PORTLAND, OR - OCTOBER 29: Cameron Boozer #27 of the Memphis Grizzlies handles the ball during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on October 29, 2026 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. 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 Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Over at CBS’s Eye on College Basketball podcast, Gary Parrish, who lives in Memphis, has really taken to Grizzlies rookie Cameron Boozer. On the most recent episode, he raved about Boozer being the second-youngest NBA player to record a triple-double, and in just his fifth game, which is remarkable.
Using his typical hyperbole, he said that Boozer could come back to college basketball in his spare time and help his team to win there, too.
While that’s a bit silly, his sentiment is not far off. In fact, we could start to call it the Boozer Effect. What’s the Boozer Effect?
That’s simple: his teams usually win.
Memphis, projected to be in a rebuilding year, is instead off to a 6-0 start, and is the only NBA team still undefeated after knocking off Sacramento Saturday night, 136-105. Boozer finished with 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists (on the downside, he had 7 turnovers).
Memphis’s primary rotation players, aside from Boozer, are journeyman Ty Jerome, Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, Jerami Grant, Zach Edey, Cam Spencer, Isaiah Stewart, Scotty Pippen, Jr., GG Jackson, and Quinten Post.
Coward is a promising young player, and Edey is massive, but the other guys are basically role players. And now, Jerome and Pippen are both having back issues, while Edey is on a minutes restriction as he continues to work his way back from last season’s injury.
Look at it this way: if you took Boozer out of this group, where would they be?
It’s impossible to answer, but this seems obvious: they sure as hell wouldn’t be 6-0.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 18: Luis Robert Jr. #88 of the New York Mets celebrates a solo home run during the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Citi Field on August 18, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
Danny Abriano evaluated the pros and cons of the Mets signing Tarik Skubal this offseason.
Around the National League East
Former Astros general manager Dana Brown is joining the Atlanta Braves front office as a senior advisor to the amateur scouting department. Brown previously served as the Braves’ vice president of scouting from 2019 -2022.
The Good Phight continued their series on how to improve the Phillies by turning their attention to the outfield.
Federal Baseball previewed the 2027 season of Connelly Early, who the Nationals acquired from the Red Sox for Curtis Mead at the trade deadline.
Around Major League Baseball
Will Leitch of MLB.com took a look at the 13 teams (including the Mets) who have not won a World Series since MLB expanded to 30 teams in 1998 and ranked them by how likely it is that they will follow the Brewers by ending their drought. The Mets were ranked fifth.
The Orioles declined Luis Robert’s $20 million team option, making him a free agent.
Meanwhile, not surprisingly, the Rays picked up their $20 million club option on Drew Rasmussen, which makes him the highest-paid player in a single season in franchise history.
Speaking of the Rays, the Astros acquired 27-year-old Evan Reifert from Tampa Bay. Reifert put up a 2.48 ERA in 46 Triple-A appearances in the Rays organization in 2026.
Emilio Pagán declined his $10 million player option with the Cincinnati Reds and will become a free agent with a decent chance of earning a multiyear deal.
The Padres declined their $14 million club option on Nick Pivetta’s contract.
On this day 15 years ago, Mark Buerhle won his third consecutive Gold Glove. | (Photo by Chuck Rydlewski/Getty Images)
1946 Future White Sox owner (and current Cleveland owner) Bill Veeck has his right foot amputated. Veeck had suffered a grievous injury to his leg while serving in the South Pacific in World War II, and complications from that injury resulted in this dramatic development. True to his nature, however, Veeck eventually made his loss of leg (soon enough, he would lose his entire right leg, up to his knee) its own celebration of sorts, as he chose a pirate’s peg-leg rather than a more proper prosthetic — including a slot for an ashtray in the artificial leg itself!
Veeck had just completed his first partial season as a major-league owner, and he was already innovating; in Cleveland, he bucked tradition by adding National League scores to the list of “other games” on the Municipal Stadium scoreboard.
1950 After 20 years with the franchise, all-time great and career White Sox standout Luke Appling announced his retirement. He was undoubtedly the greatest player in franchise history at the time, and 72 years later comfortably remains the all-time team leader in WAR, with 77.6. He had a career average of .310, with 2,749 hits, won two batting titles, and in 1936 drove in 128 runs.
Upon retirement, Appling took a job managing the Memphis Chickasaws, Chicago’s Double-A affiliate. Over three years there, Appling was 247-216, pushing the 87-67 Chicks to a pennant in 1952 and earning minor league manager of the year honors. Appling would later manage in Triple-A and coach at the major-league level for several teams, including the White Sox (1970-71). In his only MLB managing gig, he went 10-30 managing the hapless Kansas City A’s in 1967.
1982 The White Sox named Dave Duncan their new pitching coach. The former catcher made a fast name for himself under manager Tony La Russa, but ultimately La Russa’s allegiance to Duncan cost both men their jobs, as in 1986 GM Ken Harrelson wanted Duncan dismissed, La Russa refusing.
Together the pair went on to great success in Oakland and St. Louis, and Duncan followed La Russa back to the White Sox in 2021, albeit as a front office pitching consultant, not a coach.
The White Sox traded for Duncan at the end of his career, but when the club cut him in Spring Training 1977 he opted to retire and begin a coaching career.
2011 Mark Buehrle was awarded his third straight Gold Glove — the only player in the American League to repeat the honor from 2010. Sadly, this would be Buerhle’s final Gold Glove with the White Sox, as Chicago would let him depart to the Miami Marlins as a free agent five weeks later. Buerhle won a fourth straight Gold Glove in 2012 — the final major award of his career.
2016 A name change went into effect at the ballpark formerly known as U.S. Cellular Field. The Guaranteed Rate mortgage company, based in Chicago, signed a 13-year agreement with the team for naming rights. The ballpark would be called Guaranteed Rate Field.
The announcement was met with a storm of ridicule by many — including the Chicago Bears and Chicago Cubs, who tweeted out negative comments. The company’s downward-arrow logo was met with criticism by many White Sox fans, who felt that was not an appropriate connection with a baseball team, particularly one that had been struggling for several seasons.
According to reports, the White Sox asked the company to change the logo on the ballpark sign, but were refused. Rumors also circulated that at least one other company offered more money for naming rights, but insisted on the name changing back to Comiskey Park — which owner Jerry Reinsdorf refused to do.
2018 The White Sox swapped minor league first baseman Justin Yurchak to Los Angeles for Manny Bañuelos. Signed 10 years earlier, at 17, by the Yankees, Bañuelos had spent all but six games of the previous decade working his way though the minors, save for seven games in Atlanta in 2015.
The southpaw pitched poorly in a swingman role after breaking camp with the White Sox in 2019, and then suffered shoulder inflammation in June that effectively sidelined him for the year. Overall, Bañuelos went 3-4 with a 6.93 ERA and -0,4 WAR for the year.
HOUSTON, TX - OCTOBER 31: The Houston Rockets huddle up during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on October 31, 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 Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Houston Rockets rebounded from their first loss of the season Saturday night, crushing the Oklahoma City Thunder 119-98 at the Toyota Center. Jabari Smith Jr. had 30 points and 9 rebounds; Marcus Smart added 24 points. Houston took advantage of one of the Western Conference’s top teams with a strong start, balanced scoring, and great defense for a 21-point victory.
Smith shot 10-of-18 from the field, including 6-of-12 on 3-pointers. Smart was 7-of-10 on 3-pointers as the Rockets shot 46% as a team and were 18-of-41 from behind the arc.
Jabari Smith Jr. was in his bag tonight in Houston's victory:
Alperen Sengun, who returned to the lineup after missing the last two games with lower back soreness, finished with 16 points, 9 rebounds and 10 assists, and Kevin Durant scored 14 points.
The victory was a strong comeback for Houston after it lost 116-111 to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night. The Rockets didn’t let the setback linger as they came out with vigor and took an early lead against Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma City couldn’t slow the onslaught since the club was able to share out the scoring burden. Houston also got a boost from its effort on defense, making the Thunder struggle for good shots.
The Rockets’ opening quarter set the tone for the rest of the night. Houston led Oklahoma City 35-26 after the first quarter. In the second quarter, the defense really tightened up, holding the defense to just 10 points and carrying a 55-36 lead into the half.
Oklahoma City couldn’t find its offensive rhythm in the first half. The Thunder were also without many key players in Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, and Alex Caruso, resulting in a less experienced lineup against Houston.
The Thunder tried to adjust, but Houston held on and avoided a late-game meltdown like the one it had in the previous night’s game against Dallas. The Rockets played good offense and did a good job of not letting Oklahoma City get anything going to threaten the advantage.
The victory was an especially encouraging one, since Houston made progress in a needed area. The Rockets gave up 40 points in the fourth quarter, squandered an 11-point lead, and struggled on defense against Dallas. Saturday’s performance was a lot better defensive effort and greater control of the game.
The win lifts Houston to 6-1 on the season and continues an amazing start that has the team looking like an early contender in the Western Conference. The Rockets hope to carry that energy into their next game against the Boston Celtics on Monday, November 2, in Houston. As always, be sure to check back at The Dream Shake for post- and pre-game coverage.
Los Angeles, CA - October 15: Manager Dave Roberts #30 of the Los Angeles Dodgers talks to his players after a pitching change against the Milwaukee Brewers in the fifth inning of Game 4 of a NLCS playoff baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Thursday, October 15, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
The Dodgers have three months to prepare for spring training 2027, while also figuring out what they need to do before the impending lockout begins.
Nine players from the 2026 team have now reached free agency, and Tarik Skubal is the prized possession that every team will have their eyes on this offseason. Even with Skubal’s indefinite future with the team, the Dodgers still possess one of the strongest teams not just in the National League, but in all of baseball. The triumvirate of MVPs at the top of the lineup remains a constant, and the team still has a four-headed monster in the rotation once Shohei Ohtani returns to his two-way status.
Sonja Chen of MLB.com analyzes how the Dodgers may shape up for the 2027 season— regardless of Skubal’s landing spot— signifying a potential youth movement that can help energize an aging core.
The Dodgers never shy away from bringing in free agents or swinging trades, but they should be able to upgrade some areas of their roster internally. Let’s take a stab at making a way-too-early Opening Day roster projection, exclusively with players who are already in the organization.
Stephen J. Nesbitt, Chad Jennings and Tim Britton of The Athletic have already created a way-too-early power rankings for the 2027 season. The obvious top spot goes to the now-reigning World Series champion Milwaukee Brewers, but the Dodgers are right behind them at the no. 2 spot.
The point is, even after their flaws were exposed in the National League Championship Series, these are still the Dodgers. Fourteen straight playoff appearances. Three championships in the past seven years. Five pennants in the past 10. So, yeah, whatever the new collective bargaining agreement brings, we’re guessing they’ll find a way to be pretty good next year, too.
The Dodgers are no strangers to having an exorbitant offseason, as they have shown over the last three years. The team will once again be frontrunners for high-end talent, but they might also be in the market to either acquire or send away start talent, notes Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times.
If the solution involves personnel changes, however, a trade might be necessary to shake up the Dodgers’ veteran position-player group. Whether the Dodgers would want to part with one of their clubhouse leaders, and whether another team would be interested in taking on (or the Dodgers would pay down) any of those contracts, remains to be seen.
For Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Gavin McKenna, he won't really get to have a true homecoming game in the NHL, being from Whitehorse, Yukon.
However, playing against the Vancouver Canucks in British Columbia on Saturday is the closest he'll get to that sort of experience. He's spent a large portion of his life on that side of the country, including in the off-season when he trained with San Jose Sharks superstar Macklin Celebrini.
Against the Canucks, McKenna had family in the building for what could be labelled as his pseudo home.
"Yeah, it was cool," McKenna said after playing his first NHL game in Vancouver. "Obviously, a lot of Leafs fans here as well. So, yeah, to play in front of my family. Came to a couple Canucks games growing up, so to play in that barn and play against that team was pretty cool."
As the 18-year-old continues to go through the thrill of playing in the NHL for the first time in his rookie season, he's also still learning to be a reliable player for the Maple Leafs in all situations, specifically holding on to a lead and closing out a contest.
In the midst of all that, McKenna has been thrown into several different line combinations in his young NHL career, and that requires some adapting.
"You've got to learn how to play in different situations," McKenna said. "So for me, I think, yeah, being moved around with guys, you've got to learn how to play with different guys. So when you're on one line, you could have a different role, and when you're on the next, it might be a whole different change. So for me, it's been just trying to stay simple, no matter whose line I'm on, it's just sticking with it and trying not to turn over the puck too much."
Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller spoke on McKenna's utilization in the closing moments of tight games. But also, the key aspect of the youngster growing into a true professional is balancing out his play, with his high-flying skill and being able to lock it down.
McKenna finished the game with 13:01 of ice time, and his last shift in the game ended at the 12:03 mark of the third period.
"We don't have to want him to be one or the other," Hiller said of McKenna. "Just got to learn to be what an NHL player does typically. And those players with so much skill, in the end, they get a little bit more rope. We all know that. But, you still have to just find your way as an NHL player.
"He's tremendously skilled, but he's finding his way as an NHL player. And then you learn when to manage it and when not to. And that's what he's going through right now"
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Inglewood, CA - October 28: Forward Sandro Mamukelashvili #54 of the Los Angeles Lakers passes against center Brook Lopez #11 of the LA Clippers in the second half of a NBA basketball game at Intuit Dome in Inglewood on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
The Raptors’ road trip begins with an LA double feature against the Lakers and the Clippers, starting with the boys in the gold and purple this Sunday, November 1st.
This will be Toronto’s first look at either of the Los Angeles teams this season, with both organizations boasting former Raptors under contract — on the Lakers, the beloved Georgian forward Sandro Mamukelashvili, and on the Clippers, former All-Star Brandon Ingram. While Ingram is unfortunately still facing injuries that are keeping him off the court, Mamu will be there to greet his old teammates in full force; this time, looking to topple the red and black.
Walking into Crypto.com Arena means not only saying hello to old friendly faces, but staring into the face of some serious adversaries, no one more prominent among them than Luka Dončić. Dončić has won four of his last five contests against the Raptors, and remains a part of a team that has an even more prominent winning streak against Toronto: the Raptors haven’t won against the Lakers since December of 2022, and will be going into this matchup looking to end this longstanding history.
In many respects, the Toronto Raptors have matured this year, even beyond the acquisition of Kawhi Leonard. The Raptors are neither a “young” team nor an “old” team at this point. Scottie Barnes is 25 years old, RJ Barrett is 26, and Immanuel Quickley is 27. But beyond age, the Raps are playing with a maturity unlike anything they’ve displayed in previous years, most prominently among them Scottie Barnes.
TORONTO, CANADA – OCTOBER 28: Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors speaks with Raegan Subban after the game against the Orlando Magic on October 28, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Still early in the season, Barnes has demonstrated that his offensive game has developed exponentially over the offseason, and since the 2026 playoffs, he has looked able to shoulder a massive two-way load, defending, facilitating, and creating his own looks. His midrange game has looked to be on-par with the greats this season, something all the more important when facing off against a team with a premiere centre. With Kawhi Leonard still out, Scottie and his teammates have stepped up to fill the void left by his phantom scoring and clamping defence, and will need every bit of paint-pounding bucket-getting and hard nosed D against the Lakers.
With a record of 4-2 on the season, the Lakers are off a three game winning streak and are equipped with weapons the Toronto Raptors will be hard-pressed to manage. Walker Kessler at 7’2” is a nightmare matchup for the Raptors, clogging the paint for RJ and Scottie, that Jakob Poeltl will need to step up in a big way for on the defensive end. Kessler can score and rebound, but is swatting shots at a disgusting rate, with 17 blocks in five games, including a 9 stock performance that made the Lakers look like they got more than their money’s worth for the big man.
Poeltl, who had a double double in a comeback game against Orlando, will likely split minutes at centre with Collin Murray-Boyles and Trayce Jackson-Davis, but as the Raptors’ starter, getting in the paint and banging with the other team’s seven-footer is going to be his primary responsibility. Yak has a chance tonight to continue his path back to the up-and-up, and the success of tonight’s game will rest in large part on his shoulders.
Containing Luka Magic and Austin Reaves is no easy feat either, but one which the Raptors are moderately more equipped to do. Scottie will likely take the Dončić assignment himself, as he matches up with with the big man’s stature and abilities the best, but to see how Ja’Kobe Walter handles Austin Reaves will be of interest as well, with the young guard suddenly thrust into the starting lineup.
Throughout the season, Barnes and Barrett have both shown that they’re capable of taking over offensively when necessary, and tonight will be a game where they will likely have to do just that. Surviving these rough matchups without Kawhi is the name of the game when making him a big part of the team, and tonight will be a chance for the Raptors to further distance themselves from the collapse in Minnesota against another top-5 guard in the league.
Welcome to Inside the Suns, a deep-dive analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team in which the Fantable — a roundtable of Bright Siders — give their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.
Fantable Questions of the Week
Q1: How long are you willing to wait (in terms of games played) to give the Suns’ starting unit time to (hopefully) gel before pronouncing it DOA and demanding changes?
zenzino: The wording of this question cracks me up. ‘Demanding changes’. Like we have any actual say in what happens.
Blow it up now! Just kidding. So much impatience. The NBA season is a marathon, not a sprint. And the starting gun just went off. What’s worse than the Suns’ play is the Suns’ schedule. 11 days into the season, and the Suns have played 3 games. Leaves us lots of time in between to contemplate the sky falling.
I’d give it 15-20 games if there were some kind of progress along the way.
All this talk about continuity seems to make us forget that the starters have a distinct lack thereof. 2 of the 5 are new to the lineup, and even the returning 3 starters of Book, Brooks, and Green had only played 10 games together before this season. This should be considered a brand new starting lineup.
While the starting 5 have not yet gelled, I think there are bigger issues throughout the lineup. As Tom wrote earlier this week, the Suns’ culture and ‘alignment’ are in question. As Keratosis pointed out in the comments, everyone is talking about trading Green, and he’s the only one who has been consistent on both ends of the court.
Of course, the players need to act like highly paid professionals. However, as I’ve maintained since the KD days, the leadership has to start at the top with the head coach. This is a huge test of Ott and probably BG because he’s so involved.
The culture and standards have to be consistently maintained and nurtured, not just given lip service. You don’t just get to pick up where you left off last season… or maybe you do, and that’s what the Suns are doing.
Ashton: Rod is setting this whole series of questions up as a chance to throw shade at the Suns. I am going to take the high road and throw shade at the Suns.
Good question? Coach Ott has now had four days to try to get his team on the same page between games. I really hope film review with the players was part of it. Coach Ott says it was a communication issue between him and the players. I am not so sure. It seems like a chemistry issue or at the very least a preparation issue.
I am just not optimistic about the Suns turning this around anytime soon, but I guess I am willing to give them four weeks to show improvement and two months before pronouncing them “DOA”. There are not many changes to demand as the starting four is basically set, but I am willing to climb on board with CG possibly starting as Green still seems to seek the ISO plays. If Booker goes off for another three points, I may seriously consider bringing in Goody’s defense in place of Booker minutes.
Rod: I’m close now, but the absences of both Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro and the total reliance on Khaman Maluach as the starting center makes me believe that I shouldn’t be too hasty. Duop Reath as the primary backup hasn’t worked out well either, but I also can’t reasonably blame all of the starters’ problems on this.
At this point, I’m kind of in a holding pattern until Oso gets healthy and we can get a look at how well things work out before giving the starting lineup the last rites. I don’t expect a miracle turnaround, but if I don’t see some evidence of better play after 10 games (following his return), then I’ll be fully on board with trying just about anything that has a chance of improving.
Starting Gillespie and moving Green to a 5th man bench role is the obvious 1st move to try. After that, I’m game with just about any other lineup experiment that has any kind of a shot at improving things.
Q2: Three games into the season and the Suns have THE worst-ranked defense in the NBA. What are your thoughts on why they’ve been so bad on D?
zenzino: It would be easy to blame it on the addition of Bridges and the absence of Williams and Oso. Maluach was supposed to have time to ease into the main rotation, and now he’s been thrust into the starting lineup. On the aforementioned fact that even the returning starters haven’t had much time playing together before this season. Those are factors to be sure, but something else just isn’t right. It’s not just the starters.
While the 2nd is better than the starting unit, they still aren’t what we are used to from them. As the ‘look on the bright side’ guy in this, I still have to wonder whether the first half of last season was an anomaly and the post-All-Star-break version is who they actually are.
I might conclude that Mark Williams is the most underrated Suns player. He wasn’t fancy or flashy, but he got the job done in a myriad of ways and was a defensive anchor for this team.
All that talk on media day about how they worked all summer together and are chomping at the bit to get the season started… I got excited.
And now it rings hollow.
All that being said, it’s only been 3 games. Anyone who throws in the towel after 3 tries at anything will never win. Again, from my perspective, this needs to get fixed from the coaching side. The players also need to hold each other accountable, but that starts with the coach.
Ashton: It appears that Miles Bridges is missing multiple assignments and may make the list for worst trade of the year. Booker is visibly frustrated at the defense (and his own shooting). And teams know that the “Center can not hold”. That is a shoutout to poet William Butler Yeats, and as dark as it is, it remains one of my favorite poems. It easily sums up the early Suns games, as I am not sure if there is a “Second Coming”. However, Oso was upgraded to questionable for Friday’s game against Denver.
This comes back to team unity on both sides of the floor, and that is lacking. Suns were universally expected to suck last season and took defense to a chip-on-the-shoulder level. I would have liked to be able to evaluate the Denver Nuggets’ game Friday night, which Jokic has already called “their defense sucks,” but let’s see which team wins that award.
Still, the Suns being last in so many defensive metrics in three games is beyond concerning; it is condemning.
Rod: I honestly believe it’s a combination of things, roster additions/subtractions and injuries being the top 2. I mostly see the effort on the court, but one blown assignment, one offensive rebound given up because you’re out of position, one missed switch can undo all the effort put in. Having two of your top rotation players at the same position (Williams and Ighodaro) has got to hurt both units, especially when your 4th guy in line at that position (Reath) has never been considered even a fair defensive player.
Looking at the numbers, the starting unit has actually been the worst defensively (29th), while the bench has been at least marginally better (20th), though not enough to make a big difference. We’re just three games into the season, though, and hopefully things will improve as the team gets more accustomed to the new additions (Bridges & Kennard), Oso returns to stabilize the rotation, and perhaps some lineup changes are made that give the starting lineup some more defensive muscle.
Q3: With Oso Ighodaro out for the GSW and OKC games, Jordan Ott has mostly played “small ball” lineups when Khaman Maluach is on the bench, with backup center Doup Reath averaging only 5 minutes per game in those two outings. If Oso is going to miss much more time, what backup center options (other than Reath) should the Suns consider?
zenzino: Unlike most people here, the term ‘small ball’ doesn’t make me angry or fill my heart with dread. It is a viable strategy that I’ve watched win championships. The Suns just need to get better at it, and you can only get better at something with practice. Bring it on!
It really depends on how ‘much more’ time we are talking about. If we’re talking a week or two, I don’t think the Suns should strain themselves to find another backup. A month or two? Maybe something needs to be done.
However, we haven’t seen Timme yet. He’s a lighter version of Oso, so maybe they can get by with center by committee. I believe someone more familiar with college basketball than I am said that Sheer used to play small-ball 5 in college. If so, add him to the committee.
I just don’t know that there’s anyone out there for the vet min who could make a difference compared to what we have now. Everyone mentions Olynyk, but he’s playing in Europe now. I wouldn’t hate Bismack Part II, but I don’t think that would move the needle.
Addendum: Oso has been practicing with the team. Ott says that it just depends on how Oso’s body responds to the workouts. So, we’re probably talking days and not weeks.
Oso haters, skip this part. Everyone else, we’re going to see a big difference in this team with Oso. He is the connector. On defense and offense. Adding a passer and playmaker can only help the offense starving for it. While not a rim protector, his on-ball and team defense are key. Everything will work better with him on the court.
Ashton: It is political season. There is more lying than ever, and only sports can match it when it comes to injury reports. I think Oso will be out for more than two games, but that statement may not age well. Also, my favorite day in November is not the fourth but the fifth. That is when all the unwanted ads, calls, and texts shut the hell up.
The cupboard is bare when it comes to backup center options. So, Ott is forced into small-ball for what could be a while. The only answer I have to this is to maybe roll the dice on Koa Peat and see what Drew Timme (who is also out) can do as a little bigger unit off the bench without a center. I really have no idea why Doup Reath is averaging five minutes per game. I thought that stat was startling. He needs more minutes.
Rod: First off, I believe that looking at signing a free agent center to fill that open 15th roster spot is not something the Suns should try…at least not yet. Anyone who is still a free agent at this time of the year, well, there’s usually a very good reason why, and not a good one. If Oso was definitely going to be out for a long stretch of the season, then I’d give it some serious thought, but only then.
At this point, Oso is going to be back on the court before a new guy has had enough time to learn the Suns’ offensive and defensive schemes to be more than an obstacle to cohesive team play, let alone a positive addition. Frankly, I think that’s why Timme actually hasn’t been active yet. He wasn’t around for training camp or any of the preseason games and needs some time to actually learn how things work before being thrown into the fray.
Some have suggested giving Fleming a try, but the guy’s still not playing instinctively at PF, so I doubt he’d really be very effective playing out of position at center.
Playing small ball with Bridges at the 5 spot isn’t the answer, but at least he’s a big body with several years of NBA-level experience who won’t react like a deer in headlights when thrust into a changed role.
All things considered, I’m fine with rolling with things as they are for now, with Reath getting at least a few minutes a game to see if he’s not having a good night before going small. Hopefully, Oso will be back very soon, and we won’t have to have this conversation again… for a while, at least.
As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!
Quotes of the Week
“It’s early. Can’t expect to be perfect right now.” – Jordan Goodwin
“We need to play faster. I think we have an opportunity when we do that. If we get stops, we get rebounds, we’re able to push the pace offensively and just create a lot of different things on the offensive end.” _ Luke Kennard
“Overall, we have to stick with some of things that we’ve talking about all camp because we did see success before the regular season started. We’ve got to give this a little bit of grace of couple more games just in general, both sides of ball. I think we have higher standards for what we want to do.” – Jordan Ott
“We’re just figuring each other out. It’s third game of the season. We’ve been figuring each other out. Once we do, I think we’re going to be a really good team.” – Miles Bridges
Suns Trivia/History
Book closes his 20s with the 11th-most career points in @NBA history by a player before turning 30 📚
The list of players he's in company with: LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain, Kevin Durant, Michael Jordan, Carmelo Anthony, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Oscar Robertson,… pic.twitter.com/HKhOOZHr6t
On November 1, 1996, 8-time All-Star Steve Nash made his NBA debut for the Phoenix Suns in a 96-82 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. In his first game, Nash racked up zeros in points, assists, rebounds, steals, etc. in 5 minutes of court time.
It was not until his 2nd game on the following night (Nov. 2) that Nash recorded the first assist and the first basket of his Hall of Fame career in a 110-95 loss to the Houston Rockets. Nash’s totals in that game were 9 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound, and 1 steal in 12 minutes. Although Steve played the fewest minutes of any Sun in this game, he led the team in trips to the free-throw line and shot 6-for-7 for the night.
On November 2, 1999, 4-time All-Star Shawn Marion made his NBA debut for the Phoenix Suns in a 107-102 loss to the Denver Nuggets. Marion recorded his first NBA double-double in the game with 14 points and 14 rebounds. He would get 6 more double-doubles during the rest of his rookie season plus 1 more in the first round of the playoffs.
On November 2, 1990, the Suns defeated the Utah Jazz 119-96 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Japan, in the first regular-season game played outside North America by any major professional sports league. Tom Chambers led the Suns with 38 points and 10 rebounds while Kevin Johnson scored 29 with 10 assists. 1-time All-Star Cedric Ceballos made his NBA debut in this game, scoring 2 points and grabbing 1 rebound in just 2 minutes of court time.
On November 7, 1992, the Suns celebrated their 30th Anniversary season by moving into the America West Arena where they opened their season with a 111-105 win over the LA Clippers. Charles Barkley (acquired by trade after the end of the previous season) wowed the Phoenix home crowd with a near triple-double (37 points, 21 rebounds and 8 assists) in his first regular season game as a Sun.
The Week Ahead
Monday: Phoenix Suns @ Golden State Warriors, 7:00 pm AZ time Wednesday: Phoenix Suns vs Portland Trail Blazers, 7:00 pm AZ time Thursday: Phoenix Suns vs Orlando Magic, 7:00 pm AZ time Saturday: Phoenix Suns vs Houston Rockets, 7:00 pm AZ time
Important Future Dates
Nov. 6 – NBA G League Tip-Off Tournament begins Dec. 15 – Most players signed to new contracts can be traded Jan. 5 – 10-day contracts may now be signed Jan. 10 – All NBA contracts are guaranteed for the remainder of the season Jan. 15 – All players signed to new contracts can be traded Feb. 11 – Trade Deadline Feb. 19-21 – NBA All-Star 2027 March 1 – Playoff Eligibility Waiver Deadline April 11 – 2026-27 Regular Season ends (All 30 teams play) April 12 – Rosters set for NBA Playoffs 2027 (3 p.m. ET) April 13-16 – SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament April 17 – NBA Playoffs 2026 begin
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 31: Brayden Burries #0 of the Milwaukee Bucks dribbles the ball against Craig Porter Jr. #9 of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the fourth quarter at Fiserv Forum on October 31, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Bucks lost badly, 136-11, to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Halloween. For three of four quarters, the Bucks played decently, but losing the second by [checks notes] 27 points cooked their goose. Milwaukee just couldn’t get shots to fall, and although Cleveland’s defence was solid, I thought the Bucks got decent looks. Still, there were certainly positives to take out of the game, as I’ll get to. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.
Rollins’ game looks worse on the stat sheet than it truly was. Yeah, he’s still struggling to find his own offence, but he did a solid job of distributing the ball without turning it over. It’s also not as if Rollins was shot-chucking. As I alluded to in Kasparas Jakucionis’ section, the Cavs can be really tough to figure out in terms of scoring when you’re being funnelled into two velociraptors inside. In short: it certainly wasn’t a good game by Rollins, but it also wasn’t as bad as some others he’s played this season.
Herro’s first stinker of the season. I thought he got some solid looks in the first half and just missed them, but in the second half, it felt like Cleveland was much more in control of his shot quality. It got to the point where Herro was trying to foul-bait to get something going. I also wasn’t in love with his body language.
Weird game for Jaquez. I thought he was solid as a defender on Harden and did his best when he had to match up with Mobley, but like a few others, he struggled to find ways to score because of Cleveland’s size.
Kuzme was excellent in the third quarter, scoring 12 of his 14 points and keeping the Cavs’ lead from getting too large. Over the whole game, I appreciated the effort Kuz showed defensively as one of the few wings who could at least try to match Mobley physically, but ultimately that made little difference.
Honestly, my analysis of Turner’s game last night is similar to what I thought of the Rockets game: on balance, he was pretty solid, but his shooting struggles continue. I will say that, whether it is age or a blatant athleticism deficit, Turner just cannot score over athletic centres with any regularity anymore (even when he catches it with an advantage). Had a play where he set a good screen and caught it with a window to the rim, but when Evan Mobley rotated over, his only hope was to catapult himself into Mobley and hope for a call; he did not get the call, and promptly flung the ball onto the top of the backboard.
I didn’t love Ware’s game, to be honest. 13 of his 19 points came in garbage time, and he should be doing that against third units. The trend of him failing to match it with these upper-echelon bigs is somewhat concerning. Ware was just no match on either end for the Mobley-Allen combo, and if he is to be Milwaukee’s centre of the future, that needs to change.
After a run of good games, this was a come-down-to-earth one for Jakucionis. He did his best to knife into the lane, but the two rangy seven-footers definitely gave him trouble.
Obviously, the headline from Burries’ game was that insane dunk, but overall, I loved how he made stuff happen in transition. Burries really has some heft, and he knows how to use it. Also had some solid possessions guarding Donovan Mitchell, I must say.
Ament’s first efficient shooting night. He’s looking more and more comfortable with each game, especially finishing around the rim and slowing down on his three-point shots. Loved the craft he showed on the break with that Euro-step around the defender for the dunk; I’d love to see more of that moving forward.
Grade: B
Taylor Jenkins
Deciphering whether Jenkins “coached well” in these types of games is a task I find difficult for a range of reasons. First, the clear experience and talent gap between the Bucks and the NBA’s top teams; second, the fact that Milwaukee’s first priority appears to be development, then winning (which I think most fans would agree with). At the very least, we can see that Jenkins has instilled a culture where the players will keep fighting no matter how much they’re down by; that’s been shown across the last two blowouts. That said, maybe something needs to change in the game plan, rotations, etc., to prevent these second-quarter fadeouts we have seen for two straight games now (they lost the second quarter 34-14 against the Rockets). We know this is when the likes of Ware, Burries, and Ament will be getting their time, so understandably there would be somewhat of a drop-off, but maybe Jenkins needs to get one of the vets out early so they can come back and anchor these units at the start of the second. It’s a trend I’m monitoring.
The team might have a second-quarter problem and, as I (and Jenkins) alluded to, changes in rotation and possibly even game plan might be needed.
Bonus Bucks Bits
“Our guys played great in the first quarter, but the second quarter got away from us,” Jenkins said. “We missed open threes, we missed layups… and that had an impact on our defence. We fought in the second half, but the hole we dug ourselves in was a little too deep. So, [we will] go back and watch the film to see how we can sustain better over 48 minutes.”
The Bucks shot 7/28 (25.0%) to the Cavs’ 18/22 (81.8%) in the second quarter. To their credit, Milwaukee did a great job winning the possession battle—largely by grabbing eight offensive rebounds—but just couldn’t get anything to go. As for Cleveland, 15 of their 18 makes were assisted, and as I mentioned in the Rapid Recap, they closed the period on a 21-3 run. Insane.
The Bucks lost the paint battle 60-46; they did win bench points 55-51, however.
Just a stray thought, and I don’t want this to come across the wrong way after just six games, but if I were Horst, I’d be listening (listening) to trade offers for Kel’el Ware at the deadline. His continued underperformance in these measuring-stick games concerns me. And to be clear, I’d also be content with keeping Ware, but if another team believes more in his upside and makes an enticing offer, I’d seriously consider it. Is it risky? Yeah. But it’s also his third year in the NBA after two years in college; this may be the last chance to “sell high” before a bad reputation sets in and you need to pay him.
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 1: Houston Astros owner Jim Crane hoists the Commissioner's Trophy after the Astros defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the 2017 World Series at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, November 1, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB via Getty Images) | MLB via Getty Images
November does not belong to baseball, at least not by design. Yet, the Houston Astros time and time again have dominated the headlines throughout one of the games quietest months. Today we revisit the November moments that redefined the course of Astros history.
Championships.
November 1, 2017. Every Astros fan knows the date by heart. Houston was still rebuilding from Harvey and that night, the title meant something far beyond the white lines. The first championship took an astonishing 55 years to claim. 1,830 days later, they’d do it all over again, claiming title number two which validated their dynasty. If you close your eyes, you can see Yordan Alvarez’s monster 3-run 450-foot blast in Game 6 vs. the Phillies. November 5, 2022, would be the last, for now.
Blockbuster Trades.
November 29, 1971. Worst trade in team history.
The Astros sent future hall of famer Joe Morgan to Cincinnati it resulted in the final piece for what would become the Reds potent “Big Red Machine” From the early 70’s through 1979, the Reds would average 95 wins a season in route to a pair of World Series. All told, eight different players were part of the deal between the Reds and Astros.
26 years later, the Astros would land a star of their own. November 11th, 1997. Fresh off slugging three home runs in the 1997 World Series for the victorious (then-Florida) Marlins, the Astros acquired Moises Alou. Alou would play three seasons in Houston and was a 2x All-Star thanks largely to his power numbers.
Bombshell. November 12, 2019.
Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich publish a report chronicling the electronic sign-stealing system thanks to former teammate, Mike Fiers. That article would set the sports world on its ear, ultimately costing the Astros multiple draft picks, suspensions, firings and a $5 million fine.
Ownership Change. November 11th, 2011
Drayton McLane sold the Astros to Jim Crane and set the stage for the franchise’s move to the American League. MLB approved the $680 million dollar price tag on this date, ending McLane’s 19-year ownership run. Houston would have 14 winning seasons during that 19-year span.
Every November moment speaks for itself. It’s where history lives in this city. It’s the month that shaped the franchise, and once again, it’s back.
Heading into the 2013-14 offseason, the Yankees were in desperate need of new energy. The lineup had holes and question marks pretty much everywhere, and the rotation saw the 41-year-old Andy Pettitte retire, the underwhelming 27-year-old Phil Hughes depart in free agency, the 32-year-old CC Sabathia battle with reduced velocity, and the 38-year-old Hiroki Kuroda ponder whether to remain in the United States or go home to Japan to finish his playing career. Fortunately for them, a young Japanese ace, Masahiro Tanaka, announced his intention to play in the United States, and after a long winter that saw the NPB-to-MLB posting process adjusted, the 25-year-old righty inked a seven-year, $155 million deal to don the pinstripes.
Born and raised in Itami, Japan, a city of about 200,000 people near Osaka, Tanaka took to baseball at a young age. Although in elementary school the naturally gifted swing garnered attention, he quickly took to the mound in high school, emerging as the ace of the staff and the most highly-touted pitching prospect in the country. He made the jump to pro ball at the age of 18, selected by the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, and quickly made his mark.
Tanaka won the Pacific League Most Valuable Rookie award in 2007, participated in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, helped Samurai Japan win the 2009 World Baseball Classic, and in 2013, led the Golden Eagles to their first-ever Japan Series victory by starting in Game 6 and coming in to close Game 7. Tanaka’s 2013 numbers were phenomenal: a 1.27 ERA and 0.943 WHIP in 212 innings with 183 strikeouts to 32 walks and just six homers allowed. Oh, and he ended the year with a pristine 24-0 record, part of an NPB record streak of 25 consecutive wins.
Following the 2013 campaign, Tanaka expressed interest in playing Major League Baseball, and in January 2014 — later than usual, as the two leagues renegotiated the posting system — he was finally made available for MLB teams to sign. Despite an intense pursuit by the Dodgers, Angels, and Mariners, Tanaka eventually reached a deal with the Yankees, who pulled out all the stops to reel in their new ace.
Despite the high expectations, the Yankees tried to tamper excitement by delaying Tanaka’s MLB debut until the fourth game of the season, on April 4, 2014. He surrendered a home run to the first batter he faced, former Yankee Melky Cabrera. As it would turn out, though, he just got his first lowlight out of the way early, as he responded with seven innings of three-run ball (albeit only two of those runs were earned) to notch his first career stateside win.
For the first three months, Tanaka looked to be the dominant starter that everyone hoped he would become. Through his first 16 starts, he had a 2.10 ERA and struck out well over a batter per inning as he earned his first career All-Star nod. His stamina was impressive as well, going at least eight innings in five of those outings, including three complete games and his first career shutout in the Subway Series against the Mets on May 14th:
Everything changed, though, after a subpar start in early July, when Tanaka began to feel discomfort in his right elbow. An MRI revealed a partially torn UCL, and he hit the IL for the first time in his career. Rather than undergo the knife, however, Tanaka opted for PRP injections and rehab, and … his arm has largely remained healthy to this day; the other shoe never dropped. It’s stood as largely the exception rather than the rule in most of these situations, but it worked out quite well for Tanaka.
Officially taking over the mantle as Yankees ace in 2015, the righty never quite recaptured the dominant form he had for the first half of 2014 over a whole season, coming closest with a 4.7 fWAR 2016 season that saw him earn some down ballot Cy Young votes. What he did, though, was develop a reputation as a big game pitcher, who came up biggest when the lights shone brightest. He held the Astros to just two runs on four hits in the 2015 Wild Card Game, and even though the Yankees lost that matchup, it hardly Tanaka’s fault (blame the bats getting blanked by Dallas Keuchel). Two years later—following a retooling of the team in 2016—with New York’s backs against the wall and facing a sweep in the 2017 ALDS, Tanaka outdueled Cleveland’s Carlos Carrasco with seven shutout innings to secure a 1-0 win that would turn the tide. Thanks to Tanaka and Greg Bird, the Yankees survived Game 3 and went on to complete the rare 0-2 Division Series comeback.
In two starts against Houston in the following ALCS, he allowed just two runs in 13 innings — which included seven innings in Houston, when the Astros knew what pitches were coming. Tanaka secured the Yankees’ only win over the Red Sox in the 2018 ALDS, and helped the Bombers jump out to a 1-0 lead over the Astros in the 2019 ALCS (following his second stateside All-Star season). As the decade came to a close, he had a sterling 1.76 career playoff ERA in 46 innings.
Tanaka’s last year in the Bronx was the COVID-shortened 2020 season. It began as badly as it possibly could, with the pitcher drilled in the head by a Giancarlo Stanton line drive, although he did manage to make 10 starts that year. For the first time in his career, he struggled in the postseason, as he allowed 11 runs in eight innings across two starts. Unfortunately, that would be the last we saw Tanaka in pinstripes; due in part to anti-Asian discrimination faced in the United States during the height of the pandemic and a desire to pitch loser to home, he returned to Japan.
Tanaka began his second act in Japan with four years back with the Golden Eagles, earning his seventh and eighth career NPB All-Star nods in 2021 and 2023; during the latter season, he notched his 2,500th professional strikeout between NPB and MLB. After the 2024 campaign however, he embarked on a new NPB journey, signing with the storied Yomiuri Giants. At the end of 2025, Tanaka recorded his 200th career victory, joining Hideo Nomo, Yu Darvish, and his old Yankees teammate Kuroda as the only pitchers to reach that total between the two leagues.
While he doesn’t quite pitch as much as he did during his prime, he remains with the Giants today — where in a fun twist of fate he will now be managed by fellow former Yankee, Hideki Matsui!
Happy birthday, #TANAK!
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
I don’t link to Jim Bowden because I think the guy is . . .well, let’s just say I don’t have a very high opinion of Bowden and I think it’s a crime that he still has a job writing about baseball. I also think he’s wrong more often than he’s right, but he’s not the only one in that regard. But I will link to someone linking to Bowden arguing that Tyler Stephenson would be a good replacement for Kelly. I mean, sure? I agree with author Jake Misener that Kelly would be the better choice, but Stephenson wouldn’t be a terrible replacement.
Ryan O’Rourke has the 25 biggest “Cubs Killers” throughout history. I mean, the top three are no surprise. There’s one for the boomer generation, one for Gen X and one for Millennials. I suppose the fourth one could encompass Gen Z Cubs fans childhood nightmares.
Brett Taylor reminds us not to put too much stock in “trade speculation” that you find on the internet. Yep, if you see a trade proposal for the Cubs and your first thought is “Do it!”, then the other team isn’t very likely to consider it.
Food for Thought:
This part is hard for me because I already have a forum for my thoughts in BCB After Dark three times a week. But I will say that I think that one of the things that makes this space special is that the staff is allowed to indulge in non-baseball things from time to time. That makes this place more of a community and it may help us get through the lockout.
But here is some Halloween stuff.
Dan Aykroyd explains the problems they had with the title for Ghostbusters.
Here’s a story for you. We started filming without owning the title and had to do alternates.
Taft Broadcasting owned the title Ghostbusters as part of their half-hour sitcom starring Larry Storch and Forrest Tucker (F-Troop) and a gorilla chasing ghosts. I had never heard of… pic.twitter.com/NBHhZqme9G
I always feature some jazz in After Dark, but I don’t listen exclusively to jazz. In fact, I didn’t start listening to straight jazz until I was in my thirties, although I did dabble in jazz-adjacent pop/rock well before that. Since we’re all coming off Halloween, I’m going to send you off with a song I loved in my late-teens that is a goth classic. This is Bauhaus performing “Bela Lugosi’s Dead.” This is a live performance from 1982.
By the way, I first heard the song during the opening credits of the 1983 vampire film The Hunger, directed by Tony Scott and starring Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie and Susan Sarandon. So that’s here if you want to check that out.
DENVER, CO - OCTOBER 06: The doors leading to the Colorado Rockies Clubhouse is closed at Coors Field on Tuesday, October 06, 2026, in Denver, Colorado. The Colorado Rockies hosted an end-of-season press conference to talk about the past season. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) | Denver Post via Getty Images
It’s officially November. Not only is today Día de los Muertos, but most of the country lost an hour of daylight and it’s also the first day of what could be the final month of baseball for a while. The current MLB Collective Bargaining Agreement is still set to expire at midnight on December 1st, and there hasn’t been any (public) movement lately.
But we can at least soak up the final moments before we have a (likely) lockout, as there will probably be a lot of movement around the league before then. There are also two more weeks left of the Arizona Fall League, if you’re looking for some offseason Rockies action.
In the meantime, though, here’s what happened at Purple Row this week:
What moves do you think the Rockies will make over the next month? Who will they sign? Who will they move on from? Who will they protect from the Rule 5 Draft? Let us know in the comments!
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 31: Roman Anthony #19 of the Boston Red Sox slides past Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners during the ninth inning at Fenway Park on August 31, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Before we begin looking ahead to 2027, OTM is looking back at 2026, highlighting some of the biggest, strangest, and most memorable moments of a memorable season.
Roman Anthony and Trevor Story each landed on the IL in May and each returned to the Red Sox on the same day: August 30. They were activated prior to the series finale against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Anthony, who missed nearly four months with a ligament tear at the base of the ring finger on his right hand, batted leadoff as the DH. Story had been sidelined with a hernia that required surgery. He started at shortstop and batted eighth.
With the severity of their respective injuries, the length of their absences, and the way the club had performed without them, there was speculation that perhaps the Sox shouldn’t disturb the chemistry that had been working so well all summer. For Story in particular, expectations weren’t exactly high. He had not performed well in his rehab assignment in Worcester and had made it known publicly that he was keen to rush back to the big league club. It didn’t sound like a recipe for success.
And yet, on August 30 in the Bronx, Anthony and Story turned out to be the only bright spots in a 16-1 drubbing by the Yankees. In their reintroduction to the big-league club, Anthony went 2-for-4, and Story, who scored the lone run, went 2-for-3.
I was as surprised as anyone by their performances, but it’s their first game back at Fenway Park the next day, August 31, that really interests me.
They were playing the Seattle Mariners, my “home team away from home.” The Mariners, despite their terrible season overall, looked as though they might possibly end a five-game losing streak. Randy Arozarena had a great game, with four hits, including a huge home run. Cal Raleigh homered too. Dominic Canzone got a double and the famous basepath hug from Payton Tolle. Lots of offense, and the lead went back and forth. Then, in the ninth inning, Anthony tripled. He scored on a sacrifice fly from Ceddanne Rafaela and truly, his slide into home was a thing of beauty.
I don’t know how many times I’ve watched this slide. Its precision and timing are so spot-on that it could be ballet. It’s as tight as a haiku: if you add or subtract anything, it wouldn’t work. It’s almost hypnotic to me.
That’s the micro-view. My personal opinion.
The macro view is that this moment tied the game. In fact, it set the table for the Sox to win the next inning, on a walk-off single by none other than Trevor Story. If you zoom out just a bit further, the even bigger macro is that Anthony’s slide—by setting up the eventual victory delivered by Story—put an exclamation point on the triumphant return of both of our prodigal players.
And by zooming out just a bit more, the macro view is that this slide wasn’t only a thing of beauty; it was savvy as hell. That precisely choreographed move showcased Anthony using every single tool at his disposal to outsmart Cal Raleigh. This is the kind of display that encapsulates Anthony’s talents and invites us to pin all our hopes for the team on him.
And on August 31, we felt that. This slide proved that Anthony was okay, and if Anthony was okay, then the Sox would be rock-solid the rest of the way. This slide announced that both Anthony and Story were Back, with a capital B. And if that was true, well, we were better than rock-solid; we were golden.
In those first two games back, on August 30–31, Anthony and Story each went 4-for-8. Anthony had the big slide of course, as well three extra-base hits; he also scored twice and walked. Story scored a run of his own and logged three RBIs.
The Beginning of the End
As a kid, I read a book in which one character used the word “fey” to describe another. It stuck with me because I had to look it up but then, in a later chapter, the speaker explains the word to someone else: “Fey? Well, it’s a Scotch word, really. It means the kind of exalted happiness that comes before disaster. You know—it’s too good to be true.”
If that doesn’t describe this situation, I don’t know what does. And disaster was coming for us after Roman Anthony’s glorious slide on August 31. Bob provides a deep dive into how the Sox began to unravel the very next day.
For Anthony specifically, he immediately fell into a 1-for-17 slump. Against Baltimore at the beginning of September, he went hitless in three consecutive games. He managed to homer twice more on the season, and had one last great game—against the Cubs, when he went 3-for-3. But his September was otherwise grim.
It was so grim that during Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series, he checked his swing and had to exit the game (and the rest of the season, though it was destined to be short) due to pain. Imaging revealed that not only had he re-aggravated the ligament tear but had developed new muscle strains due to compensating for the original injury. As we later learned, he had never felt 100% and had been playing through pain and “zingers” in his hand.
After August 31, Story fared a bit better than Anthony, especially in that he remained healthy. He put together an 11-game hitting streak. He went 3-for-5 against the Orioles on September 5, had three RBIs on September 17 against the Rangers, and homered on September 20. But the September slump ultimately came for him too. He had a number of games without a hit toward the end of the month and, like the rest of the team, was cold in the Wild Card Series, going 1-for-6.
Ice cold.
The Red Sox are now about as far from the “exalted happiness” of August 31 as I can imagine. There are existential rumblings about whether Anthony will ever be able to get back on track with his career, if he’ll ever get free of the injury bug. Time will tell if that’s catastrophizing or not, but it’s true that Anthony has yet to fully embody his potential. The 2026 season was supposed to be that time for him; now we hope for 2027. (And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that we hope for a 2027 season, period.)
As for Story, everyone is wondering all over again whether he’s over (bad contract, injuries, age, skills in decline, you name it). On August 31, it looked like he was at last coming into his own. Nope.
A dream deferred again—for Anthony and Story as individual players, and for the Red Sox as a team. On August 31, we thought—we knew—that we had it all. We just didn’t know what would come next.
DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 30: Zaccharie Risacher #10 of the Dallas Mavericks grabs the rebound during the game against the Houston Rockets during the Emirates NBA Cup on October 30, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, 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
When the clock struck triple zeroes on Friday night, I could only lean back on my couch and smile.
The Dallas Mavericks (4-2) had defeated the previously undefeated Houston Rockets; Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving combined for 68 points. It continued a three-game winning streak in which the Mavericks vanquished three playoff contenders, and their second game in a row knocking-off an undefeated team.
The Mavericks, after a year-and-a-half of absolute misery (save for winning the lottery), are seemingly back to bringing fans joy.
This team is really, really, fun. They play fast and aggressive on both ends, often passing up a good shot to create a great one. They may not have elite personnel on either end, but the players know their roles, and they play to their strengths.
Instead of playing a static defense that relies on individual efforts from great defenders, they relentlessly swarm and scram ball-handlers into making mistakes, using their absurdly lengthy wings to disrupt opponet ryhthym.
On offense they simply attack the rim no matter what, using this constant rim pressure to set up open looks from long range. All of this starts with a 19-year-old superstar who simply doesn’t understand that 19-year-olds are supposed to be in college, not dominating the best league in the world.
But it isn’t just Cooper Flagg’s play. It’s his relentless, unyielding energy on both sides that feeds the rest of the team. He’s constantly attacking the basket with the force of a runaway mustang, using this gravity to get his teammates involved. But it isn’t just force, it’s the unexplainable floater touch that appeared out of thin-air last season.
Put simply, Flagg refuses to let this team lose, and he will be dammed if they repeat last season’s catastrophic play.
But unlike last season, he isn’t alone; a New Jersey basketball wizard has his back.
Kyrie Irving was relatively quiet until Friday night’s showcase, which is understandable given the near 19-month layoff after ACL reconstruction, but he was anything but quiet in the second half against the Rockets.
Irving scored 26 points in the final two quarters on only 13 shots. This included multiple patented Kyrie Irving transition pull-up 3-pointers that set the arena into a frenzy. His ability to feel the ebbs and flows within a game is special; knowing when to attack and when to let someone else take the reins. The Mavericks made their fourth-quarter run without Flagg on the court, and much of that is due to Irving’s mastery.
But let’s not forget the other number one overall pick on the roster. Zaccahrie Risacher exemplifies what makes this team special. He was cast aside by the Hawks. Written off by most of the basketball world, including me. Instead of letting the dire circumstances torpedo his career, he’s embraced what is necessary to succeed in the NBA.
He is ruthless on defense, constantly attacking the basketball to the tune of almost 4 combined steals and blocks per game this season. His offense is far from perfect, but there hasn’t been a Maverick wing who attacks the glass like he does in a long time.
Before the season there was only one thing that I wanted to see from the Mavericks team, watchable basketball. It’s truly hard to put into words how terrible they were to watch last season. It was a constant swirl of frustration, anger, spite and stubbornness.
Now?
Not only are the Mavericks are must-see TV, they’re also pretty damn good.
