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Meredith dropped from match-day 23 after defeat to England
Valetini named in XV with Australia out to avoid fourth straight loss
The Wallabies have restored Carter Gordon and Rob Valetini to their starting crew, convinced the pair will be the difference makers as they seek to right their creaking ship in dangerous Scottish waters.
Announcing the team to face Scotland on Sunday (Monday AEDT), coach Les Kiss made it clear he sees Gordon as the playmaker who can finally nail down the No 10 role that has become the Wallabies’ maddening hot-potato position, with seven different starting flyhalves used since the last World Cup.
December 17, 2020; Sacramento, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (left) dribbles the basketball against Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (right) during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The Golden State Warriors are facing perhaps their largest challenge of the season tonight: a road game against Victor Wembanyama and the defending Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs, without Steph Curry. This won’t be easy.
Here’s the full injury report for both teams:
Warriors
Out — Steph Curry (right oblique tear)
Curry was injured early in Wednesday’s game against the Houston Rockets, and will be re-evaluated in two weeks. Needless to say, that’s a huge hit for the team, and now begins the quest of trying to tread water with Curry sidelined.
Out — Brandon Williams (left hamstring strain)
That aforementioned task is a little bit harder because the team is missing one of their top bench scorers in Williams, who was injured during Monday’s victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Out — Jimmy Butler III (right ACL repair surgery) Out — Moses Moody (left patellar tendon repair surgery) Out — Kristaps Porziņģis(not with team)
No news on either of these three, which is probably a good thing at this point.
Probable — Charles Bassey (left toe soreness)
Bassey has been huge for the Warriors so far this season, especially in the past few games. So it’s a big win that he’s likely good to go for this game.
Spurs
Out — Tobias Harris (left calf strain)
Harris is playing for his sixth team in his 16th NBA season, but has yet to make his season debut after injuring his calf during training camp.
Out — Jayden Quaintance (right knee surgery)
Quaintance was the Spurs first-round pick in June’s draft, taken 20th overall. Unfortunately, a knee injury has kept him from making his NBA debut, and it will likely be quite a while before he’s cleared.
Vassell, as consistent as they get, has been having his typical strong season thus far. But after playing in San Antonio’s first 10 games, he’s missed the last two with injury … and could miss a third.
Questionable — De’Aaron Fox (left hip soreness)
Wembanyama is the star of the Spurs, but Fox is often still their motor, thanks to his ball-handling, playmaking, and incredible speed. Fox is having another strong season after making the All-Star Game a year ago, and the Warriors will be given quite a gift if he’s unable to play.
Enjoy the game, everyone. It tips off at 6:30 p.m. PT.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 1: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs is guarded by Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors during the game on April 1, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors continue their road trip with Friday night’s NBA Cup matchup against the San Antonio Spurs. The game will be played at 6:30 PM PT in San Antonio and can be watched on Prime Video.
Golden State’s eight-game winning streak came to an end Wednesday night following a 115-108 loss to the Houston Rockets. However, the result took a backseat to a much bigger concern after superstar Steph Curry suffered an oblique injury in the first quarter that forced him to miss the remainder of the game.
Despite losing their best player early, the Warriors still managed to put up a strong fight against Houston. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg continued his impressive start to the season, going toe-to-toe with Rockets superstar Kevin Durant at times while leading Golden State with 25 points and 10 rebounds. Brandin Podziemski provided some much-needed scoring support, finishing with 22 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field, including four three-pointers.
KD praises Yaxel Lendeborg:
"I love his game. He's a skilled big that can play 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 on the offensive side of the ball. He can shoot it. He can handle it. He's strong, long and athletic. … That right there shows you he's a different level of athlete. A winner. He won… pic.twitter.com/DToDPlNnYn
The biggest storyline heading into Friday night is Curry’s injury and what it means for Golden State moving forward. The Warriors announced Thursday that their superstar guard suffered an oblique abdominal tear and will be reevaluated in two weeks, leaving the team without its offensive engine for tonight’s game and the foreseeable future.
In years past, an extended absence for Curry would have been a devastating blow to Golden State’s chances of winning. While that still may be true, the emergence of Lendeborg as a legitimate scoring threat and head coach Steve Kerr’s revamped offensive system has this year’s Warriors thinking they are much better equipped to weather the storm.
In anticipation of Steph Curry missing time, Draymond Green believes these Warriors are better equipped than last season to stay afloat without him.
"The spirit of this team is better. We're more certain of who we are, what makes us a good team."
That confidence will be put to the test Friday night against a San Antonio team that enters the matchup with a 10-2 record, the second-best mark in the Western Conference. Wednesday’s performance against Houston offered a glimpse of what the Warriors can accomplish without their superstar, but sustaining that level of play will be a tall task, especially against a Spurs team led by reigning Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama. With Curry sidelined, Golden State will need Lendeborg to build on his impressive rookie campaign, which has seen him average 21.7 points per game on 51.8% shooting from the field, while the team continues its stellar play defensively.
Al Horford on the Warriors without Steph Curry: “We really have to lean in on our defense.”
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 26: A detail photo of a bobblehead of Michael Harris II #23 of the Atlanta Braves prior to the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Sunday, April 26, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
On this chilly Friday in November, join me in ignoring the looming lockout as we pretend that baseball is proceeding as scheduled next season. (Alex Anthopoulos certainly is with the offseason’s first big splash with the signing of reliever Evan Phillips). Here, life is beautiful because Opening Day is in 131 days.
The Braves have announced that single game tickets are now on sale for the 2027 season, which (for now) kicks off on the road at Dodger Stadium. But we care about what’s going on at the home ballpark. And if you’re anything like me, what’s being given away at the gate may be a factor in when you plan to visit Truist Park.
More giveaways, ticket packages, and theme nights are to be confirmed as plans for the season finalize, but here’s what you can look forward to based on the current slate and schedule. More info is available on the Braves promotion page.
If the fireworks during the anthem/seventh inning stretch, after every strikeout (thanks, Gas South) and home runs aren’t enough, you can stick around after every Friday night home game for a Georgia Lottery-sponsored spectacular. It’s worth seeing for whatever baffling unique theme or playlist they choose to accompany the show.
The Braves Block Party returns to the Battery before every Saturday contest. Partake in live music and other entertainment before finding your seats. There’s a significant chance he Home Depot tools and Blooper and his ever-increasing horde of mascot security for roaming around for photo opps as well.
Sunday matinees are preceded by a pair of alumni showing up to sign autographs, which are TBD for now. Kids can also run the bases after the game concludes.
Gate Giveaways
The promotional gate giveaways are for the first 15,000 fans that enter the stadium. (Items in ticket packages are an entirely separate thing, more below). Depending on the item, sometimes you can rock up at closer to 7 pm and still get one. Others require some logistical magic and being in a line before most have even clocked out of work.
There will absolutely be more of these announced as we get closer to baseball being played. But for now… please enjoy the merchandising team’s best attempt at the brief: safe, apparel-forward choices that are fun enough to hopefully distract from the conspicuous absence of current player-themed items.
Magnetic Schedule (April 2 vs. HOU)
Everyone in attendance at the home opener gets one of these to slap on your fridge. Thanks, Georgia Power.
Truist Park “10th Anniversary” T-Shirt (April 3 vs. HOU)
Not sure a ton of people will be gunning for this one, but a concert-style tee celebrating your very favorite Cobb County ballpark’s 10th birthday can be yours.
BravesVision Bobblehead (April 16 vs. MIA)
Wiley erasure, unfortunately, but Brandon Gaudin and C.J. Nitkowski are getting their seventh-inning cracker jack toss immortalized in bobblehead form. How do the broadcasters get a bobblehead that looks more like them than some players? A mystery.
Phil Niekro Replica Jersey (April 20 vs. WAS)
The Braves love to do things in alumni-honoring ways, and this is the first of several giveaways featuring a Braves legend. Instead of Dale Murphy like last year, Phil Niekro gets the nod here for a replica jersey.
Mystery Hot Dog Hat (May 28 vs. PIT)
Yes, baseball and hot dogs are inextricably linked. We saw the first steps of the Braves embracing the hot dog mania that’s overtaken some other ballparks last year with the introduction of the “Build-A-Dog” challenge as mid-inning entertainment. Multiple teams have glizzys that race. Sometimes they rain from the sky in Seattle. But maybe the Braves saw their division rival Nationals have immense success with a “Bad Day to be a Hot Dog” hat giveaway and wanted to copy their homework, so here’s our version. The “mystery” is if your design will feature a hot dog with ketchup or mustard.
Tom Glavine Hockey Jersey (June 1 vs. COL)
Drake Baldwin’s hockey jersey last year was one of the most coveted giveaway items. Folks lined up as early as 3 pm (and I would know, because I was among them). Merrimack Valley’s Most Valuable Player Tom Glavine gets an hockey jersey of his own in an Atlanta City Connect flavor.
Hawaiian Shirt (August 20 vs. NYM)
Vintage baseball cards of Braves HOFers and tropical flowers intermingle in this year’s version of the Braves Hawaiian shirt. This is probably going to be up there in terms of popularity.
90’s Windbreaker (September 24 vs. MIA)
If you’re in need of a paper-thin windbreaker, this might be the giveaway for you. If I had to guess this will only really be available in L and XL sizes.
Ticket Packages/Theme Nights
These specialty items are a separate ticket and you’re guaranteed the item, unlike in a gate giveaway. These are usually accompanied by other festivities at the ballpark to make it a full theme night.
Science Education Day (April 22 vs. WAS) meant for elementary school groups
Girls Night Out (April 29 vs. NYM) gets the ladies a mock neck sweatshirt
Star Wars (May 6 vs. SD) is a Braves/Star Wars jersey shirt
Military Appreciation (May 31 vs. COL) features a Braves military appreciation t-shirt
Braves Country 5K (June 5 vs. MIN) will have info available at a later date, but usually includes a t-shirt
Father’s Day (June 20 vs. NYY) offers a 200minute session of catch on the field following the afternoon game
Pride Night (June 23 vs. PHI) will have more info on the item/festivities coming soon
Summer Camp Day (July 21 vs. PHI) is for, you guessed it, summer camps
Deaf Awareness (August 1 vs. STL) gets you a City Connect-style jersey shirt with “Braves” spelled out in ASL across the chest
HBCU (August 25 vs. MIL) features a jersey shirt with HBCU across the chest and 48 on the back
Los Bravos (September 23 vs. WAS) is another jersey shirt with Latin American country flags patterned on the sleeves and jersey number
Anything in this initial batch speaking to you? What’s a must-have or a pass? What are you hoping to see announced in the future, and is that Alan Jackson bobblehead commercial still stuck in your head? Let us know.
Towards the end of October, NHL Central Scouting released its "Preliminary Ranking" ahead of the 2027 NHL Draft. There is a long way to go, and a lot of changes are expected between now and then, but most of these young prospects will have a chance to be impact players in the NHL.
Of course, this draft is currently headlined by Landon DuPont, who is currently playing at the University of Michigan. He is a dynamic defenseman who projects to be a star at the highest level.
In NHL Central Scouting's Ranking, all of the players currently projected to be selected in the first round have been given an A-rating. If the Blackhawks don't get at least one of these players, that would be shocking, as it would imply that they turned this 2026-27 season around in a big way.
This mock draft has the lottery picks (1-16) based on the best prospects who received an A-rating in October. The order was determined by the standings heading into action on Friday, November 13th, in reverse order, and includes trades. In the spring, a lottery will determine the first two picks, and more could be traded by then.
1. Vancouver Canucks - Landon DuPont, D, Michigan
2. Chicago Blackhawks - Nazar Privalov, FWD, Moskva
3. Los Angeles Kings - Sergei Skvortsov, FWD, Torpedo
4. Philadelphia Flyers - Jonah Neuenschwander, F, EHC Biel-Bienne
5. Columbus Blue Jackets - Carter Meyer, FWD, Quebec
7. Detroit Red Wings - Milan Sundstrom, FWD, MoDO Hockey
8. San Jose Sharks - Brock England, FWD, Seattle
9. Philadelphia Flyers (From Toronto Maple Leafs) - Sammy Nelson, FWD, Notre Dame
10. Calgary Flames - Alexis Joseph, C, Saint John
11. Winnipeg Jets - Andrei Pustovoy, FWD, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
12. Buffalo Sabres - Brock Cripps, D, Prince Albert
13. St. Louis Blues - Jaakko Wycisk, FWD, Guelph
14. Utah Mammoth - Jamie Glance, FWD, Jaint John
15. New York Islanders - Bosse Meijer, FWD, Frolunda
16. New York Rangers - Noah Davidson, FWD, Medicine Hat
There is sure to be somebody who was not listed here, with or without an A-rating (27 As were handed out by NHL Central Scouting), who jumps into this group. Maybe they will even be a star NHL player, but there is a lot of hockey ahead to determine that.
The thing that sticks out the most from looking at this group is the fact that there are only two defensemen. Only 5 were given As by the league, and that includes DuPont, who is a no-brainer top-3 pick, likely first overall.
Lots of players here are going to jump up and down boards. There are hot and cold starts impacting this ranking so far. For example, Alexis Joseph was a top-three contender coming into the year, but he's been underwhelming so far with the Saint John Sea Dogs. Joseph has 8 goals and 10 assists for 18 points in 17 games. That production in the QMJHL must explode if he wants to end up being a top-five pick.
It isn't a bad start for Joseph, but not as dominant as folks believe he can be. His style is often compared to that of Nathan MacKinnon, who is a dominant top-five player in the NHL and has been for almost a decade now. Again, all of these prospects will have their peaks and valleys, and the smartest teams will be able to see through those.
Only 1 goalie, Vilmer Saleb Forsberg of Brantford, was given an A, and he is not currently projected to be a lottery pick. His position (teams don't generally draft goalies high anymore) may get him selected late in the first round or possibly even in the second round.
If the Blackhawks have the second overall pick, and they don't trade it for immediate roster help, Nazar Privalov would be a fine addition to their farm system. Their organizational pool of young players is already strong; they are just waiting for it to translate more to the NHL team. Chicago is also projected to have the first two picks of the second round, their own and Vancouver's.
The sad reality is that the Blackhawks are 5-13-1, and the likelihood of them having a good draft pick in the lottery is high. The players have not given up yet, but the organization will surely be looking at all of these rankings and will be well prepared by the time June's draft comes around.
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New York Yankees hitting coach James Rowson talks to Cody Bellinger before a game against the Miami Marlins at Yankee Stadium in New York, April 4, 2026. Getty Images
“I always felt like the NFL had a good model for this,” Rowson said on a call with reporters Friday morning once his hiring had become official. “In the NFL, they have running backs coaches, they have wide receivers coaches — they have individual coaches for areas. But at the end of the day, they have an offensive coordinator who’s trying to put all that together. …
“It’s focused on scoring. And I feel like baseball can take a page from that.”
The job is a new one for a franchise that played its first ballgames when Chester A. Arthur was president, but it’s not unprecedented as coaching staffs swell in size around the league.
The Rangers, Padres, Angels, Mariners, Blue Jays, White Sox and Astros have all had coaches hold the position, which may be more associated with football but is a growing trend in MLB.
The Giants will have company next season in the Royals, who promoted their hitting coach, Connor Dawson, into the role while hiring Hunter Mense away from San Francisco to serve under him.
“Kind of what through his experience he feels like will give him the structure and chain of command,” Posey said. “To have the oversight on all run production.”
Rowson, who spent the past three seasons as the Yankees’ top hitting coach, wanted to expand his purview. Vitello, with his college background, was all for it.
San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello speaks to the media before a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Sept. 26, 2026. Getty Images
If Rowson hadn’t suggested it, the Giants may have.
“It was an exact phrase I used with Buster and [general manager] Zack [Minasian] and some of the other guys at the end of the year,” Vitello said. “Really offense, defensive coordinator, at least mentality, and making sure we’re as structured as possible.”
One area of improvement from Vitello’s first year as a professional manager that came up in his discussions after the season with Posey and the front office was a clearer chain of command.
On the pitching side, Posey said the communication was “just a little scattered at times.” They addressed that by reshuffling the staff, keeping Justin Meccage as pitching coach but reassigning Frank Anderson to be the assistant from director of major-league pitching. Christian Wonders, the assistant pitching coach last year, will lead minor-league pitching development.
Rafael Devers of the San Francisco Giants runs the bases after a grand slam against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Sept. 11, 2026. Getty Images
Rowson’s new, overarching title is part of cleaning things up on the offensive side.
“As the offensive coordinator, I need to bring together our hitting staff, the baserunning guys, myself,” Rowson said. He added, “Tony’s gonna be in charge of how all that comes together.”
Rowson, 50, oversaw a three-man hitting staff that helped the Yankees produce the eighth-most runs per game in the majors last season. He has also served as a hitting coach for the Twins (2017-19) and Cubs (2012-13), an assistant hitting coach for the Tigers (2023) and as Don Mattingly’s bench coach with the Marlins (2020-22).
“Not saying this was a downfall of Mense,” Posey said of the Giants’ hitting coach last season, who hadn’t held a top job before, “but I do think after last year, [we wanted to] hire a guy who’s been there and done the work. By all accounts, making phone calls to different people, I kept hearing the same thing over and over again. One of the better leaders they’ve been around.”
Willy Adames #2 of the San Francisco Giants points to his dugout after hitting a home run against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Aug. 22, 2026. Getty Images
Rowson will oversee baserunning, game-planning, basically anything that has to do with touching home plate — something the Giants did less often last season than all but four other teams. They drew walks at the lowest rate in the league and didn’t put much into action when they reached base, last in the league in stolen bases for much of the year until a late uptick.
Turning things around will take a multipronged approach. The Giants need to get more out of the veteran core of their lineup — Willy Adames, Matt Chapman, Rafael Devers — but it’s just as important for Bryce Eldridge, Casey Schmitt and other young players to continue to develop.
Rowson’s job? It’s right there in the title. It’s on him to coordinate it all.
“The hitting coach, just in the title, and I’ve done that through the years, it’s always focused on, ‘Do the guys get a hit? How many hits did they get?’ ” Rowson said. “It’s not necessarily focused on scoring runs. And offense is to score runs to win the game. …
“If you outhit the other team, it doesn’t guarantee you the win. You have to outscore them.”
Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes speaks with the media during MLB's general managers meetings in Las Vegas this week. (Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)
The MLB free agent market is beginning to shake out, spurred into action during the general managers meetings in Las Vegas this week.
Reliever acquisitions have been the first wave, with Emilio Pagán landing with the Tigers for one year and $11.5 million, and Ryan Weiss with the Padres for $1.85 million during the meetings. Former Dodger Evan Phillips signed with the Braves on Thursday for three years, $35 million.
Left-hander Alex Vesia, who has been with the Dodgers for the last six seasons, is also expected to garner plenty of early interest on the free agent market.
On Friday, first baseman Jake Bauers added a tally to the position-player side, agreeing to a deal with the Red Sox. Fresh off a career year and World Series title, Bauers reportedly is set to sign a four-year, $58-million contract.
So teams aren’t waiting until after the impending lockout to reinforce their rosters. But that still leaves a wide range of possibilities before the current CBA expires on Dec. 1.
“We’re totally focused on business as usual, trying to make sure we’re as prepared as possible in case things happen in different ways,” Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said. “Whether that’s trade or free agency, continue to put ourselves in a position to be able to act if something comes up that we feel like is really important to helping our team, both short term and long-term.”
That was a common refrain from leaders of baseball operations departments around the league.
“Business as usual for us,” new Orioles GM Jared Banner said. “We’re looking to get better, and that’s our focus here. So we’ll just read and react as each day passes by.”
Business as usual, however, means a variety of things for different teams.
“We are always going to be on the front end of aggression with how we operate in the market,” Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said. “So whether the market wants to operate faster or slower than it typically does, we’re usually not listening. … Teams know that typically, if we don’t start the hot stove, we’re among the starters. So our behavior won’t change much, and my general resting place is, if our behavior is going to be unaffected, I don’t sweat too much what the other 29 teams will do, unless they’re holding us up.”
The Mariners took that aggressive approach before the last lockout too. They were one of the major contributors to an active first month of free agency, during which teams committed a whopping $1.9 billion before Dec. 2, 2021.
“It’s definitely a convenient thing to point to because there just aren’t a lot of situations that are even remotely similar to this,” Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said of the record flurry of activity five years ago. “I don’t think it’s going to follow the same course; I would expect it not to.”
Looming beyond this lockout is the threat of a salary cap. And though the MLB Players Assn. has made it clear that it will continue to fight the owners’ push for an overhaul of the current structure, teams also can’t completely ignore the possibility of a salary cap, or some other guardrails on spending in the next CBA.
The owners’ latest proposal reportedly included a salary cap of about $258.2 million, depending on next year’s revenue, to be implemented in 2028.
Though many around the industry expect that, in the case of a salary cap, MLB would build in a gradual rollout or specific exceptions to make the massive change a little less destabilizing, such a shift would pose a challenge to large-payroll teams such as the Dodgers.
The Dodgers have some money set to come off the books in 2028 — veteran first baseman Freddie Freeman’s contract expires after next season, and Teoscar Hernández, Max Muncy and Hyeseong Kim have 2028 club options. But the Dodgers’ current commitments for 2028 (over $275 million in CBT payroll, according to Spotrac) already put them above MLB’s latest proposed salary cap.
“We’ll put ourselves in position to see what’s available, and then go from there because we really don’t know what any of that looks like,” Gomes said. “So we have to function with what we know right now.”
The Dodgers at least don’t have many glaring needs going into 2027. At the top of the list will be their bullpen and bench, markets that they could explore in the coming weeks.
They’ve also remained in touch with top free agent Tarik Skubal’s representatives, after a largely successful trade-deadline union this past season, and are set to meet with him. But it is still unclear just how aggressive the Dodgers will be, or whether Skubal will agree to a contract by Dec. 1.
Victor Wembanyama did not need much to describe Draymond Green’s shove. Asked about the Warriors veteran’s Flagrant 1 foul, the San Antonio Spurs star answered in three words.
“It’s not surprising,” Wembanyama said.
Wembanyama on getting shoved by Draymond Green during the Spurs blowout win on Friday over the Warriors pic.twitter.com/QTJjOKxFzo
Green was called for a Flagrant 1 foul with 6:47 left in the second quarter of the Warriors’ 123-85 loss to the Spurs in NBA Cup play Friday night, after a forearm shove from behind off a running start sent Wembanyama tumbling out of bounds. Officials ruled it included a “wind up” by Green. Golden State trailed 45-22 at the time and was playing without Steph Curry.
The flagrant was Green’s first of the season, and it came less than two weeks after he was ejected against the Phoenix Suns for two technical fouls during a scuffle with Dillon Brooks.
Asked about preparing for more physicality from players like Green, Wembanyama sounded unbothered.
“I feel very secure, I know I have to be smart. It’s not a good basketball strategy and it shows,” Wembanyama said.
The Spurs have not lost since dropping their first two games, winning their 11th straight behind a season-high 32 points from Stephon Castle. Wembanyama finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds in 21 minutes, and Green finished with four points, three rebounds and three assists in 16 minutes.
Three words from Wembanyama said all he needed to about Green, and the scoreboard said the rest.
SACRAMENTO — The losing streak continued for the hapless Sacramento Kings.
The Kings dropped their second game of the Emirates NBA Cup on Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers, 120-107, and their fifth straight overall to drop to 1-11. Only the 1-12 Utah Jazz have a worse record.
The Blazers opened a 20-point lead early in the fourth quarter which drew boos from the home crowd at Golden 1 Center. Rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr. cut the lead to nine midway through the frame with a 3-pointer to give the crowd some life down the stretch.
But Portland received 34 points from forward Deni Avdija, including 14 in the fourth quarter, and 29 from star point guard Damian Lillard as the two combined to shoot 9 of 18 from 3-point range to improve to 9-3 on the season.
Hunter Leads the Way
Forward De’Andre Hunter led the Kings with 24 points on 7-of-13 shooting. He had 20-plus points for the first time since posting back-to-back 24-point outings Oct. 27 and 29.
Hunter played a team-high 41:31 and made 8 of 9 free throws. He’s been one of Sacramento’s steadiest players throughout the season and could garner interest on the NBA trade market. He has a $24.9 million expiring salary that could be of interest to a contender needing size and on the wing.
He finished Friday 2 of 5 from distance, improving to 37 percent on the season.
Sabonis Gets Back to Filling Up the Stat Sheet
Domantas Sabonis was coming off one of the worst statistical games of his NBA career Tuesday when he went scoreless in 24 minutes during the 107-100 loss to the Orlando Magic. He went 0-for-2 from the floor with his first shot not coming until the fourth quarter.
But he came out aggressive early on Friday, finishing the first quarter with eight points, six rebounds and three assists, including a nifty behind-the-head pass to Keegan Murray for a fast-break layup. He was aggressive throughout, finishing with 21 points, 12 rebounds and five assists.
It was Sabonis’ eighth double-double of the season, highlighted by a dunk in traffic and 3-pointer in the fourth quarter. Sabonis battled Blazers big man Donovan Clingan, who scored 13 points with 11 rebounds.
Murray’s Return to the Starting Lineup
Forward Keegan Murray was back in the starting five for the first time since the second game of the season before missing seven games with left ankle capsulitis.
Murray had his best game of the young season with a season-high 16 points, while adding seven rebounds and four assists.
The fifth-year forward has gotten off to an uneven start to the season due to his injury after only appearing in four games all of last season, when he signed a five-year, $140 million contract.
“Keegan’s a little bit stoic,” Kings coach Doug Christie said. “You know he’s just going to be a fantastic warrior for you through whatever it is. But for him, what I want is, I want joy. I want him to go out and have fun and play free. We’ve seen it a couple of times, we’ve seen it in flashes. But he deserves that. He’s a great kid, he works extremely hard.
“… I know that sometimes it’s difficult when you start to get injuries and different things. Sometimes you question yourself a little bit, but he doesn’t need to question himself. He’s a damn good player. We value him very highly and he’ll see his way through it. It’s just those things unfortunately take time, but having him back in uniform is, like I told you guys previously, it makes me smile because I like to see him out there.”
Acuff’s Quiet Night That Got Loud Late
Acuff entered the fourth quarter with just seven points and was in danger of snapping his streak of 20-plus points at seven games. But he scored 10 points in the fourth, including a fast-break dunk, and two made threes.
Acuff entered the fourth having played just 23 minutes with Christie tapping Malik Monk for 18 minutes throughout the game after Monk played just 3 on Tuesday. Acuff came into the game leading the NBA in minutes, with Christie noting recently he wanted to cut the rookie’s playing time down to ease his workload.
The Blazers’ lengthy perimeter defenders, including Toumani Camara, Sidy Cissoko and Jrue Holiday, made things tough on the rookie, who shot just 6 of 19 on the night.
The Detroit Red Wings are currently dealing with two awkward standoffs with two different key players - but one of them has a deadline for a resolution.
Former Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin announced through his agent last month that he would no longer report to the team, which responded by suspending him without pay.
Meanwhile, RFA defenseman Simon Edvinsson remains without a contract and has until Dec. 1 to sign in order to be eligible to play this season.
However, Larkin's saga has gone on for several months since his trade request, which was made immediately after the 2025-26 season in the words of former GM Steve Yzerman, became public knowledge in early June.
Larkin's decision to not fulfill his end of his contract has not only drawn near universal criticism from the Red Wings fan base, but was roundly admonished by former NHL defenseman and current analyst Erik Johnson.
During Thursday night's national broadcast of the Red Wings' contest against the Florida Panthers, Johnson derided the decision by Larkin to stop playing with multiple years left on his contract.
"I can't stand these guys halfway through their contracts that they signed in good faith with their team, now bailing ship and wanting to go for greener pastures," said Johnson, who won the Stanley Cup in 2022 with the Colorado Avalanche.
However, Larkin wasn't the only target of Johnson's remarks.
"This isn't exclusive to Dylan Larkin," Johnson continued. "Lots of guys around the league are doing it. I don't like it. As a former player, I don't like these guys abandoning their team midseason, mid-contract."
"I can't stand these guys halfway through their contracts ... bailing ship and wanting to go for greener pastures."
Larkin's fellow Michigan native, Connor Hellebuyck, requested a trade from the Winnipeg Jets months ago and went public with his request in late August after general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff failed to move him.
Hellebuyck refused to report to training camp, was suspended, and was eventually traded to the New Jersey Devils.
Last month, Red Wings interim GM Shawn Horcoff said that there is no timetable for when Larkin could be moved, and that the club would take its time to find a deal which is in the best interest of the organization.
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TORONTO, ON- OCTOBER 21 - Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors and Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors share a laugh on the bench as the Toronto Raptors play the Chicago Bulls in their season opener at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. October 21, 2026. Steve Russell/Toronto Star (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
When you start dating, there’s something to be said for bad dates and breakups serving as lessons for the do’s and don’ts of the world of romance. But, if you keep making the same crummy jokes, not brushing your teeth, over and over again, you’re not learning much from those bad dates. At a certain point, losing becomes unproductive.
It’s kind of like that with basketball, too. And in the last couple of matches, the Toronto Raptors’ losing has been real, real unproductive. Because, it doesn’t tell anyone anything that they don’t already know.
TORONTO, ON- OCTOBER 21 – Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors and Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors share a laugh on the bench as the Toronto Raptors play the Chicago Bulls in their season opener at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. October 21, 2026. Steve Russell/Toronto Star (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
Both times when the Raptors have traded for Kawhi Leonard, there’s been an implicit gamble attached to that. Leonard won’t play a lot of regular season games, but take him to the playoffs okay, and he’ll turn into the ‘84 Terminator, or ‘85 Jordan, whichever set of skills might be needed more that night.
This season, Kawhi went out early. Okay. That just means that the other guys need to start pulling extra weight a little sooner. And you remember the playoff series against the Cavaliers, and say, “okay, Scottie and RJ, maybe they can anchor this offence, even without a scorer like Brandon Ingram or Kawhi Leonard.” And then… Scottie Barnes goes down.
Yikes.
An old teacher of mine told me that “practice doesn’t make perfect — perfect practice makes perfect,” and it concerns me that that Raptors are just practicing really, far, far away from perfect. Now, Scottie seems like he’s going to come back soon; when exactly that will be is unclear, but there has been little indication that the groin strain is something particularly serious.
But, losing the games that the Raptors are losing, without Scottie Barnes, doesn’t really help them understand how their team is going to perform in playoff settings, which, for this roster, should be the ultimate goal. Before the season started, Bobby Webster spoke to the media, and argued that the question that should remain pervasive throughout the season should be “can we win every night?”
Toronto Raptors regular season record without Kawhi Leonard.
2018-‘19: 17-5
2026-‘27: 3-6
The Raptors now have more losses without Kawhi in his 2nd stint than his 1st stint.
It’s still November, and we still don’t know when Kawhi is back from injury this season, and, God… pic.twitter.com/g25BAtaNjZ
Thus far, the answer to that question, without Kawhi Leonard, has be a resounding “no.” Omer Osman illustrates that clearly, in the tweet above. It’s not 2019 anymore. The Raptors are a different beast, younger, less veteran-heavy, and constructed in a less careful manner.
With Scottie missing the last couple of matchups against heavy-hitters like Boston and Philadelphia, the Raptors don’t know how well the team can operate in an optimal sans-Kawhi state, because Toronto was never expecting to, and is not built to, compete without both of its All-Stars.
Barnes was showcasing that he’s taken a leap offensively, and can piggy-back the Raptors — to a degree — but when facing off against diminished rosters of great teams, and the forward isn’t there to help the Raptors take advantage of weakened clubs, the Raptors are effectively leaving both wins or positive reps on the table, and without Barnes, aren’t necessarily getting either.
This isn’t to say that there’s *zero* value from playing without Barnes or Leonard. RJ Barrett just had a season high in points, and is continuing to prove his value. Jakob Poeltl has quietly been looking more like his uninjured self again. And the team’s younger players are getting more time on the court to find their legs and develop themselves further. But, this season was never meant to be about development. It was meant to be about the Raptors bashing teams’ heads in with lockdown defence and gliding to the playoffs.
But, ultimately, the team has to play the cards they’re dealt. The season thus far hasn’t been the triumphant return of Raptors basketball to the big stage anyone expected, but there’s a lot of basketball left in the year.
@BAAILEYYCREATES on Twitter raised an important point; that last year, Leonard’s health management kept him off the court almost entirely until the new year, and when he was back, he was whooping teams left right and centre. It’s not 2019 anymore, and Kawhi is 35 years old now, but that means, simply, that ramping up looks different for Leonard now, not that he’s unable to deliver on-court product. The Raptors need to be able to compete with and without Leonard for this roster to work, but without Scottie Barnes to lead the charge, Toronto will remain in dire straits.
After two-plus seasons, Dejounte Murray's time in New Orleans may be coming to a close.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported Friday that the veteran point guard has requested a trade, with the Pelicans confirming the news shortly thereafter. This comes on the heels of two blowout defeats for the Pelicans: a 51-point thrashing by the Warriors on Monday, followed by a 34-point loss to the Nets on Wednesday.
In their statement, the Pelicans said that they will "evaluate potential trade opportunities that are in the best interest of our organization."
Murray has appeared in nine games this season, averaging 13.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.6 steals in 31.4 minutes per game. He's started alongside second-year guard Jeremiah Fears, whom many view as the Pelicans' point guard of the future.
Murray missed three games in late October/early November for personal reasons, and the Pelicans won all three, with Fears flourishing and Herb Jones providing quality defensive play as the replacement in the starting lineup. In a since-deleted social media post, Murray responded to a post noting the Pelicans' record in the games he missed, saying, "From what's going on INSIDE, this sounds like someone hit you to say this! THE 'SABOTAGE' IS REAL!"
Acquired from the Hawks during the 2024 offseason, Murray has appeared in 54 games for the Pelicans over two-plus seasons. His 2024-25 campaign was cut short by an Achilles tendon rupture, which also sidelined him for most of the 2025-26 season. He had already been ruled out for Friday's game against the Grizzlies with an ankle injury by the time reports of a trade request surfaced.
Redick stated during his Friday, Nov. 13 media availability that Reaves suffered a bruised heel and is considered day-to-day. The coach added that Reaves and the team's medical staff opted against having imaging done on the injury.
Reaves had landed awkwardly on his left heel after missing a transition dunk attempt in the middle of the third quarter of the Lakers' 123-112 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 11.
After feeling some discomfort, he limped back to the locker room. The initial X-rays taken at the arena were negative, and Redick ruled out any potential Achilles tendon damage.
Reaves was one of several injury scares suffered during the game against the Bucks.
Luka Dončić avoided a severe injury after turning his right ankle in the same game. Collin Sexton also needed stitches above his right eye after bumping heads with Ryan Rollins of the Bucks.
Reaves has played in 12 of 13 game for the Lakers this season, starting in all 12 of those contests. He is averaging 24.7 points, 3.3 rebound, 4.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 51.3% from the field and 40.9% from beyond the arc.
When do Lakers play next?
Reaves and the Lakers will have more time to rest before traveling to Phoenix to take on the Suns at 4 p.m. ET (2 p.m. local) on Sunday, Nov. 15.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves, getting poked in the face by Heat guard Pelle Larsson during a game this month, is considered day-to-day after injuring his left heel during a game in Milwaukee. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
On the day the Lakers hosted their annual Thanksgiving Feast event to kick off their “Season of Giving” at the team’s practice facility, they were able to give some thanks for dodging serious injuries.
Austin Reaves didn’t have to get further imaging on his injured left heel, coach JJ Redick said after practice Friday, and the star guard will be listed as day-to-day for Sunday’s game at Phoenix.
Redick also said that All-Star guard Luka Doncic was “fine” after injuring his ankle in a win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night, that a concussion was ruled out for guard Collin Sexton after he received stitches to his forehead following a collision with Milwaukee’s Ryan Rollins, and that guard Quentin Grimes worked out in the stay-ready-game against coaches after missing two games because of a finger injury.
Reaves left Wednesday’s win in the third quarter and didn’t return. His X-rays after the game were negative and by Thursday morning, when the team had returned to L.A. after winning the first three of the four-game trip, Reaves felt well enough that he and team personnel opted against getting more imaging.
Redick said Reaves has a bruise on his heel and described it as “minor.”
Doncic, who leads the NBA in scoring (38.6 points) and is ninth in assists (7.6), is doing OK after he injured his right ankle in the fourth quarter Wednesday.
“The expectation would be he’s available,” Redick said.
Sexton had to get stitches above his right eye after the collision with 6:51 left in the fourth quarter Wednesday.
Redick said Sexton also will be day-to-day.
Lakers guard Collin Sexton, preparing to defend Hawks guard Kingston Flemings, is listed as day-to-day after getting stitches above his right eye following a collision during a win over the Bucks. (Mike Stewart / Associated Press)
Grimes, who missed two games because of a sprained finger on his right hand, participated in the live portion of the stay-ready game Wednesday and expects to play Sunday. Grimes wore a wrap on his right pinky finger while speaking with reporters.
“I had a really good day just playing with a little tape over it,” Grimes said. “Just seeing how it felt the first time, but it felt really good. We got a lot of wins out there in them games, at least. But it felt really good out there.”
The Lakers will have three days off before they play again Sunday to Phoenix.
Even though the Lakers have the best record in the NBA (11-2), are the top scoring team (122.2 points) in the league and rank first in offensive rating (121.6), Redick wanted to let his group know there is room for improvement.
During the film session Friday he told his team they “were 17th in defense” rating at 113.6. And the Lakers are 27th in rebounding.
Redick said he and his staff talked about “20 things” that they can clean up.
“We filtered through our offensive stuff based on our identities of who we want to be offensively: organized, unselfish and advantage-based,” Redick said. “Then we went through the stats on that.
“Then we went to our defense and our three identities: organized, physical as hell and relentless. And we went through the stats on those things. So, it’s a very clean thing. We’ve done that for the last 2½ seasons. It’s just everything that we present to the team lines up with who we’re trying to be.”
Redick got his message through to his players.
“Being first in the West, with the stuff that they showed us, you would think we were almost last, you know?” forward Ziaire Williams said. “But it’s gotta keep us honest. But you know, it’s good to know that there’s still room for growth as good as we’re doing. So yeah, it was great, it was great. So yeah, hopefully we’ll clean that up going into the next game against Phoenix.”
