Worldwide Sports News

A decimated Los Angeles Lakers squad was blown out by the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, Jan. 17. It was an uphill battle from the beginning as L.A. was without Luka Dončić, Deandre Ayton, Jaxson Hayes, Austin Reaves and Adou Thiero. The Lakers also took some hits to Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia in-game, throwing their statuses for the second half of a back-to-back against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, Jan. 18 in doubt – at least initially.

Adding to the laundry list of question marks, LeBron James is expected to be a game-time decision, as is to be the case with every back-to-back going forward.

The Lakers are getting some much-needed relief on Sunday, with both Ayton and Hayes expected to back on the court. It also appears as though they've dodged a bullet as neither Smart or LaRavia were listed on the injury report.

That leaves the two biggest questions that likely won't be definitively answered until we get closer to tip-off: Will Dončić and James take the court vs. the Raptors?

Here's everything you need to know about the status of the two Lakers stars:

CLIPPERS: Kawhi Leonard out at least two more games with knee issue

Is Luka Doncic playing tonight vs. Raptors?

Dončić is questionable to play with left groin soreness, according to the latest NBA injury report released at 5:30 p.m. ET. He originally told reporters on Jan. 12 he "felt something" in his groin/inner thigh area during pregame warmups, but he ended up playing through both games of the Lakers' back-to-back early last week.

Dončić also played in Thursday's loss to the Charlotte Hornets, scoring 39 points before sitting out on Saturday.

Is LeBron James playing tonight?

James is also listed as questionable for Sunday night's games, which is to be expected after the 41-year-old said as much to reporters a week ago.

“I’m 41 years old. Every back to back for the rest of the season is TBD.”

LeBron James makes one thing certain — he is TBD for all back-to-back games in his 23rd NBA season 😭

pic.twitter.com/cUMeGVK9Jj

— DraftKings (@DraftKings) January 7, 2026

James did play in the Lakers' most recent back-to-back on January 12 and 13, logging 33 minutes in each and coming up just one rebound shy of a 31-point triple-double in a 141-116 blowout win over the Hawks.

In Saturday night's loss to the Trail Blazers, James scored 20 points and led the team in assists and rebounds with nine and eight, respectively.

Lakers injuries

Ayton and Hayes both did not play on Saturday, leaving the door open for Drew Timme to see extended minutes at center. Smart limped off the court following a collision midway through the fourth quarter, but he was not listed on Sunday's injury report. Both Ayton and Hayes are also expected to return against Toronto.

The only other names on the Lakers injury report ahead of the game are Reaves (left calf strain) and Thiero (right MCL sprain), who have both missed extended time and are expected to be re-evaluated towards the end of the month.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LeBron James, Luka Doncic injury update for Lakers vs Raptors tonight

It’s the second half of a home-and-home. The Nets (12-27) are looking for a rare road win to sweep the mini-series, but the tanking crowd is eyeing those lottery balls. Chicago (19-22) is desperate to get back to .500 and stop a four-game slide.

🏀 Game Info

• Tip: 7:00 PM ET
• TV: YES Network | Gotham Sports App
• Radio: 101.9 FM / 660 AM WFAN

---

⚠️ Injury Report

Nets:

• Michael Porter Jr. (OUT – Rest)
• Drake Powell (OUT – Left Knee Injury Management)
• Ziaire Williams (OUT – Return to Competition Reconditioning)
• Haywood Highsmith (OUT – Right Knee Surgery Recovery)
• Ben Saraf (OUT – G League Assignment)
• Tyson Etienne / Chaney Johnson / E.J. Liddell (OUT – Two-Way)

Bulls:

• Josh Giddey (Doubtful)
• Patrick Williams (Questionable),
• Zach Collins (Out)

---

💬 Discussion

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

Houston Rockets vs. New Orleans Pelicans

January 18, 2026

Location: Toyota Center — Houston, Texas

TV: Space City Home Network

Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790

Online: Rockets App, SCHN+

Time: 6pm CST

Probable Starting Lineups

Rockets: Amen Thompson, Josh Okogie, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun

Pelicans: Jeremiah Fears, Trey Murphy III, Saddiq Bey, Zion Williamson, Derik Queen

Unlike their last back-to-back, this one could actually have matchups factored into decisions here.

The Sixers released their injury report ahead of their home contest against the Indiana Pacers Monday. Nothing on it is too shocking with Joel Embiid and Paul George both listed as questionable with left knee injury management.

Despite it being a downgrade, both have been listed as probable for the past several games, this just boils down to this Pacers matchup being the front end of a back-to-back as they’re set to take on the Phoenix Suns Tuesday at home as well.

The two of them have both played in nine of Philly’s last 10 games, the only one missed also being a back-to-back last week in Toronto. Both of those legs were against the Raptors, so it didn’t really matter which one of the two they sat out. With the Suns being a notably tougher matchup than the 10-win Pacers, there’s actually a decision to make there if George and Embiid can only be available for one of those games.

Neither of the two have played both games of a back-to-back this season, but it’s worth noting that George was a very late scratch in that first game against the Raptors. Perhaps playing in both legs may be something he’s looking to do soon.

After being assigned to the G-League over the weekend, Jared McCain is listed as doubtful. Funnily enough, it was the Pacers G-League affiliate, the Noblesville Bloom, McCain played against in his first game with the Blue Coats since being sent down again. He didn’t exactly light the world on fire either, going for 15 points on 18 shots in six turnovers playing 30 minutes in a Coats loss.

Jared McCain played 30 minutes in the Delaware Blue Coats' 126-102 road loss against the Noblesville Boom. His line:

15 points (5-18 FG, 2-9 3P, 2-2 FT), 5 rebounds, 0 assists, 6 turnovers.

— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) January 18, 2026

The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder have been by far the most impressive team this season. Their +14 net rating is over five points better than their closest competitor. It’s why they started the season on a 70-win pace.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, on the other hand, have been one of the most disappointing teams this season. They’ve taken a noticeable step back from where they were last year, as they’ve already surpassed their loss total for all of last season.

Despite how differently things have gone for both the Cavs and Thunder, they enter this game playing at a pretty similar level.

Oklahoma City has cooled off dramatically in recent weeks. They’ve lost three of their last eight and dropped their previous outing to the Miami Heat. Their offense has struggled recently, as they have the 14th-ranked offense over the past two weeks.

The Cavs are heating up. They’ve won three out of four with impressive wins over the Minnesota Timberwolves and two straight good showings against the Philadelphia 76ers. Cleveland’s offense is also coming into form as they’ve posted the fourth-best offensive rating over the last two weeks (120.4). Things are starting to look up.

This game should provide a good measuring stick for where the Cavs are right now, even though both will be without key starters. The Thunder will be without Jalen Williams, and the Cavs will be without Darius Garland.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (24-19) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (35-8)

Where: Rocket Arena – Cleveland, OH

When: Monday, Jan. 19 at 2:30 PM

TV: NBC, Peacock

Point spread: Thunder -6.5

Cavs injury report: Darius Garland – OUT (toe), Sam Merrill – OUT (hand), Dean Wade – PROBABLE (knee), Max Strus – OUT (foot), Chris Livingston – OUT (G League), Luke Travers – OUT (G League)

Thunder injury report: Jalen Williams – OUT (hamstring), Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (right soleus), Thomas Sorber – OUT (ACL), Nikola Topic – OUT (surgical recovery), Brooks Barnhizer – DOUBTFUL (G League)

Cavs expectedstarting lineup: Craig Porter Jr., Donovan Mitchell, Jaylon Tyson, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Thunder expected starting lineup: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, Lu Dort, Jaylin Williams, Chet Holmgren

Previous matchup: The Thunder defeated the Cavs by 20 a year ago.

Here’s a look at both teams’ impact stats via Cleaning the Glass.

	Offensive Rating	Defensive Rating	Net Rating
Cavs	117.8 (8th)	115 (14th)	+2.8 (11th)
Thunder	120 (5th)	106 (1st)	+14 (1st)

CHAMPAGNE, Ill. (AP) — Berry Wallace scored a career-high 29 points, 12 in the fourth quarter, and No. 25 Illinois held off a fourth-quarter rally to defeat Northwestern 74-71 on Sunday.

Illinois took the lead for good with 2 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter and led 58-51 heading to the fourth. Although Illinois remained in front, Northwestern cut it to one on a 3-pointer by Xamiya Walton with seven minutes to go and again on a layup by Casey Harter with 2:15 remaining.

At that point, Wallace scored in the paint for a 73-70 lead, then Tayla Thomas hit one free throw to get Northwestern within 73-71. Both teams came up empty on their next two possessions before Cearah Parchment made a free throw for a 74-71 lead with nine seconds left. Northwestern's Caroline Lau missed a potential tying 3-pointer with one second left.

Parchment had 10 points and 11 rebounds for the fourth double-double of her freshman season. Aaliyah Guyton had 13 points for the Illini (15-4, 5-3 Big Ten).

Grace Sullivan scored 21 points, Walton 19, Harter 13 and Lau 12 for Northwestern (8-11, 2-6). The rest of the Wildcats managed six points — all by Thomas.

There were four ties and seven lead changes in the first half. Illinois scored the last 12 points of the second quarter to erase a five-point deficit and the Illini led 40-33 at halftime.

Illinois outscored the Wildcats 11-2 in a 3 1/2-minute stretch of the third quarter, building a 58-43 lead. Three-pointers by Harter and Walton helped Northwestern get within 58-51 heading to the fourth.

There were only 13 turnovers in the game, five by Northwestern and eight by Illinois.

Illinois was won seven straight in the series after losing the previous 14.

Up next

Illinois: The Illini play Saturday at No. 24 Nebraska.

Northwestern: The Wildcats host No. 3 UCLA next Sunday.

___

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.

For the last two months, there has been a song looping in my head whenever Jalen Green comes up. Richard Marx, softly crooning in the background, whispering a promise into the void.

Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you

I have been right here waiting. And I hope my heart don’t break. It feels painfully appropriate at this point, equal parts hope, patience, and checking the injury report daily.

We know we are getting close. Suns head coach Jordan Ott said yesterday that Jalen Green got in another five-on-five run after morning shootaround. “Everything seemed to be good,” Coach Ott stated. “So we’ll see. Still going in the right direction.”

That is the kind of update that makes you sit up a little straighter. Not fireworks. Not a declaration. But enough to tell you the wheels are turning, and the return is no longer theoretical.

So…will Green suit up in Brooklyn on Monday night? Questionable.

Jalen Greeb is QUESTIONABLE to play tomorrow against the Nets.

Green last played on November 8. pic.twitter.com/ESbnP8ju83

— Bright Side of the Sun (@BrightSideSun) January 18, 2026

The last time we saw him was on November 8 against the Clippers. He made it 6:48 into that game, but was then gone in the first quarter after re-aggravating the hamstring that already cost him the first 8 games of the season. It felt cruel. It also felt very Suns.

Before that night, Green had played in 192 consecutive games, playoffs included, without missing time. Then he arrives in Phoenix and the basketball gods get weird. To the team’s credit, they have been careful with it. This is a player built on speed. If you are running on a flat tire, you are not helping anyone.

We still do not know the exact severity. A grade two hamstring usually means 3 to 6 weeks. A grade three can stretch into months and even flirt with surgery. This one lingered long enough to make you wonder. Whatever it was, the Suns chose patience, and with a player like Green, that is the only move that makes sense.

But alas, the designation finally changed. That alone feels like progress. It does not guarantee anything, and it does not mean he is ready to roll, but it is a step forward. He is not listed as probable yet, but for the first time in a while, the door is actually open. He could see the floor again.

And the timing matters. Brooklyn is young, energetic, but they are not going to apply the same defensive pressure Phoenix saw from Detroit, Miami, or New York on this trip. That makes this a softer landing spot, if there is such a thing in the NBA.

So here we are. The questionable stage. Actual movement. Real momentum. Now we wait another day to see if Jalen Green finally suits up and plays basketball for Phoenix again.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kristýna Kaltounková and Anne Cherkowski each scored a goal, Kayle Osborne had 31 saves and the New York Sirens beat the Montreal Victoire 2-1 on Sunday at Capital One Arena as part of the PWHL’s Takeover Tour.

The game, played in front of 17,228 fans, set an attendance record for a professional women’s hockey game in the United States, according to Monumental Sports & Entertainment. The previous record of 16,014 fans was set Nov. 28 at the inaugural home game for the Seattle Torrent.

Montreal (5-2-0-5) had its three-game win streak snapped.

Sarah Fillier had two assists for New York (7-0-1-5), which has won five of six. The Sirens have 22 points, four behind league-leading Boston and one ahead of third-place Minnesota.

Kaltounková, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 PWHL draft, has nine goals this season, tied with Minnesota's Kendall Coyne Schofield for most in the league.

Maggie Flaherty scored a power-play goal for the Victoire late in the first period.

Kaltounková slammed home the rebound of a shot by Fillier to open the scoring 84 seconds into the game. The Sirens had failed to convert on their previous nine power-play opportunities and are just 5 of 40 with an extra skater this season.

Cherkowski gave the Sirens a 2-1 lead with 5:13 left in the second period. Fillier poked a faceoff to Levis, who flicked a wrister that was redirected by Cherkowski over the glove-side shoulder of goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens for the rookie's first career goal.

Desbiens had 25 saves for the Victoire.

The Victoire beat New York 4-0 in Montreal on Nov. 25 and Osborne had a career-high 43 saves as the Sirens evened the season series with a 4-3 home win on Jan. 2.

Up next

Victoire: Montreal visits Minnesota on Wednesday.

Sirens: New York hosts Ottawa on Tuesday.

___

AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey