The sky seemed to be falling for the Denver Nuggets when Nikola Jokic was facing an extended spell on the sidelines, but instead, they’re on a hot streak heading into tonight’s matchup with the Charlotte Hornets.
Denver is 6-1 in its last seven games, and my Hornets vs Nuggets predictions expect big-time production from the hosts’ role players against a Charlotte team that brings an ugly 8-15 road record to Ball Arena.
Read on for my NBA picks ahead of this battle on Sunday, January 18.
Hornets vs Nuggets prediction
Hornets vs Nuggets best bet: Peyton Watson Over 18.5 points (-115)
The Denver Nuggets have needed contributions from up and down the roster to survive Nikola Jokic’s absence, and Peyton Watson’s emergence has to be among the biggest pluses to come out of this stretch.
It’s easy to forget that Watson averaged just 8.1 PPG last season, but he’s looked like a different player this year, with a major take-off this month in an expanded role. Spreading his wings as an offensive force, he’s averaging 23.6 PPG in January.
Watson has gone past this O/U number in nine of his last 10 outings, including a 21-point effort yesterday against the Washington Wizards, and I see Denver leaning on his athleticism in the second game of a back-to-back set.
While Watson’s 48% mark from 3-point range isn’t sustainable, he can get buckets in other ways, too. In addition to Jokic, the Nuggets will still be without Cam Johnson and possibly Christian Braun, so shot volume shouldn’t be a factor.
The Charlotte Hornets gave up 136 points against the Golden State Warriors last night, and there’s no reason to think the visitors’ defense will fare any better with Watson & Co. on the charge.
Hornets vs Nuggets same-game parlay
Give me the team that’s finding a way to grind out victories and maximizing its talent. The Nuggets are 12-6 at Ball Arena this season, and 26-16 ATS overall, and Jamal Murray is coming off a lights-out effort against Washington. I can’t trust the Hornets offense to show up here after some wildly erratic totals in January.
Brandon Miller has put together consecutive strong shooting nights, but his assist tallies have been even steadier. He’s dished 4+ dimes in four straight games, and I expect him to flash his playmaking skills in what should be an end-to-end contest.
Hornets vs Nuggets SGP
Peyton Watson Over 18.5 points
Nuggets moneyline
Brandon Miller Over 3.5
Our "from downtown" SGP: Doing Things the Hardaway
Tim Hardaway Jr. has knocked down 17 threes across his past four outings, and he dropped 30 points on the Wizards last night. With the Nuggets short on sharpshooters, Hardaway has a neon green light to let it fly from beyond the arc.
Hornets vs Nuggets SGP
Peyton Watson Over 18.5 points
Nuggets moneyline
Brandon Miller Over 3.5 assists
Tim Hardaway Jr. Over 3.5 threes
Hornets vs Nuggets odds
Spread: Hornets -1.5 (-110) | Nuggets +1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Hornets -120 | Nuggets +100
Over/Under: Over 228.5 (-110) | Under 228.5 (-110)
Hornets vs Nuggets betting trend to know
The Nuggets are 9-1 SU in their last 10 matchups against the Hornets. Find more NBA betting trends for Hornets vs. Nuggets.
How to watch Hornets vs Nuggets
Location
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Date
Sunday, January 18, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN SE Charlotte, Altitude
Hornets vs Nuggets latest injuries
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The Atlanta Braves have announced that starting shortstop Ha-Seong Kim sustained an injury in Korea and had surgery to repair a torn tendon on his middle finger. The surgery took place today and is expected to miss four to five months.
INF Ha-Seong Kim sustained a hand injury while in Korea and underwent surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right middle finger. The procedure was performed by Dr. Gary Lourie today in Atlanta, and the expected recovery time is 4-5 months.
Kim was signed this off-season on a one-year, $20M contract after the Braves claimed him off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays in September 2025. Kim opted out of his player option but ended up back with Atlanta.
Atlanta swapped last year’s starting shortstop Nick Allen for super-utilityman Mauricio Dubon who will likely no be the team’s starting shortstop unless the Braves make a move prior to Spring Training.
Atlanta doesn’t proven big league options at shortstop behind Dubon. Look for the Braves to make a move to add a player with at least some shortstop experience to provide depth in the organization. Nacho Alvarez, Jr. has played shortstop in the minors but would not be a full-time options. The team has minor leaguers Luke Waddell and Jim Jarvis at Triple-A who both have extensive experience at shortstop.
Former Brave Luke Williams is a free agent. The team recently parted with Vidal Brujan and Brett Wisely who were both utility depth options.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa is the most experienced shortstop on the free agent market.
La Liga lead cut to one point after surprise 2-1 defeat
Füllkrug scores first goal in Italy since leaving West Ham
Real Sociedad damaged Barcelona’s title defence with a surprise 2-1 home victory as Hansi Flick’s side fell to a first defeat in 12 matches. The Catalan side, who hit the woodwork four times and had two goals disallowed, now lead their rivals Real Madrid by only a point at the top of La Liga after Álvaro Arbeloa’s side beat Levante on Saturday.
Sociedad, now unbeaten in four games under their new American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo, had Carlos Soler sent off late on but managed to hold on.
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Dani Carnegie had a career-high 32 points and 11 rebounds, Trinity Turner added 13 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, and Georgia beat No. 16 Mississippi 82-59 on Sunday.
Georgia (16-3, 2-3 SEC) earned its first Quad 1 win of the season. The Lady Bulldogs snapped a 11-game home skid against teams in the AP Top 25 and beat a ranked opponent by 20-plus points for the first time since 2006.
Carnegie, a Georgia Tech transfer, made 11 of 17 from the field, 5 of 8 from 3-point range, and 5 of 7 from the free-throw line.
Christeen Iwuala led Ole Miss (16-4, 3-2) with 13 points and 10 rebounds and Sira Thienou scored 12. Cotie McMahon — who went into the game averaging a team-high 19.2 points on 49.6% shooting — finished with nine points on 1-of-13 shooting to go with 11 rebounds and five assists.
Rylie Theuerkauf made two free throws that gave Georgia the lead for good less than 2 1/2 minutes into the game and sparked a 16-2 run that made it 19-6 with 1:04 left in the first quarter. Debreasha Powe capped a 7-0 spurt with a 3-pointer that trimmed the deficit to nine points with 7:12 remaining in the first half, but Carnegie answered with a layup and the Lady Bulldogs led by double figures for the final 26-plus minutes.
Georgia shot 55% (29 of 53) from the field and made 8 of 16 from behind the arc.
Ole Miss made 21 of 71 (30%) from the field, 5 of 19 (26%) from 3-point range.
A nice overall game flow is not what fans saw when the Lakers played the Blazers on Saturday night.
The whistle was active and erratic during the opening quarter. Portland was awarded a whopping 22 free throws, which was the most in any quarter for any team this year. To contextualize that even further, the Blazers average 27 free throws per game. The Lakers only took three free throws in the opening quarter and ended the night with 21. The Blazers shot more free throws in one quarter than the Lakers did all game
However, just because the way a game was called didn’t affect the result doesn’t mean the decisions were right, or consistently ruled the same way.
This officiating conversation was part of the dialogue postgame, with Lakers head coach JJ Redick revealing that the referees acknowledged their inconsistency.
“There’s always going to be fouls,” Redick said. “You can sit there and go through and watch every single [foul]. I do it sometimes. I’ll watch film and I’ll watch a play and ‘Wait a minute. Let me rewind that, zoom in, slow it down.’ The officials dont have that luxury. It’s more about the way the game is called. They got off to a bad start tonight and they admitted that to me.
“And then they were all over the map. Making calls and not actually making a call. That happened multiple times where we have to go over, ‘What’s going on? What’s the actual call here?’ I couldn’t get great communication from Pat [Frasher] all night, which we’ll put in the feedback. I’ve talked about it. It’s not to single them out or it’s not the reason we lost. For whatever reason, you’d have to ask probably the other 29 coaches, it feels like the inconsistency night to night within a game has been there for most of these crews.”
This isn’t the first time Redick has shown frustration with the officials.
At least in the Blazers game, the officials acknowledged the bad start, even if Redick was displeased with the communication he got from crew chief Pat Fraser.
Another odd call later in this game was the flagrant foul on LeBron James.
He went up to attempt a block a shot by Donovan Clingan and the play was deemed a flagrant 1 foul. That seems like an odd call given the replay. If what LeBron did is the standard criteria for a flagrant call, then no player can ever contest a shot in the air without it being deemed a flagrant.
I don't like that call on LeBron. I know flagrants aren't judged by whether you made a play on the ball, but rather whether the contact was excessive. However, I don't think that was excessive contact or a windup, unless you're just not supposed to go for a block there. AK
It’s hard for Redick and the Lakers to adjust to the officiating if what’s a foul and what isn’t is changing game to game and even play-by-play.
Given that this has been a theme for Redick and the Lakers, they’ll have to keep bringing it up and try to better understand what’s allowed throughout the year.
Coming off a win against the Milwaukee Bucks, the Spurs battled the Minnesota Timberwolves for their final meeting of the season. After a slow first quarter, the Spurs’ offense exploded in the second, outscoring the Wolves 48-22. Holding a 25-point lead, the Wolves responded in the third quarter by outscoring the Spurs 40-27, and trailed the silver and black by 12 entering the fourth. Minnesota’s momentum continued as Anthony Edwards dropped 26 of his 55 points in the fourth quarter alone. Meanwhile, the Spurs combated Edwards with Victor Wembanyama. Around 3:28 remaining, Edwards and Wemby traded clutch buckets multiple times. Anytime Edwards gave the Wolves the lead, Wemby would tie it up. With a two-point lead with a little over a minute remaining, Donte DiVincenzo drained a go-ahead three-pointer to give the Wolves a one-point lead. Wemby responded by splashing a go-ahead mid-range jumper to give the Spurs back the lead. After Wemby blocked Joan Beringer’s shot at the rim, Keldon Johnson nailed a dagger three to give the Spurs a four-point lead with 17 seconds left. Then, things got interesting. After Wemby missed a technical foul free-throw, Edwards drained a stepback three to cut the lead to one. De’Aaron Fox was fouled, made both of his free throws, and fouled Edwards while up by three. Edwards made the first, missed the second, and Julian Champagnie secured the rebound while being fouled.. Just to make things more dramatic, Julian missed both free throws, but Wemby saved the day with a key offensive rebound. After getting fouled, Wemby made the first free-throw, but was called for a lane violation after attempting to miss the second one. Edwards missed a half-court shot, and the Spurs won 126-123.
Victor Wembanyama led the way with 39 points (12-23 FG, 11-14 FT), nine rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. It has been a while since Wemby last played at least 30 minutes in a game, but he played 31 against the Wolves. Milwaukee was just the beginning, but this game has Spurs fans reminiscing on his monster games, especially the season opener versus Dallas. Not only was he dropping buckets from everywhere on the court, but he was dropping CLUTCH buckets. He also had a clutch block and a clutch rebound. Simply put, this man can do everything.
Wemby dime! On the fastbreak, Wemby lasers the ball to Champagnie, who finishes with a two-handed slam! Julian finished with seven points, five rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
De’Aaron Fox dropped a double-double: 25 points (10-17 FG, 3-4 FT) and 12 assists to go along with three rebounds and a block. D-Fox splashed shots from everywhere on the court: middies, threes, floaters, layups, and dunks. Since Stephon Castle was dealing with foul trouble, D-Fox assumed the primary guard role and dropped dimes. After being Batman in Sacramento, games like this show he can be extra comfortable being Robin.
Lay it up high! D-Fox drives in on Edwards and lays it up high for the deuce!
FLIGHT 4 CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF! After DiVincenzo throws the ball to Champagnie, he throws it ahead to Keldon, who throws it ahead to a wide-open D-Fox who finishes with two hands!
Keldon Johnson dropped 20 points (8-14 FG, 3-5 3PT), two assists, a rebound, and a steal. Another KJ game that feeds his 6MOTY campaign. When the Spurs went on a cold streak, KJ went to work. Not only did he go to work, but he also came up clutch for the silver and black. He continues to spark the Frost Bank Center every time he makes a hustle play, and he will continue to be the heart and soul of this team.
K3LDON! KJ knocks down the contested corner three late in the first. Subtle foreshadowing!
Dylan Harper dropped nine points, three rebounds, and three assists. Dyl continues to slash his way to the basket like a veteran guard. In just 21 minutes, he was a combo guard that found guys in the right spots and finished with zero turnovers. He also provided solid defense and was not afraid to go after boards. He still needs to polish his finishing, but he has plenty of time to figure it out.
HARP3R! Dyl uses the Wemby screen to free himself up for the wide-open trey!
P&R to perfection! Dyl finds Luke Kornet cutting to the basket off the pick-and-roll for the easy finish! Luke finished with eight points, six rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and a steal.
Stephon Castle dropped eight points, nine assists, six rebounds, and three steals. Even though Steph struggled from the field, he filled the stat sheet all-around. He dished dimes, grabbed boards, but most of all played solid defense. Besides the three steals, he was tasked with guarding Edwards. While he stayed in front of him, he also ended up fouling out in the fourth with 28 minutes played. Besides turnovers, Steph is still working on playing without fouling, and he knows it’s something he can fix.
Threading the needle! Steph finds a wide-open Luke who is split between the defense for the deuce!
All in all, this game turned from a blowout into a classic. Albeit the Spurs blew another huge lead to the Wolves, they still found a way to finish the game. Ant’s 55 versus Wemby’s 39 is the type of duel NBA fans dream of. Elite shot-making no matter the defense: It’s like a game of NBA2K broke out with the sliders maxed out. Nonetheless, D-Fox and KJ were instrumental in their roles to help clinch the squad’s first win against Minnesota this season. Hopefully, Devin Vassell is finally back on Monday versus Utah.
Finally, here are the full game highlights.
The Spurs take on the Utah Jazz on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at 4:00 P.M. (CST) on FDSN-SW.
The mood was somber and frankly sad when speaking with Artemi Panarin after the Rangers’ 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday afternoon to discuss his future.
It had been just over 24 hours since Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury issued a letter to fans emphasizing the organization's plan to retool the roster, which could mean saying “goodbye to players that have brought us and our fans great moments over the years.”
As part of the firestorm of news that followed Drury’s letter, it was reported that had an individual meeting with Panarin and informed him that he will not be offered a contract extension, while the team is prepared to work with him and agent Paul Theofanous to trade him anywhere he wishes to go.
Panarin is a player who since signing a seven-year, $81.5 million contract with the Rangers in 2019, has embraced and loved playing in New York under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden.
While he was still able to muster up a smile for the reporters talking with him after the game as he usually does during interviews, the sadness and discomfort were evident in his tone given that his tenure with the Rangers could be over within a matter of weeks if not days.
“It's hard to say how I feel, still confused, but yeah, (the) team decided to go in a different direction,” Panarin said. “I'm ok with that. I'm a Rangers player right now so I gotta play every game 100%.”
Upon addressing the difficult reality at hand, Panarin shifted the conversation back to hockey since in his words he “say (said) everything, what I want to say about this situation.”
On Saturday afternoon, Panarin managed to record one goal, two assists, and three points, but it felt meaningless with the veteran forward essentially confirming that by the March 6 NHL Trade Deadline, he won’t be a member of the Rangers.
“I obviously think the world of him, he's an elite player,” Mike Sullivan said of Panarin. “He's one of the best Rangers of his generation. I think his body of work speaks for itself, and what he's accomplished in the league.
“I think to have a game he had today, after the last couple of days, is, once again, he's one of the guys that I'm talking about when I talk about the types of people that we have in the room, their character, and how much they care. I think his game today was representative of that. He's a great person. He's an elite player. He drives offense in so many ways, and he continues to do that for us.”
His inevitable exit from The Big Apple is still one that hasn’t fully set in and is difficult to fathom for Panarin, but he’s accepted that he’ll have to embark somewhere else for what may be the final chapter of his career.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — David Coit tied the program's single-game record for made 3-pointers and scored a career-high 43 points — 30 in the first half — to help Maryland beat Penn State 96-73 on Sunday for the Terrapins' first Big Ten Conference win this season.
Coit made 14 of 22 from the field, 9 of 14 from behind the arc and 6 of 8 from the free-throw line. The 5-foot-11 graduate transfer from Kansas had his second 40-point game and his third game making at least eight 3s this season.
Maryland (8-10, 1-6) snapped a four-game skid. The Terrapins set season highs for points (96), field goals made (33), field-goal percentage (54.1%), 3-pointers made (18) and 3-point field-goal percentage (52.9). Maryland outrebounded Penn State 39-21.
The Nittany Lions (9-9, 0-7) have lost five straight and eight of the last nine.
Elijah Saunders scored 16 points and Darius Adams 14 for the Terrapins. Solomon Washington had 11 rebounds to go with six points, two steals and a block.
Kayden Mingo made 7 of 12 from the field and finished with 19 points and five assists for Penn State. Dominick Stewart added 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting, Eli Rice scored 13 and Josh Reed added 11 points.
Coit hit a 3-pointer and made a layup before Saunders added a 3 that capped a 9-0 run, made it 13-9 and gave the Terrapins the lead for good. A few minutes later, Coit sandwiched a three-point play and a 3-pointer around a layup by Darius Adams to extend the lead to 36-21 and Maryland led by double figures for the final 29-plus minutes.
This week The Hockey Show featured one of the more surprising teams in the NHL this year.
In addition to their usual attention paid to the happenings of the Florida Panthers, THS co-hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork welcomed Shawn DePaz to the show.
Sean is the producer for the What Chaos! podcast and he’s also a massive Buffalo Sabres fan.
The Sabres just happen to the hottest team in the league, currently holding a playoff spot and looking to end the team’s 14-year postseason drought.
This week’s show also saw the boys discuss the disaster that is the New York Rangers and touched on some numbers that were retired in Detroit and Boston.
Wins and fails of the week included a player showing up to a game dressed as Batman, an unbelievably ridiculous assist by Abbey Murphy for the University of Minnesota, a collective wardrobe choice by a team visiting the White House and a poorly timed decision by Oilers goalie Tristian Jarry.
As a bonus this week, Roy's daughter Claire was in studio with us to record the show. She may or may not have taken over the telestrator at one point.
You can check out the full show and interview in the videos below:
The NHL Department of Player Safety announced on Sunday that Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos had been fined $2,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct towards an opponent while on the bench.
During Saturday's game, Golden Knights defenseman Jeremy Lauzon hit Predators forward Jonathan Marchessault, dumping him into the Predators' bench.
While trying to get back into the play, Stamkos stuck the blade of his stick under Lauzon's visor and in his face.
It's been disputed that Stamkos was trying to keep Marchessault's skate blade away from Lauzon's face. Ryan O'Reilly also shoved Lauzon from the bench during the altercation.
The irony of the situation is that Lauzon spent four seasons with the Predators and was traded to Vegas this past offseason for Nicolas Hague. Marchessault spent seven seasons with the Golden Knights before signing with the Predators in the 2024 offseason.
The Predators lost to the Golden Knights, 7-2.
This is the third time in his career that Stamkos has been fined by the NHL. On Nov. 23, 2017, he was fined $5,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct after spraying a water bottle at a referee.
On March 21, 2018, Stamkos was fined $5,000 for a dangerous trip against Toronto Maple Leafs' defenceman Morgan Rielly.
Stamkos has never been suspended. This is the first time this season a Nashville Predators player has been fined by the league.
The Nashville Predators will host the Buffalo Sabres next on Tuesday at Bridgestone Arena at 7 p.m. CST
LONDON (AP) — A heckler yelled “leave Greenland alone!” while Vanessa Williams sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” before tipoff of an NBA game in London between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Orlando Magic on Sunday.
U.S. President Donald Trump has insisted that the U.S. should control Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, and said earlier this week that anything less than the Arctic island being in U.S. hands would be “unacceptable.”
The heckler's outburst drew some scattered laughter and applause. Williams was unfazed and completed the song.
WASHINGTON — Right-hander Cade Cavalli and the Washington National avoided salary arbitration Sunday when they agreed to a one-year contract worth $870,000, a deal that includes a 2027 team option.
When the sides exchanged proposed arbitration salaries on Jan. 8, Cavalli asked for $900,000 and the Nationals offered $825,000. The $75,000 gap was the smallest among the 18 players who failed to reach agreements with their clubs on the swap day.
His agreement calls for an $862,500 salary this year, the midpoint between the filing numbers. The team option is for $4 million with a $7,500 buyout.
Cavalli, 27, was eligible for arbitration for the first time after going 3-1 with a 4.25 ERA in 10 starts in his first regular-season big league action since 2022. He had a $760,200 salary while in the major leagues and $370,100 while in the minors, earning $579,832.
Selected by Washington with the 22nd overall pick in the 2020 amateur draft, he made his big league debut on Aug. 26, 2022, his lone appearance that year. He hurt his arm during a spring training game against the Mets on March 14, 2023, and had Tommy John surgery a week later.
He began a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment on May 20, 2024, but made just three outings totaling 8 1/3 innings.
Cavalli started 2025 at Class A Fredericksburg and was promoted to Double-A Harrisburg on April 24 and Triple-A Rochester five days later. He returned to the major leagues on Aug. 6 after going 4-17 with a 5.47 ERA in 17 minor league starts last year. Cavalli pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings against the Athletics in his return and got his first big league win on Aug. 16 against Philadelphia.
Seventeen players remain scheduled for hearings, to be held from Jan. 26 to Feb. 13 in Scottdale, Arizona.
In the most prominent case, two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal asked for a record $32 million, while the Detroit Tigers offered the left-hander $19 million.
"I think Leevi (Merilainen) made some good saves,” Sanderson stated when asked about the performance of the goaltending. “But, at the end of the day, you’ve got to make more than 10 saves to win the game.”
After a tough home loss to Montreal, Jake Sanderson, who's normally reserved in his post game comments, voiced his displeasure about goaltending and "playing an away game at home."
It would not count on the stat sheet, but it was one of the few shots that Merilainen faced Saturday night.
The 23-year-old goaltender allowed six goals on 19 shots. According to Natural Stat Trick’s game log, the Senators held the Canadiens to seven five-on-five shots, with the remaining shots occurring on the power play, while the Canadiens had an empty net, or in overtime.
Staked to a two-goal lead with less than five minutes left in the game, the Senators had complete control.
The loss created a unique situation for Sanderson.
Jake Sanderson is not typically at the forefront of candid commentary after difficult losses. Usually, when the Senators experience these types of games, the burden falls on the captain, Brady Tkachuk, or on other well-regarded veterans like Claude Giroux or Thomas Chabot.
The reason for that is two-fold. These players are part of the designated leadership group within the Senators’ room, but they are also comfortable in front of microphones and known for offering lengthy, measured reflections on the game.
It is not that Sanderson is incapable of doing that, but he often feels reserved. There is an enthusiasm for the game and the sport, but the defenceman never veers out of his lane.
Which is why Saturday night’s comment resonates so much.
It was blunt and unadulterated honesty.
In an organization that keeps its cards close to its chest, refusing to disclose lineups or the starting goaltender ahead of last night’s game, Sanderson said what everyone was thinking out loud.
After the game, I am sure Sanderson would have apologized to Merilainen for publicly calling out the goaltending, but I hope his comments last night do not dissuade him from being candid in the future.
His frustration is palpable and for good reason. His team’s season hangs in the balance simply because they have not gotten enough saves.
In the last 30 years, no team in the NHL has experienced a lower save percentage than the Senators’ current .865 save percentage. To find a worse mark, you would have to go back a couple of years earlier to the Senators’ first two seasons after they rejoined the NHL.
Keep in mind that the 1992-93 Senators were one of the worst teams in NHL history, winning just 10 of 84 games. Only the 1974-75 Washington Capitals have had a lower recorded points percentage (.131) than that inaugural Senators team (.143).
When asked to assess Merilainen’s performance last night, head coach Travis Green took issue with the goaltending, but did so while showing some empathy.“
It’s hard to give (Merilainen) a pass,” admitted head coach Travis Green. “Six goals on 18 shots and I’m sure he’d like to have one or two back, but I feel bad for him.”
It has to be tough for Merilainen, who has been thrust into the spotlight following Linus Ullmark’s decision to take a leave of absence from the team. Last night was his 11th consecutive start, a string of games born out of necessity because Ullmark’s absence and the lack of confidence the organization obviously has in the alternatives who have been recalled from Belleville.
After last night’s loss, Merilainen has -14.22 goals saved above expected metric through 20 appearances. Only the St. Louis Blues’ Jordan Binnington (-14.82 GSAx) has a lower mark, and he has played in seven more games.
Goalie is a volatile position, and the condensed schedule in this Olympic year probably has not helped, as Merilainen does not have much time between appearances to refine the technical aspects of his game. If bad habits or a shaky confidence creep into his game, the opportunity for them to bleed into his next start is real, given the team's schedule of playing every other night.
After two consecutive wins over the Canucks and Rangers, the hope was that Merilainen could build off those games and continue to tighten up his game.
Last night’s effort was disastrous, however.
The good news is that Green acknowledged in his postgame media availability that the plan was for Linus Ullmark to travel with the team on their three-game road trip through Detroit, Columbus, and Nashville. That may not mean he is on the verge of playing, but he has skated and practiced with his team these past few days.
Once Ullmark returns, the Senators should return Merilainen to Belleville to get his game and swagger back.
The expectation is that James Reimer will make his Senators debut on Sunday afternoon in Detroit. Despite the fact that he has not played in an NHL game since last April, the organization needs to see what they have.
“It’s a little bit frustrating,” Green acknowledged last night while describing the pattern of losing games where they outplay the opposition. “But, I give our team a lot of credit. They are battling. They are playing good hockey. Our goalies have not been at their best, and we know that. Our team is still bringing it.”
With a new and veteran goaltender likely making his debut, Green will need his players to continue to bring that fight and resiliency on Sunday (5 pm at Detroit).
Graeme Nichols The Hockey News Ottawa
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Week 13 did not exactly bring good fortune for the Suns as they opened a road trip through the East against three teams sitting above .500. You can say the Eastern Conference is the lighter side of the league, and you would not be wrong. If the Suns were parked over there with a 25-17 record, they would be staring at the three seed. That does not make this stretch soft. Phoenix felt every bit of it this week.
The endings were cruel. The Suns were outscored 54-44 in the fourth quarter across the first two games, and the whistle was not doing them any favors. Through the first three quarters of the past three games, Phoenix was called for 43 personal fouls while opponents were whistled for 44. It felt balanced until it did not.
Across those three games in Week 13, the gap widened. The Suns were hit with 24 personal fouls in Q4. Their opponents drew 12. That is the kind of math that turns close games into long nights, especially when the legs are heavy and the margin is thin.
Road trip foul split is telling: first three quarters are nearly even (44–43).
In fourth quarters, Phoenix gets penalized for physicality while opponents largely don’t. That late-game discrepancy deserves scrutiny. https://t.co/nQFvsjc4ve
So the math is not mathing here. For whatever reason, through the first three quarters, the foul count stays even. Then the fourth quarter hits, the temperature rises, and suddenly the Suns are getting dinged for their physicality while the opposition skates.
The Pistons committing one foul in the fourth quarter is absurd, especially for a game that looked more like a wrestling match than a track meet. Detroit shot 14 free throws in the fourth. The Suns shot zero. That is not variance. That is unlucky. Or shit officiating. Your call.
It was also unlucky that Devin Booker twisted his ankle. He gutted it out against the Knicks, limp and all, but the Suns as a whole were limping through Week 13. They still walked away 1-2.
So what did we learn? The defense travels. This team is tough as nails. They went 16 rounds with three of the better teams in the Eastern Conference and did not back down. They were five points up late against Miami. Five points up late against Detroit. They did not close either one, but the ability to pester, disrupt, and annoy showed up every night.
The next step is turning that aggression into road wins against quality teams. If the Suns want to make noise in the postseason, that is non-negotiable. Week 13 gave them the tape. Now it is on them to use it as fuel.
Week 13 Record: 1-2
@ Miami Heat, L, 127-121
Possession Differential: +0.1
Turnover Differential: 0
Offensive Rebounding Differential: +9
The road trip opened with a punch straight to the jaw in Miami. The Heat tried to end the night early, going up by 20, but these Suns do not fold anymore. They swung back after halftime, won the second half, forced steals, collected techs, and turned the paint into a war zone.
Devin Booker went down, came back, and led. Bam Adebayo going nuclear from deep ruined the ending, but the tone was set. This trip is a stress test, and Phoenix showed it is built for contact.
@ Detroit Pistons, L, 108-105
Possession Differential: +1.7
Turnover Differential: -4
Offensive Rebounding Differential: -5
Detroit was another sixteen-round fight that ended in a TKO, the second straight fourth-quarter collapse with Phoenix running on fumes. Yes, Devin Booker was out. Yes, the identity showed up. The effort never dipped. But losses still count the same, and back-to-back ones have a way of leaving bruises that linger as this trip drags on.
@ New York Knicks, W, 106-99
Possession Differential: -2.1
Turnover Differential: -5
Offensive Rebounding Differential: -2
The Suns did not need a must-win in mid-January, but they absolutely needed this one. Down 0-2 on the trip, Phoenix walked into Madison Square Garden and let the bench hijack the night. A 39-14 second-unit avalanche flipped the game after a Knicks haymaker run, while the defense squeezed the life out of a top-three offense.
No frills, no flexing. Just a reminder of who these Suns are and why nobody enjoys playing them.
Inside the Possession Game
Weekly Possession Differential: -0.3
Weekly Turnover Differential: -11
Offensive Rebounding Differential: -11
Year-to-Date Over/Under .500: +8
And now your weekly graph that looks more confusing as the weeks progress.
From an analytical lens, this was not a clean week for the Suns. Inefficiency showed up across the board.
They posted a 48.1% rebounding rate, which ranked 20th in the league over that stretch. The effective field goal percentage landed at 50.6%, fourth worst during the week. The turnover ratio checked in at 1.7, sixth worst. The offensive rating finished at 112.2, ninth worst. That is what happens when you walk into hostile buildings and play teams that want to turn every possession into a collision.
The Suns lost the possession battle. They lost the fight on the glass. Yet they still walked away 1- 2. This six-game road trip was never going to be a stroll, and the front end was always the rougher side of the climb. The back half lightens up, at least on paper. To me, a successful trip looks like 3-3. That path is still there. The margins are thin, the tape is loud, and the opportunity is still very much alive.
Week 14 Preview
We have four games on deck in Week 14, which means it is time for my weekly micro-rant about the NBA schedule. The Suns have played 42 games. Meanwhile, teams like the one they are about to face on Tuesday have only played 39. Brooklyn and Houston are both three games behind Phoenix at this point. Sure, that means more games are coming for them later, but it still feels strange. The NBA schedule has always been weird. It remains weird. Micro-rant complete.
The week opens in Brooklyn on Monday, and credit where it is due, the scheduling gods finally nailed one. The Suns were already in New York after playing the Knicks, so they did not have to ping pong to Atlanta and back. They got to park it in the Big Apple for a couple of days and breathe.
The opponent is a Nets team sitting at 12-27, but do not let that record fool you. They are feisty. Michael Porter Jr. is doing real work over there, playing well enough to actively sabotage whatever tanking dreams Brooklyn might have. Then again, why tank at all when you already walked out of the last draft with five first-round rookies? This one has trap game written all over it.
The Suns then head to Philadelphia on the second night of a back-to-back, which is never polite. The Sixers sit at 22-8, seventh in the East, and they have been rolling lately with six wins in their last nine. Tyrese Maxey is a full-blown problem right now, pouring in 30.3 points a night. Joel Embiid is still there. Paul George too, who will inevitably create space with a few well-timed push-offs that somehow never get called.
The trip wraps up Friday in Atlanta. The Suns were up 22 in the fourth there earlier this season and somehow walked out with a loss. Atlanta has since moved on from Trae Young, deciding he was not the long-term answer. That torch now belongs to Jalen Johnson, who has looked every bit like the future while averaging 22.8 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 8 assists. The Hawks have dropped three straight, but closing a road trip is never simple. There are no freebies waiting at the finish line.
The week closes back home on Sunday against the Miami Heat, the same Heat the Suns saw recently on their floor and handled themselves well against. Miami plays at the fastest pace in the league, and their offense is built less on screen and roll and more on isolation. They want to turn you, beat you off the dribble, and live at the rim. It is relentless, and it tests your legs and your discipline.
The real storyline of Week 14, though, might be this. We could finally see Jalen Green back. As I am writing this, I am waiting on the injury report for Brooklyn, because there is a chance a questionable or probable tag shows up. If that happens, this stretch could be the moment the Suns start to feel whole again. The pieces lining up. The picture sharpening. Stay tuned.
