When healthy, Hill is a much better goaltender than Allen, who shares the New Jersey net at best with Jacob Markstrom. While Hughes is a better offensive player than Hischier, Hughes is only averaging 1.0 points per game to Hischier's .76 points per contest.)

Rasmus Andersson, D, Flames (88% rostered)

Andersson is on his way out of Calgary as the pending UFA does not seem likely to re-sign with the Flames, and they will want to get something for their top defenseman, rather than keeping him and receiving nothing but a late-round pick in late June. Andersson is having a stellar season with 10 goals and 19 assists in 46 games, including four goals and 10 points on the power play. He'll likely go to a playoff contender who will have better scoring forwards on the power play, compared to the Flames.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Andersson for Bo Horvat. (Horvat is having a strong season with 21 goal and 33 points in 36 games, but he has missed 10 of the last 14 games and is currently out with a lower-body injury.)

Tyler Bertuzzi, LW, Blackhawks (59% rostered)

Bertuzzi is headed for a career high in goals as he has 24 tallies in 43 games (his best was in 2021-22 when he managed 30 goals in 68 games for the Red Wings). He has been a 40-50 point player in the last two seasons, and you should take advantage of his playing alongside Bedard as well as his strong first half of the season, and get as much as possible for the 30-year-old winger.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Bertuzzi and J.T. Miller for John Gibson, Morgan Rielly and Mitch Marner. (That's an awful lot to get for Bertuzzi and a slumping Miller, as Gibson is having a great rebound year in Detroit, Marner is still a star player in the NHL and Rielly is a serviceable defenseman in fantasy hockey.)

Dougie Hamilton, D, Devils, (71% rostered)

Hamilton's stock has fallen so much that he was actually a healthy scratch Jan. 11 in Winnipeg. He did rebound nicely the following night in Minnesota with a pair of assists, however, Hamilton only has five goals and seven assists in 41 appearances this season. His offensive play has dropped like a stone, and it appears that Hamilton is more than willing to forego his limited no-movement clause and find a home elsewhere in the NHL.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Hamilton and Brayden Point for Josh Morrissey and Elias Pettersson. (I would assume that the deal took place after Point suffered a lower-body injury Monday and is considered week-to-week. That makes the return on the Hamilton trade even better, as Morrissey is a stud defenseman while Pettersson has bounced back a bit this season and is showing signs of being a very good player once again.)

Mathew Barzal, C, Islanders (76% rostered)

Barzal has one goal and six assists in his last five games, giving him 37 points in 45 appearances this season. He had 20 points in 30 games last season while dealing with injuries but he seems to do a lot better with Bo Horvat out of the lineup, rather than in it. Barzal has two goals and 12 points in the 10 games Horvat has missed since Dec. 13, which does not bode well for when Horvat returns, likely next week, from a lower-body injury).

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Barzal, Gabriel Vilardi and Dylan Guenther for Trevor Zegras, Cole Caufield and Josh Doan. (It's a pretty even deal as Barzal, Vilardi and Guenther are good point producers, but so are Zegras, Caufield and Doan.)

Luka Doncic plays and scores 27 points as the Lakers rout the Hawks

Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu, left, and Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic reach for a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Luka Doncic and Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu reach for a loose ball in the first half. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

Luka Doncic and LeBron James were listed as questionable for the Lakers' back-to-back game Tuesday night against the Atlanta Hawks. Doncic because of left groin soreness, James because of left foot joint arthritis and right sciatica.

Also, checking the stat sheet before the game, the Lakers were listed as one of the worst three-point shooting teams and one of the worst defensive shooting percentage teams in the league.

Well, Luka played and LeBron played and the Lakers shot lights-out from three-point range and were solid across the board on defense while building a 32-point lead in the third quarter and rolling over the Hawks 141-116 at Crypto.com Arena.

“We didn't expect him (James) to be able to play. I mean, that's just the nature of a 41-year-old body who plays heavy minutes. And he just said, "I'm going to try. I'm going to try to do everything I can, do my normal routine if I'm able to go.’ And same thing with Luka,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “So, both those guys I thought just completely led the group tonight and it was evident 22 assists between them. Obviously they made some shots too, but I just thought they did a great job of leading the group.”

Doncic felt soreness in his groin when the Lakers played at Sacramento on Monday night and was unsure about playing Tuesday. But he played and delivered 27 points, 12 assists and five rebounds.

“For me, I want to play,” Doncic said. “So, obviously I wasn’t feeling 100%, but in my head, I always want to play.”

After playing 33 minutes and 17 seconds, Doncic was asked how he was feeling physically.

“It’s a little bit worse than yesterday,” he said. But I’ll be fine."

James didn’t play in the second game of a back-to-back game last week at New Orleans and San Antonio and said he will be listed as TBD, to be determined, in such scenarios. But James played against the Hawks and nearly produced a triple-double with 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.

James described what went into his day that led him to playing in his first back-to-back game of the season.

“Woke up, got in the cold tub. I got in the cold tub in the hyperbaric chamber,” he said. “After the hyperbaric chamber, I took a nap, then I played PGA EA golf for a little bit, as I [wore compression boots] for 45 minutes, and I took a shower, got dressed and headed here.

"And once I got here, I did my normal game day routine — activation, treatment, rehabbing, stretching, lifting, mentally, doing everything while I watched TPG on the TV.

"And then me and (my trainer) Mike (Mancias) looked at each other, and he looked at me, asking me, ‘What you thinking? I said , ‘I think I feel pretty good.’ And then there's a pregame meal in between there.”

Read more:Why LeBron James' Lakers jersey has a new 'super cool' patch

Coming into the game, opponents were shooting 48.8% from the field and 37.4% from three against the Lakers, ranking them 28th and 26th, respectively, in the NBA.

The Hawks began the game ranked fourth in three-point shooting, making 37.4%, and they were ranked eighth in field-goal percentage, making 43.6%.

All of the above made for a bad recipe for the Lakers entering the game.

But when the game started, none of that mattered to the Lakers, who held the Hawks to 45% shooting and 28.3% from three-point range.

The Lakers shot 55.9% (19 for 34) from three-point range.

The Lakers’ big lead was sliced to 11 points in the fourth.

Read more:Luka Doncic scores 42, but is hampered by injury in Lakers' loss to the Kings

But back-to-back three-pointers by James and Marcus Smart, both off passes from Doncic, and a Doncic basket gave them a 19-point lead, and they never looked back.

The Lakers scored 81 points in the first half, a season-high for points in a half, a half in which they opened a 23-point lead and had the Hawks reeling from the beginning.

“We shared the ball great,” Doncic said. “We knocked down shots, so it was very fun out there.”

Rui Hachimura had missed the previous seven games with a right calf strain but was back in action against the Hawks. He had seven points and two rebounds in 18 minutes.

ETC: The Lakers signed guard Kobe Bufkin to a 10-day contract Tuesday. The 6-foot-5 Bufkin played in seven games for the South Bay Lakers, the Lakers’ G League team, where he averaged 28.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists over seven games. He has appeared in 27 career NBA games over two seasons with the Hawks. “You know, during the stretch, we'll have opportunities during this 10-day,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.... Backup center Jaxson Hayes didn’t play against the Hawks because of left hamstring soreness. Redick said Hayes got some “imaging” Tuesday on his injury and that the Lakers will have “more information” going forward.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Takeaways: Despite Strong Defensive Effort, Penguins Drop Third Straight

During the Pittsburgh Penguins' six-game winning streak at the turn of the new year, they were finding the back of the net with regularity and scoring goals with ease. 

Well, all of that has changed in the last three games. 

Despite a clinical defensive effort - and another commendable goaltending effort, this time by Arturs Silovs - the Penguins were handed their third straight loss, falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the shootout, 2-1. Egor Chinakhov scored for the Penguins in the shootout, while Gage Gonclaves and Nikita Kucherov capitalized for the Bolts to seal the win.

Throughout regulation, it was a battle of goaltending, as both Penguins' netminder Arturs Silovs and Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy kept everything tight. Both teams played pretty well defensively, limiting chances, but it felt like the Penguins had, perhaps, even more high-danger opportunities than the Lightning. Silovs ended up 30 for 31 on the evening, while Vasilevskiy was 26 for 27.

It was a scoreless game until the waning minutes of the third period, when J.J. Moser poked home a loose puck in the crease that Silovs couldn't handle to put Tampa Bay up, 1-0, with just under six minutes remaining in regulation. After that, the Penguins were getting a ton of chances, too, and they finally broke through with the goaltender pulled when Evgeni Malkin sniped one past Vasilevskiy to tie the game with 2:16 to go. 

The overtime period was a nail-biter, too, as Pittsburgh controlled most of it and came close to ending it on a few occasions, but they couldn't finish. The Penguins went with Rickard Rakell, Sidney Crosby, and Chinakhov in their shootout lineup, but Chinakhov's lone goal was not enough to give them the two points. 

As it stands, the Penguins still sit one point out of the final wild card spot in the East, as the Toronto Maple Leafs won on Tuesday. Even if they haven't gotten the results they've wanted in the last three games, they're generally happy with the way the team is playing, and they know they need to continue to create more offensive opportunity - even if the opposing goaltender was the main reason they couldn't follow through against the Bolts. 

Recent Moves Show Penguins Are Prioritizing WinningRecent Moves Show Penguins Are Prioritizing WinningThe recent acquisition of Egor Chinakhov and the signing of forward Blake Lizotte by the Pittsburgh Penguins shows that the team is prioritizing winning hockey games this season

Here are some thoughts and takeaways from this one:

- Chinakhov can really, really rip the puck. And, honestly, it's impressive. 

Like Rakell, Chinakhov is, historically, proficient in the shootout, as he is a career 50 percent shooter in it. And when you see how he can shoot the puck, this is no surprise. 

I continue to be impressed by this guy, and I'm eager to see him use that shot more at five-on-five. He and Malkin seem to be developing some chemistry. 

- In the absence of Erik Karlsson - who was placed on injured reserve Tuesday with a lower-body injury - Brett Kulak and Kris Letang were counted upon to take on top-pairing minutes, as Parker Wotherspoon was bumped to the second pairing with Jack St. Ivany. 

And - aside from a bit of a lapse on Tampa's lone regulation goal - they did a pretty excellent job on Tuesday.

In general over the last couple of weeks, Kulak and Letang have been settling in as a pairing. I think this stretch with Kulak is the best Letang has looked all season, and they seem to feed off each other's strengths. 

Karlsson's loss is s seismic one. He's been good on both special teams units this season, and he drives so much offense from the blue line that it's silly. Replacing him really isn't possible, so it's paramount that the entire defensive corps - but, especially, Letang and Kulak - step up in his absence and put their best game forward.

And Kulak thought - for the most part - they did against the Bolts. 

Penguins' Top Defenseman Placed On Injured ReservePenguins' Top Defenseman Placed On Injured ReserveOn Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Penguins placed top defenseman Erik Karlsson on injured reserve, which could threaten to derail their season

- I'm not loving what I'm seeing from Justin Brazeau and Anthony Mantha in this last handful of games. I mentioned Sunday that moving Brazeau up with Crosby wouldn't be the worst thing, but with Bryan Rust back after a two-game absence - and the top line pretty much remaining a fixture - Dan Muse may have to consider some other options to get his middle-six going again, because the Penguins need offense. 

The easy thing to do would be to reunite the "mutant line" of Brazeau, Mantha, and Malkin. But I do think it's a bit complicated because of the chemistry that Malkin and Chinakhov are building and because the second line has, arguably, been the Penguins' best in the last two games. Still, their third line has been somewhat ineffective, and that's a bit of a problem when the entire team's scoring has dried up. 

I think, right now, that's the best solution. Reunite the big guys, and give Tommy Novak, Ben Kindel, and Chinakhov some runway - maybe sprinkled with a bit of Tristan Broz now and again. It can't hurt to try when the team has only mustered two goals in the past nine periods of regulation. 

Penguins Call Up 2 Players & Send Forward To AHLPenguins Call Up 2 Players & Send Forward To AHLThe Penguins have made multiple roster moves.

- This was not one of Crosby's better games. I think his line did okay for the most part, as they were generating chances and had a few nice looks. Rust looked good in his first game back, too. 

But Crosby is being way, way too passive with the puck right now. There were a few instances on odd-man rushes Tuesday where there was a clear shot, and he tried to force a pass. And, on top of that, his passes were simply off all night long, and he lost a handle on the puck in the shootout. 

Crosby has always gone through spells like this throughout his career. He always pulls out of it. But he really needs to get more pucks on net, and he needs to find a way to produce through the team's dry spell. 

And, hey, the Penguins play the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, so that may be happening at just the right time. 

- The Penguins started a grueling stretch against Tampa Bay because - including Tuesday's game - Pittsburgh plays six games in 10 days. 

That's a lot of hockey in a short period of time. 

I keep beating this drum, but the Penguins need to bank as many points as possible during this stretch, especially without their No. 1 defenseman. They need all the traction they can get heading into the Olympic break in a few weeks.

'I'm Lucky To Be Able To Play With Him': Penguins' Rookie Relishes Opportunity To Center All-Time Great'I'm Lucky To Be Able To Play With Him': Penguins' Rookie Relishes Opportunity To Center All-Time GreatPittsburgh Penguins' rookie Ben Kindel is experiencing a rare opportunity to center an all-time great NHL player in Evgeni Malkin - and he hopes to make the most of it.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!   

Emma Raducanu recovers in Hobart to post first win in over three months

  • Briton wins tight encounter with Camila Osorio 6-3, 7-6

  • Match with Colombian was delayed overnight by rain

Emma Raducanu offered an impressive demonstration of her resilience at the Hobart International as she rallied from an overnight second-set deficit in her rain-delayed first-round match to defeat Camila Osorio of Colombia 6-3, 7-6 (2).

The victory marks Raducanu’s first win since September after struggling with a foot injury in the final weeks of the 2025 season. She had contested just one match this season after being sidelined for much of the off-season, losing in three sets to Maria Sakkari in the United Cup. Considering those recent challenges, this is a positive start for Raducanu, who will next face Magdalena Frech, the WTA No 57.

Continue reading...

Blues Sign Mailloux To Extension

The St. Louis Blues announced during their 3-0 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday they signed defenseman Logan Mailloux to a one-year, one-way contract extension for $850,000.

Mailloux, 22, is in his first season with the Blues after being acquired from the Montreal Canadiens on July 1, 2025 for forward Zack Bolduc.

Mailloux (6-foot-3, 212 pounds) has played in 32 games this season and has two points (one goal, one assist). 

Mailloux played 14:55 on Tuesday but played a season-high 20:01 on Saturday in a 4-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, mostly due to the departure of Philip Broberg from that game that forced the Blues to play with five defensemen for the majority of the game.

"When I look at a guy like Mailloux, I thought last game might have been his best game of the year, poised with the puck, carrying of the puck and he got into a rhythm of the game because he played more minutes because of Broberg's unfortunate fall," Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. "... With all young players, the more ice time they get, the more comfortable they feel. It's true at every level. That being said, at this level, it's hard to earn more ice time. You have to earn it, because to earn more ice time without injuries, you're supplanting someone's minutes. That's an earned reward sat this level."

Overall, the Belle River, Ontario native has seven points (three goals, four assists) in 40 NHL regular-season games. Mailloux was originally drafted by the Canadiens in the first round (No. 31) of the 2021 NHL Draft.

"Some players come into the league, just like [Jimmy] Snuggerud did last year and boom, he assimilates it," Montgomery said. "And when we look at Snuggerud this year, it's been an adjustment because he's getting used to traveling in time zones, playing in different times zones, coming back, your maintenance, your recovery level, how do you recover at this level. Yeah, we fly in private jets, we stay in great hotels, but in college, he never gets out in his time zone except five games out of 36 a year, and you're seeing the same thing with [Otto] Stenberg, Dalibor Dvorsky and Mailloux. They're used to Eastern time zone in the American (Hockey) League the whole time. Now, they're balancing it. They're playing on Monday's, they're playing on Tuesday's, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday."

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Roman Josi nets overtime winner in Nashville Predators victory over Oilers | Takeaways

It was Roman Josi that delivered in the clutch again, scoring the game winner for a second straight game. 

Tuesday, the Predators captain scored from a wide angle in overtime as the Nashville Predators defeated the Edmonton Oilers, 4-3, at Bridgestone Arena. 

In addition to his game-winner, Josi had the game-tying goal in the third period, recording five points in two games. Steven Stamkos netted his 20th goal of the season and 602nd of his career, passing Jari Kurri for 21st on the all-time scoring list. 

Erik Haula also found the back of the net in the second period. 

Juuse Saros picked up his 18th win of the season, making 28 saves on 31 shots. 

Here are three takeaways from the Predators thrilling victory over the Oilers. 

Setting the tone 

Jan 13, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse (25) and Nashville Predators right wing Michael McCarron (47) exchange punches during the first period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Jan 13, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse (25) and Nashville Predators right wing Michael McCarron (47) exchange punches during the first period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

The last matchup between the Predators and Oilers was a 6-2 drubbing in Edmonton a week ago. Rematching on Tuesday, Nashville wanted to set the tone early.

Three seconds into the game, Michael McCarron dropped the gloves with Darnell Nurse, the fourth time the pair have squared off, dating all the way back to juniors. McCarron got the best of him and quickly swung momentum in the Predators' favor. 

"He (Nurse) challenged me, and I gave him one," McCarron said. "Not only for myself, but for a team, as well, it's a huge thing to show that we're here to play, and if I back down there, maybe their whole bench thinks that we're not here ready to play." 

Right after the fight, Cole Smith got a great shot on net that nearly went in, all within the first minute of the game. 

A little under three minutes into the game, Michael Bunting broke out the puck and swung a pass back to Stamkos in the high slot. Unable to find the open man, Stamkos let a shot go that went into the net. 

It was the first time in 11 games that the Predators had not given up the first goal of the game. 

"He (McCarron) got them (Predators) going, and our team fed off of it, and we got the lead," Predators head coach Andrew Brunette said. Credit to Big Mac." 

Josi's hot streak continues 

Roman Josi speaks to media following the Nashville Predators 4-3 overtime win over the Edmonton Oilers on Jan. 13, 2025 at Bridgestone Arena. Jack Williams/The Hockey News

It was a similar conversation to Sunday, when Josi recorded three points, including the game winner, against the Washington Capitals. Josi's presence on the team is massive, and the offensive element to his game is starting to flare up. 

Josi scored off a slap shot to tie things just beyond the halfway point of the third period. Brunette went as far as saying that the goal was more important than Josi's game-winner. 

"As much as the overtime goal was big for us, the goal to make it 3-3 when we lost the momentum was arguably the play of the game," Brunette said. "It was a heck of a shot."

In overtime, Ryan O'Reilly lifted the puck into the neutral zone to get it in front of a streaking Josi. Tristian Jarry poked it away from Josi, but there wasn't enough momentum on the push to move the puck as it stopped in the left part of the slot.

Brady Skeji skated to it, and instead of shooting it, he made a pass to Josi in the left corner. He let a quick shot go that found the back of the net. 

"I was a little nervous and it was tight (window)," Josi said. "I was tired and I didn't want to go back again. Skjeiy made a good play and I'm glad it went in." 

Limiting McDavid, Draisaitl 

Jan 13, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (29) skates past Nashville Predators left wing Cole Smith (36) and left wing Reid Schaefer (49) during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Jan 13, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (29) skates past Nashville Predators left wing Cole Smith (36) and left wing Reid Schaefer (49) during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

While the Predators were able to limit Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, they couldn't keep them off the board.

Draisaitl had three points (a goal and two assists), and now has 49 points (27 goals and 22 assists) in his last 19 games played against the Predators. McDavid had two assists, extending his point streak to 20 games. 

Edmonton also executed on two of its four power plays on the night. McCarron even admitted that the Predators have struggled to figure out Edmonton's power play all season. 

"They've (Edmonton) taken it to us over the past few years, as you guys know, who've been here, they seem to always play really, really good against us," McCarron said. "Their power play was awesome again tonight. We'll eventually learn how to play that power." 

However, the Predators were able to shut down the Oilers' two superstars when it mattered most: 3-on-3 overtime. 

With two defensemen on the ice, Nashville was able to overcome one of the biggest thorns in its side and pick up a massive win, closing out a homestand. 

"The players they have are going to get their chances, but I felt like most stretches we played them well," Josi said. "McDavid had two points, so I guess that's a good night to keep him to two. It was a good win."

Up next: Nashville Predators (22-20-4, 5th Central) at Colorado Avalanche (33-4-8, 1st Central) on Friday, Jan. 16 at 8 p.m. CST at Ball Arena. 

Islanders' comeback falls short in 5-4 loss to Jets

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Adam Lowry and Kyle Connor each had a goal and an assist, and the Winnipeg Jets beat the New York Islanders 5-4 on Tuesday night.

Dylan DeMelo, Jonathan Toews and Josh Morrissey also scored for Winnipeg in its third straight win. Connor Hellebuyck finished with 23 saves.

Kyle MacLean, Emil Heineman, Anthony Duclair and Matthew Schaefer scored for the Islanders, who fell to 6-3-1 in their last 10 games. Ilya Sorokin finished with 17 saves.

DeMelo gave the Jets a 4-3 lead with 7:37 remaining in the second period as he scored on a screened shot from the blue line.

Lowry made it a two-goal lead with 20 seconds to go in the middle period as he deflected Neal Pionk’s point shot past Sorokin.

Schaefer scored with 46 seconds left in the third and the goalie pulled to get the Islanders within one.

Connor opened the scoring 4:20 into the game. After Alex Iafallo deflected Scheifele’s shot from the middle of the point, Connor pounced on the rebound and swept it past Sorokin.

Morrissey upped the lead to 2-0 at 5:41 of the second, with a shot through traffic.

Just 42 seconds later, Toews scored on the power play for a three-goal lead, slipping the rebound of Gabe Vilardi’s shot past Sorokin.

The Islanders then scored three times in 2:41 to tie it midway through the period.

Duclair converted a backward pass from the corner by Anders Lee at 7:40 to get New York on the scoreboard. Heineman then scored on a penalty shot to pull the Isles within one at 8:58. MacLean tied it from in front off a pass from Casey Cizikas with 9:39 left.

Up next

Islanders: At Edmonton on Thursday night in the fourth of a seven-game trip.

Jets: At Minnesota on Thursday night.