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Spurs use dominant third quarter to deliver beatdown to Blazers

PORTLAND, OREGON - NOVEMBER 07: Deni Avdija #8 of the Portland Trail Blazers attempts a layup against Luke Kornet #7 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first half at Moda Center on November 07, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Last season, the Spurs had the second-best record in the league on the second night of back-to-backs, and surely their youth played a role in that. Believe it or not, they’re still young just a few months later, and they are now 3-0 on SEGABABA’s this season after an absolute beatdown of the Portland Trail Blazers for their 8th straight win. Portland started the season hot but were coming off a loss to the Lakers last night, and while they may have been revenge-minded for their first-round loss in the playoffs, they were missing Ja Morant, Robert Williams and Shaedon Sharpe and were no match for a healthy Spurs squad with Victor Wembanyama playing the way he is.

However, before the blowout came, the Spurs would have to get through a sluggish first half borne of both poor shooting from both teams and a heavy whistle. After hitting 3-5 from three before the first timeout, including both of Wemby’s attempts for an 11-3 lead, both teams were sluggish, with the Spurs up shooting 33% in the quarter and the Blazers just 25%. But Portland got hot to close the quarter while the Spurs got sloppy, closing on a 7-0 run to cut the lead to two, 22-20.

After barely playing last night, Carter Bryant brought a spark to the start the second quarter with a couple of corner threes and a block of Damian Lillard. Meanwhile, the Blazers did a good job of drawing fouls and were in the bonus less than four minutes in. It didn’t take long for the Spurs to join them, and what was already a sluggish game came to a screeching halt with all the whistles and free throws. Overall, the teams combined for 41 free throws in the half, and at one point, the Spurs scored 11 straight points from the stripe before a Stephon Castle alley-oop and consecutive Junliam Chamapgnie threes in the final minutes got the offense going again, and they went into the half up 64-49.

The lack of whistles allowed the offenses to open up in the second half, but the Spurs were red hot, especially Wemby, who finished the night with 29 points on 9-13 shooting (3-6 from three) in just 24 minutes of play. An 11-0 run capped off by a technical foul on Deni Avdija gave the Spurs their first 20-point lead of the game, and there was no stopping them from there. The Blazers had nothing left in the tank, and the crowd watched in stunned silence as the Spurs got the lead all the way up to 30 for the first time this season on a Dylan Harper banker late in the third quarter. The last 15+ minutes of the game was entirely garbage time, and the Spurs finished their most dominant game of the season with a 125-103 win.

Game Notes

  • We finally got a glimpse of last season’s version of Luke Kornet. He was active in his first stint with a floater, two rebounds and block of a Chris Youngblood three-point shot, and the Spurs added a point to the lead. Granted, most of his time was spent against Yang Hansen, but he needed a confidence-booster, and maybe this was it. He finished the night with 6 points and 4 rebounds in 15 minutes, and perhaps most notably, was a +9 while on the floor.
  • As frustrating as all the whistles were for both sides in the first half, it was comical at times (granted it’s easier to laugh when your team is ahead). Some of the calls were mindbogglingly soft, and Wemby former Spurs teammate Sidy Cissoko got into a bit of a French Flop Fest, with both exaggerating contact to get whistles. To borrow a hilarious text from Jesus Gomez last night, “Sidy flopped three times, and Wemby said, ‘Hold my cabernet sauvignon’”. (He also shook the refs’ hands after the game, which I’ve never seen before, adding to the hilarity.)
  • Random thought of the night while sitting through a blowout: David Jones Garcia is still with the team instead of joining his fellow two-way players in Austin to start the season, which seems odd, but perhaps the Spurs intend to make him their 15th player once enough time has passed that they can sign him without going over the luxury tax, so he’s staying with the main team? He really has nothing left to prove at the G League level, and he reportedly turned down more lucrative offers from overseas, so maybe there’s an agreement in place? Just my two cents.

Play of the Game

It wasn’t the prettiest play of the game, but when trying to get out of the slugfest and free-throw-a-thon that was the second quarter, sometimes it just takes plays like this. (You also know it’s your night when stuff like this goes in.)

Up next: Monday 11/9 at Phoenix Suns

8:00 PM CT on DAZN

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The Kings Had Many Miscues In Their Loss to the Penguins

LOS ANGELES — The Kings controlled many aspects of this game but still lost 5-2 to the Penguins. There are many of the mistakes Los Angeles caused that led to their own downfall.

Straight from the puck drop, the Kings came out of this game flat, which allowed Pittsburgh to take advantage. Tommy Novak hit the first two goals of the game and gave the Penguins a 2-0 lead in the first period.

“It’s on the room not being ready to go, Mikey Anderson said. “It’s hard to dig out of a hole when it happens that fast.”

While the Kings responded in a more desperate effort, it wasn’t enough to get the pucks in the net. Despite Los Angeles having nine more shots on goal, Sergei Murashov was a brick wall in front of the net. Murashov had a .926 save percentage and 26 saves.

Early momentum and goaltending was enough for the Penguins to withstand any comeback attempt from the Kings. The Kings offense couldn’t take advantage of a Pittsburgh team that has struggled on defense.

Heading into the game, the Penguins gave up 3.56 goals per game. This ranked as the fourth most goals allowed per game in the league. However, the Pittsburgh defense didn’t break against the Los Angeles offense.

Los Angeles didn’t have enough passes in slots which relied more on outside shots. So although the Kings had 28 shots on goal, most of them weren’t at the net.

“Pass up too many chances in the Ozone, and we had good movement and everything, Alex Laferriere said. “We just keep it on the perimeter. Nothing good is going to come from that, so yeah, I just think it's about getting to the hard areas and getting pucks there.”

Offensively, the Kings left points on the board and even gave up opportunities for the Penguins offense. Pittsburgh stole puck possessions and capitalized with goals of their own.

“If you don't execute what you're trying to do out there, it usually leads to opposition,” Coach Laviolette said. “Possible runs coming back at you, possible goals coming back at you, points coming back at you. So there’s things we definitely could’ve controlled better tonight.”

Defensively, the game plan was supposed to be simple for the Kings: win the physical battle against the Penguins. Los Angeles did have 29 hits compared to 11 hits from the Penguins, but this didn't change much.

Although the Kings dished out hits, they were not physical enough to limit good chances for Pittsburgh. The Penguins had clean shots from the perimeter and even shots at the net.

The Kings had more shots on goal, more hits and a higher face-off percentage, but ultimately still lost. Lapses at both ends of the ice led to the Kings turning their mistakes into goals for the Penguins. This was a game where the Kings beat themselves more so than the Penguins did.

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Player Grades: Cavs vs Knicks – Donovan Mitchell drops 37 points in loss

CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 07: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the second quarter against the New York Knicks at Rocket Arena on November 07, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers fell 109-97 to the New York Knicks on the second night of a back-to-back.

Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Player of the game

Donovan Mitchell

37 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds

Mitchell looks like he’s finding the right balance between scoring and passing through the last two games. He’s been aggressive first, allowing his playmaking to come as a result of the defense overreacting to his gravity. That’s led to some efficient games passing the ball, but we were all waiting for Mitchell to have a scorching hot game shooting it.

It finally happened.

Mitchell went off for a season-high 37 points, and he was the catalyst behind Cleveland’s momentary comeback in the fourth quarter. Mitchell was one of the only Cavaliers who had a pulse on offense tonight.

Grade: A–

Grades

Evan Mobley

12 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 turnovers

Mobley was fantastic last night against the Philadelphia 76ers. Tonight? He was totally on his back foot.

Karl-Anthony Towns beat Mobley to the punch more often than not. It was an uber-aggressive approach from KAT that reminded you why the Cavs are still at their best when there are two defensive anchors on the floor.

We know that Mobley can play better than this, and his grade will reflect that.

Grade: D+

James Harden

7 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds

Last year’s playoffs showed that this was a bad matchup for Harden, and tonight proved that it wasn’t just because Harden was gassed. The Knicks are too fast and incorporate too much off-ball movement for Harden to keep up defensively. The Cavs will be in trouble if they draw New York again in April or May.

Grade: F

Meleek Thomas

9 points, 4 rebounds

The Cavs have leaned heavily on this 20-year-old rookie to give them minutes. He’s had moments where it all clicks effortlessly into place. And other times, he looks off Mitchell and attempts a wild layup that goes the other way in transition.

Thomas shot 3-10 from the floor and looked like a rookie tonight. Overall, he has been fantastic given the circumstances. He’s quickly lapped his competition as the best backup guard option on Cleveland’s roster. But moments like this are inevitable.

Grade: D+

Peyton Watson

12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists

The Cavs need Watson to start shooting the rock better than he has. Watson was 1-of-5 from downtown tonight, and the Knicks had no interest in defending him. For all the potential benefits Watson can bring to this team — it will all feel moot if he can’t provide enough spacing to make defenses care about him.

Grade: C-

Mario Hezonja

0 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

There can be a trickle-down effect in games where the stars struggle to set the tone. Hezonja never found his rhythym in this game, shooting 0-of-6 from the floor. And while he’s the only one who can take accountability for that, I think he was more a victim of this team struggling to find its stride as a whole.

Grade: F

Thomas Bryant

5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist

I owe Bryant an apology for not grading him last game. It was an honest mistake, and he delivered quality minutes in Cleveland’s win over the 76ers.

It brings me no joy to report that he struggled in this matchup. Bryant has become a necessity with Allen on the sidelines, but his lack of mobility made it hard to keep him on the floor.

Grade: D+

Tyrese Proctor

7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists

Proctor has given good minutes during this stretch of poor injury luck for the Cavs. He’s showing he’s a capable shooter and someone who can occasionally make things happen with the ball in his hands, but he still needs some fine-tuning on both ends of the court to be a player who is in the nightly rotation once everything settles.

Grade: C+

Riley Minix

8 points, 3 rebounds

The Cavs waived Minix just days ago, before bringing him back only a few hours before tip-off. He responded with the best game of his young career, nailing his first three shots and ending with 8 points.

Maybe he just needed a factory reset.

Grade: A-

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Tired and Shorthanded Mammoth Drop Final Game of Road Trip to Senators

The Utah Mammoth’s trip to Pennsylvania and Eastern Canada is over, and once again, they could’ve easily won the final game. After a crushing overtime defeat on Thursday to the Montreal Canadiens in overtime, it was a similar tale on Saturday against the Ottawa Senators, except the Mammoth couldn’t even squeeze out the extra point.

With just a little over two minutes remaining, Nick Cousins tipped in Thomas Chabot’s shot to score the game-winning goal for the Senators. Shane Pinto put in an empty-net goal to inflate the score to 4-2. However, despite what the score tells you, it wasn’t a bad game for the Mammoth.

The Mammoth came out swinging. In the first period, they outshot the Senators 14-7. They outshot them again in the third period, 11-5.

However, sometimes all it takes to decide a game is one error. Sometimes, the best team doesn’t win. That’s what happened to the Mammoth. Michael Amadio’s goal that gave the Senators the lead early in the third period came off a bad defensive play that ended up being a three-on-one goal.

“When our back end is banged up, you cannot give up the odd-man rush we did,” André Tourigny said. “That was totally in our control. It's not like we fumbled a puck or something like that. It's a bad read, and it's a bad decision. Then we give up an odd-man rush. You put it back. We crawl back, and we miss an assignment on the faceoff. So those are the things. We're better than that.”

The aforementioned goal given up right after the faceoff was Cousins’ game-winning goal. If the Mammoth didn’t give up that three-on-one goal, this game might’ve gone into overtime, and they would’ve gotten a point. It’s a game that has consequences after even one small error, and the Mammoth saw that firsthand tonight.

Tourigny does have a point. The Mammoth came into this game shorthanded. Not only are they near the end of a long road trip, but they’re also banged up. It was announced right before the game that Nate Schmidt wouldn’t play due to an upper-body injury and is now listed as day-to-day. 

Schmidt joins John Marino and Kailer Yamamoto in the group of injured Mammoth players over the past couple of weeks. They are now relying on Artem Duda in his first NHL season and Nick DeSimone as their bottom pair on the blueline. While Duda is a promising prospect and DeSimone is a solid seventh defenseman who can fill in when needed, they are currently not full-time NHLers on a competitive team looking to go far in the playoffs.

Both Duda and DeSimone played decently, and so did Liam O’Brien, who has also become an everyday NHLer with Yamamoto banged up. While ideally, you’re not dressing those players every day, you can’t argue with the fact that the three of them have risen to the occasion during this trip.

“We have a lot of depth, a lot of great players that can play anywhere in the lineup and contribute,” Clayton Keller said. “I think guys have had lots of chances. They've done a great job. It's only going to get better. We have a great group, and everyone trusts one another. Everyone's excited to play with one another. We have a great team, lots of confidence.”

There’s been a lot of criticism around Karel Vejmelka’s play, and rightfully so. He hasn’t been great this season. It seemed like it was going to be another game to add to that collection of bad games for him as well. Fabian Zetterlund’s goal to open up the game wasn’t a great one to give up.

However, it turned out to be a pretty solid game for Vejmelka. He made some pretty good saves, and you can’t blame him for the three-on-one goal or the game-winning goal. You’d like to see his save percentage above .850, but when you look at the film, the only play you can really nitpick is Zetterlund’s goal.

Also on the positive side, Keller’s point streak extended to five games with his goal, which he got by tapping in his own rebound. He also assisted on Barrett Hayton’s goal, a shot from the captain that Hayton ended up deflecting into the back of the net.

This is a hard game to really dwell on. You can’t say the Mammoth had a bad game. They kept up with the Senators, a really solid team, despite being shorthanded and being at the tail end of a long road trip. There were some key errors that ended up costing them the game, but it’s not like they allowed odd-man rushes repeatedly throughout the game.

The Mammoth should be frustrated that they lost. It’s two points they didn’t get, which allowed the Dallas Stars and the Nashville Predators to pass them in the standings. Yet, this is not the game to over-critique.

“We played well,” Tourigny said. “Ottawa is a good team, and we pushed through. We were two minutes and a half away from having at least one point, so we're not happy. We're frustrated, but we need to make sure we're not overreacting here.”

The Mammoth will get a much-needed three days off before a very tough first-round rematch against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday. There are things to build on here. Taking those things, getting rest, and finding a way to be better is the goal, and the Mammoth do have the ability to do that. They haven’t lost consecutive games before Saturday. They know how to bounce back.

“We just need to build on tonight,” Keller said. “After every game, we always think we can be better, but I think we did a lot of good things. It sucks to lose, but you know you can always learn from it and take it into the next game. It's such a hard league, and you get humbled very quickly. You always gotta strive to get better.”

The Mammoth will have the next three days off before traveling to Las Vegas to play the Golden Knights. The Golden Knights are 11-5-2 and are coming off a 2-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. They’ll play the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday before heading back home for Wednesday’s game.

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San Antonio vs. Portland, Final Score: Spurs dispatch Trail Blazers, improve to 2-0 on road trip, 125-103

PORTLAND, OREGON - NOVEMBER 07: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts after being fouled by Chris Youngblood #11 (not pictured) of the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half at Moda Center on November 07, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Both sides were on the second night of a back-to-back set, and the San Antonio Spurs handled the Portland Trail Blazers on the road. This was the first matchup between last year’s first-round opponent and it was uncommonly physical for a November game.   

The Spurs didn’t shoot well early, but were the nastier team from tip-off, getting into the bonus in fewer than six minutes and forcing a few turnovers. Their quickness shifting into the lane tempted the Blazers into too many unsuccessful 3-point attempts which sparked transition, but they got sloppy, committing too many fouls and that bad habit persisted most of the first half. 

The Trail Blazers stayed on their heels with relentless hustle, and then the Silver and Black cracked the code. Eventually, Victor Wembanyama also went on a tear that zapped whatever will the hosts had left. He had 29 points, seven rebounds and three assists. His biggest help came from Stephon Castle, who played a nice all-around game with 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists, plus Devin Vassell, who added 15 points and two steals.

Garbage time started when they built up a 32-point lead late in the third quarter. 

Observations

  • The Trail Blazers were down one penetrator in Ja Morant, which affected their ability to bend the defense. On top of that, the schemes made Portland look ordinary at their downhill game and they never countered with feeding Donovan Clingan in the post. Their rebounding helped keep them in the game but that only lasted for so long.
  • The Spurs played with high intensity but in the first half, not much discipline. All those cheap fouls had three of them in foul trouble and prevented them from continuing their work in transition, giving the Blazers an opportunity to start creeping in through the door.  
  • The Trail Blazers are a long, athletic team with good screen navigation, so getting by them into the lane can be a challenge. The Spurs’ jump-shooting unfastened their defense, but they started playing more forcefully on the perimeter and made it tougher to maneuver. The Spurs were not phased and kept plugging away, shooting 77.3 percent in the restricted area.  
  • It seems that Castle brings it when is playing his old teammate, Clingan. He was one of the team’s best rebounders, and he was like a linebacker stopping the run game inside, especially from Deni Avdija. 
  • It was a rough shooting night before the game broke open, and the team got a big lift from Julian Champagnie, making four 3-pointers, including two consecutive treys in the second quarter, when the team badly needed it.
  • Toumani Camara said the plan was to get physical with Wembanyama before the game, and they did, not giving him much room after catches, bumping him on the move and using some hand checks.  This played a big part in him going eight-for-nine at the line. The extra stuff did not wear him down physically or mentally. 
  • Exhibit A. of the game flipping like a light switch: the Spurs made 17 first-half field goals had 18 in the third quarter.  
  • The Spurs eventually took an edge on the glass 13 and added 23 back-breaking second-chance points.
  • Carter Bryant got subbed into the game early in the second quarter, and his minutes were mostly negative because his aggressiveness can be used against him. He had three fouls in three minutes, yet coach Mitch Johnson gave him a chance to make up for it with extra time and later as well when the game was out of reach.
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Preview: Surviving a pack of Wolves

DALLAS, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 6: Josh Okogie #21 of the Utah Jazz goes to the basket as Zaccharie Risacher #10 of the Dallas Mavericks defends during the first half at American Airlines Center during the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup on November 6, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images

We won’t deny it: the last week or so has consisted of games that have been a ‘must-win’ for Utah. And tonight is included.

The team’s play against Dallas was more on the promising side: fans saw Darryn Peterson start to find his groove and play like the #2 pick he is, Lauri Markkanen hit a mind-boggling eight triples, but it feels like Utah needs to play a perfect and synchronised game of basketball just to win a game of basketball.

The Jazz road trip concludes with a visit to see our divisional foe, along with former friends in Minnesota. The roster overhaul over the 2026 offseason added star LaMelo Ball to the mix, designed to alleviate the facilitating role for Anthony Edwards. They’ve even got a brand-spankin’ new rebrand as the league adapts to the dying trend of minimalism. The Wolves are so unrecognisable that they even have Rudy Gobert looking like Montel Williams.

The addition of LaMelo and Kuminga has given them an early season boost. They hold a +5.1 rebound-per-game improvement compared to the baseline average of 49.2 rebounds per game last season. They’ve also maintained their defensive core to post a 106.6 defensive rating, second-best in the Association. After a hot 3-0 start, the Wolves have sizzled to a comfortable 7-3 record to sit at the 6th spot in the Western Conference.

Injury Report

Fighting on the glass

Minnesota’s rebounding is arguably Utah’s biggest concern if they’re chasing a win. They rank 2nd in the NBA in offensive rebound percentage (35.6%), making them a formidable foe for a team already missing Jusuf Nurkic. The team needs to stay disciplined, ensuring that every player sticks to boxing out.

It’s especially important that the Jazz shooting woes need to be put on hold, or else they’ll get punished on the other end. They have converted just 28% of their three-point attempts over the last three games (34-of-121). While they demonstrated minor improvement against Dallas, the overall efficiency continues to be a lingering issue. Missed shots could quickly translate into transition opportunities for the Wolves, while their offensive rebounding allows them to compensate for their own missed attempts.

And really, I don’t know if it’s possible to hold your own if Mo Bamba is another healthy scratch from the rotation, with a DNP-CD against Dallas, in favour of Tony Bradley. Perhaps his ankle flared up before tonight, but either way, Utah needs some size advantage.

NEW ORLEANS, LA – NOVEMBER 4: Jaxson Hayes #11 of the Utah Jazz goes up for the rebound during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on November 4, 2026 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Death, taxes, turnovers

It feels like it’s been years since the Jazz were a bottom-10 team in turnovers. The lack of winning experience, combined with inconsistent offensive flow, has left the Jazz with a 17.2% turnover rate, ranking them 26th in the league.

This was evident when the Jazz coughed up 21 turnovers in their NBA Cup loss to the Mavericks. Will Hardy specifically highlighted the team’s concerns about handling the ball and maintaining an offensive flow:

The ball movement that was promised still hasn’t come to fruition. Things seem stagnant, relying heavily on Keyonte and Lauri to create their own shots rather than having them come to them naturally. Yes, a large part of it is them missing their distributing big man, Nurkic (whom will likely miss the rest of November), but it seems like they’re trying to force-feed their top guys more than anything else.

Minnesota already rank eighth in opponent turnover percentage (16.04%), with McDaniels and Kuminga pressuring opposing teams on the perimeter. The Jazz can’t lose focus. They will need to become more decisive, make quicker reads, and avoid unnecessary dribbling or else they risk the Timberwolves running away with this one.

Seriously, no more Jazz Killers

The serious advantage in Utah’s deck of cards is Minnesota’s absence of Anthony Edwards for the next couple of months. When the Wolves win, it comes from contributions from several players rather than relying on a dominant scorer. Utah should look to disrupt the Timberwolves’ flow by forcing their second and third options into difficult situations and preventing them from getting comfortable in the early going.

Utah’s job tonight will be limiting the role of All-Star LaMelo Ball along with Minnesota’s array of perimeter shooters, including Terrence Shannon Jr. and Bones Hyland. Dosunmu exploded for 26 points in New Orleans a couple days ago, so he’ll be expected to carry that momentum into tonight.

It’s also important to highlight the progression of Jaden McDaniels, posting a career-high 17.1 points per game and a 51.1% field-goal percentage if the season ended today. McDaniels also ranks first with the best offensive rating in the fourth quarter (141.3).

There’s little room for error if the Jazz hope to beat a proven Playoff team. It feels like this has been the story for weeks, but seriously, it’s do-or-die time for the Jazz to save this season.

Utah Jazz vs. Minnesota Timberwolves—How to Watch:

Who: Utah Jazz at Minnesota Timberwolves

Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN

When: 6:00 pm Mountain Daylight Time

How to Watch: KJZZ, Jazz+ (in market) or NBA League Pass (out of market)

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Nets at Mavericks Preview

BROOKLYN, NY - FEBRUARY 24: P.J Washington #25 of the Dallas Mavericks plays defense during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on February 24, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Mavericks finally got back on track Friday night with a 112-100 win over the Utah Jazz, and now they get another very winnable game Sunday against the Brooklyn Nets. Dallas enters at 5-4 after snapping a two-game losing streak, while Brooklyn entered the weekend at 2-6 and has to come to Dallas on the second night of a back-to-back after playing Atlanta on Saturday.

This is the type of game Dallas needs to start taking care of consistently. The Mavericks have already shown they can hang with much better teams, but losses like the one to Sacramento have also shown how quickly things can go sideways when they play down to an opponent. Brooklyn has enough legitimate NBA talent to make that happen again if Dallas comes out flat.

Keep building on Friday

The Jazz win wasn’t perfect, but there were plenty of encouraging signs.

Cooper Flagg finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists despite another slow start; P.J. Washington carried the offense early with 26 points, and Morez Johnson Jr. was fantastic with 13 points and 17 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass. Santi Aldama also made his season debut, giving Dallas eight points and nine rebounds in just 13 minutes.

That is the kind of collective production Dallas needs. Kyrie Irving and Flagg combined to shoot just 3-of-17 in the first half against Utah, but the Mavericks survived until both eventually got going. Dallas has spent too much of the early season needing Flagg or Kyrie to solve everything. Friday was a good example of what this roster can look like when Washington, Morez and the rest of the rotation actually give them something.

Brooklyn should give Dallas another opportunity to build on that.

More Morez

Morez Johnson Jr. might be forcing Dusty May’s hand.

The rookie was one of Dallas’ best players Friday, dominating the offensive glass and giving the Mavericks the type of physicality they have badly needed with Dereck Lively II still sidelined. His 17-rebound performance was easily one of the biggest reasons Dallas controlled the second half against Utah.

Brooklyn has size with Julius Randle, Michael Porter Jr., Day’Ron Sharpe and Noah Clowney, so this will not be an easy matchup on the glass. But Morez has earned another real opportunity. Dallas has struggled with rebounding far too often this season, and right now the rookie is giving May something that is hard to take off the floor.

Aldama’s return only makes the frontcourt rotation more interesting.

Do not let Brooklyn’s veterans beat you

The Nets are young, but their two best players are not.

Michael Porter Jr. entered the weekend averaging 21.4 points and 7.4 rebounds, while Julius Randle was averaging 21 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. Porter is still one of the league’s more dangerous shooters when he gets comfortable, and Randle can punish smaller defenders if Dallas lets him establish position and work downhill.

That should make Washington especially important again. Dallas needs someone who can handle Randle physically without constantly forcing help, while the rest of the defense stays attached to Porter.

The Nets aren’t good enough for Dallas to treat this like some impossible matchup, but they have enough individual scoring talent to make the Mavericks pay for another lazy defensive night.

Take care of business

This is really what Sunday comes down to.

Dallas just started a three-game homestand with a win over Utah and gets Brooklyn before Indiana comes to town Monday. The Mavericks do not need anything spectacular here. They need to defend, rebound and avoid spending the first half trying to wake themselves up.

Brooklyn will also be playing its second game in as many nights, while Dallas has Saturday off. The Mavericks have no reason to be the team lacking energy.

Dallas has already played enough difficult games to start the season. Against teams like Brooklyn, the goal should be simple: don’t make the game harder than it needs to be.

When: Sunday, November 8, 6:30 p.m. CT
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas

As of Saturday evening, Dereck Lively II, Sergio de Larrea and Tarik Biberovic are listed out for Dallas, while Caleb Martin is available. Brooklyn had not yet submitted its official injury report for Sunday’s game at the time of the latest NBA report.

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Recap: Avalanche put Red Wings on Ice with 4-0 shutout

DENVER, COLORADO - NOVEMBER 07: Martin Necas #88 of the Colorado Avalanche scores a goal during the second period of the game against the Detroit Red Wings at Ball Arena on November 07, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Andrew Maclean/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

Before embarking on quite an important road trip, the Colorado Avalanche had one last matter to take care of at home. The task at hand was hosting the Detroit Red Wings in the debut of Colorado’s very blue Hometown Remix threads. The home team gave their fans something to cheer about in the 4-0 victory, Colorado’s first shutout of the season. Mackenzie Blackwood made 27 saves and Martin Nečas scored a pair of goals as the Avalanche cruised to their 10th win.

The Game

It was a slow start in the first period, which has become all too common, but at least the Avalanche didn’t give up a goal. Still, they were outshot 13-5 despite some back and forth action. Neither team committed a penalty either, so there would (definitely) be opportunity later.

As suspected, the second period featured a healthy amount of special teams time and on their third power play, the Avalanche finally got on the board. Martin Nečas found a loose puck on the doorstep and was able to sweep it past Detroit goaltender Danil Tarasov. Colorado scored another power play goal minutes later, as the Detroit penalty killers were clearly tired, and Nathan MacKinnon put one home from his favorite spot to put Colorado up by two after two.

Colorado extended their lead early in the third period as Nečas got his second goal of the night with some nifty hand-eye coordination as he swatted the puck behind Tarasov. Then, Gabe Landeskog and Moritz Seider had a surprisingly spirited tilt, which led to another Avalanche power play in which Cale Makar finally found the back of the net for his first power play goal on the season. Up 4-0 the game was all but over and it finally was as Mackenzie Blackwood secured a 27-save shutout for the win.

Takeaways

Not sure the game needed an AHL level of 14 penalties, specially since none were taken in the first period, but with five power plays and Detroit’s 25th ranked penalty kill, it all helped get the Avalanche out of a funk. Their special teams made the difference tonight, which is something the team needed and can hopefully build off of.

Cale Makar played just under 23 minutes in this game even with six minutes of power play time. Reducing the load on him might be the new tactic to rejuvenate the superstar defenseman and get him back to creating dynamic offense every night. And early returns with one goal on the evening might encourage the coaching staff to keep the strategy going.

Upcoming

The Avalanche embark on a Canadian road trip with their first stop in Toronto for a rematch with the Maple Leafs on Tuesday, November 10th at 5:00 p.m. MT.

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Braves News: Casey Mize rumor, player reviews, more

San Diego, California - September 25: Casey Mize #32 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Petco Park on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)

Well the offseason continues to be eerily quiet as the clock ticks down on the seemingly inevitable lockout. The expectation has been that there will be a flurry of movement before the lockout, but we haven’t seen much movement of note as of yet. We did at least get a few morsels of rumors as it relates to Braves’ interest in starting pitchers at the deadline, which may inform interest this offseason.

Braves News

The AJC’s Gabe Burns reported Braves’ interest to some extent in Casey Mize and Nick Pivetta at the trade deadline.

We took a quick look at Osvaldo Bido’s 2026 in Atlanta.

MLB News

A 25-year-old Taiwanese reliever is being posted by his team to sign with an MLB team.

Max Scherzer is noncommittal about his playing status next season.

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Braves News: Casey Mize rumor, player reviews, more

San Diego, California - September 25: Casey Mize #32 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Petco Park on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)

Well the offseason continues to be eerily quiet as the clock ticks down on the seemingly inevitable lockout. The expectation has been that there will be a flurry of movement before the lockout, but we haven’t seen much movement of note as of yet. We did at least get a few morsels of rumors as it relates to Braves’ interest in starting pitchers at the deadline, which may inform interest this offseason.

Braves News

The AJC’s Gabe Burns reported Braves’ interest to some extent in Casey Mize and Nick Pivetta at the trade deadline.

We took a quick look at Osvaldo Bido’s 2026 in Atlanta.

MLB News

A 25-year-old Taiwanese reliever is being posted by his team to sign with an MLB team.

Max Scherzer is noncommittal about his playing status next season.

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Around the Empire: Bombers to meet with 18-year-old NPB ace

TAIPEI, TAIWAN - SEPTEMBER 12: Shoki Oda #11 of Team Japanthrows in the second inning during the BFA U18 Asian Baseball Championship Super Round game between Chinese Taipei and Japan at Taipei Dome on September 12, 2026 in Taipei, Taiwan. (Photo by Gene Wang - Capture At Media/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Bleacher Report | Adam Wells: The Yankees have been linked to a number of Japanese stars in recent weeks as they attempt to reestablish a foothold in the Japanese market that the Dodgers have dominated of late. They reportedly have a meeting planned with 18-year-old starting pitcher Shoki Oda, who broke out during the 2026 Koshien National High School Baseball Championship of Japan. The young ace’s fastball has been recorded as high as 98 mph, attracting the attention of as many as a dozen MLB teams. Oda announced that he plans to forgo pitching in NPB and wishes to declare himself for the international free agent signing period that will open on January 15th.*

*This will likely happen regardless of the lockout, like during the early 2022 dispute. These agreements are with players who are not about to be added to the MLB 40-man roster and the new minor leaguers would join a different union. That’s why Triple-A, Double-A, etc. Opening Day 2027 will not be pushed back by the MLB lockout.

Oda would follow a similar path to Roki Sasaki, who joined the Dodgers on a $6.5 million signing bonus in 2025. By not signing for NPB and going through their posting system after a certain amount of years, Oda would be treated as an international free agent, capping the amount he could sign for and giving the signing team six years of team control, as opposed to someone like Teruaki Sato, who is being posted by his NPB team and can therefor sign a lucrative multi-year deal.

MLB.com | Benjamin Hill: Earlier in the offseason, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders announced that they would undergo a rebranding ahead of the 2027 season, and now we know the new name of the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate. They will now be known as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Highlanders — partially a nod to the inaugural name of the Yankees’ big-league franchise.

The Yankees were known as the Highlanders from their inception in 1903 until they became the Yankees in 1913. The change comes as the team enters its 20th season as the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate, and is the fourth name in their history following Red Barons, Yankees, and RailRiders. They had been the RailRiders since moving into the highly-renovated PNC Field in 2013.

MLB Trade Rumors | Steve Adams: While not strictly Yankees related, it is possible one of their trade targets has come off the board. Earlier in 2026, the Yankees were rumored to have interest in Nationals center fielder Jacob Young, but he has now signed a four-year, $23 million extension with a fifth year option with Washington. After several seasons of well below average offensive production, Young improved to slash .252/.318/.390 with 10 home runs, 50 RBIs, a 95 wRC+, and 18 steals in 22 attempts. His real calling card is his center field defense, where he has accrued the second-most Statcast Outs Above Average (+46) of any qualified outfielder over the last three seasons, trailing only presumptive NL Cy Young Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Yahoo! Sports | TJ French: Another possible outfield depth piece is no longer an option. Jarred Kelenic elected free agency after joining the organization on a minor-league deal at the end of August following his DFA from the Braves. The Yankees never selected his contract to the majors, and he appeared in 19 games at Triple-A, posting a 43 wRC+ with two home runs and 10 RBIs in 92 plate appearances. The sixth overall pick by the Mets in the 2018 MLB Draft, Kelenic was one of the centerpieces in the 2018 trade with Seattle for Edwin Díaz and Robinson Canó. His big league career never really got on track after that point, and in six big league seasons playing for the Mariners, Braves, White Sox, and Rangers, Kelenic batted .211/.283/.371 with 50 home runs, 162 RBIs, an 84 wRC+, and 0.8 fWAR across 1,571 plate appearances.

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Around the Empire: Bombers to meet with 18-year-old NPB ace

TAIPEI, TAIWAN - SEPTEMBER 12: Shoki Oda #11 of Team Japanthrows in the second inning during the BFA U18 Asian Baseball Championship Super Round game between Chinese Taipei and Japan at Taipei Dome on September 12, 2026 in Taipei, Taiwan. (Photo by Gene Wang - Capture At Media/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Bleacher Report | Adam Wells: The Yankees have been linked to a number of Japanese stars in recent weeks as they attempt to reestablish a foothold in the Japanese market that the Dodgers have dominated of late. They reportedly have a meeting planned with 18-year-old starting pitcher Shoki Oda, who broke out during the 2026 Koshien National High School Baseball Championship of Japan. The young ace’s fastball has been recorded as high as 98 mph, attracting the attention of as many as a dozen MLB teams. Oda announced that he plans to forgo pitching in NPB and wishes to declare himself for the international free agent signing period that will open on January 15th.*

*This will likely happen regardless of the lockout, like during the early 2022 dispute. These agreements are with players who are not about to be added to the MLB 40-man roster and the new minor leaguers would join a different union. That’s why Triple-A, Double-A, etc. Opening Day 2027 will not be pushed back by the MLB lockout.

Oda would follow a similar path to Roki Sasaki, who joined the Dodgers on a $6.5 million signing bonus in 2025. By not signing for NPB and going through their posting system after a certain amount of years, Oda would be treated as an international free agent, capping the amount he could sign for and giving the signing team six years of team control, as opposed to someone like Teruaki Sato, who is being posted by his NPB team and can therefor sign a lucrative multi-year deal.

MLB.com | Benjamin Hill: Earlier in the offseason, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders announced that they would undergo a rebranding ahead of the 2027 season, and now we know the new name of the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate. They will now be known as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Highlanders — partially a nod to the inaugural name of the Yankees’ big-league franchise.

The Yankees were known as the Highlanders from their inception in 1903 until they became the Yankees in 1913. The change comes as the team enters its 20th season as the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate, and is the fourth name in their history following Red Barons, Yankees, and RailRiders. They had been the RailRiders since moving into the highly-renovated PNC Field in 2013.

MLB Trade Rumors | Steve Adams: While not strictly Yankees related, it is possible one of their trade targets has come off the board. Earlier in 2026, the Yankees were rumored to have interest in Nationals center fielder Jacob Young, but he has now signed a four-year, $23 million extension with a fifth year option with Washington. After several seasons of well below average offensive production, Young improved to slash .252/.318/.390 with 10 home runs, 50 RBIs, a 95 wRC+, and 18 steals in 22 attempts. His real calling card is his center field defense, where he has accrued the second-most Statcast Outs Above Average (+46) of any qualified outfielder over the last three seasons, trailing only presumptive NL Cy Young Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Yahoo! Sports | TJ French: Another possible outfield depth piece is no longer an option. Jarred Kelenic elected free agency after joining the organization on a minor-league deal at the end of August following his DFA from the Braves. The Yankees never selected his contract to the majors, and he appeared in 19 games at Triple-A, posting a 43 wRC+ with two home runs and 10 RBIs in 92 plate appearances. The sixth overall pick by the Mets in the 2018 MLB Draft, Kelenic was one of the centerpieces in the 2018 trade with Seattle for Edwin Díaz and Robinson Canó. His big league career never really got on track after that point, and in six big league seasons playing for the Mariners, Braves, White Sox, and Rangers, Kelenic batted .211/.283/.371 with 50 home runs, 162 RBIs, an 84 wRC+, and 0.8 fWAR across 1,571 plate appearances.

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Penguins' Captain Sidney Crosby Climbs NHL All-Time Scoring List

Pittsburgh Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby has hit another impressive NHL milestone. 

With a goal during the second period of the Penguins' Saturday evening tilt against the Los Angeles Kings at Crytpo.com Arena, Crosby recorded his 1,772nd career point, officially surpassing Marcel Dionne to take sole possession of sixth place on the NHL's all-time scoring list.

Crosby added an empty-net goal at the end of the game to give him two points in the contest and help snap a four-game losing streak by the team. 

The 39-year-old Crosby has not enjoyed the hottest start to the 2026-27 season, registering just six goals and 12 points in 17 games. However, he seems to be turning a corner lately, recording three goals and six points in his last six. As it stands now, Crosby has put together an NHL record 21 consecutive seasons at point-per-game or higher, and he recently broke the NHL record for most points with a single franchise.

Crosby is in the final season of a two-year contract extension he signed during the summer of 2024, and he has yet to sign an extension for next season. Crosby has made it clear that he is taking a year-by-year approach to new contracts from here on out, as he wants to see how his body feels throughout the course of a season.  

Next up for Crosby on the all-time points list is Ron Francis, who sits in fifth place with 1,798 points. Gordie Howe's 1,850 points puts him fourth all-time.

Penguins' Captain Sidney Crosby Sets New NHL RecordPenguins' Captain Sidney Crosby Sets New NHL RecordPittsburgh Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby continued to build his NHL legacy Saturday with yet another notch in the record books.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!    

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Capitals lose Wilson, find a way past Panthers

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Tuch and Aliaksei Protas scored in the second period to lift the Washington Capitals to a 4-3 victory over the Florida Panthers on Saturday.

Brady Tkachuk scored two goals for the Panthers in the first, the latter coming on an extended power play after Washington’s Tom Wilson was ejected for a hit on Sandis Valmanis, but the Capitals rallied in the second.

Jack St. Ivany scored his first career goal for the Capitals in the first, and Pierre-Luc Dubois added one in the third. Sam Bennett brought the Panthers within one with 46.6 seconds to play.

Valmanis did not return after Wilson’s hit to his back knocked him headfirst into the area where the boards and glass meet. Wilson was given a major penalty for boarding, and Tkachuk put Florida ahead 2-1.

Tuch tied it with his 11th goal of the season, and then Washington took the lead with a nice team goal. Ryan Leonard battled behind the net and sent the puck to Dubois in the left circle. He made one more pass to Protas on the right doorstep, and he had an open net to shoot at.

PREDATORS 3, BLUES 1

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Steven Stamkos had a goal and an assist and Juuse Saros made 25 saves to lead Nashville to a victory over the St. Louis.

Ross Colton and Nick Perbix also scored and Roman Josi had two assists for Nashville.

Jimmy Snuggerud scored and Joel Hofer made 26 saves for the Blues, who have lost three straight.

Snuggerud scored the game’s first goal at 13:07 of the opening period.

With the Blues on a power play, Snuggerud beat Saros with a one-timer from the lower part of the left faceoff circle.

Snuggerud leads the Blues with nine goals this season.

Nashville, who entered Saturday with the NHL’s third-best penalty kill at 90%, had not allowed a power-play goal against in its previous seven games.

RANGERS 4, KRAKEN 3

SEATTLE (AP) — Gabe Perreault, Tye Kartye and Jaroslav Chmelar scored in the first period and New York held off Seattle for their third straight victory.

Pavel Dorofeyevalos also scored for the Rangers (10-7-1), and Alexis Lafrenière and Mika Zibanejad each had two assists.

Joonas Korpisalo stopped 25 shots in his Rangers debut. Acquired from Boston in July, he had been on injured reserve because of a foot infection.

Kaapo Kakko, Jordan Eberle and Vince Dunn scored for Seattle (9-6-1) in the final period. Berkley Catton had two assists, extending his points streak to a career-high eight games.

Joey Daccord was pulled for Philipp Grubauer after giving up three goals in the first 14 minutes. Grubauer stopped 15 shots.

CANADIENS 4, MAPLE LEAFS 2

TORONTO (AP) — Alex Newhook scored twice in the first period, Jacob Fowler made 26 saves and Montreal beat Toronto.

Chris Kreider and Zachary Bolduc also scored for Montreal (11-3-3). The Canadiens have won seven of their last eight games.

William Nylander and Gavin McKenna scored for Toronto (8-8-2), and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 24 shots. The Maple Leafs have lost two straight and four of five in regulation.

The Canadiens opened the scoring at 5:56 of the first when Newhook’s pass in front of Bobrovsky pinballed into Toronto’s net after a giveaway by McKenna started the sequence. Newhook then tipped in Kaiden Guhle’s point shot with 6:54 left.

The Canadiens made it 3-0 on a breakaway with 7:03 to go in the second when Kreider intercepted McKenna’s pass at Montreal’s blue line and beat Bobrovsky past his blocker. Toronto’s rookie winger was benched for the rest of the period.

SENATORS 4, MAMMOTH 2

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Nick Cousins broke a tie on a deflection with 2:18 left and Ottawa beat Utah.

Shane Pinto added an empty-net goal with 16 seconds left.

Fabian Zetterlund and Michael Amadio also scored for the Senators (11-6-1). Samuel Ersson turned away 30 shots for his third victory of the season.

Clayton Keller and Barrett Hayton scored for the Mammoth (10-7-1), with Karel Vejmelka making 17 saves.

The Mammoth played the fifth and final game of a trip where they went 2-2-1.

DEVILS 5,, ISLANDERS 4 (OT)

NEW YORK (AP) — Jack Hughes scored in overtime to lift the New Jersey to a victory over New York.

Dougie Hamilton, Luke Evangelista, Declan Chisholm and Evan Rodrigues also scored for New Jersey, which extended its winning streak to four games. Jake Allen made 19 saves.

Hughes scored with 3:42 remaining in overtime, keeping the puck on a two-on-one rush before firing a shot past Ilya Sorokin’s blocker.

Anthony Duclair, Matthew Schaefer, Simon Holmstrom and Victor Eklund scored for New York, which lost its third straight game. Sorokin finished with 45 saves and captain Bo Horvat added two assists.

The Devils erased a two-goal deficit in the third period, capped by Hamilton’s power-play goal with 6:18 remaining in regulation. Jack Hughes curled around the net before finding Hamilton in the slot for the tying goal.

HURRICANES 9, BLACKHAWKS 2

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Jordan Martinook scored two of Carolina’s four first-period goals in the Hurricanes’ win over Chicago.

Andrei Svechnikov added two goals, and Seth Jarvis, Jackson Blake, Sebastian Aho, Shayne Gostisbehere and Alexander Nikishin, making his season debut, also had goals. Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Eric Robinson and William Carrier all had two assists for the NHL-best Hurricanes, who’ve won six of their last seven games.

The nine goals tied the Carolina franchise record since relocating from Hartford, Connecticut, in 1997.

Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 18 shots in his first outing since his franchise-record 10-game winning streak ended Tuesday in Nashville.

STARS 4, SHARKS 3

DALLAS (AP) — Defenseman Thomas Harley scored one of Dallas’ three power-play goals in his first three-point game of the season and the Stars beat San Jose.

Roope Hintz had a goal and an assist, and Jamie Benn and Jason Robertson also scored for the Stars, who are 3-0-1 in their last four games. Jake Oettinger made 20 saves.

Michael Misa, rookie Ivar Stenberg and Will Smith scored for the Sharks, who were swept in a road back-to-back after losing at Minnesota on Friday night and have dropped five straight, all in regulation.

Macklin Celebrini assisted on each Sharks goal for his fourth three-point game of the season. Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 26 shots.

The Stars are 10-0-1 against the Sharks dating to March 2024.

LIGHTNING 4, WILD 3 (OT)

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Nikita Kucherov scored a power-play goal 3:23 into overtime and Tampa Bay rallied past Minnesota.

In the opener of a four-game trip, the Lightning got two goals and an assist from Jake Guentzel and a goal and two assists from defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous. Brayden Point and John Carlson also had two assists, and Dennis Hildeby made 19 saves.

Kucherov took a pass from Guentzel in the slot and ripped a shot past Calvin Pickard for his first goal in seven games.

The reigning NHL MVP, Kucherov recently requested a trade from the Lightning because he feels disrespected by a lack of communication with general manager Julien BriseBois. Kucherov, a two-time MVP, can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Tampa Bay has won three in a row and is 4-0-2 in its past six games.

AVALANCHE 4, RED WINGS 0

DENVER (AP) — Mackenzie Blackwood made 27 saves, Martin Necas had two goals and two assists and Colorado beat Detroit.

Blackwood had his first shutout of the season and 18th of his career and Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar had a goal and two assists each for Colorado.

It was the 800th career game for Avs coach Jared Bednar, with all coming behind the Colorado bench. His 455 wins are fifth through 800 games.

The once-fierce rivalry, which accounted for five Stanley Cup titles from 1996-2002, has cooled significantly since Detroit moved to the Eastern Conference and the teams have not been competitive at the same time. Colorado has been a perennial title contender since 2020, winning it all in 2022, while the Red Wings are in the midst of an 11-season playoff drought.

PENGUINS 5, KINGS 2

LOS ANGELES (AP-) — Sidney Crosby scored two goals while moving into sole possession of sixth place on the NHL’s career scoring list, and Pittsburgh snapped their four-game skid with a victory over Los Angeles.

The 39-year-old Crosby broke his tie with Kings great Marcel Dionne by scoring his 1,772nd point when Evgeni Malkin’s one-timer deflected in off him in the second period. Crosby added a late empty-net goal, diving face-first on the ice to tip it home.

Tommy Novak got two goals in the first six minutes and Egor Chinakhov also scored for the Penguins, who moved Crosby and the 40-year-old Malkin onto their top line before the game in an effort to spark their struggling lineup. Sergei Murashov made 26 saves as Pittsburgh opened a three-game California trip with just its third win in 11 games.

Corey Perry and Alex Laferriere scored and Darcy Kuemper stopped only 14 shots for the Kings, who have lost two of the last three during their seven-game homestand.

OILERS 4, CANUCKS 2

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Leon Draisaitl had two goals and an assist, Connor McDavid added three more assists and Edmonton beat struggling Vancouve.

Mattias Ekholm and Jason Dickinson also scored for the Oilers (12-3-3), who snapped a two-game slide. Edmonton is 10-0-2 when scoring first this season.

Devon Levi returned from an injury to make 20 saves and improve to 7-1-0 in the Edmonton net.

Max Sasson and Brock Boeser scored for the Canucks (3-15-1), who have lost five straight. They are 1-14-1 since a 2-1 start.

Leevi Merilainen stopped 26 shots for Vancouver.

McDavid extended his season-opening assist streak to 18 games. He leads the NHL with 37 assists and 47 points.

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Hawks' Jalen Johnson scores 30 in comeback from injury

Talk about a comeback.

Jalen Johnson scored 30 points in his return from an ankle injury and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Brooklyn Nets124-121 on Saturday, Nov. 7 at State Farm Arena. The Hawks were down by as many as 17 points in the first quarter.

Johnson, 24, had 12 points points in the fourth quarter to bring his team back on top for good. With 39 seconds left in the game, he raced past Julius Randle and drove to the basket to toss in a floater. He was fouled and made the free throw to help secure the victory. The forward also had seven rebounds and six assists.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Aaron Wiggins added 20 points for Atlanta in the Hawks' fourth straight win. Michael Porter Jr. had 25 points for Brooklyn.

Johnson hadn't played in a week, missing three games after spraining his left ankle in the Hawks' loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Halloween.

The day of the Nets matchup, he was listed as probable on the injury report and then was upgraded to available shortly before tipoff.

The Hawks took Johnson as the 20th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. He earned his first All-Star nod last season when he 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game.

He is averaging 18.3 points, 9.0 boards and 7.9 assists this season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hawks' Jalen Johnson scores 30 in comeback from injury