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Pelicans edge out Suns to snap nine-game skid

New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns

Brandon Ingram scored 29 points, CJ McCollum added 25, and the New Orleans Pelicans broke a nine-game losing streak with a 126-124 win over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night.

Trey Murphy III contributed 19 points, Dejounte Murray had 17, Herbert Jones scored 12, and Brandon Boston Jr. chipped in 11 for the Pelicans.

For the Suns, Devin Booker scored 28 points, and Bradley Beal had 24. Royce O’Neale scored 19 points, Grayson Allen added 13 points and 10 assists, and Tyus Jones also scored 13 points.

Murray hit a 3-pointer and converted a three-point play to help New Orleans score the first eight points of the third quarter, bringing the Pelicans to within 65-62. The Suns led by six points three more times, but Ingram took over for New Orleans.

Ingram made four 3-pointers, including three in just 36 seconds, and scored 15 points during a 22-10 run that gave the Pelicans a 99-93 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Beal’s 3-pointer tied the game at 101, but McCollum responded with a field goal and a 3-pointer to push New Orleans to a 109-101 lead.

Zion Williams and CJ McCollum in the 2nd half

O’Neale’s five points helped the Suns get within 111-110, but McCollum’s three-point play and Murray’s basket extended the lead to six for the Pelicans.

Booker scored four points, putting Phoenix up by one, but McCollum made two free throws, and Jones hit a 3-pointer to put New Orleans ahead by four. Booker made four free throws, but McCollum drove for a score and assisted Murphy on a dunk, giving New Orleans a 125-121 lead with 14 seconds left.

Allen made a 3-pointer, and McCollum hit one of two free throws, leaving the Pelicans with a two-point lead. Jones then blocked Booker’s 3-pointer as time ran out.

Booker, who had scored 52 points in each of his last two games in New Orleans, had 15 points in the first quarter. McCollum’s 3-pointer gave New Orleans a 34-33 lead after the first period.

Beal, O’Neale, and Tyus Jones hit 3-pointers during an 11-0 run, giving Phoenix a 57-44 lead.

Boston scored four points, and Murphy added five as the Pelicans trimmed the Suns’ lead to 65-54 by halftime.

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Knicks rally from slow start to dominate Hornets

New York Knicks and Charlotte Hornets

Karl-Anthony Towns achieved his 12th consecutive double-double, leading the New York Knicks to a dominant 125-101 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday night.

Towns scored 27 points on 9-of-15 shooting and grabbed 16 rebounds for the Knicks. All five of their starters scored in double digits, with OG Anunoby adding 25 points, Jalen Brunson scoring 24, Mikal Bridges contributing 19, and Josh Hart scoring 18. Hart also had a double-double with 10 rebounds.

The Hornets were led by Brandon Miller, who scored 26 points and grabbed six rebounds, but they were outshot 53.9% to 44.9% from the field. Vasilije Micic added 14 points and 12 assists, and Seth Curry came off the bench to score 18 points.

After leading 65-62 at halftime, the Knicks took control of the game in the third quarter. Charlotte stayed close early, with Miller hitting a floater to bring the deficit down to one point.

Karl-Anthony Towns
Karl-Anthony Towns (NBA)

However, New York responded with a 12-0 run, pushing the lead to 77-64. Miller briefly halted the run with two free throws, but the Knicks answered with a 13-2 run, capped by a three-point play from Towns.

With a 103-78 lead going into the fourth quarter, the Knicks never let up.

The Hornets started strong, scoring 20 of the first 27 points and leading 32-30 after the first quarter. They extended their lead to 51-44 with 6:20 left in the second quarter. However, a three-pointer by Hart helped the Knicks close out the first half on a 21-11 run, taking a three-point lead into halftime.

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NBA (Basketball)

Jalen Williams and the Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Toronto Raptors, winning 129-92

Oklahoma City Thunder and Toronto Raptors

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a dominant 129-92 win over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night.

Jalen Williams added 20 points for the Thunder, who have won two games in a row and six of their last seven. Isaiah Joe contributed 16 points, and Isaiah Hartenstein grabbed 16 rebounds and had six assists.

Ajay Mitchell came off the bench to score 13 points, Aaron Wiggins added 12, and Kenrich Williams chipped in with 10. Alex Caruso returned after missing five games due to a hip injury and scored eight points.

RJ Barrett had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Raptors, who saw their four-game home winning streak come to an end. Scottie Barnes added 12 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists. Jonathan Mogbo also scored 17 points, Gradey Dick, who had missed five games with a calf injury, returned and scored 15 points, while Chris Boucher added 10 points.

The Thunder jumped out to a 34-17 lead after the first quarter and started the second quarter with a 10-4 run. Their lead grew to 26 with 7:21 left in the second when Caruso hit a 3-pointer.

Jalen Williams
Jalen Williams (NBA)

Barrett’s layup cut the deficit to 20 with 4:36 remaining. Later, Dick and Ochai Agbaji hit consecutive 3-pointers to bring the margin down to 17 with 2:29 left. Williams then turned a steal by Cason Wallace into a layup at the buzzer, giving Oklahoma City a 67-42 lead at halftime.

The Thunder, who lead the league with an average of 11.9 steals per game, had nine steals and blocked nine shots in the first half. Oklahoma City shot 50 percent (25-for-50) from the field in the first half, while Toronto struggled at 32.6 percent (15-for-46).

Gilgeous-Alexander, who is from nearby Hamilton, Ontario, made a 15-foot fadeaway jumper to extend the lead to 26 with 9:07 left in the third quarter. Wallace’s dunk and free throw made the lead 30 with 5:27 remaining, and it grew to 36 before Oklahoma City took a 99-65 advantage into the final quarter.

Toronto scored the first nine points of the fourth quarter, but Oklahoma City responded with a 4-0 run. Jakob Poeltl missed the game for Toronto due to illness.

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Cavaliers’ 3-point shooting outshines Nuggets, even with a dominant performance from Nikola Jokic

Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Nuggets

Nikola Jokic recorded his 139th career triple-double with 27 points, 20 rebounds, and 11 assists on Wednesday at Cleveland, moving into third place on the all-time triple-double list. However, despite his impressive performance, the Denver Nuggets were defeated 126-114 by the Cleveland Cavaliers, who dominated with their 3-point shooting.

Jokic’s triple-double broke a tie with Magic Johnson for third place, and it marked his second triple-double this season with 20 or more points and 20 or more rebounds.

The Cavaliers, led by Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Caris LeVert, and Evan Mobley, made 17 3-pointers and scored a total of 93 points. Mitchell, who scored 28 points and hit 6 of 10 from beyond the arc, led the charge.

The Cavaliers led almost the entire game, with their advantage reaching as much as 18 points during the second half. Denver did manage to narrow the gap to single digits late in the game with a 7-0 run.

Nikola Jokic in the game (NBA)

LeVert contributed 21 points off the bench and hit five 3-pointers on six attempts. He helped stop Denver’s rally by hitting a 3-pointer after Mitchell added another long-range shot. Those two consecutive 3-pointers ended any chance of a comeback for the Nuggets.

Cleveland’s shooting was exceptional, as they made 22 of 48 3-pointers, with five players hitting multiple shots from deep. Meanwhile, the Nuggets struggled, hitting only 6 of 24 from 3-point range.

Mobley finished with 20 points, hitting 3 of 5 from 3-point range, and added nine rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Garland scored 24 points and had four assists, while Jarrett Allen contributed eight points, six assists, and 15 rebounds.

For Denver, Aaron Gordon scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Jamal Murray added 19 points, and Russell Westbrook and Christian Braun both scored 10 points.

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Luka Doncic and the Mavericks overpower the Wizards, extending their losing streak to 16 games

Dallas Mavericks and Washington Wizards

Luka Doncic recorded his first triple-double of the season, and the Dallas Mavericks dominated the Washington Wizards with a 137-101 win on Thursday night, marking their sixth consecutive victory.

Doncic finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, earning his 78th career triple-double in the regular season.

Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 25 points, while Daniel Gafford, a former Wizards player, scored 16 points off the bench. Dallas has now won 10 of their last 11 games.

For the Wizards, Malcolm Brogdon scored 16 points, and Carlton Carrington added 15. This loss marked their 16th in a row, tying the franchise’s longest losing streak.

The Mavericks made 20 of 38 three-pointers (52.6 percent), while the Wizards hit just 13 of 40 (32.5 percent). Dallas also dominated the boards, outrebounding Washington 64-48.

Dallas led by 18 points at halftime. Irving and Dereck Lively II helped spark a 9-2 run to start the third quarter, increasing the Mavericks’ lead to 77-52.

Washington attempted a comeback, and Alex Sarr’s three-pointer cut the lead to 83-69. However, Irving and Gafford led a 12-0 run that gave Dallas a 95-69 lead.

Luka Doncic reacts after scoring

Gafford scored five quick points early in the fourth, pushing the lead to 110-78, and the Mavericks’ lead grew as large as 42 points near the end of the game.

The Wizards played without their second-leading scorer, Kyle Kuzma, due to a left rib sprain, and Corey Kispert, who has a left ankle sprain.

Washington briefly led 6-3, but Dallas quickly responded with a 15-0 run. The Wizards fought back, but Spencer Dinwiddie’s three-pointer helped the Mavericks end the first quarter with a nine-point lead.

In the second quarter, Klay Thompson hit two three-pointers, and Dallas extended their lead to 39-24. Doncic’s jumper gave them a 20-point advantage, and P.J. Washington’s two free throws pushed the lead to 53-31, their largest of the half.

Jordan Poole’s three-pointer cut the lead to 15, but Irving scored the last five points of the half, and Dallas led 68-50 at the break.

The Mavericks shot 12 of 22 (54.5 percent) from beyond the arc in the first half, while the Wizards made just 5 of 20 (25 percent).

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NBA (Basketball)

The Jazz and Trail Blazers meet, both aiming to address their turnover issues

Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunders

The Utah Jazz are struggling with turnovers.

Unfortunately, these turnovers aren’t benefiting their fans, as the opponents are the ones taking advantage.

The Jazz will try to cut down on their turnovers and end a five-game losing streak when they face the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.

In their 133-106 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, Utah committed an alarming 29 turnovers, which led to 45 points for Oklahoma City.

“Our ball security got really exposed,” said Jazz coach Will Hardy. “They really preyed on us in terms of our lack of quick decision making, (we) got caught in the crowd too much, we didn’t fight for our space very well.

“This was going to be the determining factor of the game, from my standpoint, before the game started. It ended up being very much the deciding part of the game.”

Friday’s game could see many turnovers. The Jazz lead the NBA with 18.5 turnovers per game, and the Trail Blazers are the second-worst team in this category with 17.1 per game.

In the loss to the Thunder, Utah was outscored 25-9 on fastbreak points. Oklahoma City committed only eight turnovers.

For Utah, five players had four or more turnovers in the game.

“My biggest fear is that the guys don’t see or feel that they are improving when it comes to the foundation of our defense,” Hardy said. “The turnovers are going to be something that if we can’t get it under control, it’s going to be distracting from the things that are improved.”

Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings

Utah has lost nine of its last 10 games while trying to fix its turnover issues.

Collin Sexton and Walker Kessler (who grabbed 11 rebounds) led the Jazz with 17 points each against Oklahoma City. In total, six players scored at least 13 points.

The Jazz are 2-8 on the road as they face the Trail Blazers, who are 5-5 at home. Portland has lost six of its last eight games.

The Trail Blazers were beaten 127-105 by the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday. Portland had five players score in double figures, with Deandre Ayton leading the team with 16 points, and Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe both adding 15 points.

“Got off to a rough start again in the game,” said Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups. “I thought our second group came in and saved us and they really got us back in it. Kind of revitalized us as a group and it ended up being a good first half.

“And then we just kind of chopped and were clawing the rest of the way in the third quarter and then boom, it got away from us.”

Avdija and Dalano Banton (14 points) were the top Portland bench players against the Clippers.

Robert Williams III (concussion) will miss his fifth straight game for the Trail Blazers.

Portland has allowed more than 120 points in four of its last five games, losing every time they gave up at least that many points.

Before Thursday’s games, Portland was ranked 21st in scoring defense, allowing 115.3 points per game, while Utah was 28th, giving up 118.6 points per game.

The Jazz won three out of four meetings between the teams last season. The teams split the two games played in Portland.

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NBA (Basketball)

The hot-handed Hawks aim to continue the Lakers’ recent struggles

Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks

The Los Angeles Lakers are having one of their toughest weeks in franchise history.

After a 109-80 loss to the Timberwolves on Monday, the Lakers were beaten badly by the Miami Heat 134-93 on Wednesday, marking their worst combined defeat in two games.

The Lakers now head into the last game of their four-game road trip on Friday in Atlanta to face the hot Hawks.

In Wednesday’s game, the Heat shot 57.8 percent from the field and 51.1 percent (24-for-47) from 3-point range. LeBron James, who is close to turning 40, led the Lakers with 29 points. Los Angeles made just 5 of its 22 (22.7 percent) 3-point shots, and Anthony Davis missed 11 of his 14 attempts.

“There has to be some ownership,” said first-year Lakers head coach JJ Redick. “When a group is not performing well, it’s easy to splinter and not want the ownership, particularly when it’s embarrassing. I’m embarrassed, we’re all embarrassed.

That wasn’t a game that I thought we had the right fight, the right professionalism. Not sure what was lost in translation. … I’m not blaming players. I own this. But there needs to be ownership on the court, as well.”

Redick had the Lakers playing well at the start of the season, but they have since lost six of their last eight games. Davis, who scored a season-low eight points on Wednesday, leads the team with 26.9 points and 11.3 rebounds per game, while James is averaging 22.3 points, 9.0 assists, and 7.9 rebounds.

Los Angeles Lakers players in the 2nd half

On the other hand, the Hawks have won five games in a row, with their most recent victory coming against the Milwaukee Bucks, snapping the Bucks’ seven-game winning streak on Wednesday.

After falling behind 16-6 against Milwaukee, Atlanta’s well-rounded scoring effort helped them win their longest streak since January 2023. Jalen Johnson scored 23 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and handed out five assists, while De’Andre Hunter added 20 points off the bench. Hunter has scored over 20 points in four of his last five games.

Hawks coach Quin Snyder believes defense has been the key to their winning streak. They showed this by holding Milwaukee to just 17 points in the fourth quarter.

“I think as much as anything, when we’re defending, that’s the ticket,” Snyder said. “Whether it’s the first quarter, the third quarter, we just have to really commit to guarding. That allows us to get out in transition. … Whether you’re making or missing shots, find a way to impact the game in other ways.”

Atlanta’s star point guard, Trae Young, has struggled with his shooting, hitting career lows in field goal percentage (38.4 percent) and 3-point percentage (30.6 percent) after going 0-for-9 from beyond the arc on Wednesday. However, his playmaking has been strong, leading the NBA with 12 assists per game.

Young leads Atlanta with 20.7 points per game, followed by Johnson (20.1) and Hunter (18.7).

The Hawks, who won East Group C in the NBA Cup last week, will face the New York Knicks in the Cup quarterfinals next Wednesday. Before that, they will play the Denver Nuggets at home on Sunday.

After their game in Atlanta, the Lakers will return home to face the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday.

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NBA (Basketball)

Khris Middleton of the Bucks is expected to make his season debut against the Celtics

Milwaukee Bucks (NBA)

Three-time All-Star Khris Middleton is expected to play his first game of the season for the Milwaukee Bucks when they face the Boston Celtics on Friday night.

Middleton, 33, had surgery on both ankles during the offseason. He practiced on Wednesday before the Bucks lost to Atlanta 119-104, which ended their seven-game winning streak.

Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers said Middleton is frustrated about missing the first 21 games of the season.

“Anybody who wants to play, and Khris is one of those (guys), they’re frustrated,” Rivers said. “That’s mentally challenging. You see your team playing, and although we’re playing well right now, I imagine when we were really struggling and he wasn’t playing, that had to be really hard for him. You want to help your team, and he knows he can.”

Middleton averaged 15.1 points per game in 55 games last season.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 31 points and 11 rebounds in the loss to Atlanta on Wednesday. Damian Lillard added 25 points.

“We don’t like the feeling of losing,” Antetokounmpo said. “We had won seven in a row, so when we came in here the locker room was quiet and that’s the feeling that you want to have as a team, that yeah, we gave one away.

But now we just gotta go back, watch the film, do our adjustments. We have one of the best teams in the East (the Celtics). We have a big one in two days. Get ready to compete there and hopefully we can win that one.”

Despite missing two starters, the Boston Celtics extended their home winning streak to six games with a 130-120 victory over Detroit on Wednesday. The Celtics were without Jayson Tatum (right knee) and Jrue Holiday (left knee).

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers reacts to a call during the first half of an NBA basketball game

Before Wednesday’s game, Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said Tatum — who is listed as questionable for Friday — would likely miss only one game. Holiday has missed the last two games but is not listed on the injury report for Friday’s game.

Detroit made a season-high 20 3-pointers on 39 attempts, including four in a row in the fourth quarter to cut a 20-point deficit to eight.

“We just have to be better guarding the 3-point line,” said center Luke Kornet. “The 3-point line — that’s what allowed them to get back into the game. The last few minutes we did a better job of that. That’s what allowed us to get the win.”

Jaylen Brown had 28 points, six rebounds, and nine assists for the Celtics.

“I think he does a good job of trying to read the team … who needs to get a touch, who we need to get going,” said Kristaps Porzingis, who scored a season-high 26 points. “He’s good at that. If he needs to take more responsibility and attack more and create more, he does that for us.

“We already know what he gives us defensively, his physicality. When he’s engaged like this, he’s one of the best players in the league in my opinion. What we love about him is that he’s going to make the right play and he’s going to give the team what the team needs in that moment.”

Friday’s game will be the third meeting between the two teams this season. The Celtics won 119-108 at home on Oct. 28 and 113-107 at Milwaukee on Nov. 10.

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NBA (Basketball)

The 76ers aim to prevent a two-game sweep by the surging Magic

Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers

After a loss to Orlando on Wednesday, the Philadelphia 76ers will look to bounce back on Friday when they face the Magic again at home.

Orlando began its two-game visit to Philadelphia with a 106-102 win. Franz Wagner led the team with 35 points, while the Magic made it difficult for 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey to have a good shooting night.

The 76ers played without two of their top three players, as Joel Embiid and Paul George sat out to rest their knees. This left coach Nick Nurse with only one All-Star on the court, along with a group of role players who are also dealing with injuries.

“(Finding continuity without key players) is very difficult,” said Nurse, who hopes to have George (and possibly Embiid) back for Friday’s game.

“I hope that we are going to get these guys together at the same time here fairly shortly. And then start working on the continuity. But to your question, it is difficult. Guys are in and out and we’re trying to figure it out.”

Orlando also played without its best player, Paolo Banchero, who is still out with an oblique injury. Despite that, the Magic relied on Wagner’s 35-point performance to earn their seventh win in the last eight games.

“I really did like their composure,” said Magic coach Jamahl Mosley about his team’s calmness in the final moments. “The communication between each of the guys about where the matchups were, how we were guarding, the different situations we were gonna be in.

Joel Embiid and Jake LaRavia in the 2nd half

I just think that they did a great job of listening and paying attention to what the coaches were saying, but also with communicating with one another.”

Wagner is having his best season so far, averaging 24.2 points, 5.7 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.8 steals, even though he’s playing about the same amount of minutes as in the past two seasons. His teammates and coaches have been suggesting he could be an All-Star, but Wagner prefers to ignore the attention.

“(I try to) focus on the stuff that really matters,” Wagner said. “Obviously it’s really cool to be playing well and to have a good season. Everybody has their own motivation. That’s just kind of an add-on for me.”

Meanwhile, Philadelphia’s main scorer, Maxey, is going through a bit of a shooting slump.

Maxey made only 7-of-19 shots (0-for-7 from 3-point range) against Orlando on Wednesday. This is the fourth time in the last five games that he’s shot below 42%.

“They trapped every ball screen,” said Maxey, who is 1-of-14 from 3-point range in the last two games. “That’s hard, but that’s why Jared (McCain) got downhill. They played drop on him. He got downhill and scored (24 points), he made some 3s. I thought we did a good job, man. I got in the paint, I got guys open shots — we made some, we missed some. I’m overall happy with the way we played offense.”

The Magic are 3-1 so far on their five-game road trip, which has included games in New York against the Nets and Knicks, and now Philadelphia. After Friday’s game, they will return to Orlando for seven of their next eight games.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Jack Eichel states that Team USA aims to show it has narrowed the gap with Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off

Vegas Golden Knights players celebrate a goal

Jack Eichel’s national pride was clear when he talked about representing the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.

During a Team USA Zoom call on Thursday, Eichel quickly responded when reminded that U.S. teams with NHL players haven’t won a gold medal in best-on-best international tournaments since the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.

“I’ll take it,” Eichel said after Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy apologized for not hearing the question.

Eichel explained, “I think there’s a lot to prove for us as USA Hockey. I think for a while it was Canada on a pedestal by themselves. And I think for us, we feel like we’ve closed that gap. And I think this is a great opportunity to prove that.”

Eichel, who is from the Boston area, made his case by mentioning the growing number of American players in the NHL, many of whom came through the U.S. national development program in the past decade. Eichel himself is one of those players, as are many of his teammates.

Charlie McAvoy takes the puck forward

“Obviously, we feel very confident in our group and the names on our roster,” Eichel said. “But that’s only half the battle. You’ve got to go out there and do it. And we’re excited for that opportunity.”

The 4 Nations Face-Off was introduced during last All-Star Weekend. It divides NHL players from Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the U.S. into four teams, replacing the All-Star Game this season.

Eichel’s comments came a day after the teams revealed their full rosters for the NHL/NHL Players’ Association-backed tournament, which will take place in Montreal and Boston from February 12-20.

The U.S. team is filled with talent but has not been successful at the senior international level. The U.S. last medaled at the world championships in 2021, winning bronze, and has not placed higher than third since the 1960 Winter Games at Squaw Valley. The Americans’ last Olympic gold came in 1980, when they were amateurs and famously won the “Miracle on Ice.” The U.S. also won silver medals in 2002 and 2010, but lost to Canada both times.

In 1996, U.S. goalie Mike Richter was named World Cup MVP as he helped the Americans defeat Canada in the decisive Game 3 of the final series.

“I think we check every box there is,” McAvoy said. “I think the confidence amongst us in our group should be sky high.”

The U.S. team’s leadership, including Wild GM Bill Guerin and Penguins coach Mike Sullivan, focused on experience when choosing players. The oldest players on the team are forwards Chris Kreider of the Rangers and Brock Nelson of the Islanders, both 33 and with a lot of world championships experience.

The youngest player is 22-year-old Brock Faber, a defenseman from Minnesota who has Olympic experience after playing in the 2022 Beijing Games when the NHL did not participate due to pandemic-related issues.

The U.S. will face a talented Team Canada, which includes superstars like Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, and defenseman Cale Makar.

Vegas Golden Knights (NHL)

Team USA has a strong lineup, especially at center, with Eichel, Auston Matthews, and Dylan Larkin. The U.S. also has a solid group of goalies, including two-time Vezina Trophy-winner Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger, and Jeremy Swayman.

USA Hockey has recently seen success, winning two of the past four world junior championships and six total since 2004. McAvoy, Oettinger, and defenseman Adam Fox were part of the U.S. team that won the 2017 world junior title.

Canada, too, has a veteran-heavy squad, including 14 players with at least one Stanley Cup title.

“You can’t put a price tag on experience,” said Canada coach Jon Cooper, who also coaches the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Cooper added, “I truly believe this is a tournament where you’re basically playing three Game 7s in the preliminary round. There’s no real margin for error. This is as competitive a group as you will find. Every one of these players will lay in traffic for their country.”

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NBA (Basketball)

The Blackhawks part ways with coach Luke Richardson after a rough start to his third season, the worst in the league

Chicago Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson, center top, talks to his players during the third period of an NHL hockey game

The Chicago Blackhawks fired coach Luke Richardson on Thursday, showing their frustration with the progress of the team’s rebuilding effort.

Chicago has lost four straight games, bringing their record to a league-worst 8-16-2 for the season. They were outscored 41-27 during a 3-9-1 stretch over their last 13 games.

Anders Sorensen, who had been coaching the team’s minor league affiliate in Rockford, was promoted to interim head coach.

“Today I made the difficult decision to move on from Luke as our head coach,” general manager Kyle Davidson said in a statement. “We thank him for his efforts and contributions to the organization and our community.

As we have begun to take steps forward in our rebuilding process, we felt that the results did not match our expectations for a higher level of execution this season and ultimately came to the decision that a change was necessary.”

The Blackhawks had hoped to be more competitive in Richardson’s third season. They signed players like Tyler Bertuzzi, Teuvo Teravainen, Alec Martinez, and Craig Smith on the first day of free agency this summer. They also had Connor Bedard returning for his second season after winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL rookie of the year.

Chicago Blackhawks and Toronto Maple Leafs

However, Bertuzzi and Teravainen have struggled, and Martinez has been hurt. Bertuzzi has five goals and five assists in 26 games, while Teravainen has only three goals and two assists in his last 21 games.

The most important player for Chicago is 19-year-old Bedard. His lack of production may have contributed to Richardson’s firing. Bedard, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft, has shown some positive development but has had a hard time scoring.

He ended a 12-game goal drought with a score against Dallas on Nov. 27. He has five goals and 14 assists in 26 games, compared to 11 goals and 10 assists at the same point last season.

“We’re not happy with the record, for sure,” Richardson said after his last game, a 4-2 loss to Boston on Wednesday. “The guys are trying to work within the system and the right way and unfortunately, like I said before, we don’t seem to have one kind of Achilles’ heel.

There’s not one problem with our team. It’s like one night there’s one area — maybe our defense or our forward or one player — and the next night it’s another area, like a different player.”

While Chicago has had many issues, their biggest problem has been offense. They are averaging 2.42 goals per game, ranking 31st in the NHL, ahead of only Nashville. Last season, the Blackhawks finished with the fewest goals in the league, with 178.

Richardson, 55, had a 57-118-15 record in Chicago. He was a former NHL defenseman and had been an assistant coach with Montreal before being hired by the Blackhawks in June 2022. In the 2021 playoffs, he briefly took over as coach for Montreal when Dominique Ducharme tested positive for COVID-19 and helped lead the Canadiens to their first Stanley Cup Final since 1993.

This change comes just ahead of the Winter Classic on Dec. 31, where Chicago will face the St. Louis Blues at Wrigley Field. Before the coaching change was announced, the NHL released a design of how the rink will look at the home of baseball’s Chicago Cubs.

Sorensen, 49, is a familiar face for the Blackhawks. He first joined the organization as a development coach in 2013. He has a 117-89-16-7 record in 229 career AHL games, all with Rockford.

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NBA (Basketball)

Brandon Ingram and Herb Jones make their comeback for the Pelicans against Phoenix, while Ryan Dunn is sidelined for the Suns

Brandon Ingram shoots in the 2nd half

Brandon Ingram’s 21 points in the third quarter and Herb Jones’ key block of Devin Booker’s last-second 3-pointer helped the New Orleans Pelicans look more like the team coach Willie Green hoped for at the start of the season.

For the first time since late October, the Pelicans had five of their top six players in the lineup when they defeated the Phoenix Suns 126-124 on Thursday night, ending a nine-game losing streak.

“It allows us to be the team that we believe that we can be,” Green said. His 5-18 team is still near the bottom of the Western Conference. “As we’re getting healthy, we want to continue to chip away.”

The only starter missing against Phoenix was star power forward Zion Williamson, who is still recovering from a left hamstring injury, and his return timeline is uncertain.

Ingram (29 points), Jones (12 points and four steals), CJ McCollum (25 points), Trey Murphy III (19 points), and Dejounte Murray (17 points) all played important roles in the win against the Suns.

“It was great,” Murray said. “Obviously, health is wealth. … You could never judge a team without their guys.”

Jones, New Orleans’ best defender in recent seasons, had missed 18 games due to a right shoulder strain.

Hebert Jones and Bandon Boston Jr. in the 2nd half

“Herb’s one of those guys — he just puts out fires,” Green said. “Without him on the floor, we’re missing a lot.”

Jones got hurt diving for a loose ball at Golden State on Oct. 29, but he was eager to get back on the floor and wasn’t hesitant to dive for loose balls or tie-ups against Phoenix.

“After I made the decision I was good enough to play, once I get out there, I go for what I know — and that’s playing hard,” Jones said.

Ingram, who had missed five games with a right calf injury, scored 29 points, making 10 of 19 shots. He also hit three straight 3-pointers during a strong third quarter, turning an 11-point deficit into a 99-93 lead for the Pelicans.

Ingram’s scoring helped open lanes for other players like McCollum, who made a driving floater to put the Pelicans ahead for good in the final minute.

“That was the first time we had played together since the third game of the season,” McCollum said. “It’s not like we’ve been on the court together at all. It’s not an excuse. It’s just our reality.”

After winning the first two games of the season, the Pelicans lost 18 of their next 20.

Now, they will need to win more games, starting with Thursday’s victory, if they hope to get back into the playoff race in the Western Conference.

Green doesn’t think the team’s recent injuries hurt the team’s chemistry or the players’ excitement for what lies ahead.

“There’s nobody to blame,” Green said. “We’re in it. We have to embrace being here.”