Championship roundup: West Ham go top after Bowen double sinks Bolton

  • England forward scores twice in 3-2 victory

  • Southampton 3-1 Swansea; Watford 2-1 Preston

Captain Jarrod Bowen scored twice as West Ham’s 3-2 win over Bolton took them top of the Championship on goal difference. The England international opened the scoring after 13 minutes and earned his side a first win at Bolton for 31 years with his second 13 minutes from time.

In between, Wanderers, beaten for a fourth successive outing, equalised through midfielder Ethan Erhahon’s maiden goal for the club and they looked on course for a ninth successive league victory over the Hammers when Ruben Rodrigues converted a 27th-minute penalty. Instead, Konstantinos Mavropanos levelled with a 31st-minute header and Bowen completed the comeback.

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Report: Wizards promote Amber Nichols to VP of Basketball Operations and Personnel

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 5: Amber Nichols of the Capital City Go Go looks on before the G League Playoff game against the College Park Skyhawks on April 5, 2022 at Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington, DC. 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 2022 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Washington Wizards have promoted Amber Nichols to vice president of basketball operations and player personal, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported Tuesday.

Nichols previously served as the Wizards’ director of amateur evaluation. Before that role, she served as general manager of the Capital City Go-Go — Washington’s G League affiliate.

Wizards general manager Will Dawkins praised Nichols’ role in the team’s draft evaluation process. The Wizards selected AJ Dybantsa and Felix Okpara in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Lakers to honor coach Phil Jackson with statue outside Crypto.com Arena

Pat Riley got his last year, now it's Phil Jackson's turn.

The Los Angeles Lakers are going to honor Jackson, who coached the team to five titles, with a statue outside Crypto.com Arena. A ceremony unveiling the statue is set for April 9, when the Lakers host the Minnesota Timberwolves.

"Phil Jackson defines championship basketball for a reason," Lakers Governor Jeanie Buss said in a statement announcing the ceremony. "His masterful approach to coaching brought out the best in some of the greatest athletes to ever play the game. After he accepted my dad's invitation to join the Lakers, Phil's unmatched creativity and commitment to excellence restored our championship legacy, bringing five titles and setting a standard of excellence for generations to come. It is a great joy to be able to mark that achievement with the statue he so richly deserves."

Jackson first came to the Lakers in 1999, at a time the Lakers were the most talented team in the league, led by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. However, getting all those players on the same page was the issue. Jackson came in with the gravitas to make everyone listen — especially Shaq, who has said at that point in his career he needed a coach who could stand up to him in his eyes and tell him no. Jackson did (and at points Kobe paid the price). Shaq played arguably the best basketball of his career under Jackson and the Lakers three-peated with that team.

Jackson left, but returned a few years later to patch things up with Kobe and win two more titles with the Lakers in the Kobe and Pau Gasol era.

For much of his time with the Lakers, Jackson and Buss dated and got engaged in 2013, only to break it off three years later.

Jackson becomes the ninth person from the Lakers organization with a statue outside Crypto.com Arena, joining Riley, Shaq, Kobe, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Chick Hearn, Magic Johnson and Jerry West. The one surprising name not on that list: Dr. Jerry Buss.

What is Adou Thiero’s path into the rotation?

Welcome to our Lakers Season Preview Series! For the next several weeks, we’ll be writing columns every weekday breaking down the biggest questions we have about every player the Lakers added this offseason. Today, we look at Adou Thiero.

The Lakers used this offseason to revamp their entire roster, getting younger, faster and more athletic as they move into the Luka Dončić era. One of Los Angeles’s key figures in this transitional period — who falls under each of those three categories — is 2025 second-round pick Adou Thiero.

Following a season riddled with injuries hindering him from establishing any modicum of a presence in JJ Redick’s rotation, fans anticipated a leap in Summer League. It took the athletic, high-flying forward a game or two for the play to slow down for him and to start showing glimpses of progression between rookie and sophomore seasons.

The majority of Thiero’s 25 appearances last season were in garbage time as he recovered from his various lower-body injuries. He did, however, earn enough trust to appear in six playoff games, though he averaged just a hair under six minutes per game.

Thiero averaged 15.4 points, six rebounds, three assists and 1.8 steals in his five games in Las Vegas before sitting out the Lakers’ Summer League finale with a wrist injury. He jumped off the screen (almost literally) in every contest, though, flashing powerful dunks, vicious blocks and a vastly improved defensive arsenal.

The Lakers have a gaping hole at power forward and plenty of suitable options alongside Thiero, like Jarred Vanderbilt, Ziaire Williams and Jake LaRavia, competing for a defined role in the frontcourt. But what would Thiero’s path be?

What is his best-case scenario?

Thiero is already one of the best pure athletes in the league, so he fits naturally off the ball next to Dončić and Austin Reaves offensively. Where he could really carve out a role in the rotation this season is by taking a sizeable leap on the other side of the floor as a versatile defensive wing.

Despite limited production last season, Thiero displayed plenty of potential as a connective perimeter defender, grading out in the 64th percentile as a ball screen navigator and the 80th and 83rd percentiles in pick pocket rate and passing lane defense, respectively, according to Basketball Index.

He has a keen awareness of where to be when defending off the ball. Couple that with his natural athleticism and he could be a threat from anywhere on the court.

Watch below as Thiero plays as the tagger off the ball while LeBron James and DeAndre Ayton guard the pick-and-roll. Guarding Scottie Barnes in the corner, Thiero slides over early enough in the action to disrupt the rolling Jonathan Mogbo, then reads Immanuel Quickley’s eyes as he passes to Barnes, who is lifting up to the perimeter. Thiero covers nearly 15 feet of space to steal the ball and create a transition look for the Lakers.

The fully idealized version of Thiero develops a reliable perimeter shot, turning him into the highly-coveted 3-and-D wing archetype. He made just one 3-pointer in three attempts last season. In 12 South Bay games, he shot 10-of-20. Through seven Summer League appearances (California Classic and Vegas), he shot 2-of-14 (14.3%). Thiero not only needs to show an ability to knock down the deep ball, but also the willingness to attempt it.

In regards to his fit alongside Dončić, think of Derrick Jones Jr.

What is his worst-case scenario?

Plenty of underlying proclivities stand in the way of Thiero becoming the version of himself that the Lakers need — namely, the aforementioned lack of perimeter shooting and an already checkered injury history.

Los Angeles drafted Thiero as he was still recovering from a left knee injury he suffered while at Arkansas that sidelined him for the first portion of his rookie season. Later in the year, he was sidelined for five weeks with a right knee MCL sprain. When a player as athletic as Thiero suffers multiple lower body injuries early in their career, that’s usually a cause for concern.

What if he never develops a deep ball? Does he turn into another version of Vanderbilt? Are the injuries this early in his career a problem? Could they become one?

What is his most likely role on the team?

Thiero has a ton of room for growth this early in his career. Although his natural athleticism pops on the court, he still needs to develop the intangibles and floor spacing that separate him from many of his counterparts. That being said, there still is a role that needs to be filled in the frontcourt.

He came to Los Angeles as a work in progress, but, to his credit, he has already showcased an ability and willingness to improve his craft.

We will know as early as training camp whether Thiero made an impactful enough leap in his game to elevate beyond just a fringe rotation player.

You can follow Connor on Twitter at @cmorenoNBA.

Blues Reveal Which Prospects Will Face Blackhawks Prospects Next Week

The Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues will face off in a new version of the Prospects Challenge. This edition will feature only these two teams and will be played at Blackhawks Ice Center. 

There will be practices on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with head-to-head matchups on Monday and Tuesday. On August 31st, the Blackhawks revealed which players will be participating in this event. 

Blackhawks Announce 2026 Prospect Showcase RosterBlackhawks Announce 2026 Prospect Showcase RosterThe Chicago Blackhawks announced their roster for the 2026 Prospect Showcase against the St. Louis Blues.

The Blackhawks have one of the best farm systems in the NHL. Plenty of their high-end prospects will be on display at the Prospect Challenge. Multiple players participating in this will play in 2026-27 regular-season NHL games. 

5 Must Watch Blackhawks At 2026 Prospect Showcase5 Must Watch Blackhawks At 2026 Prospect ShowcaseThe Chicago Blackhawks have an incredible farm system. Some of them will be on display at the 2026 Prospect Challenge.

9 days after the Blackhawks released their roster for the Prospect Challenge, the Blues released theirs. St. Louis hasn't been a bottom 5 NHL team like the Blackhawks over the last half-decade, meaning their draft picks haven't been as good and they haven't been acquiring an abundance of selections, but they are coming in with some firepower as well. 

There are 3 St. Louis Blues first-round picks coming to Chicago for this. Maddox Dagenais (2026), Justin Carbonneau (2025), and Adam Jiricek (2024) are all former top selections, and they now have another opportunity to show why picking them was a good idea. 

The rest of the prospects that St. Louis is bringing can be found here or seen below: 

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Bryce Elder has knee scope, out three to four weeks

ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 31: Bryce Elder #55 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Truist Park on August 31, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Walt Weiss had some bad news for the Braves starting pitching rotation in this afternoon’s press conference.

Oy. Per the manager himself, Bryce Elder had a minor knee surgery today. Apparently, he has been dealing with it for some time. He hopes to pitch in the postseason. I do as well, but yeech. Would that mean the Braves made the NLCS or World Series? Because that might be optimistic.

Our man Demetrius Bell is on the scene and have more later.

The Vegas Golden Knights Need More From Their $59.5 Million Defenseman

The Vegas Golden Knights didn’t hand Rasmus Andersson a seven-year, $59.5 million contract expecting him to simply fit in.

They brought him to Vegas expecting him to make a difference.

The 29-year-old Andersson arrived in January after the Golden Knights acquired him from the Calgary Flames in a blockbuster deal that sent defensemen Zach Whitecloud and Abram Wiebe, along with a conditional 2027 first-round pick and a conditional 2028 second-round pick, to Calgary.

But his first postseason with Vegas left plenty to be desired.

Andersson managed just six points in 22 playoff games as the Golden Knights fell to the Carolina Hurricanes in six games in the Stanley Cup Final. For comparison, the last time Andersson appeared in the playoffs with Calgary during the 2021-22 season, he produced the same six points in just 12 games.

So when Vegas handed him a seven-year, $59.5 million extension carrying an $8.5 million annual average value, it was only natural for fans to wonder whether more was coming.

Andersson, however, seems more than happy with where he landed.

“Ever since I got traded here, I’ve loved it. Couldn’t be happier. We really fell in love with the city, as well,” Andersson said via Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

This is a good sign. 

And while the Golden Knights need Andersson to eventually live up to his contract, it is probably too early to write him off based on a 22-game sample with a new organization.

Joining a new team in the middle of a season is difficult enough. Learning a new system, adjusting to new teammates and finding your place within a different locker room takes time. Andersson didn’t have the benefit of a full training camp or preseason to settle into life in Vegas before being thrown into the pressure cooker of a playoff run.

There is also something to be said for the fact that Andersson genuinely wanted to be there.

The Swedish Olympian had spent years playing in Calgary and finally got the opportunity to join a team with legitimate Stanley Cup aspirations. Would Vegas rather have acquired a player who was reluctant to be there, or one who is excited about the city, the organization and the opportunity—even if he needs some time to fully find his footing?

The Colorado Avalanche faced a similar situation with Brock Nelson. There were plenty of questions when Nelson arrived, but he responded by putting together one of his best seasons in years before helping Team USA win Olympic gold.

Sometimes, patience pays off.

Andersson has had time to settle in now. He knows his teammates, understands the expectations and has a full offseason to prepare for his first complete season in Vegas.

The Golden Knights need more from their new defenseman.

But there is no reason to believe he can’t give it to them.

Andersson should arrive at training camp motivated, comfortable and determined to prove that Vegas made the right investment—and perhaps help deliver the franchise its second Stanley Cup.

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Sabres Top 40 Prospects – #3

The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, and the organization’s developmental model has begun to yield results, with 2023 first rounder Zach Benson making an impact in the playoffs, and 2024 top pick Konsta Helenius appearing as one of the AHL’s top prospects the last two seasons.  

Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. These players are all 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 82 NHL games. 

Other Sabres Stories

Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss

3. Noah Ostlund - F (Rochester - AHL, Buffalo - NHL

Ostlund was the Sabres second first-round pick (16th overall) at the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal after scoring 42 points for the Djurgardens junior-level club, 10 points for Sweden at the Under-18s, and a brief stint in the SHL. The following season, he had 26 points (8 goals, 18 assists) in 37 regular season games in the second-level pro league Allsvenskan and four points (1 goal, 3 assists) for Team Sweden at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championships. 

Who will fill the gap caused by the departure of Alex Tuch?

He travelled to North America after his season in Sweden and joined the Rochester Americans for their Calder Cup Playoff run, but did not play. The Stockholm native chose not to come over and play for the Amerks in 2023 and instead returned to Sweden to play for Vaxjo and play again for his country at the 2024 World Junior in Gothenburg. 

After thriving at the WJC, (3 goals, 7 assists in seven games) and earning a silver medal, Ostlund followed that up being a solid contributor for Vaxjo, with 23 points (12 goals, 11 assists) in 38 games. He joined Rochester at the end of the AHL season, earning an assist in two regular season games and one goal in three playoff games.

In his first full season in North America, Ostlund missed nearly two months with a hand injury, but returned just before Christmas and went goalless in his first 10 games, but finished the season with 36 points (19 goals, 17 assists) in 45 games and earned a late-season NHL call up.

Last season, after averaging over a point per game with the Amerks was called up by the Sabres, and became a regular, shifting between center and wing, playing solid two-way hockey, and scoring 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) in 60 games. With the departure of Alex Tuch, Buffalo appears to be relying on the 22-year-old to show more progress at the offensive end of the ice, likely in a third line role, but possibly graduating into the top six if he has success.  

Follow Michael on X, and Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

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Michael Harris II returns to leadoff spot for Braves’ opener vs. Rays

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 6: Michael Harris II #23 of the Atlanta Braves bats against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on September 6, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Braves defeated the Phillies 5-4. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images

As the Atlanta Braves begin their series against the Tampa Bay Rays Tuesday evening, they’re switching things up in the lineup a bit to again attempt to find an offensive spark.

Michael Harris II will hit in the leadoff spot for the first time since Aug. 23 in the series opener. Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson follow, dropping Drake Baldwin, who will DH this game with Sean Murphy back behind the plate, to the fourth spot.

Mauricio Dubón is also back at shortstop and hitting fifth, and Mike Yastrzemski will play left field and hit eighth against a right-handed starter.

The Rays have catcher Liam Hicks back in the cleanup spot after he was out of the lineup in their last game on Sunday.

Also of note, Jorge Mateo, who started the season in Atlanta, is now with Tampa and will start at short and hit ninth for the series opener.

Seeing as he’s made just one career start against the team, only five current Rays have taken a major league at-bat against Braves starter AJ Smith-Shawver.

Mind you, that collective production has been pretty good as this quintet is a combined 5-for-10 against the right-hander. Hicks (2-for-2) leads that charge, which includes a homer, a double, three RBIs, three strikeouts and two walks.

The Braves’ hitters have much more of a track record against Rays starter Freddy Peralta, albeit it’s not nearly as successful. They’re a combined 31-for-140 (.221) against the right-hander with eight doubles, four homers, 12 RBIs, 40 strikeouts and 12 walks.

Michael Harris II (4-for-9) is a standout of the bunch against Peralta, and Matt Olson and Austin Riley are each hitting over .300 against him with a pair of homers apiece and a combined eight RBIs.

Interestingly considering Peralta isn’t a reverse-splits guy, the right-handed platoon outfielder, Lane Thomas, has a much better history against him (3-for-9, two doubles, two RBIs) than the left-handed half of the platoon, Yastrzemski, who is 1-for-13 (.077) lifetime against Peralta.

VOTE: Will Judge’s return affect how the Yankees finish the 2026 season?

SAN DIEGO, CA - SEPTEMBER 06: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees looks on prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Sunday, September 6, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Ryan Levy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Yankees fans and fans across the country.

We’re heading down to the final stretch of the regular season, and the Yankees are preparing to make a deep run into the playoffs.

Judge returns to the lineup on Tuesday to face the Rockies after being reinstated from the injured list on Monday night. He’ll play a crucial role in the Yankees’ offense as they strive to clinch a playoff spot.

The next couple of weeks will determine whether the Pinstripes will rise or fall in the American League East. The pennant race is coming down to the wire as the Yankees remain four games behind the Rays as of Tuesday. They will head to the Bronx to face the Yankees in a critical four-game series beginning with a doubleheader on September 22. The Red Sox are merely two games behind the Yankees, which could mean some trouble if they win their upcoming series against the Rays and the Guardians.

All things considered, Judge is expected to bring a huge boost to this team at all levels. He’ll be playing the field in the Bronx to start the series against Colorado, and there is no doubt that Yankees fans will erupt in applause and give a standing ovation as No. 99 makes his return debut. With his energy back in the lineup, we’ll hopefully see more offensive production that fans have been eagerly awaiting since the end of May.

With the return of the captain, how far will the Yankees go in 2026?


Former Maple Leafs Goaltender Ilya Samsonov Signs Two-Way Contract With Sharks

The San Jose Sharks have signed former Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov to a one-year, two-way contract, the Pacific Division team announced on Tuesday.

His NHL salary will be $850,000 against the cap, according to PuckPedia.

Samsonov is returning to play hockey in North America after spending the 2025-26 season in the KHL with Sochi. He didn't end up playing as many games as he might've thought he would in Russia, making 14 appearances. He posted a .903 save percentage and a 3.27 goals-against average in that stint.

The 2024-25 campaign marked the last time Samsonov featured in the NHL. He featured for the Vegas Golden Knights that year, making 29 appearances. The Russian netminder posted a .891 SP in those 29 games, earning a 16-9-four record.

Samsonov also played two seasons with the Maple Leafs, one year much better than the other. He joined Toronto in free agency ahead of the 2022-23 season, signing a one-year deal at $1.8 million.

In that first season with the Leafs, Samsonov was great, sharing the net with Matt Murray for the most part. He wound up playing in 42 games and registered an excellent .919 SP and a 2.33 GAA with a 27-10-5 record.

Former Maple Leafs Forward Fraser Minten Signs Huge $50.4-Million ContractFormer Maple Leafs Forward Fraser Minten Signs Huge $50.4-Million ContractFormer Toronto Maple Leafs center Fraser Minten has inked a long-term contract extension with the Boston Bruins.

The next year wasn't so great for the 6-foot-3 goaltender. He signed a new contract, which was another one-year agreement, but at a $3.55-million cap hit. In 40 games, he posted a .890 SP and a 3.13 GAA. 

For the Sharks this upcoming season on a two-way deal, Samsonov likely ranks behind Yaroslav Askarov, Alex Nedeljkovic and Eric Comrie on the goaltending depth chart. Therefore, the AHL's San Jose Barracuda is where the 29-year-old will likely spend most of his time in 2026-27.

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Dreiling, Morales lead August minor league award winners

MIDLAND, TX - AUGUST 08: Dylan Dreiling #8 of the Frisco RoughRiders looks on during the game between the Frisco RoughRiders and the Midland RockHounds at Momentum Bank Ballpark on Saturday, August 8, 2026 in Midland, Texas. (Photo by Conor Lacefield/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)

The Texas Rangers have announced their minor league award winners for the month of August. Dylan Dreiling has been named the Rangers’ Minor League Player of the Month, Moises Morales the Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Month, Yolfran Castillo the Minor League Defender of the Month, and Kay Wynyard the Minor League Reliever of the Month.

Dreiling slashed .429/.448/.667 in 95 plate appearances over 20 games for AA Frisco in the month of August, recording at least one hit in all 20 games, hitting four homers, and walking 10 times against 15 Ks. The Rangers’ second round pick in 2024, Dreiling had a middling 2025 season at high-A Hub City, but has impressed in the Texas League this season, slashing .314/.384/.527 on the year. The 23 year old lefthanded hitter has played almost exclusively center field this season, and seems likely to be bumped to AAA for the end of the Pacific Coast League season once the Texas League playoffs are over.

Morales, a 22 year old righthanded pitcher, is someone who has not been on my radar until recently. Signed out of Venezuela in July of 2023 as a 19 year old, Morales pitched in the Dominican Summer League in 2023 and 2024, then came over to the Arizona Complex League in 2025. Making his full season debut this year, Morales got off to a difficult start to the season, allowing 10 runs in 13.1 innings in his first three appearances, and putting up a 5.04 ERA in his first nine games.

Since then, however, Morales has been outstanding, as he has struck out 56 and walked 15 in 56 innings over his last 13 appearances — 12 for Hickory and one for Hub City — while posting a 1.77 ERA. He made four appearances for Hickory in August, earning Carolina League Pitcher of the Month honors, and also made his one appearance for Hub City in August. In those five appearances he struck out 20 and walked four in 25 innings, allowing a .224/.275/.259 slash line and a 1.44 ERA. Morales has also started September strong, allowing one run on one hit and one walk in five innings last Friday, striking out seven.

Castillo is a 19 year old shortstop out of Venezuela who was part of the Rangers’ 2024 J-2 class, signing for $647,500. After a strong debut that year in the Dominican Summer League, Castillo came stateside in 2025, spending most of the year in the Arizona Complex League before moving to low-A Hickory once the complex league season ended. Castillo is described by Baseball America as being the organization’s best defensive infielder, and the Rangers noted in their announcement that he had a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in the month. For the season, Castillo is slashing .288/.390/.416 in 542 plate appearances over 119 games with Hickory and one game with Hub City, with 70 walks, 74 Ks and 55 steals in 65 attempts.

Wynyard is a 24 year old righthander signed by the Rangers out of Australia in October, 2020. Other than five starts in the ACL in 2021, Wynyard has worked exclusively in relief as a pro, and has gotten to learn the highways and byways of the Carolinas quite well, having spent most of the past five seasons in either the Carolina League or the South Atlantic League. Wynyard had six scoreless appearances for Hub City in August, striking out 13 and allowing 4 walks in 10.2 IP.

Wynyard’s season line is kind of ugly due to a gruesome start to the season, when he allowed 16 runs in 6.1 innings in his first five appearances. Since then, he has a 3.77 ERA in 45.1 IP in 30 games for Hub City and one game for Frisco, where he is now, with 59 Ks, 23 walks and seven homers allowed. In his last 12 games he has allowed just two runs in 17 innings, striking out 23 and walking 8.

Lakers to honor the Zen Master with statue outside arena

Make room for the Zen Master.

The Los Angeles Lakers have announced the club will honor former coach Phil Jackson with his own statue at Crypto.com Arena.

The statue will be unveiled in April, according to the Lakers.

It’s hard to imagine fining a more deserving candidate who not yet honored at the Star Plaza plaza alongside the likes of Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Jackson, 80, guided the Lakers to a three-peat in 2000, 2001 and 2002 when Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal were co-stars. He also helped lead the Lakers to back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010 with Bryant and Paul Gasol propelling the team.

In all, Jackson won 11 NBA titles as a coach, and six of those came with the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan.

In addition to coaching and employing the triangle offense, Jackson earned the nickname “Zen Master’’ for incorporating Eastern philosophy, meditation, and mindfulness when coaching his players.

In his book “Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success,’’ Jackson wrote, “There’s a Zen saying I often cite that goes, ‘Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.

“The point: Stay focused on the task at hand rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lakers to honor the Zen Master with statue outside arena

MLB Home Run Props & Predictions Today: Best HR Picks & Parlay for September 8

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Let's keep the good vibes rolling with three of my favorite home run props and predictions for today's MLB slate.

Find out why I am backing Junior Caminero, Heriberto Hernandez, and Teoscar Hernandez. 

These are my favorite MLB picks for Tuesday, Sept. 8.

  • UPDATE: Added another HR pick + parlay.

MLB home run props for today

For help understanding Polymarket probabilities, see our odds calculator.

Player to hit a HRChance
Rays Junior Caminero 26%
Marlins Heriberto Hernandez23%
Dodgers Teoscar Hernandez26%
💲Today's HR parlay94.40x

Home run prediction: Junior Caminero (26%)

Despite the small sample size, Atlanta Braves right hander AJ Smith-Shawver has been horrendous against right-handed hitters this season, allowing a .346 BA, .538 SLG, and 1.023 OPS across 33 batters.

Tampa Bay Rays slugger Junior Caminero has the highest matchup rating in this game over at Batters-Box, where he leaves the yard 32.26% of the time with an elite road rating. Caminero also covers nearly 97% of Smith-Shawver’s pitch mix.

Over his last 10 games, Caminero owns a .525 SLG and .250 ISO with a 51.6% hard-hit rate and nearly 13% barrel rate.

Caminero should be just fine against a guy still trying to find his footing against righties. 

  • Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: RAYS, BravesVsn

Home run prediction: Heriberto Hernandez (23%)

Big day to back a Hernandez, as we’re backing Miami Marlins slugger Heriberto Hernandez this evening against New York Mets southpaw Sean Manaea.

The young Marlins slugger has been all over left-handed pitching this season, owning a .543 SLG and .879 OPS. On top of that, Hernandez has been mashing over his last 10 games, posting a .289 ISO and 17.4% ground-ball rate while barreling the ball more than 17% of the time.

Manaea has been progressively getting worse as the games go by. Over his last five outings, he owns a 5.87 ERA while allowing a 15.46% barrel rate. Over his last three starts, he has a 7.79 ERA and a near 18% barrel rate.

The last 60 right-handed hitters the veteran has faced have generated a barrel rate of nearly 20%, along with a .363 xBA and .744 xSLG.

If Manaea is going to continue getting worse as the season progresses, let’s fade the daylights out of him.

  • Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: MIAM, SNY

Home run prediction: Teoscar Hernandez (26%)

“But bu- he homered last night.”

Cool.

Anywho, tonight we are backing Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Teoscar Hernandez, who has not only been teeing off against southpaws, but has also been on fire over his last 10 games. During that stretch, he owns a .649 SLG, .719 xSLG, and .244 ISO, while generating a 64%+ hard-hit rate and 18% barrel rate.

This evening, Hernandez draws Cincinnati Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo, who's been getting tormented by right-handed hitters lately. The last 60 he's faced sport a .350 xBA, .640 xSLG, and .400 xwOBA, while Lodolo is allowing a 53.5% hard-hit rate, 16.3% barrel rate, and 27.9% ground-ball rate.

Some may shy away from this prop because Hernandez left the yard last night. Has nobody ever gone back-to-back days with a home run?

  • Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: SNLA, CINR
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
  • HR picks: 122-417, +26.2 units

Best home run combo for September 8

Rays Junior CamineroTrade Now
94.40x
Marlins Heriberto Hernandez
Dodgers Teoscar Hernandez

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Cubs vs Brewers Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game

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The Milwaukee Brewers are huge home favorites over the Chicago Cubs ahead of the 7:40 p.m. ET first pitch at American Family Field on Tuesday, Sept. 8.

My top Cubs vs. Brewers predictions and MLB picks point to a comfortable Brewers win, along with the total going Over tonight.

Who will win Cubs vs Brewers today: Brewers -1.5 (47.8%)

For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.

This run line isn’t factoring in Milwaukee Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski allowing five runs across four innings to the Chicago Cubs last time out, and I fully agree. In fact, I’d back the Brewers to 52.4% on the run line tonight.

After all, Misiorowski has held opposing hitters to a pedestrian.244 wOBA and .127 ISO while spinning an elite 2.25 xERA and 2.28 xFIP across 22 starts at American Family Field over the past two years.

Better yet, he’ll be followed by a bullpen with the sixth-lowest xERA and eighth-lowest xFIP in the second half.

So, with Chicago starter David Peterson allowing six runs across just 3 2/3 innings to the Brewers last week, I expect Milwaukee to win comfortably tonight.

Covers COVERS INTEL: Chicago Cubs starter David Peterson’s 4.96 xERA is the 13th-highest mark among pitchers with at least 120 innings.

Cubs vs Brewers Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (48.8%)

Both of these offenses continue to roll, so I do expect there to be enough runs to send this total Over the 7.5 number tonight.

Chicago paces the majors in wOBA and xwOBA over the past 30 days, and Milwaukee has also been dangerous with respective second- and seventh-ranked marks.

Additionally, the Cubs rank fifth in wOBA against righties for the season, and Milwaukee is also above average against lefties.

I’d play this Over to 51.2%.

Cubs vs Brewers home run prediction: Jackson Chourio (16.7%)

Brewers star Jackson Chourio has already taken Peterson deep twice across 12 career plate appearances, and the Milwaukee outfielder also sports a high-end .211 ISO against lefties for the year.

I also value Chourio’s current form at the dish. He boasts a monster .259 ISO and 42.1 squared-up contact rate across his past 12 games.

Neil Parker's 2026 Transparency Record
  • ML/RL bets: 54-26, +30.45 units
  • Over/Under bets: 27-24, +1.62 units

Cubs vs Brewers market report

Here is how traders are handling tonight's Cubs vs. Brewers matchup at Polymarket, with a strong lean to Milwaukee to win.

Cubs vs Brewers weather

The roof is expected to be open at American Family Field tonight, with the forecast calling for 83 F, clear skies, and the wind blowing at 8-10 mph.

Cubs vs Brewers odds

  • Moneyline: Cubs 35.7% | Brewers 68.8%
  • Run line: Cubs +1.5 (54.5%) | Brewers -1.5 (50%)
  • Over/Under: Over 7.5 (50%) | Under 7.5 (54.5%)

Cubs vs Brewers trend

The Milwaukee Brewers have covered the run line in 26 of their last 50 games at home (+7.10 Units / 13% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Brewers.

How to watch Cubs vs Brewers and game info

LocationAmerican Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
DateTuesday, Sept. 8, 2026
First pitch7:40 p.m. ET
TVMARQ, Brewers.TV
Cubs starting pitcherDavid Peterson
(7-8, 5.39 ERA)
Brewers starting pitcherJacob Misiorowski
(14-5, 1.97 ERA)

Cubs vs Brewers latest injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.