Russian teen beats American 6-3, 6-4 at Indian Wells
French Open champion, 19, assures world No 2 ranking
The rise of Mirra Andreeva has seemed inevitable ever since she burst on to the tour as a precocious 15-year-old more than three years ago, but this week, six months after her maiden grand slam triumph at Roland Garros, she has taken another massive step forward in her career. The 19-year-old will attempt to close out the most impressive week of her career by winning one of her most significant titles after thoroughly outplaying Jessica Pegula, the fifth seed, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the championship match of the WTA Finals at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
A year ago, Andreeva surprisingly failed to qualify for the WTA Finals, missing out by a paltry six points after bizarrely deciding not to compete in the final tournament week before the event. The world No 3 has been utterly supreme in her long-awaited debut appearance, bulldozing through elite opposition to reach the final without dropping a set. She has conceded just 18 games in four matches this week, including a 6-4, 6-0 demolition of the No 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka, winning 11 games in succession from 1-4 down.
Lakers coach JJ Redick slaps hand with forward Ziaire Williams as he comes off the court during a timeout. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
While rocketing toward the top of the league, the Lakers have been far from perfect. That’s good news to them.
“A big thing that we talk with our players about a lot is being able to learn and get better and try to correct things even when you are winning,” coach JJ Redick said.
The Lakers (11-2) have won seven consecutive games entering Sunday’s 1 p.m. PST matinee against the Suns (5-6) in Phoenix.
Using a rare multiple-day break between games to audit their performances, coaches and analytics staffers showed slide presentations to players about both offensive and defensive flaws this week. The lectures left the team with one of the best records in the league feeling as if it was one of the worst, forward Ziaire Williams joked.
Already the top-ranked offense in the league, the Lakers should strive to match that by becoming a top-10 defense, Redick implored his team. Williams is not stopping there.
“Top 10 should be at least like our standard, if not better,” the forward said. “Our half-court defense has been great. Obviously, rebounding has been one of the biggest things for us, cleaning up transition as well. But the potential’s there. We have the size, the length, the athleticism. It’s just about going out there and executing.”
The Lakers, ranked 18th in defensive efficiency, thrive on forcing turnovers and protecting the rim. Their 18.5 turnovers forced per game rank third in the league, and they average an NBA-best 11 steals per game. Center Walker Kessler’s 2.2 blocks per game rank third.
But they can’t finish the strong half-court possessions. The Lakers are ranked 28th in defensive rebounding and 25th in second-chance points given up.
The Lakers staff rewatched every offensive rebound given up this season. Lack of boxing out was the biggest fault. Then there were instances when players stood and watched.
“If I stand and watch and try and outjump someone else, I’m probably not going to get the rebound,” said forward Jake LaRavia, who has been an offensive rebounding revelation since entering the starting lineup, averaging 2.8 offensive rebounds in the last nine games. “So you have to go and be physical and hit bodies, and then just be able to dive on loose balls, finish possessions, it’s really just who’s going to work harder.”
Kessler is averaging 8.1 defensive rebounds during the Lakers’ seven-game winning streak — which is the second-longest in Redick’s coaching tenure — compared to 6.3 during the first six games.
Forward Jarred Vanderbilt, who did not play in the first four games, has made the most of his limited minutes off the bench, grabbing 7.9 defensive rebounds per 36 minutes, the second-best rate on the team among players who have played more than three minutes. Vanderbilt, averaging 3.8 rebounds per game in 11.9 minutes, had 10 rebounds in less than 14 minutes against the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 8.
Transition defense also is sinking the Lakers’ defensive efforts. Opponents are scoring 20.2 points off turnovers per game, which put the Lakers 24th out of 30 teams. Redick blames some of that on the Lakers’ offensive flaws. Although they are the league’s most efficient offense, the Lakers turn the ball over 16.9 times per game, the fifth-most in the NBA.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic shoots over two Bucks during a win Wednesday in Milwaukee. (Aaron Gash / Associated Press)
Luka Doncic, the league’s leading scorer at 38.6 points per game, also averages an NBA-worst five turnovers. Austin Reaves, who is day-to-day because of a left heel bruise suffered Wednesday against Milwaukee, averages 24.7 points and 3.4 turnovers.
Doncic is expected to play Sunday despite tweaking his right ankle late in Wednesday’s win. Reaves didn’t participate in practice Saturday but Collin Sexton was a full participant. The guard wore a thick Band-Aid over his right eyebrow and had bruising around his right eye after bumping heads with Milwaukee’s Ryan Rollins but said he doesn’t expect to wear a mask. He needs only to keep the cut covered to ensure it doesn’t open up again. The rugged guard is familiar with the protocols; Sexton said this was the 11th time in his career that he’s received stitches in his face.
The short break offered an important opportunity for players to rest after a grueling three-game Eastern Conference trip. They now enter a softer stretch in the schedule. After Sunday’s game in Phoenix, the Lakers play their next four at home against three teams — Charlotte, Sacramento and Utah, twice — that have a combined six wins.
Their next game against a team with a winning record isn’t until Nov. 27 at San Antonio. The 11-2 Spurs, who have won 11 consecutive games, are the only team with an active winning streak longer than the Lakers’.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 2: Joel Embiid #21 and LeBron James #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers talk during the game against the Chicago Bulls on November 2, 2026 at Xfinity Mobile Arena 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 David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It looks like we are back to the normal back-to-back staggering. The Sixers released their injury report for their upcoming contest against the Indiana Pacers, and have ruled out Joel Embiid with plantar fasciitis management in his right foot. LeBron James, who missed the most recent game against the Toronto Raptors, is not listed and will be good to go.
Nick Nurse said that the only reason James missed that win against the Raptors was the team’s long term load management, so nothing to be concerned about there. The Sixers will get a little bit more rest than your typical home-road back-to-back. They play the Pacers at 1 p.m. on Sunday before heading up to Brooklyn to take on the Nets Monday. Perhaps there’s a chance LeBron plays in both, but Embiid being ruled out for one of them suggests not.
The Sixers have an injury report for tomorrow's game vs. Indiana:
Joel Embiid – foot management – OUT
Dominick Barlow – back – OUT
Adem Bona – neck – out
LeBron James not listed. This is the front end of a back-to-back.
With Embiid out, LeBron may log a lot of minutes at center again. Adem Bona also remains out with the cervical spine sprain he suffered back in Detroit, as well as Dominick Barlow, who the team says they do not have a timeline for his return.
For Indiana, they’ll obviously be without Tyrese Haliburton who’s missed a significant amount of time with a hamstring strain. Ben Sheppard and Johnny Furphy are also on the shelf with knee injuries. T.J. McConnell is listed as probable with a hamstring strain and Aaron Nesmith is questionable with a hand sprain. Both played their cup win over the New York Knicks last Friday.
HELSINKI (AP) — Jordan Staal returned from injury, Andrei Svechnikov and Mark Jankowski each scored twice and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Seattle Kraken 5-1 on Saturday to sweep the NHL’s Global Series in Finland’s capital.
The Hurricanes (16-3-2) followed on their dominant 4-1 victory on Thursday and extended their winning streak to four.
Carolina became the first NHL franchise to win each of its first four regular-season games played outside North America following a sweep of a 2010 series against the Minnesota Wild, also in Helsinki.
Jackson Blake also scored for the Hurricanes, Nikolaj Ehlers had three assists and Shayne Gostisbehere had two assists and Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 12 shots for his 12th win in 13 games.
Svechnikov scored on power plays with two identical goals from the right circle in the middle period, one-timing a precise snap shot to make it 3-0 and another for a 4-1 advantage. He has five goals in his four-game point streak and has 11 goals on the season.
His second goal with 9:55 left in the second period prompted the Kraken to pull Joey Daccord after he allowed four goals on 14 shots. Philipp Grubauer made 22 saves in relief.
Matty Beniers scored for the Kraken (9-8-1) to reduce the deficit to 3-1.
Blake beat Daccord with a snap shot after Sebastian Aho sent him a backhand pass in between his legs in the first period. Blake extended his career-best point streak to 11 games.
Jankowski doubled that advantage with 2:30 left in the period. He added his second with 8:54 left in the final period, tapping in a precise pass from Taylor Hall.
Staal, Carolina's captain, played his first game for the reigning champions after missing 14 following a calf tear on Oct 11. The 38-year-old center skated on the third line alongside wingers Seth Jarvis and Jordan Martinook and played 13:55.
The game Saturday was the 50th contested outside North America and ninth in Helsinki to tie Prague, with only Stockholm hosting more.
The NHL returns to Europe next month, this time to grow the fan base in Germany with a series between the Ottawa Senators and the Chicago Blackhawks in Düsseldorf on Dec. 18 and 20.
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 03: Cam Collier #6 of the Chattanooga Lookouts celebrates in the dugout during the game between the Chattanooga Lookouts and the Knoxville Smokies at Covenant Health Park on Thursday, September 3, 2026 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Ryan Beatty/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Tuesday, November 17th at 6:00 PM ET marks the deadline for all 30 MLB clubs to add players to their respective 40-man rosters in order to keep them protected from selection in December’s Rule 5 Draft. Said draft, you’ll recall, is a way of preventing teams from hoarding their best and brightest prospects in the minor leagues while blocking their paths for promotion, a field-leveling administrative mechanism that at least gives a little bet of help balancing the power of the 30 individual franchises.
As MLB Pipeline noted, there are four current minor leaguers who have been in the franchise long enough to be eligible for Rule 5 selection that also find themselves ranked among the Top 30 within the Cincinnati Reds system. That list is headlined by former 1st round pick Cam Collier as well as Carlos Sanchez, who excelled during the 2026 regular season before bursting even further onto the scene by slashing .300/.425/.571 (.997 OPS) in 20 games in Arizona Fall League play.
1B Carter Graham, who knocked the stitches out of baseballs throughout his own breakout 2026 season, also joins them, as does fellow former 1st round pick Jay Allen II.
There are two important caveats worth noting regarding the Rule 5 Draft. Any team that selects a player must keep said player on their active roster for the entire season lest they be forced to offer them back to their original franchise; that means that even though an eligible player may well be uber-talented, they aren’t necessarily going to get picked if they aren’t actually ready for big league play just yet.
The other caveat is 2026 specific, as the Rule 5 Draft is scheduled for December 9th during the Winter Meetings…but that’s after the expiration of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement is set to expire on December 1st. It remains to be seen just how much that will impact all the usual administrative deadlines and procedures we see during typical MLB offseasons, and there’s a chance the draft itself gets kicked much further down the road altogether.
As for the Reds in particular, they have 37 players currently on their 40-man roster after adding back players who finished the regular season on the 60-day IL. So, if they’re to actually protect all four of the players listed above (and/or anyone else that’s eligible and not one of MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 prospects in the system) they’re going to have to remove someone who’s currently holding a spot.
PHOENIX, AZ - NOVEMBER 12: Moussa Diabate #14 of the Charlotte Hornets boxes out Oso Ighodaro #11 of the Phoenix Suns during the game on November 12, 2026 at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
When you look at the Phoenix Suns and see a 5-6 record staring back at you, there are plenty of explanations for why they’ve stumbled out of the gate. One of the most obvious is the schedule. According to ESPN’s strength-of-schedule metrics, Phoenix has faced the third-toughest slate in the NBA through the first 11 games of the season. We can also point to the ongoing challenges surrounding Jalen Green and his inability to consistently find his place on this roster. We can discuss how Miles Bridges has yet to hit his stride as he continues adjusting to a new team, a new system, and new responsibilities.
But there’s one glaring deficiency that threatens to haunt the Suns throughout the entire season unless they fundamentally change their approach or somehow miraculously become a larger basketball team overnight. Their inability to impact the game at the rim. And the numbers are downright horrific.
Last season, Phoenix finished 29th in the NBA in field goal attempts within five feet of the basket, averaging 23.7 per game. This season? They’re averaging 23.5, the fifth fewest in the league. Think about that for a moment. The Suns have a healthy Jalen Green, a player whose athleticism and explosiveness theoretically provide the ability to get downhill and attack the basket. They also brought in Miles Bridges, another player expected to provide a more physical presence and generate opportunities around the rim. And through 11 games, neither addition has meaningfully moved the needle. Phoenix is attacking the basket at essentially the same rate as last season, despite investing significant resources in players who were supposed to address that very deficiency.
But the offensive struggles around the cylinder are only half the problem. The other half? Rebounding. And somehow, the numbers are even uglier.
The Suns rank dead last in the NBA in rebounds per game, averaging a miserable 38.9. That’s a full 10 rebounds fewer than the Minnesota Timberwolves, who lead the league at 48.9 per game. Phoenix also ranks 30th in rebounding percentage at 45.2%, meaning opponents are consistently winning the battle for available rebounds.
When you begin examining how that translates into actual points, the situation becomes even more alarming. The Suns surrender 18.1 second-chance points per game, the second most in the league. Meanwhile, they’re generating only 12.8 second-chance points themselves, the second fewest. So not only are opponents getting additional opportunities to score, but Phoenix is failing to create those same opportunities on the other end. That’s a pretty brutal combination.
If you need a recent example of how dire the situation has become, look no further than Thursday night’s victory over Charlotte. Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach, two of the players Phoenix relies upon to provide some semblance of interior presence, combined for five rebounds. In a game where the Suns were outrebounded by 21.
Shall I go on?
No matter how you slice it, this is a five-alarm fire for a team attempting to establish itself as a legitimate competitor in the Western Conference. Much like speed, size can’t be taught. You can preach positioning, emphasize boxing out, and demand greater effort on the glass, but there’s only so much coaching can accomplish when your roster consistently finds itself at a physical disadvantage.
The most deflating aspect of this deficiency is how it impacts both ends of the floor. Defensively, the Suns can execute an entire possession correctly, rotate effectively, contest shots, and force opponents into difficult attempts. But if they can’t secure the rebound, all that work becomes meaningless. The possession continues, the defense has to scramble again, and another opportunity is handed to the opposition. You cannot consistently give NBA teams extra possessions and expect to win basketball games. It places an enormous burden on your defense, especially when you’re already asking players to compensate for a lack of size and interior physicality.
And offensively, the inability to consistently attack and finish around the basket creates an entirely different set of problems. When opposing defenses don’t have to respect your ability to penetrate and score at the rim, they can become more aggressive on the perimeter. They can close out harder, pressure ball handlers, and force you into difficult jump shots because they aren’t particularly concerned about what happens if you get past the initial defender. Perhaps that also helps explain why Phoenix is averaging the second-fewest free throw attempts per game in the NBA. They’re not getting to the rack.
It’s an unsustainable combination of deficiencies, particularly for a team that doesn’t possess the overwhelming offensive firepower to compensate for them. The Suns can survive a difficult schedule. They can work through the growing pains associated with integrating new players. They can experiment with rotations, redefine responsibilities, and hope that chemistry improves as the season progresses. But how exactly do you overcome being one of the worst teams in basketball at attacking the rim, rebounding the basketball, and preventing opponents from generating second-chance opportunities?
That’s a much more difficult question to answer. And right now, I’m not sure the Phoenix Suns have one.
I’m trying to find a little optimism in all of this. The Suns are 5-6, they’ve played one of the toughest schedules in the league, and they have plenty of areas that need improvement. But we’re still early enough in the season for adjustments to matter. Jalen Green can find his footing. Miles Bridges can become more comfortable in his role. The coaching staff can experiment with lineups and find better ways to generate opportunities around the basket.
None of that is guaranteed to solve the rebounding problem, and the lack of size remains a legitimate concern. But this team doesn’t need to become a dominant interior force overnight. It needs to become more competitive in the areas that are currently costing it possessions and points. If Phoenix can make even modest progress there, there’s still plenty of season left to build something worthwhile. The problems are real, but so is the opportunity to get better.
TORONTO, CANADA - NOVEMBER 11: The sneakers worn by Dillon Mitchell #20 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the Toronto Raptors on November 11, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
You know, the type of guy who rewatches games in a dark basement to pore over what he and the Lakers could’ve done better.
On Friday, we got a glimpse of what his staff is doing behind the scenes.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Nov. 11, 2026, in Milwaukee. AP Photo/Aaron Gash
Redick said his analytics team used the three-day break between games to prepare a 21-page presentation on the Lakers, who have won seven games in a row and have the NBA’s best record at 11-2.
The coaches reviewed it for 1 ½ hours on Friday and presented it to the players.
“Being first in the West, with the stuff that they showed us, you would think we were almost last, you know?” Ziaire Williams said, flashing a smile. “But gotta keep us honest.”
One of the main goals?
“We know we want to be a top-10 defense,” Redick said. “We know we are not going to be able to do that unless we become better than a bottom-10 transition team and better than a bottom-10 defensive rebounding team.”
While the Lakers are leading the league in steals per game (11), are third in blocks per game (6.2) and are second in total deflections (257), they’re greatly struggling in other areas defensively.
The Lakers are rated 18th defensively and 26th in rebounding (40.8).
Redick also identified a key area on transition defense he wants to tweak.
“Some of the transition stuff is live-ball turnovers,” Redick said. “We’re at a 10% live-ball turnover rate. So one out of every 10 possessions is a live-ball turnover that’s going to create a transition possession.”
As for offense?
Despite being the top-rated team in the league offensively, the Lakers have multiple areas in which they want to improve, including bolstering their third unit, which has notoriously squandered leads late in games.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick and Luka Doncic converse with referee James Williams during a game against the Atlanta Hawks on Nov. 9, 2026. Getty Images
Redick pointed out that Cameron Carr and Adou Thiero are still playing catch-up after missing time due to various injuries.
Lakers assistant coach Scott Brooks is trying to get them up to speed.
“He took those guys for a classroom setting [Friday],” Redick said. “We just need to coach them more. Not going to put it all on them. They need to be able to run offense, though.
“I think that’s the biggest thing. It’s unacceptable to just consistently be calling offensive plays and then they come down and jack a 3 with 18 on the shot clock. We’re trying to use time and be organized.”
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick reacts on the sidelines during a game against the Atlanta Hawks in Atlanta on Monday, Nov. 9, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Redick, whom the Lakers hired to take over the helm in June 2024 despite having no prior coaching experience, has shined in his role.
Nov 10, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (7) reacts after the game against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Game Info
When: Sunday, November 15th at 7:00 p.m. ET
How to watch: Monumental Sports Network, League Pass
Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.
Injury Report
Wizards: Jamir Watkins – Out (Knee), Tristan Vukcevic – Out (Hip), Reece Beekman – Out (Shoulder), Justin Champagnie – Out (Foot), Bub Carrington – Game Time Decision (Chest)
Pistons: Steven Adams- Game Time Decision (Calf), Clint Capella – Game Time Decision (Ankle), Marcus Smart – Out (Suspension)
Pregame notes
Washington has a new addition to its injury report ahead of Sunday night’s matchup against the Rockets. Third-year guard Bub Carrington is listed as a game-time decision after suffering a chest contusion during Thursday’s double-overtime loss to the Detroit Pistons.
Carrington recorded two points and two assists in 16 minutes before being ruled out for the second overtime period. He now joins Watkins, Vukcevic, Beekman and Champagnie on the injury report, adding another setback for a Wizards team riding a six-game losing streak.
Sunday’s matchup with Houston gives Washington another opportunity to earn its first win since Nov. 2, but it won’t come easy. The 10-3 Rockets enter the contest riding a three-game winning streak. To compete, the Wizards will need to build on Thursday’s performance, particularly from their two-big lineup featuring Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr, who each scored 30 points.
Davis controlled the paint, while Sarr turned in his best shooting performance of the season. He connected on 4-of-6 attempts from three-point range and went a perfect 12-for-12 inside the arc. Trae Young also delivered a strong performance, leading Washington with 37 points and 15 assists while hitting a clutch three-pointer to send the game to overtime at the end of regulation.
Washington also had one of its best nights from beyond the arc this season, knocking down a season-high 14 triples. Carrying that shooting success into Sunday’s matchup will be important if the Wizards hope to keep pace with one of the league’s top teams.
OTTAWA, ONTARIO - NOVEMBER 12: Logan O'Connor #25,Noah Juulsen #47, celebrate with Parker Kelly #17 of the Colorado Avalanche after Kelly scored a shorthanded goal during the third period against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on November 12, 2026 in Ottawa, Ontario. (Photo by Troy Parla/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Avalanche make their final stop on their road trip through Canada tonight when they face the Montréal Canadiens at Bell Center.
However, they’ll take the ice without two of their best players joining them.
Colorado Avalanche (11-6-3)
The Opponent: Montréal Canadiens (12-3-4)
Time: 5:00 P.M. MST/7:00 P.M. EST
Watch: ALT2, ALT+, KTVD (Avalanche Local Broadcast Area), ESPN+, NHL Center Ice (Outside Avalanche Broadcast Area – US), SN+, TVAS, TVAS+ (Canadian National Broadcast)
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio KKSE-FM 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche are coming into tonight’s game off the heels of a 4-3 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators this past Thursday. After falling behind 2-0 in the first period, the Avs’ special teams went to work. Artturi Lehkonen scored his team-leading fourteenth goal of the season on the power play in the second period. Parker Kelly recorded a shorthanded goal—the team’s first shorthanded goal of the season—early in the third period to tie the game, and a power play goal from Gabe Landeskog put the Avs ahead with less then ten minutes to play in the period.
Ottawa’s Drake Batherson tied the game late in regulation, and Shane Pinto capitalized on a botched pass from Kelly moments before scoring the game-winning goal in overtime. Scott Wedgewood stopped twenty-two of twenty-four shots in the contest.
The Avs finished the contest without the services of both Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, having lost both to injury. MacKinnon was on the receiving end of a cross check from Ottawa’s Artem Zub late in the second period. He went to the locker room prior to intermission and didn’t finish the game. Makar’s injury appeared to take place during the second period, but unlike MacKinnon, his didn’t appear to be from the result of a body check or a fall to the ice. He also didn’t finish the game.
Head coach Jared Bednar announced earlier this morning that both MacKinnon and Makar will miss time: Makar will be out for two weeks, while MacKinnon will be out for the next month. In the interim, the Avs will insert Gavin Brindley, who was recalled from Loveland yesterday, into the lineup. Defenseman Alex Gagne will make his NHL debut tonight, while defenseman Brent Burns will skate in his 1600th career game. Mackenzie Blackwood will likely start tonight.
In his postgame comments on Thursday, head coach Jared Bednar seemed pleased with how his team performed in the wake of the injuries to his star players. “I liked our effort all around,” He said. “It’s a good hockey team we played. If you’re running without a couple of horses, you know, for half the game, so, pretty gutsy effort from our group. I’ll take it. I mean, we weren’t perfect. We made some mistakes; they cost us, but all in all, I’m pretty happy with what we did. It’s a big point.”
The Avs have collected three of a possible four points thus far during this road trip, and the prospect of a victory in Montréal looms large. The Avs split the season series against Montréal last year, but lost by a score of 7-3 during their previous visit to La Belle Province. For you superstitious folks out there, they were wearing their Quebec Nordiques heritage jerseys in that contest, and won’t be wearing them tonight.
Just sayin’.
The injured MacKinnon leads all skaters in points (30) and assists (20). Defenseman Devon Toews is enjoying an offensive flourish this season, as he leads all defensemen in goals (7). A win tonight could move Blackwood closer to second place in wins among active goaltenders across the League.
With the exception of Nashville, all Central Division teams are in action tonight. A win tonight keeps the Avs within pace of the second-place Predators, while remaining ahead of Dallas, Utah, Winnipeg, and St. Louis in the Central Division standings.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Artturi Lehkonen -Brock Nelson – Martin Nečas Gabe Landeskog – Nicolas Roy – T.J. Hughes Jaden Schwartz – Nazem Kadri – Logan O’Connor Parker Kelly – Fedor Svechkov – Gavin Brindley
Defense: Devon Toews – Brett Kulak Noah Juulsen – Sam Malinski Alex Gagne – Brent Burns
Between the Pipes: Mackenzie Blackwood Scott Wedgewood
Montréal Canadiens
After bowing out to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final, Montréal is out to prove last season’s deep playoff run wasn’t a fluke. General manager Kent Hughes moved quickly to secure some key pieces of his roster this summer. He signed star right wing Ivan Demidov to an eight-year, $73.2 million dollar contract extension and standout goaltender Jakub Dobeš to a three-year, $16 million+ dollar contract, respectively, during the first two days of free agency in July.
The rest of the summer was quiet for Hughes until September. Hughes then signed left wing Chris Kreider signed a one-year, $5.4 million dollar contract on September 12, while forward Zachary Bolduc, acquired last season from St. Louis, signed a four-year, $16.8 million dollar contract the next day. Two days later, former Avalanche forward Alex Newhook signed a four-year, $22.2 million dollar contract extension.
With several of their key pieces now locked into long-term contracts, the organization is now focused on making another deep playoff run, and their current record reflects that goal. Coming into tonight’s game against Colorado, Montréal currently shares the Atlantic Division lead with Tampa. They’ve won three of their previous four games, their most recent being a 5-2 defeat of their archrival Boston Bruins at T.D. Garden this past Thursday.
However, the injury bug has started to make its presence known in Montréal. Demidov has missed over a month with a fractured ankle, and goaltender Sam Montembeault has been out of action since October 31 with a lower body injury. Earlier today, the organization announced that Kreider will miss 6-8 weeks with a lower body injury, while defenseman Mike Matheson is considered a game-time decision for tonight’s game against Colorado.
Right wing Cole Caufield and defenseman Lane Hutson lead all Montréal skaters in points (18). Caufield’s twelve goals—none of which were scored on an empty net, to the delight and/or relief of Montréal fans everywhere—is first among all Montréal skaters.
Hutson lead the team in assists (10), while goaltender Jacob Fowler ranks third among all League goaltenders in wins (9). Defenseman Arber Hekaj leads all Montréal skaters in penalty minutes (32).
Tonight kicks off a stretch of five games in seven days for Montréal. After facing Colorado tonight, they will start a three game road trip next Monday. Montréal will wrap up the season series with Colorado on November 25 at Ball Arena.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Juraj Slafkovský Zachary Bolduc – Phillip Danault – Alexandre Texier Alex Newhook – Jake Evans – Josh Anderson Owen Beck – Oliver Kapanen – Kirby Dach
Defense: Kaiden Guhle – Mike Matheson Lane Hutson – Noah Dobson Arber Xhekaj – Alexandre Carrier
PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 12: Anfernee Simons #5 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket during the game against the Toronto Raptors on November 12, 2026 at Xfinity Mobile Arena 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It was only the first quarter of the 13th game of the Sixers’ season, so there seemed to be no cause for alarm (and never mind the booing). Still, they were down 17 to a Toronto team on the second half of a back-to-back and playing without its two best players. There was at least the possibility Thursday that it was one of those nights every NBA team has on occasion, where the mood and the energy and the desire are just … off.
It would be easy to reach that conclusion, after Boston smacked the Sixers around Tuesday, in what was supposed to be the Jaylen Brown Revenge Game. Also, LeBron James sat out against the Raptors. The official reason was “low back/sciatica management,” though this seems comparable to that time years ago when the Spurs rested Tim Duncan and listed him this way in the boxscore: “DNP-OLD.”
When Nick Nurse called timeout with 2:40 left in the first and his team down 32-16, he said he was thinking in the simplest terms.
“I just want the players to play well,” he said, adding that everyone seemed to be searching for a rhythm, or seeking to “shake something off from the last game or whatever,” as he put it.
They fell 17 back moments later, but soon found their inspiration, soon manufactured their own energy. Reserves Anfernee Simons and Jabari Walker found it by looking back to their time on some wretched Portland teams. VJ Edgecombe found it by looking forward to a potential spot in the NBA slam-dunk contest.
And Tyrese Maxey found it by looking over to the sideline, to his infant daughter.
The end result was a 123-112 Sixers victory over the Scottie Barnes– and Kawhi Leonard-less Raptors. Maxey scored 27, and Joel Embiid, who limped off in the first quarter after bumping knees with a Raptor, returned and finished with 20. Edgecombe enjoyed a Swiss Army Knife kinda night – 15 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, three steals and a block – and the bench brigade of Simons, Walker and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope contributed 37 points, including 9-for-12 three-point sniping.
“You learn once you’re coming off the bench to kind of read the game before you get in there,” Simons said after going 5-for-6 from the arc and scoring 17.
What he read before checking in at the aforementioned timeout was straight out of the Stephen King collection. So the idea, Simons said, was to “bring some energy and some life to the team.”
He provided the night’s first thunderbolt, nailing a three-ball at the first-period buzzer to cut the deficit to nine.
“Those are big momentum plays,” Nurse said, “that usually have some weight to them and carry you into the next moment.”
From that point forward, the Sixers, now 10-3, seemed inevitable. Edgecombe turned a second-quarter steal into a breakaway slam. Maxey threw an alley-oop to Brown from midcourt for a bucket late in the third, when Philadelphia went ahead for good. And with the Raptors hanging around late in the fourth, Simons and Caldwell-Pope (11 points) connected from three to put it away.
Re Simons: Now in his ninth NBA season, he is playing for his fourth team. He has been productive everywhere he’s been, but this year his minutes (21.7) and points (10.2) are down from their usual levels. He says he doesn’t care – not after playing on losing teams five of the seven seasons he spent in Portland, his first stop. The Blazers were 33-49, 21-61 and 36-46 the last three of those seasons, when Walker was a teammate. (Another Sixer, Rayan Rupert, was on two of those teams.)
“You learn a lot in those situations about yourself, the people around you, your teammates,” Simons said, adding that “you feel appreciative of the times where you go into a situation where your role might be a little bit less, but you’re winning. And so that’s something that you can’t take for granted for sure, because it’s hard to win in the NBA.”
Sometimes it’s hard to even get on the court, as Walker has learned. He is averaging 15 minutes a game over five seasons, but now looms as the best option to back up Embiid at center, despite standing 6-7. Not to worry, he said after contributing nine points and eight boards in just under 16 minutes Thursday; his dad, Samaki, had been a small-ball center himself while playing a decade in the Association. The younger Walker knows the assignment, knows what the job entails.
He’s also healthy this season, having undergone offseason knee surgery. And while it wasn’t clear where he might fit in the pecking order after the Sixers revamped their roster over the summer, he had high hopes.
“I don’t know if I was delusional,” he said, “but I always felt like I was going to play and I was going to be a part. I read some things, and they say it’s a surprise. But if you were around me this summer and saw the mindset I had, then it wouldn’t be a surprise. So this is expected, and I just want to continue to get better.”
There were also questions about Edgecombe’s role coming into the season. But his attitude is always exemplary, his approach relentless. Informed after Thursday’s game that the only guard in the league with more dunks than him was Houston’s Amen Thompson, he scoffed.
“Man, he don’t even count,” Edgecombe said.
He might have a point. Thompson stands 6-7. Edgecombe is listed at 6-4, but attacks the rim so regularly that he is musing about the dunk contest on All-Star Weekend, February in Phoenix.
“Obviously I don’t want to sit here and give a yes, and I don’t want to give a no,” he said. “But that’s something I’m thinking about, for sure.”
Maxey couldn’t help but think about his daughter Marvel. Born May 14 to Tyrese and his girlfriend Myra Gordon, she attended her first game with her mom Thursday – “a really cool moment,” as Maxey said.
She might not be back for a while, though.
“It’s too late,” he said. “She was yawning and doing a whole bunch of stuff.”
So too were the Sixers for a while. They awakened from their slumber. They found their footing, manufactured their own energy. On many, many nights across the long season, that’s how it has to be.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 31: Jose Fernandez #11 of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts after hitting a two-run home run against the Detroit Tigers during the eighth inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on March 31, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks defeated the Tigers 7-5. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This one ended up being quite close, with Jose Fernandez’s debut edging out Merrill Kelly’s complete game in Coors by a single vote [I am exercising executive privilege to call the poll closed at the time of writing. So if there’s a late surge for Kelly between now and this piece going up, I do not care!] This stands in stark contrast to last year, where Eugenio Suarez’s four home-runs was basically unaninimous. It’s actually the first time ever the single-game performance has gone to one in March – the previous record was April 17, shared by the 2018 and 2015 awards. I suspect these are a bit like the Oscars, with recent outings more likely to stick in your mind, so that says a lot about Fernandez’s entry to the major leagues.
It’s probably fair to say that before this spring, few people had even heard of Fernandez. Doing a quick sweep through the SnakePit archives, the only mention before this year was by Preston in a piece from July 2024, who ranked him the #4 shortstop in the system. He wrote, “The Diamondbacks continue to be higher on Fernandez than most… His ceiling is a regular major league shortstop, his floor is a player who washes out in AA.” Well, as with most things, the truth sits somewhere in the middle, though he has easily surpassed the floor. Fernandez got a cup of coffee in Double-A Amarillo that year, then all of 2025 there, posting a line of .272/.321/.454 for an OPS of .775.
He was added to the 40-man Diamondbacks roster to protect him in November, and I did call him a roster dark-horse in a January piece, noting he was the youngest member of the roster. I did say, “If we see him in the majors this year, that suggests something has gone rather wrong,” though in the comments, Wes opined, “I think he may actually be on the verge of breaking out as a prospect.” That breakout certainly happened in spring training. He went 7-for-25, but every one of those hits went for extra bases, with three doubles, a triple and three home-runs. 15 of his first 18 batted balls in official games had exit velocities above 95 mph.
It wasn’t quite enough to get him an Opening Day spot, having already been optioned to Triple-A Reno on March 8. But barely had the season there got under way – after just a single game, in fact – opportunity came knocking for Fernandez. It came in unfortunate fashion, resulting from an injury to Pavin Smith. Left elbow inflammation got him sent to the IL, and Fernandez was brought up as a utility replacement on March 30. The following day, he made his debut, getting the start at third-base. The results were historic – the first Diamondback ever to hit two home-runs in his major-league debut, part of a 3-for-4 day, with four RBI as the team mounted a thrilling comeback from five runs down against Detroit.
It began in less spectacular fashion, Fernandez legging out an infield single off Casey Mize. It had an exit velocity of 73.2 mph, and a launch angle of… um, -35 degrees. But Jose’s speed turned it into his first hit, an xBA of .070 be damned. By the next time he came up, in the fourth inning, Arizona’s win probability was down to just 6.7%. For the Tigers had scored five runs off Brandon Pfaadt in the third. But Jose started the process of the team digging its way out of the hole, with a 408 ft no doubter to deep left field, getting Arizona on the board. That made him the eighth D-back to homer in his first game, but since 2009, the only other had been Seth Beer in 2021. But, wait! There’s more.
The rest of the Arizona offense finally caught up in the eighth inning. A two-run double from Corbin Carroll made it 5-3, then a Gabriel Moreno groundout gave us a one-run game. With two outs, but men on second and third, Fernandez came up again, to face four-time All-Star, Kenley Jansen, who had come out of the bullpen to take on the rookie. After taking a pair of cutters, one for a called strike, the other a ball low, Jansen threw Fernandez a third cutter, and Jose had seen enough. This one went a foot further than his first home-run, becoming a three-run shot to left-center, and provided the final margin of victory in a sterling 7-5 Diamondbacks win. Fernandez became just the eighth player in MLB history with a two-homer debut.
“Stay calm, keep the emotions in check. I knew something like that could happen, and just looked for a pitch… I /returned to my days as a kid. It transports you back to being a kid.” — Jose Fernandez
“He deserves all this credit. We’re so proud of him. He’s a player who came through our system, through our academy, and it’s a great story, a great baseball story. We’ve known about Jose for a long time. We knew he was coming.” — Torey Lovullo
“Kenley’s one of the greatest closers of all time. He has a very unique cutter that he uses at the top of the zone. It really was just Carlos [Santana] and I trying to give him as much information as possible so that he wasn’t surprised the first time he saw it. And I guess he wasn’t.” — James McCann
“I think it’s super cool for Carlos and James to do that for him. And for (Fernandez) to be able to take all of that in and go out there and do what he did, I think it’s pretty special.” — Brandon Pfaadt
Naturally, it was difficult for Fernandez to live up to that debut. Indeed, in the two hundred at-bats Jose had the rest of the season, he managed to hit just one more home-run, and currently has an ongoing streak of 130 ABs since his last one. But nobody can ever take away the most remarkable debut by a position player in franchise history.
SACRAMENTO ― The Sacramento Kings have dropped another game and if you think head coach Doug Christie is worried about being in some kind of hot seat, he's not. And he shouldn't be.
It's a familiar position for Christie, who's been dealt a bad hand since his head coaching tenure began. He inherited a then-Mike Brown team that was a season removed from the postseason before eventually trading its franchise player, De'Aaron Fox. They finished 40-42, Christie went 27-24 as interim, having taken over after a 13-18 start.
Last season, as an official first-year coach, without the interim tag, multiple players in his projected lineup, including Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray, missed large portions of the season, and the Kings finished with its worst record in franchise history since moving to Sacramento at 22-60.
And now, the Kings are having one of the worst starts in franchise history, dropping to 1-11 after their Friday night loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, 120-107, on Nov. 13 during the NBA Cup. It's the worst start since the 1990-91 season, in which that team started 1-13.
"I think this seat is hot always, so it doesn't really matter," Christie told USA TODAY about potentially being in the hot seat. "Obviously, we want to win games. Nobody wants to win more than me, from the standpoint that the record doesn't go on the player's numbers. The record goes on coach's number."
When Scott Perry became Kings general manager in April 2025, one of his first moves was to sign Christie to a three-year deal, worth about $2 million per year with a team option in the final year, 2027-28. Christie remained leading the charge after coaching to the worst franchise record in team history since 2008-2009 (17-65), as Perry attributed that tumultuous season to injuries, according to The Athletic.
It's much of the same this season, with a season-ending injury to Ben Simmons and second-year center Maxime Raynaud missing the start of the season with a knee injury.
"We come in, continue to teach, continue to push," Christie said. "As we get all these guys back and get them healthy, and then we continue down the path of trying to put together what we thought we would be putting together when we started this process."
It's not Doug Christie's fault, Mike Bibby says
The Kings are reportedly hesitant to part ways with Christie, according to The Athletic's Sam Amick. Former Sacramento Kings legend and current Sacramento State head coach Mike Bibby sat front row to get a witness of the the beatdown handed to the Kings.
The former guard, who played in Sacramento from 2001-2008, showed support for his former teammate, saying he wasn't the one to blame during a postgame appearance with Morgan Ragan and Deuce Mason on NBC Sports California.
"I don't blame Doug (Christie)," Bibby said. "I don't think Doug is the problem. Doug's been there for a long time, I think Doug could help, but getting rid of Doug's not the problem."
However, Bibby did say it was "time for some changes". Although he wasn't sure where those changes needed to come from, he advised the team to trade guys like Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine and Malik Monk to put them in better positions while the Kings start over. It happened to Bibby in his day when the Kings were no longer winning and they traded him to the Atlanta Hawks in 2008.
"When I was here I didn't wanna leave, but it was time to go," Bibby said. "For those guys put them in good situations like Sabonis, LaVine, put them in situations that could help them and get some good stuff back. It's going to take a couple of years to get the Kings going again."
If there's one thing Christie knows, it's how hard the Sacramento fans go for the Kings. He's experienced it as a player, and as both assistant and head coach he's seen how they've stuck beside the team through multiple years of losing seasons and the breakthrough when they finally cracked the postseason after a 16-year drought.
Christie's message to the fans: "it won't always be like this."
"This is a process that we're going through to try to get to where we want to go, and their loyalty means everything," Christie told USA TODAY. " When I see them around town, they're always (saying) 'coach keep going, keep pushing,' and that's what I do every day. I'll always be the first one in the building, working until we figure this thing out."
Kings forward Keegan Murray had a similar message to the fans to keep supporting, despite the shortcomings.
"I love our fans. They've been great to us... to me. I appreciate them coming out to support, we know that Rome's not built in a day but at the end of the day we're trying," Murray told USA TODAY. "With their support, it'll only get better."
Murray, Sabonis and Monk are the few Kings players that have been around for their lone playoff appearance in the last 15 years. Murray often tells the team, especially Acuff who was down in the dumps after a recent home loss, about how loud Golden 1 Center can get when their team is rolling.
"When we're really good, this place is better than any arena in the NBA," Murray said. "I feel like that's a big motivating factor in what we're trying to get to. ... I'm just hoping we can get back on track."
ST. LOUIS - 1994: Ozzie Smith of the St. Louis Cardinals flies through the air during a head first dive while attempting to steal second base during an MLB game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. Smith played for the Cardinals from 1982-1996. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | Getty Images
As we get closer to an almost certain lockout by Major League Baseball owners, I can’t help but think back to the St. Louis Cardinals team before the strike that ended the 1994 baseball season.
Here’s a quick refresher on exactly what led to the work stoppage in MLB in the summer of 1994. On January 18, 1994, the owners approved a new revenue-sharing plan that included a salary cap. One of the arguments back then was that small-market teams would not be competitive unless local broadcast revenue was shared. Also included in the proposal that would eventually be presented to the players was the elimination of salary arbitration and free agency that would begin after four years instead of six. The proposal was officially submitted to the players association on June 14, 1994 and was officially rejected by the MLBPA on July 18, 1994. I bring up this date because I remember being at Busch Stadium just a few days later. I believe it may have been one of the series against the Atlanta Braves in late July 1994.
The mood at Busch Stadium in late July of 1994 was tepid and that’s my memory being optimistic. One life memory I have is being at one of the concession stands in old Busch Stadium standing behind a couple of fans talking about how the baseball strike was inevitable and they swore they’d never come back to a game if the players went out on strike. It didn’t help that the 1994 St. Louis Cardinals were not a very good team, either.
The St. Louis Cardinals in 1994 had Ray Lankford who was about to enter his prime. He and Todd Zeile had 19 home runs before the season was cut short on August 11, 1994. Ozzie Smith was nearing the end of his playing career. Ozzie was selected to the All-Star game in 1994 at age 39 which made him the oldest player in the game. Gregg Jeffries was arguably one of the best Cardinals players in 1994 with a .325 batting average, 12 home runs and 55 RBI’s. Tom Pagnozzi, Bernard Gilkey, Gerónimo Peña and Mark Whiten were the other regulars in the starting lineup. Brian Jordan was still a year away from making his impact in St. Louis.
Bob Tewksbury was the leader of the St. Louis Cardinals pitching staff in 1994 as he notched 12 wins before the season was shortened. Allen Watson, Vicente Palacios, Rick Sutcliffe and Omar Olivares handled the rest of the starting workload. One of the Cardinals biggest issues in 1994 was their bullpen. Mike Pérez started the year as the closer, but struggled with an ERA over 8 before René Arocha took over and saved 11 games before he went down with an elbow injury that required surgery.
The St. Louis Cardinals final game of 1994 was on August 11 when the Cardinals beat the Marlins 8-6 in Florida. They ended the shortened season with a record of 53 wins, 61 losses and 1 tie. That tied game happened on April 6, 1994 when a game against the Reds at Riverfront Stadium was called after 6 innings with the Cardinals and Reds knotted at 8-8 called because of weather. The strike on August 12, 1994 made sure that game would never be finished.
1994 has come back to me over the past few days because some of the same issues I remember being discussed among fans at Busch Stadium that summer are the same ones we’re hearing now. Salary cap, small market teams being competitive, clubs being forced to align their payrolls with a more even structure and owners predicting that the average player contracts would more than double. Those talking points 32 years ago led to the longest work stoppage in MLB history lasting 232 days. Let’s hope that the Major League Baseball owners and players remember that those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Solovyov, 26, has appeared in only three games this season, with the last appearance on Oct. 24 in a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators. According to head coach Dan Muse, this decision was more so about getting Solovyov consistent playing time, as was the case the first time he was optioned to WBS this season.
"It's been awhile now. Hasn't played in a bit," Muse said. "So, it's an opportunity to play."
Of note, Solovyov did not have to pass through waivers again because he had not been back with the NHL club for either 30 days or 10 games. He was recalled on Oct. 18 after his initial placement on waivers Oct. 9.
The move shouldn't come as much of a surprise, especially since veteran defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk is back practicing with the team. He played the first five games of the season before going down with a lower-body injury in mid-October, and he's been out ever since. He has not appeared in a game for the Penguins since Oct. 9, the same day Solovyov was waived.
Although van Riemsdyk, 35, has not officially been activated from injured reserve, the Penguins do expect him back soon. But Muse wants to see him ease back into things.
"We're going to get some more practices [is the] plan," Muse said. "Being out there with the team skate, a couple team skates now, some more practice time. So, that's the current plan."
