DENVER — Gavin Brindley’s strong play with the Colorado Eagles has earned him another opportunity with the Avalanche.
The speedy, aggressive forward was recalled Saturday, just nine days after being sent back to Colorado’s AHL affiliate.
The recall comes as the Avalanche prepare to face the Calgary Flames without Logan O’Connor. O’Connor missed Friday’s practice to attend his father Myles’ funeral, and head coach Jared Bednar confirmed at Saturday’s morning skate that the forward would not play.
Brindley has made the most of his time in the AHL, recording four points (one goal, three assists) in four games since his reassignment. He finished October with nine points (two goals, seven assists) in eight appearances, earning recognition as the Eagles’ second star of the month.
In Colorado's October 14 matchup against the Dallas Stars, Brindley appeared to score with a beautiful wrist shot. The goal horn sounded, and the arena briefly celebrated before everyone realized the puck hadn't gone in. Instead, replay showed the puck hitting both posts in what can only be described as one of the biggest cases of rejection in recent hockey memory. The Avalanche went on to lose 3-2 in a shootout, but Brindley came close to giving the team one of the night's best highlights.
He appeared in four games during his initial recall, recording one assist while averaging 8:08 of ice time. His opportunities were limited, as he saw no action on either special-teams unit. Still, his recent production with the Eagles has given Colorado another reason to see what he can do at the NHL level.
The Avalanche acquired Brindley from the Columbus Blue Jackets in June 2025 in the trade that sent Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood to Columbus. Colorado also received a 2025 third-round pick and a conditional 2027 second-round selection. The Blue Jackets had selected Brindley 34th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Brindley spent most of last season with Colorado, recording six goals and 13 points before being sent to the Eagles in late March. He has since accumulated 14 points in 61 career NHL games.
With another call-up, Brindley gets a chance to turn his strong AHL play into more NHL opportunities. He'll look to make the most of the opportunity as Colorado takes on Calgary.
The Avalanche take on the Flames on Halloween night at Ball Arena. Puck drop is at 8 p.m. local time.
Yesterday afternoon, Adam Spolane reported that the Houston Rockets had picked up Reed Sheppard’s fourth-year option. This means for the 2027-2028 season, Sheppard will be making just above $14 million before he is eligible for a rookie contract extension. It could be seen as an odd move for the Rockets, who had some questions about where Sheppard would fit into the rotation throughout this season, but it does seem like they want to keep him around for at least this year and next year before potentially extending him in free agency after the 2027 season.
Sheppard is the 10th first-round pick the Rockets have selected from 2021-24. He is the sixth of 10 players to have his fourth-year option picked up by the team. The previous five, Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason and Amen Thompson, all inked contract extensions with Houston. After a rough debut year, Sheppard has become a fixture in the Rockets’ rotation. He moved into being Fred VanVleet’s backup at point guard from sliding completely out of the rotation. He also played three games for the Rockets’ G League team in Rio Grande Valley in January 2025 to get more playing time.
The Rockets feel Sheppard still can play point guard at an NBA level, but with VanVleet returning and Marcus Smart joining the team as a free agent, he’s been playing largely off the ball through four games this season.
“He’s a guy that has to get better at pick and roll,” Rockets head coach Ime Udoka stated on media day. “He’s played off-ball his whole life, and you know he’s really good at it.
Numbers-wise, Sheppard does seem to have the ability to contribute as a scorer, playmaker and at times on the perimeter defensively, but he does need to figure out a way to be able to be a lot more efficient with his shooting from the field and from three.
Sheppard is definitely capable of improving his efficiency this year if he can play more off-ball and take advantage of playmakers like Fred VanVleet and Alperen Sengun, who can both set up Sheppard with great catch-and-shoot situations to create more separation from the defense when coming off screens and cuts. Sheppard might also develop as a shooter, just by acquiring more confidence over the season.
It should also be noted that Sheppard has had some injuries this season, including a left knee issue that helped him out against the San Antonio Spurs on October 23, and a back injury that kept him out of the lineup against the Dallas Mavericks.
The injuries Sheppard has suffered so far this year don’t appear to be severe, but they are crucial to keep in mind in case it is impacting his play on the court when he is available.
It is clear that the front office has belief in Reed Sheppard, and time will tell to see how he develops this season and beyond.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 11: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers during the second inning in game one of the National League Championship Series at American Family Field on October 11, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I am not a fan of hypothetical trades that are completely unrealistic which is why my first instinct when I heard ESPN mention the Cardinals and Tarik Skubal in the same breath was to laugh it off and turn away. However, the more I started to think about the concept of the St. Louis Cardinals signing free agent Tarik Skubal the more I realized that it’s worth exploring even though I predict it’ll never happen.
I want to be clear that this is not a free agent signing prediction that originated with us. Blame this on the 2026-27 MLB offseason best fits for free agents from ESPN. They said that the Chicago Cubs were the best fit for Tarik Skubal, but their second choice for a possible fit was our beloved Cardinals. I immediately dropped this in The Feed and it inspired many interesting responses.
One thing that David Schoenfield of ESPN said that does make a hypothetical Tarik Skubal signing doable for the Cardinals is the estimated 2027 payroll of just $66 million. Mathematically speaking, it would not be outrageous for St. Louis to add even a pitcher of Skubal’s stature to the roster. I’ve seen estimates that Tarik will command a contract between $400 and $500 million. Spotrac projected a 7-year, $276 million contract not that long ago. I think that’s wildly conservative, but let’s run with those numbers. Could the Cardinals handle a $40 million per season top of the rotation superstar starter? My last name is not DeWitt, but it doesn’t sound unreasonable for St. Louis to suddenly have a $106 million dollar roster instead of $66 million.
There are three more reasons that I think a St. Louis Cardinals/Tarik Skubal deal could make sense for what Chaim Bloom is trying to accomplish. First, he would be the ultimate leader for the young arms on the Cardinals roster and those about to appear from Memphis. Who better to be a model and mentor for young pitchers than a two-time Cy Young award winner? The second would be marketing. A Skubal signing would be a message to the fanbase that the organization is serious about winning again sooner rather than later. That would be a great way for the DeWitt family to put the attendance trajectory at Busch Stadium headed back toward 3 million per season. Finally, Chaim Bloom would not be giving up any prospects to place a proven ace at the top of the rotation. That fits within his stated mission of not harming the farm system for a short term gain.
Now, let’s tear down why all of my daydreaming will almost certainly never happen. First, Tarik Skubal will likely not have any interest in being a part of a rebuild even if he would likely speed up the return to competitiveness. He’ll have the Dodgers, Yankees and other big market teams that are already competitive knocking on his door willing to pay unreasonable amounts of money for a long-term deal.
I’m not a Chaim Bloom mind-reader, but I think we’re at least one if not two seasons away from him going after a major free agent talent. The last time I asked the community about this, I think that 2028 was the most popular guess of when the Cardinals will be seriously competitive again. Why sign Tarik Skubal who will likely hit his peak in the next couple of seasons before the rest of the roster is prepared for a deep post-season run? I’d also be concerned about the bone chips in Skubal’s left elbow discovered this past May. He looked strong when he returned in mid-June through the rest of the season, but that would likely give me a slight pause before I’d recommend getting the DeWitt checkbook out.
As I watched Chaim Bloom’s end of season press conference, I got a vibe from him that he’s pulling back from some fan’s expectations that the rebuild is going quicker than expected. He seemed to be warning that an expectation of seriously competing in the next season would be premature. Do those words sound like a President of Baseball Operations that plans to go sign the biggest free agent pitcher in recent memory? I don’t think so.
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 28: Houston Astros General Manager Dana Brown presents Michael Harris II #23 of the Atlanta Braves with the 2022 National League Rookie of the Year Award during the 2023 BBWAA Awards Dinner at New York Hilton Midtown on Saturday, January 28, 2023 in New York, New York. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Bob Nightengale of USA Today has reported via social media that Dana Brown is returning to the Atlanta Braves organization as a senior advisor with amateur scouting.
Brown, who had been in the Braves organization from 2019 through early 2023 in an executive role with the team’s front office, had been the general manager of the Houston Astros from January 2023 until he was released from his contract in a mutual agreement in August 2026.
This marks the third time that Brown, 59, will have worked with Alex Anthopoulos having done with with the Toronto Blue Jays prior to his first stint with the Braves.
The New Jersey Devils closed out October with a 5-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. The win also wrapped up a 2-1 road trip and a 5-1 Western Conference swing. At 9-5 and boasting the second-best record in the Metropolitan Division, the Devils look like contenders and are playing that way as well.
The catch in the Devils' case is that they’ve had these hot starts before. Last season, they started 8-1, and in 2022-23, they went 6-3 in the first month while going 19-4 by the time American Thanksgiving wrapped up.
The Devils had had these hot starts before where they looked like Cup contenders. Then the injuries or struggles hit them like a brick wall, and they have a disappointing season. It’s been a theme of the Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier era of the Devils, and it’s why there’s a hesitant feeling around this team.
The Past Is A Reason The Devils Can’t Overreact To The Hot Start
It’s still too early in the season, and a lot can change. The Devils found chemistry in their forward lines, but the rest of the league is still figuring out their rosters. The opponents will be tougher as the season goes on.
Head coach Sheldon Keefe, who is in the middle of his third season behind the Devils' bench and eighth in the NHL, knows this season is a marathon. “What was today? Game 10? We have 84 of these; consistency is the name of the game. This time last year, we won eight in a row. My first year I was here, we set an NHL record; we had seven games consecutively where we gave up 20 shots or less,” he stated after the 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks.
The playoffs feel like an inevitability, and the Devils have their eyes set on more than just that. However, they are far from certain. The Devils know the feeling, especially since they’ve had playoff-caliber teams in recent seasons come up short.
Why This Start Feels Different
Keefe admitted that the Devils have gotten off to hot starts in the past. He’s also acknowledged that this team is different, a tight-knit group that is coming together and can do something special.
“I can’t say enough good things about what’s been happening with our game as of late,” Keefe noted after a 5-1 win over the Dallas Stars. “Probably equally as important is just what's happening off the ice with the group and how they're talking to one another, and you can really feel us building momentum as a team,” he added.
The Devils have the right leaders in the room, whether it’s Hischier, who has matured as the captain, or a third-line glue veteran like Evan Rodrigues. Plus, they’ve come together at the right time, with a road trip that wrapped up the month and prepared them for the stretch ahead.
Plus, Connor Hellebuyck changes a lot about this team. In the past, the Devils were constantly let down by the struggles in the net. They might have outplayed a team and controlled the pace of play, but a few goals squandered by the goaltender would let them down. Now, they have Hellebuyck, one of the best goaltenders in the game, if not the best, who has looked dialed in from the moment he put on a Devils jersey.
This doesn’t look like the same Devils team. On the contrary, they look poised to only improve from here on out. The roster is coming together, Hellebuyck is getting up to speed, and there’s always a chance general manager Sunny Mehta has another big move up his sleeve. The Devils provide enough optimism that they’ll be among the best teams by the end of the season.
The Start Must Be Apprecieted, A Fun Season Can Be Anticipated
With the way the season is playing out, the Devils should expect a great season. Even if they don’t win the Stanley Cup, which is still unlikely, they’ll be in the mix and set up for more success in the seasons to come.
Plus, more should be anticipated from Mehta. He kicked off the ground running with multiple moves in his first offseason and a big swing just one month into the season. If this team is in playoff position by the trade deadline, another splash might be around the corner.
The Devils will regress at some point and go through a slump. It’s an inevitable part of an 84-game season. That said, this season is shaping up to be a fun one. Hughes, Hischier, and Jesper Bratt should provide plenty of highlights on the offensive end, and Hellebuyck playing at a high level should provide plenty of highlight saves as well. The fans entered this season with renewed optimism, and one month in, that optimism has only been amplified.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 26: The shoes of Paul George #13 of the Boston Celtics during the second half at TD Garden on October 26, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 16: Vidal Bruján #17 of the Atlanta Braves attempts a bunt against the Washington Nationals during the tenth inning in game two of a split doubleheader at Nationals Park on September 16, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves have brought utilityman Vidal Bruján back to the organizations, signing him to a minor league deal according to the team’s transaction page. Bruján, 28, spent part of the 2025 season with Atlanta.
The move gives the organization depth across multiple positions as Bruján has big league experience at second base, shortstop, third base and all three outfield positions. Since debuting in 2021, he has appeared in 271 MLB games, but only saw action in nine contests with the New York Metropolitans last season.
Bruján doesn’t offer much offensively with little power and a stolen base success rate of barely over 50-percent for his big league career. However, the Braves came into this offseason with almost no depth on the middle infield. Other than Ozzie Albies, whose option was picked up, only Jim Jarvis is under contract from the 2026 team’s middle infielders.
Bruján debuted with the Tampa Bay Rays and spent three seasons with the team. He’s played with five different organizations, including the Braves, since 2024. He has a career 53 wRC+.
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 30: AJ Dybantsa #4 of the Washington Wizards reacts to a play against the Charlotte Hornets during the first half of the NBA Cup game at Capital One Arena on October 30, 2026 in Washington, DC. 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 Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Washington Wizards won 95-79 last night against the Charlotte Hornets. AJ Dybantsa finally made his home debut in the regular season scoring 17 points and grabbing 8 rebounds on 5-of-11 shooting. While he didn’t shoot with the same efficiency as Wednesday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, yesterday’s performance was definitely a treat for all fans who were at Capital One Arena last night. Watch the highlights below!
The Florida Panthers have been red-hot on the power play over the past several weeks.
Their recent success while up a man has been in stark contrast over how they started the season while on the man advantage.
Out of the gate, Florida was colder than cold when up a man.
They went 0-for-11 over their first two games against the Carolina Hurricanes and San Jose Sharks.
After five games, Florida was just 1-for-28 on the power play.
That’s…bad.
But things quickly started to change in game number six.
While Florida lost that game to the Buffalo Sabres, they went 2-for-4 on the power play, with both scores coming off the stick of Sam Reinhart.
The following night the Panthers were in Columbus to face the Blue Jackets, and that’s when the flood gates were swung open.
Florida scored not one, not two, but four power play goals on six opportunities en route to a dominant 7-3 victory in Ohio.
Results were finally starting to come for the Cats, who were putting in tireless work both on and off the ice to get the power play to click.
“I think (assistant coach) Jamie Kompon and his power play group have done a great job, really changing the foundation of what they try to do,” said Panthers head coach Paul Maurice. “You spend two and a half weeks working on your power play with (Sasha) Barkov and (Brad) Marchand on it, and they both disappear within the first three games. It took us three or four games to recover from that, but they found their rhythm.”
Indeed they have.
Fast forward a couple weeks and we arrive on Saturday night, when the Panthers added another two power play goals while skating to a 5-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets.
That means since starting the season 1-for-28 on the man advantage, Florida has gone an eye-popping 15-for-38 since.
So what changed?
“Just puck movement,” said Panthers defenseman Seth Jones. “Quick puck movement and putting the penalty kill in positions to make decisions. I think we're scoring in many different ways: low plays, high plays into Reino. I think we're dangerous in a lot of different ways, but just moving it quick, being solid on the breakouts is key.”
To his credit, Jones has been instrumental to Florida’s power play success.
He’s already having a ridiculous start to the season, with 18 points through his first 14 games, which ranks him third in scoring among all NHL defensemen.
Eleven of those 18 points have come while the Panthers have been up a man, which ties him for the team lead with Matthew Tkachuk in terms of power play points.
“Seth Jones has been a huge driver, and we needed him to,” Maurice said. “He's got lots of confidence up top. He's offensively as strong as there is in the league from the blue line.”
Florida’s power play is now up to eleventh in the league, operating at a 24.2% success rate.
They’ll have a good chance at continuing that success over the remainder of their homestand, when they face the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks at Amerant Bank Arena over the next several days.
Both teams have penalty killing units in the bottom half of the league, but Detroit’s is especially poor, coming in at fourth-worst in the NHL.
Based off how things have gone over the past few weeks, the Panthers will be looking to strike early and often when given an opportunity to be up a man.
“I think we're just really looking to attack right away,” said Panthers forward Lars Eller. “We have different weapons to score. We have players that can find different ways to break down the opposition, and they've been doing exactly that.”
Photo caption: Oct 17, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19), left wing Brady Tkachuk (8), center Sam Reinhart (13), and defensemanSethJones(3) celebrate goal during the third period against the Seattle Kraken at Amerant Bank Arena. (Isabella Frias-Imagn Images)
PHOENIX, AZ - OCTOBER 30: Collin Gillespie #12 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball during the game against the Denver Nuggets during the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup on October 30, 2026 at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The season is young for the Phoenix Suns, and every game offers another chance to learn more about this team and whether it can execute its vision in a way that translates to winning. Thus far, it’s been rough. Phoenix is off to a 1-3 start, and if you take a look at the defensive rating, it certainly feels like Halloween. Because those numbers are downright spooky. Last in defensive rating at 125.8, last in opposing three-point percentage at 43.9%, last in opposing second-chance points at 22.3.
You don’t want to make rash decisions based on individual performances during the infancy of a season, but at some point you need to recognize that whatever this version of the Suns is isn’t working. At least not yet. Should patience be exercised? Perhaps, and we begrudgingly know it will. Until an internal threshold relative to either games or minutes has been crossed, this experiment in futility marches forward, with each night serving as a quiz to examine.
What did Friday’s night pop quiz teach us? It reinforces something we’ve known since we first started watching, playing, and consuming this glorious sport: teams function better when roles are clearly defined. “Positionless” basketball is a lazy term for those who support teams that do not possess defined roles. For teams with duplicative archetypes in the same starting lineup. “It’s gonna make sense,” one will say of the starting five. “Why?” a curious and befuddled onlooker will question. “Because the NBA is now ‘positionless’”.
I’m guilty. I’ve bought into the cheap trick and five-dollar fantasy that positionless basketball could equate to success. I purchased some stock in the belief that a Booker/Beal backcourt could be productive, and it’s why I’ve been cautious about the Booker/Green backcourt since its inception. Fool me once, shame on me n’ such. Sure, you can have a pair of combo guards in the backcourt, but they still need to have defined roles, defined areas of space in which they operate, and one better be pretty damn good at being the primary ball handler. Some call those roles “positions”.
Positionless basketball is something that has become a product of the AAU circuit, where young players are encouraged to pad their statistics because, ultimately, those numbers help them get noticed and create opportunities to make it big one day. With the NIL era upon us, getting noticed has become even more financially important. Somewhere along the way, traditional point guard play, facilitation, and distribution have become less of a priority. Those are the things that make everyone around you better, even if they don’t always show up in the box score.
Within the concept of positionless basketball, there still needs to be an understanding of roles and, more importantly, who is actually capable of executing them. What we witnessed Friday night, and quite frankly what we’ve seen throughout a season and a half, is another reminder that this offense simply functions better when Collin Gillespie is involved. He’s not a traditional point guard, but he excels in that role. That’s what the Suns need right now.
Why? Because Jalen Green was having an off night, something that has unfortunately plagued him throughout his career. Consistently, he’s been inconsistent. 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting against OKC, 2 points on 1-of-6 shooting against Denver. When you look at his career scoring trend, you see dots scattered about like duck shot on an outhouse.
I can’t blame the young lad. This team wants Jalen Green to be a facilitator, to essentially play point guard. And when you’re forced into an unfamiliar role, it takes time to adjust. Unfortunately, point guard is one of the most difficult positions to play in the NBA. It requires selflessness, court awareness, and the ability to process information at an incredibly high speed.
You can almost feel Jalen thinking out there early this season. He’s trying to read the defense, make the right decision, and execute what’s being asked of him. And the best flashes we’ve seen? They come when he stops thinking and starts reacting. That’s his superpower. His instincts, explosiveness, and ability to attack without hesitation are what make him dangerous.
It reminds me of Ryan Dunn, who’s being asked to become a true 3-and-D player despite that not necessarily being what his natural skill set lends itself to. Once again, the Suns find themselves asking a player to become something he isn’t, rather than maximizing what he already does well. And in the process, they’re diminishing the very qualities that make him valuable.
Green is better off the ball, operating as a piece of the offense rather than being the driving force behind it. Therein lies the roster construction conundrum we’ve been staring at for two seasons: 57% of your cap is tied up in duplicative players. Because the same could be said about Devin Booker. He excels when his role is not the offensive facilitating fulcrum. That, my fellow Suns’ citizens, is criticism I’ll save for another day…
We heard throughout the offseason that Green had spent time working with Steve Nash, with the goal of improving his ability to read opposing defenses and make quicker decisions. Early this season, it’s apparent that his processing is taking a split second too long. His assist percentage is 14.1% (33rd percentile), his assist-to-turnover ratio is 1.3 (14th percentile), and his assist points created is 6.0 per game (25th percentile).
In the NBA, where you’re facing elite athleticism and basketball IQ night after night, a split second can make all the difference in the trajectory of a career. Unfortunately, when you’re looking for someone to make high basketball IQ plays with split-second decision-making, Green typically isn’t the first player who comes to mind.
It’s a reminder that Jalen Green entered the NBA following his time with the developmental G League Ignite as a player whose greatest asset was his elite athleticism. He jumped off the high school screen with his explosiveness, his ability to finish around the basket, his shooting potential, and his impressive physical tools. He possessed the kind of raw talent that makes scouts salivate and front offices dream about what a player could eventually become.
His career thus far has been relatively average, with much of his scoring production coming through volume rather than efficiency. The physical gifts are undeniable. The challenge has been turning those gifts into consistently productive basketball.
Collin Gillespie took an entirely different path. He went from fighting for an opportunity on a two-way contract to earning a fully guaranteed deal and eventually a contract extension. And what keeps him on the floor? It certainly isn’t elite athleticism. It’s his defensive effort, his ability to read the floor offensively, his understanding of how to operate within a system, and his efficiency, particularly from beyond the arc.
So why am I bringing up the career paths of these two players? Because they represent two fundamentally different approaches to succeeding in the NBA. Green entered the league relying on extraordinary athleticism and the freedom to operate outside traditional positional responsibilities. Gillespie has built his career by understanding those responsibilities, embracing them, and executing within the structure around him. One was given opportunities because of what his physical gifts suggested he could become. The other earned his opportunities by consistently demonstrating that he understood exactly what his team needed him to be.
Collin Gillespie is more comfortable handling the ball, navigating his way through defenses, creating mismatches, and reading what the opposition is doing as those opportunities develop. Through four games this season, his assist percentage is 18.1% (38th percentile), his assist-to-turnover ratio is 3.3 (36th percentile), and his assist points created is 14.5 per game (64th percentile). Not gaudy numbers, but certainly improvements over what Green has provided in this small sample size to start the 2026-27 season.
Friday night was a reminder of this. Against Denver, during his first six minutes on the floor, Green and the Suns were a -3. Gillespie entered, and over the next nine minutes, Phoenix was a +7. That trend continued throughout the game. The team was chunky when Green was on the floor, fluid when Gillespie was present.
When Green entered, the offense tended to sputter. This isn’t solely his fault. The entire starting five was having trouble producing, as apparent from the rotations showcased above. When he and Devin Booker shared the court, roles were not defined, and the team had a -19.8 net rating.
When Booker was off the court and Green was tasked with the “bring the ball up the court” duties, the ball became sticky. The offense was less fluid. He’d dribble for a while, attack the basket, get blocked, and that was the possession. No movement, no opportunity for anyone else to get involved.
Green killed the Suns’ momentum on that possession. Dribbled into a crowded paint, never looked to kick it out, and forced a shot that got blocked. Murray answered with a three.
Green has to recognize when the defense collapses and move the ball. That’s a 5-point momentum swing.
Through four games, albeit with a small sample size, Green possesses a minus-28.3 net rating compared to Gillespie’s minus-2.3. And when you examine the on/off numbers, they speak for themselves.
The defensive side of the ball will always be the weaker part of this argument because Green has the opportunity to provide more defensively due to his size. For all the heart Gillespie has, he’ll never possess the physical tools to be an elite defender, yet he’s still third in the league with 3.0 steals per game.
When you look up and down the roster at the statistical output, particularly defensive rating, nobody on this team looks good. That’s what happens when you have the worst defense in the league. But there’s a significant difference between Jalen Green’s 133.3 defensive rating and Gillespie’s 120.7. So even on that end of the floor, Gillespie has been the better option.
I’ve hit you with a ton of advanced metrics and lineup data, but do we really need all of that? We know what our eyes are telling us, and at the end of the day, they’re telling us that there’s considerably more fluidity offensively and more intensity defensively when Gillespie is on the floor instead of Green.
This isn’t to suggest that the two players can’t coexist on the roster, because at this point in the season, they’re going to have to. The Suns will continue evaluating Green to determine whether he fits into what this team currently is and what it could eventually become. When you’re carrying a $36.3 million price tag, naturally, there’s going to be increased scrutiny surrounding your performance.
We need to see a larger sample size, right? But in reality, do we? Because we’re beginning to witness some of the same trends we saw last season with Green…
Remember the beginning of last year, when the Suns seemed to have a clear understanding of who they were? Green was injured for much of that stretch. When he returned, the team experienced some destabilization as it attempted to integrate him into the rotations and figure out how he fit.
What’s going to happen in the upcoming games? We might not know, but we saw a hint Friday night of what Jordan Ott is beginning to experiment with. Collin Gillespie closed the game while Jalen Green watched from the bench because Ott recognized that, within the confines of that particular matchup, it gave the Suns their best opportunity to win. How long until there’s a realization that, from an organizational standpoint, this might be the Suns’ best opportunity to win moving forward?
Not surprisingly, the team is standing with Green. “We’ve got a ton of confidence in JG,” Collin Gillespie said of his teammate following the loss to Denver. “We’re riding with JG 100 times out of 100.”
Moving Green to the bench is something I believe could benefit him. He’d be operating in a role much more conducive to his skill set, allowing him to focus on what he does best. But there’s also the potential for his ego to take a hit, and that’s the human element of this entire situation. It’s something we as fans have very little connectivity to when it comes to understanding the inner workings of the Phoenix Suns. There’s more to this than plugging and playing names into a roster. There are personalities involved, relationships to manage, and aspects of humility that need to be considered as well.
Again, we’ve now experienced this for 36 games if you go back to last season, and the results continue to be disjointed and disconnected on both ends of the floor. Green isn’t the sole reason for that, either. When Devin Booker scores three points in one game and then follows it up with another performance in which he doesn’t appear particularly aggressive, finishing with only 20 points, there are clearly greater issues at play. There’s one common concern running through all of it: your highest-paid players aren’t providing the effort and production you need from them consistently.
Maybe it’s too early to draw conclusions. My guess is that the franchise will give this another eight to ten games before seriously considering any drastic changes. Putting the human element aside for a moment, you eventually have to recognize who a player is, what he brings to the table, and whether his production matches the price you’re paying for it.
We’re only four games into the season, but Jalen Green is shooting 28.6% from beyond the arc, possesses an assist percentage of only 14.1%, and has a defensive rating that’s in the shitter. Those aren’t encouraging numbers for someone who’s supposed to be your starting “point guard”, especially when the offense continues to struggle with connectivity and the defense remains a significant concern. For context, Devin Booker isn’t exactly lighting things up defensively himself, carrying a defensive rating of 137.2.
At some point, the Suns have to decide whether they’re more committed to the idea of what Jalen Green could become or the reality of what Collin Gillespie already provides. Green can still be valuable, and finding a role that maximizes his strengths should remain a priority (although, at that price tag…yikes). But Phoenix needs someone who can organize the offense, make quick decisions, execute on the defensive end, and bring consistency to a lineup desperately searching for it. Gillespie has demonstrated that he can do those things. The question is how much longer Jordan Ott is willing to experiment before acknowledging what’s already working.
Hammers fans angry after West Brom seal 3-1 victory
Swansea win 4-0; Middlesbrough cruise against Charlton
Nuno Espirito Santo is facing mounting pressure after West Brom’s stylish 3-1 win at the London Stadium left West Ham, the Championship promotion favourites, six points off the pace in eighth place.
A second consecutive home defeat contained few saving graces for Nuno, who faced the wrath of fans on the final whistle. Albion, slick and measured, moved into the top four with their 3,000 travelling fans revelling in the discomfort of Nuno, once manager of arch-rivals Wolves.
SAN FRANCISCO – The Friday-night sequence featuring Lakers star Luka Dončić crumpling to the floor trying to defend Stephen Curry went viral because nothing captivates NBA fans quite like three seconds of spectacle.
This was the latest Super Steph Moment, and he punctuated it by draining a triple that pushed the Warriors’ lead from nine to 12 midway through the third quarter.
Yet an earlier sequence was more crucial to the Warriors’ astonishing comeback win and, moreover, provided a glimpse of ferocity they’ll need to compete at the NBA’s highest level.
With the Warriors down 11 in the second quarter and Curry on the bench, backup big man Charles Bassey stifled a dunk attempt by Los Angeles center Walker Kessler. De’Anthony Melton grabbed the loose ball, triggering a fast break that was completed with his 30-foot lob to Yaxel Lendeborg, who slammed the ball through the net with 7:17 left in the quarter.
Lakers coach JJ Redick, the crowd’s roar ringing in his ears, immediately signaled for a timeout. It didn’t help. Five electrifying seconds sent pulses racing throughout Chase Center and among the Warriors.
“I thought that was play of the game for us,” coach Steve Kerr said Saturday.
The Lakers, over the rest of the quarter, shot 33.3 percent (4 of 12) from the field and committed four turnovers. They shot 37.8 percent in the second half while committing nine turnovers.
LA scored 42 points in the first 17 minutes, 53 over the last 31, which came after 6-foot-10 Bassey rejected 7-foot-2 Kessler – the guy who savaged the Warriors with 10 dunks in the season opener – at the rim.
“Not only is it huge for the energy of the game but I think it’s awesome as a team,” Georges Niang said. “Charles has been working his tail off. I was with Charles in Philadelphia, where he kind of had his first crack at the NBA.”
Bassey, who missed the first two games of the season with knee soreness, is a much more athletic but slightly less instinctive version of former Warrior Kevon Looney. He’s a smallish center who compensates with effort and fortitude.
And Bassey was the first leg of a pivotal sequence in Golden State’s 112-95 victory that evened its record at 3-3. Melton represented the second leg, rushing up the court and delivering a timely and accurate lob. Lendeborg was the final third, providing his lone highlight on a night when he stung himself with critiques.
“To have a guy that is battling injuries, fighting for his NBA life, and to go out there and impact the game like that,” Niang said, “and then finish it with an enormous dunk where Yaxel wasn’t clicking on all cylinders offensively – but he’s been awesome for us – just to have all that is the beauty of the game of basketball. It all connects.”
There will be many nights when the Warriors face a bigger, longer and younger team with the deeper pool of athleticism and talent. They’re in the process of figuring out what they must do to beat such teams. Their longtime No. 1 scorer is Curry, and they’ve identified Lendeborg as their No. 2. Draymond Green fills voids on both ends.
Golden State’s defense, however, is in its early stages – or at least they hope that is the case. Through six games, the Warriors are 22nd in defensive rating, with only four teams allowing more transition points and only two – the Suns and Kings – allowing a higher effective field-goal percentage.
Melton and Niang are becoming defensive forces. Bassey seems to enjoy defense, and Kerr made it clear that he deserves a bump in minutes. That alone could fill some of the gap that exists without Kristaps Porzingis while also making Draymond’s life a bit easier.
The defensive energy on display while limiting the potent LA offense to 57 points over the final three quarters is a start.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MAY 15: De'aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs shoots the ball against Jaden McDaniels #3 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the third quarter in Game Six of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Target Center on May 15, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the second time this week, the Wolves fly from Minnesota to take on a rested team on the tail end of a back-to-back. This is their fifth game in seven nights. They are down their A1 player in Anthony Edwards but have found a way to win without him. To add to their win total in San Antonio will take a full team effort with what they have left.
This is the first matchup between the Wolves and Spurs since their playoff bout this past May. The Spurs would continue past Minnesota on their march to the final round where they were summarily spanked by the New York Knicks (thanks Karl).
Karl-Anthony Towns L of New York Knicks vies with Victor Wembanyama of San Antonio Spurs during the final game 5 between New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs at the 2025-2026 NBA basketball game in San Antonio, the United States, June 13, 2026. (Photo by Wu Xiaoling/Xinhua via Getty Images)
The Wolves President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly saw that the path through the Western Conference now curved through either Oklahoma City or San Antonio and their brand of swarming, hyper-athletic, in your jersey, perimeter defense. The Spurs being anchored by an All-Defense big man near the hoop.
As he did when building the Wolves to take on Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, he made a big trade that sent out precious draft capital and beloved players. The new vision was built around LaMelo Ball. An All-Star pass first point guard who can bend defenses in the half-court with either his passing or shooting.
In the past the Spurs tore up the hobbled Wolves by sending two defenders at Anthony Edwards who had little means of releasing the pressure in ways that punctured the defense. This left Victor Wembanyama clear to sit back and ward off the paint. The Wolves size that they had used to stifle the Nuggets was chop blocked.
Unfortunately we will not get to see Connelly’s full grand vision in action take on one of the very teams he built it for. As Edwards recovers from his successful arthroscopic surgery, the Wolves will instead have to contend with a team off to their own rocky start.
The Spurs are 3-2 with victories over the Dallas Mavericks without Cooper Flagg, the Sacramento Kings, and the Utah Jazz in overtime. At this writing they are middle of the league in shooting the basketball (tied at 18th in true shooting percentage at 56.2%), while boasting a top ten defense.
The Wolves have played well thus far against teams that lack consistent three point threats. Should the Spurs find some of their post-season form and hit from outside, it could get ugly fast.
Double Vision
San Antonio could employ the same defense they used in the playoffs against the Antless Wolves. Melo is a more capable ball handler and passer than Edwards and is better able to diagnose where to deliver the ball. What he is not, is someone who can handle a full night of physical bullying. Especially after playing a game 24 hours earlier.
Sending two players in any combination of Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, or Devin Vassell could rattle Ball’s cage enough to turn the Wolves over. I expect the Spurs will try to rough up Melo and frustrate him. If Rudy tries to screen him open, Wemby will hedge just enough to prevent the deep shot knowing he can catch up to anyone in the play diving to the rim.
The rest of the Wolves will need to move well off the ball and keep the Spurs guessing where and when Melo might look to release the defensive pressure.
Centre Bleu!
May 12, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) drives to the basket against Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) during the first half of game five of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Combing the standing reach of Rudy Gobert (9’7”), Joan Beringer (9’3”), and Wemby (somewhere between 9’7”-9’10”) we could run nearly one third of court tip to toe with French center. Outside of Luke Kornet minutes, the entirety of this game figures to see two of those three on the court at all times protecting the rim.
Where Wemby has more outside game than either Rudy or Joan, all of them do their best work on offense closer to the basket. Thankfully Rudy got back in the scoring column against the Clippers. As the elder homme d’État, he’ll need to bide his time to score against Wemby, collecting offensive rebounds when Big Vic is pulled far enough away from the rim and slamming them home before the defense can recover.
As the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Wembanyama stalks around the basket like Jack Skellington on the hunt for a new holiday. What the Wolves, specifically Terrance Shannon Jr., discovered last year in the post-season, is that you have to go at the man in the middle. This will not always reap rewards, but if Minnesota can get past their perimeter defender they need to go at Victor and force him to make a play.
The more the Wolves can make Wemby exert himself on one end, the more he will lack on the other end by the fourth quarter. On the second night of a back-to-back, it is a big ask for Minnesota, but Wemby is at his worst in the fourth.
Wembanyama’s Fourth Quarters (2026-2027 season)
Games Played (GP): 4
Minutes Per Game (MPG): 5.3
Points Per Game (PPG): 1.5
Rebounds Per Game (RPG): 1.3
Assists Per Game (APG): 1.0
Blocks Per Game (BPG): 0.5
When Kornet is in, the Wolves need to redouble their efforts to get to the hoop. Serviceable last year, Kornet has yet to find a rhythm this season.
Sample size theatre but something to keep an eye on.
Spurs offensive and defensive net rating after 5 games with Vic on vs Vic off:
Victor On: 118.4 offensive rating per 100 possessions 98.6 defensive rating per 100 possessions +19.8 net rating
The Wolves who battled the Spurs last year will come out looking to prove something. Ball and Jonathan Kuminga will feed off that energy and look to help their teammates looking to steal back their pride. Minnesota’s outside shots fall and they take the lead weathering a few surges by the Spurs. It gets close in the third but by the fourth, Wemby is spent and the Wolves tuck San Antonio into bed early, leaving a night light on for fear of the big bad wolf.
Happy Howloween!
Our blogging buddies are over at Pounding the Rock! Be kind to our friends who cheer for the team on the river walk!
BREAKING NEWS: Patrick Kane has become just the 21st player in National Hockey League history to record 900 career assists.
The goal was a power-play goal scored by Anton Frondell, who slapped home a cross-ice feed from Kane for the 1-0 lead. Connor Bedard also picked up an assist on the play.
🎃 Anton first goal of the game 🎃 Kaner 900th assist 🎃 starting Halloween off on a wicked note pic.twitter.com/QZNKq0OtaW
Kane's assist came against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden, which is a rink where Kane has plenty of great memories - including a Stanley Cup win.
Only 21 players, including Kane, have reached 900 assists in the NHL. Only one other is active: Sidney Crosby. To say that it's a list comprised of only the elite would be an understatement. Only Connor McDavid and Evgeni Malkin, also future Hall of Fame players, have a chance to reach that milestone any time soon.
787 of these 900 assists for Kane have come in a Chicago Blackhawks sweater. He had some great years as a member of the Detroit Red Wings and a brief stint with the New York Rangers, but nothing can compare to the resume that he put together with the Chicago Blackhawks.
There isn't much more Kane needs to do to be considered the greatest American-born hockey player of all time, but he is still out there making a difference on a young team that looks up to him.
How far can Kane take these numbers? Does he have another 100 assists in him before he retires to get to 1000? He certainly has some work to do. Kane also has 509 career goals, giving him 1409 career points. Whenever he does hang 'em up, the Hall of Fame will be waiting.
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Coventry climbed out of the relegation zone with a 3-1 win that leaves Sunderland rooted to the bottom of the Premier League.
Tatsuhiro Sakamoto’s first Premier League goal put Frank Lampard’s side ahead 17 minutes in, Taiwo Awoniyi’s first league goal for Coventry doubled the lead eight minutes before the break and Jack Rudoni sealed victory early in the second half.
