Sports
Eastern Conference contenders Pistons, Raptors meet for first time
Feb 9, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabaté (14) and forward Miles Bridges (0) are ejected after a fight with Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) and forward/center Isaiah Stewart (28) during the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images One team will enter the All-Star break on a three-game winning streak Wednesday night when the Detroit Pistons visit the Toronto Raptors.
The Pistons won their second straight when they opened a four-game road trip with a 110-104 victory over the Charlotte Hornets in a game marred by third-quarter fights.
Two players from each team were ejected from the game, including Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart of the Pistons.
The altercation started after Charlotte’s Moussa Diabate fouled Duren. After shoving, punches were thrown. When hostilities broke out again, Stewart came off the bench to defend Duren.
“Our guys deal with a lot,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “They are not the ones who initiate. They are not the ones who crossed the line tonight. … I hate that it got as ugly as it got. That is not something you want to see. But, if a guy throws a punch at you, you have a responsibility to protect yourself.”
“It was an overly emotional game with tempers flaring,” said Duren, who scored seven of his 15 points in the third quarter. “At the end of the day, we would love to keep it to basketball, but things happen. Everyone was playing hard. As the year has gone on, teams have tried to get into our heads.”
All-Star Game-bound Cade Cunningham had 33 points, nine rebounds and seven assists to help the Pistons end the Hornets’ nine-game winning streak.
“It says a lot about our grit and our resilience,” Cunningham said. “There was a lot of emotion to the game; fans were into it. For us to stay together and pull through, this is a great win for us.”
The Pistons and Raptors will be meeting for the first time this season. The Raptors won their second in a row by defeating the Indiana Pacers 122-104 Sunday to improve to 3-1 on their five-game homestand.
Trayce Jackson-Davis, acquired Thursday in a trade with the Golden State Warriors, made his Raptors debut and delivered 10 points and 10 rebounds in 15:31 off the bench.
“Trayce played well, and it gave us a good 15 minutes,” Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic said.
Jackson-Davis became the fifth player to record a double-double in his Raptors debut — the first since Kawhi Leonard (24 points,12 rebounds) in 2018 — and the first to do so as a reserve.
Rajakovic prefers to wait before assessing his new player.
“At this point, I just want to let him be,” he said. “I want to coach him. I want to help him. I want to build him and see where we go. I don’t want to, based on one good game or bad game, to pass any judgment on him. I want to see a chunk of 10-15 games and see how he grows with us.”
Jackson-Davis said that before the game Rajakovic told him to “play free” and not to worry about the plays, but to play hard and rebound.
“So I leaned onto that,” Jackson-Davis said. “And then I’m a rhythm player. So once you start getting rebounds, you start putting the ball in the hole, everything else goes your way.”
Toronto’s Collin Murray-Boyles left the game after the first quarter with a lingering thumb injury and will not play on Wednesday.
Brandon Ingram learned Tuesday he will participate in his second All-Star Game. The Raptors’ leading scorer (22.0 ppg) replaces the injured Stephen Curry. Scottie Barnes (19.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 5.6 apg) is Toronto’s other All-Star.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Knicks F OG Anunoby (toe) out vs. 76ers
Feb 3, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) reacts after making a three point basket in front of Washington Wizards forward Kyshawn George (18) during the first quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby will sit out his fourth consecutive game Wednesday when he misses his team’s contest versus the host Philadelphia 76ers.
Anunoby, 28, is sidelined by a toenail avulsion on his right foot, per NBA injury report.
He is averaging 16.6 points and 5.5 rebounds in 41 games (all starts) this season.
Center Mitchell Robinson is available to return to action after missing Tuesday’s 137-134 overtime loss to the Indiana Pacers due to an ankle injury and rest.
Robinson, 27, is averaging 4.8 points and 8.9 rebounds in 38 games (14 starts) this season.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rams OT Rob Havenstein retires after 11 seasons
November 9, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams offensive tackle Rob Havenstein (79) after the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images Los Angeles Rams offensive tackle Rob Havenstein announced his retirement from the NFL after 11 seasons on Tuesday.
Havenstein, who won Super Bowl LVI with the Rams in the 2021 season, started all 148 regular-season games and 13 playoff games he has played since 2015 — the last season the franchise was in St. Louis.
“What a ride it’s been!” Havenstein, 33, posted on Instagram. “I can look back on my career and smile knowing I have given everything I had and more to the game I love. In saying that, I am officially retiring from the NFL.”
He thanked his wife, parents, teammates, coaches, the team’s fans and the Rams organization.
“I have had the time of my life with the Los Angeles Rams (formerly known as the St. Louis Rams) and can’t thank the whole organization enough for giving me a shot back in 2015,” he wrote. “Although some in the organization weren’t totally convinced.”
Havenstein played in only seven regular-season games this season (seven starts) as he dealt with knee and ankle bursitis. He was placed on injured reserve on Nov. 19 and the Rams designated him to return to practice on Jan. 22 ahead of the NFC Championship game at Seattle on Jan. 25, but he didn’t play and the Seahawks won 31-27.
A member of the 2015 NFL All-Rookie Team, Havenstein was a foundational part of the offensive line at right tackle. He played on 100% of the offensive snaps in games he played across the 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2025 seasons, and at least 90% in the others.
The Rams also reached the league championship game in the 2018 season, falling to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII, 13-3. Los Angeles beat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 three years later.
“As this chapter ends, I couldn’t be more grateful, hopeful, and excited to see what comes next!” Havenstein said.
–Field Level Media
Sports
LeBron James (foot) out; ineligible for awards, All-NBA honors
Feb 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) passes the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) during the third quarter at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Los Angeles Lakers standout LeBron James will miss Tuesday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs due to left foot arthritis, an absence that makes him ineligible for All-NBA recognition and major awards this season.
The game is James’ 18th missed contest of the season and prevents him from playing in 65 games, the minimum number of games to be eligible for All-NBA and other honors. James has been named to an All-NBA team in a record 21 straight seasons.
James, 41, has played in 35 games this season and is averaging 21.8 points, 6.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds. He was second-team All-NBA last season. His most recent first-team All-NBA selection was the 2019-20 season.
Lakers star guard Luka Doncic (left hamstring) will sit out for the third straight game. He leads the NBA with a 32.8 scoring average.
Doncic remains hopeful of playing in Sunday’s All-Star Game.
Guards Austin Reaves (left calf) and Marcus Smart (right ankle) also were ruled out against San Antonio. Center Deandre Ayton (right knee) is questionable.
–Field Level Media
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