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Preseason lessons learned

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 16: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers guards Hugo Gonzalez #28 of the Boston Celtics in the third quarter during the preseason game at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 16, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 125-120 in overtime. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The preseason is over for the Celtics so here are ten things that we learned about the 2026-27 Celtics in the preseason.

1. Jayson Tatum is all the way back

The return of Jayson Tatum was a success. The end was disappointing but for him to look as good as he did that early off of the torn Achilles was a big deal for him and the Celtics.

This year is about getting back to peak Jayson Tatum and the preseason was an awesome start.

Tatum averaged 21.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game on 48% from the field and 39% from three in 28 minutes per game in the two games he played in.

His two man game with Mitchell Robinson was one of the things that jumped off the page to me.

Tatum was also scoring in all his typical ways, he has gotten really good at splitting the defense on pick and rolls and getting to the rim for a layup or dunk. His three point shot was very good, his defense was top notch, he was rebounding the ball, he was passing it well. He was doing all the things that he does when he is at his best,

Jayson Tatum is rounding into form and looks like he is ready to get back to All-NBA first team Jayson Tatum again and that is one of the reasons the Celtics ceiling could be really high.

One note I do have is that J.T. does need to get to the line more, one free throw over two games isn’t nearly enough. He can very easily increase his scoring by just getting fouled more.

2. Offensive rebounding is going to be a massive advantage

I wrote about this last week but the Celtics are going to dominate the offensive boards.

In their 4 preseason games, the Celtics had an offensive rebounding rate of 38.2%, which was the best in the preseason.

Dominating the margins is something that Joe Mazzulla talks a lot about and one of those margins is the offensive glass as he wants to create extra possessions.

Mitchell Robinson will play a big part in this. His is the best offensive rebounder in the NBA and on a team that is already really good at that, Robinson will fit right in. He was 2nd on the team for offensive rebounding in the preseason, Luka Garza lead Boston in that category.

3. Boston’s defense is so good and will force more turnovers

I also wrote about this but the Celtics are going go as far as their defense takes them. Boston is set up to have a defense on the level of the Thunder and Spurs. That is why I think this team has a high playoff ceiling.

The preseason only confirmed these beliefs.

In the 2 preseason games Boston played its starters, the Hornets had an offensive rating of 89.4 and the 76ers had an offensive rating of 95.5. It is the preseason and both Philly and Charolette were without some starters but the Celtics defense has looked very good.

One thing Boston has struggled with defensively in recent years is forcing turnovers. Last season, the Celtics ranked 23rd in opponent turnover percentage at 13.1%. In the two preseason games the starters played, the Sixers turnover percentage was 20.9% and the Hornets was 28.8% (they had 29 turnovers in the game).

Paul George is going to be a big part of the Celtics forcing more turnovers. In the game against the Sixers, George had 5 steals.

Forcing turnovers matters, it creates a fast break opportunity to get an easy shot on offense and it is a possession where a team doesn’t get a shot up.

Brad Stevens and Joe Mazzulla know the Celtics need to create more turnovers and I expect them to do just that this season.

4. Payton Pritchard needs to start

Enough is enough, it is time for Joe Mazzulla to insert Payton Pritchard to the starting lineup.

I don’t know how much it really matters but starting the game with your 2nd best offensive player on the bench is just not something I think the Celtics should be doing. Pritchard is plain and simply too good to not start.

He had 25 points and 6 assists in his first preseason game and 19 points and 11 assists in his 2nd preseason game.

Let’s not over think this, teams should start their best players in the NBA and Pritchard is one of the Celtics best players. He is ready to be the starting point guard so let him be the starting point guard.

With that said, he probably won’t start and I will be annoyed on Twitter (I don’t like calling it X) every game he doesn’t.

(If they don’t start Payton, I’d rather start Baylor Scheierman than Jordan Walsh, who started three preseason games.)

5. Hugo Gonzalez is really good and will probably be every national TV color guy’s favorite Celtic

In the Celtics preseason finally on Friday in Philadelphia, Hugo Gonzalez had 21 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists.

For the preseason, Gonzalez shot 63% from the field and 55% from three in the four games.

He plays with such hustle, is a really good defender and is usually always in the right spot. Every national TV color analyst is going to talk about how much they love Hugo all season.

In fact, Stan Van Gundy already said as much on the Zach Lowe Show this week.

(You need to watch past the part of them talking about how to say Sandro Mamukelashvili’s name to get to the Hugo love.)

Gonzalez is just really good. He makes a big impact on the game on both sides and is very quick in everything he does. His foot speed and decision making and chief among those.

I think there may be a world where Hugo gets Sixth Man of the Year love at the end of the season.

6. The Mitchell Robinson and Neemias Queta lineups are something I am interested in

In the Hornets game, Mazzulla unleashed a new look that had Robinson and Queta share the floor for a few minutes in the Hornets game.

Unfortunately I could not find what their plus minus or net rating was with them on the court but the eye test said it could work.

Now, it won’t be a thing in the playoffs but in the regular season, I would like to see Joe try it out and see what it looks like. Both guys are good defenders and Robinson’s ability to move his feet and guard on the perimeter helps that a lot.

The spacing could be clunky but there are ways to work around it.

7. Neemias Queta threes might be a thing and I am not sure they should be

I remember the days when Luke Kornet stopped shooting threes and everyone wanted him to let them fly again. There was no need for Luke Kornet to shoot threes on those teams and I don’t think there is a need for Neemias Queta to shoot threes on this team.

Queta went 0/4 in the preseason however he did make the one with his toe on the line in the corner.

Let’s call him 1/5, which is 20%. If Neemy is going to be shooting 20% on threes, I don’t think he should be taking them. Now, it was pointed out several times in the broadcasts that Queta does take threes when he plays for Portugal in FIBA but he was 0/2 in quailfiers this year and 2/7 in Euros last year.

In a small sample size, it has not proven to be a good shot. As a result, I will remain a skeptic on Neemias Queta three point shots.

8. Dillon Mitchell jumps off the screen

My favorite moment of the preseason is when Dillon Mitchell sank a clutch pull up three in overtime of the Sixers game on Friday night.

Mitchell was a bad three point shooter in college and if he can find that in the league, the Celtics could have a useful player. Everything else he does jumps off the screen when you are watching him.

He is a one of one athlete. How high he jumps and how fast he gets off the ground are two things that have stood out. He is also fast and has really long arms that make an impact on the defensive side of the court.

The three point shot is not promised to come but if it ever did, even if he just was consistently just above 30%, the Celtics could have a very good player on their hands.

Also, Sam Cassell used him as a small ball 5 in overtime on Friday, which is something make me raise my eyebrow.

9. Devin Carter was the right choice for the last two-way spot

Carter only played in one of the four preseason games but he was still able to secure the last two-way spot, according to Michael Scotto.

Carter was a first round pick for the Sacramento Kings in 2024 and had an impressive debut for the Celtics in the win over the Cavaliers with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. He flashed the potential that many thought he could show when he was the Big East Player of the Year for the Providence Friars in 2024.

He was all over the court in the game against Cleveland and he will have a chance to make a real impact on the Celtics this year.

He missed the last three preseason games due to an illness.

10. Preseason Champions!

The Celtics went 4-0 in the preseason and that means they are the preseason champions (please note: I don’t know if anyone else went undefeated in the preseason).

The last time the Celtics went undefeated in the preseason was 2019.

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Open Thread: A peak at George Hill’s 850 acre ranch

SAN ANTONIO, TX - JANUARY 6: George Hill #3 of the Milwaukee Bucks signs autographs prior to a game against the San Antonio Spurs on January 6, 2020 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 NBAE (Photos by Darren Carroll/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Former Spurs guard George Hill was once called Gregg Popovich’s favorite player. Trading the 2008 draft pick was a difficult decision for Pop and the Spurs, but it has yielded continued dividends.

For starters, it landed the Spurs Kawhi Leonard, Dāvis Bertāns, and draft rights to  Erazem Lorbek. Leonard helped bring the Spurs fifth NBA championship, picking up Finals MVP honors. The eventual trading of Kawhi Leonard started a domino effect that resulted in the Spurs drafting Keldon Johnson as well as multiple moves for which they still future draft picks.

Since moving on from the Spurs, Hill has maintained ties to the region. Most notably, the IUPUI standout has a 850-acre ranch outside San Antonio.

“Former NBA player George Hill @indianageorge3 reportedly owns a 850 acre ranch in Texas, home to more than 1,000 animals!“

According to Wikipedia, “He employs 16 ranch workers to tend to the big herbivores he houses on his ranch. There are dozens of species on the ranch such as fallow deer, sables, kangaroos, wildebeests, donkeys, elk, antelope, scimitar oryx, Arabian oryx, red lechwes, New Zealand red stags, kudus, ostriches, and zebras among others.”

Pretty impressive for a child from Indiana whose neighborhood growing up was smaller than the estate he currently owns.

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Phillies news: J.T. Realmuto, Dave Dombrowski, Alex Vesia

Sep 13, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (10) hits a single to drive in two runs against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It was too late for me to add to the news yesterday, but how about the Orioles owner saying the quiet part out loud?

Honestly, I don’t think that it does much to sway anything in the upcoming negotiations either way too wildly. The MLBPA still hasn’t started putting out ads to combat the ones the league is putting out, so the PR battle is still kind of one sided.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

MLB news:

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Orioles news: Waiting around to see how the postseason goes

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 21: (EDITOR'S NOTE: Tonal effects have been applied to this image) A general view of a baseball statue is seen as the Toronto Blue Jays play against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 21, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Hello, friends.

There are 157 days remaining until the next scheduled Orioles game. We will probably not know whether a game will happen on that day or not until something like 110 days from now. Many of the days between now and then will have apocalyptic rhetoric about whether there will be a 2027 season at all. It’s going to suck for fans.

For now, the 2026 season remains to be decided. Milwaukee is sitting around waiting to find out who they will play in the World Series. The Brewers will probably be trying to stay sharp; they won’t play another game until Friday regardless of when the series ends between the Guardians and Rays to determine the AL representative. When the World Series is over, no later than Halloween, we can start to find out what will happen with the offseason.

Cleveland and Tampa Bay will play another one in Cleveland today. Game 5 was pushed back to today due to Friday’s rain in northeast Ohio. That is set to begin at the unusual time of 5:08 Eastern. The series will not end tonight. The Rays fought to even the series up on Saturday night. The Guardians cannot clinch in front of their home crowd. They can only hope to take a lead back to the Trop.

I am mildly hoping the Guardians are the winners in the series, but I’m not sad about the Rays winning last night. Cleveland had former Oriole Shawn Armstrong as an opener yesterday and then ended up using seven different pitchers on the way to a 7-3 loss. It offends me on an aesthetic level to see bullpen games or openers in the playoffs. If you don’t have starting pitchers that can even get you five innings in the postseason, you don’t deserve to move on. Deserve has nothing to do with it in baseball, not the regular season nor in the postseason. But for last night, the Rays had a real starting pitcher and they won, so, good for them.

Orioles stuff you might have missed

Five surprising occurrences from the 2026 Orioles season (School of Roch)
Number one is that the Orioles catching duo of Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo was separated in the middle of their first full season together. I’m still surprised Elias pulled the trigger on that one.

As Orioles look to improve outfield production, will a trade be the avenue to do that? (Steve on Baseball)
Looking at the list of this offseason’s available outfield free agents pushes the needle strongly towards yes.

A possible unexpected Orioles 40-man roster decision (Orioles on the Verge)
The prospect enthusiasts at the Verge are stumping for reliever Yaqui Rivera, which would keep hope alive for the Orioles getting any MLB value whatsoever out of the Cole Sulser/Tanner Scott trade.

Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries

Nothing of particular consequence has happened on this day in Orioles history. Until the team makes a deep postseason run in the three wild card era, this is not going to change.

There are a number of former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2025 outfielder Jordyn Adams, 2007-08 pitcher Garrett Olson, 1992-98/2000-01 pitcher Alan Mills, 1995 pitcher Terry Clark, and 1977 one-game pitcher Ed Farmer.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: toy retailer Frederick August Otto Schwarz (1836), baseball Hall of Famer Candy Cummings (1848), longtime Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau (1919), rock’n’roller Chuck Berry (1926), tennis legend Martina Navratilova (1956), movie martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme (1960), jazz legend Wynton Marsalis (1961), gold medal skier Lindsay Vonn (1984), and actor Zac Efron (1987).

On this day in history…

In 1597, Spain’s King Philip II had a third armada launched with the aim of invading England. Although some forces were actually landed from the armada in Cornwall and Wales, this endeavor was ultimately no more successful than the previous two attempts to invade.

In 1748, the War of the Austrian Succession came to an end with the signing of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, a treaty that was notably concluded without any Austrian participation. The result of the treaty was Austria losing a lot of territory to Prussia, which had begun the war in 1740 by refusing to accept a woman, Maria Theresa, as inheriting the throne of Austria.

In 1851, Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick was first published in London, although at this point it was simply called The Whale.

**

And that’s the way it is in Birdland on October 18. Have a safe Sunday.

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Premier League today: How to watch Nottingham Forest v Arsenal, TV channels & live stream

How will Nottingham Forest and Arsenal fare today? Here is what to know, including kick-off time, TV channels and live stream options

While the true stakes of this season’s Premier League title race won’t be clear until the outcome of Manchester City’s appeal against 114 breaches of financial rules is known, Arsenal have no choice but to focus on catching Enzo Maresca’s pace-setters.

City are expected to overcome Ipswich Town at home on Saturday, meaning the Gunners could be six points behind by the time they kick off against Nottingham Forest on Sunday. They can’t afford any slip-ups.

Continue reading...
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Today on Pinstripe Alley – 10/18/26

CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 17: Yandy Díaz #2 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates with Richie Palacios #1 and Jonathan Aranda #8 at home plate after hitting a two-run home run in the ninth inning during Game Four of the American League Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Saturday, October 17, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The National League Championship Series might have ended in a four-game whooping of the Dodgers, but the American League Championship Series is already guaranteed for six. Following Friday’s rainout, the Rays brought the lumber to Cleveland with their best offensive showing of the postseason, ALDS sweep of the Yankees included. The 7-3 win knotting the ALCS up at 2-2 and ensured that no matter what happens today, we’ll have a Game 6 at Tropicana Field on Monday. Someone will have a shot at a World Series date with Milwaukee by then, but a Game 7 can’t be ruled out. Tire yourselves out, I say! (Or at least give us more compelling baseball than yesterday.)

Today on the site, Madison will recap Game 4 of the ALCS, Peter will discuss why he’s rooting for the Brewers in the World Series no matter what, and Matt celebrates what would’ve been the 95th birthday of a valued 1950s dynasty role player, Andy Carey. Matt then returns to recount the dumbest games of the Yankees’ 2026 season, and John runs through the weekly Social Media Spotlight.

Today’s Playoff Matchup:

American League Championship Series Game 5
(Series tied, 2-2)

Cleveland Guardians vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Time: 5:08 p.m. EST

TV: TBS/HBO Max/truTV

Venue: Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH

Questions/Prompts:

1. Where are you now on your ALCS prediction? Would you say Rays in 6, Rays in 7, Guardians in 6, or Guardians in 7?

2. It’s Jets/Patriots and Giants/Saints today in the NFL. Who ya got in each?

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YouTube Gold: The Willis Reed Game Remains Iconic

UNITED STATES - MAY 08: N.Y. Knicks Willis Reed [19] lets fly with shot against Wilt Chamberlain and the Los Anges Lakers in Game 7 of the 1969-70 NBA Finals. Knicks defeated the Lakers 113-99. (Photo by NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images) | NY Daily News via Getty Images

There have been some incredibly iconic moments in NBA history. Consider Julius Erving’s under-the-basket layup. Consider Michael Jordan pumping his fist after eliminating the Cleveland Cavaliers, or Jerry West hitting a 60-foot shot to put a Finals game vs. the Knicks into overtime…or Magic Johnson hitting that hook shot against the Boston Celtics in the Finals.

Now consider Willis Reed in Game 7 of the 1970 Finals.

Reed had torn his right quadricep, and that would be brutal for the average person walking around the house. In his case, he had to play professional basketball, and not only did he have to do that, his opposite number was Wilt Chamberlain, perhaps the most powerful athlete in American history.

Up until game time, it wasn’t at all clear that Reed would be able to go. However, he got 200 ccs of Cortisol just before tip-off, and when he came out of the tunnel, the Knicks and their fans were electrified.

Reed took the first two shots of the game, made both, and the game was effectively over. It was that powerful.

It remains the definitive example of courage on a basketball court.

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MMBets: The Memphis Grizzlies are going to be scrappy

The Memphis Grizzlies are in full rebuild mode. Their young duo of the last seven years is completely gone. Ja Morant was shipped to Portland, Jaren Jackson Jr. was traded to Utah, and Memphis now has its eyes set on the draft picks they made over the last few seasons. Cameron Boozer from Duke and Cedric Coward highlight their exciting new core, but guys like Jaylen Wells and Zach Edey have shown promise as well. Memphis has just four players on its roster with over three years of NBA experience.

Having direction in the NBA is a good thing. There are some teams stuck on their sunk costs. Memphis is not one of those teams. 2027 will be a learning year for both their young players and their inexperienced coach, Tuomas Iisalo. Expectations for the Grizzlies are low, but their talent could surprise a lot of people. 

Memphis Grizzlies: Over/Under 30.5 wins (-110/-115)

To win the NBA Finals: +100000

Last Season: 25-57, missed playoffs

Key Additions: Cameron Boozer, Quentin Post, Jerami Grant. Isaiah Stewart

Key Losses: Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Kyle Anderson, Santi Aldama

Mavericks fans should be very familiar with this Memphis team. They beat the Mavericks three times last season, all by double digits. Cedric Coward, Scotty Pippen Jr., Jaylen Wells, and Zach Edey all had good games against Dallas and now return a year better. Boozer looks to be one of the most ready and NBA-conditioned skill sets out of this draft and will contribute right away. They have a high-energy, young group that will get after it on defense and move the ball on offense. Jerami Grant is a seasoned veteran who has won a lot of meaningless games in his career. Isaiah Stewart will give this team a percentage of the edge that the old grit-and-grind Grizzlies used to play with. I don’t see this scrappy team as a bottom-feeder in the West. Getting to 35 wins is not out of the question.

Prediction: Over 30.5 wins (-110)

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The Kings Are a Disaster

The Los Angeles Kings are stinking up the show.

Usually, that means you're doing something right. Well, not in this case. They're stinking up the show in the worst way possible. And what's worse than being the only team left in the NHL that has yet to win a game? It can't get much worse than that.

It doesn't matter if this team outshoots its opponent by 20 or more shots. Somehow, someway, the Kings will find a way to lose.

Tuesday was a perfect example. The Edmonton Oilers defeated Los Angeles 4-1 despite putting just 16 shots on net. The Kings, meanwhile, fired 40 shots at the opposing goal and came away with — you guessed it — one goal.

Apparently, 40 shots still aren't enough when you can't figure out how to beat a goaltender.

At the other end of the ice, Darcy Kuemper — the supposed starting goaltender, although that title is becoming increasingly difficult to justify — was pulled in the first period after allowing three goals on seven shots. Three goals. Seven shots. Do the math.

Peter Laviolette turned to Anton Forsberg, the goaltender who helped make this team look at least halfway competent during last year's playoffs. Forsberg stopped all nine shots he faced in relief, but it didn't matter. The offense gave him virtually nothing to work with, and the Kings went on to lose 4-1.

Then came Saturday, with the Kings back in front of their home fans and desperately searching for something — anything — resembling a breakthrough.

At least Laviolette got one decision right. Forsberg got the start.

He stopped 24 of 26 shots, but Los Angeles still lost 4-1. Alex Laferriere scored the Kings' lone goal against Jeremy Swayman, and that was about as exciting as things got for the home side.

Another game. Another loss. Six straight now.

And before anyone wants to point out the two overtime losses, let me make something perfectly clear: if it's not a win, it's a loss. Collecting a point here and there doesn't change the fact that this team still hasn't figured out how to finish the job.

The Kings are an absolute mess right now. They can't score, they can't find consistency in net, and they keep giving their fans reasons to wonder what, exactly, is supposed to change.

Speaking of consistency, Kuemper has been about as reliable as Katie Zacharia's statements about her legal background.

So, who exactly is the starting goaltender in Los Angeles? The guy carrying a 4.53 goals-against average, or the one sitting at 2.63?

Because if the Kings actually want to give themselves a chance to win hockey games, Forsberg should be getting the call. If they want to keep rolling out Kuemper simply because he's the more expensive option, well, by all means, keep doing what you're doing. It's clearly working wonders.

Kuemper makes $5.25 million a year. Forsberg makes $2.25 million. That's a $3 million difference, and right now, the cheaper option looks like the better bet between the pipes.

Of course, a goaltending change isn't going to magically fix everything. That's the other problem here.

The Kings can't score to save their lives.

And Saturday's loss to Boston might have been the perfect summary of just how bad things have gotten in Los Angeles.

The Bruins won 4-1, with two of those goals coming into an empty net. That's right. Two empty-net goals. Laviolette was so desperate to get something going offensively that he was willing to pull his goaltender and give Boston a free shot at an empty cage just for the chance of getting another goal on the other end.

And what did the Kings get for that gamble?

Absolutely nothing.

Los Angeles was willing to risk giving up easy goals just to generate some offense, and it still couldn't make anything happen. That's how desperate things have become. When you're pulling your goalie because you need goals that badly, you'd better have an offense capable of making the gamble worthwhile. The Kings didn't. Instead, they gave Boston two empty-netters and went home with another loss.

At some point, you have to wonder what Laviolette is supposed to do with this group. He can change the goaltender, pull his goalie, shuffle the lineup, or cross his fingers and hope something finally clicks. But none of it matters if his team can't finish its chances.

You could give this team 40 shots every night, and it wouldn't mean a thing if they can't turn those chances into goals. Outshooting an opponent by 24 and still losing by three isn't just frustrating. It's a glaring warning sign.

The goaltending situation is a problem. The lack of offense is a problem. And the inability to turn promising performances into wins is an even bigger one.

The Kings aren't just losing games right now. They're running out of answers.

Six games into a winless start, there needs to be some accountability in Los Angeles. You can't keep pointing to shot totals as evidence that things are going well when the scoreboard keeps telling a completely different story.

At some point, the excuses have to stop.

Because right now, the Los Angeles Kings aren't just stinking up the show.

They're making a mess of it.

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Former Avalanche Forward Wastes No Time Scoring His First Goal With Nashville

Former Colorado Avalanche forward Jack Drury scored his first goal with the Nashville Predators on Saturday, helping his new team pick up a 5-2 win over the St. Louis Blues.

Drury found the net 8:14 into the third period after Predators captain Roman Josi sent a pass across the ice to him in front of the net. Drury got the shot past Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington to add to Nashville's lead.

Drury spent the last season and a half with Colorado after coming over from the Carolina Hurricanes in January 2025. He was part of the blockbuster trade that sent Mikko Rantanen to Carolina, with Martin Necas and Drury heading to the Avalanche in return.

He played 33 regular-season games with Colorado after the trade, scoring five goals and adding four assists. Drury also appeared in all seven of the Avalanche's playoff games that spring before they were eliminated by the Dallas Stars.

Drury remained with Colorado for the entire 2025-26 season, playing in all 82 regular-season games. He scored 10 goals and recorded 17 assists, setting a career high in goals. His 27 points also matched his previous career best. Despite being a regular part of the lineup, his time with the Avalanche came to an end in the offseason.

Colorado reportedly wanted to bring Drury back, but the two sides couldn't agree on a contract. Drury was looking for a higher salary than the Avalanche were willing to pay for a fourth-line center, and the team ultimately moved on. Nashville acquired him in exchange for Zachary L'Heureux and Fedor Svechkov before signing him to a five-year, $22.5 million contract on June 28.

Drury had also shown he could contribute in the postseason during his time with Colorado. Across 13 playoff games in his final two seasons with the Avalanche, he recorded three goals and two assists for five points. One of those goals came shorthanded in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas swept Colorado in the series, ending the Avalanche's playoff run.

Drury's departure also wasn't the only connection between Colorado and Nashville this offseason. The Predators acquired Ross Colton in a separate trade, and the former Avalanche forward scored his first goal with Nashville on Oct. 10 against the Ottawa Senators in a 3-2 shootout loss.

With Drury now on the scoresheet for Nashville, both former Avalanche forwards have found the net with their new team. For Colorado, the trade marked the end of Drury's time with the organization after 115 regular-season games, 15 goals, 21 assists and 36 points.

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Yankees news: Nationals outfielder Jacob Young was in trade rumors

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 25: Jacob Young #30 of the Washington Nationals looks on before a game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on August 25, 2025 in New York City. The Yankees defeated the Nationals 10-5. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images

NJ.com | Randy Miller and Bob Klapisch: With no baseball on Friday night, Randy Miller and Bob Klapisch of NJ.com sat down to discuss what Yankees fans throughout the world are probably talking about: general manager Brian Cashman. Discussing a whole host of trades, free agent signings, and other roster moves — and in particular, arguing over which ones had good logic but which didn’t work out for unforeseeable reasons (Giancarlo Stanton becoming injury-prone, Joey Gallo forgetting how to hit) and which ones were just bad overall (Ryan McMahon). I don’t totally agree with them on everything — the idea that the Jazz Chisholm Jr. trade, a move for a player that helped them make the 2024 World Series and was a major contributor in 2025, was a mistake is absolutely laughable to me — but it is an interesting read nonetheless.

MLB Trade Rumors | AJ Eustace: The playoffs may still be ongoing, but that doesn’t mean the hot stove hasn’t started to simmer. Jon Heyman this week highlighted that the Yankees have previously shown interest in Nationals center fielder Jacob Young. Arbitration-eligible for the first time, the 27-year-old is not known for his bat (his 95 wRC+ in 2026 was a career-high), but he provides great defense in center field. Young’s +49 Outs Above Average is second only to defensive wiz Pete Crowe-Armstrong.

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Although it’s unclear whether the Nationals are looking to move him at this time, they have explored the possibility in the past, and given the recent history between the Yankees and Nationals front offices (they have struck deals at the past two trade deadlines), it’s not out of the question — especially with New York likely in need of a center fielder.

The Athletic | Keith Law: While most of the baseball world has their eyes on the ALCS and the upcoming World Series, the Arizona Fall League quietly began this week. A developmental league where young players go to learn new positions, get in some reps after injury-filled seasons, and just generally work on their play (check out my colleague Michael for some Yankees-specific coverage), the AFL has occasionally been used to test out potential rule changes. This year, the league is experimenting with restrictions on outfield alignment, using Statcast to force the corner outfielders closer to the lines and the center fielder more shallow than they typically play — an attempt to help more balls in play find the outfield grass. A week into the AFL season, Law calls this attempt a “misfire,” as not only has this actually resulted in balls down the lines turning into outs at a weirdly high rate, the test is itself inherently flawed because many of these players are learning the position for the first time.

The Athletic | Jason Lloyd: (subscription required) Friday night’s Game 4 matchup between the Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays was postponed because of rain, pushing back Games 4 and 5 and eliminating the offday. This was no surprise to literally everybody who could watch The Weather Channel or has a weather app installed on their phones — in fact, Major League Baseball had even altered the schedule slightly already, playing Thursday night’s game during the day in order to get ahead of the storm. Even so, the league went through the charade of inviting everybody into the ballpark so that fans could pay “$70 to park, $30 on beer and nachos,” all without the slightest intention of playing the game. (Yankees/Orioles Game 162, anyone?)

No, this article might not directly matter to us — after all, the Yankees are unfortunately not playing — but with the CBA negotiations coming up and the inevitable lockout looming, it’s important to remember who Major League Baseball is, and what they care about.

CBS Sports | Mike Axisa: As happens every time a quasi-dynastic team falls in the postseason (I refuse to say to call the Dodgers a dynasty yet), sportswriters have begun to ask which team will emerge as the next “superteam” and challenge for the right to be called a dynasty. In what may be a surprise to, well, everybody who is tuned into Yankees fan culture, which is arguably the most pessimistic place on the internet, the Yankees are considered one of the three powerhouses most likely to go on a dynastic run, alongside the Brewers and Dodgers.

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Former Warriors No. 2 pick Wiseman plays way onto New York Knicks roster

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 5: James Wiseman #35 of the New York Knicks in action against the Philadelphia 76ers during a preseason game at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 5, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Knicks 120-97. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images

James Wiseman almost gave up on the NBA. Now he’s on the opening night roster for the defending champs.

The Knicks invited a number of veterans to compete for the last spot on their roster, an approach that worked well last season when Landry Shamet emerged from a crowded field to become one of the team’s most important bench players. Wiseman beat out John “Jitty” Konchar, Ochai Agbaji, Tony Bradley and Bruce Brown, while his competition at center, Drew Eubanks, tore a pectoral muscle and got waived.

Now Wiseman steps in as the third center for the Knicks, behind Karl-Anthony Towns and rebounder supreme Andre Drummond. He’s in a very different position than he was when the Warriors selected him with the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft, having had his career derailed by injuries.

Wiseman wasn’t a good fit as a raw rookie who played just three games in college before turning pro, trying to find his place on a veteran team that had championship aspirations. His pandemic-shortened rookie season had virtually no training camp, then he suffered a meniscus tear that cost him the end of the year and all of his sophomore season. Golden State eventually traded him to the Detroit Pistons in 2023, more to ditch his salary than anything else.

The Pistons had a glut of young centers and Wiseman again had trouble getting playing time. It looked like he had found a home with the Indiana Pacers in 2024, only to tear his Achilles in the first game of the season.

Why is he getting another chance in New York? The answer is head coach Mike Brown, who had experience coaching Wiseman with the Warriors and called him a “fantastic human being.” Wiseman is still just 25 years old, younger than both Quinten Post and Charles Bassey and only a year-and-a-half older than Yaxel Lendeborg. He has a fantastic chance to rebuild his career, especially if he can win over Tracy Morgan, Timothee Chalamet, and Spike Lee.

Wiseman’s NBA future may depend on him turning into a solid shot-blocker and rebounder, who can be a reasonable threat as a perimeter shooter. He should get chances to prove himself, as Towns is going to play a lot of minutes at power forward, and the 33-year-old Drummond is no longer the iron man he used to be. The limited, specific role the Knicks need from Wiseman might just be what he needs to establish himself as a reliable backup big.

It’s a tiny role on an extremely famous team, and one that could showcase Wiseman, not necessarily as a future star, but as a competent NBA center, After all, Wiseman has played only 152 games in a six-year NBA career, which is only five more than Gui Santos. And while he hasn’t found success on the court, Wiseman has never been a jerk — he just keeps getting hurt.

For the Knicks, it’s a calculated gamble for a team with very little financial wiggle room. While Wiseman is officially the third center, the potential upside of Wiseman, especially when playing with someone like Jalen Brunson, is quite intriguing. The Knicks only need Wiseman to be an adequate backup center. If he provides more than that, it’s a huge bonus for the defending champions.

Three years ago, would you have believed that James Wiseman was closer to winning an NBA title than Steph Curry? This is the world we’re living in.

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Golden Knights Ride Early Goals to Dominant Win over Penguins

If there were an end-of-year award for Most Improved Starts, the Vegas Golden Knights would win in a landslide. Last year, they scored first in only 34 of the 82 regular-season games; this season, they’ve scored first in five of ten games.

On Saturday, the Golden Knights didn’t score 25 seconds into the first period like they did on Thursday. No, tonight, they waited until a full minute and six seconds had elapsed before they scored their first of five goals against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Jack Eichel entered the zone, protected the puck from Declan Carlile, drifted below the goal line, and snuck a pass through Ville Koivunen to Mark Stone. Stone circled out from behind the goal line and waited until two Penguins converged on him, then dropped a return pass to Eichel. Eichel dusted the puck off and threaded a pass for Rasmus Anderson, who drove down into the right circle and beat Sergei Murashov.

The Golden Knights doubled their lead less than three minutes later. Jack Eichel rushed up ice with a head of steam and threaded a centering pass for Noah Hanifin, who beat Sergei Murashov with a wrister from the left dot.

The Golden Knights extended their lead on their second power play of the night at 17:46 in the first. Mitch Marner fed Trevor Connelly for a one-timer from the right dot, and Mark Stone lifted his skate off the ice to redirect the puck behind Sergei Murashov. 

The Penguins got on the board on the power play at 5:54 in the second period. Sidney Crosby got a piece of Tommy Novak’s shot from the right circle. 

The Golden Knights restored their three-goal lead a minute and 11 seconds later. Trevor Connelly intercepted Sidney Crosby’s pass intended for Kaedan Korczak and got a step on Pittsburgh’s defensemen. Connelly raced into the zone and beat Sergei Murashov top-shelf with Kaedan Korczak draped all over him. 

The Golden Knights made it a four-goal game at 11:17 in the second. Brayden McNabb faked a shot, faked another, and slid a pass to Shea Theodore. Theodore ripped a one-timer past Sergei Murashov for his second goal of the year.

The Penguins got on the board again at 4:43 in the third period. Tommy Novak dangled through the zone and got his own rebound after Adin Hill made the save. Novak flipped the puck into the crease; the Penguins crashed the net and banged it in. 

Down three, the Penguins pulled the goaltender for the extra attacker with 2:29 in regulation. Mere moments later, the Golden Knights forced a turnover, and William Karlsson chipped a pass out of the zone to spring Brett Howden on a rush up ice. Kris Letang hauled Howden down, and the officials awarded Howden the goal.

Stats of the Knight

Tonight, Jack Eichel skated in his 700th NHL game. He recorded two primary assists.

The Golden Knights scored six goals for the second consecutive game, and for the third time this season.

With a goal and an assist, Trevor Connelly moves into sole possession of the lead in goals (4) and points (7) among all rookies.

Adin Hill made 22 of 24 saves and improved to a 4-0-0 record in the Golden Knights’ 6-2 victory.

Three stars: Mark Stone, Rasmus Andersson, Noah Hanifin