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Anton Forsberg Holds Off Rangers 4-3 After Kuemper's Injury

The Los Angeles Kings (20-16-13) ended their four-game losing streak with a hard-fought 4-3 victory over the New York Rangers (21-24-6) on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena. Despite being shorthanded tonight with no Anze Kopitar, Joel Armia, and losing Darcy Kuemper early in regulation, it was a strong team effort and a standout performance from Anton Forsberg. 

Kevin Fiala led the offensive charge with a goal and an assist, while Andrei Kuzmenko and Taylor Ward each found the back of the net as the Kings got back in the win column, preparing for their long road trip.

 Fast Start Sets the Tone

Los Angeles wasted no time grabbing the lead 18 seconds into the match. Adrian Kempe scored the goal after a faceoff win to give the Kings early momentum. 

The Rangers answered midway through the first period, but Kevin Fiala restored the Kings' lead. 

However, the game would not stop there, as the Rangers tied the game 2-2 before the first intermission. 

Kuemper Injury Forces Goalie Change

Late in the first period, Kuemper left the game after a hard collision with Jonny Brodzinski in the crease while stopping a breakaway attempt from the Rangers. Althought the play didn't seem severe at first, Kuemper headed to the lockerroom with just 38 seconds remaining in the first period and was later ruled out with an upper-body injury.

Darcy Kuemper Exits Late In First Period After Crease CollisionDarcy Kuemper Exits Late In First Period After Crease CollisionSome drama early in the crease for the Los Angeles Kings against the New York Rangers after their star goaltender, Darcy Kuemper, left the game with 38 seconds remaining in the first period after some contact in the crease by the Rangers.

Anton Forsberg took over the net immediately and stabilized the Kings, making key saves to keep the game within reach. 

The Kings regained control in the second period thanks to contributions from their depth. Taylor Ward scored his first goal of the season early in the frame to make it 3-2. 

Later in the period, Kuzmenko extended the Kings' lead 4-2 by backhanding a rebound off a Fiala shot, marking Kuzmenko's 10th goal of the season and his first since Jan. 5. Los Angeles controlled the second period, forcing the Rangers to chase the game while Forsberg held firm on the crease. 

Forsberg Stands Tall in Final Frame

New York pushed hard in the final period, cutting the deficit to one after J.T. Miller scored his second goal of the night. The game got tight in the final seconds of the frame, but Forsberg shut the door, finishing with 28 saves, earning his first star honors. 

The Kings' defensive structure tightened down the stretch, blocking shots and limiting shots to hold their one-goal lead. 

New York did have a chance to tie the game after winning the faceoff, but the long body of Forsberg disrupted the puck, and the game ended. 

What It Means for the Kings

The victory snaps a four-game losing streak after a tough stretch for Los Angeles, which recently lost six of its last seven games, but a win like this against a bad team is one they needed. 

It's a much-needed win that should prepare Los Angeles for a very tough six-game road trip starting Saturday against the St. Louis Blues. With Kuemper's status remaining uncertain, Los Angeles is in good hands with Forsberg's performance helping lead the Kings under the crease until word is given on Kuemper's return. 

The Kings’ next matchup will be against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday at 5:00 P.M. PT.

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Fantasy Hockey Trade Tips: Mason McTavish has value with Leo Carlsson sidelined

There were a couple of trades in the NHL this week. Rasmus Andersson is off to Vegas with the Golden Knights giving up Zach Whitecloud, minor-leaguer Abram Wiebe, a first-round pick in 2027 and a conditional second-round pick in 2028. The Flames agreed to absorb 50% of the remainder of Andersson's contract for the rest of the season.

The Canucks then dealt the injured Kiefer Sherwood (upper body) to San Jose for Cole Clayton, a second-round pick in 2026 and a second-round selection in 2027.

I hope your leagues have had as many deals as the NHL. Best of luck with your trades this week.

Stolarz last played in the NHL on Nov. 11, leaving after the opening period in Boston, suffering from an upper-body injury. He has missed the last 32 games of the season. The good news is that he was sent to AHL Toronto on Tuesday for a conditioning stint. He could be back in action as early as this weekend. Don't forget that Stolarz led the NHL in save percentage last season at .926 and is more than capable of playing well the rest of the way, based on last season.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Stolarz and Elias Pettersson for J.T. Miller. (Miller is a nice player, but playing for the Rangers will not help his point total this season. Stolarz and Pettersson are better bets the rest of the way.)

McTavish has taken over from the injured Leo Carlsson, who underwent a thigh procedure last week and will miss 3-5 weeks. McTavish has two goals in his last two games with Carlsson sidelined, giving the 22-year-old 13 goals and 30 points in 49 games. McTavish is still highly regarded, as was evident last season when he had career highs in goals with 22 and assists with 30. 

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: McTavish and Andrei Kuzmenko for Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Mikhail Yegorov. (This is obviously a futures deal, as Yegorov is a goaltender playing in the NCAA after he was drafted in the second-round in 2024 by the Devils. Sandin-Pellikka is having a nice rookie season for Detroit, but McTavish is seeing first-line minutes at this time, while Kuzmenko has nine goals and 19 points in 43 games with the Kings.)

McAvoy was held off the scoresheet Tuesday, but had been hot until then, tallying twice and adding eight assists in his previous nine games. McAvoy has been injury prone since the 4 Nations Face-Off last February, suffering a right shoulder injury against Finland that cost him the remainder of the season. He also was injured this campaign, missing 11 games after getting struck in the face via a slapshot Nov. 15 versus Montreal. Overall, McAvoy has three goals and 26 assists in 38 games this season.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: McAvoy and Jake Sanderson for Mattias Samuelsson and Matthew Knies. (This is a tough one to understand, as McAvoy is a solid fantasy player while Sanderson is one of the top offensive defensemen. Samuelsson is okay at best, while Knies has slumped of late with only three assists in his last seven appearances.)

Bobrovsky has really hit rock-bottom. He has allowed 12 goals on 63 shots in his last two games, both losses. He is 19-14-1 with a 3.09 GAA and an .875 save percentage across 34 games this season. It's the worst save percentage of his career and second-worst GAA in his 16-year career. At age 37 (and the veteran of back-to-back Stanley Cup victories over the last two seasons), Bobrovsky looks like a tired, old goaltender on his last legs.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Bobrovsky for Jake Oettinger. (This is a crazy deal, as Oettinger is having a much better season in all categories, save for wins.)

Zibanejad has been white-hot of late, a classic example of trading a player when his value is at its highest. Zibanejad has nine goals and 10 assists in a 10-game scoring streak for the lowly Rangers, but is a minus-7 over the nine contests. Overall, Zibanejad has 21 goals and 48 points in 50 games. He was cold to start the season, and if the Rangers go into a sell mode (which is likely), Zibanejad will have less talent to play with, unless he is also headed out of town.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Zibanejad for Matthew Tkachuk. (This is a pretty even trade, as Tkachuk could need some time to get back in playing shape after entering the lineup Monday for the first time since undergoing offseason groin surgery.)

Tavares has been pretty hot of late, potting four goals and eight assists over the last 14 games. The 35-year-old veteran has 18 goals and 43 points in 49 games this season, pretty much what he has averaged in a Leafs uniform over his previous seven seasons. Tavares has only seven points on the power play, a marketed decrease in his production in the last four seasons.

Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Tavares and Nikolaj Ehlers for Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Trevor Zegras. (This also a pretty even trade, though if you are of the opinion that Zegras' value has surpassed his first two seasons in the NHL, then trading Tavares has been a bonus.)

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Devils pick up back-to-back road wins after holding on to 2-1 victory over Oilers

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Arseny Gritsyuk and Cody Glass each had a goal and an assist and the New Jersey Devils held on to beat the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 on Tuesday night.

The Devils, who improved to 17-0-0 when leading after two periods, have won four of their last five outings, including a 2-1 overtime victory on Monday against the host Calgary Flames.

Matthew Savoie scored for the Oilers, who had a two-game winning streak halted — the ninth time this season they have failed to extend a winning streak to three games.

Jake Allen survived a barrage in the third and recorded 21 saves to earn the win in net for New Jersey, while Tristan Jarry made 15 stops in his Oilers’ home debut.

Defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who was a healthy scratch against the Winnipeg Jets on Jan. 10, picked up an assist to extend his points streak to six games, during which he has collected seven points.

The Oilers’ Curtis Lazar skated in his 600th career NHL game against his former team, where he spent portions of three seasons from 2022-25. He has played for seven NHL squads and has 50 goals and 80 assists.

The Devils regained the lead a minute-and-a-half after Edmonton tied the game 1-1 as they caught the Oilers on a bad change and Glass beat Jarry cleanly to the stick side for his 11th goal of the season.

Connor McDavid came into the game with at least one point in all 17 of his career games against the Devils (7 goals, 24 assists), which stood as the second-longest active point streak by a player against a single opponent. However, he was held pointless on the night and the streak came to an end.

Up next

Devils: At Vancouver on Friday night.

Oilers: Host Pittsburgh on Thursday night.

 

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January 21 News and Notes

• Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones were elected to Cooperstown.

• The White Sox finally traded Luis Robert. (What can I say? I’m not a fan.) The Mets surrendered Luisangel Acuna and Truman Pauley for him.

• The ATHLETICS, whose payroll is already higher than the Guardians’, thought they were acquiring Nolan Arenado. Sell the team, Paul.

• Pitchers are confusing pitch models.

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Devils hold off Oilers 2-1, extend perfect record when leading after two periods

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Arseny Gritsyuk and Cody Glass each had a goal and an assist and the New Jersey Devils held on to beat the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 on Tuesday night.

The Devils, who improved to 17-0-0 when leading after two periods, have won four of their last five outings, including a 2-1 overtime victory on Monday against the host Calgary Flames.

Matthew Savoie scored for the Oilers, who had a two-game winning streak halted — the ninth time this season they have failed to extend a winning streak to three games.

Jake Allen survived a barrage in the third and recorded 21 saves to earn the win in net for New Jersey, while Tristan Jarry made 15 stops in his Oilers’ home debut.

Defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who was a healthy scratch against the Winnipeg Jets on Jan. 10, picked up an assist to extend his points streak to six games, during which he has collected seven points.

The Oilers' Curtis Lazar skated in his 600th career NHL game against his former team, where he spent portions of three seasons from 2022-25. He has played for seven NHL squads and has 50 goals and 80 assists.

The Devils regained the lead a minute-and-a-half after Edmonton tied the game 1-1 as they caught the Oilers on a bad change and Glass beat Jarry cleanly to the stick side for his 11th goal of the season.

Connor McDavid came into the game with at least one point in all 17 of his career games against the Devils (7 goals, 24 assists), which stood as the second-longest active point streak by a player against a single opponent. However, he was held pointless on the night and the streak came to an end.

Up next

Devils: At Vancouver on Friday night.

Oilers: Host Pittsburgh on Thursday night.

___

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

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Raptors vs. Warriors: Jonathan Kuminga sees floor after multiple DNPs

SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga finally was called off the bench and into action during a 145-127 loss to the Toronto Raptors at Chase Center on Tuesday night.

On the second night of a back-to-back — with the Warriors now having to go forward without Jimmy Butler, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear Monday night — head coach Steve Kerr said he would look more toward his bench depth, including Kuminga who hadn't played in 16 games due to a coach's decision.

Kuminga received a roar from the Chase Center crowd when he subbed into the game to start the second quarter of the contest.

He finished with 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting in 21 minutes. He added five rebounds and two assists. Teammate Buddy Hield led the team in scoring with 25 points off then bench, including a perfect 6-of-6 from deep, in 19 minutes of play.

“JK [Kuminga] been a factor in here," head coach Steve Kerr told reporters. "Really pleased with the way he’s stayed ready and stayed prepared, and he got his opportunity and played really well.”

With Butler out, Kerr said that he would tinker with different lineups on various "trial and error" runs. Kerr told USA TODAY that it's possible Kuminga could even jolt into the starting role.

"Everything’s a possibility right now," Kerr said. “When you have an injury to, not only one of your best players but one of the best players in the league, it just changes everything. The puzzle completely changes. So we will definitely experiment with some different lineups and combinations. One guy effects the other four and so it will be under consideration, for sure.”

How did Jonathan Kuminga play?

The Warriors were down 41-28 after the first quarter before Kuminga was subbed into the game to start the second period.

In his first stint, a little under five minutes, Kuminga missed his only shot attempt: An alley-oop tip-in on a pass from Draymond Green. He was fouled but missed both free throws. He managed to grab two rebounds in his limited action.

His plus/minus was a minus-10 in four minutes and 39 seconds of playing time.

Golden State is looking for a spark from their bench depth after Butler was lost for the season with a torn ACL.

Kerr said after the Warriors' win over the Miami Heat that Kuminga could see the floor following Butler's devastating injury.

"Sure, absolutely," Kerr said responding to a question about Kuminga playing against Toronto.

Warriors trailed 91-63 when Kuminga returned to the game at the 6:12 mark of the third quarter.

He scored 12 points in the period, throwing down a ferocious two-handed slam off an alley-oop pass from Green, a couple of mid-range shots through contact and going the length of the court to make a buzzer-beating layup to end the third.

Golden State trailed 108-94 at the end of three quarters. Kuminga played the remainder of the quarter since subbing in at the 6:12 mark and was a plus-4 after the period.

Kuminga played the entire fourth quarter as his play continued to help the Warriors to cut into that huge double-digit deficit. It was cut to as low as 11 points.

However, the Raptors ran the score back up late and held on to win the game.

The Raptors were led by Immanuel Quickley tied a career-high 40 points to lead all scorers in the game. He shot 11-of-13 from the field, including 7-of-8 from 3-pointers and a perfect 11-of-11 from the free throw line.

Jonathan Kuminga's future with Warriors

With the NBA trade deadline looming on Feb. 5, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. spoke to reporters before Monday night's game, expressing disappointment in losing Butler to injury.

"He was having a great year and obviously that's over now. So we're disappointed as a team, as an organization but most especially individually for Jimmy," Dunleavy said. "He's been so much to this organization since he got here. It's hard to believe he hasn't even been here a year. He's fit in so well, we hate it for him. But the beat goes on, we have to keep going."

There are questions about whether Kuminga can become a focal point of the team's rotation or is still a key trade component. Kuminga reportedly requested for a trade from Golden State last week.

"I think as far as the demand, I'm aware of that," Dunleavy said. "I think in terms of demands, for you to make a demand there needs to be a demand in the market. So we'll see where that goes."

He added: "Always with these guys I tell them I'm willing to work with them. I want to help people out, whether that's JK [Kuminga] or any player on our roster. I'm good with [it], if that's his wishes, trying to figure that out but we have to do what's best for our organization and that's as far as it goes."

However, Dunleavy said with the deadline coming up, he will take the time to evaluate the team.

"I felt pretty good with where we're at ending last night's game in terms of what we need to do. Thought our team was playing well, heading in the right direction," Dunleavy said. "Obviously things have changed so I wanna take a couple weeks here to watch these games and see our team and what we can do better."

Dunleavy still holds Kuminga in high regard and believes he can be an asset as a member of the Warriors, and not just a trade piece.

"He's available every night. I think there's a path and a way for him to help us win games," Dunleavy said. "He knows what that is. If he can do those things, there's no doubt if he can help us."

He added: "Disappointed it hasn't worked out better, but it is what it is. But there's still time left here. He's still on our roster. The trade's been requested but nothing's imminent. Things in this league change in a heartbeat as they did [against Miami]."

Jonathan Kuminga 2025-26 regular-season stats

Here are Kuminga's average statistics so far though the 2025-26 regular season, prior to Tuesday's game against the Raptors:

  • Games played: 18
  • Minutes: 24.8
  • Points: 11.8
  • Rebounds: 6.2
  • Assists: 2.6
  • Steals: 0.3
  • Blocks: 0.3
  • Field goal %: .431
  • 3-point field goal %: .320
  • Free throw %: .741

Jonathan Kuminga career stats

These are Kuminga's career averages through five seasons in the NBA, prior to Tuesday's game against the Raptors:

  • Games played: 276
  • Minutes: 22.2
  • Points: 12.5
  • Rebounds: 4.2
  • Assists: 1.8
  • Steals: 0.6
  • Blocks: 0.4
  • Field goal %: .502
  • 3-point field goal %: .331
  • Free throw %: .699

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jonathan Kuminga returns to court in Warriors' loss to Raptors

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Rangers fall short despite J.T. Miller's two goals in 4-3 loss to Kings

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kevin Fiala had a goal and an assist, and Anton Forsberg made 28 saves after taking over for the injured Darcy Kuemper in the Los Angeles Kings’ 4-3 victory over the slumping New York Rangers on Tuesday night.

Adrian Kempe, Taylor Ward and Andrei Kuzmenko also scored for the Kings, who snapped a four-game skid with only their second regulation victory in January.

Kuemper allowed two goals on eight shots before abruptly leaving with 38 seconds left in the first period following a collision in the crease with a charging Jonny Brodzinski.

Forsberg played superbly after taking over for Kuemper, a member of Canada’s Olympic roster. Kuemper also missed 2 1/2 weeks last month after taking a hit to the head during a loss at Dallas.

J.T. Miller scored two goals for the Rangers, who are last in the Eastern Conference after losing seven of eight.

Jonathan Quick made 23 saves in his third start and fourth appearance against the Kings, who drafted him in 2005. Quick, who turns 40 years old on Wednesday, won 370 games — 199 more than any other Kings goalie — while backstopping the club to two Stanley Cup championships during his 16 seasons in LA.

Kempe scored 18 seconds after the opening faceoff.

Only 42 seconds after Will Cuylle’s goal for New York, Fiala scored his 18th goal by intercepting an unwise pass by former Kings teammate Vladislav Gavrikov.

Miller evened it again late in the first off Mika Zibanejad’s pass.

Ward put the Kings back ahead early in the second, banking in a skittering shot off Quick’s far post for his first goal of the season. After Los Angeles killed a five-on-three disadvantage for 96 seconds, Kuzmenko backhanded home a rebound of Fiala’s shot.

Miller scored his 13th goal in the final seconds with Quick pulled for an extra attacker.

Up next

Rangers: At San Jose on Friday.

Kings: At St. Louis on Saturday to open a six-game road trip.
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Reeling Rangers fall flat against Kings for 10th loss in last 12 games

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe, second from right, celebrates his goal with right wing Corey Perry, right, as New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick, left, and center J.T. Miller stand by during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, in Los Angeles
Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe, second from right, celebrates his goal with right wing Corey Perry, right, as New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick, left, and center J.T. Miller stand by during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, in Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES — There has been nothing opportunistic about this Rangers team since the start of the season.

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tRY IT NOW

At times, it has been bad puck luck. A matter of effort in others. Execution hasn’t been nearly as consistent as they would like, either.

In a 4-3 loss to the Kings Tuesday night, however, the Blueshirts whiffed on several moments with game-changing potential to drop their 10th contest in their last 12.

They trailed just 18 seconds into the game.

While facing a one-goal deficit, a five-on-three power play for 1:36 was wasted.

A failed clearing attempt ended up in the back of their net shortly after.

And with momentum on their side early in the third period, the Rangers couldn’t translate it to the scoreboard until it was too late.

It resulted in the Blueshirts falling to 1-2 on the road trip so far with one more stop in San Jose to go.

“How many times have I talked to you guys about critical moments in games?” head coach Mike Sullivan asked reporters rhetorically Tuesday night. “The start of periods, start of games, last minute, after a goal scored, after a fight. Those are critical moments in games where teams have an opportunity to build momentum. I do think we responded. I thought we responded after it. It’s 2-2 after the first period. I felt like we did respond, but it’s an instance where there’s just not a lot of attention to detail there.”

The Rangers were caught flat-footed off the opening faceoff.

Adrian Kempe (second from right) celebrates his goal with right wing Corey Perry as goalie Jonathan Quick and J.T. Miller look on during the first period of the Rangers’ 4-3 loss to the Kings on Jan. 20, 2026, in Los Angeles. AP

A one-and-done dump into the offensive zone — a specialty of this Rangers team — led to an odd-man rush the other way for the Kings.

Adrien Kempe buried one off a give-and-go with Brandt Clarke to open the scoring just 18 seconds into the game.

Poor puck management was at the crux of the Rangers’ loss in Anaheim, and it cost them again early Tuesday night.

After Scott Morrow’s shot from the top of the zone hit off Will Cuylle and in to tie it up, the Rangers gave it right back.

Shortly after LA welcomed him back to Crypto.com Arena with a jumbotron tribute, Vladislav Gavrikov turned the puck over right to the stick of Kevin Fiala for the 2-1 Kings lead.

Mika Zibanejad made up for it by continuing the absolute tear he’s currently on.

Feeding J.T. Miller crashing the net for the two-all score, Zibanejad extended his point streak to 10 games.

He has collected an eye-catching nine goals and 10 assists over that span.

Darcy Kuemper exited the game at the end of the first period, after the Kings’ goalie denied Jonny Brodzinski on a breakaway.

Will Borgen moves the puck away from danger as Jonathan Quick defends the net during the Rangers’ road loss to the Kings. Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Unable to skate it off, Kuemper headed to the locker room, and Anton Forsberg manned the net in relief for the remainder of the game.

The Kings added two more in the second period, while the Rangers failed to take advantage of prime chances.

Braden Schneider had a particularly rough middle frame, in which he inadvertently set up the Kings’ 3-2 score before taking back-to-back penalties.

The puck bounced off Schneider’s stick and right to Taylor Ward for the go-ahead goal at the 4:23 mark.

After they failed to convert on a 5-on-3 power play, the visitors couldn’t clear the puck later in the period. Andrei Kuzmenko then knocked in a rebound to give his team a two-goal lead heading into the second intermission.

“That was a big moment in the game,” Miller said of the two-man advantage. “They scored right after that to go up two. The same as yesterday [against the Ducks], I don’t know how I didn’t score in the last five minutes of that game. It kind of felt the same today with some of the looks that [Vincent Trocheck] got. It’s not going in … I think we’re happy with the execution. At the end of the night, we can sleep well knowing that you’re doing the right things. You have to believe that if you keep doing the right things then the puck will go in the net.”

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Adzija scores Torrent's 1st short-handed goal in 6-4 win over Sceptres

SEATTLE (AP) — Lexie Adzija scored Seattle's first short-handed goal of the season in the third period to take the lead for good, and the Torrent beat the Toronto Sceptres 6-4 on Tuesday night to snap a three-game losing streak.

The expansion Torrent set the franchise's single-game record for goals (six) and tied for the most in the PWHL this season. The 10 combined goals were the most in a PWHL game this season. Minnesota and Seattle combined for eight goals — the previous high — in the Frost's 6-2 win Jan. 11.

Jessie Eldridge had a goal and two assists and Hannah Bilka added a goal and an assist for Seattle (4-1-2-5). Hilary Knight. Julia Gosling, and Megan Carter, who played 19 games for Toronto as a rookie last season, also scored for the Torrent. Carter’s goal — the first of her career and the first by a Seattle defender this season— made it 5-3 with 14:34 left in the game. Corinne Schroeder had 31 saves.

Blayre Turnbull, Jesse Compher, Kali Flanagan and Natalie Spooner each scored a goal for Toronto (4-1-3-6), which beat Vancouver 2-1 in overtime Saturday at home to snap a four-game losing streak. Raygan Kirk had 27 saves.

Turnbull opened the scoring 78 seconds into the game and Compher added a goal to give Toronto a 2-0 lead less than three minutes in.

Flanagan scored her first goal of the season with 9:30 remaining in the second period to make it 3-3.

Up next

Toronto: The Sceptres visit Vancouver on Thursday.

Seattle: The Torrent play Vancouver at Ball Arena in Denver on Saturday as part of the PWHL’s Takeover Tour.

___

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Rockets blast past Spurs 111-106

This might be the best Rockets win of the season. It’s certainly my favorite win.

There’s been a lot of negativity around here (looks at self) regarding aspects of this year’s Rockets team, a good bit of it deserved. This is all positivity, though. That’s because this victory carried two great signs that we can all hope continue. The first is a return of the determination, fight, and intensity of last year’s Rockets team. A team that sometimes simply enforced their collective will on opponents, despite not necessarily playing better than that opponent. The second is a victory of awareness, of recognition of problems and some positive responses to those problems. Long may it continue.

If you watched the first half of this game, you may be forgiven for finding something better to do with your life in the second half. This game was mostly a reward for Rockets degenerates, and a just punishment for those Spurs fans who think their team plays ethical basketball.

The first quarter was all Spurs, almost to the point of absurdity. It wasn’t that the Rockets came out flat, or didn’t score the ball. After a good 15-20 minutes levelling a rim with a big ladder and a fine German level, to repair Stephon Castle’s vandalism, the Rockets started with plenty of fire. It was more a case of absurdly hot Spurs being even more fiery from three, and Udokan Math not mathing. That is, trading threes for twos, constantly. The Spurs attempted 27 shots for the quarter. 13 of those shots were three pointers, of which they made 8. They went 4-14 around the basket, and in the paint, and 1-1 on a longer two point attempt. The Rockets? They had 21 FGA, and made 11-16 twos, and 2-5 threes. The Rockets also missed several free throws, while San Antonio didn’t.

There can be fewer clearer demonstrations of “three is more than two” and “quantity has a quality all its own” than this first quarter. Certainly there were Rocket defensive mistakes, mainly Alperen Sengun helping away from Julian Champanie, a 36% three point shooter on the season, who went 4 for 5 from three in the first. (He’s shooting a robust 16-29 from three against the Rockets overall this season, so maybe don’t leave him?). In any case, the quarter ended 39-28 Spurs.

The second seemed much like the first, only the Spurs cooled off, from 70% to 45% on threes, and the Rockets made a few more shots. The Rockets defense was much better, and they started fixing defensive mistakes. Still a quarter ending 32-31 in favor of the Rockets wasn’t going to do much to close the gap established in the first quarter. But the quarter began all Spurs, like the first, and slowly the impetus changed to the Rockets. Hard to spot, but the Rockets were now showing a more energy and determination, perhaps.

The Rockets would definitely display their 2024-25 season fire in the third quarter, where it seemed the Rockets were defending very well, and if the Rockets were going to go down, they’d drag the Spurs to hell with them. The quarter ended in a tie, with only 22 points scored by either side.

This defensive display by the Rockets was matched by an offense that couldn’t gain any ground in the third. This, perhaps, is at the heart of some of the criticism of Ime Udoka and his black clad cult member coaching staff. It’s very hard to solely defend your way to victory in the NBA. Holding the Spurs to 22 points is a great accomplishment. Scoring 22? Not so much. The Spurs maintained their 10 lead going into the 4th.

Then it happened. Something many of us have been waiting for all season. Perhaps it was genius, perhaps it was madness, perhaps it was pure desperation, but Reed Sheppard was turned loose on the Spurs. Not only did he pass and shoot well, he defended well, too. He almost single handedly sparked a comeback, swinging the game to the Rockets. With confidence the other Rockets played well, and got timely passes, too. The defense, very good in the third quarter, got even better. The offense, moribund in the third, came to life with a triple threat point guard leading the way. The Rockets won this quarter 29-14, and not so coincidentally, the game.

Alperen Sengun, after a not especially great first half, was dominant on both ends in the second. He finished with 20pts/13rbs/9ast. All of KD, Jabari and Amen had good games, too. KD didn’t shoot it as much, but he was 7 of 12, with 18pts/4rbs/7ast/1stl/1blk and an unfortunate 4 TO. Jabari was Dr Jaswishy, he went 7-13, and 3-5 from three, for 17pts/4rbs/1ast/1blk. Amen also had a very good game – 16pts/10rbs/6ast/1stl/2blk.

Then there was Reed, who as much as I have appreciated all that Josh Okogie brings to the table, should be starting. At point guard. He went for 21pts on 8-17 shooting, 4-10 from three, with 1rb/4ast/1stl/1blk and no turnovers in 29 minutes. He played good defense, after a fairly shaky first half. There’s no comeback without Reed. More Josh Okogie minutes won’t get the Rockets there.

Dorian Finney-Smith also looked like the players the Rockets signed. He kept Victor Wembanyama away from his spots in the second half. The Rockets overall defense really told in the second half. Here are the final shooting stats for the key Spurs. Wemby 5-21. Fox 6-15. Castle 5-19. Barnes 2-6. Champagnie, well, 8-17. Keldon Johnson drove right. Teams aren’t going to win many games in which they shoot 22 fewer shots than their opponents, but the Rocket can with the kind of defense they played in the second half of this game. The Spurs average 117 points per game, tonight they were held to 11 below that average.

This is the best win I can remember this season. I hope we see more of what we saw in that glorious fourth quarter going forward. We’re halfway through the season, with everything still to play for.

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Luka Doncic has triple-double as Lakers rally for big road win over Denver

Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones (21) fouls Los Angeles Lakers forward Luka Dončić (77) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Luka Doncic is fouled by Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones in the first half. (Jack Dempsey / Associated Press)

The first time chants of “Let’s go, La-kers” rang out in Ball Arena, Denver’s rowdy home crowd booed the unwelcome slogan into silence. Minutes later when the game ended, there weren’t enough home fans left to quiet the purple and gold faithful.

The Lakers overcame a 16-point deficit in the third quarter to notch one of their most significant wins of the season, taking down the Denver Nuggets 115-107 on Tuesday. Luka Doncic recorded his fifth triple-double of the season with 38 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists while LeBron James had 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

Despite losing center Deandre Ayton to a left eye injury in the second quarter, the Lakers still held the Nuggets to 36 points in the second half. Marcus Smart, the team’s perimeter defensive stalwart, sparked a 16-0 fourth-quarter run to put the game away, scoring 11 of his 15 points during the six-and-a-half-minute streak.

“Just contributions from everybody,” coach JJ Redick said, noting the second-half performance from Jaxson Hayes (nine points, five rebounds) after Ayton's injury, nine points from Drew Timme off the bench and defensive energy from Jarred Vanderbilt. “It was a great team win. 

Redick is hopeful that Ayton was just poked in the eye and he will be back by the time the Lakers play the Clippers at Intuit Dome on Thursday. 

The Lakers (26-16) slowly are returning to full health as guard Austin Reaves’ calf injury is “progressing well,” coach JJ Redick said before the game, and they hope he could play on the eight-game trip that will stretch until Feb. 3. Reaves is approaching the four-week point after aggravating his calf injury on Christmas Day.

For the first time since the injury, Reaves went on a trip with the team. He blended seamlessly into the bench group, wearing head-to-toe black next to the coaches.

Read more:Can the Lakers 'have fun with it' in the second half of the season?

On the other bench, Denver’s injured superstar was dressed in a forest green suit. Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets’ three-time most valuable player, has been sidelined because of a knee injury since Dec. 30. 

Three members of the Nuggets’ season-opening starting rotation were sidelined Tuesday. Starting guard Christian Braun has been out since injuring an ankle Nov. 12 and Cameron Johnson has missed 15 games because of a knee injury. Backup center Jonas Valanciunas, who has missed the last 11 games with a calf injury, sat next to Jokic.

Denver (29-15) still had no problem controlling the first half, finishing the second quarter on a 14-3 run to claim a 14-point lead. Jamal Murray drained a three-pointer from almost three-quarters court at the buzzer to punctuate a chaotic final 35 seconds that was preceded by Doncic’s 13th technical foul of the season and featured an 8-0 run for the Nuggets.

For a team that had lost five of its last seven games and was beginning a difficult eight-game road trip with the NBA trade deadline looming in two weeks, the moment could have broken the Lakers. 

Instead, Doncic showed why he led the league in All-Star fan voting. After scoring 16 points on six-of-six shooting in the first quarter, Doncic started distributing to his teammates. He had nine points and four assists in the third quarter as the Lakers trimmed a 16-point deficit to two entering the fourth. Doncic scored or assisted on 11 unanswered Lakers points.

“It showed the character of our team,” Doncic said of how the Lakers responded to the end of the first half. “… We just stayed together.”

The Lakers could have wilted when the Nuggets hit nine three-pointers in the first quarter too, Doncic said. But they calmly locked back in on defense and committed to the plan to blitz Murray, who scored 26 in the first half. Then Doncic continued his take over. 

Read more:Lakers' Luka Doncic named NBA All-Star Game starter, LeBron James waits for reserve call

“Luka, you can't turn the engine halfway with him,” Redick said. “Once the engine's on, like he's in kill mode. And it's on me as a coach to make sure that everybody else is involved, and it's on him too, on the court to make sure that. And truthfully, I think he's done a phenomenal job of that the last couple weeks.”

After Doncic’s third-quarter domination, James tagged in and scored five consecutive points to end the quarter. He assisted on a basket by Drew Timme on the Lakers’ opening possession of the fourth quarter that tied the score 88-88. The Lakers outscored the Nuggets by 20 points when James was on the floor in the second half after he was held to just seven points with four turnovers in the first. 

While Doncic will return to the All-Star stage next month at Intuit Dome, James was not named a starter for the first time in 22 years. He will have to wait for a vote from coaches or a special selection from NBA commissioner Adam Silver to earn his 22nd All-Star honor.

“Given the missed games early, wasn't surprised,” Redick said, referring to James missing the first 14 games because of sciatica. “I believe he'll be in the All-Star game.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Adebayo, Powell lead hot-shooting Heat past the Kings for a 130-117 victory

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Bam Adebayo scored 25 points, Norman Powell added 22 and the Miami Heat cruised to a 130-117 road win over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night.

The Heat have won three of their last five and led by double digits the entire fourth quarter. Andrew Wiggins added 19 points, while Pelle Larsson had 16 points and a team-high nine assists.

Simone Fontecchio scored 15 points off the bench on five 3-pointers. Miami shot 50% from 3-point range, hitting 21 of 42.

Miami guard Tyler Herro (ribs) and center Kel’el Ware (hamstring) missed the game, leaving the Heat without two key rotation players. Ware — who is averaging a team-high 9.8 rebounds — missed his first game of the season.

Sacramento has dropped two straight games after winning a season-high four in a row. DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 23 points, while Russell Westbrook added 22 on 9-of 14 shooting.

Malik Monk scored 18 points, while Dylan Cardwell added 12 rebounds.

The Heat took a 77-64 lead at halftime on the strength of a 45-point second quarter that included nine 3-pointers. Miami made 15 of 24 shots (62.5%) from behind the arc before the break.

Miami snapped a streak of four straight road losses that all came by at least 12 points.

Up next

Heat: At Portland on Thursday.

Kings: Host Toronto on Wednesday.

___

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

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Late Collapse Costs Spurs in 111–106 Loss to Rockets

The San Antonio Spurs left Toyota Center Tuesday night with a familiar and frustrating feeling, undone once again by a late-game collapse in a 111–106 loss to the Houston Rockets that spoiled an otherwise encouraging road performance.

For much of the evening, the Spurs were the sharper, more composed team. They opened the game with one of their best offensive quarters of the season, building a 39–28 lead behind quick ball movement, confident shooting, and an aggressive defense that kept Houston scrambling. San Antonio pushed the pace, shared the ball freely, and capitalized on early mismatches to seize control.

That momentum carried into the second quarter, where the Spurs continued to dictate tempo. Victor Wembanyama provided flashes of brilliance throughout the night, but Houston’s defense on him was on point. He finished with just 14 points on 5-of-21 shooting, his worst performance of the season. Despite that, San Antonio entered halftime with a double-digit advantage and appeared well-positioned to secure a road win.

But as has been the case too often this season, sustaining that level proved difficult.

“A lot of things went wrong in the fourth quarter,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said. “Houston did a heck of a job… but we had a rough whole half. We missed open shots, we weren’t strong in creating leads, passing, and mental stuff. It was a variety of things across the board.”

The game began to tilt late in the third quarter when the Spurs’ offense stalled. Open looks that fell earlier in the night stopped dropping, and possessions grew increasingly stagnant. Houston took advantage, trimming the deficit with transition opportunities and second-chance points that energized the home crowd.

What followed in the fourth quarter was decisive.

The Rockets opened the final period with renewed confidence, while the Spurs struggled to find rhythm. The Rockets outscored San Antonio 29–14 over the final 12 minutes. The Spurs went cold at the worst possible time, going 0-for-8 before their first made basket of the frame. The prolonged scoring drought allowed Houston to erase the remainder of San Antonio’s lead, and the Rockets surged ahead behind a series of perimeter shots and aggressive drives to the rim. San Antonio managed just 14 points in the quarter, a stark contrast to the offensive efficiency that defined the opening half.

“They (Houston) got some good one-on-one defenders, and now you’re playing against those guys a lot of times against the clock. And then when that happens, you get rushed up again at times. And we saw that, not just with Victor, but the whole team,” Johnson said of his team’s offensive struggles in the second half.

Houston’s guards repeatedly penetrated the Spurs’ defense, forcing rotations that led to open looks and timely baskets. Meanwhile, San Antonio’s possessions were rushed, with contested jumpers and missed opportunities at the rim rearing their head as the main problem. The Spurs had chances to regain control, but key stops and baskets never materialized.

Late-game execution — both offensively and defensively — remains a work in progress for a Spurs team balancing development with the desire to win now. Missed rotations, untimely fouls, and an offense that bogged down under pressure proved costly against a Houston team that seized the moment.

“It’s the same as blowing a 15-point lead,” Wembanyama said when asked about blowing a 16-point lead to Houston. “The good thing is we’re all onto the problem, and we’re all putting our minds into it. But we’re conscious that it is a problem.”

For a young team still learning how to win in hostile environments, Tuesday night served as another hard lesson. Until San Antonio finds consistency in crunch time, strong starts and encouraging stretches will continue to be overshadowed by disappointing finishes.

Game notes

  • Someone needs to open an investigation to that rim situation. Can the Houston team get a more accurate level? I’m kidding obviously. but man that was annoying.
  • Outside of Julian Champagnie, who shot 50 percent from three, the rest of the Spurs struggled. San Antonio went 6-for-18 from beyond the arc sans Champagnie. That’s an issue that needs to be addressed at some point.
  • San Antonio had nine turnovers on the night with Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox having three each.
  • Keldon Johnson had an “off night” by his standards, scoring just 12 points on the night. That’s not so bad, but when Harrison Barnes (6 points, 33% shooting) continues to struggle, that number needs to be better for the Spurs to win.
  • San Antonio looked tired and it hit them in the fourth quarter. Maybe the back-to-back caught up with them, but in the end, you learn and move on.
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Jazz 127, Timberwolves 122: Death by 1,000 Backdoor Cuts

The Texas back-to-back was fun, but in both matchups, a shorthanded Minnesota Timberwolves team was edged in the last few minutes of each game. Minnesota looked to get back on track in a slightly later than usual 8 PM CT tipoff against the Utah Jazz in the place that Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley, Joe Ingles, and Johnny Juzang called home.

Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert were both removed from the injury list and are expected to play in this one, while Naz Reid is listed as questionable after exiting the Spurs game with a left shoulder injury on Saturday night. While they played well for stretches in each of the last two games, it is important that they get back to their winning ways that have been lacking since the calendar year flipped, as the West is always tight when it comes to the seeding race.

Minnesota got off to a fast start early and used transition and fast break opportunities to get in a rhythm early. The Jazz kept fighting back and would not go away; however, they kept coming at the Timberwolves despite an early double-digit disadvantage.

The Timberwolves took their foot off the gas in the 2nd quarter, after leading the way for much of the first. The Jazz went blow for blow with them in the second. Rudy Gobert defended the rim well to the tune of multiple blocks, but Minnesota struggled a lot elsewhere on that end of the floor. Keyonte George was on fire in the first half, scoring 23 points and making difficult shots look easy. Ant led the way for the Wolves with 17 of his own, but Utah took a slight edge heading into the final 24 minutes with a one-point lead.

Minnesota used its pressure to force more Jazz turnovers and get open looks with numbers in transition. While the Jazz offense stayed strong to start the frame, with their cutting and spacing. The Timberwolves held steady and started to knockdown threes in short order, going on a 15-4 run. Ant finished the quarter by going on a heater – bumping guys off of him to get to his spot in the mid range. After trailing by one at halftime, Minnesota dominated the frame to take a 12-point lead into the fourth quarter.

This is when it all fell apart. The Jazz got an injection in their offense by running the floor and finishing in transition. They kept getting shots before the Timberwolves were set up. In the half-court, they spread out the offense to attack the space and got easy lay-ins on backdoor cuts that seemed to catch the Wolves by surprise every time. Utah caught lightning in a bottle, shooting 17/25 from the field in the fourth quarter and putting up 43 points after being stagnant for much of the third. Utah threw its punch, and the Timberwolves never got back up. An Ant flurry at the end of the game gave them a glimmer of hope, but bricked shots sunk them in the end as they dropped an ugly one, 127-122.

Keynote George Career Night

Keynote George was incredible and helped carry the Jazz back to a victory in this one. He scored 43 points on 15/28 shooting, including 6/13 from three. It seemed as though he had an answer to any coverage that the Timberwolves threw at him. He had his spots that he wanted to get to, and he got to them and converted at a high clip. This was a career-high in points for him, and he hit some big shots, including a 3-pointer off of an offensive rebound that proved to be the dagger in this one.

Brutal 4th Quarter

After a third quarter that seemed like the Wolves were leaning on their “taking care of business” attitude that has been a big part of 2026, Minnesota completely lost themselves in the final 12 minutes. Being loose with the ball, giving the Jazz energy, and letting it snowball all came together in a culmination of the loss this evening. Utah snatched the energy and momentum and never gave it back.

Usually, we have seen the Timberwolves be able to compose themselves after a hard stretch, but the opposite happened in this one. It seemed like every shot was a prayer that ended in a clank while they gave up backdoor layup after backdoor layup on the other side of the floor. Tough pill to swallow after how they looked in the third quarter.

Up Next

The Timberwolves return home for the first of a three-game home stand, where they take on the Chicago Bulls on FanDuel Sports North. Tipoff is at 7 PM CT.

Highlights

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Lakers rally to beat Nuggets on the road

The Lakers surged in the second half on the shoulders of Luka Dončić and Marcus Smart to take the 115-107 win over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night. 

It was an offensive showdown early. Denver was a perfect 5-5 from the field, while Los Angeles was shooting at 80%. Luka couldn’t miss and was in double figures with 12 points. Jamal Murray was also perfect from the field with eight points. The only other Laker to score was Deandre Ayton on a layup. 

After a timeout, Luka continued his hot start, converting on a jumpshot. 

The Nuggets were shooting an impressive 81% from behind the arc. The Lakers had no answer for Spencer Jones, who had drained four of Denver’s nine triples in the quarter. Rui Hachimura provided some offense for LA with four points. 

LeBron James converted on a jumper at the buzzer to cut the deficit to nine going into the second period.

Drew Timme opened the quarter with five straight points to make it a four-point game. Timme time was in full effect as he also converted on a layup. LA looked like they were poised to go on a big run, until Denver responded to push their lead to eight. 

LeBron gave Los Angeles some life with an emphatic dunk, staring down the crowd right after. 

The Nuggets had been able to extend their lead to double-digits, but the Lakers responded to cut it down to six. LA’s defense was awful, though, as Murray was able to get to the rim with ease, scoring six quick points. 

Los Angeles ended the half disastrously, falling apart. To make matters even worse, Murray heaved a shot that, of course, went in at the buzzer. At halftime, the purple and gold were down by 14. 

LeBron opened the third period with a layup for LA. Peyton Watson started to cook for the Nuggets, scoring six points. After a quick four-point surge by Los Angeles, Denver called a timeout. Out of the break, the Nuggets turned the ball over, and it resulted in a jumper by Luka on the other end. 

Denver’s lead was down to single digits after Luka converted on a triple. 

The Lakers tightened their defense, which led to a 15-4 scoring run. Luka was now at 32 points for the game. 

A dunk from Aaron Gordon and four points from Jones forced a timeout call from LA. LeBron scored five straight to make it a two-point game going into the fourth period. They outscored Denver 29 to 17 in the quarter. 

The final frame began with the Lakers tying the game off a layup from Timme. Both teams then took turns tying the game again, with LA not able to take the lead. The Nuggets went up by four.

Ayton suffered an eye injury in the first half and was ruled out for the remainder of the game. 

Los Angeles got their first lead of the game by two at the 6:42 mark, thanks to free throws from Luka. Smart scored six in a row to give the Lakers more cushion in their lead.

LA’s defense was suffocating the Nuggets, leading to a five-minute scoring drought. Smart’s second-half dominance continued with another triple. Denver’s drought ended as they scored six straight. LeBron responded with another powerful dunk. 

Los Angeles kept their composure, and Denver played the foul game the rest of the way, as the Lakers cruised to victory.

Key Player Stats

Dončić scored 16 of his 38 points in the first quarter. He also ended with 13 rebounds, 10 assists and two steals. LeBron notched 19 points with nine rebounds and eight assists. Smart had 15 massive points and two rebounds. Ayton pitched in with four points and eight rebounds. 

Timme had nine points and three rebounds. Hachimura ended with nine points and five rebounds. Jaxson Hayes scored nine points with five rebounds and two blocks. 

The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday at 7:00 PM PT.

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.