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Eight best storylines for NBA stretch run: Is Jayson Tatum coming back? Can Spurs jump OKC? MVP up for grabs?
The NBA All-Star break is over. Action returns Thursday night with a 10-game slate. Every team has between 26 and 29 games remaining. So let’s to lock back in and refocus on the second “half” of the NBA season. Some teams have already sent out messages like bat signals to show how they’re going to approach the last two months of the regular season.
The Sacramento Kings announced that both Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine will have season-ending surgery. It’s a move that very clearly states the Kings will be tanking the rest of the season to prioritize draft positioning. The Dallas Mavericks did a similar move, announcing Kyrie Irving will not play this season as he continues to rehab from a torn ACL he suffered in March 2025.
While that’s happening at the bottom of the standings, we could be in store for some compelling finishes at the top of the standings with several teams within a few games of each other in both the East and West. As we resume the regular season, let’s take a look at the biggest storylines post-All-Star break.
1. Jayson Tatum’s potential return to the Celtics
When Tatum tore his Achilles in May 2025, it appeared the Celtics would take a gap year with their superstar sidelined. It seemed highly possible that Tatum would be out the entirety of the 2025-26 season, and that Boston would refocus its efforts around the 2026-27 campaign.
But here we are nine months from Tatum’s Achilles surgery, and there’s hints that he could make a return in the coming weeks. The All-Star forward practiced with Boston’s G League squad before the All-Star break, and took part in 5-on-5 scrimmages with Celtics teammates and coaches. Everything is lining up toward a potential return ahead of the playoffs.
Boston owns a 35-19 record, and sits second in the East. There’s a world in which the Celtics could make a deep run in the postseason without Tatum. Having Tatum healthy should only strengthen Boston’s postseason hopes, and shake things up considerably in the East.
The race for the East couldn’t be more wide open at the All-Star break. The Cavs are considered the favorites with +350 odds on FanDuel. The Celtics, Pistons and Knicks all have +370 odds.
The version we get of Tatum will greatly impact Boston’s outlook for the rest of the season. If he comes back close to his All-NBA self, then every other team in the East should be worried about matching up with the Celtics in the postseason. — Jasmyn Wimbish
2. How seriously do we take the Knicks?
I don’t think anyone knows exactly what to make of the Knicks, who entered the All-Star break having won 10 of their previous 12 but remain a defensively deficient team that will likely have to play the rest of the regular season without Miles McBride (who has been the lone Knick with a 100% approval rating this year).
Two big additions to watch: Jose Alvarado, obviously, and also Jeremy Sochan, who fell out of the rotation in San Antonio but could bring real defense and energy to a Knicks team that could use both if given any kind of opportunity.
We’re all waiting for Karl-Anthony Towns to find his range in what has been the worst shooting season of his career, but aside from McBride, Towns’ plus-7.6 net rating is still the best mark on the team, per Cleaning the Glass. The defense is actually worse off with Jalen Brunson on the court sans Towns than vice versa.
Brunson, meanwhile, has been up and down of late himself. He’s got two 40-pieces this month but his 43/31 shooting splits since Feb. 1 leave a lot to be desired. He went 4 for 20 and 0 for 8 from 3 in a 38-point loss to Detroit a couple weeks ago.
Nobody is questioning Brunson’s offensive greatness, but it is a real question whether that’s enough to make up for his own, and largely by extension New York’s collective defensive ails, particularly if Towns doesn’t get the shot going. All of these questions are happening in the context of what feels like the Knicks’ best chance to make the Finals with this team. Can they seize it? These next six weeks won’t tell us everything (anything can happen in the playoffs), but they will tell us a lot. — Brad Botkin
3. Can the Lakers secure a top-six seed?
The Lakers sit 1 ½ games back of the Denver Nuggets for the No. 3 spot in the West. But they also sit just 1 ½ games ahead of the seventh-placed Phoenix Suns as the season resumes. Things are far from settled in the West. The Lakers are one of many West teams who could either host a first-round playoff series or have to earn their playoff spot through the Play-In Tournament.
Having to go through the play-in isn’t the end of the world, but when this team once sat second in the conference at the start of December, falling to seventh and having to potentially face Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs in the first round would not be ideal.
The positive? Austin Reaves is back from a calf strain, and in the five games he’s played since returning, the Lakers have gone 4-1. Having Reaves back is a night and day difference for the Lakers, who were relying far too much on Luka Dončić’s offensive heroics and prime performances from a 41-year-old LeBron James. Reaves takes some of the offensive pressure of Doncic, gives the Lakers another guy who can create offensively and give you 20+ points a night. In just his second game back he had 35 points, showing that had it not been for the calf injury Reaves would’ve probably been a first-time All Star this season.
The have the eighth most difficult schedule over the rest of the season, but the Nuggets and the Timberwolves both have harder schedules, which could provide a nice path towards a top-four spot for L.A. — Jasmyn Wimbish
4. Can the Spurs jump the Thunder?
Let’s keep things in the Western Conference standings. San Antonio is my No. 1 team to watch down the stretch. They resume play on Thursday night against the Suns having won six straight and 11 of their last 14 and three games back of the Thunder for the West’s No. 1 seed.
They have every right to believe they can catch and pass OKC. For starters, the Thunder, who have lost six of their last 11 and will be without Jalen Williams for the foreseeable future, have the second-toughest remaining schedule, per Tankathon. Besides that, the Spurs own the tiebreaker with a 4-1 head-to-head record.
If this happens, how are we not going to classify the Spurs as the title favorite? What other No. 1 seed who has defeated the defending champs four out of five times and won potentially north of 60 games would be considered anything less?
The Spurs are starting to feel a little like the 2015 Warriors to me. The ascent is happening before everyone is ready to fully accept it. They were supposed to be a few years away from contention. This year was supposed to about maybe getting into the playoffs and getting some experience under their belt.
But Victor Wembanyama, like Stephen Curry when he burst onto the scene, has rearranged the geometry of a basketball court to such a degree that no typical timeline can be applied. He’s a force beyond anything we’ve ever seen, honestly, and the Spurs are stacked behind him with every marker of a top-tier contender. Perhaps the top contender. That still feels premature to say, but if they jump OKC for the top seed, I’m not sure how you could call them anything other than the title favorites. — Brad Botkin
5. Tanking wars at the bottom of the standings
The talk of the NBA over the last two weeks has been about the league’s tanking “problem.” The league fined the Utah Jazz $500,000 and the Indiana Pacers $100,000 for “conduct detrimental to the league.” The Jazz were fined for pulling players in the fourth quarter on two occasions despite being in closely-contested games. The Pacers held players out despite them being healthy. Both were obvious efforts by Utah and Indiana to tank, something that the league is seemingly trying to come down hard on.
“Overt behavior like this that prioritizes draft position over winning undermines the foundation of NBA competition and we will respond accordingly to any further actions that compromise the integrity of our games,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in the league’s statement.
Since the league’s punishment, there has been a lot of chatter about how to solve the league’s tanking problem. Calls for eliminating the draft, setting lottery odds earlier in the season and holding a lottery tournament to determine who gets what pick have all been bandied about. But while everyone thinks they have the idea that’s going to solve this issue for the league, teams will continue to tank.
The Wizards, Pacers, Nets, Kings, Jazz, Mavericks and Grizzlies have all essentially been eliminated from the postseason races already and want the best chance possible at the No. 1 pick. The Pacers and Jazz both could potentially lose their picks if they fall below certain slots.
One look at the collegiate basketball landscape this season and most front office executives are probably salivating over the prospect of landing Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer or a handful of other high-profile draft prospects. This is being billed as one of the best drafts in recent memory. Of course these teams want to do everything possible to try and land one of these guys. People might say tanking is bad for the league, but, for now, it’s a necessary evil for teams to try and find generational talent. — Jasmyn Wimbish
6. Cavs, Harden primed for a run
Three games with James Harden, three wins with James Harden, who had four assists down the stretch and hit the game-tying 3 with under a minute to play in Cleveland’s victory over Denver last week.
Cleveland started to find its sea legs after Christmas. They Cavs had won 13 of their previous 18 when the Harden deal went down. Everyone has been waiting for the team that won 64 games last season to emerge, and it feels safe to say that it has. But the question is: How much better can the Cavs be with Harden?
“I understand that this team is going to be something special [with Harden],” Donovan Mitchell wrote in his latest diary installment for Andscape. “We’re 3-0 so far, so we’re not doing too bad. But I’m excited to see what we do when we get some practices under our belt, and we’ll see what that looks like going forward.”
We’ve already seen some of the best of what Harden will bring. He’s carded 26 assists in his three games so far, which speaks to the playmaking burden he’ll lift from the shoulders of Mitchell, the league’s fifth-leading scorer who should be as free as he’s been all season to, well, score.
It’s largely the same tag-team dynamic that existed with Darius Garland, but Harden is a better creator than Garland and, importantly, he’s healthy. The combined gravitational force of these two has already been on display.
Watch here as Harden has the ball on the wing with Mitchell in the short corner, and how the whole defense shifts their way as Jarrett Allen (with whom Harden has already looked very comfortable in two-man actions) cuts straight down the lane.
Possessions like this one below should become more of the norm, with Harden collapsing defenses and making life easier on Mitchell, who is making 40% of his catch-and-shoot 3s this season, per Synergy.
With the threat of Mitchell keeping defenses honest on one side and Allen rolling down the lane, the opposite side shooters should get a lot of looks like this as Harden is a master at waiting for defenses to commit before delivering.
Of course, this is the best of Harden. Time will tell if the worst of him — his defense, namely, and some of his postseason disappearing acts — will bite the Cavs when it counts most. But for now, Cleveland continuing to rise up the Eastern Conference standings (with the league’s fifth-easiest remaining schedule, per Tankathon) looks like a pretty good bet. — Brad Botkin
7. Rookie of the Year race between Flagg and Knueppel
This is one of the most intriguing Rookie of the Year races in recent memory, even if the oddsmakers view Cooper Flagg as a heavy favorite with two months to go (-750 odds at FanDuel). Both Flagg and Kon Knueppel have valid cases to walk away with the award, and on any given night you could argue that one deserves it more. Flagg is shouldering the entirety of Dallas’ offense and has been among the most efficient rookies given the types of shots he’s taking. His defense is also years ahead of where rookies typically are, and he’s already shown he can be the go-to guy in the clutch.
For Knueppel, he’s the best shooting prospect we’ve seen since Stephen Curry, and he’s completely elevated Charlotte’s offense. He’s benefiting from the brilliance of LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, but he’s much more than just a catch-and-shoot player. Knueppel’s off-ball movement creates so many opportunities directly and indirectly, and he’s about as automatic as it comes from 3-point land.
The first time these former teammates faced each other it was an absolute classic. Flagg had 49 points, while Knueppel had 34 points in the win. We’ll get one more matchup between these two on March 3, and given how close this race is, perhaps it can help in figuring out who should come out on top for Rookie of the Year. — Jasmyn Wimbish
8. The MVP race just got interesting again
When Nikola Jokić went down with a hyperextended knee right before New Year’s, it looked like it would bring an end to his MVP bid on account of not being able to meet the 65-game threshold. But the Nuggets superstar made it back just in time to be able to miss exactly one more game the rest of the way and maintain award eligibility.
As long as Jokić remains eligible, this is a tight race between him and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has been out with an injury of his own as the Thunder have lost six of their last 11. Also lurking is Victor Wembanyama, who has missed 14 games so far and thus can miss three more while remaining eligible. SGA remains the betting favorite (Gilgeous-Alexander has -190 odds to Jokić’s +300, while Wembanyama is currently a +3300 longshot).
As mentioned above, San Antonio is a real threat to catch OKC for the No. 1 seed; they’re three games back and own the tiebreaker via a 4-1 head-to-head advantage. Wembanyama’s numbers considering he’s only playing 29 minutes a game are crazy. Factoring in both ends of the court, he’s probably the most impactful per-minute player in the NBA, and if the Spurs do claim the No. 1 seed it will be tough to not consider him seriously for MVP.
Now add in Cade Cunningham, Luka Doncic and Jaylen Brown, and this race that once looked to be all but sewn up for SGA when Jokić went down suddenly looks like it could be in for a photo finish. — Brad Botkin
We’re less than a month away from Selection Sunday and the more we see, the more convinced we are that the 2026 NBA Draft class could be something special.
Our latest big board reflects plenty of movement, beyond the top four. To be clear though, the debate is intensifying at the top of the draft as well. Darryn Peterson remains at the top spot, as he has all season long, but the ongoing availability saga continues to add questions. The bottom line is that when he’s been on the floor and not limited, he’s been even better than expected. Unfortunately though, the times when he’s been out of the line-up, or noticeably tentative even when he is playing, continue to mount.
While most NBA executives still seem to favor him atop the draft, this ongoing trend is creating some pause. Availability is vital in today’s NBA, particular when a franchise is committing to build around you long-term. Peterson’s season has left executives to question his physical durability, along with any other factors that could be contributing to this very clear pattern.
Dybantsa impressive, but questions remain
While questions are intensifying about Peterson, AJ Dybantsa is putting up unmatched offensive numbers. He’s the leading scorer in Division I at 24.8 points per game, making real gains with his ability to pressure the rim, finish through contact and still maintain his core competencies of being able to get to the free-throw line and rise-and-fire in the mid-range area. However, there are questions about him too. BYU has built their attack around Dybantsa and yet they’ve lost six of their last nine.
Certainly, the loss of Richie Saunders is a huge one, but they had lost five of six from mid-January through early-February without him. Dybantsa’s defensive intensity, body language and rebounding have, at times, come in correlation to his team’s success. So, questions from high school about whether or not someone with his natural talent impacts winning, are now resurfacing.
Boozer shows he’s a winner
Then, there’s Cameron Boozer. His individual offense isn’t nearly as flashy as Peterson or Dybantsa. His highest levels outcomes may not have the same ceiling, but his impact on winning is as undeniable at Duke as it was in high school. We’re talking about a player who won both state and Nike EYB championships every single year. He did the same thing every time he put on a USA Basketball jersey. Then he punctuated all that with a national championship as a high school senior.
At Duke, he’s been the focal point of a team that is now 24-2, without nearly the same supporting cast as Cooper Flagg had a year ago. He’s the favorite to win national player of the year and proven to be the most reliable of the big three prospects. So I, and perhaps some NBA executives, are starting to wonder if he should be getting more consideration atop this draft.
Freshmen class shows it is elite
While the big three still headline this draft, the freshmen class is proving that they are, collectively, truly elite in totality. Caleb Wilson had been tremendous for North Carolina prior to his recent injury and is on the verge of putting himself in the conversation for a top three pick. Kingston Flemings has sustained the same signs of stardom he showed to start the season, while Keaton Wagler has blown away expectations by a consistently increasing margin as the season has gone on. Simultaneously, Darius Acuff has been absolutely dominant for Arkansas and both Mikel Brown and Nate Ament have started to put the pieces together at Louisville and Tennessee respectively.
From a positional standpoint, we’re seeing some real depth emerge at both ends of the line-up. The freshmen headline what looks like the deepest point guard class in recent years with Peterson, Flemings, Wagler, Brown and Acuff all projected as top ten picks. But Bennett Stirtz and Labaron Philon could push for the lottery as well, while Christian Anderson looks like a very solid first-round pick.
Interesting options at center
The depth at the center position lacks the same star power, but boasts a variety of players who could fight for spots in the first-round and a host of others who will have to weigh certain NIL paydays versus the financial uncertainty that comes from being a fringe first-round pick, given that second-round picks do not necessarily receive guaranteed contracts.
Jayden Quaintance is still the most intriguing true big man, but after that, beauty may truly be in the eye of the beholder. Henri Veesaar, Flory Bidunga, Patrick Ngongba, Motiejus Krivas, Rueben Chinyelu, Aday Mara and Morez Johnson all have a chance to be first-round picks and yet none of them is a lock to end up in that range. Simultaneously, they all have additional eligibility remaining in college, so who stays and who goes when it’s all said and done will be a very compelling storyline to watch and ultimately dictate just how good this big man market ends up being.
Of course, with all eyes on college basketball as we approach March Madness, the storylines of are just beginning to reveal themselves. What we know for sure is that there is a ton of anticipation behind this draft and the vast majority of them will be on display in the NCAA Tournament.
NBA Draft Big Board top 10
Top 10 players on CBS Sports NBA Draft expert Adam Finkelstein’s Prospects Rankings. Check out Finkelstin’s complete top 80 players on his Big Board.
Confidence abounds from trainer Matt Laurie regarding Treasurethe Moment’s fitness level for her first run back at Caulfield, on par with her spring return condition.
Last spring, the four-year-old mare Treasurethe Moment started her preparation with a victory in Caulfield’s Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m), and now she recreates that scenario in Saturday’s Group 1 Futurity Stakes over the identical course and distance.
Tuesday saw Laurie and regular pilot Damian Lane put Treasurethe Moment through her paces at Caulfield in a final gallop, with Laurie subsequently affirming her readiness for the task at hand.
Laurie reflected on the remarkable path Treasurethe Moment has taken him and his team on, as she seeks to claim a further Group 1 prize.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the horse and in her last three preparations she’s been able to knock off some Group 1’s, and hopefully she can do it for a fourth time,” Laurie said.
“I’ve got a similar feeling as when we went into the Memsie, but I’m not sure where the speed is going to be in this particular race.
“Damian will just ride our horse how he finds her on the day, but I wouldn’t have changed anything.
“She was very much on the ball and wanting to get on with the job and I think she is in a good headspace and ready to go.”
This campaign’s trajectory echoes those from before, per Laurie.
The mare presents as stronger now than in spring, attuned to the routine when heading out for trials, gallops, or race starts.
“She’s a bit older, a bit stronger and she’s very aware every time we put her on a track nowadays,” Laurie said.
“I can’t wait to kick her off and see where the preparation leads.
“Coming into this preparation I was of the feeling that I would give her a light one, give her nice break for another crack at the Cox Plate.
“We’ll run in the Futurity, then the All-Star Mile then we’ll play it by ear after that.
“She’s an incredible horse and I feel very privileged to have her.”
Saturday’s field pits Treasurethe Moment against eight foes, such as Buckaroo, runner-up in the Cox Plate, Evaporate, Feroce and Leica Lucy.
Discover premier betting sites with strong racing odds for the Futurity Stakes.
The other Olympic semifinal, between Slovakia and the United States, already promises high drama.
But an unexpected subplot may steal the spotlight.
Ryan Lomberg, who has shared dressing rooms with both Matthew Tkachuk and Martin Pospisil, summed it up best.
“Oh yeah,” he said, practically rubbing his hands together.
“I mean, get the popcorn ready if they start battling, because that’ll be epic, man.”
Few matchups in the tournament offer the same potential for fireworks as a collision between Calgary’s rising agitator and the former Flames master of mayhem.
With Pospisil centring Slovakia’s third line, and Tkachuk driving the Americans’ top unit, there’s a strong possibility the two will share plenty of ice time with a berth in the gold‑medal game on the line.
For Flames fans, it’s the kind of crossover event that adds extra intrigue.
Tkachuk remains one of hockey’s premier disturbers, a superstar who can score, stir the pot, and chirp with the best of them.
His bridesmaid jab at Leon Draisaitl earlier in the tournament was a reminder that his verbal game is still world‑class.
Pospisil, meanwhile, has emerged as one of the NHL’s most prolific hitters, a relentless forechecker who has worked hard to stay on the right side of the rulebook.
His play in Slovakia’s Cinderella run has showcased the same blend of energy and edge that has endeared him to Calgary fans since he broke into the league in 2023.
Lomberg, who knows both personalities well, sees the potential for something memorable.
“Chucky’s obviously one of the best in the game at being a rat and also having an impact on the score,” used Lomberg, who won a Stanley Cup with Tkachuk in Florida.
“And we all know what Pospisil is capable of when he’s at the top of his game. So it’ll be exciting to watch, for sure.
“I would imagine big brother, Brady, might poke his head into it too, but I’m sure Pospisil will be able to handle himself. He’s been doing a great job so far.”
In an NHL regular‑season game, prop bets would be offered on who would draw the first roughing minor.
And while one would think Olympic stakes will keep tempers in check, the Slovaks’ best chance of upsetting the Americans might just revolve around doing whatever they can to get Tkachuk’s line, with Brady and Jack Eichel, off their game.
“Yeah, it’ll be fun to watch a little chess match of who can toe the line a little bit better,” said Blake Coleman.
“I can’t imagine there’d be a ton of love between the two. But both are great players in their own way.”
While both have posted seasons with over 100 penalty minutes, the two have matured. Tkachuk has become a Hart‑level force who picks his moments. Pospisil has worked to avoid the unnecessary penalties that once plagued him.
But MacKenzie Weegar, who has watched Pospisil’s growth up close, doesn’t expect the Olympic rings to sanitize things entirely.
Asked whether the stage might eliminate the extracurriculars, he didn’t hesitate.
“I’m sure they’ll still find a way to bring that garbage,” he laughed.
“The U.S. is obviously the favourite, and the Tkachuk brothers are pretty elite players, but Pospisil can handle himself out there, and he can skate. And I’m sure he’ll be doing things out there to get things going, I won’t doubt that at all.”
Weegar, and the hockey world, will be watching.
“I’d love to see that, maybe bang (Tkachuk) around a little bit,” said Weegar, whose allegiance is clear, as he attended Canada’s Olympic orientation camp.
“It’ll be fun to watch that little matchup for sure. I would keep a close eye on that.”
Flames coach Ryan Huska has been pleased watching Pospisil thrive between Milos Kelemen and Pavol Regenda, even after an early scare.
“I saw him take the forearm to the head in one of the first games, which I was a little concerned about, but he’s fine,” said Huska of his 26-year-old forward, who has one assist and is plus-2 in three Olympic games.
“It’s neat to see him and his team having some success. Whether they’re a little Cinderella story, or they’re where people didn’t expect them to be, it’s good for Pospy, and it’s good for our team.”
Indeed, this is a great opportunity for Pospisil.
The stakes are enormous. Discipline will be preached. The game likely won’t devolve into chaos.
But if Pospisil and Tkachuk do indeed share plenty of ice together?
Chanettee Wannasaen smiles after a good shot during the LPGA Classic on June 12. Chanettee Wannasaen is tied atop the leaderboard of her home-country tournament with Japan’s Nasa Hataoka after the opening round of the Honda LPGA Thailand on Thursday in Pattaya, Thailand.
Wannasaen was effective throughout a 7-under-par 65 opening round, racking up nine birdies against two bogeys. She finished with a birdie on the par-5 18th and hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation at the Siam Country Club Old Course.
“Today, I played really well on the approach shot,” Wannasaen said. ” … It’s pretty fun and I have a lot of memory in this course.”
After a bogey on the par-4 2nd hole, Hataoka played bogey-free over the final 16 holes. That included three birdies in the final five holes, overcoming making just 14 of 18 greens in regulation by requiring just 26 putts.
It’s the second time in as many LPGA events this season that Hataoka has had at least a share of the first-round lead. She led after the opening round of the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in late January at 6 under.
“Today was a good start,” Hataoka said. “I think my tee shot and iron shot pretty well today. That’s why I was able to make so many birdie chances today.”
There’s little separation between a large pack at the top of the leaderboard. South Korea’s Somi Lee and Hye-Jin Choi as well as Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh are tied for third at 6 under. Dryburgh holed out for an eagle on the par-5 10th — her first hole in her first LPGA event back after becoming a mother seven weeks ago.
After that, 10 players are tied for sixth at 5 under. That clump of competitors shooting 67 includes world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, who is competing on her home course. First playing in this event at 14 years old and now on the eve of her 23rd birthday, Thitikul was bogey free at 5 under, securing a pair of sand saves.
“Just grateful for everything that I really put the work in and it just pay off,” Thitikul said, reflecting on her career after the first round. “And then also I think they should be happy on not just me doing, but all the Thai girls doing out there on the Tour.”
There are eight Thai golfers competing in this year’s event. Ariya Jutanugarn is also tied at 5 under, and Pajaree Anannarukarn is one of 10 golfers tied for 16th at 4 under. After shooting 1 over on the front nine, Anannarukarn surged back into contention with five birdies on a bogey-free back nine.
Angel Yin, who won the 2025 event, is tied for 26th at 3 under after the opening round. –Field Level Media
A spot in the gold medal game is on the line when top-seeded Canada takes on Finland at the 2026 Winter Olympics men’s hockey competition on Friday. The winner will take on the winner between the United States and Slovakia on Sunday. Canada advanced to the semifinals with a 4-3 overtime win over Czechia on Wednesday. Finland defeated Switzerland 3-2 in overtime in their quarterfinal.
Canada enters as the -430 favorite, per FanDuel Sportsbook, while Finland is at +330. The over/under in total goals is 5.5. Friday’s puck drop is set for 10:40 a.m. ET from Palaltalia, Milan. Before making any 2026 Winter Olympics men’s hockey semifinals picks or Olympic predictions, you need to see what Matthew Severance has to say.
Severance is coming off an outstanding NHL season in which he went 235-155-21 (plus $2,022). He entered the Olympic break on a 26-12 roll on NHL money-line picks this season, returning $1,326 for $100 players. Anyone following his hockey picks at their favorite sportsbooks could have seen huge returns.
Now, Severance has turned his attention to Winter Olympics men’s ice hockey semifinals. He’s only sharing his best bets at SportsLine.
| Finland vs. Canada money line: | Canada -430, Finland +330 |
| Finland vs. Canada over/under: | 5.5 goals |
| Finland vs. Canada puck line: | Canada -1.5 (-142) |
| Finland vs. Canada picks: | See picks at SportsLine |
| Finland vs. Canada streaming: | Fubo (Try for free) |
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2026 Winter Olympics Canada vs. Finland semifinal picks
For the 2026 Winter Olympics hockey semifinal between Canada and Finland, Severance is taking the Under 5.5 goals (-115) at 10:40 a.m. ET. The teams have met 27 times, with each team winning 13 games. The Fins hold an edge in total goals at 74-70. The teams have split each of the last six meetings.
Finland is 3-1 in the competition. After losing 4-1 to Slovakia, the Fins beat Sweden 4-1 and Italy 11-0 in Group B play, before beating Switzerland on Wednesday. Canada won Group A with a 5-0 win over Czechia, 5-1 win over Switzerland and 10-2 triumph over France, before beating Czechia in overtime in the quarterfinals. See his other picks at SportsLine.
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How to make Olympics hockey Finland vs. Canada predictions
Severance also has puck line and analysis for the Finland vs. Canada semifinal matchup. You can only see his Olympic picks here.
So who wins the 2026 Winter Olympics men’s ice hockey semifinal between Finland and Canada, and which puck line should you back? Visit SportsLine now to see the 2026 Winter Olympics men’s ice hockey picks and best bets from a hockey insider, and find out.
The decision may not come soon because the man loves to bask in the spotlight of speculation, but new reporting suggests Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will retire — or is at least leaning that way, like never before.
Rodgers’ latest signal points to retirement, and it quietly lowers the temperature on Minnesota’s 2026 talk.
As a free-agent-to-be, Rodgers cannot be ruled out of the Minnesota Vikings’ QB1 plans, but the latest assertion from CBS Sports insinuates that the 10-time Pro Bowl is probably done for good.
Rodgers Retirement Buzz Changes Vikings Speculation
The longstanding Vikings-Rodgers rumor is on life support.
Aditi Kinkhabwala: Rodgers Leaning Toward Retirement
Kinkhabwala of CBS Sports joined 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh this week, delivering the intel that Rodgers is likely on his way out.
“Having spoken to people who were around him, who have been around him, most everyone that I’ve spoken to who has been around him feels that the chance that he comes back to play is minuscule, so you take that for what it’s worth,” he told the show’s hosts.
“In conversations with people who were around him all year, who were with him when he was leaving the Steelers when the season was over, all of those people that I spoke to said that it seems far more likely that he is done than that he is going to return.”
Until Kinkhabwala’s declaration, most assumed that Rodgers would probably return to Pittsburgh for one last hurrah.
Last Year’s Rough and Tumble Vikings Rumor Mill
Ardent Vikings fans are no strangers to the Rodgers rumors. During the 2025 offseason, Rodgers and Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell casually discussed what a relationship might look like, but no contract ever materialized.
Still, the possibility of Rodgers turning purple, fully effectuating the Brett Favre storyline — Packers to Jets to Vikings — was a real sentiment for about two months (March and April 2025) until Rodgers put pen to paper and signed with the Steelers.
Some were even insistent that Minnesota take the plunge with Rodgers, though it seemed former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah avoided the circus Rodgers would’ve brought to the Twin Cities. Then, when the Steelers lost in the postseason, and Rodgers refused to retire after the contest, a new set of miniature Rodgers-to-Minnesota rumors sprouted — would he take the plunge one year later?
The Kinkhabwala reporting suggests no.
Rodgers’ 2025 Season
Rodgers started 16 games for Pittsburgh in 2025, with his team posting a 10-6 record on his watch, while he personally threw for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, and a 65.7 completion percentage. The Steelers’ offense wasn’t overly dynamic, and Rodgers often played a game-manager role, as offensive coordinator Arthur Smith preferred a pretty low-octane approach.
All told, Rodgers ranked 21st of 34 qualifying quarterbacks per EPA+CPOE, sharing statistical space with passers like Tyler Shough and Jacoby Brissett.
Rodgers was basically serviceable — nowhere near his 2020 and 2021 MVP seasons.
Behind the Steel Curtain‘s Jarrett Bailey noted on the Steelers’ quarterback situation this week, “The Pittsburgh Steelers offseason revolves around what Aaron Rodgers decides to do. Should he decide to return for a 22nd NFL season, the Steelers have their quarterback. If he decides to retire or if he wants to play elsewhere, though, Pittsburgh will need to figure out who they will bring in at the position.”
“The only other two quarterbacks on the Steelers’ roster are Mason Rudolph and Will Howard. There have been several names connected to the Steelers in terms of potential trades or free agent signings, such as Kyler Murray, Malik Willis, and Anthony Richardson.”
The Mike McCarthy Angle
The Steelers shockingly cut ties with Mike Tomlin last month after nearly two decades of service. His team never showcased a losing record and hadn’t won any playoff games in eons. In return, Pittsburgh hired Rodgers’s former coach in Green Bay, Mike McCarthy, a hire that stunned fans because McCarthy feels like a continuation of Tomlin — enough to fire up a 10-7 season or so but not a skipper known for Super Bowl success, outside of one title with the Packers 15 years ago.
At his introductory press conference, McCarthy stated that he’d love to have Rodgers back, which reduced the proliferation of the Rodgers rumor mill: if he didn’t retire, well, he’d likely return to Pittsburgh with McCarthy in charge.
McCarthy and Rodgers have shared a rollercoaster relationship, but they apparently made amends within the past few years.
McCarthy may not coach Rodgers again, though, as Kinkhabwala claims retirement is imminent.
That will also subtract Rodgers from the Vikings’ rumor mill. Rodgers will turn 43 in December.
On an afternoon when the Olympic record kept falling, Jordan Stolz skated fast enough to win the gold at any other Winter Games. Just not this one.
The 21-year-old American was foiled in his bid for a third gold medal in eight days on Thursday, winning silver in the 1500m in a time of 1:42.75 after lowering the Olympic marks in the 1000m last Wednesday and the 500m on Saturday and threatening to become only the second American to win more than two golds in any sport at a single Winter Games.
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China’s Ning Zhongyan was the surprise gold medalist, crossing in an Olympic-record time of 1:41.98sec – 0.77sec ahead of Stolz – after seizing the race with early aggression. Kjeld Nuis of the Netherlands, the two-time defending Olympic champion in his final Winter Games, came in 0.84sec off Ning’s pace for the bronze to the delight of another Dutch-heavy crowd.
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For the 26-year-old Ning, already a bronze medalist in the men’s 1000m and the team pursuit, it was the first Olympic gold of his career and China’s first speed skating medal of these Olympics.
“When Jordan was skating in the last pair, I still did not think the gold was mine,” Ning said afterwards. “He has been in incredible form all season. Even after he crossed the line, I was still not completely sure. It was only when the result was confirmed that it started to sink in. It is an amazing feeling.”
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The 1500m in speed skating is known as the race of kings because it sits at the perfect crossroads of the sport’s demands. The race requires the raw pace of a sprinter and the endurance of a distance specialist, ruthlessly exposing any weakness in either facet.
Many of the sport’s greatest champions have claimed the 1500m title, making it a proving ground where the most complete skater earns the crown. Only three of the 30 men’s 500m medalists from 1988 through 2022 even skated the 1500m.
Dutch skater Joep Wennemars, perhaps hard-done in the 1000m, laid down the early marker from the 11th pair with an Olympic-record time of 1:43.05, setting off a wall of noise in the banks of orange-clad supporters.
Two heats later, while Stolz calmly made circuits on the inner warm-up lane, Ning lowered that mark with a brilliant display of front-foot skating, putting down second-best early splits of 22.99sec and 47.86sec before taking control at 1100m with a field-best 1:13.80 and never looking back. Nuis, skating head-to-head in the same pair, was fastest after 700m but his early aggression proved costly on the final lap.
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Stolz went off in the final pair, his introduction eliciting deafening roars from a crowd braced for history. What followed was almost conservative. He completed the opening lap ranked fifth at 300m (23.36), where he remained at 700m (48.82), never chasing the blistering early pace set by Ning and Nuis. He closed in 27.60, faster than Ning, and the quickest final lap among the medalists, but it proved too little too late.
He circled the oval slowly with his head bowed after his time flashed on the screen while Ning celebrated with his coaches before taking a victory lap wearing the Chinese flag as a cape. Wennemars finished fourth, despite briefly holding the best time in Olympic history, 0.26sec out of the medals.
“When I saw Ning’s [time], I thought that was really fast,” Stolz said. “I thought, ‘I can skate that time in Inzell, at the last World Cup.’ But here, that’s a really fast time.
“I just didn’t quite have the legs. The beginning part was a little slow. I thought I could maybe get it back, but I was just beginning to die off.
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“Ning had the race of his life. I didn’t have one of my best, but I am still happy with silver. I have two golds and I was actually really happy that Ning was able to pull it off. I really like Ning.”
Stolz entered the Olympics beneath immense expectations, already a seven-time world champion and the favorite here across three individual distances. Had he completed 500-1000-1500 treble – as he did at two of the past three world championships – he would have become the first male speed skater to win three golds at a Games since Norway’s Johann Olav Koss did so at the Lillehammer Olympics in 1994.
Stolz’s trajectory since Beijing 2022 has been meteoric. At 17 as an Olympic debutant, he finished 13th in the 500m and 14th in the 1000m. Four years later, he has won two golds and a silver with one last medal chance in Saturday’s mass start.
Raised in Kewaskum, Wisconsin, and developed at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Stolz has concentrated on blade setup, ice density and aerodynamic efficiency in pursuit of what he calls “free speed”. The Milan track – a temporary Olympic venue that has already produced some of the fastest times in Olympic history – has played into that mindset.
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Ning’s win on Thursday marked the seventh Olympic record of the competition after Francesca Lollobrigida in the women’s 3000m, Norway’s Sander Eitrem in the men’s 5000m, Jutta Leerdam of the Netherlands in the women’s 1000m, Stolz in the 1000m and 500m, and Dutch star Femke Kok in the women’s 500m.
“After the Beijing Winter Olympics, the level in speed skating just kept getting higher and higher,” Ning said. “It felt like there was a mountain in front of me, and no matter what I did, I just could not get past it.
“But I never stopped believing in myself. I kept telling myself to stay patient, to keep putting in the work, to trust that all the effort would add up one day. Today was that day. Even now, it still feels a little unreal that I was able to do this.”
MESA, Ariz. — Former big league manager Bob Melvin is returning to the Athletics as a special assistant in baseball operations.
The Athletics said Thursday that Melvin will advise the front office. The 64-year-old managed the A’s to three AL West titles from 2011-21, then left for San Diego and later San Francisco. The 64-year-old previously managed Seattle and Arizona.
Melvin was voted American League Manager of the Year in 2012 and 2018 with the A’s and led them to the playoffs six times while compiling an 853-764 record. The only manager in franchise history with more wins was Connie Mack with 3,582 for the Philadelphia Athletics from 1901-50.
In 22 seasons overall as a manager, Melvin has a 1,678-1,588 record, ranking 20th for wins. He was National League Manager of the Year with the Diamondbacks in 2007.
San Diego hired Melvin away from the A’s after the 2021 season, and he left the Padres after two seasons to go to San Francisco. The Giants fired Melvin after an 81-81 record last year, their fourth consecutive season missing the playoffs.
The former big league catcher played 692 games for seven different teams over 10 seasons from 1985-94. His most with any team were 265 games with his hometown Giants from from 1986-88.
As this stage in the offseason, the top NFL free agent lists proliferate. The Vikings, despite a cap crunch that has yet to be resolved (at least publicly), are going to participate, if only in a modest manner.
But while adding talent is an exciting thing, Minnesota is encountering a discouraging reality: many of the top team fits could have been had for cheap. Indeed, we’re four years on from the disastrous 2022 NFL Draft, meaning the four-year rookie pacts are expiring. Many of the top names who look like nice fits belong to players who could have become Vikings players.
The Vikings Get Salt in the Wound
If you enjoy feeling sad, consider the draft picks just one more time:
- 1st Round, No. 32: Lewis Cine, Safety
- 2nd Round, No. 42: Andrew Booth Jr., Corner
- 2nd Round, No. 59: Ed Ingram, Guard
- 3rd Round, No. 66: Brian Asamoah, Linebacker
- 4th Round, No. 118: Akayleb Evans, Corner
- 5th Round, No. 165: Esezi Otomewo, Defensive End
- 5th Round, No. 169: Ty Chandler, Running Back
- 6th Round, No. 184: Vederian Lowe, Offensive Tackle
- 6th Round, No. 191: Jalen Nailor, Wide Receiver
- 7th Round, No. 227: Nick Muse, Tight End
Pretty stunningly, the ten-person draft class is most likely going to venture elsewhere without a single player signing a second deal to remain. Of the crew, Jalen Nailor is the lone success story; drafting a promising WR3 in the 6th is excellent work. Otherwise, that’s a tough first go at drafting.
Shrinking things down to just the opening five draft picks allows us to see some of the promising talent that’s now out there in NFL free agency.
On ESPN, Matt Bowen proposes team fits for a list of the top free agents. The Vikings get a single mention, getting linked to off-ball linebacker Nakobe Dean. Consider what could have been possible:
- 1st Round, No. 32: Lewis Cine, Safety <–> Kenneth Walker III, Running Back, Drafted at No. 41
- 2nd Round, No. 42: Andrew Booth Jr., Corner <–> Alontae Taylor, Corner, Drafted at No. 49
- 2nd Round, No. 59: Ed Ingram, Guard <–> Nakobe Dean, Linebacker, Drafted at No. 83
- 3rd Round, No. 66: Brian Asamoah, Linebacker <–> Leo Chenal, Linebacker, Drafted at No. 103
- 4th Round, No. 118: Akayleb Evans, Corner <–> Tariq Woolen, Corner, Drafted at No. 153
For whatever it’s worth, the Bowen piece sees Walker as the 18th FA, Taylor as the 12th FA, Dean as the 48th FA, Chenal as the 45th FA, and Woolen as the 14th FA.
Obviously, the fight isn’t particularly fair. No GM, no matter how excellent, can withstand a battle with hindsight. Reality takes place and mysteries get solved, making it easy to tell the future that is the past. There is, nevertheless, some point to the exercise.
There’s a case to be made that what the Vikings need right about now is a young, dynamic runner like Walker. A tall, lengthy corner like Woolen would be great, too. Linebackers Dean and Chenal would be an upgrade, just as Taylor would be perfect for how the secondary operates.
The Vikings are experiencing an off-field equivalent to mistakes on the field.
Consider, for instance, a snap where the defensive tackle doesn’t get into the gap he’s supposed to be in. As the runner breaks through that early lane, the linebacker then misses a tackle since he wasn’t expecting to need break toward that area of the field so dramatically. The safety then needs to take on a powerful runner with a ton of momentum, leading to a business decision that results in an uninspired effort to tackle.
The (fictional) scenario above is an example of how an early mistake at the line of scrimmage can ripple through the rest of the defense and play more broadly. So, too, can the same logic be applied to drafting.
The Vikings are currently in a cap mess largely due to spending so freely on free agents. Needing to spend so freely on free agents largely overflows from poor drafting, the place where young, cost-controlled talent is found. In other words, mistakes from 2022 don’t stay in 2022. Instead, these 2022 mistakes have a real impact on what’s occurring in 2026.
In football, everything is interconnected.
The point, folks, is not that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is solely to blame for all that ails Minnesota. There’s no way that’s true (or anywhere close to true; there’s a ton of blame to go around). Nor, in fact, is the argument that Minnesota should have been capable of drafting in accordance with the insights that only reality can provide. Such a threshold is impossible to clear.
Rather, the point is that the Vikings are now turning over couch cushions to (possibly) sign one or two strong talents when these same players had been available four years ago for the price of a draft pick, a rookie contract, and a roster spot. The Vikings can now have these players, but they do so after they’ve become older and more expensive.
Connecting on one or two of these picks would have made a massive difference for the present moment.
At a time when the Vikings feel stretched thin, the need to launch the cap version of a fundraiser for free agents who were there for the taking must feel like salt in the wound.
Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.
Who is Vladyslav Heraskevych?
In Pyeongchang in 2018, the Kyiv native became the first Ukrainian to compete in skeleton at the Winter Olympics. Heraskevych also competed in Beijing in 2022. After the third of four runs there, he held up a sign with the English inscription “No war in Ukraine” for the cameras at the finish line of the run. Thirteen days later, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Since then, Heraskevych has tirelessly used his sport to draw attention to the suffering of the people in Ukraine and to urge further strict sanctions against Russian sports. The skeleton racer was given the honor of being one of Ukraine’s flag bearers for the Milano Cortina Games’ opening ceremonies.
Heraskevych finished 12th in 2018 and 18th in 2022 but there had been some suggestions he would have been among the medal contenders this time.
What is his dispute with the IOC about?
Heraskevych wanted to wear his “helmet of remembrance” not only in training but also during the Olympic race in Cortina. It features images of Ukrainian athletes who were killed during Russia’s war on Ukraine.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) considers the helmet a violation of Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter, which states: “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”
Announcing his disqualification shortly before he was due to race on Thursday, the IOC said: “The decision followed his refusal to comply with the IOC’s Guidelines on Athlete Expression. It was taken by the jury of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation based on the fact that the helmet he intended to wear was not compliant with the rules.”
In 2020, the IOC Athletes’ Commission published guidelines on how to implement the relevant rule. According to these guidelines, athletes should only be allowed to express political views during the Olympic Games at press conferences, in interviews in the mixed zones, at team meetings, on social media or through media outlets.
IOC spokesman Mark Adams told a press conference this week: “There are 130 conflicts going on in the world. We cannot have 130 different conflicts featured, however terrible they are, during the field of play, during the actual competition.”
Therefore, Heraskevych is allowed to express his political views outside of competition, but not during the race.
How have similar incidents been treated in the past?
United States figure skater Maxim Naumov displayed a picture of his parents, who died in a plane crash, after his short program on Tuesday evening in Milan, without any objections being raised. Heraskevych has previously pointed to the example of German weightlifter Matthias Steiner, who held up a photo of his deceased wife after his Olympic victory in Beijing in 2008.
According to the IOC, the cases are not comparable. The rules have evolved since 2008. Naumov’s behavior was “a very emotional, very human, spontaneous gesture,” according to IOC spokesman Adams: “In a sense it highlights what we are saying, this Ukrainian athlete, he can do the same.”
What happens to Heraskevych now?
The IOC initially said that he had, “with regret” been stripped of his accreditation for the Games and had to leave the Olympic Village immediately. It later rescinded that decision, saying the U-turn had come at the request of IOC President Kirsty Coventry.
Heraskevych told reporters at the track: “It’s hard to say or put into words. It’s emptiness.”
Although any chance of a medal vanished when the competition starting without the Ukrainian, he has nevertheless appealed the decision to the Court of Administration for Sport, which was hearing his case on Friday.
What have the reactions been?
Heraskevych has received support from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. On X, he wrote that it contradicted the spirit of the Games.
“Sport shouldn’t mean amnesia, and the Olympic movement should help stop wars, not play into the hands of aggressors,” he wrote.
While the IOC have implemented the ban, Coventry had tears running down her face when she spoke of the decision.
“No one, especially me, is disagreeing with the messaging, it’s a powerful message, it’s a message of remembrance, of memory. The challenge was to find a solution for the field of play. Sadly we’ve not been able to find that solution” she said “I really wanted to see him race, It’s been an emotional morning.”
Germany’s three-time Olympic luge gold medalist Felix Loch expressed regret at the decision.
“It’s a shame that he can’t fulfil his Olympic dream here,” Loch told the DPA news agency.
“But the rules are clear. Now the matter has received more attention than if he had competed normally.”
Heraskevych, who has always been active in promoting his cause on social media posted a picture of him wearing the helmet with the phrase: “This is price of our dignity.”
This article was originally published in German and updated after Heraskevych was formally disqualified on February 12.
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