NBA News

Portland Trail Blazers third-year point guard Scoot Henderson is set to make his season debut Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies after recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered in September. Henderson’s return couldn’t come at a better time or the surprising Blazers, who are currently in 10th place in the Western Conference, hanging on to the final play-in tournament spot. …

A months-long saga surrounding Jonathan Kuminga and his future finally came to an end on Wednesday when the Golden State Warriors traded him to the Atlanta Hawks as part of a deal that landed the Warriors big man Kristaps Porziņģis. Kuminga, 23, spent four-plus seasons in Golden State after he played for NBA G League Ignite and then was taken …

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Nobody on the Seattle Seahawks has supported Sam Darnold quite like Ernest Jones IV. When Darnold threw four interceptions against the Los Angeles Rams in a 21-19 loss in Week 11, Jones had his quarterback’s back. The second-team All-Pro linebacker wouldn’t allow Darnold to take the blame. Advertisement “Sam’s been balling,” Jones said after that game. …

It would’ve been unfair to expect the 2026 NBA trade deadline to match its predecessor in sheer tonnage of stunnage; “Luka Dončić got traded out of nowhere in the middle of the night” is a pretty tough act to follow, after all. But despite pundits and observers continuing to wonder aloud about whether the ongoing ripple effects of the 2023 …

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Tarik Skubal won his salary arbitration hearing with the Detroit Tigers on Thursday, and the two-time Cy Young Award winner will be paid a record $32 million this year instead of the team’s $19 million offer. Jeanne Charles, Walt De Treux and Allen Ponak made the decision one day after listening to arguments. Advertisement Toronto first …

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — As sleet pelted Bowman Gray Stadium during NASCAR’s preseason warm-up race, multiple drivers complained about poor visibility and the wet track conditions. One of them — the youngest driver in the field — hit the button on his radio and grumbled it was time to get back to racing no matter the conditions. Advertisement “We’re professional …

Late-game collapses have become far too regular for the Toronto Raptors, as they fell apart in the fourth quarter against the Timberwolves last night. Luckily, they’ll be able to quickly put that behind them as the Chicago Bulls come to town. Chicago is in the middle of a fire sale ahead of today’s trade deadline, making Toronto a big favorite. …

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks remained busy before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline by acquiring point guard Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round draft pick from the Los Angeles Lakers for shooting guard Luke Kennard, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press. Vincent adds depth at point guard in the deal, said the person, who spoke …

Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to remain a Milwaukee Buck. At least through the end of the season. Then this summer, the entire soap opera starts up again. The Milwaukee Bucks have formally told suitors they will not be trading Antetokounmpo at the trade deadline, something that clearly had been building for a couple of days but now has been formalized, …

The Pelicans are reportedly trading Jose Alvarado to the Knicks, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Alvarado is averaging 7.9 points, 3.1 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game this season, which is a bit of a decline from a year ago. Alvarado is in his fifth year in the NBA, all with New Orleans. He’s primarily been the team’s sixth man, …

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves have acquired guard Ayo Dosunmu from the Chicago Bulls, adding a proven scorer to bolster their depth for the stretch run in the stacked Western Conference playoffs race, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade …

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The league MVP and the winners of the other seven AP NFL awards will be announced at NFL Honors on Thursday night, just days ahead of Super Bowl 60. Christian McCaffrey is only the second player to be a finalist for three AP NFL awards in the same year. He joins Josh Allen, Trevor Lawrence, Drake …

MILAN (AP) — Milan’s San Siro stadium is set for a final hurrah. The opening ceremony for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics will likely be the last event of major global significance held at the iconic stadium before it is torn down in the next few years. Advertisement The 99-year-old arena is home to soccer clubs Inter Milan and AC …

The San Antonio Spurs travel to the Metroplex to take on the Dallas Mavericks in an NBA Southwest Division battle. Naji Marshall is one of the more consistent Mavs that haven’t been traded, and my Spurs vs. Mavericks predictions expect Marshall to stuff the stat sheet tonight. Advertisement Read on for my NBA picks for Thursday, February 5. Spurs vs …

MILAN (AP) — Lina Ljungblom scored two goals to lift Sweden to a 4-1 comeback win over Germany in the opening game of the Olympic women’s hockey tournament Thursday. Katarina Jobst-Smith’s goal early in the first period gave Germany the lead before Ljungblom’s two goals turned the game around and Mira Jungaker and Thea Johansson extended the Swedes’ lead. Sweden …

The Cleveland Cavaliers mortgaged part of their future for a better chance at winning a title now when they sent out a 26-year-old former All-Star in Darius Garland for 36-year-old James Harden. And even though Harden has his playoff warts, he’s an upgrade over Garland and will address multiple weaknesses with the roster. Let’s take a look at how exactly …

MILAN (AP) — It appears as if those troublemaking Minions will be taking the Olympic ice after all. Spanish figure skater Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate said after practice early Thursday that he has received the necessary approval for three of the four music cuts he needs to perform his short program. The only piece missing from his medley is “Freedom” by …

The Dallas Mavericks are still feeling the aftermath of last season’s shocking Luka Doncic trade. They came away with the #1 overall pick last season, cashing that chip in by selecting Cooper Flagg out of Duke, but at 19-31 little else has gone their way. Reviled GM Nico Harrison was relieved of his duties in early November while Anthony Davis, …

HOUSTON — At the Celtics’ team meeting on Wednesday morning, two-way player Ron Harper Jr. saw his name on the whiteboard. It quickly dawned on him: for the first time in his four-year NBA career, he was going to start in an NBA basketball game. Advertisement “I knew I was getting a start,” Harper Jr. said, “and I just knew …

Chicago Bulls (24-27, 10th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Toronto Raptors (30-22, sixth in the Eastern Conference) Toronto; Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Raptors -8.5; over/under is 226.5 Advertisement BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Bulls visit Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors in Eastern Conference action Thursday. The Raptors are 22-14 in conference play. Toronto is eighth in the …

Los Angeles Clippers (23-27, ninth in the Western Conference) vs. Sacramento Kings (12-40, 15th in the Western Conference) Sacramento, California; Friday, 10 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: Sacramento looks to end its four-game home slide with a victory over Los Angeles. Advertisement The Kings are 2-7 against Pacific Division opponents. Sacramento has a 5-25 record in games decided by 10 or …

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — There wasn’t one specific thing coach Mark Few could point to in trying to explain Gonzaga’s struggles against Portland. It all went wrong. “Just outplayed us, outexecuted us, outshot us,” Few said. “When they got open shots, they made them. And we didn’t. Literally every phase of the game.” Advertisement Sixth-ranked Gonzaga lost 87-80 to the …

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Matvei Gridin had a goal and an assist for the rookie’s first multipoint game in the NHL, leading the Calgary Flames to a 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night. Ryan Lomberg scored the go-ahead goal at 6:44 of the third period. Jonathan Huberdeau and Connor Zary also scored for Calgary. Nazem Kadri, MacKenzie …

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shane Wright scored twice to lead the Seattle Kraken to a 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night. Vince Dunn and Adam Larsson also scored and Chandler Stephenson and Frederick Gaudreau each had two assists for the Kraken, who have won five of their last six games. Joey Daccord made 25 saves. Advertisement …

DENVER (AP) — Josh Manson scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period and the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche beat the San Jose Sharks 4-2 in their final game before the Olympic break Wednesday night. Artturi Lehkonen scored twice and Nathan MacKinnon had two assists for Colorado to reach another career milestone. Advertisement MacKinnon joined Joe Sakic as the only players …