The Montreal Canadiens will take on the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second time this season, and this time, they’ll hope to do it right. In the second game of the season, the Habs dug themselves into a 5-1 hole before mounting an impressive comeback, only to lose in overtime. The goal came on an odd-man rush sparked by a bad line change.
While the Canadiens are on a four-game winning streak, the Penguins are 3-5-2 in their last 10 games and are currently 14th in the Eastern Conference. Still, the Pens have won eight out of the last 10 games between the two teams, including the last two duels.
At the time of writing, it is unclear who will be in net for the Canadiens. Will Jakub Dobes get a chance to avenge his early-October loss, or will Jacob Fowler be back after a night off in Dallas? Dobes played very well on Thursday, but Fowler feels like he's earned the right to be in net Saturday night; he’s still hot and only sat to let the Czech netminder get some action. Fowler is 2-0-0 against the Pens with a 1.00 goals-against average and a .971 save percentage. Meanwhile, Dobes has a 0-0-2 against the visitors with a 4.35 GAA and an .852 SV.
As for the Penguins, Arturs Silovs has a 2-0-0 record against the Habs with a 3.79 GAA and a .840 SV, hardly impressive numbers, but he still won his two games. It’s a different story for Sergei Murashov; the 22-year-old has only nine NHL games to his name and has never faced the Canadiens.
Chris Kreider is the Canadiens’ highest scorer against Dan Muse’s men; he has put up 40 points against them in 48 games. Captain Nick Suzuki is a distant second with 17 points in 19 duels, but he’s still out of the lineup. Alternate captain Josh Anderson is next with 12 points in 30 tilts. It remains to be seen whether Mike Matheson (11 points in 23 games against the visitors) will be back in the lineup after missing Thursday night’s game with a mysterious lower-body injury; chances are he won’t, since he needed further evaluation. There are still no words on Samuel Montembeault and Ivan Demidov. The former should be back by now, according to the initial timeframe, while the latter should be nearing a return.
Unsurprisingly, Crosby is the Pens’ most productive player against the Habs with 73 points in 56 games, followed by Evgeny Malkin, who’s on 67 points in 53 games. Erik Karlsson comes in third with 46 points in 56 games, just ahead of Kris Letang, who has 43 points in 51 games. The Pens are still without Bryan Rusk, Elmer Soderblom, and Trevor van Riemsdyk, who are all injured.
The game is set for 7:00 PM, and you can catch it on TVA Sports in French and Sportsnet in English. Kendrick Nicholson and Pierre Lambert will ref the game, while Andrew Smith and Jeremy Faucher will be the linesmen. If you are heading to the Bell Centre, don't forget to dress up; that's the only way to enjoy Halloween in the Mecca of hockey.
The Chicago Blackhawks (4-9-0) are in a bad way. They are 0-5-0 on the road, and they face another tough test against the Boston Bruins (9-4-1) at TD Garden. This will be the second of two straight road games before they return home for a game against the Colorado Avalanche.
Right now, the Blackhawks face multiple issues. For one, they can’t score goals. They are dead last in the league with 27. Connor McDavid has more assists than the Blackhawks have goals. Under no circumstances should that stat ever be true, but it is.
Chicago also struggles defensively. They have allowed 48 goals this season, which gives them a -21 goal differential. When they don’t have the puck, they spend significant portions of the time hemmed in their own defensive zone. They mostly find it very hard to gain possession back, and when they do, it can be a major struggle to break out.
Sometimes things are better when they are against a lesser opponent, but the Bruins are one of those top teams capable of making things very difficult. Their forecheck is as relentless as anyone that the Blackhawks have played so far.
Scouting Boston
The Boston Bruins had mixed expectations coming into 2026-27. Some thought they could build on their rebound season a year ago, and some predicted regression. Well, those who were on the side of the Bruins having a good year are off to a good start. The Bruins roll 4 lines that all contribute and matter to the overall attack. However, they also have a superstar scorer to be that “game breaker,” in David Pastrnak.
Peterka-Zacha-Pastrnak
Khusnutdinov-Minten-Geekie
Mittelstadt-Lindholm-Hagens
Jeannot-Poitras-Kastelic
Lindholm-McAvoy
Zadorov-Borgen
Lohrei-Clifton
Swayman
DiPietro
The Bruins have a few other good, established forwards in JJ Peterka, Pavel Zacha, and Morgan Geekie, among others, but they also have their fair share of young players who have hit the ground running. Examples include Fraser Minten, Marat Khusnutdinov, James Hagens, and Matthew Poitras.
On defense, Charlie McAvoy is their Olympic-caliber number one who contributes to their success at even strength and on special teams. Hampus Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov lead the depth from there. When they’re at their best, it’s a goalie-friendly team, so both Jeremy Swayman and Michael DiPietro are in a good situation.
In the case of Swayman, however, we are talking about a Vezina-caliber superstar. He can steal games if the Bruins have a weaker day. For the Blackhawks, who have a hard time scoring as is, beating either netminder would be a tremendous challenge.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Blackhawks are one of the lowest-scoring teams in the NHL, but they also allow goals at a high clip. Is it the lineups or is it the systems? One way or another, we will find out this season.
On offense, everything they do goes through Connor Bedard. He is their best player, and he brings a high level of play regardless of what his teammates are doing. It won’t be until some of his peers start to break out that their overall attack is good enough to win.
Kantserov-Bedard-Teräväinen
Bertuzzi-Frondell-Donato
Moore-Nazar-Kane
Smith-Greene-Greenway
Vlasic-Cole
Kaiser-Levshunov
Korchinski-Rinzel
Soderblom
There is a chance that Bowen Byram returns from injury. If that were the case, expect Kevin Korchinski to come out. Even if Byram can’t go, it would not be a surprise if Jeff Blashill goes to Ethan Del Mastro for a game, either.
If the Blackhawks don’t start Arvid Soderblom, it would be very surprising. It’s been over 20 days since his last appearance, and Spencer Knight has started for 8 straight games. Even with it being the excellent Boston Bruins, it’s time for Soderblom to get a look.
These lines and defense pairs are from their last time out in Detroit. We won’t know any more details until warmups. When the lineup and how they strategize their lines are revealed, an update will be posted here.
How To Watch
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. It can be seen locally on CHSN. Nationally, you can stream it on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 12:00 PM CT.
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Feb 16, 2019; Charlotte, NC, USA; Team Lebron forward Kawhi Leonard of the Toronto Raptors (2) speaks during the NBA All-Star Media Day at Bojangles Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
With a rash of injuries plaguing the league early, many key players are out. Whether temporarily or long term, teams have been effected. One of those teams is the Toronto Raptors.
Now, in the second week of league play, Kawhi Leonard has been sidelined from swelling and fluid buildup in his knee.
While there is a lot of sympathy for those who are suffering maladies, there is one who is not. Stephen A. Smith, known for his bluster, went on a tirade earlier this week regarding the former Spurs Defensive Player of the Year.
🤣🤣🤣 I'm sorry but SAS sounds exactly like any spurs fan when you ask them about Kawhi https://t.co/SlaN7mUNvV
“This is the worst superstar in the history of sports,” stated Smith on First Take earlier this week. Though he defended the legitimacy of Leonard’s injuries, the outspoken pundit got worked up to the point of saying there is “no one better than Kawhi Leonard at getting paid without working.”
Last summer, Kawhi Leonard requested a trade to his former Canadian team. After investigations of alleged salary cap circumvention involving the Los Angeles Clippers, Aspiration, and Leonard were finalized, he packed and left for Toronto.
I originally saw this as a repost from The Spurs Way who stated, “🤣🤣🤣 I’m sorry but SAS sounds exactly like any spurs fan when you ask them about Kawhi.”
While Spurs fans have felt the disappointment of Leonard’s actions, few have had the bully pulpit from which to fume.
It’s not the first time Stephen A. has questioned Leonard’s validity as a superstar. It’s not the first time he’s crossed the line. As Charlie Murphy would say, he is a “habitual line stepper.” On social media, many have responded that Stephen A. went too far this time, but then again, pushing the envolpe is part of Smith’s schtick.
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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 17: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on March 17, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This has been a difficult start to the season for Milwaukee. They’re a roster in flux after trading away Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat this summer. Now, they’re a team that features some useful players, but not enough to really be considered a playoff contender.
The early season has shown this. Milwaukee has dropped four of their first five games, which includes losses to the Washington Wizards and Chicago Bulls.
We’ll see if Cleveland can take advantage of a reeling opponent on Halloween.
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE. The link to the 2016 championship shirt HERE.
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 30: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics celebrates during the game against the Chicago Bulls during the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup on October 30, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Is this the year the Celtics take the Cup seriously?
Boston certainly looked interested Friday night, opening their first group-stage game with a 44-point first quarter, a 29-point halftime lead and Payton Pritchard briefly transforming into that cyborg version of himself who keeps showing up in NBC Sports Boston broadcasts.
Then the Bulls started making things interesting. Chicago won the second half 62-47, whittling what had once been a 32-point Celtics lead down to 14 by the final buzzer.
Boston still walked away with a 125-111 win and a 1-0 record in East Group C, though Washington holds the early advantage in point differential. The Celtics gave us plenty to get excited about in the first half, and Joe Mazzulla plenty to get annoyed about in the second.
1. The Celtics want the Cup
Earlier this week inside TD Garden, my Australian brethren Jake and Ben from First to the Floor asked whether the Celtics would take the NBA Cup seriously this year. The first half looked like a defiant “you betcha.”
Boston’s first five baskets came in the paint. The Celtics scored 44 in the first quarter, shot 63 percent in the first half and went into the break up 78-49. Pritchard already had 20 points.
Payton Pritchard in the first half: 20 points on 70% shooting in 15 minutes. Celtics scored 78 as a team. Hoping we see a 150 point outing. pic.twitter.com/nVcNaSbB8S
The Bulls made the game, and the Cup standings, less comfortable after halftime. They won the second half by 15 and cut Boston’s final margin to 14. Washington also won its opener, leaving both teams 1-0 in East Group C, with the Wizards two points ahead on point differential.
Boston led by as many as 32 and won by 14. That’s a heck of a way to start the Cup, but those 18 points that disappeared along the way could come back to haunt them.
2. Paul George was meant to be a Celtic
I keep trying to find a less obvious way to say this, but Paul George looks like he was meant to be a Celtic.
His connection with Tatum looks instant and incredible. Whether Tatum or George starts the action, they seem to know how to turn it into a good look for the other. George can run the offense himself, but he’s just as happy to make the extra pass, cut behind a defender or do the work that makes somebody else’s life easier. You know, Celtic stuff.
Joe Mazzulla on Paul George:
“His impact goes beyond what’s happening on the offensive end. I think his impact in the locker room, his coachability, his open-mindedness, his humility, his willingness to do whatever it takes, taking care of his body to be on the floor for us, his… pic.twitter.com/IDAkB3knDZ
George got his hands on everything and finished with 18 points, six rebounds, eight assists and three steals. That stat line still doesn’t capture how often he seemed to be in the right place. He had a great steal and dunk in the first quarter, and spent the rest of the night making the Bulls think twice about where they pass the ball.
He’s been the biggest pleasant surprise of Boston’s start. I didn’t expect his fit to look this natural this quickly, but I’m thrilled to have been wrong.
3. Tatum is playing like an MVP, and his three is still catching up
Tatum finished with 26 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. He shot 9-for-20 overall and 2-for-7 from three.
A quiet 26 from Jayson Tatum is still a statement 😤☘️
His vision was every bit as impressive as his scoring. He kept finding teammates on cuts, drawing defenders toward him before slipping passes into openings that barely seemed to exist. His three-point shot is still finding its rhythm (only shooting 25% from three on the season), but he’s already getting downhill with ease, and the way he’s seeing the floor makes him that much harder to defend.
One of my favorite Tatum moments came after Mitchell Robinson made a free throw. Tatum went over to give him a fist bump, looking every bit as pleased with Mitch’s one point as he did with any of his own 26. You love to see it.
4. The Celtics made room for something bigger than basketball
More than 100 Boston Children’s Hospital patients and their families were at the game versus the Bulls. The day before, the Celtics announced a gift of more than $200 million to the hospital, the largest in its history. Patients lined the court during the national anthem, and the team wore special shooting shirts signed by four former patients who had visited practice the day before.
The Celtics are hosting a few patients from Boston Children’s Hospital today at practice.
A young fan held up a sign that read, “Boston’s children saved my life.” I don’t know that fan’s story, and the sign can’t tell it. But seeing that sign during the broadcast stuck with me long after it disappeared from the screen.
I spent much of the night watching Boston dominate, calculating Cup math and getting frustrated as the Bulls chipped away at the lead. But that sign was a good reminder to keep some perspective. I’m lucky to spend my evenings watching the Celtics play basketball and writing about something I love, and even luckier for all the things in life that make those evenings possible. Sometimes it’s nice to be reminded of that.
5. Mitch hasn’t looked like the Knicks version yet
If Paul George has been the biggest pleasant surprise of Boston’s start, Mitchell Robinson might be the biggest disappointment. He opened the third quarter with a block and went 4-for-4 from the field, finishing with 11 points. But he had just four rebounds in 19 minutes, and he still looks slower than the Robinson who made life miserable for opponents in New York.
Queta played 20 minutes and finished with 13 points, six rebounds, a steal and a block. The Celtics were plus-16 with him on the floor and minus-3 with Robinson. That’s one game’s plus-minus, not a final ruling, but it matched what I saw: Queta brought more pace and seemed more in sync with the rest of the group.
Robinson has the size Boston will inevitably need at points throughout the season. So far, though, he hasn’t looked comfortable in this version of the Celtics. Maybe that changes with time. For now, Queta looks like the center who better fits the team’s rhythm.
Payton Pritchard, jazz pianist. Norman Powell, reluctant dance partner. No analysis needed, simply enjoy the soulful improvisation of Smooth PP.
7. Hugo got the first young-wing look, but Baylor still has Joe’s trust
Hugo González checked in before Baylor Scheierman against Chicago, which caught my attention after Baylor had gotten the nod in Boston’s earlier games. Maybe Joe wanted Hugo’s defensive energy in that first shift, or maybe he’s still figuring out what he has in his young wings. Either way, it was interesting to see Hugo get the call first.
Baylor wasn’t exactly banished to the bench, though. He played 23 minutes and finished with two points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal. Hugo went scoreless in 15 minutes, adding two rebounds and a steal. Neither lit up the box score, but they can help Boston in different ways. Hugo brings a little chaos defensively, while Baylor has a knack for moving the ball and finding ways to contribute without needing shots.
Baylor Scheierman walked up to Joe Mazzulla, told him to challenge. Looked like Mazzulla asked him something like, 'Are you sure?' and Scheierman just said yes and walked to the bench.
I wouldn’t read too much into one game’s substitution pattern, especially with Joe Mazzulla involved. But it’ll be interesting to see whether Hugo keeps getting that first opportunity or whether the two continue trading places as Joe tinkers with his rotation.
8. Hauser is the kitchen knife you always reach for
Sam Hauser is the knife you grab because you know it works. There might be a newer one in the drawer, maybe with a nicer handle, but when you need to cut something, you reach for Hauser.
He made two threes and finished with six points against Chicago. Neither basket required much fuss. Hauser knows exactly what he’s there to do, and he’s been doing it long enough that the Celtics know what to expect when they put him on the floor.
With Tatum and George drawing so much defensive attention, there’s always going to be a need for someone who can stand in the corner and punish a defense for forgetting about him. Hauser has made a career out of being that guy.
He might not be the flashiest thing in Boston’s kitchen, but there’s a reason Joe keeps reaching for him.
9. The parquet is probably cold and alone in the bowels of TD Garden, and that’s not okay
I kept expecting the Celtics to be in white. They were at home, after all. Instead, Boston was in black, Chicago was in white, and the parquet I associate with the Garden was nowhere to be seen. More than once in the first quarter, I had to remind myself which team I was watching.
I know the Celtics have worn plenty of colors besides white, but this still threw me. The uniforms and the Cup court scrambled my internal compass before I’d even had time to settle in.
Those parquet squares are probably somewhere in the bowels of the Garden right now, cold and scared and wondering what they did wrong. Is that what you want, Adam Silver?
10. The Celtics won while getting crushed on the glass
Chicago grabbed 51 rebounds to Boston’s 41, including 20 offensive rebounds. That is a lot of second chances to hand a team, especially one that was already chipping away at a 32-point lead.
Boston made up ground elsewhere. The Celtics scored 58 points in the paint to Chicago’s 40, had 10 steals to the Bulls’ seven and scored 21 points off turnovers. They shot 51.2 percent from the field; Chicago shot 38 percent.
The win was comfortable by the final score, but the rebounding was anything but. Joe has a pretty clear place to start when he gets to the film.
For all the talk about whether the Celtics would take the NBA Cup seriously, their first 24 minutes offered a pretty convincing answer. There’s plenty to clean up, and those 18 points they let slip away could matter down the road, but Boston has its first Cup win in the books. Now please, someone go check on the parquet and give it a space blanket and a warm glass of milk.
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 13: Hall of Famer Robin Yount shakes hands with Ryan Braun after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch Game One of the National League Championship Series presented by loanDepot between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Monday, October 13, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
In 1969, Major League Baseball expanded from 20 to 24 teams, adding franchises in Montreal, San Diego, Kansas City, and Seattle. The Seattle Pilots went 64-98 that year and finished last in the American League West. They were also poorly run by a man, Dewey Soriano, who barely had the cash to purchase the team in the first place. They played in a poorly maintained stadium and struggled at the gate. After just a year, the plug was pulled, and Soriano got in touch with a car salesman in Milwaukee. His name was Allan H. “Bud” Selig.
The Milwaukee Brewers played their first season in 1970 and went 65-97. The team’s star was its 29-year-old third baseman, Tommy Harper. A year earlier, he’d stolen 73 bases for the Pilots, a mark that still stands as a franchise record. In 1970, he hit .296 with 31 homers, 35 doubles, and 38 steals. 56 years later, it’s probably the best season ever by a Brewer third baseman. He became the first Brewer ever to make it to an MVP ballot.
A few days into the 1971 season, Milwaukee traded for a slugger named John Briggs, who was the team’s most reliable source of offense over the next four-and-a-half years. Also that season, a journeyman reliever named Ken Sanders operated as the team’s relief ace for the second straight season, and led the majors in appearances and saves.
After the season, the team made a trade that brought back the first real star of the franchise. George Scott was a good player in Boston; by the end of the 1971 season, he’d already won three Gold Gloves and had received MVP votes twice. But Boston jumped at a package headlined by Harper, and “Boomer” became the new Milwaukee first baseman. From 1972-76, Scott played virtually every game the Brewers played; he won five straight Gold Gloves, and he finished as high as eighth in MVP voting when, in 1975, he led the AL in homers, RBI, and total bases.
In 1973, the Brewers acquired a new guy at the hot corner. Don Money had been dreadful at the plate in 1971 and 1972, and the Phillies packaged him in a deal that got them, among others, Sanders. In 1976 he became the franchise’s first multi-time All-Star, and when he retired after his 11-year run with the Brewers, he’d made four All-Star games and compiled almost 1,200 hits.
During the 1974 season, a new player joined Money and Scott in the infield, an impossibly young shortstop from Southern California. He was a little aloof and didn’t always seem to like playing baseball. He was talented, but it would take a while for the kid to figure out how to channel those talents. His name was Robin Yount. For a little while, he’d get to play with another Milwaukee baseball legend when Henry Aaron returned to the city and hit his 755th and final home run in 1976 as a member of the Brewers.
A couple of years later, another talented infielder debuted alongside Yount, a hitting savant and ultra-speedster who finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1978. Paul Molitor ended up playing in Milwaukee for 15 years in a career that ended with well over 3,000 hits and a ticket to Cooperstown.
The same year that Molitor debuted, the Brewers, for the first time, won more games than they lost. It was the 10th year of the franchise.
That young team kept acquiring talent. In 1976, in an echo of the trade they’d made years earlier, Scott was sent back to Boston for another young first baseman. Cecil Cooper spent the next 11 years in Milwaukee, won a couple of Gold Gloves, three Silver Sluggers, had three top-five MVP finishes, and hit almost 350 doubles and over 200 homers as a Brewer. Sal Bando, a veteran of the dynastic Oakland Athletics of the early 1970s, joined up in 1977 as the franchise’s first major free agent splash. A gruff center fielder named Gorman Thomas was nearly given away but miraculously reacquired just before his breakout. A young Puerto Rican outfielder named Sixto Lezcano had a three-year run that stands with just about any such stretch in team history. A year after leading the AL in RBI with the Twins, Larry Hisle had one last hurrah as a Brewer in 1978, when he finished third in MVP voting. That same year, the Brewers traded for Ben Oglivie, a scrawny outfielder with surprising pop.
The 1979 Brewers won 95 games, but something was missing, and in 1980 the team took a step back. After the season, the Brewers were involved in one of the most momentous trades in team history: they sent Lezcano and others to the Cardinals and acquired a mustachioed reliever named Rollie Fingers, a star catcher named Ted Simmons, and a blue-collar righty (and future movie star), Pete Vuckovich. In the next two seasons, two of them would win Cy Youngs, and though it took some time, two of them would end up in the Hall of Fame.
In the strike-shortened 1981 season, the Brewers broke into the postseason for the first time on the back of a historic relief season for Fingers, who won not just the Cy Young but the MVP. They took the Yankees to a decisive Game 5, but couldn’t get past Reggie Jackson and the Bronx Bombers.
Then, 1982. The Brewers had one of the great offenses in the history of baseball. Yount, the guy who took some time to figure things out in the ’70s, ascended and had one of the best seasons ever by a shortstop. He received 27 of 28 MVP votes. Four players hit at least 29 home runs. The team won its first playoff series when, in the bottom of the seventh inning of the decisive Game 5 of the ALCS, Cooper knocked in Charlie Moore and Fond du Lac native Jim Ganter to flip a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 lead. Milwaukee won the pennant.
In the World Series, they faced the Cardinals, the same team they’d gotten Fingers, Simmons, and Vuckovich from a little over a year earlier. They took a 3-2 lead to St. Louis, but it wasn’t meant to be.
It would be 44 years before the Brewers made it back.
Fans watched Yount and Molitor build Hall-of-Fame careers. They watched Juan Nieves throw a no-hitter. They watched Rob Deer and Dale Sveum hit dramatic home runs. They watched an exciting young team of upstarts win 92 games in 1992, led by rookies Pat Listach and Cal Eldred.
They watched in sadness when Molitor left as a free agent after that season, feeling undervalued, and then had to watch him win World Series MVP with a different team. They watched with elation as Yount, still with the Brewers 20 years after his debut, hit a soft liner into right field for his 3,000th hit.
There were lean years. 12 straight losing seasons, when fans were left to find silver linings with players like Greg Vaughn, Jeff Cirillo, John Jaha, Dave Nilsson, Fernando Viña, Jeromy Burnitz, Geoff Jenkins, Carlos Lee, and Richie Sexson — the totemic players of my youth. Fans were left to pin their hopes on guys like Marc Newfield, Jeff D’Amico, and José Capellan. The Brewers were represented at the All-Star Game by Ricky Bones, Kevin Seitzer, Bob Wickman, José Hernández, and Dan Kolb. Fans found amusement in quirky relievers like Mike Fetters and Derrick Turnbow, and in rare individual triumphs like Chad Moeller’s cycle. The team switched leagues and built a new stadium.
Finally, in the new millennium, reasons for optimism became more frequent. An affable kid from Mississippi, fresh off a triumph in the Olympics, made the All-Star Game as a 22-year-old rookie. Three years later, Ben Sheets had what was the best season anyone had ever seen from a Brewer starting pitcher.
A new scouting director, Jack Zduriencik, was having success behind the scenes. He snagged a tall, under-the-radar outfielder in 2000. The next year, his second-round selection was used on a handsome shortstop. In 2002, Zduriencik used his first pick on the burly son of a two-time MVP runner-up. A year later, he used the No. 2 overall pick on a dynamic infielder with an impossibly quick bat. Two years later, the first-round selection was a smooth Florida kid who seemed to make good contact on everything.
By 2005, the results were starting to show on the field. For the first time since 1992, the Brewers didn’t have a losing record. Two years later, they won more games than they lost for the first time in 14 years. In 2008, the team — built around the aforementioned draft picks Corey Hart, J.J. Hardy, Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, and Ryan Braun, respectively — found itself with an opportunity to reach the postseason for the first time in a generation. To shore up their chances, they made a bold move at the trade deadline for a reigning Cy Young winner. In just a few months with the team, CC Sabathia etched his name into Brewers lore and led the team back to the playoffs, with an assist from a Braun home run that made this writer kick a full cup of soda across my college house’s living room.
Three years later, after the addition of another former Cy Young winner, Zack Greinke, that core (with Hardy swapped out for team legend Yuniesky Betancourt) coalesced into a potent, dangerous team. Braun won the MVP. Fielder finished third. Milwaukee won its division, and a postseason series, for the first time since 1982. The eccentric Nyjer Morgan and his alter-ego, Tony Plush, gave a new generation of Brewers fans a core postseason memory.
But those same Cardinals who’d dashed Milwaukee’s hopes in 1982 stood in the way again, and the 2011 team’s run ended in the NLCS.
The next few years weren’t easy. The Greinke trade didn’t really work out. Braun fell from grace. Fielder left as a free agent. And while there were bright moments, competent teams, and outstanding individual performances by players like Carlos Gómez, Jonathan Lucroy, and even Jonathan Villar, the franchise needed another jolt to get itself to the next step in its journey.
The jolt came on January 25, 2018, a day I remember well. First, the Brewers sent four prospects to Miami for a 26-year-old outfielder who’d had a solid four-year run with the Marlins as a slick-fielding doubles hitter who could steal bases and pop a few homers. Later that same day, they handed the largest free-agent contract in team history to one of the players they’d sent out for Greinke years earlier. With Lorenzo Cain playing league-best-level defense in center field and Christian Yelich ascending to best-player-in-the-league status, the 2018 Brewers won 96 games, a team record, and made it all the way to Game 7 of the NLCS.
But, in an ending that would repeat itself multiple times over the next decade, the Brewers could not get past the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers. Over the next seven years, the Brewers played excellent baseball. Led by players who’ve already moved on like Corbin Burnes, Freddy Peralta, Josh Hader, Willy Adames, and Devin Williams, Milwaukee became a regular-season machine, with five division titles and seven postseason appearances in eight years from 2018-2025. It was a sustained run of success that had never been seen in the history of the franchise, but they just couldn’t seem to get over the hump in the postseason. A bad bounce. A tough catch. A bad inning from a star closer. The greatest player of all time. Something always stood in their way.
In 2026, things changed. The Brewers didn’t just beat their old wins record; they demolished it, with six more wins (103) than their previous record, set just a year earlier. The man who started it all became captain. A lanky young pitcher created a new understanding of what it meant to be a flamethrower. A slick-fielding second baseman became one of the best all-around players in the league. A pitbull of a catcher led on the field and flipped a switch when he needed to. A journeyman former top prospect found his zen. A whole group of young position players, led by the winning smile of a 22-year-old Venezuelan superstar, took the Brewers to heights the franchise had not previously seen.
Now, names like Jackson Chourio, Jacob Misiorowski, and William Contreras, Jake Bauers and Cooper Pratt and Aaron Ashby, Brice Turang and Trevor Megill and Robert Gasser and everyone else have etched their names into the history of this franchise in the same way that guys like George Scott, Jim Gantner, Cecil Cooper, Jim Slaton, and Geoff Jenkins did before them. Yes, this team did something that no Brewers team has ever done, and for that they’ll be remembered forever. But this journey was 57 years in the making, years of joy and heartbreak, of angst and elation.
It’s a fun exercise to ask a die-hard Brewers fan who their favorite player was when they were a kid. Yes, you’ll get a lot of Robin Younts, a lot of Ryan Brauns. But you’ll also get Yovani Gallardo, or John Axford, or Ellie Rodriguez, or Davey May, or Casey McGehee, or Brady Clark. They’re all part of the same fabric, part of what makes this game, and fandom in general, beautiful.
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 16: Hitting Coach Peter Fatse #62 of the Boston Red Sox carries a speaker during a spring training workout at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on February 16, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today is Halloween and you wonder if the Phillies have been playing a trick on us all. Maybe they have allowed the Dodgers to go on their dynastic run, the Brewers to ascend to the top of the mountain all as a trick on us to pretend like there are issues preventing them from winning a World Series.
Australia’s batters crumbled as Simon Harmer took six for 16 to seal a series victory for South Africa at Newlands
3rd over: Australia 14-2 (Head 9, Green 1) Brave of Green to leave the ball outside off. Similar spot to the one that got Marnus, a touch fuller perhaps. He gets moving from the fifth ball, knocks a single into the off side.
2nd over: Australia 13-2 (Head 9, Green 0) Well, I said that Australia needed Head to take a bite out of the chase first, but wasn’t anticipating that he would lose two partners in the first over. He decides to do his part anyway. Defends three balls from Jansen, then lets loose as he sees width. Misses his first flail, connects cleanly with his second one along the ground, and connects dirty with his third, in the air through the cordon but safe. Two boundaries, but if I were South Africa, I’d happily feed that shot a few times looking for the mistake.
Kangaroos shake off a slow start to defeat Cook Islands in Townsville
Australia cruise into the semi-finals on top of Pool A
The Kangaroos will be wearing their familiar dark green uniform with gold accents. Plenty of green in the Cook Islands outfit as well, but it is the secondary colour to a majority white base.
HOUSTON, TX - OCTOBER 21: Cooper Flagg #32 and Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks look on during the game on October 21, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In Cooper Flagg’s rookie season, he was asked to do a lot, not least of all to fill in for future Hall of Famer and fellow Brotherhood member Kyrie Irving.
It took him a little while to settle in, but before long, he emerged as the team’s best player. Former coach Jason Kidd forced him to take on a lot, and that’s paying off now.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 15: Tari Eason #17 of the Houston Rockets drives to the basket during the fourth quarter of the game against Jared McCain #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder at Toyota Center on October 15, 2026 in Houston, 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. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First off, Happy Halloween to those that observe. May your weekend be filled with the treats you desire.
Unfortunately for the Houston Rockets, they received a trick in their basket. The Rockets are on a back-to-back while the Oklahoma City Thunder haven’t played since Wednesday.
So this is a matchup between one team with rest against a team without any rest, and both teams are dealing with several injuries (though granted OKC’s situation is more of a longer-term thing).
Give me the Thunder in a game that the media will use to show that “the Thunder are still dangerous” and ignore Houston’s injury and schedule circumstances.
Oct 30, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James (23) looks on during the second quarter against the New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
LeBron James is 41 years old. He’s in his 24th NBA season. He’s also a Philadelphia 76er.
These are facts that feel worth being reminded about on occasion.
James was spectacular Friday night, guiding the Sixers to a 98-95 win over the defending champion New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
“I thought he was really good all the way through tonight,” head coach Nick Nurse said of James. “I thought that he got some downhill stuff, used his size and knocked ’em around a little bit for some layups. I thought he obviously kind of pushed and organized. I thought he was a little quicker to make some decisions to shoot the three ball as well, and then obviously make a couple big plays down the stretch.
“That’s really the best game, just kind of all around. I mean, he’s been good, but that was his best game for sure.”
It was James’ finest performance of the young season. He scored 20 points — his first 20-plus-point game as a Sixer — and recorded nine rebounds and eight assists. He also chipped in a steal and a block as the team’s defense continues to be its strong suit.
With Jaylen Brown out because of left knee tendinopathy, the Sixers were going to need more offense from somewhere. While James had often been deferential over the course of his first four games of the season, he was aggressive in looking for his own shot Friday. He continually got downhill, playing bully ball on several possessions against the Knicks’ wing defenders.
His knack for figuring out what his team needs and providing it is uncanny.
“I’m just trying to get more and more comfortable with what we’re running offensively,” James said, “and I think every game and every week that I’m here, my body will continue to ramp up and ramp up, getting better and better, so that played a part.”
Since we’ve seen it for 24 years, LeBron’s greatness is sort of taken for granted at times, but there are plays and moments that remind you why he’s arguably the greatest player of all time.
His physical prowess is still impressive, with his ability to big-boy guys like OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges. His passing vision remains elite, like on the play he found Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the opposite corner with an absolute frozen rope, hitting KCP in the shooting pocket.
“Well, I guess the best teacher in life is experience, and I’ve been in really big games,” James said. “So, for me to be able to be a calming factor for our team late game, it’s just the experience that I have.
“If it’s me with the ball, without the ball, being able to put guys in the right position, just trying to talk them through if the other team make a run, come to the sideline, ‘We’re good. Let’s move on to the next play, and let’s figure out how we can be better for this play and the rest of the game.’”
The Sixers are 5-1. They’ve beaten the reigning champs twice already and have been finding ways to win close games.
Are you having fun yet, Philly?
LeBron James sure is.
“I’m having a great time,” he said. “I love what we’re bringing to the table every night. I love our competitive spirit. Guys show up to work. Guys are ready to work hard, and it’s a fun group too. I think I’ve said it before, I’m like a big ass kid, to be completely honest. But these guys are great to be around, and I’m more than happy that I made the decision to come.”
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 30: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics celebrates during the game against the Chicago Bulls during the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup on October 30, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
BOSTON — It took only five minutes for Payton Pritchard to find his rhythm. He needed the next five to answer head coach Joe Mazzulla’s call Friday night against the Bulls to begin Boston’s NBA Cup run.
Pritchard grabbed an offensive rebound by successfully boxing out 6-foot-9 Matas Buzelis before finishing the putback in the second quarter. On the next possession, he knocked down his third 3-pointer of the night, prompting Chicago to call a timeout. Mazzulla was waiting for him on the sideline, greeting Pritchard with a huge hug.
“Joe challenged me,” Pritchard said after Boston’s 125-111 NBA Cup win. “I feel like in the first four games my defensive activity and my rebounding have been poor. Obviously, that’s coming in and out, fluctuating minutes. So challenging me to step up in that area, and I think the hug was for me doing that and him being thankful I’m doing it.”
Mazzulla wanted the scrappy, menacing version of Pritchard to appear on both sides of the floor. He wanted the guard who gives opposing teams headaches offensively and defensively by going the extra mile. In return, Pritchard tapped into his 8-Mile persona.
With legendary rapper 50 Cent seated courtside next to the Tatum family, Pritchard unleashed his inner P-Rabbit against the Bulls, and Mazzulla’s excitement was shared by the rest of the team.
Paul George, Hugo González and Mike Conley were among those who rushed toward Pritchard before Mazzulla could get to him. For the second time this week, Pritchard turned Chicago’s defense into his own personal playground. Only this time, his impact extended well beyond scoring, as he made his presence felt in multiple areas of the floor.
Pritchard is in his seventh season with the Celtics and has already been a vital part of a championship team. He’s brought home a Sixth Man of the Year Award and recently signed a two-year, $44.2 million contract extension before the start of the season. But in Mazzulla’s eyes, there is still plenty of untapped potential within the undersized 6-foot-1 guard.
“I think Payton’s a guy that gets better every year, and I think the sky’s the limit for him,” Mazzulla said. “I think he hasn’t completely tapped into the player that he can become, and that’s just being complete on both ends of the floor and not being defined by one thing. In tonight’s game, you saw the absolute best version of him.”
Usually, Pritchard is perceived as an outside shooting threat — which he is. But to Mazzulla’s point, Friday night was a prime example of what else Pritchard can offer.
Offense is where Pritchard warmed up. He fed Neemias Queta for short-distance floaters, drew contact from Leonard Miller to convert an and-one opportunity, and kept the scoring fluid. On the other side, he recorded two steals and three rebounds, twice forcing the Bulls to take timeouts after crowd-erupting plays.
Pritchard’s versatility is nothing new. He’s proven capable of impacting winning as both a starter and a reserve, finding different ways to contribute regardless of his role. But when playing alongside stars like Jayson Tatum and George, and defensive standouts like Derrick White and González, some of those abilities tend to get overlooked. Other times, Pritchard’s opportunities to showcase his ability to disrupt opposing offenses are limited.
However, that wasn’t the case for the second of two against the Bulls.
Chicago had 99 problems, and Pritchard was the biggest one. He finished with a game-high 30 points on 9-of-17 shooting, and went a perfect 9-for-9 from the charity stripe.
Boston’s brand new bright green, gray, and gold NBA Cup court quickly became Pritchard’s stage. He understood the task Mazzulla bestowed upon him and viewed it as a “privilege” more than anything else.
“Pressure is a privilege,” Pritchard explained. “I’m gonna go through ups and downs, but it’s gonna make me better. And I’m gonna figure out how to be a complete player. I’ll catch my stride in all those areas and just get better and better.
Pritchard added: “I appreciate Joe testing me and challenging me to be better because the team needs me to be better, and that’s what I want. So it’s a good thing.”
With a great degree of responsibility Pritchard is poised to shoulder this season, those opportunities won’t be limited to Boston’s NBA Cup opener. It’s still early in the team’s 2026-27 season, meaning the coaching staff is still figuring out the cast and how to best maximize the group.
“As we continue to grow as a team and he continues to grow as a player, being a complete player on both ends of the floor really helps us take it to a different level,” Mazzulla said. “He’s got more in the tank. He’s a kid that can continue to get better and better. I like pushing him, I like coaching him, and I love him like a brother.”
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - OCTOBER 22: Chet Holmgren #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during pregame against the Denver Nuggets at Paycom Center on October 22, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Joshua Gateley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
24-year-old Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren’s growing injury history in his young NBA career is catching up to him. If you recollect, the Gonzaga Bulldog sat out his entire true rookie campaign in 2022-23 with a Lisfranc ligament tear in his right foot suffered during a Seattle CrawsOver Pro-Am game in August of 2022, while guarding then Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James on a fast break.
Now three games into his 2026-27 season, Holmgren is expected to be out 8-to-10 weeks after undergoing a biological treatment to address a small patellar tendon tear.
Oklahoma City Thunder's Chet Holmgren underwent treatment Friday to address a small patellar tendon tear and is expected to return to play in 8-to-10 weeks.
The 7-1, now 215-pound slenderman put on two pounds during these past summer months. While that may not seem like much to the basic eye, that was a somewhat substantial growth for a player of his stature.
It’s extremely difficult for an athlete like Holmgren to put on any visible weight or muscle mass, a talking point that has been following the former five-star recruit since his high school/AAU days with Minnehaha Academy and Team Sizzle on the Under Armour circuit in the state of Minnesota. The same basketball programs that his fellow Zag brother, Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs, was a part of.
After getting drafted with the 2nd overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft by general manager Sam Presti, Holmgren has still found an enermous amount of success despite all the health setbacks that will undoubetly follow him for the rest of his career. The 2021-22 West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year has added to his resume a 2025 NBA title and 2026 NBA All-Star appearance most recently. Before that championship run in November of 2024, Holmgren was out for three months with a right iliac wing (pelvis) fracture.
Unfortunately, it’s not just him who has been hit with the injury bug within the Oklahoma City organization at this early point of the NBA calendar year. In the first two weeks alone, two additional starters have gone down for the Thunder.
Guard Jalen Williams – fractured left fibula/dislocated ankle Guard Cason Wallace – torn labrum in his left shoulder
Williams, a lottery pick at No. 12 in the same 2022 NBA Draft from the Santa Clara Broncos, had the most severe of it all. Much too gruesome of an unfortunate live-action fall to share, the absolute worst that can came out of the game of basketball.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
The Sixers didn’t need their 22-time All-Star to do it all Friday night.
Still, they needed him to be what everyone pictures when they hear LeBron James — no caveats about being almost 42 years old, saving his best for bigger games or memories of what he was once.
“Best game all around,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said of James. “He’s been good, but that was his best game for sure.”
There have always been elements of James’ greatness that would stick out to someone who didn’t know the rules of basketball. He’s a physical force who muscles through defenses, fires astounding passes and lofts in elegant fadeaway jumpers. James’ clutch plays Friday included a late mid-range bucket over OG Anunoby and a game-icing put-back layup with 11.9 seconds left off of Tyrese Maxey’s miss.
His game has always had a subtle side, too.
“Leadership,” Maxey said after his 27-point outing. “Calming presence. He helped get a lot of rebounds. He’d help get the ball and calm it down.
“He was great. At the end of the day, it’s LeBron James. At the end of the day, he can do stuff like he did tonight, getting a couple of big buckets.”
Maxey handled his postgame media duties in the Sixers’ locker room before James. The All-NBA guard was ready to go but realized he didn’t have a shirt, so James tossed him one. Though perhaps a bit baggy, it got the job done.
“He has never been late for a workout,” James said. “This is Tyrese’s seventh year with the Sixers? We’ve worked out for six straight summers and he’s never been late. And he actually tried to beat me to a couple workouts, and he was successful. Then I started showing up a lot earlier and he was like, ‘OK, you’ve got it from there.’ But that’s when I knew he was going to be great.”
As the NBA’s all-time minutes leader, James has seen just about every scenario the Sixers might face this season.
He hasn’t been hesitant to share what he knows down the stretch of tight games.
“I guess the best teacher in life is experience,” he said. “I’ve been in really big games. If you’ve covered this sport, I think I’ve done some of (the most) huge games this sport has every seen. For me to able to be a calming factor for our team late in the game, it’s just the experience that I have.
“If it’s me with the ball, me without the ball, being able to just put guys in the right positions, talking through it. If the other team makes a run, coming to the sideline: ‘You good? Let’s move on to the next play. Let’s figure out how we can be better for this play and the rest of the game.’ It’s something that I’ll continue to pour into the team.”
Some of those steadying words were vital for the Sixers on Friday.
They squandered a lead as high as 14 points. Knicks star Jalen Brunson nudged his way into the late-game limelight, as he so often does. The Sixers’ offense stalled for stretches of the second half and the Knicks beat them to crucial offensive rebounds. The game seemed like it might be slipping away.
James and the Sixers rescued it.
“He gives us tremendous leadership,” Nurse said. “He really helps with the organization on the floor. I think great players make those around them better, and I think he does that. And it’s in a lot of ways. It’s talking, it’s passing, it’s organization, it’s confidence.”
“I’m having a great time,” James said. “I love what we’re bringing to the table every night. I love our competitive spirit. Guys show up to work, guys are ready to work hard.
“And it’s a fun group, too. … These guys are great to be around and I’m more than happy that I made the decision to come here.”
