Well, these two won’t want to see each other any time soon.

Chippy, physical play between Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort and New Orleans Pelicans rookie guard Jeremiah Fears bubbled throughout Oklahoma City’s 104-95 victory on Tuesday, Jan. 27 before a shoving match erupted after regulation.

As the Pelicans were trying to score a late basket in garbage time, Fears collected an offensive rebound and tried to put up a scoop layup before he drew contact from Dort. Fears immediately turned to face Dort, who shoved Fears twice, first lightly, and then with more force once Fears didn’t back down.

Eventually, both players clasped the other’s jersey in balled fists and were trying to shove the other backward before teammates, assistant coaches and officials stepped in to try to deescalate the situation.

At its height, around 40 people were in the scrum, trying to separate each side. Dort and Fears continued to jaw toward each other, though players and assistants did a good job of separating the two, until Fears broke free and continued to chase Dort down the floor.

Dort eventually walked toward the locker room, while Fears was ushered toward the New Orleans tunnel by two staffers.

There had been another altercation, a minor one, prior to the one between Dort and Fears. During an inbounds play with 1:18 left in the game, Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey and Thunder forward Jaylin Williams shoved each other as they were battling for positioning.

“Good guys, good (officiating) crew, but I thought they lost control of the game in the final minutes,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said after the game. “I thought that altercation at the end started well before that.

“The second thing is: I think that’s a foul on Dort,” Daigneault continued, speaking about the last shot attempt Fears took in the final seconds. “And if it was, they should put a whistle on that play regardless of the score and the time, because, if they do that, everybody stops playing and you can legislate the situation as you normally would.”

As Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was sinking a pair of late free throws to ice the game, he said he overheard Fears and Dort jawing at each other during the dead ball.

“I wasn’t too sure what happened,” Gilgeous-Alexander told reporters after the game. “I had heard them going back and forth after they made the last two free throws, but I wasn’t sure what happened. And then, I turned around and they were face-to-face. I’m sure it was nothing crazy, though. Typical basketball scuffle.”

Fears scored 7 points on 3-of-9 shooting and added 3 steals, 2 rebounds and 1 assist.

Dort, a defensive-minded player whose physicality often pushes the limits of what’s acceptable, scored 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting and had 8 rebounds and 3 assists.

The difference one defenseman can make for an NHL team is often quite large. 

If a squad has a weak link, it can be exposed because even the bottom pair generally plays around 15 minutes a night. 

In the NHL draft, defensemen are often the most interesting case studies. Since 2003, a defenseman has been drafted in the top five every year. 

What teams value on the blueline is always quite interesting, as they traditionally lean into drafting big, defensively focused defensemen. That said, the best blueliners in the world right now are all mobile puck-movers, and their physical stature is often not a major part of their game.

Let’s see which blueliners are the cream of the crop ahead of this year’s NHL draft.

Top 10 defensemen in the 2026 NHL Draft

North Dakota (NCAA) defenseman Keaton Verhoeff

The most well-rounded defender in the class, Verhoeff’s improvement this season makes him an easy choice as the top blueliner. He has good size, excellent fluidity on his feet and some of the best passing skills of any blueliner in the class. Verhoeff understands how to make smart plays at both ends of the ice, which allows him to win most of his shifts. He looks like a top-five pick. 

Jukurit (Finland) defenseman Alberts Smits

Smits is the ultimate ball of clay that NHL teams can mold into an effective defenseman. His baseline is quite high as a big, mobile, defensive-minded player who can shut opponents down. His upside is incredible with the kind of run-and-gun offensive skill and fluidity that makes the best defenders in the world what they are. If he can continue to refine his offensive game, he could be a top-pair stud.

HV71 (Sweden) defenseman Malte Gustafsson

Malte Gustafsson has impressed in the Swedish League, and his overall control of the game makes him one of the most interesting defenders in the draft. There isn’t an area of the game you can point to as a weakness. Gustafsson has become more physical at the men’s level while continuing to showcase his mobility and puck-moving on the breakout. He’s become a true two-way presence and should be taken inside the top 10. 

Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL) defenseman Xavier Villeneuve

Villeneuve is one of the most dynamic puck-moving blueliners in the class. He is a true difference-maker on offense, with incredible shiftiness and passing. His defensive game is better than he gets credit for, using his feet to defend and turn the play around. He’s a wild card, however, because he’s 5-foot-11 and 162 pounds. Villeneuve could be taken in the top half of the first round, or he could fall because of his size. 

Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) defenseman Chase Reid

Reid is possibly the most divisive defenseman at the top of the class. He can carry the puck through the neutral zone and create off the rush. His passing is inconsistent, but when it’s on, it’s quite dangerous in the attacking end. Reid shows the tools needed to be effective defensively, but that’s a work in progress. He’s being discussed as a top-10 pick, but he could fall outside that range. 

Lulea (Sweden) defenseman William Hakansson

One of the premier defensive blueliners, Hakansson is a stopper in the simplest terms. He has excellent size, uses his length well to defend in transition and gets into the corners to recover pucks effectively. Hakansson has a physical edge to his game as well. If a team wants a defender who can put up a wall in their own zone, you could see Hakansson go around the mid-first round. 

Tappara (Finland) defenseman Juho Piiparinen

Piiparinen is a steady, do-it-all defenseman who limits mistakes and knows when to make the right play. He won’t blow your mind when you watch him, but he can do just about everything asked of him. He can shut down plays, recover dump-ins and move the puck up ice reliably. A mid-to-late first-round pick seems appropriate for a player you don’t have to worry about too often. 

Prince George (WHL) defenseman Carson Carels

After getting some hype at the World Junior Championship, Carels has shot up many draft boards. His playmaking and steady all-around game have made him a very solid prospect. Carels can play just about any role adequately, but he just needs to find his specialty and really lean into it. He really could go anywhere in the first round since draft experts have him ranked all over the place. 

Vancouver (WHL) defenseman Ryan Lin

Although he’s injured, Lin builds off his mobility in all areas of the game. His game is a bit inconsistent overall, but when he is on his A-game, he could be one of the top five defenders in the draft class. His ability to handle the puck, work along the blueline and set up teammates is impressive. He skates forward to defend, attempting to cut off play in the neutral zone. He could go anywhere in the mid-to-late first round. 

Dukla Trencin (Slovakia) defenseman Adam Goljer

A shutdown defender who is on the younger side of the draft class, Goljer is still a bit raw, but his potential as a top-four play-killer could be quite intriguing. The Slovak blueliner doesn’t dangle his opponents on the breakout or at the offensive blueline – he punishes them. Goljer isn’t quite as refined as some of the guys ahead of him, but he’s got the upside you want to see from a no-nonsense defenseman.

The final day of the UEFA Champions League league phase has arrived.

In a complete bonanza of action, all 36 teams will be in action simultaneously with 18 matches kicking off at 3 p.m. ET.

There is plenty on the line Wednesday, with only two teams having clinched a spot in the last 16 and only four teams completely eliminated from the competition already.

That means 30 teams will be jockeying for position on Wednesday. Some will be aiming to finish inside the top eight and clinch an automatic berth in the round of 16. Others are pushing to finish in the top 24, clinching a spot in the playoff round.

Here is everything you need to know heading into the final day of action.

How to watch Champions League today: Live stream, TV

Watch Champions League on Paramount+

Champions League schedule, games today

*All games kick off at 3 p.m. ET

Ajax vs. Olympiacos  
Arsenal vs. Kairat  
Monaco vs. Juventus  
Athletic Club vs. Sporting CP  
Atlético Madrid vs. Bodø / Glimt
Bayer Leverkusen vs. Villarreal
Borussia Dortmund vs. Inter
Club Brugge vs. Marseille  
Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Tottenham
Barcelona vs. Copenhagen  
Liverpool vs. Qarabağ
Manchester City vs. Galatasaray
Pafos vs. Slavia Prague
Napoli vs. Chelsea 
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Newcastle
PSV vs. Bayern Munich
Union Saint-Gilloise vs. Atalanta
Benfica vs. Real Madrid

Champions League standings and table

(Entering play Wednesday, Jan. 28)

Arsenal – 21 points
Bayern Munich – 18 points
Real Madrid – 15 points, +11 goal differential
Liverpool – 15 points, +6 GD
Tottenham – 14 points
PSG – 13 points, +10 GD
Newcastle United – 13 points, +10 GD
Chelsea – 13 points, +6 GD

The full Champions League table can be found HERE.

Champions League tiebreakers

If two or more teams are equal on points on completion of the league phase matches, the following criteria are applied, in this order, to determine their rankings:

Superior goal difference in the league phase
Higher number of goals scored in the league phase
Higher number of away goals scored in the league phase
Higher number of wins in the league phase
Higher number of away wins in the league phase
Higher number of points obtained collectively by league phase opponents
Superior collective goal difference of league phase opponents
Higher number of goals scored collectively by league phase opponents
Lower disciplinary points total based only on yellow and red cards received by players and team officials in all league phase matches (red card = 3 points, yellow card = 1 point, expulsion for two yellow cards in one match = 3 points)
Higher club coefficient (see Annex D)

Champions League format

The top eight finishers will receive an automatic berth to the round of 16. So far, only Arsenal and Bayern Munich have clinched a top-eight finish.

The 16 teams who finish from ninth to 24th in the league phase will face each other in two-leg playoff ties, with the eight winners advancing to the round of 16.

The teams who finish from 25th to 36th place will be eliminated. So far, only four teams have no chance of finishing inside the top 24: Kairat, Villarreal, Slavia Prague and Eintracht Frankfurt.

Which teams have qualified?

In terms of qualification to the next round, the 36 teams can be divided into five different groups. They are as follows:

Round of 16 confirmed: Arsenal, Bayern Munich
Round of 16 or playoff place confirmed: Real Madrid, Liverpool, Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle, Chelsea, Barcelona, Sporting CP, Manchester City, Atlético Madrid, Atalanta, Inter, Juventus
Round of 16, playoff place, elimination possible: Borussia Dortmund, Galatasaray, Qarabag
Cannot advance directly to the round of 16, playoff place possible: Marseille, Bayer Leverkusen, Monaco, PSV, Athletic Club, Olimpiacos, Napoli, Copenhagen, Club Brugge, Bodø/Glimt, Benfica, Pafos, Union Saint-Gilloise, Ajax
Eliminated: Kairat, Villarreal, Slavia Prague and Eintracht Frankfurt

When is the Champions League draw?

The draw for the playoffs and knockout stage will be held on Friday, Jan. 30.

Champions League knockout round schedule

Playoff round

First legs: Feb. 17 and 18
Second legs: Feb 24 and 25

Round of 16

First legs: March 10 and 11
Second legs: March 17 and 18

Quarterfinals

First legs: April 7 and 8
Second legs: April 14 and 15

Semifinals

First legs: April 28 and 29
Second legs: May 5 and 6

Final

May 30 in Budapest

The U.S. women’s national team finished off a sweep of its two January friendlies with a 5-0 win over Chile in Santa Barbara, California, on Tuesday, Jan. 27.

Emma Hayes trotted out a completely rotated lineup from the one that defeated Paraguay on Saturday, Jan. 24. Despite those changes, the side didn’t miss a beat, taking care of business with ease at Harder Stadium.

It was a night of firsts as Croix Bethune, Jameese Joseph, and Emily Sams all opened their international accounts in the opening 45 minutes to give the U.S. a 3-0 lead going into halftime.

Emma Sears and second-half substitute Trinity Rodman added to the goal count after the break as the Americans cruised to the finish line.

Let’s take a look back at how the USWNT players fared another one-sided friendly victory.

GK: Claudia Dickey – 6

Two matches, zero shots on goal allowed for the team. Another night of inactivity between the posts for an American goalkeeper.

LB: Kate Wiesner – 6

There wasn’t as much emphasis on flank play and overlaps for the team in this one, so Wiesner didn’t get involved nearly as much as Saturday’s starter Izzy Rodriguez. Couple that with nothing to do on the other end of the field and it was a quiet night for the Spirit defender.

CB: Emily Sams – 8

On a night with little to do defensively, Sams got bored and decided to get involved on the scoresheet. She notched her first international goal by staying in the box after a set piece and finishing off a Emma Sears pass in front of goal.

She was also credited with an assist for a long ball down the right flank that Sears turned into a magnificent solo goal.

CB: Hal Hershfelt – 6.5

One center back enjoyed all the fun on the night, while the other had very little to do. Playing deeper than her usual midfield role, Hershfelt still offered up three defensive contributions despite the ball barely finding her half of the field.

RB: Ayo Oke – 7

Oke made an impact just 18 minutes into her international career. She recorded an assist on the game’s opening goal with a very nice centered pass into the feet of Bethune. Other than the goal, she had nothing to do on the defensive end of things and didn’t get forward all too often in her 45 minutes on the field.

CM: Sam Meza – 6.5

A solid showing to help control midfield. Credited with one key pass, five recoveries, and three defensive contributions, she did a little bit of everything without standing out.

CM: Riley Jackson – 7

It was much of the same for Meza’s midfield partner, however an assist on Rodman’s great goal will boost up her performance meter just a bit. Otherwise, it was a perfectly fine showing, if not spectacular for the debutant.

CAM: Croix Bethune – 8

After getting her first international goal stolen away by an official scorer decision at the weekend, Bethune left no doubt in opening her account in this one. She did very well to control a pass from Oke, got away from her marker with some strength, and finished clinically.

Other than the goal, she helped run the attack through that advanced midfield spot, often roaming around the field making it difficult for Chile to keep track of her.

LW: Emma Sears – 8.5

It was another fine showing for Sears, who easily could’ve had her second career international hat trick with a little luck. After hitting the post twice in the first half, she bagged her goal with a sensational solo effort and finish just after halftime.

She was also dynamic on the wing, setting up another goal. Every time Sears steps on the field something good happens. More important minutes for this team could be in her future.

FW: Jameese Joseph – 8.5

Joseph put up possibly the best performance of these two friendlies with a great showing after getting the start up top. Her turn to set up her first international goal was something special.

In addition to that lovely piece of skill, she caused havoc for Chile’s back line with some dynamic runs in behind and dangerous service into the box on more than one occasion. Joseph may have improved her stock the most of anyone in this camp.

RW: Yazmeen Ryan – 6.5

Probably the quietest of the attackers on the night, though she was credited with an assist on Joseph’s beautiful goal. However, it wasn’t a noticeably impactful performance otherwise.

Sub: Jordyn Bugg – 6.5

Came in and helped continue the team’s dominance in her 45 minutes. She completed 90% of her passes, while going a perfect 13 for 13 in long balls. It was a positive showing for the youngest player on the roster.

Sub: Trinity Rodman – 7.5

Yes, she scored an amazing goal right after coming onto the field. Blah, blah, blah. More importantly, she got Emma Hayes to celebrate with her.

Sub: Ally Sentnor – 6

Sentnor showed some solid hold-up play as the team’s focal point up top after coming on. But the level of dynamic movement in the final third dropped a little bit after Joseph was removed.

Sub: Claire Hutton – 6

Didn’t get involved much in her 25 minutes. There are surely better days ahead for the youngster.

Sub: Maddie Dahlien – 5.5

Struggled a bit keeping possession and completing passes, ending the match with only six successful passes in 13 attempts.

Sub: Olivia Moultrie – 6

Really didn’t get involved much in her cameo, but did have one key pass to set up a chance.

Jessica Pegula keeps getting better with age.

The 31-year-old Buffalo native made history while beating Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 7-6 (1) on Wednesday, Jan. 28 in the Australian Open quarterfinals at Melbourne.

Pegula became the first woman in Open Era (since 1968) to reach her first three major semifinals after turning 30.

Pegula, the event’s sixth seed, will oppose fifth-seeded Elena Rybakina in the semifinals on Thursday, Jan. 29. Rybakina took advantage of an error-filled effort by second-seeded Iga Swiatek and rolled to a 7-5, 6-1 quarterfinal win.

After Pegula cruised through the first set against Anisimova, a 24-year-old New Jersey native who was seeded fourth, neither player broke serve through the first seven games of the second set.

Anisimova got the break to go up 5-3, but she couldn’t serve out the set as Pegula broke back. After another break by Pegula for a 6-5 edge, Anisimova responded in kind to force a tiebreaker.

Anisimova won the opening point of the tiebreaker before Pegula reeled off seven straight points to advance.

Pegula and Rybakina have split six career matches, with the Kazakhstani player having taken their latest clash in WTA Finals last fall.

A win by Pegula on Thursday would send her to her second career major final. She lost to Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka in the 2024 U.S. Open title match.

Swiatek, a 24-year-old Polish player who has six Grand Slam championships, committed 25 unforced errors on Wednesday while hitting just 10 winners. Rybakina, 26, had a steadier ground game with 25 winners and 19 unforced errors.

‘I’m really pleased with the win,’ Rybakina said in her on-court interview. ‘We know each other pretty well, and I was just trying to stay aggressive. In the first set, the first serve wasn’t working for both of us, so we were trying to step in on the second serve and put pressure on each other. In the second set, I just started to play more free, serve better, and I’m really happy with the win.’

Rybakina is through to a major semifinal for the first time since she reached the Wimbledon semifinals in 2024. She has made two career Grand Slam finals, prevailing at Wimbledon in 2022 and losing the Australian Open title match in 2023.

After Swiatek and Rybakina exchanged service breaks in the opening two games, Rybakina saved three break points at 1-1, then broke serve in the 12th game to take the set.

Rybakina won the first three games of the second set and cruised to the finish, never facing a break point in the set.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Novak Djokovic’s quest for a record Grand Slam title continued in dramatic circumstances after fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti quit their Australian Open quarterfinal match with an injury after taking a two-set lead at Melbourne Park on Wednesday.

Musetti’s retirement when leading 6-4 6-3 1-3 meant Djokovic pulled off a great escape at his most successful hunting ground, with the 10-times champion’s bid for a standalone 25th major to break the tie with Margaret Court still alive.

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The New York Jets are evidently leaving no stone unturned as they look to revamp their coaching staff ahead of Aaron Glenn’s second season with the team.

The Jets ‘reached out’ to Jon Gruden about potentially joining Glenn’s staff for the 2026 NFL season, according to The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt. However, Gruden ‘wasn’t interested in the job.’

It wasn’t immediately clear what type of role the Jets had offered Gruden. That said, it’s worth noting the team parted ways with offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand on Jan. 27 after just one season.

Gruden hasn’t held an NFL coaching job since the 2021 season, when he resigned from his head coaching job with the Las Vegas Raiders after emails he sent containing racist, homophobic and misogynistic remarks during his time at ESPN were leaked to the media.

During the 2023 season, Gruden consulted in an unofficial capacity for the New Orleans Saints, and has more recently taken on a role producing content for Barstool Sports.

Despite his absence, Gruden’s name has been bandied about in the rumor mill over the years. NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero mentioned teams had done ‘extensive homework’ on the Super Bowl-winning coach prior to the 2025 NFL coaching cycle.

The Jets’ reported curiosity indicates there is still interest in Gruden. But for now, the 62-year-old will remain out of the NFL.

Meanwhile, the Jets will turn their attention to another veteran coach to help organize their offense. New York is expected to hire Frank Reich to take over as the team’s primary play-caller, according to SNY’s Connor Hughes.

Bill Belichick isn’t getting into the Pro Football Hall of Fame unless he buys a ticket.

The legendary New England Patriots head coach failed to gain the necessary votes to be part of the Hall of Fame class of 2026, ESPN’s Seth Wickersham and Don Van Natta Jr. reported Jan. 27. It was Belichick’s first year of eligibility, failed to receive 40 of the 50 necessary votes from the committee.

Considered to be the greatest coach in NFL history, Belichick has a long list of accomplishments to back that up. He is an eight-time Super Bowl champion and has 333 career wins, ranking second behind only Don Shula, who is in the Hall of Fame.

One of the faces of the Patriots’ dynasty, Belichick’s omission certainly caught everyone off guard. Reaction has been pouring in fast and furious, with none of it being optimistic.

Here’s a look at how the NFL world and social media are taking the news:

Hall of Fame voters react to Belichick snub

Deion Sanders on Bill Belichick snub

San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama prefaced what he said about the recent shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good as part of federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis with an initial disclaimer.

‘PR has tried,’ he said, ‘but I’m not going to sit here and give some politically correct (answer).’

The 22-year-old from France then expressed dismay and disgust over the incidents, but admitted he didn’t feel comfortable offering his complete thoughts on the situation as the debate over the Trump administration’s immigration tactics rages nationally.

‘Every day I wake up and see the news and I’m horrified,’ Wembanyama told reporters on Tuesday, Jan. 27. ‘I think it’s crazy that some people make it seem like, or make it sound like, it’s acceptable, like the murder of civilians (is) acceptable. Every day I read the news and sometimes I’m asking very deep questions about my own life. But, you know, I’m conscious also that saying everything that’s on my mind will have a cost that’s too great for me right now. So I’d rather not go into too many details.’

When asked later if being a foreigner in the United States played into his hesitancy, Wembanyama answered, ‘For sure.’

Wembanyama is the latest NBA player to be asked to comment in the wake of Pretti’s death in Minneapolis on Saturday, Jan. 24, which led to the postponement of an NBA regular-season game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors. Stephen Curry and Warriors coach Steve Kerr, Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks forward and former Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns, as well as the National Basketball Players Association, have condemned the shooting publicly.

‘Following the news of yet another fatal shooting in Minneapolis, a city that has been on the forefront of the fight against injustices, NBA players can no longer remain silent,’ the NBPA said in a statement. ‘Now more than ever, we must defend the right to freedom of speech and stand in solidarity with the people in Minnesota protesting and risking their lives to demand justice.’

Wembanyama, in the midst of a breakthrough third season with the Spurs near the top of the Western Conference standings, followed the union’s lead.

‘It’s terrible. I know I’m a foreigner, and I live in this country, and I’m concerned,’ he said.