YouTube Gold: Havlicek Stole The Ball!

San Francisco Warriors playoff game vs the Boston Celtics 4/22/1964; John Havlicek(Photo by Bob Campbell/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

John Havlicek is one of the greatest and most unusual players in NBA history, and also one of the most underrated.

That sounds like a contradiction, but it’s not. People truly don’t understand who great he was, and that includes a lot of the people who saw him play.

We don’t know if anyone ever really studied Havlicek’s physiology, but it was crazy. In this video, former teammate Sam Jones said that not only did Havlicek never get tired, he didn’t even start sweating for 10 minutes. This is in the NBA, against teams filled with great athletes, and of course, Boston was a fast-breaking team. Add guts and brilliant instincts to the mix, and you have Havlicek.

His energy level and endurance probably played a role in his most memorable play. At the end of Game 7 of the 1965 Eastern Conference Finals, Bill Russell tried to inbounds the ball, but it hit a guy wire connected to the backboard.

Philadelphia called a timeout, and Russell pleaded with his teammates to bail him out.

Havlicek obliged, making one of the three most iconic steals in Celtics history, and preserving the win for the Celtics.

The other two: Gerald Henderson’s against Los Angeles in the 1984 Finals, and Larry Bird’s against Detroit in 1987.

This is the best video/explanation we’ve seen about Havlicek’s enduring moment of glory.

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Guardians News: Vogt finally loses MOY vote

Will Venable was nameD AL Manager of the Year. Stephen Vogt finished 4th.

Pat Murphy was named NL Manager of the Year for the third year in a row./

The Dodgers hired Pedro Guerrero to be their hitting coach. Which means the Guardians should have hired Pedro Guerrero to be their hitting coach.

The Mets are going to meet with FA LHP Tarik Skubal next week.

The ChiSox are planning to move Grant Taylor, but not hagen Smith, into their rotation.

Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs at Chicago Bulls

SAN ANTONIO, TX - MARCH 30: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks to pass the ball during the game against the Chicago Bulls on March 30, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

It feels as though the Chicago Bulls will never escape the cycle of mediocrity that has largely affected the franchise since Michael Jordan’s retirement all the way back in 1998. After the latest handful of meandering seasons, Chicago made the decision last February at the trade deadline to trade or move on from a handful of their better players and go all-in on yet another rebuilding expedition. Between the struggles that are expected to come with any rebuilding roster and a brutal schedule to kick off this year that has seen them play the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Philadelphia 76ers two times each already, first year head coach and former championship player with the Spurs Tiago Splitter’s group has limped out to a putrid 1-8 start, with very little relief in sight.

They’re welcoming in a San Antonio Spurs team tonight that’s been firing on all cylinders and is looking for their 10th straight win. While some of the competition has been nothing worth bragging about, San Antonio has been taking care of their business and more or less smashing the opposition. With Victor Wembanyama looking like the apex predator on both ends of the floor that he was destined to become and a supporting group that’s growing along with him, the Spurs are right where they want to be.


San Antonio Spurs (9-2) at Chicago Bulls (1-8)
November 11 2026 | 7:00 PM CT
Watch: DAZN | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Line: Spurs -14.5

Spurs Injuries: Tobias Harris, calf (OUT), Devin Vassell, groin (questionable)

Bulls Injuries: Norman Powell, shoulder (questionable), Tobe Awaka, back (questionable), Zach Collins, illness (questionable)


What to watch for

  • It’s no secret that Victor Wembanyama has been on a tear since his 1/13 clinker to kick off the season. That performance feels like a lifetime ago, especially in light of two of his most recent games, performances that put him in the same category with two of the greatest big men to ever play the game including San Antonio’s own, the Admiral David Robinson. With Chicago boasting arguably the league’s worst interior defense, there should be no reason at all not to expect Wembanyama to impose his will on Chicago the way he’s done to everyone else this season. Pay attention to how comfortable Wembanyama has become as the roll man out of the pick and roll.
  • The Bulls’ offense is going to have their hands full trying to score against this San Antonio defense. The Spurs have been among the elite in terms of defense this year, ranking 4th in defensive rating with a mark of 107.4 points per 100 possessions thanks to Wembanyama and the intensity and activity of wing players like Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell. The Bulls do push the ball early and often, as is explemplified by their first place ranking in pace, but without any consistent play finishers it hasn’t really mattered. Barring a San Antonio no-show, the Silver and Black’s defense should be able to hold Chicago down once again.
  • Games like this always bring to mind Gregg Popovich’s, “appropriate fear,” mantra. As rough as Chicago has looked this season, there’s always the fear of the dreaded trap game. A potential 10-game win streak and 6-0 road record to start the season coming to a halt by a league bottom-dweller feels like the sort of sick irony that die-hard sports fans lose sleep over, but this is still the NBA and anything could happen. Mitch Johnson’s group has looked and played pretty determined though during this current streak and have taken care of business against more than one bad team, so it’s easy to see them coming into the Windy City and holding up their end of the bargain.

If you’d like to, you may follow along with the game on our Twitter profile (@poundingtherock) or visit our Game Thread!

Utah Jazz vs Miami Heat: Player Grades

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - NOVEMBER 10: Ace Bailey #19 of the Utah Jazz drives to the basket during the game against the Miami Heat on November 10, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Alex Goodlett/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

I know as well as anyone that the Jazz are currently on a 9 game losing streak. I also know quite well that moral victories do not make their way onto the win column. However, I do not think it is necessarily wrong to adjust our expectations as the season makes known the true quality of the team and players that we are working with. So, in a game with 4 injured starters against a full strength Miami Heat, finding miniature successes beyond the tracked win or loss is likely our best bet to both (a) prevent a full collapse into despair and (b) track where our players currently are, even if they are not where we wish they would be. It was ugly at points, but most of the Jazzmen showed some flash that could theoretically be translated into winning basketball when the stars are aligned and the injury-bug is vanquished.

Note: These grades are more-or-less relative to the player. An A grade for Darryn Peterson is different than an A grade for Tony Bradley.

Ace Bailey: A-

Scientists are still working out the fine details, but the current consensus is clear; Ace Bailey is physically incapable of missing his signature stop-on-a-dime short midrange jump shot. For the first time in what feels like forever, his range extended beyond his sweet spot – despite a poor three point shooting season overall, Ace went 3 for 5 from downtown tonight. His defense left a little bit to be desired, as he was guarding up the lineup and was sometimes physically outmatched in the paint. Additionally, even though his short midrange is near automatic at this point, his lack of free throw attempts become more and more distressing with each passing game – his 0.7 free throw attempts per game average will not be boosted by his game tonight. He was active and efficient, but the areas of improvement for Ace remain clear.

Mo Bamba: C+

Mo stuffed the stat sheet in his 17 minutes – 7 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks is nothing to scoff at. However, it was obvious that Giannis was licking his chops whenever he saw Bamba attempting to guard him out on the perimeter – Mo gave Giannis all the space in the world, which isn’t necessarily a bad idea, but when Giannis hits 3 jump shots in a row, the time to adjust has arrived. However, it seemed that he simply didn’t have the athletic capabilities to throw any other look at the Greek Freak, which sparked the Heat’s run in the third quarter. He still brought value by being a large human located in the paint, but Giannis was clearly not an ideal matchup for him.

Tony Bradley: B

Worse counting stats than Bamba, but the eye test tells me that his impact was a little bit greater. His one block from this game was shocking to someone who remembers how out of shape Bradley was when he first entered the league – he rotated from the other side of the paint to swat Bam Adebayo with a mobility that a Jazz fan from 2018 would relish. Consistently, he seemed to be in the right place at the right time, which matters a lot when he is also consistently the player with the most mass on the court. The other Jazz center options are long and springy but without the size to really hold up in certain matchups, so Bradley operated as a nice change of pace against the burliness of the Heat frontcourt. This isn’t advocating for Bradley to be given more consistent minutes, but he certainly made the most of them tonight.

Isaiah Collier: B+

I originally wrote that this was a tale of two halves for Isaiah Collier, but that doesn’t accurately reflect how rapidly his grade rose as the game progressed – really, a better description would be that this was a tale of 3.5 quarters and 1 miraculous end-of-game revival. Throughout most of the game, Collier was actively and obviously detrimental; the Heat weren’t respecting his three pointer, he wasn’t able to get to the paint consistently to aid the offense through kickouts, and the decision making was jarringly off. However, one of the only moments of real electricity in the Delta Center occurred when Collier drained 4 threes in the 4th quarter and single-handedly dragged the Jazz back into the ball game. He didn’t impact the game in a very sustainable way, to be sure; I’m not sure if he’ll ever again have a three point shooting game this good in his career, and his bread-and-butter value adds (passing, paint pressure) just weren’t clicking. However, sustainable or not, going 4/4 from three in the fourth quarter made this contest competitive and ignited an otherwise stagnant Jazz offense.

Kyle Filipowski: B

Filipowski snags a solid grade simply for not making very many mistakes. His presence was not always actively felt, to be sure, but if you watched him with any intentionality you could tell that the team functioned just a bit better with him on the court. He makes quick decisions, he has the ability (or at least the semblance of it) to dribble+pass+shoot, and he brings one of the better combinations of strength and mobility on the roster. I’m not sure what the tracking data says, but it appeared to me that Filipowski was the Jazz’s best matchup against Giannis, where his size and speed clearly didn’t rival Miami’s star but was enough to at least act as a roadblock on his path to 30 points and 11 rebounds.

Josh Green: C+

The shooting was rough (I recall both an airball and a backboard hit from his corner three attempts) and you still don’t ever want him to dribble the ball, but Green consistently brings positive value in just about every other area of the game. His passing was solid (the bounce pass to the cutting Ace Bailey before his reverse jam in the fourth quarter was a highlight) and the rebounding always seemed to come in a timely manner, putting a stop to seemingly never-ending Miami offensive possessions. On top of all this, you can always count on the defense. However, there’s only so much value you’re actually bringing when you shoot an ugly 1-5 on a team that needed an offensive spark, and that puts a ceiling on Green’s grade.

Jaxson Hayes: D

By my eyes, Hayes was clearly the worst of the three Jazz big men who got any run against the Heat. He was physically overmatched going against Giannis and Bam, which created a snowball effect of fouls to frustration to more fouls. Hayes is the big man who I believe is most benefitted by playing with capable offensive players – he doesn’t have the strength or ball skills to make anything happen on his own, but his athleticism becomes exponentially more valuable when he has stars to take some of the gravity off of him. Tonight, with 3 key scorers out of commission, you could tell that Hayes was floundering in his search for what he was supposed to provide. On the plus side – I’ve been relatively impressed with his top-of-the-key playmaking recently: he had a few nice passes to Darryn throughout.

Svi Mykhailiuk: D

One of the benefits that Svi had last year over his shooting guard peers was that he was one of the few who seemed to try at all defensively. He was never good, mind you, but he was big enough and had enough experience around the NBA to barely surpass some of the guys he was competing against for minutes. This year, however, that is no longer the case. Josh Green and Josh Okogie have made a living off of the defensive end, and Darryn Peterson is also a natural two with higher highs on defense than Svi could ever reach. So, when Svi isn’t making his shots, he no longer has the safety net of yesteryear that says “well, he’s better than the alternative”. I understand that shooters have a short memory, but maybe Svi’s could be broadened just a bit, because some of these attempts are really only permissible in the context of a heat check. For Svi’s sake, something has got to change, because I currently see him on the fast track to being an international league star, as opposed to someone with a legitimate future in the NBA.

Josh Okogie: C-

Much of what I wrote for Josh Green could be copy-and-pasted over to fellow Josh, Okogie…except this time the shooting was slightly worse and his decision-making was a bit less snappy. I liked Okogie’s defensive effort a bit more in this game than Green’s (his tie-up on Antetokounmpo in transition should’ve been a jump ball), but it wasn’t enough to either (a) prevent Giannis, one of his main matchups, from getting to his spots or (b) prevent his +/- from being by far the worst on the team, with a -22. We all know, at this point, what we’re getting from Okogie, and his game-to-game value is mostly determined by the dice roll that is his shooting variance. Today, with poor shooting and no star combo guard for him to pester defensively, Okogie was not particularly valuable.

Darryn Peterson: A-

In terms of how much excitement Peterson drummed up within me, this grade would be an easy A+. His poise in the pick-and-roll was immaculate, his touch was impressive from all over the court, and his passing looks slightly ahead of the schedule implied by the Kansas tape. For large swaths of his game, he was the offense: he brought the ball up the court, and the remainder of the shot clock was spent trying to free him up with screens and handoffs. Most impressively to me, he functioned with comfort against the hounding, disruptive nature of Davion Mitchell – on paper, this was an easy matchup to predict giving Peterson loads of trouble, but he still always felt like he had control over his offensive attack, even in spite of the 5 turnovers. However, purely in terms of his output on the court tonight, he was still a few steps away from perfect. He fouled out in the 4th quarter on a pretty ticky-tack call, but a good percentage of his penalties were legitimate and foolishly committed. Additionally, his defense is still very much the defense of a rookie guard; he has the tools to make big plays, but often falls asleep or misses key rotations. I give him plenty of grace due to the context of this being his first game as the true #1 offensive option on an NBA team, but his missteps tonight prevent him from getting the grade that matches our excitement.

Brice Sensabaugh: C

You know what, I haven’t given up on Brice Sensabaugh. The prevailing opinion seems to be that he cannot positively impact winning, but I just can’t agree with that quite yet. Tonight, his scoring isn’t what you would have hoped. Only 5 shots for a team clearly in need of a scoring punch was odd and out of character, and does hurt his grade. However, I think he did provide marginal value in a few other areas. For example, there were a few plays where I was quite impressed with his defense against Miami’s wings – he met them near the half court line and used his mass to make life a little difficult. In general, he filled the stat sheet, outside of the points column: 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and a steal in 14 minutes isn’t too shabby for the microwave scorer archetype. Of course, I can’t give too high of a grade – he isn’t quite good enough at anything besides scoring for a non-scoring night to be immensely valuable – but I do think that we need to give Brice a bit more grace and a bit more priority minutes-wise as the season progresses.

Who stood out for you? Which grades would you change? Sound off below!

Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns closing in on Willis Reed’s double-double mark

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 21 points and grabbed 16 boards, rises up for a rebound during the Knicks' 117-85 blowout win over the Bucks on Nov. 10, 2026 at the Garden

Karl-Anthony Towns will match a legend’s franchise record with another double-double.

The Knicks center scored 21 points with 16 boards during Tuesday’s blowout victory over the Bucks, notching his 10th straight double-double — which is one off Willis Reed’s mark to start the 1970-71 season.

And just like that campaign for Reed, Towns is racking up the rebounds while defending an NBA championship.

The Knicks face the Cavaliers on Wednesday at MSG, where Towns can tie Reed.

Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 21 points and grabbed 16 boards, rises up for a rebound during the Knicks’ 117-85 blowout win over the Bucks on Nov. 10, 2026 at the Garden. NBAE via Getty Images

“I didn’t know that. I just know that this team right now, we’re on a good winning streak, we’re playing good basketball, and that’s the most important thing,” Towns said. “That’s what the fans really want to hear about.”

Towns leads the Eastern Conference in rebounds per game at 13.8.

It’s a much better start than last season, when KAT’s efficiency dipped as he struggled to adjust to Mike Brown’s system.

“It’s just another year with this team and just experience and just another year with a better understanding of what Mike wants and what I can do to help his system,” Towns said.


Taylor Jenkins said coaching the Knicks “just wasn’t meant to be” as he reflected on interviewing for New York’s open gig last year.

“It was a great experience. I obviously spent a lot of time with the front office — Leon [Rose] and his group. Not sure how close it was in the end. It just wasn’t the opportunity at that time,” said Jenkins, who lost to the Knicks on Tuesday as the Bucks head coach.

“Very blessed to be where I am right now. But excited to go through the process of interviewing with the Knicks. Learned a lot. Obviously it was a special year last year for the Knicks. Mike [Brown] did a great job. Learned a lot about this organization, the high standards they had. And obviously the great work that they had done even leading up to last season. So it was a fun process to be a part of. Hopefully I performed well and it just wasn’t meant to be.”

Jenkins and Brown were considered the front-runners for the Knicks job as Rose’s search hit the homestretch.

Jenkins had recently been fired by the Memphis Grizzlies, who played well under his watch but failed to get out of the second round of the playoffs.

The Knicks tried to interview several head coaches under contract, but their requests were rejected by the involved teams.

Jenkins was interviewed once, along with former Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori and South Carolina women’s coach Dawn Staley.

Brown was the only candidate called back for a second interview — which, according to sources, happened after he was already picked for the job.

Jenkins was unemployed for a year before accepting the Bucks job.

It became a total rebuild project in Milwaukee after Giannis Antetokounmpo was traded to the Heat, leaving Jenkins with a bottom-tier roster and a pitiful 1-10 record.

Fourth-quarter push falls short as Jazz lose their 9th straight to Miami

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - NOVEMBER 10: Isaiah Collier #8 of the Utah Jazz celebrates during the game against the Miami Heat on November 10, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

I’m really running out of ways to voice my disgust with the current state of Utah Jazz basketball. Despite a furious comeback effort in the fourth quarter that shrank Miami’s lead from 23 to 5, it was too little, too late for Utah in their homecoming.

They fell to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Heat squad 115-109, inflating the Jazz’s total in the loss column to double digits, still tied for last place in the entire NBA at 1-10. The Greek Freak elevated an uneven roster despite battling through a wrist injury, dropping a game-high 30 points. A shocking number of those were delivered via pull-ups from the deep mid-range.

It’s hard to blame a team as injury-riddled as Utah’s — especially at this point in the season. Losing four starters is nearly unbelievable luck now that the Jazz are earnestly committed to making a playoff push. Losing that many starters in the first 10 games is unthinkable. The season is still incredibly young, and rosters are fresh. Fresh legs and minimal fatigue make for healthy rosters, which means the hobbled Jazz are limping on to battle against full-strength foes.

Without Jackson Jr., Markkanen, Nurkic, or even Keyonte George, this team has been a charity, giving out free victories to those in need. Or want. Or are simply in the general vicinity.

The only remaining member of Will Hardy’s starting lineup is rookie Darryn Peterson, who has managed to get his feet beneath him with three straight performances of 20-plus points. Peterson’s rookie year got off to a slow start in terms of scoring consistency, but he hasn’t looked back since notching a then-career-high 21 points two games ago, with follow-up acts of 26 and 25.

He has scored 50% of his field goals or better in each of those games, seasoning the dish with 44% three-point shooting and 4 assists. Peterson has also posted at least one steal in eight of his last nine appearances.

But DP isn’t the only young Jazzman bringing defensive effort back to the forefront in SLC; Ace Bailey has been heartless on the defensive end, a constant disruptor whose Plastic Man arms can constantly be seen swinging at shot attempts and deflecting passes.

Better yet, Bailey already has a signature move in just his sophomore season: the 10-foot dribble pull-up.

He picked Miami’s defense apart from that sweet spot, but also found comfort behind the three-point line. He had been ice cold in his last six outings. After going 5-for-34 (14.7%) in that stretch, he quenched his three-point thirst with a 3-for-5 outing, 10-for-15 from the field overall.

But Utah’s late fourth-quarter burst was jump-started by the most unlikely source: Isaiah Collier’s long-range heat checks. Collier went a perfect 4-for-4 from distance and delivered the scoring punch his team needed in a critical moment.

“You saw Zay’s reaction,” Coach Hardy shared during the post-game presser. “You can see the emotion that Zay plays with and shows, and how much it means to him. Zay has had some things not go his way personally lately, [but] he’s been an incredible teammate, he’s worked really hard, he’s not had one moment of complaining.”

In a stretch like this, the Utah Jazz are forced to measure progress in ways that go deeper than the final score, and Collier’s timely step-up was massive in igniting that final spark of hope for his teammates.

The Jazz will look to double their win total tomorrow against the Orlando Magic.


Calvin Barrett is the Associate Editor for SLC Dunk and a Utah Jazz columnist for the Standard-Examiner. Originally from Springville, Utah, he currently writes from his desk in Japan.

Tigers to sign RHP Emilio Pagan to a one-year deal, per report

CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 02: Emilio Pagan #15 of the Cincinnati Reds throws a pitch during the 7-3 win against the San Diego Padres at Great American Ball Park on September 02, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After midnight on Tuesday, Jon Heyman reported that the Detroit Tigers have agreed to a one-year contract worth $11.5 million with veteran closer Emilio Pagán. The 35-year-old has been with the Cincinnati Reds for the last three seasons, but declined a $10 million player option to come to Detroit instead for an extra million and a half. That assumes there are no potential bonuses available. We’ll wait for the full details to emerge and the physical to be completed before we’re sure on all the details.

The theory here is reasonably sound. Pagán consistently posts good strikeout and walk numbers, and he has a reputation as a bullpen leader. His one fatal weakness is his vulnerability to home runs. Obviously the Tigers are banking on getting him out of Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati to drive down the home run rates. That’s a predictable bit of reasoning, but after watching the Tigers high leverage relievers perform well in the overall stats columns in 2026, but blow a ton of games by giving up a homer at the worst possible time, it’s hard to love trying another older veteran reliever with home run issues next year.

Pagán racked up 25 saves in 45 appearances last year for the Reds. He posted a reasonably solid 3.38 ERA with a 4.18 FIP. His 25.9 percent strikeout rate is pretty good, and we like his low 6.3 percent walk rate. The fly in the ointment is a home run rate of 1.48 per nine innings.

The profile here is extremely fly ball heavy. He had a 59.3 fly ball rate in 2026. If he can keep the ball in the park a little more the Tigers outfield will collect a ton of routine outs, but it’s certainly a very volatile profile. His HR/9 for each of the last three seasons is 1.42, 1.31, and 1.48 in 2026. Pagán has always had home run problems everywhere he’s been, including San Diego, Tampa Bay, Minnesota, Oakland, and Seattle earlier in his career. It’s not just a Great American Ballpark issue. Here’s hoping the Tigers are right about Comerica suppressing home runs much more than the Reds fairly notorious ballpark.

Pagán relies heavily on his fourseam fastball, throwing it 62.8 percent of the time in 2026. He has a cutter and a splitter and uses them equally, deploying the splitter mainly to deal with lefties. He generally keeps balanced splits with those two secondary offerings, and that flexibility appeals to the Tigers and was one of the features Scott Harris mentioned looking for at the GM Meetings on Tuesday.

Pagán has plus extension, which helps as the fastball averaged 94.9 mph last year, down a tick from 2025. It does have some hop to it however, averaging 18 inches of induced vertical break. His whiff rates are generally average across the three pitches, but he does manage to minimize hard contact. It’s just that when the hard contact arrives, it tends to leave the park. He helps himself there by posting better than average walk rates, at least.

This is a perfectly fine acquisition, but it feels very Kenley Jansen 2.0 to be honest. Pagán is a little younger at 35, so we’ll hope the little downtick in velocity last season was just a blip. He also is much better than Jansen at locating the zone even when not at his best, so at least walks shouldn’t be an issue. Pagán is only a part-time closer as well, so the Tigers won’t be guaranteeing him save chances, which helps in terms of flexibility. If the Tigers go add a better reliever elsewhere, we’ll be thrilled. If not, we’ll cross our fingers again and hope for the best in terms of home runs allowed in unfortunate moments.

Egor Demin set to return to Nets’ lineup against Pelicans

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Egor Dëmin, who has been out with a right leg injury the last couple of weeks, is expected to return to the Nets' lineup on Wednesday against the Pelicans

DALLAS — Nets guard Egor Dëmin is expected to make his return from a right leg injury Wednesday in New Orleans.

Dëmin practiced Tuesday in Dallas and is listed as probable against the Pelicans.

“Yeah, Egor practiced with the rest of the team,” Jordi Fernández said. “Now we’re doing a little extra session just to push him and see how he feels, and then we’ll make a decision that he has a chance to play.”

Egor Dëmin, who has been out with a right leg injury the last couple of weeks, is expected to return to the Nets’ lineup on Wednesday against the Pelicans. NBAE via Getty Images

Dëmin suffered a bone bruise in his right leg during an Oct. 27 loss in Boston, and the second-year pro hasn’t played since, missing the past six games.

Brooklyn has missed the 6-foot-8 Dëmin’s secondary playmaking and plus size in the backcourt.

“Yeah, yeah, it’s good to see him back,” Michael Porter Jr. said. “He looks good.”

Even before the injury, Dëmin was off to a slow start. He was averaging just 7.8 points, 2.8 assists and 2.3 rebounds on 31 percent shooting and 28.6 percent from deep. All of those stats are down from his rookie campaign.

After making strides with his downhill juice and touching the paint in summer league, Dëmin’s 2-point shooting has backslid.


Wednesday will be Noah Clowney’s first opportunity to get back on the floor since losing his poise and fouling out in just 7:47 during Sunday’s loss in Dallas.

Noah Clowney (right) and Morez Johnson (left) are separated by Kyrie Irving during the second half of the Nets’ blowout loss to the Mavericks on Nov. 8, 2026 in Dallas. AP

Fernández acknowledged Clowney’s need to curtail his emotions. Porter alluded to the impact coming off the bench has had on the young forward’s headspace after he started 60 games last season.

“Noah’s a great player. He’s one of my favorite players I’ve played with,” Porter said. “Obviously, his role changed this year. But Noah, when he’s at his best, he helps. He can help any unit he’s out there with. He could help any team, and he can obviously help us.

“We just have to have him in the right headspace. And I know it looks different for him than this year. But we need Noah to win games for sure.”


The Nets monitor ground covered during games, who is running and who is not.

“Atlanta was very simple — a team that was on the second night of a back-to-back outworked us … so that’s not good,” Fernández said. “We had the highest-intensity running in the first quarter of the whole season, which was a pretty good first quarter. And we had the lowest intensity of the season in the fourth quarter. So, it’s pretty self-explanatory.

“It also goes to us on how we rotate. Are they too tired because I’m running them too long? It’s all those things … why and how we can fix it.”


Nolan Traore is questionable with right calf soreness. Joshua Jefferson, Ben Saraf, Tyler Bilodeau and Grant Nelson are all out on G League assignments.

New Orleans’ Yves Missi (left knee contusion/bone bruise) is out, along with Trendon Watford (right ankle sprain).

Trey Murphy III is probable with bilateral patellar tendinopathy.

RHP Evan Phillips is a prime relief target for the Tigers in free agency

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 03: Evan Phillips #59 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches during Game One of the National League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, October 3, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

To no one’s surprise, Scott Harris identified high leverage relief help as his primary focus this offseason during interviews with the media at the GM Meetings in Las Vegas on Tuesday. This was always going to be a priority for a Tigers club that woefully underperformed in 2026, largely due to the bullpen’s performance in high leverage situations holding leads or ties in the late innings. The simplest way to improve the situation is to go out and add a really good reliever who generates a lot of whiffs. Longtime Dodgers reliever Evan Phillips may fit the bill perfectly.

The 32-year-old Phillips is a free agent for the first time this season. He was the 17th round pick of the Atlanta Braves back in 2015, and broke into the big leagues with them in 2018. Phillips was traded that year to Baltimore, and spent the next few years bouncing back and forth between the minor and major leagues. He struck out a ton of hitters, but his control was still a work in progress and the walks got him returned to Triple-A again and again. After a brief stop as a waiver claim with the Tampa Bay Rays, he was DFA’d again and claimed by the Dodgers in 2021. For the next three seasons he was one of the better setup men in the game as the Dodgers got him throwing strikes with a lot more consistency.

In June of 2025, Phillips blew out his UCL and didn’t return to action until July of 2026. When he got back on the mound, his velocity returned to peak form and he was throwing plenty of strikes. He was bit by too many home runs, but the strikeout and walk rates were outstanding. Phillips is a prime target for me this offseason, but he’ll be aggressively pursued as teams love a stuff guy who returns from Tommy John looking strong.

SeasonIPERAFIPK%BB%HR/9fWAR
202361.12.053.1628.25.60.881.2
202454.23.623.2827.67.50.990.9
20255.20.002.0827.39.10.000.2
202626.03.463.8731.15.71.730.3

The 31.1 percent K-rate and 5.7 percent BB-rate stand out as the primary appeal here, but the stuff under the hood is really good to back up the numbers. Phillips will mix in a cutter or sinker here and there, but he’s primarily a fourseam-sweeper pitcher. He averaged 96.9 mph on the fourseamer in 2026 with a very good 26.3 percent whiff rate. The pitch has pretty pedestrian movement, but the velocity and command help it to play up. His 86.2 mph sweeper racked up a 34.3 percent whiff rate and remains an outstanding weapon. Hitters batted .059 against it in 2026, and while it will get smacked if he hangs one occasionally, that was a rare occurrence in 2026 and even more rare from 2023-2025.

The one problem appears somewhat glaring but was really more of a fluke. Phillips has never had notable home run trouble, but his 1.73 HR/9 mark this season is a bit grizzly. This doesn’t bother me. He’s never had home run trouble before, and the stuff was better after the surgery than in the two years prior. He only threw 26 innings, and he gave up five homers. Four of them came in a two week span in July right as he returned, and he only allowed one more home run from late July until the end of the season. This is a very small sample of work and shouldn’t be an issue next year.

Ben Clemens at FanGraphs estimates Phillips will get two years, $20 million total on a free agent deal. I tend to think the number will be a little higher than that, but he’s worth it. Add Phillips to a group including Drew Sommers, Will Vest, and one of the Tigers current starters, and you have a pretty strong backend of a bullpen.

Cubs BCB After Dark: Is Owen Ayers ready for prime time?

Nov 9, 2025; Mesa, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs catcher Owen Ayers during the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s Tuesday night here at BCB After Dark: the hippest hangout for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in out of the fall air. The vibe is warm in here. There’s no cover charge. The dress code is casual. We still have a few tables available. Bring your own beverage.

BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.

Last night I asked you if the Cubs should try to sign free agent left-hander Adrián Morejón as a starting pitcher? Now earlier today, The Athletic reported that contrary to some earlier reports, Morejón wants to stay a relief pitcher. So maybe I asked a dumb question. (Did you know that “dumb” is spelled with a “b”? Most people don’t know that.) But in any case, 56 percent of you thought it was worth it to offer Morejón a role as a starting pitcher to get him to sign with the Cubs.

On Tuesday nights, I don’t normally do any movie stuff. But I always have time for music, so please join us around the piano.


Tonight we have a performance from guitarist John Scofield, backed up by the Danish Radio Big Band. This is “Boogie Stupid” from 2019. This performance should appeal to those who like blues and funk as much as jazz heads.


Welcome back from the piano. And the guitar and the brass section.

Sahadev Sharma in The Athletic has reported a lot of things that have gotten people upset, but I want to focus on things that won’t raise everyone’s blood pressure around here. One thing Sharma wrote in his most recent piece is that the Cubs haven’t ruled out a return of Carson Kelly, but are prepared to go into 2027 with Miguel Amaya and rookie Owen Ayers as their catching team. (shared link)

That’s a lot of faith in Ayers, who still has yet to make his major league debut. The Cubs did bring him to Chicago after Iowa’s season concluded, but that was because they wanted him to get a feel for what the job of a major league catcher is like first hand. They wanted Ayers to sit in on the meetings with the coaching staff, Kelly and Amaya and pick their brains. I suppose that Ayers would have been activated if Kelly or Amaya had gotten hurt, but the primary reason he was with the Cubs for the end of the season and the playoffs was to prepare him to take over major league catching duties sometime next year.

Now I agree that Ayers is a fine prospect. Baseball America just ranked him as the Cubs’ number-two prospect (behind Josiah Hartshorn) and I happen to agree with that ranking. He’s got a great arm and made huge strides in the rest of his defensive game last season. He’s got some power as he hit 25 home runs last year and he has a good eye at the plate with a .403 on-base percentage.

However, there are some caveats to those numbers. (Not the arm. The arm is plus anywhere.) For one, most of those huge offensive numbers were put up in High-A South Bend and Double-A Knoxville. Last year, the minor league baseball was a rabbit ball, with offensive totals up everywhere. When Ayers got to Triple-A Iowa, where they use the less-lively major league baseball, Ayers’ offensive totals were more ordinary. Over 49 games in Triple-A, Ayers only hit .247/.365/.356 with only three home runs. That doesn’t translate into great major league numbers. Looking at the early Steamer projections from Fangraphs, Ayers is only projected to hit a below-average .224/.299/.370 at the major league level, although they do project a plus Wins Above Replacement because of Ayers’ defensive chops.

So tonight I’m going to give you three options on what to do behind the plate. One, the Cubs could stick with the status quo and go with Amaya and Ayers sharing the catching duties.

Option two would be re-signing Kelly, which would probably keep Ayers down in Iowa until one of the two major league catchers got hurt or Ayers simply forced his way onto the roster with a strong season in Triple-A. Or, less desirably, that Kelly or Amaya played their ways off the roster.

Finally, the third option is to get a disposable veteran catcher in free agency or trade such as Austin Hedges or Kyle Higashioka and go with the new guy and Amaya until Ayers has proven that he’s too good for Iowa.

Which route would you choose?

Thanks for everyone who stopped by tonight. We enjoyed hosting you. Get home safely. Stay warm. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow evening for more BCB After Dark.

St. Louis Blues Forward Dalibor Dvorsky Benched During 3-2 Win Over Detroit Red Wings

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Blues forward Dalibor Dvorsky was benched during a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday.

Dvorsky, who has five points (four goals, one assist) in 18 games this season, played just 6:36 and didn't see the ice again after the 13:48 mark of the second period, playing just nine shifts.

"Just to play faster, play with more conviction," St. Louis coach Jim Montgomery on what he wants to see. "He's not played to the standard that we want our players to play with and when that happens, you risk the chance of being sat, and that's what happened. It's part of everyone's career. It happens to everybody."

Dvorsky had started the season as the team's third-line center but of late, has been playing on the wing with Connor McMichael at center and Pavel Buchnevich on right wing.

He's scored in two of the past five games but his average ice time on the season is 11:48, down from 14:20 last season and played just nine shifts in the game Tuesday (three in the second), but the Blues believe they can still develop the No. 10 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

"He's a good hockey player. We all know that. We've all seen it," Montgomery said. "There's a big reason why we believe he's a huge part of our future here is because he's an outstanding young man, he's great to coach with. He's really good to deal with and he wants to be a hockey player. It's going to come. Sometimes it just doesn't happen as quickly as we all want it to."

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Paul George flips off fan for ‘being an a–hole’ in Philadelphia return after Jaylen Brown blockbuster

Paul George
Boston Celtics' Paul George gestures toward fans during a game in Philadelphia.

Paul George had a message for one 76ers fan.

George put up 36 points in the Celtics’ 123-101 win over the Sixers on Tuesday night in Philadelphia in a highly anticipated matchup that pitted star players against their former teams.

But George caught the attention of many fans who saw a video of him giving the middle finger to someone at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

The ex-Sixer and current Celtics star crouched down and then lifted his middle finger in the direction of a fan after he hit a 3-pointer. 

George said the fan was “being an a–hole,” according to the Boston Herald’s Zack Cox. 

“He looked me dead in my eyes, dropped the ball on the ground as if I’m a dog to go fetch or go get it, instead of passing the ball to me like a normal fan would do. So then I rolled him a middle finger in return,” George explained. 

The decision to allegedly antagonize George seemed like a questionable decision by the fan, considering the dominant game he had against his former team. 

George brought his A-game on Tuesday night, shooting 14-for-28 from the field and 6-for-11 from 3-point range, while putting up 14 straight points in the fourth quarter. 

Paul George gives a middle finger to a fan after scoring during the Celtics’ 123-101 blowout win over the 76ers on Nov. 10, 2026 in Philadelphia. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“He’s been incredible all season. The joy he’s playing with, what he’s brought to our team so far has been great,” Jayson Tatum told NBC after the game. “We’re lucky to have him and keep it going.” 

The showdown in the City of Brotherly Love pitted George, who played in Philadelphia last season, against the 76ers, who now have ex-Celtics star Jaylen Brown. 

George was part of the 76ers’ return in order for them to acquire Brown in the blockbuster trade in July. 

Though George had a big night, Brown underperformed, putting up just 13 points on 4-for-9 from the floor.

Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors game preview

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 5: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball during the game against the Houston Rockets on April 5, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

They say “It’s not who you play; it’s when you play them.” Well, this isn’t when you want to play the Golden State Warriors. Much like how Steph Curry returned from an absence of over two months last season just to play the Rockets, it seems like it’s never a good time to see the San Francisco squad.

In case you haven’t been following the NBA at large, the Warriors dropped their first three games. Since then, they’ve reeled off eight straight wins, including wins over the Nuggets in Denver (yes, Nikola Jokic played), the Timberwolves in Minnesota (no, Anthony Edwards did not), and at home against the Los Angeles Lakers (yes, all the white guys played). They’ve also handily beaten the Clippers, Heat, and Pelicans.

The Warriors basically found out that Kristaps Porzingis was done with basketball around the same time they realized that Yaxel Lendeborg might finally fulfill the “two timelines” prophecy. Lendeborg has emerged as a legitimate Rookie of the Year candidate (and you could easily argue he should be leading the race at the moment) and has made plenty of people forget that the Warriors are still missing Jimmy Butler. If Yaxel continues on this trajectory, the Warriors suddenly become quite terrifying at the deadline armed with Butler and Porzingis as trade chips.

Look, the Warriors are going to play extra well against the Rockets. They always do. There is something in their franchise’s DNA that tells them that no matter what, they will play their best basketball against Houston. But the Warriors are playing well right now no matter what, and with the game being on national television, it’s another chance for Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and the new kid on the block to torment my favorite basketball squad. Do I have PTSD? You’re damn right I do. Honestly, I have no idea why Houston is favored in this one.

The Warriors are starting a five-game road trip against the Southwest Division. If Houston doesn’t get them tonight, they will have to get through the streaking Spurs on Friday, a New Orleans team that exists, and then a Dallas-Memphis back-to-back next week. Three of those games are on television (the ones against the Texas teams), so expect Steve Kerr to rest his guys against New Orleans and Memphis. Houston has an extended road trip of their own starting next week. We’re officially getting into the grind.

Tip-off

8:30pm CT

How To Watch

Space City Home Network and ESPN

Injury Report

Rockets

Clint Capela: OUT

Steven Adams: OUT

Warriors

Gary Payton II: OUT

Will Richard: GTD

Brandon Williams: OUT

Moses Moody: OUT

The Line (as of this post)

HOU -5.5

Check here for updates

Schedule Advantage Counter

Rockets: 2

Opponents: 2

Looking ahead because we can

Friday night at home against the Utah Jazz

Yankees news: Giancarlo Stanton to return in 2027

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 18, 2026: Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the New York Yankees bats during the eighth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium on April 18, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

The Big Lead | Lou Landers: It was always going to be a long shot the other way, but Brian Cashman confirmed yesterday that the team will not be releasing DH Giancarlo Stanton ahead of his final year under contract. The Yankees are on the hook for another $15 million, while the Marlins will pay the remaining $10 million for 2027 (as well as the $10 million owed for the 2028 buy-out). While Cashman did leave room for himself to make a move midseason, the expectation is for Stanton to be in Tampa for spring training…whenever that is.

Some other rapid-fire notes from Cashman’s session with the media at the GM meetings:

  • As Jake wrote yesterday, Max Fried had surgery to remove a bone spur in his throwing elbow. He is expected to recover in time for spring training (again, whenever that is).
  • Coaching staff news: infield coaches Luis Rojas and Dan Fiorito will be back, as will the already-confirmed-to-return Matt Blake’s assistants, Desi Druschel and Preston Claiborne. James Rowson is considered a free agent and the Yankees have not yet decided how they’ll handle the hitting coach staff in 2027. They need to figure out a bench coach too, as Brad Ausmus’ deal is over and he might take a job with the Astros anyway.
  • Cashman said that they will aim to give Aaron Judge more DH time in 2027, even if Judge himself is not particularly enthusiastic about that. That doesn’t mean he’ll be the primary DH, just that they know they can’t expect to put him in the outfield every day at this point and keep him healthy for a full 162.

New York Post | Mark W. Sanchez: The AL Cy Young Award will be handed out tonight, and the odds on favorite is of course Cam Schlittler. The Yankee right-hander led the Junior Circuit in fWAR, ERA, xERA, and placed second in both FIP and xFIP, and only Michael Wacha threw more innings. Dylan Cease had an excellent year for himself but it really should be Cam atop most of the voters’ ballots, and indeed his best contemporaries in Yankee history are among the best hurlers to ever put on pinstripes. It was a disappointing 2026 for many reasons, but Schlittler sure wasn’t one of them.

Baseball Prospectus | Smith Brickner ($): It’s prospect time, as BP updates their organizational lists now that the season is complete. Former PSAer Smith is on the assignment, noting that the Yankees boast a pitching rich system, and while they don’t seem to have much in terms of high-ceiling future stars, but there are plenty of high-floor future contributors. The team also has a habit of turning prospects into trade deadline acquisitions, which is itself a form of value.

FanGraphs | Matthew Roberson: Speaking of the successes of the past season, Brent Headrick. The Yankees found yet another stellar reliever from a pile of stuff, with the reliever and his devastating splitter one of Aaron Boone’s best weapons in a strong bullpen. Headrick was ridden hard for 81 appearances, and relievers are never to be counted on season over season, but if can come close to repeating 2026 he’ll be one of the most valuable relievers in the sport.

BBWAA: Will Venable of the White Sox was named the AL Manager of the Year last night, joining three-peat NL Manager of the Year Pat Murphy of the Brewers in the honors. Yankees manager Aaron Boone finished fifth, garnering one second-place vote and one third-place vote.

Sports Illustrated | JP Hoornstra: A melancholy happy trails to Bob Boone, the middle man in the Boone family baseball dynasty, who passed away Monday night at the age of 78. Boone played more than 2,200 games in the majors, winning seven Gold Gloves for his work behind the plate and capturing a World Series ring with the 1980 Phillies. He remains the Angels’ all-time leader in postseason average. He later managed for the Royals and Reds, where he got to be his son’s skipper, and won a second ring in the front office for the 2019 Nationals. Bob is of course the father of Aaron Boone and former MLBer Bret Boone (as well as the son of All-Star Ray Boone). Our best goes out to the Boone family and loved ones.

Mercer and Connor score twice as Jets beat Devils 4-2 for a fourth straight win

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Dawson Mercer and Kyle Connor each scored twice to lead the Winnipeg Jets to an emotional 4-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night.

The game marked the return of former Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to Winnipeg for the first time since his trade to the Devils, although he did not play. Instead, Jake Allen started in net and stopped 21 shots for New Jersey.

Former Devils netminder Nico Daws made 19 saves for Winnipeg.

Cody Glass and Jesper Bratt scored for the Devils.

The victory extended Winnipeg’s win streak to four games, and halted New Jersey’s at five games.

After Mercer gave the Jets a 3-2 lead on the power play at 11:58 of the third period, Connor sealed the outcome with an unassisted empty-net goal.

The Devils, who trailed 2-0 after the first period, tied the game in the second period with a pair of goals 44 seconds apart. Bratt scored at 1:14 on a setup from Arseny Gritsyuk from behind the net. Jack Hughes also assisted to extend his point streak to six games.

Glass tied the game at 1:58 when he deflected Jonathan Kovacevic’s shot past Daws.

Connor scored during a two-man advantage at 15:06 of the first period when he deflected Cole Perfetti’s pass past Allen. Mark Scheifele also assisted, moving him into a second-place tie with Dale Hawerchuk in assists in franchise history with 550.

AVALANCHE 6, MAPLE LEAFS 3

TORONTO (AP) — Gabriel Landeskog scored his second goal of the game early in the third period to put Colorado ahead for good in a win over Toronto.

Devon Toews, with a goal and an assist, Brock Nelson, Artturi Lehkonen and Martin Necas in an empty net also scored for Colorado. Cale Makar added two assists and Mackenzie Blackwood made 28 saves.

Darren Raddysh and Easton Cowan, with a goal and an assist each, and Jack Roslovic scored for Toronto, which has lost four games in a row and dropped six of its last seven.

Sergei Bobrovksy finished with 22 stops.

The 38-year-old goaltender — a two-time Stanley Cup champion and two-time Vezina Trophy winner as the NHL’s top netminder — has allowed three goals or more in 12 of his 13 starts since signing in free agency July 1.

Landeskog scored the go-ahead goal at 5:02 of the third, just 51 seconds after Roslovic tied the score 3-3.

Raddysh’s blast that gave Toronto a 1-0 lead was clocked at 92.89 miles per hour — the fourth fastest shot to result in a goal across the league this season, according to the NHL.

CAPITALS 3, SENATORS 2, OT

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Cole Hutson’s goal 74 seconds into overtime, set up by Alex Ovechkin, gave Washington to a win over Ottawa.

The Capitals overcame a horrid second period in which they allowed two goals and trailed 2-1.

Matt Roy and Pierre-Luc Dubois also scored for the Capitals (10-6-0). Logan Thompson made 23 saves.

Ridly Greig and Hayden Hodgson scored for the Senators (11-6-2). Samuel Ersson stopped 14 shots.

Outshot 17-2 in the second period, Washington went more than 20 minutes before registering its next shot in the third period.

The Capitals showed life on the power play and maintained control after it expired and capitalized with Hutson finding Dubois at the side of the net for a wide-open shot to tie it at 2 at 12:31 of the third.

Ersson made a big save on Jack St. Ivany with four minutes remaining to keep the game tied.

With 2:57 remaining Jakob Chychrun leveled a huge hit on Nick Cousins, but no penalty was called. Cousins needed help getting off the ice.

WILD 2, CANADIENS 1, OT

MONTREAL (AP) — Kirill Kaprizov scored on a power play in the opening minute of overtime and Jesper Wallstedt made 27 saves as Minnesota beat Montreal after Carey Price was inducted into the team’s ring of honor.

Bobby Brink scored in regulation for Minnesota (13-3-4). Kaprizov scored on a one-timer on the power play 21 seconds into the extra period for his 17th goal of the season.

Canadiens forward Cole Caufield was penalized for slashing as Quinn Hughes’ stick broke in the corner, sending Minnesota on the power play with 56 seconds remaining in regulation.

Nick Suzuki scored for Montreal (11-3-4), which extended its streak without a regulation loss to 11 games (8-0-3). Jacob Fowler stopped 22 shots.

Suzuki tied the game with a wild goal at 18:22 in the third period. With the goalie pulled, Caufield’s sharp-angled shot ricocheted off Wallstedt — twice — and the post before landing in the crease before Suzuki jammed it through a crowd.

After two periods without a goal, Brink broke the deadlock 2:53 into the third when he beat Fowler with a shot to the glove side on a breakaway.

PANTHERS 4, BLUE JACKETS 1

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Sam Bennett scored twice, and Florida snapped a two-game skid with a win over Columbus.

Florida notched its 12th victory in the last 13 games against the Blue Jackets.

Lars Eller and Sam Reinhart also scored. Aaron Ekblad had three assists, and Anton Lundell added two assists. Jacob Markstrom stopped 37 shots for Florida, which improved to 6-0-0 when leading after two periods.

Ivan Provorov scored for the Blue Jackets. Cam Talbot stopped 24 shots.

Bennett opened the scoring with a power-play goal off the rush at the two-minute mark of the second period, giving Florida a power-play goal in seven of its last eight games.

Eller made it 2-0 at 4:17 before Provorov cut that lead in half with 20 seconds left in the period.

Bennett restored the two-goal lead at 14:29 of the third. Matthew Tkachuk’s assist was his team-leading 23rd and extended both his assist and point streaks to five games.

BLUES 3, RED WINGS 2

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jimmy Snuggerud had a goal and an assist and his score in the third period was the winner as St. Louis beat Detroit.

Snuggerud scored on a deflection with 4:02 left. Dylan Holloway got an assist on the go-ahead goal. Pius Suter and Justin Barron also scored for the Blues, who snapped a three-game skid. St. Louis had lost five of its last seven games before Tuesday.

Moritz Seider and Andrew Copp scored for the Red Wings, who dropped their fifth straight and lost for the fifth time in six games.

Joel Hofer stopped 30 shots in the win for the Blues.

John Gibson, back in the lineup after sustaining a lower-body injury in a game against Tampa Bay on Nov. 3, had 30 saves for the Red Wings.

PREDATORS 3, KINGS 0

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Filip Forsberg scored two goals, Juuse Saros made 30 saves in his 28th career shutout and Nashville extended its winning streak to five games with a victory over Los Angeles.

Nils Hoglander had two assists and Adam Wilsby got an empty-net goal in the Predators’ opener of a five-game West Coast road trip. Saros finished his first shutout of the season with 13 saves in the third period against the Kings’ improved effort.

Anton Forsberg stopped 27 shots for the Kings, who were shut out for the first time this season. Los Angeles dropped to 2-3-0 on its seven-game homestand with back-to-back losses.

Nashville scored early in the first period when Hoglander controlled a blue-line turnover by Brian Dumoulin and eventually made a backhand pass through defenseman Cody Ceci’s legs to Filip Forsberg for his sixth goal.

Filip Forsberg scored again in the second when Hoglander flipped the puck to him from the boards for an awkward shot that surprised Anton Forsberg.

After a slow offensive start to the season, Filip Forsberg has six goals in his last eight games, including two multigoal games in the past two weeks.