Posts

Posted on

From Suns’ resilience to wreckage in one night

I’m still shell-shocked. As I type this, I’m still trying to process what Friday night actually was. What it was supposed to be was simple. The end of a road trip. The last stop before coming home for five games, a chance for the home crowd to applaud the effort, the grit, the survival of a long six-game slog away from Phoenix. What it was supposed to be was an exorcism in Atlanta. Instead, the demons won.

Jalen Green, injured. Devin Booker, injured, leaving the building on crutches. Sit with that for a second. What the fuck just happened?

Injuries have been everywhere across the NBA this season, like a creeping fog that eventually finds everyone. For the most part, the Suns had avoided it. They ducked. They weaved. They stayed upright. Then Friday night arrived, and the bullet did not miss. It caught them square in the chest, center mass, no warning.

Now comes the waiting. Waiting for updates. Waiting for timelines. Waiting to understand what the next phase of this season even looks like, and how long these guys might be gone. Waiting while wondering why there always seems to be a tax for loving a team that dons purple and orange.

The irony stings. I spent most of the night before the game writing about my favorite Suns teams I’ve ever watched. A love letter, really. A piece I’ll probably publish later today once I finish sanding down the edges. And like every Suns story I’ve ever told, there’s a familiar thread running through it. No matter how bright the vibes feel in the moment, no matter how hopeful the setup, it always bends toward disappointment. Not immediately. Not gently. Eventually, and violently.

So yeah, I’m sitting in the doom tonight. I’m swimming in frustration. I’m carrying that heavy, familiar depression that only comes with the very specific experience of being a Phoenix Suns fan. None of this is their fault. Nobody asked for this. And yet somehow, every time, we’re the ones left paying for it in emotional damage.

Bright Side Baller Season Standings

You ain’t stopping J Good! His energy is infectious, and it infected the second team unit in the Suns’ win over the 76ers. Make it 4 BSB’s for the Dogg.

Bright Side Baller Nominees

Game 45 against the Hawks. Here are your nominees:

Devin Booker
31 points (12-of-21, 5-of-9 3PT), 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, +5 +/-

Grayson Allen
16 points (7-of-12, 1-of-5 3PT), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, 2 turnovers, +8 +/-

Collin Gillespie
16 points (6-of-12, 3-of-6 3PT), 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover, -2 +/-

Oso Ighodaro
8 points (4-of-7), 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover, +3 +/-

Dillon Brooks
11 points (4-of-18, 1-of-5 3PT), 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, -11 +/-

Mark Williams
6 points (3-of-8), 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 0 turnovers, -10 +/-

Who gets some love for their efforts in ATL?

Posted on

A First Look at the Cardinals’ 2026 Season Through ZiPS

On Friday morning Dan Szymborski released the long-awaited Cardinals 2026 ZiPS projections and gave us all a short break from refreshing MLB Trade Rumors to see the latest on Brendan Donovan. ZiPS is the gold standard for publicly available projection systems and has been continuously refined to improve accuracy since Szymborski originally developed it in the early 2000s. If you haven’t yet, make sure to check out the full set of projections. 

The first sneak peek was originally tweeted out on Thursday.

At first glance this looks better than expected! It is important to note that the graphic above is based on the ZiPS projected rate stats, but the playing time allocation is based on the FanGraphs Depth Chart page, so the WAR totals in the graphic are not meant to line up with the ZiPS projection tables in the article. This also means that we cannot just add up the WAR totals to get a projected win total. The team projections will come out closer to the start of the season and are based on millions of simulations that account for much more variability and nuance than midpoint projections. With that lengthy caveat out of the way, I do think it is still worthwhile to see how the team’s projections stack up with the projections going into last year as well as the actual results in 2025.

Pitching

The Cardinals rotation was sneakily horrible last year thanks to the 250 innings given to Miles Mikolas and Erick Fedde, so even with the loss of Sonny Gray, the group as a whole won’t have to do much to improve.  Despite lacking a true standout, ZiPS sees enough depth to piece together a reasonable staff. While it may be deep, the rotation is also lacking upside. Dustin May is the only starting pitcher expected to open in the rotation with a projected strikeout rate over 20%. The Cardinals bullpen performed exceptionally well in 2025, so there is a lot of regression baked into the 2026 outlook. Getting a few breakout performances and/or starters moving to the pen and seeing their stuff play up will be a huge factor in the team’s 2026 storyline. Overall, I didn’t see too many surprises in the projections, but a few that stood out to me were:

Hunter Dobbins is given a projection a little too close to Aaron Wilkerson for my liking. He will probably always be a pitch to contact guy, but he is going to need to strike out more than 15.8% of batters to make much of an impact. 

Michael McGreevy projects as the staff ace as the only starting pitcher with an ERA+ greater than 100 and is given a 20% chance of putting up a 3+ WAR season. 

JoJo Romero is projected for almost half the bullpen WAR at 0.9. Hopefully some general manager saw the ZiPS release and decided to increase the prospect value they are willing to offer…

Hitters

On the position player side of things, you can see the hole at first base left by the Willson Contreras departure. The rest of the infield projects slightly better than last year’s projections and results. One thing to note here is that the Depth Charts page is only giving Wetherholt 371 plate appearances, so there is some upside there if he performs in line with his ZiPS projections and earns a full season’s worth of plate appearances. The outfield was projected to be terrible going into last season and was able to meaningfully underperform even from that baseline. Nootbaar and Scott get solid projections in left and center field. Walker is projected for 518 plate appearances, which surely will not happen if he struggles as much as last year. 

Looking a bit deeper at the individual player projections, Donovan, Nootbaar, Winn, and Burleson project about as expected. Winn’s offense backing up a bit in 2025 hurt his outlook, but that is made up for by his improved defensive projection. His 80th percentile outcome of a 4.5 WAR season seems a little light given that he was on track to eclipse that for most of last year before fading late while dealing with the knee injury. 

While the pitching projections didn’t offer many surprises, there were a bunch of position player projections that jumped out to me. 

JJ Wetherholt is projected for 2.9 WAR with a 100 OPS+ and above-average defense. While not flashy, this is an incredibly positive projection for a player with one full minor league season under his belt. ZiPS incorporates exit velocity data into the model, so it is good to see that Wetherholt was not knocked too much for his average performance on those metrics. 

Ivan Herrera is projected for a 125 OPS+. Going into last season he was projected at 103, so it is good to see that the computer believes in his offensive breakout. The model does incorporate injury data, but I am assuming it is not aware of the saga around Herrera’s arm problems and his impassioned pursuit of the starting catcher role. If he is able to catch 80-100 games, I think he would easily surpass his 80th percentile WAR projection of 3.5. 

Jordan Walker maybe shouldn’t be classified as a surprise, but you still hate to see a below replacement projection. The Cardinals still seem to believe in his upside and I am inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt as they try to sort through Walker’s issues. 

Nolan Gorman projecting for 1.9 WAR and above-average defense was one of the biggest surprises for me. It will be interesting to see how much leeway he is given early in the year. 

Jimmy Crooks is given a 2 WAR projection with an 89 OPS+. This was similar to the projection he received going into 2025. It is good to see that the computer still believes in him after a relatively lackluster AAA performance. 

Nathan Church didn’t convince the computer that his 2025 breakout was for real, as he still projects below average offensively and defensively. 

Bryan Torres has a steadily growing fan club and can now count ZiPS among his admirers with a 105 OPS+. His -8 defensive rating hurts his overall value projection and will be something to keep an eye on if he breaks camp with the Cardinals. 

Finally, a few prospects that don’t project to open in St. Louis but that had encouraging projections were:

Joshua Baez getting a 94 OPS+ projection is super exciting. I was worried the computer would hold his high strikeout rate in the lower minors against him. He is projected for a 29% strikeout rate, so it is still a risky profile, but it also means there is more upside if he keeps the swing and miss in check as he moves up. 

Deniel Ortiz was one of the breakout offensive prospects of the 2025 season. A projected OPS+ of 81 is incredibly solid for a player who has not yet reached Double-A. It is good to see ZiPS is not overly concerned with his high strikeout rate. 

Leonardo Bernal continues to get love with a league average WAR projection. It is hard to see him getting much time this year, but he is still moving in the right direction. 

All things considered, I am encouraged by where the projections landed. These aren’t the Cardinals from the last several decades that pump out 88+ win projections, but they still have the underlying attribute of depth that made those teams successful. Szymborski himself mentioned that this looks like a .500 team, which would surpass most fans’ expectations. I do think in all the talk of the rebuild, some fans are overlooking the importance of winning games in 2026. The Cardinals have a good farm system, but it is not the kind of system that can take a true-talent 70 win team and turn it into a World Series contender in a couple of years. If the 2026 team can meet or exceed the ZiPS expectations, the Cardinals will be primed for a competitive window moving forward.

Posted on

Phillies news: J.T. Realmuto, starting rotation, MacKenzie Gore

As the tri-state area hunkers down for the impending snowstorm, let’s take this opportunity to enjoy a Phillies video from the past. Here’s a game from 1989.

You’re welcome.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

MLB news:

Posted on

Orioles news: As season nears, available pitching upgrades dwindle

Good morning Birdland,

The Orioles’ search for another rotation upgrade probably feels a lot like going to the grocery store ahead of the big snow storm about to tear through half the country. Many of the shelves are barren.

If you poke around, you can probably find that last gallon of milk or loaf of bread, but then you see that it’s past its “Best By” date. That’s Justin Verlander. It could be fine. Those dates are just suggestions anyway. It doesn’t mean that the food has spoiled. And let’s be honest, you’ve bought questionable things like this before when you were desperate. But do you want to take the chance this time? Maybe if you can get a discount.

The fresh meat section has been picked through, but there is one package left. And it’s a steak! Framber Valdez! Maybe you’ll treat yourself. If you’re gonna be snowed in, you might as well make something special. But the price of beef is out of control right now, and it’s not even your favorite cut. Let’s do a loop and see if we can find something else.

As you’re shopping you peek in the carts of a few other folks in the store. It feels like they all already have their essentials. They must have gotten here earlier. The Red Sox got eggs AND toilet paper. How? No one is getting both!

It feels like a good time to pull your cart over, look at your list, and do a mental inventory of what you already have at home. Do you want pitching? Yes. But do you absolutely need it? What you have at home might be plenty to get through the storm. It might not make for the most luxurious 48 hours stuck inside, but you’ll survive. Once you’ve dug out and the roads have cleared, you can head back out and get what you need without as much stress.

The Orioles rotation is in better shape than it was at the end of the 2025 season, and it is worlds better than 12 months ago. They could use more, another playoff-caliber arm that you can depend on for both innings and quality. But you don’t have to settle for something you don’t actually want. You aren’t desperate. If Valdez fits what the front office is after, they should go get him. If they prefer someone else, and are OK to pay in prospects sometime mid-season, then they should do that. That one pitcher probably won’t change the team’s overall trajectory for the season. But it will matter in the second half, and especially if they get in the playoffs. So the time for panic may come, but it is not now.

Links

As a newbie, Alonso embraces ‘New Oriole Way’ | Orioles.com
I have trepidations about how the Pete Alonso contract will age, but the guy has said everything you could want him to since signing his deal back in mid-December. He comes off as genuine and excited to be a part of the Orioles organization. That’s all you can really ask for.

Basallo and Beavers give Orioles a pair of prospects who should contribute in 2026 | Roch Kubatko
It has felt like the public perception of the Orioles minor league system has diminished the last year or two. But that way of thinking might be getting crushed in 2026. The organization is back to having a handful of “Top 100” types in the minors, including the duo of Samuel Basallo and Dylan Beavers, who both have a chance to win Rookie of the Year.

White Sox To Sign Seranthony Domínguez | MLB Trade Rumors
There was some theorizing that Domínguez would fit right back into the Orioles bullpen. He was solid here, and it seemed like he and the organization really liked one another. But the Orioles were never going to give him the two-year, $20 million he just got from the White Sox. The hard-throwing righty will close games for the South Siders, which could set him up for an even bigger pay day two years from now. Good for him!

Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson looking forward to healthy season after dealing with shoulder impingement | The Baltimore Banner
Make no mistake, Henderson was still very good last year. But he was lacking some of his normal power. It sounds like both his shoulder and the intercostal strain played a part in that. The Orioles will need him back closer to an MVP level in 2026 if they are going to storm back into the playoffs. A side note in this one pertains to Heston Kjerstad. He is going to be a full participant in the spring, which is great to hear. He faces quite a battle to get in the lineup though.

Orioles birthdays

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

  • Ashur Tolliver turns 38 today. The lefty pitched in five games out of the Orioles bullpen in 2016.
  • Tim Stoddard celebrates his 73rd birthday. From 1978 through ‘83, the 6-foot-7 hurler tossed 313 total innings for the Orioles, all of which came in relief. Although he did not pitch in the 1983 World Series, he was still part of the team that won it, making him the first player to win both a World Series and an NCAA basketball championship. Stoddard was a starting forward on the 1973-74 NC State team that took home the national title.

This day in O’s history

1961 – The Orioles and the Kansas City Athletics agree to a six-player trade. Outfielders Whitey Herzog and Russ Snyder head to Baltimore in exchange for infielder Wayne Causey, pitcher Jim Archer, and outfielders Bob Boyd and Al Pilarcik.

Posted on

Letters to Sports: Readers debate whether the Dodgers are ruining baseball

Los Angeles , CA - January 21: Outfielder Kyle Tucker smiles during a press conference at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026 in Los Angeles , CA. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker is all smiles during his introductory news conference at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)

The fury over the Dodgers signing Kyle Tucker makes me wonder who's shouting the loudest?

Could it be desperate, unfortunate fans whose beloved teams are owned by inheritors, nepo families, or private equity bros who celebrate their glamorous assets?

So how about a new metric in the sports page to accompany the ranking of teams and players: ownership. Not simply by wealth, but wisdom, brains and commitment. And for fun let's call it the McCourt-Moreno Index.

It's time we hold the Marge Schotts of pro sports accountable for the franchises they mismanage.

Bob Collector
Santa Barbara

There are some alarming implications to Bill Plaschke's "If it blows up baseball, so be it." Perhaps he means that MLB should be reduced to a burning garbage heap with three teams atop — Yankees, Cubs and Dodgers — because they were the only ones who went into the TV business and peddled their services for billions in the three largest TV markets.

Maybe he yearns to transform MLB into the NHL of my childhood, with six teams. That was OK if you lived in a shallow arc extending between New York and Chicago — not so good for everyone else.

"So be it," as Plaschke would say, but I can guarantee I won't be the only one who isn't watching anymore.

Thomas Bailey
Long Beach

Naturally Dodger fans are all excited about the signing of the $60-million-a-year All-Star right fielder, Kyle Tucker. But we're not going to be happy when Dodger Stadium becomes the first MLB ballpark with a two-drink minimum.

Joe Kevany
Mount Washington

As everyone seems to be raving about the Dodgers' acquisition of Kyle Tucker, I note the following: There is another player who was recently signed by the Yankees for less money and less signing bonus than Tucker who had higher numbers last year in average, home runs and WAR. He also plays more positions. Hadn’t the Dodgers heard of Cody Bellinger? Bellinger as a Yankee will never feel right to me.

Larry Macedo
West Hills

Ask a Major League Baseball owner like Arte Moreno, who sells out his ballpark whenever the Dodgers come to Anaheim, and sees Angel broadcast ratings surge whenever his team plays the Dodgers, if he thinks the Dodgers are ruining the game.

Marc Gerber
Encino

Even the poets know it

The Rams won the battle of which team gets to lose to Seattle.

That rhymes!

Vaughn Hardenberg
Westwood

Throwing the flag on PI

The NFL needs to clarify exactly what does and doesn’t constitute pass interference. There is no consistency as to how it's called with each official seeming to have their own definition of what constitutes pass interference. It has gotten to the point where it’s worse than major league umpires and their own definition of the strike zone. NFL, you need to clean this up because these are major calls that are ruining games.

Doug Vikser
Manhattan Beach

An offer they can refuse

Bill Plaschke finally wrote a column about the Lakers with which I agree. LeBron James is the past, Austin Reaves is the future, and $50 million will help the Lakers rebuild. Yes, it's really as simple as that.

Richard Raffalow
Valley Glen

With the Lakers defense costing them multiple games, reminiscent of the coach Mike (no D)'Antoni days, the only real interesting Laker news last week were the alleged Jeanie Buss comments about the King. They sounded like they were lines taken from a scene in "The Godfather" .... "What have I done to make you treat me so disrespectfully." My opinion is that it "was not personal and strictly business."

Mike Anderson
Sherman Oaks

Cheers to Indiana

When asked after each game how he'd celebrate another victory, Indiana's Curt Cignetti would say, "With a beer." After guiding his team to an undefeated season, and then winning the national championship, I doubt the Hoosiers' coach will ever have to buy another beer again.

Denny Freidenrich
Laguna Beach

Lincoln Riley is officially on the clock. In two years Curt Cignetti took a woebegone college team, with nary a five-star player, to an undefeated national championship. Cignetti has proven that, even in the NIL era, coaching matters. Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick …

Mark S. Roth
Playa Vista

Curt Cignetti and Indiana football playing in and winning the national championship was a modern-day version of the movie "Hoosiers" and would have made coach Norman Dale (actor Gene Hackman) proud. Now the question is, can new UCLA football coach Bob Chesney and his 40-plus transfers be the second coming of Indiana? Only time will tell.

Chris Sorce
Fountain Valley

Making a not-so-good point

Kings president Luc Robitaille appears to be happy with the Kings' status quo that appears to be getting one point every game in an overtime or shootout loss. Should we start referring to him as Luc RobitailleandthenloseinOT?

Nick Rose
Newport Coast

The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used.

Email: sports@latimes.com

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Posted on

Rockets rebound with 111-104 victory over Pistons

The Houston Rockets were struggling on the road and on the second night of a back-to-back, but they went into Detroit and beat one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference anyway, downing the Pistons 111-104 behind a total team effort.

Kevin Durant once again led the way, scoring 32 points on 11-for-19 shooting, including 5-for-11 from deep. He also pitched in 7 boards. 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. He also played pretty good defense all night, and the middie game was working.

Alperen Sengun had 19 points and 5 assists on 6-for-11 shooting. He had a lovely poster dunk, but he also doesn’t look completely healthy, which he has been open about. Reed Sheppard had 18 off of the bench, and though his three-ball wasn’t there, going just 1-for-7, he contributed down the stretch, hitting Cade Cunningham with a nasty hesi to take him to the cup for a bucket.

He also played 25 minutes, and Ime Udoka must finally be listening to us, as Reed closed the game and was an essential component of the victory.

Amen Thompson pitched in 15 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and a block, while Jabari Smith Jr. had 11 points, 10 boards, 2 steals and a block and played the Dillon Brooks role by picking fights and being the emotional backbone on the court. He was also 5-for-9 shooting, the kind of side role we need to see from Jabari every night. Again, the man is just 22, one of the youngest on the team. High-end role player is still the ceiling with some more consistency.

Clint Capela had 5 points, 9 boards and 3 blocks as the backup center, and these type of performances will be needed to weather the storm with Steven Adams potentially out all year now.

This was one of the best team wins we’ve seen in a while, and especially with Houston’s road struggles, it meant much more. The Rockets move to 27-16 and are on roughly a 52-win pace, the same as last season. They currently sit in the four-seed and will be back in action Monday versus the Memphis Grizzlies.

Hope you’re all staying warm out there. Here in Pennsylvania, it’s current -7 degrees outside, and we’re waiting on a storm later today that’s dropping 12-16 inches of snow. A total of 45 states are currently under weather emergencies this weekend. Wherever you are, we hope you’re staying safe.

Posted on

I’m struggling to understand how the Celtics beat the Nets

I am going to try my hardest to remain calm during this. To keep things relaxed, I’ll start with a simple list of things that happened during that Celtics win:

Late substitution, choreographed Hugo Gonzalez game tying three with .4 seconds left in overtime… ok? All that after a comeback to take a big lead before blowing said lead and almost losing however not losing and reversing a dead-to-rights situation because of two of the nastiest plays you’ve ever seen to get two clutch threes and of course only winning in double OT because of massive AMARI WILLIAMS minutes in BOTH OVERTIMES because both Luka Garza and Neemias Queta fouled out?! 

We also had Ron Harper Jr. minutes? Baylor Scheierman second on the team in rebounds? Did I mention Hugo Gonzalez had a few plays where he looked like LeBron? And Payton Pritchard had a few where he looked like Curry? Do we have Steph and LeBron at home? Am I freaking out?

More conventionally, we had a Jaylen Brown triple-double (sure), 32 from Pritchard (yep), and the Celtics have played a quadrillion combined minutes without Derrick White on the first night of a back-to-back during a home game against the Brooklyn Nets. Of course, it was in Brooklyn, but it was a home game. Jaylen was getting MVP chants in OT, it was sick.

Yes, the Celtics were playing the Nets, not exactly your idea of a monstrous juggernaut. But come on man… no Tatum, no DWhite, both centers fouled out, not much from Simons, Jaylen Brown is just John Snow standing there alone drawing his sword against charging horses in that one Game of Thrones scene… and we get it done? I mean that’s just a ridiculous win. Ridiculous!

Look, I don’t have any profound thoughts about this other than what I’ve already said about this team: I don’t really understand it, parts of me refuse to accept it, and yet it clearly, unmistakably works. It is the ultimate example of how, in sports, you really just have to judge the results because we really can’t understand what’s up and what’s down. I had no idea any of these guys were going to be playable, let alone half as good as they actually are. 

So, in judging the results, we need to decide if the lunacy that just won us that game is a glorious flash in the pan or if there’s real stuff to build on. For Amari Williams, his performance in a position of dire need is the stuff of Greek myths, like both centers foul out and he has to come in and make some ad-hoc home run touch pass to Pritchard while standing on deaths door? And the game-sealing and-one into the block in OT? Though he obviously has a long way to go, that will stick in my head for a while.

And Hugo, my goodness gracious, I do not know what to think of this man. His effort level is breaking the scale; he’s not actually scoring that much, and every game, it feels like he has 20 more points than he actually does. But it’s all well and good because his play is completely additive. Not sure I’d want him playing 30 mins in a playoff series, but he’s like a hot potato to throw at the other team and force them to juggle it for 10-20 minutes per contest. He creates situations to capitalize on.

He also has one “so that might be something” play per night. He had a step-through in transition that, I kid you not, kind of looked like LeBron. He used his physicality to create space in a way that is generally the bag of much more mature players. I’m not saying he’s going to be LeBron, but I’m officially not not saying that. Deal with it.

This might be bad for tomorrow’s result, given that Jaylen Brown just played 46 minutes and now they have to fly to Chicago where it’s like -652 degrees outside. If the snow storm/extreme cold forces the NBA to move the game from 8 p.m. to noon like they did for the Hornets game tomorrow… well then, just pack it up we’ll get ‘em next time. I imagine they would have already announced that, but I just wanted to mark it in case it was still possible.

I know the Celtics are on a serious Boston fan backburner this week with the Patriots playing in the AFC Championship, but I hope you all spent your Friday night watching that absurdity. It was well worth our time.

Posted on

Warriors’ Kuminga to miss Saturday Timberwolves game

After leaving Thursday’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks early with an injury to his knee and ankle, Jonathan Kuminga will miss Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves with knee soreness. That will halt his consecutive games streak at two.

Kuminga came back from 16 straight DNP-CDs with 30 points in 30 minutes of play Tuesday and Thursday. Jimmy Butler’s injury opened up a spot for Kuminga in Steve Kerr’s very expansive rotation, and the 23-year-old forward took advantage by providing instant and ample offense off the bench.

(Note: Not a windmill dunk.)

It would have been exciting to see Jimmy Butler play against his old team in a nationally-televised game Saturday afternoon. Failing that, it would have been interesting to see if Kuminga could continue his scoring binge, after averaging 24.3 points in the last four game’s of last spring’s playoff series with the Wolves. Now, America will get to watch Gui Santos and Will Richard try to slow down Julius Randle and Anthony Edwards.

Kuminga mildly hyperextended his knee Thursday, so the team is holding him out. It does not sound like his twisted ankle was serious. There’s an immediate rematch with the T-Wolves Monday, so the Warriors could see Kuminga back on the floor, if only to feature him for their rumored acquisition of Andrew Wiggins.

The fear is that Kuminga aggravates his knee issue and is once again injured at the trade deadline, happening Feb. 5. And then we have to keep writing about Kuminga trade rumors for eight more months. Perish the thought.

Posted on

How is ex-G League player Charles Bediako back at Alabama? What to know

Two years after playing in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament South Region, Charles Bediako will be back on the hardwood for Alabama men's basketball.

The 7-foot center's return to the Crimson Tide is one of the biggest storylines in college basketball, as he was recently granted a temporary restraining order to return to Nate Oats' program after playing in the G-League after going undrafted in the 2023 NBA Draft.

He's the latest player to re-enter college basketball after being in the NBA draft and playing in the G-League, a growing laundry list of players that started with Thierry Darlan and London Johnson committing to Santa Clara and Louisville, respectively.

Here's what to know about Bediako and his situation at Alabama ahead of the 17th-ranked Crimson Tide's SEC clash against Tennessee on Saturday, Jan. 24 at 8:30 p.m. ET inside Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama:

REQUIRED READING: College basketball weekend schedule features Purdue, UConn in games to watch

Is Charles Bediako playing for Alabama today?

Yes, the expectation is that Bediako will play for the Crimson Tide on Saturday against Tennessee. Alabama added Bediako to its official roster on Friday, Jan. 23, and he will wear No. 14.

"First of all, the system is clearly broken and I'm all for figuring out a way to fix it, but since the NCAA has already allowed professionals to play virtually every team we've played this year or will play as a former professional player on their roster, you tell me how I'm supposed to tell Charles and the team that we're not going to support them when he's been deemed legally eligible to play. So Charles is still within his five-year window. He's 23 years old. He's pursuing his degree here at Alabama," Alabama coach Nate Oats said on Jan. 23 during a media availability.

"We've got our roster spot open so this is not taking any opportunities away from a high school recruit or anybody else. Charles shouldn't be punished for choosing to go the academic route out of high school rather than the professional route like the international players did. So again, my personal opinion on all this is we need a uniform and transparent system that doesn't punish the Americans, that takes the hypocrisy out of it, that gives equal treatment to Americans and international players both, while also allowing high school players the opportunities they need coming out of school.

"So someone should be able to come up with a system that checks all those boxes, but for now we're going to continue to support Charles, our team, and we're working closely with our administration, our compliance department on all of this. So that's what I've got on that. Now for the Tennessee game, listen, and I know Charles will draw a lot of attention for this game, but yeah, we are planning to play him. He's eligible to play. We're going to follow the court orders."

Charles Bediako in action for Alabama during an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game against San Diego State on March 24, 2023.

REQUIRED READING: Nate Oats takes America First stance on Charles Bediako

Latest on Charles Bediako situation at Alabama

The Crimson Tide forward declared for the NBA Draft following his sophomore season with the Crimson Tide in 2023 but was not selected by one of the NBA's 30 franchises. A veteran G-League player, Bediako most recently was playing for the Detroit Pistons' G-League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise. He had four points and three rebounds in the Cruise's 127-103 win against the Birmingham Squadron on Jan. 17.

As noted by the Tuscaloosa News — part of the USA TODAY Network — the NCAA denied Alabama's initial request to restore the 23-year-old's eligibility to return to the Crimson Tide. In a countermove, Bediako filed a lawsuit against the NCAA with the Tuscaloosa Circuit Court on Tuesday, Jan. 20 to use the remainder of his eligibility. He's enrolled in classes at Alabama as well.

On Wednesday, Jan. 21, Judge James Roberts Jr. granted Bediako a temporary restraining order to return to the Crimson Tide as a collegiate student-athlete until his next injunction hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 27.

The NCAA shared its displeasure with the judge's decision in a statement on Jan. 21.

"These attempts to sidestep NCAA rules and recruit individuals who have finished their time in college or signed NBA contracts are taking away opportunities from high school students," the NCAA said in a statement. "A judge ordering the NCAA let a former NBA player take the court Saturday against actual college student-athletes is exactly why Congress must step in and empower college sports to enforce our eligibility rules."

An added layer to the headlines that this situation has created is that Judge Roberts is a frequent guest lecturer at Alabama and is listed by the Crimson Tide Foundation as an active "Circle" level donor in the Lifetime Giving Society.

In a statement shared on Jan. 23, NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt spoke on the pre- and -post NBA Draft eligibility rules that the NCAA has and the NCAA's withdrawal deadline.

"If these rules surrounding the NCAA pre- and post-draft rules cannot be enforced, it would create an unstable environment for the student-athletes, schools building a roster for the following season and the NBA," Gavitt wrote. "The NCAA membership has a set of rules in place regarding the pre- and post-NBA draft eligibility that have clearly been in place and supported by all parties until these recent court challenges."

Charles Bediako stats

Since leaving Alabama, Bediako appeared in 82 G League games across three seasons with the Austin Spurs, Grand Rapids Gold and Motor City Cruise.

Here’s a look at his stats from his professional career:

  • 2023-24 (Austin): 5.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 0.5 blocks in 14.6 minutes per game
  • 2024-25 (Grand Rapids): 9.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 24.5 minutes per game
  • 2025-26 (Motor City): 4.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in 15.1 minutes per game

Charles Bediako college stats

In two seasons at Alabama, Bediako averaged 6.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 19.4 minutes per game while shooting 67.3% from the field and 48.8% from the free-throw line.

Here's a year-by-year breakdown of Bediako's stats at Alabama:

  • 2021-2022: 6.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 0.7 assists per game while shooting 69.2% from the field
  • 2022-2023: 6.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 0.6 assists per game while shooting 65.9% from the field

How old is Charles Bediako?

Born on March 10, 2002, Bediako is 23 years old.

Charles Bediako draft

Bediako entered the 2023 NBA Draft following his sophomore season at Alabama, but went undrafted. He instead signed a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs and joined their G League affiliate in Austin, Texas.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Charles Bediako, ex-G League player, set to play for Alabama today

Posted on

Pitino vs. Pitino: History of father vs. son coaching in college basketball

Does father really know best?

The history of college basketball matchups of fathers and sons coaching against one another has been heavily tilted toward the fathers in recent history.

Richard Pitino will try to change that when Xavier takes on Rick Pitino and St. John's at 1:30 p.m. ET Saturday, Jan. 24, from the Cintas Center in Cincinnati.

REQUIRED READING: Winter Storm Warning: Which college games are affected by weather?

This will be the fifth time the Pitinos have faced off against one another. Rick has a 3-1 record against his son, including the Red Storm's 85-71 win over Richard's New Mexico on Nov. 17, 2024.

Here's what you need to know about fathers and sons coaching against each other in college basketball:

Father-son matchups in college basketball history

Overall, father-son coaching matchups have occurred 22 times before Saturday, with fathers posting a 19-3 record in that time.

Western Kentucky coach Ed Diddle faced off against his son, Middle Tennessee coach Ed Diddle Jr., 12 times between 1957 and 1962. Diddle Sr. got the better of Jr. in 11 of those 12 matches.

Outside of the Pitinos, the only other father-son coaching matchup since 2014 happened between Tubby Smith and G.G. Smith. The father and son faced off in 2014 and 2017, with Tubby earning wins with Texas Tech and Memphis over Loyola-Maryland.

  • Jan. 30, 1957: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 79-72
  • Feb. 20, 1957: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 86-82
  • Jan. 23, 1958: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 69-67
  • Feb. 18, 1958: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Middle Tennessee 81-75
  • Jan. 19, 1959: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 89-65
  • Feb. 28, 1959: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 110-85
  • Feb. 6, 1960: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 109-89
  • Feb. 27, 1960: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 109-80
  • Dec. 1, 1960: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 70-67
  • Feb. 25, 1961: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 84-73
  • Jan. 20, 1962: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 89-69
  • Feb. 10, 1962: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 87-81
  • Dec. 1, 1981: Ray Meyer (DePaul) vs. Tom Meyer (Illinois-Chicago) | DePaul 78-53
  • Jan. 6, 1994: Butch van Breda Kolff (Cornell) vs. Jan van Breda Kolff (Hofstra) | Hofstra 70-56
  • Nov. 26, 1994: Hugh Durham (Georgia) vs. Doug Durham (Georgia Southern) | Georgia 87-57
  • Nov. 17, 2000: Nolan Richardson (Arkansas) vs. Nolan Richardson II (Tennessee State) | Arkansas 90-68
  • Dec. 19, 2012: Rick Pitino (Louisville) vs. Richard Pitino (FIU) | Louisville 79-65
  • Nov. 14, 2014: Rick Pitino (Louisville) vs. Richard Pitino (Minnesota) | Louisville 79-55
  • Nov. 14, 2014: Tubby Smith (Texas Tech) vs. G.G. Smith (Loyola-Maryland) | Texas Tech 71-59
  • Dec. 23, 2017: Tubby Smith (Memphis) vs. G.G. Smith (Loyola-Maryland) | Memphis 83-71
  • Dec. 18, 2022: Rick Pitino (Iona) vs. Richard Pitino (New Mexico) | New Mexico 82-74
  • Nov. 17, 2024: Rick Pitino (St. John's) vs. Richard Pitino (New Mexico) | St. John's 85-71
  • Jan. 23, 2026: Rick Pitino (St. John's) vs. Richard Pitino (Xavier) | 1:30 p.m. ET

Rick Pitino vs. Richard Pitino record

Rick is 3-1 all-time against his offspring. Here's a look at their previous matchups:

  • Dec. 19, 2012: Rick Pitino (Louisville) vs. Richard Pitino (FIU) | Louisville 79-65
  • Nov. 14, 2014: Rick Pitino (Louisville) vs. Richard Pitino (Minnesota) | Louisville 79-55
  • Dec. 18, 2022: Rick Pitino (Iona) vs. Richard Pitino (New Mexico) | New Mexico 82-74
  • Nov. 17, 2024: Rick Pitino (St. John's) vs. Richard Pitino (New Mexico) | St. John's 85-71
  • Jan. 23, 2026: Rick Pitino (St. John's) vs. Richard Pitino (Xavier) | 1:30 p.m. ET

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: History of father vs son coaching in college basketball

Posted on

Rick Pitino must defeat son for 900th win or he'll 'leave team in Cincinnati'

Anytime that Rick Pitino and Richard Pitino go head-to-head against each other as father and son, it's a national storyline.

That's once again the case on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET inside the Cintas Center, when No. 25 St. John's travels to Xavier. But there's an extra layer to it this time around, as the elder Pitino is chasing career win No. 900 against his son, a feat that would put him in sole possession of fourth place among Division I men's basketball coaches for all-time wins.

"I think he will do everything humanly possible to stop it," Rick Pitino said following the Red Storm's 65-60 win over Seton Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 20. "... This is going to be a lot of fun. Great game. If we lose, I'll leave my team in Cincinnati."

REQUIRED READING: March Madness bubble watch: Who should start worrying about NCAA tournament?

Saturday's game marks the first time the father-son duo will go head-to-head against each other in the Big East, after Richard Pitino was hired to lead the Musketeers this past offseason following Sean Miller leaving for Texas and the SEC. It's the fifth overall time in their careers that they will go head-to-head.

In true father-son fashion, Richard Pitino had some fun on X (formerly Twitter) with his dad's milestone ahead of his media availability on Friday, Jan. 23.

"Can’t believe I’m going for my 258th win vs. my dad. What are the odds???" Richard Pitino wrote on X on Jan. 23.

Here's what to know about Rick Pitino's coaching career, and the head-to-head history of the father-son duo:

Where is Rick Pitino coaching now?

Rick Pitino is in his third season at St. John's, "New York's basketball team." He was hired by the Johnnies in March 2023 following a three-year stint at Iona, which served as his unofficial reinsertion into college basketball after a brief stint away from it following his exit at Louisville.

Last season, Pitino led St. John's to one of the program's best seasons since the Lou Carnesecca era in Queens, as the Red Storm finished with a 31-5 overall record, won their first Big East tournament title since 2000 and grabbed a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Rick Pitino coaching career 

Here's a stop-by-stop breakdown of Rick Pitino's coaching career, which includes multiple college basketball programs and NBA organizations:

Head coach position unless noted otherwise

  • 1974-1976: Hawaii (assistant)
  • 1976-1978: Syracuse (assistant)
  • 1978-1983: Boston University
  • 1983-1985: New York Knicks (assistant coach) *
  • 1985-1987: Providence
  • 1987-1989: New York Knicks *
  • 1989-1997: Kentucky
  • 1997-2001: Boston Celtics *
  • 2001-2017: Louisville
  • 2018-2020: Panathinaikos **
  • 2020-2023: Iona
  • 2023-Present: St. John's

* Denotes NBA job

** Denotes EuroLeague job

Rich Pitino coaching record

  • Career record: 889-316
  • NCAA Tournament record: 55-22
  • Final Four appearances: 1987, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2005, 2012*, 2013*
  • National championships: 1996, 2013*

* Denotes vacated by NCAA

Rick Pitino holds an 899-316 overall record across his 38 seasons as a Division I men's basketball head coach, including a 65-23 record in three seasons at St. John's.

The 73-year-old coach made history last season when St. John's earned the No. 2 seed in the West Region of the NCAA Tournament, as he became the first Division I men's basketball coach to take six different schools — the others being Boston University, Providence, Kentucky, Louisville and Iona — to March Madness.

He's won two NCAA Tournaments in his coaching career, though his second one at Louisville was vacated by the NCAA. His first national championship came in 1996 at Kentucky.

Pitino's 2013 NCAA Tournament ring being vacated is a major reason why he's coaching at St. John's today. The ex-Louisville head coach was fired for cause by the Cardinals after an FBI investigation was prompted by Adidas paying recruits to go to Louisville. Pitino, who in 2020 said he deserved to be fired at Louisville after years of saying the opposite, was charged by the NCAA with a Level II violation in 2020, citing him for "failing to promote an atmosphere of compliance" during his tenure at the University of Louisville.

This was one of two scandals that the NCAA looked into during Pitino's time with the Cardinals; the first was a sex scandal that emerged in 2015.

What is Rick Pitino's record vs. son Richard Pitino?

Saturday's matchup between Xavier and St. John's will be the fifth iteration of the Pitino rivalry, with Rick holding a 3-1 lead in the all-time series.

The first head-to-head matchup between the father-son duo came in 2012, when Rick was at Louisville and Richard was at Florida International University, in which the elder Pitino's fifth-ranked Cardinals won 79-55. The two then met two years later in 2014 during Richard's second season at Minnesota; that game also went to Louisville.

Richard Pitino's lone win against his father came in Rick's final season at Iona in 2022, when New Mexico defeated the Gaels 82-77 down in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at The Pit.

The most recent Pitino clash came last season at Madison Square Garden. St. John's RJ Luis Jr. led the Red Storm to an 85-71 win at "The World's Most Famous Arena" over Richard's Lobos, scoring 21 points on 8-of-18 shooting and grabbing 11 rebounds.

"It is what it is. It comes with the territory," Richard Pitino said during his Jan. 23 media availability. "There's a lot of amazing things that come with being his son, and there's every now-and-then 2% is a little bit annoying, but the other 98% is phenomenal."

Here's a game-by-game breakdown of the Pitino vs. Pitino rivarly:

  • 2012: Louisville 79, FIU 55 (Rick Pitino leads 1-0)
  • 2014: Louisville 81, Minnesota 68 (Rick Pitino leads 2-0)
  • 2022: New Mexico 82, Iona 74 (Rick Pitino leads 2-1)
  • 2024: St. John's 85, New Mexico 71 (Rick Pitino leads 3-1)

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rick Pitino chases 900 wins. His son, Richard, stands in the way.

Posted on

Islanders Matinee News: Sabres are good now, Bo’s back

The Islanders are back from the road and primed for that classic “first game after the trip” letdown, although several games on their Western sojourn were a letdown, so hopefully they don’t feel like they can ease into things.

Meeting them this afternoon in Elmont are the Buffalo Sabres, who have been on an absolute tear taking them from the basement to passing the Islanders in the Eastern standings. The roster’s the same, so the fired Kevyn Adams must be wondering what it was about him that they were able to turn it on as soon as the GM was fired.

There was some lineup news from practice yesterday as Bo Horvat was a full participant and is expected to play today. Ryan Pulock, however, is listed as day to day.

First Islanders Goal picks go here.

Islanders News

  • Day to day: Those lineup updates, plus appreciation for Horvat, and an opportunity for Cole McWard if Pulock can’t play. [Isles | Post]
  • “Phenomenal teammate” Tony DeAngelo on turning what could’ve been a blip appearance into a year and counting with the Isles. [Newsday]
  • Athletic “sources” now confirm the prior reports of the Islanders’ plan to move their AHL affiliate from Bridgeport to Hamilton. A few key steps remain, however. [Athletic]
  • On the Island, Episode 4, including Marshall Warren’s debut as family and friends cheer him on:

Last night’s NHL scores included the Flyers, Devils and Capitals picking up wins — and yes, Mitch Marner was booed in Toronto and yes Vegas beat the Leafs.

A “tense” reunion as boos “rained down” on Marner. Barbarians. [Sportsnet]

Posted on

Egor Chinakhov has been making a difference for the Penguins

Egor Chinakhov has made an instant splash since joining the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 24-year old has been able to unlock his talents, which are readily apparent. Chinakhov has scored five goals and added one assist in his 12-game stint with the Penguins. On the surface that isn’t overwhelming. With more context, it stands out since all of his goals and points so far have come at even strength. It’s a small sample to date, though the data is encouraging; Chinakhov’s 2.17 goals/60 at even strength with the Pens is a massive number (tops in the NHL this season with a longer run of data is Brad Marchand with 1.89, Nathan MacKinnon is second at 1.70).

What makes the figure stand out even further is that is this isn’t a player going to the net and knocking in loose rebounds or deflecting pucks or even building his sample largely off of teammate’s passing plays that leave a goalie vulnerable for back-door tap ins. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with gaining results that way either, but Chinakhov is producing in a way that is more tantalizing and excites on a deeper level. Chinakhov is doing most of his work on the rush and using his overpowering shot and fast release to torch goalies. He’s shown a knack to pick corners and tendency to snipe on the shortside, hallmarks of a quality NHL goal scorer.

The full mastery of his ability was on display in this goal against Calgary, drawing the puck in prior to releasing it, changing the shooting angle in the type of advanced move that differentiates a normal shooter from an exceptional one in today’s NHL.

There’s no doubt Chinakhov has had a boost in the classic ‘change of scenery’ to enter a new situation by coming to the Penguins. Given normal stat rates, we can’t expect him to carry 2+ goals per 60 for the long haul, though the current production will undoubtedly open doors for more opportunity to increase actual totals despite the decline in the rate of time it takes to get there. Chinakhov has played with the second power play group, getting an average of 1:14 per game often coming from short shifts as the power play is expiring. The potential of an increased role and an eventual promotion to the top power play could be the next step to unlock even more total production. The most important thing for now is he has proved his shot can’t be denied, now it will be up to the coaches to figure out how they can maximize his abilities.

The other absolutely apparent standout skill for Chinakhov is his skating ability. Per NHL Edge, his max skating speed is right up there with anyone in the league, his ability to have 20 or 22+ mph bursts are incredible. The only thing holding down his percentile ranking on 18-20 mph bursts has been a lack of playing time and opportunity relative to the other players in the league.

The raw tools of being a lightning fast skater with an absolute rocket of a shot are standing out with the Pens as the player gets a chance to show what he can do.

In a sense, the challenge of maximizing the abilities has been the ready made story of Chinakhov’s career. It was a frustrating one for both him and the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first chapter. He couldn’t find much in Columbus, being moved all over the place and given limited opportunities in a rapidly changing cast of linemates couldn’t have helped matters.

If a team wants a player to bring consistency, it stands to reason the team should return the favor. It’s not hard to see that the Blue Jackets failed in that regard, resulting in failing to unlock the player as a whole into his full potential.

The Penguins have been able to provide more steadiness, since Evgeni Malkin returned from injury he’s been a constant with Chinakhov. Tommy Novak has been there all along. The results have followed as the trio continues to grow in chemistry with their complimentary offensive skills and proclivity to get on the rush fitting Chinakhov’s strengths of skating and shooting ability like a glove.

That’s made for a great first impression with his new team and shown an instant ability to impact games in special ways. The Penguins have a lot to be excited about in the coming days, weeks and months to see just how much more Chinakhov can add.

Posted on

Today on Pinstripe Alley – 1/24/26

Chicago White Sox
Seranthony Domínguez
That’s the news, baby

Today on the site, Josh will argue that the Yankees shouldn’t be too comfortable in handing over the leadoff spot to Trent Grisham and should instead seriously consider Ben Rice. Matt will offer up a 68th birthday tribute to former Yankees/Mets reliever Neil Allen, and for our 50 Notable Free Agent Contracts series, Jeff will remember when Jorge Posada almost left the Yankees for the Mets following a sensational 2007 campaign.

Questions/Prompts:

1. My pals Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman from Yahoo Sports/Cespedes Family BBQ were debating this on their podcast the other day, so let’s just port it over to here. Would you take the over or under on Giancarlo Stanton playing 77 games in 2026?

2. Would you rather have the NFL put one league Championship Game on each of Saturday and Sunday rather than stacking them both on Sunday?

Posted on

Celtics rookie Hugo González proved Joe Mazzulla’s instincts right — with one shot

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla threw rookie Hugo González into a critical spot in Friday night’s 130-126 win over the Brooklyn Nets in double overtime — quite literally.

It was a contrasting moment for González as earlier, in the first quarter, Mazzulla yanked the 19-year-old with visible frustration after a mental mistake led to a Michael Porter Jr. 3-pointer. González took it in stride and admitted that Mazzulla’s call was the right call.

“He was right,” González told reporters, per CLNS Media. “You can be mad if you think that you did the right thing and he subs you out, but he was right. What I did was some bull****.”

For many rookies, getting subbed out and being met with disappointment on the sideline could rattle confidence. González, however, isn’t like most rookies. He took his seat on the bench, patiently waited, and when the final 2.5 seconds of the team’s first of two overtime periods arrived, it became redemption time.

Mazzulla used his left arm to push González onto the court, replacing Boston’s only active center at the time, Amari Williams. Immediately, González was thrust into a crucial moment in crunch time. He caught the inbound pass from Baylor Scheierman and decided to keep things simple.

“Just basically try to make a play, try to catch it, and try to find somebody,” González recalled.

Instead, the play demanded much, much more from González. He cut from the right elbow to the left corner, causing defensive miscommunication as Porter and Noah Clowney focused on Brown. Scheierman fed him, and with space to fire away, González drilled a clutch game-tying 3-pointer, sending the Celtics and Nets into a second overtime, tied 118-118.

He maintained the very mindset Mazzulla makes an effort to reward. González stayed poised and prepared enough to provide the Celtics with whatever the game called for. It just so happened that this time, it called for González to be the hero.

“You gotta be ready to play in any position, especially when you’re not (a veteran),” González told reporters. “You’re gonna need to be ready to play in any single (spot), and if you need to play center, you’ve got to play center and do whatever the team needs and try to help teammates like (Jaylen Brown), Payton (Pritchard), and Sam (Hauser) to make plays — just try to make them better.”

As much as González wants to make a difference, none of his impact is forced. It goes unnoticed sometimes, but it’s all authentically Hugo. He’ll turn up the jets like his legs are powered with NOS from The Fast and the Furious. He’ll challenge anyone at the rim, dive for any loose ball, and go the extra mile, no matter what that requires. Teammates and coaches noticed the signs during Summer League, and the fact that González can provide that version of himself — whether he’s playing extended minutes or limited minutes — has kept him from any G-League trips down to Maine ever since Opening Night back in October.

None of what González has experienced in Year 1 was planned, including his biggest shot in the NBA.

The reason Mazzulla placed González in that situation was simple: trust. With Brown, Pritchard, Hauser, and Scheierman around him, he trusted that González would come through, even without the instruction of a playbook. It was about trusting one’s instincts and letting everything else play out.

“The play wasn’t necessarily for him,” Mazzulla told reporters, per CLNS Media. “Need threes are a crapshoot. You never know what defense they’re in — are they reading the floor? Are they reading after? Are they matching up? Are they on the body? Off the body? So it was really just a read where those four guys had to make a play, and Hugo made a great play and a great pass.”

That singular play highlighted Mazzulla’s tactical mastery. Sure, circumstances have forced him to lean on inexperienced players like González, but it’s how Mazzulla is doing it that’s made a difference. Everyone involved is benefiting. Playing González in that spot carried risk, especially with the Toronto Raptors inching toward Boston’s No. 2 seed spot, but it worked. It allowed González to boost his confidence, showed teammates they can trust him to take a big shot, and further weaponized a shorthanded Celtics team that has continued to raise its own bar.

The Celtics have reached the point where they can confidently say they know what to expect from González — and that’s huge. His foundation is pure, raw hustle. That’s something coaches can’t teach. Those are intangibles a player either has or doesn’t. From there, everything else can be developed: his 3-point shot, his ball-handling, his strength. González is a developmental piece who, even as-is, can make a difference and impact winning.

For a rookie, that’s rare to come by.

“That was a big-time shot from the rookie,” Brown told reporters, per CLNS Media. “He’s been playing well all season, and to see him make that shot for us to get a big-time win — that was a big moment for us as a team, and a big moment for him too.”

González took only four shots on Friday night, and that included two attempts in overtime: two jumpers, a transition layup leading a fastbreak, and a tip-in off a Scheierman miss. Before his overtime attempts, González hadn’t recorded a single field goal attempt since 2:34 of the third quarter. Still, he stayed ready to deliver whenever the Celtics determined his time to contribute had arrived.

“It’s also easy when you got a coach that’s trusting in you, teammates that are trusting in you, that if you take a shot, you’re gonna make it,” González told reporters. “That helps a lot.”