Los Angeles Lakers (26-16, fifth in the Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (19-24, 10th in the Western Conference)
Inglewood, California; Thursday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Clippers host the Los Angeles Lakers trying to prolong a three-game home winning streak.
The Clippers are 10-14 against Western Conference opponents. The Clippers have an 11-15 record in games decided by 10 or more points.
The Lakers are 4-5 against Pacific Division teams. The Lakers are 5-0 in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Clippers average 112.3 points per game, 4.2 fewer points than the 116.5 the Lakers give up. The Lakers are shooting 49.6% from the field, 2.6% higher than the 47.0% the Clippers' opponents have shot this season.
The teams meet for the third time this season. The Clippers won 103-88 in the last matchup on Dec. 21.
TOP PERFORMERS: Ivica Zubac is scoring 14.8 points per game with 10.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists for the Clippers.
Luka Doncic is scoring 33.5 points per game with 7.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists for the Lakers. LeBron James is averaging 22.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and seven assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Clippers: 7-3, averaging 112.5 points, 38.9 rebounds, 23.3 assists, 8.9 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.3 points per game.
Lakers: 5-5, averaging 113.4 points, 42.6 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 6.9 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.6 points.
INJURIES: Clippers: Kawhi Leonard: day to day (ankle), Bradley Beal: out for season (hip), Derrick Jones Jr.: out (knee), Bogdan Bogdanovic: out (hamstring).
Lakers: Austin Reaves: out (calf), Adou Thiero: out (knee), Deandre Ayton: day to day (eye).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
San Antonio Spurs (30-14, second in the Western Conference) vs. Utah Jazz (15-29, 13th in the Western Conference)
Salt Lake City; Thursday, 9 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Utah hosts the San Antonio Spurs after Keyonte George scored 43 points in the Utah Jazz's 127-122 victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Jazz are 9-21 against Western Conference opponents. Utah allows the most points in the league, giving up 127.4 points per game while allowing opponents to shoot 49.4%.
The Spurs have gone 17-12 against Western Conference opponents. San Antonio ranks sixth in the Western Conference with 25.9 assists per game led by Stephon Castle averaging 7.0.
The Jazz are shooting 46.7% from the field this season, 0.8 percentage points higher than the 45.9% the Spurs allow to opponents. The Spurs' 47.2% shooting percentage from the field this season is 2.2 percentage points lower than the Jazz have allowed to their opponents (49.4%).
The teams meet for the third time this season. The Spurs won 123-110 in the last matchup on Jan. 19. Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 33 points, and George led the Jazz with 30 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: George is averaging 24.4 points and 6.7 assists for the Jazz. Brice Sensabaugh is averaging 16.3 points over the last 10 games.
De'Aaron Fox is averaging 20.2 points and six assists for the Spurs. Wembanyama is averaging 22.1 points and 7.8 rebounds while shooting 46.5% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Jazz: 3-7, averaging 118.1 points, 43.3 rebounds, 30.6 assists, 8.4 steals and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 129.7 points per game.
Spurs: 5-5, averaging 109.7 points, 46.8 rebounds, 25.8 assists, 7.1 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 43.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.5 points.
INJURIES: Jazz: Lauri Markkanen: day to day (illness), Georges Niang: day to day (foot), Brice Sensabaugh: day to day (illness), Kevin Love: day to day (rest), Walker Kessler: out for season (shoulder).
Spurs: Devin Vassell: out (thigh).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Golden State Warriors (25-19, eighth in the Western Conference) vs. Dallas Mavericks (18-26, 12th in the Western Conference)
Dallas; Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Golden State will try to prolong its four-game win streak with a victory against Dallas.
The Mavericks are 10-18 in Western Conference games. Dallas has a 7-10 record in games decided by 10 or more points.
The Warriors have gone 15-12 against Western Conference opponents. Golden State averages 116.9 points and has outscored opponents by 2.9 points per game.
The Mavericks are shooting 47.3% from the field this season, 0.2 percentage points higher than the 47.1% the Warriors allow to opponents. The Warriors average 16.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 4.7 more made shots on average than the 11.7 per game the Mavericks allow.
The teams play for the second time this season. The Warriors won the last meeting 126-116 on Dec. 25. Stephen Curry scored 23 points to help lead the Warriors to the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cooper Flagg is averaging 18.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists for the Mavericks. Naji Marshall is averaging 16.8 points over the last 10 games.
Curry is scoring 27.4 points per game with 3.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Warriors. Jimmy Butler III is averaging 17.0 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 53.2% over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Mavericks: 6-4, averaging 115.7 points, 45.3 rebounds, 26.3 assists, 7.6 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.8 points per game.
Warriors: 7-2, averaging 123.6 points, 41.0 rebounds, 31.7 assists, 9.1 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 49.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.0 points.
INJURIES: Mavericks: Daniel Gafford: day to day (ankle), P.J. Washington: day to day (personal), Dereck Lively II: out for season (foot), Kyrie Irving: out (knee), Dante Exum: out for season (knee), Anthony Davis: out (hand), D'Angelo Russell: day to day (illness).
Warriors: Jimmy Butler III: out for season (knee), Al Horford: day to day (injury management), Seth Curry: out (back).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Three-point shooting has been a major need for the Toronto Raptors this season, who are shooting the worst percentage in the league. But that was not nearly the case tonight.
The Raptors’s offense erupted in Chase Center Tuesday night, fuelled by a red-hot 21/34 shooting night from beyond the arc and crisp ball movement that resulted in a season-high 42 assists on 51 made field goals. Leading the charge was Immanuel Quickley, who tied his career-high 40 points along with 10 assists on 11/13 shooting. Scottie Barnes also had a great performance, putting up 26 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists on 12/18 shooting.
The Raptors finished with a season-high in points, beating the Golden State Warriors 145-127, and are now 1-1 to start their five-game Western Conference road trip.
The game was a true wire-to-wire win, with the Raptors jumping out to an early 10-0 lead and holding a double-digit advantage nearly the entire game. The impressive effort came despite yet another short-handed effort: Toronto was without two of its starters in RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl, and two of its rotation players in Ja’Kobe Walter and rookie Collin Murray-Boyles.
As a result, head coach Darko Rajakovic went with a new starting lineup for the eighth consecutive game, this time with Gradey Dick getting his first start of the season.
The Warriors, meanwhile, had injury woes of their own. While they entered the game on a four-game winning streak, this was their first contest since Jimmy Butler suffered a season-ending torn ACL that has dramatically altered their hopes of making noise in the postseason.
Indeed, the Warriors started the game looking like a team that had just gotten bad news. The Raptors were not simply hitting their shots, but they were also out-running and out-passing the Warriors out of the gate. The Warriors’ defensive rotations were slow in the halfcourt, and they offered little resistance in fastbreak and even semi-transition defense.
Meanwhile, Butler’s absence allowed the Raptors to hone in on Stephen Curry, who generally had one of Jamal Shead or Ochai Agbaji glued to him throughout the game. Curry is averaging 27 points per game this season, but managed just 16 points and three assists against the Raptors. (Butler’s absence also meant that Warriors coach Steve Kerr freed Jonathan Kuminga from purgatory; Kuminga, who hadn’t played since December 18, put up 20 points and five rebounds.)
Quickley’s career night got off to a quick start, going 3/3 on threes halfway through the first quarter.
Jamison Battle played some solid minutes off the bench. Barnes did an excellent job playing off the attention Battle commands off-ball as a shooter. On one play, Barnes drew a defender’s attention by looking at Battle on the perimeter – then fired a no-look pass to Agbaji under the basket for two easy points.
The Raptors finished the first quarter with a 41-28 lead.
That lead was blown open as the second quarter wore on and the Warriors looked even slower, their helpside defense even more absent. Sandro Mamukelashvili hit back-to-back threes, AJ Lawson and Jonathan Mogbo found easy buckets in transition, and Quickley hit his fourth three (on as many attempts) to extend the lead to 59-31. The Raptors were not only getting easy looks by pushing the ball off turnovers and misses, but even off of made baskets.
The Warriors brought the lead down to 20 heading into halftime. But Toronto grabbed the momentum right back, playing some of their strongest basketball of the game to start the third quarter and taking a 30-point lead.
That stretch included another pair of threes for Quickley, who made his first six threes of the game. Quickley was dangerous as a catch-and-shoot threat – a threat which we’ve seen be further unlocked when Quickley plays alongside Jamal Shead, who scored 10 points and eight assists. Quickley also had a nice lefty and-one layup off a dribble hand-off from Barnes – and the team followed that possession by forcing the Warriors into a 24-second shot clock violation.
Meanwhile, the Raptors’ best sequence of the game came on a 2014 Spurs-esque possession in which all five Raptors touched the ball, ending in a Brandon Ingram three in the corner.
Ingram provided his usual injection of necessary shot-making, scoring on a mix of catch-and-shoot threes and tougher mid-range looks that helped supplement the offense, albeit during a rare game that had practically no dry spells. He finished with 22 points, four boards and five assists.
But with Curry on the bench, the Warriors finally displayed some energy and fought back, going on a 29-13 run that brought the Raptors’ lead to 104-90. The same defensive breakdowns that had plagued the Warriors were now hitting the Raptors, who allowed easy transition buckets, plus a Kuminga layup to end the quarter after he ran the full length of the court right past the defense.
The Warriors managed to tighten the lead to just nine points about halfway through the fourth quarter. But the Raptors were able to survive the onslaught of Buddy Hield threes thanks to timely shot-making by Barnes in the mid-range, and clutch three-pointers by Ingram and Mamu that put them up by 15.
Mamukaleshvili finished the game with 14 points and 12 rebounds, including a couple of offensive rebounds that helped extend key possessions in the fourth.
Dick, in his first start of the season, shot ⅖ from beyond the arc, which was a promising return to form in a season where he’s shooting just 30% from three.
While Dick’s shooting night was a promising return to form, the team’s offensive performance as a whole would be more aptly described as a remarkable display of shot-making and togetherness. Sure, the 62% three-point shooting is an unsustainable clip. So was their 22/22 night from the free throw line. But the buzzing ball movement, which contorted the defense and led to assists on four in every five buckets? That’s something this team can keep up.
The Raptors and Warriors entered the game with identical 25-19 records. This was the first night of a back-to-back for the Raptors, who are now 26-19, and are set to take on the 12-32 Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night.
The Golden State Warriors began the post-Jimmy Butler III era on Tuesday and … well … it didn’t exactly go very well, as the Dubs were crushed by the Toronto Raptors 145-127. It perhaps wasn’t as bad as the score suggests though, as it was kind of a case of “one of those games.” The Raptors are the worst three-point shooting team in the NBA, yet shot 21-for-34 (61.8%) from deep, easily their best shooting performance of the season. They were led by a career game from Immanuel Quickley, who shot 11-for-13 from the field, 7-for-8 from deep, and 11-for-11 on free throws for 40 points, setting the NBA record for highest true shooting percentage (112.1%) on a game with 40 or more points. Painfully, while it was just the 18th time in NBA history that a player scored 40+ on 100% or better true shooting, it was the second time this season … with both instances coming at the expense of Golden State’s defense (Aaron Gordon, as you probably could guess, was the other).
So it wasn’t so much a case of the Warriors playing horribly, and more a case of them playing mediocrely, while running into the hottest shooting performance imaginable. My grades will reflect that (I’m also giving everyone a little bit of a pass given that they were only 19 hours removed from finding out that their second-best player is out for the season), and thus probably be a little bit better than you expect for a blowout loss. As always, grades are based on my expectations for each individual player, with a “B” grade representing the average performance for that player.
Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metric that accounts for threes and free throws. Entering Tuesday’s games, league average TS was 58.1%.
Moody has been red hot from three-point range lately, though that didn’t carry over into this game. Instead, he heated up from inside the arc, which was nice to see. He’s a quality player as a good three-point shooter, but being able to get easy shots at the rim is one of the secrets to taking his game to the next level. Watching him shoot a perfect 5-for-5 on twos was a delight.
It wasn’t his best defensive performance, but it was more a case of “good offense beats good defense” than bad defense.
Green returned after a one-game absence to nurse a sprained ankle. He did a lot of good things in this game, though it wasn’t nearly enough given the quality of Toronto’s offense.
Grade: C+ Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in assists, worst plus/minus on the team.
I think I speak for everyone when I say it was great seeing Post have such a strong rebounding game. Seven boards in 18 minutes! That’s more like what we all want to see out of a center.
He also played well on offense. Quite well, I thought. He didn’t get a lot of minutes, and he was removed from the starting lineup in the second half, but that was more due to the way the Raptors were beating the Warriors up and down the court than anything he did.
Grade: A- Post-game bonus: Led the team in rebounds.
Podz has been playing some inspired ball lately, but this game wasn’t really it. I liked a lot of what he did on defense, though his lack of speed was exposed on a few occasions. On offense, he tried to do a little bit too much and it came back to bite him.
This game just goes to show you that anything can happen on any given night in the NBA. The worst-shooting three-point team in the league had one of the best shooting performances we’ve seen in the NBA this year, while the greatest shooter in the history of the sport couldn’t buy a bucket. Curry missed more free throws than the entire Toronto team, and that basically sums up the entire night.
GPII was a little bit out of control on a few occasions, and he didn’t provide the rebounding boost that we’ve grown accustomed to, but he was an absolute spark plug on offense, and was probably the closest thing the Warriors had to shutting down Toronto’s offense.
Very nice to see Santos out there after missing two games with an ankle injury. The Warriors are going to need him in a post-Butler world: not just because they’re missing their best forward, but because high-energy players are critical for keeping a team afloat when they lose a leader. And one thing we know is that Santos will always bring the energy.
I’m very curious to see what happens with Melton’s minutes in the aftermath of Butler’s injury. He’s really been finding his rhythm and game lately, and I think it’s pretty clear that he’s — at worst — the third-best player on the team now. He’s also the player who makes the most sense to slide into Butler’s role of running the offense when Curry is sidelined. He obviously isn’t the scorer that Butler is, but he can still get buckets, and he’s a tremendous passer and facilitator. Keep an eye on his role and his minutes.
He really helped the Warriors in this game, even though the stats were ugly. Five turnovers is brutal — and the most he’d had in a game since November, 2022 — and he didn’t shoot the ball well. But the offense just clicked when he was on the court. Like Curry with his gravity and wizardry, you could see why Melton helps the Warriors so much, even though he gets a poor grade.
Grade: C- Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in assists.
TJD is settling back into a rotational rhythm where he plays 10-20 minutes when Al Horford sits, and is mostly out of the rotation when Horford plays. He did some nice things on defense in this game, but the Warriors can’t have a non-scoring center play 12 minutes without grabbing a rebound. He just really didn’t do much at all.
After two straight games in the starting lineup, Richard returned to the bench for this game and … well … it didn’t go particularly well. He continues to play with far more control and poise and intelligence than a rookie should have, but his game was entirely devoid of impact plays.
Hield shot the ball so well that you would have sworn he was wearing a Raptors jersey. If you didn’t watch the game, let me just tell you: he played every bit as well as that stat line would suggest. Maybe he was inspired by his close friend Butler. Maybe, being the lovable professional that he is, he just knew exactly what the team needed. Either way, Hield caught a Klay-esque heater and it was an absolute joy to watch. It also got the team back in the game late in the third quarter, when he had an outrageous sequence in the closing minute: he was fouled on a three, made all of the free throws and, nine seconds later, following a Melton steal, drained another three, pulling the Warriors to within 14 points when they had trailed by 30 earlier in the quarter.
He had been out of the rotation for a while, but with Butler out for the season, the Warriors are going to need Buddy’s offense.
Grade: A++ Post-game bonus: Led the team in points, best plus/minus on the team.
Hield may have been the best player for the Warriors on Tuesday, but Kuminga was the best story. Earlier in the day I opined that it was time for the Warriors to play Kuminga again. And shortly before tip-off, Mike Dunleavy Jr. held a press conference in which he plainly laid out reality, saying that while Kuminga did demand a trade, there still needs to be market demand for a trade to work.
And then the game came and Kuminga played for the first time in 33 days, and played double-digit minutes for the first time in 45 days. And if it weren’t for Hield’s all-world shooting performance, Kuminga would have been the best player on the Warriors.
He made his entrance to start the second quarter, and looked out of sorts — pretty understandable given the situation. He was a little unsure of where to be, and moved tentatively, something that anyone who played sporadic minutes during their playing days can relate to. He badly missed a pair of free throws.
That short stint in the second quarter was all he needed to shake off the rust, apparently. He returned in the third quarter and didn’t take a seat again until the white towel was waved. His offense was nothing short of ferocious: he punished Toronto’s defenders, and muscled his way to the hoop. Kuminga’s isolation offense may not be the Platonic ideal of a player in Steve Kerr’s system, but with Butler out, the Warriors need someone who can get a bucket by himself, moving downhill. Kuminga is that person.
He may be unhappy with the Warriors, but that didn’t show in his energy, effort, or selflessness. He made good passes. He played with a smile on his face and high-fived his teammates. And he gave it his all, especially on a sensational play to end the third quarter, when he rushed down the court for a buzzer-beating transition layup.
Kuminga didn’t look like a player who had spent the last six weeks accumulating rust, other than in the first few minutes. He looked like a player who spent the last six weeks determined to come back stronger than ever. Maybe his play will make another team excited to trade for him; but if not, he has to be a big part of the rotation going forward. He just has to.
That’s one hell of a stat line there, Pat. My word! Nine points on perfect shooting, and five assists in nine minutes? The Warriors may have lost a one-sided game, but their bench positively showed out.
Grade: A+ Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in assists.
LJ Cryer
2 minutes, 0 points, 1 foul, -3
Cryer made his NBA debut on Monday, but I wasn’t working and thus didn’t do grades. So I missed the chance to congratulate him, so we’ll do that today, instead.
Grade: A+++ for a lifetime of hard work resulting in a dream accomplished
Leons also made his season debut last night, but it wasn’t his NBA debut, as he briefly appeared in six games for the Oklahoma City Thunder last year. So he gets spared the sentiments — still fun to see him out there, though.
Grade: Incomplete
Tuesday’s inactives: Jimmy Butler III, Seth Curry, Al Horford
The Phillies made the J.T. Realmuto signing official Tuesday, and the press conference quickly shifted from the contract itself to the fallout from last week.
Last Friday, Philadelphia came up short on free-agent infielder Bo Bichette, who agreed to a three-year, $126 million deal with the Mets. The Phillies were clearly frustrated with how the process ended, with Dave Dombrowski acknowledging the emotional swing that comes with getting close on a deal of that scale.
“It’s a gut punch. I mean, you feel it,” Dombrowski said. “That day, you are very upset… but you have to pick yourself off and shake it off… you need to move forward.”
The Phillies did exactly that. Within the hour, Dombrowski re-engaged Realmuto’s camp and finalized a three-year, $45 million return for their catcher and clubhouse leader.
Realmuto was the priority, but the timing was telling
Dombrowski made it clear Tuesday that bringing Realmuto back remained a priority all offseason, even as the club explored other options when a deal didn’t come together right away.
“We always wanted to bring JT back. That was always a priority for us,” Dombrowski said. “It really became a situation… there was a disagreement as far as dollars were concerned… and we couldn’t bridge that gap to the very end.”
When the Bichette talks collapsed, the Phillies moved quickly.
“I called his agent right away at that point,” Dombrowski said. “I don’t know the number of minutes, but it was very fast.”
After the dust settled, Dombrowski expressed confidence in where the roster stands as they head down to Clearwater soon.
“I like our club,” he said. “When I look at where we are at this point, I feel great about our club going to spring training… I think we’re content where we are at this point.”
Opt-out leverage
As teams around the league have leaned more into short-term, high-AAV deals with opt-outs, the Phillies’ stance has remained consistent. Since Bryce Harper signed his 13-year, $330 million deal in 2019, the organization and Dombrowski has agreed to 10 contracts of three years or longer, with an average annual value hovering around $24.5 million.
The reported offer Philadelphia made to Bichette — seven years and $200 million (over $28.5 million a year) — would have marked the club’s fourth contract of seven years or more. Ultimately, the structure, not the dollars, proved decisive.
Bichette’s deal with New York included player options after each of the first two seasons.
Dombrowski reiterated Tuesday that opt-outs remain a sticking point in negotiations, especially for a club already operating above the luxury-tax threshold.
“I have never felt myself, and still don’t feel, that it’s a wise move to make,” Dombrowski said. “If the player has a bad year, they opt in. If they get hurt, they opt in… if they opt out, it’s generally because they’ve had a good year.”
He added that it’s a philosophy he’s held for a long time, not something specific to Philadelphia.
Thomson pushes back on “run it back”
Rob Thomson didn’t buy the idea that the Phillies are simply running it back, pointing to roster turnover and a youth push that will shape spring training and, potentially, the regular season.
“We’re going to have three new relievers. We’ve got a new right fielder,” Thomson said. “Crawford’s going to get every chance to play. We’ve probably got a rookie starting in Painter. We’ve got Otto Kemp. So we’re turning over 20 to 25 percent of our roster. If you think that’s turning it back — or running it back, whatever they’re saying is — yeah, I can’t help it.”
Thomson also emphasized the internal expectation level remains high entering camp.
“Very high,” he said. “We got a good ball club going in… we’re going to infuse some youth into this lineup… I feel really good about it.”
Update on Wheeler
One of the more relevant updates Tuesday involved Zack Wheeler, whose season ended early last year. The Phillies still didn’t offer a firm timeline, but Dombrowski shared where things stand in the throwing program.
“He’s throwing… up to 90 feet he has,” Dombrowski said. “He’s doing very well… I believe he’s going to come in again on Thursday and throw again, but yeah, no timetable, but so far the reports have been good.”
Thomson echoed that Wheeler is at 90 feet on flat ground and “looks good,” while stopping short of projecting when he’ll be on a mound.
Will Sánchez pitch in the WBC?
Cristopher Sánchez remains a key name to watch as World Baseball Classic decisions come into focus. Thomson acknowledged the balancing act, but also framed it as an honor for players who have earned the opportunity.
“I think it’s a great honor to pitch for your country,” Thomson said. “You’re holding your breath when the guys go, but at the end of it, if they come out of it clean, I think it’s really good.”
Sánchez is coming off his first 200-inning season and enters 2026 as one of the anchors of the staff, especially with Ranger Suárez now out of the picture.
One of the top Luis Robert Jr. moments: Silencing a sold out crowd at Wrigley Field with a go-ahead homer in 2023. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
With just a few weeks before pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training, the MLB stove has been heating up as teams work to fill their roster gaps and prepare for the 2026 season.
That includes Chicago White Sox GM Chris Getz, who traded center fielder Luis Robert Jr. to the New York Mets, leading to a Jeff Passan bomb hitting the timeline just before the clock struck midnight on the East coast.
In exchange for Robert, the Mets are sending right-handed pitching prospect Truman Pauley and infielder Luisangel Acuña (brother of Atlanta Braves All-Star and 2023 MVP Ronald Acuña Jr.). New York will also absorb the remainder of Robert’s contract ($20 million in both 2026 and 2027, with a $2 million buyout option).
Acuña is the headliner of this trade, and not only because of his family ties. The 23-year-old has shown to be explosive at the plate, is a skilled speedster, and can provide depth to pretty much any major league lineup with his versatility. Acuña has primarily played at second base, but has also been worked in the outfield a bit, which could be something that Chicago is eyeing for future roster building now that Robert is gone. Acuña has slashed .282/.351/.400 in his minor league career, and was selected as a Dominican Summer League All-Star in 2019 at just 17 years old.
He was called up to the Mets in 2024 for 14 games and made quite a splash in a short period of time: .308/.325/.641 in 39 at-bats to round out a strong .966 OPS. He wasn’t as successful in 95 games (175 at-bats) in 2025, significantly falling off and putting up a low .567 OPS — seeing the biggest drop off in slugging percentage, down to just .274 with zero home runs compared to three in 2024. Acuña is still a very young player, with time to refine his skills as he grows into a major league player. Plus, he has been dominating the Venezuelan Winter League this year:
Luisangel Acuna in the Venezuelan Winter League:
39 G .282 BA .397 OBP .939 OPS 7 doubles 3 triples 8 HR 12 SB 14.9% BB% 18.9% K%
His walk rate is a career-high and more than double his 2025 AAA BB%. More on-base ability would greatly improve his profile. pic.twitter.com/IEwUI2J4mp
Pauley is a 22-year-old who spent two years at Harvard University prior to being drafted by the Mets in the 12th round last summer, posting a 5.20 cumulative ERA across 114 1/3 collegiate innings. In his senior season, Pauley posted the second-lowest ERA on the Crimson (4.61), the lowest opponent BA (.171), and the most strikeouts (91, with the next highest a 62, and a 28.9% strikeout rate). One thing that Pauley must work on his is control: He tossed 18 wild pitches last season, hit 16 batters, and walked 48 at a 15.2% walk rate.
He tossed just 4 1/3 innings in three games with the St. Lucie Mets upon signing last August, reaching a 2.08 ERA in the small sample size, including three strikeouts and four walks. Pauley’s fastball averages around 93 mph and he has a slider that seems to have a lot of potential to miss plenty of bats.
Truman Pauley’s stuff is better than most of the guys on the White Sox big-league roster pic.twitter.com/33nFjuTKxv
Robert has spent six years with the South Siders, and is the last man standing from the failed core that previous GM Rick Hahn put together for a title run in the 2020s — but we never did get to see that parade, did we.
Luis has been one of the brighter spots of the team over the last several years with his raw power and athletic ability, but he has also struggled with several injuries throughout his time in Chicago. Getz and the Sox have been floating the idea of trading Robert for a couple years — surprisingly not dealing him at the trade deadline during his 2023 All-Star season where he accumulated 5.3 bWAR and .857 OPS while mashing 36 home runs and swiping 20 bases.
His trade value had gone down quite a bit over the last two seasons, hitting .224 with a .661 OPS, and just an 85 OPS+ in 2025. Despite the regression, he still mashed 14 home runs last year and stole 33 bases, while locking down center field with a .997 fielding percentage and just one error on the season.
The Mets are getting a talented player in Robert, who is most likely to thrive upon leaving Chicago because that’s just how it goes. Luis will be missed on the South Side, but it is officially the end of an era as the White Sox embark on a new journey with the young core they have pulled together.
The Los Angeles Kings (20-16-13) ended their four-game losing streak with a hard-fought 4-3 victory over the New York Rangers (21-24-6) on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena. Despite being shorthanded tonight with no Anze Kopitar, Joel Armia, and losing Darcy Kuemper early in regulation, it was a strong team effort and a standout performance from Anton Forsberg.
Kevin Fiala led the offensive charge with a goal and an assist, while Andrei Kuzmenko and Taylor Ward each found the back of the net as the Kings got back in the win column, preparing for their long road trip.
Los Angeles wasted no time grabbing the lead 18 seconds into the match. Adrian Kempe scored the goal after a faceoff win to give the Kings early momentum.
The Rangers answered midway through the first period, but Kevin Fiala restored the Kings' lead.
However, the game would not stop there, as the Rangers tied the game 2-2 before the first intermission.
Kuemper Injury Forces Goalie Change
Late in the first period, Kuemper left the game after a hard collision with Jonny Brodzinski in the crease while stopping a breakaway attempt from the Rangers. Althought the play didn't seem severe at first, Kuemper headed to the lockerroom with just 38 seconds remaining in the first period and was later ruled out with an upper-body injury.
Anton Forsberg took over the net immediately and stabilized the Kings, making key saves to keep the game within reach.
The Kings regained control in the second period thanks to contributions from their depth. Taylor Ward scored his first goal of the season early in the frame to make it 3-2.
Later in the period, Kuzmenko extended the Kings' lead 4-2 by backhanding a rebound off a Fiala shot, marking Kuzmenko's 10th goal of the season and his first since Jan. 5. Los Angeles controlled the second period, forcing the Rangers to chase the game while Forsberg held firm on the crease.
New York pushed hard in the final period, cutting the deficit to one after J.T. Miller scored his second goal of the night. The game got tight in the final seconds of the frame, but Forsberg shut the door, finishing with 28 saves, earning his first star honors.
The Kings' defensive structure tightened down the stretch, blocking shots and limiting shots to hold their one-goal lead.
New York did have a chance to tie the game after winning the faceoff, but the long body of Forsberg disrupted the puck, and the game ended.
What It Means for the Kings
The victory snaps a four-game losing streak after a tough stretch for Los Angeles, which recently lost six of its last seven games, but a win like this against a bad team is one they needed.
It's a much-needed win that should prepare Los Angeles for a very tough six-game road trip starting Saturday against the St. Louis Blues. With Kuemper's status remaining uncertain, Los Angeles is in good hands with Forsberg's performance helping lead the Kings under the crease until word is given on Kuemper's return.
The Kings’ next matchup will be against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday at 5:00 P.M. PT.
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There were a couple of trades in the NHL this week. Rasmus Andersson is off to Vegas with the Golden Knights giving up Zach Whitecloud, minor-leaguer Abram Wiebe, a first-round pick in 2027 and a conditional second-round pick in 2028. The Flames agreed to absorb 50% of the remainder of Andersson's contract for the rest of the season.
The Canucks then dealt the injured Kiefer Sherwood (upper body) to San Jose for Cole Clayton, a second-round pick in 2026 and a second-round selection in 2027.
I hope your leagues have had as many deals as the NHL. Best of luck with your trades this week.
TRADE FOR
Anthony Stolarz, G, Maple Leafs (57% rostered)
Stolarz last played in the NHL on Nov. 11, leaving after the opening period in Boston, suffering from an upper-body injury. He has missed the last 32 games of the season. The good news is that he was sent to AHL Toronto on Tuesday for a conditioning stint. He could be back in action as early as this weekend. Don't forget that Stolarz led the NHL in save percentage last season at .926 and is more than capable of playing well the rest of the way, based on last season.
Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Stolarz and Elias Pettersson for J.T. Miller. (Miller is a nice player, but playing for the Rangers will not help his point total this season. Stolarz and Pettersson are better bets the rest of the way.)
Mason McTavish, C, Ducks (57% rostered)
McTavish has taken over from the injured Leo Carlsson, who underwent a thigh procedure last week and will miss 3-5 weeks. McTavish has two goals in his last two games with Carlsson sidelined, giving the 22-year-old 13 goals and 30 points in 49 games. McTavish is still highly regarded, as was evident last season when he had career highs in goals with 22 and assists with 30.
Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: McTavish and Andrei Kuzmenko for Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Mikhail Yegorov. (This is obviously a futures deal, as Yegorov is a goaltender playing in the NCAA after he was drafted in the second-round in 2024 by the Devils. Sandin-Pellikka is having a nice rookie season for Detroit, but McTavish is seeing first-line minutes at this time, while Kuzmenko has nine goals and 19 points in 43 games with the Kings.)
Charlie McAvoy, D, Bruins (91% rostered)
McAvoy was held off the scoresheet Tuesday, but had been hot until then, tallying twice and adding eight assists in his previous nine games. McAvoy has been injury prone since the 4 Nations Face-Off last February, suffering a right shoulder injury against Finland that cost him the remainder of the season. He also was injured this campaign, missing 11 games after getting struck in the face via a slapshot Nov. 15 versus Montreal. Overall, McAvoy has three goals and 26 assists in 38 games this season.
Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: McAvoy and Jake Sanderson for Mattias Samuelsson and Matthew Knies. (This is a tough one to understand, as McAvoy is a solid fantasy player while Sanderson is one of the top offensive defensemen. Samuelsson is okay at best, while Knies has slumped of late with only three assists in his last seven appearances.)
TRADE AWAY
Sergei Bobrovsky, G, Panthers (96% rostered)
Bobrovsky has really hit rock-bottom. He has allowed 12 goals on 63 shots in his last two games, both losses. He is 19-14-1 with a 3.09 GAA and an .875 save percentage across 34 games this season. It's the worst save percentage of his career and second-worst GAA in his 16-year career. At age 37 (and the veteran of back-to-back Stanley Cup victories over the last two seasons), Bobrovsky looks like a tired, old goaltender on his last legs.
Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Bobrovsky for Jake Oettinger. (This is a crazy deal, as Oettinger is having a much better season in all categories, save for wins.)
Mika Zibanejad, C, Rangers (90% rostered)
Zibanejad has been white-hot of late, a classic example of trading a player when his value is at its highest. Zibanejad has nine goals and 10 assists in a 10-game scoring streak for the lowly Rangers, but is a minus-7 over the nine contests. Overall, Zibanejad has 21 goals and 48 points in 50 games. He was cold to start the season, and if the Rangers go into a sell mode (which is likely), Zibanejad will have less talent to play with, unless he is also headed out of town.
Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Zibanejad for Matthew Tkachuk. (This is a pretty even trade, as Tkachuk could need some time to get back in playing shape after entering the lineup Monday for the first time since undergoing offseason groin surgery.)
John Tavares, C, Maple Leafs (91% rostered)
Tavares has been pretty hot of late, potting four goals and eight assists over the last 14 games. The 35-year-old veteran has 18 goals and 43 points in 49 games this season, pretty much what he has averaged in a Leafs uniform over his previous seven seasons. Tavares has only seven points on the power play, a marketed decrease in his production in the last four seasons.
Example of a completed deal from the Yahoo Trade Market: Tavares and Nikolaj Ehlers for Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Trevor Zegras. (This also a pretty even trade, though if you are of the opinion that Zegras' value has surpassed his first two seasons in the NHL, then trading Tavares has been a bonus.)
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Arseny Gritsyuk and Cody Glass each had a goal and an assist and the New Jersey Devils held on to beat the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 on Tuesday night.
The Devils, who improved to 17-0-0 when leading after two periods, have won four of their last five outings, including a 2-1 overtime victory on Monday against the host Calgary Flames.
Matthew Savoie scored for the Oilers, who had a two-game winning streak halted — the ninth time this season they have failed to extend a winning streak to three games.
Jake Allen survived a barrage in the third and recorded 21 saves to earn the win in net for New Jersey, while Tristan Jarry made 15 stops in his Oilers’ home debut.
Defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who was a healthy scratch against the Winnipeg Jets on Jan. 10, picked up an assist to extend his points streak to six games, during which he has collected seven points.
The Oilers’ Curtis Lazar skated in his 600th career NHL game against his former team, where he spent portions of three seasons from 2022-25. He has played for seven NHL squads and has 50 goals and 80 assists.
The Devils regained the lead a minute-and-a-half after Edmonton tied the game 1-1 as they caught the Oilers on a bad change and Glass beat Jarry cleanly to the stick side for his 11th goal of the season.
Connor McDavid came into the game with at least one point in all 17 of his career games against the Devils (7 goals, 24 assists), which stood as the second-longest active point streak by a player against a single opponent. However, he was held pointless on the night and the streak came to an end.
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Arseny Gritsyuk and Cody Glass each had a goal and an assist and the New Jersey Devils held on to beat the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 on Tuesday night.
The Devils, who improved to 17-0-0 when leading after two periods, have won four of their last five outings, including a 2-1 overtime victory on Monday against the host Calgary Flames.
Matthew Savoie scored for the Oilers, who had a two-game winning streak halted — the ninth time this season they have failed to extend a winning streak to three games.
Jake Allen survived a barrage in the third and recorded 21 saves to earn the win in net for New Jersey, while Tristan Jarry made 15 stops in his Oilers’ home debut.
Defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who was a healthy scratch against the Winnipeg Jets on Jan. 10, picked up an assist to extend his points streak to six games, during which he has collected seven points.
The Oilers' Curtis Lazar skated in his 600th career NHL game against his former team, where he spent portions of three seasons from 2022-25. He has played for seven NHL squads and has 50 goals and 80 assists.
The Devils regained the lead a minute-and-a-half after Edmonton tied the game 1-1 as they caught the Oilers on a bad change and Glass beat Jarry cleanly to the stick side for his 11th goal of the season.
Connor McDavid came into the game with at least one point in all 17 of his career games against the Devils (7 goals, 24 assists), which stood as the second-longest active point streak by a player against a single opponent. However, he was held pointless on the night and the streak came to an end.
SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga finally was called off the bench and into action during a 145-127 loss to the Toronto Raptors at Chase Center on Tuesday night.
On the second night of a back-to-back — with the Warriors now having to go forward without Jimmy Butler, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear Monday night — head coach Steve Kerr said he would look more toward his bench depth, including Kuminga who hadn't played in 16 games due to a coach's decision.
Kuminga received a roar from the Chase Center crowd when he subbed into the game to start the second quarter of the contest.
He finished with 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting in 21 minutes. He added five rebounds and two assists. Teammate Buddy Hield led the team in scoring with 25 points off then bench, including a perfect 6-of-6 from deep, in 19 minutes of play.
“JK [Kuminga] been a factor in here," head coach Steve Kerr told reporters. "Really pleased with the way he’s stayed ready and stayed prepared, and he got his opportunity and played really well.”
With Butler out, Kerr said that he would tinker with different lineups on various "trial and error" runs. Kerr told USA TODAY that it's possible Kuminga could even jolt into the starting role.
"Everything’s a possibility right now," Kerr said. “When you have an injury to, not only one of your best players but one of the best players in the league, it just changes everything. The puzzle completely changes. So we will definitely experiment with some different lineups and combinations. One guy effects the other four and so it will be under consideration, for sure.”
How did Jonathan Kuminga play?
The Warriors were down 41-28 after the first quarter before Kuminga was subbed into the game to start the second period.
In his first stint, a little under five minutes, Kuminga missed his only shot attempt: An alley-oop tip-in on a pass from Draymond Green. He was fouled but missed both free throws. He managed to grab two rebounds in his limited action.
His plus/minus was a minus-10 in four minutes and 39 seconds of playing time.
Golden State is looking for a spark from their bench depth after Butler was lost for the season with a torn ACL.
Kerr said after the Warriors' win over the Miami Heat that Kuminga could see the floor following Butler's devastating injury.
"Sure, absolutely," Kerr said responding to a question about Kuminga playing against Toronto.
Warriors trailed 91-63 when Kuminga returned to the game at the 6:12 mark of the third quarter.
He scored 12 points in the period, throwing down a ferocious two-handed slam off an alley-oop pass from Green, a couple of mid-range shots through contact and going the length of the court to make a buzzer-beating layup to end the third.
Golden State trailed 108-94 at the end of three quarters. Kuminga played the remainder of the quarter since subbing in at the 6:12 mark and was a plus-4 after the period.
Kuminga played the entire fourth quarter as his play continued to help the Warriors to cut into that huge double-digit deficit. It was cut to as low as 11 points.
However, the Raptors ran the score back up late and held on to win the game.
The Raptors were led by Immanuel Quickley tied a career-high 40 points to lead all scorers in the game. He shot 11-of-13 from the field, including 7-of-8 from 3-pointers and a perfect 11-of-11 from the free throw line.
Jonathan Kuminga's future with Warriors
With the NBA trade deadline looming on Feb. 5, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. spoke to reporters before Monday night's game, expressing disappointment in losing Butler to injury.
"He was having a great year and obviously that's over now. So we're disappointed as a team, as an organization but most especially individually for Jimmy," Dunleavy said. "He's been so much to this organization since he got here. It's hard to believe he hasn't even been here a year. He's fit in so well, we hate it for him. But the beat goes on, we have to keep going."
There are questions about whether Kuminga can become a focal point of the team's rotation or is still a key trade component. Kuminga reportedly requested for a trade from Golden State last week.
"I think as far as the demand, I'm aware of that," Dunleavy said. "I think in terms of demands, for you to make a demand there needs to be a demand in the market. So we'll see where that goes."
He added: "Always with these guys I tell them I'm willing to work with them. I want to help people out, whether that's JK [Kuminga] or any player on our roster. I'm good with [it], if that's his wishes, trying to figure that out but we have to do what's best for our organization and that's as far as it goes."
However, Dunleavy said with the deadline coming up, he will take the time to evaluate the team.
"I felt pretty good with where we're at ending last night's game in terms of what we need to do. Thought our team was playing well, heading in the right direction," Dunleavy said. "Obviously things have changed so I wanna take a couple weeks here to watch these games and see our team and what we can do better."
Dunleavy still holds Kuminga in high regard and believes he can be an asset as a member of the Warriors, and not just a trade piece.
"He's available every night. I think there's a path and a way for him to help us win games," Dunleavy said. "He knows what that is. If he can do those things, there's no doubt if he can help us."
He added: "Disappointed it hasn't worked out better, but it is what it is. But there's still time left here. He's still on our roster. The trade's been requested but nothing's imminent. Things in this league change in a heartbeat as they did [against Miami]."
Jonathan Kuminga 2025-26 regular-season stats
Here are Kuminga's average statistics so far though the 2025-26 regular season, prior to Tuesday's game against the Raptors:
Games played: 18
Minutes: 24.8
Points: 11.8
Rebounds: 6.2
Assists: 2.6
Steals: 0.3
Blocks: 0.3
Field goal %: .431
3-point field goal %: .320
Free throw %: .741
Jonathan Kuminga career stats
These are Kuminga's career averages through five seasons in the NBA, prior to Tuesday's game against the Raptors:
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kevin Fiala had a goal and an assist, and Anton Forsberg made 28 saves after taking over for the injured Darcy Kuemper in the Los Angeles Kings’ 4-3 victory over the slumping New York Rangers on Tuesday night.
Adrian Kempe, Taylor Ward and Andrei Kuzmenko also scored for the Kings, who snapped a four-game skid with only their second regulation victory in January.
Kuemper allowed two goals on eight shots before abruptly leaving with 38 seconds left in the first period following a collision in the crease with a charging Jonny Brodzinski.
Forsberg played superbly after taking over for Kuemper, a member of Canada’s Olympic roster. Kuemper also missed 2 1/2 weeks last month after taking a hit to the head during a loss at Dallas.
J.T. Miller scored two goals for the Rangers, who are last in the Eastern Conference after losing seven of eight.
Jonathan Quick made 23 saves in his third start and fourth appearance against the Kings, who drafted him in 2005. Quick, who turns 40 years old on Wednesday, won 370 games — 199 more than any other Kings goalie — while backstopping the club to two Stanley Cup championships during his 16 seasons in LA.
Kempe scored 18 seconds after the opening faceoff.
Only 42 seconds after Will Cuylle’s goal for New York, Fiala scored his 18th goal by intercepting an unwise pass by former Kings teammate Vladislav Gavrikov.
Miller evened it again late in the first off Mika Zibanejad’s pass.
Ward put the Kings back ahead early in the second, banking in a skittering shot off Quick’s far post for his first goal of the season. After Los Angeles killed a five-on-three disadvantage for 96 seconds, Kuzmenko backhanded home a rebound of Fiala’s shot.
Miller scored his 13th goal in the final seconds with Quick pulled for an extra attacker.
Up next
Rangers: At San Jose on Friday.
Kings: At St. Louis on Saturday to open a six-game road trip.
Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe, second from right, celebrates his goal with right wing Corey Perry, right, as New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick, left, and center J.T. Miller stand by during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, in Los Angeles.
LOS ANGELES — There has been nothing opportunistic about this Rangers team since the start of the season.
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At times, it has been bad puck luck. A matter of effort in others. Execution hasn’t been nearly as consistent as they would like, either.
In a 4-3 loss to the Kings Tuesday night, however, the Blueshirts whiffed on several moments with game-changing potential to drop their 10th contest in their last 12.
They trailed just 18 seconds into the game.
While facing a one-goal deficit, a five-on-three power play for 1:36 was wasted.
A failed clearing attempt ended up in the back of their net shortly after.
And with momentum on their side early in the third period, the Rangers couldn’t translate it to the scoreboard until it was too late.
It resulted in the Blueshirts falling to 1-2 on the road trip so far with one more stop in San Jose to go.
“How many times have I talked to you guys about critical moments in games?” head coach Mike Sullivan asked reporters rhetorically Tuesday night. “The start of periods, start of games, last minute, after a goal scored, after a fight. Those are critical moments in games where teams have an opportunity to build momentum. I do think we responded. I thought we responded after it. It’s 2-2 after the first period. I felt like we did respond, but it’s an instance where there’s just not a lot of attention to detail there.”
The Rangers were caught flat-footed off the opening faceoff.
Adrian Kempe (second from right) celebrates his goal with right wing Corey Perry as goalie Jonathan Quick and J.T. Miller look on during the first period of the Rangers’ 4-3 loss to the Kings on Jan. 20, 2026, in Los Angeles. AP
A one-and-done dump into the offensive zone — a specialty of this Rangers team — led to an odd-man rush the other way for the Kings.
Adrien Kempe buried one off a give-and-go with Brandt Clarke to open the scoring just 18 seconds into the game.
Poor puck management was at the crux of the Rangers’ loss in Anaheim, and it cost them again early Tuesday night.
After Scott Morrow’s shot from the top of the zone hit off Will Cuylle and in to tie it up, the Rangers gave it right back.
Shortly after LA welcomed him back to Crypto.com Arena with a jumbotron tribute, Vladislav Gavrikov turned the puck over right to the stick of Kevin Fiala for the 2-1 Kings lead.
Mika Zibanejad made up for it by continuing the absolute tear he’s currently on.
Feeding J.T. Miller crashing the net for the two-all score, Zibanejad extended his point streak to 10 games.
He has collected an eye-catching nine goals and 10 assists over that span.
Darcy Kuemper exited the game at the end of the first period, after the Kings’ goalie denied Jonny Brodzinski on a breakaway.
Will Borgen moves the puck away from danger as Jonathan Quick defends the net during the Rangers’ road loss to the Kings. Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Unable to skate it off, Kuemper headed to the locker room, and Anton Forsberg manned the net in relief for the remainder of the game.
The Kings added two more in the second period, while the Rangers failed to take advantage of prime chances.
Braden Schneider had a particularly rough middle frame, in which he inadvertently set up the Kings’ 3-2 score before taking back-to-back penalties.
The puck bounced off Schneider’s stick and right to Taylor Ward for the go-ahead goal at the 4:23 mark.
After they failed to convert on a 5-on-3 power play, the visitors couldn’t clear the puck later in the period. Andrei Kuzmenko then knocked in a rebound to give his team a two-goal lead heading into the second intermission.
“That was a big moment in the game,” Miller said of the two-man advantage. “They scored right after that to go up two. The same as yesterday [against the Ducks], I don’t know how I didn’t score in the last five minutes of that game. It kind of felt the same today with some of the looks that [Vincent Trocheck] got. It’s not going in … I think we’re happy with the execution. At the end of the night, we can sleep well knowing that you’re doing the right things. You have to believe that if you keep doing the right things then the puck will go in the net.”
