The Boston Bruins' Jeremy Swayman and the Tampa Bay Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy squared off in the second period with Boston up 5-2 and tensions high.
During the Lightning's second consecutive power play, a scrum broke out as Tampa Bay's Brandon Hagel slashed Boston's Charlie McAvoy. Swayman jumped into the fray, which led Vasilevskiy to start skating down the ice.
Swayman noticed and skated toward Vasilevskiy. Once the gloves and masks were off, the two threw a few punches at each other at center before the on-ice officials intervened.
âMan, we just got to learn from it,â said Nic Claxton, who had 10 points in the first quarter, and was scoreless after that. âWe just canât keep getting beat by 50, though. Itâs really demoralizing as a group for us. We got to come together and figure out ways to at least keep the games closer.â
With Michael Porter Jr. out for personal reasons, the Nets embarrassed themselves.
They shot just 32.9 percent and 7-for-31 from deep, bullied by a physical Detroit defense.
And they were just as bad on the other end.
The Nets let the Pistons waltz up and down the court, turning 25 turnovers into 39 points.
Much of that Nets sloppiness came in a crippling 47-12 run that spanned halftime and turned a 33-32 deficit into a huge 80-44 hole.
Nic Claxton looks to move the ball during the Netsâ Feb. 1 loss to the Pistons. NBAE via Getty Images
Brooklyn shot 4-for-20 in that blitz with 10 turnovers.
No Net managed more than a dozen points, with Cam Thomas and Drake Powell sharing team-high honors off the bench.
Jalen Duren had 21 points and 10 rebounds for Detroit. Cade Cunningham added 18 points and a dozen assists.
âWe found ways to get good shots early on; and we couldnât match that. And then it was from frustration to whatever you want to call it is forgetting what youâre supposed to do,â said FernĂĄndez. âSo weâll run it back. Weâll hold them accountable, weâll give them a hug, whatever the case may, just (we have to) go out there and play better than this.â
The only silver lining was the Nets (13-35) moving into a tie with Washington for fourth in the lottery race. Theyâre a half-game behind third-place Indiana and a game ahead of Utah.
Porter missed a second straight game after the death of his grandmother.
Noah Clowney missed a fifth straight game, with an MRI revealing a lower back sprain.
The NBA honored Chuck Cooper, Nat âSweetwaterâ Clifton and Earl Lloyd breaking the color barrier in 1950.
âInstead of using ignorance and lack of understanding for others to separate people and divide people, I think this is a great opportunity for us to understand that the more we learn about one another, the more we recognize that weâre not as different as people would want us to be,â said JB Bickerstaff. âI think that would eliminate a lot of the problems that youâre seeing unfold in front of us.â
TORONTO, CANADA - FEBRUARY 1: RJ Barrett #9 of the Toronto Raptors drives against Walter Clayton Jr. #13 of the Utah Jazz during first half of their NBA game at Scotiabank Arena on February 1, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
About a week ago, we talked about how the Toronto Raptorsâ West Coast road trip â mainly the success of it â had the potential to change trade deadline plans for the front office. Since returning home from that West Coast swing, the Raptors have lacked punch. After the excellent play out West had the potential to change plans, does this recent poor stretch of basketball continue to change plans ahead of Thursdayâs deadline?
Last Friday, the Raptors faltered in the fourth quarter against the Orlando Magic, completely losing the momentum they had built in the previous three quarters. Against the Utah Jazz, the Raptors again lacked offensive energy, not at all playing to the level they should have been.
Even with the hype of Scottie Barnes finding out heâs an All-Star mid-game, the Raptors looked discombobulated as they tried to overcome an injured and tanking Jazz team. While they recovered in the 4th quarter, it was more of a skirt by a much worse Jazz team instead of the emphatic win that may have been expected.
âThis is amazing, no one around the league had doubt that he deserved this,â Darko Rajakovic said after the game about Barnesâs All-Star nomination. âThis is not the best Scottie Barnes you will ever see. I know how hungry he is.â
âI know that coaches around the league have a lot of appreciation for the way Scottie plays.â Darko continued. âI think everyone else is lacking appreciation for the way he plays.â
âI havenât had time to think about it, but Iâm excited for it,â Barnes said himself. The announcement from the league happened right as the Raptors game started tonight, and he found out midgame.
Raptors not taking this game seriously and they're rightfully getting burned for all these mistakes. so many passes directly to the jazz for breakaway dunks.
Despite the weirdness of the game itself, the Raptors still came out with the win. In a 107-100 victory for the Raptors, RJ Barrett led all scorers with 21 points, Mamukelashvili had 20 off the bench, and Ingram had 19 points of his own. A win is a win.
Still, you canât help but think about what the Raptors could be cooking up ahead of the trade deadline when things are still looking weird offensively. With only days to go until Thursdayâs deadline, there is still a lot of time for multiple deals to happen, but also for things to change. Everything is fluid until 3 p.m. on Thursday hits.
Among the glaring needs for Toronto as we approach the deadline are depth in the frontcourt as well as shooting ability. With Jakob Poeltlâs ongoing injury problems, the Raptors are lacking power and height under the rim. Yet, Poeltlâs injury may be what hinders the Raptors this trade deadline most, as his lofty contract would be hard to move regardless, not to mention the fact that heâs injured.
RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley are other names floating around as well, two of the Raptors other big ticket contracts. Including them in any deals the Raptors do gives the team more flexibility when it comes to money.
Still, as we know, this franchise doesnât like to do much moving at the deadline. The more likely scenario ahead of Thursday is for Toronto to just do a few smaller transactions and call it a day until free agency later in the year.
The Raptors will now have a few days to practice and rest before they are back in action Wednesday and Thursday at home. Weâll see if anything big happens before their next game.
DETROIT, MI - FEBRUARY 1: Tobias Harris #12 and Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons high five during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on February 1, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Brooklyn Nets finally won a game without Michael Porter Jr. Friday, defeating the Utah Jazz on the second night of a hellacious back-to-back that saw them fly in from Denver the night before. Brooklyn had lost their first eight games when MPJ sat, as he typically does in one half of a back-to-back, and while the Jazz entered with just 15 wins to their name, a starting lineup with three rookies would have to get the job done.
They did, led by a 25-point homecoming performance from the former BYU Cougar Egor Dëmin. But on Sunday evening ⊠whoosh. Dëmin, Nolan Traore, Danny Wolf, and the rest of the Nets faced a much taller task, again without MPJ. Not only was it the infamous final game of a long road trip, but they were facing the Detroit Pistons, sitting atop the Eastern Conference largely thanks to their relentlessly physical, athletic play.
Example: Egor Demin began being harassed by Ausar Thompson on one end while guarding Cade Cunningham on the other. The young Nets, however, held their own early. All ten Nets who played in the first half scored, led by Nic Claxton and Cam Thomas, even Ben Saraf dropped a highlightâŠ
Then the referees called the game, awarding both teams a draw, sending everybody home happy.
Just kidding. One hour later, the Nets were â stop me if youâve heard this before â fighting to avoid their worst loss in franchise history. The Pistons went on a 37-6 run that bridged halftime; hereâs a quick recap of that runâŠ
A wild sequence to end the first half, as Cam Thomas turns it over and Ausar Thompson drains a half-court shot.
Detroit bullied the Nets, who looked utterly helpless after the switch flipped. Turnovers led to run-outs which led to dunks, the crowd getting louder and louder as the home team morphed into the Harlem Globetrotters with ease. The Pistons scored 37 points off turnovers, a ridiculous total that doesnât include Detroit baiting Brooklyn into layup attempts just to boom them off the backboard.
It didnât help that the Nets shot just 22.6% from three, not only deflated by the circumstances but undoubtedly worn out by the road trip. Even DĂ«minâs record-breaking streak ended: After 34 consecutive games with a 3-pointer (the most ever for a rookie), he went 0-of-4 from the floor in this one, putting up 3/0/1.
As for the other rookies, Saraf also went 0-of-4 with four assists and no turnovers, Nolan Traore 2-of-7, Drake Powell 3-of-7, and Danny Wolf 2-of-9 and a team-worst -43 plus-minus. Unlike DĂ«minâs return to the Beehive State, this was not a banner day for the 2025 draft class.
âYou got to learn from games like this, because you play against a very good team that plays consistently hard,â said Jordi FernĂĄndez. âAnd we donât do it in a consistent way.â
Detroit was led by 21 points from All-Star reserve Jalen Duren, but everybody contributed. They stole the ball 17 times. Daniss Jenkins put Wolf on a poster. Meanwhile, the Nets scored 38 points in the first 18 minutes, then 39 points in the final 30 minutes.
Said FernĂĄndez: âYou know, weâll run it back, weâll hold them accountable, weâll give him a hug, whatever the case may be, to go out there and play better than this.â
In the end, the visitors did not lose by 60 points. Hooray! Instead, Brooklyn lost by 53 points, the third-worst mark in franchise history. At least it wasnât against the New York Knicks this time.
Final Score: Detroit Pistons 130, Brooklyn Nets 77
Milestone Watch
The Brooklyn Nets have now lost a game by 50+ points four times in the last three seasons. Only the Portland Trail Blazers, from 2021-2024, have ever matched that feat.
Nets have now lost four games by 35 points or more this season, the two 50-point losses, plus a 37-point bummer vs. the Clippers a week ago and a 36-point disaster to the Knicks early in the season.
On the other side of the ledger, the Pistons winning margin was the biggest in franchise history surpassing the 52-point margin set in a January 2002 win over Boston.
The Nets are now 13-35 which moves them up in the Tankathon rankings to the No. 4 spot, tied with the Wizards. Theyâre a half-game out of third, where the Pacers sit, a game out of second (Pelicans owed the Hawks) and 2.5 games behind the golden ticket now held by the Kings.
MPJ misses out on All-Star Game
The NBA announced the All-Star reserves on Sunday afternoon, and absent from the list was Michael Porter Jr. We knew he wouldnât be a starter, but given that he finished 10th, 9th, and 10th in fan, player, and media voting respectively, a reserve selection seemed possible for the Brooklyn Netsâ leading scorer. Alas, the coaches did not view Porter Jr. as one of the Eastâs dozen best players.
Porter Jr. still has an outside chance to become Brooklynâs first All-Star representative since Kevin Durant; Adam Silver will need to choose at least one injury replacement (Giannis Antetokounmpo).
As it stands, is he a snub? NetsDaily will answer that question tomorrow.
Injury Update
As previously mentioned, MPJ did not miss this one due to injury, but rather personal reasons. He had previously posted on social media about a death in the family.
Noah Clowney missed his fifth straight game with a low back sprain (no longer âlower back sorenessâ) while Ziaire Williams missed his third straight with a left calf contusion. Jordi FernĂĄndez did not provide a timeline for either player in pregame.
Next Up
Luke Hales/Getty Images
The Brooklyn Nets return home to face two of the NBAâs biggest stars. Tip-off against the Los Angeles Lakers is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. on Tuesday night.
WASHINGTON (AP) â Rookie Will Riley scored a season-high 18 points, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 2:07 left, and the Washington Wizards beat the Sacramento Kings 116-112 on Sunday night in a matchup of last-place teams.
AJ Johnson added 17 points and Bilal Coulibaly and Marvin Bagley III each scored 15 for the Wizards, who relied heavily on their reserves as they handed the Kings their ninth straight loss.
Washington has won three of four since a nine-game skid of its own. The Wizards began the night last in the Eastern Conference but moved one-half game ahead of Indiana.
Zach LaVine scored 35 points and DeMar DeRozan had 32 for the Kings, who are last in the West and concluded their season-long East Coast trip at 0-6.
Maxime Raynaud added 14 points for Sacramento, but no other Kings player had more than six. Washington led 61-20 in bench points, and the Wizards' reserves also outscored their starters.
Wizards coach Brian Keefe had four players who've spent time in the G League this season on the floor in the closing minutes. Riley and Johnson were joined by Skal Labissiere and Sharife Cooper, whose tip-in gave Washington a 115-110 lead with 37.2 seconds left.
Labissiere had 13 points. Little-used veteran Anthony Gill played a season-high 27 minutes for Washington and was scoreless on 0-for-3 shooting.
DeRozan scored eight points during a 12-3 fourth-quarter run that gave the Kings a 101-98 lead with 5:20 left. The 19-year-old Riley responded with eight points in the next 3:13 to put the Wizards back on top.
TORONTO (AP) â RJ Barrett scored 21 points, Sandro Mamukelashvili added 20 and the Toronto Raptors beat the Utah Jazz 107-100 on Sunday night to open a five-game homestand.
Brandon Ingram added 19 points to help Toronto end a two-game losing streak. Immanuel Quickley had 17 points.
Scottie Barnes celebrated being added to his second NBA All-Star Game with 14 points and nine rebounds. Barnes hurt his left foot with 4:48 remaining after a steal. He departed 22 seconds later, only to return for the final 3:05.
Lauri Markkanen had 27 points and 11 rebounds for Utah. The Jazz have lost a season-worst six straight games.
Isaiah Collier added 19 points, and Jusuf Nurkic had 11 points and 13 rebounds.
The Raptors matched their 30 wins of a season ago with 31 games remaining.
SEATTLE (AP) â Cearah Parchment finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds, Berry Wallace scored 22, and Illinois upset No. 25 Washington 75-66 on Sunday, ending the Huskies' five-game winning streak.
Parchment made 8 of 16 shots with three 3-pointers and all four of her free throws for the Fighting Illini (16-6, 6-5 Big Ten Conference), who were coming off losses to then-No. 24 Nebraska and No. 2 UCLA. The 6-foot-3 freshman forward has three double-doubles in her last four games and six this season. Wallace sank 8 of 16 shots and made 6 of 8 at the foul line, adding seven rebounds.
Maddie Webber had 13 points off the bench for Illinois and Destiny Jackson totaled 11 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Sayvia Sellers and Avery Howell both scored 17 to lead the Huskies (17-5, 7-4), who beat No. 16 Maryland on the road last time out before falling to 12-2 at home. Freshman reserve Brynn McGaughy had 12 points on 6-for-8 shooting.
Washington shot 57% in a first quarter that saw six lead changes. Elle Ladine's basket with 1:18 remaining gave the Huskies a 16-15 lead and capped the scoring in the period.
Parchment sank a 3-pointer in the middle of a 7-0 run and Illinois moved in front 24-19 in the first three minutes of the second quarter and never trailed again. Parchment had 13 first-half points, Wallace scored 11 and Illinois shot 48.5% to take a 37-29 lead into halftime.
Webber scored in the paint to give Illinois its largest lead at 49-35 late in the third quarter before the Huskies pulled within 51-40 heading to the fourth. Washington got no closer than six in the final 10 minutes.
TORONTO, CANADA - FEBRUARY 1: Lauri Markkanen #23 of the Utah Jazz dribbles the ball during the game against the Toronto Raptors on February 1, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As much to the disappointment of Los Utah Jazz and all the fans in South America, the Jazz finished their longest homestand of the season with a 1-5 record; that one win came on a career-high night for Keyonte George. But maybe they werenât as disappointed, since the Jazz are now closer to the leagueâs worst record than to the seventh-best record, despite being #6.
Though the Jazz needed to grab at least one win during one of their longest road trips of the year â itâs okay to have a cheat day once in a while; you canât live your life off eggplant stew. Their road trip began visiting our Yankee friends up North; free from their chains of the NBAâs Play-In Tournament (âŠso far), sitting high and mighty on their seats as the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference. It goes to show you can just stick a million versatile wings on your roster and it just sorta works. Not only were the Raptors nearing full health minus Jakob Poeltl and two-way Chucky Hepburn, the Jazz wonât stop unleashing the bubonic plague on their team, or at least according to their injury report.
\\Yes, the Jazz were going to lose their 10th game and 11 matches, but the pain Jazz fans feel is more masochistic than anything else. They were unable to get it done as they fell to the rising Raptors 107-100 on a freezing cold Sunday.
Though the Jazz opened up the first quarter leading 5-3, that was quickly overtaken by Torontoâs 11-0 run from 9:11 to 6:38. Utah them went on their own little 8-0 run to cut the Raptorsâ lead 17-16, with Svi and Lauri both contributing 3 points each during that stretch. Toronto collected 3 steals and 3 blocks through the quarter, with the Jazz only forcing 1 turnover. On the Jazz end, they had 20 rebounds, led by Nurkicâs 4. Lauri led the team in scoring with 6 points and 3 rebounds, shooting 1-4 from beyond the arc. On the other hand, however, Sandro Mamukelashvili was hot early, scoring 8 points on 2-for-3 threes in 6 minutes.
The game was a switch between who had the better run. It was a 12-4 run for the Raptors across quarters. hitting three straight threes from three different players to turn a 12-point deficit into a 31-25 lead. Then Utahâs turn was a 17-2 run in 3:20 minutes for their largest lead so far of the night â 5 of the Raptorsâ turnovers came during this run. Utah took advantage of Torontoâs lack of Jakob Poeltl crashing the glass. They held a 14-rebound advantage (37-23) at the half, grabbing 25 defensive rebounds, with Nurkic and Ace grabbing 7 each. They had 5 offensive boards, leading to 9 second-chance points. Isaiah Collier was superb in the second quarter, 6 of his points came during this period. Not to mention nearly filling every category on the stat sheet: 2 boards, 1 assist, and 1 steal. To top off this quarter, there was this madness from Lauri Markkanen.
I know one of you did a switcheroo and tried to fool us by putting 22-23 Lauri Markkanen on the floor. We are not leaving this room until someone fusses up. Someone mustâve shown him the West All-Star reserves while he was on the bench, because thatâs not normal.
The Jazz trailed by three points headed into the fourth quarter. Raptors found their rhythm, shooting 62% on 21 attempts from the field during the third period, including shooting 3-6 from beyond the arc. They erased a 4-point Jazz lead by holding them scoreless on four straight shots and two turnovers. Ingram scored or assisted on six of those points. Mamukelashvili contributed 16 points for the Raptors, accounting for a significant part of Torontoâs bench scoring.
The Jazz were starting to feel the fatigue of being in a new country. They had 16 turnovers, and the shooting took the dip we all were anticipating. Utah had a 3:58-minute drought from the field before Filipowski finally sank a two-pointer. Not to mention they missed 12-straight team threes.
Scottie Barnes then sustained a foot injury, which checked him out of the game with 4:26 remaining, and the Jazz were merely trailing 98-93. Though the game still came crumbling down regardless. They couldnât buy their shots and came sinking down to a 9-point deficit. They finished with a ghastly 21 turnovers, resulting in 24 Raptors points off turnovers. Jazz shot a ghoulish 23% from three-point range, only sinking 8 of their 35 attempts. Just like previous games, they shot themselves in the foot.
Though Iâll give them the credit that they never fell behind in a double-digit deficit â the largest lead Toronto had all night was 9. They managed to turn a putrid night from the field into something that shimmers like a rainbow after a hurricane. It didnât go well for them in the fourth quarter, but they had the opportunity to win this one despite what the shat sheet tells you, which they can take with them through this Eastern road trip.
At the end of the day, it was probably another loss they needed. The threshold between them and last place is dangerously close, but I think every fan has a subconscious desire that obviously wants them to win. Sometimes, games wonât have you buckled up. Tonightâs loss was one of those types of matchups.
Up Next
Jazz take a day off before they embark on their flight to Indianapolis. They play the Indiana Pacers on February 3rd at 5:00 PM MST.
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 01: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Sacramento Kings drives to the basket against Will Riley #27 of the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena on February 1, 2026 in Washington, DC. 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 Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Washington Wizards split the season series with the Sacramento Kings, winning this one in front of the home crowd on Sunday, 116-112.
The Wizards were a little short handed tonight with no Tre Johnson and no Alex Sarr, but did have the return of Marvin Bagley III.
Defensively, the Wizards started out with energy, forcing Kings into a lot of turnovers, but as the game started to go on, Kings started to pick up their scoring. After going up by as much as 17 points, the Kings closed the deficit to 5 points at halftime.
Part of the Kingsâ comeback in this game could be contributed to the Wizardsâ very interesting lineup choice. In the beginning of crunch time (last 5 minutes of the game and the teams are within 5 points of each other), where the Kings were up by 1 point, the Wizards deployed a lineup of Sharife Cooper, Will Riley, Skal Labissiere, AJ Johnson and Anthony Gill. Wizards were looking deep into their bench with this one. Keep in mind this lineup was going against the likes of DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine.
The Wizards despite emptying the deep part of their bench, were still able to pull this one off as LaVine and DeRozan went cold to finish this one out.
Will Riley finished with a career-high in points (18), rebounds (6), and assists (6). Washington wins this one 116-112.
Wizards will host the New York Knicks on Wednesday evening at Capital One Arena.
DETROIT (AP) â Jalen Duren had 21 points and 10 rebounds after being added to the All-Star Game on Sunday night as an Eastern Conference reserve, and the Detroit Pistons routed the Brooklyn Nets 130-77 in the most-lopsided victory in franchise history.
The 53-point margin topped the mark of 52 set in a 118-66 victory at Boston on Jan 31, 2003. The Nets had a 54-point loss â 120-66 â on Jan. 21 against New York.
Cade Cunningham, the Detroit star who was earlier selected an East All-=Star starter, added 18 points, 12 assists and four steals. The Eastern Conference-leading Pistons improved to 36-12 with their second straight victory. They beat Golden State on Friday night to finish 2-1 on a three-game trip.
Cunningham had 13 points, 10 assists and four steals in the first half as the Pistons raced to a 67-44 lead. Ausar Thompson hit a half-court shot at the halftime buzzer.
Detroit outscored Brooklyn 33-18 in the third quarter to push it to 100-62. The Pistons' largest lead was 55 points.
Cam Thomas and Drake Powell each had 12 points for Brooklyn. The Nets are 13-35.
Egor Demin was 0 for 4 from 3-point range, ending his NBA rookie record of at least one 3 in 34 straight games. He broke the record Friday night in Utah.
Nets scoring leader Michael Porter Jr. sat out because of personal reasons.
Up next
Nets: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.
Finding value in the MLB Rookie of the Year market is a tricky game.
Teams are incentivized to start their best rookies on the Opening Day roster (bonus draft pick if that player wins the award after spending the whole season in MLB), but that hasn't had a 100% success rate.
The most highly-touted rookies, such as Trey Yesavage and Konnor Griffin, have seen their price tags shorten, and they aren't as appealing.
I'm looking further down the MLB odds board for my AL and NL Rookie of the Year predictions as spring training continues.
Projecting Rookie of the Year is the most daunting of the MLB awards. And for that reason, I tend to shy away from it during preseason except for some speculative long-shot wagers. When Paul Skenes won in 2024, I waited until after his first start. His odds got longer because he only went four innings, and perhaps some doubt emerged. He put that to rest pretty quickly.
Obviously, there's risk here, too. If Skenes shoved in his first start, then I would never have gotten that value boost. It's why I'm holding off on pulling the trigger on Konnor Griffin. He smoked two home runs in a spring game this week, which may explain why he's now the betting favorite in the NL, but there is still some risk that he gets sent to the minors to start the season. I would rather risk it and grab him at better odds or not bet him at all.
Your inclination may be to target players who are locks or almost locks to make their team's Opening Day roster. But sportsbooks aren't offering great numbers there. For as good as Trey Yesavage was in the postseason, I don't want to bet on him at +370 after he pitched more innings than he ever had before. So, for now, I try to make educated long-shot dart throws.
Bet
Odds
Bet date
Units
Bubba Chandler
+1400
February 25
0.25
Chase DeLauter
+2000
February 25
0.25
Bubba Chandler wasn't as highly touted as Skenes, but he wasn't super far off, either. He posted a 1.83 ERA over his first 39 1/3 innings at Triple-A in 2024. Those numbers took a bit of a dive last season, but his first taste of MLB hitting went pretty well. The 4.02 ERA wasn't amazing, but he had a low walk rate, didn't surrender home runs, and had a 2.66 FIP that suggests at least some positive regression.
With Griffin taking all the headlines at Pittsburgh Pirates camp, it's perhaps easy to forget that Chandler likely has a rotation spot on Opening Day unless things go all the way sideways this spring. His ace upside is enough to take a flier here.
Chase DeLauter is currently projected to open the season in the Cleveland Guardians outfield. Injuries have slowed his progression a bit, but he is a dangerous hitter, which is exactly what Cleveland needs. He doesn't strike out (15.8% K-rate in 42 minor-league games last year) and has major home run potential from the left side.
Players I'm keeping an eye on throughout spring training: Carson Benge (Mets), Andrew Painter (Phillies), Joe Mack (Marlins), Robby Snelling (Marlins).
Benge and Painter could crack their respective Opening Day rosters, which makes their current prices pretty appealing. Painter isn't far removed from Tommy John surgery, though, and the Phillies may take it slowly with him, meaning we could get a better number if we wait.
Although all players have an equal chance of winning the AL Rookie of the Year Award, the honor has been claimed disproportionately by outfielders since its inception in 1949. Outfielders have 24 victories compared to 17 for pitchers and 17 for shortstops. Catchers are bringing up the rear with just two ROY victories over the past 73 years.
No franchise has won more Rookie of the Year awards than the Dodgers. "The Blue Crew" have claimed 18 RoY trophies dating back to the club's early days in Brooklyn.
However, unlike the AL â where the West has been the recent home of the top rookies â the NL East has housed six of the last 13 RoYs, with a mix of outfielders, infielders, starting pitchers, a catcher, and even a reliever.
MEMPHIS, TN - JANUARY 31: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves drives to the basket during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on January 31, 2026 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. 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 Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Minnesota Timberwolves at Memphis Grizzlies Date: February 2nd, 2026 Time: 6:30 PM CST Location: FedEx Forum Television Coverage: Peacock, FanDuel Sports Network â North Radio Coverage: Wolves App, iHeart Radio
The Minnesota Timberwolves have officially done that thing only the Wolves can do: follow a four-game skid that made you question the entire concept of organized basketball⊠with a four-game winning streak that thrust them right back into the âcontenderâ conversation.
Theyâve now stacked wins over the Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Memphis Grizzlies in a busy, bruising, last week of January. And the standings in their cold, merciless honesty say the Wolves are still right there: sitting in the five spot, a half-game behind Houston for the four seed, two games behind San Antonio for the three, and 2.5 behind Denver for the two seed. After everything, every late collapse, every âwhy is this happening to me?â fourth quarter, every soul-snatch loss that had you staring into the distance, Minnesota is still in the mix.
Thatâs the wild part. The Wolves have played like two different teams all year, and yet the record is still salvageable because when the âgood Wolvesâ show up, the January 1st Wolves, the âweâre defending like itâs personalâ Wolves, the âball is hopping, everyone eatsâ Wolves, they can beat anyone. Thursday against OKC wasnât a fluke; it was a reminder. Minnesota isnât just capable of hanging with elite teams. Theyâre capable of punking them when the intensity is real and the execution is clean.
Now the calendar flips to February, which in NBA land means the trade deadline comes to the forefront of everyoneâs minds. Wolves fans will finally going to get an answer on whether Tim Connelly has a trick up his sleeve to address the point guard situation thatâs been a sore spot all season. Then there are the Giannis rumors that would send shockwaves through Minneapolis and the rest of the NBA. But weâll leave the wheeling and dealing to Tim. Thatâs his job. Our job is to look at whatâs directly in front of this team.
And whatâs in front of them is⊠opportunity.
The February schedule is lighter. The All-Star break chops it up. There arenât a bunch of heavyweight boss fights stacked on top of each other like we saw in the back half of January. If the Wolves handle business against teams they should beat, if they take care of the LA Clippers, defend their home floor against the Philadelphia 76ers, and do the thing that has apparently been illegal for this franchise since 2004âcross the border and win a game in Toronto against the Raptorsâthen you can start squinting and seeing the outline of an undefeated February. Not because the Wolves are some unstoppable machine, but because the math works: a clean month would erase that 2.5-game gap with Denver in a hurry and set up a real push heading into the final quarter of the season.
But before we start ordering champagne and carving â2 seedâ into stone tablets, letâs remember who weâre dealing with here. This is still the same team that looked like it forgot how to play fourth quarters in Utah. The same team that blew double-digit leads against Chicago at home. The same team that can go from âtitle contenderâ to âmildly haunted YMCA runâ in the span of 48 hours.
Which is why Monday night matters.
Because Monday night is the second crack at Memphis, right after Minnesota beat them handily on Saturday. Same opponent. Same âweâre clearly more talentedâ dynamic. And those are the games that used to bite the Wolves all the time, the ones where you think itâs a formality and then you look up and itâs a six-point game with six minutes left.
Saturday has no bearing on Monday. Minnesota doesnât get to cash that win twice. The Grizzlies are still scrappy, still proud, still annoyed, and theyâre going to come in with the exact mindset youâd expect: âWeâre not getting embarrassed twice.â The Wolves have to match that, especially because theyâve still got penance to pay for the January slump.
So with the Grizzlies fresh on our mind, here are the keys to the game.
#1: Protect the paint like itâs a bank vault Memphis couldnât shoot on Saturday. They looked uncomfortable from three, and when they did score, it was mostly the same formula: high-percentage looks near the rim, drives, dump-offs, second chances. Minnesota did a lot of things right, but they also had those little stretches where they acted like a double-digit lead was body armor. Thatâs when Memphis crept back into striking distance early in the fourth. The Wolves canât give them that oxygen again. If Minnesota protects the paint with real discipline, staying connected at the point of attack, forcing tougher finishes, and closing possessions with rebounds, Memphis simply doesnât have the offensive firepower to keep up for 48 minutes.
#2: Keep the ball moving The Wolves shot 49% from three on Saturday, which is one of those numbers that makes you check if itâs a typo. But it didnât feel fluky because the process was clean: crisp ball movement, quick decisions, and shots that came from advantage rather than desperation. Naz Reid got clean looks. Jaden McDaniels punished rotations. The Grizzlies were late, and Minnesota made them pay. Now, Memphis is going to adjust. Theyâre going to close out harder. Theyâre going to try to take away the easy kick-out threes. Fine. Thatâs where Minnesota has to trust the thing that actually works: move the ball again anyway. The ball rotates faster than any defender, especially a defense thatâs short-handed and trying to survive. If the Wolves keep generating advantage, the shots will show up. If they start playing âmy turn, your turn,â thatâs when the offense gets sticky and Memphis gets a chance.
#3: If Memphis sells out to the arc, punish them inside This is the see-saw game plan chess match. If the Grizzlies decide their entire identity on Monday is âno threes, no rhythm, everything contested,â then Minnesota has to respond like a mature team: go right through them. Rudy Gobert should be a nightly rim pressure event all by himself. Julius Randle needs to leverage his strength without turning into an iso black hole. The Wolves have a size and physicality edge; they need to use it like they mean it.
#4: Treat the ball like itâs valuableâbecause sloppy possessions are how underdogs hang around. Weâve seen this movie: Wolves get comfortable, the passes get cute, somebody tries a highlight feed that belongs on a mixtape instead of a closeout game, and suddenly there are two turnovers, a couple transition buckets, and the arena vibe shifts from âeasy winâ to âhere we go again.â Saturday had a little whiff of that with a few careless moments, like the Naz Reid behind-the-back turnover that hinted at the Wolvesâ bad habit of playing loose when they feel in control. Memphis doesnât need you to gift them much. They just need you to gift them enough to make it a game. Take care of the ball. Value possessions. Make them earn everything.
#5: Ant and Julius have to set the temperatureâbecause everyone else follows their mood. This is the heart of it. When the Wolves are sharp, it starts with the stars playing like leaders instead of freelancers. When Anthony Edwards is locked in, defending, attacking, making the simple reads, the rest of the team plays with edge. When Randle is engaged, physical, decisive, moving the ball, the offense has flow and purpose. And when either of them drifts into frustration or casual possessions, Minnesota becomes the team that invents new ways to lose winnable games. This is how you extend a streak: you donât just rely on talent, you bring the same intensity again, even when the opponent isnât glamorous and the last game felt comfortable. Memphis is going to come in scrapping. Ant and Julius have to meet that scrap with seriousness, and the rest will follow.
Thatâs the opportunity here: make February feel like a runway instead of a minefield.
The Wolves did the hard part by climbing out of that mid-January mess and stacking four straight wins. Now the challenge is the part that contenders donât screw up: you donât give it back. You donât beat OKC and then drift. You donât rediscover yourself and then start playing like it was an accident. You take the rematch, you handle your business, you make it five straight, and you start February with the kind of professional, no-drama win that good teams bank without needing a hero moment.
Because if Minnesota keeps treating every game like an opportunity, rather than a mood, then that gap in the standings starts shrinking fast.
Every win matters.
Monday is about making sure they donât stop at four.
DETROIT, MI - FEBRUARY 1: (EDITORS NOTE: This image was created using a halo filter) Jalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons listens to the national anthem before the game against the Brooklyn Nets on February 1, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Yeah, this one wasnât ever close.
Detroit led by nine after the first quarter, 23 at halftime, 38 after the third, and by 53 at the end of the game. Thatâs the new franchise record for largest margin of victory, set by the 2025-2026 Detroit Pistons.
It looked like the varsity squad taking on the freshman team. The Pistons would end up beating the Nets 130-77 led by the play of recently announced first-time All-Star Jalen Duren.
It was the Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren show early and often. JD had 21 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and two steals while Cade added 18 points, four rebounds, 12 assists, four steals, and three blocks (only two turnovers!). The organization has been pushing for Jalen Duren to be an All-Star and tonightâs performance showed why both deserve their recognition as two of the best in the league.
Both players were subbed out at the four-minute mark in the third quarter and never returned as JB Bickerstaff was able to empty the bench early. Daniss Jenkins added 12 points and Tobias Harris had 11.
The Pistons play again on Tuesday night when the Denver Nuggets come to Detroit.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 03: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket past Anthony Black #0 of the Orlando Magic during the first quarter at Kia Center on December 03, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. 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 Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, donât troll and donât swear too much.
After a weather-related travel nightmare in Charlotte, the Spurs return home tonight to face the Orlando Magic. Theyâre coming off of a loss to a supernova hot Hornets team where a low energy effort cost the visitors as the Hornets won their sixth game in a row, delighting the Saturday brunch-time home crowd. The Spurs had a chance near the end to tie the game to tie things up, but Wembanyama missed the shot. Even though he had been cold all game long, it was the same kind of shot he has made several times in the past, and it just didnât work out this time. The bigger problem was the lack of rebounding that gave the Hornets too many second and third chance points for the Spurs to overcome in a game where their best player had an off night.
January was a rough month for the Spurs, as it was for most of the contenders in the Western Conference. They finished 8-7 for the month, which was still good enough to keep them in the top three in the conference, which would guarantee them at least one home playoff series if they can keep it up to the end of the season. They have six more games before the All Star break, and all of them except tonightâs game against the Magic are against Western Conference foes, which means that this stretch of games will be a key indicator if the Spurs are a real contender this year, or a rebuilding team thatâs learning how to get back into the playoffs after a long absence. It could be both, but the Spurs are definitely evolving as we speak. With the trade deadline coming up, perhaps the Spurs will do something to help shore up the rebounding and add size in the paint, but it could be that the Silver and Black will stand pat for the rest of the season.
Tonight the Spurs face the Magic who are coming off of a pair of solid wins over Eastern Conference contenders, 133-124 over the Heat, and 130-120 over the Raptors on Friday. They will have a hell of a rest advantage over the home team, who were stuck in Charlotte last night and had to travel back to the Alamo City sometime this morning. If there were ever a time for Boris Diawâs expresso machine in the locker room, today would be the day. The Spurs previously beat the Magic 114-112 on December 3 without Victor Wembanyama on the court behind a 31 point scoring effort from DeâAaron Fox. Letâs hope the Spurs can overcome the fatigue and start February off on the right foot tonight. After the Magic Spurs will face Thunder on Wednesday night to wrap up the season series, but they donât want to look past tonightâs game. Letâs GOOO Spurs!
Game Prediction:
Mitch Johnson coaches the game wearing pajamas because he didnât have time to go home and get a change of clothes after the travel fiasco caused by the snowstorm delaying the Spurs exit from Charlotte.
San Antonio Spurs at Charlotte Hornets February 1, 2026 | 8:00 PM CT (rescheduled again due to travel issues) Streaming: NBA League Pass TV: FanDuel Sports Southwest Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
On Sunday, Feb. 1, during an NBC pregame show leading up to the premier of âSunday Night Basketball,â the NBA revealed the 14 reserves (seven per conference) to round out the rosters for the Eastern and Western Conferences.
The 2026 NBA All-Star Game will take place Feb. 15 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, the home of the Los Angeles Clippers.
Here are the winners and losers from the selection of 2026 NBA All-Star Game reserves:
WINNERS
LeBron James
Itâs clear, now at the age of 41 and in his 23rd season, that LeBron Jamesâ skills have diminished somewhat. Heâs a step slower. He doesnât jump as high as he used to. And his shot isnât as pure. But itâs remarkable that James is extending his record to 22 consecutive All-Star Game appearances, even though his streak of 21 straight starts is being snapped.
James remains a consistent threat and a key piece for the Lakers. Through 30 games, James is averaging 21.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists. Heâs this generationâs greatest player and many of his records, including his ones in All-Star Games, might not be touched for decades.
Was this a commemorative nod? Probably. Were there players, based on this seasonâs performance alone, more deserving? Unquestionably.
First-time All-Stars
Congratulations to Jamal Murray (Nuggets), Chet Holmgren (Thunder), Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers), Jalen Johnson (Hawks), Norman Powell (Heat) and Jalen Duren (Pistons) for making their first-ever NBA All-Star teams.
The recognition is especially sweet for Powell, who is the oldest player of the first-timers at 32, and who has played for four different teams in 10 and a half seasons in the NBA, many of those spent as a sixth man. Either way, thereâs nothing quite like the recognition, especially when itâs coaches within the conference who are selecting the reserves.
Adam Silver
The NBA commissioner wonât have to intervene and add All-Stars to ensure that there are at least eight internationally born players to meet the minimum required to field a team under the gameâs new structure. There are actually at least 10 All-Star players with international ties so someone like Karl-Anthony Towns, who was born in New Jersey but has represented the Dominican Republic in international play, might have to play on one of the two U.S. teams.
LOSERS
Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and the Los Angeles Clippers
The Intuit Dome, the arena that is hosting the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, will not see a single Clippers player appear in the exhibition. In particular, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden have a case to be upset. Although Los Angeles stumbled out of the gate this season, the Clippers have course corrected and have won 16 of their last 20 games. Leonard and Harden have been the catalysts.
Leonard is averaging 27.7 points (which is ninth in the NBA), 6.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, while Harden is putting up 25.4 points, 8.1 assists and 4.8 boards per contest. Either presented an excellent case for an All-Star nod. At least one should have made it.
For my money, Leonard is by far the biggest snub.
Brandon Ingram
This is a case where Ingram was probably snubbed for a couple of reasons. For one, his teammate Scottie Barnes made the cut. Barnes is more versatile and impacts the game as an excellent defender. But even though Toronto is 29-21 (No. 4 in the East) has been one of the surprises of the NBA season, the Raptors remain a team that unfairly flies under the radar.
Either way, Ingram (21.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists per game) has been a steady scoring presence and clutch performer for Toronto.
Michael Porter Jr.
Though theyâve been slightly more competitive in recent spurts, the Brooklyn Nets have been inconsistent. But Porter Jr. has shown he can be a scoring threat and a No. 1 option. Heâs averaging a career best 25.6 points per game, which is well higher than his production from last season (18.2). Heâs remaining active on the glass and had a strong case to make the cut.
The biggest pain point on this for Porter is that it wouldâve represented his first-ever All-Star selection.
Lauri Markkanen
Similarly, Markkanen plays for the Utah Jazz, a team that has been irrelevant for a few seasons. Yet, Markkanen entered Sunday ranked 11th in the NBA in scoring, putting up 27.4 points per game, also a career high. He has a silky jumper and can also score in the post, and he also provides some value on the glass, with his 7.0 rebounds per game.
Dillon Brooks, Alperen ĆengĂŒn
The problem, simply, is that the Western Conference is loaded with talent. So while Dillon Brooks is having a career year for the Phoenix Suns, one in which he has expanded his offensive portfolio, and while Alperen ĆengĂŒn is thriving on both ends for the Rockets, itâs hard to find spots for them.
Trey Yesavage
Munetaka Murakami
Carter Jensen 
Tatsuya Imai 
Kevin McGonigle 
Samuel Basallo 
Connelly Early
Chase DeLauter
Colt Emerson 
Walker Jenkins
Carson Williams
Spencer Jones
Konnor Griffin 
JJ Wetherholt 
Nolan McLean
Sal Stewart 
Moises Ballesteros
Justin Crawford
Bryce Eldridge
Logan Henderson
Owen Caissie 
Charlie Condon 
Nick Kurtz (1B)
Luis Gil (SP)
Shohei Ohtani (P/OF)
Aaron Judge (OF)
Jose Abreau (1B)
Drake Baldwin (C)
Paul Skenes (SP)
Corbin Carroll (OF)
Cody Bellinger (1B/OF)
Kris Bryant (3B)
Jose Fernandez (SP)
