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Nuggets reportedly optimistic Nikola Jokic will be back playing by the All-Star break

Denver was not exactly forthcoming around Nikola Jokic's knee injury, aside from the good news that no ligaments were damaged. The team called it a hyperextension, although that is what happened to the knee, not a diagnosis (something Jeff Stotts pointed out at In Street Clothes, adding Jokic's case has the markings of a bone bruise).

As for a return timeline, the Nuggets said only that the three-time MVP would be re-evaluated in a month. Fortunately, reporting from Tony Jones at The Athletic fleshed that out.

According to team sources, the hope is that Jokić is back and playing by, at worst, the All-Star break. On Sunday night in Brooklyn, Jokić was in Denver's locker room in good spirits. While he hasn't returned to the court yet, he's well underway in his rehabilitation and has been able to be aggressive with it.

If Jokic's return falls near the All-Star Game, it will be interesting to see how he and the Nuggets handle it. While Jokic says it's an honor to be voted in by fans, and this year will feature a USA vs. World format for the game as it returns to NBC during the middle of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, it's no secret Jokic doesn't really love playing in the exhibition All-Star Game itself. He and the Nuggets are not going to delay a return just to avoid it, but if his return is on that bubble, there will be conversations.

The return timeline impacts a few other things as well, including Jokic meeting the 65-game threshold to be eligible for any postseason awards (if he is not back by the Jan. 30 game against the Clippers he will not make it to the pointless 65-game threshold set by the league).

It also impacts seeding in a deep, bunched-up Western Conference. Denver is working to keep its head above water and is 2-2 without Jokic so far. At 24-12, the Nuggets sit fourth in the West, but only 4.5 games separate the No. 2 seed Spurs and the No. 7 seed Suns, who would be in the play-in. Any kind of slump can quickly put a team in the play-in, where they face good teams to get out of it (then have a much tougher road through the postseason).

There has been good news on the injury front for Denver with both Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun returning to the rotation over the weekend. However, another starter, Cam Johnson, remains out, also with a knee hyperextension.

What the Nuggets really need is the return of Jokic, and so far his recovery appears to be going well.

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'It Was Between Florida And Toronto': Panthers' Brad Marchand Reveals Signing With Maple Leafs Was Possibility If He Hit Free Agency

In an alternate universe, Brad Marchand could be a Toronto Maple Leaf.

Last summer, it didn't appear possible that Marchand, who just helped the Panthers win their second Stanley Cup in a row, would return due to how close Florida was to the salary cap. But somehow, Panthers general manager Bill Zito made it work, inking Marchand to a six-year, $31.5 million contract on July 1.

Ahead of the Panthers' matchup against the Maple Leafs on Tuesday, Marchand revealed that it was between "Florida and Toronto of where I was going to go" in free agency, before adding he didn't think it'd be possible to return to the Panthers due to cap restraints.

"I never thought it was going to be possible to re-sign with Florida, I really didn't. Just with the guys we had up and stuff like that," Marchand continued, "but once the opportunity came up to sign here, it was kind of no question that's where I wanted to be. But just with where we were, I didn't think it was going to be able to happen."

According to TSN's Pierre LeBrun, the Maple Leafs had an offer waiting for Marchand if he hit the open market on July 1, but ultimately, winning a Stanley Cup altered those potential plans.

Marchand admitted the Maple Leafs are playing better now, compared to how they've played in recent years, adding, "It's unfortunate the fans ran (Mitch) Marner out of town."

The 37-year-old continued, "I mean, that's a huge impact for their group. You know, he's a point-of-game player. Like, that hurts. But, yeah, I mean, they're a great team, great organization."

This is the second time the Panthers have faced the Maple Leafs this season. It is, though, Marchand's first game back in Toronto since he made comments about the Maple Leafs after Florida eliminated them in the playoffs last spring.

'I Grew Up A Leafs Fan': Panthers': Brad Marchand Owns Toronto Again, But Doesn't Believe Fans' Pressure Is Justified'I Grew Up A Leafs Fan': Panthers': Brad Marchand Owns Toronto Again, But Doesn't Believe Fans' Pressure Is JustifiedFlorida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones shook his head, agreeing with Brad Marchand after the veteran forward, who's now ousted the Toronto Maple Leafs from the playoffs on five separate occasions, <a href="https://www.nhl.com/panthers/video/fla-at-tor-jones-marchand-postgame-6373044656112">said the fans beat the pressure into this team</a>.

"So when you actually look at that, and then you see the pressure that Toronto faces, and everyone's talking about whatever the 20 or 30-year build up, I don't know what it is, but you see the fans and the way they're talking, like, they just beat the pressure into this team, and it's got to be tough on those guys to walk through the rink every day and not feel that," Marchand said, adding he was a Maple Leafs fan growing up.

"I mean, you see the way the fans treat them at the end, like, how do you not feel that every single day? And when you go through big games, you realize which are actually big games and which are just big moments."

The Halifax, Nova Scotia-born forward is off to a great start this season, scoring 23 goals and 23 assists through 40 games this season. Not only that, but Marchand is also headed to the Winter Olympics with Team Canada in February.

Safe to say, Father Time hasn't caught up with him yet on the ice. It might not ever catch up with him off the ice with his great quotes, either.

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Where Do We Go From Here, Rangers Fans; Where Do We Go From Here?

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The new season has begun with the Rangers easily within reach of a playoff berth – if they extract the best hockey from their best players. Last night they did not – especially Breadman Panarin, the club's most important player.

Taken overall, he was the worst.

Last night's MSG challenge from the Utah Mammoth offered a good test of where the Blueshirts are going from here. They failed, losing 3-2 in overtime

On paper, a standings surge is doable since neither those immediately ahead of the New Yorkers in the Met Division – Devils, Capitals, Penguins, Flyers and Islanders – are still within easy reach.

But to do so the Rangers must do better than losing four of their last five games. What's more, the former Coyotes-turned-Mammoth entered The World's Most Famous Arena as not exactly the kind of club that puts fear in the hearts of foes – except, of course, the Rangers whose 44 games played is the most of every NHL club except Detroit.

So, what the Blueshirts did was play the kind of game that makes their outdoor win over Florida a dim, distant memory. 

"The only plus last night," says The Old Scout, "is that they squeezed a point out of a game in which they were outplayed."

Of New York's two power play goals, one was with a big-deal two-man advantage. BUT,

they later got a gift power play that could have won the game with 3:14 remaining in the third period. By contrast – considering the time and score – was so futile, the Blueshirts managed only one shot on goal.

Igor Shesterkin's Injury Will Impact Rangers' Outlook On Season And Trade Deadline Strategy Igor Shesterkin's Injury Will Impact Rangers' Outlook On Season And Trade Deadline Strategy The New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/">Rangers</a>’ 3-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth was overshadowed by Igor Shetserkin’s injury scare.&nbsp;

"The Rangers offense is pitiful," adds The Old Scout, "and when it comes to five on five play, they simply don't measure up."

But in this zany Met Division race, the Rangers still have 38 games left. While they are only three points out of last place, they are not that far from getting in a serious playoff place either.

However,  if you use the loss to Utah as a barometer – not to mention the  possible loss of Shesterkin for more than a few games – the Beloveds are going to have to shape up or ship out!

As we now know, it's a mammoth challenge!

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Astros Owner: Naming Rights Partner Helped Land Japanese Star

Houston Astros owner Jim Crane was less than 20 seconds into his introduction of free agent pitcher Tatsuya Imai on Monday when he turned to the front row to thank a sponsor.

“One of the things that made this possible, is with our great partners in the front row,” Crane said. He then asked Takayuki Inoue, the chief marketing officer of Daikin, to stand up. “Thank you, sir.”

Daikin, a Japanese HVAC company, is entering the second year of a 15-year naming rights deal with the Astros stadium that will pay the team more than $140 million, according to someone familiar with the terms. For most MLB teams, naming rights are the most valuable corporate asset they can sell. In the case of the Astros, the team may have received something more valuable than money—an assist in making the first major free-agent splash of 2026.

Imai has agreed to a three-year deal worth a reported $54 million, making him the team’s highest-paid starting pitcher. He’s also the first player that the Astros have ever signed directly out of Asia.

Of course, the Imai signing works well for Daikin, too. While it’s unclear exactly what Inoue’s role was in the free agent process—a rep for the company didn’t immediately respond to an inquiry—there are obvious benefits for a Japanese company to have a Japanese star playing in the venue that bears its name. Daikin was mentioned multiple times, by multiple people, during Monday’s press conference, and Inoue reportedly took part in the official photos with Imai afterwards—all things that likely delight a high-paying partner.

The Daikin Park partnership, announced in November 2024, appears to have helped shift the team’s entire approach in Asia. Crane spoke Monday about his team’s scouting presence in Tokyo, Seoul and Taiwan, all of which are recent developments. According to The Athletic, Crane and some other Astros executives recently toured the Daikin headquarters and manufacturing plants, and some local baseball stadiums.

“We’ll be moving pretty fast in Asia,” Crane said Monday.

Crane’s non-Astros businesses have been critical here as well. His freight and supply chain company, Crane Worldwide Logistics, had a pre-existing relationship with Daikin. He said Monday that the team’s scouting apparatus across Asia was able to “set up quickly” by working out of Crane offices.  

Everyone in MLB is currently chasing the Los Angeles Dodgers, in more ways than one. The two-time World Series champs make more money than anyone else in the sport, spend among the most, and have built a balanced roster of homegrown talent and free-agent signings. Some of the biggest examples of the latter have come via Japan. Shohei Ohtani gets the most attention, of course, but the team’s postseason run was also fueled by pitchers Roki Sasaki and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the World Series MVP. 

On a recent episode of the Sporticast podcast, Dodgers president Stan Kasten told stories about the team’s pursuit of both Sasaki and Ohtani. He also discussed the impact that the team’s Asian presence has had on business. The Dodgers have more than a dozen Japanese sponsorships, including some newcomers in the past two years—All Nippon Airways, Daiso, Kosé, Kowa, Toyo Tires and Yakult—all part of a new corporate push that SponsorUnited estimated added $70 million in incremental sponsor revenue last year.

Crane, who said the Dodgers “led the way” in Asia, added Monday that he thought the Pacific Rim was an “untapped” until Ohtani.

“The players coming out of there are really equivalent or better than some of the guys we have here,” he said. “We’ll be laser-focused on it moving forward.”

With assistance from Kurt Badenhausen.


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Panthers' Sandis Vilmanis And Uvis Balinskis Named To Latvia's 2026 Olympic Roster

Florida Panthers defenseman Uvis Balinskis and winger Sandis Vilmanis have been named to Team Latvia's 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic roster.

Balinskis, 29, will take part in his second Olympic Games, having played in four games and notched three assists for Latvia at the 2022 Olympics. Balinskis has plenty of experience representing Latvia on the international stage, donning that Latvian jersey at five separate World Championships. In those five tournaments, Balinskis has scored one goal and nine points. 

Due to a significant injury to Dmitry Kulikov, Balinskis has found himself back in the Panthers lineup. He's skated in 32 games this season, scoring one goal and seven points while averaging 13:58 of ice time. 

Vilmanis, 21, is skating in his second season with the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL. In 31 games, he's scored eight goals and 19 points, on pace to smash his rookie season numbers. The former fifth-round pick (157th overall) in the 2022 NHL draft has flown up the ranks within the Panthers' prospect pool. 

Standing 6-foot-1, 192 pounds, Vilmanis plays a strong game, looking to utilize his shot whenever possible. He has previously represented Latvia at the World Junior Championship three times, scoring three goals and seven points in 16 games. 

Uvis Balinskis (Reuters-Imagn Images)

Latvia's roster:

Forwards: Rodrigo Ābols (Philadelphia Flyers, NHL), Rūdolfs Balcers (ZSC Lions, SUI), Oskars Batņa (Lahti Pelicans, FIN), Teodors Bļugers (Vancouver Canucks, NHL), Roberts Bukarts (HC Pioneers Vorarlberg, AUT), Kaspars Daugaviņš (Selber Wölfe Huskies, GER-2), Mārtiņš Dzierkals (HC Sparta Prague, CZE), Haralds Egle (HC Energie Karlovy Vary, CZE), Zemgus Girgensons (Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL), Renārs Krastenbergs (HC Olomouc, CZE), Ēriks Mateiko (Hershey Bears, AHL), Dans Ločmelis (Providence Bruins, AHL), Eduards Tralmaks (Grand Rapids Griffins, AHL), Sandis Vilmanis (Charlotte Checkers, AHL).

Defenseman: Uvis Balinskis (Florida Panthers, NHL), Oskars Cibuļskis (Herning Blue Fox, DEN), Ralfs Freibergs (HC Vítkovice, CZE), Jānis Jaks (HC Energie Karlovy Vary, CZE), Roberts Mamčics (HC Energie Karlovy Vary, CZE), Kristiāns Rubīns (HC Škoda Plzeň, CZE), Alberts Šmits (Jukurit Mikkeli, FIN), Kristaps Zīle (Bílí Tygři Liberec, CZE). 

Goaltenders: Elvis Merzļikins (Columbus Blue Jackets, NHL), Kristers Gudļevskis (Pinguins Bremerhaven, GER), Artūrs Šilovs (Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL).

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SMU’s Kevin ‘Boopie’ Miller is The Associated Press men’s college basketball player of the week

The 6-foot senior from Chicago had 27 points, 12 assists and four rebounds to help SMU beat then-No. 12 North Carolina last week, securing the program's first win against a ranked team under second-year coach Andy Enfield. Miller was 10 of 13 from the field, hit a trio of 3-pointers and finished with just two turnovers in 33 minutes in the emphatic 97-83 win over the Tar Heels.

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Knicks owner James Dolan: 'We want to get to the Finals, and we should win the Finals'

Nothing puts Knicks fans on edge like James Dolan stepping into the spotlight. Except maybe seeing their team get blown out by the Eastern Conference leaders.

Monday, Knicks fans had to suffer through both. Dolan made an appearance with WFAN’s Craig Carton and set the bar high for his team — Finals or bust — and said not to expect any big roster changes at the trade deadline. Here are a few of his comments, via Stefan Bondy of The New York Post.

"We want to get to the Finals. And we should win the Finals. This is sports and anything can happen. But getting to the Finals, we absolutely got to do."

"We love our team right now. They have chemistry, they all like each other. I've never seen a locker room more copacetic. There's a lot of energy there. Leon can always overrule me. But I don't see us making a big change. Because we got to keep building up this group. This group can win a championship. I believe that."

All that felt a little awkward a few hours later, after the East-leading Detroit Pistons easily handled the Knicks on Monday night, beating them 121-90 behind 29 from Cade Cunningham, who was easily the best player on the court. A January regular-season game is not a May playoff game, but this was the Knicks' fourth straight loss as the team has hit a slump. If nothing else, the timing of Dolan's comments felt odd.

In the interview, Dolan praised former coach Tom Thibodeau but said he was not collaborative or dedicated to player development the way a coach and team need to be in the modern NBA.

Dolan also spoke about the Knicks not hanging an NBA Cup banner, via Christian Arnold of The New York Post (the Knicks are 5-6 since winning the Cup in Las Vegas).

"We are going to raise the banner. We're going to raise the NBA championship banner. That's the banner we want to raise. We want an NBA championship, we don't want some consolation prize."

The Knicks are still the betting favorite to come out of the East at DraftKings and reach the NBA Finals (the Knicks are +290 to the Pistons' +400), living up to Dolan's prediction. The thing he said that should make Knicks fans happy was that team president Leon Rose "could overrule him" on player/personnel decisions (Dolan getting involved in roster decisions is the worst possible outcome).

Still, Dolan has spoken and set the bar high — exactly where most Knicks fans wanted it and believed it should be before the season tipped off. It's just always a little concerning when Dolan steps into the spotlight.

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Mazzulla: Josh McDaniels drew up ‘pre-snap motion' plays for Celtics

Mazzulla: Josh McDaniels drew up ‘pre-snap motion' plays for Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Joe Mazzulla will do anything to find an edge, and that includes taking best practices from other sports.

So, when members of the New England Patriots came to TD Garden last month to take in a Boston Celtics game, Mazzulla couldn’t let them leave without picking a few brains.

During his weekly interview on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Zolak & Bertrand, the Celtics head coach revealed that Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels spent some time with his team prior to a Dec. 19 game against the Miami Heat — and dove into some Xs and Os for Mazzulla’s benefit.

“He came to a game a couple of weeks ago, and he actually drew up a couple of pre-snap motion plays for us, for me to kind of visualize and see how we could use them as sets,” Mazzulla said Tuesday. “But his mind is amazing.”

How exactly can McDaniels’ pre-snap motion plays help Mazzulla coach his basketball team?

“It can definitely translate (to basketball),” Mazzulla responded. “(McDaniels) was kind of explaining some of the stuff that they do. Did you guys see the answer Kirk Cousins gave about how the quarterback position has changed, and how reads have changed? I mean, it’s very similar. That’s kind of where basketball is as well.

“There’s obviously game plans and details that you have to develop, but over the course of the game, defenses, offenses, spacing, coverages — things are changing so much that you have to be able to adjust on the fly.”

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins recently went viral for the lengthy dissertation he gave during a press conference on how to read coverages, and the chess match that goes on between QBs and defenses prior to the snap.

As Mazzulla explained, there are lessons to be taken from that pre-snap chess match that directly apply to basketball.

“I think that it’s the pre-snap stuff and the ability to recognize whether they’re disguising man or zone (coverage) and how you go about making the defense tell that, so you know beforehand, and then having to read in real-time — that’s right where basketball is,” Mazzulla added.

Mazzulla’s connection with the Patriots goes way back — he’s attended multiple training camp practices at Gillette Stadium and made a trip to Foxboro this past August to chat with head coach Mike Vrabel. It appears that connection remains very strong, as Mazzulla leaves no stone unturned in his never-ending quest for improvement.