In fact, the sports media personality shared that he recently declined the opportunity to watch Steph Curry, one of his favorite NBA players, in person because of how frustrating it is for him to watch Golden State.
Here is what Simmons said about passing on the Curry Show on his “Bill Simmons Podcast.”
“I have Clippers season tickets I share with the one and only Mike Tollin,” Simmons prefaced. “Usually, we go to the Warriors games together because Steph Curry and [Nikola] Jokić are my two ‘I’m going if they’re there.’ [Victor Wembanyama] has now entered that group. Jokić, Curry, Wemby; I’m there if they’re in town. [Tollin] asked … ‘I can’t go Monday. You want the tickets?’ I said, ‘No. Let’s sell him.’ And we sold them. I rain-checked it [and] made up an excuse.
“‘I’m under the weather, Steph. I can’t make it today.’ I just didn’t want to watch him on a s–t Warriors team with f–king Draymond [Green] getting kicked out of every other game, or Steve Kerr getting mad at the refs, or these f–king guys that come in, and [Jimmy] Butler taking 10 shots. I couldn’t do it. It was going to make me mad. I wanted to enjoy my Monday night. Didn’t go. Steph Curry, who’s, by the way, having an incredible year — couldn’t do it.”
My noble attempt to build “Nobody believes in us / it’s us against the world!” momentum for Steph and the Warriors. pic.twitter.com/a8OAdEihau
Simmons clearly didn’t hold back — regardless of his affinity for Curry.
And ironically, Simmons was right to miss the Warriors’ date with the Clippers on Monday at Intuit Dome. Golden State was defeated by Los Angeles in a frustrating fashion, 103-102.
But despite Simmons’ harsh words, the Warriors have been on one of their better stretches of the 2025-26 NBA season. Golden State has won eight of its last 11 games, including a 34-point blowout win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night at Chase Center.
Maybe Simmons should give watching Curry and the 2025-26 Warriors live another shot.
Emanuel Sharp scored 17 points to lead five players in double figures for No. 7 Houston, which overcame two extended shooting slumps before halftime in a 77-55 win at Baylor on Saturday. The Cougars set a school record with their 16th consecutive road win. Joseph Tugler had 12 points and 11 rebounds for his second double-double in a row for defending Big 12 champion and national runner-up Houston (15-1, 3-0 Big 12).
The St. Louis Blues (17-20-8) will try to salvage a game to end a three-game road trip when they conclude it on Saturday against the Vegas Golden Knights (19-11-12) at 9 p.m. (FDSNMW, ESPN 101.1-FM).
The Blues didn't necessarily play poorly Friday, outshooting Utah 28-23 in the game but were done i by a lack of coverage at the net front and once again: special teams, going 0-for-4 on an anemic power play that is now 0-for-17 the past six games and a penalty kill that has allowed four goals on seven attempts this trip and has allowed a goal in eight of the past 13 games.
It's the third and final meeting between the teams this season and the Blues' only visit to Vegas. The teams split two games in St. Louis, with the Blues winning the latest, 4-3 on Jan. 2.
Blues coach Jim Monntgomery will speak pregame at 7:45 p.m. (CT) to address any lineup changes since the Blues did not hold a morning skate, but judging what he's done with Oskar Sundqvist, who scored the Blues' first goal on Friday, in the past and rested him on second of back-to-backs for load management purposes, we'll assume he will not play tonight and insert Robby Fabbri there, which is what the Blues did on Jan. 3 after Sundqvist played against Vegas but did not the following day against the Montreal Canadiens.
Also, Jordan Binnington is projected to get the nod after Joel Hofer made 19 saves on Friday but stay tuned for those confirmed lineup changes after Montgomery's availability.
We know Robert Thomas left in the third period after smacking his head on the ice but did return, and for the second straight game this trip, Jimmy Snuggerud had at least 10 shot attempts with 11 on Friday (five shots on goal, two blocked and four missing the net).
- - -
Blues Projected Lineup:
Jake Neighbours-Robert Thomas-Jordan Kyrou
Pavel Buchnevich-Brayden Schenn-Jimmy Snuggerud
Otto Stenberg-Dalibor Dvorsky-Jonatan Berggren
Alexey Toropchenko-Robby Fabbri-Nathan Walker
Philip Broberg-Colton Parayko
Tyler Tucker-Justin Faulk
Cam Fowler-Logan Mailloux
Jordan Binnington is projected to start in goal; Joel Hofer would be the backup.
Healthy scratches include Mathieu Joseph, Oskar Sundqvist and Matthew Kessel. Pius Suter (high ankle sprain), Dylan Holloway (high ankle sprain) and Nick Bjugstad (upper body) are out.
- - -
Golden Knights Projected Lineup:
Ivan Barbashev-Jack Eichel-Mark Stone
Reilly Smith-Mitch Marner-Pavel Dorofeyev
Brett Howden-Tomas Hertl-Keegan Kolesar
Cole Reinhardt-Colton Sissons-Braeden Bowman
Noah Hanifin-Zach Whitecloud
Jeremy Lauzon-Shea Theodore
Ben Hutton-Kaeden Korczak
Akird Schmid will start in goal; Carter Hart will be the backup.
Healthy scratches include Jaycob Megna and Alexander Holtz. Adin Hill (lower body), William Karlsson (lower body), Brayden McNabb (upper body) and Brandon Saad (undisclosed) are out.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
One game after activating forward Evgeni Malkin from injured reserve (IR), the Penguins announced Saturday that top-line winger Bryan Rust is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury. In a corresponding move, the Penguins recalled forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS), as they had an open spot on their roster and didn't require an IR move.
It's unclear exactly when Rust sustained the injury, but he did appear to be in some pain after blocking a shot during Pittsburgh's 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday. He will not be in the lineup against the Calgary Flames on Saturday.
Rust, 33, has been a fixture alongside Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell on the Penguins' top line this season, and his production will be hard to replace for whatever length of time he is out. The veteran from Pontiac, Mich. has 16 goals and 36 points in 40 games on the season, and he also plays on both special teams units, which limits the Penguins there as well.
Harvey-Pinard, 27, was signed to a one-year deal worth $775,000 during the offseason. He was waived at the conclusion of training camp and re-assigned to the AHL, where he has seven goals and 13 points in 32 games to go along with a plus-8 rating.
Harvey-Pinard spent parts of four seasons with the Montreal Canadiens - who selected him in the seventh round (201st overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft - and put up 17 goals and 31 points in 84 games.
The Penguins will look to extend their six-game win streak against Calgary, who have lost four in a row heading into the Saturday afternoon tilt at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. Forward Tommy Novak will skate in Rust's place on the first line, while Kevin Hayes - playing in his first game since Dec. 23 - will slot in as the third-line center in place of Novak.
Liam Rosenior got off to a flying start as Chelsea head coach with an emphatic victory at the Valley
5 min Badiashile gets an early yellow card for pulling down Leaburn, who was in the Chelsea academy until the age of 16.
4 min Campbell’s low cross from the left is put behind for a corner by Andrey Santos. Bree takes, Jorgensen punches a little unconvincingly but gets away with it.
Honor Huff scored 17 of his 23 points in the second half, Brenen Lorient added 18 points and West Virginia used a big second-half run to defeat No. 22 Kansas 86-75 on Saturday.
In front of a sellout crowd of 17,435 screaming fans, the Sharks and their fans turned back the clock during an unforgettable 5-4 comeback win over the Dallas Stars that unfolded in an atmosphere reminiscent of the glory days at SAP Center
Despite facing multiple two-goal deficits against one of the NHL’s best teams, the home crowd’s energy never wavered, with the Sharks feeding off that exuberance to pull off their second come-from-behind overtime win in as many games.
Tyler Toffoli’s wicked one-timer secured the win in the extra frame, putting the finishing touches on another win that can’t help but lead one to believe that this Sharks squad is a team of destiny.
Toffoli, a Stanley Cup winner and 14-year NHL veteran, has seen his share of postseason action with 93 career playoff games under his belt.
After logging three key points in Saturday’s win, Toffoli didn’t mince words while stated that the rocking atmosphere and high-octane action at the Shark Tank had the feel of an NHL playoff game — an environment which San Jose could find itself playing in within a matter of months after missing the postseason for six consecutive campaigns dating back to 2019.
“I thought we earned everything we got tonight, that was definitely a playoff-style game,” Toffoli told reporters. “It was a lot of fun, and obviously being able to get a win goes a long way.”
It was San Jose’s ninth consecutive overtime win, the second-most in NHL history under the current rule format, trailing only the 2024-25 Toronto Maple Leafs (10 consecutive OT wins).
San Jose’s success against Dallas can be directly traced back to its success on special teams, as the Sharks capitalized four times with the man advantage, converting four of their six power-play opportunities in the win.
The Sharks hadn’t recorded more than two power-play goals during the 2025-26 NHL season prior to Saturday’s win, so what exactly led to San Jose doubling that output against an elite opponent?
“I thought we were working hard, we were working for our opportunities and our chances and shooting the puck and getting pucks back,” Toffoli explained. “It sounds really cliche, but that’s how it was. We were doing a really good job of moving pucks quick and getting pucks to the net.”
The Sharks capitalized on a key power-play opportunity while trailing 4-2 in the third period, with Macklin Celebrini logging one of his three assists in the win by finding Toffoli in front of the net for a decisive goal that got San Jose within one, and more importantly keeping belief alive in the building.
Celebrini extended his point streak to 13 games Saturday, the second longest by a teenager in the history of the NHL. The superstar sophomore now has 70 points in 44 games, firmly placing himself in the Hart Memorial Trophy discussion as the NHL’s MVP.
With just over five minutes remaining, a Sam Dickinson shot from the blue line connected with Adam Gaudette’s stick to deliver the game-tying goal, setting San Jose up for an overtime ending that typically has gone in the Sharks’ favor this season.
After a Mikko Rantanen penalty gave the Sharks a 4-on-3 advantage in overtime, Toffoli didn’t let the golden opportunity slip through San Jose’s fingers, blasting a puck into the back of the net past Stars goalie Casey DeSmith for an emphatic winner.
The Shark Tank erupted in jubilation, which led to an emotional postgame interview from Toffoli who acknowledged the raucous crowd’s impact on the team’s heroic comeback.
“It was awesome, that was the rumor it was going to be packed … this is awesome,” Toffoli told NBC Sports California’s Tara Sloane with a big grin on his face.
Look at Toff's smile when he's talking about the home crowd
The Sharks have not only one of the NHL’s best fanbases, but one of the most loyal and supportive as you’ll find in professional sports anywhere.
While the Sharks navigated a five-year rough patch as one of the league’s worst teams, you could still bank on seeing teal sweaters in the stands at SAP Center showing up night in and night out.
But sellouts like this only come as a byproduct of a talented or exciting team that leaves the local population with no choice but to build their plans around ensuring they have a seat in the building to watch their beloved squad take the ice.
This 2025-26 Sharks team checks both of those boxes, and the special part is you get the sense this is just the beginning of what will be a prolonged period of excellence for proud franchise seeking to reclaim it’s place among the NHL’s best.
Soon, these sellouts won’t be celebrated or even acknowledged, because they will simply return to being the norm.
And that’s the way it should be. Hockey as a whole is better when the Shark Tank is a place even the toughest opponents fear when they see a road game in San Jose on their calendar.
It’s starting to feel like that again, and it all starts with the confidence and belief that these Sharks and their beloved fans have in one and other.
“We like playing good teams and we like beating the good teams, because we’re a good team,” Gaudette confidently stated after Saturday’s win.
The Montreal Canadiens are gearing up for a big contest against the Detroit Red Wings on Jan. 10. With the Canadiens and Red Wings being tied at the top of the Atlantic Division standings at 55 points, this game will certainly be one to watch.
The Canadiens will also be getting one of their very important defenseman back for the contest.
The Canadiens have confirmed that blueliner Kaiden Guhle will be back in the lineup against the Red Wings.
It's been a long road back for Guhle, as he has not played since the Canadiens' Oct. 16 contest against the Nashville Predators. With this, he has missed each of Montreal's last 39 games. Yet, with today's news, Guhle is set to return for the Original Six club.
With Guhle being one of the Canadiens' key defensemen, there is no question that his return is good news. This is especially so when noting that the Canadiens are looking to remain one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference as the season rolls on.
Guhle paired with Arber Xhekaj at the Canadiens' morning skate. With this, Jayden Struble is not expected to be in the lineup against Detroit.
In five games this season with the Canadiens, Guhle has recorded one goal, one assist, 16 hits, and a plus-1 rating. This is after he had six goals, 12 assists, 18 points, 104 hits, and 124 blocks in 55 games for Montreal this past season.
The Chicago Blackhawks will play the second half of a back-to-back on Saturday night in Nashville. This comes one night after a tough 5-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Friday night.
This loss to Washington snapped a four-game winning streak for Chicago, but the lineup was compromised in the defeat. What head coach Jeff Blashill called a “stomach bug” is floating around the locker room, causing players to either miss or play under the weather.
They have a chance for a quick turnaround against the Nashville Predators on Saturday night, but the stomach bug doesn’t seem to have fully left them yet. It will likely be another game that the guys who do play have to battle extra hard.
Scouting Nashville
The Nashville Predators had a horrific letdown year in 2024-25. After signing veterans like Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei, they expected to take their playoff team from the year prior and elevate it to a Stanley Cup contender. Instead, they were a lottery team.
This season, it looked like they would be a lottery team once again at the start of the year. They couldn’t buy a win early. Lately, however, they have been hot enough to get themselves back in the Western Conference playoff race. Nashville is 7-3-0 in its last 10 games, 20-19-4 overall, and sits three points outside of a playoff spot.
This team that once looked like a lock to trade all of its stars now has an eye on a different prize. With that, the Blackhawks are next on their list of potential victims. Nashville came to Chicago on November 28th and beat them at the United Center 4-3.
Forsberg - O'Reilly - Stamkos
Bunting - Haula - Evangelista
Jost - Svechkov - Wood
Schaefer - McCarron - Smith
Josi - Perbix
Skjei - Wilsby
Hague - Blankenburg
Saros
Marchessault is dealing with something that has him listed as day-to-day. That leaves Filip Forsberg, Ryan O’Reilly, and Steven Stamkos as their big guns offensively.
On defense, Roman Josi leads the way, along with goalie Juuse Saros. To break through, the Blackhawks just need to continue their effort on the forecheck. The Predators have been playing well lately, but this is a team the Blackhawks have the firepower to overcome, as long as they have their legs going.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Chicago Blackhawks called up goalie prospect Stan Berezhnoy ahead of the game. That means that Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom are not yet better as they deal with the stomach illness that forced Drew Commesso into action on Friday night.
Bertuzzi-Greene-Burakovsky
Bedard-Moore-Lardis
Teravainen-Dickinson-Donato
Dach-Foligno-Slaggert
Vlasic-Murphy
Kaiser-Levshunov
Korchinski-Grzelcyk
Berezhnoy
This is how the Blackhawks lined up their forwards and defense on Friday night against the Capitals. It is unclear if the illness has hit anyone else, but Berezhnoy was the only call-up to this point. Commesso and Korchinski, who were call-ups on Friday, may be dressed on Saturday as well.
Jeff Blashill said that Ilya Mikheyev will travel to Nashville and likely play. If that's the only change to the skaters, expect Slaggert to come out and for Mikheyev to go back in. We won't know the changes this causes for the lines until warmups.
How To Watch
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be found locally on CHSN. The puck will drop shortly after 7:00 PM CT.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
