New on Sports Illustrated: Takeaways From Edge and Bianca Belair Winning WWE's Royal Rumble

The past and future met at the Royal Rumble, providing WWE with a very compelling present.

The past and future met at the Royal Rumble, providing WWE with a very compelling present.

Bianca Belair won the women’s Royal Rumble, shining on her brightest stage yet as a WWE performer, while Edge captured the men’s Royal Rumble, marking the first time he has won since 2010.

WWE also eschewed a time-honored Rumble tradition of frustrating its audience, instead choosing predominantly popular choices as winners of the show’s signature matches. The path now appears clear for Bianca Belair, as a match against SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks can headline WrestleMania 37 in April. The future is slightly less clear for Edge, who would work a compelling program with either WWE Champion Drew McIntyre or Universal Champion Roman Reigns.

One issue with the show was the lack of a crowd, which was more noticeable throughout the Rumble matches. Historically, the Royal Rumble is a show carried by the crowd, which counts down each new entry, erupts with each surprise, and injects so much life into every moment. While the ThunderDome adds a lot to the product, there was simply no replacing the organic nature of a live audience.

There were surprises, which included Carlito, Kane, Victoria, Hurricane Helms, and Christian. That allowed for a rare in-ring reunion for Edge and Christian, as well as opened the possibility of a tag match featuring the longtime partners.

Here are the results from the show:

-- Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax defeated Charlotte Flair and Asuka on the pre-show to win the Women’s Tag Team Championship

-- WWE Championship Drew McIntyre defeated Bill Goldberg

-- SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks defeated Carmella by submission

-- Bianca Belair eliminated Rhea Ripley to win the women’s Royal Rumble

-- Universal Champion Roman Reigns defeated Kevin Owens in a Last Man Standing match

-- Edge eliminated Randy Orton to win the men’s Royal Rumble match

Here are my takeaways:

**** Eleven years to the day after his first Royal Rumble win, the 47-year-old Edge won this year’s Rumble from the No. 1 spot.

There was so much to like in the match, especially considering it was carried by Daniel Bryan and Edge, two stars that were once retired due to injury and with returns appearing implausible. It is also strangely fitting that the Royal Rumble curse continues for Bryan, who was a favorite to win this year yet did not even reach the final four. AJ Styles and Omos stood out as well, with Omos interfering and assisting Styles at every opportunity, significantly strengthening their partnership throughout the night.

Entering first and second, Edge and Randy Orton also continued their feud. Orton was forced to leave the match due to a storyline knee injury, then reappeared right when it seemed that Edge had won after eliminating the newly returned Seth Rollins. But after losing to him at Backlash last June in “The Greatest Match Ever.” Edge found redemption by sending Orton over the top rope for the win.

**** Bianca Belair won the women’s Royal Rumble match, entering third and then going the distance to win the Rumble for the first time in her career.

The final four were Natalya Neidhart, Charlotte Flair, Rhea Ripley, and Belair. Natalya was the first to go, which cut the field down to three. Belair and Ripley teamed up to eliminate Flair, and the finishing sequence was especially strong. It put a spotlight on Ripley’s strength and skill, which was needed. Ripley is an emerging star but dealt with some less-than-ideal booking in 2020, and leading the match with seven eliminations also highlighted her power.

Belair is a top performer in the ring, has undeniable charisma, and she was given the chance to shine at the Rumble. She was the perfect choice to win, and her teary-eyed, post-match interview in the ring brought even more emotion and joy to the moment.

The biggest issue in this match occurred when, somehow, the WWE production team missed Belair eliminating Bayley. That was one of the top stories of the match, particularly since they are feuding, Bayley entered the match first, and Belair was set to win.

Outside of that, the match was compelling, kept a strong pace, and further elevates Belair in her ascent to superstardom.

**** Becky Lynch had some fun during the Royal Rumble, briefly teasing her return.

**** Sasha Banks retained the SmackDown Women’s Championship with a submission win against Carmella. Once again, Banks was able to bring out the best of Carmella, and the two have a healthy dose of chemistry in the ring together. But as solid as this program has been—allowing Carmella to show some additional range, and introducing the WWE audience to Reginald—it is time for Banks to move forward.

Banks has worked for years to finally receive an opportunity for a lengthy, meaningful reign as champion. WWE can book a wrestler to have a long title run, but the performer is the one that provides meaning to the belt. Banks is a must-see act as champion, and she elevated Carmella in this title program all while further establishing the significance of her belt.

While Bianca Belair still has unfinished business with Bayley that needs to be told, there is potential for a spectacular build to the WrestleMania 37 match pitting Banks against Belair. This bout needs to main-event one of the two nights of this year’s Mania, and there is no reason to think it won’t steal the show.

**** Does anyone else find it absurd that stats from the Greatest Royal Rumble, which took place in April of 2018 in Saudi Arabia, are included in the Royal Rumble record book? I can’t be the only one here.

**** Drew McIntyre defeated Bill Goldberg to retain the WWE Championship. The match was quick and the finish was the right call, taking two Claymores to finish the former legend of WCW. On paper, using a star from a past era like Goldberg to highlight the current WWE Champion makes sense—but the execution was not seamless.

Even in a two-and-a-half-minute match, McIntyre was multiple steps ahead of Goldberg. His Jackhammer attempt was barely executed, and I would have preferred that only one Claymore finished the match, though that was done out of respect to Goldberg.

The physical pace set by McIntyre only served to highlight that while there is a place for Goldberg on a WWE card in 2021, it should definitely not be in the main event. Goldberg needs to be treated as a unique special attraction, one that is nowhere near the title picture.

As for McIntyre, his build to WrestleMania 37 will help define this reign as champion.

**** Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens worked a phenomenal Last Man Standing match. While all signs pointed to Reigns retaining and defending the belt at WrestleMania, Owens worked such a convincing style that he made it look as if he was going to pull off a stunning upset.

After working so long to build himself into one of the industry’s top heels, Owens is now emerging as one of the premier babyfaces. He put his body at risk throughout the match, and his senton off the top of a forklift (yes, you read that correctly) was outrageous. Owens made every piece of this program with Reigns so legitimate and genuine, further elevating Reigns as the baddest, toughest, and meanest champion in WWE.

The execution of the match’s story was also so meticulous. At one point, with Owens in control, the referee counted to three straight nine-counts on Reigns before the momentum shifted. There was also some creativity on display, as Owens handcuffed Reigns into a position that wouldn’t allow him to stand. It was so well done by Owens that Paul Heyman had trouble uncuffing Reigns, which took longer than anticipated. Once Reigns was finally free, he choked Owens out with his guillotine, which allowed him to be the last man standing.

In the end, Reigns reigned supreme. This was a much different style of match than he normally wrestles, but Reigns met the challenge and worked a physical, brutal bout that captured why he belongs among the industry’s elite.

**** Pro wrestling continues to exist in an odd place without a crowd, and that was especially noticeable during the Royal Rumble. But the WWE roster delivered with this show. The Rumble matches were full of intrigue, and though Belair was expected to win the women’s match, it did not diminish the moment of her victory. There was more of a surprise in the men’s finish, as Daniel Bryan had been heavily rumored to win, but the moment now belongs in Edge’s career highlights. And this show was further enhanced by Roman Reigns-Kevin Owens and Sasha Banks-Carmella, two title matches that gave the show a big fight feel.

The Rumble is one of WWE’s most exciting shows of the year, and this year’s edition produced an enjoyable night of pro wrestling.

Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.

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New on Sports Illustrated: Matthew Stafford, Sean McVay Celebrated Rams Trade With Dinner in Mexico

Stafford and McVay celebrated Saturday's trade during a dinner with their wives in Los Cabos, Mexico, per The MMQB's Albert Breer.

The Rams completed a trade with the Lions to

acquire quarterback Matthew Stafford on Saturday, and it didn't exactly take long for Stafford to get acquainted with Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay. 

Stafford and McVay reportedly had dinner together shortly after the trade was agreed to on Saturday, according to The MMQB's Albert Breer. As the NFL world reacted to a true blockbuster deal, the new Rams' duo reportedly enjoyed dinner with Stafford’s wife Kelly and McVay’s fiancée Veronika in Los Cabos, Mexico. It's likely Stafford and McVay will dive into some film together in the coming weeks, but on Saturday, more important matters awaited.

"Once the deal was agreed to, some 1,100 miles south of L.A., McVay and Stafford were sitting down for dinner to celebrate a fresh start of their own," Breer wrote on Sunday night. "The coach and his new quarterback happened to be among a number of NFL people in Cabo last week—Saints coach Sean Payton and QB Drew Brees, Rams LT Andrew Whitworth and others were nearby, too, over the last few days."

So how exactly did Stafford and McVay connect so quickly? Kelly Stafford is largely to thank. 

McVay is friends with Bills receivers coach Chad Hall, who is Kelly Stafford's brother. The connection led to a friendly relationship between the Staffords and McVay in recent years, and upon the trade's completion, the two couples joined in Cabo to celebrate.

Saturday's celebratory dinner almost didn't come to fruition. Numerous teams were involved in the Stafford sweepstakes, per Breer, including Washington, Carolina, Indianapolis and San Francisco. Both Washington and Carolina reportedly offered its respective 2021 first-round picks, and the Football Team also reportedly offered their 2021 third rounder. But ultimately, Los Angeles provided the greatest haul of picks, bringing Stafford and McVay together for the first of many dinners (and perhaps playoff victories) in the coming years.

Check out Breer's full column for more details on the trade, and plenty more on Super Bowl week.

New on Sports Illustrated: Russell Westbrook, Bradley Beal Drain Back-to-Back Threes to Steal Win vs. Nets

Beal and Westbrook hit a pair of threes within the game's final 10 seconds as Washington earned a 147-146 win to beat Brooklyn.

The Wizards appeared to be headed for their eighth loss in the last nine games on Sunday night as they faced the Nets, trailing Brooklyn 146-141 with 12 seconds remaining. But Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook had other ideas.

Beal raced up the floor and hit a three from the top of the key, cutting Brooklyn's lead to two points with just over eight seconds left. Nets guard Joe Harris then tossed the inbounds pass to Washington guard Garrison Matthews, who quickly gave the ball to Westbrook. The 2016-17 MVP let a triple of his own fly, draining the three to put Washington up 147-146 with less than five seconds remaining. 

Beal and Westbrook's heroics were almost for naught as Brooklyn had a chance to steal the win with 4.3 seconds remaining. Nets forward Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot had a wide-open look at the rim as time expired, but his layup rattled out as Washington held on for the narrow victory.

Washington isn't contending for the Eastern Conference crown anytime soon. The Wizards still sit last in the East at 3–12, and Beal could be dealt by March's trade deadline. But why focus on the negative after such an exciting victory? Sunday marked the high-point of the Wizards' season, and frankly, the contest was one of the most thrilling moments of 2020–21. Perhaps Washington's comeback victory can spark a resurgence of sorts in the nation's capital 

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New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: Alex Ovechkin, Capitals look for second straight win vs. Bruins

Alex Ovechkin is back.

After sitting out four games to follow the NHL's COVID-19 protocols, Ovechkin scored the game-winner in the first minute of overtime on Saturday night as the Washington Capitals notched a 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins.

Now, Ovechkin will try it again when Washington hosts Boston on Monday night in the second game of the back-to-back series.

Dmitry Orlov also was cleared to play but the Caps made him a healthy scratch Saturday. Evgeny Kuznetsov and goalie Ilya Samsonov remain on the list and their status uncertain.

Ovechkin had not skated since Jan. 19 and Washington coach Peter Laviolette wanted to be careful with his star. He limited Ovechkin to just under 15 minutes on Saturday.

"He hasn't skated in 10 days," Laviolette said before the most recent game. "He's been trying to get a workout at his house, but it's not the same as being on the ice. It's certainly not the same as the competition that you have to play out there against a team like Boston."

The return of Ovechkin was important because Washington still is short-handed. Justin Schultz and Lars Eller both are day-to-day with upper-body injuries suffered in games last week.

The overtime goal was Ovechkin's 24th of his career and is an NHL mark. It also was career goal No. 708, bringing him even with Hall of Famer and former Capital Mike Gartner on that list at seventh all-time.

"Overall, I knew (I was going to shoot)," Ovechkin said. "I didn't want to make a move over there. I just tried to throw it on net, and hope it goes in. And it did."

The Caps also were helped by the again-strong play of rookie goalie Vitek Vanecek. He made 40 saves, kept Washington in the game early, and improved to 5-0-2.

Boston outshot the Caps 43-23, including a 19-shot first period. The Bruins also got back one of the best goal-scorers in the NHL when David Pastrnak played for the first time this season.

He'd been out after offseason hip surgery and contributed an assist in just over 20 minutes of action. Boston kept the pressure on Washington throughout the game and rallied from a 3-0 deficit to force overtime.

Nick Ritchie and Brad Marchand cut the lead to 3-2 for Boston before Charlie McAvoy scored on a scramble from in front with 58 seconds left to force overtime.

"I thought we were the better team, to be honest with you, if you look at the overall game. At the end of the day, we made a few mistakes," Boston coach Bruce Cassidy said. "They're a team that can capitalize in a hurry. Got some guys that can score."

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Flames aim to keep momentum rolling vs. Jets

Jacob Markstrom's 37-save shutout performance in a 2-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday is exactly what the Calgary Flames were looking for when they signed him via free agency.

The Flames, who snapped a three-game losing skid with the win, are looking for more of the same when they visit the Winnipeg Jets on Monday in the first of three meetings in four nights in Winnipeg.

The Flames have struggled to find a true No. 1 goalie since Miikka Kiprusoff's scintillating performances before he retired after the 2012-13 season, and that's why Markstrom was lured with a six-year, $36-million contract. He rewarded them with a brilliant performance in Montreal.

"When your goalie plays like that, you're not going to lose. Ever," said captain Mark Giordano. "Obviously, we've been on a little bit of a slide here. Guys were blocking shots and we were invested emotionally, and he was our backbone out there. We'll take those goaltending performances whenever we can get them."

Goals by Johnny Gaudreau -- who has a point in every game this season giving him a seven-game point-scoring streak -- and Mikael Backlund provided the offensive attack, but unquestionably Markstrom was the difference.

"When the shots were coming, I was seeing the puck," said Markstrom, who recorded his second shutout of the season and celebrated his 31st birthday on Sunday. "When I didn't, our guys were blocking shots and clearing rebounds. That was a big win for us to come back here after some games where we haven't been happy and satisfied with the results. It's a big win for us and something we can build on."

The Jets, who have lost two of three games, will be looking to rebound after Saturday night's disappointing 4-1 home loss to the Vancouver Canucks. Coach Paul Maurice made no bones about why his team -- which is yet to have newly acquired young center Pierre-Luc Dubois in the lineup as he goes through the quarantine protocol -- was defeated.

"Those were our poorest back-to-back periods that we've had this year," said Maurice, who obviously expects a better effort against the Flames. "The only hard lesson in that one is the team that worked the hardest won. They deserved to win that hockey game. We got beat is the cleanest way to put it."

Among the issues was Winnipeg's lack of offensive execution. The Jets managed only 11 shots on goal over the final two periods. Having had four days between games, the Jets should have been rested and ready but instead struggled to find any momentum.

"We were a little disjointed again and we're getting away from some of the things that gave us success," said captain Blake Wheeler. "We're going to have a few more of these long breaks this year. We have to learn how to come out of them."

The poor play after a rest isn't the only issue facing Wheeler and his line. In eight games, the Jets have surrendered 15 goals during five-on-five play, and Wheeler has been on the ice for 10 of them. It's not a good sign when your top line is being outplayed by the opposition's big guns.

"We've got some guys on our back end that can be a part of that, too," Maurice said. "I don't feel that they're cheating the defensive game to go on offence. As a line since they've been together, they had stretches of pretty good hockey offensively, but their defensive game hasn't been great, yet."

On the flip side for Winnipeg is the point-scoring run for third-line center Adam Lowry, who has found the scoresheet in a career-best six consecutive games.

--Field Level Media

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New on Sports Illustrated: Five-Star TE Arik Gilbert Transfers to Florida From LSU

Gilbert came to LSU as the nation's No. 1 tight end recruit in the class of 2020.

Former LSU tight end Arik Gilbert

announced his decision to transfer to Florida on Sunday. 

Gilbert entered the transfer portal on Jan. 2 after just one season with the Tigers.

"After careful consideration I have decided to commit to the University of Florida," Gilbert tweeted on Sunday. "This is the best situation for me and I’m excited to join the family."

Gilbert came to LSU as the No. 1 tight end recruit in the class of 2020, per the 247Sports composite rankings. He caught 35 passes for 368 yards as a freshman, adding a pair of touchdowns as the Tigers finished 5–5. 

Florida will add Gilbert for the 2021 season as it looks to replace significant production from its tight ends. Junior Kyle Pitts tallied 43 catches and 12 touchdowns last season, while redshirt junior Kemore Gamble and sophomore Keon Zipperer added an additional five scores. Pitts declared for the 2021 NFL Draft on Dec. 20, and he could be selected with one of the top10 picks in late April. 

Florida finished 8–4 in 2020, reaching the SEC Championship before a 52-46 loss to Alabama on Dec. 19. The Gators were then trounced by Oklahoma in a 55-20 loss in the Cotton Bowl two weeks later. 

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New on Sports Illustrated: Clippers' stars likely out again for visit to Orlando

The Los Angeles Clippers are expected to be without starters Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Patrick Beverley for a third straight game when they visit the Orlando Magic on Friday night.

Leonard and George are sidelined because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols, and Beverley is out due to right knee soreness.

None of the players accompanied the team at the start of the current six-game road trip, which began with a 108-99 loss at the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, snapping the Clippers' seven-game win streak. The trek took a turn for the better when Los Angeles earned a 109-105 win over the Miami Heat on Thursday.

The Clippers trailed by 18 in the first quarter against Miami before outscoring the Heat 29-17 in the second and 40-19 in the third.

Los Angeles made nine 3-pointers in the third quarter but had to hold off a late surge from the Heat.

"We missed three big key players the last two games," Clippers forward Nicolas Batum said. "The (Atlanta) game, we had to adjust, it wasn't easy on offense, but we did a good job (Thursday) night. Guys stepped up."

The Clippers have won 13 straight against Orlando, a stretch that began in January 2014.

Orlando most recently lost to the visiting Sacramento Kings 121-107 on Wednesday night, the type of performance that has caused the Magic to lose nine of 11 following a 6-2 start.

"We have a good enough team to have a good season, but we need everybody every night," Magic coach Steve Clifford said. "There's not a lot of room for error. We can't have five guys play well and four guys not, or six and three or whatever, and that's not easy but that's just the way it is."

Nikola Vucevic continues to be the most consistent player for Orlando. He has scored at least 22 points in each of the past seven games, reaching double figures in rebounds in five of those contests.

The Magic's Evan Fournier is averaging 23 points and 5.4 assists in the five games since returning from a nine-game absence caused of a back injury. Khem Birch collected a career-high 14 rebounds against the Kings, including 10 on the offensive end.

Still, it wasn't enough to beat Sacramento.

"The good thing about this league is that there's a next game up," Birch said. "Hopefully, we can come with more urgency next time."

The Magic continue to be without Michael Carter-Williams (foot), Chuma Okeke (knee) and Al-Farouq Aminu (knee).

The Clippers are expected to start the same players in the backcourt for a third game in a row.

Reggie Jackson, subbing for Beverley at point guard, scored a season-high 20 points against the Hawks, then came back with 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists against the Heat.

Luke Kennard and Terance Mann have also moved into the starting lineup and made key contributions the past two games.

Mann, who played four seasons at Florida State, made half his shots and scored in double figures both Tuesday and Thursday. Kennard produced 13 points and four steals at Atlanta, then added nine points at Miami.

"Of course, we miss Kawhi, PG and Pat Bev, but we're still pro basketball players," Batum said. "We have to show up and show some pride."

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Nets look to run winning streak to four vs. Thunder

The Brooklyn Nets are still working through the process of bringing James Harden along, two weeks after the trade that brought the All-Star from Houston.

But that process has taken significant steps forward in recent days as the Nets enter Friday night's game at the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"I think 'encouraging' is the word," Brooklyn coach Steve Nash said. "I don't want to force him. He knows what he's doing. He knows where his body's at and where this process of assimilating to a new group is. We want him to be aggressive."

Harden is coming off a 31-point, 15-assist, eight-rebound performance in Wednesday's overtime win at Atlanta.

With Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, there were questions about how the trio of stars would be able to share the ball.

So far, the results have been positive, with the Nets going 5-2 since Harden came aboard.

Brooklyn carries a three-game winning streak into Friday's game.

"We just want him to come into this group and not so much think about fitting in, but just be who he is," Irving said of Harden. "We want him to continue to progress and grow. All of us realize that we still have a level to get to individually and then collectively as a group."

It hasn't necessarily been natural, Irving said, but being a part of that group has made it worth it.

"We have to do it with sacrifice and a compromise as well," Irving said. "I'm not compromising anything with allowing James to be James. Envy and jealousy -- as young men, definitely emotions are things that you could get caught up in; we don't want to take this for granted. Very grateful to be playing with guys that have this much experience and are all-world players and I could get blue in the face saying that."

The Thunder finished their five-game road trip with consecutive wins after dropping the first three games of the trip.

"We learned some lessons and I think we improved through the games," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "That's ultimately what we're trying to do is just continue to make progress and put our best foot forward and then evaluate and prepare and do it all over again.

"I thought on this trip we kind of walked that walk."

One of the biggest reasons the Thunder have been able to stay close to .500, despite a near complete roster overhaul in the offseason, has been the improvement of point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Over the last six games, Gilgeous-Alexander is shooting better than 53 percent from the field, nearly 43 percent from behind the 3-point line and averaging 24.2 points and 7.7 assists.

"He continues to figure it out, to get better, to understand when to be aggressive and go score, when to pass the ball," Al Horford said. "As the season has gone on so far, Shai continues to make the right plays."

While Oklahoma City is 7-4 on the road, the Thunder are just 1-5 at home this season.

The Thunder has been without veteran guard George Hill for the last two games with a right thumb sprain. Hill's status for Friday's game is unclear. Rookie Theo Maledon has started the last two games in Hill's absence.

-- Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: Hawks get respite from heavyweights in visit to D.C.

The Atlanta Hawks get a short break from the heavyweight portion of their schedule when they visit the struggling Washington Wizards on Friday night.

The Hawks have lost two of their last three games, but likely aren't discouraged after having been beaten on the road by Milwaukee before defeating the Los Angeles Clippers and taking Brooklyn to overtime in a home loss Wednesday.

Atlanta returns home after a one-night jaunt to Washington, only to have the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas, Utah and Toronto lined up on a powerful homestand.

The Hawks almost made it two straight wins, but eventually got overpowered by Brooklyn's Kevin Durant (32 points), James Harden (31) and Kyrie Irving (26) in the 132-128 loss.

One reason the Hawks were able to keep pace was the return of Cam Reddish from a sore right Achilles. He had a season-high 24 points, complementing Trae Young's 28.

"We needed what he brought tonight," Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce noted afterward of Reddish. "I thought he played solid. I thought he had an ability to get by guys and he did that. Defensively, he's always been a guy that we want to try and use on some of their elite players."

Reddish was available when the Wizards selected Rui Hachimura with the No. 9 pick in the 2019 draft. Reddish went next to the Hawks.

Neither has disappointed.

Reddish has improved from 10.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game last season to 12.7 and 4.8, respectively, this year. He has put up 20 or more points in three of his last six games, and four overall.

Meanwhile, Hachimura ranked among the leading rookie scorers last season at 13.5 points per game and was off to a similar start this year (13.6) before getting entangled in the Wizards' COVID-19 issues. He is expected to be available for Friday's game, though, after missing the last three while in COVID-19 protocols. Also expected back for Washington after missing three games are Davis Bertans and Moritz Wagner.

Hachimura, who has averaged 13.6 points this season, has scored in double figures in all but one of his seven games. The Wizards went 3-3 in those contests.

The club has yet to win without their second-year prospect, going 0-4 to start the season while he was dealing with conjunctivitis in his eyes and currently losers of three straight while he's been on COVID-19 watch.

They expect Russell Westbrook to face the Hawks after he was rested during Wednesday's 124-106 loss at New Orleans.

Bradley Beal exploded for 47 points in the loss, then exploded verbally after the short-handed club's 11th defeat in 14 games.

"I'm mad about losing," he said. "I just hate losing. I hate losing. And I am going to continue to show (angry) faces. I try to control them as much as I can, but I don't like losing."

The Wizards won two of three from the Hawks last season, with the lone loss stealing the spotlight from the two wins. Young outgunned Beal 45-40 in that one, pushing the Hawks to a 152-133 home win.

Young and Beal each missed one of the other two meetings. All three games last year were won by the home team.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Offensive firepower on display when Bucks visit Pelicans

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton each scored 24 points in the Milwaukee Bucks' victory Wednesday night, while Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson each scored 32 points in the New Orleans Pelicans' victory on the same night.

All four standout players will be on the court when the Bucks visit the Pelicans on Friday night.

Antetokounmpo added 18 rebounds and nine assists and Middleton had 10 rebounds and seven assists in Milwaukee's 115-108 victory against Toronto in Tampa on Wednesday.

The Bucks clamped down on their defense in the second quarter, holding the Raptors to 21 points. Toronto made 6 of 12 3-pointers in the first quarter, then just 5 of their next 16 before halftime.

"I think the defense in the second quarter was maybe the difference in the game," Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer said. "It just felt like we were competing, everybody was together.

"They're going to shoot a bunch of 3s, you've just got to make it tough on them, contest them, maybe get them off their spot, their rhythm in their 3s."

It was the Bucks' second straight victory after they had consecutive losses for the first time this season.

"I think we took a step in the right direction," Middleton said.

Brook Lopez scored in double figures for the fifth consecutive game, finishing with 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting.

"I thought some of the ball movement, some of the togetherness was one of our better games," Budenholzer said.

This will be the first regular season game in New Orleans for Bucks guard Jrue Holiday since the Pelicans moved him as part of a four-team trade in Novemeber. Holiday scored 15 points in a preseason loss to the host Pelicans.

Holiday's departure opened the door for Ingram and Williamson to take on bigger roles this season.

The Pelicans have struggled, as their 124-106 victory against the Washington Wizards was just New Orleans' second in 10 games, but Ingram and Williamson both had 30-plus points in the same game for the first time in their two seasons together.

The Pelicans took a season-high 43 3-pointers and Ingram made 7 of 12.

"Every time we came down, it just felt like we were searching for the best shot on the basketball court," Ingram said. "We had some good offense. Our defense was pretty good, too, and then defense ran into transition baskets. Everybody was aggressive and ready to play."

New Orleans allowed its fewest points in 11 games, thanks in part to a 50-39 rebounding edge, led by Steven Adams' 18 boards.

"We looked very sharp on defense," Williamson said. "I think in the first quarter there was a point in my head I was thinking, 'I think Steven has grabbed every rebound.' It just felt like that.

"Steven has a high IQ for the game. He knows how to position himself very well. He has a lot of great techniques for boxing out and positioning himself for the rebound."

Pelicans point guard Lonzo Ball missed the second half after injuring an ankle in the first half. Coach Stan Van Gundy said the early report on Ball's injury was "pretty positive."

--Field Level Media

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New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: Knicks return home, looking for revival vs. Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers were able to snap out of their doldrums in the second half Wednesday night.

The New York Knicks are hoping a return home after a long road trip leads to a similar awakening Friday night, when they are scheduled to host the Cavaliers in the third meeting of the season between Eastern Conference rivals.

The Cavaliers snapped a two-game losing streak when they pulled away in the second half of a 122-107 victory over the visiting Detroit Pistons. The Knicks ended a four-game road trip with their third straight loss Tuesday, when they squandered a 13-point halftime lead and fell to the Utah Jazz, 108-94.

On Wednesday, the Cavaliers initially looked as if they were still feeling the effects of playing and losing to a pair of elite teams on back-to-back days. Cleveland fell to the Boston Celtics by 38 points on Sunday before returning home and losing to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, 115-108, on Monday night.

The Cavaliers led 38-30 early in the second period before falling behind by eight points after allowing the Pistons to go on a 23-7 run. But Cleveland climbed back within 56-54 at the half and never trailed after Cedi Osman opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer.

"I thought in the first half, we were disjointed for whatever reason," head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of the Cavaliers, who led by as many as 19 in the fourth quarter. "But in the second half, I thought we did an unbelievable job of playing with one another."

Thanks to an unbelievably hot start by Austin Rivers, the Knicks looked as if they might be able to salvage a split of their west coast trip against the Jazz. Rivers scored 25 points in the first half while going 10-for-10 from the field, one shy of the team record for most field goals made without a miss to start a game.

But Rivers exited after picking up his third foul with 4:30 left in the second quarter. He didn't return until almost eight minutes into the third quarter and missed his final four shots.

Rivers' fade mirrored that of the Knicks, who were on the road for the 12th time in 19 games. New York entered the fourth quarter with an 81-80 lead but gave up the first 11 points of the period and was outscored 28-13 in the final 12 minutes.

"I don't know how a schedule could be tougher than what we've played," Rivers said prior to Tuesday's game. "Physically and mentally."

Head coach Tom Thibodeau wasn't willing to blame the schedule for the Knicks' recent woes. New York started 5-3 but has been an up-and-down 3-8 since with one three-game winning streak sandwiched between five- and three-game losing streak.

"The schedule is the schedule," Thibodeau said. "You could probably find an excuse for every game. That's what you have to guard against. You have to have the mental toughness to get through anything you're facing."

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Scuffling Hornets get second crack at Pacers

There's no telling where the Charlotte Hornets might start their list of concerns when facing the Indiana Pacers.

The Pacers have so many options, with numerous of those already on display this week.

The teams meet Friday night in Charlotte, N.C., just two nights after Indiana picked apart the Hornets in several ways to win 116-106.

"I love this challenge to see the same group on Friday night," Charlotte coach James Borrego said. "Can our young team step up and play better?"

Domantas Sabonis provided a triple-double for the Pacers on Wednesday night, but Doug McDermott (28 points) and Malcolm Brogdon (25) had the team's top point totals in the game.

Sabonis seems in fine form after sitting out the end of the previous game for what turned out to be a bruised knee.

"I can play," Sabonis said after his sterling effort. "I would have felt worse if I didn't play."

Charlotte might not have an ideal matchup in dealing with Sabonis.

"He's playing at an extremely high level," Borrego said. "They play a lot of offense through him. He's a handful."

The Pacers seem relieved that there wasn't an extensive layoff in order for Sabonis.

"Domantas comes out and plays that way every night," Pacers swingman Justin Holiday said. "That's what he does for our team. The impressive part about it is, is how consistent he is in doing it."

McDermott led the Pacers in scoring for just the second time this season.

"We did a good job offensively taking our time, giving it to the open guy," Holiday said.

Pacers coach Nate Bjorkgren said he likes how the team's defense helps churn out offensive opportunities in transition.

"They're so hand-in-hand with that movement," Bjorkgren said.

The Pacers had too many answers Wednesday night.

"An experienced team got the best of us," Borrego said.

Indiana has won six of the last seven matchups with the Hornets.

The Hornets have lost six of their past seven games, negating much of the momentum from early January.

"We always fight to the end," Hornets guard Malik Monk said. "... It's easy fixes for the mistakes we make. We'll watch film, get together. I think we'll be all right Friday."

Slow starts have defined the Hornets in many of their recent games.

"We have to be better to start games," Borrego said. "We're trying different lineups out there. It wasn't just the first group. It was the second group as well."

Friday's game will mark the second assignment of a three-game homestand for the Hornets, who have a stretch with eight home games in a nine-game span.

"You have to stay with it," Borrego said. "My belief is over time, it does turn. But it's not going to happen overnight. You can't give in."

Charlotte guard Terry Rozier has scored at least 20 points in consecutive games after a bit of a slide in some previous games. Borrego said Monk might have earned more minutes in the backcourt.

For Indiana, this will be the third time this season that it faces the same team in consecutive games. This is the first such back-to-back taking place on the road for the Pacers.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: 76ers determined to avoid letdown at Minnesota

Following a thrilling victory against the defending champions, the Philadelphia 76ers now must try and avoid a letdown when they visit one of the worst teams on Friday.

Tobias Harris' 12-foot jumper with 2.4 seconds left gave the Sixers a 107-106 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. The Sixers will attempt to maintain that positive momentum when they go on the road to face the struggling Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis.

Joel Embiid fell hard on his back in the third quarter after a flagrant 1 foul by LeBron James but stayed in the game to post 28 points. Harris added 24 and Ben Simmons recorded his 31st career triple-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

Embiid's status is unclear for Friday. The Sixers are 0-4 this season when he doesn't play.

"You look at games like tonight, I thought I didn't play well at all and we still got the win," Embiid said. "I felt like I could have done much more, but we've been playing well and we've got to keep that same mentality. We want to win every game, but we have to win games like we should."

Harris struggled mightily at times last season under head coach Brett Brown. But under Doc Rivers, whom he played for in the past, Harris looks much more comfortable.

"For me, I just wanted to win," Harris said. "I know we let them back in it. I was a little frustrated. But I wanted to just, you know, be calm, be relaxed in that moment and get my shot off and live with the result. And I was able to do that."

The Timberwolves will hope to avoid a third straight defeat when they meet the Sixers.

Minnesota was dispatched 123-111 by the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday to fall to 4-13. To be fair, the Timberwolves continue to play without Karl-Anthony Towns and Juancho Hernangomez due to health and safety protocols.

The Timberwolves are 2-11 without Towns this season.

D'Angelo Russell missed Wednesday's loss with a bruised quad, but he could be available to face the Sixers.

No. 1 overall pick Anthony Edwards, however, continued to elevate his game as he finished with 25 points, including five 3-pointers. Despite the losses and depleted roster, Edwards' play was an encouraging sign.

"I thought that he was aggressive. I thought that he picked his spots and once again he was finding things within the offense," Minnesota head coach Ryan Saunders said. "There wasn't a whole lot of isolation, and that'll come more as he gets more freedom, but I liked his game tonight and the way he battled."

All the Timberwolves can do is continue to scrap, especially on defense, as long as the roster is thin. They'll have another stern test against the Sixers.

"It's a matter of making shots or not, and we're not making them," Ricky Rubio said. "I think we played good defense (Wednesday) until the end, but it didn't pay off with the offense. When you play good defense, you better make them pay on the other end. We took a lot of shots and the ball didn't go in. It's hard to win that way."

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Kings aim to halt seven-game skid to Raptors

The visiting Sacramento Kings have lost their past seven games against the Toronto Raptors and they will try to change that Friday night in Tampa.

The Raptors already have a win over the Kings this season, 144-123, on Jan. 8 at Sacramento with Fred VanVleet scoring 34 points.

The Kings last defeated the Raptors on Nov. 20, 2016. They are coming into Friday having won two in a row while the Raptors have lost their past two.

Sacramento will have the more rested team. After defeating the New York Knicks on Friday, their next two games were postponed because the Memphis Grizzlies have had COVID-19 issues.

The Kings then defeated the host Orlando Magic 121-107 on Wednesday while the Raptors lost to the visiting Milwaukee Bucks 115-108.

Before beating the Knicks at home, the Kings had lost six of seven that included poor defensive efforts in allowing 144 points to Toronto, 132 to the Portland Trail Blazers, 138 to the Los Angeles Clippers and 128 to the New Orleans Pelicans.

"I believe our guys are getting better," Kings coach Luke Walton said after the win at Orlando that opened a four-game road trip. "It was a nice way to start the trip. Our defense looks a lot better."

The Kings had held their opponents to fewer than 30 points for eight consecutive quarters before allowing 30 to the Magic in the fourth quarter on Wednesday with the game in hand.

"When you put the work in, players like to see the results," Walton said. "Holding teams under 30 for a quarter, then another, then another. ... The way we were playing defense (before), we weren't going to win a lot of games."

Buddy Hield, who scored a season-best 29 points on Wednesday, said the four-day break from playing games helped. "I think it's practice," he said. "It really helped."

The Kings had Hassan Whiteside back in the lineup Wednesday after he had missed four games with a hip injury and he had nine points and six rebounds in 16 minutes.

The Raptors had Pascal Siakam back in their lineup Wednesday after he had missed two games with left knee swelling. Siakam had 11 points and nine rebounds in 35 minutes. They were without OG Anunoby (left calf strain).

Raptors coach Nick Nurse said Thursday that Anunoby was doing better but a decision would not likely be made until Friday.

Norman Powell had a season-best 26 points to lead the Raptors against the Bucks. Kyle Lowry had 21 points that left him with 10,019 for his career with the Raptors. He is the third player to pass 10,000 points with Toronto, behind DeMar DeRozan (13,296) and Chris Bosh (10,275).

"He's had a heck of a career," Nurse said. "This is another landmark in a number of things. The six All-Stars, the gold medal (with) Team USA, the (NBA) championship, obviously. I think he's made himself into a heck of a player, and I think the scoring is the part of it he's worked on, the shooting."

As for the effort against the Bucks, Nurse said: "I thought we played well enough at the defensive end to give ourselves a chance. I think we did get a lot of good shots, but I do think we had just a couple of little stretches where I would have liked to have seen us continue to work and probably end up with that same shot or something better."

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: Jazz put 10-game streak on the line vs. Mavs

It was high season for season-high totals Wednesday in Utah.

Without two of their best players -- Donovan Mitchell (concussion protocol) and Derrick Favors (back) -- the Jazz relied on the best scoring performances of the season from Rudy Gobert, Jordan Clarkson and Joe Ingles to continue their NBA-best win streak.

Gobert had season-highs in points (29) and rebounds (20), while Clarkson (31 points) and Ingles (21 points on seven 3-pointers) helped boost the short-handed Jazz to their 10th consecutive victory, 116-104 over the Dallas Mavericks. The teams meet again Friday at Utah.

"We want to be unselfish, help each other on both ends of the floor," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "I think we're covering for each other, our communication defensively. The game can be simple if you let it be."

Along with the season-high performances, the Jazz got another solid performance from Mike Conley. The point guard, who's making a case to be an All-Star, had 17 points and helped the offense run smoothly with six assists.

A deep Jazz team is showing an ability to win even when stars are sidelined, or players don't have their best shooting nights. Sharpshooter Bojan Bogdanovic was only 3 of 9 from the field Wednesday.

"It's probably the first time since I've been here that I've seen that much focus from everyone in this locker room," Gobert said. "I really feel like we're playing for something bigger and we're on a mission."

It was the Mavericks' turn Wednesday to see what it feels like to be on the other side of the Jazz's mission-driven focus.

"We're just not ourselves right now," Dallas' Luka Doncic said. "We're gonna have to pick it up and be way better than this."

For better or worse, Dallas will not have to wait long for a chance to play better against the Jazz.

It's uncertain whether Mitchell, the Jazz's leading scorer at 23.4 points per game, and Favors, Utah's reliable backup big man, will be available. It might not matter if Doncic & Co. don't show some improvement.

Even without Mitchell and Favors, the Jazz pounced on the Mavericks for multiple 21-point leads in the first half. Dallas coach Rick Carlisle claimed that rough start was "the killer" for his team.

The loss was the third in a row for the Mavericks, who have two three-game losing streaks and only a pair of wins since Jan. 15.

"We didn't come out with enough force, enough disposition, enough energy," Carlisle said. "They were great and we did not play well."

The Mavericks are in good company. During its win streak, Utah has outscored opponents by an average of 15.3 points per game and has rarely trailed late in contests.

That surge helped boost the Jazz to the top of the standings following play Wednesday. It has been satisfying run and start to the season for a Utah team that reportedly had an "unsalvageable" situation between Gobert and Mitchell after both contracted COVID-19 last spring.

"It's just a really fun group to play with," Ingles said. "We play for each other. There's no egos involved. It's not as unsalvageable as some people think."

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: No. 3 Villanova rolls to 9th straight, handles Seton Hall

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) Even when No. 3 Villanova went up by 16 points in the second half, Jay Wright never felt comfortable against Seton Hall.

The two longtime Big East rivals have played nothing but close games lately and the Wildcats coach had a feeling the Pirates had a run in them. It was one of the few things he was wrong about this season.

Jeremiah Robinson-Earl scored 23 points in a foul-plagued 21 minutes and Villanova rolled to ninth straight victory with an unexpectedly easy 80-72 decision over Seton Hall on Saturday.

''I didn't think of this one as not being one of the close ones because I know how good they are and I know they can always make a run at us,'' Wright said. ''So the history of this rivalry is such that you just you never, ever feel comfortable, you know? And I definitely felt that way tonight.''

Jermaine Samuels added 17 points and Justin Moore had 16, while Collin Gillespie had 11 points and a career-high 11 assists.

The Wildcats (11-1, 6-0 Big East) built a double-digit lead midway through the first half and were really never threatened in handing Seton Hall (9-8, 6-5) its third straight loss to a ranked opponent.

Robinson-Earl finished 8 of 12 from the field and hit all five of his free throws. He missed 14 minutes in the second half after picking up his third and fourth fouls early, but returned for the final three minutes and scored six points to seal the win.

''He scored 23 points, but he is so good defensively and he's the centerpiece of our defense,'' Wright said. ''He can guard any position, but he also communicates out there. He's always talking. So that's what we really missed when he was out.''

Shevar Reynolds had 13 points and Jaren Rhoden, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Myles Cale all scored 12 points for Seton Hall. The last five games between the Pirates and Wildcats had been decided by an average of 3.2 points.

The Pirates' previous two losses overall were close. They endured a crushing last-second setback to Villanova on Jan. 19. It was followed by a four-point loss to No. 17 Creighton on Wednesday in a game the Hall blew a 16-point second-half lead.

This one was decided in the opening 13 minutes. With the game tied at 9, the Wildcats went on a 16-3 burst that featured five points apiece by Robinson-Earl and Moore.

Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard was disappointed.

''I know we didn't play good, but the loss the other night was tough,'' Willard said of the Creighton game. ''I thought we played hard, did some good things, but we had a hard time mentally getting going early in the game. Against a good team like Villanova, they're just going to keep attacking.''

BIG PICTURE

Villanova: This was a methodical victory by a smart team. Everyone contributed on both ends of the court despite the team playing only its third game this month. A game earlier this week was postponed by COVID issues with the officials.

Seton Hall: The Pirates have played one of the toughest schedules in the country, but have not posted a signature victory that might convince people they belong in the NCAA Tournament.

LONG RANGE DEFENSE

Villanova hit 10 3-pointers in the game. In its loss to Creighton earlier this week, the Pirates gave up 17 from long range.

''I would call it terrible, and that's an improvement from horrific the other night,'' Willard said. ''It's mind-boggling. We're doing a lot of good things. We're in position and we're just having little breakdowns at really bad times with the wrong guys. That kills you against really good teams.''

UP NEXT

Villanova: at St. John's on Wednesday.

Seton Hall: at Providence on Wednesday.

---

More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/College-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

New on Sports Illustrated: Report: Nets to Sign Veteran Guard Iman Shumpert

Shumpert, 30, played 13 games for the Nets last during the 2019-20 season, averaging 4.2 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.

In need of players to fill vacant roster spots following the James Harden trade, the Brooklyn Nets are reportedly signing veteran wing Iman Shumpert,

according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Shumpert, 30, played 13 games for the Nets last season, averaging 4.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game. He'll join a guard group that includes Harden, Joe Harris, Landry Shamet, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Bruce Brown.

Shumpert has played for five teams during his 10-year career, most notably spending parts of four seasons each with the Knicks and Cavaliers. He won a championship with Cleveland in 2016, appearing in all 21 postseason games while shooting 38.2% on three-point attempts in 17.5 minutes per game. He's a 33.8% career shooter from three-point range and has a reputation as a strong perimeter defender.

After dropping two straight games to the Cavaliers, the Nets have won four in a row and will play the Wizards next on the road on Sunday.

New on Sports Illustrated: Texas A&M Quarterback Kellen Mond Named Senior Bowl MVP

Mond threw for 173 yards and two touchdowns in the loss

Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond was named the Reese's Senior Bowl MVP after his final performance of his collegiate career on Saturday. Mond, who was playing for the American team, was 13-for-25 and threw for 173 yards and two touchdowns in the 27-24 losing effort against the National team. 

Mond also converted on a two-point conversion in the midst of the American team's comeback attempt when down 13-0 in the second quarter. The team would go on to take a 16-13 lead but never regained it after the National team answered with a touchdown to end the third quarter. 

"It's a huge sign of everything I've worked for," Mond said. "Obviously I've had some ups and downs during my career, but to finally come out here on a huge stage and perform the way I wanted to and execute, it was definitely huge."

Mond is a record-breaking quarterback that Texas A&M will surely miss in 2021. The six-foot-three senior led the Aggies to a 9-1 record with their only loss coming to eventual national champion Alabama 52-24 back in October and holds the school record for passing yards, passing touchdowns, completions and attempts.

Mond's MVP performance will surely help his draft stock. Pro Football Network's Ian Cummings has Mond going in day two of the NFL Draft, but by no means will he hear his named called during day one. Still, Mond's illustrious career ended on a high note. 

With the Reese's senior bowl MVP under his belt, the 217-pounder finds himself as the sixth consecutive quarterback to win the award and joins the ranks of NFL starters like Daniel Jones, Dak Prescott and Justin Herbert who have recently won the award. 

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New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: Islanders bring three-game losing streak into Philly

The Philadelphia Flyers will be looking for their third consecutive victory when they host the New York Islanders on Saturday.

The Flyers swept a pair of games on the road against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday and Thursday.

Philadelphia's 3-1 win on Thursday had to be especially satisfying with arguably its best defensive effort of the season and stellar goaltending by Carter Hart.

Hart struggled mightily in his previous start, a 6-1 setback against the Boston Bruins. Soon after that game ended, a visibly shaken Hart shattered his stick into hundreds of pieces on the goal before leaving the ice.

"When you face the puck early, it definitely helps you get into the game," said Hart, who made 33 saves against the Devils.

"The first two periods were probably our worst and he kept us in the game," captain Claude Giroux said of Hart. "In the third, I think we played better, but he saved our game in the first and second."

The short-handed Flyers continue to play without key players such as Sean Couturier, Morgan Frost and Phil Myers. However, Myers skated Thursday and head coach Alain Vigneault said that the defenseman continues to progress. It's possible that Myers could play against the Islanders.

Philadelphia received an unexpected lift from 34-year-old Nate Prosser, who helped a depleted roster.

Prosser scored a goal, only the 11th of his career and his first since 2018.

"I just needed to get the first two shifts out of the way, then I found my way," Prosser said.

The Flyers fell to the Islanders in seven games in last season's Eastern Conference semifinals.

The Islanders will be hoping to avoid a fourth consecutive loss when they visit the Flyers.

New York relinquished a 3-0 lead and lost 6-3 to the Washington Capitals on Thursday thanks in large part to a number of defensive breakdowns in the second period.

In that second, the Islanders gave up five goals, only the second time that had occurred under coach Barry Trotz.

"It's a tough one because we didn't play that poorly for 50 minutes of that game, but a two-, three-minute span we were below average," Trotz said. "I didn't think we were as bad as that, but it all happened all at once and you get into stunned mode. Our poise, our confidence has been rattled and we need to pull that together. We're not going to get outside help. It's the group has to pull together."

The Islanders' struggles are alarming, considering they're coming off a season where they advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 27 years.

It's still early, but in this condensed 56-game season, there must be a sense of urgency.

"Everyone on the team has to find a way to dig a little deeper and find a way to win games," Matt Martin said. "We're kind of falling behind right now, but the good thing is that we're going to play the same teams over and over again. We have the utmost confidence in ourselves, that we're going to figure it out, start winning games and climb right back into it."

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Rangers hope to build on rookie's breakthrough vs. Penguins

Heading into Thursday night's game against the Buffalo Sabres, coach David Quinn believed his New York Rangers were better than their early-season record.

On Saturday night, the Rangers hope to find out if their path has been redirected thanks to a milestone goal by their player with the brightest future when New York hosts Pittsburgh in a battle of longtime rivals.

Both teams were off Friday following eventful road games Thursday.

The Rangers snapped a four-game losing streak in dramatic fashion when rookie Alexis Lafreniere made his first NHL goal a memorable one by scoring in overtime to lift New York to a 3-2 win over the Sabres.

The Rangers outplayed the Sabres for most of the first 60 minutes Thursday night but were in danger of suffering their fifth straight one-goal loss before Lafreniere, the No. 1 pick in October's draft, teamed up with Colin Blackwell for a 2-on-1 that began with Blackwell stealing the puck from Jack Eichel and passing to Lafreniere, who fired a shot beyond the extended stick of Buffalo goalie Linus Ullmark at the 2:47 mark.

The goal made Lafreniere the first No. 1 pick to score his first career goal in overtime.

"Overtime, game-winning goal, it was really special," Lafreniere said. "I'll never forget this moment, for sure."

The big goal by Lafreniere provided a much-needed boost for the Rangers, who outshot the Sabres 39-25 after outshooting their opponents 140-99 during the four-game losing streak.

"We needed this because we had done a lot of good things," Quinn said. "I look at the standings and I see our point total regarding the rest of the league and I'm shaking my head. I know what we're capable of doing. These players know what we're capable of doing."

Meanwhile Sidney Crosby had a rare second-straight subpar game as the Penguins fell to Boston, 4-1, on Thursday.

Few players and teams have done more over the last 15 years than Crosby and the Penguins, who have won three Stanley Cups since selecting Crosby with the No. 1 pick of the 2005 draft.

But Crosby endured some atypical struggles as the Penguins dropped both games of a series in Boston against the Bruins. Crosby was scoreless with a plus/minus rating of minus-2 in both losses. It was just the fourth time he's gone scoreless while registering a plus/minus of minus-2 or worse in back-to-back games and the first time since Nov. 4-7, 2019, when he had a minus-4 and a minus-2 against the Bruins and New York Islanders, respectively.

Crosby was far from the only Penguins player to scuffle against the Bruins, who limited Pittsburgh to a season-low 17 shots on Thursday.

"We need just to look in the mirror and fight every shift," Penguins center Evgeni Malkin said. "It's not a pretty game right now. ... We need to try to play simple and need to just work, work, work."

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: Devils bid to regain form in afternoon tilt vs. Sabres

The New Jersey Devils have hit a bit of a rough patch following a solid start to the season.

The Buffalo Sabres, meanwhile, are starting to consistently give themselves an opportunity to win games.

Looking to avoid a third straight defeat, the visiting Devils will try to keep the Sabres from extending their point streak to five games on Saturday afternoon.

New Jersey opened the season with a 3-1-1 record before sustaining back-to-back home losses to the Philadelphia Flyers this week. After falling 5-3 on Tuesday, the Devils went 0-for-4 on the power play during Thursday's 3-1 loss to the Flyers.

It marked the fifth time already this season that New Jersey was held to two or fewer goals. The Devils also are a paltry 2-for-18 on the power play through their first seven games.

"We need to be a little more focused on our shots and get some bodies in front of (the net)," said forward Jesper Bratt, who made his season debut Thursday after being in COVID-19 protocol.

"I think we can do a lot better job of taking the goalie's eyes away, getting some traffic in front of them. That usually leads to second opportunities."

First-year Devils coach -- and longtime Buffalo boss -- Lindy Ruff offered a simpler approach to potentially cure his team's early offensive ills.

"The message is really just stick with it," Ruff said.

Buffalo has stuck with its own process and enjoyed some modest success of late. The Sabres have answered a 1-3-0 start to the season by posting a 2-0-2 mark over their past four games. However, they will try to bounce back from Thursday's 3-2 overtime home defeat to the New York Rangers.

"That's about as bad as we've played this year," captain Jack Eichel told the Sabres' official website after his team was outshot 39-25 on Thursday. "We (found) a way to get a point. ... But, we've got to find a way to play a lot better."

After going the first six games without a goal, Eichel has two in as many contests. He also has a goal and two assists in each of his past two games against New Jersey.

Taylor Hall has just one point in five games after recording a goal and five assists in the first three. This will be Hall's first game against the Devils since they traded him to the Arizona Coyotes on Dec. 16, 2019. Hall recorded 208 points (76 goals, 132 assists) and won the 2017-18 Hart Trophy while playing 211 games with New Jersey.

Buffalo's Linus Ullmark has a 2.61 goals-against average while starting the past four games. Ullmark is 1-3-0 with a 2.31 GAA against the Devils, but it's uncertain if he will start both games versus New Jersey on Saturday and Sunday. Carter Hutton (1-2-0, 2.65 GAA) is also back with the team after suffering a head injury against Philadelphia on Jan. 19.

With New Jersey netminder Mackenzie Blackwood (2-0-1, 1.90 GAA) still in COVID-19 protocol at the moment, Scott Wedgewood (1-3-0, 2.81 GAA) could make a fifth straight start.

Jack Hughes leads New Jersey with seven points, but has just one over the past four games.

Bratt, meanwhile, has posted at least 32 points in each of his first three NHL seasons, but just a goal with an assist in his last six versus Buffalo.

--Field Level Media

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New on Sports Illustrated: Oilers looking to cool off streaking Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be going for a four-game Western Canada sweep Saturday night when they complete a two-game set against the host Edmonton Oilers.

The Maple Leafs, who defeated the Oilers 4-3 Thursday night, also will be trying to stretch their overall winning streak to five games.

After defeating the Oilers in Toronto on Jan. 22, the Maple Leafs won twice over the Flames in Calgary.

"I like the way that we've found ways to come out on the positive side of it when it counts the most," Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. "Whether it's how many games now we've had a really big penalty kill very late in the game with the game on the line, we find our way through those. We gave up the lead and then we bounce right back and get it and then make sure we finish the job. That's been a theme. I like that.

"I think the thing I like most of all, for the most part, we've defended really well as a team, not perfect, but we've defended -- I guess, well maybe is not the right term, we've defended hard."

The Oilers are 1-3-0 since defeating the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Jan. 20.

"Well, we're nine games in (3-6-0)," said Oilers captain Connor McDavid, who had two assists Thursday.

"I think we're done figuring it out here. We need to start putting together games. One night it's the power play. One night it's a little bit of a lull. One night it's another thing. So we have to collectively come together and put together 60 full minutes. It sounds so cliche but all areas need to be riding together and that hasn't happened for us yet."

Leon Draisaitl had two goals for Edmonton on Thursday. He has scored in five straight games and has six goals.

The Oilers twice tied the game Thursday after the Maple Leafs took a 2-0 lead. Auston Matthews scored the winning goal on a power play at 13:37 of the third period.

The Leafs have won five games by one goal, with the other two wins coming by two goals when they scored into an empty net.

"We got the win, that's all that matters," said Matthews, who has five goals. "We're taking too many penalties. We had big penalty kills, big power-play goals. Sometimes that's the way the game goes, special teams come through. Obviously, we squeaked out this one."

The Oilers are 1-4-0 at home and the Maple Leafs are 4-1-0 on the road.

"You've got to find ways to win and find ways to lose, right?" Oilers coach Dave Tippett said. "That's what bothers me. We're making mistakes that are taking away from our chance to win. It feels at times we've played better than our record, but we've got that record because we've brought a lot of that trouble on ourselves."

Despite the fast start, Keefe feels that his team has room to improve.

"We're not even close to being the team that I think we can be and the team that we would need to be," he said. "But a lot of positive things that have gotten us to be 7-2. I think the greatest news of all is that none of the games have been perfect and there's lots of room for growth still."

--Field Level Media

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New on Sports Illustrated: Zdeno Chara in spotlight as Bruins face Capitals

Boston's Brad Marchand has made a career out of pestering opponents.

But expect him to be on his best behavior Saturday when the Bruins travel to Washington to face longtime teammate Zdeno Chara for the first time.

"You don't want to poke the bear," Marchand said. "He's the guy that when you're on the ice with him, you're an opponent. ... It'll be weird to see him in a different uniform."

Chara, 43, spent 14 seasons patrolling the Boston blue line and wearing the "C" on his jersey as the team captain, guiding the Bruins to three Stanley Cup Finals and a championship in 2011 as well as the Presidents' Trophy last season as the team with the most regular-season points.

But with his role in Boston diminishing and his contract up, he decided to sign a one-year deal with the Capitals in the offseason.

"I think he'll come out and we'll see his best," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said after a 4-1 victory against visiting Pittsburgh on Thursday, the team's fourth win in a row. "He bled black and gold here for the Bruins for years, and I think he's gonna wanna show his teammates, and everyone in the organization, that he can still bring it. I would expect nothing less."

Chara scored his first goal for the Capitals and added an assist Thursday as they rallied from a three-goal deficit to defeat the New York Islanders 6-3.

Following his tally on a slap shot from just above the left faceoff circle, which capped a five-goal second period, Chara was mobbed by his new teammates at the door to the Capitals' bench.

"I returned to the bench to the guys right away because I just wanted to share the joy and excitement with them," Chara said. "Since Day 1, they've really done an amazing job welcoming me and making the transition as easy and simple as possible for me."

Capitals coach Peter Laviolette was even taken in by the celebration.

"It was pretty awesome," Laviolette said. "It was one of the coolest things I've seen in a long time with regard to a team."

Chara was asked after the game about the upcoming matchup against the Bruins but refrained from any sentimentality.

"It's all about the team ..." he said. "Obviously, we know we're going to be facing a really good team (in the Bruins) and we're going to have to prepare ourselves and play our best to have a chance."

The Capitals have set a franchise record by starting the season with an eight-game point streak (5-0-3). They did so despite captain Alex Ovechkin, forward Evgeny Kuznetsov, defenseman Dmitry Orlov and goaltender Ilya Samsonov missing the past four games because of COVID-19 protocols. None of the four skated Friday in optional practice and they remain day-to-day.

It was originally thought they would be eligible to return Saturday, but there has been no official announcement regarding their status.

The Bruins might get top-line winger David Pastrnak back following offseason hip surgery.

But it'll mostly be about Chara.

"It's gonna be really weird seeing him on the other side of the ice," said the Bruins' Charlie McAvoy, who spent his first two NHL seasons with Chara as his defensive partner. "I don't know if that's gonna be something I'll really be kind of able to get over -- seeing him in a Capitals jersey.

"I think his presence is pretty irreplaceable, completely irreplaceable. The magnitude of who he is as a player and a person, people like him don't come around every day. That is obviously different, not having him here."

--Field Level Media

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New on Sports Illustrated: New-look Rockets host short-handed Trail Blazers

For the first time since the trade that sent seven-time All-NBA guard James Harden to Brooklyn, the Houston Rockets on Tuesday featured both John Wall and Victor Oladipo in their backcourt.

The early results, as to be expected, were uneven. But down the stretch, Wall and Oladipo teamed to lead Houston to a 107-88 victory over the Washington Wizards that extended the Rockets' winning streak to a season-best three games.

The Rockets will be seeking more of the same from Wall and Oladipo -- who combined for 44 points, seven rebounds and six assists -- on Thursday at Toyota Center when they host the Portland Trail Blazers.

Their first foray together showcased plenty of reasons for optimism. With Houston clinging to a four-point lead in the fourth quarter against the Wizards, Wall and Oladipo combined to spearhead a 10-0 run that enabled the Rockets to finally seize control.

"It takes guys a minute to learn how to play together," said Rockets coach Stephen Silas, who used the word "disjointed" to describe the early moments for Wall and Oladipo. "This was just game one. It took them three quarters to figure it out a little bit. The fourth quarter was good.

"They were figuring out how they could make each other better and how they could let each other play to each other's strengths. Getting the ball up the floor a little quicker I think helps both guys. If we have options ahead of the ball and aren't playing against a set defense or if they can have some sort of action where they're playing together, that is good stuff for us."

The Rockets needing a handful of games together to mesh comes as little surprise. Houston turned over its roster during the offseason and moving Harden to the Nets only exacerbated the challenge of developing a new style of play with new players under a first-year head coach.

Establishing a different identity requires time. From the outside looking in, the Rockets resemble a team unfamiliar to those accustomed to watching Harden dominate the ball over the years.

"Houston's a different team now than they were before when they had James Harden," Portland coach Terry Stotts said. "It seems like offensively there's more movement, there's more passing.

"It just seems like they're playing with more enthusiasm. So I know they got off to a slow start; there was a lot of drama. But now it seems like they're playing really well together."

Injuries have knocked the Trail Blazers off their early stride, with both Jusuf Nurkic and CJ McCollum sidelined for extended periods. Portland is 2-3 following a four-game winning streak and will open a six-game road trip in Houston with additional roster uncertainty as Robert Covington and Derrick Jones Jr. are listed as questionable to play against Houston.

The Rockets appear to be ascending. Portland can't be all too concerned with that fact.

"The only thing we're doing is we're not worried about anyone else," Portland center Enes Kanter said. "We're worried about us. We're going to go out there and play our game and focus on what we need to focus on and just go out there and start the road (trip) right."

--Field Level Media

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New on Sports Illustrated: No. 19 Arkansas Hands No. 3 UConn Its First Loss of the Season

Arkansas's Chelsea Dungee scored 37 points as the Razorbacks rallied past UConn, handing the Huskies their first loss of the season.

No. 19 Arkansas rallied past No. 3 UConn, 90–87, on Thursday night to hand the Huskies their first loss of the season despite missing six players due to COVID-19 protocols.

Razorbacks redshirt senior guard Chelsea Dungee scored 37 points—10 more than UConn's highest scorer Paige Bueckers, whose 27 points were a career high for her.

It's the second top-10 win of the season for Arkansas after they also knocked off then-No. 4 Baylor in December. 

The matchup came down to the final seconds. UConn was down three and had the chance to call a timeout when Christyn Williams snagged a defensive rebound with two seconds left. 

Only, no one did. 

The Huskies took a last ditch shot with 0.3 on the clock, only to fall short. 

It was very much a back-and-forth first half featuring five lead changes, but UConn led for most. The Huskies were up 43–41 going into halftime after Aubrey Griffin shot a corner three with four seconds on the clock. 

However, the Razorbacks outscored UConn 31–19 in the third, making 6-of-7 threes, and headed into the fourth up by 10. The Huskies rallied, going on a 17–5 run to gain a two-point lead with 5:28 to play. 

Arkansas regained and kept the lead, edging ahead by as many as eight points in the final minutes as the Huskies tried to launch another comeback. 

Virginia Tech also upset No. 2 NC State on Thursday night, meaning there will likely be some movement in next week's AP poll.

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New on Sports Illustrated: No. 7 Iowa meets No. 19 Illinois in battle of bigs

As basketball has become more position-less, a matchup of legitimate back-to-the-basket centers has gone the way of black-and-white TVs or civility in politics.

One might want to refer to Friday night's Big Ten Conference showdown between No. 7 Iowa and No. 19 Illinois in Champaign, Ill., as a blast from the past. With 6-foot-11, 265-pound Hawkeye Luka Garza banging bodies against 7-foot, 285-pound Kofi Cockburn, the paint will be the place to watch.

Garza is the consensus favorite to win national player of the year honors. The senior leads the Big Ten with an average of 26.9 points per game while adding 8.9 rebounds and blocking nearly two shots per game. Garza is scoring efficiently, hitting 61 percent from the field and 75.5 percent at the foul line.

Cockburn averaged 13.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game last season as a freshman, although he was just as capable of landing in foul trouble as he was to go for 20 and 10. This season, he is scoring 17.4 points and grabbing 10.3 rebounds a night, canning 70.1 percent of his shots and flashing more consistency.

While Cockburn's immense size advantage leads to its share of thunderous dunks and warmup layups, he also has showed the ability to use the glass as though he were Tim Duncan 2.0.

Cockburn has also displayed a soft fallaway jumper, a weapon his future NBA coach might prefer to stay under wraps.

Iowa coach Fran McCaffery has noticed the obvious improvement in Cockburn's game.

"He was more one-dimensional last year," McCaffery said. "He's not so much this year. He was always big and strong, but I think his stamina is much better. He's more comfortable with the guys that play with him."

Who wouldn't be comfortable with a threat such as Ayo Dosunmu, whose average of 21.7 points per game ranks only behind Garza in the conference?

Dosunmu is canning 49 percent of his shots while finding time to chip in 6.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.

Even on nights like Jan. 19, when Penn State ran double-teams at Dosunmu all night and held him to 13 points in the Fighting Illini's 79-65 win, he still affects the texture of a game. He turned distributor, bagging a team-high five assists.

Illinois (10-5, 6-3 Big Ten) drew assists on 18 of 26 field goals in that game as it snapped a two-game losing streak, playing with more intensity than it had displayed in weeks.

"We had 18 assists in one basketball game. That's really great," Cockburn said, according to the (Champaign, Ill.) News-Gazette. "We elevated each other ... playing for each other, trusting each other to make the shot, making an extra pass. Give up a good shot for a great shot."

The Hawkeyes (12-3, 6-2) haven't played since an 81-69 upset home loss on Jan. 21 to Indiana, which wiped out a second-half deficit with a stunning 23-3 run. Garza supplied 28 points and 12 rebounds, but Iowa clanged away to the tune of 26.5 percent after halftime.

The Friday game will be the season's only meeting between the teams. Illinois and Iowa split two matchups last season, each winning at home.

--Field Level Media

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New on Sports Illustrated: Warriors look to snap losing streak vs. Timberwolves

The NBA has scheduled a three-day reunion when the Minnesota Timberwolves and host Golden State Warriors begin a two-game sequence Monday night in San Francisco.

The Timberwolves and Warriors were involved in one of last year's biggest in-season trades when Minnesota dealt Andrew Wiggins and two draft picks to Golden State for D'Angelo Russell and two others in February.

The clubs had already completed their three regular-season games, so Monday will be the first time they've met since the transaction nearly 12 months ago.

The No. 1 pick of the 2014 draft, Wiggins left Minnesota after 5 1/2 seasons as its all-time leader in 3-pointers (520). He was also second to Kevin Garnett in points (8,710), fifth in games (442) and steals (436), and 10th in rebounds (1,922) and assists (1,022).

His numbers are down slightly playing alongside Stephen Curry on the Warriors, but he's rarely been more consistent. After being held to 13 and 12 points in his first two games this season, he responded with between 15 and 27 points for 13 straight games -- the second-longest run of his career -- before leaving early with 13 points in Saturday's 127-108 blowout loss at Utah.

He's currently averaging 17.4 points this season for the Warriors, after going for an average of 21.8 for the Timberwolves and Warriors last season.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr said Wiggins' contribution to the Warriors increases daily and goes far beyond any numbers.

"It's a matter of catching Andrew up to speed with what we like to do here," Kerr said. "(We're) really trying to make an impact on him regarding our process and how we like to do our business and how we can help him get better and how he can help our team get better."

Russell was a bigger scorer for Golden State in his 33 games there after having been a consolation prize when the Warriors lost Kevin Durant to Brooklyn in a sign-and-trade in July 2019.

He helped open the new Chase Center in San Francisco with the Warriors' two biggest outputs last season -- 37 and 35 points -- with the former standing as the arena record for a player from the home team until Curry poured in 62 earlier this month against Portland.

Despite getting dealt during the season, Russell finished the year as the Warriors' leader in 3-pointers (120) and was second in points (779).

Labeled by many as a "rental" when acquired by Golden State, Russell admitted recently his stay in San Francisco was less than ideal.

"You know it's going to be temporary," he noted, "so everything you come across, you have a temporary mentality with this. I didn't enjoy that. But that's what my life was at the time."

Russell was rested Saturday against New Orleans on the second night of a back-to-back. The Timberwolves will get Tuesday off before meeting the Warriors for a second time in San Francisco on Wednesday, maximizing Russell's chances of playing in both games.

The Timberwolves won't have Karl-Anthony Towns in the two-game set as he continues to deal with COVID-19. Minnesota won for the first time in five games in his absence Saturday, getting a second career double-double from Jarred Vanderbilt (16 points, 11 rebounds) in a 120-110 victory over the Pelicans.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Nets look for momentum against undermanned Heat

Bam Adebayo's biggest night of his young career nearly completed a comeback for the Miami Heat over the Brooklyn Nets and their three stars.

The Nets seek better ways at stopping Adebayo and another win over the Heat on Monday night when the teams reconvene in New York.

Brooklyn rebounded from a pair of disappointing 12-point losses in Cleveland by never trailing and getting a 128-124 win on Saturday when Adebayo scored a career-best 41 points, surpassing his previous regular season career-high by 11 points. While Adebayo made 14 of 20 shots to help Miami nearly erase an 18-point deficit and a 14-point deficit entering the fourth, he scored on just one free throw in the final 5:29.

"For me, I'm nothing but a supporter of Bam's and I'm glad we got the win," Brooklyn guard Kyrie Irving said.

Adebayo's points were the most for the Heat since Dwyane Wade scored 42 on Dec. 17, 2014, against the Utah Jazz. It also earned some admiration from Irving, a New Jersey native, whose father helped fund Adebayo's New Jersey AAU team.

"It was about time Bam had 40 in terms of getting a lot of those moves he's been working on in the offseason," Irving said. "I've known Bam since he was 15 or 16 years old, so just watching him grow since high school and watching him take over at this point for kind of an undermanned Miami team, it's good to see."

The Nets were able to overcome Adebayo's big night by getting 31 points from Kevin Durant along with Irving scoring 18 of his 28 in the fourth quarter. Durant posted his seventh 30-point game on a night when the Nets topped 120 points for the 11th time, shot 53.7 percent, tied a season high with 19 3-pointers and handed out a season-high 34 assists.

Brooklyn's latest high-scoring performance occurred in the second game Irving, Durant and Harden played together. The trio combined for 96 points Wednesday and Saturday combined for 71 with Harden getting 11 assists.

"It was effort, things we can control," Irving said of the difference between the losses in Cleveland. "We just wanted to take this game personally."

Miami's inability to capitalize on Adebayo's big night and complete the comeback sent them to their second straight loss where they never led and fifth loss in seven games. The Heat used their 11th different starting lineup by starting Moe Harkless but he injured his left leg in the second quarter and may be out for the rematch.

If Harkless is out, it means Miami will likely be missing five rotation players. Jimmy Butler and Avery Bradley are out due to health and safety protocols while Tyler Herro (neck) and Meyers Leonard (strained left shoulder) will also be out.

Whatever lineup combinations appear, the Heat will try to correct some of the defensive issues from the past seven games. While Adebayo is averaging 25 points in his last five games, the Heat are allowing 117.1 points and 48.4 percent shooting in those seven games.

"We're just going through a rough patch right now," Adebayo said. "We're trying to figure it out."

--Field Level Media