Sports
Raptors, Wolves each searching for consistency amidst contention
Feb 1, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) shoots the ball against Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) in the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images The Minnesota Timberwolves will be searching for consistency when they complete a three-game road trip Wednesday night against the Toronto Raptors.
The Timberwolves’ inconsistency was recently exposed in a two-game set against the Memphis Grizzlies.
After defeating the Grizzlies 131-114 on Saturday, the Timberwolves dropped the rematch 137-128 on Monday.
The loss ended a four-game winning streak that followed a five-game losing streak.
The Raptors, meanwhile, opened a five-game homestand with a 107-100 victory over the Utah Jazz on Sunday. They had lost their two previous games after winning four straight.
This will be the first meeting of the season between Minnesota and Toronto. The teams split two games last season.
In the last game vs. Memphis, Anthony Edwards scored 39 points for the Timberwolves but their defensive intensity was lacking as the Grizzlies shot 50% (44 for 88) from the field.
“Defense wasn’t there tonight like we needed it to be,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said.
The Grizzlies shot 46.3% from 3-point range (19 of 41) and had a 45-40 advantage in rebounds.
Finch was not impressed with the effort.
“It’s on them,” he said. “They’ve got to come and put the work in. It can’t be a sometimes thing.”
Jaden McDaniels had his third straight 20-point game for Minnesota with 29 points on 11-for-14 shooting.
“He got a lot of great offense, but we didn’t get a lot of great defense from him or anyone else,” Finch said. “Offense, I’m not worried about. It comes from wherever it comes from.”
Julius Randle (thumb) and Edwards (back spasms) were listed as questionable before the game. Finch said that Randle was “banged up,” but not enough to miss the game. He finished with 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
Both are again listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game, although Edwards is now dealing with left elbow soreness.
The Raptors survived a sloppy game on Sunday to reach 30 wins, matching their total for last season.
Utah committed 24 turnovers leading to 26 Toronto points. The Raptors made 19 turnovers leading to 15 points.
During the game, it was announced that Scottie Barnes was going to the All-Star Game as a reserve. He was mobbed by his teammates during a timeout in the first quarter.
Brandon Ingram, however, did not make the team despite a strong season in which he is averaging a team-high 21.9 points per game.
“There are things that Brandon does at an elite level and there are things that Scottie is doing at elite level, but they’re so different,” said Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic, who will coach the World team in the All-Star Game. “You know, Scottie is amazing in open court and transition. Now, (Ingram) is taking advantage of that. He’s doing a better job in open court as well. (Ingram) is an elite scorer in half court, in (isolations) and post-ups. I think they have a lot of respect for each other and what they bring to the team at the end of the day. Winning basketball games, that’s what they do. They help the team win.”
Barnes had 14 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots on Sunday.
He limped off the court late in the fourth quarter but returned and is not listed on the injury report. He felt Ingram should also be an All-Star.
“I was disappointed Brandon didn’t make it,” Barnes said. “He has done so much for us this year. Look at the difference from last year to this year. He has been instrumental to our success.”
Minnesota gained some salary cap room Tuesday when it dealt veteran point guard Mike Conley to the Chicago Bulls as part of a three-team trade that included the Detroit Pistons.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Lindsey Vonn's coach, Stefon Diggs confident she can ski with ACL injury
[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Feb 3, 2026; Cortina d’Ampezzo, ITALY; Lindsey Vonn attends a press conference at a press conference at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in preparation for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. Mandatory Credit: Leonhard Foeger/Reuters via Imagn Images Lindsey Vonn’s coach and New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs are confident that the American skiing great can compete at the Milano Cortina Olympics with a ruptured ACL in her left knee.
Vonn, 41, is set to try her luck in the women’s downhill race on Sunday
“I’m pretty confident that she can still pull off this dream,” Vonn’s head coach Chris Knight told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “I’ve got no doubts in my mind that this is going to be OK.”
Knight’s comments came one day after Vonn said that she’s not interested in discussing surgery at the moment.
“It’s not really on my radar screen right now. The Olympics are the only thing that I’m thinking about,” she said. “Every day my knee’s gotten better. And every day we’re discussing with a full medical team, doctors, physios, everyone, to make sure we’re doing everything to make sure I am making smart and safe decisions.”
Diggs knows a thing or two about a torn ACL. His lone season with the Houston Texans in 2024 was cut short by the same injury.
“Prayers to her. I hope the surgery does go well when she does have it,” Diggs said Wednesday of Vonn. “Anybody who has torn an ACL, it’s kind of a weird injury. You can run after about two weeks when the swelling goes down. … As long as she doesn’t have to (decelerate), she should be fine.”
Like Vonn, Diggs has a big day ahead on Sunday. Diggs and the Patriots will face the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, Calif.
As for Vonn, she must complete at least one official training run to take part in the Sunday downhill. Vonn is no stranger to the mountain. She collected 12 of her 84 World Cup victories there, the most of any skier.
Vonn earned gold (downhill) and bronze (Super-G) medals at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and a bronze medal in the downhill at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.
Vonn retired after the 2019 world championships due to injuries. She subsequently received a partial replacement of her right knee and launched a comeback late in 2024 with the Olympics in her sights.
She has won the downhill twice this winter and leads the World Cup standings in the discipline and was considered a favorite to win the gold medal in the event in Italy.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Washington Post shutters sports department
Sep 15, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Amazon executive chairman Jeff Bezos in attendance before the Kansas City Chiefs play against the Los Angeles Chargers at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images The Washington Post shuttered its venerable sports department on Wednesday, part of a larger layoff involving one-third of the newspaper’s staff.
“The Washington Post is taking a number of difficult but decisive actions today for our future, in what amounts to a significant restructuring across the company,” a Post spokesperson said in a statement. “These steps are designed to strengthen our footing and sharpen our focus on delivering the distinctive journalism that sets The Post apart and, most importantly, engages our customers.”
Executive editor Matt Murray announced the changes in a video conference with employees.
The move comes with Post reporters already on site covering Super Bowl LX and the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
“It’s like somebody taking a hammer to my heart,” Sally Jenkins, who wrote a Post sports column until she left the paper last summer, told The Ringer. “It’s not just broken. It’s broken into about 20 pieces, one for every single one of my close friends there.”
Some sports reporters are expected to move into other roles, but the exact number was not reported.
A skeleton crew will continue to produce what Murray described as features about sports as a “cultural and societal phenomenon.”
The Post has undergone repeated changes, downsizings and reinventions since Amazon chief Jeff Bezos purchased the paper in 2013.
In addition to cutting the sports pages, the Post is reducing its international footprint, making the Metro section more “nimble and focused” and eliminating the Books section.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Astros, IF Isaac Paredes avoid arbitration with 1-year deal
Jul 8, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes (15) reacts after striking out during the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images The Houston Astros have avoided going to arbitration with All-Star infielder Isaac Paredes, announcing a new one-year deal with a club option for the 2027 season on Tuesday.
The terms of the contract weren’t announced by the team but Paredes is set to receive a $9.35 million salary, according to multiple reports. That reported salary would fall directly between the $9.95 million Paredes requested and the $8.75 the team offered in the pre-arbitration filing, per MLB.com.
Paredes, who turns 27 later this month, is coming off his second consecutive All-Star season in his first year in Houston. He hit .254 and had a .352 on-base percentage with 20 home runs, 15 doubles and 53 RBIs in 102 games, missing two months late in the season with a hamstring injury.
He’s played on four teams in six major league seasons, previously making stints with the Detroit Tigers (2020-21), Tampa Bay Rays (2022-24) and Chicago Cubs (2024) along with the Astros. He also was an All-Star for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2024 before he was traded to Chicago shortly before the trade deadline.
In 566 career games, Paredes is a .237 hitter with 92 homers, 287 RBIs, 387 strikeouts and 246 walks.
–Field Level Media
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