Sports
Day after James Harden trade, Cavs demolish Clippers
Feb 4, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Jaylon Tyson (20) is defended by Los Angeles Clippers guard Kobe Sanders (4) as he shoots the ball in the first half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Donovan Mitchell registered 29 points, nine assists and five rebounds as the Cleveland Cavaliers mauled the Los Angeles Clippers 124-91 on Wednesday night in Inglewood, Calif.
Cleveland won for the ninth time in its past 11 games one day after the two teams worked out a trade that included James Harden going to the Cavaliers and Darius Garland joining the Clippers.
Jaylon Tyson scored 17 points as Cleveland continued its recent success. Sam Merrill and reserve Dennis Schroder added 11 points apiece and Jarrett Allen had 10 points and 11 rebounds for Cleveland.
Kawhi Leonard had 25 points and seven rebounds while John Collins scored 19 points for the Clippers, who lost for the second straight game and the third time in four outings.
Neither Harden nor Garland was allowed to be in the bench area Wednesday night with the trade still pending. Both players were in the building and most if not all of the Cleveland players greeted Garland in an emotional scene after the game.
Cleveland shot 51.0% from the field, including 16 of 41 (39.0%) from 3-point range. The Cavaliers scored 47 points off 24 turnovers by the Clippers. Cleveland committed just nine turnovers and never trailed in the contest.
Los Angeles made 46.3% of its shots and was 6 of 28 (21.4%) from behind the arc. Kobe Brown and Yanic Konan Niederhauser each had 10 points off the bench for the Clippers.
Cleveland dominated from the start and led 36-18 after the opening quarter.
The Clippers moved within 10 early in the second quarter but the Cavaliers reasserted control. Mitchell’s 3-pointer with 0.2 seconds left capped his 14-point first half to give Cleveland a 62-42 halftime lead. Tyson had a team-high 15 in the half, while Leonard scored 16 in the half for the Clippers.
Merrill’s 3-pointer capped an 8-0 burst in the third quarter as Cleveland went ahead 70-46 with 10:06 remaining. Craig Porter Jr. later slammed home a dunk with 11 seconds left to make it 94-68 entering the final quarter.
Porter’s 3-pointer 40 seconds into the period elevated the lead to more than 30. The margin topped out at 35 points.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Matt Boldy nets hat trick in frenetic first as Wild outlast Predators
Feb 4, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) blocks the shot of Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy (12) during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images Matt Boldy scored a hat trick in the first period and set up Jared Spurgeon’s game-winning goal as the Minnesota Wild pulled off a crazy 6-5 overtime victory against the host Nashville Predators on Wednesday night.
The clock was winding down when Boldy set up Spurgeon with a cross-ice pass to beat Juuse Saros with 46 seconds remaining in OT for the 6-5 final.
Quinn Hughes had two assists, and Filip Gustavsson made 30 saves for the Wild, who have won five in a row heading into the Olympic break.
Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg each had a goal and an assist, and Steven Stamkos and Ryan O’Reilly each had three-point nights for the Predators, who defeated the St. Louis Blues 6-5 their last time out. Saros made 38 saves.
Boldy gave Minnesota an early 1-0 lead at 1:49 of the first period. The Wild won the faceoff in their defensive zone, and Zach Bogosian passed the puck up to Boldy, who skated above the Nashville defense to score on a wrist shot.
Boldy added to his tally with a backhand tip shot on the power play, giving the Wild a 2-0 advantage at 3:39.
Forsberg got Nashville on the board 2-1 with a wrist shot past Gustavsson on the power play.
On a fluke play in front of Nashville’s net, Nick Blankenburg lost possession of the puck, and Boldy quickly backhanded it past Saros to give the Wild a 3-1 lead at 12:58.
Stamkos buried his own power-play goal to make the score 3-2 at 16:45, and Eric Haula tied the game 3-3 on a wrist shot at 18:21.
Luke Evangalista gave the Predators their first lead of the game 41 seconds into the second period. Stamkos set him up for a wrist shot to make the score 4-3.
Yakov Trenin tied the game back up 4-4 at 16:06 when he skated in front of Roman Josi for a back-handed tap-in up close.
Vladimir Tarasenko scored on a wrist shot to make it 5-4 Wild at 15:14 of the third period, but Josi scored on the following faceoff to tie it 5-5 34 seconds later, setting the table for overtime.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Super Bowl injury report: Pats QB Drake Maye practices in full
Feb 4, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) speaks to the media at the Santa Clara Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images SANTA CLARA, Calif. — New England Patriots fans can breathe a sigh of relief.
Quarterback Drake Maye was a full participant in practice Wednesday as the Patriots prepare to face the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX on Sunday.
Maye was limited due a shoulder injury when New England practiced last week, and then he sat out the team’s Friday session because of an illness.
However, the 23-year-old was a full go at the team’s first official California practice, taking every rep with the first-team offense.
Ahead of the Wednesday workout, Maye said, “Feel great. I don’t see any way I’d be limited.”
The only New England player who sat out the full practice Wednesday was linebacker Robert Spillane, who sustained an ankle injury in the Patriots’ AFC Championship Game win over the Denver Broncos. However, Spillane was asked earlier in the day if he would be ready to play Sunday, and he replied, “100%.”
Patriots tackle Thayer Munford Jr. (knee) and linebacker Harold Landry III (knee) were limited Wednesday.
The Seahawks’ injury report is topped by quarterback Sam Darnold, who was listed as limited due to an oblique ailment. That isn’t necessary cause for alarm, as he had the same designation ahead of Seattle’s NFC Championship Game victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori sustained an ankle injury late in practice. That led to him also being on a “limited” list that also included tackle Charles Cross (foot), tackle Josh Jones (ankle/knee) and fullback Robbie Ouzts (neck).
Three Seattle players — wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence and defensive end Leonard Williams — sat out for rest Wednesday with no injury designation.
–Rick Kaplan, Field Level Media
Sports
Reports: Tigers, Framber Valdez agree to 3-year, $115M deal
Sep 14, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Framber Valdez is finally off the market.
Valdez has agreed to a three-year, $115 million deal with the Detroit Tigers, according to multiple reports.
The contract includes an opt-out after the second season, as well as deferrals, according to The Athletic.
Valdez’s new deal is the highest average annual value ever for a southpaw and the highest for a Latin American hurler.
The Dominican starter has spent all eight seasons of his career with the Houston Astros, with whom he made two All-Star teams and posted an ERA of 3.20 since 2021. Valdez’s move to Detroit will reunite him with his former manager in Houston, A.J. Hinch.
The 32-year-old Valdez is tied for first in the majors in wins (73), is sixth in pitcher WAR (20.3), fifth in innings pitched (973) and first in groundball rate (62%) since becoming a full-time starter in 2020, according to ESPN. He also won a World Series in 2022.
Valdez joins a rotation currently led by ace and fellow lefty Tariq Skubal, who’s undergoing arbitration with the Tigers. Detroit is coming off a wild-card berth last season and a division series appearance, where the team lost to the Seattle Mariners in five games.
The Astros will receive a compensatory pick for losing Valdez after the ace declined the team’s $22.025 million qualifying offer before the Nov. 18 deadline.
–Field Level Media
