Sports
Hot-shooting Suns return home to face in-flux Warriors
Feb 3, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (23) recognizes teammate guard Collin Gillespie (12) during the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images The Phoenix Suns return home Thursday following a career performance from Collin Gillespie to face a Golden State Warriors team in a state of flux since the loss of All-Star Jimmy Butler.
How much flux will be determined by the NBA trade deadline at 3 p.m. ET Thursday.
The Warriors have the best offer on the table for Milwaukee two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to ESPN, while franchise stalwart Draymond Green has acknowledged that he could be dealt as Golden State looks to find a way through Butler’s season-ending knee injury.
“This is probably the first time I would say, since I have been here, that his name has been mentioned in trade talks,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said of Green, a part of four championship teams. “It’s different, but it’s also part of the league.”
Green had six points and seven rebounds in what might have been his last home game with Golden State, a 113-94 loss to Philadelphia on Tuesday. The Warriors also played without Stephen Curry, who has missed two of the last four games with right knee soreness.
Golden State has lost two in a row and five of seven, and Kerr alluded to the possibility of trade rumors affecting the team’s performance.
“When you coach a team, you can almost predict when things are going to go well and when they are going to go poorly,” Kerr said. “Just overall health, mood, vibe. This was not a good vibe for us.
“It doesn’t matter what the trade chatter is. It’s everyone’s job to bring the energy, bring the fight. It’s about competing for 48 (minutes) for 82 games. That’s the most disappointing thing.”
The Warriors have won two of three against the Suns this season, but Kerr said lineup changes will be made for their final meeting. Golden State started its 23rd different combination Tuesday when the team was outscored 55-39 in the second half.
“The group to start the game, and the second half, couldn’t score,” Kerr said. “With Steph out, Jimmy out, we’re going to have to sort through some of these combinations and rotations.”
Jonathan Kuminga (knee) missed his fifth game Tuesday, and his future with the team is uncertain.
Gillespie had a career-high 30 points and tied a career high with eight 3-pointers while handing out 10 assists as the Suns overcame a 19-point deficit to beat the host Portland Trail Blazers 130-125 on Tuesday.
Phoenix has won four of five and seven of 10. The Suns would move a season-high 12 games over .500 with a win over the Warriors in the first of a four-game homestand.
“They were in drop coverage, so we were just taking what they were giving us,” Gillespie said on NBC. “Simple screens and come off it and let it fly. We have a lot of guys who can really shoot the ball.”
Phoenix made 20 of 41 3-pointers against the Blazers, with Gillespie going 8 of 14 and Grayson Allen going 6 of 11 from distance. The Suns have made 20, 19 and a season-high 23 3-pointers in their last three games without Devin Booker (ankle).
Booker is not expected to play Thursday, and Jalen Green (hip, hamstring) is questionable.
“He’s an unselfish superstar in this league,” Gillespie said of Booker, “and we miss him. But when he is out, guys have to step up. I’m always going to look for my shot. I feel like if I get going, it’ll get everybody else shots.”
–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
Matt Boldy nets hat trick in frenetic first as Wild outlast Predators
Super Bowl injury report: Pats QB Drake Maye practices in full
