All of the current Lakers realized that playing against the Boston Celtics on national television really was more than just one of the 82 games on the NBA schedule. It was crystallized even more because iconic former Lakers coach Pat Riley sat courtside after a celebration for the unveiling of his statue outside on the Star Plaza at Crypto.com Arena. He was the first Lakers coach to beat the hated Celtics for an NBA championship after eight failed attempts.
Anyone who receives 75% of the vote or more will join second baseman Jeff Kent as part of the 2026 Hall of Fame class. This year's class of newcomers to the ballot is headlined by southpaw Cole Hamels, though the lefty won't be inducted on his first ballot. Outfielder Manny Ramirez is entering his final year on the ballot and will surely miss out on induction due to PED usage during his career, as steroid era legends like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens have before him.
While Tom Wilson, Logan Thompson, and Martin Fehervary are going for the gold in Milan, their teammates will be getting the benefit of some time off to reset for the playoff push. [THN] Congrats to Martin Fehervary on being named one of the alternate captains for Team Slovakia! [TSN, Daily Faceoff] It's hard to believe that the last time the NHL took part in the Olympics was 12 years ago - and 12 years ago we all got to see the moment T.J. Oshie became T.J. Sochi. [THW]
Congratulations to the Seattle Seahawks on their victory, but all they and the New England Patriots proved is that sometimes the big game is nothing but a big boring slog. Especially compared to the 2025 World Series in which the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers told a story full of drama, excitement and memorable moments over a seven game series that went down to the wire.
Wednesday was Madison Square Garden. Sunday was Intuit Dome. Different coast, same result. The Nets lost 126-89 to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night, dropping their fifth straight game, falling to 12-32 and continuing a familiar freefall. Brooklyn has now lost 10 of its last 11 games, and after spending December posting the best defensive ratings in the league, the Nets have regressed right back into one of the NBA's worst teams.
The real question is not about the calendar. It is about your purpose. Are you trying to capture value before the market adjusts, or are you trying to make the most informed decision possible? Those two goals often point to different timing. You must decide what matters more to you.Do you want price or certainty?Do you trust your long-term projections or your short-term analysis?Are you building a strategy or reacting to a moment? Your timing should always match your reasoning.
The week-to-week nature of the NFL lends itself quite naturally to missing the forest for the trees. You see a team one week, notice something about it, watch that same team a week or so later and notice the same thing again. And then you just figure that thing to be true -- that it's part of what defines that team.
Portland Trail Blazers beat Houston Rockets 111-105 despite Kevin Durant moving to seventh on the NBA's all-time list. Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant swished a 3-pointer with 7:57 left in the third quarter on Friday night to move into seventh place on the NBA's all-time scoring list, but could not prevent his side losing 111-105 to the host Portland Trail Blazers. Durant's trey allowed him to pass legendary Wilt Chamberlain (31,419) during the match on Friday night.
The Washington Commanders aren't a part of the NFL playoffs this year, but the teams that did qualify provided no shortage of entertainment on Wild Card weekend. The highlight was a rivalry clash between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers. It featured a massive second-half comeback, highlight plays left and right, and a heartbreaking loss for a team that's become more than used to playoff disappointment. For the Packers and former Washington assistant Matt LaFleur, it could force a difficult decision.
