James Harden

Tipoff: 7 p.m., Mackey Arena, West Lafayette, Ind.

Records: Penn State (7-15, 0-11 in Big Ten); Purdue (11-11, 3-8 in Big Ten)

TV: Big Ten+

Internet/radio: Penn State Network on the Penn State app

Notable: Penn State center Gracie Merkle has missed the last two games, but PSU coach Carolyn Kieger said in this week’s media session she was excited to have the full team back on the court, meaning Merkle may return for this game. … Tara Daye leads Purdue with a scoring average of 12.1 points per game. … Purdue leads the all-time series 36-25. … Penn State is 3-2 in the last five meetings. There have also been four overtime games played between the two teams.

Mirror prediction: Purdue 86, Penn State 80, OT

Mirror prediction record: 20-2

— Michael Boytim

NBA

Harden heading to Cavaliers

James Harden is headed to the Cleveland Cavaliers, with the Los Angeles Clippers agreeing to send the 11-time All-Star back to the Eastern Conference during his highest-scoring season in six years, a person with knowledge of the agreement said Tuesday night.

ESPN was first to report the deal was finalized.

The Cavaliers are giving up point guard Darius Garland and a second-round pick, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade has not yet been approved by the NBA.

That approval could come by today, when the Cavaliers and Clippers face off in Inglewood, California.

Harden is averaging 25.4 points this season, his most since averaging 34.3 points in 2019-20. He’s been a huge part of the Clippers’ resurgence back into playoff — or, at least, play-in — contention after a dismal 6-21 start.

“He means a lot to our team and we’ve seen it the last three years,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said Monday night when stories began breaking indicating such a move was close. “Who wouldn’t want to have James Harden?”

In other trades:

– Jaren Jackson Jr. was traded to the Utah Jazz in an eight-player, three-draft-pick deal with the rebuilding Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday. Jackson, Jock Landale, John Konchar and Vince Williams Jr. were sent to Utah in exchange for Georges Niang, Kyle Anderson, Walter Clayton Jr. and Taylor Hendricks.

– The Boston Celtics are adding some frontline depth for the playoff run, agreeing Tuesday to acquire Nikola Vucevic from the Chicago Bulls for guard Anfernee Simons, a person with knowledge of the pending trade said.

– The Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons got deeper Tuesday by agreeing to acquire Kevin Huerter from the Chicago Bulls as the centerpiece of a four-player, three-team deal, two people with knowledge of the trade told The Associated Press. The Pistons got Huerter and Dario Saric — who was just acquired over the weekend by Chicago — from the Bulls. Chicago landed Mike Conley Jr. from Minnesota and Jaden Ivey from the Pistons, said the people, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade was still pending league approval.

Curry, LeBron, Durant on one team

Stephen Curry will be joining Olympic teammates LeBron James and Kevin Durant once again, this time at the All-Star Game.

The NBA announced the rosters for this season’s midseason showcase event on Tuesday night, splitting 25 names onto three squads. It’s the debut of another new All-Star format — this one U.S. vs. The World, on Feb. 15 at the Los Angeles Clippers’ home in Inglewood, California.

It’s a concept that Commissioner Adam Silver thinks will tap into national pride for the players and comes at a fitting time. The game will be aired on NBC, which is also broadcasting the Milan Cortina Olympics that start later this week and run through Feb. 22.

The U.S.-vs.-World concept was talked about for years before becoming a reality this season.

Harden heading to Cavaliers

James Harden is headed to the Cleveland Cavaliers, with the Los Angeles Clippers agreeing to send the 11-time All-Star back to the Eastern Conference during his highest-scoring season in six years, a person with knowledge of the agreement said Tuesday night.

ESPN was first to report the deal was finalized.

The Cavaliers are giving up point guard Darius Garland and a second-round pick, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade has not yet been approved by the NBA.

That approval could come by today, when the Cavaliers and Clippers face off in Inglewood, California.

Harden is averaging 25.4 points this season, his most since averaging 34.3 points in 2019-20. He’s been a huge part of the Clippers’ resurgence back into playoff — or, at least, play-in — contention after a dismal 6-21 start.

“He means a lot to our team and we’ve seen it the last three years,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said Monday night when stories began breaking indicating such a move was close. “Who wouldn’t want to have James Harden?”

In other trades:

– Jaren Jackson Jr. was traded to the Utah Jazz in an eight-player, three-draft-pick deal with the rebuilding Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday. Jackson, Jock Landale, John Konchar and Vince Williams Jr. were sent to Utah in exchange for Georges Niang, Kyle Anderson, Walter Clayton Jr. and Taylor Hendricks.

– The Boston Celtics are adding some frontline depth for the playoff run, agreeing Tuesday to acquire Nikola Vucevic from the Chicago Bulls for guard Anfernee Simons, a person with knowledge of the pending trade said.

– The Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons got deeper Tuesday by agreeing to acquire Kevin Huerter from the Chicago Bulls as the centerpiece of a four-player, three-team deal, two people with knowledge of the trade told The Associated Press. The Pistons got Huerter and Dario Saric — who was just acquired over the weekend by Chicago — from the Bulls. Chicago landed Mike Conley Jr. from Minnesota and Jaden Ivey from the Pistons, said the people, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade was still pending league approval.

Curry, LeBron, Durant on one team

Stephen Curry will be joining Olympic teammates LeBron James and Kevin Durant once again, this time at the All-Star Game.

The NBA announced the rosters for this season’s midseason showcase event on Tuesday night, splitting 25 names onto three squads. It’s the debut of another new All-Star format — this one U.S. vs. The World, on Feb. 15 at the Los Angeles Clippers’ home in Inglewood, California.

It’s a concept that Commissioner Adam Silver thinks will tap into national pride for the players and comes at a fitting time. The game will be aired on NBC, which is also broadcasting the Milan Cortina Olympics that start later this week and run through Feb. 22.

The U.S.-vs.-World concept was talked about for years before becoming a reality this season.

The Associated Press