Sports
Grizzlies, Kings battle as potential deadline moves still loom
Feb 2, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) reacts with forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr. (8) after a basket during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images Sacramento Kings fans might get one last chance to say goodbye to Domantas Sabonis as the upcoming trade deadline looms over the Memphis Grizzlies’ visit to California’s capital on Wednesday night.
The Kings have lost nine consecutive games and plummeted to the bottom of the NBA standings, sparking numerous trade rumors, including recent speculation on their star center.
Interested teams saw Sabonis round back into starter-worthy shape in the past two weeks, when he returned from a 17-game absence due to a strained left knee to play seven times over the course of 14 days.
Having started three games in a row — and averaging 12.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in those contests — the three-time All-Star was held out of the second night of a back-to-back last Thursday in Boston before missing Sacramento’s trip finale Saturday at Washington with a sore back.
The Kings went 0-6 on the trip, during which rumors intensified of a possible Sabonis trade to Toronto. The in-season deadline is Thursday afternoon.
Sacramento returns home with a new player, having acquired De’Andre Hunter from the Cleveland Cavaliers for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis.
More moves are anticipated, as DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Malik Monk have all played recently, with their names appearing in various internet reports.
Kings coach Doug Christie looks forward to the day when his guys can be a little more single-minded.
“You’d be remiss to think that those type of things affect you a little bit,” he assured reporters during the trip. “It can bring your energy up or down. And that’s where, as I told them, we have to hold each other and help each other in those moments.”
Surely, the Grizzlies can relate. They have played 12 of their last 14 games without standout point guard Ja Morant, who seemingly is content waiting until after Thursday to see where he’ll be hanging his jersey the rest of the season as he deals with a sore left elbow.
The Grizzlies have received a longer look at their potential point guard of the future over the last two games, with Ty Jerome making his season debut after recovering from a calf injury. The veteran averaged 19.5 points and seven assists in a two-game stretch against the Minnesota Timberwolves, helping Memphis break a six-game losing streak Monday with 19 points and eight assists in just 20 minutes.
With Zach Edey and Santi Aldama also out of action recently, Memphis coach Tuomas Iisalo has been glad to see Jerome step right in and aggressively lead the team at its point of attack.
“(He) did all the things that we expected him to do for us this season — create out of the pick and roll, also be a threat off the ball and opening up space for other guys,” Iisalo gushed to reporters after Monday’s 137-128 win. “You need the handler and the screener to have enough creation that they don’t need to rely on team reactions, but they create a two-on-one situation, they create good enough looks. Ty is definitely that guy.”
Both teams will avoid the distraction of having a game on trade-deadline day, with the Grizzlies getting a day off Thursday before continuing a five-game trip in Portland, while the Kings will be awaiting a visit from the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.
–Field Level Media
Sports
With just seven players, Jazz beat Pacers to snap losing streak
Feb 3, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Utah Jazz forward/center Lauri Markkanen (23) dribbles the ball while Indiana Pacers guard Johnny Furphy (12) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Lauri Markkanen scored 27 points and Brice Sensabaugh added 20 as the Utah Jazz beat the Indiana Pacers 131-122 in a matchup of two short-handed teams on Tuesday in Indianapolis.
The Jazz snapped a season-worst six-game losing streak by shooting 56.8% from the field and 44.8% (13 of 29) from 3-point range.
All seven players who took the floor for Utah scored in double figures, including Ace Bailey (19), Svi Mykhailiuk (18), and Isaiah Collier, who had 17 points and a career-high 22 assists. Kyle Filipowski added 16 points and a season-high 16 rebounds, and Cody Williams chipped in 14 points.
Utah led 112-108 with 6:19 left before Sensabaugh hit two 3-pointers during a 15-5 run to help the Jazz extend their lead to 127-113 with 2:39 remaining.
The Pacers had nine active players and lost their second straight game despite shooting 53.6% from the field.
Jarace Walker and Quenton Jackson led the Pacers with 24 points apiece. Johnny Furphy scored 14 points, Jay Huff and Kam Jones added 12 apiece, Isaiah Jackson had 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Ethan Thompson scored 11.
Hours before the game, Utah acquired two-time All-Star forward Jaren Jackson Jr., John Konchar, Vince Williams Jr. and Jock Landale from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang and three future first-round selections.
Indiana played without Bennedict Mathurin (rest), Aaron Nesmith (left hand), Andrew Nembhard (lower back), T.J. McConnell (left knee) and Pascal Siakam (rest) on the second night of a back-to-back.
Indiana led by as many as 10 early in the second quarter before Utah battled back to tie the game at 56-all at halftime.
Quenton Jackson scored 13 points in the first half for the Pacers, who trailed 91-83 after Mykhailiuk scored with 2:23 left in the third quarter.
Utah held a 96-89 advantage at the end of the third quarter after outscoring the Pacers 40-33 in the period.
Collier started at point guard in place of Keyonte George, who missed his second straight game due to a sprained left ankle.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Knicks waltz past Wizards for seventh straight victory
Feb 3, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) keeps the ball away from Washington Wizards guard Sharife Cooper (13) during the first quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images Mikal Bridges scored 23 points and Jalen Brunson added 21, fueling the visiting New York Knicks to their season-best seventh straight win, a 132-101 romp over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday.
Bridges made 8 of 10 shots from the floor to pace the Knicks to their 11th straight win over the Wizards.
Karl-Anthony Towns collected 19 points and 14 rebounds and OG Anunoby also put up 19 points for New York, which had seven players reach double digits in scoring.
The Knicks’ Landry Shamet continued his sizzling shooting from the perimeter by making four 3-pointers to highlight his 14-point performance. He sank six shots from beyond the arc in New York’s 112-100 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.
New York shot a robust 52.2% from the floor and 45.9% (17 of 37) from 3-point range. The Knicks also enjoyed a 54-40 edge on points in the paint.
All was not rosy for the Knicks, as Josh Hart and Mohamed Diawara exited the contest with ankle injuries. Hart fell on a Washington player’s foot while attempting to block a shot in the third quarter, while Diawara sustained his injury during the latter stages of the opening session.
Washington rookie Will Riley scored 17 points off the bench and Bub Carrington sank three 3-pointers to highlight his 14-point performance.
Khris Middleton scored 12 points and Marvin Bagley III and Alex Sarr added 11 apiece for the Wizards, who finished 3-2 on their five-game homestand.
New York scored the first seven points of the game and extended its lead to 21-7 after Diawara’s conversion from in close. Anunoby drained his third 3-pointer to push the Knicks’ advantage to 34-16.
New York went up 63-34 midway through the second quarter after it scored 14 straight points in a 105-second span. Towns scored eight points and Shamet sank a pair of 3-pointers during that spurt.
The Knicks extended their lead to 88-56 early in the third quarter on the strength of a 10-2 run. The margin never dropped below 27 points thereafter.
–Field Level Media
Sports
LPGA commish to players: 'I'm sorry' for how TOC was shortened
A ball sits in a sand trap Wednesday, June 18, 2025, during the IHSAA boys golf state final at Prairie View Golf Course in Carmel. LPGA commissioner Craig Kessler apologized Tuesday for how the season-opening Tournament of Champions was cut short over the weekend in Orlando.
Amid frigid temperatures at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, the LPGA allowed the event’s pro-am to continue on Sunday. The fourth and final round of the pro tournament was delayed, and eight players ultimately teed it up before the round was canceled.
The event was shortened to 54 holes, and Nelly Korda, who led after three rounds, was declared the winner.
In addition to confusion over play on Sunday, Kessler also heard questions about why the fourth round wasn’t postponed until the following day. The next tour event, the Honda LPGA Thailand, doesn’t begin until Feb. 19.
Kessler addressed a memo to the player, writing in part, “I made the decision to limit the event to 54 holes, worried that our athletes might be injured given the way record overnight low temperatures hardened the course. While the decision was a tough one and ran counter to prior statements we shared, I made a judgement call. With the benefit of hindsight, there were clearly other ways we should have managed the situation.
“I recognize this decision, and others we made in real time, were confusing and disappointing to our fans. And our communication around the decision wasn’t clear or timely enough. Your frustration is valid — I own that, and I’m sorry.”
He added plans for similar scenarios in future tournaments:
“Establishing clearer principles for play decisions in challenging situations, including strengthening weekly contingency planning.
“Communicating faster, more clearly, and with better real-time information.”
Runner-up Amy Yang of South Korea, who finished three strokes back of Korda, said on Sunday, “I wish I played final round, you know, give myself a little chance. But it was playing very cold out there. I got here early warming up for 10:00 a.m. resume, and the greens weren’t playable … so, yeah, I could understand that we couldn’t compete for the fourth round.”
–Field Level Media
With just seven players, Jazz beat Pacers to snap losing streak
Knicks waltz past Wizards for seventh straight victory
