The Detroit Red Wings already caught a glimpse of what goaltender Michal Postava can do at the NHL level.
Now, he could soon get another crack at it.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Red Wings announced that Postava had been called back up from the American Hockey League affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins following an injury to John Gibson during Tuesday's 4-2 setback against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
UPDATE: The #RedWings have recalled Michal Postava from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins under emergency conditions and placed Albert Johansson on IR retroactive to October 24. pic.twitter.com/eWWsi1hFDR
In a corresponding move, defenseman Albert Johansson was placed on Injured Reserve retroactive to Oct. 24.
Gibson, who made 11 saves on the 13 shots he faced in the first period, did not return for the final 40 minutes of play; he was replaced by Daniil Tarasov.
Postava is just over a week removed from having picked up his first career NHL victory, a 4-3 shootout triumph over the high-powered offensive attack of the Edmonton Oilers.
Not only did he stop 25 of 28 shots during regulation and overtime, but he denied two of the NHL's most dangerous players in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in the subsequent shootout, before capping the night with a save on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to secure the victory.
Postava was called up late last month to the Red Wings under emergency conditions after Tarasov was injured during practice; he was then returned to the Griffins after Tarasov's return.
So far this season in Grand Rapids, Postava is a perfect 5-0 with a sparkling 1.20 goals-against average and a .955 save percentage.
The Red Wings signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2025 to a two-year pact with a salary cap hit of $975,000.
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West Ham recover from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 at Cardiff
Leaders Middlesbrough beaten 2-0 at Wrexham
Scott Parker’s return to West Ham had had looked like beginning in painful fashion but instead featured a stunning comeback from 3-0 down. The east London club’s new head coach had watched Cardiff’s Jack Moylan help himself to a first-half hat-trick, before a rousing response after the break ended with Max Kilman levelling the scores at 3-3 eight minutes from time. Elsewhere in the Championship, leaders Middlesbrough went down 2-0 at Wrexham.
Parker had been confirmed as West Ham’s head coach earlier on Wednesday, taking over from Nuno Espírito Santo, who was sacked on Tuesday. The club’s former midfielder was appointed on a two-and-a-half year contract.
When the Florida Panthers take the ice tonight against the Chicago Blackhawks, Lars Eller will skate in his 1,200th regular-season game.
Eller was originally the 13th overall pick in the 2007 NHL draft, selected by the St. Louis Blues. Eller played just seven games for the Blues before moving on to the Montreal Canadiens.
He had some strong seasons with the Canadiens, but Eller shone brightest with the Washington Capitals. With the Capitals, Eller posted his career-high in goals and points and won the Stanley Cup in 2017-18. Eller was outstanding in that run, scoring seven goals and 18 points in 24 games.
Following his successful tenure with the Capitals, Eller had stops with the Colorado Avalanche, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators and now the Panthers.
Eller has been solid for the Panthers, even if the offense isn't great. In 15 games, he's notched one goal and eight points while averaging 15:39 of ice time. Surprisingly, Eller hasn't been very successful in the faceoff dot, winning just 40.8 percent of his draws.
Although Eller is approaching a major milestone that just 141 other players in the NHL have achieved, Eller is still focused on earning the two points and not underestimating a weaker opponent.
“You underestimate that team, and they can beat us if we're not on top of our game,” said Eller. “We barely got by them in Chicago. I think they're going to be competitive. If we think it's going to be easy, we'll probably lose.”
The 37-year-old is slated to skate on the right wing of the third line with Eetu Luostarinen and Anton Lundell. In the eight games they've spent time together, the Panthers’ third line has posted an expected goals percentage of 72.2 percent, according to moneypuck.com.
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The players are on the pitch! And while the tournament anthem rings out, the Fenerbahce midfielder Yuksek gives his mascot a fairly intense cheek massage.
The players are gathering in the tunnel, while outside rain continues to fall, and Gala’s Freed from Desire rings out.
Patrick and Sivan Dumont have formally become the controlling owners of the Dallas Mavericks after purchasing Miriam Adelson's shares of the franchise last month, a story broken by Tim MacMahon of ESPN. The Dumonts now own 69% of the Mavericks.
While this is a change at the top, it should have little day-to-day impact, as Patrick Dumont has served as team governor and been the acting owner on the ground since the day Mark Cuban sold the team to the Dumonts and Adelsons. Here is what Dumont told ESPN:
"It's really about long-term investment in the city of Dallas," Dumont told ESPN on Tuesday. "The Dumont family is really committed to building what we hope is the best arena in the NBA, a really significant investment in the city that will help create the new 40-year home for the Dallas Mavericks, a great experience for our fans and inspire our team to win championships. That's really what we're focused on. We had the opportunity, and we're really excited about it."
As Cuban said when he sold his majority share of the team, the NBA has become a real estate business, and what Dumont is looking to build is not just a new arena but the anchor of a much larger development. That is the trend with professional sports franchises in general, including the Dallas Cowboys.
Dumont, the Las Vegas Sands Co. CEO, has experience with building and development. He didn't have experience as an NBA owner when he took over the team, and that position comes with a learning curve (a longer one for some than others). Dumont became a villain early in his ownership of the Mavericks when he approved the controversial trade of Luka Doncic to the Lakers, which led to severe backlash from fans in Dallas. Dumont told ESPN’s MacMahon he learned from those experiences.
"The most important thing every day is just trying to work harder to get better," Dumont said. "It's something that really applies in life, but it's something that really applies to here. It's been an experience as a new owner in the league. Dallas is a great sports city. I think we have the best fans in the NBA, very passionate, and it's my job to make sure that we win and that we support our fans. I'm really focused on that. I've learned that there are a lot of things you can do -- sometimes they work, sometimes they don't -- but you've got to keep pushing, got to keep going."
Dumont made changes in the front office, bringing in Masai Ujiri to run the show, then Ujiri fired coach Jason Kidd to bring in Dusty May. Dumont spent millions to upgrade the team's practice facilities. All of this with the idea of trying to maximize the team around Cooper Flagg, who in his second NBA season is looking elite and like an All-NBA player already. The new arena will ultimately be remembered as the one Cooper built.
The Chicago Blackhawks (4-9-1) are 0-5-1 on the road, so they begin this road swing looking for their first victory away from the United Center. So far this season, the Blackhawks have been one of the worst teams in the NHL, but they have full belief that they can come out of this funk.
It won't be easy on this trip, as they are playing three of the Eastern Conference's best teams. It starts with the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night, followed by visits to the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Carolina Hurricanes.
Scouting Florida
The Florida Panthers (8-5-2) were just at the United Center last week. Florida mostly controlled play in that game, but the Blackhawks kept it close on the scoreboard. The game entered the 3rd period tied at 2, but Lars Eller's late goal gave the Panthers a regulation win.
Florida has a belief that they will lose if they don't play hard, regardless of who is on the other side. They are absolutely right, which is part of the reason they have been so successful during the 2020s. It's not easy to be the "Team of the Decade", and Florida may very well be that, depending on how it finishes for them.
Tkachuk – Bennett – Tkachuk
Verhaeghe – Reinhart – Vilmanis
Luostarinen – Lundell – Eller
Imama – Schwindt – Hathaway
Forsling – Ekblad
Mikkola – Jones
Kulikov – Balinskis
Markstrom
This is one of the best defensive teams in the league in terms of personnel on the back end. Gustav Forsling, Seth Jones, and Aaron Ekblad are all-star players because of what they do at such a high level, but Niko Mikkola and Dmitry Kulikov are also very good depth pieces for them who would have much larger roles on different teams.
Jacob Markstrom has been up and down over the last couple of years, but this team in front of him gives him a chance to win, which is improving his confidence.
At forward, they are without their captain and best player, Aleksander Barkov, due to injury, but he will be back this season. Without him, they still have plenty of other players who have been stars in the league for a long time.
Their top line, Sam Bennett centering the Tkachuk brothers, is no fun to play against. They are all high-end scorers who are mean and play on the edge. There is no post-whistle moment when they aren't mixing it up and looking for trouble.
Sam Reinhart is centering the second line, and he has incredible chemistry with Carter Verhaeghe, who has been a top goal scorer in the NHL. Their third line, centered by Anton Lundell, is definitely their checking line, but all three of these players can and will put the puck in the net. With the game being in Florida, Connor Bedard figures to see them a whole lot with the defensive pair of Aaron Ekblad and Gus Forsling out there.
When Barkov comes back, everyone shifts down a spot, which makes the team even deeper. The Blackhawks won't have to deal with him, but it's still incredibly hard to create a forecheck against them, and they can score as well as the best teams in the league.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Blackhawks were very similar to the modern-day Panthers in the 2010s. Everyone on the team could score, and they defended extremely well in front of an above-average goaltender.
These days, not so much. The 2026-27 Blackhawks allow a lot of goals, mostly never control play, and can't score. It's been a struggle, but all they can do is keep working on their game as the schedule continues to come at them in waves.
Kantserov - Bedard - Bertuzzi
Moore - Nazar - Donato
Smith - Frondell - Teravainen
Boucher - Greene - Greenway
Vlasic - Cole
Kaiser - Levshunov
Del Mastro - Rinzel
Knight
With Patrick Kane out due to an upper-body injury, things had to be switched up again. Both Jordan Greenway and Teuvo Teravainen are in, while Andrew Mangiapane is out.
The Blackhawks are also going to allow Dillon Boucher to play. At 29 years old, he will make his NHL debut against the Panthers. Boucher is not going to help the Blackhawks' scoring woes, but he is going to bring some physicality and toughness to the group. Against the Panthers, that may be needed.
The top line is loaded with Tyler Bertuzzi, Connor Bedard, and Roman Kantserov. This is a line that has the potential to do some damage.
On defense, there is still no Bowen Byram, who was placed on IR to make room for Boucher. Kevin Korchinski will remain the scratch, as Ethan Del Mastro will play on the third pair with Sam Rinzel. In goal, Spencer Knight will make his 2nd straight start, and 13th out of 16 games.
How To Watch
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. On television, it's a national broadcast on TNT, TruTV, and HBO Max. The puck will drop shortly after 6:30 PM CT.
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LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 2: Walker Kessler #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers plays defense on Giannis Antetokounmpo #7 of the Miami Heat on November 2, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In his return to Utah on Oct. 25, Walker Kessler struggled, scoring two points (1-of-2 shooting) and committing four fouls. Afterward, he conceded that he let his emotions overwhelm him and never found a rhythm against the Jazz. Since then, he’s recorded three double-doubles in five outings — all of which have come the past three games — and averaged 2.6 blocks each night.
During the Los Angeles Lakers’ win over the Miami Heat on Monday, he tallied 15 points (7-of-13 shooting), 15 rebounds, two assists and two steals. A day prior in a victory against the Toronto Raptors, he posted 16 points (6-of-6 shooting), 15 rebounds, three blocks, one assist and one steal.
The second Laker in franchise HISTORY to record 16 points, 15 boards, & 3 blocks on a perfect shooting night: Walker Kessler 🫡 pic.twitter.com/6e7PHrlEWe
Through eight games, Kessler’s acquisition has been a smash hit for Los Angeles. He’s averaging 14.4 points (69.8% true shooting), 10.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.1 steals.
“He’s a big key for us. I think when he plays good, it gives us a way better chance to win,” Luka Dončić told reporters postgame on Monday. “He just need to keep going like this. Like we told him, we have his back. Obviously, he’s not going to play every game great, but what he’s been doing, it’s helping us win a lot.”
The Lakers’ success this season will continue being shepherded by Dončić, Kessler and Austin Reaves. Each of them has kicked off 2026-27 in excellent form, so it’s no surprise Los Angeles finds itself 6-2 with the league’s second-ranked offense and seventh-best net rating (plus-8.8). When those three share the floor, the Lakers have outscored their opponents by 104 points in 145 minutes while notching a 138.3 offensive rating and 105.8 defensive rating, per NBA.com.
Reaves, the longest-tenured Laker, seems to enjoy playing alongside his new starting center and understands his importance.
“He’s been great. It’s fun to watch,” Reaves said Monday. “Glad to have him on our team and he’s going to continue to get better every single game. But he’s been massive for us this whole year.”
Kessler and the Lakers will look for a third consecutive win Wednesday night on the road against the Sacramento Kings at 7 p.m.
Wilder, 41, has won 43 of his 45 victories by knockout
Australian cruiserweight champion moves up in weight
Cardiff showdown will stream worldwide on Netflix
Deontay Wilder, the former World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, will face unbeaten Australian cruiserweight world champion Jai Opetaia on the undercard of Tyson Fury’s showdown with Anthony Joshua in Cardiff on 11 December, organizers announced on Wednesday.
Opetaia will move up to heavyweight to take on one of history’s most devastating punchers at the Principality Stadium with the event streaming live worldwide on Netflix.
With just over two and a half minutes left in regulation and the game seemingly decided, the Winnipeg Jets pulled off the latest four-goal comeback in NHL history Tuesday night, erasing a 4-0 deficit to tie the Montreal Canadiens, before then winning in overtime. The loss was also a sour one for Montreal, who were playing their first game in the club's new Hometown Remix jersey.
The moment beat the previous record for the latest start to a four-goal comeback, set by the Los Angeles Kings in November of 2007 when they began their comeback at 52:46, according to multiple sources. Sportsnet Stats also reported it was the fastest four goals against in Montreal Canadiens history.
It was a moment that stunned the hockey world with many interesting statistics and numbers coming out afterwards the further outlined how truly special the moment was.
According to Action Network, Montreal at one point held a 99 percent win probability, when up 4-0 with 2:31 remaining and around this time, Winnipeg's moneyline odds were as high as +7500, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. This means a $10 bet on the Jets to pull of the seemingly impossible would've netted betters $750 profit.
When looking at exceptionally rare the moment was, in 3,257 instances of an NHL team being scoreless and trailing by four or more goals with under three minutes remaining, the Jets were the only team to ever managed to do better than cut the deficit in half, according to OptaStats.
Also, the NHL posted, teams losing by four or more goals entering the final three minutes of regulation, regular season and playoff combined, are now 1-10,300 with the Jets victory on Tuesday.
The rally began when Tyrel Bauer scored the first goal of his NHL career. The 24-year-old former sixth round pick spent the last four seasons with the AHL's Manitoba Moose and finally made the jump to the pros this season.
It was a big night for the Cochrane, Alberta native, who added his first career assist on Winnipeg's second goal to further provoke a comeback. In 214 AHL games, Bauer posted 21 points and 401 penalty minutes.
Winnipeg scored five goals in total, with the final one coming in overtime. According to the NHL, it is only the fourth time a goaltender has allowed five goals after the 50-minute mark, and the first time it has happened in the final five minutes of a game.
The collapse marked the second straight game in which Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler allowed four or more goals. He has now done so just six times in 26 career NHL starts, having done it only four times before this week.
The win snapped a nine-game winless streak for the Jets, their longest drought since an 11-game losing streak stretched from mid-December to early January last season.
It was a truly historic moment and brought fans back to Winnipeg's memorable two-goal comeback in Game 7 of the first round in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs when under two minutes left in the game, the Jets scored twice with Cole Perfetti scoring the tying goal with 1.6 seconds left in the game before captain Adam Lowry won the game in overtime.
It was another stellar effort by a Jets group that never says die and will look to keep momentum going Thursday when hosting the Vancouver Canucks.
The Vegas Golden Knights may have found the formula to turn a frustrating stretch into something far more promising.
And it starts with special teams.
Two games into their four-game road trip, the Golden Knights have collected three of a possible four points, showing renewed resilience after a difficult stretch in which victories had become increasingly elusive.
Tuesday's 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguinswas particularly revealing. Vegas didn't dominate offensively, didn't overwhelm Pittsburgh with scoring chances and certainly didn't make things easy on itself.
But when the game demanded execution, its power play and penalty kill delivered.
Tomas Hertl scored twice with the man advantage, including the winner with 35 seconds remaining, as Vegas converted two of four power-play opportunities. The Golden Knights have now scored at least one power-play goal in four consecutive games, helping a unit that ranks sixth in the NHL at 29.4 percent, converting 15 of 51 opportunities.
The bigger development, however, may be happening at the opposite end of special teams.
After struggling to prevent power-play goals earlier this season, Vegas successfully killed all six Pittsburgh opportunities, including a critical 1:22 two-man disadvantage late in the third period.
The sequence changed everything.
Rather than surrendering a potentially devastating goal, the Golden Knights survived the two-man disadvantage without allowing a shot on goal. Pittsburgh's Tommy Novak was subsequently penalized for tripping, and Hertl delivered the winner.
The performance was particularly encouraging considering Vegas entered the road trip with one of the NHL's least effective penalty kills.
Tuesday's perfect effort lifted that figure to 73.9 percent, with the Golden Knights having successfully killed 34 of 46 opposing power plays. That leaves Vegas tied for 21st in the league, hardly an elite ranking but a meaningful step toward establishing greater defensive reliability.
There is still work ahead. Vegas has surrendered too many quality opportunities and continues searching for the defensive consistency that defined its better stretches.
But the Golden Knights are beginning to demonstrate something equally important: the ability to survive difficult moments without allowing them to dictate the outcome.
With Detroit awaiting Thursday, the special teams may be providing the foundation for a much-needed turnaround.
Connelly delivering in big moments
Trevor Connelly is rapidly establishing himself as more than an exciting young prospect.
The 20-year-old has scored game-tying goals in consecutive games, including a breakaway finish midway through the third period on Tuesday after Pittsburgh took a 2-1 lead.
His assist on Hertl's first-period power-play goal Tuesday extended his personal point streak to 11 games, giving him 16 points during that stretch.
Marner's vision and ability to create shooting opportunities have been especially valuable on the man advantage, where his chemistry with Hertl and Mark Stone continues to develop.
With Jack Eichel also collecting two assists against Pittsburgh, Vegas has the offensive foundation necessary to sustain its production.
The challenge now is translating that creativity into more consistent five-on-five scoring.
Three points earned, more work ahead
The Golden Knights enter Thursday's game at Detroit with a 10-5-2 record and three points from the first two games of their four-game trip.
Perhaps more important than the results has been their response to adversity.
Vegas rallied to force overtime in Boston before surviving Pittsburgh's third-period comeback attempt the following night.
Adin Hill stopped 23 shots Tuesday, while the Golden Knights demonstrated the defensive determination necessary to survive a late two-man disadvantage.
After losing five of six games, Vegas has an opportunity to build momentum rather than simply stop the bleeding.
Thursday's matchup with Detroit offers another chance to demonstrate that the improved execution and resilience are becoming sustainable.
PHOTO CAPTION:
Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) celebrates with teammates on the bench after scoring the game-winning power-play goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period at PPG Paints Arena.
Oct 21, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) celebrates scoring a three point basket during the first half against the Phoenix Suns at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Who: Phoenix Suns (1-4) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (5-1)
When: 7:00 pm Arizona Time
Where: Mortgage Matchup Center — Phoenix, Arizona
Watch: Arizona’s Family 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports
Listen: KMVP 98.7
The Suns are back at it on Wednesday evening as they return to the site of their only victory thus far this season. Home. What lies before them is a seven-game homestand, an opportunity to stabilize the front end of the season before things spiral into an unrecoverable tailspin.
Their opponent? The very team that sent them down this worrisome path in the first place, the Portland Trail Blazers, who led by as many as 52 points before handing Phoenix a 41-point defeat in the season opener.
In some respects, it feels like we’re watching two teams heading in completely different directions. Last season, these teams met in the Play-In Tournament, with the Suns holding home-court advantage as the seventh seed. But the Trail Blazers, led by Deni Avdija, dispatched Phoenix with relative ease, putting the Suns in a position no team wants to find itself in. They were suddenly at risk of becoming the first seventh seed to miss the postseason entirely. Thankfully, Phoenix won its next game, earning a date with the Oklahoma City Thunder. We all know how that went.
But as this season has gotten underway, Portland has continued to build on the momentum it established a season ago, racing out to a 5-1 start. Meanwhile, the Suns find themselves on the opposite end of the spectrum at 1-4.
It’s a small sample size, of course. At any point during an NBA season, a team can go 1-4 over a five-game stretch, and while there might be some concern, you probably don’t think too much of it. But this is the foundation of the season. This is when we’re getting to know what a team looks like, what it’s capable of, what it does well, and where its opportunities for improvement lie.
When you look at the Portland Trail Blazers through that same lens, you see a roster constructed in a manner that makes sense, one capable of absorbing an injury or two without completely compromising its identity. That’s exactly what they’re dealing with. Ja Morant and Shaedon Sharpe are unavailable for this matchup, yet Portland possesses enough quality depth to remain competitive. Their absences don’t necessarily derail what they’re trying to accomplish.
The Suns, meanwhile, are experiencing something entirely different at the center position. Although Mark Williams is the only player listed as out on the injury report, his absence has created a ripple effect throughout the roster, one that becomes especially concerning when facing a team like Portland.
Perhaps Phoenix can use what happened in the season opener as motivation heading into Wednesday night. Nobody enjoys being embarrassed in the manner the Suns were, especially when the team responsible for that embarrassment is coming into your building. The question becomes: What are you going to do about it?
Tale of the Tape
Probable Starters
Injury Report
Suns
Mark Williams — OUT (Left Shoulder Surgery)
Jordan Goodwin — QUESTIONABLE (Right Calf Soreness)
The Suns’ backcourt continues to be a point of evaluation for both the organization and the fan base. Jalen Green had what appeared to be a solid performance in the Suns’ last outing, finishing with 11 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, and four turnovers. His playmaking abilities felt much more refined, although he certainly received some help from his friends, who were knocking down the shots he created for them.
The Suns’ backcourt continues to be a point of evaluation for both the organization and the fan base. Jalen Green had what appeared to be a solid performance in the Suns’ last outing, finishing with 11 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, and four turnovers. His playmaking abilities felt much more refined, although he certainly received some help from his friends, who were knocking down the shots he created for them.
Green finished the game with 11 potential assists, meaning his teammates failed to convert only three times when he put them in a position to score. That’s a 73% conversion rate, which is pretty remarkable. Prior to Monday’s game, his assist conversion rate was 48%.
But then you look at the other aspects of Green’s game, and you can’t help but wonder why he can’t seem to put everything together at the same time. He shot 1-of-6 from the free-throw line and 0-of-4 from beyond the arc, posting a true shooting percentage of 33.1%. Make a couple of those shots, and we’re potentially talking about a much different outcome against Golden State.
So once again, I’ll be watching how this backcourt performs, particularly whether Green can combine his improved playmaking with the scoring efficiency this team desperately needs.
I’ll also be paying close attention to how Phoenix defends Portland, because the last time these teams met, the Suns were utterly atrocious on that end of the floor. You can chalk some of that up to it being the season opener, with players still trying to understand their assignments, responsibilities, and positioning within the defensive scheme. But regardless of the circumstances, Phoenix surrendered far too many wide-open three-pointers.
And Damian Lillard was more than happy to oblige, connecting on 6-of-10 attempts from beyond the arc.
Trail Blazers Shot Chart vs. Suns: 10/21/26 | hoopsjunkie.io
Key to a Suns Win
It’s simple. This one comes down to rebounding. The Phoenix Suns are the worst rebounding team in the league by percentage, and they’re going up against the best in the Portland Trail Blazers.
Phoenix has struggled mightily on the glass, both offensively and defensively. This roster doesn’t have many players who can go up and simply snatch the shit out of the basketball. Instead, seemingly every rebound becomes an adventure in which poor positioning forces someone to tip the ball toward a teammate or desperately try to tap it back to themselves.
Meanwhile, Portland has long, rangy defenders who understand how to position themselves and secure rebounds, creating second-chance opportunities that can bury an opponent. It’s something the Trail Blazers did well last season, and they’re picking up right where they left off.
If the Suns want any chance of winning this game, they’re going to have to earn every rebound through focus, positioning, and our good old friend, “give a shit”.
Prediction
There’s nothing I’ve seen thus far this season that gives me confidence the Suns are going to win this game. They’ve been atrocious at defending the three-point line, their rebounding has been equally concerning, and those are two areas in which the Portland Trail Blazers have excelled early this season.
Perhaps this will be like last year, when everything came together in the fifth game. The defensive intensity started to manifest itself in a way that was both replicable and exciting to watch, giving us a glimpse of what this team could become.
I’d love to believe we’re on the verge of witnessing something similar. I simply don’t see it.
CHARLOTTE, NC - OCTOBER 31: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers smiles against the Charlotte Hornets on October 31, 2026 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Happy Birthday to Tyrese Maxey, who turns 26 years old today.
Between the Jaylen Brown trade and LeBron James signing for a minimum deal this offseason, it became easy to overlook just how important Maxey is to the Philadelphia 76ers franchise. The first eight games of the regular season have fixed that issue, with Tyrese exploding for 29.1 points per game on 50.3 percent shooting from the field, while also averaging 4.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.9 blocks. Maxey is even shooting well below career numbers from behind the arc over this small sample, so we could very well be looking at him averaging over 30 points per game this season. With the Sixers currently sitting with a 7-1 record, Tyrese is rightfully getting some early MVP conversation buzz. As Jaylen Brown said yesterday, this is Maxey’s team.
Jaylen Brown: "Maxey's been leading the way, 100 percent. He's been here, this is his team." pic.twitter.com/42uACLCWks
We often neglect to account for how improbable Maxey reaching this point truly is within the bigger picture. He slipped to 21st overall in the 2020 NBA draft; players taken outside the lottery rarely reach All-NBA levels. Shooting was regarded as a weakness in his game and Tyrese has worked to become one of the absolute best shooters in the world. Maxey is a 6-foot-2 guard who was viewed as a defensive liability, and has now progressed to being a genuinely positively impactful player on that end of the court. The one percent better every day mantra could just be cute slogan for 99.9 percent of the population; for Maxey, he actually goes out and achieves it.
Maxey is already the career three-point field goals leader in Sixer franchise history (936 and counting). He currently sits 12th in franchise history on the scoring list, and barring injury, he’ll be at least 10th at the end of the season. At his current trajectory, it would only take about six more seasons of similar play following this one for Tyrese to become the franchise’s all-time leading scorer. We could very well be in the middle of watching the most prolific Sixers career ever.
Looking back, it’s fair to argue Maxey saved this franchise from bottoming out for at least the next half decade. Without him around, the locker room may very well have imploded during the rough patch of recent years. Maybe the front office decides to do the full reset and strip things down to the studs. Mike Gansey likely doesn’t think it’s worth giving up future draft capital to acquire Jaylen Brown. LeBron James certainly doesn’t sign here without Maxey’s presence. It’s a dark sliding doors world where Mike Muscala doesn’t hit that shot and Tyrese Maxey doesn’t end up a Sixer. Happy Birthday, Tyrese! We are very, very glad to have you.
After missing the first two weeks of the season with a hamstring injury, Kon Knueppel has been upgraded to probable ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Nets. Hamstring injuries can be weird, so continue to keep tabs on Knueppel over the next few weeks, but his return should help Charlotte get on track.
So far this season, the Hornets are first in the league in three-point attempts per game (44.4), second to last in three-point percentage (29.6%) and last in points per game (97.4). The Nets are second to last in points per game at 105.4, so 8.2 points more than the Hornets. The Grizzlies are first in scoring at 123.0 points per game.
Basically, the Hornets are shooting a ton of threes, they’re not going in, and they’re not scoring much. Knueppel’s return should help them right the ship. That should push Sion James back to the bench, and it will likely result in Grayson Allen playing a smaller role. Allen has been one of the best reserves in the league early on, so he isn’t worth dropping yet. Keep an eye on how the rotation plays out over the next few games, especially as they get Knueppel up to speed. Coby White made his season debut on Monday and only played 16 minutes, so they may ease Knueppel into the rotation.
Here are 10 more injury updates that could impact your fantasy league:
Chet Holmgren, C, Oklahoma City Thunder
This is the big one. The news has been out for a while, but we still need to talk about it. Holmgren is set to be out until 2027 due to a knee issue. With Jalen Williams (leg) and Cason Wallace (shoulder) both set to be out for a long time, having Holmgren sidelined as well will leave them incredibly shorthanded. Not many teams have enough depth to make up for those absences, but the Thunder do. Not enough to remain high-level contenders, but they should still be competitive.
Isaiah Hartenstein is more important than ever, though Aday Mara and Jaylin Williams should see boosts as well. Williams started in OKC’s last game, though Mara is the better option for fantasy managers and should be seen as the priority pickup. The rookie has been strong on the glass and as a shot blocker as of late.
Dejounte Murray, G, New Orleans Pelicans
Murray missed the Pelicans’ last three games due to personal reasons, which led many to speculate about a possible trade. The first was due to the birth of his son, but he was in the building for the second absence, which was strange. He returned home for the third absence to help care for his son, and he is off the injury report ahead of Wednesday’s matchup with the Jazz.
At least for now, we can put the trade machines down. Jeremiah Fears struggled with his shot on Monday, but the three games without Dejounte were his three best outings of the season. It could be seen as a sort of tryout to see if Fears could run the show, which also fueled trade speculation for Murray. For now, Murray will be back in the lineup, which will likely hinder Fears' value. However, there is a path to strong production in the future for Fears.
The strong drives from Jeremiah Fears continue. Has improved at reading the defense in pick and roll. Brings the ball up slow, sees the high screen. Defense goes under and *then* he changes speeds to turn the corner and finish. pic.twitter.com/v5XTmz3RBq
It was announced last week that Morant would miss four weeks with a hamstring injury, putting his return around the end of November. It’s unfortunate news, given how well Morant had been playing for a Portland team that is now 5-1.
In his absence, Scoot Henderson has slid into the starting lineup, with Jrue Holiday playing a more significant role off the bench. Scoot has struggled despite the larger role, and while it’s still a good opportunity for him to improve his long-term outlook, Holiday is the better option for fantasy managers. He had 17 points, eight rebounds, 10 assists, one steal, one block and three triples in Monday’s win over Denver.
Cameron Johnson, F, Denver Nuggets
We have some good news here. Johnson exited early from Monday’s game against the Trail Blazers, and it looked like it could be a hamstring injury. However, they have him listed as probable to play on Wednesday due to “lower body injury management.” It’s a strange designation that doesn’t tell us much, but the positive part is the probable tag. Keep an eye on this situation, but he isn’t expected to miss any time.
Kawhi Leonard, F, Toronto Raptors
Toronto announced on Tuesday that Leonard underwent treatment to address the swelling in his left knee, and that he would return to Toronto to begin ramping back up. He is set to be re-evaluated next week. That doesn’t provide much clarity, but it is a positive update.
Hopefully, Leonard will return soon, but until then, Ja’Kobe Walter will continue to start. Walter’s tenure as a starter began well, though he has cooled off recently. He should be rostered until Leonard returns, and he still may hold value beyond that. Walter has been effective on both ends of the ball and continues to be one of the team’s best shooters.
Egor Dëmin, G, Brooklyn Nets
The Nets announced last Friday that Dëmin has a bone bruise in his left knee and is set to be re-evaluated later this week. Chaney Johnson has filled in as a starter, and while he has been solid, he hasn’t done much for fantasy managers. Nolan Traore has been the one to step up with Dëmin sidelined, and the second-year guard has taken advantage of the opportunity. Traore is an intriguing add, and he should continue to start even after Dëmin returns.
Watson missed Monday’s game against the Thunder with a hamstring injury and is set to remain out in Wednesday’s rematch. Meleek Thomas got the starting nod in place of Watson, with Mario Hezonja and Sam Merrill joining Thomas in playing 26 minutes. All three should continue to see a boost until Watson or Jaylon Tyson returns. However, Thomas should be the priority waiver wire add, assuming he continues to start. He has been impressive this season, especially for a second-round pick on a playoff team.
Jaylon Tyson, F, Cleveland Cavaliers
Tyson is set to miss a third straight game with an ankle injury on Wednesday. He would have had the opportunity to start with Watson sidelined, but that role has been passed to Thomas. There isn’t much clarity as to when Watson or Tyson will return to the lineup, but they will both remain out against OKC on Wednesday. They play the 76ers on Friday, which would be the next time either Watson or Tyson can play.
Brandon Ingram, F, LA Clippers
The Clippers assigned Ingram (heel), Yanic Konan Niederhäuser (foot) and Max Strus (foot) to the G League on Sunday to continue their recovery processes and recalled all three on Monday. Strus ended up making his season debut on Monday, while BI and YKN remained out. There isn’t a specific timeline as to when Ingram could play again, but this is a positive step for him. Hopefully it won’t be much longer.
Adou Thiero, F, Los Angeles Lakers
On Monday, head coach JJ Redick said Thiero is “ramping up” and could make his season debut before the end of the week. Thiero didn’t play much during his rookie year, but he was productive during summer league and played a decent role during the preseason. Keep an eye on how he fits into the rotation when he’s healthy. He can be a source of steals.
Rory McIlroy voiced his support on Wednesday for the DP World Tour chief executive’s claim that LIV Golf’s goal was to “destroy” the European golf circuit.
In just a few more weeks, teams around the NHL will open for trade business as they find out who and what their rosters really are, and the Philadelphia Flyers, who will have to make an important decision in that regard themselves, have been busy scouting around the league.
Typically, around Thanksgiving, NHL teams tend to assess if they are playoff-caliber or not, and plan their future business accordingly.
The Flyers, who have won just four of their first 17 games this season, are obvious candidates to become sellers up to and through the NHL trade deadline in March. All signs indicate that general manager Danny Briere and Co. will remain patient with the current Flyers roster until the end of the month before making any big decisions.
In preparation of having to make a tough call on some players, the Flyers have been out and about around the NHL, taking in all kinds of different games.
Previously, we noted that Flyers president Keith Jones had traveled to watch recent games, including Devils-Senators, Rangers-Kings, and Blackhawks-Canadiens.
The latter is especially interesting, given that, on Tuesday night, the Flyers had a heavy contingent in attendance for another Montreal Canadiens game.
According to The Hockey News's own Karine Hains in Montreal, Flyers assistant general manager Alyn McCauley, as well as Lehigh Valley Phantoms coaches John Snowden, Nick Schultz, Terrence Wallin, and Patrick McDonough, were all on-site to watch the Canadiens take on the Winnipeg Jets.
Now, the Phantoms crew isn't terribly unusual, given that the Phantoms will be playing against the Canadiens' AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket, on Wednesday night.
In McCauley's case, though, this is the second time in recent weeks the Flyers have had an executive - McCauley and Jones - at a Canadiens game.
Despite the Canadiens' epic choke in an eventual 5-4 overtime loss to the Jets, they're still sixth in the NHL with a 9-3-3 record, and second in the Atlantic Division behind the 11-4-1 Boston Bruins.
So, if anything, that loss to the Jets reinforces the fact that the Canadiens are in prime position to be buyers on the trade market throughout the year, something the Flyers could help them with.
Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj has long been linked to the Flyers in trade rumors; that seems to be the most obvious connection between the two teams.
The Flyers, in need of centers themselves, aren't in a position to offer the Canadiens an important piece behind Nick Suzuki, though Montreal would surely appreciate Philadelphia's breadth of wingers for depth purposes.
Again, we're still at least 2-3 weeks away from trade season officially getting underway around the NHL, but it's notable that, as they continue to flounder, the Flyers are obviously taking notes around the NHL, doing their due dilligence.
And the longer these struggles continue, the more likely the Flyers are to aim for a big change somewhere along the food chain.
