DALLAS, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 5: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks handles the ball as Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs defends during the first half at American Airlines Center on February 5, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks lost 135-123 to the San Antonio Spurs Thursday night in Dallas. Cooper Flagg and Naji Marshall had some monster games, but it wasn’t enough to stop a locked in Victor Wembanyama and the rest of this dynamic and impressive Spurs squad.
Dallas, as it often does, kept the game close throughout, despite trailing by double-digit points at multiple instances in the first and second halves. Flagg finished with another 30-point game, Marshall joined him, and Wembanyama had a big 29-point, 11-rebound double-double.
This is the Mavericks sixth loss in a row and their first game played since the trade deadline. Dallas was down to only 10 available players, as the new guys from the Anthony Davis trade should be available on Saturday.
Here are the three numbers to know.
4: Consecutive 30-point games for Cooper Flagg
I think Cooper Flagg is figuring this thing out. The 19-year-old had another spectacular scoring night, notching 32 points on a fairly efficient 14-of-27 shooting performance, including 2-of-5 from three. Flagg didn’t get to the free throw line, but offensively did just about everything else.
Perhaps most impressive was how Flagg adjusted and adapted to Victor Wembanyama’s preposterous defense. Flagg got blocked at the rim by Wembanyama in the first half and you could see Flagg in real time process what he needed to do to score. Instead of barreling toward the rim head first, Flagg picked his spots a little better and released his shots from outside the restricted area but still in the paint. He worked the floater territory to near-perfection, knowing if he took another dribble or two toward the rim, he’d engulfed by Wembanyama’s reach. Another impressive night for a rookie that keeps stacking up these kinds of nights.
60: Spurs points in the paint
Funny enough, Wembanyama only attempt five two point shots tonight, yet the Spurs thrived in the paint and at the basket. While Dallas did a decent job in the second half of preventing Wembanyama from dominating the game, that extra attention certainly opened things up for the Spurs’ dynamic trio of athletic guards.
This was led by a brilliant performance from Stephon Castle, who had 18 points in 22 minutes on 8-of-13 shooting. With Castle, De’Aaron Fox, and rookie Dylan Harper, the Spurs slashed their way to the basket repeatedly. The Mavericks have little-to-none in the way of point of attack defense, and San Antonio exploited that weakness all night.
50: Mavericks percentage on mid-range shots
Dallas took 16 mid-range shots tonight, making eight of them. Both the volume and efficiently were big numbers, and they were what was likely keeping the Mavericks in the game as Castle got to the rim and Wembanyama bombed threes.
The Mavericks are not a mid-range heavy team, but they had to be tonight — Wembanyama is a one-man wrecking crew at the rim, and the Mavericks understood fairly early that they might be better off shooting as far away from Wembanyama as possible. Kudos to the Mavericks for making those shots, as this game would have been ugly otherwise — Dallas shot just 10-of-21 in the restricted area. Woof! Wembanyama is good.
If there is a rock bottom, it’s safe to say the New York Rangers reached it after their 2-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night.
One day before this heartless defeat, the Rangers traded Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Liam Greentree and a conditional third and fourth-round pick.
The loss of Panarin was inevitable, yet it still weighed heavily on the Rangers' players.
“He's a generational talent on the ice and I was lucky enough to play with him,” Vincent Trocheck said of Panarin. “Just picturing him having a good time at all times, dancing in the locker room, dancing on the ice.”
This game comes just about 24 hours after Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury vaguely tried to explain his vision for retooling the roster, but ultimately raised more concern given his perplexing and contradictory plan for the franchise.
The game couldn’t have gone any more poorly for a Blueshirts team clearly battling mental demons.
The Hurricanes outshot the Rangers 43-16, indicative of Carolina’s complete control of the contest.
“We got outplayed the whole night,” J.T. Miller said. “Wasn't good enough. Wanted to go into the break feeling good about ourselves, but it's quite the opposite right now. It sucks.”
The mood around the team postgame speaks volumes to where they are at right now. Mike Sullivan sounded as defeated as he’s been through his tumultuous Rangers tenure.
A usually patient and even-keeled Sullivan spoke with a demoralized tone, with his patience seemingly running thin.
The Rangers haven’t won a home game in regulation since Nov. 24 and have only secured two victories since their triumphant Winter c=Classic win on Jan. 2.
“This is a unique circumstance. It’s unfamiliar for all of us quite honestly,” Sullivan said. “We can only control what's in our power, and that's the game right in front of us. We've got to take a certain approach that gives us an opportunity to grow and get better, and find some fulfillment through this process, even though we're in a difficult circumstance.”
Going into the Olympic break, the Rangers slot in last place in the Eastern Conference standings, 19 points out of the second wild card spot.
The Olympic break will allow the Rangers to reset and refresh their minds, but it only delays the inevitable, in which the Blueshirts will continue to retool the roster and lose games to close out the 2025-26 season.
DALLAS, TX - FEBRUARY 5: Naji Marshall #13 of the Dallas Mavericks passes the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on February 5, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (19-32) played their first post-Trade Deadline game on Thursday night, taking on the San Antonio Spurs (35-16) at home. Looking to stop a five-game losing streak, Dallas instead extended their season-long skid to six with a 135-123 loss.
Let’s get to the grades!
Naji Marshall: A
32 PTS / 6 REB / 3 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 39 MIN
Marshall was back to his old self, converting at a blistering rate (12-for-21) and constantly pushing the pace. Extra credit for the number of no-calls he endured throughout the game, but he really doesn’t need extra credit for an A grade. He was awesome against the Spurs.
Max Christie: B+
20 PTS / 3 REB / 4 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 38 MIN
Usually a solid defender, Christie was caught sleeping a number of times, resulting in easy scores for the Spurs. Offensively, credit is due for his conscious effort to not camp at the 3-point line as he has in his last few. Case in point, he shot 7-for-14 overall, but only 2-for-8 from deep. He got back to driving and opened up his offensive game against San Antonio He also found his teammates with a handful of nice assists.
Cooper Flagg: A
32 PTS / 6 REB / 4 AST / 2 STL / 3 BLK – 39 MIN
Flagg was thrown off his offensive game at the start, but true to form, he stayed the course and had a fourth-straight30-plus point outing. Turnovers (three) were a problem, but it’s difficult to be too upset given his overall play on both sides of the ball — he was outstanding. He tied his career-high mark with three blocked shots and now holds the third-highest four-game scoring span by a rookie, ever.
Caleb Martin: B
8 PTS / 4 REB / 1 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 32 MIN
Martin didn’t fill up the box score and his plus/minus was a team worst at minus-20, but that doesn’t paint the most accurate picture of a decent game. He hit 3-for-4 from the floor, snatched a couple of steals and also did a pretty nice job guarding Victor Wembanyama on a number of occasions.
Daniel Gafford: B+
16 PTS / 10 REB / 2 AST / 3 STL / 4 BLK – 33 MIN
Gafford took a page out of Marshall’s book, coming out strong with a 10-point first quarter in which he also turned away three shots. His numbers slowed after that, but he still had a solid double-double and a crazy high seven stocks while not turning the ball over. Gafford has now recorded three straight double-doubles.
Klay Thompson: D
5 PTS / 2 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 20 MIN
Thompson didn’t factor in all that much, taking relatively few shots (especially in the first half) while struggling to convert. He had a few opportunities in the fourth quarter to hit a momentum-shifting 3-pointer, but they just wouldn’t fall for him (1-for-6 from downtown).
Ryan Nembhard: C
5 PTS / 3 REB / 7 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 17 MIN
Nembhard showed flashes of the hot play that got everyone excited at the end of 2025, making nice passes while taking care of the ball (one turnover), but missed seven of his nine shot attempts.
Moussa Cisse: C-
0 PTS / 5 REB / 0 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 12 MIN
Cisse had a tough night defensively, racking up three fouls in just his first five minutes. He was more careful defensively after that, but offensively, he missed an alley-oop dunk and immediately followed it up by getting his shot blocked on the next possession. If nothing else, this will hopefully be a good growth game for him.
Final Thoughts
Dallas continued their longstanding trend of apathetic 3-point defense at the start of the game and coupled it with some shockingly poor turnovers. They remain engaged, competitive and fun to watch, but it does feel like they let this one slip away. A12q-point defeat doesn’t always feel that way, but the early going had some very ugly moments.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 12: George Lombard Jr. #21 of the New York Yankees doubles during the 2025 MLB All-Star Futures Game at Truist Park on Saturday, July 12, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
SNY | Phillip Martínez: The Yankees unveiled a list of 27 non-roster invitees on Thursday, led by some of the best prospects in the organization, such as George Lombard Jr., Carlos Lagrange, and Ben Hess. Veterans like Seth Brown and Paul DeJong, not to mention ultimate reclamation project Marco Luciano, will try to win a spot on the roster. Prospects Spencer Jones and Elmer Rodríguez will be in camp but aren’t non-roster invitees, since they were both added to the 40-man in November.
The Yankees have invited 27 non-roster players to 2026 Major League Spring Training: pic.twitter.com/ZDB0oYqCuc
NY Post | Dan Martin: The Yanks continue to take advantage of the waiver wire, this time picking up right-hander Osvaldo Bido. The Braves, Rays, Marlins, Angels, and now the Yankees have all claimed Bido after his participation in the 2025 campaign with the Athletics. All of them but the Bombers have also designated him for assignment, which is why New York is now taking a chance on him.
Bido, playing in a horrible run-scoring environment in Sacramento, had a 5.87 ERA in 79.2 frames last year. However, in the A’s last season in Oakland in 2024, he had a 3.41 ERA and a 3.36 FIP in 63.1 innings, with 63 punchouts. Evidently, there’s talent in his right arm. To open up a spot on their current roster, infielder Braden Shewmake was designated for assignment.
ESPN | Buster Olney and Jeff Passan: The Yankees haven’t made too many moves this offseason, other than bringing back Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham, Amed Rosario, Tim Hill, Ryan Yarbrough, and most of their 2025 pieces. In essence, they are ‘running it back’ with a similar roster and a few new players, such as Ryan Weathers. Talking in a larger offseason roundtable, Olney warned that much of the Yankees’ 2026 success will hinge on how a few star-level players return from injury, namely how Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil look, while Passan added that not shaking things up when faced with a disappointing result isn’t necessarily a bad call, and the Yankees have reason to believe that they’re still within striking distance.
With the Penguins set to be three forwards short in their final tilt - and a critical one - before the Olympic break, the 23-year-old forward found out around noon on Thursday that he would be heading from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) to Buffalo to join the NHL squad. And he didn't find out until he was already on his way, around 3:00 p.m. ET, that he would be making his NHL debut because Noel Acciari would miss the game due to illness, joining Blake Lizotte (personal) and Rickard Rakell (day-to-day).
Hayes arrived at the rink just after 5:00 p.m. Then, by 7:00 p.m., he was taking the ice for his first game in the NHL.
And, by the end of the first period - around 7:45 p.m. - he already had himself two NHL goals.
The Penguins beat the Sabres, 5-2, off the backs of Hayes and fellow rookie Ben Kindel, who also scored two goals en route to the win. Their latest victory - which closed out a 14-3-3 stretch since the holiday break - guaranteed them sole possession of second place in the Metropolitan Division heading into the Olympic hiatus, as the New York Islanders remain one point behind them in the standings having played two more games than Pittsburgh.
They own the seventh-best points percentage in the NHL at .625, and they have have found success against formidable opponents all season long - including a Buffalo team that has been the hottest in the NHL for nearly two months. And they, once again, got contributions from sources other than 87 and 71 Thursday.
The Sabres got the first tally early in this one, as ex-Penguin Jason Zucker scored on Buffalo's first shot of the game - an unobstructed shot that Arturs Silovs, between the pipes for Pittsburgh, would probably want back. But, midway through the period, the Avery Hayes show began.
Rutger McGroarty - playing on a fouth line with Avery Hayes and Kevin Hayes - had to take a defensive zone draw, and he won it back to defenseman Ilya Solovyov. The Belarusian blueliner lobbed the puck Larry Murphy-style to the opposite blue line, where Avery Hayes split the Buffalo defense to beat them to the puck. With body positioning and on a breakaway, Hayes put his first NHL shot on goal past Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon, earning his first career tally and tying the game at 1-1.
First game. First shot. First goal.
Avery Hayes is the 24th player in @penguins history - and first since Kasper Bjorkqvist in 2021-22 - to score in his NHL debut 👏
And Hayes wasn't done in the first period. With a little more than a minute remaining, he got the puck deep into the offensive zone and pressured along the wall. The puck eventually found its way to the point, where Parker Wotherspoon dumped it back deep. It banked off the boards to Anthony Mantha below the goal line, and Mantha put a perfect between-the-legs backhand pass on the tape of Hayes, who was breaking toward the net-front to finish the play for his second goal on his second shot.
The score remained 2-1 into the second period until Kindel and Justin Brazeau had a two-on-one opportunity. Kindel made it 3-1 on a no-look snipe down the left side for his 13th of the season.
Early in the third period, Evgeni Malkin took a tripping penalty, and Tage Thompson took advantage on the ensuing power play with his 30th of the season to pull Buffalo to within one. The Penguins locked down, playing a strong third period and limiting high-danger chances against, and they were able to keep Buffalo at bay.
Then, with less than five minutes left in regulation, Buffalo tried to break out of the defensive zone, but Egor Chinakhov picked off an errant pass just above the right circle. He skated the puck across the offensive blue line and protected it, and he managed to get a shot off. Tommy Novak was right there to pick up the loose change, and he gave the Penguins a crucial late insurance goal.
To cap off the 5-2 win, Kindel scored a shorthanded empty-net goal after a nice effort by him and Connor Dewar on the penalty kill.
Here are some thoughts and takeaways from the Penguins' last game in almost three weeks:
- What a debut for Hayes. It truly doesn't get more storybook than that.
This is a guy who had no idea he'd be playing in the NHL eight hours earlier, had to pack up quickly and drive up to Buffalo with his parents and his brother, Eli, changed into a suit during his car ride, and arrived at the rink a smidgen late but in time to get ready and participate in warm-ups.
And by the end of the night, he has his first two NHL goals and played a critical role in helping the team secure an important win.
Hayes played the kind of game that earns players an extended look at the NHL level. Of course, it's never a good idea to overreact to one game, but it wasn't just the scoring that stood out. His speed, his two-way game, his forechecking ability, his work ethic, his release, his defensive acumen, and his play along the walls was all on display during this game, and he appeared to fit right in with this team.
In a lot of ways, he reminds me of Bryan Rust - who, by the way, had an himself an extraordinary defensive game Thursday, especially on the penalty kill - because of his attributes and because of the path he is taking to the NHL level. Hayes went undrafted but simply continues to earn himself higher and higher opportunities, a grind much like the one Rust experienced in both getting to the NHL level and upon arrival.
Unfortunately, there's simply no room for Hayes or McGroarty in this lineup when it's healthy. No one in the lineup should be coming out of it. But Hayes is just another example of the impressive depth the Penguins have, and I imagine he earned himself a pretty high spot on the list if the Penguins need to call upon someone should another injury occur after the break.
- I've said it before, but Kindel's emergence changes so many things for the Penguins. This guy has not only been on an offensive heater - he has six goals and seven points in his last six games - he just plays all facets of the game at such a high level.
Like Rust, he was outstanding on the penalty kill Thursday. He was, once again, generating for his line all night long. He has a keen awareness in all three zones. He plays the game fearlessly. His shot sure is something else, too.
Kindel's game is so advanced for such a young player, and he continues to blow me away. I'm not sure I've ever seen an 18-year-old center play at such a high level in every facet of the game. And now that the production is starting to catch up, we're seeing how dangerous and outstanding of a player he will be a few years from now.
Heck, he's kind of already that player now. It's so impressive.
- I've liked what I've seen from Solovyov's game so far. He doesn't do anything flashy, but he's steady, reliable, and competent offensively, which is just what the Penguins need out of the defensemen on their bottom pairing.
He doesn't make too many mistakes. This could end up being another sneaky good add by Kyle Dubas.
- I thought Crosby looked much better Thursday. He tied Hayes for the team lead with six shots on goal, and he was shot out of a cannon on a few shifts. He just looked generally more like himself.
Sidney Crosby has no goals and two points in his last six games.
The #LetsGoPens are 4-1-1 and have scored 26 goals in those six games.
That speaks to how much depth this team has. Its best player is in his worst stretch of the season, and they're still winning hockey games.
He has only two points in his last six games, yet the Penguins scored 26 goals in those six games and were 4-1-1. This team is rolling without Crosby producing much, so just wait until he starts producing at his customary rate again.
And, given Crosby's track record of production after suiting up for Team Canada, I don't think folks have to worry about him getting back on track.
- After allowing that first goal on the first shot, Silovs bounced back in a big way. He made a lot of big saves, but his biggest was a huge save on Thompson midway through the third that would have tied the game had it gone in.
While Stuart Skinner has struggled in his past two appearances, Silovs is only getting better later in the season. Since the turn of the calendar year, he has a .910 save percentage, and six out of his last seven appearances have come in at .900 or above.
He will represent Team Latvia in the Olympics, and he has experienced success at the international level. If Silovs can continue to play at this level the rest of the way - and Skinner can get back to where he was prior to this two-game stretch - the Penguins are in good hands between the pipes.
- Another nice play to stymie a third-period scoring chance was made by Wotherspoon, who won a one-on-one with a breaking Thompson.
It's been remarkable to watch this guy become a legitimate top-four shutdown defenseman alongside, probably, the most volatile partner in hockey. What a player he is, and what a find by Kyle Dubas, as he is signed through next season at just $1 million AAV.
- Connor Clifton destroyed Peyton Krebs in a fight after Krebs ran into Silovs for no reason in the blue paint and cross-checked him to the ice.
Clifton may not be an everyday player in the lineup, but he is a good seventh defenseman to have around. And he tends to spark something with his physicality every time he's in the lineup.
- Well, given where the Penguins find themselves heading into the break, I think it's safe to say this is a good hockey team.
They're not winning games by accident, and they're not beating good teams by accident. They have legitimate four-line depth, they're getting good goaltending, they're playing better defensively, they have good special teams, and they're controlling five-on-five play at a high rate.
I think this team is clearly a playoff contender at this point. When play resumes, I think the conversation needs to shift to whether or not this is a team that can contend for a Stanley Cup.
If they make the playoffs, they might actually have a pretty good shot at winning at least a round. But given their record against the best in the East, is it really inconceivable for them to be capable of more?
Perhaps it's best not to count this team out. They continue to defy expectations, and we'll see if they can continue to be one of the best teams in hockey in the home stretch of the season post-Olympics.
- Best of luck to Crosby, Silovs, Erik Karlsson, and Rakell, assuming he's good to go for the Olympics. It should be a fun tournament to watch.
He's expected to undergo an MRI on his left hamstring on Friday, according to ESPN.
“Too early to say if it’s an injury," Lakers coach JJ Redick told reporters after the game. "(Doncic) had a sore hamstring.”
Doncic's apparent injury occurred with 3:30 left in the second quarter after facing a double-team from two opposing players. The Lakers' star turned the ball over on a bad pass as a result of the double-team and was seen grabbing the back of his left leg before checking out of the game and heading back to the locker room.
He did not return to the court with his team after halftime and did not start the third quarter. The Lakers ruled him out for the remainder of the game due to left leg soreness. Doncic finished the game with 10 points, four rebounds and two assists in 16 minutes of play.
Doncic was seen in multiple videos showing a level of frustration after the apparent injury.
Luka Doncic frustrated walking back to the locker room after injuring his hamstring pic.twitter.com/HDhDXVCANw
He kicked the scorer's table on his way off the court. Once in the tunnel, he was seen on the Spectrum SportsNet broadcast displaying further frustration.
Luka Doncic kicked the scorer’s table in anger and held his head down as he went to the locker room 😔
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - DECEMBER 10: Nigel Hayes-Davis #21 of the Phoenix Suns drives against Chris Youngblood #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half of the Emirates NBA Cup - Quarterfinals game at Paycom Center on December 10, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by William Purnell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jon Horst and the Bucks front office have decided to waive journeyman Nigel Hayes-Davis, who got another shot in the NBA this season with the Phoenix Suns after a long and successful career overseas.
Hayes-Davis, a wing-forward combo, actually would have fitted a position of need for the Bucks. But at 31 years old and with a questionable skillset to succeed in a Giannis-led offence, the Bucks opted to put more eggs in Ousmane Dieng’s basket.
The journeyman averaged 1.3 PPG, 0.3 APG, and 1.2 RPG on 32.6% from the field and just 12.5% from three with the Suns. He had his first NBA stint way back in the 2017-18 season with three different teams—the Lakers, Raptors, and Kings—before departing for EuroLeague opportunities.
Hayes-Davis played for three teams across Europe’s premier competition: Zalgiris (2019-2021), Barcelona (2021-2022), and Fenerbahce (2022-2025). In 2025, he led Fenerbahce to a EuroLeague title, winning the Final Four MVP as well.
The Bucks now have a vacant spot on the 15-man roster as well as a vacant two-way spot. You imagine they’d be looking long and hard into converting Pete Nance—currently on a two-way deal—to a standard deal, creating multiple two-way openings. Suffice to say, there’s still a lot to play out in Milwaukee.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: Julio Rodriguez #44 of the Dominican Republic rounds third base in the first inning against Venezuela at loanDepot park on March 11, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The formal release of the rosters for this spring’s World Baseball Classic named 16 members of the Seattle Mariners organization. That sum is the second-highest total of any club, trailing only the New York Mets with 17. Seattle’s WBC participants are as follows:
Brazil
RHP Pedro Da Costa Lemos
Canada
1B Josh Naylor
Columbia
UTIL Michael Arroyo RHP Guillo Zuñiga
Dominican Republic
OF Julio Rodríguez
Israel
RHP Charlie Beilenson
Italy
OF Dominic Canzone UTIL Miles Mastrobuoni
Mexico
RHP Andrés Muñoz OF Randy Arozarena
Netherlands
RHP Dylan Wilson
Panama
RHP Abdiel Mendoza
South Korea
RHP Dane Dunning
United States of America
C Cal Raleigh LHP Gabe Speier
In addition to these current M’s, no shortage of former M’s around the league represented. INF Donovan Solano will be playing for Colombia, RHP Thyago Vieira will be pumping fire for Brazil, towering RHP Phillippe Aumont continues firing for Canada, and RHP Erasmo Ramírez will defy father time for Nicaragua, among many others.
The World Baseball Classic will be played from March 5th-17th, with pool play in Houston, TX, Miami, FL, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Tokyo, Japan, and the final rounds in Miami.
Gary Cohen, Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez celebrate 20 years on SNY.
SNY’s popular Mets announcing trio will live on.
In the days before pitchers and catchers officially report to spring training, Keith Hernandez agreed to a three-year contract to return to the booth, with the deal being finalized on Thursday, The Post’s Mike Puma reported.
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In October, Hernandez revealed to The Post’s Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman that he wanted a three-year contract with the network and that he was not ready to give up his analyst gig just yet.
“I am not ready to retire,” Hernandez said on “The Show” podcast then. “If I do another three years, they’ve always been three-year deals, and then the three-year deal will take me to 75.
“I just turned 72 and I’m ready to do another three.”
Gary Cohen, Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez celebrate 20 years on SNY. SNY
Hernandez has been a key part of the SNY broadcast alongside play-by-play man Gary Cohen and former Mets teammate Ron Darling since the 2006 season after previously working Mets games on MSG.
He has won three Emmys (2009, 2012, 2015) for his work in the booth.
Despite being in negotiations with SNY during the offseason, Hernandez was vocal about the Mets’ moves during free agency, saying that he was left “speechless” after Pete Alonso left the team for a deal with the Orioles.
“I’m a little bit speechless,” he said during an appearance on “SportsNite” in December. “This is very explosive. In the years that I’ve been with the Mets, I have not seen this kind of moving in a new direction, I guess. It is definite — it is profound.”
Former Mets great and current broadcaster Keith Hernandez Getty Images
Hernandez added that the Mets’ direction this offseason would revolve around pitching and defense, citing how the Amazin’s won the 1969 World Series using that blueprint.
“It’s going to be defense and also pitching,” he added. “I always look to the ’69 Mets when you have a team that won a world championship with great pitching and didn’t have a great offense … not by any stretch of the imagination.”
The Amazin’s ended up adding infielders Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco, outfielder Eloy Jimenez, and pitchers Freddy Peralta, Tobias Myers, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver in a sizable overhaul.
HOUSTON (AP) — Rookie Kon Knueppel had 24 points and LaMelo Ball added 20 to help the Charlotte Hornets roll to a 109-99 victory over the Houston Rockets on Thursday night and extend their winning streak to eight games.
Charlotte’s streak is the franchise’s longest since winning nine in a row in the 1998-99 season.
The Hornets led by 16 after three quarters and Brandon Miller scored the first five points of the fourth to extend the lead to 96-75 with about 11 minutes to go. A 5-0 run by Charlotte, with a 3-pointer by Sion James, made it 103-81 with about eight minutes remaining and Houston coach Ime Udoka pulled his starters.
Kevin Durant led Houston, which entered Thursday in fourth place in the Western Conference, with 31 points and Jabari Smith Jr. added 17. It was a tough night for Alperen Sengun, who was averaging 21.2 points, and scored just seven on 3-of-11 shooting.
Miles Bridges added 18 points for the Hornets and Miller finished with 11 after sitting out the entire second quarter after getting three fouls in the first.
WIZARDS 126, PISTONS 117
DETROIT (AP) — Will Riley scored 20 points, Sharife Cooper added 18 and Washington upset Eastern Conference-leading Detroit.
The Wizards only dressed 10 players — Cooper was one of three on two-way contracts — a day after a trade with the Dallas Mavericks, but beat a Pistons team that had won five of six. The Wizards improved to 14-36, while Pistons fell to 37-13.
Justin Champagnie and Tristan Vukcevic each scored 14 points for Washington, which has won four of six since a nine-game losing streak. The Wizards got 69 points from their reserves.
Cade Cunningham had 30 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Pistons, who went 9 for 33 (27.3%) on 3-pointers. All-Star center Jalen Duren had four points and three rebounds in 13 minutes left before leaving game with knee soreness.
After trailing by 17 in the third quarter, the Pistons cut it to 112-107 on Duncan Robinson’s 4-point play with 4:15 to go. Bilal Coulibay banked in a 3-point shot as the shot clock expired to make it 117-110, and Detroit couldn’t get enough stops.
RAPTORS 123, BULLS 107
TORONTO (AP) — Brandon Ingram scored 33 points, Immanuel Quickley had 24 and Toronto beat new-look Chicago.
Collin Murray-Boyles and Sandro Mamukelashvili each scored 17 points and Scottie Barnes added 13 as Toronto snapped a four-game losing streak against Chicago.
Toronto has 31 wins in its first 53rd games, eclipsing last season’s win total.
Anfernee Simons scored 22 points in his first game with Chicago and Matas Buzelis had 18. Guerschon Yabusele marked his Bulls’ debut with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Jaden Ivey and Jalen Smith each scored 13 points and Isaac Okoro added 10 for the Bulls, who overhauled their roster by making seven trades ahead of Thursday afternoon’s deadline.
MAGIC 118, NETS 98
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Jalen Suggs had 15 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for his first career triple-double, Desmond Bane scored 23 points and Paolo Banchero added 22 to lead Orlando to a win over Brooklyn.
Playing 29 minutes in his seventh game after missing eight games with a right knee injury, Suggs also blocked four shots and had three steals.
Egor Demin led the Nets with a career-high 26 points, shooting 6 of 10 from 3-point range. Fellow rookie Nolan Traore matched his career high with 21 points and added seven assists.
Michael Porter Jr., Brooklyn’s leading scorer, shot 2 of 13 and scored nine points.
Anthony Black had 18 points and five assists for Orlando and Mo Wagner came off the bench with 14 points and five rebounds in 12 minutes.
The loss was was the 15th in 17 games for the Nets, who came in as the lowest-scoring (107.1) and poorest field-goal shooting (44.3%) team in the NBA. They shot 41.5% and had 19 turnovers.
HAWKS 121, JAZZ 119
ATLANTA (AP) — Nickeil Alexander-Walker broke a tie on a short jumper with 1.3 seconds left and had 23 points in Atlanta's victory over Utah.
Newly acquired Jock Landale had a season-high 29 points and hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 45 seconds. He had a career-high five 3-pointers and set season highs in blocks with four and assists with five.
Jalen Johnson had his third straight triple-double, giving him 10 on the season. He finished with 22 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists. His 10 triple-doubles are second only to Nikola Jokic league-wide.
The Hawks traded for Landale on Wednesday shortly after he was a part of an eight-player deal that sent him to Utah from Memphis. The Jazz sent the veteran big man to Atlanta for cash considerations. He started in place of the injured Onyeka Okongwu, who missed his fourth game due to a dental fracture.
Jazz rookie Ace Bailey tied it at 119 with a 3-pointer with nine seconds left, setting up Alexander-Walker’s winner.
SPURS 135, MAVERICKS 123
DALLAS (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 29 points and 11 rebounds, and San Antonio overcame rookie No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg’s fourth consecutive 30-point game in a victory over Dallas.
Flagg scored 32 points to extend his NBA record for consecutive games with at least 30 points by a teenager. The 19-year-old joined Michael Jordan, Bernard King, Allen Iverson and Jalen Green as the only rookies to score at least 30 in four straight games since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976-77.
Dallas lost all four games and is on a six-game losing streak, its longest of the season.
Harrison Barnes was another of seven San Antonio players in double figures with 19 points, and De’Aaron Fox scored 17 points while pushing through a rough shooting night with two clutch 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. The second came on Wembanyama’s sixth assist and gave the Spurs a 131-123 lead with 1:24 remaining.
Stephon Castle had 18 points and seven rebounds, the last board coming on his empathic and punctating follow dunk for the final points.
LAKERS 119, 76ERS 115
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Austin Reaves scored 35 points in just 25 minutes, and Los Angeles overcame Luka Doncic’s departure with a left leg injury for a victory over Philadelphia.
LeBron James had 17 points and 10 assists for the Lakers, who snapped Philadelphia’s five-game winning streak with a big second-half rally in their first game back from a draining eight-game road trip.
Joel Embiid had 35 points and Tyrese Maxey added 26 points and 13 assists for the 76ers, who blew a 14-point lead and nearly came back from a 16-point deficit in the second half of their first loss since Jan. 26.
The Lakers led 110-94 with four minutes left, but Philadelphia closed the gap to 116-113 when rookie VJ Edgecombe stole James’ inbounds pass and hit a 3-pointer with 36 seconds to play. James made eight turnovers.
But Maxi Kleber fed Rui Hachimura for a dunk with 12 seconds left, and the Lakers hung on.
With 12-of-17 shooting and five 3-pointers while coming off the bench, Reaves was phenomenal despite playing on a minutes restriction in his second game back from a 5 1/2-week absence with a calf injury.
WARRIORS 101, SUNS 97
PHOENIX (AP) — Pat Spencer scored a career-high 20 points, Gui Santos added 18 and shorthanded Golden State erased a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Phoenix.
The Suns had a chance to pull ahead in the final seconds, but Dillon Brooks missed a 3-pointer and Golden State’s Gary Payton II came up with the rebound before Moses Moody fed De’Anthony Melton for a layup as time expired.
Phoenix took an 82-76 lead into the fourth quarter after holding Golden State to 17 points in the third. The Suns pushed the advantage to 90-76 less than two minutes into the fourth after Collin Gillespie hit 3s on back-to-back offensive possessions.
But the Warriors weren’t done, methodically cutting into the advantage before Melton made a layup to tie the game at 97-all with 55.8 seconds remaining. Santos made a fast-break layup with 28.7 seconds remaining to put Golden State up 99-97.
Brooks led the Suns with 24 points. Grayson Allen had 21. Phoenix made just six field goals in the fourth quarter, scoring just 15 points.
ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 5: Isaiah Collier #13 of the Utah Jazz dribbles the ball during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on February 5, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Utah Jazz vs Atlanta Hawks recap
The Jazz lost a thrilling game that went down to the last second against the Hawks. Ace Bailey hit the game-tying three with 10.3 seconds remaining, before Nickeil Alexander-Walker hit the game-winner with 1.3 seconds left. The Jazz then had the ball down two and had to settle for a highly contested fadeaway three-point attempt from Bailey that couldn’t find the rim.
AN EPIC FINISH IN ATL!
ACE BAILEY HITS THE GAME-TYING TRIPLE…
NICKEIL ALEXANDER-WALKER FOLLOWS IT UP WITH THE GO-AHEAD JUMPER TO WIN IT FOR THE HAWKS 🚨 pic.twitter.com/UqD9Y4J7Ey
It was back and forth all game long, with 31 lead changes and the largest lead for either team being 12. The Hawks were finally able to put together a run in the final minutes and came away with the tight win. Isaiah Collier was once again the standout, with star guard Keyonte George continuing to miss time with a left ankle sprain. Collier played 48 minutes for the second straight game and finished with 25 points and 11 assists, seeming lackluster in comparison to the 22-assist game he had just a few days ago.
Bailey had a tough shooting night but still managed to impact the game in positive areas, finishing with 20 points, six rebounds, two steals, and a block. It’ll never be a complete game from Bailey without a few cool dunks that make you yell from the couch. Lauri Markkanen played well but only logged 23 minutes in this one and sat the entire fourth quarter, maybe giving you a hint at what the Jazz are trying to do with the rest of their season. Kyle Filipowski was a standout, with Jusuf Nurkic collecting another DNP—coach’s decision. Filipowski finished with 15 points and 17 rebounds. Brice Sensabaugh played another good offensive game, and Cody Williams continues to show flashes on the defensive side of the court.
ELITE ball movement by the Jazz leads to an Ace Bailey slam!
The Jazz are playing respectable basketball while missing George. Coming off a win against a shriveled Pacers team, a win is a win—especially given the Jazz’s limited player availability. They then played the Hawks tough the entire game and just barely came up short at the end. The point is, the Jazz are playing good basketball and YOU should be excited moving forward. The Jaren Jackson Jr. trade will massively impact this team on both ends of the court, and if he were playing tonight, the Jazz absolutely would’ve won this game. But most would agree it’s a good thing the Jazz were able to come away with the loss tonight. The future truly is bright in Salt Lake City.
Will Hardy has to be given credit for his coaching choices in the fourth quarter. Choosing to rest Markkanen and roll with the young guys like Williams and Bailey is a perfect example of putting the team first. Let’s all be thankful we have Will Hardy coaching our favorite basketball team and not Quin Snyder.
The Hawks edge out the Jazz tonight in a close one, 121–119, and improve to 26–27. The Jazz fall to 16–36 and will look ahead to the 26–24 Orlando Magic in Orlando on Saturday.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 33 shots to improve to 16-0-1 in his past 17 games, helping the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Florida Panthers 6-1 on Thursday night in the final game for both teams before the Olympic break.
Brandon Hagel, Oliver Bjporkstrand, Jake Guentzel, Erik Cernak, Pontus Holmberg and Zemgus Girgensons — who will all participate in the Olympic Games — scored for Tampa Bay. The Lightning are 19-1-1 in their last 21 games.
Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov extended his scoring streak to 10 games, his 13th career scoring streak of at least 10 games — which is tied for fifth in NHL history.
Mackie Samoskevich scored for the Panthers. Danil Tarasov finished with 20 saves for Florida before leaving due to injury in the third period. Sergei Bobrovsky finished the game for the Panthers, who played without regulars Brad Marchand, Aaron Ekblad, Evan Rodrigues. They all sat out after playing Wednesday against Boston.
CAPITALS 4, PREDATORS 2
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pierre-Luc Dubois scored in his first game since Halloween, Jakob Chychrun added a pair of goals and Washington beat Nashville.
Logan Thompson returned in goal from an injury of his own and made several sparkling saves, and the Capitals won for the fourth time in five games entering the Olympic break. Tom Wilson, who is on Canada’s roster for those Olympics, also scored for the Caps.
Jonathan Marchessault and Michael McCarron scored for Nashville, which had its five-game points streak snapped.
Dubois had no points in his first six games this season and underwent surgery on injuries to his abdominal and adductor muscles. He hadn’t played since Oct. 31.
Wilson opened the scoring for Washington, and then Dubois made it 2-0. The flashiest goal belonged to Chychrun, however. The defenseman left Nashville’s Tyson Jost behind with a 360-degree spin near the boards, then entered the offensive zone and scored.
HURRICANES 2, RANGERS 0
NEW YORK (AP) — Rookie Brandon Bussi made 16 saves for his second shutout, Andrei Svechnikov gave Carolina an early lead in the first period and Carolina topped New York to extend its points streak to 10 games.
Jordan Staal scored into an empty net with 54 seconds left to seal it for the Hurricanes in the final game for both teams before the Olympic break.
The Eastern Conference-leading Hurricanes are 8-0-2 since Jan. 16 and 12-1-3 since Jan. 4.
Jonathan Quick made a season-high 41 saves for the Rangers, who were shut out for the ninth time this season and the seventh at home. New York has lost four in a row.
Svechnikov made it 1-0 game 6:26 into the first period on a wrist shot off an assist from Mark Jankowski. And Bussi, who has won his last seven starts, made that goal hold up.
PENGUINS 5, SABRES 2
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Avery Hayes scored twice in his NHL debut, Arturs Silovs made 26 saves and Pittsburgh beat Buffalo in the final game for both teams before the Olympic break.
Called up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League with the Penguins hit by a series of injuries, Hayes tied at 1 at 9:18 of the period on his first shot on goal. He raced to beat defenseman Jacob Bryson to the puck and put a wrister past goalie Alex Lyon.
Hayes made it 2-1 with 1:13 left in the period, taking Anthony Mantha’s short, backward pass and knocking it in. He’s the third Penguins player to score twice in his NHL debut, joining Rob Brown (two goals on Oct. 21, 1987) and Jake Guentzel (two goals on Nov. 21, 2016).
Hayes has 13 goals and 10 assists in 31 games this season in the AHL. He made his NHL debut with Blake Lizotte out for the birth of his first child, Rickard Rakell nursing a lower-body injury and Noel Acciari sidelined by an illness.
ISLANDERS 3, DEVILS 1
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Bo Horvat broke a tie late in the third period and New York went into the Olympic break with a win over New Jersey.
Horvat went to his backhand off the draw, slipping the puck past goalie Jake Allen, with only 3:27 left to play. Casey Cizikas scored in the second period for the Islanders and Mathew Barzal scored an empty-net goal to seal the win for New York.
Cizikas put the Islanders up 1-0 at 6:30 in the second period, cleaning up a rebound in front of the net. From behind the net, Allen sent the puck around the boards right to Marc Gatcomb while the Devils were in a line change. Gatcomb fired the puck to the slot, where Kyle MacLean got a stick on it, tipping it to Cizikas. Allen made the save on the first tip by Cizikas, but couldn’t control the rebound.
Allen stopped 11 shots.
SENATORS 2, FLYERS 1, OT
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Tim Stutzle charged past Philadelphia defenseman Travis Sanheim and scored on a back-hand shot 47 seconds into overtime, giving Ottawa the win.
It was Stutzle’s 28th goal of the season. The Senators won their fifth game in six outings heading into the Olympic break.
Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale scored on a wrist shot from the left circle with 1:14 remaining in regulation.
That came on only the 14th Philadelphia shot of the game against unexpected Ottawa starting goalie James Reimer.
Reimer, 37, was playing in his seventh game since signing with the Senators last month. Would-be Ottawa starter Linus Ullmark recently returned from a personal leave of absence, but he was a late scratch Thursday, reportedly due to illness.
Former Flyer Nick Cousins scored a second-period goal and Reimer made 15 saves for the Senators.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 4, KINGS 1
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Mark Stone had a goal and two assists and Vegas took control early by scoring four times on its first six shots for a victory over Los Angeles.
Vegas heads into the Olympic break with back-to-back victories after losing seven of eight games. The Kings have lost four of five.
Jack Eichel and Pavel Dorofeyev each had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights. Mitch Marner scored a goal for his 799th career point and Ivan Barbashev extended his points streak to five games with two assists.
Barbashev’s four-game goal streak, however, ended. Eichel extended his points streak to four games and now has 200 assists in a Golden Knights uniform.
Vegas’ Adin Hill made 32 saves for his 100th career victory, his most stops since having 34 on March 15, 2025, against Buffalo.
Trevor Moore scored for the Kings and Anton Forsberg stopped 18 shots. Adrian Kempe’s eight-game points streak ended.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Jessica Timmons scored 23 points and grabbed seven rebounds, Karly Weathers added 14 points and six rebounds, and No. 21 Alabama took down No. 13 Ole Miss 64-63 on Thursday night.
Timmons scored six straight points beginning with 2:31 remaining in regulation, and gave the Crimson Tide (20-4, 6-4 Southeastern Conference) a lead with 47 seconds on the clock.
After Ole Miss retook the lead on two free throws, Diana Collins made a driving layup that secured the win with 18 seconds to go.
Cotie McMahon led with 22 points for the Rebels (19-5, 6-3), but she was called for a charge with 10 seconds remaining that negated her go-ahead bucket.
Sira Thienou added 13 points and seven rebounds, Christeen Iwuala had 11 and 15 rebounds, and Latasha Lattimore scored 10 to go with 13 rebounds for Ole Miss.
Lattimore's buzzer-beater attempt couldn't find the basket as Alabama survived for the upset.
Alabama has lost just one game of 17 at home this season (a 70-59 loss to then-No. 20 Tennessee). Crimson Tide head coach Kristy Curry reached 550 career victories with the win.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 19: Jaylen Brown #7 talks with head coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on January 19, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was a busy trade deadline day for the Boston Celtics, who salary-dumped three players and converted two-way center Amari Williams to a standard contract. Plus, there’s the addition of veteran center Nikola Vučević, acquired from the Chicago Bulls in the Anfernee Simons trade, which sparked the organization’s final 72 hours of activity.
Boston’s trio of trades during Thursday afternoon’s hours — with the Utah Jazz, Brooklyn Nets, and Charlotte Hornets — allowed the Celtics to reduce their projected salary and luxury tax figure down to $186.5 million, seven months and three weeks after it stood at $540 million.
By parting ways with Simons, Chris Boucher, Josh Minott, and Xavier Tillman Sr., the Celtics dumped enough salary to sit approximately $840,000 under the tax line while creating three open standard-contract roster spots. The Celtics will be able to stay below the tax by getting creative and leveraging 10-Day contracts, as well as other vehicles. The added flexibility allows Brad Stevens to survey the buyout market for depth upgrades moving forward.
Here’s a summary of where things stand for the team after the NBA trade deadline:
The players the Celtics acquired:
Nikola Vucevic, Chicago Bulls
John Tonje, Utah Jazz
The picks and players the Celtics sent out:
Josh Minott to the Brooklyn Nets
Chris Boucher (and a future second-round pick) to the Utah Jazz
Anfernee Simons (and a future second-round pick) to the Chicago Bulls
Xavier Tillman Sr. to the Charlotte Hornets
The new, full Celtics roster
Jayson Tatum
Jaylen Brown
Derrick White
Nikola Vucevic
Sam Hauser
Payton Pritchard
Hugo Gonzalez
Baylor Scheierman
Luka Garza
Neemias Queta
Jordan Walsh
Amari Williams
Two-way players:
Max Shulga
Ron Harper Jr.
John Tonje (acquired in the Chris Boucher trade)
Celtics draft picks remaining
2026: first-round pick, second-round pick (via Detroit Pistons), second-round pick (via New Orleans Pelicans)
2027: first-round pick
2028: first-round pick (via swap with San Antonio Spurs, least favorable)
Vučević stands as Boston’s premier trade deadline acquisition, brought in to address the team’s need for frontcourt depth. Since the 35-year-old wasn’t mentioned in the Celtics’ latest injury report, he’ll likely debut in Friday night’s game against the Heat at TD Garden.
This season, Vučević is averaging 16.9 points with nine rebounds and 3.8 assists, while shooting 50.5% from the field and 37.6% from 3-point range across 48 appearances.
In addition, the Celtics bring in John Tonje on a two-way contract from Utah, after being drafted by the Jazz with the 53rd pick last Spring. He was a consensus second-team All-American last season at Wisconsin, averaging 19.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists on 38.8% shooting from 3-point range. He has spent most of the season in the G League, averaging 18 points, 4.1 rebounds, and1.4 assists, while shooting 37.6% from 3-point range with Salt Lake City.
What are your thoughts on the new-look Celtics following Thursday’s trade deadline? Let us know in the comments down below.
