ROME (AP) — Danilo Cataldi converted from the spot 10 minutes into stoppage time to lift Lazio 3-2 over Genoa in Serie A on Friday.
Lazio was cruising after taking a 2-0 lead early in the second half. Pedro converted a penalty for the opener and Kenneth Taylor doubled the advantage.
Although Lazio is one of three teams in Serie A with the most clean sheets — 11 — Genoa was unbeaten in its previous five games and came back to tie the score. Ruslan Malinovskyi scored from the spot and Vitinha leveled 15 minutes before the end.
Lazio moved up one place in the standings to eighth.
Genoa, despite having one of the worst defenses in Serie A, was 13th and tied on points with Cremonese, Parma and Torino.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Cotie McMahon scored 27 points, Christeen Iwuala had 18 points and 14 rebounds, and No. 17 Mississippi beat No. 5 Vanderbilt 83-75 on Friday at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.
The game was originally scheduled for Thursday night on the Ole Miss campus before moving due to icy conditions outside.
Ole Miss built a 44-25 lead at halftime behind 25 combined points from McMahon and Iwuala. Vanderbilt scored just 10 points in the second quarter on 3-of-12 shooting from the floor. The Commodores had 12 turnovers and just 10 field goals in the first half.
Vanderbilt rallied in the third quarter after making 11 of 17 shots and turning it over just twice. Mikayla Blakes scored 11 points in the third to get the Commodores within 60-51.
Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda converted a three-point play with 5:56 left in the fourth to give Vanderbilt its first lead, 67-64, since it was 11-9. But Ole Miss responded by scoring the next seven points to begin an 11-3 run for a 75-70 lead with 1:57 left.
McMahon and Debreasha Powe combined to make four straight free throws in the final minute to secure Mississippi's sixth straight victory in the series.
Latasha Lattimore added 12 points and Kaitlin Peterson had 11 off the bench for Ole Miss (18-4, 5-2 Southeastern Conference).
Blakes led Vanderbilt (20-2, 6-2) with 29 points. Aubrey Galvan added 18 and Mwenentanda finished with 11. The Commodores were off to their best start through 21 games since the 1992-93 Final Four team.
Up next
Vanderbilt: Scheduled to host Florida on Sunday.
Ole Miss: Remains in Birmingham to play Auburn on Monday.
The Detroit Red Wings’ centennial season has given the historic franchise a chance not only to usher in a new era of Motor City hockey but also to reflect with fond nostalgia on the countless memories forged by the winningest U.S.-based NHL franchise.
Throughout their history, the Red Wings have featured some of the most iconic groups of players that eventually became known by instantly recognizable nicknames.
The famed "Production Line" consisting of Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, and Sid Abel helped to bring multiple championships to Detroit in the mid-20th century.
Later eras saw the legendary combination of Bob Probert and Joey Kocur, known affectionately as "The Bruise Brothers", followed by the iconic "Russian Five" of Sergei Fedorov, Vladimir Konstantinov, Slava Kozlov, Slava Fetisov, and Igor Larionov.
It was during that latter era that another legendary line combination was born: the Grind Line, a term coined by longtime team trainer John Wharton. Head coach Scotty Bowman, who drew inspiration from New Jersey’s “Crash Line,” built a grinding unit of Kris Draper with wingers Kirk Maltby and Kocur (and later, Darren McCarty).
Maltby, who was a 1992 third-round (65th overall) pick of the Edmonton Oilers, was traded to the Red Wings in March 1996 for defenseman Dan McGillis.
He explained that he initially wasn’t thrilled about the trade from the Oilers, who would go on to finish 10th in the Western Conference that season, because it meant leaving behind several teammates he had broken into the league with in a place he enjoyed playing.
"At that time when I got traded, we (the Oilers) weren't very good, we were a young and rebuilding team, but I was happy there," he said. "A bunch of us were young and were good friends and came into the League together, played together in the minors, just looking to build."
However, being traded to an established Stanley Cup contender like the Red Wings quickly eased any uneasiness he felt about the move. Having faced them multiple times with the Oilers, Maltby had already seen firsthand the star power that Detroit possessed
"My first year in the NHL was 1993-94, and obviously, the Red Wings were really good Cup contenders," he said. "So every time we played them over my first three years in the League before I was traded, we knew we'd have to bring our 'A' game just to keep it close."
"They had a great team, starting with Stevie (Yzerman), Sergei (Fedorov), Nick Lidstrom...they just had a great team," he continued. "When I got traded, I was upset initially because I loved where I was, and I wasn't sure what my role would be in Detroit. But once I got in and got settled, everything was fine, and the rest became history."
As Maltby explained, team balance is everything.
"Hockey, and I guess most team sports, you need to have different elements in different players," he said. "In hockey, there's obviously only one puck, and you have five guys that can jump over the boards at one time. Everyone wants to score, but not everyone can score. You need a good balance of offensive skilled guys, grinders, and physical guys, and a general mix of both."
"That was like Marty Lapointe, and then a high-end guy like (Brendan) Shanahan who could do both ends of it."
The Grind Line helped to power Detroit through the 1997 Stanley Cup Playoffs, gaining series victories over the St. Louis Blues, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, and then the hated rival Colorado Avalanche in a rematch of the previous season's Western Conference Final.
Maltby would eventually grace the cover of "Sports Illustrated" after a two-goal performance in Game 4 of the series.
He emphasized just how unforeseen it was that things came together as they did, but how much they embraced it, as did the fans.
“It meant a lot—it’s obviously nothing we had foreseen or thought would come along,” he said of playing with Draper, Kocur and McCarty. “Drapes was already here, but he was traded here for $1, and then I was traded here; Joey went and got back in shape playing in the beer leagues.
“And the next thing you know, we start Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals against Philly. We had T-shirts with ‘The Grind Line’ on them, and we just kind of ran with it.”
It was Bowman who started the Grind Line in Game 1 of the 1997 Stanley Cup Final against the Philadelphia Flyers, and just minutes into the contest, Draper and Maltby broke in on a two-on-none rush, resulting in Maltby scoring over helpless Flyers goaltender Ron Hextall; Kocur later added a goal in the period.
Maltby then scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the following game, beating goaltender Garth Snow with a slapshot from just inside the blue line. He would later add an assist on Lidstrom's goal in the final minute of the first period of Game 4 in Detroit, and later skated the Stanley Cup for the first of what would be four times in his career.
"We all kind of complemented each other, and brought something different to the table; it just kind of worked out," he said. "To be on a line like that with those three guys, they're great guys. We all live in Michigan, and two of us work with the organization. It was a special bond when you went as far as we did."
Unfortunately, the collective euphoria of the Stanley Cup win was shattered just six days later when the news of the tragic limousine accident, which nearly claimed the lives of Konstantinov and team masseur Sergei Mnatsakanov, broke.
Fetisov, who was also in the limousine, suffered minor injuries and was able to play one more season, but such a comeback was impossible for Konstantinov.
"We just couldn't believe it happened just a week after we won," Maltby said of the accident. "We did the right thing with our extracurricular stuff, going golfing and knowing that we'd be drinking and having rides arranged by car services. For that to happen, it was beyond words."
One of the heaviest-hitting defensemen in the NHL, Konstantinov was feared by opponents for his brute force on the blue line and was a finalist for the Norris Trophy that fateful season.
"Not to get into detail, but I don't think that had it been any one of us in that accident with the injuries that Vladdy sustained, I don't know if we'd have pulled through it," Maltby said, which was a sheer testament to Konstantinov's fortitude. "Vladdy was so strong will-wise. Not just physically, but will-wise."
Konstantinov, who is wheelchair-bound, was one of the special guests on Jan. 12 for Fedorov's banner-raising ceremony and drew a massive ovation from the crowd filled with generations of Red Wings fans.
"Saw him at Sergei's banner raising, and he looks great," Maltby, who was also on the ice with several former Red Wings alumni for the ceremony, explained. "Obviously, he's not where he was before the accident, but to be able to say hi and to see him, it was great to take advantage of that."
Ultimately, the Red Wings would repeat as Stanley Cup champions the following season, which culminated in an emotional celebration with Konstantinov in his wheelchair on the M.C.I. Center Ice after they swept the Washington Capitals.
After accepting the Stanley Cup from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Yzerman placed the trophy on Konstantinov's lap
"The following year, we kept it within ourselves. We kept his stall, and we had the stone that said, "Believe", we had the patches. It was a year we played for him. Obviously, it's hard to win the Stanley Cup in general, let alone in back-to-back years."
"But for the team to be able to go out there and see Vladdy a couple times a year and to win it and bring him literally on the ice in his wheelchair and have the Stanley Cup on his lap and in the room - it was awesome."
Maltby echoed a sentiment expressed by Lidstrom in Detroit’s 1998 championship documentary, that in the aftermath of the devastating accident, the collective feeling around the team was wanting to give the Stanley Cup back if it meant that both Konstantinov and Mnatsakanov could be healthy."
"I think if we were able to give that Cup back and not have that accident, maybe the majority, if not all of us, would do it," he said. "Having a healthy Vladdy for the next 10, 12, 15 years, maybe we win more Cups than we ended up winning."
"We wanted to do right by him as best as we could....there's only so much you can do, and winning the Cup, basically in his honor, was the best we could do."
Serving as a special guest at Fedorov’s jersey retirement ceremony, Maltby said he not only enjoyed playing alongside him for nearly eight years but also marveled at his sheer skill.
"Sergei is a good person, first and foremost, regardless of the hockey aspect," he said. "I enjoyed my time with him, and I enjoyed watching him. He was a world-class player, and the types of players that Sergei was don't come around often."
Upon Fedorov’s departure from the team in 2003, Maltby said that while the Red Wings remained a contending squad, as they not only won the President’s Trophy three times in the next four seasons but also claimed the 2008 Stanley Cup, there was simply no replacing him.
"We were going to do the best we could to fill the void and replace him, but there's just no replacing a Sergei Fedorov," he said. "As much as we would have loved for him to stay, we know it's a business, especially moreso nowadays with the dollars that are thrown around."
"Sergei did his thing and kept playing and whatnot, but to see the reception that he got at the banner raising, I'm sure he was extremely happy, and I was super happy for him," he said. "Watching his wife and two kids see him speak and see the reaction from the crowd - I don't know how well the kids speak English, but I kind of got the sense that they were like, 'My Gosh, my Dad really is a big deal over here!'"
"We had the (team) dinner the night before, we had the banner raising, and got to spend a lot of time with Sergei over the course of two days. Hopefully we'll get to see him again soon, but I was so happy for him and his family that his number is in the rafters where it belongs."
Maltby, who was coached by Bowman for the first six and a half years of his tenure in Detroit, joked that he could talk for hours about not only the effect Bowman had on the entire team as a whole, but on his own career in particular.
"I loved my time with Scotty, I owe a lot of my career to Scotty," he said. "In saying that, I didn't talk to Scotty much - he didn't even really talk to a lot of the guys during our playing days. It would be a different story now, but without saying it, you know you had to play the way he wanted you to play and how your role was, and play your role, and do your job.
“I’m not saying we’re rocket scientists, but we’re not dumb either. You know when you’re playing well, and you know when you’re playing bad," he continued. "Scotty was one of those guys who, just because you had a bad game or shift, which everyone does, you didn’t suspect that you’d be out of the lineup.
“But if you had two or three bad games in a row, the next game, you might not be in the lineup. Scotty did a lot without saying anything per se; a lot of his conversations were aimed at the team, the general atmosphere in the dressing room. It was delivered to everyone."
Maltby continued by saying that while there were moments when the team didn't fully understand Bowman's reasoning, his track record at having already won the Stanley Cup as a head coach six times earlier in his career meant that he knew what he was doing.
“He did a lot of stuff that we kind of shook our heads at, yet he had a pretty good track record," Maltby said. "There wasn’t a need for too many questions, and whether you liked it or didn’t, you couldn’t argue.
“For all of us who were in this game, the ultimate goal as a kid was to win the Stanley Cup. To do it multiple times with him as head coach was special. Obviously, he had his share before that as well."
Maltby, who won the Stanley Cup three times under Bowman, was grateful for the opportunity to play for one of hockey’s most legendary figures, knowing he would continue to see the ice as long as he played the right way.
"He played me a lot," he said. "I got a lot of games under him year after year, and I felt that as long as I kept doing what I was doing, it was good for Scotty and was what he wanted."
Following Detroit's 2008 Stanley Cup win, Maltby played another two seasons, during which he and the Red Wings came within a victory of repeating as champions yet again in 2009.
He ended his playing career in 2010 after appearing in 908 games with the Red Wings, recording 107 goals and 115 assists. In 169 postseason games, Maltby added 16 goals and 15 assists.
There have now been 100 years of Motor City hockey, and Maltby carved out a pivotal role in some of their greatest triumphs.
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But team owner Jeff Vinik won't be able to attend the game that he helped bring to Raymond James Stadium because of a serious injury.
The Lightning announced Friday that Vinik had suffered a "major leg fracture" when he had a snowmobiling accident while on a recent vacation with his children.
"He is currently under the care of exceptional medical professionals and is expected to make a full recovery. While we are grateful he is doing well, the extent of the injury means he will unfortunately be unable to attend the Stadium Series game on Sunday," the team said in a statement.
"As an organization, we are deeply thankful for his resilience and dedication and although we are heartbroken we will miss this historic moment for the Tampa Bay Lightning, we know he will be watching and taking immense pride in what Team Tampa Bay has accomplished."
SEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 27: Logan Evans #73 of the Seattle Mariners pitches during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Saturday, September 27, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Olivia Vanni/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Mariners’ starting pitching depth took a hit today, as the Mariners announced starter Logan Evans had UCL reconstruction surgery with the internal brace procedure. The surgery was performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Texas.
Evans, 24, made his debut last year and pitched in 16 games for the Mariners, accruing 81.1 innings. He started 15 of those 16 games, filling in for a Mariners rotation that suffered a spate of injuries. While Evans didn’t pitch in the playoff run, his contributions down the stretch helped the Mariners patch together a workable rotation while the regular starters healed, allowing the team to go on a deep playoff run.
The highlight of Evans’ season was a May 27th start against Washington where he went eight innings, the longest start by any Mariners pitcher all season. He surrendered just one run over those eight innings, a solo home run to James Wood. That game was also remarkable because the Nationals ran out an Oops! All Lefties! lineup against the righty Evans, who became the first Mariners pitcher in decades to face an all-lefty lineup.
Evans did spend some time on the IL this past season with right elbow inflammation, missing a month starting in mid-August after being diagnosed with VEO, or “pitcher’s elbow.” However, imaging at the time did not show structural damage. Evans first felt the pain on an August 14th start against Baltimore; he was moved to the IL and underwent a treatment plan of rest and cortisone injections. Evans returned to the club late in the season and threw three innings in a game on September 27th against the Dodgers, but was left off the playoff roster as the team progressed into October.
The timeline for recovery for an internal brace procedure is closer to 12 months than the 18 months of traditional Tommy John surgery, so if all goes well in recovery Evans could return as soon as spring training 2027. That doesn’t ease the sting of losing him for this year, though; Ryan just did Evans’s 40 in 40, dissecting the curious nature of Evans the first time vs. second time through the order, and what adjustments could be made to bridge the two performances. Now we will have to wait an extra year to find out the answer to that question.
The Mariners have done an admirable job building depth so far this season, with the addition of Cooper Criswell as well as some stalwart minor-league signings like Dane Dunning and Randy Dobnak. But Evans was a known quantity and proven performer, and the loss stings. This shifts pressure to Emerson Hancock to continue figuring it out at the big-league level, and also turns up the temperature somewhat on top prospect Kade Anderson, who is yet to throw a professional pitch but is almost certain to be a quick mover once he does. In the meantime, we wish Logan Evans well in his recovery, and hope to be back to two Big Logans soon.
Just 13 months after its precursor officially emerged from bankruptcy, time is running out for Main Street Sports. A cash crunch and the flight of nine MLB partners has put the owner/operator of the FanDuel-branded RSNs on a collision course with insolvency.
As Main Street execs scramble for a financial lifeline, it appears increasingly unlikely the company will be able to secure a game-saving infusion of cash before an in-house deadline of Feb. 1. While the date isn’t necessarily binding—the discretionary target may present an opportunity for Main Street to continue its fundraising efforts into next week—the situation is a source of great concern for the 29 MLB, NBA and NHL franchises whose local TV rights are tied to the RSN group.
While there’s been some chatter about the possibility of a zero-hour reprieve, as talks with potential investors are ongoing, the recent cancellation of the nine MLB contracts is said to have made the unmistakable sound of the other shoe dropping. On Jan. 8, the Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays terminated their legacy deals with Main Street, a split precipitated by a series of missed payments.
Some of the teams are said to have entertained the notion of reuniting with Main Street in the event it can cut a deal with an investor/buyer, but with pitchers and catchers due to report for the first of their spring workouts in three weeks, time is tight. On the most quotidian level, advertising commitments must be procured ahead of the 2026 MLB campaign, and while many sponsors have multiyear deals in place, the RSNs cannot afford to stagger into the coming baseball season with anything less than a 90% sell-through rate.
Earlier this month, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said the league would backstop the teams that elected to cut ties with their RSNs. “We are prepared,” Manfred said. “Even if all nine end up without an alternative, MLB will have them. They will be available on cable in the markets, and there will be a digital alternative.”
MLB’s in-house media arm currently handles local TV and streaming distribution for seven clubs: the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners and Washington Nationals. While the prospect of taking responsibility for another nine teams isn’t necessarily ideal, MLB has the infrastructure in place to provide a seamless transition. (Any such emergency measures would be temporary, as Manfred plans to bring MLB’s local rights to market ahead of the expiration of its national deals in 2028.)
“No matter what happens, Major League Baseball is in a position to put all of the games on locally and to make a digital streaming product available in-market for those fans,” Manfred said a few weeks ago. “They will never miss a game.”
Barring a last-minute reprieve, Main Street could find itself in full-on liquidation mode as early as next week—or well into the second halves of the current NBA and NHL seasons. The NBA is said to have begun war-gaming for such a scenario even before Main Street missed payments to a number of its teams at the top of the year, while the NHL also has fleshed out a backup plan. Both leagues are eyeing a mix of in-market TV arrangements with local station owners and streaming via their respective subscription platforms.
Unlike the Diamond Sports Group bankruptcy saga, which spanned 20 months and erased more than $9 billion in debt, another drawn-out reorganization effort isn’t in the cards for Main Street. Should the company fail to find a buyer, the next stop is Chapter 7.
Unfortunately for the RSNs and the teams under contract to Main Street, the endemic conditions that derailed Diamond haven’t abated. Subscribers continue to flee the legacy pay-TV bundle, and at last count the total number of U.S. homes paying for a traditional cable/satellite package had fallen to 43.2 million, bringing penetration down to just 34%. Even when virtual MVPDs are thrown in along with the old-school providers, the overall tally (64.8 million subs) represents just 51% of homes that use television.
As it happens, the Diamond court proceedings made it clear that a post-reorg cash crunch was all but inevitable. In one projection, Diamond estimated that total linear TV revenue would decline 19% in 2025 from $2.17 billion to $1.75 billion, while this year’s haul was expected to drop to $1.65 billion. According to an unaudited projected income statement filed in April 2024 with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Houston, Diamond anticipated that carriage fees would plummet 28% in the next two years, resulting in a net loss of $498 million in distribution revenue.
In spite of that steady drumbeat of subscriber churn, the FanDuel RSNs in 2025 saw their MLB ratings improve by 18%, with in-game coverage averaging 1.5 million viewers across all platforms. Per internal Main Street estimates, MLB games last season accounted for more than 2.8 billion minutes of consumption, good for twice the engagement earned in 2024.
The fact that MLB deliveries grew in the face of the steady exodus from the pay-TV model certainly would seem to indicate that sports fans are keeping the bundle from disintegrating altogether, but that and $3 gets you a ride on the F train. When cable was at the height of its powers in 2010, approximately 105 million Americans bought into the bundle. But for ESPN, the RSNs commanded the highest carriage fees on the dial; thus, tens of millions of consumers who only flipped past their local RSN while on their way to a non-sports destination were passively subsidizing the channels they never watched.
But that was 16 years ago, an eternity in media time. Unless a deep-pocketed savior arrives within the next couple of days, the Main Street RSNs are about to go the way of the infield shift.
The Buffalo Sabres continue to be the hottest club in the NHL, winning 4-1 over the Los Angeles Kings for their fifth victory in a row on Thursday. The Sabres are now eight points up on the Florida Panthers in the race for a playoff spot, and tied with Boston and Montreal for third place in the Atlantic Division, but winger Alex Tuch, who scored a hat trick in the win, was thinking of higher goals after the game.
"We're coming in with a lot of confidence. "Everybody's coming in trying to prove themselves, and we're trying to prove as a team that we're legit. We're not just going to go for the playoffs. We're going to go for the Cup," Tuch said. "That's our goal, to get better each and every day. That's it. That's the end goal. We're not in here just to squeak in. We're here to try to keep winning."
While it is understandable that Buffalo is brimming with confidence after going 20-3-1 in the last 24 games and rising like a phoenix from the ashes, that has to be balanced with the fact that they were in last place in the Eastern Conference in mid-December after firing GM Kevyn Adams and that everything is going right since.
Could Rasmus Dahlin win a Norris Trophy?
Are the real Sabres the team that struggled through the first third of the season, or the one that has been arguably the best club in the league in the middle third? One thing is for certain, this confident young squad and head coach Lindy Ruff wishes they could keep playing based on how hot they are.
"It's hard to say (whether the break will be a good or bad thing)," Ruff said earlier in the week. "I think we've pushed hard. I think you've got to use that break to get refreshed, but at the same time, you've got to use it to be ready from day one as soon as it starts right afterwards."
Buffalo has two more home games against Montreal on Saturday and Pittsburgh next Thursday, with back-to-back road games in Florida against the Panthers on Monday and Lightning on Tuesday sandwiched in between before breaking for the Olympics for nearly three weeks.
LENS, France (AP) — Lens bounced back from a defeat to Marseille by beating Le Havre 1-0 and retaking the lead of Ligue 1 on Friday.
Ruben Aguilar volleyed the winner in first-half stoppage time. Adrien Thomasson had a goal disallowed in the second half after a video review due to a foul.
Paris Saint-Germain can return to the top at Strasbourg on Sunday.
Le Havre was unbeaten in its previous three games and remained 15th in the table.
The St. Louis Blues have recalled winger Matt Luff from the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds for the second time in as many days.
The recall is once again on an emergency basis as the Blues have several players who are considered game-time decisions but will likely play on Saturday.
Neighbours and Jimmy Snuggerud were absent from practice today due to maintenance, and both are game-time decisions on Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Pius Suter is also a game-time decision.
Luff will most likely be sent back down to the Thunderbirds prior to puck drop, like he and McGing were yesterday, but if a spot in the lineup opens up because several players aren’t able to play, the Blues will have the insurance that Luff can slide into the lineup.
The 28-year-old Luff has scored one goal in five games in the NHL this season, while pouring in 13 goals and 33 points in 33 AHL games.
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SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 01: Keon Ellis #23 of the Sacramento Kings shoots a three-point shot over Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics in the first half at Golden 1 Center on January 01, 2026 in Sacramento, California. 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. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sacramento Kings (12-37) at Boston Celtics (29-18) Friday, January 30, 2026 7:30 PM ET Regular Season Game #48, Home Game #23 TV: NBCSB, NBCSCA, NBA League Pass Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, 1140 AM Sactown Sports, Sirius XM TD Garden
The Celtics continue their home stand after a win over the Trail Blazers on Monday and a loss to the Hawks on Wednesday. This is the 2nd, and final, game between these two teams this season. The Celtics won 120-106 in Sacramento on January 1. hey split the series 1-1 last season with each team winning on the road. The Celtics are 194-120 overall all time against the Kings and 104-34 in games played in Boston.
The Kings have made a few moves since last season. They traded Jonas Valanciunas to Denver for Dario Saric in what is likely a salary move. They lost Jake LaRavia as a free agent to the Lakers. They signed Drew Eubanks, Dennis Schroder, Precious Achiuwa, and Russell Westbrook as free agents. They drafted Nique Clifford with the 24th pick in the 2025 draft that they acquired from OKC for a 2027 protected first round pick. They also drafted Maxime Raynaud with the 42nd pick.
The Celtics have slipped back to 3rd in the East, 5.5 games behind 1st place Detroit. They are tied with 2nd place New York, 1 game ahead of 4th place Toronto and 5th place Cleveland, 3 games ahead of 6th place Philadelphia and 4 games ahead of 7th place Miami. The Celtics are 8-6 against Western Conference opponents. They are 14-8 at home and 5-5 in their last 10 games. They are coming off a loss in their last game.
The Kings are 14th in the West, 26 games behind 1st place Oklahoma City, 11.5 games behind 10th place Los Angeles Clippers, and 7.5 games behind 12th place Dallas. They are tied with 15th place New Orleans. They are 4-12 against Eastern Conference opponents. They are 3-21 on the road and 3-7 in their last 10 games. They have lost their last 7 games.
This game is the 3rd game of a 4 game home stand where they won over Portland on Monday and lost to the Hawks on Wednesday. They will face Milwaukee on Sunday to close out the home stand. Then, they are on the road at Dallas and Houston before playing Miami, New York, and Chicago at home, taking them into the All Star Break. After the break, they will head out on a 4 game Western road trip through Golden State, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix, and Denver.
This is the 5th game of a 6 game road trip for the Kings. They lost to Cleveland, Detroit, New York, and Philadelphia in the first 4 and will complete the trip at Washington. They return home to host Memphis, LA Clippers, and Cleveland before heading on the road to play at New Orleans and at Utah before the All Star break.
For the Celtics, Neemias Queta missed Wednesdays game with an illness. He has been upgraded to available for this game. Jaylen Brown is listed as out due to a right knee contusion and left hamstring tightness. Jayson Tatum remains out as he continues to rehab his torn Achilles.
For the Kings, Zach LaVine missed the last 2 games as he was dealing with back issues but came off the bench against the 76ers on Thursday. I’m guessing that he returns to the starting lineup for this game. If he once again comes off the bench, Nique Clifford will likely start once again in his place.
Russell Westbrook missed Thursday’s game with a foot injury and is out for this game. I’m guessing that Dennis Schroder will likely start in his place. Malik Monk missed Thursday’s game and is off the injury list for this game at this time. Keegan Murray is out with an ankle injury.
Probable Starting Matchups PG: Derrick White vs Dennis Schroder
Derrick White | NBAE via Getty ImagesDennis Schroder | Getty Images
Celtics Reserves Anfernee Simons Hugo Gonzalez Xavier Tillman Josh Minott Jordan Walsh Luka Garza Chris Boucher 2-Way Players Ron Harper, Jr Max Shulga Amari Williams Injuries/Out Jayson Tatum (Achilles) out Jaylen Brown (knee/hamstring) out Neemias Queta (illness) available
Head Coach Joe Mazzulla
Kings Reserves Devin Carter Nique Clifford Keon Ellis Drew Eubanks Doug McDermott Malik Monk Dario Saric
2-Way Players Dylan Cardwell Daeqwon Plowden Isaiah Stevens Injuries/Out Domantas Sabonis (knee) Keegan Murray (ankle) out Russell Westbrook (foot) out
Head Coach Doug Christie
Key Matchups Payton Pritchard vs Zach LaVine LaVine is averaging 19.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. He is shooting 48.6% from the field and 39.9% from beyond the arc. He missed the first game against the Celtics and came off the bench for the Kings on Thursday after missing the previous 2 games. I’m guessing that he will return to the starting lineup for this game. If he doesn’t, Nique Clifford will likely get the start.
Baylor Scheierman vs DeMar DeRozan DeRozan is averaging 19.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 50.5% from the field and 33.7% from beyond the arc. Over his career against the Celtics, he has averaged 21.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists. In the first game against the Celtics, he finished with 25 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal while shooting 56.3% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc. DeRozan especially needs to be defended for mid-range shots where he excels.
Honorable Mention Derrick White vs Dennis Schroder Schroder is averaging 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. He is shooting 41.6% from the field and 35.2% from beyond the arc. Against the Celtics this season, he finished with 18 points, 3 rebounds, and 7 assists while shooting 58.3% from the field and 37.5% from beyond the arc. With Westbrook out, I’m guessing that Schroder gets the start and he is likely to give a little extra effort to beat his former team.
Keys to the Game Defense – Defense is always the key to winning every game. The Kings have a defensive rating of 119.5 (28th). The Celtics defensive rating is 113.7, 12th in the league. The Celtics need to defend the paint as the Kings average 48.5 points in the paint per game. The Kings average 30.1 three pointers attempted per game, which is 30th in the league and they are last with 10.5 3 pointers made per game. The Celtics need to play tough lock down defense both inside and out.
Rebound – The Celtics have to put out extra effort to grab the rebounds on both ends of the court. By doing so, they limit the second chance points and fast breaks for the Kings and also give themselves extra possessions. The Celtics are averaging 44.9 rebounds per game to 40.9 rebounds per game for the Kings. The Celtics have to beat the Kings to rebounds and not allow them to get second chance points and extra possessions.
Don’t Underestimate – Once again, the Celtics are facing a team that is under .500. It would be easy for the Celtics to underestimate the Kings and expect an easy win against a 12 win team. That would be a mistake because this Kings team has beaten Denver, Minnesota, Miami and Houston so they aren’t an easy team to beat if you don’t bring the effort. The Celtics have to come out strong from the start and play hard right up until the final buzzer. The Kings are very capable of beating them if they don’t play their best.
To 3 or Not to 3 – The Celtics are 2nd in the league, attempting 42.3 threes a game. When they fall, the Celtics are tough to beat. But, when they aren’t falling, the Celtics struggle. Against the Hawks, the Celtics shot just 26.5% on threes. If the Celtics aren’t hitting their 3s, they have to go to Plan B and take the ball to the basket or shoot from midrange. If the 3s are falling, great!! If not, go to Plan B. Most of all, they need to focus on taking good shots and making them.
X-Factors Home Court Advantage – The Celtics are at home and need to use that to their advantage. They are playing in front of their own fans and on their own familiar court while the Kings are playing on the road and have travel and a hostile crowd and road fatigue to distract them. The Celtics need to bounce back from their loss at home against the Hawks and start a home win streak with a win here.
Officiating – Officiating can always be an x-factor. Every crew will call the game differently. Some will call every little thing and the game will have no flow. Others will let a lot go and let them play. Some crews favor the home team while others call it evenly or have a personal agenda. The Celtics need to adjust to how the game is called and not let the officials take away their focus.
BROOKLYN, NY - JANUARY 23: The sneakers worn by Chris Boucher #25 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on January 23, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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 David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The roar of the crowd at Dodger Stadium returns this weekend, albeit briefly.
On Saturday, the third-oldest stadium in Major League Baseball will open its gates and let the noise spill out for DodgerFest 2026 — the annual, unapologetic love letter between the Dodgers and the city that lives and dies with them.
The festivities kick off at 9 a.m. until the afternoon as the historic stadium transforms into a giant playground for fans. MediaNews Group via Getty ImagesOn Saturday, Dodger Stadium will open its gates for DodgerFest 2026. MediaNews Group via Getty Images
But this year’s rendition isn’t a pep rally. It’s a victory lap.
Fresh off back-to-back World Series championships in 2024 and 2025, the Dodgers are hosting DodgerFest presented by Budweiser as both a celebration of dominance and a warning shot aimed at the rest of baseball. The past will be honored. The future will be stared down. All in one sun-soaked day in Chavez Ravine.
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The festivities kick off at 9 a.m. until the early afternoon as the historic stadium transforms into a giant playground for fans that bleed Dodger Blue. Fans will be able to roam the Field and Reserve Levels, purchase tickets for autograph sessions, meet and greets, selfies, live chats with players, and VIP experiences that will last a lifetime.
The annual DodgerFest is an unapologetic love letter between the Dodgers and the city that lives and dies with them. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
VIP experiences run from 9:20 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., offering clubhouse tours, Vin Scully Press Box access, Jackie Robinson legacy tours, and photos with the 2024 and 2025 World Series trophies. Yes, both of them.
Additionally, there will be interactive games, sponsor activations, ballpark food, live music, and exclusive merchandise.
At 12:30 p.m., the centerpiece arrives. Hosted by Joe Davis and Stephen Nelson, the 90-minute seated stage show brings out the heavy hitters — literally and figuratively. MVPs Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Shohei Ohtani. World Series Game 7 heroes Max Muncy, Miguel Rojas, and Will Smith. Manager Dave Roberts and architects Andrew Friedman and Brandon Gomes, all peering ahead at a three-peat that suddenly feels very real.
VIP experiences offer clubhouse tours, Vin Scully Press Box access, Jackie Robinson legacy tours, and photos with the 2024 and 2025 World Series trophies. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Tickets are more expensive this year, but that’s the price you pay for the highest payroll in MLB after the back-to-back champs added All-Star closer Edwin Diaz and slugger Kyle Tucker to their already vaunted roster.
Auto gates open at 8:30 a.m. Stadium entry follows at 9. Parking is separate. Tickets are available at dodgers.com/dodgerfest.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 3: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks talks to= Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers after the game on April 3, 2025 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know the Milwaukee Bucks are actively listening to trade offers for two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo with the NBA trade deadline less than a week away.
League sources say Philadelphia, furthermore, has not contacted Milwaukee about a possible Antetokounmpo deal in the wake of a better-than-expected first half, but The Stein Line has learned that the prospect of teaming up with Tyrese Maxey — who, like Giannis, works with prominent NBA trainer Drew Hanlen — does have the 76ers on Antetokounmpo’s radar.
That’s a hell of a nugget.
The idea of Maxey and Giannis playing together is tantalizing, but it might not be realistic without the Greek Freak demanding to come to Philly. Let’s break it down a bit.
No. 3 overall pick VJ Edgecombe will be the absolute first player the Bucks bring up — as well they should. It’s not that Edgecombe is untouchable, but you have to look at the whole picture here.
Antetokounmpo, who is still one of the best players on earth, is 31 and now dealing with his second calf injury of the season. If Edgecombe is the centerpiece of that trade, you’d also have to include Paul George for salary matching purposes.
So, you’re trading away two starters for a team that already lacks depth, while also hoping for the health and fit of Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid to be pristine. There’s an argument to be made it’s worth the gamble. The other argument is it’s a little reckless, especially for the Sixers.
PHLY’s Kyle Neubeck already threw a bit of cold water on the idea of the Sixers moving Edgecombe for Giannis — or anybody.
Spoke to a league source this morning who completely shot down the idea that the Sixers would trade VJ Edgecombe in any move, including in speculative deals people are talking about for Giannis.
Should go without saying, but he’s part of the foundation in Philly
Going into this season, you weren’t even counting on Embiid and George to be healthy. It was all about the growth of Maxey and the team’s young core. Given Embiid’s injury history, it always made more sense to see how the young guys could do while anything Embiid and George gave you was gravy. There’s been more than expected, but it’s still gravy.
And as we saw with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers last season, depth matters. Both those teams were able to reach the Finals throwing waves of athletic players at their opponents. With the struggles of Quentin Grimes and Jared McCain — who hopefully is turning a corner — no real wing options off the bench and an unproven backup center in Adem Bona, how can the Sixers contend with such unreliable depth?
Could a Giannis-for-Embiid (plus other assets) swap work? It’s hard to see how. If Milwaukee takes back Embiid, there’s so much risk involved. If Embiid can’t stay healthy enough to keep the Bucks relevant, that’s a lot of money for a lot of years to eat. For as good as Embiid has looked recently, it’s hard to imagine a team wanting to take on that extension, which doesn’t even kick in until next season.
The other path is something like George, McCain and all the picks they can muster. It’s a not terrible return, especially when you consider the LA Clippers’ unprotected 2028 first-rounder and 2029 pick swap, but would it be the best offer out there? The fact that this feels like a no-brainer for the Sixers makes it hard to believe it would be something Milwaukee accepts … unless Giannis forces them to.
For what it’s worth, Fischer added this:
“They’re asking for the moon,” one general manager told me on Thursday morning. “All of your young players and all of your draft picks.”
ESPN’s Shams Charania, who broke the initial report, listed the Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors as “serious suitors.” Fischer and Marc Stein narrowed that down to Miami and Minnesota. The Timberwolves have a couple valuable players on their roster in Jaden McDaniels, Joan Beringer, Terrance Shannon, Jr. and Rob Dillingham.
There’s also the very real possibility that Milwaukee simply holds off and reconvenes with teams after the season, where the return could possibly be greater. But Pandora appear to already be out of the box.
So, the question becomes, how badly does Antetokounmpo want to be a Sixer? We’ll see.
