The Washington Wizards have officially ruled out No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, AJ Dybantsa, for their regular season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, Oct. 21, after he suffered an ankle injury during the team’s final preseason game.
On Tuesday, Wizards head coach Brian Keefe confirmed that Dybantsa will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis.
Wizards HC Brian Keefe says AJ Dybantsa is out for Wednesday’s regular season opener vs. MilwaukeeDybantsa remains day-to-day after suffering an ankle injury in the preseason finale vs. New Orleans https://t.co/ZI5czBHh08
The injury occurred in the preseason matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. While attempting a mid-range jump shot, Dybantsa landed awkwardly on his right ankle, immediately collapsing to the court in visible pain. Medical staff quickly attended to him as he grasped his ankle before he managed to get up and limp off the floor to the locker room for further evaluation. Keefe said that Dybantsa had suffered a mild ankle sprain
Before the injury, Dybantsa tallied 12 points in just 15 minutes of action.
While the team has ruled him out for the season opener, Keefe did not provide further details regarding the severity of the injury or a potential timetable for Dybantsa’s return, leaving his status uncertain.
An international audience will see a Pistons team led by star Cade Cunningham and coming off its first 60-win season in two decades face the Celtics, who will be playing their first game since the offseason trade of Jaylen Brown left Jayson Tatum as the team's undisputed franchise centerpiece.
It's a compelling matchup of two teams with Eastern Conference title aspirations, and USA TODAY Sports will be chronicling all of the opening-day festivities to start a new NBA season. Follow along here for live game updates and analysis, highlights and reaction from Little Caesars Arena and downtown Detroit.
Both the Pistons and Celtics have altered their lineups after playoff runs a year ago, and a few of those new additions have contributed immediately. Celtics veteran Paul George, acquired in the Jaylen Brown trade, hit his first two shots with Boston, including a 3-pointer. Pistons forward John Collins, who Detroit traded for this offseason to replace Tobias Harris, is the team's leading scorer early with four points. The two teams are tied at 13 at the first timeout of the first quarter.
Celtics vs Pistons starting lineups, injury report
03:00 PM ET, October 20 2026, Mark Giannotto
The official starting lineups and final injury report for the Oct. 20 NBA season opener between the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons are out. Take a look:
Why Celtics vs Pistons will open NBA season in afternoon daytime game
02:49 PM ET, October 20 2026, Mark Giannotto
The first game of the 2026-27 NBA regular season will officially tip off in the middle of the afternoon, and NBC hopes it can become an annual addition to the league's traditional opening night schedule.
The Detroit Pistons are set to host the Boston Celtics at 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Oct. 20, with "College Gameday-style activations," a "Blue Carpet" experience, a marching band rendition of "Roundball Rock" and other special festivities planned around Little Caesars Arena and downtown Detroit throughout the day, according to NBA league officials. The afternoon tip is an experiment conceived by the NBA and NBC entering Year 2 of their massive 11-year, $27-billion media rights partnership, with the goal of turning opening night into an all-day event.
"We kind of challenged the NBA," NBC Sports Executive Vice President Justin Byczek told USA TODAY Sports. "We think opening day should be expanded, and we'd love to be the network that gets behind it, and over the course of the next decade, let's try to understand where opening day can get to."
How to watch Celtics vs Pistons: TV, live streaming for NBA opening game
02:40 PM ET, October 20 2026, Mark Giannotto
The opening game of the 2026-27 NBA regular season between the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, Oct. 20, will be broadcast nationally on NBC. It can also be watched via live stream on Peacock and Fubo.
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 11: Jaylon Tyson #20 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talks to the media after the game against the Orlando Magic during a 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 11, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers announced on Tuesday that they have “exercised their fourth-year team option on guard Jaylon Tyson” for the 2027-28 season. Tyson is expected to make $5.64 million in the final year of his rookie contract.
We have exercised the fourth-year team option on Jaylon Tyson. #LetEmKnow
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can buy the Believeland shirt HERE. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE.
This news is far from a surprise, as Tyson has shown real growth over his two seasons. Entering the league as the 20th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft from California, Tyson spent the majority of his first season toggling between NBA reserve and G League play. However, last season, Tyson really stepped into his own.
Tyson suited up for 66 games, including 42 starts, for Cleveland and put up 13.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, averaging out to 26.9 minutes per game. Not only that, but the shooting splits averaged out to an impressive 49.3% field goal percentage and 44.6% three-point percentage, which was fourth-best in the NBA.
Tyson has a development path that could see him earn more minutes and an expanded role this season. He has also emerged as a fan favorite as well as a locker room favorite. Both Donovan Mitchell and James Harden have mentioned taking Tyson under their wing as someone to mentor.
“I was just trying to build a relationship with Jaylon because he does have the skills and tools to make a lot of money in this league,” Harden said. “Anything where I can see I can help him at, I try to be there for him.”
Mitchell has been cultivating a relationship with Tyson dating back to last season. Mitchell earlier in camp stated, “Him (Jaylon) and I constantly talk. If I’m ever tired, he’s always talking to me, and vice versa.”
Having relationships and backing from two superstars like Harden and Mitchell only emphasizes the belief the team has that Tyson has untapped levels to his game. The Cavaliers clearly agree as they have optioned the fourth year.
The NBA attracts the top basketball talent from around the globe.
As proof, there are 125 international players on NBA rosters to open this season, the league announced. That's 27.8% of the available NBA roster spots going to international players
The NBA today announced that opening-night rosters for the 2026-27 season feature 125 international players from a record-tying 43 countries across six continents.
All 30 teams feature at least one international player.
It's not just the number of players, which is down slightly from last season (135), it's the quality and impact those players have on the league. Four international players have won the last eight NBA MVP Awards: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2025 and 2026), Nikola Jokić (2024, 2022 and 2021), Joel Embiid (2023) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (2019 and 2020). More than that, last season also was the fifth consecutive year that three international players filled out the top three in MVP voting. Last season it was Gilgeous-Alexander (No. 1), Jokić (No. 2) and Victor Wembanyama (No. 3).
More than that, a record 19 international players on opening-night rosters have been NBA All-Stars. At least three international players have made the All-NBA teams every season since 2019.
If you're wondering why a lot of people — *raises hand* — believe France as a genuine threat to the USA winning another gold in Men's Basketball at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, consider this: France has a league-high 17 international players on NBA rosters, the most of any country (Canada is next with 16). France can field an entire roster of NBA players, led by Victor Wembanyama, who alone should strike some fear in American hearts.
The NBA's representation of players from, or with direct ties to, Africa — a continent where the NBA has worked hard to grow the game of basketball — continues to grow. Including both international and American players, more than 60 players were either born in Africa or have at least one parent born on the continent, a new record. Among those players are seven-time NBA All-Star Joel Embiid (Cameroon), NBA champion and four-time NBA All-Star Pascal Siakam (Cameroon), three-time NBA All-Star Bam Adebayo (ties to Nigeria), Antetokounmpo (parents born in Nigeria), two-time NBA champion OG Anunoby (ties to Nigeria) and 2026 No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa (ties to the Republic of the Congo).
NBA opening-night rosters also feature 70 European players, the second consecutive season with at least that many.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 04: Nae'qwan Tomlin #35 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket against Jaden Ivey #23 of the Detroit Pistons during the second half at Rocket Arena on January 04, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers will be tipping off their season on Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers without one of their rotation players. The team announced on Tuesday morning that Nae’Qwan Tomlin was “diagnosed with a lower back stress reaction following an evaluation by the Cavaliers medical team.”
Per the Cavaliers’ statement, the team’s medical group identified this injury during an evaluation. Tomlin will be re-evaluated in three to four weeks.
I wouldn’t assume that this timeline is definitive, especially with something like this that could vary in severity. It is also fair to note that, with the physical and athletic style of play Tomlin utilizes, the recovery not be as straightforward as other, more standard injuries.
Without Tomlin, the Cavs are left with Mario Hezonja and Thomas Bryant as the two established backup bigs. That is far from an ideal group, as Hezonja is still an unknown at this point, while Bryant is a volatile option.
This is definitely a missed opportunity for Tomlin to flash. Tomlin hasn’t been able to show much growth in areas of need for his game thus far, and the Cavaliers’ bench feels far from concrete at this point. The start to this season could have been one of the last chances Tomlin had to show he’s deserving of a steady role going forward.
With at minimum a month to be missed to start the year, this injury is far from ideal both for Tomlin and the Cavaliers.
Last season, Tomlin averaged 5.8 points and 2.9 assists in 64 outings and 15.2 minutes per game.
Redundancies beckon as British Cycling restructures while former cyclists and employees raise concerns over return of ‘toxic culture’
British Cycling’s most successful world track championships campaign in over a decade, in which they topped the medal table in the first qualifying event for the 2028 Olympic Games, was achieved against a backdrop of allegations of misconduct and looming redundancies.
Despite a traumatic buildup to the championships in Shanghai, which saw star sprinter Matt Richardson withdrawn from competition on the eve of the event due to allegations of “discriminatory remarks,” the British squad recovered to win six gold medals, three silver and three bronze medals.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 26: The sneakers worn by Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
ORLANDO, FL - DECEMBER 27: Jalen Brunson #11 and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks go through their pre-game routine prior to the game against the Orlando Magic at the Kia Center on December 27, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. The Knicks defeated the Magic 108 to 85. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It doesn’t matter if it’s been 53 years or your whole life.
The wait is over, and we’ll all see the Knicks put up another banner this evening.
Here’s the latest from your New York Knickerbockers heading into Ring Night. Enjoy!
"There's a part of you that wants to keep celebrating, but you have to turn it off"
On the challenge of celebrating the Knicks’ championship before their season opener:
“It’s hard because they’re human, and there’s a part of you that wants to keep celebrating, but we’ve got to turn it off. The challenge is to try to get them enjoy the moment, but not fully. You have to try to supress all that early, before the ceremony, so that you can quickly get not just your body, but your mind and your emotions into the task in front of you.”
On how he’ll try to keep the team focused after the ring ceremony:
“It’s a challenge. I mean, it’s hard because they’re human, and there’s a part of you that wants to keep celebrating. But you got to turn it off. So the challenge is trying to get them to enjoy the moment, but not fully. I guess, if that makes sense.
“Because you have to try to suppress all that early, before the ceremony, during the ceremony, so that you can quickly get, not just your body, but your mind and your emotions into the task in front of you.”
On avoiding complacency after winning the NBA championship:
“It is a little tough, even for me as a head coach. You have people patting you on the back, telling you how good you are. It’s good, and you want people to be able to do that with you and for you and all that stuff. But in the same breath there always has to be a part of you — and I know this from experience — that says, ‘OK, Don’t listen to this, don’t read this, don’t watch this.’ Because it’s hard to stay even-keeled in situations like that.
“You’ve got to embrace it. You’ve got to enjoy it with others, especially your family. But try to come back to earth as soon as possible. And I think our guys have done a good job with it. There have been times when we think we know [what it takes], which is natural, and there’s going to be more times like that during the course of the season.
“But at the end of the day, we have a pretty sharp group. And if they don’t know, we’ll definitely help them know that this is not last year. This is a new season and we can’t just think we’re going to switch that light on and get after it.”
On James Wiseman facing less pressure with the Knicks than he did with the Warriors:
“It was a different situation with the Knicks. You come in as No. 2 pick in the draft with Golden State and you’re talented and skilled as he is and it can be tough on you because of expectations. Not just from the media and fans but sometimes your teammates and coaches and rest of the organization and if it’s hard for certain individuals to live up to. … With this situation, it’s — OK, he’s been around the block, he’s experienced adversity. We’re not looking for him to start or fight for a starting position. We’re not necessarily looking for him to come in and be a backup. He has the luxury of growing at his own pace without much pressure.”
Malika: "You're willing to take less (money)?"
KAT: "Oh yeah, because I want this team to stay together. That's always been my main priority was to keep everyone here, to keep this core, this special team that we have. So it was the first thing on my mind as soon as it was. And… pic.twitter.com/hU6kaIrwiC
On his willingness to take a paycut to re-sign with the Knicks:
“Oh yeah, (I’m willing to do that), because I want this team to stay together. That’s always been my main priority: to keep everyone here, to keep this core, this special team that we have. So it was the first thing on my mind as soon as it was. And there was nowhere in my mind a max was even thought of.”
"Every year is a new year to attack something. When people say we're 'defending the title'…that's one way to look at it. It's something we've won, we've put it in our past, and now we're just trying to attack another."
On his message to KAT amid the Knicks contract stalemate:
“Sign the contract.”
On approaching the new season as a fresh challenge rather than defending a championship:
“Every year, it’s a new year to attack something. When people say we’re defending the title — I mean, that’s one way to look at it, but it’s something we won. We’ve put in our past, and now we’re just trying to attack another.”
On the importance of retaining the Knicks’ championship-winning core:
“[It’s] very valuable. For us to come back, it’s good to have our chemistry continue to grow, understanding that we’ve done it, but are we still hungry, are we still satisfied? Do we continue to get better every single day, or are we just content? That’s our big question that’s going to be answered within the first couple weeks of the season. However we answer it, we’re going to attack it and get better every single day after that.”
On wanting to share the Knicks’ championship ring ceremony with the fans:
“Definitely special. They deserve it. This is something that’s been brewing for a long time and to share this moment with them is definitely going to be special.”
On moving forward after winning the championship:
“It’s about how quickly you turn a page and how quickly you understand that the egos have to be checked at the door.”
On whether the Knicks have already moved past last season’s championship:
“I would say most of, if not all of us, have kind of turned the page already. I think tomorrow is just something we can reflect on and understand what we did. But for the most part, we all turned the page . . . There is no relaxation.”
"None of us are satisfied with just this championship. We've got things we're still striving towards. 0-0 starting tomorrow."
On why last season’s championship will no longer matter once the new season begins:
“I think the fascinating part about sports is that starting tomorrow, no one cares [about the championship]. After the ceremony’s over, it’s 0-0. We’re a competitive bunch, and by no means is anybody expecting to just coast or anything like that. That’s definitely not the tone of our group.”
On the challenge of celebrating a championship and immediately returning to competitive basketball:
“I think that’s maybe some of the challenge that I’ve read about and seen in the past that championship teams have. How do you take the high in the celebration at the beginning of the game, and still go out and perform, play the brand of basketball that you’d want to play?”
On spending three consecutive seasons with the same NBA organization for the first time:
“It’s not lost on me. I feel like I try and do a good job of not taking much for granted. [I’ve] never spent three consecutive training camps with the same organization, so feels really good … to be here and have a familiar group and feel comfortable and confident with the people I’m around. I feel like they feel the same way about me, so I don’t take that for granted at all.”
On the Knicks remaining motivated after winning the championship:
“I don’t think any of us are ready to sign off and be done playing basketball. I don’t view it as a contentment thing. I think obviously you’re super grateful and appreciative, and I know I am, to have all that work to pay off. But I think the fascinating thing about it is starting tomorrow nobody cares. The ceremony is over. It’s 0-0. We’re all a competitive bunch and by no means is anybody expecting to coast or anything like that. Definitely not the tone of our group.”
Hello everyone! This is Sandra Brunson, @jalenbrunson1’s mom. Usually, I send my son a text message before every game.
On repeatedly being congratulated for the Knicks’ championship throughout the offseason:
“You’re fully into the swing of working out in the summer and it’s tough to turn the page. Because you’re sitting there, you turn the page, you’re like ‘I got to work and then somebody says, ‘Congrats, we did this, my family did this, we watched it together,’ and you just keep getting brought back to the championship.
“You move on, you get brought back. That’s also why I can’t wait for that opening night tip, to really put all that stuff behind us.”
OG Anunoby
On how to navigate the ring ceremony and playing right afterward after experiencing it in Toronto:
“You celebrate with the ring, take pictures, then the game started. It was kind of weird. Then the game goes on, first quarter and second quarter, it gets back to normal. You get used to it. But initially, yeah, it was kind of weird.”
When I try to describe Mike Brown, my mind keeps coming back to J.K. Simmons in those Farmers Insurance commercials.
“At Farmers Insurance, we know a thing or two because we’ve seen a thing or two.”
Brown knows a thing or two because he’s seen a thing or two — and that’s why he… pic.twitter.com/wg8Jd3BUpq
On Mike Brown’s coaching career and why he is prepared to lead the Knicks’ championship defense:
“Mike’s kind of seen it all. Coaching LeBron [James] and coaching Kobe [Bryant] and high-profile teams like the Lakers to all of a sudden going to Sacramento and becoming Coach of the Year in a small market and then getting fired a year later. It was just really fun to see a guy who has literally seen it all in his coaching career get a championship and validate everything.
“And he was here with us as we went through our process trying to repeat. Mike has seen it all. He’ll do a great job.”
Brian Windhorst says LeBron’s dream to get drafted by the Knicks instead of the Cavs:
“ There was this dream, and in fact, it was kind of LeBron‘s dream too. Literally the night before he agreed to his Nike contract, in his Nike contract he got a 20 or 30% bonus if he got… pic.twitter.com/8EFl3LNO0U
On LeBron James’ original Nike contract including a bonus if he was drafted by the Knicks:
“There was this dream, and in fact, it was kind of LeBron’s dream too. Literally the night before he agreed to his Nike contract. In the Nike contract, he got like a 20 or 30 percent bonus if he got drafted to the Knicks. They agreed to that the night before the Lottery. That’s why it was so important to get it done before the lottery, because they wanted to pay him. When the envelope opened and showed the Knicks at number nine, there was an audible sound in the room because people wanted LeBron to go to the Knicks.”
Alan Hahn
On LeBron James’ longstanding interest in joining the Knicks:
“He has always flirted with the idea of the Knicks for years. I always felt like there was going to be a connection at some point. And that’s what kind of makes me laugh now, like you were just saying, it’s like now that it was finally time, the Knicks were like, ‘No, we’re good. We got what we needed. We won our championship, so we’re all set.’ Now, he flies a helicopter to New York instead.”
Dec 30, 2019; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) defends Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) during the first half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
The Phoenix Suns may be benefiting from their opening night’s opponents’ roster construction.
When the Portland Trail Blazers, who the Suns play on opening night, signed Damian Lillard in the 2025 offseason, they knew that, barring injuries, they were set for a guard controversy. Rostering NBA champion and defensive guard Jrue Holiday, 2023 third overall pick Scoot Henderson, young scorer Shaedon Sharpe, and Lillard, Portland set themselves up to have a starting guard controversy once the 2026-2027 season rolled around and Lillard recovered from his torn Achilles. Then they traded for Ja Morant this summer, who, despite his recent decline and injury concerns, is another mouth that needs to be fed on offense.
Portland’s starting backcourt for opening night is still in question, according to Portland’s head coach, Micah Nori, so which of Portland’s guards are the Phoenix Suns most likely to face in their starting lineup?
Let’s take a look at the five and see who the two most likely are.
The Unlikely
Shaedon Sharpe
Off the bat we can eliminate Sharpe, who is expected to be out until at least late February with a torn meniscus. While unfortunate injury news, this comes as a defensive relief for the Suns, who saw Sharpe average 24 points per game on 48% shooting from the field against them last year.
Scoot Henderson
Henderson finished the 2025-2026 campaign strongly, with multiple 20+ point playoff games against the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the Western Conference Finals, including a dominant 31-point outing in Game 2 that saw him hit five threes.
Being sidelined for most of last season due to a hamstring injury, he played in just 30 games last regular season and started in just a third of them, with nearly all of them coming after Sharpe suffered an injury that kept him out of the starting lineup for the rest of the season, with Henderson taking his place.
Eligible for his first contract extension, Henderson and the Blazers have not come to an agreement, a potential sign they want to see him prove himself after an injury-ridden season. Considering the veteran presence on the roster, expect when opening night comes around to see Henderson in a reserve role.
The Favorites
Jrue Holiday
The team’s most consistent point guard last season, after a few down offensive years in Boston taking a back seat to Derrick White, Holiday showed that he can still play the point guard position at a high level, averaging 16 points and six assists per game on 38% shooting from three. Entering the 18th year of his career, he’s started in at least 90% of his team’s games since the 2015-2016 campaign and is known as one of the strongest and best defensive guards in the NBA, helping the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics win titles in 2021 and 2024, respectively.
Holiday didn’t start in the team’s preseason opener, and while he may not be the most dynamic or best scorer out of the five, he’s the best defender, has the most experience in the NBA, and knows what it takes to win at a high level. Suns fans know the type of defender Holiday is better than almost any fanbase…
Ja Morant
The newest member of the five, the Blazers bought low on Morant this offseason after multiple suspension and injury-riddled seasons since he was an All-Star in 2023. A dynamic scorer and passer, Morant has played more than 60 games over the past five seasons and averaged his lowest points per game since his rookie year, along with the worst shooting percentages from both the field and three, over 20 games last season.
While he said he’s open to coming off the bench, he started in the team’s first preseason game, playing just 19 minutes and scoring eight points.
Considering his recent rough seasons, three-point struggles, and defensive concerns with his thin frame, Morant is a true wildcard to start.
A Surprise if He Didn’t Start
Damian Lillard
After being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2023 and fully recovered from his torn Achilles, Lillard is set to take back the starting role he once donned in Portland for 11 seasons. An All-Star in the three previous years before he sat out all of last year rehabbing, he’s arguably the greatest Blazer of all time, and the last time he was healthy, he averaged 25 points and seven assists per game.
Starting in the preseason opener, like Morant, Lillard is a defensive liability. However, he’s been one of the most productive and high-volume three-point shooters in league history, and considering his leadership, what he means to the organization, and the last time we saw him healthy, he was playing at a high level, at the very least, expect Lillard to be one of the starting guards opening night against the Suns. Most reports have come out signaling that he’s the most likely person to be in the starting lineup out of anyone else in contention.
Who do you want to see Portland suit up in the backcourt against Phoenix on opening night?
The NBA General Manager Survey, which consists of 48 questions answered by all 30 NBA general managers, came out this past Thursday and there are many things to react to when you look at the responses with a Timberwolves centric lens.
*Keep in mind, GMs could not vote for their own players/team
Some of the best in the league
The GMs named Anthony Edwards the best shooting guard in the league by a wide margin. Meanwhile they named Jaden McDaniels as a top five perimeter defender, and the team as a whole was tied with the San Antonio Spurs as the team that will be the most fun to watch in the league. What I find most interesting is the fact that there seems to be a clear oxymoron in the way that the GMs voted when regarding the season outlook for the Timberwolves.
When asked to rank the teams in the Western Conference, the Wolves were ranked as the clear cut number three team, receiving 53% of the third place votes which was 23 points higher than the next team. What I found odd was the next category. When voters were asked about which team’s success will be the toughest to predict, Minnesota ranked second with 17% of the responses. That doesn’t make a ton of sense to me, as why would they be ranked as the third best team in the west when they’re going to be tough to predict?
Most of the questions pertaining to a potential successful season for Minnesota revolve around LaMelo Ball, Jonathan Kuminga, and the bench unit. I understand those uncertainties, but at what point can those just be explained away?
The LaMelo Ball mystery
LaMelo Ball will play in a true winning environment for the first time in his career, a phenomenon that most pundits don’t know what to do with. I’ll just tell you from my basketball experience, there is a noticeable bump in quality of play when you’re in a winning environment compared to a losing one. It’s easier to make the extra pass, make multiple efforts on defense, or actually attempt to box out when you feel like you have a chance.
Look no further than LaMelo’s last year in Charlotte when he was actually surrounded with some talent. They won 40 out of their last 64 games, not including a technical postseason play-in game. No offence to Kon Knueppel or Brandon Miller, but his supporting cast this year will be undoubtedly better.
Another concern about LaMelo is his potential fit as a ball dominant guard next to Anthony Edwards, who certainly will have the ball in his hands plenty. To the doubters of that fit with Ant, I want to pose a question to you: What was LaMelo’s first competitive basketball experience?
Well, it was being a facilitator for his brothers Lonzo and LiAngelo, of course. I see no reason why he can’t take those skills he learned in his basketball infancy and apply them with his new teammates, most notably Ant and Jaden McDaniels.
Kuminga conundrum
Let’s now move on to Jonathan Kuminga.
I understand the questions. I truly do. I know it didn’t work out in Golden State, and I know his time in Atlanta ended with a whimper. What I also know is that Steve Kerr had it out for him in Golden State, and that Atlanta never really committed to him. At a baseline, he’s a microwave scorer with major athletic upside, shows an affinity to run the floor, and is a big enough body to be able to match up physically. When you look at the other four Timberwolves starters, JK’s archetype is exactly what they need in a four-man. A fourth scorer behind Ant, LaMelo, and Jaden McDaniels, and a capable defender next to Rudy Gobert and Jaden.
Kuminga is even a capable shooter, but I don’t worry about that as much. Minnesota will have plenty of shooting in the starting lineup, though it’s nice to know that there is some ability there. There is also some need for scoring with the second unit (more on that later) but JK could easily be appeased with some offensive opportunity when on the floor with the second unit.
Depth pieces to prove
The last of what could be called one of Minnesota’s main concerns is the quality of the bench guys. Ayo Dosunmu got paid, but behind him there’s not a ton of proven commodities, just some potential. Guys like Joan Beringer, Terrence Shannon Jr., Bones Hyland, and Jaylen Clark all have plenty to prove.
But prove what, exactly?
Needing someone to spell Rudy Gobert? Even with his fouling problems, Beringer is more than capable of that right now as a rim runner, rebounder, and shot blocker, to say the least. Need some ball handling? Bones Hyland can and will play with the speed this team wants to play at and TSJ can be a menace attacking with his left hand above the break. Jaden is in foul trouble and you need a point of attack defender? As the warden of Clark County Jail, the former college Defensive Player of the Year can handle it, and has shown some shooting improvement in the preseason.
We don’t exactly know what we’re going to get from Cody Williams this season, but anything Finch can get from a trade piece that came back from a salary dump is an automatic plus. His shot is a work in progress, but he can defend in rotation and has shown the ability to punch gaps to get to the rim with good ball movement.
I’m not saying there aren’t genuine concerns about the Minnesota Timberwolves this season, what I’m saying is that the NBA GMs who voted for the Timberwolves to finish third in the Western Conference are probably more on the nose than those who voted them as the team whose success is most difficult to predict.
What do you think? Are the Wolves a clear cut three seed or are they more hard to predict? Sound off in the comments below.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 3: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates with the puck in the third period during the game against the Montreal Canadiens at PPG PAINTS Arena on October 3, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As much as we try, it can be tough to get a read on a team, good or bad, after the first handful of games to a season. You probably need to see at least 20 or 25 games before you start to get a true sense for how good or bad a team really is. But breaking a season down into 10-game segments can be a pretty good barometer for how a team is playing during a certain stretch, and if any trends (good or bad) are starting to emerge.
After the first 10 games you can at least start to pick out some thing that are either encouraging or a warning sign.
With the 2026-27 Penguins, there are a lot of warning signs.
So much so, that if things do not start to trend in a different direction very soon it might be time to start asking if this is the year things really do bottom out for them.
We will do a progress report after every 10-game stretch to see where the team is, and how it is progressing.
This is the first of those progress reports.
The objective performance
Ten-game record: 3-6-1 (7 points, 14th in Eastern Conference, 27th in NHL)
Goal differential: minus-5 (24th in NHL)
Goals per game: 3.20 (11th in NHL)
Goals against per game: 3.70 (27th in NHL)
Power play: 23.3 percent (11th in NHL)
Penalty kill: 80.8 percent (15th in NHL)
Expected Goals For Per 60 minutes (5-on-5): 3.o7 (6th in NHL)
Expected Goals Against Per 60 minutes (5-on-5): 2.53 (17th in NHL)
Expected Goals Share (5-on-5): 54.8 percent (7th in NHL)
All-Situations Save Percentage: .867 (25th in NHL)
There is an argument to be made the Penguins have been a little unlucky offensively, at least based on the number of chances they’ve generated. And honestly, I think that passes the eye test as well. The offensive slump after the first two games largely comes down to 1) the power play being a mess until Monday’s game in Utah, and 2) not enough finishing.
I still believe in the offense, and I really haven’t seen anything to suggest it can’t still be a good offensive team. There is enough forward talent there to score goals and I have to imagine some of these guys (looking at you, Rickard Rakell) are going to find the net eventually.
The bigger problem, as we should have probably feared, is everything regarding this team’s play defensively.
The biggest wild-card with them was always going to be what the goalies do. Arturs Silovs and Sergei Murashov were either going to do enough to cover up their defensive flaws and help them get to the playoffs, or they were going to struggle behind a sub-par defense and help send them to the lottery.
While I’m not going to put all of the goals against numbers on them, I don’t think it’s unfair to say that they haven’t consistently bailed them out (Sergei Murashov’s game in Columbus being the obvious exception to that).
Don’t take that as too much of a criticism. Because it’s not meant to be.
There is only so much a goalie can do, and there’s only so much expectation you can have for duo that includes a rookie goalie as one half of it, and a guy that probably projects as more of a backup than a starter as the other half of it. It’s just simply a statement of fact: That was one of the wild-card things that needed to go their way, and so far, it is has not played out that way.
The bigger issue is everything else regarding the team defensively, and it’s something everybody has to own.
The thing about the defensive struggles that are especially maddening is it’s not always a constant problem.
In terms of VOLUME, the chances against are not anything outrageous. It’s not great, but it’s not as bad as it could be, or as bad as some other teams in the NHL.
The problem is that when the mistakes and breakdowns DO happen, they are cataclysmic. Like, complete, system-wide break downs involving everybody on the ice that just shouldn’t be happening.
When they screw up, they get their money’s worth out of it.
I admit, I kind of liked this defense on paper, at least compared to last year’s group, but the early returns so far have not been good. They don’t exit the zone well, they don’t defend zone entries well, and they spend too much time chasing the puck in their own zone. It is a disruption to everything in all three zones. Add in some poor support from the forwards and you’ve got a team that has allowed way too many goals, in way too few games.
Ten-game takeaways
1. You might not be able to clinch a playoff spot in October, but you can play your way out of it. The Penguins gave themselves a cushion early in the 2025-26 season by banking a lot of early points and starting off 7-2-1 through 10 games.
They are doing the opposite this season and putting themselves into an early season hole that, historically, is tough to climb out of.
In the salary cap era there have been 112 teams that won three games or less over the first 10 games of a season.
Only 21 of them made the playoffs.
That is roughly 16 percent.
Only six teams have done it since the start of the 2016-17 season.
Only two have done it since the start of the 2021-22 season: The 2025-26 Minnesota Wild (3-5-2) and the 2023-24 Edmonton Oilers (2-7-1).
So … that is what you are looking at here.
2. Perhaps the most eye-opening part of this 10-game stretch is that the Penguins played three straight games against legitimate contenders in Colorado, Vegas and Utah and were outscored 16-8 in those games. There’s a bit of a gap here, obviously.
3. Along those lines, if you are in the group of fans that thinks the Penguins might need to bottom out for a year and get a top pick, you might get your wish this season. At least as long as the defensive effort and goaltending keeps doing what they have over the first 10 games. There’s still 74 games remaining. There’s a lot of time for things to change. They’ve played a pretty tough schedule so far with a lot of travel, while also having a lot of new faces thrown in together. It was never going to be perfect. But should it be as bad as it has been?
4. While nobody has been consistently good over the first 10 games the players that have stood out the most and impressed me the most have been Ben Kindel, Nicholas Robertson, the fourth line as a whole, and Sam Girard.
5. I really do not understand the Robertson usage. He is a younger player, he brings an element of speed to the lineup that a lot of the team is lacking, he is generating chances (and goals) at a rate higher than almost every other player on the team, always brings energy, and every line he has played on has been better with him on it than when he is off of it. Not only is he a guy you should want to find out about, he is also simply one of their most effective players right now.
6. I know Kindel is on a six-game point drought, but I still like his game. There needs to be reasonable expectations for 19-year-olds. Young players will struggle at times. If you want guys like him, Murashov, Ville Koivunen and whoever else is in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to get opportunities and bring some youth into the lineup, you have to be prepared for what youth sometimes does. Sometimes it struggles. Sometimes the production is not there. Part of the process.
7. Erik Karlsson’s offense is still a major factor, but I feel like he’s played into a lot of the puck management and defensive coverage issues that have plagued the team.
8. No forward line has been more damaging to the team’s defensive efforts than the top line. It’s a problem
The Penguins have had six forward line combinations play at least 25 minutes together this season.
Crosby-Rust-Rakell is the only one that is underwater in terms of expected goal share while they are fourth in actual goal-differential. In terms of goals against per 60 minutes, they are fifth. Given the number of minutes they play (literally the most minutes) they are a shocking drain defensively. What makes it even more concerning is they are getting heavy offensive zone starts and they are still ending up moving in the wrong direction.
When none of those three players are on the ice the Penguins are actually outscoring their opponents during 5-on-5 play (it is only 13-12, but still…) with a significantly better expected goal share.
If the team is going to win games this season, that can not happen. They need more, and better, from that trio. No other way to put it.
9. The only defense pairings that have even come close to being functional and produced anything close to passable results are Girard and Kaedan Korczak, and the little bit we have seen from Kris Letang and Spencer Stastney.
10. I had reasonably high hopes for Declan Carlile, and while it’s too soon to give up on him (I am not), he has been a serious issue the past few games, even with the occasional goal.
Martin St-Louis spoke to the media Tuesday morning after the Montreal Canadiens' practice at the Bell Centre and revealed a couple of changes to his lineup: David Reinbacher will make way for Adam Engstrom, while Jakub Dobes will take over for Jacob Fowler in net.
The coach said removing Reinbacher from the lineup had nothing to do with performance; it’s about making the most of the opportunity to get these young players playing in the NHL right now. With the Jayden Struble trade and the Mike Matheson injury, there is a spot on the blueline, and the organization is clearly keen to take stock of what it has in its hands with both Reinbacher and Engstrom.
As to the fact that Dobes gets the net, the coach didn’t have much to say:
I don’t think it was a long conversation, you know. I trust Marco [Marciano].
While Fowler won his last game, a more active stick on a couple of goals might have kept the Buffalo Sabres from scoring, so it’s not entirely surprising the coaching staff decided to give Dobes the net. The same way St-Louis doesn’t want his players to give the referees an opportunity to call a penalty, it seems his goaltenders shouldn’t give him an opportunity to go with the other option. Has to be said, however, that he wants them both to have some rhythm:
Of course it’s important to keep them active. We’re very confident with our goaltenders. You must ensure that you keep them active, and we’ve got a bit of a rhythm for them
It will be interesting to see how Dobes does; historically, he hasn’t had much success against Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks. The Czech netminder was in net for both duels last season and lost both times. In his last outing, he surrendered five goals on just 23 shots against the Washington Capitals, posting a .792 save percentage. Dobes is now 1-2-1 this season, with a 4.63 goals-against average and an .842 SV. With Samuel Montembeault out of action, the situation hasn’t been dire for Dobes, but should he not find his form before the Becancour native returns, the crease could get very crowded.
While we all know the mental health of every Philadelphia sports fan for at least the next 6-8 months is reliant on the Sixers having a good 2026-27 season, let’s not turn that into a negative. The Sixers are about to open their season at Madison Square Garden against the team that eliminated them from the postseason last spring. The New York Knicks will raise their championship banner on Tuesday night and then it’s all business in a rivalry that might be the juiciest in the NBA during the upcoming season.
The emotions of Sixers fans have changed quite a bit from the last time Philly and New York squared off. It was a very bleak Mother’s Day as the Knicks clobbered the Sixers in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. The goodwill that the Sixers had built up in Philadelphia after rallying from a 3-1 deficit against the Celtics in the first round was quickly gone and the early outlook for the offseason wasn’t particularly optimistic. It felt like the franchise was stuck.
We all know what’s happened since. Mike Gansey has given the fanbase a shot in the arm. We won’t rehash the offseason, because that’s also a thing of the past now. The 2026-27 season has arrived. For the first time in a while, instead of waiting for something bad to happen, or even entering the season with a strong sense of apathy, Sixers fans are excited about their team. For some, the players will have to prove they were worth the preseason hype on the court, and that’s fair.
But the fact that we’ve reached this point at all, to where the consensus opinion around the Sixers is one of overwhelming excitement, should be a welcomed change. We’re not asking ourselves how many games Joel Embiid is going to miss. We’re not asking ourselves if the rotation is deep enough to withstand problems in the postseason that could come with facing a team with a strong bench like the Knicks. We’re not asking ourselves about possible exit strategies during the season off bad contracts if certain players are to perform well enough to become tradeable.
These are all things that Sixers fans have wondered about when new seasons started in recent years. The start of a season was more about how to best weather the inevitable problems that were going to arise instead of simply enjoying the fact that a season was about to start. The start of any season for any sports team at any level is supposed to symbolize hope. Everyone’s starting from scratch and regardless of what the expert pickers are saying about the season, the games will still be played, and the results will be determined by the players between the lines.
In recent seasons, Sixers fans understandably have gotten away from those early season feelings of excitement. Fans have become cynical and bracing themselves for pain. Perhaps the 2026-27 will be a new source of disappointment for Sixers fans. But as we prepare to start another Sixers season, there’s certainly more optimism and enthusiasm about the team than there has been in a long time.
Enjoy it, Sixers fans, you’ve suffered plenty. You’re allowed to smile for at least a little bit.
In the first Test in Durban, it was Australia’s lower order hanging in with one established batter that first frustrated, then demoralised South Africa. In the second, on the third day in Gqeberha, South Africa returned the favour. Temba Bavuma played the role of Matthew Renshaw, assembling a near-flawless 179, combining with Marco Jansen’s 85 and Simon Harmer’s 82 to take the hosts to a declaration at 425 for 9. Australia then lost one wicket for three in reply.
Eight years ago, during Australia’s previous visit, Bavuma was a hard luck story. In his 29th Test and facing questioning for having only made one century in that time, he had Australia on the mat at Johannesburg in the aftermath of sandpaper week, until the last two wickets fell in two balls to strand him on 95 not out.
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 24: A detail shot of the World Series logo is seen prior to Game One of the 2025 World Series presented by Capital One between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Friday, October 24, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Colton Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Four days after the Milwaukee Brewers finished off their sweep of the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night won their American League Championship Series by dispatching the Cleveland Guardians in Game 6 at Tropicana Field.
The Brewers last played in the Fall Classic in 1982, when they were an American League team, and have been around as a franchise since 1969. The Rays did not exist until 1998, and this is their third World Series, along with 2008 and 2020.
Neither the Brewers nor Rays have won a championship, which gives the 2026 Fall Classic a rarity — the first championship matchup featuring two teams who have never won a World Series since the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals in 1980.
Game 1 of the World Series is Friday night at American Family Field in Milwaukee, with every game of the series a 5 p.m. PT telecast on Fox.
Today’s question is simple — Who are you rooting for in the 2026 World Series? Let us know in the comments below.
