DENVER, COLORADO - NOVEMBER 22: Naji Marshall #13 of the Dallas Mavericks dunks against the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter of the Emirates NBA Cup at Ball Arena on November 22, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. 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 Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If Naji Marshall doesn’t watch himself, the Dallas Mavericks are going to have an international incident on their hands.
It came after a practice session in Southern China as the team prepares for two preseason games against the Houston Rockets. The two teams will play on both Friday and Sunday.
Marshall apparently brought down a rim during the Mavs’ first practice session in China. He was proud of his work, taking time to snap some photos with his trophy before teammate Dereck Lively II slung it over his shoulder and carted it back toward the locker room like a felled piece of game in the wild.
But Marshall’s violent streak didn’t stop there. I mean, you can’t take this guy anywhere, apparently.
He broke a folding chair in the arena after the fact.
“No disrespect — I think I’m took big for China,” Marshall said in the video.
Mavs fans are hoping he brings the same destructive mindset to the court this year as he did last season, when he averaged a career-high mark of 15.2 points on 51% shooting from the field in 29.5 minutes per game, which is also a new career-high.
“Now that Willie, we linked up again, I feel like I’m comfortable. Going into the season, it makes it much more easier,” Marshall told Dallas Sports Journal during training camp. “I feel like easier communication, understanding that we really know each other and he knows how to get to me, I know how to talk to him. So I think it’s beautiful. … He just helped me be more of a dog. Worry less about things I couldn’t control, control what I can. Just worrying about what helps the team and stop worrying so much about myself. For real, a lot of different things, life outside of basketball, he taught me some stuff.”
The Mavericks’ preseason schedule begins on Friday, with a pair of preseason games this weekend at Macao’s Venetian Arena. Tipoff on Friday is scheduled for 7 a.m., and tipoff on Sunday is at the ungodly hour of 5 a.m., which will be an early measuring stick for your status as a Mavs sicko.
Both games will be televised on NBA TV, and for those who don’t get that channel, the Mavericks have you covered, with a stream of both games available here.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 05: Cameron Carr #43 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after making a three-point shot against the Sacramento Kings in the second half of a preseason game at Golden 1 Center on October 05, 2026 in Sacramento, California. 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 Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In his first career NBA preseason game, Cameron Carr tallied 19 points (7-of-13 shooting, 3-of-7 from deep), three rebounds, two assists and two steals. He flashed impressive range and a smooth stroke beyond the arc and an ability to take tight routes around screens for space, and looked incredibly fluid covering ground with his 6-foot-5 frame and 7-foot-1 wingspan.
Despite the encouraging preseason opener, Carr conceded postgame there were some jitters flowing through his body.
“I was definitely nervous. It’s real. It’s human so I was definitely nervous,” he told reporters after the Los Angeles Lakers’ 127-103 victory. “But it’s basketball. I enjoy it and have fun, so got to go out there with another opportunity to play basketball and now at the highest level. It’s fun to get to compete with my guys.”
At Baylor a season ago, Carr shot 60.2% on 2-pointers and 37.4% from 3-point range on 6.1 attempts per game. Monday night, he appeared confident as a long-range shooter with seven attempts in 23 minutes and really did seem to read space well inside the arc (4-of-6 shooting on 2s), whether it was efficiently curling around screens to shoot or running in the open floor.
The Lakers’ wing room is crowded — even if not among the roster’s standout areas — with guys like Quentin Grimes, Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle and Jake LaRavia (not to mention, Austin Reaves), so it’ll be interesting to see how much serious burn Carr could garner this season. Presumably, he’ll spend a good bit of time in the G League with the South Bay Lakers, receiving plenty of playing time to refine his game, improve his physicality and add strength.
Regardless of how seriously he factors into the Lakers’ rotation this year, his outing Monday night was a positive showing during his first taste of real NBA basketball. Based on his own assessment, it sounds as though he’s ready to keep building on that performance and help the Lakers whenever his number is called.
“Every chance I get to step on the court,” he said, “[I’m] just growing in areas and just getting more comfortable with just playing in the offense and being more efficient.”
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 5: Ariel Hukporti #55 of the Philadelphia 76ers is helped off the court after an injury against the New York Knicks 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
When Ariel Hukporti went down in the opening minutes of the Sixers’ preseason opener, it didn’t look good.
Now we know Hukporti suffered a torn Achilles in his right leg, which will sideline the center for the entire 2026-27 season. The team announced he will have surgery “later today.”
Early in the first quarter, Hukporti was looking good against his former team, the New York Knicks, getting the start for the resting Joel Embiid. Then, while guarding former teammate Karl-Anthony Towns, Hukporti went down — there was no contact and Hukporti seemed to know the severity immediately, staying on the ground while grabbing his right leg.
The 24-year-old center, who was born in Germany, began his professional career overseas. During the 2022 preseason, he ruptured his left Achilles while playing for Melborne United of the NBL in Australia. He was selected in the second round of the NBA draft by the Knicks in 2024 and spent the first two seasons of his career in New York.
It’s an injury you hate to see for any player, but especially one in Hukporti’s situation. He served as the Knicks’ third-string center last season and came to the Sixers in free agency this offseason. He was set to compete with the incumbent Adem Bona to be the team’s primary backup five. With Bona sidelined with a foot sprain, Hukporti seemed to be taking advantage of the opportunity. Now, he’ll spend this upcoming season rehabbing.
It puts the Sixers in a tough spot. Backup center is an evergreen position of need here given Embiid’s injury history. With Hukporti going down, Bona is the only true center on the roster, with guys like Jabari Walker and Dominick Barlow capable of providing the team a small-ball five look. Even Exhibit 10 signee Tacko Fall is on the shelf with a hip strain and might not return to action in time to earn the Sixers’ final two-way spot.
Part of the issue for the Sixers is that final two-way spot is all that’s available to them to make an addition at the moment. Remember, the Sixers are hard-capped at the first apron since they accessed the full non-taxpayer MLE. They have an open roster spot, but not enough space below the first apron to make a minimum signing until December.
It’s a real test for Mike Gansey’s front office after a sensational offseason.
DENVER, CO - OCTOBER 4: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Denver Nuggets plays defense on Lauri Markkanen #23 of the Utah Jazz during the NBA preseason on October 4, 2026 at CU Events Center, Boulder, Colorado. 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
After a solid preseason opener, the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets shift to Salt Lake City for part 2. One talking point which will undoubtedly be repeated hundreds of times over the course of the season will be this: The tank has been parked, hopefully forever. The Jazz are trying to win and it’s apparent even during preseason.
All eyes are on Jazz rookie Darryn Petersen, who had a rather pedestrian 3/6/2 in 19 forgettable minutes. This is not a cause for panic. Rookies do rookie things. This man has all the tools he needs to be a special player and is in the perfect system to succeed now and continue development. The thing to watch as Will Hardy and the Jazz iron out their wrinkles is whether or how Petersen and Keyonte George share the floor. How does Coach Hardy balance his attack so both guards get their shots? Keyonte had a solid game last night. It appears that he is going to earn every bit of his new contract and then some:
Both guards started game 1, but don’t be surprised to see Ace Bailey or even Svi Mykhailiuk slide into the 2 spot tonight for evaluation. A Keyonte/Ace/Lauri/JJJ/Nurkić lineup would boast a whopping average height of 6’9″ and presents interesting problems for opposing defenses.
Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets—How to Watch:
Who: Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets
Where: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
When: 7pm Mountain Daylight Time
How to Watch: KJZZ, Jazz+ (in market) or NBA League Pass (out of market)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 7: Anthony Rizzo particpates in a pregame segment on NBC Sports prior to a game between the Chicago Cubs and the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field on June 7, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The former Yankee joined NBC Sports broadcast team as an “Inside the Pitch” analyst this season and shared his perspective from the booth as the Yankees swept the Red Sox in two games. He’s been back at Yankee Stadium for a few games during the season, but Rizzo explained that returning to the Bronx this time in late September felt a lot different.
“The drive to the stadium for the first game was a different feeling,” Rizzo told Pinstripe Alley. “I was like ‘Oh wow, I’m driving into a playoff game but I’m not playing.‘ I had a little bit of adrenaline going, but had to relax because I’m on the broadcast team now.”
However, after watching Payton Tolle ply his craft and Cam Schlittler throw consistently over 100 mph throughout the battle in Game 1, Rizzo admitted he was ultimately glad he wasn’t facing either. He also shared that the atmosphere in the Bronx during the playoffs is so uniquely intense that it makes a huge impact in every at bat.
“When the momentum is going it’s all sunshine and rainbows,” Rizzo said. “On the other end, when it’s not going well, that Yankee Stadium crowd can suffocate the home team. It’s really important as a player to get the crowd behind you in a good way, because we all know that Yankees fans are very passionate and will let you know how they’re feeling immediately. When the Bronx Zoo is Bronx Zooing, there’s no better place.”
Following the series sweep that sent the Yankees to face the Rays in the ALDS, Rizzo shared his key to get ahead of Tampa Bay as they look to advance to their first ALCS since Rizzo’s own playing days in pinstripes, back in 2024.
“If they can keep the Rays’ big three, Díaz, Aranda, and Caminero Jr. at bay, I think they have a great chance. At the end of the day, it’s all about timely hitting.”
Down 0-2 in the series following the 5-2 loss, the Yankees will look to stay alive as they return to the electric Bronx atmosphere for Game 3 on Wednesday night.
The purple colorway of the Adidas produced shoe dropped with a video – made by PrizePicks – of Anthony's brother, Bubba Edwards, and his childhood best friend, Nick Maddox, "delivering" the new purple colorway to a crowd of people in Minnesota.
Edwards said in an email to USA TODAY that the purple 3s were "the hardest shoes we’ve put out yet."
"I know people have been clamoring for the purple, so here they are," Edwards said.
"'Hey Ant Man, can you drop your purple shoes,' said four kids in Minnesota," Drake says in the ad.
The Edwards video closes with a graphic that says "no one likes a yes man."
Edwards said that the Nike ad was a sign he is "doing something right."
"He’s not the first to take a shot and he won't be the last. I love it. I love talkin' trash and I love the game," Edwards said.
The Timberwolves and the Rockets are slated to play on Nov. 4. When asked if the ads will come up during the game, Edwards said that he would "probably be locked in on the game."
"Now when we beat them, I'll definitely have something to say," he added.
Edwards, PrizePicks announce partnership
The video comes as a part of the reveal of a partnership between Edwards and PrizePicks with the former being the company's first NBA brand ambassador.
"On the day Drake and KD called out Anthony, we immediately pitched a member of Ant’s team that it would be hilarious to kick off the partnership by delivering purple AE3s to fans in Minnesota," Joey Molko, Senior Vice President of Partnerships at PrizePicks told USA TODAY in an email.
Edwards said that he chose to partner with PrizePicks because the company allows him to "connect with fans in a fun way."
"I love that PrizePicks is an Atlanta-based company that moves with an energy that felt like a great fit," the Atlanta native said. "I’ve seen the impact they've made in my home city, and they’re committed to helping me do even more in Atlanta and Minnesota."
The partnership continues a trend of NBA stars partnering with gaming and prediction market companies.
LeBron James’ previous deal with DraftKings recently expired, but he since partnered with Polymarket. In February 2026, Giannis Antetokounmpo took a passive equity stake in Kalshi that is less than 1%, and he’s doing promotional work for the prediction market. Boardroom, a sports and entertainment media network co-founded by Kevin Durant, has partnered with FanDuel, with Durant frequently appearing in ads and even floating proposed parlay bets that fans and users can tail.
As the 2026/27 Sheffield Shield season gets underway on Wednesday, there’s never been a better time for an Australian domestic cricketer to hit a rich vein of form.
Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale throws during a spring training workout Thursday, Feb. 27th at CoolToday Park in North Port. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
Both the Tampa Bay Rays and the Chicago White Sox took big steps toward wrapping up their ALDS series early as they won on Monday to take 2-0 leads over the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians. The Yankees just fell apart defensively behind their ace, probably AL Cy Young winner Cam Schlittler. The Rays don’t strike out much, and their mix of contact and speed, a mix the Tigers are finally working towards themselves, just had the Yankees flummoxed all game long while Freddy Peralta threw a good game for them.
Meanwhile, the Guardians just aren’t hitting much at all, and with Jose Ramirez a non-factor, it’s hard to see that changing too much under the pressure of needing to win three straight games now to advance. The White Sox just seem to have the vibes, and after dismissing them for about 15 years everytime they put together a solid roster, and being correct, I am no longer feeling that way. That’s a hungry young team playing loose and getting it done right now. We’ll see if they can put the series away on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, it will be the National League back in action, while the American League teams take a travel day to the lower seeds’ parks for Game 3 and 4, if necessary. The Brewers can knock out the Padres in Petco Park, while the Dodgers head to Truist Park in Atlanta tied 1-1 with the Braves.
Here are today’s matchups.
Dodgers at Braves: Truist Park, 6:00 p.m. ET on FS1
RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (14-9, 2.53 ERA) takes on LHP Chris Sale (14-9, 2.16 ERA).
Brewers at Padres: Petco Park, 9:30 p.m. ET on FS1
RHP Dustin May (7-9, 4.70 ERA) vs. RHP Nick Pivetta (3-2, 2.86 ERA)
Los Angeles, CA - August 16, 2026: Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) and Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Miguel Rojas (72) talk in the dugout before an MLB game against the Milwaukee Brewers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The Dodgers have a tall task against a rested Chris Sale in Game 3 of the National League Division Series, after scoring three runs in 16 innings against the ace left-hander during the regular season. They also will have Shohei Ohtani batting fifth, his lowest spot in a starting lineup since 2020 with the Angels.
“I think moving him from 1 to 2 — but going further than that? I’m open to it,” Roberts said Monday. “And it’s something that if I do, I would obviously have the conversation with Shohei to explain why.”
The Dodgers are also looking for their first hit with a runner in scoring position in the series, with a related problem that they only have 10 plate appearances in those situations through two games. For what it’s worth, the Braves only have 14 plate appearances with runners in scoring position, and have just one single in 10 at-bats.
Scoring has been very hard to come by in this series, other than when hitting a ball over the wall — none of which have come with more than a runner on first base.
With the left-hander Sale on the mound, the Dodgers once again have Miguel Rojas starting, after the veteran batted .293/.340/.469 with a 121 wRC+ against lefties this season.
Rojas got one at-bat in Game 2 against southpaw opener Ray Kerr, and doubled, before Max Muncy pinch-hit for him in the fourth inning. He has two singles in 13 career at-bats against Sale, including one of the Dodgers’ five hits in Sale’s shutout win on August 27.
Rojas plays second for Tommy Edman and bats sixth, and Kiké Hernández is starting at third base in place of Muncy and batting ninth.
“You’ve got Kiké, you’ve got Miggy Ro, you’ve got Muncy. We’ve got good options. I don’t see Josue De Paula being an option. I don’t see myself sitting Will Smith,” Roberts said Monday. “At the end of the day, our guys are our guys. And, yeah, I can tweak a lineup. I can kind of insert, take out a player or two. But at the end of the day we still have got to go out there and play and execute and take good at-bats.”
The switch-hitting Edman usually hits lefties well — 113 wRC+ this year, 118 wRC+ career — but hasn’t done much of anything for the last two months or so, hitting .201/.294/.329 over his last 46 games, including five hitless at-bats plus a walk in the NLDS. Edman started against Sale in Atlanta on August 27, but struck out in all three at-bats against him.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made some major changes to his lineup for Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday, Oct. 6 against the Atlanta Braves.
Postseason specialist Enrique Hernandez will step in for Tommy Edman at second base and Roberts dramatically shook up the batting order.
Battling injuries late in the season, Shohei Ohtani is facing questions about his effectiveness at the plate and was moved down to hit fifth in Game 3. Ohtani went 2-for-8 (two singles) in the first two games of the series and struck out twice in the Game 2 loss on Sunday.
With the Dodgers facing a left-handed starter for the third game in a row. $240 million man Kyle Tucker, who homered in Game 1, was dropped down to eighth in the order.
Los Angeles sends last year's World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the mound for Game 3 at Truist Park. Yamamoto had a 2.53 ERA in 28 starts during the regular season and has posted a 2.25 ERA in 56 career postseason innings.
Here's the Dodgers' starting lineup for Game 3 in Georgia:
Dodgers lineup today
Mookie Betts (R) SS
Freddie Freeman (L) 1B
Teoscar Hernández (R) LF
Will Smith (R) C
Shohei Ohtani (L) DH
Miguel Rojas (R) 2B
Andy Pages (R) CF
Kyle Tucker (L) RF
Enrique Hernández (R) 3B
Where to watch Dodgers vs Braves today: TV channel, streaming
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OAKLAND, CA - OCTOBER 20, 1988: General Manager Fred Claire, second from left, of the Los Angeles Dodgers being interviewed by CBS sports broadcaster Bob Costas, second from right, while Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley, far left, and manager Tommy Lasorda (C) holds the world series trophy after the Dodger beat the Oakland Athletics in game 5 to win the 1988 World Series, October 20, 1988 at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Dodgers won the series 4-1. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Fred Claire, the general manager of the World Series-winning Dodgers in 1988 and a longtime public relations executive with the team, died at his home in Pasadena on Monday night, his 91st birthday.
Claire’s time as Dodgers general manager was bookended by sudden upheaval. First in 1987, after Al Campanis was fired for his racist remarks about Black players and managers in baseball on the ABC show Nightline, Claire was plucked by owner Peter O’Malley to take over as GM after 18 seasons in the PR department. Then in 1998, Claire was ousted along with manager Bill Russell once the team’s sale to Fox was finalized.
In between, the Dodgers made the playoffs three times in Claire’s 10 full seasons as general manager, including winning the World Series in 1988.
The Dodgers after winning the National League West in 1985 lost 89 games in consecutive years, and Claire was a busy man in his first offseason as general manager after the 1987 season. The Dodgers were in talks to trade Pedro Guerrero to the Detroit Tigers for Kirk Gibson, but there was also the pending decision in MLB’s collusion case that would eventually make Gibson a free agent later that winter. The Dodgers in December signed Gibson, who won National League MVP and authored one of the most famous home runs in baseball history, hitting a walk-off home run off Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.
The Dodgers in December also signed outfielder Mike Davis, who averaged 22 home runs in each of the previous three seasons in Oakland. Davis was very bad in his time with the Dodgers, but did draw a pinch-hit walk ahead of Gibson’s home run in the World Series, and also homered in the Game 5 clincher in Oakland.
At the winter meetings, Claire was in simultaneous talks with the Toronto Blue Jays (for shortstop Manuel Lee), New York Mets, and Oakland A’s. After an all-night session of talks, the Dodgers on December 11 made a three-team deal that sent pitchers Bob Welch and Matt Young to Oakland, and Jack Savage to New York, with shortstop Alfredo Griffin plus relievers Jay Howell and Jesse Orosco going to the Dodgers.
“I knew that we had to do several things to improve,” Fred Claire told True Blue LA in 2017. “We went into those meetings with three things that had to be accomplished. We had to have a shortstop to stabilize our infield. We needed a closer and we needed a left-handed relief pitcher. It’s one thing to target one player or one position, but we had three needs.”
As luck would have it, the Dodgers would play the 100-win Mets in the National League Championship Series and the 104-win A’s in the World Series that year. They beat them both.
“Fred brought many victories and Dodger legends to our franchise, as well as the 1988 World Series title, and we are forever grateful for his leadership during such a memorable era,” Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten said Tuesday. “Our hearts go out to his wife Sheryl and his family.”
The Dodgers under Claire also made the playoffs in 1995 as NL West champions and in 1996 as a wild card team. In 1994, after contract talks to retain Jody Reed stalled, so Claire traded for another infielder, getting Delino DeShields from the Montreal Expos. Going the other way was undersized 22-year-old right-hander Pedro Martínez, who would later win three Cy Young Awards, make eight All-Star teams, and sail into the Hall of Fame.
Claire was born in Ohio but moved with his family to California as a teenager and graduated from Torrance High School before earning a journalism degree from San Jose State in 1957.
He worked at the Whittier Daily News before moving to the Pomona Progress-Bulletin, where he was sports editor for seven of his nine and a half years at the newspaper. In 1968, Claire moved to the Long Beach Independent Press-Telegram to cover the Angels, and moved to the Dodgers beat in 1969, before getting hired by the team in July 1969 in public relations, becoming a vice president in that department in 1975.
When he was hired from the PR department as general manager in April 1987, Claire was aware of the criticisms coming his way for lack of experience, and speculation that his GM tenure might be a short-term affair.
The Atlanta Braves have a chance to take a series lead in the NLDS against the Dodgers at home these evening behind Chris Sale.
The pitching is what has been given a lot of love by the media and fans alike for good reason for the Braves, but the offense has been the unsung hero. Sure, the offense has not set the world on fire, but there have been quite a few small things that has really stuck out.
During the regular season the Braves were so bad at drawing walks, that only two teams in MLB has worse walk rates. In the postseason, the Braves are first in walks. A key player in that has been Ozzie Albies.
The Braves also lead in HRs, 2Bs, and TBs. If they keep getting runners on, it will eventually lead to more runs than what we are seeing. That is easier said than done against this Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but it is a good sign. Yamamoto has only surrendered one earned run against the Braves in 16.1 innings.
So far in the postseason the question about the lineup has been which player Walt Weiss is going to put in the DH slot.
The biggest change from last game is the Ha-Seong Kim will be playing SS with Mauricio Dubón shifting back to LF. Of course, this means Lane Thomas will not be getting the start. Murphy is staying at DH, apparently due to Weiss liking him to be available pinch hit for him easily whenever he wants.
Rowdy isn’t in today’s lineup. This weekend, Walt said he likes to have Murphy at DH and Baldwin at C because it allows him to PH for Murph at the right point of a game https://t.co/NxHgAHNxuS
This strategy does hold some weight, but a lot of Murphy’s value is in his defense. You could also shift Baldwin catcher mid-game if you prefer to have Murphy catcher when a pinch hitter comes in for Murphy. The assumption would be that Weiss does not like to swap catchers mid-game.
One would have thought that the Dodgers would be deploying a similar lineup like the one they had against Chris Sale since he and Kerr are both lefties, but there have been some major changes where certain starters will be fitting in the lineup.
Surprisingly Ohtani will be hitting fifth and Tucker is dropping all the way down to eighth. Rojas will be at 2B today instead of 3B and move of to hitting sixth while Kiké Hernández will be playing 3B and Edman will not be starting.
The Florida Panthers will play in their fourth straight home opener on Tuesday night.
Florida’s season-opening four-game road trip will come to an end, finally, when they visit the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena.
Through their first two road games, the Kings have had a hard time keeping the puck out of the net this season.
While it’s a good thing to have scored eight goals in only two games, the Kings have also been outscored by five despite the offensive output.
They’ll turn back to Darcy Kuemper between the pipes on Thursday, giving him a chance to bounce back after an extremely forgettable Opening Night in Colorado.
Kuemper surrendered seven goals to the Avalanche on just 29 shots last Wednesday night, so he’ll certainly be looking to rebound and get his season off on the right track.
Florida, meanwhile, leads all NHL teams that have played at least three games by allowing only one goal at 5-on-5.
They’ve allowed four goals while shorthanded, with a paltry 71.4% success rate on their penalty kill so far on 14 attempts. Clearly that is an area they’ll look to clean up, starting in Los Angeles.
For those who may be wondering, the Kings have gone 2-for-7 on the power play so far this season, good for a 28.6% success rate, ranking them ninth in the league. Florida sits in 22nd with just one power play goal in 17 attempts.
The only teams below the Panthers are ones who have yet to score a power play goal this season.
Florida won both games against the Kings last season, including a 5-2 victory in Los Angeles last November.
Brad Marchand scored twice that night, while Niko Mikkola added a pair of assists in the win.
Both will be counted on for Florida in their return to LA.
Marchand is coming off his regular season debut on Sunday in Anaheim, a game in which he was critical of himself despite scoring a game-tying goal late in the third period.
Mikkola, who will be skating in his 400th NHL game on Tuesday, has yet to find the scoresheet this season, but he and defensive partner Seth Jones have provided excellent shutdown defense at even strength so far this season.
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Tuesday’s tilt with the Kings:
Brady Tkachuk – Sam Reinhart – Brad Marchand
Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sandis Vilmanis
Photo caption: Sep 29, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA;FloridaPanthersleft wing Brady Tkachuk (8) passes during the second period against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 27: A closeup view of the Texas Rangers logo on the Nike jersey worn by Josh Jung #6 prior to a game against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on September 27, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Its a Tuesday afternoon, and LDS games don’t start for a few more hours.
I could write something about the Rangers, but I don’t feel like it. So instead, I am offering up a trivia question.
Once again, a couple of rules…
1 — Put a spoiler over your answer in the comments.
2 — Don’t go digging around on baseball sites to try to discover the answer. This is a trivia question, not a scavenger hunt.
Here is an alphabetical list of former major league Texas Rangers position players:
Doug Davis (the catcher, not the pitcher)
Greg Golson
Mark Parent
Luis Pujols
Ryan Roberts
Rob Sasser
These players all have something in common, and this is a complete list of every former Ranger baseball player who has this commonality (so, for example, the answer can’t be “Rangers players who have never been in my kitchen,” because Carlos Tocci and Mason Tobin and Keith Smith, among others, also haven’t been in your kitchen).
Can you guess what all these players have in common?
SACRAMENTO, CA - OCTOBER 5: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots a free throw during the game against the Sacramento Kings during a 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 5, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After not playing in an organized basketball game since April 2, Luka Dončić returned to the floor Monday night for the Los Angeles Lakers in their 127-103 victory over the Sacramento Kings. He recorded 21 points (5-of-12 shooting), three assists (five turnovers), two rebounds and two steals in 16 minutes of action. Following the game, Dončic, who spent the final month of 2025-26 and much of the offseason rehabbing from a Grade 2 hamstring strain, offered a reassuring report on his status.
“I felt great, honestly,” he told reporters Monday night. “The whole team was just moving faster. But me, personally, I think I felt great.”
Typically a mainstay on the Slovenian national team during tournaments and qualifying play, Dončić sat out this summer’s World Cup qualifying games while he recovered from last season’s injury. As such, he went more than half a year between basketball games and is happy to be back on the court.
“I missed it a lot. Basketball is one of the best things in my life and I missed it a lot,” he said. “It’s been, what, five, six months I think? Being back for the games, being competitive, it’s just a lot of fun for me and I’m really happy to be back.”
Although Dončić has rarely missed extended time in his career, he has been a bit banged up over the years, especially the past couple seasons. Only twice has he missed 10 or fewer regular-season games, which happened in 2018-19 (his rookie year) and 2020-21, though he’s also only missed more than 20 games once (2024-25). The Lakers will need as much from him as possible this season to vie for home-court advantage against teams like the Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets, so they’ll hope his lengthy layoff and unfortunate end to 2025-26 ultimately proves beneficial in 2026-27.
Individually, a healthy campaign would also aid his chances of an MVP honor. He’s finished among the top five in MVP voting four times and been named All-NBA First Team six times but just once has he earned a top-three finish. If he can play, say, 74 games this year, he’ll have a much better chance at finally adding an MVP trophy to all those impressive All-NBA First Team bids.
