Fans gather to watch a Cactus League game between the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, at the Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Ariz. | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Hawaiian alphabet contains a total of five vowels that are both long and short. It also contains a total of eight consonants. Hawaii’s alphabet represents all the basic sounds and phonemes in their language.
Giraffes cannot swim.
A giraffe can maintain its balance on land due to its gait. However, research has shown that this balance is ineffective in the water. This makes them one of the worst swimmers in the animal kingdom.
Australia is the only continent without an active volcano.
The nearest active volcanoes are located off the continent of Australia but are still within its territory. One is located on Head Island and the other on McDonald Islands. The reason why Australia does not have any active volcanoes located on the continent is that it isn’t on a plate boundary.
Two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference face off on Sunday when the Boston Celtics host the New York Knicks.
Jalen Brunson had one of his worst offensive performances of the season on Friday, and my Knicks vs. Celtics predictions expect a bounce-back performance from the superstar guard.
Here are my best free NBA picks for this heavyweight matinee matchup on Sunday, February 8.
Knicks vs Celtics prediction
Knicks vs Celtics best bet: Jalen Brunson Over 26.5 points (-105)
Jalen Brunson had arguably his worst offensive showing of the season on Friday as he finished with 12 points on 4 of 20 shooting. The 12 points tied his season low, not counting his five-minute game against the Sacramento Kings.
Brunson is averaging 27.1 points per game this season, and he’s scored at least 27 points in 14 of 22 road games. He also finished with 15 and 31 points in two tilts with the Boston Celtics.
This afternoon's matchup is nationally televised with one of the Eastern Conference’s best teams, and I expect Brunson to bounce back under the bright lights.
Knicks vs Celtics same-game parlay
Nikola Vucevic made his Boston debut on Friday with an 11/12/4 line across 28 minutes. He averaged 29.7 PRA over 30.8 minutes with the Bulls and averaged 35 against the New York Knicks in two matchups.
The Knicks have hit the Under in eight of their last 10, and the Celtics have hit the Under in nine of 10, including seven straight. In this clash between strong defenses, I'll take the Under on this low-scoring total.
Knicks vs Celtics SGP
Jalen Brunson Over 26.5 points
Nikola Vucevic Over 23.5 points+rebounds+assists
Under 213.5
Our "from downtown" SGP: Superstars shine
Jaylen Brown has gone for 29+ points in 30 of 47 games this season, and he's reached that mark in seven of his last 10 — including three straight.
Knicks vs Celtics SGP
Jalen Brunson Over 26.5 points
Nikola Vucevic Over 23.5 points+rebounds+assists
Under 213.5
Jaylen Brown Over 28.5 points
Knicks vs Celtics odds
Spread: Knicks +4 (-115) | Celtics -4 (-105)
Moneyline: Knicks +145 | Celtics -170
Over/Under: Over 213.5 | Under 213.5
Knicks vs Celtics betting trend to know
The Boston Celtics have hit the game total Under in 19 of their last 25 games (+12.40 Units / 45% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Knicks vs. Celtics.
How to watch Knicks vs Celtics
Location
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Date
Sunday, February 8, 2026
Tip-off
12:30 p.m. ET
TV
ABC
Knicks vs Celtics latest injuries
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ORLANDO, FL - JUNE 27: Jase Richardson #11 of the Orlando Magic and Jason Richardson pose for a portrait after their introductory press conference on June 27, 2025 at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. 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 Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Jason Richardson won the Slam Dunk Contest in his first two NBA seasons with the Golden State Warriors. Now his son will try to repeat his feat in his own rookie season.
Jase Richardson of the Orlando Magic is one of four dunkers competing for glory at this year’s Slam Dunk Contest, happening Feb. 14 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. After Jalen Duren of the Detroit Pistons pulled out of the contest due to a knee injury, the NBA tapped Miami Heat guard Keshad Johnson to replace him, along with rookie Carter Bryant of the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers center/total jerk Jaxson Hayes, who served a one-game suspension this week after cheap-shooting Washington Wizards mascot, G-Wiz.
Jaxson Hayes shoved Wizards mascot, G-Wiz, in pre-game introductions
J-Rich won the first two dunk contests he entered then fell short in 2004, when Indiana Pacers guard Fred Jones backed into the win after a disappointing final round where both competitors missed their last dunks. However, Richardson was transcendent in his first appearance in 2002, delivering the three highest-rated dunks in the contest while seamlessly duplicating a classic Dominique Wilkins windmill dunk and closing on a reserve two-handed jam.
The younger Richardson is a different type of player than his father. Jase isa five inches shorter at 6-foot-1 and he’s a three-point specialist, a skill that eventually took off for J-Rich but not until his fifth NBA season. Also, J-Rich dunked 81 times in his rookie season, while so far his son has dunked exactly four times.
That’s a weird element of this year’s contest: These guys don’t actually dunk in games. Richardson has four dunks. Bryant has dunked six times. Johnson has nine dunks, and 15 in 37 career games. Hayes dunks a lot, throwing it down 69 times this season before Saturday’s game and 67 times before Tuesday’s contest, and which of those numbers you find funniest says a lot about your age.
However, Richardson has shown an ability to get up, especially in Michigan State’s preseason dunk contest in 2024, when the freshman put on his dad’s old No. 23 jersey before throwing down a 360-degree slam.
Plus, he’s significantly shorter than all the other dunkers, which makes dunks look more impressive. How else did Nate Robinson become a three-time champion?
Dwight Howard was never the same after this.
Jase probably isn’t the best dunker among Jason Richardson’s sons. That honor goes to his younger brother Jaxon Richardson, who has won multiple dunk contests while still in high school.
Jaxon Richardson dunks over his dad. 2x NBA slam dunk champ Jason Richardson 🔥 pic.twitter.com/BpnPWhJX5l
Hey, remember when Jason Richardson won his second dunk title in 2003? We do!
Jase and Jason could become the first father-son pair to win the Slam Dunk Contest, after Larry Nance, Jr., son of 1984 dunk champ Larry Nance, fell to Donovan Mitchell in the final of the 2018 event. They’d also tie for the family dunk championships record with the Robinson’s and the McClung’s, who have three each.
The Slam Dunk Contest still struggles to attract star talent, with this group including two rookies and a guy in Johnson who was on a two-way contract six weeks ago. Mac McClung bowing out of this year’s event after three straight titles removes some star power, though he’s playing great for the Windy City Bulls — 27.9 points, 7.9 assists and 1.4 steals in his 14 games. Thursday, he signed a two-way contract with the Chicago Bulls, and it wasn’t just so the NBA could save face before All-Star Saturday!
Look, with Jimmy Butler out and Trayce Jackson-Davis and Jonathan Kuminga traded, the Warriors are down to one guy who ever dunks, Gary Payton II. But thanks to McClung’s Summer League stint with the Warriors and Richardson’s dad, Golden State could be looking at four straight dunk contests with a vaguely Warriors-adjacent champion. At this point in the 2025-26 season, Warriors fans will take any W they can.
The Buffalo Sabres will be a team to watch very closely once the NHL roster freeze lifts later this month. With the Sabres holding a playoff spot right now, it would be understandable if they looked to add to their roster ahead of the deadline.
One area the Sabres should look to improve is their defensive depth. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman recently wrote that he could see the Sabres looking to add a "beefier blueliner," specifically.
When looking at the NHL's current trade candidates, Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley certainly fits that description.
The 6-foot-7, 231-pound Stanley would undoubtedly give the Sabres more size and toughness on their blueline if acquired. The 2016 first-round pick currently has 91 hits and 97 penalty minutes in 55 games this season, so there is no question that he would provide the Sabres with more of an edge if brought in.
Yet, Stanley has also been making an impact offensively this season with the Jets, which adds to his appeal. He has already set new career highs with nine goals, nine assists, and 18 points this season, so he would have the potential to provide the Sabres' blueline with a bit more offense if brought in.
The Sabres have plenty of left-shot defenseman and would likely like to add a right-shot blueliner at the deadline. However, if Stanley and his $1.25 million cap hit could be had, he may be worth taking a flier on. He would give the Sabres another solid option for their bottom pairing if brought in.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - AUGUST 06: Jake Cronenworth #9 of the San Diego Padres is tagged out at home plate by James McCann #8 of the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning at Chase Field on August 06, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. Padres won 3-2. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Jake Cronenworth - Getty Images
Spring Training is less than a week away for the San Diego Padres and once again it will not be a normal spring in Peoria, Ariz. The time has come once again for the World Baseball Classic and for the Padres players competing for their respective countries they will have a broken Spring Training. They will start in Peoria, then move onto their respective teams, and then return at the conclusion of their WBC runs. Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball gives a breakdown of what the Friar Faithful can expect this spring. She included a comment from one of the longest tenured Padres, Jake Cronenworth, who said some of the San Diego players will report to camp ahead of their scheduled date in order to give them some time to bond prior to WBC players departing to join their teams. We have seen these odd schedules in seasons past for San Diego. All we can do as fans is hope it does not prevent the Padres from accomplishing their regular season and postseason goals, which includes winning a World Series title.
Padres News:
General manager A.J. Preller has been referred to as the “Rockstar GM” in seasons past. Padres fans are hoping he can reclaim that title with a significant move to address roster needs prior to Spring Training, but there is not overwhelming confidence it will happen. A recent Padres Reacts Survey on Gaslamp Ball found 49 percent of respondents believe Preller will make a move that has a significant impact on the season prior to Spring Training.
Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune provides readers with a breakdown of various possibilities that could take place for the Padres over the next six weeks. Some of the potential happenings listed by Acee are a new contract for Preller, a fifth starter for the rotation and the sale of the team.
Former Kansas City Royals speedster with “blazing speed” Terrance Gore dies at 34 years old. He won World Series titles with the Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves in his eight-year career.
Boston, MA - December 2: Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard dribbles against New York Knicks guard Miles McBride in the first quarter. The Celtics played the Knicks at TD Garden on December 2, 2025. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
New York Knicks (33-19) at Boston Celtics (34-18) Sunday, February 8, 2026 12:30 PM ET Regular Season Game #53 Home Game #26 TV: ABC Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, 880 ESPN, Sirius XM TD Garden
The Celtics host the New York Knicks for a very important game for the standings. A win and the Celtics are 2 games ahead of the Knicks for 2nd place in the East. A loss and the Celtics fall back to 3rd place. The Celtics won the series with the Knicks 4-0 last season.
The series is currently tied 1-1 with the Knicks winning the first game 105-95 in New York on October 24 and the Celtics winning the 2nd game 123-117 in Boston on December 2. They will play one more regular season game in New York on April 4. The Celtics are 309-191 overall, all time against the Knicks and they are 167-68 in games played in Boston.
The Celtics made several moves at the trade deadline. They traded Anfernee Simons to Chicago for Nikola Vucevic. They traded Chris Boucher to Utah for John Tonje, a two way player. They converted Amare Williams to a standard contract from two-way. They traded Josh Minott to Brooklyn and they traded Xavier Tillman to Charlotte. The Knicks traded Guershon Yabusele to Chicago for Dalen Terry, who the Knicks sent to New Orleans for Jose Alverado.
The Celtics are 2nd in the East, 4.5 games behind 1st place Detroit. They are 1 game ahead of 3rd place New York, 3 games ahead of 4th place Cleveland, 3.5 games ahead of 5th place Toronto, 4.5 games ahead of 6th place Philadelphia and 7 games ahead of 7th place Orlando. The Celtics are 23-12 against Eastern Conference opponents and 7-4 against the Atlantic Division. They are 17-8 at home and 8-2 in their last 10 games. They have won their last 5 games.
The Knicks are 3rd in the East, 5.5 games behind 1st place Detroit and 1 game behind 2nd place Boston. They are 2 games ahead of 4th place Cleveland, 2.5 games ahead of 5th place Toronto, 3.5 games ahead of 6th place Philadelphia and 6 games ahead of 7th place Orlando.. They are 22-12 against Eastern Conference opponents and 8-3 against the Atlantic Division. They are 11-13 on the road and 8-2 in their last 10 games. They lost their last game after winning 8 in a row before that loss.
This is the 2nd of 3 home games. They beat Miami in come from behind thriller in the first game and will complete the home stand against Chicago on Wednesday, which will take them into the All Star Break. After the break, they will head out on a 4 game Western road trip through Golden State, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix, and Denver.
The Knicks are playing in the second game of a 2 game road trip. They lost to Detroit on Friday, ending an 8 game win streak. After this game they will play Indiana at home and then at Philadelphia before the All Star break. After the break they will host Detroit and Houston before a 3 game road trip through Chicago, Cleveland and Milwaukee.
For the Celtics, Jayson Tatum remains out as he rehabs from the Achilles tear he suffered in last year’s playoffs against the Knicks. Sam Hauser is also listed on the injury report as questionable due to lower-back spasms. If he can’t play, I would guess that Baylor Scheierman would get the start in his place. But that’s just a guess because you never know with Joe. I’m also guessing that he once again goes with the double big lineup with Luka Garza at the four.
For the Knicks, 3 starters are questionable. Josh Hart left Friday’s loss to the Pistons and didn’t return due to a right ankle injury, and he’s questionable for this game with right ankle soreness. OG Anunoby missed Friday’s game with soreness in his right toe and is questionable for this game. Karl Anthony-Towns missed Friday’s game due to a right eye laceration and is questionable for this game. I’m guessing that all 3 will play.
Probable Starting Matchups PG: Derrick White vs Jalen Brunson
Derrick White | Getty ImagesJalen Brunson | NBAE via Getty Images
SG: Jaylen Brown vs Mikal Bridges
Jaylen Brown | NBAE via Getty ImagesMikal Bridges | NBAE via Getty Images
SF: Sam Hauser vs Josh Hart
Sam Hauser | NBAE via Getty ImagesJosh Hart | Getty Images
PF: Luka Garza vs OG Anunoby
Luka Garza | Troy Taormina-Imagn ImagesOG Anunoby | Getty Images
Celtics Reserves Payton Pritchard Hugo Gonzalez Baylor Scheierman Amare Williams Nicolas Vucevic Jordan Walsh 2-Way Players Ron Harper, Jr Max Shulga John Tonje Injuries/Out Jayson Tatum (Achilles) out
Head Coach Joe Mazzulla
Knicks Reserves Jordan Clarkson Pacome Dadiet Jose Alvarado Mohamed Diawara Tyler Kolek Mitchell Robinson Landry Shamet Ariel Hukporti
Two-Way Players Kevin McCullar, Jr Dillon Jones Trey Jemison III
Injuries/Out OG Anunoby (toe) questionable Josh Hart (ankle) questionable Karl Anthony-Towns (eye) questionable) Miles McBride (abdomen) out
Head Coach Mike Brown
Key Matchups Derrick White vs Jalen Brunson Brunson is the key to the Knicks offense and the Celtics need to defend him well. He is averaging 27.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists, while shooting 46.7% from the field and 37.3% from beyond the arc. Against the Celtics this season, he averaged 23 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 8 assists while shooting 39% from the field and 26.7% from beyond the arc. The Celtics must defend him closely, especially on the perimeter.
Neemias Queta vs Karl Anthony-Towns Towns is averaging 19.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 46.5% from the field and 35.6% from beyond the arc. In the first 2 games against the Celtics, he averaged 27.5 points, 10 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1 block while shooting 51.4% from the field and 54.5% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to box him out on the boards and defend him in the paint and on the perimeter.
Honorable Mention Jaylen Brown vs Mikal Bridges Bridges is averaging 15.7points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 50% from the field and 39.3% from beyond the arc. Against Celtics this season, he averaged 23.5 points, 6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2 steals while shooting 63% from the field and 62.5% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to be aware of his presence on defense as he is very good at getting steals and blocks and they need to stay with him on defense.
Keys to the Game Defense – As always, defense is the key to winning this, and every, game. The Celtics are 9th with a defensive rating of 112.5. The Knicks are 13th with a defensive rating of 113.4. The Celtics defense has been up and down, at times locking down their opponents and at other times allowing them to score at will but recently have been playing much better defense overall. The Celtics must make defense a priority if they hope to win this game.
Rebound – As with defense, rebounding will always be a key to winning.The Celtics have to crash the boards as a team and go after every rebound. The Celtics are 9th with 45.4 rebounds per game while the Knicks are 4th with 46.3 rebounds per game. In the loss to the Knicks this season, the Celtics were out-rebounded 53-37 but in the win over the Knicks, they out-rebounded them 38-33. The Knicks are 5th with 16.7 second chance points per game. The Celtics must give extra effort to beat the Knicks to rebounds in this game.
3 Point Shots – When the Celtics make their 3’s they are tough to beat but when the 3’s aren’t falling, the game gets really ugly. The Celtics are 2nd in the league, taking 42.4 threes per game. The Knicks are 9th with 39.7 threes a game. Although the Celtics are 2nd in 3 pointers attempted, they are 10th, shooting 36.5% from beyond the arc. The Knicks are 3rd, shooting 37.8% from beyond the arc. The key is simple. The Celtics must make their threes and they have to defend the perimeter well to keep the Knicks from making theirs. And, if the 3’s aren’t falling, they need to get into the paint until they are falling. Effort and Focus for 48 Minutes– The Celtics have to play with extra effort overall for all 4 quarters. In most of their losses and even in some of their wins, they have allowed their opponents to play with more energy than them for periods of time during the game. They play well for stretches but let up and allow their opponents to surge ahead. The Knicks play hard and the Celtics must match that effort and they need to stay focused on playing the right way.
X-Factors Home Game – The Celtics need to take advantage of home court and the boost their fans can give them. The Knicks will face a hostile crowd and an unfamiliar arena along with travel which will hopefully give the Celtics the edge. If the Knicks have shown one crack in their armor, it is playing on the road. They are just 11-13 on the road. The Celtics need to play hard and with focus and take advantage of playing at home.
Officiating – Officiating always has the potential to be an x-factor. Each officiating crew calls the game differently. Some refs call it tight and constantly call fouls while others let them play with few fouls called. Some refs just make terrible head-scratching calls. The Celtics need to adjust to how the refs are calling the game and not allow bad calls or no calls to take away their focus.
The Knicks lost a big piece in their rotation on Thursday, as reserve point guard Miles McBride is officially set to miss the next four-to-six weeks following surgery for a core muscle injury.
Losing McBride is a huge blow to New York’s second unit.
It didn’t take them long to find his replacement, though, as they acquired scrappy point guard Jose Alvarado in a deal with the New Orleans Pelicans ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
Alvarado is a high-energy player, who should slide into McBride’s place perfectly.
While he won’t light up the score sheet on a nightly basis, the Christ the Kings product is a tenacious defender who should fit in perfectly with the rowdy MSG crowd.
Head coach Mike Brown is excited about what he can add to this lineup.
“He brings a level of toughness to this team, his energy is unmatched,” Brown said. “What he can do defensively in the full court and even in the front court with the ball especially on the pick-and-rolls and stuff, is at a pretty high level.
“He shoots it better than people think, too. We want to play fast and we believe he's a guy who will come in and push the pace, get into our offense, and all of that because he’s quick and has a low center of gravity -- excited to have him.”
Alvarado averaged 7.9 points and 3.1 assists over 21.9 minutes in 41 games with the Pelicans this season.
He wasn’t with the Knicks yet for Friday’s blowout loss in Detroit, but has officially been cleared to make his orange and blue debut Sunday afternoon against the Celtics.
The 27-year-old could be in line for an extended role out of the gate if the Knicks remain very shorthanded.
McBride is sidelined following surgery, and Josh Hart (ankle), Karl-Anthony Towns (eye laceration), and OG Anunoby (toe) are all listed as questionable heading in.
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 05: Tyler Heineman #55 of the Toronto Blue Jays looks on from the dugout during Game Two of the American League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Sunday, October 5, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Tyler Heineman is a 34-year-old journeyman catcher. He’s 35 in June, so it will go down as his age 35 season
He’s played parts of six seasons in the majors. His 174 PA in 2025, tied his career high. Also, his .289 batting average was a career high, as well as the 3 home runs.
He had a 1.9 bWAR, giving him a 2.6 career number.
Tyler had a terrific start to the season, he had high water mark of a 429/.441/.625 batting line on June 9th, which slowly dropped to .289/.361/416 by season’s end, which is still pretty great for a backup catcher. He didn’t do well over the last two months, hitting .170/.264/.191 from August first to the end of the season.
I thought his defense was terrific. Baseball Savant has him at an 88th percentile for blocks above average, 81st percentile for caught stealing above average, 84th percentile for framing and 80th percentile for pop time. There were very few complaints about his work behind the plate.
And our pitchers seemed to like pitching to him. The Blue Jays pitchers had a 3.54 ERA with Tyler behind the plate. They had a 4.34 ERA with Kirk behind the plate. It might have been luck, I like Kirk’s pitch calling a lot, but I’ll be curious to see if Heineman has an edge again next year.
My wife would like to tell you that Heineman has an edge on Kirk with his shirt off, too.
Heineman is out of options, so he can’t be sent down to the minors, not that I think it is likely the club would want to send him out.
I wonder how often a waiver pickup has posted a 1.9 bWAR the next season. I’d guess that he won’t have a number that high again, but you never know. His defense is great and, this year, his bat looked good.
The Jays and Heineman avoided having to go in front of the arbitrator, with him signing a $1.2375 million contract for the 2026. I’m glad for him. I think Ross or Mark or whatever scout thought that Tyler would be a good pickup deserves a prize of some sort. Or a DQ Blizzard.
Steamer projects that Tyler will appear in only 25 games, hitting .226/.305/.331 with 2 home runs in 99 PA. I don’t know. I don’t see anyone taking the backup catcher job from him (at least not in the organization right now), and starting catchers don’t play 120 games anymore, so I’d take the over on the games played.
England were given a major scare at the beginning of their Men’s T20 World Cup campaign, but Sam Curran held his nerve to deliver a four-run win over minnows Nepal at a raucous Wankhede Stadium.
With Nepal needing 10 from the final over to secure a famous victory in the first-ever meeting between the two sides, Curran nailed his lines and lengths to get England out of jail in a breathless contest.
The Chicago Blackhawks conversation took a spin on Friday, thanks to some new information revealed regarding the first-round pick they received from the Florida Panthers in the Seth Jones trade.
It was initially believed that the pick was top-ten protected, but Friday’s news confirmed it to be a pick that would stick with Florida if they earned a selection in the top ten.
If Florida were to keep the pick, the 2026 first would then slide to 2027. The 2027 pick that Florida gave to the Boston Bruins in the Brad Marchand trade would also slide one year later in 2028.
When the trade was first made, nobody actually thought the Panthers would be in the mix for a finish that low in the 2025-26 standings, but injuries have derailed their season. Entering the Olympic break, they are sitting with the 10th-worst record in the NHL.
Can the Panthers get healthy during the time away and go on a run once club play resumes? Of course they can. In the last four seasons, they have gone President’s Trophy, been Stanley Cup runners-up, and won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. It’s a super-elite organization right now, dealing with the consequences of lots of deep runs.
The news of the draft pick being top-ten protected does not diminish the trade that the Blackhawks made as a whole. For one, Seth Jones didn’t want to be there anymore. He very publicly asked to be moved out before the 2025 trade deadline.
For a player who was checked out, the Blackhawks got a first-round pick and Spencer Knight. With Knight, the team landed a young goalie who can be a number one in the NHL for a decade. With his talent and being a former first-round pick himself, Knight’s prime may see him as a top-ten goalie in contention for the Vezina Trophy every year.
With Spencer Knight alone for a player who wanted out, the Blackhawks won. A first-round pick, whether it’s in 2026 or 2027, is just a bonus. The pick in 2027 is unprotected, but Florida may be back to full strength by then. As far as that goes, rooting for them to finish 11th in a deep 2026 draft is likely the best-case scenario for Chicago.
If the Blackhawks do eventually return to NHL prominence, turning a disgruntled player into the goalie of the future will always be remembered as a win. Now, it’s on Kyle Davidson and his scouting team to turn whatever the draft pick becomes into a contributor.
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Rob Pelinka, the Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager, had high praise for Luke Kennard, the NBA team’s newest acquisition.
“Clearly, right now, he’s the game’s best shooter,” Pelinka said to a handful of reporters before Kennard made his Lakers debut in Saturday’s matchup against the Warriors. “When you get to add the best shooter in the game to your group at the deadline, it’s a great opportunity. So, we seized it.”
Luke Kennard #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers arrives to the arena before the game against the Golden State Warriors on February 7, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NBAE via Getty Images
Statistically, Pelinka is right. Kennard was shooting 49.7% from beyond the arc this season entering Saturday to lead the NBA.
And for a team that’s struggled with its outside shooting for most of the season, shooting 34.9% from beyond the arc (No. 21 in the league entering Saturday), Kennard will fill a need.
“We just felt like the gravity and space he could create for the group with LeBron (James), or with Luka (Doncic), or Austin (Reaves), just being a reliable guy that could create space, hit big shots in big games and really help us on a playoff run.
“We’ve really been hopeful to see our big three on the court at the same time in terms of Austin Reaves, Luka and LeBron, and we’ve just had limited reps of that,” Pelinka said. “So we’ll be excited when we get that and see what that group could do because we feel like there’s some power in those three players playing together. We felt like adding Luke when those three guys are on the court would actually be really helpful. Just to create some optionality with different lineups, like an all-shooting lineup with Rui (Hachimura) and Luke, and maybe those three guys if you decide to go small in a playoff series.”
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By trading Gabe Vincent and their 2032 second-round pick for Kennard ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, the Lakers maintained their “optionality” for the offseason.
The Lakers can trade three of their first-round draft picks (2026, 2031 and 2033).
They’ll also have five players who’ll become unrestricted free agents in the summer after their contracts expire (James, Hachimura, Kennard, Maxi Kleber and Jaxson Hayes).
The Lakers also have three players with player options for 2026-27 (Reaves, Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart), potentially creating significant cap flexibility for the franchise.
Rob Pelinka, speaking to a handful of beat reporters, on the Lakers' acquisition of Luke Kennard: "I think clearly, right now, he's the game's best shooter. When you get to add the best shooter in the game to your group at the deadline, it's a great opportunity. So, we seized… pic.twitter.com/U6SLT5Ehq6
“It’s clear for all the teams in the league that this dual-apron system is harsh and strict,” Pelinka said. “We felt like creating optionality or having optionality now is really a positive thing for us this coming offseason. Because there’s some teams that maybe have gotten too deep into the aprons. And I think players, we see around the league, become available when teams get in that position. So, whether it’s through free agency, whether it’s keeping our own players, whether it’s looking around the league for players that are really good that maybe teams are trying to get off salary, we feel like there’ll be so many different ways to complete our roster in the offseason.”
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) handles the ball against Atlanta Hawks guard Luke Kennard (4) in the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Memphis, Tenn. AP
Pelinka said the team was “aggressive” ahead of the trade deadline.
“And one form of being aggressive is saying no to moves that come your way that might not be best for the short- and long-term future,” he said. “Because it’s hard to say no sometimes to getting a good player that could be a quick short-term fix but could have implications for the long term where it doesn’t fit into the overall vision you have for the team.
“We were very aggressive. We worked incredibly hard. We evaluated numerous things.”
Pelinka reiterated his belief in the current group’s ability to contend for an NBA title. The Lakers entered Saturday with a 31-19 record despite Doncic, James and Reaves playing alongside each other in only 10 games so far this season.
“We believe in the power of this group,” Pelinka said. “We want to see what this team can do with the rest of the season. I wouldn’t underestimate the power of what a group of brothers can do when they come together for a playoff run. We feel like we have a really good roster, and we want to get healthy and make a run, and that will help us evaluate end-of-the-season stuff, too. We haven’t made any decisions about any of that prematurely.”
LOS ANGELES — In his first media availability with reporters since the sale of the majority ownership of the Lakers from the Buss family to Mark Walter, the franchise’s president of basketball operations/general manager Rob Pelinka acknowledged there will be an expansion of the organization’s front office personnel.
And he mentioned that he and Jeanie Buss, the franchise’s governor and former majority owner, will lead the process in additions to come.
“When Mark bought the team, Jeanie and I did a deep dive with him on sort of the areas he wants to grow, move into and get aggressive,” Pelinka said to a handful of beat reporters ahead of Saturday’s home game against the Golden State Warriors. “And again, looking at the Dodgers and how they built it out has been a great sort of example and North Star. And so we’re still going through that process of how we’ll look in the offseason and what additions we’ll make. But there will be some positive changes and we will build things out, again, led by myself and Jeanie, and with Mark’s support.”
Walter, who’s also the majority of the Dodgers, agreed to terms to buy a majority stake of the Lakers last summer and officially became the majority owner in late October.
The Dodgers have appeared in five World Series and won three, including being reigning back-to-back champions, since Walter and the Guggenheim Baseball Management group Walter leads purchased the franchise in 2012.
“Mark Walter establishes an incredible standard of excellence and he has been really enjoyable to collaborate with,” Pelinka said. “Jeanie and I have had several amazing conversations with him and keep him informed on all the details. And so the three of us are working really, really strongly and well together. And it’s also been great to have sort of outside allies and advocates.
“Looking at the Dodgers and the success they’ve had and what they’ve built over there, and being able to tap into a person like [Dodgers president of baseball operations] Andrew Friedman for best practices. He’s so incredibly smart and has done such an amazing job bringing championships to the Dodgers. To have like another head of another team that you can – whether it’s a roster move, whether it’s a staff move – just someone that you can talk to has been an incredible resource.”
As part of the sale, Buss will remain the Lakers governor for “at least five years”, according to the NBA.
Pelinka and coach JJ Redick also received contract extensions in 2025 before the sale was official, with Pelinka being promoted from vice president of basketball operations to president. Redick’s extension keeps him under contract with the Lakers through the 2029-30 season.
The Lakers made several front office/scouting terminations earlier in the season, including firing Joey and Jesse Buss, Jeanie’s younger siblings. In addition to having ownership stakes in the franchise, Joey Buss was the organization’s vice president of research and development, while Jesse was an assistant general manager and director of scouting.
Friedman and Farhan Zaidi, with the latter being the Dodgers former general manager and current special advisor, began advisory roles with the Lakers in the fall.
“Just their draft process and sort of how they’ve established their farm system is amazing,” Pelinka said of how the Lakers can learn from the Dodgers’ success. “There’s best practices in that as we evolve and get better going forward in those areas. And then just the way they’ve sort of built out their front office, how deep it is. There is no expense they’ll spare in being the best sort of front office in the world. And you could just see that in the way they operate. And we’ve done a really good job here, Jeanie’s been incredibly supportive, but I think now we’ll have an opportunity just with extra resources that Mark brings to build it out and become even better. So that’s going to be an exciting thing for us in the offseason that Jeanie and I will lead. And we’re excited about that.”
In addition to the new ownership change, Pelinka also addressed the addition of Luke Kennard ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, calling Kennard, “the game’s best shooter.”
With the Lakers having one standard roster spot open, they can sign a free agent or convert one of their two-way players to a standard contract.
“We are in sort of active conversations with some players that are available now, doing our due diligence,” Pelinka said. “Players down the road could come in through the buyout market. So we are evaluating that 15th roster spot and at some point probably will likely fill it.”
Jun 2, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second base Nolan Gorman (16) celebrates his home run with shortstop Masyn Winn (0) against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
It happened. It stinks, but it happened. The St. Louis Cardinals are in full rebuild (as evidenced by FanDuel’s 69.5 win total), but that reality has sunk in enough that fans seem to embrace the idea of growing pains with the young, but talented roster.
With the trade of Brendan Donovan, who it looked like was going to be heading to Jupiter with the team before the three-team deal with the Mariners, the Cardinals projected starting lineup has a total of three hitters over the age of 27, with one of them being the oft and currently injured Lars Nootbaar. That leaves Alec Burleson and Pedro Pages as the elders of the clubhouse as the team searches for their next leader on and off the field. Burly and Pages both have just over three years of MLB experience, so the team that we see taking the field at Busch next year will likely be learning the big league game together. Now that Donnie is in Seattle and the roster is complete outside of the rumored righty power outfielder, it seems like a fair time to see how that trade impacts the lineup to start the 2026 season. In case you missed it, I had Redbird Farmhands and Aidan Gray from Redbirds on the Arch, as well as Tampa Bay Rays contributor Roman Rodriguez on my podcast to discuss the trade from those sides.
Who’s on second? And third? And DHing? And playing the outfield? All questions the Cardinals must answer in 2026
According to FanGraphs, the starting nine for the Cardinals are 28-years-old or under, with Lars Nootbaar being the eldest of the group. The outfielder’s health is a problem of its own, but I guess until we hear any update on his health, we have to trust Bloom and expect that Noot will be healthy and at the top of the order. Interestingly, this FanGraphs projection also points out how the entire lineup consists of homegrown talent, with five of the nine starters being selected in the first and second round. For as much grief as Mozeliak gets, that entire projected lineup was acquired during his reign, and its not like these players are bottom of the barrel major leaguers. The vast majority of them, if not all, would be likely find a major league taker if the Cardinals were to simply cut these players loose like certain Cardinals “fan” social media accounts imply.
So with the departures of lineup fixtures Brendan Donovan and Willson Contreras, what does the Cardinals Opening Day lineup look like as of early February? This is probably easier to predict the players involved than it is to guess the starting five in the rotation at this moment, but the order in which these players hit is likely to be up for conversation for much of the season’s first half. The FanGraphs projection has Pedro Pages starting at catcher with Ivan Herrera at DH. While I think this could be a real possibility at some point during the year, I think it is more likely that Oli Marmol will stick to his word and allow Herrera the chance to start 3-4 times per week at the start of the season.
The other defensive question comes at second and third base, with each of Nolan Gorman and Rookie of the Year co-favorite JJ Wetherholt as the likeliest outcomes at those spots. Where they spend most of their time will again be a talking point, but it seems like Wetherholt has been spending most of his time, as well as being most comfortable, at second base. Hopefully, the Cardinals will not want to tweak with position alignment too much in Wetherholt’s rookie season, as we have seen what learning new positions in the bigs as well as adjusting to major league pitching at the same time can do to the beginning of a career. Because of this, Gorman will probably switch back to his natural spot at the hot corner, despite below-average marks there after bouncing back to third base at times last season.
Speaking of positions, I get irked at times when people just suggest that so and so should try the outfield or first base. While it is likely that these high level athletes can handle it, I see too many suggestions in-season for someone like Herrera to “try first base” while having a total of six appearances at any level at the position. I do believe that he is athletic enough to figure out how to play first, or even be a potential fit in the outfield, but again, we need to remain focused on one thing at a time and right now, I see that primary focus as offensive production for basically every person in the order.
The adoption of the designated hitter by the NL on a full-time basis was one I was against for the majority of my baseball life, but as I got older and the game changed, whether we like it or not, getting rid of pitchers (like myself) at the plate made the most sense for the league. What I have found interesting, though, is that the days of the big, beefy, bomber at DH seems to be gone and the NL has been slower to adopt to the DH spot being a position for homers and/or extending careers of those power hitters. According to FanGraphs sortable DH data from 2022 through the 2025 season, nine of the top 15 teams are AL teams when sorted by offensive value, because somehow defensive value is a DH measure available on the site.
Of the six NL teams cracking the top half, all six have been in the playoffs since the adoption of the DH, but the drop off in value from the top five to the next 10 is exponentially greater. For example, the Phillies rank 4th with a 131.2 value, while the Cardinals come in at 13th with a 32.1 value. The other three at the top are Yankees (261.6), Dodgers (171.6), and Astros (143.1). The Cardinals have not settled on one player being the everyday DH, typically using a rotation for players to get half days off. Personally, I think that they could have (the options are limited now), used the DH spot to invest in a Kyle Schwarber-lite and find someone who can hit 30+ homers to actually inject some life into the lineup while not blocking youngsters on the defensive side.
Back to the lineup. With Donnie gone, we can change our pencil to erasable pen that Wetherholt will be ticketed for St. Louis out of Spring Training. I fully expect him to break camp with the team, but I also want to be fair to him, the organization, and make sure to not get too far ahead like we did for Walker, Scott, Carlson, and so on, and so on…
The leadoff spot will be up for grabs if Nootbaar is not ready for the opener, and the in-house options look like Masyn Winn and Victor Scott II as the table setter. VSII has the gamebreaking speed to cause chaos, as long as he can fine tune his approach to get on base more often in 2026. He has spent nearly his entire major league career sitting in the ninth spot, the other, and potentially more likely outcome for Scott. Winn has been the leadoff man in 112 of his 316 games, with 62 games in the second spot, and another 61 hitting ninth. So far, hitting first has been a struggle for Winn due to his aggressiveness at the plate, but his refined approach, maturity, and health could make him an electric player to start the offense for the Cardinals. He has shown more patience in the minors, but asking for a walk rate approaching 10% may be a difficult task for Winn, and I would personally rather have him swing away than be passive at the plate because I believe he has some more power and speed potential that he is still hoping to unlock. I did see Wetherholt mentioned as possible in the comments, but I would be surprised if his debut season was spent at the top of the order until he proves himself at the big league level.
Two through four are going to be the engine of the order, just like most quality teams. In some order, I would expect Ivan Herrera, Alec Burleson, and then my pick to click for this year, Nolan Gorman. I understand those that have jumped off the Gorm train years ago, as I have been close, but I think this year is truly the season the organization learns who he will be. Yes, Gorman has the second-most career at-bats on the roster, but those 1500+ appearances have been unevenly spread over four strange seasons for the infielder. The pop is there in potential for all three of these middle of the order players, but we have yet to see sustained power numbers that could make the trio push for 90+ homers on the year. If we can approach that (75-80 this year), much of my offseason negativity towards the lack of home runs the Cardinals have had in their lineup for much of the 2020s, where they are 21st in homers and 16th in slug.
The bottom-third of the order is where we will probably have to wait and see Wetherholt, and with Marmol’s desire to go lefty/righty, his spot could be determined by wherever Burleson and Gorman end up. If Burly or Gorm end up hitting fourth over Herrera, we could see Wetherholt pushed down to sixth for whoever fills the DH spot, assuming Herrera is slotting in behind the plate. The lack of answer at DH could be a reason why Marmol would hesitate to start the Panamanian at catcher regularly, especially with Pedro Pages available to handle the pitching staff albeit with a needed progression on offense. That will be a probable outcome when Herrera needs a day or struggles defensively, but until then, we might see a mix of Gorman, Thomas Saggese, and Jose Fermin mixing in as the full-time hitter. Both Saggese and Fermin offer positional versatility, so they could also give Gorm and/or Wetherholt a needed day in the field and swap spots. Neither player, though, possesses the power potential expected from a DH, but both profile strong enough offensively to work their way into regular at-bats in this season of evaluation.
If Noot is healthy, this is also where Masyn Winn can slot in. As a six or seven hitter, Winn could find a way to tap into his offensive potential if the guys in front of him do their job. There will absolutely be extended period of lineup growing pains this season, but from watching the team nearly everyday, I feel like the lineup could be an underrated part of the Cardinals, while understanding that the low expectations is due to the overall lack of experience and production to this point. I believe, that a year of seasoning for the other nine in the lineup around Wetherholt, we have the potential of seeing leaps across the order, including who I see hitting eighth in Jordan Walker.
Had Bloom made good on his wishlist of wanting a power righty in the outfield, that could have spelled more trouble for Walker than Noot or Scott. As things stand, though, everyday right fielder makes the most sense, like it or not, for Walker and the Cardinals. Because of his mismanagement to start his career, Walker has just one minor league option season remaining and I would be shocked if the Cardinals burned that option in a year meant for runway and opportunity. As is the case in most offseasons, we have heard positive reviews on Walker’s work ethic and his positivity that he is going to turn a corner in 2026. If he is able to match the ZiPS projections set for him by Dan Szymborski, Walker would put up a .232 batting average with 14 homers and a much reduced K-rate. According to the site, this would put Walker at an 88 wRC+ for the season, still below-average but a massive jump from his bummer 66 wRC+ he put up last season. That type of production, along with gains in the stolen base and fielding departments, would do well for Walker’s confidence and future in the league.
The rest of the lineup could set up Victor Scott II in the nine hole, unless he gets a shot to prove his value at the top of the order sans Noot. We have heard about the adjustments he has made to his offensive approach, and hopefully those show up in the box score. Scott has set his goal at 70 stolen bases this season, but he needs to find ways to get on base more consistently for that to happen. With him hitting ninth with a walk or single having the potential to turn into a double really quickly, his presence anywhere in the order could do a lot to get the offense moving.
At this point, the starting nine looks mostly set with defensive alignment and slots in the order left to be settled upon. Heading into Spring Training, I admit that I’ll be more focused on the games than I have in the past with a lineup that had veterans entrenched into positions or a roster without much turnover. The pitching may be the ultimate competition in Jupiter, but the lineup construction will be an extensive story that likely won’t be settled upon when the team heads north.
SELF PROMO OF THE WEEK
I already linked the Cardinals on My Time where I spoke with the fellas from Redbirds on the Arch and Roman, the Tampa Bay Rays contributor. For those that followed COMT on your podcast platform of choice, I have merged with Redbird Rundown so all future pods will be posted there. Link to RR Spotify.
This week’s Random Cardinal of the Week featured the pitcher who threw the last no-hitter for St. Louis. I know this audience knows that without researching, but he is pretty random.
Finally, Redbird Rundown discussed the Donovan trade, Cardinals TV (where I go off on National broadcasts and MLB layoffs), and a short segment during February pointing out lesser known Black Cardinals during Black History Month. This goes live at 6pm on YouTube and audio.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 28: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves runs to first base after hitting a two-run homer to score himself and Matt Olson in the first inning of a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Truist Park on September 28, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There is some video out there of Ronald Acuña playing second base. There’s also footage of Acuña crushing a pitch while swinging left handed. How bananas would it be to see him play 162 games as a switch-hitting second baseman? Ivan ran the numbers, and he said that he would be worth approximately 3700 WAR doing that in 2026. Honestly, right field and designated hitter is fine, Ronnie. Please take care of that lower body.
Spring Training is the time of year to see players trying out some different things. So which Braves players will play out of position this Spring? I would be curious to see Eli White playing some second base. I don’t think they see him as an infielder, but he might have to play there to make it as the last or second to last guy on the bench. There might be some center field in the future for John Gil. I don’t if we’ll see it this early in his career, though.
