All Times EST
Friday, Feb. 6
NBAMiami at Boston, 7:30 p.m.
New York at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.
Indiana at Milwaukee, 8 p.m.
New Orleans at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
L.A. Clippers at Sacramento, 10 p.m.
Memphis at Portland, 10 p.m.
T25 MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALLNo. 3 UConn at No. 22 St. John’s, 8 p.m.
T25 WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALLNo. 23 Princeton vs. Penn, 7 p.m.
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Javier Baez seemingly smoked his way out of the World Baseball Classic.
Baez, who was viewed as likely to play for Puerto Rico in this year’s tournament, was deemed ineligible because of his previous marijuana use, The Athletic reported on Thursday.
The three-time All-Star tested positive for the drug during the 2023 WBC, which meant he was prohibited from playing in any World Baseball Softball Confederation events for two years — from April 26, 2024 to April 26, 2026.
This year’s tournament is set to start in early March — and before the end of Baez’s ban. Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association attempted to restore his eligibility, but the WBSC did not budge on its drug policy, according to The Athletic.
MLB has permitted the use of marijuana since the 2020 season, which means that Baez did not break any of the league’s rules and will not face any discipline from them.
This comes as Team Puerto Rico has faced multiple challenges in building its roster for the WBC, as numerous players, including Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, were not cleared to play due to insurance reasons.
A statement from the players association said Lindor — who underwent debridement surgery on his right elbow in October — was “disappointed” over not being able to represent Puerto Rico this year but reiterated he would be ready for spring training.
“Francisco is obviously disappointed that he will be unable to participate,” the players’ association statement read. “However, because of WBC insurance constraints, he is ineligible to play in WBC games.
“He will participate fully in all spring training activities.”
In addition to Lindor, Astros third baseman Carlos Correa, Blue Jays pitcher Jose Berrios and Twins catcher Victor Caratini are among some players who are unable to play, with officials from Team Puerto Rico saying that withdrawing the squad was “on the table.”
“That option is on the table,” Joey Sola, Team Puerto Rico’s operations manager, told The Athletic on Sunday.
“It obviously will depend upon if we can figure out the substitute players,” he added.
The Florida Panthers took the ice on Thursday night for the final time until after the 2026 Winter Olympic hockey tournament ends later this month.
Playing their cross-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning, for the fourth and final time this season, Florida came up empty despite out-shooting and out-possessing their hosts, losing 6-1.
Tampa Bay got things started early when Brandon Hagel deflected home a shot by Victor Hedman just 2:08 into the game, then the Lightning took a 2-0 lead on a shot by Zemgus Girgensons with 5:52 to go in the period.
Despite Florida outshooting the Lightning 19-7 with a shot attempt edge of 34-14, they went into the middle frame trailing by two.
Things got worse for the Cats early in the second period.
Killing their first penalty of the night, the Panthers couldn’t complete the kill as Jake Guentzel banged home a Darren Raddysh rebound that hit Daniil Tarasov right in the glove, making it 3-0 Lightning at the 74 second mark.
A goal by Erik Cernak with just over two minutes left sent the Lightning into the third period with a four-goal advantage, all but sealing the deal for the Bolts.
Pontus Holmberg and Mackie Samoskevich traded power play goals during the final frame, and Oliver Bjorkstrand popped in a sixth Tampa goal for good measure.
On to the Olympics.
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Photo caption: Feb 5, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning center Zemgus Girgensons (28) is congratulated by center Yanni Gourde (37) after scoring against the Florida Panthers during the first period at Benchmark International Arena. (Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images)
Well, the trade deadline is in the books.
The Detroit Pistons, sitting first in the East even after an ugly loss to the Washington Wizards on Thursday, opted to take a more measured approach to the deadline with just one minor deal. Whether that was the right or wrong move is yet to be seen, but the squad took time to break down the deadline from a Pistons’ POV.
Brady Fredericksen: I think Huerter is… fine? I don’t think he’s as bad a shooter as he’s shown this season, and I think if you had faith that Fred Vinson could fix the Pistons’ shooting when he got here, you gotta have that same feeling for fixing whatever is off mechanically with Kevin Huerter’s jumper. There’s too big a sample size of good there for me to be convinced he just sucks now. Plus, he’s still shooting 43% on corner 3s over his last 70 games. He’ll get a healthy diet of that in Detroit. The pick swap is whatever, I liked that more when I thought they were going to trade that pick. Dario Saric would have been a cool Pistons addition sometime in 2019.
Wes Davenport: Kevin Huerter might be a great fit. It just comes down to his ability to shoot the basketball. His 3pt% has fallen precipitously since his first season with the Kings, bottoming out this year at 31% so far. But he has history as a very good shooter, even going back to his college days. Huerter is more than a shooter, he can handle and create out of the P&R as well. Good finisher, can hit a pull-up jumper. There’s a lot to like… if that 3pt shot comes back around. The pick swap is nice enough. The team could conceivably move up a few slots to the mid-20s on draft night which might not be a massive swing but is helpful. Saric hasn’t been impactful for some time now. Overall, Huerter does a lot of the stuff Ivey did but adds the ability to shoot off of movement, which they very much needed. Assuming that shot is what is was, not what is has been, of course.
Robbie Bettelon: I don’t think Saric will be here long, and moving up a handful of picks is nice, but I have some excitement about Kevin Huerter. He should at least provide additional gravity around screens as a movement shooter, similar to what Duncan does. Playing with Cade Cunningham should only help his three-point percentage.
Brennan Sims: I like Huerter as a spacer and finisher. Don’t think you need Šarić. I’m hopeful that Huerter will shoot better playing off Cade. He’s another handoff threat who can finish at the cup. The pick is another bonus. It never hurts to have a chance to move up when a class is this loaded.
Max Sturm: I think this all comes down to what they get out of the pick swap. Will it be used to sweeten a future bigger trade, or do the Pistons like someone that a potential move up via the Wolves pick could offer in this summer’s draft? To me, the answers to those questions down the road will say the most about this trade. Huerter can shoot it-despite a down year from three, and has surprisingly good finishing numbers at the rim. But I do wonder if he will play good enough defense to be on the floor consistently come playoff time. In that sense, I’m not sure if he is more than a regular season innings eater, but I hope I’m proven wrong.
Brady Fredericksen: I’ll always remember Jaden Ivey as a guy who worked hard to find his place but never quite found it. He was born into a horrific situation during the Weaver years. He spent a year in Point Guard 101 with Dwane Casey when Cade Cunningham missed the season. He had a disappointing sophomore season under Monty Williams and a really strong 30 games under JB Bickerstaff before the injury. I was never keen on Ivey’s game or fit, but I always appreciated his attitude and work ethic. He never mailed it in, even amidst some bullshit seasons and situations. I’ll always give the guy credit for that, even if I’m left disappointed that all of his never came together in a real way here.
Wes Davenport: Frankly, I don’t think a player who spent only a few seasons’ worth of games with a team earns much of a legacy one way or another. Obviously there is unmet potential, and the personal connections to Detroit make this all the more of a bummer. But legacies are made of more than that, either negative or positive.
Robbie Bettelon: I’ll always remember Jaden Ivey as a player that embraced Detroit and its history as soon as he was drafted. It’s not his fault that the timeline of the team fell this way, but they couldn’t afford to wait to figure out what he was on this roster.
Brennan Sims: It sucks how Ivey’s Pistons tenure turned out. I thought he was one of the steals of the draft when he fell to five. The unfortunate kept happening. He showed promise then 2024 happened. When Ivey was playing the best ball as a pro, more unfortunate stuff. The Pistons went on a run and Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson clearly became 2 and 3 on the team’s young core list. Ron Holland passed him too. Detroit got off to this hot start and haven’t looked back. It’s nobody’s fault it didn’t work out. Hopefully he recaptures that magic from last season.
Max Sturm: I held more Jaden Ivey stock than most, so selfishly this deal was tough on me. For me, it is two things: his emotional reaction to being selected by Detroit on draft night. It felt like an important statement for the organization that a prospect of his caliber wanted to be here during some of its bleakest times. Secondly, I remember a meaningless late season game against the Heat in his rookie year in which he caused so much havoc on their defense that they resorted to blitzing him. Of course, he had the ball in his hands this much because Cade Cunningham was out for the season. Which is pretty much how things went for the two of them, as they never seemed to fully get on the same page (or the same court for that matter). But back to that night against the Heat, while watching paint touch after paint touch by Ivey in which was a much closer game than expected, I remember fantasizing about how tough to guard two creators like him and Cunningham could be on the court together at the same time. We saw glimpses of it but never fully got to see the finished product. And that is a shame.
Brady Fredericksen: D+. The Pistons needed shooting, but their lack of secondary ball handling still terrifies me come playoff time. I would have liked a more reliable guard option than Caris LeVert and Daniss Jenkins. Maybe Huerter is that. It’s all comes down to this: If Red Velvet plays like he did when he had a real point guard on a playoff team (De’Aaron Fox and the 2022-23 Kings), the Pistons will have a shot to make a run. If he plays like the guy stuck in dysfunction (Kings) and purgatory (Bulls), we’re in trouble. I’ve had questions about the ultimate ceiling of this team all year, and I don’t know if that has changed today, either. I’ll say 5/10.
Wes Davenport: B. They did what we expected them to do — complete a minor trade that improves the roster on the margins. I admit I was surprised to see Ivey go, but after Kyle Metz explained some of the salary implications for the offseason in our Pindown trade deadline primer, it made all the sense in the world. As for the finals? 3/10. Nothing they could have realistically done would have changed that, though. Yeah, they have holes, but who doesn’t? My 3/10 is just out of respect for the amount of injury luck and all the other things that have to fall your way to make a finals run. It’s hard! Not guaranteed for anybody.
Robbie Bettelon: A solid B – nothing fancy, but I do think they’re better now than they were before the deadline. This team needed more shooting, and I believe Cade and Vinson will get Huerter right. My confidence level is at a 6, up from a 5 previously.
Brennan Sims: I’d give them a B+. Ivey’s value was shot but they still got a floor spacer and a pick swap. Pick swap might not do much but this is a stacked draft so why not. Detroit is in the mix with the Knicks, Cavs, Celtics, and maybe the 76ers. Detroit has been the best of that group but their playoff offense could hurt. Their defense will travel and there’s a pathway where that steers them to the Finals. I’d give it a 6.5/10. The Knicks are formidable. Harden + Mitchell could be something, time will tell.
Max Sturm: Also a solid B. The pick swap could come in handy down the line. Maybe Huerter will be a guy. I understand why they wanted to avoid an Ivey extension with it’s embarrassment of riches and a suddenly growing payroll. Not to mention, we did not see the same burst from Ivey post injuries, and it’s fair to wonder if they did in fact maximize the return for him when factoring that in. While not detrimental, it was uninspiring which is understandably hard to sell to fans of Detroit sports these days. Make no mistake, however, the championship hopes remain very real. They have the best defense, an abundance of playmakers, depth, and an immaculate culture on their side. Cade is capable of taking this team the distance in the east, and I believe the right supporting cast is there to help him along. It will, however, come down to shooting and halfcourt efficiency when the game slows down in the playoffs. If the Pistons have enough of that remains to be seen. I’m at a solid 8 level of confidence.
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What do you guys think? Let us know in the comments!
1. The Pistons made a relatively minor trade, acquiring Kevin Huerter and Dario Saric + a pick swap with the Wolves for Jaden Ivey. What are your thoughts on the players and assets Detroit acquired?
2. What will Jaden Ivey be remembered for from his time in Detroit? What’s his “legacy” here, if you will.
3. What grade would you give the Pistons at the deadline? Additionally, what is your confidence level on a scale of 1-10 that they can turn this magical regular season into an NBA Finals berth?
The Jazz desperately needed to lose this one, and they did… barely. 119-121 was the final score to this exciting game. The Hawks benefited from a monster game from Jock Landale, who lead the team in scoring with 26 points, to go along with 11 rebounds, and 5 assists. That guy seems to be pretty good, wish we would’ve traded for him. Oh well, Jaren Jackson Jr. is a nice consolation prize.
Ace Bailey – C-
A really tough shooting night for Ace as he went 9/26 from the field and 2/8 from three point range. He did have hit an insanely clutch 3 from deep to tie the game, but missed on the potential game winner. Still it is very encouraging to see the trust the Jazz have in him during these clutch moments. Despite his poor shooting night Ace logged 20 points, 6 rebounds, two steals, and a block. He also had a really athletic deflection late into the game.
Cody Williams – C
Cody Williams was a monster on defense tonight. He had three straight possessions where he made a great defensive play. The first he deflected a pass, stole it, and threw it the length of the court to Collier for an easy bucket. He then followed this with two straight possessions with a block. There is no doubt that Williams is a good defender, he just needs to find consistency with his shot, and he will be a great rotational piece for this Jazz team going forward. “If he had such a good game why give him a grade of C?” you may ask. Well because he shot 2-9 tonight and missed all 3 of his attempts from deep. Still an encouraging outing for Cody Williams though.
Lauri Markkanen – B+
Markkanen only played 23 minutes tonight, but still found a way to be really impactful. He shot well from deep, posted 18 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in his limited time on the floor.
Kyle Filipowski – A
Flip had three ridiculously clutch rebounds in the fourth, and just had a monster game overall. He shot well from deep hitting 2 of his 3 shots from deep. He was in foul trouble for a decent chunk of this game, but he still logged a double-double, finishing with 15 points, 17 rebounds and 1 assist.
Isaiah Collier – A+
Collier truly is a warrior, as he played his second straight game of 48 minutes. He didn’t just flex his stamina in this one however as he also had a career high 25 points. He also logged 3 steals, 11 assists, and 7 boards. Collier was just on another level tonight, as he remained aggressive throughout and had a beautiful lob to Ace on a fast break.
Brice Sensabaugh – B
Brice fouled out of this game with about 5 minutes left in the game, but he was impactful in this one. He shot well from deep, hitting 3/5 of his three pointers. He finished the night with 18 points, four boards and two assists. He did only make 3 of his 6 free throws however.
Svi Mykhailiuk – B+
Svi was really solid in this one, having the best +/- of any Jazzman at +10. He had a decent shooting night going 6/10 from the field for 14 points and adding 4 boards. I’m looking forward to watching him next season when we’re actually trying to play winning basketball.
Oscar Tshiebwe –A
Always a great day when Jazz nation is blessed with Oscar Tshiebwe minutes. He had a very efficient game grabbing two rebounds, and making both of his shots on the night in his 10 minutes of action.
Quin Snyder– F-
Snyder did his best to lose this one, and let Jazz nation down one last time, but his efforts were not enough.
The Atlanta Hawks were in action on Thursday evening to face the Utah Jazz. With the NBA trade deadline behind them, the Hawks didn’t have most of the players that they traded for in this matchup, but they were able to have Jock Landale in the lineup after acquiring him yesterday. In fact, Landale made the start at center in his first game with the Hawks.
As for the Jazz, they made a big splash acquiring Jaren Jackson Jr. at the deadline, but he was not active for this game.
Landale made an impact early in the game, grabbing multiple offensive rebounds, knocking down a three-pointer, and getting blocks.
Dyson Daniels was able to knock down a three-pointer earlier in the game.
It was a back and forth game between both teams, and the Hawks were able to get stops when they needed on the defensive end to stay within striking distance.
Landale continued his defensive impact on the court with another block.
Going into the second quarer, the Hawks trailed 31-3o.
Asa Newell started the second quarter strong, and ended up dunking on his own teammate.
It wasn’t soon after that Newell got another dunk.
The Hawks trailed for most of the second quarter, but they continued to find ways to score. Jalen Johnson got an and-1 to cut their deficit.
Daniels did what he does best late in the first half and got an easy layup at the basket.
To end the first half, the Hawks went on a huge run led by Landale, as he knocked down a few three-pointers to cut the deficit. The Hawks ended up with the lead going into halftime, 61-60.
Both teams traded baskets to start the second half, but it was the Jazz that was able to pull away with the lead for most of the third quarter. Landale continued his hot streak throughout the quarter, and his teammates set him up with easy shots.
Johnson got an open lane to the rim and threw it down.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker was quiet throughout most of the game, but was able to get this and-one to keep the Hawks afloat.
Going into the fourth quarter, the Hawks trailed 96-92.
Corey Kispert called his own shot to start the fourth quarter, knocking down a three-pointer from deep.
The Hawks traded buckets with the Jazz throughout the fourth, as stops were hard to come by during crucial moments. One that didn’t stop was the ball movement for the Hawks, and Newell benefitted with an easy layup.
Johnson continued to attack the rim.
Getting down to the stretch of the game, the Hawks were able to execute and get some shots to go down. With a chance to tie the game or take the lead, the Hawks gave up several offensive rebounds, but in the end they were able to get the stop.
Landale came in clutch once again with a big three-pointer to give the Hawks a 117-116 lead.
The Hawks came back down on the other end and got a big stop, and the Jazz had to play the foul game from there. Alexander-Walker made both of the free throws to give the Hawks a three-point lead with 13.8 seconds left.
The Jazz came down after a timeout and knocked down a three-pointer to tie the game, courtesy of Ace Bailey. The Hawks didn’t call a timeout and decided to take the ball down the court, and Alexander-Walker was the player to deliver, knocking down a tough jumper with 1.3 seconds remaining.
The Jazz called another timeout and advanced the ball, but were not able to get a clean shot off in the end, leading the Hawks to victory.
Johnson finished with 22 points, 16 rebounds, and 15 assists, Landale finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds, and Alexander-Walker finished with 23 points.
The Hawks will be back in action on Saturday to face the Charlotte Hornets.
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 the Orlando Magic to a 118-98 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night.
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.
The Magic, playing the first of four straight home games against opponents with losing records, took a 21-point lead in the first half and led by as many as 26 in the third quarter.
Up nextNets: Play at home against Washington on Saturday.
Magic: Play at home against Utah on Saturday.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
The Nashville Predators' penalty struggles and another early deficit prove costly in their final game before the Olympic break, as they fall to the Washington Capitals 4-2 on Thursday in D.C.
The Predators logged 12 minutes in penalties, putting the Capitals on the power play six times. Washington scored twice on the man advantage, which proved the difference in a two-goal game.
Defenseman Jakob Chychrun scored twice for Washington and recorded an assist for three total points. Dylan Strome (2A) and Pierre-Luc Dubois (1G, 1A) had two points each.
For the 39th time this season, the Predators gave up the first goal of the game, coming 4:15 minutes off the stick of Tom Wilson. Dubois scored on the power play to put Nashville in a 2-0 hole for a third straight game.
Chychrun made it 3-0 early in the second period. Jonathan Marchessault got the Predators on the board with an Adam Wilsby shot; Erik Haula deflected it on net, which went off Marchessault's skate.
Who needs a stick when you have a well placed skate 🤝 pic.twitter.com/1t9EwEFwSh
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) February 6, 2026
In the first two minutes of the third period, Michael McCarron drove to the net and scored off a third rebound attempt to make it a one-goal game. Nashville was eyeing its 18th comeback victory of the season.
However, a Marchessault slashing penalty put the Capitals on the power play for the sixth time on the night, and Chychrun scored to restore the two-goal edge.
Justus Annunen allowed four goals on 30 shots and made 26 saves. This was the fifth straight game that the Predators allowed their opponent to register 30-plus shots on net.
The Predators head into the two-week Olympic break with a 26-24-7 record with 59 points. Dropping games to Minnesota and Washington, Nashville is four points outside of a Wild Card spot.
Their first game after the break will be against the Chicago Blackhawks on Feb. 26 at Bridgestone Arena.
The Brooklyn Nets had their first game on the other side tonight. The other side of the trade deadline. The other side of weeks spent wondering whether Michael Porter Jr. would still be here. The other side of the Cam Thomas “era,” if you can even call it that. Now, it’s about Egor Demin and Nolan Traore and the Flatbush Five!
But while the moves made today brought a collective sense of renewal to Brooklyn and the league at large, the Nets gave us more of the same tonight.
In fairness, Brooklyn did make some incremental improvements early on here in game no. 50. The Nets only trailed their opponent, the Orlando Magic, 27-19 after the first period. They ran with the same five they opened with against the Lakers on Tuesday night, which got beat down through the hardwood and into the Atlantic Yards ruins in the first quarter.
While Egor Dëmin led all Nets after one with eight points, the eye test argues Nolan Traoré played the largest part in helping us get a different solution this time even with a similar formula.
Most conversations about the French ball-handler start with his quickness, but tonight, he channeled it more decisively. Much like Dennis Schröder used to do in Brooklyn, he did well leveraging his speed around the Orlando defense, slamming and softening on the gas pedal at all the right times.
The Magic shooting 3-of-12 from deep in the first also helped. They sure as hell had the looks, though they’re not known for having laser-like accuracy as the league’s fourth-worst 3-point shooting team. Still, Desmond Bane, who’s shot 49.3% against the Nets in his career, began 0-of-4 from downtown.
It’s not like the Nets were any better way out there in logo land. Even with the aforementioned contributions from Traoré and Dëmin, Brooklyn’s offense began 7-of-22 from the field and 3-of-15 from outside. When the Lakers shut down the Brooklyn offense for the length of a commercial break two nights ago, multiple Nets attributed their lack of production to LA’s zone. However, Orlando played man and stayed in the drop for much of first half, and the Nets didn’t fare any better. They missed the basket — and each other — over and over again.
Then, things got magical for Orlando as the first two periods crossed over, as they enjoyed a 22-6 run. With 6:52 to go in the frame, they found themselves up by a 44-25 score. At that point, Michael Porter Jr. had only three points to his name while shooting 1-8 from the field. He finished with just nine points tonight while shooting 2-13 from the field.
“I think that we were not connected at all throughout the whole game,” Fernández said. “I know our guys are willing to do the right things. And, you know, just find that connection at some point. When you’re always half a second late or not talking when you’re supposed to, all those things are, it’s really hard to win a game.”
The Nets did put together a 9-2 run in the second period’s final two minutes, but that only made the first half deficit slightly less embarrassing — more along the lines of how it feels to get blown by on defense rather than putting up an air ball at the charity stripe. Neither are good, and both things had already happened to Brooklyn by halftime. The Nets went into it down 56-40.
Orlando later scoffed at Brooklyn’s subtle attempt to claw back into it, pushing their lead up to a then game-high 21 points less than four minutes into the third. The Magic kept it there until the start of the fourth as well. They also bullied Brooklyn inside like Flash Thompson on a rainy day, outscoring the Nets there 18-6 during the third period.
Dëmin did his best to fight back, putting down three “Egor bombs” in the period to give himself 21 points going into the fourth. Although they weren’t enough to make this a competitive watch, they gave us a chance to see Dëmin chase down the career-high scoring mark he posted less than a week ago in Utah.
He eventually got there, and had company.
Finishing with 26 points to beat his old mark by one digit, Dëmin shot 8-of-12 from the field and 6-of-10 from deep. Traoré also tied his career-best in scoring with 18, going 7-13 from the field and 3-5 from deep. He did the same in the passing department, dishing seven assists. The 19-year-olds helped each other get to the top of their statistical mountains on a few occasions as well…
“We all know he’s a threat from the three point line,” Fernández said of Dëmin. “Every time he shoots, I think it’s going in. He was 6-for-10, but I felt like he could have been 10-for-10. So, very good, right there. We needed that from him.”
But even before those two reached their milestones, the fourth proved to be a period dedicated to the rookies in a way we’ve yet to see this season. Brooklyn played its final six minutes with all of its rookies — the Flatbush 5 — on the floor, doing so for the first time this year in Game 50. They played the bulk of those minutes against Orlando’s deep bench guys, but it’s still worth mentioning that they won them by a 19-13 margin.
“Every minute matters, and they won their minutes together,” Fernández said. “So, their last seven minutes, they won those minutes, and I’m proud of them for doing that, and that’s what I expect from them every time they play.”
The Nets, of course, still lost the game.
Brooklyn ended up going down without applying any real pressure for a third straight contest. The ended up losing by 24 in the paint. They also turned it over 19 times leading to 24 Orlando points. They lost by 15 or more for the third time this season.
Sure, night like this are never fun, but growth rarely comes without aches. The Nets might as well pay that price now while it’s worth it.
Final: Orlando Magic 118, Brooklyn Nets 98
Jordi Fernández spoke on Cam Thomas’ exit with the YES Network’s Meghan Triplett before tonight’s game. The coach acknowledged how both sides can benefit from a fresh start and had some nice words for CT given the circumstances as well
“I think right now, at this point, it’s a new opportunity for everybody, and I think that is extremely valuable,” Fernández said. “Obviously, appreciate his time with us. I’m a better coach than I was before. It’s been fun to coach somebody that can score the level that he can score, and now he has the opportunity to choose where he wants to go and make the impact that he wants to make. So, happy for him, and just we all want to wish him luck.”
Since Thomas’ previous contract was below the the non-tax payer mid-level exception, he can sign with any team, even if their in the first or second apron.
With Cam Thomas, Haywood Highsmith and Tyrese Martin all waived Thursday, the Nets had three openings, but none of their replacements, shooting guard Ochai Agbaji and small forwards Hunter Tyson and Josh Minott, were eligible to play vs. the Magic. The Nets did confirm that Agbaji will wear No. 30.
After a three-game run of good competition, the Nets will find themselves back in a tank-off this Saturday while hosting the Washington Wizards, who are tied with them for fourth in the Tankathon rankings at 13-37.
The Wiz Kids took their largest competitive swing in almost a half-decade this week by trading for Anthony Davis — just a week removed from trading for Trae Young. The problem? Both are injured and not expected to suit up anytime soon. Also, Washington loses its pick this summer if they let it stray beyond the top eight. They’re incentivized and set-up to lose on Saturday. Who’s excited? The game tips off at 3:00 p.m. ET.
NEWARK, NJ -- After scoring the overtime winner in a 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, Bo Horvat played hero yet again, helping the New York Islanders to a 3-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night.
With the game deadlocked at 1-1 with not a lot of space out there, Horvat came through, scoring the eventual game-winning goal at 16:33 of the third:
Gimme some Italian Ice! Bo Horvat scores his 24th goal of the season and puts the #Isles up 2-1 late.🚨 pic.twitter.com/PsP0Ruzp0P
— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) February 6, 2026
Mathew Barzal added an empty-net tally at 19:36 of the third for the 3-1 final.
Here's what happened prior:
Casey Cizikas gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 6:30 of the second period. After Allen turned the puck over to Marc Gatcom along the right half-wall, he shot the puck toward goal. Kyle MacLean redirected the puck on goal before Cizikas buried the rebound for his seventh of the season:
The power of the 4th line🚨
— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) February 6, 2026
Cizikas. 1-0 #Islespic.twitter.com/HPNpSLguwQ
Adam Pelech with a kick save and a beauty at 11:07 of the second period to deny a Lenni Hameenaho one-timer, who was staring down a wide-open cage.
Saved a goal https://t.co/idL7IhyNNTpic.twitter.com/yTPorKnaCx
— Rob Taub (@RTaub_) February 6, 2026
After Ryan Pulock swiped a loose puck stationed behind Sorokin out of danger, the Devils got posession before Jesper Bratt fed Nico Hsicher, who roofed one glove side at 18:26 of the second:
Cap blew the roof off this place. pic.twitter.com/vmbrTPlTuD
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) February 6, 2026
The Islanders enter the break sitting in third place in the Metropolitan Division and just one point back of the Pittsburgh Penguins for second.
Up until a little over 16 minutes into the third, this recap had a very different vibe. The Islanders did only register 14 shots on goal, apparently tying their lowest ever against the New Jersey Devils, last done in 2004. Ilya Sorokin needed to put in a Vezina-level (and frankly, Hart-level) performance to keep the Islanders in the game. The fourth line was really the only consistent line tonight, which is never great. And Jonathan Drouin made a terrible turnover that created a clean breakaway that only luckily wasn’t in the back of our net, yet for some reason didn’t get stapled to the bench like Mat Barzal and Anthony Duclair.
But then, Bo Horvat.
For the second game in a row, Horvat came up clutch, picking up the game-winning goal out of nowhere. And Mat Barzal will be taking a four game goal streak into the Olympic break, putting him just six goals away from tying his career high of 23 in a season.
The Islanders sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division and they’ll stay there at least until the season resumes on February 26th, after the Olympic break.
[NHL Gamecenter | Game Summary | Event Summary | Natural Stat Trick]
Early on, Emil Heineman had a great chance, putting the puck behind Jake Allen, but across the crease rather than in the net.
Timo Meier took a high sticking penalty, but the Devils killed an inept Islanders power play.
Dawson Mercer had a breakaway after a bad Jonathan Drouin turnover, and his backhand shot went off the post.
The fourth line played well all night and got rewarded when Casey Cizikas got the Islanders on the board 6:30 into the second period, with both Kyle MacLean and Marc Gatcomb picking up the assists.
But then, MacLean took a high sticking penalty, which the Islanders killed largely thanks to Ilya Sorokin. Sorokin was incredible this period, although he got a little bit of help when Adam Pelech made a huge block with his right skate to save a sure goal. Following that, Sorokin made a big save on Dougie Hamilton to keep the Isles’ one goal lead.
Evgenii Dadanov couldn’t get a chance across the goal line for the Devils, but the Islanders got caught in a change after clearing the puck, and Nico Hischier tied the game.
With just a few seconds left in the second, Anders Lee got hit by a Simon Holmstrom shot, and Lee skated off the ice slowly and had to be helped by the training staff down the tunnel at the end of the period. He did return at the start of the third, though.
Sorokin made a save on Connor Brown after a bad pass from Carson Soucy, MacLean had a shot saved by Allen, and Tony DeAngelo had a solid shift where he made a great pass to Heineman in the slot who hit the glass with his shot, and a great pass to Gatcomb who had his shot saved by Allen.
The Islanders had some solid looks, with Ondrej Palat having a shot saved against his former team, and Lee setting up Holmstrom only to have that chance saved by Allen, too.
But then, our hero, the Olympian, the rally bird man himself, Bo Horvat, scored with 3:27 left off the faceoff, picking up the puck behind Hischier and driving to the net to make it 2-1. That goal was Horvat’s 600th NHL point and 24th goal of the season.
The Devils pulled Allen a minute later, and Sorokin had to make a big save as the Islanders essentially defended 6 on 4 when Cizikas broke his stick. But Mat Barzal would extend his goal streak to 4 games, shooting the puck into the empty net as the Isles picked up a massive win heading into the Olympic break.
Next, it’ll be a while before we see more Islanders hockey, when the season resumes for the Isles in Montreal on February 26th. Hopefully everyone will be back well-rested and healthy, especially the latter for our Olympians!
The Islanders haven’t looked like the best versions of themselves in a while, and they didn’t break that streak Thursday.
What they did do was drag themselves over the line and into the NHL’s Olympic pause, as Bo Horvat gave his team a late winner and a 3-1 victory over the Devils at the Prudential Center in his last game before flying to Italy to represent Team Canada.
The break, to put it mildly, is badly needed, with the Islanders feeling the effects of a condensed schedule over the last month through which they barely managed to tread water.
“It wasn’t pretty at times, for sure. We know that. We weren’t as good as we can be,” Ryan Pulock told The Post. “But I think the important part when you know that is just about finding a way. You have to be a good team to find ways when maybe you’re tired, maybe whatever it is, you dig deep. And I feel like this team has done that a lot throughout the year.”
There were points Thursday when it looked like they would finally succumb.
The Islanders took on pressure, especially during the second period.
They struggled to hit the net, putting just 14 of 45 attempts on goal.
They ceded chances off the rush and managed the puck poorly against a Devils side without Jack Hughes and with far more reason to have their minds on the beach than the Islanders.
Thanks to Ilya Sorokin and Adam Pelech, whose kick-save block on Lenni Hameenaho’s one-timer at 11:07 of the second stopped a no-doubt goal, the Islanders still went into the third tied at one, with every chance at redeeming themselves.
That was when they picked their game up and started to haul their way back into it.
Ondrej Palat, Marc Gatcomb and Simon Holmstrom piled up chances and though the flow was still missing from both teams, the momentum seemed back with the visitors.
Like much of the night, the Islanders were not doing much with what they were given.
Finally, with 3:27 to go, Bo Horvat mugged Nico Hischier off a faceoff in the Islanders’ zone and backhanded the puck past Jake Allen for a 2-1 lead.
“It wasn’t a clean draw win and I saw it laying there and tried to battle as hard as I could to get it,” said Horvat, who has five points in his last two games before making his Olympic debut next Thursday with Team Canada. “Saw it had landed near the net. Allen tried to poke check. Thankfully I got around it, slipped it five-hole.”
Mat Barzal added an empty-netter for good measure, but it was only fitting that the game was won by Horvat.
It was fitting, too, that just like for much of the last month, the Islanders gutted out two points with their meter looking dangerously close to empty for much of the 60 minutes.
Though Cal Ritchie provided a jolt of energy in his return from a lower-body injury, the Islanders played a perimeter game, at best, Thursday.
Less generously, they managed the puck poorly, with Jonathan Drouin guilty of one of the season’s most heinous turnovers toward the end of the first period.
The fourth line, though, was terrific, with Casey Cizikas scoring the opener from his own rebound before Hischier’s goal tied it at one for New Jersey.
JG Pageau had a great night at the dots and his line with Anders Lee and Holmstrom was up ice regularly.
The top line, quiet through two periods, woke up in the third in a big way.
It was enough.
Just enough.
“A lot of these games [last year] we just kinda found a way to lose,” Pulock said. “And this year, we’re finding a way to win.
“… When it goes right for you a couple times, you build some confidence in that and you feed off that and you remember being in those situations. You don’t freeze under pressure, you take it head on. I feel like that’s been a lot of big moments throughout this year where we’ve gone at it head on and not sat back and hoped.”
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Bo Horvat broke a tie late in the third period and the New York Islanders went into the Olympic break with a 3-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night.
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.
Two nights after coach Sheldon Keefe lamented his team’s lack of mental toughness, the Devils showed some fight, but the Islanders showed more of it.
Star New Jersey center Jack Hughes remained out for the third straight game with a lower-body injury. Still, New Jersey pummeled New York goalie Ilya Sorokin, outshooting the Islanders 24-14.
Late in the second period, Allen sent an outlet pass up to Jesper Bratt in the neutral zone. Once in the offensive zone, Bratt slid a cross-ice feed to Nico Hischier at the edge of the right circle and his wrist shot beat Sorokin high on his glove side.
Sorokin made 23 saves.
Up nextIslanders: Visit Montreal on Feb. 26.
Devils: Host Buffalo on Feb. 25.
March means spring training, roster battles, and this year, a reminder that baseball is very much a global sport. The World Baseball Classic is back, with players representing their native land (or, in some cases, the lands of their ancestors). So many Royals players won’t be in camp early on, they’ll be playing in games that can take on a postseason atmosphere.
Which members of the organization are trading games in Surprise for the WBC spotlight?
Team USA brings a stacked squad to celebrate the nation’s semiquincentennial this year. Leading the team will be Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., on the team for a second time. Last time around in 2023, he was still green and sat the bench while the more established stars took the field. This time, he’ll be one of those stars, part of a dangerous lineup of sluggers that includes Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Alex Bregman, Cal Raleigh, and Pete Crow-Armstrong.
Joining Bobby on Team USA is Royals pitcher Michael Wacha. Also on the pitching staff are former Royals Gabe Speier and Brad Keller. They’ll be joined by Joe Ryan, Mason Miller, and Tarik Skubal, with a rookie in Nolan McLean, and a retired future Hall of Famer in Clayton Kershaw.
El Capitán, Salvador Perez, will be leading the Venezuelan squad with fellow Royals All-Star Maikel Garcia. They’ll be joined by Garcia’s cousin, Braves star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. Slugger Eugenio Suárez, Jackson Chourio, Gleyber Torres, and brothers William and Willson Contreras will all be featured in the lineup. The pitching staff will feature Pablo López, Ranger Suárez, and Germán Márquez, as well as former Royals pitcher Angel Zerpa and Andrés Machado.
The Dominican team could also be a contender for the championship with a team of stars that includes Ketel Marte, Manny Machado, Julio Rodríguez, Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis, Jr., and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Manager Albert Pujols will have a tough time deciding which stars should be in the lineup. The team also has some veterans, like former Royals first baseman Carlos Santana.
The pitching staff is pretty loaded as well, with Sandy Alcantara, Cristopher Sánchez, and Luis Severino. Closing things out will be the MLB saves leader from last year, Royals reliever Carlos Estévez.
The Puerto Rican team has been beset by issues with getting players insured, which has caused some players to pull out. Still, they will field a formidable roster that includes Royals pitcher Seth Lugo. Other top arms include Edwin Diaz, Fernando Cruz, and Jorge Lopez. The lineup boasts Nolan Arenado, Heliot Ramos, and Willi Castro. Former Royals MJ Melendez, Emmanuel Rivera, and Martín Maldonado will also be on the lineup.
A pair of paisanos from Kansas City will slug for Team Italy – Vinnie Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone. Vinnie hit for the Italians in the last World Baseball Classic. They’ll be joined by former Royals pitcher Michael Lorenzen, Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola, and White Sox catcher Kyle Teel.
Other Royals on rosters include infielder Abraham Toro and pitcher Eric Cerantola on Team Canada, catcher Jorge Alfaro on Team Colombia, catcher Omar Hernandez on Team Cuba, pitcher Eli Morgan on Team Italy, and pitcher Oscar Rayo on Team Nicaragua. Other former Royals include Cheslor Cuthbert (Nicaragua) and Nate Eaton (Great Britain). You can find complete rosters here, and players divided by MLB team here.
Altogether, there are 190 big leaguers on 20 team rosters, including 78 All-Stars. The tournament kicks off on March 5 (March 4 at 9 p.m. CT) in Tokyo.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Avery Hayes scored twice in his NHL debut, Arturs Silovs made 26 saves and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-2 on Thursday night 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.
Fellow rookie Ben Kindel gave Pittsburgh a 3-1 lead at 7:44 of the second, Tommy Novak made it 4-2 with 4:29 to go in the third, and Kindel had a short-handed empty-netter with 14 seconds to go for his 14th of the season. The Penguins rebounded from a 5-4 overtime loss at the New York Islanders on Tuesday night.
Tage Thompson scored his 30th goal of the season for Buffalo. Jason Zucker also scored, and Lyon stopped 27 shots. The Sabres have lost two in a row.
Zucker opened the scoring for Buffalo at 1:46 of the first period. Thompson scored on a power play to cut it to 3-2 at 1:55 of the third.
Up nextPenguins: Host New Jersey on Thursday, Feb. 26.
Sabres: At New Jersey on Wednesday, Feb. 25.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl