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VJ Edgecombe selected as NBA Rising Star during All-Star weekend

At least something positive happened for the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. Following the disastrous loss to Charlotte in the afternoon, the league announced the participants for the 2026 NBA Rising Stars competition during All-Star weekend. Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe will rightfully be a member of the Rookies squad. Here’s the list of all participants:

As a reminder, Rising Stars is now a mini-tournament consisting of four teams of seven players. In addition to the G League team, the rookies and sophomores will be placed on three separate teams via a draft taking place on Tuesday night at 7:00pm ET on Peacock. Rising Stars will be the Friday night of All-Star weekend, February 13, beginning at 9:00pm ET.

It’s a well-deserved honor for Edgecombe, who has undoubtedly been one of the best members of his rookie class thus far. He’s third among rookies in both points (15.6) and assists (4.2) per game, and tops in steals (1.5) per game. While outside shooting was a purported weakness for him coming into the league, VJ is third in three-pointers made (85) among rookies, at a respectable 36.6 percent clip. Not only has he displayed all of the “high-floor” attributes that caused him to be viewed as a safe pick at third overall, but Edgecombe has flashed plenty of star potential as well. Sixers fans will look forward to seeing him out there with the best young talent in the league in a few weeks.

Below is the release from Sixers Public Relations:

“The NBA announced today that Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe has been selected to the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars, which will take place on Friday, Feb. 13 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles as part of NBA All-Star 2026. Edgecombe is the 22nd 76ers player in franchise history to be selected to a Rising Stars event.

Edgecombe has appeared in 41 games (all starts) for the 76ers this season, averaging 15.4 points (third among rookies), 5.3 rebounds (eighth among rookies), and 4.1 assists (T-3rd among rookies). He is one of two rookies this season averaging at least 15 points, five rebounds, and four assists. Edgecombe’s 11 games of 20-plus points are the third most among rookies this season.

In the month of January, Edgecombe has notched 26 steals, the second most in the NBA behind backcourt mate Tyrese Maxey (36), while his 1.5 steals per game ranks first among rookies this season.

The Bahamian National poured in 34 points in his NBA debut at Boston on Oct. 22, surpassing Allen Iverson (30 points, Nov. 1, 1996) for the highest scoring output ever by a 76ers player in an NBA debut. Edgecombe, whose 14 first-quarter points broke LeBron James’ record for most points scored in the opening quarter of a player’s debut (12), finished the night with the third-highest scoring output ever in a debut (43 points – Wilt Chamberlain, 10/24/59; 35 points – Frank Selvy, 11/30/54).“

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Cleveland Cavaliers win fourth straight, beating Orlando Magic 114-98

The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Orlando Magic 114-98 behind 45 points from Donovan Mitchell. This was Cleveland’s fourth straight win and its second in a row against the Magic.

The Cavs fell into a 10-point hole early on before Donovan Mitchell carried them out of it. His 26 points in the first half brought energy into the arena and momentum back in Cleveland’s favor. The Cavs entered halftime with a five-point lead, outscoring Orlando 39-24 in the second quarter.

Turnovers were nearly an issue again for the Cavaliers. They entered this game with one of the worst turnover percentages in the league for the month of January, and turned it over six times in the opening 10 minutes of this game. Darius Garland’s efficient control of the offense is something this team isn’t equipped to replace full-time.

Thankfully, the Cavs got themselves in order after a scrambly first quarter. They only turned it over eight more times the rest of the way, getting back to their season-average. They won the rebounding battle and finished the game shooting above 40% from three. Do all of those things, and you have a good chance of winning any game.

Jaylon Tyson, who was named to the 2026 NBA Rising Star game before tonight’s matchup, scored 14 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, dished 4 assists, and shot 5-9 from the floor. He’ll be the first Cavalier on a standard contract to compete in the Rising Stars game since Evan Mobley.

Mitchell put the Cavalier offense on his back for long stretches of this game. It was another prolific scoring performance from Mitchell, who has been in a groove recently and is showing no signs of slowing down. Evan Mobley has also been hitting his stride, scoring an efficient 20 points to go with 9 rebounds and 2 blocks.

Cleveland has now won 11 of their last 15 games and is quickly climbing. back up the Eastern Conference. They host the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. Something tells me you won’t want to miss that.

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Islanders Bounce Back, Beat Flyers 4-0 In Metropolitan Division Matchup

The New York Islanders rebounded after a 5-0 loss to the Buffalo Sabres by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-0 on Monday night. 

They scored a shorthanded goal, added two 5-on-5 goals, and got a power-play goal in the win. Ilya Sorokin made 21 saves for his sixth shutout of the season. Flyers netminder Sam Ersson made 19 saves. 

With the win, the Islanders extended their lead on the Flyers to four points as they sit third in the Metropolitan Division, just two points back of the second-place Pittsburgh Penguins. 

The Islanders are acquiring LHD Carson Soucy from the New York Rangers for a 2026 third-round pick, per Emily Kaplan and Vince Mercogliano.  

Here's how the game unfolded:

After a failed power play, the Islanders found themselves on the penalty kill. That's when a basic dump-in by Jean-Gabriel Pageau made its way back to him courtesy of a no-look pass from Casey Cizikas to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 14:29 of the first:

That was Pageau's ninth goal of the season and third shorthanded goal of the 2025-26 campaign. 

Mathew Barzal extended the Islanders' lead to 2-0 at 5:41 of the second period after he deflected an Isaiah George point shot past a screened Ersson, who had Jonathan Drouin stationed right in front of him:

Barzal snapped an eight-game goal drought. 

The Islanders got one more in the middle frame after Tony DeAngelo wired a one-timer from the high slot past Ersson's right pad at the 12:50 mark:

Barzal and Anthony Duclair each recorded their second points of the night.

The Islanders added a fourth goal, as Pageau scored his second of the game and 10th of the season off the rush after finishing a feed from Maxim Tsyplakov at 13:38 of the third:

Notes: Forward Calum Ritchie did not play as he is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Forward Simon Holmstrom missed the game due to illness. Defenseman Ryan Pulock, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, missed his second straight game. 

Up Next: The Islanders battle the Rangers at UBS Arena on Wednesday before heading to Madison Square Garden on Thursday. 

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Mavericks rookie sensation Cooper Flagg selected for All-Star Weekend’s Rising Stars

This was something of a foregone conclusion, of course, but Mavericks rookie forward Cooper Flagg has been selected to play in the Rising Stars Game during NBA All-Star Weekend next month in Los Angeles.

Flagg will enter the Rising Stars game as one of the league’s marquee youngsters, bringing season averages of 18.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists into the game through the first 43 games of his NBA career. He’s the only player to rank in the top five in points (second), rebounds (third), assists (fourth), steals (second) and blocked shots (third) per game among rookies this year.

Flagg turned 19 on Dec. 21, and before that, had piled up an NBA resume only rivaled by LeBron James as an 18-year-old. On Dec. 15, just six days before his 19th birthday, Flagg became the only 18-year-old in NBA history to record a 40-point game, when he scored 42, brought down seven rebounds and dished six assists in a 140-133 loss to the Utah Jazz. Only James scored more points (625) in NBA history as an 18-year-old than Flagg did this season.

He was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Month for both October/November and for December.

Flagg has been one of the best clutch players in the league all year long, which will give him some consideration in All-Star voting circles, but the selection to the Rising Stars game likely ends his candidacy for an All-Star reserve spot. All-Star Game reserves will be announced on Feb. 1 ahead of the Rising Stars tournament, which will be played on Feb. 13 and the All-Star Game itself, which will be played on Feb. 15. All the festivities will be held at the Intuit Dome, home of the Los Angeles Clippers, in Inglewood, Calif.

Blake Griffin was the last rookie to be named an NBA All-Star in 2011.

The Rising Stars Challenge is a four-team, three-game mini-tournament featuring selected rookies and second-year players split into three teams, with the fourth team in the field made up of players from the NBA G League. Hall of Famers Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady will serve as honorary coaches for the Rising Stars mini-tourney. Austin Rivers will coach the G League team.

Third-year Maverick Dereck Lively II participated in each of the last two Rising Stars challenges. The MVP of 2025’s Rising Stars mini-tournament was San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle.

The three 2026 Rising Stars teams, made up of NBA rookies and second-year players, will be drafted on Tuesday. The field of players for the Rising Stars mini-tourney is as follows:

Rookies

Cedric Coward (Memphis Grizzlies)
Egor Dёmin (Brooklyn Nets)
VJ Edgecombe (Philadelphia 76ers)
Jeremiah Fears (New Orleans Pelicans)
Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks)
Dylan Harper (San Antonio Spurs)
Tre Johnson (Washington Wizards)
Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets)
Collin Murray-Boyles (Toronto Raptors)
Derik Queen (New Orleans Pelicans)


Sophomores

Matas Buzelis (Chicago Bulls)
Stephon Castle (San Antonio Spurs)
Donovan Clingan (Portland Trail Blazers)
Kyshawn George (Washington Wizards)
Ajay Mitchell (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Alex Sarr (Washington Wizards)
Reed Sheppard (Houston Rockets)
Cam Spencer (Memphis Grizzlies)
Jaylon Tyson (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Kel’el Ware (Miami Heat)
Jaylen Wells (Memphis Grizzlies)


NBA G League Players

Sean East II (Salt Lake City Stars)
Ron Harper Jr. (Maine Celtics)
David Jones Garcia (Austin Spurs)
Yanic Konan Niederhäuser (San Diego Clippers)
Alijah Martin (Raptors 905)
Tristen Newton (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)
Yang Hansen (Rip City Remix)

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Ketel Marte Ranked #1 on MLB Now’s “Top 10 Second Basemen Right Now”

As expected, having been the top player at the position when the MLB Network ranked the top hundred players last week, Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte duly ranked first overall on MLB Now’s Top 10 Second Basemen Right Now earlier tonight. The three-time All-Star, who also ranked first overall on the Top 10 Second Basemen Right Now countdown last year, finished one spot ahead of two-time All-Star (and former Diamondback prospect!) Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees. 

On Marte, MLB Network analyst and 17-year MLB veteran Cliff Floyd said, “He’s in his prime. …We’ll figure out every other position and get everybody else right because we have a guy at second base that’s the best in the sport.” 

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The complete ranking for MLB Now’s top-10 second basemen is listed below:  

Top 10 Second Basemen Right Now 

  1. Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks 
  2. Jazz Chisholm Jr. New York Yankees 
  3. Nico Hoerner, Chicago Cubs 
  4. Brendan Donovan, St. Louis Cardinals 
  5. Marcus Semien, New York Mets 
  6. Jose Altuve, Houston Astros 
  7. Gleyber Torres, Detroit Tigers 
  8. Xavier Edwards, Miami Marlins 
  9. Brandon Lowe, Pittsburgh Pirates 
  10. Brice Turang, Milwaukee Brewers 

Hosted by MLB Network’s Brian Kenny, the 16th season of each Top 10 Right Now ranking considers player performance over multiple seasons, offensive and defensive metrics, both advanced Statcast data and traditional numbers, and expert analysis by the MLB Network research team. Next up, tomorrow, will be left field – but I don’t expect the D-backs to trouble the listing there. We’ll be looking forward instead to the Thursday night ranking, which discusses shortstops. I feel sure Arizona should have some representation there. But as to how high, we will just have to wait and see.

So, do you think that Marte is, indeed, the best player at the position in baseball? Tell us in the comments, and explain your logic – whether your answer is yes or no!

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Tom Thibodeau ‘preparing for the next opportunity’ after Knicks firing

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Joakim Noah, Tom Thibodeau, Taj Gibson, and Luol Deng watching the Derrick Rose jersey retirement

Tom Thibodeau is keeping his eyes peeled for his next coaching opportunity. 

The former Knicks coach, who took them to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years last season, told SiriusXM’s “The Starting Lineup” that he wants to be in the NBA ranks again. 

“I love the game. Obviously, I’m preparing for the next opportunity, so hopefully I’ll be ready for it,” Thibodeau said. 

Joakim Noah, Tom Thibodeau, Taj Gibson and Luol Deng look on during the game during the Derrick Rose jersey retirement on January 24, 2026 at United Center. NBAE via Getty Images

It shouldn’t come as much of a revelation that Thibs wants back in the game after being fired by the Knicks and replaced by Mike Brown. 

Thibodeau served as head coach of the Knicks for five seasons, leading the team to a 226-174 record during that span. 

The Knicks reached the playoffs five times during his tenure, which included the Eastern Conference Finals trip last season. 

Thibodeau was named Coach of the Year in 2021 and the Knicks had 40-plus win seasons in four of his five seasons in the Big Apple. 

Thibs previously coached the Bulls from 2010-15 and the Timberwolves from 2016-19, accumulating a 578-420 record all-time as a head coach. 

The former head coach was in the Windy City for the jersey retirement ceremony of Derrick Rose. 

Rose, who played for Thibodeau in Chicago, praised his former coach and pushed back on the narrative that the he was to blame for his ACL tear. 

“They look at Thibs as the injury part, but I’m here to say f–k that,” Rose told the crowd during his jersey retirement ceremony. “There’s a reason why, everything is meant to be, bro. Thibs was the first coach who made me feel special when we used to watch film. I used to do s–t in games just to make sure he saw me on tape.”

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Rangers Reportedly Acquire Third-Round Pick In Exchange For Carson Soucy

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

A reported trade between the New York Rangers and New York Islanders is all but official.

According to Emily Kaplan of ESPN, the Rangers are sending Carson Soucy to the New York Islanders in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick. 

This comes hours after Vince Mercogliano of The Athletic reported that a trade between the Rangers and Islanders involving Soucy was brewing. 

Soucy was held out of the lineup on Monday night against the Boston Bruins due to roster management. 

This would mark the first trade between the Rangers and Islanders since 2010, when the Rangers acquired defenseman Jyri Niemi in exchange for a sixth-round pick. 

Trade Between The Rangers And Islanders Involving Carson Soucy Reportedly Brewing Trade Between The Rangers And Islanders Involving Carson Soucy Reportedly Brewing The New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/">Rangers</a> are reportedly close to trading Carson Soucy.

The Rangers acquired Soucy from the Vancouver Canucks ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline in exchange for a third-round pick, so this reported trade essentially nullifies what they gave up.  

In 46 games this season, the 31-year-old defenseman has recorded three goals, five assists, and eight points, while averaging 17:13 minutes.

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Top Red Wings Prospect Poised To Make Major Career Leap

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By all indications, the Michigan State Spartans are set to welcome a highly touted goaltending prospect to their crease, which could have major implications for the career trajectory of one of the most exciting prospects for the Detroit Red Wings.

As reported by current NHL Insider (and longtime former NHL goaltender in his own right) Kevin Weekes, the Spartans are expected to welcome 2025 first-round (30th overall) pick Joshua Ravensbergen to the club next season. 

This opens the door for Trey Augustine, Detroit's second-round (41st overall) pick from the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, to begin his professional career next season, likely with the Grand Rapids Griffins. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.  

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Augustine has enjoyed a spectacular season in East Lansing, having gone 17-5 with a sparkling 1.73 goals-against average, a .938 save percentage, and three shutouts. 

In fact, he was recently suggested as a prime candidate for consideration for the Mike Richter Award, given to the best goalie in NCAA Division I men's hockey, by NHL.com correspondent Mike Divver. 

He's also enjoyed success on the international stage by backstopping the United States to consecutive gold medal victories in 2024 and 2025.

This past summer, he was listed as fifth overall in an NHL ranking of the best goaltenders aged 25 or younger.

Speaking of goaltenders within the Red Wings' system, Sebastian Cossa has made the most of what he described before the season as an important opportunity with the Griffins. 

His 18-2-2 record for the Griffins this season is the best of any starter in the American Hockey League; he's also posted equally impressive stats of a 1.77 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage, along with four shutouts. 

Widely regarded as Detroit's goaltender of the future, Cossa could conceivably begin next season as the backup to John Gibson in the Red Wings' crease, which would also clear the way for Augustine to begin getting starts in the AHL. 

Playing in the final season of his current contract with a $863,333 cap hit, Cossa will be re-signed and will challenge for the backup position at the NHL level in the fall when Training Camp begins. 

The future of 38-year-old veteran Cam Talbot, who is in the second and final year of his deal with the Red Wings, remains to be seen. 

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Sabres Facing Major Test In A &quot;Must-Win&quot; Game Against Sputtering Maple Leafs

Alex Lyn (left); Auston Matthews (right) -- (Timothy T. Ludwig USA TODAY Images)
Alex Lyn (left); Auston Matthews (right) -- (Timothy T. Ludwig USA TODAY Images)

After their 10-game win streak ended on New Year’s Eve, the Buffalo Sabres could’ve gone in one of two directions – either down the standings by going on a losing streak, or by pushing further up the Eastern Conference and Atlantic Division standings and moving into a top-three spot in the division.

To the utter elation of Sabres fans, Buffalo has risen to third place in the Atlantic with a 29-17-5 record. And since that 5-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets ended their 10-game win streak, the Sabres have gone 8-2-1. It’s now clear that initial surge was no fluke, and that Buffalo is a legitimate Stanley Cup playoff contender. 

"The Big Show"

But that sustained excellence still needs to be sustained the rest of the way this year. And that’s why Buffalo’s next game – against the Toronto Maple Leafs, on Tuesday night in Toronto – feels like a must-win.

For one thing, the Sabres need to win this game to send a message to the sputtering Leafs, who trail them by six points. You want to snuff out any possibility of a resurgence by Toronto, and the way you do that is by beating the Leafs on Tuesday.

Secondly, the NHL’s Olympic break is fast-approaching, and you want to do that on a winning note. And given the fact that the Sabres have six games before the break – with tilts against Toronto, the Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins – Buffalo needs every two points it can earn.

Sabres Make Minor Trade, But Here's Why Buffalo Needs To Make A Major Move Sabres Make Minor Trade, But Here's Why Buffalo Needs To Make A Major Move The Buffalo Sabres made a minor trade of AHL players. But it's time for the Sabres to swing big and acquire game-changing talent like Vancouver, Rangers and Flames veteran stars.

Thus, the Sabres can’t take their foot off the gas. If they are going to end their playoff drought at 14 years, Buffalo has to assert themselves in the coming days, weeks and months. And beating a longtime rival in the Leafs would send a message to Toronto and the rest of the NHL.

That message: “We didn’t get where we are this season by a fluke. We’re good because we’re good.” And losing to Toronto, which has been absolutely terrible in recent days, would send another message – “We can’t be relied on to put our foot on the necks of our opponents”.

Sabres' Lucrative Deal For Youngster Doan Is A Gamble – But A Good One Sabres' Lucrative Deal For Youngster Doan Is A Gamble – But A Good One The Buffalo Sabres signed young winger Josh Doan to a lucrative contract extension. The deal is a gamble for the Sabres, but it's a good one,

The Leafs game will be a great metric of where the Sabres are. Toronto is desperate for a win, and if Buffalo beats them, it’ll be another nail in the Leafs’ coffin.

That would send Sabres fans over the moon with glee. But it’s up to Buffalo whether they pounce on a weak opponent. The Sabres have to be the alpha-dog, and that process has to be continuing against a wobbly Leafs team.

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Forward David Pastrnak becomes 6th Bruins player to reach 900 career points

BOSTON (AP) — Bruins forward David Pastrnak became the sixth Boston player with 900 career points when he picked up his third assist in Monday night's game against the New York Rangers.

The 29-year-old Pastrnak assisted on Elias Lindholm's goals in the first and second periods at Madison Square Garden and reached the milestone on Morgan Geekie's score at 8:52 of the second that gave the Bruins a 3-2 lead.

Pastrnak, from the Czech Republic, was the 25th overall pick by the Bruins in the 2014 draft. He joins Ray Bourque (1,506), Johnny Bucyk (1,339), Patrice Bergeron (1,040), Phil Esposito (1,012) and Brad Marchand (976) in Boston's 900-point club.

In 48 games this season, Pastrnak has 21 goals, 46 assists. In 804 career games, he has 412 goals and 488 assists.

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

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Warriors vs. Timberwolves injury report: Steph Curry, Draymond Green out

Steph Curry and Draymond Green dapping hands, with Jimmy Butler III and Will Richard in the background.

The Golden State Warriors are looking for back-to-back wins in their road baseball series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, after cruising to a 111-85 win on Sunday night. But the second win will be much, much harder to come by, as the Warriors are playing without nearly all of their key players.

Here’s the full injury report for the game.

Warriors

Out — Steph Curry (right patellofemoral inflammation)

Curry got a bit banged up in Sunday’s win and, as a result, we’re all deprived of getting to watch the greatest show in sports tonight. Thankfully it doesn’t appear to be anything serious.

Out — Draymond Green (left low back soreness)

Yep, no Draymond, either. The Warriors will be without their offensive leader and their defensive leader.

Out — Jimmy Butler III (right ACL tear)

You know the drill by now. It still sucks, though.

Out — Jonathan Kuminga (left knee bone bruise)

It’s a big bummer that Kuminga got hurt right as he re-joined the rotation. I would have loved to see him play tonight with so much of the team sidelined. He would have had a big role. Hopefully he’s back on the court soon.

Out — Al Horford (left toe injury management)

Horford played on the front end of the back-to-back, so he was never going to play tonight.

Out — De’Anthony Melton (left knee injury management)

It seems the Warriors are going to rest Melton on a lot of back-to-backs, which makes sense. He is still getting fully up to speed after recovering from his ACL tear.

Out — Seth Curry (left sciatic nerve irritation)

The younger Curry remains out, though a return is getting closer.

Out — LJ Cryer (left hamstring tightness)

It’s a bummer for Cryer that he can’t play, as everyone healthy should see sizable minutes. Cryer has played just eight minutes in his young NBA career, and surely would have gotten some significant run in this game if he were healthy.

Wolves

Out — Anthony Edwards (right foot injury maintenance)

The Wolves are much healthier than the Dubs but, like the Warriors, they’ll be without their superstar and face of the franchise.

Out — Terrence Shannon Jr. (left foot abductor hallucis strain)

A late first-round pick in the 2024 draft, Shannon has been sidelined for a month in his sophomore season. He hasn’t played since Christmas.

Enjoy the game, Dub Nation. It kicks off at 6:30 p.m. PT on Peacock.

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Carlos Mendoza’s first look at Bo Bichette playing third a positive sign for remade Mets

Bo Bichette in a Mets uniform shakes hands with manager Carlos Mendoza.
Bo Bichette poses with manager Carlos Mendoza at his introductory press conference at Citi Field, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Queens, NY.

Bo Bichette’s transformation into a third baseman is already underway.

The former shortstop, who recently arrived to the Mets on a three-year contract worth $126 million, worked out in front of manager Carlos Mendoza on Monday in Port St. Lucie, Fla., three weeks before position players are due to report to spring training.

The early reviews were positive, Mendoza told Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman on “The Show” podcast.

“He’s an athlete,” Mendoza said. “We’re looking at a guy that has played shortstop pretty much his whole career. And just watching him today, moving around third base, taking ground balls, creating angles and then the throws to first base, I was telling him, ‘It looks like you played there before.’ ”

Bichette, who played in the 2025 World Series with the Blue Jays, isn’t the only Mets player learning a new position: The team also signed Jorge Polanco to a two-year contract worth $40 million to move to first base, a position that became open after Pete Alonso accepted a five-year deal worth $155 million with the Orioles.

Bo Bichette poses with manager Carlos Mendoza at his introductory press conference at Citi Field, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Queens, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

Polanco has only one career appearance at first base. Brett Baty (displaced at third with Bichette’s signing) and Mark Vientos also figure into the equation at first base.

“[Polanco] is a guy that came up as a shortstop, playing in the middle of the diamond,” Mendoza said. “He moves around as well and the same thing with Baty and Vientos, guys who have got some experience there. But I feel like it’s going to take some time getting used to some game action.”

Mendoza was also asked about team chemistry — The Post reported in November that Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto had a frosty relationship. Soto last year was in his first season in Queens after signing a record $765 million contract.

Francisco Lindor #12 of the New York Mets is greeted by Juan Soto #22 of the New York Mets after he scores on his solo home run during the first inning. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

“It’s two very different guys,” Mendoza said. “Soto is very businesslike. He’s a guy that comes in, he’s going through his process. Lindor is more outgoing, like what you see on the field — the big smile. And that guy, whether we win or lose, is going to be the same guy. He cares. Obviously, they both care. And I feel like because of who they are individually, it’s a relationship that they care about winning. They care about each other. They care about their teammates. But they’re two different personalities.”

Mendoza will have a new arm atop his rotation following the trade last week that brought Freddy Peralta from the Brewers for Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat.

“We all know the type of arm, the type of pitcher that [Peralta] is, a guy that’s pitching at the front of the rotation,” Mendoza said. “But as soon as we acquired him, I got on the phone with a lot of people that have been around him, and everybody keeps telling me he’s the quality of the person, how good of a human being he is and how much he cares about his teammates, about people. And that was one of the things that he mentioned to me when I got on the phone with him. It’s like, ‘I’m planning on reporting early to Port St. Lucie so I can start meeting a lot of the new faces.’ That goes to show you the type of guy he is.”

Mendoza was spared amid a coaching staff shake-up following the nosedive that kept the Mets from reaching the playoffs last season. He will be entering the final year of his contract.

“I have a great opportunity in front of me,” Mendoza said. “You get an owner that is willing to put all the resources in order to accomplish the ultimate goal. And you have a front office that continues to make moves to continue to improve our roster. And now it’s up to us, you know, and me as the manager in this situation is a great opportunity. I know where I stand.”

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Canucks place winger Boeser and defenseman Buium on injured reserve

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — The Vancouver Canucks added two more names to their extensive list of injured players.

Vancouver on Monday placed winger Brock Boeser and defenseman Zeev Buium on injured reserve after getting hurt in Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Boeser caught an elbow to the head from Pittsburgh's Bryan Rust in the final seconds of the game while stationed at the top of the Penguins' crease and crumpled to the ice.

NHL Player Safety posted on X, formerly Twitter, that Rust will have a hearing Tuesday about the hit to Boeser’s head.

Buium was hit in the face with a puck in the first period, but returned wearing a bubble visor on his helmet and finished with 15:41 in ice time in the game.

Boeser and Buium join goalie Thatcher Demko (undisclosed), defenseman Derek Forbort (undisclosed) and center Marco Rossi (lower-body injury) on the injured list.

Vancouver recalled forward Jonathan Lekkerimaki and defenseman Victor Mancini from the Abbotsford Canucks of the American Hockey League on Monday.

The Canucks host the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.

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

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Royals sign reliever Héctor Neris to minor league deal

The Royals have signed 36-year-old right-hander Héctor Neris to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, according to New York Post reporter Jon Heyman. Neris pitched for the Braves, Angels, and Astros last year, posting a 6.75 ERA but with 35 strikeouts in 26.2 innings. He had 18 saves in 62 games with a 4.10 ERA in 2024, and was a 2.6 rWAR pitcher in 2023.

Neris has pitched in 643 career MLB games over 12 seasons, with 107 career saves. From 2021 to 2023 he posted a 3.03 ERA with 11.0 strikeouts-per-nine innings. He can still miss bats, but his walk rate spiked upwards. Neris relies heavily on a split-fingered fastball that opponents hit just .182 against. But opponents hammered his 92 mph four-seamer, batting .366 against the heater. Neris posted a 29 percent groundball rate last year, the lowest of his career.

The Royals’ bullpen will feature Carlos Estévez, Lucas Erceg, Matt Strahm, John Schreiber, Nick Mears, and Daniel Lynch IV. Two more spots will be up for grabs with Neris likely competing for a spot with Steven Cruz, James McArthur, Ryan Bergert, Stephen Kolek, Bailey Falter, Mason Black, Alex Lange, and Luinder Avila.

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Egor Demin chosen for Rising Stars competition at All-Star Weekend

Egor Demin, the Brooklyn Nets’ first lottery pick in 15 years, has been selected for the NBA’s Rising Stars Competition at All-Star Weekend, the league announced Monday afternoon. The selection for the competition that features rookies, sophomores and G League stars, takes place at 9:00 p.m. ET February 13 at the Intuit Dome, home of the Los Angeles Clippers, the first night of three-night weekend.

The 6’9” guard is one of 10 rookies, 11 sophomores and seven G Leaguers to make the team.

Michael Porter Jr. will learn his All-Star fate on Sunday when All-Star reserves will be revealed but Demin’s selection ensures that Brooklyn will have at least representation at the 75th All-Star Game. MPJ has never made an All-Star Game. Skill competition participants will also be announced soon, but no Nets are likely to be selected for that.

Demin is the first Brooklyn Net to be selected for the Rising Stars competition since 2019 when the competition was rookies vs. sophomores. Rodions Kurucs was named to the rookie squad and Jarrett Allen to the sophomores.

Demin, a native of Moscow and a BYU product, was taken at No. 8 in the first round at the end of June and after playing in the Summer League in Las Vegas, he spent two months rehabbing from plantar fascia before finally joining the Nets in preseason. In the regular season, Demin is averaging 10.2 points, 3.4 assists and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 40/40/85 for the season. He is the 11th youngest player in the NBA.

For Demin, it’s another recognition and for the Nets front office, justification for what was at the time an unpopular pick. In the days and weeks leading up to the Draft, Demin was seen as a precocious playmaker but a limited shooter. Since then, he’s shown that not only can he shoot, but he can shoot at a high volume and in clutch moments.

In fact, other than than Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel, Demin is arguably the 2025-26 rookie class’s best volume shooter from deep. And other than last month, he’s been the class’s top volume shooter, hitting 47.1% of 6.4 attempts per game. Knueppel, who’s on an historic run, is hitting 39.0% of 6.3 attempts.

Demin is one of five first-round picks the Nets selected in June, a record haul. The others were Nolan Traore, taken at No. 19; Drake Powell at No. 22; Ben Saraf at No. 26 and Danny Wolf at No. 27.

NBA assistant coaches determined the pool of 21 NBA players, with each team submitting one ballot. Voters ranked 10 rookies and 10 sophomores, with more points assigned to higher placements. The top 10 rookies and top 10 sophomores by point total earned spots. The final spot was awarded to the higher-scoring player among the 11th-ranked finishers in each class. The pool includes one more sophomore than rookie based on total points received.

The players will be divided into four teams for the competition, with a draft run by four honorary coaches taking place Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. ET…

In what is described as a mini-tournament, Team A will face Team B in the first semifinal (Game 1), and Team C will play Team D in the second semifinal (Game 2). The winner of Game 1 will meet the winner of Game 2 in the championship (Game 3).

For each semifinal game, the winner will be the first team to reach or surpass 40 points. For the championship game, the winner will be the first team to reach or surpass 25 points.