Sports
Sharks seek reset vs. Blackhawks after late collapses
Jan 31, 2026; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; San Jose Sharks center MacKlin Celebrini (71) against the Calgary Flames during the first period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images Contending for a Stanley Cup playoff berth for the first time since 2019, the San Jose Sharks continue a five-game road trip on Monday night against the slumping Chicago Blackhawks.
Only six points separate the top six teams in a tightly contested Pacific Division. The Sharks trail the third-place Seattle Kraken by three points and are just six behind the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers, who are tied for first place with 64 points.
Not bad considering San Jose lost its first six games (0-4-2) to start the season. But led by budding superstar Macklin Celebrini (27 goals, 52 assists) and another former first-round pick, center Will Smith (16 goals, 22 assists in just 40 games), the Sharks have assembled three consecutive winning months for the first time since December 2018 to February 2019.
San Jose went 9-5-1 (19 points) in November, 8-6-0 (16 points) in December and 7-5-1 (15 points) to finish January, though it ended the month with a pair of frustrating losses at Edmonton (4-3 in overtime) and Calgary (3-2).
The Sharks blew a 3-0 lead in the third period against the Oilers and a 2-1 second-period lead on Saturday against the Flames, who had lost five straight games. San Jose self-destructed with eight penalties totaling 24 minutes against Calgary, which finished with a huge 42-25 edge in shots on goal.
“This one hurts,” admitted Smith, who scored a goal.
San Jose opened the trip with a 5-2 victory at Vancouver and has three points in three games so far. However, the late meltdown against the Oilers, followed by a loss to the struggling Flames, makes that statistic bittersweet.
“It’s a tough one to swallow but we got two more games here,” goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic said after making 39 saves against Calgary. “(At) .500 through the first three games, it kind of stings, but we’ll take it. We got a big one against Chicago to flip the script a little bit.”
Chicago has dropped eight of its last 10 games and comes in on a five-game losing streak (0-3-2), including a 4-2 loss to the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday.
Columbus’ Charlie Coyle scored a hat trick, including an empty-netter to seal the win. Connor Bedard led the Blackhawks with a goal and an assist.
Scoring on the power play has contributed to Chicago’s recent woes. The Blackhawks were 0-for-2 with the extra man against Columbus and are 0-for-26 on the power play in their last 10 games, dating back to a 3-0 victory at Nashville on Jan. 10 when Tyler Bertuzzi scored with the man advantage.
“All we look at is what we did well, what we didn’t do well, how we can grow and get better,” Chicago coach Jeff Blashill said. “That’s the only thing we look at, to be dead honest with you. So, we’ll continue to do that. If I looked at (Friday’s) game, I think we do more of the second half. That’s when we’re a successful team.”
This is the first of three meetings between the teams. The Sharks won two of the three last season, with the Blackhawks winning the lone contest in Chicago, 4-2.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Pelicans send Kings to Sacramento-era record 13th straight loss
Feb 4, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images Trey Murphy III produced 21 points and seven assists, Zion Williamson added 18 points, six assists and five rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans knocked off the visiting Sacramento Kings 120-94 on Monday.
The Kings took their 13th defeat in a row, setting a club record since the team moved to Sacramento ahead of the 1985-86 season. The franchise-worst skid is 14 games, recorded by the Cincinnati Royals in both 1959-60 and 1971-72.
Jeremiah Fears added 20 points off the bench for the Pelicans, who won their second straight game while posting their biggest win of the season in terms of margin of victory. Saddiq Bey put up 12 points as the team shot 54% (47 of 87) from the field, including 41% (16 of 39) from beyond the arc.
The Kings led for the majority of the first quarter before a 3-pointer from Murphy and a bucket from Fears gave New Orleans the lead for good. The Pelicans stretched their advantage in each of the next three quarters.
Murphy and Williamson combined to score 14 of the Pelicans’ 31 third-quarter points, and the hosts went up by 30 points late in the period on a Yves Missi dunk.
Rookie Maxime Reynaud totaled 21 points and a career-high 19 rebounds to lead Sacramento. Russell Westbrook scored eight of his 17 points in the third quarter, Devin Carter had 12 points off the bench, and Dylan Cardwell grabbed 11 rebounds. Rookie Nique Clifford chipped in with 10 points.
The Kings were ultimately done in by a hellacious night from 3-point range. They shot just 12.9% (4 of 31) from beyond the arc. The Kings finished shooting just 40.4% (40 of 99) from the field.
The Pelicans had 30 assists to 13 turnovers, while Sacramento had 19 assists and 17 turnovers.
Karlo Matkovic scored 12 points, hitting two 3-pointers, to go with a team-high nine rebounds off the bench for the Pelicans, whose reserves outscored Sacramento’s 53-30.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves bounce back to crush Hawks
Feb 9, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Bones Hyland (8) celebrates his basket against the Atlanta Hawks in the second quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images Anthony Edwards scored 30 points on 11-for-21 shooting, and the Minnesota Timberwolves pulled away for a 138-116 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night in Minneapolis.
Julius Randle notched a triple-double with 18 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for Minnesota, which bounced back from a 19-point loss one day earlier against the Los Angeles Clippers. Ayo Dosunmu scored 21 points on 9-for-13 shooting off the bench in his second game since joining the Timberwolves at the trade deadline.
CJ McCollum scored 38 points on 12-for-25 shooting to lead Atlanta, which lost its second game in a row. Nickeil Alexander-Walker registered a double-double against his former team with 23 points and 12 rebounds.
The Timberwolves shot 55 of 92 (59.8%) from the field and 16 of 42 (38.1%) from beyond the arc. The Hawks shot 40 of 99 (40.4%) overall and 14 of 45 (31.1%) from 3-point range.
Minnesota raced to an 81-56 lead at the half and cruised to the lopsided victory.
The Timberwolves scored 41 points in the first quarter and 40 more in the second against a Hawks team that was short-handed and outpaced. Edwards had 21 points by halftime.
Zaccharie Risacher converted a three-point play with a dunk and a free throw to cut the Hawks’ deficit to 54-48 with 6:49 remaining in the first half.
Minnesota responded with a 25-4 run to seize a 79-52 lead with two minutes to go before the break. Dosunmu and Jaden McDaniels combined to score the final 11 points of the run, with Dosunmu scoring seven and McDaniels scoring four.
The Hawks played better in the third quarter but still trailed by 19 entering the final 12 minutes. Alexander-Walker hit a turnaround, fadeaway jump shot to cap the third-quarter scoring for Atlanta.
Jalen Johnson, Atlanta’s top scorer, was a late addition to the injury report and did not play because of a knee injury. Johnson is averaging 23.4 points and 10.6 rebounds, both of which are career highs, in his fifth NBA season.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Stephen Curry (knee) to miss All-Star Game
Feb 7, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) watches game action during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Two-time NBA All-Star game Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry will not compete in Sunday’s annual showcase due to an ongoing injury to his right knee.
Golden State coach Steve Kerr announced the news prior to the Warriors’ game on Monday evening versus the Memphis Grizzlies.
Curry will not play vs. Memphis on Monday or San Antonio on Wednesday, missing his fourth and fifth consecutive games. He is suffering from patellofemoral pain syndrome, also known as runner’s knee.
The Warriors are hopeful that Curry will return after the All-Star break when they host the Boston Celtics on Feb. 19.
“It’s a matter of learning as I go what works rehab-wise,” Curry told ESPN. “Because it’s still painful. You have to try to get rid of all the inflammation and pain. It’s something we still have to monitor and injury-manage, but it’s something where, if I come back too early, it could flare up.”
Curry has missed 14 games to date, but is averaging 27.2 points per game, the fifth-highest per game total of his 17-year career.
He has not played since leaving a Jan. 30 home game vs. Detroit.
Curry joins the Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdomen) as All-Stars who will miss Sunday’s game in Los Angeles. Gilgeous-Alexander has been replaced on the Team World roster by the Houston Rockets’ center Alperen Sengun.
The NBA hasn’t announced a replacement for Curry on Team USA.
–Field Level Media
Pelicans send Kings to Sacramento-era record 13th straight loss
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