Posts

Posted on

Portland State tops Weber State 84-60 to win first Big Sky regular-season title since 2008

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Jaylin Henderson finished with 20 points and 10 assists and Portland State beat Weber State 84-60 on Monday night to clinch the Big Sky Conference regular-season title.

Henderson added seven rebounds and four assists to his double-double for the Vikings (19-10, 13-5), who finished a game in front of second-place Montana State. Portland State won the conference for the first time since 2008 to earn the top seed in the Big Sky tournament.

Terri Miller Jr. filled up the stat sheet for Portland State with 18 points, six assists, five rebounds, three steals and three blocks. Keyon Kensie Jr. scored 13 and Tre-Vaughn Minott pitched in with 10 points and nine rebounds.

Tijan Saine Jr. had 16 points and four assists to lead the Wildcats (16-15, 10-8), who trailed 43-26 at halftime and never recovered. Nigel Burris and Viljami Vartiainen both scored 11.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketba spurtll: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Posted on

Around the Empire: Lombard Jr. tops MLB Pipeline’s Yankees prospects

TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 28: George Lombard Jr. of the New York Yankees poses for a photo during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 28, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images

MLB.com | Jim Callis: MLB Pipeline has released its list of the Yankees’ top 30 prospects for 2026 and George Lombard Jr. retains his spot as their No. 1 prospect. The shortstop drafted 26th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft reached Double-A as a 20 year old in 2025 and has impressed this spring, going 2-for-8 with five walks and five RBI in five games of Grapefruit League play. He is not expected to graduate to the majors in 2026 as he continues to adjust to professional pitching, though GM Brian Cashman called his defense “MLB-ready.”

MLB.com | Maria Guardado: Ahead of Team USA’s opening game of the World Baseball Classic against Brazil on Friday, team captain Aaron Judge addressed his teammates in a clubhouse speech. He had not planned to make a speech until reigning Cy Young winners Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes reached out over the winter and suggested that he prepare some words for when the team convened ahead of the tournament. Judge’s speech focused on sacrificing for each other over the next couple of weeks, the team also taking inspiration from the performances of the athletes of Team USA in the recently completed Winter Olympics. Judge called being named team captain an honor, though made sure to distinguish that being “captain of the Yankees is No. 1 still in [his] heart.”

Fox News | Scott Thompson: Last week, the Yankees announced that they would be retiring the No. 52 worn by first ballot Hall of Famer CC Sabathia, also announcing a ceremony to dedicate a plaque in Monument Park in September. Sabathia reflected on the honor, calling it “more of a shock than going into the Hall of Fame.” He mentioned the Yankees greats that he would be joining, how he never thought he would be mentioned alongside the likes of Whitey Ford and Ron Guidry when he first joined the team in 2008. He ended by hailing the fans as the part that meant the most to him during his Yankees tenure and the accountability to which they hold every player.

The Athletic | Ken Rosenthal ($): Max Fried has worked his way to becoming one of the best starting pitchers in MLB, and he chronicles the journey of developing the killer mentality that got him to this point. Early in his career, he had to shake the label of being ‘soft’ when mistakes or missed execution would fluster him for the rest of his start. He hit a career rock bottom as a 22 year old when he went 2-11 with a 5.92 ERA at Double-A in 2017 and even wondered whether he would last in the sport or would have to start making plans to go to college. But then the Braves unexpectedly called him up to the majors in the second half of 2017, and Fried pitched to a 3.81 ERA in nine appearances, a moment which Fried called the turning point in his career. Fried said the rude awakening of those struggles in the minors forced him to take ownership of his life and career.

FanGraphs | Jay Jaffe: The Yankees had been searching for a right-handed bat to provide additional depth in the outfield all offseason, and now that they have signed Randal Grichuk to a minor league deal with an invitation to camp, Jaffe analyzes what the former Yankee killer could bring to their lineup. Grichuk’s presence gives the Yankees options with how they want to handle Jasson Domínguez, who Brian Cashman conceded would be “in his best interest to be getting everyday reps,” after he struggled batting against lefties and defensively in left field. Grichuk traditionally mashes lefties, with a career 118 WRC+, though 2025 was the first year he was actually worse against lefties than righties. All the same, he could serve as the short side of a platoon with Trent Grisham — much better against righties than lefties — with Grisham in center and Bellinger in left with a righty on the mound and Bellinger in center and Grichuk in left against southpaws.

Posted on

Penguins' Prospect Named AHL Player Of The Month

Even if things haven't quite gone as planned at the NHL level for Pittsburgh Penguins' forward prospect Ville Koivunen this season, he is still making some noise at the AHL level with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins.

And, in the month of February, he did his best to make sure he won't be forgotten if Pittsburgh needs another call-up or two.

On Monday, Koivunen was named AHL Player of the Month for the month of February after registering six goals and 16 points in 11 AHL games, which was the highest mark in February by any AHL player. The 22-year-old right wing has 11 goals and 32 points in 27 total AHL games this season. 

He currently holds a six-game scoring streak, and he is second on WBS's team in points behind center Tristan Broz, who was injured in Saturday's game against the Cleveland Monsters. 

Koivunen was dealt to Pittsburgh in the spring of 2024 as part of the deal that sent Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes, and he's had a few short stints at the NHL level since. In 35 NHL games between this season and last season, he has two goals and 12 points. 

He is just the third WBS player to win AHL Player of the Month honors, with the others being Chris Conner in February 2010 and Carter Rowney in March 2016.

6 Penguins' Storylines To Watch During Trade Deadline Week6 Penguins' Storylines To Watch During Trade Deadline WeekEveryone's eyes will be on Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins leading up to the NHL trade deadline on Mar. 6.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!   

Posted on

Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets: Post Game Recap

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - MARCH 2: Keyonte George #3 of the Utah Jazz handles the ball during the game against the Denver Nuggets on March 2, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

It’s down to the nitty gritty here in Jazz Nation. The playoffs are out-of-sight, the injuries are stacking, and the league is zeroed-in and hoping to make a don’t-tank example out of us. Do we continue losing naturally (which I still believe we have been doing) or do we put all of our chips in and be awful-awful. In a draft that features historic freshmen depth across the board, this team would be stupid to not do everything in their power to be as high up on the lottery odds as possible.

And yes, we definitely are still losing. Against one of the top teams in the Western Conference and the entire league, the Jazz trotted out a hodge-podge team of youth and G-leaguers (plus Keyonte George) and lost in a surprisingly competitive game 128-125 to the Denver Nuggets.

This was essentially a duel of two hot shooting guards in Jamal Murray (45 points with 8 threes) and Keyonte (36 points, 14-22 and 4-9 from three). The Jazz quite nearly stole this one straight out from under Murray and an undermanned Denver Nuggets team, but Nikola Jokic called the fix in and flopped his way to the victory. Seriously, though, there were some egregious calls down the stretch and in the final seconds involving the Joker.

But, what an incredible game to showcase this young Jazz team and some of the lesser-known gems currently being crafted by the development staff. Elijah Harkless is a menace on the defensive end and truly had some game-breaking steals. He could prove to be a keeper on a contending team.

There were also some great Kyle Filipowski moments, some hot-shooting from Svi, and a beautiful late three pointer from Ace Bailey. It was good to see the team clicking and especially great to see how excited the bench was getting, specifically Jaren Jackson Jr. This team could really be something next year.

But the true star was our budding superstar Keyonte George, showcasing toughness, insane shot-making, and a lot of heart late in that 4th quarter. The refs took it away in the end, but this team has nothing to be ashamed of with that effort against one of the best teams in the entire NBA.

Jazz are back at it again on Wednesday against the 76ers in Philly. After this loss, they drop to 18-43 on the season and currently have the 5th best odds in the lottery against Washington, Brooklyn, Indiana, and Sacramento.

Posted on

Myong Yu Jong’s first-half hat-trick powers North Korea past Uzbekistan at Women's Asian Cup

SYDNEY (AP) — Myong Yu Jong completed a first-half hat-trick to set North Korea on course for a 3-0 win over Uzbekistan on Tuesday in its return to the Women’s Asian Cup for the first time since 2010.

Head coach Ri Song Ho has a North Korea squad featuring players he guided to the Under-20 Women's World Cup title in 2024.

North Korea won continental titles in 2001, 2003 and 2008 but hasn't played at the Women's Asian Cup since losing the final to Australia 16 years ago.

A ban following doping infringements at the 2011 Women's World Cup resulted in North Korea missing the 2014 Asian Cup. It failed to qualify for 2018 and missed the 2022 tournament because of travel restrictions imposed in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recent strong results at the youth level — including back-to-back Under-17 World Cup titles in 2024 and last year and the Under-20 title — have increased the confidence within North Korea's young squad.

Myong's opening strike in the sixth minute followed a well-worked combination on the right.

Kim Kyong Yong passed wide for Chae Un Yong and then angled back into the box to meet a cross with a diving goalbound header that deflected off an Uzbek defender and bounced perfectly for Myong to fire over the goalkeeper.

Within minutes, Uzbek goalkeeper Maftuna Jonimqulova collided heavily with a teammate and needed treatment on her head and neck as she hunched down on the field. She was carried from the field on a stretcher with a protective neck brace on.

After a delay of about six minutes, the game restarted and Myong added penalties in the 24th and 41st minutes to make it 3-0 at halftime.

After a penalty was awarded for hand ball in the 40th, the 22-year-old Myong scored from the spot with a shot to the left that beat the diving goalkeeper in an almost repeat of her earlier attempt.

The Uzbek defense tightened up in the second half and held the North Koreans scoreless.

Defending champion China was playing Bangladesh in the later Group B match.

Iran's opener

On Monday night, Zahra Ghanbari and her Iran team stood while their national anthem played at the Gold Coast, a long way from the war that started on the weekend with a major attack by Israel and the United States.

Before the opening 3-0 loss to South Korea, Iran head coach Marziyeh Jafari declined to comment on the military strikes or the death of her country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, saying the squad needed to focus on the tournament.

Jafari said the match against the 2022 runners-up was a tough opener. It won't get any easier, with Iran getting two days off before facing host Australia at the same venue.

“All in all, it was a good game. (South) Korea played very well and I ultimately congratulate them,” she said. "But I hope that going forward we can recover in the next match.”

The Australians are coming off a 1-0 win over Philippines in the tournament opener that attracted a tournament record crowd of 44,379 in Perth, with hometown star Sam Kerr scoring the only goal.

Australia playmaker Amy Sayer said the Iranian squad deserves sympathy and respect for continuing to play the tournament.

“Our heart goes out to them and their families, it’s a difficult situation and it’s really brave of them to be able to be here and to perform,” Sayer said Tuesday. "They put on a really strong performance (against South Korea), even with the political climate that’s going on and the struggles that they might be going through.

“I think we’re excited and looking forward to the game on Thursday ... the best we can do to contribute is to just give them the best game of football that we’re able and to show them the respect on the field."

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Posted on

Trae Young ejected from Wizards’ loss — days before he will finally play game for them

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Trae Young argues with an official during the Wizards' March 2 game, Image 2 shows Trae Young walks off the court after getting ejected during the Hawks' March 2 game
Trae Young was ejected from the Wizards' game Monday.

Trae Young gave Wizards fans a taste of his “energy” and “competitiveness” when he got ejected from a game he wasn’t even playing in Monday night. 

Young was thrown out of the Wizards’ 123-118 home loss to the Rockets after the newly acquired guard stormed onto the court to complain to an official.

It all started when the Rockets’ Tari Eason gave a hard push to the Wizards’ Jamir Watkins in the third quarter, which sent him to the ground, but the refs didn’t blow the whistle.

It led to a brief scrum before order was restored, but Young came off the bench in street clothes to yell at the ref under the nearest basket and earned himself an automatic ejection. 

He didn’t seem to be too bothered by the situation after the game when he took to social media to make light of it. 

Trae Young argues with an official during the Wizards’ March 2 game. Screengrab via X/@NBARewinds

“Don’t expect me to get ejected too many more times D.C.,” Young wrote on X, along with a crying laughing emoji. “.. but I’m definitely bringing that energy & competitiveness when I’m back for my brothers!”

Young was traded to the Wizards in January in a deal with the Hawks for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. 

He has not made his debut for his new squad while dealing with knee and quadriceps injuries that have kept him sidelined since Dec. 27.

Young has played in just 10 games this season, averaging 19.3 points and 8.9 assists per game. 

Trae Young walks off the court after getting ejected during the Wizards’ March 2 game. Screengrab via X/@NBARewinds

Young will finally take the court for the Wizards on Thursday when they host the Jazz at Capital One Arena. 

He posted a video of himself working out in Wizards gear on Instagram earlier on Monday and wrote in the caption, “March 5th.” 

“He’s trending in that direction,” Wizards coach Brian Keefe told reporters before Monday’s loss. “Obviously, we have a couple of days here of practice, but he’s done some 5-on-5 stuff with our group. But, yeah, he’s trending for Thursday. The expectations for him to start with [are] he’ll be on a [minutes] restriction, 17 to 20 minutes. He’s only played 10 games this year. The bulk of those will come in the first half with the normal rotation.”

Posted on

No. 1 Duke clinches outright ACC title with 93-64 win at NC State

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Star freshman Cameron Boozer scored 26 points and top-ranked Duke shot 55.2% to beat N.C. State 93-64 on Monday night, securing the outright Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title.

The Blue Devils (28-2, 16-1) clinched the No. 1 seed for next week’s ACC Tournament with a weekend rout of No. 13 Virginia. Duke followed that by overwhelming the Wolfpack, both by hitting from outside against N.C. State’s zone and then getting into the paint area that has become a trademark strength.

Boozer finished 8 for 10 from the field and 9 for 11 from the foul line while grabbing nine rebounds — along with accumulating multiple long, thick scratches wrapping around his right shoulder amid physical second-half play.

Dame Sarr added 14 of his 16 points before halftime for Duke, which made 11 of 28 3-pointers.

The Blue Devils ran off a 9-0 burst to push to a double-digit lead late in the first half, followed by getting opposite corner 3s — Sarr from the right side, then Nik Khamenia from the left — for a 47-30 halftime lead.

Duke made its last five shots before halftime, then hit its first five out of the break to eliminate any lingering doubt, including a 3-pointer from Isaiah Evans that made it 56-32 at the 17:32 mark.

Darrion Williams had 17 points for the Wolfpack (19-11, 10-7), who continued a late-season slide in coach Will Wade’s debut season. N.C. State shot 35.4% and made 7 of 29 3s en route to a fifth loss in six games, a run that includes a 41-point defeat at then-No. 24 Louisville and last week’s 29-point loss at Virginia.

NO. 2 ARIZONA 73, NO. 6 IOWA STATE 57

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Jaden Bradley scored 17 points, Motiejus Krivas added 13 and Arizona clinched the outright Big 12 regular-season title with a win over No. 6 Iowa State.

The Wildcats (28-2, 15-2) secured at least a share of the conference crown by using big runs in each half to beat No. 14 Kansas 84-61 on Saturday.

Arizona earned it outright by smothering Iowa State defensively to give Tommy Lloyd his 140th victory, most in NCAA history in a coach’s first five seasons.

Coming off their first home loss of the season, the Cyclones (24-6, 11-6) labored against Arizona’s physical defense, shooting 29% from the floor, including 7 of 30 from 3-point range.

Tamin Lipsey led Iowa State with 17 points, but leading scorer Milan Momcilovic was held to five on 2-of-8 shooting. The nation’s best 3-point shooter at 51%, he went 1 for 5 from the beyond the arc.

Posted on

Oilers acquire defenseman Connor Murphy from the Blackhawks ahead of the NHL trade deadline

NHL: Columbus Blue Jackets at Chicago Blackhawks

Jan 30, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy (5) moves the puck against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the first period at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Matt Marton-Imagn Images

The Edmonton Oilers are fortifying their defense ahead of the NHL trade deadline as they look to make another deep run in the playoffs.

The back-to-back Western Conference champions on Monday acquired dependable defenseman Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks for a 2028 second-round pick. Chicago is retaining half of Murphy’s $4.4 million salary as part of the deal finalized 93 hours before the deadline Friday.

The Oilers rank 26th out of the league’s 32 teams in goals against this season, including a couple of losses since the Olympic break ended that can be chalked up to shoddy defensive play. They got beat 6-5 by Anaheim on Wednesday and 5-4 by San Jose on Saturday, defeats to rivals in the Pacific Division that have threatened Edmonton’s precarious place in the standings.

Murphy, who turns 33 on March 26, is a reliable defender who should slot in on the blue line on the third pair. He’s averaging 16 1/2 minutes of ice time through 60 games with the Blackhawks this season, his 13th overall and 12th full one since making his debut in 2013.

He leads Chicago with 87 blocked shots.

Oilers general manager Stan Bowman has a long history with Murphy. He was GM of the Blackhawks when they acquired Murphy from Arizona in 2017, and Bowman also signed Murphy’s current $17.6 million, four-year contract that expires on June 30.

Edmonton is coming off losing the Stanley Cup Final to Florida in consecutive years, with keeping the puck out of the net a considerable reason for each defeat. Bowman in December made a goaltending swap with Pittsburgh, sending Stuart Skinner to the Penguins for Tristan Jarry as part of a four-player trade that also involved a 2029 second-round pick.

Jarry’s .864 save percentage with the Oilers ranks 44th out of 49 goalies who have appeared in at least 10 games since the move on Dec, 12, which also included Brett Kulak being sent to Pittsburgh. The Oilers acquired Spencer Stastney that same day, and getting Murphy is the latest step in piecing together a more solid defense.

To make room for Murphy, the Oilers sent forward Andrew Mangiapane and defenseman Alec Regula to Bakersfield of the American Hockey League after they cleared waivers. Mattias Janmark went on long-term injured reserve.

Edmonton was not the only contender in the West to add Monday. The Minnesota Wild claimed forward Robby Fabbri off waivers from St. Louis, and they almost certainly are not done.

“We’ve got room to do some things,” GM Bill Guerin said Sunday, pointing to the center position and faceoffs in particular as an area he’d like to shore up. “If I have a chance to make the team better, I will. It’s just got to make sense. Whatever the ask is, whatever we feel like is a good price for whatever we’re getting, we’ll do it.”

Posted on

Rasmussen, Johnson lead Idaho over Eastern Washington 85-81, ending Eagles' 8-game winning streak

CHENEY, Wash. (AP) — Jackson Rasmussen had 14 points, Biko Johnson scored 13 and Idaho beat Eastern Washington 85-81 on Monday night, ending the Eagles' eight-game winning streak in a Big Sky Conference regular-season finale.

Rasmussen added eight rebounds and four assists for the Vandals (17-14, 9-9), who swept the season series. Johnson scored 11 of Idaho's final 18 points. Jack Payne scored 12 and fellow reserve Trevon Blassingame added 11 as the pair combined to make seven of Idaho's 14 3-pointers. Isaiah Brickner hit three 3s and also scored 11, while Aidan Sevilla scored 10 off the bench.

Isaiah Moses finished with 28 points for the Eagles (13-18, 11-7), who jumped out to an 8-0 lead before things fell apart. Alton Hamilton IV totaled 29 points, five rebounds and two blocks. JoJo Anderson pitched in with 15 points, five assists and three steals off the bench.

Idaho lead 34-30 at halftime and took the lead for good at 70-67 on Johnson's 3-pointer with 3:43 remaining.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketba spurtll: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Posted on

Is It Worth It To Move Stuart Skinner Before Friday's NHL Trade Deadline?

It's been almost three months since the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Stuart Skinner from the Edmonton Oilers in the Tristan Jarry trade.

The Penguins traded Jarry and forward Sam Poulin to the Oilers on Dec. 12 in exchange for Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round pick. They then flipped Kulak to the Colorado Avalanche for Sam Girard and a 2028 second-round pick last Tuesday. 

Dubas is never afraid of making deals, and he figures to be pretty active again this week since the NHL's trade deadline is this Friday. He's in charge of a team that finds itself in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points. 

The Penguins have surpassed everyone's expectations this year and are trying to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2021-22 season. However, Skinner has been in trade rumors over the last week and is No. 6 on Frank Seravalli's trade target board. 

Skinner is a pending UFA, so it's only natural that the Penguins will at least listen to offers on him. He's been good since coming over from the Oilers and went through a stretch where he won eight of nine starts before losing his last two. During Skinner's hot streak, he had a .912 save percentage or better in seven of those games. 

To take it a step further, over the last 10 games, Skinner ranks sixth among all goaltenders in goals saved above expected with six. 

There's a legit argument to be made that Skinner could be the best available goaltender at the deadline, but the Penguins shouldn't move him unless they get an offer they can't refuse. It would have to be at least a second-round pick, plus something else in return, whether it's a veteran goaltender or a player at another position. 

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) defends the net in the second period against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) defends the net in the second period against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Otherwise, the Penguins should keep him and roll with him and Silovs for the stretch run and potentially into the playoffs. Skinner has extensive playoff experience that can pay dividends for the Penguins. He recently started for the Oilers in two straight Stanley Cup Finals against the Florida Panthers, and you can never have enough goaltending during this time of the season.

I know that Sergei Murashov is lighting up Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and everyone is excited about his future (myself included), but it would be asking a lot to rely on him and Silovs for the most crucial stretch of the season. They're both still rookies at the end of the day, and Murashov has only played in four NHL games. 

6 Penguins' Storylines To Watch During Trade Deadline Week6 Penguins' Storylines To Watch During Trade Deadline WeekEveryone's eyes will be on Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins leading up to the NHL trade deadline on Mar. 6.

He should cook a little more in WBS and help his team try to win a Calder Cup before he's on the team full-time next season. There's no need to rush him for the sake of it. 

Overall, there are teams that need goaltending before the deadline (hello, Vegas and Carolina), but unless the Penguins are getting a dream return, they should roll with Skinner and Silovs the rest of the way.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!   

Posted on

Adam Fox stands by comments regarding Rangers future

The last time Adam Fox spoke, he created a ton of uncertainty around his Rangers future.  

Fox didn’t exactly commit to sticking in the Big Apple through another retool -- saying that he is simply focused on this season right now, and it’s a “conversation for when we’re done playing.”

While it doesn’t seem like much, the NY-native seemingly said more with what he didn’t say. 

Asked if he wanted to add to those comments following Monday's loss to the Blue Jackets, Fox said “kind of the same.”

“We’re just trying to focus on games, myself included,” he said. “There’s a lot going on with the deadline and everything, but I think all anyone can do right now is take it day-by-day, try to bring a good effort and good attitude and take it from there.”

According to Vince Mercogliano of the Athletic, Fox has met with Chris Drury several times in recent weeks, and he wants to see how the GM handles things over the next few months before making a decision to stick around. 

Mercogliano notes that that doesn’t necessarily mean the All-Star blueliner isn’t willing to wait out the retooling period, but he wants evidence that the front office will turn things around. 

Fox has a full no-trade clause through next season, then it turns to 16-team list for the final two years of his contract. 

Posted on

How to watch San Antonio Spurs vs. Philadelphia 76ers: TV, live stream info for Tuesday's throwback game

NBC's Coast 2 Coast Tuesday is going to have a distinct 1990s-vintage vibe this week.

That's because for the San Antonio Spurs at Philadelphia 76ers, NBC is getting the band back together: Bob Costas will do the play-by-play, Doug Collins and Mike Fratello will be the analysts, and the courtside reporter will be Jim Gray. It's the same crew that was part of the vintage NBA on NBC broadcasts during the 1990s, like the 95-96 season when it felt like Jordan's Bulls were inevitable (winning 72 games), while on the other coast Gary Payton was locking everyone down with the Seattle SuperSonics.

Tuesday night's game has the chance to be legendary in its own right, featuring the must-watch San Antonio team led by Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, De'Aaron Fox and a deep roster of young, athletic talent. Philadelphia knows how to put on a show, too, but unfortunately, it will be without Joel Embiid (oblique strain) and Paul George (suspension). What the 76ers have is a dynamic backcourt led by All-Star Tyrese Maxey — who has been carrying Philadelphia's offense this season, leading the team in scoring (29.1 points per game) and assists (6.8) — and impressive rookie VJ Edgecombe.

It's a throwback style of game, so it's perfect that Costas, Collins and Fratello will be making the call. Both Coast 2 Coast Tuesday broadcasts — Spurs-76ers at 8 p.m. ET and Suns-Kings at 11 p.m. ET — will incorporate reminiscent and familiar components from the 1995-96 NBA on NBC season, including feature graphics package (score bar, stats, full pages, replay wipes, etc.) and tape elements. 

How to watch Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics:

  • When: Tuesday, March 3
  • Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET
  • TV: NBC, Telemundo
  • Live Stream: Peacock

San Antonio Spurs vs. Philadelphia 76ers preview:

While the broadcast may have a 1996 feel, in 2026 both Philadelphia and San Antonio are fighting for playoff seeding and dreaming of a deep postseason run.

San Antonio is coming off a perfect 11-0 February, although they fell to the Knicks on Sunday (March 1). That perfect month all starts with Victor Wembanyama, who, during that winning streak, dominated the defensive paint, blocking 3.5 shots per game. In his third season, he is a heavy favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year (-600, per DraftKings). Wemby also is averaging 23.7 points and a career-best 11.2 rebounds per game. His dominant play is why he has the fourth-best odds to win MVP (+2500, per DraftKings).

Teams try to load up on Wembanyama, but the Spurs can win in a lot of different ways. The guard trio of De'Aaron Fox (18.8 points per game), Stephon Castle (16.5) and rookie Dylan Harper (11, mostly off the bench) can overwhelm teams. Then there is Devin Vassell, who is averaging 14.4 points a game for the season but has had some big nights lately, including 28 against Detroit in a San Antonio win.

Wembanyama is going to get a lot of attention on the night – it's hard to take your eyes off him – but this game is a showdown of two of the best young backcourts in the NBA.

For the 76ers and coach Nick Nurse, that starts with Tyrese Maxey, an All-Star this season who has played in 58 of the Sixers' 60 games and is averaging a league-high 38.5 minutes per game. Maxey has played 40+ minutes 21 times this season and the 76ers are 14-7 when he does (19-20 when he doesn't, including 1-1 in the two games he missed).

Maxey is on pace for career highs in scoring (29.1 points per game, fourth in NBA), assists (6.8) and rebounds (4.1). He also is shooting 37.6% from 3-point

Fans noticed, which is why they voted Maxey an All-Star Game starter this year.

Maxey and the rookie Edgecombe make up the backcourt of the future in Philly. Edgecombe — the No. 3 pick out of Baylor and the Rising Stars game MVP during All-Star Weekend — is averaging 15.5 points per game (third among rookies behind Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel) and 3.9 assists a game (also third among rookies).

"You could tell early on that he was extremely mature for his age, and that's what kind of surprised me the most..." Maxey said recently of Edgecombe. "He just wants to be better every single day, and you can see it. He's been growing every single night out there on the court, and we're blessed to have him. I was telling Joel [Embiid] the other day, we're just thankful that he fell into our arms. And this organization should be very, very thankful for that."
This game is all about playoff seeding.

San Antonio is going to shatter its six-season playoff drought — it is the No. 2 seed in the West at 43-17 and is chasing Oklahoma City for the No. 1 seed in the conference (the Spurs are three games back with 22 to play).

Philadelphia is looking to hang on to the No. 6 seed in the East and avoid the play-in, and it's going to have to lean into its youth to do it. That's because the 76ers will be without Joel Embiid, who is out with an oblique strain, as well as Paul George (suspension).

How to watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock:

Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.

Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.

How to sign up for Peacock:

Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC and Bravo hits for whatever suits your mood.

NBA on NBC 2025-26 schedule:

Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.

What devices does Peacock support?

You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.

Posted on

Marchenko scores 2nd goal in OT as Blue Jackets weather a furious comeback try and beat Rangers 5-4

NEW YORK (AP) — Kirill Marchenko scored his second goal of the game 1:04 into overtime and the Columbus Blue Jackets edged the New York Rangers 5-4 Monday night after squandering a four-goal lead.

Columbus built a 4-0 advantage through the first two periods before the Rangers staged a furious comeback, scoring four unanswered goals, including Gabe Perreault’s tying goal with 4:46 remaining in the third __ to force OT.

Marchenko also added an assist for Columbus, which snapped a two-game skid . Adam Fantilli, Sean Monahan and Mathiew Olivier also scored for the Blue Jackets, and Charlie Coyle had two assists. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 27 of the 31 shots he faced.

After falling behind four goals after two periods, the Rangers rallied in the third, scoring twice in a 24-second span in the first minute. New York, which had a 16-7 edge in shots in the period, scored two more goals in just over a two-minute span later in the third and managed to force overtime before falling short.

Perreault finished with two goals, and Vladislav Gavrikov and Will Borgen also scored for New York, which dropped to 7-16-5 at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers were coming off a 3-2, shootout win over Pittsburgh on Saturday that snapped a five-game skid. Igor Shesterkin made 23 saves.

RED WINGS 4, PREDATORS 2

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond each scored a goal and added an assist and Cam Talbot made 18 saves in relief of John Gibson to lead Detroit to a victory over Nashville.

Gibson did not return for the second period because of an upper-body injury. He stopped 10 of the 11 shots he faced. Emmitt Finnie and Albert Johansson also scored for the Red Wings, who have two of three.

Filip Forsberg and Jonathan Marchessault scored and Juuse Saros made 27 saves for the Predators, who are 1-2-2 in their past five.

FLYERS 3, MAPLE LEAFS 2, SO

TORONTO (AP) — Matvei Michkov and Trevor Zegras scored in a shootout and Philadelphia extended their winning streak to three games with a win over the Toronto.

William Nylander scored on the Maple Leafs’ first shootout attempt, but Auston Matthews and Max Domi failed to convert as Toronto’s losing streak reached four games.

Noah Cates converted a pass from Bobby Brink with 5:18 remaining in regulation time to give the Flyers a 2-1 lead. The Maple Leafs tied the game when Nylander slammed in a feed from John Tavares on the power play with 2:30 left.

Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube adjusted his lines, with the most notable move being the pairing of Matthews, the team captain, alongside Nylander.

Toronto’s Dakota Joshua opened the scoring at 15:22 of the first period, knocking in a pass from Matias Maccelli. It was Joshua’s first goal since returning last week after missing two months with a lacerated kidney.

Flyers center Christian Dvorak tied the game three minutes later on the power play, sweeping in a loose puck in front of the net.

Toronto outshot the Flyers 31-25, and Anthony Stolarz finished with 23 saves. Philadelphia’s Dan Vladar made 29 stop

Posted on

Flyers beat Maple Leafs 3-2 in a shootout to extend winning streak to 3 games

TORONTO (AP) — Matvei Michkov and Trevor Zegras scored in a shootout and the Philadelphia Flyers extended their winning streak to three games with a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night.

William Nylander scored on the Maple Leafs’ first shootout attempt, but Auston Matthews and Max Domi failed to convert as Toronto's losing streak reached four games.

Noah Cates converted a pass from Bobby Brink with 5:18 remaining in regulation time to give the Flyers a 2-1 lead. The Maple Leafs tied the game when Nylander slammed in a feed from John Tavares on the power play with 2:30 left.

Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube adjusted his lines, with the most notable move being the pairing of Matthews, the team captain, alongside Nylander.

Toronto’s Dakota Joshua opened the scoring at 15:22 of the first period, knocking in a pass from Matias Maccelli. It was Joshua’s first goal since returning last week after missing two months with a lacerated kidney.

Flyers center Christian Dvorak tied the game three minutes later on the power play, sweeping in a loose puck in front of the net.

Toronto outshot the Flyers 31-25, and Anthony Stolarz finished with 23 saves. Philadelphia’s Dan Vladar made 29 stops.

Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale had a chance to end the game in overtime, but his shot off the rush hit the outside of the near post with 30 seconds remaining.

Flyers' leading scorer Travis Konecny missed the game with a lower-body injury. He was a game-time decision.

Matthews has gone eight games without a goal, his longest drought of the season. A member of the U.S. Olympic team that won the gold medal in Italy, Matthews was without a goal in four games before the break and has gone four more since his return.

Up next

Flyers: Host Utah on Thursday.

Maple Leafs: At New Jersey on Wednesday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Posted on

How many points did Giannis score? Bucks vs. Celtics stats

When Giannis Antetokounmpo went down with a right calf strain on Jan. 23, he told reporters that he would likely miss 4-6 weeks.

Turns out, he was right on schedule as Antetokounmpo made his return to the Milwaukee Bucks' lineup in Monday's 108-81 loss to a Jaylen Brown-less Boston Celtics team.

At one point, it was uncertain if Antetokounmpo would ever play in a Bucks uniform again after suffering his injury just over two weeks ahead of the trade deadline. His name has been surrounded by trade rumors for the past few years, but they especially heated up this season when it was reported that he was "open" to a trade.

But the Bucks didn't deal the two-time NBA MVP — at least for now — and re-tooled his supporting cast by taking low-risk fliers on Cam Thomas and Ousmane Dieng. The team hasn't exactly taken off though, the Bucks have just a 6-5 record since Feb. 5 and currently sit in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, 3.5 games behind the red-hot Charlotte Hornets for the final play-in spot.

And while Milwaukee hasn't been a good team in almost any facet this season, they still at least have a shot when they have their superstar. With Giannis, the Bucks are 15-16 and average 113.6 points per night. Without him, they drop to 11-18 and 109.1 points.

Here's how Giannis did in his return to the court on Monday vs. the Celtics:

Giannis Antetokounmpo stats vs. Boston Celtics

  • Points: 19
  • FG: 7-for-18 (0-for-2 from 3-point line)
  • Free Throws: 5-for-7
  • Rebounds: 11
  • Assists: 2
  • Steals: 0
  • Blocks: 1
  • Turnovers: 3
  • Fouls: 1
  • Minutes: 25

Celtics vs. Bucks highlights

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports' newsletter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Giannis stats, points tonight, Bucks vs. Celtics highlights