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Coach Bill Self doesn't travel with No. 19 Kansas after going to the hospital, school says

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas coach Bill Self did not accompany the Jayhawks to Boulder for their game Tuesday night at Colorado after being taken to a hospital in Lawrence on Monday, the school said.

Kansas' athletic department said in a statement that Self was feeling under the weather and went to the hospital out of an abundance of caution. Self felt better after receiving IV fluids, the school said.

It was not immediately clear if Self would attempt to travel for the game or if an assistant would run the bench for the 19th-ranked Jayhawks.

Self, 63, missed the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments in 2023 because of a heart condition, getting a standard catheterization and having two stents inserted to help treat blocked arteries. He had two more stents inserted in July.

Now in his 23rd season, Self led Kansas to national titles in 2008 and 2022 and is the program's career wins leader with a 609-156 record. Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017, the former Oklahoma State player also coached at Oral Roberts, Tulsa and Illinois.

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Recap: MacKinnon’s three points fuels Avalanche over Capitals 5-2

After losing 7-3 against the Nashville Predators on Friday and it has been over a week since their last win, the Colorado Avalanche got back to their winning ways today in a matinee matchup against the Washington Capitals, in which they won 5-2.

First Period

Colorado would get on the board first quickly off a goal from Parker Kelly, who tipped home a wrist shot from Cale Makar, who worked his magic and was able to shed a Washington player at the blue line, and let the puck fly towards the net.

The Capitals would tie it up at 1-1 after that, as Jakob Chychrun was able to beat Scott Wedgewood clean with a wrist shot from the top of the zone on the power play.

Second Period

Nathan MacKinnon would score on the power play for Colorado next, to give Colorado the lead back, and make it 2-1 in their favor. MacKinnon just took the puck into the zone against three Washington players on this play, and managed to shoot it through the defender and beat Charlie Lindgren. It was a classic rush play that led to the goal.

Victor Olofsson then would give the Avs a comfortable 3-1 lead following the MacKinnon goal, as he was able to clean up the rebound from a Josh Manson wrist shot.

Ethan Frank would respond for the Capitals shortly after the Olofsson goal, making it 3-2 heading into the third period.

Third Period

Initially, during this period, it appeared that Cale Makar had extended Colorado’s lead to 4-2, but that goal was ultimately overturned for goaltender interference, and the score remained 3-2. After that, Colorado kept pushing and was rewarded with a fourth goal that actually counted, as MacKinnon was able to find Artturi Lehkonen on a 2-on-1 rush, and Lehkonen buried it.

For good measure, MacKinnon would score with 3:30 left to play in regulation, as he stole the puck from a Capitals player from behind their own net and put it past Lindgren for his second goal of the night, for your final score of 5-2 in favor of Colorado.

Takeaways

After the Nashville game, it’s really nice to see this team bounce back in the way that they did against Washington here today. Colorado did well to control this game for the most part, and this game never really felt in question. Even after the Makar goal was overturned for goaltender interference, which was, in my opinion, a ticky-tacky call at best, the Avs just seemed to say, “we’re not doing this”, and kept their foot on the gas, adding two more goals in the process for good measure before time expired in regulation. Even when they’re missing key players, when this team remembers to actually do the little things night in and night out, they’re incredibly scary, which is exactly what makes me incredibly excited to watch this team come playoff time.

Speaking of missing key players, the lineup is getting thinner and thinner with two recalls needed prior to this game. Ivan Ivan returned after a weekend in Loveland and Alex Barré-Boulet made his Avalanche debut in a last second call up because Val Nichushkin sustained minor injuries in a car accident. The latter even managed a secondary assist on the first goal despite playing less than four minutes in the game.

Upcoming

Colorado takes on the Anaheim Ducks next on Wednesday, January 21. Puck drop is at 7:00 p.m. MT.

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D-backs Dispatch: One Dodger After Another

Last night, the D-backs Dispatch crew had a long broadcast to chew over all the recent activity on the team front, and in baseball generally. As well as whether The Lord of the Rings is the best movie trilogy of all time [Jim: in addition to the Godfather trilogy mentioned on the show, I’d say Leone’s Dollars or the Edgar Wright Cornetto trilogies are probably also deserving of consideration there]

D-backs bring back Taylor Clarke

A return to Arizona for Clarke, after a very good season in 2025. He was drafted and reached the majors by the D-backs, but has been with the Kansas City Royals since 2021. Clarke has been using his sinker effectively of late, and could end up being a useful piece to add into the bullpen. But with the team still lacking a closer, until the return of A.J. Puk, it may not move the needle very much at this point. “Buying a DVD in the era of Blu-ray”. However, hopefully the bullpen will be better, and there is still time for further signings.

Dodgers Sign Kyle Tucker

Los Angeles are in a unique situation, thanks in part to the incredible amount they get from their TV deal, in addition their private equity ownership. It seems increasingly obvious that the team is in need of a salary cap and floor, in addition to limits on deferments. But it may well take a lockout at the end of this season before that gets agreed to by the players’ union. It still won’t necessary offer any immediate relief, with existing contracts likely grandfathered in. However, it’s necessary for the long term survival of the game.

D-backs International Player Signings

Ruben Gallego – and, yeah, everyone has made that joke already! – leads the class of eighteen players signed by Arizona in the international signing period. It’s still something of a lottery ticket, like a draft pick, and it’s a long-term situation: we probably won’t get to hear much about them for at least two or three seasons. But as a mid-tier organization, the D-backs have to find ways to get talent outside of the standard MLB draft, and you can never have too much pitching.

Chase Field Stadium Improvements

It looks like the team has started work on updating the scoreboard – hopefully the first step of significant updates to the ballpark. Beyond the obvious situation with the air-conditioning, the wi-fi needs to get seriously upgraded, as it basically useless when there’s a decent crowd. Beyond that, possible suggestions include the out-of-town scoreboards, and bringing back the clock and the keyhole between the mound and home-plate. We also have suggestions in regard to the food options available at Chase…

Check out the discussions in full below, and don’t forget to do all those like, share and subscribe things!

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Knicks' woes continue with listless play in loss to Mavericks, 114-97

Despite being at full strength once again, the Knicks lost to the Dallas Mavericks from start to finish on Monday night by a score of 114-97.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Things started off innocently enough as the Mavericks took an early 8-2 lead thanks to some deep shots falling early on. That lead grew to 16-4 as Max Christie continued to knock down threes with New York unable to stop anybody on defense. Rather than trying to slow the game down while in an early hole, the Knicks tried matching Dallas' pace but kept coming up empty following quick possessions. The most glaring issue was New York's three-point shooting, going 0-for-9 from deep in the first quarter.

-- Jalen Brunson was the only starter who was able to get going offensively in the opening quarter, putting up nine points with little help anywhere else. With hardly anybody else contributing on offense, Mitchell Robinson added eight points off the bench and was a force on the glass, grabbing seven rebounds (four offensive) in just six minutes off the bench.

-- Meanwhile, the Mavs had no problem getting to their spots and hitting shots. They shot 6-for-10 from three-point range in the first quarter, with Christie and Klay Thompson combining to go 5-for-5 from behind the arc. After one, Dallas led 31-22.

-- The second quarter was even worse for the Knicks. After missing their first 10 three-point attempts to start the game, Mikal Bridges finally saw one go through the net early in the second, but that was quickly negated after Cooper Flagg drilled one from deep on the next possession. 

-- After a quiet first quarter, Karl-Anthony Towns countered with a vicious dunk that got the MSG crowd on their feet before Robinson slammed home an alley-oop that cut New York's deficit to seven points. That was the closest the Knicks would get for the rest of the game, though, as the Mavericks went on a 13-0 run that ballooned their lead to 20. 

-- Towns ended the scoring drought with a three-pointer and followed it up with another dunk, but soon after, he was called for a flagrant 1 foul that sucked all of the remaining energy out of MSG. From there, Dallas got whatever they wanted on offense and put up 44 points in the quarter to go into halftime with a 75-47 lead.

-- New York held the Mavs to 39 points in the second half, but the damage had already been done. Overall, it was a night to forget for the Knicks, who shot 40 percent (38-for-95) from the field and 29 percent (9-for-31) from three. 

-- Brunson and Towns each had 22 points while Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart (in his return to the starting lineup from an ankle injury that he admitted before the game was not 100 percent healthy) combined for 24 points. Towns added a game-high 18 rebounds, but also had a game-high five turnovers.

-- Robinson also had a double-double, ending with 12 points and 15 rebounds. He was the only other Knick to score in double-digits.

-- For Dallas, it was just the opposite as the team shot 48 percent from the field and 47 percent from three. Christie led the charge with a game-high 26 points on an incredible 9-for-13 shooting performance (8-for-10 from downtown).

Game MVP: Max Christie

Christie had the green light all game and lit it up by knocking down eight of his 10 three-point attempts.

Highlights

What's next

The Knicks close out their three-game homestand with a meeting against the crosstown rival Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night in a battle of the boroughs. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m.

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Oblique injury casts doubt on Sung-Mun Song’s Padres debut

The San Diego Padres received disheartening news about their top free agent signee, Sung-Mun Song, who suffered an oblique injury that could sideline him for approximately four weeks. The injury occurred during a recent offseason batting practice session.

Oblique muscles are essential to excel in baseball 

Oblique injuries are quite serious, as they impair a player’s ability to swing a bat or throw a baseball. The abdominal muscle is crucial for a hitter to generate maximum bat speed through the strike zone. It allows them to create power between the upper and lower parts of their body.

Healthy, strong internal and external obliques are essential for core functionality. A baseball player needs to be able to rotate their trunk when swinging and throwing. Any level of an oblique strain will impact their ability to make the most basic baseball-related move.

Often, most oblique injuries occur on the dominant side of the player’s body. 

Time missed = severity of injury

The amount of time sidelined is dependent on the severity of the injury. Mild oblique strains will keep a player out of the lineup for two to three weeks. A more severe oblique injury will sideline them for up to eight weeks. The average major leaguer needs between 22 to 27 days to recover from an abdominal injury.

Rehabbing an oblique strain is very challenging, as the injured region cannot be immobilized for too long. Your core muscles, specifically the diaphragm, are essential for breathing. Most athletic trainers will implement a three-stage rehab program to get the player back on the field.

Detailed rehabilitation program

The rehab program begins with isometric abdominal exercises, which restore core stability while avoiding trunk rotation. Other suggestive activities include side bending, which slowly increases flexibility. Gradually, a player will be able to walk or cycle for short distances. 

The next stage is performing basic baseball movements without any discomfort. The rehab exercises become more challenging in stabilizing the abdominal region. Typically, it involves trunk rotations using resistance bands or cables.

The final stage before returning to the club involves mimicking all movements that occur in a game. The workout drills begin with light swings with a fungo bat, advance to hitting off a tee, and conclude with live batting practice sessions.

A throwing program begins with building arm strength with a weighted ball. Before progressing to the next phase, the trainers must determine that there is no discomfort in the abdominal region. If the player comes away with no limitations, they will become eligible to be activated from the injury list.

Not completing their rehabilitation program significantly increases a player’s risk of reinjuring themselves. Rushing back to the lineup does raise the likelihood of aggravating their oblique injury on a check swing or an extended throw. 

What is next for Song?

Establishing a timeline for Song’s recovery from an oblique injury can be tricky until he arrives in Peoria. Song is expected to report to the complex for full squad workouts on Feb. 15. His availability for the World Baseball Classic is unknown at this time. The tournament takes place between March 5 and 17.

The Friars’ training staff will take a cautious approach to what Song can do at the start of Spring Training workouts. The goal is not to re-aggravate his injury. 

Do not be surprised if the Padres place Song on the injured list to begin the regular season. It is all about protecting their investment.

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Penguins/Kraken Recap: Pens pull away to start road trip with a win

Pregame

Pittsburgh gets Ryan Graves into the lineup and gives Jack St. Ivany a night off. Stuart Skinner gets the start in goal.

First period

It’s not the smoothest start for the Penguins, though you wouldn’t know if from the scoreboard. Skinner has to stop Eeli Tolvanen on a clean breakaway early. Pittsburgh gets the game’s first power play but don’t do much with it. Soon after it expires they score anyways. Blake Lizotte sends a pass back to Parker Wotherspoon and it glides on into the net in no small part to the large frame of Anthony Mantha taking goalie Joey Daccord’s vision away. 1-0 Pens out of nowhere. Who needs a power play when you have Lizotte and Wotherspoon?

The Kraken are awarded a power play, yet it’s the Pens who score. Connor Dewar knocks the puck away from an opponent and has a step right by them for a breakaway. Dewar makes it count by blowing a shot by the glove of Daccord. 2-0.

Seattle is the next on the board, Skinner and Brett Kulak can’t smoothly handover a transition play, the next thing they new Ben Meyers had the puck going to the net and lifted a beauty of a shot to the top corner.

That’s the end of the first. The Pens are up, though they didn’t have a great start. Pittsburgh only managed three shots at 5v5, seven total in the period. They made the most of some chances as they popped up but there was a lot of downtime in between. The Kraken didn’t do much better posting five 5v5 shots of their own and six total in the first 20 minutes.

Second period

Lizotte gets sent off for a minor penalty, the Pens kill it off.

The period becomes heavy on the wall battles, Seattle wins one of those battles when Justin Brazeau can’t clear the defensive zone on his backhand along the boards. A couple of passes later it’s a tie game when Ryan Winterton makes a short pass for Ryan Lindgren to chip in. 2-2 game.

Pittsburgh finds an answer, Sidney Crosby wins an offensive zone faceoff back to Brett Kulak. Kulak pulls the puck towards the middle of the ice as he drifts backwards and tosses a long-range shot on goal. There’s enough traffic again to foil Daccord. 3-2, Pens back in front with five minutes to go.

Ben Kindel gets needlessly driven into the ice late in the period by Lindgren, Pittsburgh gets their second power play of the game, but again are held off the board by Seattle’s 32nd ranked penalty kill.

Both teams scored in the second period, the Pens were able to handle the shot count by a tidy 15-8 margin in the middle frame. That’s more of what was expected coming into this game for Pittsburgh to take advantage in that department.

Third period

The Pens start out strong, Evgeni Malkin and Egor Chinakhov nearly team up for a goal but are denied on a nice save by Daccord. Daccord’s got nothin’ for Brazeau top-shelf shot off a drop pass from Anthony Mantha that hinders the goalie’s vision yet again. 4-2 Pittsburgh, still 17:39 to go.

The pressure continues, Kulak hammers a shot on net with a ton of traffic in front, Daccord fights it off but leaves a rebound that Noel Acciari knocks off the post.

Kulak takes his second minor penalty of the game, Seattle makes them pay. Holy cow does Tolvanen hammer a slapshot. Lotta power on that one. 4-3 game, the Kraken still have 12:13 to work with.

Brandon Montour gets a penalty called on him and the Pens have a chance for a potential dagger but they can’t score on the power play. Instead the dagger comes a little later from Rickard Rakell. Crosby wins the puck back off the wall and quickly passes it back to Rakell who jams one in front the front of the net. 5-3 game.

Seattle pulls the goalie but there’s no late-game dramatics to be found today. Dewar shoots from way back to extend the score to a 6-3 final.

Some thoughts

  • The early start wasn’t the best, perhaps for understandable reasons considering the long plane flight yesterday combined with an odd 2pm local start. Body clocks must have been going haywire, tough to get the legs freed up- which shown through in the Pens’ game in the early going. They got better and grew stronger in their play as the game went along.
  • Have to give Seattle some credit though, they clogged things up as much as possible and made Pittsburgh play a hard game along the boards. We all know Crosby doesn’t mind getting in the trenches and muckin’ it up but that makes for a long night at the office when the puck is along the wall so often and a player has to fight for and earn every inch out there.
  • To that end of making the game tough, the Pens had their share of moments too. Daccord’s eyes were taken away with bodies in front of him, that strategy brought success for the visitors to score on a couple of innocent enough long-distance shots, had the goalie been able to see them.
  • Dewar’s shorthanded goal was only Pittsburgh’s second of the whole season, now 48 games into the season. That’s a bit of a surprise with how generally good the PK has been and even how productive many of the typical PKers have been at even strength.
  • It was also only the second game of the season for the Pens that two defenseman scored in the same game (the other being 10/25 vs CBJ).
  • You can tell how dissatisfied the coaches were with St. Ivany by opting to dress four left-handed defensemen instead, a rarity for them to select these days. The move also got Graves into his first NHL game in over a month. Shame there for St. Ivany, how long will he stay in the doghouse?
  • While one right-handed defenseman in St. Ivany is stock down in recent days and games, Connor Clifton would have to be the opposite for stock up. These last five games were the first time this season Clifton has gotten picked to play five in a row, he’s been making the most of the opportunity with his physical play (as to be expected), the more surprising inputs have been his skating and puck moving being noticeable these days. And if you haven’t seen the #content Clifton produced from the team’s jet, spend the next 3:17 of your day on it. A star is born?
  • The Pittsburgh PK gave up their first goal in 21 tries against them in the third, took one heck of a blast from Tolvanen to break the streak. Considering the Pens’ PK scored a goal for themselves they found an unconventional way to keep it even.
  • The power play was hardly as good, though. Aside from picking on a weak Flyer PK last week that group hasn’t been performing that well lately, perhaps the one area where Erik Karlsson’s injury absence has been felt the most.
  • Casual two point night for Crosby in his 1,400th career NHL game. Such a satisfying career to watch unfold, especially since becoming the 45th player in league history to hit this many games looked more a longshot at times. Instead, only Wayne Gretzky had more points through 1,400 games. Maybe Connor McDavid has something to say about that one day, for now that speaks to how great Crosby has been.

The Pens will now head north of the border for a bit, next game is in Calgary on Wednesday to try and repay the Flames for winning in Pittsburgh a couple of weeks ago.

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Steep Price Sharks Paid For Sherwood Should Be Price Sabres Are Willing To Pay To Make Their Own Major Move

Kiefer Sherwood (Bob Frid, USA TODAY Images)<br>
Kiefer Sherwood (Bob Frid, USA TODAY Images)<br>

The Buffalo Sabres lost out on a potential fit when the Vancouver Canucks traded rugged winger Kiefer Sherwood to the San Jose Sharks on Monday. But as we covered in this story, the Canucks still have other players Buffalo GM Jarmo Kekalainen should be interested in. And the biggest takeaway is that the price the Sharks paid to land Sherwood is a price the Sabres should be more than willing to part ways with to add NHL-ready talent right now.

The price San Jose GM Mike Grier paid for Sherwood was steep: two second-round draft picks, and prospect defenseman Cole Clayton. But the reason why Grier was comfortable surrendering three assets for a player who will be a UFA this summer is because the Sharks are moving from a long-term rebuild into a team ready to challenge for a Stanley Cup playoff spot. And you can say the same thing about where Kekalainen is with the Sabres.

"The Big Show"

Indeed, you can make the case that for many years now, the Sabres have been where San Jose is right now. But that’s a column for another day. The point of this column is that, if Grier was justified paying a big price to land a player of note, then Kekalainen should be ready, willing and able to do the same thing to improve the Sabres.

As it stands, Buffalo currently has two of its three second-round draft picks in the next three drafts – its second-rounder in 2027, and its second-rounder in 2028. The Sabres also have a prospect pool deep enough where they can deal one or two young players and still have a solid group of youngsters to build around.

Obviously, the trick is to figure out what youngsters to hold on to at all costs, but you have to give something to get something, and that’s why a decent prospect should be expendable for Kekalainen.

Sabres Facing Crucial Stretch That Could Define Their SeasonSabres Facing Crucial Stretch That Could Define Their SeasonThe Buffalo Sabres' playoff hopes could hinge on a grueling 10-game stretch. Can they rise to the challenge and end their 14-year playoff drought?

Standing pat can’t be an option for the Sabres. There’s enough talent on the trade block for Kekalainen to at least come away with one experienced hand – and, like Sherwood, someone who could be kept beyond this season, should the stars align and make the player a fine fit for the long haul.

At some point, you have to be more willing to package prospects and draft picks in return for younger players with upside. And that’s where Buffalo is right now.

If San Jose can afford to sacrifice some of their promise in return for players who can make a positive impact right away, surely the Sabres can do the same. And if he doesn’t do that, Kekalainen is going to be rightfully criticized. 

Sabres Get Massive Night From Thompson In Win Over Habs – And That's What They Need More OfSabres Get Massive Night From Thompson In Win Over Habs – And That's What They Need More OfBuffalo Sabres star winger Tage Thompson had a season-best performance against the Montreal Canadiens. And the Sabres need consistent brilliance from Thompson to secure their playoff spot.

For a long time, the Sabres were the team who dealt away players like Sherwood in exchange for picks and prospects. But the tables have turned 180 degrees, and it’s now in Buffalo’s best interests to step to the plate and take a massive swing on the trade market.

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Former Canadiens Forward Back In The NHL

A former Montreal Canadiens forward is getting another chance in the NHL.

The Colorado Avalanche have called up former Canadiens forward Alex Barre-Boulet from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. 

Barre-Boulet was called up to the Avalanche's roster in response to forward Valeri Nichushkin being sidelined for the Central Division club due to an upper-body injury.

Barre-Boulet immediately made his Avalanche debut following his call-up against the Washington Capitals on Jan. 19. The former Canadiens forward made a solid first impression during his debut for Colorado, too, as he recorded an assist on Parker Kelly's first-period goal for the Avalanche. 

Barre-Boulet certainly earned this call-up from the Avalanche, too, as he has been having a strong season with the Eagles. In 36 games with the AHL squad so far this campaign, the former Canadiens forward has posted 12 goals, 25 assists, 37 points, and a plus-11 rating.

Barre-Boulet spent this past season with the Canadiens organization. In two games with Montreal during the 2024-25 season, he recorded zero points and two penalty minutes. Yet, he primarily played with the Canadiens' AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket, this past season. In 64 games with Laval in 2024-25, he posted 22 goals, 41 assists, and 63 points. He also had three goals and 11 points in 13 playoff games for Laval. 

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Ja Morant trade rumors: Is Giannis Antetokounmpo part of the reason the Morant market is so tepid?

No player is generating more trade chatter than Ja Morant, but is it all smoke and no real fire? Here are the latest Morant trade rumors.

Morant says he wants to stay

After missing six games with a calf contusion, Morant returned to the court in London on Sunday, scoring 24 points with 13 assists in the Memphis win over Orlando in an NBA Europe game. After the game, Marc Stein asked Morant if he wanted to stay with the Grizzlies, and he was clear he did.

"I've got a [Grizzlies] logo [tattooed] on my back, so that should tell you exactly where I want to be… If anybody in here knows me, I'm a very loyal guy."

What Morant wants may not matter. However, the Grizzlies may not have a choice but to keep him unless they want pennies from the dollar.

Is Antetokounmpo hurting Morant market?

Two things that we have consistently heard this season from league sources and reported here at NBC Sports: 1) There is not much of a trade market for Morant; 2) The Milwaukee Bucks are not going to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo during the season unless he demands it — and he said he would never do that.

Despite all that, the possibility that Antetokounmpo might be available for trade this summer could be hurting the Morant market now.

Take the Miami Heat, one of the rumored suitors for Morant. Memphis is seeking a young player and a first-round pick back in any deal for Morant. Miami doesn't want to get in the mix if it means sacrificing a player it needs to potentially chase Antetokounmpo this summer, reports Marc Stein at The Stein Line.

"One well-placed league source insisted to me that the Miami Heat should be scratched as a Ja Morant suitor — even if the terms are favorable—if such a move jeopardizes a future trade run at Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo."

To be clear, other factors have kept the Morant marketplace tepid: Morant's lengthy injury history (he hasn't played in more than six consecutive games in almost three years), his declining stats, and the fact that he is guaranteed $87 million dollars across the two seasons after this one. But Antetokounmpo is part of the mix, too.

The rubber will hit the road this summer with Antetokounmpo when the Bucks can offer him another max contract extension. A couple of times before, in this situation, Antetokounmpo used the threat of leaving as leverage, forcing the Bucks to make a big upgrade (signing Jrue Holiday, trading for Damian Lillard), then he signed the extension. This summer, teams are not so sure Antetokounmpo will sign that deal, and Milwaukee will be forced to trade him or risk losing him for nothing.

All of which has teams thinking past this trade deadline, something Zach Lowe discussed on NBA on Prime, explicitly mentioning the Heat as well as the Hawks, Warriors, and Lakers.

"[Those teams are] considering holding onto their assets for a potential pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo now or in the summer... If he doesn't take that extension, that's the same thing as basically demanding a trade… Right now, the Bucks are only 5-5 since he came back from injury. They are getting shellacked every second that he's off the floor on the bench resting. They're still in 11th in the East."

Interestingly, teams holding out for Antetokounmpo could leave the Bucks as the most serious suitor for Morant — Milwaukee is going to make an addition at the deadline, one way or another.

To point out what Bucks fans are screaming at their phones/computers right now, none of this means Milwaukee is going to trade Antetokounmpo this summer. He may sign the extension and stay, just as he has every other time he's been in this position. What is real is that other teams are preparing for the possibility that Antetokounmpo becomes available, and they are not going to give up a pick or a young player for Morant, who could be part of a blockbuster this summer.

Memphis fans love Morant

Another consideration for the Grizzlies — trading Morant would not go over well in Memphis.

Moving on from Morant would be "extremely unpopular" in Memphis, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on the Hoop Collective Podcast. While not as devastating, this has some Doncic-to-the-Lakers vibes, in that the front office would need a plan in place to deal with what would be a backlash from the community, where Morant is loved.

Jaren Jackson Jr. not looking to leave

It's a lot more wishful thinking than reality, at least according to league sources NBC Sports has spoken with, but there are still teams checking to see if Memphis wants to blow things up and trade its most valuable player, center Jaren Jackson Jr.

JJJ isn't looking to go anywhere, he just wants to know the plan, reports MacMahon of ESPN on the Hoop Collective Podcast.

"I poked around a little but about the Jaren Jackson Jr. situation, and my understanding is he doesn't necessarily want out. There have been people around the league who have suggested that's the case, I'm told that's not necessarily true. He just wants to understand what the plan is."

Maybe the Grizzlies ultimately decide to tear it all down and rebuild from the ground up, but that is not happening at the February trade deadline.

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Flyers Make Roster Moves Ahead Of Golden Knights Matchup

The Philadelphia Flyers have made some roster moves ahead of their contest against the Vegas Golden Knights. 

The Flyers have announced that forward Bobby Brink has been activated off injured reserve. In addition, the Flyers shared that goaltender Dan Vladar has been placed on injured reserve retroactive to Jan. 14. 

Brink has not played for the Flyers since getting injured during their Jan. 6 matchup against the Anaheim Ducks, where he was limited to only 26 seconds of ice time. Yet, now that Brink has been activated from injured reserve, he is set to return to action for the Metropolitan Division club. 

Getting Brink back is good news for the Flyers, as he has been a solid part of their roster this season. In 41 games so far this campaign, he has posted 11 goals and 20 points.

Vladar, meanwhile, has been sidelined since leaving the Flyers' Jan. 14 matchup against the Buffalo Sabres early due to injury.

In 28 games this season with Philadelphia, Vladar has a 16-7-4 record, a .905 save percentage, and a 2.46 goals-against average. 

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Mackinnon’s Historic Night Lifts Avalanche to 5-2 Win Over Capitals

After their worst loss of the season against the Nashville Predators, the Colorado Avalanche face off against the Washington Capitals. There were some questionable calls in this game, but it was the Avalanche who capitalized on their chances late and secured a 5-2 victory.

Period 1:

Ilya Solovyov is called for an early holding call, but the Avalanche are able to kill it off. Cale Makar shakes off Ryan Lenard with a nifty spin move on the blue line and sends a wrist shot towards the net, which Parker Kelly tips in to open the scoring. That is his ninth goal of the season, officially marking a career high in goals.

Included in the goal is Alex Barre-Boulet, who was called up before the game to replace Valeri Nichushkin, and he gets the secondary assist on the goal, his first point as a Colorado Avalanche.

Then one of the most controversial calls of the season happens as Scott Wedgewood is called for tripping when a Capital knocks his stick out of his hands and trips over it behind the net. Jacob Chychrun capitalizes on the power play as he rips home a wrist shot from the blue line and in to tie the game 1-1. Josh Manson is called high-sticking, but the Avalanche kills off that penalty, and the period ends 1-1.

Period 2:

Jacob Chychrun, behind the net, goes to battle for the loose puck infront of his own net but gets called for high-sticking Ross Colton. The call is a double minor, and after review, it stands, sending the Avalanche to a 4-minute power play. Halfway through the power play, Martin Necas helps Nathan MacKinnon explode into the offensive zone with a nifty drop pass, and MacKinnon rips it to make it 2-1. 

Nathan MacKinnon after Avalanche 5-2 victory over the Capitals (01/19/25)

Ivan Miroshnichenko was called for hooking, but Samuel Girard was called for holding, leading to 4-on-4 time. Aliaksei Protas called for interference, but the Avalanche can’t capitalize on it. Victor Olofsson roofs a rebound off a Manson point shot to make it 3-1. Brock Nelson with a clean face-off win to help get the puck straight to Manson, which sets up the play. Though, just 17 seconds later, Ethan Frank is wide open infront of the net to finish the pass from Ovechkin, 3-2.

Period 3:

Chychrun sends the puck over the glass and is called for delay of game. Just over 30 seconds in, Anthony Beauvillier is called for hooking, sending the Avalanche to 5-on-3 for the remaining 1:26. Unfortunately, just 23 seconds into the two-man advantage, Neslon is called for hooking, and all of the calls are killed off.

MacKinnon finds Makar cutting to the net, and he rips to make it 4-2, though the Capitals take a timeout and decide to challenge it for goaltender interference. After review, it goes to the Capitals' way, and the goal is overturned back to 3-2. Though the lead is re-gained quickly after MacKinnon steals the puck as a Capital is trying to leave their zone and feeds Artturi Lehkonen to make it 4-2 again. MacKinnon passes Peter Stastny on that goal in 2+ point games and is now 2nd in franchise history. 

Necas steals the puck from Rasmus Sandin behind Charlie Lindgren and finds MacKinnon to make it 5-2. That is also MacKinnon's 1,100th point and the 70th player in NHL history to reach that mark. Lindgren, with less than 20 seconds left, makes a diving stick play that trips Olofsson and is called for it.

The Avalanche are back in action on Wednesday, Jan 21, when they face off against the Anaheim Ducks.

Trade Ideas Heat Up: O’Reilly, Colton, and the Stakes in Colorado’s Cup ChaseTrade Ideas Heat Up: O’Reilly, Colton, and the Stakes in Colorado’s Cup ChaseThe Colorado Avalanche are still looking for their solution at third-line center.
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Former Canucks Coach Part Of 2026 BC Hockey Hall Of Fame Class

The BC Hockey Hall of Fame has announced their class of 2026. Among those who will be inducted later this year is former Vancouver Canucks head coach Travis Green. The others who will join Green are former NHLers Josh Georges and Andrew Ladd, builders Malcom Ashford and Daryl Reaugh and the 2009 and 2010 Vernon Vipers. 

Green, who is from Castlegar, BC, started his career in the WHL with the Spokane Chiefs. He recorded 341 points in 283 games, which led to him being drafted 23rd overall in 1989 by the New York Islanders. Green made his NHL debut on November 19, 1992 and scored his first goal on November 21, 1992.

Over his 14-year career, Green played 970 games while recording 455 points. During his career, he also won a World Championship in 1996 and the Spengler Cup in 2007. Green retired from the NHL after the 2006-07 season. 

After a few seasons, Green jumped behind the bench in the WHL. He started as an assistant coach with the Portland Winterhawks and led them to the Memorial Cup in 2013. Green then made his way to the AHL, where he became the head coach of the Utica Comets for four years. 

Nov 17, 2021; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks head coach Travis Green addresses the media in the post game press conference after the Canucks suffered their fifth straight loss after a game against the Colorado Avalanche at Rogers Arena. Colorado won 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Nov 17, 2021; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks head coach Travis Green addresses the media in the post game press conference after the Canucks suffered their fifth straight loss after a game against the Colorado Avalanche at Rogers Arena. Colorado won 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Green would eventually get his chance with the Canucks in 2017 and would spend four and a half seasons with the organization. He went 133-147-34 as head coach while also winning 10 playoff games. Green is currently the head coach of the Ottawa Senators and has been behind the bench in Ottawa for two seasons.

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

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Game Preview #44 – Timberwolves at Jazz

Minnesota Timberwolves at Utah Jazz
Date: January 20th, 2026
Time: 8:00 PM CST
Location: Delta Center
Television Coverage: FanDuel Sports Network – North
Radio Coverage: Wolves App, iHeart Radio

The Timberwolves limp out of their Texas two-step having stumbled twice, once in Houston, once in San Antonio, and the standings, as always, offer zero sympathy. On paper, it’s two losses. In reality, it’s a little more complicated than that, and also a little more frustrating than it needed to be.

Friday night in Houston was the kind of game that should age well in hindsight and still feels annoying in the moment. Minnesota was without Anthony Edwards, facing a Rockets team with Kevin Durant very much doing Kevin Durant things, and still found itself with every opportunity to steal one on the road. The Wolves defended well early, pushed the pace, generated good looks, and turned Houston misses into transition opportunities. And then the second half arrived, the rhythm disappeared, the whistles multiplied, and Minnesota calmly lit 15 points on fire at the free-throw line. In a five-point loss. That’s not bad luck. That’s self-sabotage.

Saturday in San Antonio somehow managed to be even more exhausting. Without Rudy Gobert, Minnesota spotted the Spurs a 48-point second quarter and found itself staring at a 25-point deficit against Victor Wembanyama on his home floor. That should have been the end of it. Instead, the Wolves did the thing they’ve quietly been doing more often lately. They refused to die. They clawed all the way back, briefly took the lead, and turned what should have been a blowout into a one-possession game in the final minutes. Moral victory? Sure. But moral victories don’t move you up the standings.

And the standings matter. After grinding all January to climb back into the conversation, Minnesota now finds itself two and a half games behind San Antonio and two games behind Denver. The hill they spent weeks climbing just got steeper again. That’s the bad news.

The good news is that the Wolves are still very much alive, and the next five games represent a stretch that serious teams are supposed to handle without drama. Utah on Tuesday. Then home dates against Chicago, followed by a two-game set with Golden State at Target Center, before heading back to Texas for Dallas. Five games that range from manageable to very winnable. Five games that will tell us whether this past weekend was a blip… or the start of a slide.

Which brings us to Utah, the first stop in a much-needed reset.

Keys to the Game

#1 – Take this seriously, immediately.
This is the kind of game where the opponent doesn’t beat you — you beat yourself. Utah does not have the firepower, depth, or defensive presence to match Minnesota if the Wolves show up with purpose. We’ve already seen this matchup end in a 40-point demolition earlier this season. That wasn’t an accident. The only way this becomes uncomfortable is if Minnesota comes out flat, sloppy, or mentally checked out after a draining weekend. This is about professionalism. About urgency. About recognizing that dropping games like this is how promising seasons quietly derail. The Wolves should come out looking to end this by halftime.

#2 – Win on the perimeter so the paint takes care of itself.
When Minnesota spirals defensively, it usually starts on the wings. Lazy closeouts. Straight-line drives. Over-helping that leads to open threes. That can’t happen here. Utah only survives if you give them clean looks early and allows them to stick around in a game that they shouldn’t be in. If Rudy Gobert is back, great. Let him patrol the paint. But the wings, McDaniels, Edwards, and Clark, have to do their jobs first. Good perimeter defense makes everything else easier.

#3 – Bigs, be grown-ups.
Gobert’s status matters. Naz Reid’s shoulder matters. But regardless of who’s available, Minnesota’s frontcourt has a clear advantage in this matchup and needs to play like it. Utah isn’t built to punish you inside, but they will hang around if you don’t control the glass and finish possessions. If minutes open up, keep giving Joan Beringer run. He’s earned it, and the experience matters. Championship teams don’t wait until April to figure out who they trust.

#4 – Make the free throws. Period.
This shouldn’t still be a conversation, but here we are. Houston was a clinic in how to waste an otherwise solid road performance. These are free points. The Wolves have already watched a handful of games slip away at the line. You don’t get to keep doing that and call yourself a contender. This is a fix-the-basics moment.

#5 – Let Anthony Edwards remind everyone who he is.
Ant’s 55-point eruption in San Antonio wasn’t just a scoring binge. It was a signal flare. This is what the leap looks like. This is what it sounds like when a star kicks the door down instead of knocking. Utah has been one of Edwards’ favorite opponents, and Minnesota badly needs the emotional reset that only a dominant Ant performance can provide. This isn’t about style points. It’s about reestablishing order. About turning two frustrating losses into a footnote instead of a turning point.

This should be a win. No qualifiers. No excuses. The Wolves have the talent edge, the urgency, and the opportunity. Championship-caliber teams don’t overthink games like this. They bank them, snap losing streaks, and move on.

Do that here, and suddenly the Texas stumble becomes a speed bump instead of a warning sign. Do that here, and the path back toward the two or three seed is still wide open. This is how momentum is rebuilt — not with speeches or promises, but with decisive nights against teams you’re better than.

Handle Utah. Then we can talk about the rest.

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LIVE Discussion: Phoenix Suns at Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 PM ET

The Brooklyn Nets couldn’t get it done against the Bulls in the home-and-home. They’re back in Brooklyn on Monday where they’ll welcome former Nets assistant Jordan Ott and his new-look Suns. It’s Ott’s first season as head coach after he spent six years with the Nets, spanning from Kenny Atkinson to Jacque Vaughn.

Onto the game… these Suns are no laughingstock.

🏀 Phoenix Suns (25-17) at Brooklyn Nets (12-28)

Location: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY
Tip-Off: 7:30 PM ET
TV: YES Network | Gotham Sports App
Radio: WFAN 101.9 FM

⚠️ Injury Report

Sharpe: OUT – Illness/Throat Contusion
Dëmin: OUT – Left Plantar Fascia Injury Management
Thomas: OUT – Left Hamstring Injury Management
Highsmith: OUT – Right Knee Surgery, Injury Recovery
Etienne: OUT – G League Two Way
Johnson: OUT – G League Two Way
Liddell: OUT – G League Two Way
Saraf: OUT – G League Assignment

💬 Discussion

Share thoughts and react, but please be respectful. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.

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Draymond Green out tonight against the Heat

Draymond Green is the latest inclusion in the injury report. He is listed as out for tonight against the Miami Heat due to a right ankle sprain, in what will be the first game of a home back-to-back.

The Warriors will be short of two key rotation pieces in Green and De’Anthony Melton, who is listed as out due to injury management. Melton still hasn’t been cleared to play back-to-back slates, which means he will be available tomorrow against the Toronto Raptors. Al Horford — available tonight against the Heat — also hasn’t been cleared to play both games of back-to-backs and will be expected to sit out tomorrow night’s game.

Per Databallr, the Warriors have been a net neutral (plus-3.5 on the floor, plus-3.5 off the floor) this season with regard to Green’s on-off numbers.