For this column, we’re going to construct a potential reality for you: first, let’s presume the Buffalo Sabres don’t wind up winning the sweepstakes for disgruntled Winnipeg Jets star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. The Sabres are reported to have interest in Hellebuyck, and really, who can blame them? We’re talking about a Hart Trophy winner as the NHL’s most valuable regular-season player and a Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goalie. If you’re a team like the Sabres who could be seeking an upgrade in net, there may be no better upgrade than Hellebuyck.
But just because you want your first choice between the pipes, that doesn’t mean you’re going to get it. So let’s also presume another team outbids Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen for Hellebuyck’s services. If that turns out to be true, will Buffalo just ride out the season with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Colten Ellis and Alex Lyon as their three-headed goalie monster? Given that Luukkonen currently has a .860 save percentage, and Ellis has an .864 SP, that doesn’t sound like the best solution for the Sabres.
(And yes, we’ve heard Kekalainen speak of his confidence in his current goalies. What should we expect him to say – that he sees what the rest of us see, which is that there are definitely better options for the Sabres in net? He’d be sabotaging every shred of leverage he’d need to consummate a trade for a goalie. So let’s go forward with the understanding that Buffalo will still pursue a goalie.)
So, we’re proposing a different target if the Sabres don’t land Hellebuyck: Minnesota Wild veteran Filip Gustavsson. Of course, the 28-year-old Gustavsson has yet to play a game this season as he recovers from off-season hip surgery. But with young netminder Jesper Wallstedt currently thriving for the Wild, Gustavsson is likely to be the best available goalie after Hellebuyck.
Indeed, Gustavsson would be a major upgrade for the Sabres. He’s a workhorse who’s averaged 51 appearances per year in the past three seasons. He’s averaged a .911 SP in 219 career regular-season NHL games, and he’s averaged a 2.67 GAA in that span. And perhaps the best part – he’s in the first year of a five-year contract extension paying him $6.8-million per season. That’s the type of cost-certain asset that would allow Buffalo to spend in other areas.
The Wild aren’t simply going to hand Gustavsson to the Sabres. They’ll have to pony up something of value, but that’s Kekalainen’s job – he has to figure out how to sell Gustavsson on Buffalo as a team, and he’s got to sell Minnesota counterpart Bill Guerin on dealing Gustavsson to the Sabres.
That said, we see plenty of value in Gustavsson. He signed his contract extension before Wallstedt established himself as the Wild’s starter, and he no doubt is a proud veteran who doesn’t want to be relegated to the bench as Wallstedt’s understudy. In Buffalo, he’d be the clear-cut No. 1, and he’d be in that role for the long-term.
Thus, if you’re a Sabres fan and Buffalo fails to acquire Hellebuyck, don’t be despondent – there are other options out there. And from this writer’s point-of-view, the best goalie option probably available via trade – at least, right now – is most definitely Gustavsson.
Scott Wedgewood has done everything in his power to keep the Avalanche in the game, but Colorado’s defensive breakdowns and lack of offensive production have left it chasing New Jersey through 40 minutes.
Gabe Landeskog’s first-period equalizer briefly erased an early deficit, but an unfortunate own goal from Brock Nelson put the Devils back in front, leaving the Avalanche trailing 2-1 while being outshot 32-13 heading into the third period.
First Period
The Avalanche were outplayed, outshot and on their heels for much of the opening period, but Gabe Landeskog ensured they had something to show for it on the scoreboard. Despite surrendering 14 shots and managing just four of their own, Colorado escaped the first 20 minutes tied 1-1 with the New Jersey Devils, thanks to Landeskog’s late equalizer.
The defensive issues that plagued Colorado against the Flyers carried over into its matchup with the Devils. New Jersey came out flying, recording seven shots on goal in the opening five minutes while the Avalanche failed to register a single shot of their own.
Nathan MacKinnon endured a difficult start as well, getting knocked to the ice in his own defensive zone by Devils forward Dawson Mercer while away from the puck. Despite what appeared to be a clear interference penalty, no call was made.
New Jersey broke the deadlock at 6:40, capitalizing on a defensive miscue by Colorado. MacKinnon was unable to corral a loose puck in the defensive zone, allowing the Devils to regain possession. The puck eventually found Luke Evangelista, who fired it past Scott Wedgewood to give New Jersey an early 1-0 lead.
Landeskog responded with 5:28 remaining in the period, bringing the Avalanche back even. Cale Makar shook off a defender before slipping a backhanded pass to Landeskog at the top of the right circle. Landeskog fired on goal and buried his own rebound to tie the game at 1-1.
Colorado’s defensive struggles continued late in the frame when Artturi Lehkonen was called for delay of game after shooting the puck over the glass with 1:38 remaining. The Devils immediately pressured the Avalanche net, crashing the crease and forcing Wedgewood to come up with several difficult stops to keep the game tied.
After 20 minutes, the score remained 1-1, but the shots on goal told a different story. New Jersey held a commanding 14-4 advantage, leaving Colorado with plenty to clean up heading into the second period.
Second Period
The second period brought more of the same, with Colorado struggling to generate offense as New Jersey continued to dictate the pace and pile up scoring chances.
Seven minutes into the period, the Devils held an 8-1 advantage in shots on goal, keeping Wedgewood under relentless pressure. The Avalanche netminder stood tall, turning aside one shot after another to prevent New Jersey from extending its lead.
As the period approached its midpoint, Parker Kelly provided a rare spark for Colorado. Coming off the bench, Kelly drove hard to the net and attempted to slip a puck past Devils goaltender Jake Allen with one hand, but Allen turned him away.
New Jersey eventually regained the lead with 7:29 remaining in the period, though the goal came on an unfortunate bounce for Colorado. Declan Chisholm unleashed a slap shot from the point that deflected off Brock Nelson and into the Avalanche net, giving the Devils a 2-1 advantage.
Colorado struggled to mount a meaningful response as the period wound down, leaving Wedgewood with little margin for error despite his strong performance between the pipes.
After 40 minutes, New Jersey held a 2-1 lead and a staggering 32-13 advantage in shots on goal. Wedgewood has kept the Avalanche within striking distance, but Colorado will need a much stronger third period offensively and a significant improvement defensively to avoid letting this one slip away.
Third Period
The Avalanche came out with more life to start the third, generating a flurry of chances. Martin Necas tested Jake Allen with a backhand before setting up a one-timer that led to a rebound opportunity for Nathan MacKinnon. Cale Makar even dove into the crease trying to jam the loose puck home, but Colorado couldn’t find the finish.
That brief burst of hope was cute while it lasted. Arseny Gritsyuk then picked MacKinnon’s pocket, skated past Necas, shrugged off Devon Toews, and buried a backhand past Scott Wedgewood to make it 3-1. A defensive disaster from start to finish, and another reminder that New Jersey had no intention of letting Colorado back into the game.
The Avalanche finally earned their first power play of the night with 11:17 remaining after Evan Rodrigues was called for hooking Gabriel Landeskog, giving Colorado a chance to claw its way back into the game.
Put your shades on because these rings are dazzling!
The New York Knicks received their championship rings on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at Madison Square Garden ahead of their season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers. The arena was buzzing as Knicks and ABC play-by-play announcer Mike Breen led the ceremony to honor New York's first title in 53 years. Knicks superfan Ben Stiller was in the crowd filming the festivities on his phone.
The rings were crafted by Jason of Beverly Hills and feature the Knicks logo in orange gems on the ring face with a line of blue gems surrounding the entire base. The top of the ring opens up to reveal the inside of Madison Square Garden. The back of the band has "Knicks in Five" engraved on it, to commemorate that New York beat the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 in the NBA Finals. The inside of the band has the number "10 weeks" engraved in black, a call back to Knicks owner James Dolan rallying his team to make sacrifices for the length of the playoff run.
One of the sides of the ring says "World Champions" with the records for each of New York's series wins and the Larry O'Brien Trophy encrusted in diamonds. The other side has the player's name and number with a gold image of the outside of Madison Square Garden.
Jason of Beverly Hills is responsible for several recent championship rings across sports, including for the Carolina Hurricanes, Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles and the winner of the WBC Crown Series Undisputed Championship fight between Canelo Álvarez and Terence Crawford.
DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons erased a 22-point second-half deficit and used a 23-0 fourth-quarter run to defeat the Boston Celtics 121-113 Tuesday at Little Caesars Arena for their first win of the season.
Boston took its largest lead at 72-50 early in the third quarter before Detroit completely flipped the game, storming back behind its bench and a fourth-quarter surge.
Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren each scored 22 points for Detroit, with Cunningham adding eight assists and Duren grabbing nine rebounds. Duncan Robinson finished with 21 points and made five 3-pointers, while Ausar Thompson added 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Javonte Green provided perhaps the biggest spark. After not playing in the first half, Green scored 19 points off the bench and helped fuel Detroit’s comeback over the final two quarters.
Paul George scored a game-high 38 points in his Celtics debut, the most points ever scored by a Boston player in his first game with the team. Derrick White and Payton Pritchard added 17 points apiece.
Jayson Tatum finished with 13 points and 11 assists, but struggled from the field, shooting 6-for-23 and missing all seven of his 3-point attempts.
Neither team created much separation early. The game was tied at 13 midway through the opening quarter before Boston carried a 28-27 advantage into the second.
The Celtics began to take control late in the first half. After Detroit tied the game at 39, Boston used a 15-0 run as part of a 19-6 closing stretch to take a 58-45 lead into halftime.
Detroit shot 38.6% from the field and just 22.2% from beyond the arc in the first half, while Boston connected on 48% of its shots and 40% from 3.
George kept the Celtics rolling to begin the third quarter, hitting three 3-pointers in less than a minute as Boston built its 22-point lead.
That was when Detroit began to turn the game around.
The Pistons trimmed the deficit to 77-64 with 5:33 remaining in the third before a 16-4 run brought them within single digits for the first time since the second quarter. Green helped lead the charge as Detroit eventually pulled within three at 85-82.
Detroit outscored Boston 37-30 in the third and entered the fourth trailing just 88-82.
The Celtics appeared to regain control when they pushed their advantage back to 96-84 early in the fourth, but the Pistons responded again. Detroit pulled within 99-95 with 7:34 remaining before taking its first lead since the opening quarter.
Green hit the go-ahead 3-pointer, Duren followed with a three-point play and Robinson connected from deep as Detroit surged ahead 107-99.
The run eventually reached 23-0 as the Pistons turned what had been a double-digit deficit into their largest lead of the afternoon.
Boston finally ended the drought, but Detroit maintained control and pushed its lead to 114-105 with two minutes remaining. The Celtics made one final push to cut the margin to four, but the Pistons held on to complete the season-opening comeback.
Detroit travels to Miami on Friday, while Boston hosts the New York Knicks.
Before the Knicks could begin their 2026-27 campaign, they had one last bit of important championship business to take care of.
In front of a roaring home crowd cloaked in blue and orange, New York celebrated its historic NBA Finals run one last time ahead of its season opener against the Eastern Conference-rival Philadelphia 76ers, forever memorializing the effort in the Madison Square Garden rafters with a banner after each player received their glittery championship rings.
Ahead of the evening's festivities, the team also retroactively hung up a banner recognizing their 2025 NBA cup win against the San Antonio Spurs.
"I think it's just a recognition of what our journey was like last year," head coach Mike Brown said of the banners. "There were a lot of ups and down throughout the course of the year. Our guys rallied and figured out a way to win the NBA Cup, and then you go ahead and you win the ... Final. It's just a recognition [of] not just our guys, but the fans out there. We've got fantastic fans, and to be able to show a little love to them is pretty neat."
The Larry O’Brien trophy has arrived back to Madison Square Garden 🏆 https://t.co/nYnYhZNXtc
After receiving a lengthy round of "MVP" chants as he jogged onto the court to receive his ring, captain Jalen Brunson had a message for all the Knicks fans who waited 53 years for the title.
"As much as we won this, we wouldn't have done it without you guys. This is unbelievable. This is really a dream come true," he said. "I know that we're all excited to get the season going, and we're waiting to turn the page as a team, but one thing I would like to say is that the joy that this city had this summer — we would love to replicate that again."
Jalen Brunson gets his ring from Clyde Frazier https://t.co/pkc0hq95E8
Brown said that while he hopes his players can find an emotional balance between celebrating their previous accomplishments and working toward the new, he wanted them to experience the moment in full.
"Knock on wood, this could be a once-in-a-lifetime thing. You never know," Brown said. "You definitely want guys to embrace it and celebrate it with each other because they went through a lot, with the fans, with the rest of the organization, and with their families. You don't want to take that moment away from them."
But he also knows that one night — even if it ends up a rough one — shouldn't set the tone for the whole 82-game season.
"No matter what happens tonight ... there's a lot of basketball left. Whatever happens tonight is not going to define us," Brown said. "I would rather them enjoy the moment than me cutting it short or carving into their emotions."
The Utah Mammoth have called a player up from the AHL for the first time this season, and it’s one of their top defensive prospects.
On Tuesday, the team recalled Artem Duda from the Tucson Roadrunners. The defenseman has three points in six games with the Roadrunners this season. He is tied with Zac Jones for the team lead in points among defensemen. Duda is also a plus-six, the best plus-minus rating on the team.
This is Duda’s first-ever NHL call-up. He was originally drafted in the second round in 2022 by the Arizona Coyotes. Last season, Duda only played 27 games, producing 13 points before suffering a season-ending injury that resulted in knee surgery.
However, the defenseman worked hard over the summer to regain strength in his leg before having an impressive rookie camp and a very solid training camp. He was one of the final cuts, alongside Ben McCartney, as the Mammoth sent him down right before the season started.
Duda has mentioned that he has never felt better, and early results have shown that he’s not lying.
“I feel like I’m the strongest person I’ve ever been,” Duda said. “Everything is good. The knee is good. I’m skating and playing physically. I just have to keep going like that.”
The Mammoth are currently starting to deal with injuries. John Marino did not play in Monday’s game vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins, forcing Nick DeSimone to sub in his place. Michael Carcone was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday with an upper-body injury. The forward has not played since Oct. 8 in a game against the Boston Bruins.
It’s unclear if Duda will actually play in his first NHL game during this call-up. Last season, the Mammoth called up Maksymilian Szuber, Kevin Connauton, Scott Perunovich, Dmitri Simashev, and Maveric Lamoureux throughout the season. Only the latter two names appeared in games with the Mammoth.
Duda is also ineligible for waivers, meaning he doesn’t have to clear them to be returned to the Roadrunners, which could mean a quick return to the AHL if needed. It could be a reason why the Mammoth opted to call him up over someone like Jones, who has to clear waivers.
The Roadrunners will likely play their first two games without Duda this weekend as they travel to Nevada to play the Henderson Silver Knights. They have options to fill that void with Cal Thomas and Brandon Holt, both deserving of the opportunity to play.
The Mammoth will play their next game on Thursday as they travel to Climate Pledge Arena to take on the Seattle Kraken.
Much of the offseason discussion in Detroit centered on whether the Pistons had added enough shooting around Cade Cunningham. But Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff turned to a lesser-known returning player on Tuesday to provide an unlikely spark that kick-started Detroit after beginning its season opener 4 of 22 from beyond the arc.
Green had 19 points and played nearly 18 minutes in the second half after not playing during the first two quarters of the game. A veteran in his second season with the Pistons, Green drilled three consecutive 3-pointers shortly after entering in the third quarter before adding two more in the fourth, including the go-ahead basket.
Paul George
George set a new Celtics record by scoring 38 points in his Boston debut and was especially good as the Celtics built a 22-point lead that the Pistons eventually erased. The 36-year-old George, who came to Boston in the Jaylen Brown trade this offseason, made 10 of his first 14 shots from the field including six 3-pointers. He seemed to work well with Jayson Tatum and took on the defensive assignment of guarding Cade Cunningham at times. Though George missed a couple 3-pointers late as the Celtics tried to reverse the momentum, this performance was a good sign that he can form an elite combination with Tatum if he can stay healthy.
NBA opening day losers
Jayson Tatum
Tatum's evolution as a playmaker was evident Tuesday, as he finished with 11 assists. But Boston also needs him to be its primary scorer, particularly after trading Jaylen Brown, and he couldn't fill that role in the second half. His poor shooting performance contributed to the team's collapse. He was 1 for 9 from the floor after halftime and his lone field goal came with less than three minutes left and the Pistons' lead in double digits. Tatum was just 6 of 23 from the floor and 0 for 7 from 3-point range overall on Tuesday.
NBA on NBC's matinee rollout
The NBA is closely watching the audience response to its opening-day matinee experiment, but some fans encountered issues as Tuesday's opening game unfolded. Social media was filled with complaints from viewers who said Celtics-Pistons was unavailable in their market, with YouTube TV subscribers appearing particularly affected. The company wrote on its X account that "the availability of games/programs on YouTube TV depends on our network partners."
It will be interesting to see what the ratings turn out to be considering the NBA is evaluating this initial game to determine whether to continue having daytime openers in the future.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 13: A Los Angeles Dodgers groundscrew worker paints the postseason logo on the field before the Milwaukee Brewers workout prior to the NLCS at Dodger Stadium on October 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, it looks like we’ll be sitting tight for a few days. Game 1 of the World Series won’t be until the night of October 23, so that means there will be no more baseball until then.
In the mean time, what are y’all planning on watching tonight? If you’re a basketball fan then you’re well aware that it’s Opening Night in the NBA, so there are a pair of really exciting games planned tonight as the Knicks host the Sixers and the Thunder host the Spurs. I’m still happy that the classic NBA on NBC theme is back, so that lone is enough to entice me.
Outside of that, is there anything else that y’all are planning on watching? If you’re still having trouble finding something to watch, here are some 2021 NLCS highlights to enjoy.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 19: Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run in the seventh inning during Game Six of the American League Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday, October 19, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Entering the American League Championship, there wasn’t one team I wanted to play more than the other. Quite honestly, I was happy that it was going to be two small-market teams in the World Series either way, and last night, that was settled. The Tampa Bay Rays won the American League pennant for the first time since 2020, and their third time overall.
While there’s plenty of storylines to go around, it was a series that the Rays had to fight from behind in, after trailing 2-1 to the Cleveland Guardians. After the comeback was complete, former Brewers ace Freddy Peralta was named ALCS MVP, creating a number of storylines revolving around how half the Rays rotation are former Brewers.
For Brewers fans across the board, the opponent didn’t matter, but the length of the series did. The ALCS went six games, just one shy of the maximum, as the Rays took care of business. Let’s take a look at how they got it done.
Game 1: Guardians 7, Rays 3
By the time this game had started, the Brewers already had a two-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers. By the time Game 1 ended, it looked like Cleveland was going to power their way to their first pennant since 2016.
The Rays got out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning before being quieted the rest of the way. The Guardians slowly picked their way back into the game off of a Chase DeLauter solo blast in the top of the sixth inning, which was then followed up with Patrick Bailey’s solo home run in the top of the seventh to tie the game. After taking a 4-2 lead on a Nathaniel Lowe base hit, the Rays chipped back for one more on a Cedric Mullins home run to cut the Guardians’ lead down to 4-3. That was the last we saw of the Rays offense as Cleveland cleaned house in the top of the ninth inning, scoring three runs to win 7-3.
Rays ace Drew Rasmussen shone with six innings of two-run ball and seven strikeouts. His bullpen was unable to pick him up, though, as they allowed a combined five runs over the remaining three innings. For the Guardians, everyone had a hand in the win as six pitchers made an appearance, striking out eight.
Game 2: Rays 3, Guardians 1
The first of three Freddy Peralta appearances throughout this series occurred as he threw six scoreless innings, striking out six batters. The Rays scored one of their runs via a fielder’s choice and another on an error, as their offense struggled to muster a big hit to extend the lead.
Parker Messick threw the team’s longest outing of the series to that point, spanning five innings and no earned runs due to the error. The lone offensive highlight came on a DeLauter double to drive in a run, but they ultimately stranded the tying run on second base, sealing the victory for the Rays.
Game 3: Guardians 3, Rays 2
Cleveland received another masterful outing from one of their arms as Gavin Williams threw five innings of two-run ball, allowing just two hits while striking out nine. His offense had his back from the beginning as Lowe smacked his second double of the series to give them a 1-0 lead. After the speedy Chandler Simpson tripled to give Tampa Bay their lone lead of the game, Petey Halpin hit a two-run home run to reclaim a 3-2 lead. Both bullpens held down the fort as Tampa’s offense wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.
Game 4: Rays 7, Guardians 3
This game was initially rained out, making it the first in MLB’s playoffs since a postponement occurred during Game 3 of the 2022 World Series. Having to push the game back a day, and not allowing any days off for travel, the Rays got hot. After an early Guardians lead, Jonathan Aranda jump-started the offense to tie the game at 1-1. A few singles pushed the Rays’ lead to 4-1, until the eventual knockout blow came off the bat of Yandy Díaz in the top of the ninth inning to seal a 7-3 Rays win. On the mound, Tampa’s Nick Martinez went 5 1/3 innings, allowing one run in the win.
Game 5: Rays 3, Guardians 1
Game 5 showcased more stellar pitching, but three straight one-run innings from the Rays offense carried them the rest of the way. The key to success in this game was forcing Messick out of the game after just two innings, forcing the bullpen to go into early action in the third. The Rays received an even better outing from Rasmussen, who went seven innings and allowed one run, striking out six.
Small ball continued to be the source of the offense for the Rays as a bases-loaded walk and a pair of run-scoring singles drove in the three runs. Cleveland had the tying run up to the plate in the bottom of the ninth but couldn’t extend the game any further.
Game 6: Rays 7, Guardians 3
The same score as Game 4, as the Rays went for the knockout punch. Peralta set Tampa Bay up nicely with 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball. The bullpen had one worrisome moment as the Guardians had the bases loaded and a chance to tie or take the lead, but Tyler Wells allowed just two runs as the Guardians scored their final runs of the 2026 season. Already leading 3-1, Junior Caminero landed the first blow on a two-run home run to extend the Rays’ lead to 5-1. The final blow came off the bat of Díaz, who hit another two-run blast to lock up the Rays’ third AL pennant.
The Brewers and the Rays kick things off on Friday night with first pitch coming at 7 p.m. We’ll have plenty more coverage in the coming days.
Ahead of the doors opening at Madison Square Garden, each seat was given a T-shirt that says "2026-27 Champions Night" in gold letters with an image of the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
The Knicks won last season's championship, which capped the 2025-26 season. Some people on social media are pointing out that the wording of the T-shirts celebrating that title on opening day of the 2026-27 season is a bit funny. Philadelphia Inquirer editor DeAntae Prince joked that "The Knicks have crowned themselves as the 2026-27 champions…. Prior to the season opener."
Midfielder scores for first time since heart surgery
Ten-man Atlético hang on for draw against Stuttgart
Scott McTominay scored his first two goals of the season to help Napoli beat Bodø/Glimt 4-3 and relieve pressure on the coach, Massimiliano Allegri. McTominay, who also hit the post, missed a month of the season after undergoing a surgical procedure in early September to treat an irregular heartbeat.
Matteo Politano’s first-minute opener was cancelled out by Bodø’s Jens Petter Hauge. McTominay restored Napoli’s lead before the break only for Andreas Helmersen to again level for the Norwegian club.
Illuminated NBA logo above the entrance to the NBA Store on Fifth Avenue, New York, New York, September 29, 2026. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images) | Gado via Getty Images
Finally.
I know we have to wait until tomorrow to watch the Rockets versus Mavericks (because they didn’t see enough of them in China) but actual basketball is here!
If you are a hoophead that’s been suffering from a lack of basketball, yes, the lack of Rockets action hurts a bit, but there’s still that sweet, sweet, relief that can only come from injecting basketball straight into your brain.
The NBA has set a good lineup for everyone tonight, as well.
Do you live in the USA? Do you want to watch the evening and night games? Guess what? What’s old is new again. You can hear “Roundball Rock” and watch the games on NBC. Just NBC, free to air.
Matinee: Boston vs Detroit
These are projected to be two of the top contenders in the NBA and last season Detroit won 60 games, and Boston won 56. I think win totals will be depressed somewhat by a lack of obviously tanking teams, especially with the March Tank-A-Thon likely being gone. That said, I have both these teams in the mid 50s for wins, and they’re in the running to make a Finals appearance.
This is an afternoon game, on a regular weekday in the US, and I can only conclude they offered this game for essentially Europe and the Middle East, so they’d get a night game to watch.
This game has been fun, with Boston taking a lead, and Detroit coming back. The best player in this game is exactly who you would expect: Paul George. Paul has 38pts/5rb/2ast/3TO/5STL just as you’d expect.
Boston made this one annoying at the end, perhaps in a tribute to Rick Carlisle, but the Pistons win it 121(!) to 113. The Pistons
Early Game – 76ers at Knicks
Time: 6:00 PM CST
Where to Watch: NBC, plain old NBC
We get to see the NBA Champions start their season at MSG. You can expect this will be a hot ticket, with lots of celebrities in the crowd. Philly has LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, to go along with Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe. The Knicks pretty much return their championship team, minus the guy actually drafted by the Knicks, Mitchell Robinson.
Late Game – Thudner at Spurs
Time: 8:30 PM CST
Where to Watch: NBC, also plain old NBC
The Finals loser San Antonio goes against their Western Conference Finals opponent. A contest of the consensus two best teams in the Western Conference, everyone is healthy, so it should be fun. It’s not such a late start that it should cause many problems, too.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 20: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics drives around John Collins #20 of the Detroit Pistons during the first half at Little Caesars Arena on October 20, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Celtics led the Pistons by 22 in the 2nd half. Then the game flipped as the Celtics, very much like they did in the first round last year, collapsed and lost to the Pistons, 121-113. It was a struggle for Jayson Tatum who had just 13 points on 6/23 from the field. Meanwhile, Cade Cunningham’s 22 points and 8 assists won the day for the Pistons.
The Celtics started their preseason starters, Derrick White, Paul George, Jordan Walsh, Jayson Tatum and Mitchell Robinson. Devin Carter missed the game with mononucleosis. The Pistons started Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins and Jalen Duren. Tauren Prince (yes, he is on the Pistons now) was the only one out for Detroit.
It was a slow start for the Celtics, who had turnovers on their first 3 possessions. Jayson Tatum scored the first Celtics basket of the season, on an and-1 layup.
Jordan Walsh had a big impact early in the game, he had 4 rebounds (including 2 on the offensive side) in the first 5:46 of the game. However, the Celtics offense was sloppy as a whole, With 6 turnovers in the first quarter.
A Jayson Tatum buzzer beater had the Celtics leading at the end of the first quarter, 28-27. Tatum led the Celtics with 7 points, 4 assists and 3 rebounds, playing the whole first quarter. Payton Pritchard had 6 points off of the bench.
The Celtics played 11 players in the first 15 minutes of the game, they are clearly going to limit the Mitchell Robinson and Paul George minutes this year.
The Pistons were winning the turnover and rebounding battle early in the game. That is something that won’t sit well with Joe Mazzulla, who is constantly preaching the shot margins.
The Celtics went on a 15-0 run in the 2nd quarter to take a 50-39 lead in the 2nd quarter.
We had the double big lineup of Mitchell Robinson and Neemias Queta for the last 1:11 of the first half.
Kevin Huerter hit a buzzer beater at the end of the half but he did not get if off in time and the Celtics led 58-45 at the end of the first half. Paul George led the Celtics in scoring with 17 points while Tatum had 11 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds.
George moved into 8th all time in three point makes in the first half.
Paul George has moved past Kyle Korver into 8th place on the NBA’s all-time 3-point makes list with the 2,451st make of his career.
George took over in the third quarter with 11 points in the first 4 minutes. He had 31 points midway in the third quarter, the most for any player in a Celtics debut.
Paul George has set the Celtics’ franchise record for most points in a debut performance.
He has 31 points through the midway mark of the third quarter.
After the Celtics took a 22 point lead, the Pistons went on a 19-6 run to cut Boston’s lead to 9. Former Celtic Javonte Green hit the big three pointer.
The game really flipped on the Celtics, all the sudden the Pistons were making all their threes and the Celtics couldn’t make a shot. Jayson Tatum had a missed layup and a pass thrown into the 2nd row in back to back possessions.
The Celtics led by 6 at the end of the 3rd quarter. George led the team with 31 points while Tatum had 11 points and 1o assists, while being held score less in the third quarter.
The Celtics got off to a good start in the 4th quarter, extending the lead to 12, 96-84.
After the Celtics took a 10 point lead, Duncan Robinson hit back to back threes to cut the lead to 4 with 7:34 left as Joe Mazzulla called a timeout.
The Pistons continued it out of the timeout as the Celtics collapse continued. An 18-0 run put the Pistons up by 8 107-99, with 5:10 remaining in the game.
A devastating collapse from the Celtics as the Pistons took a 13 point lead before a Derrick White layup ended a 23-0 run.
The Celtics cut the lead to 4 but a big Ausar Thompson shot put the Pistons back up 6 with 41 seconds to go in the game. Tatum then took a mid range shot that he missed and Duncan Robinson put the Pistons up 7 with 18 seconds to go.
The Celtics lost the game, 121-113. Paul George led the team with 38 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals. The Pistons were led by Javonte Green’s 19 points and Duncan Robinson’s 21 points.
The Celtics shot 46% from the field and 41% from three while the Pistons shot 43% from the field and 38% from three. The Celtics home opener is Friday at 7pm/EST on Prime Video against the defending champion New York Knicks.
SACRAMENTO, CA - OCTOBER 5: Adou Thiero #1 of the Los Angeles Lakers plays defense during the game against the Sacramento Kings during a 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 5, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On the eve of their first game of the season, the Lakers look set to start the season without their two young stars.
LA took to the practice floor on Tuesday for their final tune-up before hosting the Warriors, but did so without either Cameron Carr or Adou Thiero. Head coach JJ Redick noted after practice that those two were held out yet again, a recurring trend heading into the regular season.
Lakers wings Adou Thiero and Cameron Carr did not practice again, says JJ Redick.
Both players have been sidelined for games and practice this preseason. Redick had not shown any sense of worry that either player wouldn’t be available for the regular season, going as far as to call Thiero’s first missed game this preseason “maintenance.”
In typical Lakers fashion, a lack of clarity about injuries now leaves uncertainty about how bad injuries may be. With the regular season starting, it does mean that injury reports will become the norm. For LA, that means Tuesday night will provide some of that clarity on Thiero and Carr’s injuries.
Thiero had a strong preseason before the injury, emerging as someone who could potentially see rotation minutes to open the season. Carr, meanwhile, shined in his limited minutes, mostly in garbage time, before suffering a contusion early in the exhibition slate.
Both were exciting parts of the Summer League team and showed flashes of being able to do the same this season. Whether they will be healthy enough to, though, is anyone’s guess.
Jul 20, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners manager Dan Wilson (6) speaks with a team staff member in the dugout during the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Of all the 2026 Mariners’ various problems, one that loomed largest was a clubhouse-wide passivity – a sense that the talent of the team would eventually win out and the Mariners would turn their season around, without a clear plan as to who would turn that season around and how.
In postseason interviews, both the players and GM Jerry Dipoto were able to articulate this particular failing, bemoaning mistakes made but also insisting that hard lessons were learned. But the larger question remains of who will be able to make sure those hard lessons of a disappointing 2026 are carried into an improved 2027.
The Mariners have now dismissed the majority of their coaching staff, wanting to allow a new manager to come in and handpick their own support staff. That person has a significant task before them, even beyond assembling a new major-league coaching staff: whoever it is will also have to learn the idiosyncrasies of this Mariners clubhouse and the particular way leadership functions among a group of largely younger, homegrown players – or, as was made apparent last year, doesn’t function.
When looking at the core leadership in the clubhouse, the first name that jumps to mind is Cal Raleigh. Raleigh ticks all the boxes for a clubhouse leader: he’s a homegrown player signed to a longterm deal; he has a leadership position on the field; he’s the one who steps up to do postseason interviews when things have gone sideways, as he did in 2023, and again in 2026.
But this season also showed where Raleigh, who will be playing in his age-30 season in 2027, has some growing to do in his own leadership role. A disappointing, injury-marred season prevented Raleigh from fully being able to grasp the reins in a clubhouse that was careening off a cliff, and with his absence – both on the field when he went on the IL for the first time in May and in the box score – came a loss of identity for the team as a whole. At the end of the season, Raleigh spoke about the need for some “self-reflection” about the direction the team his headed in – not just from himself, but from his teammates, as well.
“What is our team identity?” Raleigh asked philosophically. “I don’t feel like there was one this year, and that’s partly on me as a leader on this team. It’s not all on me, but as somebody who’s been here, it’s important for us to come together and figure that out.”
Bryan Woo, as a leader on the pitching staff, affirmed that the plan this off-season would be to get players together and discuss where things went wrong and what can be done about it.
“We’ve already talked about a lot of the core guys having some conversations over the off-season, periodically putting our heads together and coming up with some ideas about how we want to make that come to life. Standards and accountability and all that stuff – they’re great words, but if you don’t truly act on them and make them come to life and are about them every day, then they don’t mean anything. You can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk?”
The pitching staff is in a more perilous leadership position than some others – none of the core of young pitchers are signed to long-term deals, and therefore are often subjects of trade speculation and rumors. They also now lack their de facto leader in the veteran Luis Castillo, a leadership vacuum that opened up when Castillo was traded to the White Sox in early August. Someone from the pitching staff needs to step into that role. For his part, Woo seems to be comfortable with doing so.
“I’m more comfortable now than I’ve been in years past,” said Woo, when asked if he would be willing to take a more vocal role in those conversations about standards and accountability. “I think as a young guy in the clubhouse, you’re just trying to find your way most of the time – when to speak up, what to say and whatnot. You want to say the right thing at the right time. Now I think I’ve learned it’s not about saying the right thing, but just saying something, and learning from the experience one way or another.“
The Mariners clubhouse is in a tricky position with leadership – the homegrown core that first brought the team to the playoffs in 2022 ranges in ages from 25 to 29: a tweener age in baseball, old enough to have been in the league for several years but not yet the indisputable voices of experience. The youngest player in that band is Julio Rodríguez, who’s still finding his own footing with clubhouse leadership: the kid brother who was once trailing after players like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatís Jr. now has a line of admirers of his own, starting with new teammate Lazaro Montes and reaching all the way down to the DSL, where Mariners MiLB hitter of the year Jarvis Gomez named Julio as his favorite player.
“I feel like I’m more comfortable, especially this year,” said Julio, reflecting on his changing relationship with leadership. ”Sometimes people assume just because you’re this player or that player, you should do this, you should do that, but that’s not easy, you know. At the end of the day, we’re all grown men here, and we all have different ways of doing things.“
“But at the same time, with time and experience and learning about guys and how they do things, you kind of get more comfortable speaking up and having those conversations that you know are for the better of the team, not like, taking shots or things like that…I feel like that’s a skill that everybody with time has to develop, and I feel like this year I’m a little more comfortable with that.”
Seattle’s new manager will also be tasked with making sure the two newer veteran voices in the clubhouse – Josh Naylor and Brendan Donovan – assume their leadership mantle, especially with the looming departure of the longest-tenured Mariner in J.P. Crawford. Donovan, who missed most of the year with a spate of injuries, never had the opportunity to fully connect with his new teammates. Naylor connected with his young infielders, especially Cole Young, but was hampered by both his own injury issues – a nagging wrist issue that took an off-season procedure to clean up – and injuries and inconsistencies across the infield that meant, aside from Young, he never knew who’d be feeding him the ball on any given night. That’s all further complicated by Naylor’s leadership style, which tends to be more of a carefully observed slow burn rather than an immediate call to arms.
“It’s my first year here, so I got to see a lot of things,” said Naylor. “I’m a very big viewer, and I just kind of see things from afar and then go off that.”
Naylor did praise his teammates, calling them a “great group,” and noted that the team genuinely seems to like each other, going to team dinners or group events. However, he noted that the process of building a team identity is an ongoing one, something that might have been limited by the lack of consistency in a clubhouse that seemed to lack a clear direction.
“Identity is huge in sports, personal identity and then a group identity” said Naylor. “I think it’s just—it’s continuous work too. It’s not just set in stone one day that you do this, this, and that, and it kind of sticks. It’s a day-to-day thing, but we work on it really every day here…With the identity aspect, I think we’re going to do our best to bond more and bring this group together more, and find ways to win ball games going into next year, doing the little things right.”
Doing the little things right was a constant refrain in end-of-season assessments from both players and front office members – or rather, a lack thereof. That, more than anything, speaks to the lack of consistent day-in and day-out leadership in the clubhouse and the need for players to step up, no matter how discomfited it might make them.
“You’re not going to be perfect,” said Woo. “But you’re gonna learn to lead by leading. You’re gonna learn to do something by doing it. It’s an honest process, but that’s what you really need to do, just give it your best effort.“
The Mariners need a manager who can oversee this ‘honest process’ and empower team leaders to lead, however imperfectly. The pieces are all there: what’s lacking is the person who can put them all together. As anyone who’s undergone a leadership change will tell you, it’s a fine line to walk between perpetuating the old ways that prompted the leadership change in the first place and importing an identity ham-fistedly. But it’s the job of a manager to get the best out of their people, and will be the job of the next Mariners manager to bottle up the talent currently free-flowing in the clubhouse into a container with an identifiable shape.
