Players become arbitration-eligible after accruing three years of MLB service time, and a player is arb-eligible for three seasons before reaching free agency. Before each of those seasons, the team and player each propose a salary figure. The two sides can then negotiate and agree on a one-year or multiyear deal to avoid an arbitration hearing. If they cannot come to terms, they present their cases to an independent panel, which decides the player’s salary. In his final year of arbitration, Skubal, who is represented by baseball mega-agent Scott Boras, filed at $32 million. The Tigers filed at $19 million.
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Skubal’s arbitration win is a massive victory for several reasons. First and foremost, for the player himself, who gets rewarded for being the best pitcher on the planet the past two seasons. The Tigers’ ace is coming off back-to-back Cy Young Awards and a 2025 season that saw him go 13-6 with a 2.21 ERA and 241 strikeouts.
He now becomes the highest-paid player ever through the arbitration system, breaking New York Mets superstar Juan Soto’s record of $31 million with the Yankees in 2024 and David Price’s pitcher record of $19.75 million set in 2015 with the Tigers. Prior to Thursday’s result, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s $19.9 million salary with the Blue Jays in 2024 was the largest ever awarded via arbitration hearing.
Secondly, going into CBA negotiations after the upcoming MLB season, Skubal’s win gives significant momentum to players, especially the upper echelon of young players who have yet to reach free agency. While no one knows the future of the current arbitration system, many in the industry already wonder if the person to shatter Skubal’s new record will be Pirates ace Paul Skenes. Skenes is already on a historic run to begin his career, with a Rookie of the Year Award and NL Cy Young Award in his first two MLB seasons, and his value continues to skyrocket.
Last but certainly not least, Skubal’s arbitration victory is a huge win for Boras, putting a capper on an impressive offseason that saw the superagent’s clients pull in close to $1 billion dollars in free agency. Boras took a big swing with a $32 million filing that had the potential to break all the arbitration records, and it paid off.
Maybe Thursday’s result will be a lesson for teams under the current system. Just because the system allows you to low-ball some of the best players in the sport — in this case, the best pitcher in baseball — doesn’t mean you should or will get away with it. But as is the case with service-time manipulation, all it takes to change this process is a tweak in the CBA. A lot of topics will be on the table in the upcoming negotiations, but expect the MLB Players Association to be looking to adjust the current arbitration system.
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Now that Skubal vs. the Tigers is settled, where do the two sides go from here?
While they lost the hearing, this is still a great week for the Tigers, who landed free-agent left-hander Framber Valdez on a three-year, $115 million deal on Wednesday. Valdez, who was the best remaining free agent available, gives Detroit a bona fide No. 2 behind Skubal and one of the best 1-2 punches in the American League. To this point, it had been a very quiet offseason for Detroit, with the roster looking incredibly similar to the one that was knocked out of the ALDS by the Seattle Mariners. But the addition of Valdez is huge for the Tigers, who improved their rotation in a big way and can now go toe-to-toe with any team’s frontline starters.
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For Skubal, he goes into his final season before free agency as a much wealthier man. What’s more, the addition of Valdez is likely a sign that Detroit has no intention of moving its superstar ace this season, unless things go horribly wrong in the first half. With the rotation reinforced and the team’s outlook for 2026 improved, Skubal and Valdez look like a duo that could get Detroit over the hump and back to the ALCS.
What Skubal has done over the past 24 months is downright remarkable. As he goes into what might be his final season in Motown, the baseball world will be watching to see what else he has up his sleeve.
Portland Trail Blazers third-year point guard Scoot Henderson is set to make his season debut Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies after recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered in September.
Henderson’s return couldn’t come at a better time or the surprising Blazers, who are currently in 10th place in the Western Conference, hanging on to the final play-in tournament spot. Portland is 23-28, having lost six in a row after Tuesday’s loss to the Phoenix Suns 130-125. Getting Henderson on the court for the first time this season could provide a spark the Blazers need to stay in the hunt for a play-in spot in the west.
In 66 games last season, Henderson averaged 12.7 points, 5.1 assists, 3 rebounds and 1 steal per game. If Henderson can come back with the same explosiveness he’s had, it could help Portland continue to compete in the Western Conference. The Blazers won a total of 36 games last season and are only 13 wins away from matching that with 31 games remaining. During Henderson’s rookie year of 2023-24, the Blazers won only 21 games and they’ve already surpassed that total this year.
Given how the past few seasons have gone and the Chauncey Billups alleged illegal gambling ring situation, any form of good news is welcomed in Portland. The Blazers missed out on the play-in tournament by three games last season, finishing 36-46. Portland hasn’t made the NBA playoffs since former head coach Terry Stotts’ final year of 2020-21.
Henderson’s debut is set for Friday at 10 p.m. ET, when the Blazers and Grizzlies battle at Moda Center in Portland.
Kuminga, 23, spent four-plus seasons with Golden State after he played for the NBA G League Ignite and then was taken No. 7 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.
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Consistency has been hard for Kuminga to find early in his NBA career. He’s had an especially up-and-down 2025-26 campaign that saw him temporarily ousted from the Warriors rotation and then request a trade.
Longtime Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told ESPN that Kuminga was “just a tough fit” dating back to when he came into the league.
“I think it was a tough situation for everybody, given how raw he was when he got here and given we were still playing for championships,” Kerr said, per Anthony Slater.
“He needed the runway to make more mistakes. He needed the experience of being in the NBA and understanding what it was about. For him, it was very tough not being allowed to make those mistakes. For us as a staff, it was tricky trying to develop him while we were trying to win. I think it’s as simple as that.
“Everybody liked him. I liked him. He’s a really good guy. Very personable. Well-liked in the locker room. Just a tough fit.”
During his rookie season, Kuminga played a role in the Warriors’ journey to their fourth NBA title under Kerr. He even chipped in three 17-plus-point performances during the 2022 playoffs.
Over the next four seasons, though, Kuminga didn’t unlock his potential. While he showed glimpses, he was criticized for his defensive lapses, and he wasn’t a mainstay in a starting five for a Warriors team desperately trying to add one more banner in the final years of Stephen Curry’s legendary career.
Across the first nine games, all of which Kuminga started, he averaged 17.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists while shooting 51.4% from the field and 41.4% from 3-point land.
But he struggled the next three outings and lost his spot in the starting lineup ahead of a Nov. 12 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
Then Kuminga missed seven straight games because of a knee injury. When he returned, his dip in performance continued. Soon enough, he was relegated to the bench.
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Jimmy Butler III’s ACL tear opened the door for Kuminga to play again, despite his recent trade request. Kuminga went for 20 points in 21 minutes during a loss to the Toronto Raptors on Jan. 20 and then, before suffering a bone bruise in his knee, had 10 points in nine minutes in a defeat to the Dallas Mavericks on Jan. 22.
Unfortunately for Golden State, its pursuit of another championship has fallen short so far, and its short-term roster fixes in the twilight of Curry’s career sidelined the development of a player like Kuminga.
Fortunately for Kuminga, he’ll get a fresh start in Atlanta.
During the last 48 hours leading up to the trade deadline, the Milwaukee Bucks increasingly signaled to rival teams their intentions to keep superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and revisit discussions in the offseason, sources told Yahoo Sports. The franchise, despite fielding aggressive offers and canvassing the league for weeks, never truly felt any pressure to pull the trigger and part ways with Antetokounmpo now.
All things being considered, deciding to kick the can down the road by a few months would buy both parties some much-needed time — in what has very evidently been an emotional rollercoaster.
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Antetokounmpo recently gave interviews to The Athletic’s Eric Nehm and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Jim Owczarski, detailing the deep roots he has to the city and the only NBA franchise he’s ever known in his 13-year career. Public comments made this week by Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam also painted the picture of a relationship that isn’t ready to undergo divorce proceedings just yet.
“I just don’t think they ever really wanted to trade him,” one executive said. “They were just forced to look into it.”
For what it’s worth, whenever the topic of Antetokounmpo’s future has come up in conversations with league officials, there are typically two schools of thought.
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There’s one that suggests that the Bucks’ brass still believes their contention window isn’t fully closed yet and plans to offer Giannis a lucrative four-year, $275 million extension at the earliest window (in October). This line of thinking assumes that Milwaukee will try at least one more time to present a pathway to productivity, cobbling together its draft capital and whatever else it can to attempt to lure in legitimate help. (Good luck with that!)
Then, there’s the other line of thinking that realizes names like Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis don’t move the needle for Antetokounmpo, and neither does an incoming lottery pick; that sees the 20-29 Bucks, who sit two games outside of the play-in and project to have a few more barren weeks with Antetokounmpo still out with a right calf injury; and that wonders if the offers that may come in during the summer are less stellar than the ones that were previously on the table, given Antetokounmpo’s impending 2027 free agency — making him a Hall of Fame-worthy expiring contract at that time.
Regardless of where you stand, it’s hard to find fault with how Milwaukee is operating. The relationship between a front office and a generational talent can be a tricky one, especially as the years go by and an organization finds itself further and further away from the glory days of old. Give credit to the Bucks for at least making Giannis available, giving teams the opportunity to put real offers on the table and do their due diligence. If they felt there wasn’t a deal that was suitable for arguably the greatest Buck of all time, there’s no reason to jump the gun.
How Milwaukee operates within the confines of the market in the interim, especially prior to the All-Star break, could be pivotal. I’m no general manager, but if a player like Cam Thomas is available on the cheap — which he is, having been waived by Brooklyn as of Thursday afternoon — why not make the call? Nehm reported that Antetokounmpo plans to return to the floor once he’s cleared, not wanting to be shut down in hopes of improving the Bucks’ lottery potential. And that makes a ton of sense; Milwaukee’s offense has produced at an elite rate when Giannis has been present, scoring 121.7 points per 100 possessions, which would give them the No. 1 offense in the NBA, according to Cleaning the Glass. Thomas isn’t leading the efficiency march — he’s a few notches down below average in points per shot attempt — but at his best he’s a microwave scorer capable of carrying an offense in bunches.
The Bucks also have the continued development of Ryan Rollins, a serious candidate for Most Improved Player. Rollins is averaging nearly 17 points and six assists per game, all while shooting over 40% from deep on high volume. He’s become a trusted source of creation, control and poise.
Milwaukee could trot out some funky in-game lineups featuring Rollins, Thomas and Kevin Porter Jr. in the backcourt, giving the Bucks a plethora of scoring options while maintaining defensive integrity with Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner. I’m not saying Thomas is the end-all, be-all to getting Giannis to commit to his long-term future, but it’s indicative of a proactive move to get the Bucks back in the thick of things, even if it’s via the play-in. This is essentially a gap year after all.
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And hey, what happens if maybe, just maybe, Milwaukee lands the No. 1 pick in June’s draft? Or the second overall? AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Petersen are NBA-ready right now and, according to Tankathon, the Bucks have a 23% chance of landing a top-four pick and a 5% chance of winning it all. If history tells us anything, there’s always a surprise on lottery night. Let’s imagine a world where Milwaukee lands one of these slots — does that make it easier to stomach a Giannis departure or could that be used as a facilitator for an aggressive upgrade?
There are a plethora of possibilities that exist for both Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee today, after both parties decided it was best to stand pat at the deadline. We’ll see what that means for teams that have been circling the organization like vultures. But one of the league’s most heartwarming partnerships gets to keep the lights on a little while longer.
The 2026 NBA trade deadline has come and gone, with multiple former All-Stars changing uniforms. While the biggest star of them all — Giannis Antetokounmpo — wasn’t moved, we can take solace in the fact that Ochai Agbaji was.
In all seriousness, while the final day before the deadline was a bit of a snoozefest, we did see a plethora of trades in the days leading up to it, further establishing that the trade deadline has, in many ways, replaced free agency.
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So, to wrap up, let’s take a look at some grades for each team.
Giannis Antetokounmpo will have to wait until summer for a possible trade. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
(Patrick McDermott via Getty Images)
Key additions: Jonathan Kuminga, CJ McCollum
Key losses: Trae Young, Kristaps Porziņģis
Atlanta is retooling and building around Jalen Johnson, which was always the right call. While it’s understandable they didn’t get more for Trae Young, the overall return lacks that final bit of pizzazz to get a huge grade.
Key addition: Nikola Vučević
Key loss: Anfernee Simons
The Celtics made a cost-cutting trade, and upgraded their center position at the same time. That’s a good bit of business there, even if financially motivated trades are generally uninteresting to fans. They also moved Josh Minott and Xavier Tillman to get under the luxury tax.
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Key addition: Ochai Agbaji
Key losses: None of significance
The Nets did what everyone expected them to: They took on money and were awarded for doing so in receiving some second-round draft picks. They kept to the plan, and that’s solid.
The Hornets shuffled around some pieces and picked up White in the process. He’s going to need to be re-signed in the summer, but he represents a major upgrade for their bench. Overall, the Hornets took advantage of the market.
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Key additions: Anfernee Simons, Collin Sexton, Jaden Ivey, a whole lot of second-round picks
Key losses: Coby White, Nikola Vučević, Ayo Dosunmu
Chicago has seemingly embraced tanking — a concept they should have embraced long ago. They’ve cornered the market on pending free-agent guards, and that’s a huge boost to their books as they enter the 2026 summer armed with money and flexibility. Now the question becomes: Do they understand how to utilize all of this, or will they squander it like usual?
Key additions: James Harden, Keon Ellis, Dennis Schröder
Key losses: Darius Garland, Lonzo Ball
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The Cavs relinquished the best long-term player in the deal and opted for short-term success, which means there is now no place to hide. By acquiring 36-year-old James Harden and presumably paying him this summer, the Cavs are in it to win it — and soon.
Key addition: Khris Middleton
Key losses: Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell
How did the Mavericks succeed in moving on from a player literally no team should have had interest in?! Dumping Davis clears their books and allows Cooper Flagg to take full control of the future. That’s not a bad few days.
Key additions: None
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Key loss: Hunter Tyson
The Nuggets are good when healthy, yet rarely are. That’s likely not something changed by a trade, especially if the injuries are tied to their primary core. For them to stay somewhat silent is not necessarily a bad thing.
Key additions: Kevin Huerter, draft equity
Key loss: Jaden Ivey
Detroit added a floor-spacing element in Huerter, and even received a protected 2026 first-round pick swap from Minnesota in a deep draft. It did cost them a pretty penny, but seeing as Ivey never really got a chance in Detroit, this seemed inevitable.
Key addition: Kristaps Porziņģis
Key loss: Jonathan Kuminga
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Porziņģis is a free agent this summer, so there is some hope that he’ll re-sign with the organization and offer them a consistent floor-spacing presence throughout next season and perhaps beyond with Butler back in action. All in all, this deal is worth it if he stays healthy and is open to staying with the Warriors.
Key additions: None
Key losses: None
I was expecting the Rockets to make a play for a guard, but they didn’t. That’s odd given that Fred VanVleet is out for the year, and they’re playing well with a motivated Kevin Durant. But I would have liked to see them get more involved for late-season reinforcements.
Key addition: Ivica Zubac
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Key loss: Bennedict Mathurin
Zubac is a tremendous player and a rock-solid fit with Tyrese Haliburton, but the idea of shipping out Mathurin, a 2026 first (with Nos. 1-4 and 10-30 protections) and a 2029 unprotected is extremely steep — too steep if you ask me.
Key additions: Darius Garland, Bennedict Mathurin
Key losses: James Harden, Ivica Zubac
The Clippers just acquired an All-Star-level point guard who is 10 years younger than their former one, and there’s just no way that isn’t a good, smart, long-term play, even at the potential cost of this season. Plus, getting out of the James Harden business is never really a bad thing. Furthermore, they took the Pacers to the cleaners in the Zubac trade. Great deadline for the Clippers.
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Key addition: Luke Kennard
Key loss: Gabe Vincent
Moving a non-needle-mover in Vincent for one of the league’s most pure shooters is a huge win for the Lakers, especially in regard to their second unit. Solid bit of business for Los Angeles here.
Key additions: Picks
Key loss: Jaren Jackson Jr.
Surprised at this grade? You’ll understand my perspective if you read this. It’s rebuild time in Memphis and this was a good start.
Key additions: None
Key losses: None
The Heat stayed silent, likely saving their ammo for a summer run at Giannis Antetokounmpo. Who can blame them?
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Key addition: Nick Richards
Key loss: Cole Anthony
This is a big ol’ meh-burger, especially when you consider who from this team was rumored to be going. But, no Giannis trade gears up the Bucks for the summer.
Key addition: Ayo Dosunmu
Key loss: Rob Dillingham
The Wolves found a starting point guard! One who even defends! This is a rock-solid move by Minnesota, which will have to re-sign Dosunmu this summer. But given the theoretical fit with Anthony Edwards, the former Bull should be open to that idea.
Key addition: Dalen Terry
Key loss: Jose Alvarado
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The Pelicans got a couple of second-round picks for Alvarado, which is fine, albeit uninspiring. But at least they acknowledged they were going nowhere and acted accordingly.
Key addition: Jose Alvarado
Key loss: Guerschon Yabusele
The Knicks made some small swaps, ultimately sending out Yabusele in one deal and getting back Alvarado in another. Alvarado is such a Knicks player, it’s not even funny, so this is intriguing business by NY.
Key addition: Jared McCain
Key losses: None
As usual, the Thunder played it smart. They took full advantage of the Sixers, who wished to get under the tax line and squeezed them for McCain, who is an excellent shooter.
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Key additions: None
Key loss: Tyus Jones
The Magic realized Tyus Jones wasn’t the upgrade they had hoped for and decided to sacrifice his presence in order to get under the luxury tax. It’s fine, although that does leave them short on guards.
Key additions: None
Key loss: Jared McCain
I’m giving the Sixers a solid grade because they achieved what they hoped to achieve in getting under the tax, but do note it’s a pity grade. Losing talent like McCain, just to save a buck, has become a horrible trend in the league, and it only hurts the fan experience.
Key additions: None
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Key losses: None
The Suns felt comfortable with their roster, which is understandable. They also didn’t have much to offer, so instead of digging into future assets, they stayed silent, which specifically for them is probably a keen move.
Key addition: Vít Krejčí
Key loss: Duop Reath
Krejčí is highly underrated, and one heck of a dynamic shooter when he’s on. That’s a strong get for Portland, especially for a bench guy who can flip a game in the playoffs — if it makes it that far.
Key addition: De’Andre Hunter
Key losses: Keon Ellis, Dennis Schröder
As usual, the Kings are all over the place and their direction aimless. That didn’t change this deadline, and now the fan base has yet another headache regarding its team’s unclear plans for the future.
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Key addition: None
Key loss: None
The Spurs are ready to win now, so not making a big splash at the deadline is simply a weird move, which deserves some level of criticism.
Key addition: None
Key loss: Ochai Agbaji
The Raptors saved money by getting under the luxury tax after moving Agbaji. Usually, financially motivated deals are boring, but since Agbaji hadn’t played well this season, this wasn’t a major loss.
Key addition: Jaren Jackson Jr
Key losses: Mostly picks
Jackson is good, but flawed. He’s a big man who doesn’t rebound, and he turns into dust, Infinity War-style, when the postseason rolls around. Furthermore, he’s extremely costly. This was a steep price to pay for the two-time All-Star, so this move better work.
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Key additions: Trae Young, Anthony Davis
Key losses: CJ McCollum, Khris Middleton
The Young acquisition was brilliant … the Davis trade, less so. Why relinquish assets for a guy who’s older, oft-injured, on the decline and enormously expensive? If anything, Dallas should have given up assets to get off that deal.
On today’s Kevin O’Connor show, we’ve got a trade-deadline special! Kevin O’Connor is joined by Tom Haberstroh to dissect any and all movement in the league before the 3 PM ET buzzer, going through the biggest winners and losers in what may be the weirdest trade deadline in NBA history.
First, the pair discuss the Milwaukee Bucks’ decision to retain Giannis Antetokounmpo, and what that means for the landscape of the NBA–and for the future outlook of the Golden State Warriors, especially after the anticlimactic end of the Jonathan Kuminga saga. Were the Warriors the biggest losers of the trade deadline? Will another team arise in the summer to win the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes?
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Next, they discuss the James Harden trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and if this move can bring the city of Cleveland to the Finals once again.
Then, they muse on what exactly made this deadline so weird: multiple All-Stars being traded to bad NBA teams. They ask: why are bad teams trading for good players? Why are the Utah Jazz putting their top-8 protected first round pick in jeopardy? Why such a paltry return for Anthony Davis, who was traded for Luka Doncic just last year?
Plus, they cover all the bases with the more local trades made, from the Chicago Bulls picking up 9 second round picks to the Boston Celtics acquiring their long-coveted big man in Nikola Vucevic. Plus more questions: why didn’t the Sacramento Kings trade for Ja Morant? Why did the Philadelphia 76ers let go of Jared McCain? All that and much, much more on today’s KOC Show!
(0:16) Trade deadline instant reactions (4:33) Giannis not traded by Bucks (10:39) Warriors trade Kuminga to Hawks (25:49) Cavs get James Harden (43:34) Wizards acquire Anthony Davis (48:22) Clippers trade Zubac to Pacers (55:57) Jazz trade for Jaren Jackson Jr. (1:02:18) Ja Morant stays in Memphis (1:07:45) Timberwolves trade recap (1:10:18) What are the Chicago Bulls up to? (1:13:05) Celtics trade Simons for Vucevic (1:19:04) 76ers trade Jared McCain to OKC
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) brings the ball up the court against Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry during an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
You really never know what’s going to come up at the Olympics.
Thursday saw officials from the World Anti-Doping Agency address a growing controversy in the world of ski jumping, in which athletes are alleged to have injected their penises with hyaluronic acid to increase the length of their jumps.
Ski jumpers want as much surface area against the air as possible to generate lift
Jumpers could get that by wearing extra-baggy suits
To prevent jumpers from getting a suit like that, they are 3D scanned each season with their suits fitted off those scans
With those genital injections, jumpers can increase the size of their groins during those scans
Said jumpers receive a little extra material in that area of the suit, which could cause significant gains in jump length
As one doctor consulted by Bild said, “It is possible to achieve a temporary, visual thickening of the penis by injecting paraffin or hyaluronic acid.”
To be clear, no specific jumpers have been singled out as potential culprits. The discourse is instead described by Bild as a “heated discussion behind the scenes.”
This isn’t the first time jumpers have been accused of manipulating their suits, but it is certainly the most outlandish way it’s come about. Ski jumping is a sport where the athletes use technique and equipment to fight for the slightest advantage against the competition — just think, how different do these jumps actually look when you’re watching?
All of … this led to an amusing scene at a news conference for WADA senior officials on Thursday. One of them, director general Olivier Niggli, pleaded ignorance, via The Athletic:
“I’m not aware of the details of ski jumping and how it can improve but if anything was to come to the surface we would look at anything if it is actually doping related,” said Olivier Niggli, director general of WADA, when asked about the allegations at a press conference on Thursday.
“We don’t do other means of enhancing performance but our list committee would certainly look into whether this would fall into this category. But I haven’t heard about that until you mentioned.”
WADA president Witold Banka, meanwhile, insisted he would investigate:
Ski jumping is very popular in Poland (his home country) so I promise you I’m going to look at it,” he said.
As Niggli noted, it’s unclear if this matter falls under WADA’s jurisdiction, as it seems to be more of a matter of equipment manipulation than actual doping. And Banka could very well be joking, as many people have been throughout Thursday.
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It’s still something this sport is going to have to address in one way or the other, even if this turns out to be more of a hypothetical problem than one that’s deciding Olympic medals.
U.S. women’s ice hockey dominates Czechia in opener
Hailey Scamurra scored twice while three of her teammates also added goals in Team USA’s 5-1 victory over Czechia. Both teams opened group play with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in attendance at Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena.
The game was essentially put out of reach early in the second period. Already holding a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal in the first period from Alex Carpenter, Joy Dunne and Scamurra each scored goals within 83 seconds. Tessa Janecke earned the assists on both scores. Hilary Knight added another goal late in the period to give the U.S. a 4-1 lead.
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Czechia scored its lone goal when Barbora Jurickova left the penalty box and received a pass for a breakaway to cut the deficit to 3-1. But Knight answered shortly thereafter.
The U.S. will next face Finland on Saturday in Group A play with face-off scheduled for 10:40 a.m. ET. That is, if Finland is healthy enough to compete. (See below.)
U.S. defeats Norway and Switzerland in mixed doubles curling
Team USA took the ice in mixed doubles curling on Thursday, one day after eight other countries made their debut.
Facing defending silver medalist Norway, Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin took an early 1-0 lead before the Norwegians rallied with three points in the second end of the match. The two teams then battled back and forth, with the U.S. tying the score during the third end before Norway took a two-point lead after the fourth.
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Norway held a 6-4 lead going into the seventh end before Team USA tied the score at 6. In the final end, the U.S. took a two-point lead and Norway’s final shot fell short, giving Thiesse and Dropkin the 8-6 victory.
The U.S. later faced Switzerland in a match that carried far less drama. The Swiss did take a 2-1 lead in the second end, but Team USA rallied to gain two points in the third end when Thiesse knocked away Switzerland’s stone. The U.S. increased its lead to 5-2 after the fourth end and employed a defensive strategy through the rest of the match, knocking Switzerland’s stones out of the way and creating pressure to make perfect shots. Ultimately, the Swiss couldn’t hit the mark and Team USA won 7-4.
Up next for Thiesse and Dropkin is Canada and the Czech Republic on Friday.
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Lindsey Vonn ‘not giving up’ Alpine downhill, despite torn ACL
Vonn showed footage of her doing barbell squats, agility drills, side lunges and box jumps while wearing a brace on her injured left knee. If she can handle that work, she can seemingly handle the rigors of the Alpine downhill skiing course, something that doctors have stated is very possible.
“I’m not giving up, working as hard as I can to make it happen!” Vonn wrote in a caption with the video. “Thank you to my team and everyone for your incredible support. Keep believing.”
Vonn still has to complete a training run to qualify for the starting field in Sunday’s downhill event. Weather has created an obstacle with heavy snow canceling Thursday’s exercise. But opportunities could still be available Friday and Saturday, weather permitting.
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Finland women’s ice hockey postpones opener due to norovirus outbreak
Elsewhere in women’s ice hockey group play, Finland and Canada had their opening match postponed due to a norovirus outbreak among the Finnish team. After four sick players forced the team to cancel its Wednesday training session, 14 members of the team were ill on Thursday. Possible exposure to the virus warranted several players being placed into quarantine.
With only 10 available players for Finland and a risk of passing the virus to Canada’s team, the International Ice Hockey Federation and the International Olympic Committee decided to postpone the game with Canada until Feb. 12.
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As mentioned above, Finland is scheduled to play the U.S. on Saturday, but it’s not yet known whether enough Finnish players will be out of quarantine for the team to play.
Team USA medals
Highlight of the day
U.S. snowboarders Red Gerard and Jake Canter looked ready to compete for medals in the Big Air event, each landing backside 1800 jumps during qualifying rounds on Thursday. A backside 1800 involves five full 360-degree horizontal rotations, spinning in a backside direction.
One more thing
Leading up to Friday’s Opening Ceremony, the Olympic torch is making its way through Milan. Three-time snowboarding gold medalist Shaun White was among the athletes to carry the torch on Thursday.
White will next travel to Livigno to watch the snowboarding competition, which begins Saturday with the men’s Big Air final.
The Opening Ceremony hasn’t happened yet, but the 2026 Winter Olympics curling competition is already under way. This Friday, Team USA will compete in not one but two mixed doubles matches, including a highly anticipated matchup against our neighbors to the north, Canada. Team USA vs. Canada will stream live at 4 a.m. ET (and you’ll also be able to catch Team USA vs. Czechia at 8:35 a.m.), with all the action happening live on Peacock.
Here’s a complete schedule of all Team USA Curling events at this year’s games, along with a rundown of who is competing. And if you want to learn even more about every event at this year’s Winter Games, here’s a guide to everything you need to know about the Milan Cortina Games.
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How to watch the Team USA vs. Canada Curling match at the 2026 Winter Olympics
For $17 monthly you can upgrade to an ad-free subscription which includes live access to your local NBC affiliate (not just during designated sports and events) and the ability to download select titles to watch offline.
Where to watch Curling on TV:
The Team USA vs. Canada curling match will stream exclusively on Peacock on Friday and will not be broadcast on TV. Typically, most Team USA curling coverage will be split between CNBC and USA, and the women’s final on Feb. 22 will also air on NBC. (To see specific air times, check out the official NBC Olympics broadcast schedule, and toggle your search to “TV Only.”) You can stream all of these channels on DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV and more.
For $17 monthly you can upgrade to an ad-free subscription which includes live access to your local NBC affiliate (not just during designated sports and events) and the ability to download select titles to watch offline.
Who is on the Team USA Curling team?
These are the athletes on Team USA’s curling team:
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2026 Team USA Olympic Curling Schedule:
Thursday, February 5
Norway vs. USA (Mixed Doubles Round Robin): 4:05 a.m. (Peacock), re-air at 5 p.m. (CNBC)
Switzerland vs. USA (Mixed Doubles Round Robin): 8:35 a.m. (USA, Peacock), re-air at 6:30 p.m. (CNBC)
Best of Curling: 5 p.m. (CNBC)
Friday, February 6
USA vs. Canada (Mixed Doubles Round Robin): 4:05 a.m. (Peacock)
Czechia vs. USA (Mixed Doubles Round Robin): 8:35 a.m. (Peacock, USA)
Saturday, February 7
Great Britain vs. USA (Mixed Doubles Round Robin): 8:35 a.m. (Peacock), re-air at 9:30 a.m. (USA)
South Korea vs. USA: 1:05 p.m. (Peacock), re-air at 7 p.m. (CNBC)
Nate Tice, Matt Harmon & Charles McDonald are LIVE from San Francisco to give their final thoughts and predictions for Super LX as they find the strengths and weaknesses of the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots.
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The trio kick things off with the latest non-Super Bowl news from around the NFL, including Jay Glazer hinting at a potential Maxx Crosby departure on Yahoo Sports Daily and Philadelphia Eagles offensive line guru Jeff Stoutland departing, leaving Philly with major shoes to fill.
Next, the three hosts dive into the Super LX matchup, previewing each side of the ball’s top matchups to watch, key injuries, predictions for the game and more.
Later, Prime Vision’s Sam Schwartzstein joins the group to give his analytical insights on the game before Nate, Matt, Charles and Sam give their final Hail Mary bold predictions for the game.
The show wraps up with conversations with Josh Allen, Jayden Daniels & Bijan Robinson.
