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PHOENIX — Observations and other notes of interest from Sunday night’s 111-102 victory over the Phoenix Suns:

– Granted, this was different than Saturday night in Utah.

–With enough missed shots on both ends to create ample opportunities for offensive rebounds.

– But for the Heat this remained about more than that.

– It remained a commitment to hit the offensive glass.

– For years, the Heat’s priority was to defend the backcourt.

– Rarely did more than two attack the offensive glass.

– Now the boards are being prioritized on both ends.

– On Saturday, it was 26 offensive rebounds against the Jazz.

– This time the Heat were up to 10 by halftime, closing with an impressive 18.

– “We want to make the efforts to go to the glass,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said between the games. “You can stand and watch, you can stand and kind of shuffle back, or you can make an effort.”

– He added, “We’ve been shooting more threes, so those are good opportunities to crash on the glass.”

– So, yes, hunt offensive rebounds.

– “I’m fine with them going,” Spoelstra said. “Yeah, we want them making efforts. I’d rather them do that than stand and watch.”

– Suns coach Jordan Ott took note before Sunday night’s game.

– “They’re not playing with two traditional bigs, and they’re still getting there,” Ott said, with the Heat without 7-foot Kel’el Ware for a fifth consecutive game. “So that’s something different that they’re doing.”

– With Davion Mitchell missing his fifth game with a shoulder contusion, the Heat opened for the third consecutive game with a lineup of Bam Adebayo, Norman Powell, Andrew Wiggins, Pelle Larsson and Kasparas Jakucionis.

– Early in the day, only Adebayo of that first five was not on the Heat injury report.

– That lineup entered 2-1.

– It was Larsson’s 24th start.

– With Devin Booker and  Jalen Green out for Phoenix, the Suns opened with a lineup of Collin Gillespie, Grayson Allen, Dillon Brooks, Royce O’Neale and Mark Williams.

– They entered 1-3 when starting those five.

– Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic entered together first off the Heat bench.

– Myron Garner then was moved up to third off the Heat bench.

– And then Dru Smith for nine deep.

– With Simone Fontecchio rounding out the 10-man rotation.

– The Heat team flight from Salt Lake City to Phoenix was delayed by more than three hours Saturday night/Sunday morning.

–  According to FlightAware,  the team did not arrive until 4:30 a.m. local time with the game scheduled for 6 p.m. Phoenix time.

– Spoelstra was quick to downplay the inconvenience.

– “I mean, we were fortunate to save a little bit of time,” he said pregame with a smile. “They just dropped us off in parachutes like Navy SEALs. We’re ready to go.”

– Of Mitchell missing his fifth game overall and third in a row with a shoulder sprain, Spoelstra said, “He’s definitely making progress, but we need to go through some kind of workout where he takes contact and then see how he responds to that. But everything else is trending in a really good way.”

– Mitchell went through a non-contact workout 45 minutes prior to the game.

– Spoelstra was asked if he approached the stretch of five games in seven nights with a blueprint, with Sunday ending the run.

– “It’s tough to plan too far ahead based on things that happen during the course of the current game,” he said.

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– Playing with one of the highest switch rates in the league, Spoelstra offered pregame insight in the absolute trust in Adebayo . . . and therefore perhaps some of the lack of trust in Ware.

– “You have to have versatile defenders,” Spoelstra said of the defensive switching. “But if you don’t have a five that can play multiple coverages, then you’ll be pretty much stuck to one coverage. Bam has proven over the course of his career that I think he’s the most versatile defender in the league because he has shown exceptional ability to defend in any coverage, whether you want to go drop, whether you want to go catch, whether you want to go trap somebody or switch. So it’s the end of the discussion.”

– Spoelstra added, “If your center can’t switch, then you’re only switching one through four. But in addition to that, yeah, you have to have a group of guys that can either handle the switch when they roll down or guard on the perimeter.”

– Spoelstra also spoke pregame of Adebayo turning in recent high-volume games with his 3-point shooting.

– “He’s a very good shooter,” Spoelstra said. “I’ve noticed that this year, when we’ve done shooting games, he’ll win games against our best 3-point shooters. So he’s earned that right to launch them.”

– Spoelstra added, “We all like it. It helps our offense when he’s spacing the floor. He’s finding a good balance right now, spacing out there and also attacking and being the rugged guy at the rim.”

– With Sunday night’s game, the Heat are done for the season with their schedule west of the Central time zone. Sunday was the Heat’s final game in the Mountain time zone this season, with Thursday night’s game in Portland their last in the Pacific time zone.

PHOENIX — Salvage mission complete.

Moving past bad losses to the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers that could have made this a road to ruin, the Miami Heat followed up Saturday night’s blowout victory over the Utah Jazz with a 111-102 victory Sunday night over the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center.

With the victory, the Heat closed out the five-game trip at 3-2 to improve to 25-22.

Shorthanded and sleep-deprived, the Heat found a way, with Jaime Jaquez Jr. settling things in the fourth quarter.

“To come out 3-2 is good. We’ll take that,” guard Norman Powell said. “And being above .500 on this road trip, I think it sets us up good for going home.”

Both teams were significantly shorthanded.

For the Heat, it was Tyler Herro (ribs) and Kel’el Ware (hamstring) already back in South Florida and Davion Mitchell (shoulder) missing the final three games of the trip.

For the Suns, it was Devin Booker (ankle) and Jalen Green (hamstring) sidelined.

In addition, the Heat did not arrive in Phoenix until 4:30 a.m. Sunday, after a late-arriving plane in Salt Lake City.

Of that turn-and-burn scenario, coach Erik Spoelstra said before the game, “They just dropped us off in parachutes like Navy SEALs. We’re ready to go.”

His team then soldiered through.

“This was a tough turnaround, and I’m not making an excuse for it,” Spoelstra said afterward. “I’m just saying when we got to bed at 6 and have two games in less than 22 hours, it’s fun. It’s fun to try to rally around the challenge.

“This oftentimes could be a scheduled loss, and everybody just absolutely rallied around the opportunity. And you have a moment like this. Hopefully it can lead to more momentum because it’s a tougher type scenario.”

The Heat got 22 points from Bam Adebayo, 20 from Jaquez, 16 from Powell and 10 points and 10 rebounds from Andrew Wiggins.

Five Degrees of Heat from Sunday night’s game:

1. Game flow: The Heat led 32-21 after the first period, 58-48 at halftime and 82-77 going into the fourth.

The Heat consistently built double-digit leads through each of the first three quarters, only to see the Suns consistently close the gap.

The Heat then matched their largest lead to that point when they went up 89-77 with 10:09 to play.

The difference then was the Heat reverted to a formula that had been so successful early this season, a Jaquez takeover, with the Heat giving the ball to their sixth man and getting out of the way, a payoff that included a 3-pointer that gave the Heat a 101-83 lead.

Jaquez scored 11 in the fourth quarter, also with three assists in the period.

“We knew how important this win was,” Jaquez said. “We know how important this next stretch of games is for us going into All-Star break. So we’re just taking that to heart and we’re done talking about it. We need to just go do it. And that’s kind of our message going into that game.”

2. Miss or miss: The Heat opened 1 of 13 on 3-pointers, with the lone conversion coming from Adebayo. The Suns weren’t much better at the outset, opening 2 of 12 on 3-pointers.

The Heat’s second 3-point conversion did not come until Nikola Jovic converted from the left corner. Powell followed with a 3-pointer on the Heat’s next possession.

The Suns stood 2 of 19 on 3-pointers at the half, the Heat 3 of 17. In that first half, Royce O’Neale was 0 for 6 on 3-pointers for the Suns, Powell 1 of 6 for the Heat.

The Heat closed 9 of 36 on 3-pointers, on a night they had to find another way. The Suns finished 7 of 35 on 3-pointers.

“More than anything,” Spoelstra said, “it was just the mentality, the collective spirit to try to accomplish something a little bit unique in a long NBA season.”

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3. Powell persists: For weeks now, Powell has been a constant on the Heat injury report with back soreness.

The fact that he perseveres has been laudable, but the struggles have been real, as he stands now less than a week from finding out Sunday if he makes his first All-Star Game, when conference reserves are named.

“Yeah, he was pretty banged-up these last couple games,” Spoelstra said. “This one was in question because it was such a quick turnaround, and the only rest we really had was on the airplane. So, he wanted to give it a go. He passed all the tests to make himself available. And he contributed in other ways. He had ten rebounds. And he’s always a threat.”

It wasn’t just the need for a high volume of shots to get to his scoring total in this one, it was coming off a pair of games when he closed a combined 0 for 11 from behind the arc.

This time he closed 5 of 21 from the field, 2 of 11 on 3-pointers.

“There’s leading, there’s giving yourself up,” said Powell, who closed with 10 rebounds. “I’ve done that this whole week with playing hurt with my back spasm and everything like that. But tonight I wanted to make an emphasis on getting rebounds and securing the ball so we can get out in transition, and I was able to do that.”

4. Pesky presence: If Spoelstra was looking to inject energy into his team on the second night of the back-to-back, then he picked the right man in playing two-way player Myron Gardner as this third player off the bench.

In one first-quarter sequence, Gardner was part of a video review that ruled his hard foul on Oso Ighodaro was not a flagrant foul, then saw a video review go in his favor when a defensive goaltending call against him was ruled not to be goaltending, followed up by being called for a double-foul with the Suns’ Collin Gillespie, when push came to shove between the two away from the ball.

“Myron is continuing to build trust with everybody,” Spoelstra said. “You feel his energy right away.”

After that brief Gardner jolt, Dru Smith then took over in the second half, with arguably one of his best stretches in weeks. Smith closed with 11 points.

“I just go into the games just trying to stay ready,” Smith said. “And whatever minutes come my way then, I just try to make the most of them. So not really thinking too much about that, just while I’m out there trying to impact the game.”

5. Now, (brief) rest: After the five road games in seven days, the Heat now get their lone two-day break of January, with Monday and Tuesday off.

But then it’s back to the grind, with four games in five nights to follow, the product of the rescheduled game in Chicago from the Jan. 8 postponement there due to condensation on the court at the United Center.

That has the Heat hosting the Magic on Wednesday night, in Chicago on Thursday, and then home against the Bulls on Saturday and Sunday.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” Powell said of the break. “I definitely need the rest. And hopefully with these two days I can get everything to calm down and be ready to go.”

By The Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — Drake Maye ran for 68 yards and threw for 86 in sloppy, snowy conditions and scored New England’s only touchdown on a 6-yard keeper, propelling the Patriots to their 12th Super Bowl with a 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Christian Gonzalez intercepted Jarrett Stidham, starting in place of an injured Bo Nix, at New England’s 36 with 2:11 remaining and the Patriots (17-3) iced their first playoff win in Denver when Maye ran for 7 yards on third-and-5 from his 41.

New England became the third team in the Super Bowl era to win a conference championship with 10 points or less. Buffalo beat Denver 10-7 in the 1991 AFC title game, and the Los Angeles beat Tampa Bay 9-0 in the 1979 NFC championship game.

The Broncos (15-4) finished one step shy of fulfilling Sean Payton’s preseason prediction of a trip to Super Bowl 60.

Both kickers missed two field goals in the frigid conditions with Denver’s Wil Lutz and New England’s Andy Borregales wide on long tries just before the snow came in at halftime.

SEAHAWKS 31, RAMS 27

Sam Darnold threw for three touchdowns, the Seahawks’ “Dark Side” defense came up with a critical fourth-down stop, and Seattle advanced to the Super Bowl, beating Los Angeles in an electrifying NFC championship game on Sunday.

Led by second-year coach Mike Macdonald and Darnold — an eight-year veteran playing for his fifth team — the Seahawks (16-3) reached the fourth Super Bowl in franchise history and first in 11 years. Seattle lost that most recent appearance to New England, its opponent in two weeks at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

With Los Angeles (14-6) facing fourth-and-4 at the Seattle 6, coach Sean McVay elected to go for it and Matthew Stafford’s pass was broken up in the end zone by Devon Witherspoon. The Rams didn’t get the ball back until there were 25 seconds left, and Puka Nacua was tackled inbounds near midfield on the final play.

Stafford threw for 374 yards and three touchdowns, but the Rams were undone by critical errors, including a muffed punt by Xavier Smith in the third quarter. On the next play, Darnold connected with Jake Bobo for a 17-yard touchdown.

Darnold, who flopped in his playoff debut last season with the Minnesota Vikings, played through an oblique injury and completed 25 of 36 passes for 346 yards with no turnovers. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 153 yards receiving and a touchdown on 10 catches.

By MATT CARLSON

CHICAGO (AP) — Defenseman Tobias Bjornfot scored his first two goals this season — giving him just three over seven NHL seasons and 139 career games — and the Florida Panthers defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 5-1 on Sunday night for their third straight win.

Mackie Samoskevich and Carter Verhaeghe connected 2:04 apart early in the third period and Sam Reinhart added an empty-netter as the Panthers won for the sixth time in eight. Daniil Tarasov made 19 saves and the two-time defending Stanley Cup Panthers moved eight games over .500 for the first time this season.

Tyler Bertuzzi scored his team-leading 25th goal for the Blackhawks. Spencer Knight, who started his career with Florida, made 20 saves and fell to 0-2 against his former team.

The teams generated only a handful of chances through the first and second periods and neither pressured with a territorial edge.

Bjornfot’s fluke goal opened the scoring with 4:27 left in the second. From a faceoff in the Chicago zone, he circled the net and jammed in the puck through Knight’s pads from the right side.

It was the journeyman’s first goal in five games this season. His previous score came in May 2021 with Los Angeles during the COVID-19 altered season.

Bertuzzi tied it 1-all with 29.3 seconds left. At the edge of the crease, he took Ilya Mikheyev’s feed and shoveled a high shot past Tarasov’s stick side.

The Panthers responded with a four-goal third period, despite playing at Minnesota on Saturday and winning 4-3 in overtime.

Samoskevich put Florida back ahead at 5:20 of the final frame when his shot from the slot slipped under Knight’s arm and trickled over the goal line.

Verhaeghe upped it to 3-1 just over two minutes later, firing a one-timer from the slot.

Reinhart scored into an empty net with 1:49 left. With Knight back in goal, Bjornfot connected with 22 seconds left after he cruised into the slot and fired in Verhaeghe’s feed.

Up next

Panthers: Host Utah on Tuesday.

General Daily Insight for January 26, 2026

We’re ready to move forward. Early on, the emotional Moon squares romantic Venus, and misunderstandings about care or timing could impact our plans for the day. Then, at 12:37 PM EST, dreamy Neptune shifts into Aries, fueling our dreams with fiery ambition and energetic action. Still, Neptune’s influence reminds us to slow down and check our expectations while listening for signals that help us bridge differences and reframe choices with care. Take smaller steps, because softer pacing keeps progress steady in the long run.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Renewed inspiration is showering over your soul throughout the day. Spiritual Neptune begins shaping your identity, softening your approach and inspiring kinder self-talk as you greet strangers and loved ones alike. You may notice that bold choices work better when gentleness guides them, like suggesting an idea without pushing or letting changes unfold slowly. If a friend questions your direction, listen before pushing back, because your courage strengthens when you welcome feedback. Move with heart, because love is what fuels your fire.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Take your time making up your mind. Elusive Neptune is gliding into your 12th House of Reflection, inviting quiet time and self-care in a gentler way as you process old stories. Just as you can literally close a tab to free up computer space, you can metaphorically close a tab by releasing past aches to gain mental clarity. If someone pushes for instant answers, know that you don’t owe them an immediate response. Protect quiet moments, because peace strengthens your practical confidence.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

Your network is growing exponentially. Imaginative Neptune meanders into your 11th House of Social Causes, encouraging kinder connections — the sort of relationships that further creative endeavors and amp up hopefulness. You may text a neighbor to reconnect or float an idea at work, because your mind thrives when options multiply. Plans may shift without warning, but you can treat it as an opening rather than a problem. This adaptivity helps you pivot fast and earn support. Let your friends inspire new ideas!

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Your inner compass knows the way, even if your logical mind hasn’t quite laid out just yet. With Neptune flowing into your goal-centric 10th house, your spirit is drawing you toward fulfilling ways to spend your time. You can choose a project that truly matters or frame an everyday meeting with empathy. If a supervisor or relative seems vague, ask for examples or instructions as needed — especially if they assigned you this task. Consistent effort will help you find your purpose.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Confidence has a chance to blossom today. Wondrous Neptune is soaring into your 9th House of Investigations, prodding you out of your comfort zone. Make an effort to explore somewhere you’ve never been — even if it’s just a local restaurant you’ve passed a hundred times without entering. Your expressive spirit lights up when you tell stories that bridge differences, because curiosity turns strangers into guides. If travel is unrealistic, reading is the best way to stretch your heart and nourish your courage. Follow wonder!

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

When dreams collide with walls, craft a clear plan. Slippery Neptune moves into your intimidating 8th house, touching upon boundaries with money, secrets, and other vulnerable topics. Don’t rush through any accounting today, especially if it involves shared resources. Practical analysis should reduce stress and support emotional conversations. If a loved one avoids a delicate issue, make sure it’s urgent before pressing them any further. Still, if it does need to be handled today, tell them that — honesty is sometimes better than comfort.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Your job today is bridge-builder! Fanciful Neptune saunters into your partner-focused 7th house, inviting compassion across connections, whether this involves a friend, lover, business collaborator, or blood relative. You may need to soften your tone, particularly if you have a tough topic to bring up. Thankfully, your sign’s characteristic sense of justice should help you keep negotiations kind when opinions differ. If someone stalls, allow space by offering a few different options for continuation. Practice patience, because steady kindness benefits every shared decision.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Your capacity to focus grows as today progresses. Neptune is making its way into your 6th House of Service, offering inspiration regarding the things you do every single day. Your routines should work for you — you shouldn’t work for them. You might want to reorganize your desk or bedside table, especially if you’re having trouble concentrating at work or falling asleep at night. Setting things up in advance helps you deliver results without burning out. Care for your systems to sustain steady progress.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Having fun isn’t a crime! With Neptune skipping into your affectionate 5th house, you’re about to enjoy a period of delightful inspiration on all creative projects. The downside is that following instructions or tutorials may feel unusually constricting. Still, the rewards of Neptune’s thoughtful presence should be worth it! Say yes to a side project that invites play and curiosity. Banish doubt by seeking whimsy and joy as much as possible. Enjoying yourself will make it easier to craft something worthy of pride.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Security deepens as roots receive new care. Your household is important — it’s where your heart lives. As nebulous Neptune wanders into the sector of your chart presiding over such things, you could be ready to make some major upgrades. Whether you live alone or share your domicile, steady care is the best way to make sure your foundations are secure. Though real estate stuff can be complicated, with enough time, you’re capable of making it work. Investing in comfort would be wise.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

When intuition whispers, the universe is turning up the volume. Neptune enters your 3rd House of Messages, encouraging sensitive listening, kinder words, and thoughtful choices about news, neighbors, and everyday errands. You could pause before hitting send, take the scenic route, or frame a chat with empathy. Whatever you’re doing, the way you phrase things matters. When someone shares a worry, mirror their words to show you’re really listening. They may need a listening ear and a hug more than they need specific advice!

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Tenderness supports more practicality than you might think. You understand the value of gentleness better than most signs. Neptune entering your money zone gives you an opportunity to set budgets that reflect those values, so your finances can reflect what truly matters to your heart. You may compare prices for necessities or put back an impulse buy, knowing patience saves resources. If money talks feel stressful, try having them over a calming cup of tea. Value yourself — self-respect guides smarter choices.

The Miami Dolphins, under new coach Jeff Hafley, continued to rapidly build the coaching staff through his first weekend on the job.

After promoting Bobby Slowik from within as offensive coordinator on Saturday, Hafley is bringing in the first position coach on his staff. The Dolphins are hiring Tyke Tolbert as wide receivers coach, according to a league source.

Tolbert is an experienced receivers coach, teaching the position in the NFL since 2003. He spent the past two seasons with the Tennessee Titans and has also had stints with the Chicago Bears, New York Giants, Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals.

With the 2015 Broncos, Tolbert was a Super Bowl-winning assistant coach who had Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders in his position group. He has also coached the likes of Odell Beckham Jr., Anquan Boldin, Steve Smith, Eric Moulds and Lee Evans.

Before Dolphins wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine had just 11 catches for 89 yards without a touchdown this past season in Miami, he had 32 receptions for 497 yards and nine touchdowns in 2024 under Tolbert’s tutelage in Tennessee.

The addition of Tolbert means Robert Prince, the longtime NFL receivers coach who led the position for the Dolphins on former coach Mike McDaniel’s staff last season, is looking elsewhere for a job next season.

According to NFL Network on Sunday morning, Prince interviewed for the Giants’ vacant offensive coordinator position.

Aside from Slowik and Tolbert, Hafley has also hired Chris Tabor as special teams coordinator since his official introduction Thursday.

For the open defensive coordinator role, Hafley interviewed former Miami Hurricanes assistant coach and player Clint Hurtt, who is Philadelphia Eagles defensive line coach and has been defensive coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks.