NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 01: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 talks to Trent Grisham #12 of the New York Yankees during the game against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on October 1, 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees are returning almost the entirety of their 2025 squad, something that has seemed inevitable for some time. For those frustrated by the strategy, I offer a warning: it could happen next year too. A huge chunk of the Yankees’ core is under control for years into the future. Nearly every pitcher of note on their staff is either under long-term contract or young and going through their arb/pre-arb years, while the lineup is staffed largely with sluggers on long deals (Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, Giancarlo Stanton), or young hitters who won’t hit free agency for years (Ben Rice, Austin Wells, Anthony Volpe).
Leaving aside whether or not next winter could be another Run it Back kind of offseason, the fact remains that only a handful of key contributors to the 2026 season will be eyeing free agency come next year. Those contributors are, in no particular order, Trent Grisham, David Bednar, and Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Of those three, which would you most like to see continue donning pinstripes beyond 2026? Each has their merits. Grisham has perhaps the shortest track record of high-quality play, his breakout 2025 sticking out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of his career. But that shorter track record could make him easier to retain, and perhaps on a deal that doesn’t stretch too far into the future.
Chisholm is probably the best of this trio of possible free agents. His case is the most straightforward: he’s a very good player, and he will likely cost the most to keep around. Chisholm brings a dynamic, multi-faceted game, fielding his position well, hitting for power, and running the bases with aplomb. He’s 28-years-old and appears only just now to be peaking. It’s not easy to replace those kinds of players, and it’s also not easy to retain them.
Then there’s the case of Bednar. The burly right-hander was the antidote the Yankees’ ailing bullpen needed last summer, Bednar providing steady excellence in the ninth inning while the options around him all crumbled. The Yankees haven’t made a habit of spending on relievers in recent years, but if Bednar can continue his superlative work, he’d make an argument for them to buck that trend.
So, who do you most want to see stick around? The second baseman who can rake, the fire-breathing closer, or the smooth center fielder? Lay out your case in the comments below.
It will be a little quieter on the site today, with Jeremy continuing our Yankee Birthday series by celebrating Fritz Peterson, a 20-game winner with the Yankees back in 1970, and John making his weekly run through Yankees social media.
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 05: Avery Hayes #85 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his second NHL goal against the Buffalo Sabres with teammates Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Anthony Mantha #39 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period of an NHL game on February 05, 2026 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Ben Ludeman/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Fueled by a 14-3-3 run since Christmas break that ranked second in the NHL, the Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves sitting pretty in the Eastern Conference’s playoff picture when the NHL took its pause for the Olympics.
Pittsburgh’s season so far can be neatly broken into three segments; there was the hot 8-2-2 start that got them off to a strong footing followed by a period from Halloween to Christmas where they struggled to a 7-10-7 record that put them around the bottom of the league in that stretch, followed by the return to the top up to the Olympics from the period of Christmas onward.
That does leave one to wonder what will come next in the upcoming unofficial fourth segment of the season when games resume. Unfortunately for the Pens, it’s going to be a tough path to travel. They have the NHL’s toughest remaining strength of schedule based on quality of opponent. From Tankathon:
The Pens still have a lot of obstacles in their path in what looks like a brutal slate in March. The Pens will play 17 games in the month, tough enough as that may be it’s even more daunting seeing 14 of those 17 opponents currently in a playoff position. Seven of those games come against teams that are currently first in their division. That will be highlighted with three March games against Carolina, the team the Penguins find themselves eight points behind for first place in the Metropolitan Division.
Despite the upcoming brutal path, most models are bullish on the Pens’ chances to make the playoffs due to the strong work they’ve put together to this point. The Athletic is projecting a season finish of 95.8 points, Hockeystats.com is at 98. The Pens’ current statistical pace is 103 points based off how they’ve done so far. The team already has 70 points with 26 games to go, meaning both models are expecting close to a .500 finish in the games that remain. That could be something to keep in mind, if the Pens can over-perform that figure then their projections will shift up, and the opposite will hold true if the losses and regulation losses start stacking up again.
Even though it can be seen as a tough development to take a pause while the team has been among the NHL’s best in the last six weeks, the Olympic break likely still comes at a good time for the Pens overall. The break gives Kris Letang a chance to heal his broken foot without missing as many games. Evgeni Malkin was gutting through a shoulder problem that gets the benefit of added time off. Stuart Skinner was going into a slide and gets an opportunity for a reset. Pittsburgh will need all three veterans to play well down the stretch, the break provides them all a better chance compared to if the NHL season kept rolling on like it would in a non-Olympic year.
The NHL season is nearing 70% done, the Penguins have an impressive body of work through that time. It’s set them up for a very realistic chance at doing what many thought couldn’t be done to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2022. There’s still a way to go and a short time to get there, which their fate will ultimately be determined by playing a very tough schedule when the games pick back up. That’s what meaningful hockey this time of year is all about.
PERTH, Australia (AP) — South Africa won the Australian stopover in the sevens world series for the first time in nine years after topping Fiji 21-19 in the Perth final on Sunday.
It took a phenomenal second try by Ryan Oosthuizen, who crashed past four Fijians, to tie the score at 19 that was then converted from the sideline by Ricardo Duarttee.
“I'm not the fastest guy so sometimes I need to run over people,” Oosthuizen said.
New Zealand women won their third leg of four in the series, beating defending Perth champion Australia 29-7 in the 31-degree (C) heat and ending Australia's 10-match home win streak.
South Africa pounced on two Fiji errors to blast off 14-0 in four minutes. Duarttee converted tries by Oosthuizen and Sebastiaan Jobb.
But Fiji has been the comeback king lately. It rallied from 12-0 down to beat France in the Singapore final last weekend, and beat South Africa from 14-0 down in pool play on Saturday.
Terio Veilawa was at the center of Fiji's rally, setting up tries for Viwa Naduvalo and captain Jeremaia Matana to trail only 14-12 at halftime. Veilawa then claimed the second-half restart and broke two tackles on his own 22 line to score the go-ahead try, converted by Iowane Teba for 19-14.
But South Africa regained the lead when Oosthuizen high-stepped to his second try and Duarttee slotted his second big sideline conversion.
The last five minutes were all defense. Nacani Boginisoko made a try-saving tackle near the right corner flag on South Africa’s Donovan Don, and Luan Giliomee pulled off a try-saver on Boginisoko on the halfway line.
South Africa last won in Australia in 2017 and is the first two-time men’s winner in the ongoing series.
In the season's fourth women's final of four between the neighbors, the Australians, after being smashed by New Zealand 36-7 in the Singapore final, scored first through Heidi Dennis, their youngest player at 20.
But Jorja Miller, on her 22nd birthday, kickstarted New Zealand with a brilliant run. She slipped out of a double tackle near the right touchline in her half, tore away and threw off a third defender, and offloaded to send captain Risi Pouri-Lane over.
Kelsey Teneti then scored on both sides of halftime for a Perth-leading eight tries. Katelyn Vaha'akolo finished off another overlap, and New Zealand, which missed one tackle in the final, capped it in typical style: Stacey Waaka forced a desperation spill by Australia's Maddison Levi near her tryline and Alena Saili snapped up the gift.
“After back-to-back tournaments, for the girls to show consistency and connection and still turn up even when it's hot and you're hurting, I'm really proud,” Pouri-Lane said.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 21: New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye reacts during overtime in a game between the Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics in Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden on May 21, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Growing up in Massachusetts, Super Bowl Sunday felt like a national holiday in the 2000s and 2010s. Normally the New England Patriots would be playing in the big game at night but to set the stage for the evening, the Boston Celtics would play a game on the same day, most of the time in TD Garden. With the Patriots once again making the Super Bowl this season against the Seattle Seahawks and the Celtics scheduled to face off against the New York Knick at 12:30pm a holiday that sat dormant for years is making its triumphed return. I thought it would be a fun exercise to take a look at the history of the Celtics playing on a Patriots Super Bowl and what I found were some iconic memories in Boston history.
There were only three instances in the twelve Super Bowl appearances for the Patriots in their history where the Celtics did not play a game on the same day. The first coming on January 26th, 1997 when New England lost to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl 31. The second was on February 1st, 2004 when New England beat the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 38. The last occurrence came on February 3rd, 2008 when New England lost to the New York Giants in Super Bowl 42.
1/26/1986: Celtics 105, 76ers 103
On January 26th, 1986, the 1985 New England Patriots played in their first ever championship game in Super Bowl 20 against the Chicago Bears. Kickoff started at exactly 3:21 Eastern Standard Time and they got crushed 46-10. Fans in the city of Boston didn’t have to wait long to find a distraction because the Boston Celtics tipped off against the Philadelphia 76ers at 8pm that same night in the Boston Garden.
In a matchup where Charles Barkley and Maurice Cheeks combined for 48 points and Kevin McHale was out, Larry Bird dropped 28 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals on the 76ers but on an off shooting night of 9-25. He was 3-5 from three point range and he had some help along side him with 19 points and 13 rebounds from Bill Walton, 17 points from Dennis Johnson, and 16 points from Scott Wedman who replaced McHale in the starting lineup.
Philadelphia was up 99-98 with two minutes to go, and threatening on the fast break before Dennis Johnson made an incredible block on Moses Malone to keep it a one score game. After some more great defense, Danny Ainge found Larry Bird streaking to the basket for an And-1 on a reverse layup to give Boston a 101-99 lead with a minute to go. The rest of the game ended in both teams taking turns at the free throw line. Boston hit all of theirs while Philadelphia went 3-5 including Charles Barkley missing a free throw at the end of the game to give the Celtics a 105-103 win. The 76ers fell to 29-15 on the season while the Celtics moved to 33-8 on their road to winning the 1986 NBA Championship.
2/3/2002: Celtics 104, Clippers 91
The Celtics and Patriots would not cross paths again until Super Bowl 36 on February 3rd, 2002. Where the underdog 2001 New England Patriots were going up against the St. Louis Rams who were known as “The Greatest Show on Turf” for how explosive their offense was. The Patriots were led by head coach 2nd year head coach Bill Belichick and 2nd year quarterback Tom Brady. But before the Super Bowl was played that night at 6:40, the Boston Celtics had a 3pm matinee matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Unlike the thriller the Celtics played in back in 1986, this game was more subdued with the Celtics taking care of business 104-91. It was a close game going into the fourth quarter with the Celtics holding a slim 81-78 lead. However, the Clippers offense was held to only 13 points on 3-17 shooting in the quarter while Boston rattled of a 19-7 run that was sealed by an Antonie Walker three with 5 minutes to go give Boston the victory. Walker (27 points) and Paul Pierce (24 points) combined for 51 points Boston’s win while Michael Olowokandi led LA with 27 in the loss. The Clippers record moved to 24-25 while the Celtics moved up to 27-20 however neither of these teams would make the playoffs in the 2001-02 season.
Back to the Super Bowl, after the Rams tied the game up at 17-17 with 1:37 left in the game, the Patriots quickly moved down the field to get into field goal range with 7 seconds left in the game. Future Hall of Fame kicker Adam Vinatieri drilled a game winning field goal and for the first time in their franchise’s history, the New England Patriots were Super Bowl champions.
3 Feb 2002: Paul Pierce #34 of the Boston Celtics takes a jumper against the Los Angeles Clippers during their NBA Game at the Fleet Center in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory copyright notice: Copyright 2002 NBAE Mandatory credit: Noren Trotman/NBAE/Getty Images | NBAE via Getty Images
2/6/2005: Celtics 103, Timberwolves 100
We fast forward three seasons into the future for our next double feature and the Patriots are turning themselves into a dynasty. After missing the playoffs in 2002, they came back and won Super Bowl 38 again in the 2003 season and are going for their fourth in three years in 2004 in Super Bowl 39. The Boston Celtics were on the road for this game, playing a 1pm matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
This was a back and forth game throughout and the Celtics took a 101-96 lead on 2 made free throws by Paul Pierce with 1:26 left in the game. Minnesota answered with 2 free throws of their own and Kevin Garnett hit a midrange jumper with 10 seconds left to get the Timberwolves within 1 point. Pierce was fouled on the inbounds and hit two more clutch free throws to give Boston a 103-100 lead with 8.9 seconds left. Out of the Timberwolves timeout, future Celtics assistant coach Sam Cassell went up for a game-tying three but it was blocked by Gary Payton to secure the Celtics victory.
Paul Pierce was the leading scorer for Boston in this game with 32 points on 8-16 shooting while Gary Payton also had a big game, with 22 points on 10-18 shooting. Minnesota was led by Kevin Garnett and Michael Olowokandi who both scored 21 points. Both teams records went to 24-24 on the season but Boston would be the only team to make the playoffs from this matchup, losing in the first round to the Indiana Pacers in 7 games.
After that thrilling Celtics victory, the Patriots took on the Eagles for the Super Bowl. Philadelphia had 46 seconds to try and go down the field and win the game but Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb threw an interception to Patriots safety Rodney Harrison 17 seconds , sealing a New England victory. Tom Brady kneeled out the clock and the New England Patriots won their their third Super Bowl in four seasons, cementing themselves as a dynasty.
2/5/2012: Celtics 98, Grizzlies 80
Seven years passed in between the next time the Celtics played on a Patriots Super Bowl Sunday. The Celtics won a championship in the 2008 season with their big 3 of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett but lost in the 2010 NBA Finals and haven’t made it back since. New England had previously lost Super Bowl 42 to the New York Giants in the 2007 season and were looking for revenge in their rematch in Super Bowl 46 in the 2011 season. The Celtics were scheduled to play 12pm game at TD Garden before the very hyped up Super Bowl matchup and took care of the Memphis Grizzlies handedly, 98-80.
After a close three quarters, Memphis ran out of gas in the fourth quarter, scoring only 19 points on 8-26 shooting. Boston was able to capitalize on this by going on a 15-3 run to open up a 23 point lead and give the Celtics the win. Kevin Garnett led the way for the Celtics with 24 points and 9 rebounds on 9-12 shooting with Paul Pierce contributing 21 points of his own. Rudy Gay had 21 points but it was not enough. Memphis would fall to 12-12 on the season on the road to losing in the first round against the Los Angeles Clippers. Boston moved to 13-10 on the season and would make the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the Miami Heat.
After the Celtics win, the stage had been set for another successful New England double header. The Patriots had a 17-15 lead with 3:46 left in the game. However, Giants quarterback Eli Manning drove New York down the field and into the end zone to give them the lead. The Patriots had 57 seconds left to try and exact their revenge on the New York Giants but failed Hail Mary attempt at the end of regulation led to New England losing the Super Bowl 21-17.
2/1/2015: Celtics 75, Heat 83
Three years later, the 2014 Patriots were once again a power house and back in Super Bowl 49, looking for their first trophy since the 2004 season against the Seattle Seahawks and their “Legion of Doom” defense. The Celtics on the other hand were in the process of a rebuild. The Big 3 were gone and the team was led by Avery Bradley and a bunch of yound players like Marcus Smart, Jared Sullinger, and Tyler Zeller. Before the Patriots game, Boston played a 1pm tipoff against the Miami Heat in TD Garden.
The Heat were up by 13 at halftime of this game before the Celtics started to get hot in the third quarter. They chipped away at the deficit and ended up tying the game at one point before going into the fourth quarter down 61-59. Sadly, Miami responded with a run of their own in the fourth quarter and Norris Cole hit the dagger with a midrange jumper at the 1:07 mark to lead the Heat to a 83-75.
Hassan Whiteside was the leading scorer for Miami with 20 points and Chris Bosh added of his own to increase their record to 21-26. Avery Bradly and Tyler Zeller were tied for the most points for Boston with 17 and the Celtics fell to a record of 16-30. Somehow Boston would make a miraculous turnaround and make the playoffs in 2014-15 season but were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
This was the only time the Celtics lost a game on a Patriots Super Bowl but luckily fans in Boston had something to look forward to that night. In another close game, the Patriots took the lead on a Tom Brady touchdown to Julian Edelman with 2:06 left in the game to make the score 28-24. Seattle moved down the field in response and were 1 yard away from winning the game. However, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson decided to the ball and it was intercepted at the goal line by Malcolm Butler to secure the Patriots win in one of the most improbable ways possible.
2/5/2017: Celtics 107, Clippers 102
If I had to choose my favorite day on this list, it would have to be February 5th, 2017. The 2016 Patriots were scheduled to play the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl 51 at night but the city of Boston was set to honor one man: Paul Pierce. The Celtics were facing off against the Los Angeles Clippers at 2pm and this was going to be the final game Pierce played in TD Garden in his NBA career. Pierce was in the starting lineup for the Clippers and played the first five minutes of the game before being subbed out. In this game, Boston was able to run out with a lead early and never really give it up despite the best efforts from Los Angeles.
Although there was a very entertaining basketball game going on, you couldn’t help but just wonder when former Celtics head coach and at the time Clippers head coach Doc Rivers would put Pierce back in. It was a close game in the fourth quarter so there wasn’t a guarantee that he got a final send off. Luckily, the Celtics were able to expand upon their lead and make it so with 19.8 seconds to go, Paul Pierce checked in at the scorer’s table for the final time to a standing ovation from the TD Garden crowd. Pierce was able to hit one last three pointer as time was expiring for one of the most beautiful endings we have seen for a Celtics legend in Boston.
Blake Griffin and Jamal Crawford were the leading scorers for the Clippers with 23 points and Los Angeles fell to 31-20 on the season on the road to eventually being a first round exit to the Utah Jazz in the playoffs. Isaiah Thomas led the Celtics in scoring with 28 points and 8 assists and Boston had six other players in double digit scoring as well. Boston moved to 33-18 on the season and would end up making the Eastern Conference Finals before falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 5 games.
You could argue there is nothing that could possibly top this incredible game from the Celtics but little did anyone know what the Patriots had in store that night. New England started the Super Bowl awful, going down 28-3 at the 8:31 mark of the third quarter. However, something snapped in the Patriots and they started slowly chipping away at the deficit until suddenly, they somehow tie the game with under a minute to go at 28-28 and are going into overtime. The Patriots won the coin toss, drove down the field, and James White ran it into the end zone for the game winning touchdown. This is the second Super Bowl win in the last three years for the Patriots and it capped off maybe the greatest day in Boston sports history.
2/4/2018: Celtics 97, Trail Blazers 96
For the second season in a row, the Patriots were playing in the Super Bowl and the Celtics played in an instant classic. This time the 2017 Patriots were heavy favorites against the Philadelphia Eagles who were starting a backup quarterback named Nick Foles ijn Super Bowl 52. Before that game could start, the Celtics played a 12pm game in TD Garden against the Portland Trail Blazers.
This game was a slugfest all night long and came down to the final seconds of the fourth quarter. With 13.6 seconds left on the clock, Terry Rozier knocked down a tough midrange jumper to give the Celtics a 95-93 lead. However, Damian Lillard responded quickly, finishing a layup and getting the foul. Lillard made the free throw and made it a 96-95 game with 7.2 seconds to go. Out of the Celtics timeout, Jaylen Brown was inbounding and found Al Horford who got it and hit a fadeaway mid range jumper as time expired to give the Celtics a 97-96 win.
CJ McCollum led the Trail Blazers with 22 points and Damian Lillard finished with 21 points in the loss, falling to a 29-24 record that would lead them to getting swept in the first round of the playoffs by the New Orleans Pelicans. Al Horford was fittingly the Celtics leading scorer with 22 points and 10 rebounds on 8-12 shooting. Boston would up their record to 39-15 on the road to an unlikely Eastern Conference Finals appearance where they lost to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 7 games.
If both teams are following the script from last season, the Patriots would find a way to win the Super Bowl that night. Sadly, that did not happen as in a shootout for the ages, Tom Brady’s failed Hail Mary attempt at the end of the game gave the Philadelphia Eagles a 41-33 victory over New England.
2/3/2019: Celtics 134, Thunder 129
For the final Super Bowl matchup prior to this season, the Celtics and Patriots decided to end the trilogy on a high note. The 2018 New England Patriots were in the Super Bowl for the fourth time in their last five seasons and were looking to avenge their loss from the season before against the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 53. The Celtics would start the days festivities with a 2pm matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder in a game that could have been a Finals preview.
It felt like the Celtics were in control of this game for the most part but the Thunder were not going away. At the 23.3 mark of the fourth quarter it felt like Kyrie Irving hit the dagger in this game with a beautiful lefty floater to give the Celtics a 129-125 lead. However, Oklahoma City was not done yet as Jerami Grant hit a huge three to make it a one point game. Jayson Tatum was fouled on the next possession where he made the first and missed the second free throw to give the Thunder a chance to win it down by two. Russell Westbrook brought the ball down the court with a full head of steam but lost the handle, turning it over and Tatum hit both free throws on the next possession to end the game in a Celtics win 134-129.
Paul George led the way for the Thunder with 37 points while Russell Westbrook has a 22 point triple-double in the loss. Oklahoma City fell to 33-19 on the season but lost in the first round of the playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers when Damian Lillard hit his iconic buzzer beater in Game 5. Kyrie Irving led the way for the Celtics with 30 points and 11 assists on 14-19 shooting. Boston improved to 34-19 but would lose in disappointing fashion in the second round of the playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks in 5 games.
After a thrilling victory, the Patriots decided to play in a very different way in the Super Bowl. Unlike the season prior where it was an offensive slugfest, this year both offenses were kept at bay by some elite defenses. The Patriots broke a 3-3 tie with 7 minutes to go in the fourth quarter when running back Sony Michel ran it in for a touchdown. The Patriots would be leading 13-3 with 1:16 left to go and that would be the final score as the Rams offense was dominated by New England’s defense. With a kneel down by Tom Brady, the Patriots had tied an NFL record with their 6th Super Bowl victory and cemented themselves as the greatest 20 Year Dynasty in NFL history.
Opener Tim Seifert struck a blistering 65 off 42 balls to lead New Zealand’s highest-ever run in a T20 World Cup as they beat Afghanistan by five wickets on Sunday.
Draymond Green still believes Jonathan Kuminga could have a very bright NBA future.
The Warriors forward discussed on the latest episode of his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show,” Golden State trading Kuminga, along with guard Buddy Hield, to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline and shared his appreciation for how Kuminga handled himself throughout his four-plus seasons with Golden State, despite not receiving consistent playing time after he was selected with the No. 7 pick in the 2021 draft.
“When you’re the seventh pick in the NBA draft, you usually go to a place where they’re going to give you the ball, they’re going to allow you to make a ton of mistakes, and you grow through those mistakes in hopes that you become a key, cornerstone, franchise piece to the rebuild of the team that drafted you with the seventh pick,” Green said of Kuminga.
“You’re usually not drafted to a team that’s good enough to compete and win a championship that year. That’s the hand Jonathan Kuminga was dealt. And so I appreciate the way he handled it, the maturity he showed in handling the situation the entire time, even when the writing was on the wall and everybody in the world kind of knew a trade was going to happen.
Kuminga showed flashes of star potential with the Warriors but ultimately was a difficult scheme fit with Golden State and was unable to establish a consistent role in coach Steve Kerr’s rotations, leading to a plethora of DNP-CDs (Did Not Play – Coach’s Decision) over the years, especially throughout his final season in the Bay.
It’s unclear exactly what his role will be with the Hawks or how much he will see the floor throughout the remainder of the season, but Atlanta, which has multiple young, athletic wings, highlighted by fifth-year breakout forward Jalen Johnson, should be a better scheme fit for Kuminga.
“I wish him well on the journey to Atlanta,” Green added. “[I hope] he can go thrive, that he can go become a cornerstone of that franchise with Jalen Johnson. Those two guys running down at full speed in transition, good luck.”
The Hawks on Saturday announced Kuminga, who dealt with a knee bruise in the weeks leading up to the deadline, will remain out through the All-Star break and will be re-evaluated shortly after.
Then we will see what the 23-year-old can do with his new team.
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 7: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers smiles during the game against the Golden State Warriors on February 7, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
When the NBA made the schedule, they probably had a much different game in mind than the one that played out on Saturday.
On one side, Luka Dončić was out after a recent hamstring injury while, on the other side, Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler both were out. That left Austin Reaves, who was still on a minutes restriction, and LeBron James against Draymond Green and…Pat Spencer?
It wasn’t exactly the star-studded showdown everyone had hoped for.
The Lakers weren’t great for much of the game but did enough to hold off the Warriors and come away with the win. Perhaps this should serve as another reminder to cherish every LeBron and Steph meeting we have left.
So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
While we should cherish the games, we should also probably forget this one. A really bizarre LeBron game where he was bad in the first half, fantastic for the first 90 seconds of the third quarter, then faded away again.
This has been a gradual process, but we’re now at the point where, when Rui gets the ball swung to him for an open three, everyone just expects it to go in.
It wasn’t an awful return for Hayes, but I still haven’t forgiven him for a dumb decision to tackle the Wizards mascot. And his explanation was pretty awful, too.
Jaxson Hayes apologized to his teammates and the Wizards mascot for the incident leading to a one-game suspension. However, he explained that the shove was prompted by his foot being stepped on by the mascot. pic.twitter.com/vXHPsxG4RY
It’s pretty clear at this point that LaRavia is going to mix in some stinkers like this with his scoring outbursts. Reaves will likely move into the starting lineup soon and it seems pretty clear LaRavia will be the one going to the bench.
It wasn’t quite as big of a scoring night as Thursday, but it also felt like he made more than five field goals, too. I guess every one of his field goals was a highlight play on Saturday. The Lakers looked significantly better with him on the floor.
If Vando makes multiple threes, you almost certainly got a great game from him, which was the case on Saturday. He went toe-to-toe with Draymond Green at times and held his own. It was a really good rebounding night from him, too.
A very encouraging debut for Kennard, who immediately showed his value to the team with his first touch as a Laker. As his comfort level and knowledge of the Lakers system grows, I expect his production will, too.
After a standout game against the Sixers, Kleber parlayed it into another strong showing against the Warriors. The stats show a bit more of what he did in this contest, the biggest being him again leading the team in plus-minus.
Grade: A+
JJ Redick
Redick is really trying all he can defensively to get something out of this group. But even then, the Warriors were “breaking down” the zone defense with one pass leading to an open look from three. I also have to imagine that there was plenty of discussion about the Warriors and their offensive system, but just about every player on the court allowed a backdoor cut leading to a basket.
This team is just really, really bad defensively and I’m not sure how much blame I can place on Redick for that.
Also, he gets credit for not playing Gabe Vincent.
Grade: B+
Saturday’s DNPs: Bronny James, Dalton Knecht, Drew Timme, Nick Smith Jr.
Saturday’s inactives: Luka Dončić, Adou Thiero, Chris Mañon, Deandre Ayton
Alperen Sengun is averaging 20.8 points per game this season [Getty Images]
Houston Rockets centre Alperen Sengun says he has apologised to the female official he aimed a sexist remark at during a defeat by the Boston Celtics.
The Turkish player was ejected in the fourth quarter of his side's defeat on Wednesday after angrily making the derogatory comment multiple times to Jenna Reneau, who is in her first season as an NBA staff official.
"That was immature by me," said the 23-year-old Sengun, who was frustrated at no foul being called on him on a drive to the basket.
"That was just in the moment, and I said some stuff I shouldn't say, but I felt bad about it."
The incident involving Sengun occurred on National Girls and Women in Sports Day, with the Rockets posting a message from Kevin Durant to mark the occasion.
"Sometimes, you can't control yourself, but I should have known better," added Sengun, who was speaking after registering a triple double of 17 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in a 112-106 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.
"But I fixed it, and then I went to the locker room and I apologised. I shake [her] hand and said that would never happen again.
"It just happened in the heat of the moment. Then, she understood, and it was good on both ends."
HONOLULU (AP) — Isaac Johnson scored 20 points to help Hawaii hold on for a 72-67 victory over UC San Diego on Saturday night.
Johnson made 8 of 14 shots with two 3-pointers for the Rainbow Warriors (17-5, 9-3 Big West Conference). He added nine rebounds. Isaac Finlinson had 15 points and reserve Gytis Nemeiksa added 11 points, five rebounds and three blocks.
Tom Beattie scored 14 and Hudson Mayes totaled 12 points and 10 rebounds to pace the Tritons (16-9, 6-7). Alex Chaikin and Bol Dengdit both scored 11.
Johnson had 17 points and Hawaii led 34-32 at halftime despite scoring the first 11 points of the game. The Rainbow Warriors sank 3 of 4 foul shots in the final 13 seconds to clinch it.
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 6: Kobe Bufkin #6 of the South Bay Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the Capital City Go-Go on February 6, 2026 at CareFirst...
LOS ANGELES — Just hours after Rob Pelinka, the Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager, said the team would likely fill their vacant 15th roster spot, the team brought back a familiar face.
The Lakers are signing Kobe Bufkin to a two-year deal with a player option for 2026-27, a source confirmed to the California Post on Saturday evening.
The Lakers are signing Kobe Bufkin to a two-year deal with a player option for 2026-27. NBAE via Getty Images
Bufkin starred for the Lakers’ South Bay G League affiliate, averaging 26.7 points on 51.3% shooting (43.1% on 3-pointers) to go with 4.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds.
He tied a season-high 41 points, to go with eight assists, in South Bay’s Wednesday win over Capital City Go-Go.
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Bufkin signed a 10-day contract with the Lakers in early January. He played four games for the Lakers before returning to South Bay. Bufkin also signed a 10-day hardship deal with the Grizzlies in November.
The No. 15 pick out of Michigan in the 2023 draft, Bufkin played two seasons for the Atlanta Hawks before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets last September before being waived in October and traded to South Bay in November.
Milwaukee Bucks (21-29, 12th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Orlando Magic (27-24, seventh in the Eastern Conference)
Orlando, Florida; Monday, 7:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Orlando hosts Milwaukee trying to extend its three-game home winning streak.
The Magic are 18-17 in conference games. Orlando is sixth in the league with 52.5 points in the paint led by Franz Wagner averaging 11.4.
The Bucks have gone 16-17 against Eastern Conference opponents. Milwaukee averages 13.7 turnovers per game and is 8-8 when winning the turnover battle.
The Magic are shooting 46.3% from the field this season, 0.3 percentage points lower than the 46.6% the Bucks allow to opponents. The Bucks are shooting 48.1% from the field, which equals what the Magic's opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Paolo Banchero is averaging 21.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.9 assists for the Magic. Desmond Bane is averaging 2.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Bobby Portis is scoring 13.4 points per game and averaging 6.7 rebounds for the Bucks. Ryan Rollins is averaging 18.7 points and 4.9 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Magic: 4-6, averaging 110.5 points, 38.1 rebounds, 26.4 assists, 9.4 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 44.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.2 points per game.
Bucks: 4-6, averaging 109.2 points, 43.7 rebounds, 26.8 assists, 5.8 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.9 points.
INJURIES: Magic: Franz Wagner: out (ankle), Colin Castleton: out (thumb).
Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo: out (calf), Kyle Kuzma: day to day (calf), Taurean Prince: out (neck).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Detroit Pistons (38-13, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Charlotte Hornets (25-28, 10th in the Eastern Conference)
Charlotte, North Carolina; Monday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Charlotte hosts Detroit looking to continue its four-game home winning streak.
The Hornets are 15-19 against Eastern Conference opponents. Charlotte scores 116.0 points while outscoring opponents by 2.0 points per game.
The Pistons are 24-7 in conference games. Detroit is third in the Eastern Conference scoring 117.5 points per game and is shooting 48.0%.
The 116.0 points per game the Hornets score are 6.3 more points than the Pistons allow (109.7). The Pistons average 117.5 points per game, 3.5 more than the 114.0 the Hornets give up to opponents.
The teams meet for the second time this season. The Pistons won 112-86 in the last matchup on Dec. 21.
TOP PERFORMERS: Miles Bridges is shooting 45.1% and averaging 18.4 points for the Hornets. LaMelo Ball is averaging 3.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Ausar Thompson is shooting 51.3% and averaging 10.4 points for the Pistons. Duncan Robinson is averaging 3.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hornets: 9-1, averaging 114.3 points, 48.6 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 7.1 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 103.6 points per game.
Pistons: 7-3, averaging 118.0 points, 43.3 rebounds, 27.3 assists, 11.4 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 48.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.0 points.
INJURIES: Hornets: Coby White: out (calf), Malaki Branham: out (not injury related), Xavier Tillman: out (not injury related).
Pistons: Dario Saric: day to day (not injury related), Jalen Duren: day to day (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Philadelphia 76ers (30-22, sixth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (25-28, ninth in the Western Conference)
Portland, Oregon; Monday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Portland Trail Blazers host the Philadelphia 76ers in non-conference play.
The Trail Blazers are 15-13 on their home court. Portland has a 14-22 record against teams over .500.
The 76ers are 15-9 in road games. Philadelphia has a 12-18 record against teams over .500.
The Trail Blazers average 14.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.6 more made shots on average than the 12.7 per game the 76ers give up. The 76ers average 116.7 points per game, 1.3 fewer than the 118.0 the Trail Blazers allow.
TOP PERFORMERS: Donovan Clingan is averaging 11.4 points and 11.5 rebounds for the Trail Blazers. Jerami Grant is averaging 15.0 points over the last 10 games.
Tyrese Maxey is averaging 28.8 points, 6.9 assists and two steals for the 76ers. Joel Embiid is averaging 26.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Trail Blazers: 4-6, averaging 113.7 points, 47.8 rebounds, 24.1 assists, 8.1 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.4 points per game.
76ers: 7-3, averaging 117.1 points, 41.3 rebounds, 27.4 assists, 9.1 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 49.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.0 points.
INJURIES: Trail Blazers: Deni Avdija: out (back), Matisse Thybulle: out (knee), Scoot Henderson: out (hamstring), Shaedon Sharpe: out (calf), Robert Williams III: out (knee), Kris Murray: out (lumbar), Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).
76ers: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Eastern Conference foes Washington and Miami will play on Sunday.
The Wizards have gone 2-5 against division opponents. Washington allows the most points in the Eastern Conference, giving up 122.7 points and is allowing opponents to shoot 47.7%.
The Heat are 3-5 against the rest of their division. Miami is 6-3 in one-possession games.
The Wizards average 112.4 points per game, 5.2 fewer points than the 117.6 the Heat allow. The Heat average 13.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.5 fewer makes per game than the Wizards allow.
TOP PERFORMERS: Bub Carrington is averaging 10.1 points and 4.6 assists for the Wizards. Will Riley is averaging 12.8 points over the last 10 games.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. is scoring 15.4 points per game and averaging 5.4 rebounds for the Heat. Bam Adebayo is averaging 21.9 points and 10.4 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Wizards: 4-6, averaging 110.9 points, 42.0 rebounds, 25.6 assists, 9.5 steals and 6.1 blocks per game while shooting 44.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.6 points per game.
Heat: 5-5, averaging 120.1 points, 50.2 rebounds, 29.0 assists, 9.2 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.9 points.
INJURIES: Wizards: Dante Exum: out for season (knee), Anthony Davis: out for season (finger), Alex Sarr: out (ankle), Jaden Hardy: out (not injury related), Bilal Coulibaly: out (back), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), D'Angelo Russell: out (illness), Tre Johnson: out (ankle), Kyshawn George: out (knee), Trae Young: out (knee).
Heat: Norman Powell: day to day (hand), Tyler Herro: out (ribs), Pelle Larsson: day to day (elbow), Bam Adebayo: day to day (hip).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Chicago Bulls (24-29, 11th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Brooklyn Nets (14-37, 13th in the Eastern Conference)
New York; Monday, 7:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Chicago hits the road against Brooklyn looking to break its three-game road skid.
The Nets are 10-21 against Eastern Conference opponents. Brooklyn is 5-24 against opponents with a winning record.
The Bulls are 16-20 in Eastern Conference play. Chicago is sixth in the Eastern Conference scoring 117.0 points per game and is shooting 47.2%.
The Nets average 107.3 points per game, 13.2 fewer points than the 120.5 the Bulls allow. The Bulls' 47.2% shooting percentage from the field this season is 2.2 percentage points lower than the Nets have given up to their opponents (49.4%).
The two teams play for the fourth time this season. The Bulls defeated the Nets 124-102 in their last meeting on Jan. 19. Matas Buzelis led the Bulls with 17 points, and Nolan Traore led the Nets with 16 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Michael Porter Jr. is averaging 25 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Nets. Egor Demin is averaging 10.8 points over the last 10 games.
Buzelis is averaging 15.1 points and 5.4 rebounds for the Bulls. Patrick Williams is averaging 1.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nets: 2-8, averaging 100.6 points, 42.4 rebounds, 24.2 assists, 6.8 steals and 3.4 blocks per game while shooting 42.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.4 points per game.
Bulls: 3-7, averaging 113.3 points, 43.4 rebounds, 27.4 assists, 6.2 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 122.6 points.
INJURIES: Nets: None listed.
Bulls: Jalen Smith: out (calf), Noa Essengue: out for season (shoulder), Tre Jones: out (hamstring), Zach Collins: out (toe), Josh Giddey: out (hamstring).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
