Sports
Knicks look to avenge recent loss to lowly Kings
Jan 14, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings center Dylan Cardwell (32) drives to the basket against New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby (8) during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images The first time this month the New York Knicks gained some momentum, it vanished with a surprising loss to the Sacramento Kings.
The Knicks will look to avoid repeating history Tuesday night when they host the Kings in the final battle of the season between the nonconference foes.
The Knicks have been off since Saturday night, when they rode a dominant third quarter to a 112-109 win over the host Philadelphia 76ers. The visiting Kings suffered their fifth straight loss Sunday night, falling to the Detroit Pistons 139-116.
The win was the second straight for the Knicks — their first set of consecutive victories since a three-game streak from Dec. 25-29. In between, New York went 2-9 with a pair of four-game losing streaks.
The second skid started Jan. 14 when the Knicks, who had won two of their last three games, lost 112-101 to the Kings, who fired current New York head coach Mike Brown on Dec. 27, 2024, after more than two seasons at the helm and the franchise’s only playoff appearance since 2006.
Brown looked as if he might be in danger of suffering a similar fate when the Knicks — whose impatient and reclusive owner, James Dolan, said during a rare radio appearance earlier this month that he expected his team to make and then win the NBA Finals — sustained their fourth straight defeat by trailing wire-to-wire in a 114-97 loss to the floundering Dallas Mavericks on Jan. 19.
But the Knicks achieved their most lopsided victory in franchise history last Wednesday, crushing the Brooklyn Nets 120-66, before showing some familiar traits Saturday in a game that could impact postseason seeding in the Eastern Conference. New York stayed in fourth place in the East and now sits 3 games ahead of the 76ers, who occupy the sixth and final guaranteed playoff spot.
The Knicks held 76ers star Joel Embiid scoreless in the third quarter, when they outscored Philadelphia 30-13. New York, known for its hustle and grit under former head coach Tom Thibodeau, also held a 26-4 advantage in second-chance points.
“When you’re a team that’s struggling to put together wins, you got to do the little things,” Knicks forward Josh Hart said. “You’ve got to have good attention to detail, good focus, good energy and you’ve got to get all those 50-50 balls.”
The sight of the Knicks across the court Tuesday will serve as a reminder of the best stretch of the year for the struggling Kings, who are in 14th place in the Western Conference, just a half-game ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans.
The win over the Knicks was the third in a season-long four-game winning streak for the Kings, who bookended the streak with lengthy losing streaks. Sacramento dropped seven straight, one loss shy of its season-high, from Dec 28 through Jan. 9.
The Kings’ current skid began Jan. 18 with a 117-110 loss to the visiting Portland Trail Blazers. The 23-point loss Sunday marked the 11th time this season Sacramento has lost by at least 20.
Head coach Doug Christie, who replaced Brown last season, lamented the lack of physicality from the Kings this season, who are allowing an average of 121.1 points per game, the fourth-highest figure in the NBA.
“We have to not only match the physicality of the opponent, but exceed it, in my opinion,” Christie said. “That can be uncomfortable. It can be uncomfortable not only for yourself, but it can be uncomfortable for them because when you’re that physical with somebody, it’s going to cause a reaction and you’ve got to be about that life.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Braves open four-game set with low-scoring win over Padres
Jul 20, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Bryce Elder (55) throws against the San Diego Padres in the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies hit solo home runs and Bryce Elder pitched six strong innings to help the Atlanta Braves beat the visiting San Diego Padres 3-2 on Monday in the opener of their four-game series.
It was Atlanta’s first win in four tries against the San Diego. The Braves are 3-1 and the Padres are 1-3 since the All-Star break.
Harris went deep in the fifth to tie the game and Albies homered in the sixth, although their streak of nine consecutive home games with at least five runs came to an end.
Elder (6-6) allowed two runs on five hits and one walk, striking out four. Victor Mederos pitched the final 2 1/3 innings and earned his first career save.
San Diego’s Ty France extended his hitting streak to a season-high eight games with a single in the fourth and homered to start the seventh. It was his 15th of the year, the fifth during his hitting streak, and forced Elder to leave the game.
San Diego starter JP Sears (2-3) pitched five innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits with three strikeouts. Sears retired the first 10 batters he faced until Albies lined a one-handed single into left with one out in the fourth.
Manny Machado, who caught the Braves off-balance with a bunt single in the first inning, went back to the power game in the fourth when he smacked a hanging breaking ball for a home run and a 1-0 Padres lead. Machado’s 20th homer sailed 402 feet and just cleared the yellow line on the fence in left-center field.
The Braves took a 2-1 lead in the fifth. Harris hit his 18th home run, a 341-foot solo shot that just made it over the top of the brick wall in right field. Mauricio Dubon then reached on catcher’s interference and scored when Joey Bart lined a double into the left field corner.
Atlanta struck again in the sixth off reliever Wandy Peralta when Albies hit a solo homer, his 15th and first since July 3, for what would be the winning run.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cubs place RHP Phil Maton on IL, activate RHP Jameson Taillon
Jun 11, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Phil Maton (88) delivers a pitch in the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images For the third time in 2026, the Chicago Cubs placed right-handed reliever Phil Maton on the 15-day injured list on Monday due to continuing struggles with right knee tendinitis.
Manager Craig Counsell told reporters before the series opener vs. Detroit that Maton, 33, underwent an MRI and the results were not encouraging.
“We were all optimistic,” Counsell said of Maton’s return to action against Minnesota on Sunday. “He thought, we thought, we were in a pretty good place. … We’re looking at a little bit more extended absence here.”
Maton threw 23 pitches in the eighth inning of the 10-1 victory over the Twins. He hit the strike zone 19 times, but did allow one run, two hits and a walk.
But the 10-year veteran felt a flare-up of the right knee symptoms, according to Counsell.
Maton had last pitched on June 25 and was activated from the 15-day IL on July 11.
He made five appearances in March and April before hitting the injured list for the first time after an April 7 outing in Tampa Bay.
Maton, who pitched to a 2.79 ERA with the Cardinals and Rangers in 2025, signed a two-year, $14.5 million contract this winter to serve in a high-leverage capacity for the Cubs.
In 31 games this season, he is 0-1 with a 6.18 ERA and 1.81 WHIP, fanning 31 batters and walking 16 walks in 27 2/3 innings.
The Cubs added Aaron Civale (5-7, 5.42 ERA) to the roster on Monday after acquiring him on Athletics on Saturday.
In addition, Chicago activated Jameson Taillon (hamstring) from the injured list and he made the start against the Tigers on Monday. Taillon pitched 4 1/3 innings and allowed four runs on five hits, walking two and fanning six.
To make room for Taillon, the Cubs designated left-handed reliever Drew Pomeranz for assignment.
–Field Level Media
Sports
14 in a row: Red Sox down Orioles on Caleb Durbin homer
Jul 20, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (40) hits a one run RBI double against the Baltimore Orioles during the sixth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images Caleb Durbin hit a solo home run to break a tie score in the eighth inning as the Boston Red Sox extended their winning streak to 14 games by beating the visiting Baltimore Orioles, 6-5, Monday night.
Durbin’s homer came against reliever Tyler Wells (2-2) and broke a 5-5 tie. It was his 10th home run of the season.
Baltimore had runners on second and third with two outs in the ninth, but Tyler O’Neill lined out to shortstop to end the game. Garrett Whitlock (5-1) pitched a scoreless eighth to earn the win. Aroldis Chapman worked the ninth for his 22nd save.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand homered and Gunnar Hunderson had three doubles for the Orioles, who committed four errors. The loss ended Baltimore’s seven-game winning streak.
Boston received three hits from Willson Contreras.
The Orioles struck first when Henderson and O’Neill hit back-to-back doubles with two outs in the top of the first.
Jarren Duran’s sacrifice fly drove in Contreras to make it a 1-1 game in the second, and the Red Sox added two runs in the third. Ceddanne Rafaela reached base on an error by second baseman Jeremiah Jackson, took third on Wilyer Abreu’s double and scored on a Henderson throwing error from first base. Contreras followed with an infield single that scored Abreu to extend Boston’s lead to 3-1.
Baltimore trimmed Boston’s advantage to 3-2 when Encarnacion-Strand hit a solo home run in the fifth, and Jackson’s RBI single in the sixth drove in O’Neill to tie the game, 3-3. Baltimore went ahead 4-3 on an Encarnacion-Strand single that scored Leody Taveras later in the sixth.
Abreu scored on a Contreras double in the bottom half of the sixth to pull the Red Sox even, 4-4.
Taylor Ward put Baltimore in front 5-4 by scoring from third on an O’Neill groundout in the seventh, but Boston answered in the bottom of the inning when Tsung-Che Cheng scored on a throwing error by Ward in left field.
Durbin’s home run capped the scoring with two outs in the bottom of the eighth.
–Field Level Media
Braves open four-game set with low-scoring win over Padres
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