The San Antonio Spurs had a slight speed bump on Sunday at home against the New Orleans Pelicans and are now on tour against their in-state rivals in Houston. The Spurs are hardly separated from the fifth seed (2.5), making it critical to take care of business so they don’t lose their precious home-court advantage in the playoffs.
It’s the third of four match-ups, and some of the biggest factors determining victory will be closing out to the corners quickest and maintaining an edge on the glass. Keep in mind that Houston is third in isolation frequency, and it’s mostly Kevin Durant turning water into wine on those possessions.
San Antonio Spurs (31-15) at Houston Rockets (28-16)
January 28, 2026 8:30 PM CT
Watch: ESPN | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs injuries: Harrison Ingram – G-League, two-way (out), David Jones Garcia- G-League, two-way (out), Jeremy Sochan- left quad soreness (questionable), Stanley Umude- G-League, two-way (out)
Rockets injuries: Steven Adams- left ankle sprain (out), Tristen Newton- G-League, two-way (out), Fred VanVleet- ACL repair (out)
What to watch for
Fourth quarter intensity
The Spurs were recently in control against the Rockets on Jan. 20, but got pantsed in the fourth quarter, settling for jumpers and getting lit up everywhere. Notably, the only shot in seven attempts Victor Wembanyama made late in that game was at close range. When Tuesday’s fourth quarter starts, whether it’s down 10 or up 10, expect the Spurs to not play with their food and be sharp on pick-and-roll defense. The misses and turnovers allowed the Rockets to get out in transition, where they added seven back-breaking points, so the Spurs will have to get back quicker.
Sheppard is a small guard, but he compensates for it by having some of the fastest hands in the NBA on his jumper. His deep shooting ignites them like rocket fuel, so he’ll likely be played much closer when off-ball.
Furthermore, the Rockets don’t use a traditional point guard, which is part of the reason their offense can be suspect. Their best playmaker, despite not having the highest assist-to-turnover ratio on the team, is Alperen Şengün, because he is a post threat that causes the most overreactions. A great way to lower his impact is not to play help defense when Victor guards him. He should be fine if he avoids falling for Turk Nowitzki’s fake.
As much of an offensive threat that Durant still is in year 19, Amen Thompson is the next dangerous man to look at. His game-changing athleticism is only rivaled in this matchup by Stephon Castle, and he is a wrecking ball on defense. His torque and first step make him recover quickly when jammed into a screen. Offensively, he is a better player than a point guard and is still averaging 5.4 assists, mostly on drive-and-kick plays.
Heavy lifting by the stars
Wembanyama, Castle and De’Aaron Fox got outplayed by Houston’s star trio in their last matchup. Even if they shoot poorly, their pride will make them play more forcefully against Houston’s interior, since the team only took 10 free throws on Jan. 20. Anticipate a higher frequency of off-ball screens to get them loose.
You can follow along with game here on the Game Thread, as well as on our X profile (@poundingtherock).
American was caught on camera smashing racket following defeat
‘It would be nice to have some privacy,’ says Polish second seed
Iga Swiatek backed up Coco Gauff’s complaints about a lack of privacy at the Australian Open by claiming tennis players are treated like zoo animals.
Gauff sought a spot away from public view to let her frustration out by smashing a racket following her quarter-final loss to Elina Svitolina on Tuesday, only to find out she was on camera after all.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — For many of the nearly 28 years since the Tampa Bay Rays held their inaugural game in St. Petersburg’s domed stadium, they have been looking for a bigger, better deal.
Tropicana Field’s location, across Tampa Bay from the much-larger population base in Tampa, attributed to low attendance through most of those years.
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays began as the most recent of Major League Baseball’s expansion teams, along with the Arizona Diamondbacks. They eventually dropped Devil from the team’s name and have carved a fairly successful path as a small-market team despite a low payroll and poor attendance.
Every few years, talks of a new stadium to replace the aging Trop evolved and dissolved, including a failed proposal to move to Tampa’s Ybor City district and an effort to remain in St. Petersburg that seemed on track until Hurricane Milton in 2024 shifted local priorities. Last March the Rays withdrew from a $1.3 billion stadium deal with St. Petersburg.
Now stadium talks are back on, though few details have been released by the team, which has a new ownership group with new plans for the future.
The Rays signed a nonbinding memorandum of agreement last week with Tampa’s Hillsborough College to build a multiuse facility on a 113-acre site along Dale Mabry Boulevard. The site is across the street from Raymond James Stadium, where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play, and in the shadows of George M. Steinbrenner Field, which is the spring training home to the New York Yankees.
When would the stadium be built?
Few details about the stadium, including whether it will have a roof, have been released by the team. It has said it wants a roof, which is almost essential to avoid long delays during Florida’s rainy season and spare fans the sticky summer humidity.
The team is continuing talks with officials in Tampa to get the deal completed. The agreement with Hillsborough College includes a six-month window for negotiations.
The Rays had been negotiating with St. Petersburg and Pinellas County for a new ballpark to be built adjacent to Tropicana Field. But the team in March withdrew from a $1.3 billion project to construct the new stadium, citing the hurricane and delays that likely drove up the proposal’s cost.Playing at Steinbrenner Field, which has a capacity of 10,046, the Rays had 61 sellouts and drew 786,750, down from 1,337,739 in 2024, when they were 28th among the 30 MLB teams and ahead of only Miami and Oakland. In 2025, the Rays were 29th in attendance, edging out the Athletics, who are playing home games at a minor league ballpark in West Sacramento, California, while a new stadium expected to open in 2028 is built in Las Vegas. The As drew 768,464 fans in 2025.
What happened to Tropicana Field?
Hurricane Milton struck Florida’s Gulf Coast in October 2024, ripping Tropicana Field’s roof to shreds.
The significant damage forced the team to play the entire 2025 season at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, which underwent a 120-hour makeover following the Yankees’ final spring training game to prepare for the Rays’ opening day.
Meantime, repairs got underway at the Trop, and the team is expected to be back in St. Petersburg for the 2026 season. The Rays are under lease at the Trop through at least the 2028 baseball season.
The destruction caused by the hurricane and rising costs of repairs and new construction in part led Stuart Sternberg to pull out of a proposed stadium deal with St. Petersburg last year and sell the team.
The stadium opened in 1990 at an initial cost of $138 million and featured what the team said was the world’s largest cable-supported domed roof, with the panels made of “translucent, Teflon-coated fiberglass” supported by 180 miles of cables connected by struts.
Playing at Steinbrenner Field, which has a capacity of 10,046, the Rays had 61 sellouts and drew 786,750, down from 1,337,739 in 2024, when they were 28th among the 30 MLB teams and ahead of only Miami and Oakland. In 2025, the Rays were 29th in attendance, edging out the Athletics, who are playing home games at a minor league ballpark in West Sacramento, California, while a new stadium expected to open in 2028 is built in Las Vegas. The As drew 768,464 fans in 2025.
What do we know about the proposed stadium?
So far, not a lot. Nothing has been made public about how much money the team’s ownership plans to contribute, or how much or even what they are asking from the city, county and state.
The new Rays ownership wants to create an atmosphere similar to Truist Park, where the Atlanta Braves play, which features a mix of shops, dining, living and work space outside the stadium. Again, few details have been publicly shared.
The memorandum-of-understanding with Hillsborough College also calls for creation of new campus facilities for the college.
Rays CEO Ken Babby said there is still a lot of work to be done.
“What I can say with certainty is that we believe with conviction that we’re going to be able to create a world-class work-live-learn-play development here in Tampa Bay, and we’re very, very encouraged and pleased by today’s outcome,” Babby said.
The team said in a statement that there are parking and access challenges at the location, but they will work through a comprehensive and collaborative process with Tampa, Hillsborough County, local law enforcement and planning experts to prioritize parking and overall mobility.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has said the state will not help finance the stadium. But he agreed to help facilitate the relocation of a juvenile justice facility on the property and added that the state could likely help pay for sewers and roads around the area.
Who are the new owners of the Rays?
Last September, a group led by Florida-based real estate developer Patrick Zalupski finalized a deal to purchase the team from former owner Stuart Sternberg. Forbes estimates his net worth at $1.4 billion.
Zalupski, the CEO of Jacksonville-based Dream Finders Homes Inc., is the team’s control person and a co-chair along with Bill Cosgrove, who is CEO of Union Home Mortgage in Ohio.
The team’s new CEO is Ken Babby. Babby is CEO of Fast Forward Sports Group, which owns the Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, a Miami Marlins affiliate, and the Double-A Akron RubberDucks, a Cleveland Guardians farm team.
Sternberg took control of the team from founding owner Vince Naimoli in November 2005. He oversaw the rebranding of the team from the Devil Rays after the 2007 season.
The Rays won AL East titles in 2008, 2010, 2020 and 2021 and twice reached the World Series, losing to Philadelphia in 2008 and to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020.
BOTTOM LINE: Toronto heads into a matchup with New York as winners of four games in a row.
The Raptors are 4-8 in division matchups. Toronto is fourth in the NBA with 29.6 assists per game led by Immanuel Quickley averaging 6.2.
The Knicks are 7-3 against Atlantic Division teams. New York has an 11-14 record against teams over .500.
The Raptors are shooting 47.2% from the field this season, 0.8 percentage points higher than the 46.4% the Knicks allow to opponents. The Knicks score 5.6 more points per game (117.5) than the Raptors allow their opponents to score (111.9).
The teams play for the third time this season. The Knicks won the last matchup 117-101 on Dec. 10, with Jalen Brunson scoring 35 points in the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Scottie Barnes is averaging 19.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.5 blocks for the Raptors. Quickley is averaging 16.5 points over the last 10 games.
Mikal Bridges is scoring 15.7 points per game and averaging 4.4 rebounds for the Knicks. Brunson is averaging 18.4 points and 2.4 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Raptors: 6-4, averaging 114.0 points, 42.6 rebounds, 31.5 assists, 7.8 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.2 points per game.
Knicks: 5-5, averaging 109.8 points, 48.2 rebounds, 25.7 assists, 7.9 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 45.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.7 points.
INJURIES: Raptors: Jakob Poeltl: out (back), Collin Murray-Boyles: day to day (thumb).
Knicks: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Brooklyn Nets (12-33, 13th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (31-16, third in the Western Conference)
Denver; Thursday, 9 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Brooklyn is looking to stop its six-game slide with a victory against Denver.
The Nuggets are 12-9 in home games. Denver is fourth in the Western Conference with 28.0 assists per game led by Jamal Murray averaging 7.4.
The Nets are 6-16 in road games. Brooklyn averages 14.6 turnovers per game and is 3-11 when turning the ball over less than opponents.
The Nuggets average 13.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.1 more made shots on average than the 12.7 per game the Nets give up. The Nuggets average 107.8 points per game, 8.2 fewer points than the 116.0 the Nuggets give up to opponents.
The teams square off for the second time this season. The Nets won the last meeting 127-115 on Jan. 4, with Michael Porter Jr. scoring 27 points in the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Murray is averaging 25.9 points and 7.4 assists for the Nuggets. Tim Hardaway Jr. is averaging 2.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Porter is scoring 25.2 points per game with 7.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Nets. Nic Claxton is averaging 9.7 points and 6.6 rebounds while shooting 55.8% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 6-4, averaging 106.6 points, 40.0 rebounds, 24.0 assists, 6.4 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.5 points per game.
Nets: 1-9, averaging 103.0 points, 39.8 rebounds, 25.1 assists, 6.9 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 43.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.3 points.
INJURIES: Nuggets: Cameron Johnson: out (knee), Tamar Bates: out (foot), Aaron Gordon: out (hamstring), Nikola Jokic: out (knee), Christian Braun: out (ankle).
Nets: Tyrese Martin: out (knee), Haywood Highsmith: out (knee), Noah Clowney: out (back).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Detroit Pistons (34-11, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Phoenix Suns (28-19, sixth in the Western Conference)
Phoenix; Thursday, 9 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Detroit will try to keep its four-game road win streak alive when the Pistons take on Phoenix.
The Suns have gone 15-6 at home. Phoenix is third in the Western Conference in team defense, allowing only 111.6 points while holding opponents to 46.8% shooting.
The Pistons have gone 15-6 away from home. Detroit is third in the league allowing just 110.0 points while holding opponents to 44.3% shooting.
The Suns score 114.0 points per game, 4.0 more points than the 110.0 the Pistons give up. The Pistons score 5.6 more points per game (117.2) than the Suns give up to opponents (111.6).
The teams meet for the second time this season. The Pistons won 108-105 in the last meeting on Jan. 16. Duncan Robinson led the Pistons with 19 points, and Grayson Allen led the Suns with 33 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Dillon Brooks is averaging 20.5 points for the Suns. Allen is averaging 3.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Cade Cunningham is scoring 25.3 points per game with 5.7 rebounds and 9.8 assists for the Pistons. Robinson is averaging 13.0 points and 2.3 rebounds while shooting 45.9% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Suns: 6-4, averaging 110.9 points, 42.1 rebounds, 23.4 assists, 9.0 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 44.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.4 points per game.
Pistons: 8-2, averaging 111.8 points, 44.2 rebounds, 26.5 assists, 12.0 steals and 7.4 blocks per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 100.5 points.
INJURIES: Suns: Jalen Green: out (injury management), Devin Booker: out (ankle), Isaiah Livers: out (illness), Collin Gillespie: out (hand).
Pistons: Caris LeVert: out (illness).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Sacramento Kings (12-36, 14th in the Western Conference) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (25-21, sixth in the Eastern Conference)
Philadelphia; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Sacramento aims to stop its six-game skid with a win over Philadelphia.
The 76ers have gone 13-13 at home. Philadelphia ranks fourth in the Eastern Conference with 12.3 offensive rebounds per game led by Andre Drummond averaging 3.5.
The Kings are 3-20 on the road. Sacramento has a 3-2 record in one-possession games.
The 76ers average 116.6 points per game, 4.2 fewer points than the 120.8 the Kings give up. The Kings average 10.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.3 fewer made shots on average than the 12.8 per game the 76ers give up.
TOP PERFORMERS: Tyrese Maxey is scoring 29.2 points per game with 4.2 rebounds and 6.8 assists for the 76ers. Joel Embiid is averaging 20.9 points and 6.1 rebounds while shooting 52.2% over the last 10 games.
DeMar DeRozan is averaging 19.1 points and 3.9 assists for the Kings. Russell Westbrook is averaging 18.8 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: 76ers: 4-6, averaging 114.4 points, 41.0 rebounds, 24.5 assists, 10.4 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.4 points per game.
Kings: 4-6, averaging 113.2 points, 42.4 rebounds, 26.4 assists, 5.9 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.0 points.
INJURIES: 76ers: Charles Bassey: out (personal), Quentin Grimes: out (ankle).
Kings: Keegan Murray: out (ankle), Malik Monk: out (ankle), Zach LaVine: out (back).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
It seems like quite some time ago that the Lakers showed aggression on the trade market. We’re only two weeks removed from it being a full year since Rob Pelinka pushed his chips on the table and acquired, and unacquired, Mark Williams at the deadline.
In that moment, the Lakers were on a mission to make sure Luka signed his extension. As they sought out a center upgrade, they included Luka in the conversation, asking him the type of center he wanted and, as we’ve now learned, specific names to target as well.
In a recent livestream, Lakers beat writer Jovan Buha gave some full details on who Luka named as the centers he wanted to partner with (h/t rosiros/Reddit).
“…They just trade for Luka, they have the meeting in Rob’s office with ‘Which centers do you want to play with?’ I’ve already reported this that several of the centers on the list were Walker Kessler, Jalen Duren, I believe Nic Claxton was also on that list. They tried to get all three of those guys with the Dalton Knecht package. They did not get any of them. The one guy they were able to land was Mark Williams, who I do believe was lower on the list overall. [Onyeka] Okongwu was also on that list. They were not able to get Okongwu either.”
While we’ve learned about the Lakers’ interest in many of those names before and after acquiring Luka, hearing them together as part of Luka’s wishlist is new context. The biggest takeaway from this is that Luka knows ball because all of these would be great fits alongside him.
That being said, let’s dive into each of the names and the links the Lakers have had.
Duren is an interesting one because it was reported that the Lakers tried to trade for him at the deadline last year, but the Pistons weren’t willing to part with him. They were proven right in their belief as he’s had a breakout year this season.
All of these names make sense to pair with Luka, but that type of center is a valued commodity on the trade market. Teams also know that the Lakers are in search of a lob-catching center, so it’ll cost a premium to acquire one.
But if this is who Luka is interested in acquiring, perhaps the Lakers should involve him more often in these discussions.
If you ask the Vancouver Canucks how they felt about tonight’s 5–2 loss to the San Jose Sharks, the reception won't be positive. Not only did both of their goals come from blueliners Tom Willander and Filip Hronek, but Kevin Lankinen was also pulled within the first half of the first period after allowing three goals on six shots faced. Nikita Tolopilo joined the game in relief, stopping 25 of 27 shots faced.
“I don't think we played good anywhere today. I think pretty much every detail was bad. Can't name anything good today,” Willander, who scored the game’s opening goal, said post-game. “Ultimately, I think at least the last few times we had results like this, I think we did a decent job in many parts of our game. But today, I thought it was awful.”
Willander isn’t wrong. Despite scoring first, Vancouver quickly surrendered three goals within the span of five minutes, erasing their lead within a matter of seconds. The very thing Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote had called the team out on a week ago had returned — their penchant for getting down on themselves after things don’t go their way.
“We tried to do too much in the neutral zone [...] kind of got off what we’re all about — getting in deep, fore-checking — and looked like we were just out of sorts for a while there, just chasing.”
As opposed to previous games, Vancouver’s effort just didn’t seem to be there tonight. They spent a good chunk of the third period hemmed in their own zone, unable to generate even a shot on net until finally being able to fully break the puck out.
With trade rumours circulating throughout the past few days, all eyes seemed to be on Evander Kane. While not necessarily just there for Kane, there were 17 scouts in Vancouver’s press box tonight, including two from the Anaheim Ducks and two from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Kane did end up on the scoresheet tonight, dropping the gloves with Timothy Liljegren and taking an extra roughing penalty in this sequence.
Tonight marks the third time in four games that Vancouver’s penalty kill has surrendered two power play goals against, as they also allowed two against the New Jersey Devils and the Washington Capitals. In a 10-game span, they have surrendered two or more goals while on the penalty kill five times. One of these goals-against came while Vancouver was down two players.
Vancouver’s power play also capitalized tonight, scoring their second goal of the game a little more than halfway through the third period. However, the man-advantage also got a near-full two-minute 5-on-3 opportunity and was unable to score while on that. This was their first power play goal in six games.
A shout-out needs to be given to Vancouver-based superstar Macklin Celebrini, who recorded his third multi-point game against the Canucks this season. His quick shot tied the game at one goal apiece for the Sharks, with Vancouver’s lapse in defensive-zone coverage leaving Celebrini all alone at the top of the faceoff dot. On San Jose’s second goal, it was Celebrini who took the puck away, keeping it in at the line and allowing former Canuck Adam Gaudette to score. The forward finished the game with four points against his hometown team.
Jan 27, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Drew O'Connor (18) stick checks San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini (71) in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Stats and Facts:
Evander Kane becomes the first Canuck to hit 60 penalty minutes on the season
Elias Pettersson claims sole possession of ninth all-time in assists by a Canucks with 291
Macklin Celebrini registers 2+ points against the Canucks in each of three games against Vancouver this season
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
1:15 - VAN: Tom Willander (3) from Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk
1:51 - SJS: Macklin Celebrini (27) from Will Smith and Sam Dickinson
4:43 - SJS: Adam Gaudette (11) from William Eklund and Macklin Celebrini
5:55 - SJS: Tyler Toffoli (15) from Alexander Wennberg and Sam Dickinson
2nd Period:
9:07 - SJS: Will Smith (15) from John Klingberg and Macklin Celebrini (PPG)
3rd Period:
0:28 - SJS: John Klingberg (10) from Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini (PPG)
9:15 - VAN: Filip Hronek (5) from Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk (PPG)
Up Next:
The Canucks continue their home stand with a matchup against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday. Vancouver won their last game against the Ducks by a score of 5–4 in what was a very entertaining offensive battle. Thursday’s puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT.
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.
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A rookie tried to give Dillon Brooks a taste of his own medicine, and it ended up costing his team.
Nets guard Egor Dёmin shoved Brooks late in Brooklyn’s 106-102 loss on Tuesday, Jan. 27, leading to a small dust-up that cleared assistant coaches off the bench.
With the Suns up by two with 1:14 left to play, a loose ball spilled into the Nets' side of the court. As several players dove for the ball, it eventually ended up in the hands of Nets forward Zaire Williams. Three Suns players mobilized quickly to try to get their hands on it for a jump ball, which was granted by the officials.
One of those Phoenix players was Dillon Brooks, who’s known for his physical and controversial play. As Brooks lingered over Williams, Dёmin came over and placed his hands on Brooks’ back, lightly shoving him, though Dёmin did extend his arms with the shove.
Brooks exaggerated the contact and flailed onto the court, which prompted Suns players to confront Dёmin. Nets guard Terrance Mann and forward Michael Porter Jr. came to the rookie’s defense, as more than a dozen assistant coaches from both teams rushed to separate the scuffle.
Egor Dëmin shoves Dillon Brooks after he was trying to wrestle away a loose ball from Ziaire Williams pic.twitter.com/R7fmQctUKm
That mostly defused the encounter, as Dёmin walked away and Brooks lay on the floor. Brooks would eventually get up and jaw with Mann, though the matter was resolved shortly after.
Officials assessed two separate double-technicals to Dёmin and Suns guard Grayson Allen and to Mann and Suns forward Royce O’Neale. Porter was also assessed a technical, which led to a Suns free throw.
“I got pushed in the back,” Brooks told reporters after the game. “They made the right call when they looked at the review for a very long time. … It didn’t deserve my energy”
Brooks won the ensuing jump ball, but Brooklyn couldn’t convert any of its finals shots, eventually dropping the game.
Dёmin, however, may have been dishing out a little payback.
Dillon Brooks was given a technical foul for this play...
With around 30 seconds left in the first half, Brooks and Dёmin were engaged in a boxout situation, when Brooks, who had his hands raised throughout most of the action, continued to use his body to leverage Dёmin further back, toward the first row. Eventually, as the two became entangled, Brooks shoved Dёmin to the ground.
Brooks was given a technical for the play, his 15th of the season. This is significant because he will draw a one-game suspension if he’s called for his 16th; Brooks has played in 41 games this season.
“I just feel like that play wouldn’t have happened if they blew their whistle with the foul called, because it ended up being a foul call and then they had to give me a T after ’cause I’m trying to get the guy off me,” Brooks said.
Unfortunately
for the St. Louis Blues, it came to fruition and not in a good way.
For
the second straight meeting with the Dallas Stars, they fall in a
one-goal game, this time 4-3, due to icing the puck, losing a
defensive zone face-off and seeing a goal scored late in the third
period.
Thomas
Harley scored with 1:07 left and spoiled the Blues’ valiant third
period comeback while playing shorthanded due to injury in another
one-goal loss on Tuesday at Enterprise Center, dropping the home side to 19-25-9.
Down
three goals in the third period and playing without Jake Neighbours
(lower-body injury) and Jordan Kyrou (upper-body injury), Brayden
Schenn scored twice and Robby Fabbri scored his first Blues goal over
six years to erase a three-goal third-period deficit but to no
avail. Jordan Binnington made 20 saves to
fall to 2-10-1 in his past 13 starts.
Let’s
dissect Tuesday’s game observations:
*
Another icing leads to another goal-against for a loss – With the
naked eye, it looked worse than originally thought, but on the play
that led to the Harley goal, Tyler Tucker had full control of the
puck moving up the lefthand side. He goes for a pass off the boards
trying to hit Alexey Toropchenko near the Dallas bench, but on
replay, the puck caromed off the boards, bounded up where Toropchenko
couldn’t corral the puck for an icing.
This
just happened four days ago in Dallas when both Philip Broberg and
Colton Parayko each iced the puck, and ultimately, the Stars won the
draw and Jason Robertson scored with 1:00 remaining in a 3-2 win
denying the Blues of at least a point.
Same
thing here.
Personally,
if Tucker is making that play, I’d like to see a direct pass, and
if Toropchenko doesn’t handle it, then it’s on him. It’s just
dangerous in that situation.
So
it turns into an icing, Dallas can get its top players on the ice,
while the Blues have their fourth line out there with Tucker and
Logan Mailloux.
Nick
Bjugstad loses the draw, and I understand when in each instance along
with Friday, someone can say, ‘Win the face-off.’ Yes, this is
true, but the draw was lost back to the point, and Harley’s shot
caromed off Mathieu Joseph and change direction past Binnington.
Blues
coach Jim Montgomery was not critical of this one as he was of the
plays on Friday.
“We
have complete momentum in the game and that icing actually, I believe
it was Tucker, uses an indirect for us to gain lines like we had been
doing all period,” Montgomery said, “and it hits the boards and
it jumps up five feet. I think [Toropchenko] couldn’t get a stick
on it. That’s a physical thing with the boards. It’s not a mental
mistake. It’s not like we panicked. We actually made a real sound
play. The puck hit the boards toward the end of the period, the
boards are snowy, it hits snow and it’s going to pop like that, and
then you need an Albert Pujols to knock it out of the air there.
“(This
was) very
different. That one was in control of ours; we made a mistake, we
didn’t support the puck. We had support on the puck (Tuesday),
we knew the guy was open. That was a good hockey play.”
Schenn,
who has three goals the past two games, said, “Late
in the game, yeah, poise, if that’s what you’re taking (about).
The Dallas game before and this one, you have to have poise with the
puck, but the forwards or players out there have to support each
other and able to get the red line to not put yourself in those
positions. We did it twice against them and they made us pay for them
both times.”
A
fifth consecutive loss (0-4-1) and a fourth straight game in which
the Blues were in and found a way to lose.
“It
sucks
losing,”
Schenn
said.
“When you battle back like that, play hard for one another and get
rewarded with some goals. Again, same team, same result, losing in
the last minute. It’s
not fun losing, but got to keep on pushing our foot down and trying
to get better. We’re finding ways to lose hockey games and we have
to learn how to win them.”
*
Down
two more players, a third period for the ages comeback was for naught
– When Neighbours left after the first period and Kyrou after the
second, they were not only down to 10 forwards but down three goals.
What’s
the point, right? Wrong.
The
Blues showed some valiant fight, and it started with Fabbri, who
continues to show why the Blues brought him back, scratching and
clawing for
every inch when he’s given the opportunity.
It
looked inconsequential at the time and only drew browning points for
Fabbri scoring his first Blues goal in his second stint since his
last goal on Oct. 17, 2019 before being traded to the Detroit Red
Wings. He made it 3-1 at 3:15 on a play in which he started it with a
strong hit and ensuing shot from the slot off Justin Faulk’s feed:
The
Stats challenged the play for offside and Joseph was in question on
the far side, but the league came back that the play was onside with
the following ruling: It
was determined that Joseph legally tagged up at the blue line before
Faulk entered the offensive zone with
the puck on his stick prior
to Fabbri’s
goal.
“It
definitely feels good to get the first one, but it’s a lot more fun
around
the rink when you’re winning,” Fabbri
said.
“I’ll definitely take more wins after this one.
“Once
you get one on the board, everyone starts to put the foot on the gas
there and we did that. When you start rolling shift after shift and
you kind of get some momentum and the crowd gets into it, the bench
gets into it and it’s just one of those things where we were kind
rolling there and it was a good period, so we’ve just got to build
off that.”
There
had to be some juice on the bench, because as Schenn said in his
remarks postgame, “I
was dishing up pregame today and ‘Binner’ said ‘Fabs’ is
going to score tonight, so I guess ‘Binner’ had the read on that
one.”
Fabbri
replied, “He
actually chose the stick for me to use. Maybe we’ve got something
going there.”
But
for there being not much life in the building, there was a glimpse of
it now, and when Schenn made it 3-2 at 6:22 off a really nice pass by
Jimmy Snuggerud, the place started to get some jump in it:
“I
think Robby Fabbri got us going,” Montgomery
said.
‘He had a big hit right before his goal and then we get the quick
counter, 72 hitting nine, nine has some good poise. And then I think
we got rolling. I really liked the line of [Dalibor]
Dvorsky
between Snuggerud and Schenn. Obviously they got the goals, but they
just seemed to be going and making plays, 10-15 foot passes.”
The
Stars seemed to have a hammerlock on the game late, but a fortuitous
bounce finally went the Blues’ way when Harley’s clearing pass
around the boards off
referee Stephen Hiff right to Snuggerud, who found Schenn in the left
circle and the captain roofed his shot at 15:50 to make it 3-3:
“Just
attitude we’re going to come out in the third period and put a
solid effort together for our fans,” Schenn
said of the comeback.
“At the end of the day, our special teams aren’t helping us right
now and it’s tough falling behind 3-0 in this league against a good
team, but I thought we came out in the third period and played hard
for one another, inspired each other and like I said, close but not
good enough.”
The
couple of older vets (Schenn and Fabbri) and a couple of young pups
(Snuggerud and Dvorsky) fueled a comeback that nobody saw.
“Our
effort, falling behind 3-0 and not quitting, having the perseverance
to keep going,” Montgomery
said.
‘We had lost two forwards; we were down to 10 forwards. It was nice
to see that scrappy,
never-say-die attitude that we had.”
*
Special teams continue to be a problem – As Schenn mentioned above,
the Blues’ special teams are anything but special this season.
They
give up two more power-play goals, the third time in the past four
games and fifth time in 10 games they’ve allowed multiple
power-play markers.
The
first put Dallas up 1-0 when Matt Duchene scored the first of two
goals in 40 seconds at 3:20 of the second period when Mikko Rantanen
found a seam to deliver a dime of a pass to Duchene on the backdoor
through Tucker and past Faulk:
And
although the slashing penalty call by Hiff on Dvorsky was not a good
one at 17:58 of the second, the Blues needed a kill to keep it a
two-goal game and Roope Hintz scored eight seconds later for a 3-0
lead off a face-off win and one-timer from the interior of the right
circle:
So
for the night, the PK was 1-for-3 and the power play went 0-for-3
with one shot on goal. It simply isn’t good enough and it’s cost
this group plenty this season.
The
PK is 29th at 73.9 percent, and the PP is 25th at 16.9 percent.
Again, not nearly good enough.
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On Tuesday night, the Knicks closed their win over the Sacramento Kings with Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Miles McBride, OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson on the floor.
“This was a tight ball game and so I just rode that group,” Mike Brown said postgame.
Brown’s decision worked well; the Knicks went on a 13-0 run over four minutes late in the fourth to close the victory.
On Saturday, Brown also didn’t hesitate to put Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns on the bench late in New York’s road win over the 76ers.
Brown has not shied away from benching his starters down the stretch of close games in his first 40-plus contests as Knicks head coach.
“We needed to get the win,” Brown said after the team's third straight victory following a 2-7 stretch.
Towns played 27 total minutes on Tuesday after playing just 16 minutes on Saturday.
He said following the matchup that the wins mean much more to him than his minutes totals.
“He saw what he saw,” Towns said of Brown. “We got a win. That’s the most important thing…That’s all I care about, this team cares about, New York cares about -- the wins.”
TRADE WINDS
There will be rumors about Towns and other big-name Knicks ahead of next Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
One player that remains squarely on New York’s radar ahead of the deadline is Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado.
We noted New York's interest in Alvarado last month and can say that nothing has changed on that front -- the Knicks still see the NY-native as a player who can help bolster their bench/rotation.
Alvarado is averaging 7.9 points and 3.2 assists across 36 games for New Orleans this season.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Macklin Celebrini had a goal and three assists, the San Jose Sharks scored three first-period goals in a span of 4:04, and went on to beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-2 on Tuesday night.
Adam Gaudette, Tyler Toffoli, Will Smith and John Klingberg also had goals for the Sharks, and Yaroslav Askarov improved to 17-13-1 with 23 saves.
Celebrini now has 78 points in 51 games this season.
Tom Willander scored the game’s first goal for Vancouver at 1:15 of the first period, with the teams playing four-on-four. Filip Hronek added his team’s first power-play tally in six games in the third.
After the Canucks announced on Tuesday that Thatcher Demko is set to undergo hip surgery and will be out for the rest of the year, Kevin Lankinen was pulled after giving up three goals on six shots over 5:55. Nikita Tolopilo gave up two goals on 27 shots in relief.
The Sharks were 2 for 4 on the power play, with Klingberg’s goal coming at five-on-three. The Canucks were 1 for 4.
In addition to Demko, who has been sidelined since Jan. 10, the Canucks were missing forward Brock Boeser and defenseman Zeev Buium. Both were injured in Vancouver’s 3-2 home loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday.
After Conor Garland and Dmitry Orlov took roughing minors just 44 seconds into the game, Willander beat Askarov with a long shot from the blue line to open the scoring at 1:15. But the lead was short-lived, as Celebrini logged his 27th of the year just 36 seconds later.
Up next
Sharks: At the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday in the second game of a five-game trip.
Canucks: Host the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday in the seventh game of an eight-game homestand.
Jeremy Sochan might not be in San Antonio for much longer. The Spurs have granted his representation permission to talk to teams in the hopes of finding a landing spot for the young forward via trade, according to The SteinLine’s Marc Stein($).
“League sources say that Jeremy Sochan and his representation have received permission from the Spurs to explore the landscape for a potential new home via trade,” Stein wrote.
The news, while unfortunate, is not exactly surprising. Sochan, who started 149 games and played an average of 27 minutes a game in his first three seasons in San Antonio, has had a small bench role this year. The No. 9 overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft is posting career lows across the board in 13 minutes a night and has only suited up for 27 games despite being available for more. He wasn’t inked to an extension over the summer despite being eligible and is slated to enter restricted free agency next offseason, so, understandably, he’s looking for a new team that will allow him to showcase his talents in hopes of getting a lucrative second contract.
Sochan seemed to be a part of the core during his first two years with the Spurs. He was drafted to be a defensive lynchpin and connective piece and delivered on both ends, looking like a potential perimeter stopper and showing a good floor game for a power forward. The problem from the start was his lack of range as a jump shooter, which made him an awkward fit in the current NBA. San Antonio tried to work around it as he rebuilt his shot by playing him as a lead ball handler and, later on, at center, but he started losing minutes late last season and has not been able to crack the rotation for Mitch Johnson in 2025/26. He’s currently shooting 26 percent from beyond the arc on limited attempts.
It’s unclear what the market for Sochan would be. The Spurs traded their other two first-round picks from the 2022 draft, Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley, to the Wizards for Kelly Olynyk and a low-value second-round pick last summer, but Sochan should, in theory, yield a better return. His impending free agency, however, could be enough to dissuade a team from making a serious offer, since it’s clear he should be available next offseason despite his restricted free agent status, as San Antonio seems ready to move on. Still, there might be some suitors interested in giving him a tryout while having his Bird rights, or he could be valuable as an expiring contract.
Nothing appears imminent. The Knicks could be a potential destination in a move that would get the Spurs Guerschon Yabusele, according to Clutch Points’ Brett Siegel, but there hasn’t been confirmation of New York’s or San Antonio’s interest in such a swap. It’s also possible a trade doesn’t materialize, and Sochan finishes the season with the team that drafted him. But it would not be surprising to see the forward wearing another jersey this season.
Sochan is averaging 4.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, and one assist per game this season.
PHOENIX (AP) — Mark Williams scored 27 points, Dillon Brooks had 26 and the short-handed Suns beat the Brooklyn Nets 106-102 on Tuesday night in a game that featured a scuffle late in the fourth quarter.
After Brooks put the Suns ahead 104-102 on two free throws with 1:23 remaining, a steal by the Suns’ Royce O’Neale led to a scramble for the ball in the paint. Brooks tried to wrestle the ball away from Ziaire Williams after the whistle, and the Nets’ Egor Demin pushed Brooks.
Several players started jawing at each other and assistant coaches from both sides gathered on the floor as officials tried to restore order. Demin, Mann and Michael Porter Jr. received technical fouls for the Nets, and the Suns’ Grayson Allen and O’Neale also got technicals. Brooks did not receive a technical after getting one earlier in the game.
Allen added 18 points for the short-handed Suns, who ended a two-game skid. Devin Booker missed his second straight game after rolling his right ankle in a loss at Atlanta on Friday night, and Jalen Green also sat with a nagging right hamstring injury.
Porter finished with a season-high 36 points for the Nets, who have lost six straight and 14 of 16. Demin added 15 points, but Brooklyn struggled to find secondary scoring.
When Porter made a 3-pointer with 9:47 left in the third quarter, he had 12 of the Nets’ 24 baskets for 27 points.
Phoenix led 91-81 midway through the fourth, but Brooklyn responded with a 19-5 run capped by Porter’s 3 for a 100-96 lead with 3:33 left. Williams scored four quick points for Phoenix and then Allen tied it at 102-all with 1:39 remaining.
