There’s a special kind of torture reserved for Golden State fans watching today’s game against Minnesota. Not the usual anxiety of a regular season matchup against a Western Conference contender, but something deeper. Something that cuts straight to the bone.
The Warriors face the Timberwolves today missing Jimmy Butler, who tore his ACL on Monday. Last spring, when these teams met in the playoffs, Golden State was missing Steph Curry, who suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain in Game 1 of their second-round series. The Wolves won four straight games while Curry sat, ending what could have been a magical run after the Warriors upset the 2-seed Houston Rockets in seven games.
Do you see the cruel symmetry here? The universe has decided that Curry and Butler can’t both be healthy against Minnesota. Pick one. Never both.
Jimmy Butler played 388 mins this season without either Curry or Draymond on the court. Net rating in those mins: +15.9
The ability to not just survive but win those mins was the biggest thing Butler contributed, and there is zero way to make that up elsewhere. Just sucks.
This is the nightmare Dub Nation has been living since February 2025, when Mike Dunleavy traded for Butler and signed him to a two-year extension. The move was supposed to give Curry one last legitimate co-star, one final push at extending the dynasty’s championship window. And for a glorious stretch, it worked. The Warriors went 23-7 with Butler in the lineup down the stretch last season. They looked dangerous. They looked like a team that could make noise in the playoffs.
Then Curry went down in Game 1 against the Wolves, and Butler had to carry the load alone. He tried. God knows he tried. But asking a 36-year-old to single-handedly will a team past a hungry Minnesota squad featuring Anthony Edwards at the peak of his powers was asking too much. Now the roles are reversed. Butler’s out for the season. Curry, who turns 38 in March, is alone again. And the opponent? The same damn Timberwolves who eliminated them last spring.
The pain in the Bay Area isn’t just about losing games. It’s about watching a window slam shut in slow motion. These two superstars finally found each other at this stage of their careers, bringing complementary skills and championship DNA to Chase Center. But they’ve barely played meaningful basketball together when both are healthy and locked in. Injuries keep stealing what little time they have left.
Today’s game against Minnesota should serve as a mirror for the Timberwolves themselves. Yes, they’ve got Anthony Edwards ascending into superstardom. Julius Randle definitely provides legitimate secondary scoring. They’re clearly positioned to compete in the West for years to come. But talent means nothing if you can’t stay healthy long enough to capitalize on it.
The Wolves should watch what’s happening to Golden State with the clarity of a cautionary tale. This Warriors team has two future Hall of Famers, championship experience, and organizational stability. None of it matters when your stars can’t share the court during the games that count. One freak injury, one awkward landing, one hamstring that won’t cooperate, and your entire window evaporates.
The Jimmy Butler injury is just the latest heartbreak for Warriors fans. It gets to a point… pic.twitter.com/dfFQrSmof3
Minnesota has their own fragile window. Edwards is 24 and indestructible until he’s not. Randle has battled injuries throughout his career. Rudy Gobert is 33. These moments are fleeting in the NBA, even when you think you’ve built something sustainable. The Warriors learned this lesson the hard way. Today, Curry will take the court at Target Center carrying the weight of back-to-back seasons defined by injuries at the worst possible moments. He’ll face the franchise that eliminated his team when Butler couldn’t save them alone. Now Butler can’t help him.
This is what the end of a dynasty can look like. Not a dramatic collapse or a roster teardown, but a series of cruel coincidences that prevent greatness from manifesting one final time. The talent is there. The will is there. But the health? The universe has decided that’s asking too much.
Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler won 70% of their games together …
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Fadima Tall scored 12 points and No. 20 Princeton won its 15th consecutive game, defeating Brown 58-49 on Saturday.
Princeton led 47-43 halfway through the fourth quarter before Tall and Olivia Hutcherson led a quick six-point run that gave the Tigers a 54-43 lead with 3 1/2 minutes left in the game. Skye Belker hit four free throws in the final minute to close out the victory.
Belker finished with 11 points, and Toby Nweke added 10 for Princeton (17-1, 5-0 Ivy League). Tall grabbed eight rebounds and Ashley Chea had seven assists.
Grace Arnolie, the Ivy League scoring leader at 18.6 points per game, scored 14 points and Alyssa Moreland had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Bears (11-6, 3-2).
After trailing 15-9 through one quarter, the Tigers went on a 12-0 tear in the second quarter, holding Brown scoreless until Moreland's layup with two minutes remaining in the half. Princeton led 24-20 at halftime.
Princeton fell behind 27-26 early in the third quarter, but a 14-0 run put them ahead 40-27 with about five minutes left. Brown was held scoreless for nearly 4 minutes before rallying to pull within six points heading into the fourth quarter.
Princeton's No. 20 ranking is the program’s highest since the end of the 2014-15 season.
While the Golden State Warriors latest pipe dream of acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James grabbed the bulk of trade rumor headlines on Friday, the Dubs were tied to another wing. Per Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Warriors, Phoenix Suns, and Milwaukee Bucks are among several teams interested in Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges. A source told Amick the Hornets are eyeing at least one, “maybe two” first-round picks in a deal.
“As for Hornets that might be on the move, veteran forward Miles Bridges is drawing significant interest, league sources told The Athletic,” Amick wrote. “The Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns are all known to be among the interested parties, though it remains to be seen if any team can compel the Hornets to give Bridges up. Charlotte’s lack of interest in the Bucks’ Kyle Kuzma is known to be an obstacle to a potential deal between those two teams. Draft capital is also a pivotal part of the conversation.“
The Warriors interest in Bridges is disheartening given his history of intimate partner violence. Bridges has been arrested multiple times after incidents with the mother of his children and has been convicted of felony domestic violence. Bridges’ first arrest led him to miss the 2022-23 NBA season before the league handed him a 30-game suspension.
However, as is unfortunately commonplace, the league has ignored red flags and allowed him to continue playing as if nothing happened.
On June 29, 2022, Bridges was arrested and charged with assaulting his then wife in front of their two children. Following the arrest, his wife publicly shared pictures on her Instagram, showing bruising and cuts all over her body. She also included an image of a medical report that listed her injuries as, “assault by strangulation, brain concussion, closed fracture of nasal bone, contusion of rib, multiple bruises, strain of neck muscle.”
Prosecutors originally charged Bridges with three felonies stemming from the incident, but Bridges reached a deal with prosecutors that allowed him to avoid jail time. He was ultimately convicted of a single felony domestic violence charge and agreed to a long list of conditions alongside three months of probation.
It was unclear whether Bridges would play in the NBA again. After sitting out for a season and receiving a punishment from the league, he ultimately returned to the Hornets. As Bridges faced pushback for his return, she publicly defended him. However, the victim is the mother of Bridges’ two children, creating a complicated economic reality and one that later events create questions around.
“I want to apologize to everybody for the pain and embarrassment that I have caused everyone, especially my family,” Bridges said in his first public statements upon his return. “This year away I’ve used to prioritize going to therapy and becoming the best person I can be — someone that my family and everyone here can be proud of.”
Yet, in the same year that Bridges and his ex-partner made those statements, behind the scenes activity seriously undermines any idea that he underwent significant growth. One of the conditions of Bridges’ was honoring a 10-year protective order to have no contact and stay at least 100 yards away from the victim. Less than a year later, Bridges was arrested for violating that order on two separate incidents.
The first arrest warrant said Bridges had tried to contact her on social media and her phone in January of 2023, a clear violation of the order. He was then charged with multiple crimes after an incident where his former partner’s windshield was shattered in October. She originally said he threw pool balls at her window with her and their children inside. She would eventually retract and contradict her original statements, leading the charges to be dropped. Still, the fact that he was violating the protective order less than a year after his plea agreement, while claiming to have learned and reformed, raises serious questions.
Meanwhile Warriors forward Draymond Green, who attended the same college as Bridges, publicly defended him throughout the process. Green was working out with Bridges the week following his felony charges. Then, after Bridges was involved in an on-court altercation in a game with the Warriors, Green went out of his way postgame to say “Miles can do no wrong to me.” For someone as media savvy as Draymond, it’s hard to believe he did not strategically choose those words to spark reaction because of Bridges’ domestic violence history.
Bridges would be the most high-profile player the Warriors have acquired with a history of intimate partner violence under owner Joe Lacob. However, he would not be the first.
The Warriors signed Kendrick Nunn as an undrafted free agent out of Oakland University to a partially guaranteed contract and kept him in the G-League until he was signed away by the Miami Heat. Nunn had been dismissed from the University of Illinois after pleading guilty to misdemeanor domestic battery. The charges were related to an incident where a woman said Nunn struck her in the head, pushed her to the floor, and held her by the neck.
In the 2022-23 season, the Warriors signed Anthony Lamb to a two-way contract and eventually converted him to an NBA contract even though a classmate of Lamb’s had said he rape her while they were in college. Warriors general manager Bob Myers claimed the team had done due diligence related to the case, but the Warriors only contacted the NBA and other teams, never reaching out to the woman who had reported the incident to her University’s Title IX office. Steve Kerr never addressed the case directly either, and was highly complimentary of Lamb to media.
Batter will not be going to India and Sri Lanka despite fine form in the Big Bash but he does have an eye on the 2028 Olympics
Considering that Steve Smith was once observed changing gloves after facing eight balls, it is no surprise to see him throw down a gauntlet. The surprise is that he is doing so in 20-over cricket, the format where his batting has historically made the most modest impression.
It is an incongruity of Australia’s season that Smith has the hottest hand in the Big Bash League and it is too late to have him considered for an imminent World Cup with the squad selected weeks ago. Smith wanted to be there, but his bigger concern is not the T20 World Cup of 2026. It’s the Los Angeles Olympics of 2028.
Ja Morant will be sidelined at least three weeks with a UCL sprain in his left elbow suffered during the Grizzlies' loss to the Hawks on Wednesday, the team announced Saturday.
This likely keeps Morant out through the All-Star break. Look for Cam Spencer to get a bump in minutes with Morant out.
Morant is averaging 19.5 points and 8.1 assists a game this season, and while there is reason for concern about his shooting efficiency — 23.5% from 3-point range this season and a 52.1 true shooting percentage that is well below the league average — that is still a lot of points and shot creation to replace.
This impacts a couple of things in Memphis.
One is making the postseason. At 18-25, the Grizzlies sit 12th in the West, 1.5 games out of the final playoff spot. The Grizzlies are 11-12 in games Morant has missed this season, with a +0.1 net rating when he is off the court this season — Memphis is essentially a .500 team without him. While that's better than it's been with him, there is no clear path to a winning streak and the postseason without Morant.
Second, this will not help his already sluggish trade market. League sources have told NBC Sports there is no trade market for Morant at the price the Grizzlies are asking in part because of concerns about his injury history and availability — he has not played more than six consecutive games in almost three years — and this just adds to those fears. The reality is there are teams willing to buy low and take a flyer on Morant, but the Grizzlies are asking for a young player and a first-round pick in any deal, and no team appears willing to give that up right now. This injury is not going to help that cause.
Shortly after I wrote about the potential of a CJ Abrams trade, a report came out that the Giants seriously pursued the Nats shortstop, but were unable to reach a deal. The fact that this leaked out right after the Gore trade is very interesting and makes me wonder about the timing. It also makes me wonder about whether the Nats will make a late offseason deal.
The report came from Andrew Baggarly, the Giants beat reporter for the Athletic. This makes me think the leak came from the Giants side. It is clearly a strategic leak and has me wondering if this deal is dead yet. The piece reads like the Giants are telling their fanbase that we tried, but the Nats asking price was just too much.
The thing that stood out the most to me was the reporting that the Giants were willing to offer Josuar Gonzalez. Despite being 18 and never having appeared in a stateside game, Gonzalez is a top 50 prospect in baseball. In their new top 100, MLB Pipeline ranked him as the 44th best prospect, while Baseball America had him at number 30.
The Giants aggressively pursued shortstop CJ Abrams but couldn’t reach a deal with the Nationals. San Francisco was open to including top prospect Josuar Gonzalez, and discussions also involved Carson Whisenhunt, Jacob Bresnahan, Bo Davidson, and Jhonny Level, per @extrabaggspic.twitter.com/qEZZguWZlv
Gonzalez was the top player in his IFA class, and had a strong showing in the DSL. He is a potential five tool player, who stands out for his elite defensive ability at shortstop. However, the bat is also very advanced. Pipeline said he has the ceiling of a .280 hitter with 25+ homer pop. If that is the case, he could be the closest thing we have seen to Francisco Lindor.
The biggest drawback to Gonzalez is obviously his age and lack of experience. He has never played above the DSL level, so there is some serious volatility. However, he has a truly massive ceiling. The fact the Giants were open to offering Gonzalez in a deal, and Toboni turned it down says a lot.
The report also stated that prospects Bo Davidson, Jhonny Level, Carson Whisenhunt and Jacob Bresnahan were discussed. These are all prospects with big upside. Davidson and Level are top 100 guys according to Baseball America. This report fired up Giants fans, who seemed stunned at these names all being discussed.
If Josuar, Whis, Bres, Bo, and Level can’t even get you CJ Abrams then I don’t even blame the Giants for not getting anything in the trade market this year.
There is one line that intrigued me though. The report said that even if the Giants offered all five players, it would be unclear if the Nats would have accepted. That feels like spin to me. If Toboni was offered all five, he would be a fool to turn it down.
While the report mentioned plenty of names that were being discussed, there was no leaked offer. If Gonzalez was in the deal, I would imagine the secondary pieces were not very strong. The fact there is no actual deal leaked tells me the Giants are trying to make the price sound higher than it actually was.
However, I do have no doubt that Toboni was asking for a lot. There is less incentive to move Abrams now than there was with Gore. Abrams has three years of team control compared to Gore’s two and is also not represented by infamous super agent Scott Boras.
Toboni also seems excited to get his hands on Abrams from a development standpoint. On 106.7, he talked about how Abrams is one of the most athletic players in the league, but has not fully been able to translate that athleticism to production. While Abrams has been a quality player the last few years, Toboni sees more upside.
Is CJ Abrams on the trade block? Nats President of baseball operations Paul Toboni speaks on that here after trading away MacKenzie Gore. pic.twitter.com/oicB6uCO0s
That upside could lead to Abrams being a long term piece, or it could lead to enhanced trade value. If Abrams has a hot start to the season, he would be a very hot commodity at the Trade Deadline. Another thing Abrams could do to boost his stock is prove that he is a true shortstop. I think Toboni was mostly referring to Abrams’ defense when he was talking about his athleticism not translating into production.
The Nats shortstop has all of the twitch and movement skills to be a quality shortstop, but has not put it together yet. Toboni seems like he is on a mission to change that. Right now, most teams looking to trade for Abrams see him as more of a second baseman. The Giants certainly see it that way, with Willy Adames firmly entrenched at shortstop.
All of this leads me to believe a deal is more likely to happen at the deadline, but this leak raised my eyebrows. This could be interpreted as the Giants saying we are done with this or a challenge to Toboni to come back to the table. Either way, the Giants let this get out for a reason.
Over the next few months, I have a feeling that we will be talking about CJ Abrams trade rumors some more. He is a very exciting player, but given the Nats timeline and their glut of young infield talent, a trade seems like a possibility.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Mackenly Randolph tied her career-high with 13 points to lead No. 8 Louisville to an 85-56 victory over Boston College on Saturday.
The Cardinals (19-3, 9-0 Atlantic Coast) extended their winning streak to 12 games and have won 15 of their last 16 games.
Louisville jumped out to a 10-0 lead with 5:51 left in the opening quarter and made seven of their first 10 shots. Meanwhile, Boston College (4-18, 0-9) hit just one of their first eight shots and finished the first quarter with more turnovers — four — than baskets — three.
Randolph, a 6-foot sophomore forward, scored 10 points in the first half. The daughter of former NBA All-Star Zach Randolph finished 5 of 7 from the field and has scored in double figures in a career-high three straight games.
Tajianna Roberts added 11 points and six assists, and Skylar Jones also scored 11 for the Cardinals. Louisville shot 54.7% from the field, its second-best performance this season despite going just 4 of 15 in the fourth quarter.
All 12 Louisville players who got into the game scored, and that helped the Cardinals to an 81-39 lead with less than six minutes left.
Freshman Amira Anderson’s 16 points led the Eagles, who lost their 14th straight. Jocelyne Grier added 13 points. Boston College shot 29.2% from the floor, the third time the team has shot less than 30% in a game this season.
Louisville’s current winning streak is its longest since the Cardinals won 15 straight during the 2021-22 season.
The game was originally scheduled to be played on Sunday afternoon, but was moved to Saturday due to the forecast of a winter storm that was expected to hit the Louisville area Saturday.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Otega Oweh, without a field goal in the first half, scored 20 of his 23 points after the break and Kentucky beat Mississippi 72-63 on Saturday for the Wildcats' fifth straight win.
Oweh was 6-of-12 shooting and 10 of 14 at the line and has scored in double figures in 23 straight games dating to last season. Collin Chandler added 12 points and Jasper Johnson 11 for the Wildcats (14-6, 5-2 SEC).
AJ Storr scored 20 points and Malik Dia added 16 for the Rebels (11-9, 3-4). Corey Chest grabbed 10 rebounds.
Chandler was only 2-of-10 shooting but hit a 3-pointer in the final minute for a six-point lead that Malachi Moreno extended to eight with two free throws. Zach Day hit a baseline 3 for the Rebels but the Wildcats finished the scoring with four free throws.
Except for a lone tie, the Wildcats led throughout the second half but never by double figures. Their largest lead of 10 came in the first half after Johnson hit a pair of 3s early in a 18-4 run that Noah capped with another 3. Ole Miss finished the half with four free throws to cut the margin to 29-23.
The 23 points added up to the Rebels' lowest first-half total this season with Storr accounting for 10. The Rebels shot only 25% in the first half when they were 1 of 10 from the arc.
Neither team finished above 36% shooting in a game that had 59 free throws with Kentucky making 28 of 38.
Kentucky has won 15 straight home games over Ole Miss.
Up next
Mississippi is home against Vanderbilt next Saturday.
Luka Doncic is no stranger to being the headline act, and his second return visit to Dallas is the standout contest on today’s seven-game hoops schedule.
While Doncic will get nothing but love from the Mavs fans, expect chippier atmospheres elsewhere on the slate, including the latest installment of the New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers rivalry.
My favorite NBA picks for the January 24 action include another dose of Luka magic and a big night for Evan Mobley.
The post-trade emotions were still raw for Luka Doncic’s first game in Dallas as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. Look for less tension in the air tonight – after all, Nico Harrison won’t be lurking in the tunnel – but I still expect Luka to put on a show.
Doncic continues to lead the NBA in scoring at 33.4 PPG, and he’s gone past this O/U points prop in six of his 11 outings this month. Once you layer on a few extra shots in a game that’ll mean a lot to him, the Over feels like a strong play – and we saw that when he returned to American Airlines Center back in April and made 16 of his 28 shots to finish with 45 points.
Luka dropped 38 points on the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, and he’s posting huge totals despite only shooting 33% from downtown this year. Even so, he’s knocked down 3+ triples in five straight outings.
The Lakers are just 4-6 in their last 10 games, and they’ll need Doncic to ball out against a Mavericks team that’s won four in a row. In an arena he knows so well, Luka will be up to the task.
The Cleveland Cavaliers finally seem to be turning a corner in an underwhelming season. They’ve won four of their last five games, and Evan Mobley has stuffed the stat sheet in back-to-back outings, including a 29-point, 13-rebound effort against the Sacramento Kings last night.
That’s the level of production that Cleveland needs to climb further in the East standings, and I like this Mobley combo prop here as the Cavs host the Orlando Magic, especially with Darius Garland sidelined again with a toe injury. When Donovan Mitchell gets bottled up on the perimeter, Mobley has to embrace being the No. 2 option.
Just don’t let his dreadful three-point numbers put you off. Mobley has regressed from beyond the arc this season, but he’s shooting 56% overall in January and his two-point game continues to be solid.
While he’s averaging a respectable 8.8 RPG this year, he’s capable of even more, as we’ve seen this week. Don’t be surprised if he chips in with a third straight double-digit haul on the boards against the Orlando frontcourt.
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FanDuel Sports Network-Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network-Florida
Prop #3: Keyonte George Over 30.5 points + assists
The Utah Jazz appear comfortable sinking in the Western Conference standings while still getting an extended look at their young core, and Keyonte George’s development is the most promising sign for Will Hardy’s squad.
George is putting together a terrific third NBA season, averaging 24.4 PPG and 6.7 APG, and he’ll have every opportunity to pad those numbers tonight against the banged-up Miami Heat, who’ll be without Kel’el Ware, Tyler Herro and perhaps more of their usual rotation.
He’s gone past this combo prop number in three of his last four games, headlined by a 43-point explosion in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, and he’s going to have the ball in his hands a lot here, particularly if the illnesses for Lauri Markkanen and Jusuf Nurkic keep them off the court.
George is having a steady season from downtown, making his three-pointers at a 38% clip, and the up-tempo Heat should provide extra possessions for offensive numbers. He’s carrying a heavy burden for the Jazz on that end of the floor, but I’m banking on another eye-catching stat line tonight.
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***UPDATE: Today’s game between the Warriors and the Timberwolves has been postponed for Sunday (Jan. 25) at 2:30 PM PT. More information here.
The Golden State Warriors continue their road trip with Saturday’s matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Tip-off is set for 2:30 PM PT in Minneapolis and can be watched on ABC.
Previously with the Warriors:
The Warriors dropped the opener of their four-game road trip on Thursday night, losing 123–115 to the Dallas Mavericks. Despite a 38-point performance from Stephen Curry, Golden State struggled to generate consistent offense — an issue that has become more pronounced following the season-ending ACL injury to Jimmy Butler. Dallas, meanwhile, relied on a balanced attack, with six players scoring in double figures, led by guard Naji Marshall, who finished with a team-high 30 points.
Golden State has now lost two straight games since Butler’s injury and continues to search for answers offensively. Jonathan Kuminga was expected to help fill that void, but he suffered ankle and knee injuries early in Thursday’s loss and will be sidelined again Saturday against Minnesota.
Jonathan Kuminga will miss tomorrow's game in Minnesota with left knee soreness after the ankle twist/hyperextension last night.
With Kuminga unavailable, the Warriors will need to find another source of scoring off the bench. De’Anthony Melton, who has been trending upward as of late, is coming off a 22-point performance against Dallas and will likely be leaned on heavily to stabilize the second unit as Golden State looks to regroup.
The Mavericks will host the Lakers Saturday night, much to the chagrin of the Dallas residents who have to brave the cold and ice to see Luka Doncic play. Dallas is hot! They have won four in a row and five of their last six games. The Lakers, however, are struggling. They are 3-6 in their last nine games and, if you pay attention to the online discourse, are one of the worst “vibes” teams in the league. Doncic famously killed Dallas in his return in April, but this time around, I am not sure the Lakers have enough firepower to supplement the emotion this game will have. The Mavericks have a great chance to win their fifth in a row.
Before getting into our picks, here is how we stand so far:
Last week’s results
Tyler: 3-1 (+$263)
David: 3-0 (+$286)
Season to date
Tyler: 17-26-0 (-$772)
David: 25-17-0 (+$933)
Even though Tyler is still negative on the season, we are heating up as the weather cools down.
Game Details
Fixture: Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Lakers | NBA 2025-2026
Date and Time: Saturday, January 24th, 2026; 7:40 PM CST
Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX.
Odds up to date as of 12:00 PM CST from FanDuel
Game Lines
Spread Mavericks +3.5 (-108)
Total O/U 233.5 (-110/-110)
Moneyline Mavericks +146
Tyler’s Plays
Cooper Flagg over 29.5 points + rebounds + assists (-110)
Luka Doncic to score 12+ points in the first quarter (+118)
Over 233.5 points (-110)
Luka’s going to come out gunning, so let’s capitalize with a 12+ point quarter at plus money. In their first matchup against each other in Dallas, I expect Cooper Flagg to meet the moment and deliver a great all-around game. Finally, neither team has been guarding lately, so let’s go over the total.
David’s Plays
Luka Doncic to score 35+ points (+120)
Naji Marshall to score 20+ points (+122)
Max Christie to make 3+ threes (+100)
Luka will torch this Mavericks defense. Conversely, Marshall is a matchup nightmare for a Lakers team with no paint defense and no perimeter physicality. Christie will benefit from the penetration Dallas will get and have plenty of open looks.
Squad Ride
Mavericks to win (+146)
The Mavericks are probably not a good team. But they are playing very well, and the Lakers are not. Plus, there is motivation for the Dallas guys to show the fans that they don’t need Luka (we still do). We love the Mavericks to pull off another primetime upset.
When a standout player who has been with your organization his entire career wants to stay with you, you listen. That’s what Yankees general manager Brian Cashman did when Jorge Posada became a free agent after the 2007 campaign.
A five-time All-Star and switch-hitting Silver Slugger, Posada would’ve been a boon for any team on the market. He still stands as one of the best-hitting catchers of the past 50 years, and his bat was elite in 2007. The Yankees had been able to extend him during the 2001-02 offseason for five years and $51 million with club option, but despite expressing interest in staying with the team he had been with his whole career, there was also major interest from the crosstown New York Mets — making the chase for the decorated, switch-hitting backstop all the more interesting.
The Yankees ended up making the deal, paying Posada the most average annual salary for a catcher at the time—$13.1 million—and thus stopped a rival team from compelling him to remain in the City, in a different borough. Although the final result being a positive one for the Yankees, it certainly wasn’t without its fireworks.
Jorge Posada Signing Date: November 13, 2007 Contract: Four years, $52.4 million
Posada was already an established star by this the fall of 2007, and it had been a remarkable ascent from near-complete anonymity during the early part of the 1990s. We chronicled his history in greater detail during our Top 100 Yankees series, but we’ll present a shorter version. The Santurce, Puerto Rico native starred in high school and was able to cut his teeth some more at Calhoun Community College in Decatur, AL. He landed on the Yankees’ radar, and after a couple draft attempts, they signed him out of the 24th round in the 1990 edition — two rounds behind the Yanks’ selection of a young high school lefty from Texas named Andy Pettitte.
Originally a second baseman, Posada was convinced to give catching a try in 1991, when he made 11 appearances behind the plate for short-season Oneonta. By the next year, he was a full-time backstop, and over the next couple seasons, he shot up through the minor leagues, playing 92 games with the Triple-A Columbus Clippers in 1994 and officially debuting with the Yankees in September of ’95. Blocked at the big-league level across ’95 and ’96 by Mike Stanley, Jim Leyritz, and Joe Girardi, Posada played just nine games in The Show during that span, and only traveled with the team as they won it all in October 1996. But even though he would never be confused for a defensive stalwart at catcher, his time would soon come.
Prior to the start of ’97, the Yankees traded Leyritz to the Angels despite his World Series heroics. They wanted to open the door for Posada to get big-league reps as Girardi’s backup and were confident that the up-and-comer could earn his keep. Following a 101 OPS+ in 60 games of action in ’97 though, the Yankees did float Posada as a possible trade option with the Montreal Expos for Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez. That obviously did not work out, as Pedro was traded to the rival Boston Red Sox, and the next handful of years would live in infamy between those two teams (and the two players in particular).
Posada finally started over 100 games in the record-breaking ’98 season for the Yankees, slashing .268/.350/.475 with 17 homers for an OPS+ of 115, and his numbers only continued to climb from there. He was eventually trusted with the everyday job as Girardi aged out of the role and departed in December of ’99. The 2000 campaign was the first where Posada really shined, making his first All-Star team and hitting .287/.417/.527 with 28 homers and a 139 OPS+, earning his first Silver Slugger as well.
It was an important time for Posada to make his mark, as other members of the Yankees’ core like Paul O’Neill and Tino Martinez were nearing the ends of their days in pinstripes. And thanks in part to Posada’s tenacious at-bat against a dominant Al Leiter with two outs in the ninth inning of 2000 World Series Game 5, the Yankees rallied to secure the three-peat, Posada scoring the go-ahead run on Luis Sojo’s single.
Although it would be a few years before the Yankees again won it all, Posada was an essential part of the contending operation alongside pal Derek Jeter (the best man in his wedding). Posada earned four consecutive All-Star nods and Silver Sluggers from 2000-03, and he really shined in the last of those years. He became the first Yankees catcher to hit 30 homers in a season since no less than Yogi Berra, and thanks in part to a 144 OPS+ and 5.9 rWAR in 142 games, he finished third for AL MVP, trailing only Alex Rodriguez and Carlos Delgado. And while his 2004-06 seasons weren’t as decorated, he still played a vital role, remaining a pillar of health with 422 games started out of the possible 486, notching a 121 OPS+.
Entering 2007, Posada had one year left on his deal before he would hit free agency, and in spring training, the Yankees were uninterested in opening up talks on a second extension. He timed his best campaign since ’03 quite well, and his bat would’ve received even more attention had A-Rod not turned in an MVP season for the ages. Posada finished sixth in the voting with career-highs in all the rate stats, batting .338/.426/.543 with a 153 OPS+ and 5.4 rWAR to claim his fifth All-Star selection and Silver Slugger. That made him a valuable commodity for teams, despite approaching his late thirties at the most physically demanding position in the sport.
The Yankees fell to Cleveland in the ALDS that October, and a decision was on the horizon for Posada. He really wanted a four-year deal in wake of that superb season. The Yankees weren’t particularly enthused about handing that long a commitment to a catcher who had just turned 37 that August; they were hoping to get Posada on a three-year contract for around $40 million.
So Posada was willing to hear out some of his other options, especially since A-Rod had opted out and longtime manager Torre was on his way to the Dodgers. Most notably, the folks across town were very interested. The 2007 season had ended in disaster for the Mets, and catcher Paul Lo Duca took a serious dip after leading the NL East champs in 2006. He was a free agent as well, but GM Omar Minaya had his eyes on Posada, as did his former third-base coach, Mets manager Willie Randolph.
As such, it was easy for Posada to not-so-subtly get the Yankees’ full attention by meeting with the Mets the day before other clubs could officially submut offers, per the New York Times:
Posada and his agents, Sam and Seth Levinson, had lunch Monday with Minaya and [Mets] vice president Tony Bernazard. The Yankees initially offered the 36-year-old Posada a three-year contract but upped their proposal to four years on Monday evening.
While Posada briefly played hard to get for the Yankees, his intentions were clear from the start. He felt it would be easier to stay with the team that he had been with since his mid-twenties, and that’s exactly what happened. The Yankees acquiesced to his request and ultimately signed him to a four-year, $52.4 million deal.
In those final four seasons, Posada played in 397 games and slashed .258/.349/.454 for an above-average OPS+ of 110. A shoulder injury curtailed both his and the Yankees’ hopes for 2008 success under his old teammate-turned-skipper Girardi, but in 2009, it all came together. Posada hit 22 homers in 438 PA, good for an .885 OPS and 125 OPS+, and he had a productive October as well. Jeter might’ve been the captain, but Posada unofficially led the clubhouse and was willing to be the guy who held teammates accountable when necessary.
The Bombers won it all, and Posada had his fifth ring. It would be the last one.
Posada’s bat remained strong in 2010 but his oft-uneven defense had made him a liability behind the plate, and he was a concussion risk as well. The Yankees found a bargain in the more well-balanced Russell Martin that offseason, so they signed him and planned to have Posada DH in 2011. The 40-year-old was unhappy in the role and dipped to a below-average showing at the plate, too. Although it was an awkward swan song for Posada, the hard feelings faded in time (and he was actually one of the few consistent bats during their five-game ALDS loss to Detroit). He retired in January 2012 and the Yankees retired his No. 20 in August 2015, honoring him with a plaque in Monument Park.
So yes, the Yankees had reason to be uneasy about that fourth year. But the overall contract still led to a 2009 World Series crown and the Yankees were able to pivot to a new catcher anyway during that last season. Losing Posada to the Mets would’ve been a true shame; thankfully, they didn’t let it happen.
See more of the “50 Most Notable Yankees Free Agent Signings in 50 Years” series here.
As Phillies fans hope that the team has another big move left in them (Don’t hold your breath!), I decided to take a look at recent offseasons to see how many big moves they’ve made closer to the start of camp. Then, as one does, I decided to make the exercise into an interactive March Madness-style tournament.
From 2010 to 2025, I identified the last free agent the team signed before the season began. To qualify for the list, the player:
Had to be an outside signing. Re-signings like J.T. Realmuto in 2021 do not count, but former Phillies who were on a different team in between (Cliff Lee) do qualify.
The player had to appear in at least one game the season he was signed.
Here’s the field, seeded by WAR in their first season with the team:
Cliff Lee 2011
Bryce Harper 2019
Jake Arrieta 2018
Jeff Hoffman 2023
Jose Contreras 2010
Brad Miller 2021
Luis Garcia 2013
Joe Ross 2025
Nick Castellanos 2022
David Lough 2016
Neil Walker 2020
Ronny Cedeño 2014
Chad Qualls 2012
Ricardo Pinto 2024
Dustin McGowan 2015
Michael Saunders 2017
Some of those names you’ll recognize (even if you wish you didn’t), and some you’ll probably need a refresher on.
Twice a week, I’ll present a matchup, and the readers will get to vote for which player should advance. You can choose to vote for the player who had the best initial season, the player who has had the best Phillies career, a player you have a soft spot for (Where my Qualls-heads at?), or simply vote for chaos and let Nick Castellanos win it all as a farewell(?) present.
We’ll start things off with our 8-9 matchup. Here’s a quick summary:
8. Joe Ross, 2025
Stats with the Phillies: 37 games, 51 IP, 2-1, 5.12 ERA, 39 K, 18 BB, 0.0 WAR
After a solid season as a swingman for the Brewers in 2024, the Phillies signed Joe Ross hoping he could provide both rotation depth as well as solid middle relief. As it turned out, Taijuan Walker filled the rotation depth role, so Ross was kept in the bullpen all year. However, he wasn’t very good there, putting up an ERA over 5, and he was eventually released in August.
9. Nick Castellanos 2022
Stats with the Phillies: 602 games, .260/.306/.426, 82 HR, 326 RBI, 1.3 WAR
After the lockout ended in 2022, it appeared that Kyle Schwarber was going to be the Phillies’ big free agent signing of the year. But with Nick Castellanos lingering on the free agent market, the Phillies decided to splurge and add him to their outfield.
Coming off a career best year, Castellanos struggled mightily in his first season for the Phillies. Things improved after that, but not nearly enough to justify his contract. While there were some highlights during his tenure, it’s been a mostly disappointing four years, and it’s only a matter of time before he’s released by the team.
Boro close gap on Coventry with 4-0 win at Riverside
Leicester 1-2 Oxford, Sheffield United 3-1 Ipswich
Kim Hellberg insisted there is more to come from Middlesbrough after they ruthlessly brushed aside Preston 4-0 to close to within three points of leaders Coventry.
Alan Browne scored against the club where he made more than 400 appearances between 2014 and 2024, before Tommy Conway and Morgan Whittaker capitalised on defensive lapses to put Boro three up at half-time. Preston were down to 10 men just after the break when Jordan Storey saw red for hauling down Conway, who completed the scoring as Middlesbrough claimed a fourth successive league win.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is expected to miss at least the next three weeks due to a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow.
The injury occurred Wednesday during the Grizzlies’ 124-122 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. The Grizzlies announced the severity of the injury Saturday and said the two-time All-Star would be re-evaluated in approximately three weeks.
This represents the latest setback in a tumultuous season for Morant, who had missed six games with an injured right calf before returning Sunday for the Grizzlies’ 126-109 victory over the Orlando Magic in London.
Morant has appeared in only 20 of the team's 43 games this season and has averaged 19.5 points, 8.1 assists and 3.3 rebounds amid trade speculation.
