Posts

Posted on

Red Wings Drop 4-1 Final To Utah In Last Game Before Olympic Break

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

In recent seasons, something about playing against the Arizona Coyotes/Utah Hockey Club/Utah Mammoth just does not agree with the Detroit Red Wings. 

The Red Wings fell 4–1 on Wednesday evening in just their second-ever visit to the Delta Center in Salt Lake City since the franchise relocated from the Phoenix metropolitan area.

Dating back to March 2019, the franchise has gone through three official names, but has managed to accumulate a 10-1-1 record against the Red Wings. 

For Detroit, it's not how they wanted to enter the three-week Olympic break, especially after delivering such a strong performance 48 hours prior in their 2-0 triumph over the Colorado Avalanche. 

They now sit at 33-19-6. Their regulation loss, combined with the Montreal Canadiens' victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday, has them both knotted at 72 points apiece. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Image

Just as the Red Wings did to the Avalanche on Monday, the Mammoth struck early on Wednesday, finding the back of the net on their first attempt on goaltender John Gibson at the 58-second mark of the opening frame. 

Following Sean Durzi's early goal, the Mammoth doubled its lead on the man advantage thanks to Nick Schmaltz, who scored his 23rd goal of the season. 

Following a goalless second period, the Red Wings had the chance to cut into Utah's lead with an early power-play chance in the third period, but went for naught. Not long afterward, Utah essentially salted the game away with a goal from Dylan Guenther, his 25th, at 4:40. 

"Really Cool": John Gibson Loved Seeing Red Wings Fans Invade Denver"Really Cool": John Gibson Loved Seeing Red Wings Fans Invade DenverDetroit Red Wings goaltender John Gibson gave a shoutout to the thousands of Red Wings fans in attendance for their 2-0 win over the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena in Denver.

While Dylan Larkin managed to spoil Utah goaltender Karel Vejmelka's shutout attempt with his 26th goal of the season at 15:52, the Mammoth ensured victory with an empty-net goal from Clayton Keller late in regulation. 

Vejmelka improved to 4-1-1 lifetime against the Red Wings, stopping 29 of 30 shots. Meanwhile, Gibson made 21 saves on the 24 shots he faced.

Aside from their three Olympians, the Red Wings are now officially off until Feb. 26 when they face the Ottawa Senators on the road. 

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

Image

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Posted on

San Antonio vs Oklahoma City Thunder, Final Score: Spurs outlast the Thunder bench crew 116-106

Feb 4, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant (11) shoots during the first half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

The Thunder held two-thirds of their team out of the game tonight, and their skeleton crew of Jaylin Williams and four bench players, along with three two-way players made the Spurs work for a win. Maybe it’s excusable to let your focus slip a little when you’re not facing the other team’s best players, but it was frustrating to watch as the Spurs just tried to coast to a win and gave the Thunder skeleton crew hope kept them in the game late. The lackadaisical play of the Silver and Black let the end of the Thunder bench play like contenders.

Instead of playing team ball, there was way too much one on one offense, and slow rotations on defense. The Spurs got a great effort from Keldon Johnson tonight, but most of the rest of the team was embarrassed by the Thunder reserves. De’Aaron Fox made some key plays down the stretch as the Spurs outlasted the Thunder 116-106. The strategy of sitting almost the entire Thunder team felt like a psyop on the Spurs, and given how hard the Spurs had to play to eke out a win, it seems like it worked.

Despite this win being a little on the disappointing side, it was a good thing for them as they solidified their second spot in the west as they head to Dallas for a game tom0rrow against the Mavericks. They also secured their 34th win of the year, which is the same number of wins the team scored in the entire 2024-2025 season, with 32 games left in the season.

Observations

  • The Thunder sat 10 players for tonight’s game. Three of those players have had long term injuries and Caruso has been dealing with an adductor strain for some time. Unfortunately, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander suffered an abdominal strain in last night’s game against the Magic, and could be out for a couple of weeks at least. The other six players—I’m not sure if they would be sitting out a playoff game—but I am not a doctor. It feels like a scheduled loss for the Thunder, who have already lost the season series where the Spurs lead 3-1. Mind games? Maybe, but the Spurs are going to need to play with intensity to win tonight, because every player on the Thunder roster is a solid NBA player.
  • Just before the game it came out that Dylan Harper would be out, and Castle would be playing. Harper has been very good the last couple of weeks as he burst through the rookie wall that he seemed to hit around the season’s midpoint and once again began to score at will in the paint. Hopefully he’ll be back for tomorrow night’s game against the Mavs.
  • The lead-in game of Knicks/Nuggets went into double overtime, and ended in a 134-127 New York win. That’s good news for the Spurs as they solidified their hold on second place in the Western Conference, with the Nuggets two games behind the Spurs in the loss column.
  • The Thunder kind of hung around for much of the first quarter, but when Keldon Johnson came in, they didn’t have the beef, and the Spurs led 39-26 after one quarter.
  • Wiggins caught fire from beyond the arc in the second quarter as the Thunder cut a 20 point Spurs lead to 10 with 5 minutes left in the half. Carter Bryant found his shot as the Spurs finished the quarter strong and led 73-58 at the half. It should have been more, but a sloppy effort at rebounding gave the Thunder the last basket of the half cutting their deficit to 15 and giving them a little bit of confidence.
  • The Spurs came out of the locker room in the third quarter not ready to play hard, and the Thunder quickly cut the deficit to single digits. Once again, Keldon took over the game and scored 13 straight for the Spur to right the ship.
  • You just can’t fault the effort from the Thunder. Most of the players that were out on the court tonight don’t get a lot of playing time, and they just played HARD tonight. These Spurs were trying to cruise through the game and the Thunder skeleton crew made them pay for the lackadaisical effort by getting open shots and sinking them. The Spurs led 95-85 after three quarters with the Thunder skeleton crew outscoring the Spurs 27-22 in the quarter.
  • The Thunder won two coach’s challenges, although the second overturn was a bit fishy in my opinion. The Spurs finally exercised a challenge late in the third as the Fox stole the ball that should have led to a fast break dunk, but it was negated because of the incorrect foul call. Even though the call was reversed, the Spurs were still robbed of a fast break bucket. It seems that the replay review should at least award the team a transition take foul in that situation.
  • The Thunder defense got energized in the fourth quarter and made things difficult for the home team, cutting the lead to 4 points with under 4 minutes left. They broke up a few alley oops for Wemby late, and even turned them into baskets on the other end, which really made thing hard for the home team.
  • Steph Castle picked up his fifth foul early in the fourth quarter, but played most of the quarter and made key plays down the stretch as he was one of key factors in the Spurs clutch run.

Tonight is the first game of a back-to-back for the Silver and Black as they travel to Dallas for a matchup against the Mavericks, and their super rookie Cooper Flagg in the first game of a home and home series, which will wrap up on Friday in San Antonio.

Posted on

Braves News: Top prospects, Spring Training invites, more

ATLANTA, GA - JULY 12: JR Ritchie #24 of the Atlanta Braves walks back to the dugout during the 2025 MLB All-Star Futures Game at Truist Park on Saturday, July 12, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

It was a good day for people interested in prospects, as our prospect team continues to roll out their best-in-industry Braves top 30 prospects list and we got Atlanta’s list of non-roster Spring Training invites. I will say that I was a bit disappointed at the absence of Cam Caminiti on the non-roster invites list, as I would love for him to be able to pick Chris Sale’s brain as a lefty with some similarities in pitch profile, but perhaps there will still be opportunities for that and Cam is obviously a ways away from the majors as of yet. That said, there are plenty of exciting prospects to watch, including JR Ritchie, Owen Murphy, Garrett Baumann, Alex Lodise, and John Gil.

Braves News

Our prospects team continues their top 30 prospects list with numbers 18-13.

The Braves released their non-roster invites list for Spring Training next week.

MLB News

The Tigers made a splash on the evening after Tarik Skubal’s arbitration hearing, signing Framber Valdez to a 3 year, $115 million deal with an opt-out after year two.

The Padres signed Miguel Andujar to a 1 year, $4 million deal.

The Red Sox signed Isiah Kiner-Falefa to a 1 year, $6 million deal to play second base for them.

The Pirates are reportedly interested in former Braves’ slugger Marcell Ozuna.

Posted on

Marchand's shootout goal gives Panthers 5-4 win over Bruins

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Brad Marchand scored in the fourth round of the shootout in his return to Florida’s lineup after missing two games to give the Panthers a 5-4 win over the Boston Bruins, his former team, on Wednesday night.

Anton Lundell had a goal and two assists for his second three-point game of the season, while Matthew Tkachuk and Uvis Balinskis had a goal and an assist each as the Panthers ended a four-game losing streak. Sergei Bobrovsky made 25 saves.

Michael Eyssimont scored twice for the Bruins, who have lost two straight games in Florida in a shootout, including Sunday’s NHL Stadium Series game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Mark Kastelic and Casey Mittelstadt also had goals and Joonas Korpisalo had 22 saves.

The Panthers trailed 2-1 after the first period despite taking the lead on a goal from Eetu Luostarinen at 4:22.

Eyssimont scored a pair of goals on breakaways — including one when he came racing out of the penalty box and got Bobrovsky to go down, leaving the net open enough for him to be able to tuck the puck in.

Florida scored three goals on special teams in the second, two on the power play and one short-handed.

Balinskis tied the score 30 seconds into the period. Tkachuk made it 3-2 at 2:22 on a power-play goal and the Panthers made it 4-2 with 1:27 remaining in the second, Sam Reinhart feeding Lundell off the rush while Florida was killing off a penalty.

BLUE JACKETS 4, BLACKHAWKS 0

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Zach Werenski became the first defenseman to score 20 goals before an Olympic break, Jet Greaves got his second shutout of the season and Columbus extended its winning streak to seven with a victory over Chicago.

Ivan Provorov, Danton Heinen and Sean Monahan also scored for Columbus, which has won 10 of 11 since Rick Bowness became coach on Jan. 12.

Columbus was seven games out of a playoff spot when Bowness was hired to replace Dean Evason. The Blue Jackets enter the Olympic break only two points behind the New York Islanders for third place in the Metropolitan Division.

Greaves stopped 21 shots for his fourth career shutout in 58 regular-season games. Charlie Coyle added two assists.

It’s the first time since 2020 that Columbus got shutouts in two straight games and the first time since 2019 that they’ve done it on back-to-back nights. The Blue Jackets defeated New Jersey 3-0 on Tuesday night.

CANADIENS 5, JETS 1

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson each had a goal and two assists, Samuel Montembeault stopped 36 shots to earn his first win since Jan. 17 and Montreal beat Winnipeg.

Rookie Oliver Kapanen, Lane Hutson and Phillip Danault, also scored for the Canadiens, who are 4-0-1 during a five-game points streak and 6-2-1 in their last nine.

Montembeault, who made his first start since Jan. 24, had given up three or more goals in five of his six previous starts.

Kyle Connor scored for the Jets and Connor Hellebuyck made 22 saves.

Winnipeg took an early 1-0 lead when Connor scored his 25th goal on a one-timer during a power play at 6:07 of the first period.

Kapanen, who’s heading to the Olympics for Finland, got his 18th goal 10 minutes later when a rebound went off Jet Cole Perfetti’s stick right to him and he then flipped the puck past a sprawled Hellebuyck.

Montreal went ahead 3-1 at 6:44 of the second after goals 76 seconds apart by Anderson and Hutson.

WILD 6, PREDATORS 5, OT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Matt Boldy scored three times in the first 13 minutes and assisted on Jared Spurgeon’s goal with 45.1 seconds left on the clock in overtime to lead Minnesota over Nashville.

Yakov Trenin and Vladimir Tarasenko also scored and Filip Gustavsson made 30 saves for the Wild, who have won five straight games.

Steven Stamkos had a goal and two assists for Nashville, which is 2-0-3 in its last five. Filip Forsberg, Luke Evangelista, Erik Haula and Roman Josi also scored. Ryan O’Reilly had three assists and Juuse Saros stopped 38 shots.

All three games between the teams this season have gone to overtime.

In the extra period, Boldy slipped a pass to Spurgeon, who maneuvered to the low slot and beat Saros to the far side.

Tarasenko scored with 4:36 remaining in the third period. But just 34 seconds later, Josi tied it 5-all.

The teams combined for six goals in a wild first period.

MAMMOTH 4, RED WINGS 1

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Nick Schmaltz and Clayton Keller had a goal and an assist each, Karel Vejmelka made 29 saves, and Utah beat Detroit.

Sean Durzi and Dylan Guenther also had goals for Utah, helping the Mammoth improve to 8-1-1 on their home ice since the start of January.

Schmaltz tallied his 23rd goal of the season, matching a season-high set in the 2021-22 season with Arizona. He trails only Guenther, who has 25, in goals scored for Utah this season.

Dylan Larkin scored for the Red Wings, who lost for the fourth time in five games. John Gibson made 21 stops for Detroit.

AVALANCHE 4, SHARKS 2

DENVER (AP) — Josh Manson scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period and NHL-leading Colorado beat San Jose.

Artturi Lehkonen scored twice and Nathan MacKinnon had two assists for Colorado to reach another career milestone.

MacKinnon joined Joe Sakic as the only players in franchise history with 700 assists. Sakic, the team president, finished his career with 1,016.

Brock Nelson scored an empty-net goal, Valeri Nichushkin had three assists and Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 23 shots for the Avalanche.

Timothy Liljegren and Philippe Kurashev scored 2:51 apart early in the third to tie it for the Sharks. Yaroslav Askarov made 38 saves, but San Jose enters the three-week break on a four-game skid.

STARS 5, BLUES 4

DALLAS (AP) — Captain Jamie Benn snapped a 15-game goal drought by scoring twice, including the game-winner with 23 seconds left, and Dallas beat St. Louis to go into the Olympic break with a six-game winning streak.

Jason Robertson became the first player from the NHL’s 2017 draft class to score 200 career goals. He and Benn each had an assist for the Stars. Matt Duchene had a goal and an assist, the helper coming on Benn’s goal in the second period that was his first since Dec. 23.

Robertson scored his 32nd goal this season in the first off a nifty pass from Mikko Rantanen, who had to regain control of the puck while going toward the net and pushed it across to Robertson to his right. It was the 431st career game for Robertson, the 39th overall pick in 2017 after the Stars had already taken defenseman Miro Heiskanen and goalie Jake Oettinger in that draft.

Oettinger, one of seven Stars going to the Olympics, made 14 saves to win his sixth game in a row. Blues goalie Jordan Binnington, who will be on Canada’s Olympic team, stopped 23 shots.

Jordan Kyrou had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who won only once in their last nine games before the break. Pavel Buchnevich had a power-play goal for St. Louis, which has scored with the man advantage in seven of its last eight games.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS 5, CANUCKS 2

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist and Vegas Golden snapped a five-game losing streak with a win over Vancouver.

Ivan Barbashev scored a goal for the fourth straight game, and Cole Reinhardt, Pavel Dorofayev and Alexander Holtz also had goals for the Knights. Mark Stone had a pair of assists.

Akira Schmid made 21 saves, including a spectacular stop on Vancouver’s Pierre-Olivier Joseph midway through the second period when he dove across the crease to snag the puck with his glove and preserve a 3-1 lead.

Elias N. Pettersson and Joseph had goals for the Canucks, who have now lost three in a row and six of their last seven games and remain in last place in the NHL. Teddy Blueger had a pair of assists and Kevin Lankinen made 26 saves.

KRAKEN 4, KINGS 2

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shane Wright scored twice to lead Seattle to a win over Los Angeles.

Vince Dunn and Adam Larsson also scored and Chandler Stephenson and Frederick Gaudreau each had two assists for the Kraken, who have won five of their last six games. Joey Daccord made 25 saves.

Andrei Kuzmenko scored both of Los Angeles’ goals and Darcy Kuemper made 19 saves.

The Kings took a 1-0 lead at 7:42 of the first period when Kuzmenko scored on the power play.

Wright tied it at 1 at 9:16 on a backhander for his first goal of the game and Larsson put Seattle up 2-1 at 10:14 on a one-timer. Dunn made it 3-1 on the power play at 15:21.

Kuzmenko cut it to 3-2 on the power play at 10:27 of the second period, but Wright gave the Kraken a two-goal lead again with a power-play score at 5:50 of the third.

FLAMES 4, OILERS 3

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Matvei Gridin had a goal and an assist for the rookie’s first multipoint game in the NHL, leading Calgary to a victory over Edmonton.

Ryan Lomberg scored the go-ahead goal at 6:44 of the third period. Jonathan Huberdeau and Connor Zary also scored for Calgary. Nazem Kadri, MacKenzie Weegar and Zach Whitecloud had two assists apiece.

The Flames took the season series against their provincial rival, winning three of four meetings.

Leon Draisaitl had two goals and Kasperi Kapanen also scored for the Oilers, who limped into the Olympic break on a three-game losing streak. Evan Bouchard had three assists.

Flames goalie Devin Cooley stopped 36 shots. Tristan Jarry made 21 saves for Edmonton.

Posted on

Yankees news: Beating projections seems viable for several Yanks

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 01: (L-R) Ben Rice #22 of the New York Yankees celebrates with Cody Bellinger #35 after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox in game two of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium on October 01, 2025 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images

MLB.com | Brian Murphy: The Yankees have a very similar team to the one that they ran in 2025, meaning that they have to be confident that they’ll see improvement in at least a few key areas to get them over the hump. They’re got a few candidates to step up, including ones that began their ascent in status last year like Ben Rice. They’ve also got some more established names that have the potential to outperform their expectations still, and Murphy gets into how Ryan McMahon and Cody Bellinger fit that latter category.

CBS Sports | R.J. Anderson: The transition period from offseason to spring training is the perfect time to go over prospects, and now that the 2026 rankings are out for a bunch of publications the next step is to determine which players could take the big leaps that put them on said rankings by midseason or next year. The Yankees have a promising one in Bryce Cunningham, who had incredible results in 2025 but lost a lot of time to injuries.

MLB.com: The Yankees made another waiver claim on Wednesday, adding Yanquiel Fernández from the Colorado Rockies. A left-handed outfielder, Fernández hit .225 with four homers and 11 RBI in 52 games last year at the major-league level, but had respectable production across five years in the minors and further adds to the depth chart entering camp. In a corresponding move, the team designated right-handed pitcher Dom Hamel for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.

MLB Trade Rumors | Anthony Franco: Old friend Isiah Kiner-Falefa is on the move, and he’s staying in the division. The former Yankee and Blue Jay is joining the Red Sox on a one-year deal, and is likely to take over as their starting second baseman. It’s a far-cry from the more exciting deals that were floated like trading for Ketel Marte or Brendan Donovan or signing Bo Bichette, and while his defense likely will still carry some value I don’t think the Yankees’ staff will complain about having to face him in close games this season.

The Ringer | Bryan Curtis: You may have heard of the Washington Post’s massive layoffs yesterday, where a full third of the paper lost their jobs. That decision also completely axed the Post’s sports section, a monumental decision led by the paper’s inability to retain readers but more directly by management’s inability to give their writers a direction out of the spiral they were in. The general ineptitude displayed by leadership to treat the section as something worth saving creates yet another shockwave across the industry, as sports reporting is inarguably descending into one of the leanest periods of its history.

Posted on

Utah Jazz trade draft rights of lesser known player to the Thunder

Aug 16, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Detroit Pistons center Balsa Koprivica (23) looks to pass as Orlando Magic guard Jaire Grayer (54) defends during an NBA Summer League game at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

According to Brandon Rahbar, the Utah Jazz have traded the draft rights to Balsa Koprivica for cash considerations.

File this one under players that I didn’t realize the Jazz had. Koprivica was drafted in the second round by the Detroit Pistons in 2021. The Jazz acquired those rights in 2024 from the Los Angeles Clippers. Now, those rights are sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The biggest question for Jazz fans is: how much are these cash considerations?

Personally, I think the reason for this is pretty clear: to offset upcoming fines for the Jazz tanking. Utah can now do what they need to end the season, and they now have a slush fund for any sort of fine that might come their way. It’s a perfect opportunity to have the tank cost them nothing.

Or maybe they’ll use it to upgrade the arena, or buy some uniforms, or maybe they’ll get some swig with it, I don’t know.

Posted on

Otega Oweh goes for 20-plus again and Kentucky defeats Oklahoma 94-78

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Otega Oweh matched his season-high with 24 points, Brandon Garrison had 20 points and 11 rebounds off the bench, and Kentucky defeated Oklahoma 94-78 on Wednesday night.

Oweh has scored 20-plus points in eight of 10 conference games. Garrison, who averages 3.9 points and 3.5 rebounds, has one other game with double figures in scoring and one other with double figures in rebounding this season.

Oweh scored seven points early in the second half and the Wildcats pushed their 11-point halftime lead to 55-36 after about 3 1/2 minutes. Although the Sooners hit six 3-pointers in one seven-minute stretch they didn't get within 10 points until Xzayvier Brown hit back-to-back 3s to make it 82-72 with four minutes left.

A dunk by Oklahoma's Mohamed Wague made it 82-74 with three minutes to go but the Sooners did not make another basket. The Wildcats scored the next eight points to regain command.

Collin Chandler added 18 points for Kentucky (16-7, 7-3 SEC). The Wildcats shot 50%, made 22 of 27 free throws and had only six turnovers.

Brown scored 21 points, Tae Davis 16 and Derrion Reid 11 for Oklahoma (11-12, 1-9). The Sooners shot 44%, made 17 of 19 free throws and also had only six turnovers.

The Sooners had their last lead at 18-17 but they made only four baskets in the final 12 minutes of the first half and were 0 for 7 in the last five minutes. Kentucky led 43-32 at halftime after making nine 3-pointers and shooting 47% overall.

Kentucky improved to 32-1 under coach Mark Pope when leading at halftime.

Up next

Oklahoma: at No. 15 Vanderbilt on Saturday.

Kentucky: Tennessee visits Rupp Arena on Saturday. ___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Posted on

Kristaps Porzingis trade grades for Warriors, Hawks after Jonathan Kuminga swap

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 7: Kristaps Porzingis #8 of the Atlanta Hawks reacts during the first quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at State Farm Arena on January 7, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Jonathan Kuminga has finally been freed from the Golden State Warriors. In the end, Golden State got a valuable if unreliable player on an expiring contract in return for their dissatisfied forward by waiting until the trade deadline to deal him.

The Warriors acquired Kristaps Porzingis from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Kuminga and Buddy Hield, according to ESPN insider Shams Charania. Kuminga had been stuck in trade rumors dating back to his prolonged restricted free agency over the summer, and now he gets the fresh start in Atlanta he’s been seeking. The Warriors also traded Trayce Jackson-Davis to the Toronto Raptors for a 2026 second-round pick originally owned by the Los Angeles Lakers shortly after the deal, according to Charania.

Most of the Warriors chatter leading up to the deadline focused on their pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Is that over for now? Let’s grade this surprising trade for both sides.

Warriors grade for Kristaps Porzingis-Jonathan Kuminga trade

Porzingis hasn’t been playing much dating back to last season with the Boston Celtics. He’s battled illness after being diagnosed with POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), a nervous system disorder that causes rapid heart rate and dizziness.

This season Porzingis has only played in 18 of Atlanta’s 58 games. When he’s been on the floor, he’s graded out incredibly well in the advanced metrics: he’s 11th in the entire league in EPM because he’s the rare player who ranks above the 90th percentile in effectiveness on both ends of the floor. Porzingis hasn’t actually been available enough to help Atlanta, but it hints at what he can do if he could ever stay healthy.

The advanced numbers overstate Porzingis’ impact, obviously. No one who has watched the Hawks this year believes he’s close to a top-10 player in the league. At the same time, Porzingis has a unique skill set as a 7’3 big man who can block shots and stroke three-pointers at an elite rate for his position. His 4.8 percent block rate this season is a huge number that ranks in the 91st percentile of all bigs. He’s also making 36 percent of his threes on nearly 10 attempts per 100 possessions.

Porzingis mostly grades out so well because he doesn’t turn the ball over at all. Possessions are important, people! He’s been a low turnover player his entire career, but he’s about to enter an offensive system that requires its bigs to make quick passing reads. He’s never played in anything like Steve Kerr’s offense before, and it will probably take time to adjust … if he can even stay healthy enough for this trade to matter.

Porzingis’ $30.7 million deal comes off the books this summer, meaning Golden State immediately improved its rotation without taking on any long-term risk. Could they have really gotten something better for Kuminga? I don’t think so. Porzingis may never make an impact for Golden State because he can’t get on the floor, but he’s still pretty good if his health situation changes, and that would add an impact player to a Warriors front court that needs it.

The fact that the Warriors also got off Buddy Hield’s final two years in this deal is even more impressive. That alone is a big win for Golden State, and getting a player like Porzingis is just icing on the cake.

Grade: A

Hawks grade Jonathan Kuminga trade

Porzingis wasn’t in Atlanta’s long-term plans, and it was known for a while the team wanted to trade him in-season. Kuminga is an interesting return as a physically talented forward who has never been able to fully put everything together. Kuminga wasn’t a good enough decision-maker, shooter, or defender to earn Steve Kerr’s trust, and that had him pouting on the sidelines for most of his Warriors tenure. He needed a change of scenery, and Atlanta provides that.

Kuminga and Jalen Johnson could give the Hawks a huge wing tandem if he is in their long-term plans. Atlanta’s future is mostly tied to if they get lottery luck with the New Orleans Pelicans’ pick they wisely acquired at last year’s draft. The Hawks feel like they’re under construction after the Trae Young trade, so it’s hard to make any assumptions about what this team looks like next year. For now, Kuminga will probably get a chance to run the floor and get buckets as Atlanta probably sneaks into the play-in tournament.

The most surprising thing about this trade is Atlanta was willing to take on the last two years of Buddy Hield’s deal. He makes $9.6 million next year and then $10 million 2027-28. Hield has a true bad contract, and I don’t think Kuminga is good enough to take on that money.

Grade: C-

Posted on

Game Of Bounces Costs Nashville Predators Overtime Result To Wild | Recap

Another Nashville Predators comeback was spoiled by a pair of bounces in an overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild, 6-5, on Wednesday at Bridgestone Arena.

The Predators chased a two-goal deficit twice, erased it and forced overtime before eventually falling in the extra period.

"It was one of those games when you know the break's coming," Predators head coach Andrew Brunette said. "I don't know if the focus on both teams was all that high. I think we scored 3 goals in our own net. It's just one of those games." 

Matt Boldy scored a hat trick less than 13 minutes into the game, which put the Wild up 3-1.

The hat trick goal came off a play where Nick Blakenberg swatted Boldy's lobbed shot into Michael McCarron. Boldy followed his own rebound and put it in the back of the net.  

"It's tough luck," Roman Josi said. "Everybody goes through that throughout the year, and it's just bad luck. Blankie has been unbelievable for us. We all love blanking. He's a fighter. He plays the game hard and he's an amazing person." 

Filip Forsberg had the Predators' first conversion of the game on the power play. 

Steven Stamkos scored off a one-timer to make it 3-2. The goal moves him past Mario Lemieux for seventh place on the NHL's all-time power-play goals list with 237.

Stamkos (2G, 1A)  and Ryan O'Reilly (3A) finished with three points each. 

Erik Haula registered the first weird bounce goal of the game. Deflecting a Jonathan Marchessault pass out to the front of the net off of the goalie Filip Gustavsson's back to tie the game at 3-3. 

"The resilience and the grittiness of this group. They believe," Brunette said. "Even on the bench, to hear them talk and say 'Hey, we got time, we're gonna get it, I think that's a great sign for our group...I felt like we didn't grab that consistency through the different stretches of the game." 

Nashville took its first lead of the game off a goal from Luke Evangelista as he put away a Stamkos rebound to make it 4-3. 

Minnesota took a late lead in the third off another goal that deflected off of Blakenberg and into the net. The goal was credited to Vladimir Tarasenko. 

Roman Josi tied the game with 4:12 left in regulation to force overtime. He finished with two points and now has 11 points in seven games. 

In the extra period, the Wild caught the Predators in a change, allowing Krill Kaprizov to spring Matt Boldy and Jared Spuregon on a 2-on-1. Spuregon scored with 46 seconds left to secure the victory. 

In the Predators' last four games decided in a five-minute overtime, they are 1-3.

"We've gotta stop playing from behind," Evangelista said. "We're doing a good job of climbing back, but I think if we have some better starts and sustainable 60 (minutes), we'll have some better luck than we did tonight." 

Juuse Saros has only one win in his last five starts, making 38 saves on 44 shots in the losing effort.

He was pulled in the second period of the Predators' 6-5 win over the Blues, lost to the Boston Bruins in overtime and lost against the Utah Mammoth. Saros's last win was 4-3 against the New York Islanders on Jan. 31. 

The Predators have one more game left before a two-week pause for the Winter Olympics, facing the Washington Capitals 24 hours later in DC. 

Picking up a point in the loss, the Predators (59 points) are two points outside of a Wild Card spot, with results from Seattle (61 points) and Los Angeles (60 points) still pending.

"We're definitely battling for life in these past couple of weeks and months, now," Marchessault said. "It's just that time of the year for us. It's catch-up, playoff hockey, so we're just trying to get in and keep moving forward." 

Posted on

Warriors trade Jonathan Kuminga, Buddy Hield to Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis

The Golden State Warriors' trade saga with Jonathan Kuminga is officially ending as the team is dealing the 23-year-old forward and guard Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis, ESPN reports.

In another deal, the Warriors are sending Trayce Jackson-Davis to Toronto for a second-round pick, per ESPN.

Kuminga had been in a tumultuous relationship with the Warriors and head coach Steve Kerr over playing time and production dating back to last season. He's played in just two games since Dec. 18, currently out with an injury.

While Kuminga gets a fresh start in Atlanta, Porzingis gets another in the Bay Area. Availability continues to be a persistent problem for Porzingis, who has appeared in just 17 games for the Hawks following his offseason trade by the Celtics. But if he can get back on the court he can provide needed size and additional scoring as a stretch 5 to Golden State.

This deal also seemingly ends the idea that Giannis Antetokounmpo could land in San Francisco ahead of the trade deadline, with ESPN saying the Warriors have "moved on."

Kristaps Porzingis stats

Here are Porzingis' average statistics for the 2025-26 regular season.

  • Games played: 17
  • Minutes: 24.3
  • Points: 17.1
  • Rebounds: 5.1
  • Assists: 2.7
  • Steals: 0.5
  • Blocks: 1.3
  • Field goal %: .457
  • 3-point field goal %: .360
  • Free throw %: .840

Kristaps Porzingis contract details

Porzingis is set to be a free agent after the season. He's currently sporting a cap hit of $30.7 million.

How old is Kristaps Porzingis?

Porzingis is 30 years old. The Warriors will be the sixth different team the fourth pick of the 2015 NBA Draft has played on.

Jonathan Kuminga stats

Here are Kuminga's average statistics for the 2025-26 regular season.

  • Games played: 20
  • Minutes: 23.8
  • Points: 12.1
  • Rebounds: 5.9
  • Assists: 2.5
  • Steals: 0.4
  • Blocks: 0.3
  • Field goal %: .454
  • 3-point field goal %: .321
  • Free throw %: .742

Jonathan Kuminga contract details

Kuminga has one year remaining after this season via a club option after signing a two-year, $46.8 million deal with the Warriors on Sept. 30, 2025.

How old is Jonathan Kuminga?

Kuminga is 23 years old. He was drafted by the Warriors with the No. 7 overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft. He'll be 24 in October.

Jonathan Kuminga highlights

Buddy Hield contract details

Hield is under contract for next season and holds a player option for 2027-28. He carries a modest cap hit that maxes out at $10.1 million in the final year if he opts in.

How old is Buddy Hield?

Hield is 33 years old. He was the sixth overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. The Hawks will be his sixth NBA team.

Buddy Hield stats

Here are Hield's average statistics for the 2025-26 regular season.

  • Games played: 44
  • Minutes: 17.5
  • Points: 8.0
  • Rebounds: 2.5
  • Assists: 1.5
  • Steals: 0.8
  • Blocks: 0.2
  • Field goal %: .433
  • 3-point field goal %: .344
  • Free throw %: .794

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kristaps Porzingis traded to Warriors via deal with Hawks

Posted on

Brunson scores 42 as Knicks beat Nuggets in double OT

NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson had 42 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, and the New York Knicks outlasted the Denver Nuggets 134-127 in two overtimes Wednesday night for their eighth straight victory.

Karl-Anthony Towns added 24 points and 12 rebounds while playing with a bandage over his right eye after he was bloodied in a head-to-head collision in the first quarter. He fouled out in the first overtime, but Brunson took over with 10 points in the second extra period.

Jamal Murray scored 39 points for the Nuggets, while Nikoka Jokic had 30 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists in his first triple-double since returning from a knee injury last week. Denver lost its third straight, having fallen to conference leaders Oklahoma City and Detroit in his previous two games.

The Knicks had won by an average of 24.7 points during their winning streak before Wednesday’s thriller in which neither team led by double digits. OG Anunoby scored 20 points.

The Nuggets lost starting forwards Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones to injuries during the game, with Watson limping off in the fourth quarter with an apparent right leg injury,

The Knicks appeared to have it won in the first overtime when Murray was short on a 3-point attempt in the last second. But officials whistled Mikal Bridges for a loose-ball foul against Christian Braun that review showed came before the clock expired. Braun hit the two free throws with 0.3 seconds left to tie it at 119.

Brunson then scored the first six points of the second OT.

TIMBERWOLVES 128, RAPTORS 126

TORONTO (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 13 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, Bones Hyland had 20 points and Minnesota overcame an 18-point deficit to beat Toronto.

Minnesota won in Toronto for the first time since Jan. 21, 2004. The Timberwolves’ previous road win in the series came Feb. 14, 2021, when the Raptors were playing in Tampa because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jaden McDaniels scored 19 points, Naz Reid and Julius Randle each had 17 and Donte DiVincenzo added 15 as the Timberwolves won for the fifth time in six games.

Rudy Gobert had 10 points and 12 rebounds as the Timberwolves improved to 14-5 against Eastern Conference opponents.

Brandon Ingram scored 25 points, Immanuel Quickley had 23 and Scottie Barnes had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors.

Ingram hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer, but Toronto lost for the fourth time in its past five home games.

Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 14 points for Toronto. RJ Barrett and Collin Murray-Boyles each had 13.

CELTICS 114, ROCKETS 93

HOUSTON (AP) — Derrick White made six 3-pointers and scored 28 points and Boston used a big third quarter to build the lead and cruise to a win over Houston.

White’s performance helped the Celtics win a fourth straight game despite missing star Jaylen Brown, who sat out with left hamstring tightness in the second game of a back-to-back.

Houston coach Ime Udoka was ejected at the end of the third quarter after receiving a double technical for arguing with officials, and Alperen Sengun was tossed midway through the fourth after receiving two technical fouls for yelling at an official following a no-call.

The Rockets trailed by four after a 3-pointer by Amen Thompson early in the third before Boston went on an 18-3 run to make it 67-48 with about seven minutes left in the quarter. The Celtics made five 3-pointers in that stretch, with two apiece from White and Baylor Scheierman.

Thompson made a basket for Houston before Boston used a 10-1 spurt to push the lead to 77-51 with four minutes remaining in the quarter. White led the way during that run, scoring the first eight points, with two 3-pointers.

Reed Sheppard received a loose ball foul near the end of the quarter and Udoka received two technical fouls after the call and was tossed. Boston converted four free throws off those fouls to make it 87-63 entering the fourth.

Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 15 points in his return after sitting out Monday with a sprained left ankle. Sengun, who had 39 points and 16 rebounds in Monday’s win over Indiana, had 13 points and nine rebounds.

BUCKS 141, PELICANS 137, OT

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Ryan Rollins scored 27 points and Milwaukee withstood a brilliant performance from Trey Murphy III to beat New Orleans in overtime.

Murphy scored a career-high 44 points and shot 12 of 19 from 3-point range. His 12 3-pointers matched the fifth-highest, single-game total in NBA history. The single-game record belongs to Klay Thompson, who had 14 for Golden State against Chicago on Oct. 29, 2018.

The teams shot a combined 45 of 93 from 3-point range, with New Orleans 24 of 46 and Milwaukee 21 of 47. The Bucks shot a season-best 60.9% overall.

The Bucks pulled ahead for good by scoring the first five points of overtime, on a Rollins driving layup and a Myles Turner 3-pointer. New Orleans trailed 139-137 when Zion Williamson was called for an offensive foul just before Saddiq Bey hit a 3-pointer that would have put the Pelicans ahead with 6.5 seconds left in overtime.

Milwaukee’s Kevin Porter Jr. then hit two free throws with 5.2 seconds remaining. Porter had 18 points, nine assists and six rebounds in his return after missing six game with an oblique strain.

AJ Green scored 20 points for Milwaukee. Bey had 22 points and Williamson 20 for New Orleans.

SPURS 116, THUNDER 106

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Keldon Johnson scored 25 points, Victor Wembanyama had 22 points and 14 rebounds and San Antonio never trailed in a victory over injury-depleted Oklahoma City, beating the reigning NBA champion for a fourth time this season.

De’Aaron Fox had 15 points and 10 assists, rookie forward Carter Bryant matched a season high with 11 points as San Antonio won its second straight.

The Spurs (34-16) closed to within five games of the Western Conference-leading Thunder (40-12).

Kenrich Williams scored 25 points and Jaylin Williams added 24 points and 12 rebounds for Oklahoma City, which had only eight active players.

Reigning MVP and All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed the game with an abdominal strain. The Thunder were without their entire regular starting lineup on the second night of a back-to-back.

Late in the third quarter, there was no one other than staff on the bench when Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault had his three reserves preparing to sub in with San Antonio holding a 90-80 lead.

Oklahoma City’s frontcourt of Jaylin Williams, Kenrich Williams and Aaron Wiggins combined for 69 points, including 36 in the first half. Wiggins finished with 20 points 7-for-14 shooting.

GRIZZLIES 129, KINGS 125

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Cam Spencer hit three key baskets late in the fourth quarter and finished with 20 points, and Ty Jerome added 28 as Memphis beat Sacramento for its season-worst 10th straight loss.

Spencer hit a 3-pointer with 2:08 remaining in the fourth to give Memphis a 122-118 lead. After GG Jackson hit a jumper, Spencer added a 16-foot jumper with 43 seconds left to keep the margin at four points. After the Kings pulled within a point on DeMar DeRozan’s 3, Spencer hit a 3-pointer with 18 seconds left to restore the four-point lead and help seal the win.

Jaylen Wells scored 18 points, Jackson added 16 and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 15 as Memphis won its second straight. Santi Aldama, back in the lineup after missing four game with a right knee injury, had 12 points and six rebounds.

The Grizzlies were playing their first game since trading Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz on Tuesday in an eight-player, three-draft-pick deal. Memphis has also been engaged in talks about moving star guard Ja Morant. The trade deadline is Thursday afternoon.

Domantas Sabonis scored 20 of his 24 points in the first half and added 15 rebounds for the Kings, whose last victory came on Jan. 16 against Washington, the final game of a four-game win streak.

CAVALIERS 124, CLIPPERS 91

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 29 points and had nine assists, Jaylon Tyson added 17 points and Cleveland routed Los Angeles, hours after the teams completed a trade of All-Stars.

The Cavaliers sent guard Darius Garland to the Clippers in exchange for James Harden. Neither took the court for their new teams.

Jarrett Allen scored 10 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Dennis Schroder added 11 points in his Cavaliers debut and Keon Ellis had 6 points in his first game with the Cavaliers, who won for the seventh time in eight games. Schroder and Ellis were acquired from Sacramento in a three-team trade Sunday.

Kawhi Leonard scored 25 points and John Collins added 19 for the Clippers, who lost consecutive games for the first time since a five-game losing streak in December.

Rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser scored 10 points and had eight rebounds for Los Angeles, which is 17-5 since Dec. 20, although most of that success was with Harden. The Clippers also were without starting center Ivica Zubac, who was out for the birth of his child.

Posted on

No. 5 Illinois beats Northwestern 84-44 for 12th straight win

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Andrej Stojakovic scored 17 points and No. 5 Illinois made 17 3-pointers in an 84-44 win over Northwestern on Wednesday night.

Keaton Wagler, Zvonimir Ivisic and Ben Humrichous each had 13 points for Illinois (20-3, 11-1 Big Ten), which won its 12th straight game. David Mirkovic had 12 points and Tomislav Ivisic had 12 rebounds.

Six players made 3s for Illinois, which shot 17 of 38 from behind the arc and had just two turnovers.

Wagler, whose 19th birthday was Tuesday, has scored in double figures in 15 straight games and 20 times this season.

He banked in a 3 from halfcourt with four seconds left the first half, giving Illinois a 47-19 lead at halftime.

Northwestern (10-13, 2-10), which shot 29% from the field including 4 of 25 on 3-pointers, did not have a player score in double figures.

Nick Martinelli, the Big Ten’s leading scorer, had just four points, 19 under his average. He was 2 of 10 from the field while playing 27 minutes. Tre Singleton led the Wildcats with eight points.

PORTLAND 87, NO. 6 GONZAGA 80

PORTLAND (AP) — Joel Foxwell scored 27 points and Portland upset Gonzaga, giving the Pilots their first victory over a top-10 team and snapping the Bulldogs’ 15-game winning streak.

The victory also ended a 20-game Gonzaga winning streak in the series. The Pilots had not defeated the Bulldogs since an 82-73 triumph in Portland on Jan. 9, 2014.

James O’Donnell added 16 points for the Pilots (11-14, 4-8 West Coast Conference), who snapped a three-game losing streak. They were a 21 1/2-point underdog, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

Graham Ike had 24 points and 10 rebounds for Gonzaga (22-2, 10-1), which had won 14 straight conference games. Gonzaga’s only previous loss this season came on Dec. 10 against then-No. 7 Michigan in Las Vegas.

NO. 8 HOUSTON 79, UCF 55

HOUSTON (AP) — Kingston Flemings had 18 points and six assists, Chris Cenac Jr. added 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Houston beat Central Florida.

Cenac and Flemings combined for 22 points on 10-of-17 shooting in the first half as Houston (20-2, 8-1 Big 12) took a 33-19 lead into halftime. The duo finished 15 of 25 from the field.

Milos Uzan scored 12 points for the Cougars, who shot 55% from the floor despite going 3 for 19 from 3-point range. Houston had a 40-29 advantage in rebounds and outscored the Knights 42-14 in the paint.

The Cougars won their 17th straight at home and have won 50 of their last 51 home games. Houston also won its 11th straight over UCF.

The victory gave the Cougars their 11th straight 20-win season under coach Kelvin Sampson.

Riley Kugel had nine points for UCF (17-5, 6-4), which had won three in a row. The Knights shot 31% and were 6 of 21 on 3-pointers.

MINNESOTA 76, NO. 10 MICHIGAN STATE 73

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jaylen Crocker-Johnson had 22 points and seven rebounds to help Minnesota fend off a late surge by Michigan State and secure a upset.

Cade Tyson scored 17 points and Langston Reynolds added 14 points and eight assists for the Gophers (11-12, 4-8 Big Ten), who broke a seven-game losing streak despite being outscored 22-9 over the final four minutes in a game in which they were 7 1/2 point underdogs according to MGM Sportsbook.

Coen Carr had 10 of his 16 points for the Spartans (19-4, 9-3) in the last three minutes, including a layup with 34 seconds left that cut the lead to 72-68, their closest margin since 7-3.

OKLAHOMA STATE 99, NO. 16 BYU 92

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Anthony Roy scored a season-high 30 points and Oklahoma State overcame a stellar performance by freshman sensation AJ Dybantsa to beat BYU.

Dybantsa showed why he’s expected to be one of the first players chosen in the 2026 NBA draft. The 6-foot-9 forward had 36 points and seven rebounds. He made five 3-pointers, but the scuffling Cougars lost their third consecutive game.

Jaylen Curry scored 18 points and Vyctorius Miller added 14 for the Cowboys (16-6, 4-5 Big 12), who won their second straight. Oklahoma State fans stormed the court after the victory.

It was a very different performance than the Cowboys’ previous home game against a ranked opponent, when they fell behind by 30 at halftime in an 84-71 loss to No. 9 Iowa State. BYU became the highest-ranked team Oklahoma State has beaten this season.

Richie Saunders had 20 points and eight rebounds for BYU (17-5, 5-4), which also lost to No. 1 Arizona and No. 14 Kansas recently. It was the Cougars’ first loss to an unranked team this season.

NO. 20 CLEMSON 66, STANFORD 64

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Nick Davidson made a pair of free throws with 24.9 seconds left to put his team ahead and had a team-high 16 points to go with seven rebounds as Clemson held off Stanford.

Both teams struggled to make key shots in the waning moments.

Tigers leading scorer RJ Godfrey missed a pair of free throws with 1:31 left that would have given Clemson a lead and then committed a foul on the other end. But Stanford’s Oskar Giltay missed the front end of a one-and-one at 1:17.

Clemson (19-4, 9-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) won its 13th straight conference road game dating to 2024-25 — the fourth-longest streak in ACC history and tied for longest for the league in the last 25 years.

Aidan Cammann scored 19 points for Stanford while freshman Ebuka Okorie had 18.

No. 24 LOUISVILLE 76, NOTRE DAME 65

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Ryan Conwell scored 12 points, including seven during a 15-1 second-half surge, and Khani Rooths added 12 off the bench to help Louisville put away Notre Dame.

The Cardinals (16-6, 6-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) overcame another cold start to lead 38-28 just before halftime but needed much of the second half to gain another double-digit cushion against the stubborn Fighting Irish.

Louisville made it 64-54 on Conwell’s steal and three-point play with six minutes remaining, and Rooths added five during the surge over 4:26 that Conwell capped with four more points.

Cole Certa scored 18 points with five 3s for Notre Dame (11-12, 2-8), which dropped its third in a row and ninth of 11 contests.

Posted on

NBA trade deadline: Warriors trade Jonathan Kuminga, Buddy Hield, and Trayce Jackson-Davis for Kristaps Porziņģis

Kristaps Porzingis pointing.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 7: Kristaps Porzingis #8 of the Atlanta Hawks reacts during the first quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at State Farm Arena on January 7, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Golden State Warriors finally pulled the trigger on a trade Wednesday night, and it wasn’t one that anyone expected. Late in the evening, on the eve of the trade deadline, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Warriors had traded Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for stretch center Kristaps Porziņģis. In a separate deal made to clear the cap space for the move, the Warriors sent third-year center Trayce Jackson-Davis to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for a second-round draft pick.

It’s an interesting move for the Warriors, as Porziņģis is on an expiring contract that pays him $30.7 million. It could be that the Warriors are hoping to pair his contract with Draymond Green’s in a potential trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, or it could that they just want to see Porziņģis’ fit with the team before potentially re-signing him over the offseason. Porziņģis has full Bird Rights, meaning the Warriors will be able to go over the tax this offseason to re-sign him.

There’s no doubt that Porziņģis — who was an All-Star in 2017-18 — brings an intriguing look to the Warriors, assuming he stays on the roster. He’s 7’2, athletic, and defensively strong, but also is a career 36.6% shooter from downtown. He’s having a poor year by his standards, but is still averaging 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game, though injuries have limited him to just 17 games.

Injuries are one of the biggest issues for Porziņģis, as he’s only played 60 games once in the last nine seasons. And, unfortunately, no story of Porziņģis can be told without mentioned the rape allegations against him from 2019.

As for the outgoing pieces, it’s the end of a long roller-coaster journey for Kuminga, who should get a chance to play a steady role on a semi-rebuilding Hawks team. It will be great to see if he can run with the opportunity. Hield, who was a favorite in the locker room and with the fans — and the closest player on the team to Jimmy Butler III — will be missed. The Warriors do open up a pair of roster spots with the moves, which will presumably be used to convert Pat Spencer’s two-way contract into a guaranteed deal.

Posted on

No. 20 West Virginia women beat Colorado 61-55

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Jordan Harrison scored 18 points and No. 20 West Virginia beat Colorado 61-55 on Wednesday night.

Gia Cooke's driving layup gave West Virginia its largest lead, 51-42, with 8:25 to play. An 8-1 surge pulled Colorado to 52-50 with 4:50 left, but the Buffaloes didn't get closer. Cooke added two more layups in the closing minutes that pushed the Mountaineers' lead back to five points each time.

Cooke finished with 12 points and Sydney Shaw added 11 for West Virginia (19-5, 9-3 Big 12). Carter McCray grabbed 10 rebounds. The Mountaineers have won five of their last six games.

Jade Masogayo scored 13 points and Desiree Wooten had 12 for Colorado (15-8, 6-5), which ended a three-game win streak. Logyn Greer added 11 points and Tabitha Betson had 10 rebounds to go with seven points.

West Virginia took the lead for good on Cooke's jumper with 1:36 to play in the second quarter, and the Mountaineers led 37-34 at the beak. Harrison scored 13 first-half points. Masogayo scored nine points and Greer added seven to pace Colorado.

Up next

West Virginia: The Mountaineers host Arizona on Saturday.

Colorado: The Buffaloes play Sunday at home against No. 14 TCU.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

Posted on

Lakers vs. Sixers Preview: Back home

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 7: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers goes up for the rebound during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on December 7, 2025 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabran /NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Lakers (30-19) are back in Los Angeles, where they play their next eight games, starting with the Philadelphia 76ers (29-21). This is the final meeting between both teams this season.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Philadelphia 76ers

When: 4:30 p.m. PT, Feb. 5

Where: Crypto.com Arena

Watch: Spectrum Sportsnet

The Lakers had perhaps their most dominant win of the season against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday. They concluded their eight-game Grammy road trip with a 5-3 record, which is respectable considering the teams they played and the injuries they’ve been dealing with.

What matters now is that they begin stacking wins and finish strong before the All-Star break arrives.

The Sixers enter this contest currently on a five-game winning streak. One of the reasons they’ve been playing so well is because Joel Embiid has been terrific, averaging 33.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists.

It also helps that he’s surrounded by two-time All-Star Tyrese Maxey, who has had an incredible season.

Philadelphia’s strengths are speed, athleticism, and size, all things that LA struggles to handle. Containing Maxey will be key for the Lakers in this one, as they have to make sure he doesn’t pop off. Deandre Ayton — who is expected to play more minutes due to Jaxson Hayes’ suspension — will most likely take the responsibility of defending Embiid and that will also play a role in the game’s outcome.

It’s going to be interesting to see how the Sixers — who have the league’s 14th-best defense — game plan against Luka Dončić, LeBron James and Austin Reaves. It’ll be nice to see these three take over the offense again, which will be crucial to their success on Thursday night.

Reaves being back in the lineup should also slot the role players back into their positions, like Jake LaRavia, Marcus Smart, and Gabe Vincent. This is an opportunity to see how a relatively complete Lakers team performs against a quality opponent, a day before the trade deadline.

Let’s see if they can snap the Sixers’ losing streak on Thursday.

Notes and Updates

  • For the Lakers’ injury report, Adou Thiero (right MCL sprain) and Jaxson Hayes (league suspension) are out.
  • As for the Sixers, Paul George (league suspension) is out. Joel Embiid (right knee injury management) is questionable.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.