Welcome to Tuesday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

TUESDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NHL: Bruins at Lightning, 7:30 p.m. (NESN)
NHL: Predators at Rangers, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
NBA: Spurs at Heat, 7:30 p.m. (NBA TV)
College basketball: Georgetown at DePaul, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: Michigan State at Michigan, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Arkansas at Kentucky, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Maryland at Florida State, 9 p.m. (ESPNU)

AROUND THE WEB:

Antrel Rolle

♦ The Giants have talked the the talk and walked the walk the past couple of weeks, so there was no reason to expect they would change their brash ways as they prepare to meet the 49ers in the NFC championship game.

“We’re not going to be denied at this point,” safety Antrel Rolle said Monday. “We know what we have as a team. It’s not all about talent, it’s about chemistry, jelling at this point. We have one goal in mind and that’s to win a championship.”

Added Rolle: “In our minds, we can’t be beat.”

Niners coach Jim Harbaugh is known for his cockiness as well, but he was subdued and respectful in a press conference Monday when talking about the Giants. “That’s a formidable opponent,” he said. “That is a worthy opponent. That is a scary opponent. We will have to come with every ounce of our ‘A’ game as well.”

♦ Former Lakers forward Lamar Odom made his return to Los Angeles with the Mavericks on Tuesday night. Odom said he still doesn’t understand why the Lakers shipped him out of town with little warning. “It was impossible for me not to take it personally,” he said.

♦ Real Clear Sports has a list of the top 10 most successful coaching retreads, and there are a number of Boston connections. No. 10 is new Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine. No. 9 is Mavericks coach (and former Celtic) Rick Carlisle. No. 8 is Giants boss (and former Boston College coach) Tom Coughlin. No. 3 is Pete Carroll, who shined at USC after being fired by the Patriots and now leads the Seahawks. Recently retired Lakers coach Phil Jackson is No. 1, followed by NHL legend Scotty Bowman.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Jan. 17, 1970, future Red Sox standout Fred Lynn was drafted by which team, refusing to sign and instead choosing to play college ball at USC?

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “None of us likes to lose; that’s the frustrating part. I think I like where we are headed, there are just little things that are really killing us.” — Celtics star Paul Pierce, after Tuesday’s loss to the Thunder

STAT OF THE DAY: 4 – Breakaways allowed by the Bruins Tuesday in a 3-2 shootout victory over the Panthers

‘NET RESULTS: Rockets forward Chandler Parsons dunks on Wizards big man Javale McGee and gets caught on top of him.

McGee has his own highlight, throwing the ball off the backboard for a self-pass on a breakaway dunk. However, his coach, Flip Saunders, did not care for it, saying afterward: “That’s unacceptable. Maybe I’m too old school. Save that for the All-Star game. We have some players that look for highlights instead of substance.”

TRIVIA ANSWER: Yankees

SOOTHING SOUNDS: Chris Montez is 69 Tuesday.

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