review Page 16 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights
Pistons host Celtics in battle of surprise East frontrunners
The Detroit Pistons weren't supposed to be the top team in the Eastern Conference. The Boston Celtics were supposed to be in a transition year after shedding salary last offseason.,Instead, they currently hold the top two spots in the standings. They'll have a showdown in Detroit on Monday night.,Th...
Panthers make rare January home appearance as Sharks invade
The Florida Panthers look to build off the solid end to a road trip and keep pace in the crowded Eastern Conference race for a playoff spot when they host the San Jose Sharks on Monday.,Florida just finished a six-game road trip with a 3-3-0 record. The Panthers lost the first two games but then bou...
Shootout-shaken Penguins visit Kraken aiming to flip late-game script
One might assume a team featuring future Hall of Famers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin would excel in the shootout.,But that hasn't been the case for the Pittsburgh Penguins this season.,The Penguins are just 1-7 when they fail to reach a decision in regulation or overtime entering Monday's game at...
Pacers, 76ers look for rebound after recent stumbles
After recent disappointments, the Philadelphia 76ers and visiting Indiana Pacers aim to pick up the pieces when they square off Monday.,Philadelphia had won six of its last eight games prior to dropping three of four over the past week.,The team had a pair of two-game series -- two road games with t...
Avalanche concerned with rare lull as slumping Capitals visit
Every team experiences lulls throughout an 82-game season, but the Colorado Avalanche seemed immune to that in the first half of the schedule.,Finally, a lull has hit Colorado, which dropped four of its last six games and suffered its first loss in regulation on home ice. The Avalanche will try to b...
Marquette, Providence bid to climb out of Big East basement
Looking to end another three-game losing skid, Marquette welcomes Providence to Milwaukee on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in a battle of two teams in the bottom four of the Big East standings.,It was a short trip south to Chicago for the Golden Eagles (6-13, 1-7 Big East) on Friday, where after a prom...
Resurgent Klay Thompson, Mavericks visit frustrated Knicks
The Dallas Mavericks were able to win this past week without star rookie Cooper Flagg.,The New York Knicks haven't been nearly as successful in two-plus games without leading scorer Jalen Brunson.,Both teams hope their centerpieces will return Monday when the Knicks host the Mavericks in New York's ...
Spurs gear up for Jazz after narrowly averting collapse
It says a lot about the San Antonio Spurs' progress this season that recent postgame criticism centered not on winning and losing but on how their latest victory was accomplished.,The Spurs understand there are issues that need to be addressed entering their home game against the Utah Jazz on Monday...
Coming off rare loss, Thunder visit resurgent Cavaliers
Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder haven't missed a beat, sitting atop the NBA standings past the midpoint of the regular season.,The next stop for the Thunder is a road game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who carry a two-game winning streak into ...
Clippers savor improved stretch as Wizards endure growing pains
A month ago, all signs pointed to this being a lost season for the Los Angeles Clippers before an uptick in offensive tempo and an added focus on defense turned them back into a potential playoff team.,Winners of five straight and 12 of the last 14, the Clippers will face an additional challenge as ...
Hurricanes ride offensive outburst into showdown with Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes have been a couple of point-hungry teams of late and will get a chance to feast on each other when they meet Monday afternoon in Raleigh, N.C.,The Hurricanes are the second team in the NHL to reach 30 wins, behind the Colorado Avalanche. The Sabres have poi...
Sliding Bucks, Hawks want to correct course in MLK Day matchup
Struggling teams, each on a three-game losing streak, will try to find their footing when the Milwaukee Bucks visit the Atlanta Hawks on Monday afternoon as part of the league's Martin Luther King Jr. Day festivities.,The Bucks last played on Thursday when they were routed 119-101 by San Antonio, a ...
Up-and-down Raptors, banged-up Lakers clash in LA
It has been nearly a month since the Toronto Raptors have lost consecutive games, and they will attempt to keep that run alive when they hit the road to face the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. ,Since dropping back-to-back games Dec. 20-21, the Raptors have gone 8-5 but enter a five-game road trip aga...
Bidding to reach .500, Blazers take aim at Domantas Sabonis, Kings
The Portland Trail Blazers are expected to have a big obstacle standing in their way of reaching the .500 mark when they visit the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night.,Portland got within one game of .500 for just the second time since mid-November on Saturday night when they rolled past the Luka Donci...
LaMelo Ball, Hornets strive to end western trip with win vs. Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets hit a softer spot in their home schedule this weekend that projected as back-to-back wins, but that potential outcome nearly hit a snag Saturday night against the struggling Washington Wizards.,Less than 24 hours later, the Nuggets will face another Eastern Conference team with a ...
Without Leon Draisaitl, Oilers open 8-game homestand vs. Blues
Leon Draisaitl will miss his second straight game when the Edmonton Oilers host the St. Louis Blues on Sunday night.,The former Hart Trophy recipient has taken a leave of absence and returned home to Germany due to an illness in his family.,"Obviously, we're going to miss Leon, and hopefully, it's n...
Red Wings on playoff quest; Senators trying to 'turn around'
The Detroit Red Wings will have a big opportunity to help their playoff push and strike a blow to a rival's chances when they host the Ottawa Senators on Sunday.,The Red Wings, winners of five of six outings, sit second in the Atlantic Division. Ottawa is seven points out of a playoff position and a...
Their 'juice' back, Rockets out to keep Pelicans reeling
The Houston Rockets were in no position to take the short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves lightly on Friday, even with Anthony Edwards unavailable while managing a lingering foot injury.,The Rockets needed every bit of their usual blend of efficient offense and defensive tenacity to outlast the Timber...
Nets making strides ahead of rematch with Bulls
The Brooklyn Nets edged the visiting Chicago Bulls on Friday to stop a five-game skid.,On Sunday, the Nets will try to win consecutive games for just the third time this season as they enter a rematch against the Bulls in Chicago.,Brooklyn squandered a 20-point, fourth-quarter lead Friday before rec...
Lightning visit Stars with points streak still intact
While the Tampa Bay Lightning's 11-game winning streak finally came to a halt, their points streak lives on as they enter a road matchup with the Dallas Stars on Sunday.,The Lightning forced a shootout before falling 3-2 on the road to the Blues to give them 23 of a possible 24 points since Dec. 20....