Sports
All-Star break timely for feisty Hornets, revamped Hawks
Feb 7, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) dribbles against the Atlanta Hawks in the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images The Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets might be in need of some time off, and they’ll get just that after they meet Wednesday night in Charlotte.
It will be the final game for both teams prior to the eight-day All-Star break, but there’s plenty to digest before tip-off.
The Hornets had a nine-game winning streak end in Monday’s fight-marred loss to the visiting Detroit Pistons. Two players from each team were ejected, including Moussa Diabate and Miles Bridges from the Hornets.
“I think overall our guys responded to every run that they went on,” said Charlotte coach Charles Lee, who was later ejected for arguing a call from a different situation. “I just love everything they brought from a competitive spirit.”
Now the Hornets likely will have to deal with roster availability issues if suspensions are levied as a result of the fight. Bridges provided a team-high 26 points in the 126-119 win on Saturday night at Atlanta.
The Hawks have lost their last two games — to the Hornets and then 138-116 at the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night. A bit of a new-look roster is offering challenges for Atlanta.
“We’re not used to those lineups yet,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “We’re still trying to figure out some of those guys and those combinations.”
Lee said the Hornets, who have gone more than a month without back-to-back losses, responded well in standing up to the Detroit’s physicality.
Charlotte split two games with Atlanta earlier in the season, with the home teams winning each time on Nov. 23 and Dec. 18. Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel led his side in scoring in both games. Diabate has been the team’s top rebounder in all three meetings with Atlanta.
Lost in the aftermath from Monday night, Knueppel became the first rookie this season to reach 1,000 points, doing so in his 53rd game. In the last 25 years, only three players have done so in fewer games.
Knueppel’s role Monday night included trying to restrain Diabate during the fracas.
“I just tried to de-escalate (him) because I knew he wouldn’t hurt me,” he said.
Suddenly, the stakes seem higher for Charlotte.
“We’re going to have to play through some physicality some games,” Hornets swingman Brandon Miller said.
Atlanta has given up more than 130 points four times since the beginning of January, continuing a trend of troubling defensive performances. The Hawks surrendered 81 points in the first half to the Timberwolves.
“I just thought they got clean open looks,” Snyder said. “They shot the ball well, but we didn’t make them uncomfortable enough. … A lot of the shots, they were contested, but they just had too much space.”
A zone defense worked better in the second half. Some of the earlier defensive woes negated opportunities for transition offense, further hampering the Hawks, Snyder said.
Atlanta’s CJ McCollum had 38 points in the Minnesota game, marking the veteran guard’s highest total in 15 games since he was acquired from the Washington Wizards. His previous high with the Hawks was 26 points.
McCollum had 12 points in 28 minutes in last week’s matchup with Charlotte.
Among the newcomers in the mix is Gabe Vincent, who made his debut with the Hawks on Monday after a trade from the Los Angeles Lakers. He had two points, four assists, three steals and one rebound in 19 minutes.
“Gabe, in particular, gave us some very good minutes,” Snyder said.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dodgers re-sign RHP Evan Phillips to one-year deal
Apr 20, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Evan Phillips (59) pitches during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images The Los Angeles Dodgers re-signed right-handed reliever Evan Phillips to a one-year, $6.5 million contract Tuesday.
To make room on the 40-man roster, catcher Ben Rortvedt was designated for assignment by the Dodgers for the second time this offseason in order to accommodate a roster addition.
Phillips, 31, was limited to seven appearances and one save last season before undergoing Tommy John surgery. In a Los Angeles bullpen that did not have a set closer in 2023 and 2024, Phillips took advantage of the situation to record 42 total saves in two seasons.
Over eight major league seasons, Phillips is 16-12 with a 3.36 ERA and 46 saves for the Atlanta Braves (2018), Baltimore Orioles (2018-20), Tampa Bay Rays (2021) and Dodgers.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Italy's national mint to repair broken Olympic medals
Feb 8, 2026; Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy; Breezy Johnson of the United States celebrates on the podium with her gold medal in the women’s downhill alpine skiing race during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-Imagn Images After multiple athletes reported issues with damaged medals, Milan Cortina Olympic organizers confirmed Italy’s national mint will repair any faulty medal fixings for athletes at the 2026 Games.
Olympic organizing committee spokesman Luca Casassa said a “targeted intervention” was agreed to with the producer of the medals, Rome’s Zecca dello Stato (state mint), to resolve the problems, which reportedly involve ribbons and clasps, not the medal designs themselves.
“Athletes who have medals with problems are invited to give them back through the appropriate channels so that they can be immediately repaired,” Casassa said.
American skier Breezy Johnson displayed a cracked and chipped gold medal after her win in the women’s downhill Sunday. “I was jumping up and down in excitement, then it just fell off,” Johnson told reporters Sunday. “Don’t jump in them. … I’m sure somebody will fix it. It’s not crazy broken, but a little broken.”
German biathlete Justus Strelow also had his medal fall off his neck as he was celebrating a mixed relay bronze win with his teammates. Swedish cross-country skier Ebba Andersson also reportedly saw damage on her silver medal from the women’s skiathlon.
Andrea Francisi, the chief games operations officer for the Milan Cortina organizing committee, had responded to the damaged medal reports Monday promising a swift resolution.
“… Obviously we are paying maximum attention to this matter, as the medal is the dream of the athletes, so we want that obviously in the moment they are given it that everything is absolutely perfect, because we really consider it to be the most important moment,” Francisi said Monday.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Elizabeth Lemley wins gold, Jaelin Kauf nets silver in women's moguls
Feb 11, 2026; Livigno, Italy; Gold medalist Elizabeth Lemley of the United States celebrates during the freestyle skiing women’s moguls final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Aerials & Moguls Park. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY LIVIGNO, Italy — American freestyle skier Elizabeth Lemley won a surprise gold medal in moguls with two neat and quick runs at the Winter Games on Wednesday.
Her victory put an end to 2022 champion Jakara Anthony’s bid to become the first Australian to successfully defend a title at a Winter Games.
Anthony, who has dominated the discipline for the last four years, led from silver medalist American Jaelin Kauf after the first run but wobbled out of line on her second to finish eighth and last.
Kauf, who also finished second in Beijing four years ago, won her second silver with a score of 80.77, and Pyeongchang 2018 champion France’s Perrine Laffont clinched bronze with 78 points.
In her first run of the finals, under a bright and sunny afternoon sky in the narrow valley of Livigno, Lemley was in firm control of her skis, always pinned one to the other, and landed well after two big jumps.
In the second run — also known as the superfinal — the skier pushed on the speed, keeping her skis tight together and showing off great technique around the moguls and with a big grab on the bottom jump.
“I was trying to focus on trusting myself. I’ve been working on that this whole season … and right when I pushed out of the gate, I said to myself, ‘Let’s go!'” Lemley told a press conference after the medal ceremony.
Like other athletes at the Winter Games, Lemley’s medal fell apart as she was celebrating on the top of the podium just after she received it from Australian Olympic Committee President Ian Chesterman, who would have been hoping for a different outcome.
Anthony had a first fast, clean run for the finals, with smooth turns and a big grab on the bottom jump, but in the second she lost control in the middle section of the moguls, leaving her fall line, the straightest path down the hill.
Her 83.96 score on the first run would have been enough for gold had she reproduced it in the second, but only the final score counts and Lemley’s 82.30 secured the American her first global title.
Kauf, who got through to the final only hours before in the second qualifying round, delivered a fast first run down the hill, with tidy skiing through the moguls and strong jumps.
In the superfinal she was strong and quick, with a big top jump, crushing through the moguls and performing a grab in the bottom air.
“I definitely didn’t take the easy route into the finals… but I think everything happens for a reason,” Kauf said.
Despite scraping through to the second final round with a stylish technique but not so clean jumps, Laffont set a very high bar in the second run, showing off great precision and performing two big jumps with grabs.
Japan’s Hinako Tomitaka also scored 78 but Laffont took the bronze as she was awarded a better score — 42.6 to 42 — for her turns in the final run.
Asked what went through her mind when she saw her score was the same as Tomitaka’s, Laffont said: “Today was a real roller coaster. It is pretty hard to remember what I was thinking.”
Anthony was disappointed but was already looking ahead.
“I’m pretty bummed, to be honest,” Anthony said. “I definitely had what it took, but it is just not my day today sadly. Maybe in another four years’ time.”
–Reuters, special to Field Level Media
