Oct 30, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Miles Bridges (22) goes up for a layup against Denver Nuggets forward Trevon Brazile (7) during the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Despite playing the fewest games in the NBA during the inaugural month of the season, concern is high among the Phoenix Suns fanbase due to their offensive struggles and lack of a point guard in the starting lineup amid their 1-3 start. Fans will remain concerned about their season outlook until they start to string a win streak together and play more cohesively. They’ll have a few opportunities to do so throughout the first whole month of the NBA season.
Here’s a peek at the Suns’ schedule for November.
The longest homestand since COVID
Monday, November 2nd @ Golden State Warriors
Wednesday, November 4th vs Portland Trail Blazers
Thursday, November 5th vs Orlando Magic
Saturday, November 7th vs Houston Rockets
Monday, November 9th vs San Antonio Spurs
Tuesday, November 10th vs Los Angeles Clippers
Thursday, November 12th vs Charlotte Hornets
Sunday, November 15th vs Los Angeles Lakers
After their Monday matchup in San Francisco against the Warriors, Phoenix will have their longest homestand since February of the 2020-2021 season, when the schedule was made to limit travel during the pandemic. A mix of games against the Eastern and Western Conferences, the Suns were .500 or better against all of their upcoming home opponents except for the Rockets last season.
With multiple back-to-backs in the homestand, the Suns will need to make sure they play a balanced and deep lineup, but the lack of travel will give the team more time to rest between games.
A homestand ends and a road trip begins
Monday, November 16th @ Denver Nuggets
Wednesday, November 18th @ Sacramento Kings
Friday, November 20th @ Utah Jazz*
Monday, November 23rd @ New Orleans Pelicans
Wednesday, November 25th @ Houston Rockets*
(*=NBA Cup Games)
The five-game road trip is tied for the longest road trip the Suns will have all year, and the start of it will provide Phoenix with an opportunity for revenge against the Nuggets, who handed them their most recent loss. One of the two winless teams left, the Kings project to provide Phoenix with one of their easiest games of the year, before they play in two of three NBA Cup Games to finish out their travels, with the game against Houston being Jalen Green’s first game at the Toyota Center since being traded for Kevin Durant in 2025. He missed both games in Houston last year because of hamstring issues.
Post-Thanksgiving clashes with rising stars
Friday, November 27th vs Dallas Mavericks*
Sunday, November 29th @ Utah Jazz
(*=NBA Cup Games)
After a break for Thanksgiving, Phoenix will face off against Cooper Flagg and Darryn Peterson, the first and second picks in the 2025 and 2026 drafts. While Peterson has struggled mightily with efficiency to start his career, Flagg has been an offensive and defensive force, leading the Mavericks to a surprising 4-2 start and handing the Rockets their first loss of the season after their 5-0 start behind his 33-point performance.
The games against the young talent will give the Suns a glimpse at what life could have been like if they opted to rebuild and accumulate assets after their 2022 and 2023 playoff shortcomings rather than go all-in on acquiring Bradley Beal, which stripped them of all their remaining draft capital after trading for Kevin Durant months prior.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 12: Spencer Strider #99 of the Atlanta Braves walks from the bullpen before the game against the New York Mets at Citi Field on June 12, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Steve Avery. Kris Medlen. Craig McMurtry. Brandon Beachy. Multiple generations of nascent Braves starting pitchers saw promising — and at times, dominating, big league careers — destroyed by injuries.
Is it too early to apply that same label to Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider? Maybe, but his 2026 added another season of validation to that narrative. Once one of the most electric arms in baseball, 2026 just further clouded Strider’s outlook and viability as a useful big league arm going forward.
How Acquired
The Braves drafted Strider in the fourth round of the 2020 draft out of Clemson University. After an amazing rookie season in which he started in the bullpen and helped the Braves overcome a slow start with four months of dominant starting pitching, the Braves signed him to a hefty $75 million, six-year extension that includes a club option for 2029.
What were the expectations?
After making his MLB debut the season after he was drafted, finishing second to teammate Michael Harris II in the 2022 National League Rookie of the Year vote, and then being selected as an All-Star and finishing fourth in the NL Cy Young Award in 2023, Strider missed most of the 2024 season due to an elbow injury.
After dealing with a hamstring issue, he returned to make 23 starts in 2025. That season was much more of a mixed bag despite Strider being healthy-ish enough to throw 125 1/3 innings: Strider put together a 106 ERA-, 111 FIP-, and 102 xFIP-, which are basically fourth starter numbers. More frustrating was that he had a dominant eight-start stretch from mid-June through late July where it looked like he had turned the proverbial corner and returned to his high standard of effectiveness (67/75/69), but then horribly regressed the rest of the way (130/131/123 over his last ten starts).
As a result, the expectations were variable, uncertain, and headache-inducing. The hope was that he’d go back to something resembling 2022-2023, or at least that eight-start summer stretch. The fear was that he’d look like the aggregate fourth starter he was in 2025, or worse. And, of course, the possibility of missing a bunch of time with another injury also loomed.
Preseason projections kind of split the difference in terms of a point estimate of average-y starter performance, but that was an average of a bunch of highly disparate and volatile outcomes.
2026 results
Strider was on pace to start the season in the team’s rotation, but an oblique issue landed him on the Injured List prior to the end of Spring Training. He was activated on May 3, but managed just a month and a half on the active roster before inflammation in his pitching elbow sent him to the shelf on June 13. Four days later, the Braves transferred him to the 60-day IL and the writing was pretty much on the wall, as Strider didn’t return.
This wasn’t a story of a promising return cut short by another injury. Rather, Strider largely struggled, with a 126 ERA-, 129 FIP-, and 104 xFIP-. Again, fourth starter numbers pitching-wise, with a finger pushing down on the scale given how homer-prone he ended up being across his eight starts and 39 innings.
By FIP, he had four good starts and four horrendous starts. By xFIP, he had three dominant starts, one meh outing, and really struggled to pitch well four times. Thanks to all the homers, he finished with just 0.1 fWAR.
What went right?
His strikeout rate went up a bit from 2025. A lot of people clamored for Strider to add more pitches to his arsenal; in 2026, he (perhaps, because he was forced to) threw his curve and changeup a combined 25 percent of the time, setting career highs in usage for both.
It’s hard to pick a highlight from his season. Perhaps it was his third of the year, where the Braves won 3-2 while Strider put up a 4/3 K/BB ratio in 5 1/3 innings — no Red Sox runs scored while he was in the game (though he was charged when an inherited runner scored). Perhaps it was his start against the Reds, where he flashed a great 8/2 K/BB ratio… though got BABIPed en route to getting saddled with a bunch of singleton runs (one in four of the five frames he pitched) and the Braves lost 6-4. Or, it was when he actually looked a bit like his old self with an 8/2 K/BB ratio in a six-inning scoreless effort in a blowout win over the Dodgers. Those were really the only highlights.
What went wrong?
Getting labelled as injury-prone isn’t something any player wants, but Strider’s past three seasons have been littered with arm, core and leg issues. In 2026, Strider saw his fastball velocity dip to basically 95 mph which was two ticks below his 2023 average. He struggled with walks and allowing home runs. He also failed to average five innings in his starts. His arm angle was three degrees below what he managed in 2023, though at least it was three degrees higher than in 2025. The pitching models rated his stuff as third- or fourth-starter quality. He struggled to miss bats, and to hit the zone. It was, in aggregate, kind of a mess.
Things all came to a head in his last start of the season, on June 12 against the Mets. He pitched three innings, gave up three homers, and the Braves were in a giant hole by the time he departed. It was more frustrating because after he gave up back-to-back homers to Bo Bichette and Juan Soto in the first, the Braves battled back to tie the game… only for Bichette to pop him for a grand slam in the next frame. It was an ignominious end to a poor season.
After Strider was lost for the season, the Braves attempted to make a Trade Deadline deal with the Texas Rangers for starting pitcher Jacob DeGrom, according to multiple reports. The prevailing rumor was that Strider would have been the package heading to Texas, or at least part of it. DeGrom voted the trade, thus Strider remained with the Braves. While we don’t know if the rumors are true or just reporters trying to connect nonexistent dots… to the extent they are, it suggests a substantial turnaround in how the Braves think about Strider, as well as Alex Anthopoulos’ prior stated commitment to not trading players that received long-term extensions. It’s a pretty disappointing state of affairs either way.
2027 outlook
As noted, Strider is inked through 2028 at $22 million per season, with a team option (also at $22 million) for 2029 (with a $5 million buyout). There are substantial questions about his future, both in terms of health and expected performance, that will be present whether the Braves have him in their 2027 plans, or decide to move on via a trade of some capacity.
A great as Strider was in 2022 and 2023, he’ll have started only 33 games across the last three seasons, with a disappointing 114/116/103 line in aggregate, whenever the 2027 regular season begins. Should he finally be able to pitch at the level he did earlier in his career, the Braves will have one less question about their rotation. But — and that is a but as massive as Strider’s quads — it is fair to question if his injury issues would allow him to be either durable or dominant, much less both.
There’s always the possibility he could transition to the bullpen, but given the financial commitment the team has in him and the starting rotation’s needs, that seems more like a last-gasp move versus an optimal one. It’s not like Strider has pitched so well recently that the issue is just leveraging his effectiveness in shorter stints, given that he hasn’t showcased much effectiveness.
Furthermore, given the team’s rumored willingness to include him in a trade, it is fair to wonder if Atlanta might try to use him and his salary in an attempt to improve elsewhere, given that Strider is only 28 years old and there is still the tantalizing potential that another organization might gamble on.
Unfortunately, this comparison of Strider and Medlen is one that seems more apt with each passing year.
Projections haven’t counted out Strider yet, given that 2026 was a relatively small sample. Still, he’s now slipping into below-average territory with a central estimate of being a shorter-stint starter over about 20 starts. Even that seems pretty optimistic given that he’s only managed 1.0 fWAR in his last 170 innings, but given how good he was, you can see how some deference is being paid to his earlier-career performance.
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 15: José Caballero #72 reacts as Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees dumps water on him to celebrate Caballero's walk off two-run hit in the ninth inning of the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium on April 15, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We can all easily remember a bunch of big plays from the 2026 season that came at crucial moments, and either helped the Yankees win or cost them in a loss. However, there is another way to look back at some of those moments beyond just racking the brain to recall them.
Win Probability Added is a statistic that measures how every play in a game changes the statistical likelihood of a team winning. As we continue through our end-of-season obituaries on this most recent campaign, I wanted to see how our memories of the biggest plays match up with what WPA says were the most impactful ones. Here are two lists—one of the best plays and one of the worst—of the biggest WPA changes from the 2026 Yankees’ season.
Rosario ended up having a disappointing season considering all he was re-signed to do was be a platoon bat. However at the start of the year, it seemed like he could be that and more, and this was a major reason why. Having already homered on the day, Rosario stepped to the plate in the eighth with the Yankees down 3-2. Facing former Yankee Mark Leiter Jr., Rosario took a pitch into the second deck in left field, despite facing a pitcher opposite-handed from the ones he was supposed to crush.
For reasons I can’t entirely pinpoint, this ended up being the biggest play of the regular season according to Championship Win Probability Added, as it increased the Yankees’ World Series odds by 0.44 percent. However, I definifely understand how it changed this one game so much. Trailing the Nationals in the top of the ninth, Chisholm stepped to the plate with a runner on and one out against another former Yankee (albeit briefly), Matt Krook. He crushed one down the right-field line, as it stayed fair to give the Yankees a lead somewhat out of nowhere. Austin Wells chipped in with another homer later in the inning, as the Bombers hung on after that.
Having taken a 3-0 lead early, the Yankees had managed just three baserunners from the third through eighth innings, losing the lead to the Angels in the process. With familiar punching bag Jordan Romano on the bump for the Halos, however, they had a fighting chance. Chisholm singled with one out in the bottom of the ninth and Wells drew a walk. Both were then going when Caballero dropped a single into center field. The hit-and-run ended up being quite helpful. Chisholm probably would’ve scored anyway, but thanks to some nifty sliding, Wells managed to just beat the tag, flipping the score on one play and giving the Yankees a walk-off win.
As you might be able to tell from the rest of these lists, most of the big WPA swings come on events in the eighth, ninth, or extra innings. This one, however, cracked the list despite coming in the seventh. Ryan Weathers had been excellent on this day, keeping Baltimore off the board for six frames. He came back out for the seventh and got one out, but also gave up a single to Adley Rutschman and a walk to Tyler O’Neill. Aaron Boone then went to Brent Headrick. While the southpaw had a very good season, this happened on the third pitch he threw, eventually costing the Yankees the game.
Even good closers blow games on occasion. While he’s not at a Mariano Rivera level or anything, David Bednar has been very good for the Yankees in his 1.5 years in the Bronx. However, this was a day to forget. Holding a three-run lead, Bednar allowed two singles to the Mets in the bottom of the ninth, but then bounced back by getting the next two outs. At that point, Bednar just needed one thing not to happen, it’s just that said thing then did. The Yankees got the game to extras after that, but ended up losing in the 10th.
The biggest WPA swing in a game involving the Yankees was in fact one that went against them.
After a pitchers’ duel left the game 1-1 going into extra innings, the Yankees did the somewhat impossible and scored a run off Mason Miller in the top of the 10th. They had already used closer Bednar to get the game to extras to begin with and sent out the normally reliable Paul Blackburn for the bottom of the inning. Blackburn started the inning by winning a six-pitch battle over Xander Bogaerts. However, on the very next pitch he threw:
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 30: Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics high-fives Mitchell Robinson #4 during the first half against the Chicago Bulls at the TD Garden on October 30, 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 Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Celtics will be without Mitchell Robinson when they face the Orlando Magic. Robinson will rest on the front end of a back-to-back, the Celtics’ second of the season. So far this season, Robinson has averaged 6.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in 20 minutes per game.
The rest of the roster, except two-way player Devin Carter, is fully available. Carter continues to deal with an illness, though he is now around the team after being away to start the season.
Robinson typically did not play in both nights of back-to-backs as a member of the New York Knicks, but in an interview with Knicks Fan TV earlier this month, he made clear that would not be the case in Boston.
”It ain’t going to be the same in Boston [as it was with the Knicks]. I’ll be able to play back-to-backs,” Robinson said. “I’m very excited for that; it’s been a long time coming. Now I can go out there and play basketball, just go out there with a free mind and just hoop.”
The Celtics are 4-1 entering Sunday’s game, while the Magic are 2-3, with wins over the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors and losses to the Atlanta Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Raptors.
Boston has won four straight since losing the season opener, beating the Knicks, Chicago Bulls (twice), and Brooklyn Nets.
The Magic will be without several key players
Paolo Banchero suffered a high ankle sprain in the second game of the season, while Jalen Suggs suffered a right knee contusion in the third. Jonathan Isaac is out with left knee injury management.
Franz Wagner has led the Magic, averaging 20.8 points, 7 assists, and 6.8 rebounds per game. Desmond Bane, acquired last offseason, averages 17.2 points, 4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. Wendell Carter Jr. is having a career season so far, averaging 14.8 points and 8.6 rebounds.
And in the wake of injuries, Anthony Black and Jase Richardson have slotted into the starting lineup, with Jamal Cain and Tristan da Silva playing key minutes off the bench.
Neemias Queta is likely to get the start for Boston
The Celtics have started Derrick White, Jordan Walsh, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, and Robinson every game so far this season. With Robinson out, Neemias Queta will likely slot into the starting lineup, and Luka Garza will see more minutes off the bench.
Queta is averaging 9 points and 4.8 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per game for the Celtics so far. Garza is averaging 4.6 points and 2.2 rebounds in 8.8 minutes per game.
The Celtics may rest players for Monday’s game against the Houston Rockets, but the entire rotation played in both games when the team last had a back-to-back.
Celtics-Magic tips off at 3:30pm ET at the Kia Center in Orlando.
‘A big breakdown challenge coming,’ warns head coach
Genge calls timing of ‘hip-drop’ tackle law change ‘beserk’
Steve Borthwick is urging his England players to act smarter and recognise the vital importance of keeping 15 players on the field before a pivotal month for the national team. Borthwick’s side have been shown 14 yellow cards and one red in 2026 to date and, partly as a consequence, have lost five of their past seven Tests.
Borthwick is also concerned that different refereeing interpretations in the domestic Prem are not helping England at international level, with the latest complication being a mid‑season law change preventing so-called “hip-drop” tackles. His experienced prop Ellis Genge has called the timing of the alteration “berserk” but also fully accepts England must improve their disciplinary record in their autumn Nations Championship fixtures.
When I got this photo, it had the filename “1969wrigley.”
I knew with 100 percent certainty, even before beginning sleuthing, that this photo was not taken in 1969. How did I know that? Because the Astroturf tarp that covered up the empty center field bleachers and became a hitters background was installed in 1967, not to be removed until Tribune Co. bought the Cubs in 1981.
Okay, definitely not 1969. Let’s narrow things down, then. Here’s a larger version of the photo (tap or click to enlarge further):
It’s almost certainly a Sunday because there are no “NITE GAME” indications on the board. Could be a Saturday, as most games in that era on Saturdays were day games, but occasionally there were a few Saturday night games in other cities, so I began with the assumption that it’s Sunday.
The clock shows just before 1:30, but the game has already started. My Wrigley game time history article shows you that weekend games didn’t start before 1:30 until 1965.
All right, now we’ve got it narrowed down to 1965 or 1966. It’s the bottom of the first inning. The visiting team has a hit, but didn’t score in the top of the inning. There’s no one on base and nobody out, so the leadoff hitter is batting. That has to be Don Landrum (1965) or Adolfo Phillips (1966). I couldn’t quite read all of the board matchups, except that it was clear that the White Sox were in New York. So I sent the photo to Mike Bojanowski. Here’s what he sent me back:
Sox are definitely playing in NY, first inning complete, Yankees did score in the first. I think the Cubs’ opposition is the Braves. The Mets are in LA; St.Louis, KC, Detroit, Cleveland, are all at home, looks like Boston is at Washington, Baltimore at KC, Pittsburgh is a road team.
That narrowed it down. There was only one game that matched all of those in this time frame. It happened Sunday, May 29, 1966. The Cubs were hosting the Braves. Felipe Alou singled for Atlanta in the top of the first, the one hit shown on the board.
Adolfo Phillips is the batter for the Cubs. He has clearly just made a hit to left field; the baseball-reference play-by-play indicates that he doubled. So that’s what we’re looking at here. Phillips took third on a throwing error by Braves left fielder Rico Carty (who would play for the Cubs briefly in 1973). He scored on a ground out by Glenn Beckert. Phillips also scored in the seventh for the Cubs after being hit by a pitch, stealing second and going to third on a wild pitch. Another Beckert ground out made it 2-0.
Fergie Jenkins started this game for the Cubs. He had been acquired (along with Phillips) in that big trade with the Phillies just a few weeks earlier. Of note: This game was Jenkins’ first start as a Cub at Wrigley Field (he’d started against the Braves in Atlanta eight days earlier for his first start with the team). Atlanta scored its first run in the top of the eighth when Mack Jones stole home, and tied the game in the ninth on an inside-the-park home run by Eddie Mathews. Mathews had hit a ball down the line in right field, but Billy Williams, playing right that day, had thought it hit the wall on the fly and was foul. But first-base umpire Bob Engel called it fair, and by the time Billy caught up with it, Mathews had circled the bases.
The game went to extras and Ron Santo led off the bottom of the 10th with a walk-off home run — the second day in a row he’d done that. The Cubs won 3-2. The win improved the team’s record to… 12-27. They were, as you know, pretty bad that year (59-103).
So this was a game filled with interesting happenings. Just another little slice of Cubs history from 60 years ago.
1996: Pedro Martinez of the Montreal Expos pitches during a 1996 season game. Pedro Martinez played for the Montreal Expos from 1994-1997. (Photo by Jeff Carlick/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The biggest story of this offseason is the impending lockout. In exactly one month, the MLB collective bargaining agreement will expire and no deal between the owners and players is in sight. That means we are likely to get a work stoppage. The only question is how long will it last and how many games will be lost.
Major League Baseball has a long history of CBA disputes, and there was actually a World Series cancelled because of one. That was back in 1994, and that is exactly what we will talk about today. The 1994 work stoppage is a big reason why the Washington Nationals even exist in their current form.
All of baseball was hurt by the 1994 stoppage, but no team suffered more than the Expos. At the time of the August 11th stoppage, the Expos had the best record in baseball at 74-40. This was the Expos best shot at winning a championship in franchise history, and 1994 had been the year the team was building towards. Here is a great thread on the story of that 1994 season.
In 1994, it seemed that the stars were aligning for the Montreal Expos. They had the best record in baseball, and a World Series title was a real possibility. Then…it all ended with a players' strike. This is the story of the Expos 1994 season.
— Craig Baird – Canadian History Ehx (@CraigBaird) August 12, 2025
The roster was absolutely stacked with young talent. That team featured the likes of Pedro Martinez, Larry Walker, Marquis Grissom, Moises Alou and John Wetteland, who were all 27 years old or younger. As a smaller market club, they would not be able to hold on to all these players forever, but the mid-1990’s was setting up to be the golden age of Expos baseball.
However, the lockout killed all of Montreal’s momentum. There were no playoffs that season, which played a role in the Expos having a bit of a firesale. Larry Walker left as a free agent, while Grissom, Wetteland and key starting pitcher Ken Hill were all traded. In 1995, the Expos went 66-78, and the franchise never recovered. They never made the playoffs before moving to DC following the 2004 season.
It is a sad story, but it is also a big reason why the Nationals exist today. I am sure a team would have come to DC at some point, but who knows what that would have looked like if the Expos won the 1994 World Series. When you talk to players on that team, they are convinced they would have gotten over the top. This topic was discussed in the Who Killed the Montreal Expos documentary that came out on Netflix.
“They had the best chance of winning the World Series (in 1994).”
As we enter a work stoppage, that 1994 strike is a cautionary tale. The players and owners were actually fighting over a salary cap, just like they are going to do now. In that negotiation, neither side budged for months and it cost baseball dearly. At the end of the day, we did not get that salary cap. Hopefully this lockout can be worked through much quicker.
Baseball is in a much better spot than it was about 5 years ago. Rob Manfred is far from a perfect commissioner, but most of the rule changes he has implemented are working very well. The pitch clock was truly revolutionary in my opinion. It would be a huge blow to see all that progress wiped out due to a lockout.
Make no mistake, if the 2027 season is shortened in a serious way, or god forbid it is wiped out, the sport would suffer massively. It would hurt the smaller market teams the most as well. We saw that with the Expos in 1994.
Just over 10 years after their magical season was prematurely cut short, the franchise was playing its last ever games. Of course, this worked out very well for DC sports fans because it led to the Nats. However, there is still an element of tragedy involved as well.
Sept. 29, 2004: MLB team owners officially voted to move the #expos to Washington. The move sent shock waves throughout the baseball world. 31,000+ showed up for the last home game, about 20,000 on short notice. Tears flowed before, during and after the game. pic.twitter.com/37hS15iR4j
If there is a long term lockout, there are definitely franchises who could go down a similar death spiral. As we enter another CBA feud, the owners and players need to look at the history and see how painful this can be.
Even though the franchise did not exist in its current form, the 1994 work stoppage is a defining moment in Nationals history. It set the stage for the Expos moving to DC and becoming the Washington Nationals. At 11:59 PM on December 1st, the MLB CBA expires. This will be the story of the offseason, and as the years go by, we will see what the long term consequences of this clash will be.
The other trend is struggling goalies. Kevin Lankinen (.812), Jordan Binnington (.846), Dustin Wolf (.847), Jakub Dobes (.853), Brandon Bussi (.865), Andrei Vasilevkiy (.877), Darcy Kuemper (.878) and Sergei Bobrovsky (.885) are among goalies with substandard save percentages.
The Bruins were staring at a three-game losing streak before Morgan Geekie helped them rally to beat the Blackhawks on Oct. 31. That win kept them atop the Atlantic Division despite only two goals from Geekie, who totaled 72 the past two seasons.
Tage Thompson has willed the Sabres to a three-game winning streak with five goals and three assists.
Calgary Flames grade – D
Goalie Devin Cooley has outplayed Dustin Wolf and has had great interviews. But Wolf is back in net after Cooley was hurt during a collision in the crease.
Carolina Hurricanes grade – A
The defending champions are getting balanced scoring, and goalie Pyotr Kochetkov is 9-0 while Brandon Bussi is off to a slow start.
They're heading toward another lottery pick. Connor Bedard and defenseman Bowen Byram have played only one game together because of injuries.
Colorado Avalanche grade – B
Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are dominating as usual. Add Artturi Lehkonen (12 goals) to that list.
Columbus Blue Jackets grade – C-
The Blue Jackets have been wildly inconsistent. Newcomer Matthew Knies has only one point in his last nine games after getting four points in his first two.
The Stars have the league's best penalty kill at 93.6 percent. They have allowed only three goals while a man down and have scored a short-handed goal.
Detroit Red Wings grade – D+
The Red Wings get a poor grade over the Dylan Larkin trade request saga and Simon Edvinsson contract dispute. But the players bump that up by putting aside the distractions with a decent start.
Edmonton Oilers grade – A-
Connor McDavid has 37 points in a season-opening 14-game point streak and coach Mike Babcock has straightened out the defensive play after some early wild games. He benched defenseman Jake Walman.
Florida Panthers grade – B+
Brady Tkachuk's surge alongside brother Matthew has drawn the attention, but Seth Jones is on fire with 18 points. That was helped the Panthers survive injuries to Aleksander Barkov, Brad Marchand and Jacob Markstrom.
Los Angeles Kings grade – C-
The Kings were the last team to pick up its first win. A 1-4 record at home and a league-worst penalty kill have hurt them.
Minnesota Wild grade – A-
The Wild are on top of the Central Divison as Kirill Kaprizov leads the league with 14 goals. Quinn Hughes is dominating, too, as everyone parses words to determine whether and when he'll sign a contract extension.
Montreal Canadiens grade – B+
The Canadiens have won five in a row without injured captain Nick Suzuki, and goalie Jacob Fowler is generating Calder Trophy buzz. They've been mentioned in Larkin and Kucherov rumors, though they're not on Larkin's trade list.
Nashville Predators grade – C
Could coach Andrew Brunette be on the hot seat after a middling start? "I think we've had this conversation the last three years," he told The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. "I understand what the game is and where the game's at. I'm just focused on being the best coach I can every day."
Goaltending was considered an issue heading into the season. No longer after their blockbuster trade for Connor Hellebuyck. Throw in scoring up and down the deeper forward group and the Devils seem likely to return to the playoffs after missing last season.
New York Islanders grade – B-
Rookie of the year defenseman Matthew Schaefer is off to another strong season. They're still waiting for injured Mathew Barzal to make his season debut.
New York Rangers grade – B-
Igor Shesterkin's season-ending injury disrupted a solid start and the Rangers are still trying to figure out a good fit for offseason acquisition Pavel Dorofeyev.
Ottawa Senators grade – B
No Brady Tkachuk. No problem. Tim Stutzle's strong start has helped drive the Senators into third place in the Atlantic.
Philadelphia Flyers grade – D
The Flyers' playoff hopes took a massive hit with an 0-6-3 start. A bright spot has been Matvei Michkov, who ended the month with seven goals in his last seven games.
Pittsburgh Penguins grade – C
Sidney Crosby is below his usual point-per-game pace, but he had his best game on Oct. 31. He set an NHL record for most career assists with one franchise (1,113), passing Ray Bourque. He also tied Marcel Dionne (1,771) for sixth in all-time points.
St. Louis Blues grade – B
Goalie Jordan Binnington has a 4.11 goals-against average in the final year of his contract. Joel Hofer has received 10 of the 14 starts and sports a 2.42 GAA.
San Jose Sharks grade – C
GM Mike Grier beefed up the defense but it has still been a problem this season. They've allowed 31 shots per game, second worst in the league.
Seattle Kraken grade – B
The Kraken came up short in recent bids for Artemi Panarin and Jason Robertson. They've been boosted internally by second-year forward Berkly Catton, whose 11 points are six shy of his rookie total.
Tampa Bay Lightning grade – A-
Nikita Kucherov is playing through his trade request and had three assists in his first game after it become public. GM Julien BriseBois says he won't trade Kucherov.
Toronto Maple Leafs grade – B
The Maple Leafs took a while to gel after all of their offseason moves. One of their newcomers, goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, remains off to a slow start.
The Mammoth are second in the Central Division, boosted by the league-best power play (34 percent). Defenseman Mikhail Sergachev is on pace for a career best with 16 points in 14 games.
Vancouver Canucks grade – D
The Canucks are getting scoring, led by rejuvenated forward Elias Pettersson, but they have allowed a league-worst 4.5 goals per game.
Vegas Golden Knights grade – B
The Golden Knights mixed up their top power play unit, giving rookie Trevor Connelly a shot there and bumping Ivan Barbashev to the second unit.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - OCTOBER 28: Pascal Siakam #43 of the Indiana Pacers during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on October 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – OCTOBER 28: Pascal Siakam #43 of the Indiana Pacers during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on October 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Oof.
The Brooklyn Nets opened NBA Cup play with a Friday night matchup against the Detroit Pistons. Brooklyn got off to a great start and looked like they were going to give last year’s top seed in the Eastern Conference a good fight. Unfortunately for the home fans, they watched the Nets suffer another blowout. Brooklyn let things slip in the middle of the game and lost 110-94.
They’re now sitting at 0-5 to begin the season — one of two remaining winless teams (Kings).
The opponent tonight projects to be a contender for the NBA Championship. That is, if everyone is healthy. The Indiana Pacers are hoping to get back to the NBA Finals after missing out last season. It’s early, but the road back to the postseason has been a rocky one. They were on the road Friday night against the new look Miami Heat and lost 144-125.
Game Info and Broadcast Details
Matchup: Brooklyn Nets (0-5) vs. Indiana Pacers (2-4)
Indiana won the first meeting 136-109 on October 25.
This is the first leg of a back-to-back for the Nets. They return to the city for a matchup against the New York Knicks on Monday night at the Garden.
The Nets are off to their worst possible start, and Friday’s loss to Detroit didn’t do much to inspire confidence. People can accept losing, but they can’t accept poor effort. Brooklyn’s latest defeat left plenty of questions about the team’s effort and execution. This year was supposed to be different for the Nets, but it looks all too familiar.
Nolan Traore will get all the minutes he can handle tonight. With Demin and Brown Jr out, it’s on him to man the point. That’s a lot on his shoulders. He’ll need to dictate the offense and generate downhill pressure. If he does get to the rim, the Nets need him to turn those opportunities into points.
In October, the Nets were dead last in the NBA in field goal percentage inside the restricted area at 55.2 percent. That’s a troubling number against a Pacers team that has allowed opponents to shoot just 60.2 percent inside the restricted area, the third-best mark in the league. The home team need something to break their way, and if they want to finally break into the win column, it’ll take a total team effort.
Maybe the new month is what the doctor ordered?
Andrew Nembhard is probably never going to make an All-Star Game, but he’s someone I’d love to have on my side. He’s someone you can trust to make something happen with the game on the line. He’s also become more efficient while taking on a bigger offensive role.
Brooklyn will have its hands full with the speedy guard, who’s averaging 17.6 points and eight assists per game.
Player to Watch: Pascal Siakam
Siakam has been one of the better forwards in the NBA in the 2020s. He’s done well in his various roles and can scale his scoring up when the moment calls for it. He’s been turning the ball over at a career-high clip to start the year, but that is something to monitor as Indiana navigates the early part of its schedule. Without Haliburton, the four-time All-Star will have to up his game and take on more of the scoring load to offset the absence of their franchise player.
Brooklyn also needs more from Julius Randle. He discussed the process on offense after Friday’s game, and he shared some interesting insights about what the Nets need to improve:
Asked Julius Randle about the Nets' offensive struggles:
“There’s no flow and rhythm after this after the first action… It's like sometimes we get bogged down or stuck, and we're just sitting there watching each other, and it's not putting us in the best position to succeed.… pic.twitter.com/qKmLd2kFqx
Brooklyn has to find their purpose, and fast. If the team can’t play with more pace and with more success at the rim, a long season is guaranteed to get even longer.
From the Vault
Ones in the air for Sir Patrick Stewart
And with WWE hosting two shows at Barclays Center tomorrow night, let’s take a look back at one of the greatest matches of all time
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 19: José Ramírez #11 of the Cleveland Guardians looks on during Game Six of the American League Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday, October 19, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Hey, there isn’t really any baseball news going on right now but Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz start their trial tomorrow, so that’s fun.
Make sure to check out Matt Seese’s article and Jakhob Clady’s article and Jake Brahney’s article from yesterday..
SAN ANTONIO, TX -OCTOBER 31: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs blocks shot from Jonathan Kuminga #24 of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first half at Frost Bank Center on October 31: 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. 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 Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs still have lessons to be learned.
Last season, the Spurs made it pretty far on talent. They would make silly mistakes after silly mistakes and still recover thanks to one of the most talented young rosters in the NBA. After a crushing NBA Finals loss, a lot of fans expected the team to grow up a bit. To learn the lessons that come with such a defeat. Six games into the 2026-27 NBA season, that doesn’t appear to be the case.
The Spurs looked almost identical to last year’s team in a 121-111 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Halloween night. There were stretches of brilliance when the team guarded like their lives depended on it, moved the ball on a string, and got to the cup with ease. Then there were times when the offense went completely cold, reliant on isolation ball, and the defense allowed second-chance points and easy transition looks. But ultimately, the Spurs had enough talent to take down a Minnesota team that was missing two key players in Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert.
It took an MVP performance to get the win. Victor Wembanyama took over the game, crushing his fellow countryman, Joan Beringer, with 43 points and 6 blocks. When San Antonio was in a slog, Wembanyama would pull them out with a well-timed dunk or a block that led to a transition runout. Those are the types of games you’re looking for from the face of the franchise and potentially the best player in the league.
As they say, a win is a win. But likely, Mitch Johnson and the rest of the Spurs’ coaching staff will identify plenty of areas where the team can clean up their game, just as they could last season.
Takeaways:
Was there some sort of Halloween slime, or perhaps LaMelo Ball’s spit, on the basketball on Saturday? Both teams combined for 29 turnovers, with the ball generally bouncing all over the place. Both teams were trying to play with such a chaotic pace in both transition and half-court offense that it led to a lot of mistakes, or the ball slipping off players’ hands and bodies.
We at Pounding the Rock are formally accepting De’Aaron Fox apology slips. We will forward them to Mr. Fox at our earliest convenience. The veteran point guard has been nothing short of the Spurs’ second-best player to begin the season. He had 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists in the win, and was a team-high +23. Whatever he did in the offseason worked, because he looks completely rejuvenated. His jump shot is falling, particularly in the mid-range, which is opening up a lot of offense for the Spurs.
San Antonio has figured out how to constantly get the ball to Wembanyama on lobs. Those short pick-and-rolls near the sideline make it hard for opposing bigs to drop back and protect the rim, as it gives the Spurs’ guards good angles at the rim. That forced Beringer to switch often on Saturday night, making it easy for Wembanyama to finish lobs over smaller defenders. It’s one of the best new wrinkles to San Antonio’s playbook, and they spammed it often against Minnesota.
Luke Kornet has gotten a lot of grief for his play this season, and a lot of it has been deserved. He should get some praise when he has a solid game, too. Kornet grabbed 8 rebounds, 4 of them offensive, including a big put-back slam in the first half. His defensive positioning was largely good, and he didn’t kill San Antonio when he was in the game. That is about all you can ask from a backup center in this league.
Julian Champagnie remains red hot from three-point range to start the season. He shot 3-of-7 from deep on his way to 12 points against the Wolves and is now shooting 47.6% from three to start the season. It’s about time that Champagnie gets the recognition for what he is: one of the best shooters in the NBA.
Kelly Martin (right) of Fort Worth, Texas talks to her husband Steve Martin before Game 4 of the World Series at Rangers Ballpark on Sunday, October 31, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. It took Kelly Martin 9 hours to make the costume of a World Series ticket the day before. (Photo By Lea Suzuki/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
All good streaks are supposed to come to an end. In Friday's 98-93 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, Knicks guard Tyler Kolek's stretch of perfection ended.
In the game's early stages, he turned the ball over for the first time this season. Kolek coughed up the rock one more time, finishing with four assists and two points in 13 minutes.
It was a departure from Kolek's first three appearances this season, in which he recorded 21 assists and zero turnovers over 44 minutes.
The reserve is playing some of his best basketball right now, steadying the offense when Knicks star Jalen Brunson rests.
Kolek is taking advantage of an opportunity given to him because of an ankle injury to guard Jose Alvarado.
Kolek entered this season on the outside of New York's regular rotation. But his play has been impressive and could make Knicks coach Mike Brown think twice about taking him out of the rotation when Alvarado returns.
In Kolek's 57 minutes this season, the Knicks are assisting on 76.5 percent of their baskets, according to NBA Stats, a team high and one that would rank first in the entire league. The club's assist rate drops to 66.3 percent in the minutes he sits.
Kolek's careful playmaking comes at a time when the Knicks are in need of good decision making.
As of Saturday night, New York ranked 15th in turnovers per 100 possessions.
Over the past few years, the Knicks have regularly been one of the better teams at taking care of the ball, ranking 11th in the category last season.
The turnover problems have been a factor in New York’s slow offensive start and 2-4 record through the first six games.
Kolek has created scoring opportunities for his teammates with ease. Many of Kolek's minutes have been shared with starters Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby.
Towns is averaging 5.81 more points per 100 possessions when he shares the floor with Kolek, according to PBP Stats.
Anunoby's scoring increases by 9.85 points per 100 possessions in the same scenarios.
Since being drafted in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, Kolek's role has been inconsistent with New York.
Last season, due to a Miles McBride injury, Kolek emerged around the NBA Cup and played a significant role in the Knicks' Cup championship win.
He saw regular rotation minutes until the middle of January.
The Knicks acquired Alvarado in a trade deadline deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, pushing Kolek further down the depth chart.
Crowded backcourt
Though it is unclear when Alvarado will return from his injury, he will be back eventually. It creates a competition at the backup point guard slot.
With Brunson averaging 35 minutes a night through the last four seasons, there's very limited space to find time for both guards.
Add in a small-ish backcourt contributors like McBride, Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson, and it seems like a crowded backcourt.
Kolek and Alvarado are very different players. Kolek is a floor general with crafty passes and creative finishes around the basket to make up for his lack of athleticism. Alvarado is more of a defensive playmaker, creating havoc with steals.
Despite his diminutive stature, Alvarado can situationally guard players larger than him. Both players are inconsistent as three-point shooters but have proven to be capable enough to garner some respect from defenses.
It's a good problem to have. The Knicks have relied on the bench to step up in key situations. Last year's run to the championship saw several reserves have individual moments in specific games or series.
Brown said in training camp that outside of the starting five, players would be fighting for minutes. Kolek and Alvarado will see some time on the floor this season. Who plays the best will likely earn more time.
Kai Havertz’s goal was enough to give Arsenal their first win at Anfield since September 2012 and take them three points clear at the top of the table
So where is the game? Liverpool will look to get men around the ball when Arsenal have it, opening the pitch for switches should they win possession. And when they don’t, they’ll run like mad to recover it, stretching play and passing forwards, facilitating that by conserving energy every now and again when Nyoni slows the game down.
In particular, I expect they’ll ask Bradley Barcola to target the space left when Riccardo Calafiori goes off on adventures, with Alexander Isak pulling away for cut-backs and shooting quickly with little backlift, while Florian Wirtz looks to slip passes in behind – if he can work quickly enough in the maelstrom of the match.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 26: Tyler Herro #11 of the Milwaukee Bucks dribbles the ball against Pascal Siakam #43 of the Indiana Pacers in the third quarter at Fiserv Forum on October 26, 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
Welcome to Winners & Sinners, where we reflect on the week that was for the Milwaukee Bucks. Week 2 saw the Bucks go 1-2, with the team getting its first win of the season by defeating the arch-rival Indiana Pacers, before being forced into concussion protocols by the Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers. But who’s deserving of the hardware?
MVB
Tyler Herro collects his first MVB of the week on the back of efficient shooting in two out of three games and a best-on-court performance against the Pacers: 23 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. The shooting was expected, the poise has stood out, and, more importantly, he was Milwaukee’s best when they were at their best, leading the team to its only win of the season thus far.
Defensive Belt
Defending Champion: Kyle Kuzma.
The Contenders: N/A.
The Decision: Outside of the win against the Pacers, the Bucks haven’t exactly stopped anyone this week. Myles Turner had some moments in that game, then got mauled by Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley against the Cavaliers, who combined for 52 points on 23/32 shooting (72%) in just 48 minutes. Consider the belt vacated until someone shows enough to earn it.
The People’s Champ
retired janitor’s wisdom is always appreciated, but this comment—in a quality back-and-forth with naveed2000s—is too good to overlook:
Please do go deeper into the early-second-round versus late-first-round draft returns, rj! In the meantime, who’s up for marshmallows?
Run That Back
This one was simple, or so I thought. Kasparas Jakučionis gets the ball off the swing from Kel’el Ware and thinks like any good point guard does: Return the favour. First, he jabs sideline; buys some space and forces the switch. Then he curls middle, casts the line: one dribble, two dribbles—just enough line to hook Larry Nance, reel him closer. A third follows, a beat to let the water settle. Then it comes, the left-handed spear between rocks. Right to the chest. And before you know it, the catch is in the net.
Then, in the week’s waning moments, Brayden Burries does this:
Gravity-defying stuff—and enough vertical to lift our collective spirits!
Sinner(s)
Myles Turner: You hate to kick a bloke when he’s down, but Myles Turner has just not been good enough. Not close to it. He was better to start this week against the Pacers, but that game actually proves the point. Turner has been so bad for the Bucks that a six-point, nine-rebound, four-assist, four-block performance, which also came with 29% shooting, three turnovers, and some “efforts” that would lead to a benching for Kel’el Ware, was lauded as a standout night. Following that, he put up just four points and two rebounds against the Rockets before being abused by Allen, Mobley, and whoever else cared to venture into the Bucks’ defensive paint against the Cavaliers.
Second Quarters: Against the Pacers, the Bucks hit just 8/24 shots in the second quarter as a two-point quarter-time lead became an 11-point halftime deficit. Against the Rockets, the Bucks hit just 6/24 shots in the second quarter as they let a two-point quarter-time deficit explode to 22 by halftime. Against the Cavaliers, the Bucks hit just 7/28 shots as they let a one-point quarter-time lead transform into a 26-point deficit. This. Is. Not. Going. To. Get. The. Job. Done.
For more on the Bucks second-quarter woes, check out their shot charts, courtesy of NBA.com:
If… Then…
If Nate Ament has already overtaken Ousmane Dieng in the forward rotation, then the 2026 trade-deadline darling has some serious work to do. Dieng’s offseason deal—three years, $17.5m—seemed surprisingly good for the Bucks, but maybe they knew his play down the stretch was more mirage than oasis.
That’s all for Week 2. Share your winners and sinners in the comments!
