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Enzo Maresca on the omission of Phil Foden
The good thing is that because we play so many games we have so many players available and to choose from. We want to keep the players fresh and fit.
Continue reading...How will Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur fare today? Here is what to know, including kick-off time, TV channels and live stream options
Chelsea produced their most complete performance of the season so far in last weekend’s 2-0 away victory over Everton, the clearest indication yet that things are coming together under new manager Xabi Alonso.
Tottenham Hotspur similarly enter Saturday’s match with a spring in their step following Monday’s 3-1 victory over Coventry City, a result that lifted Roberto De Zerbi’s team off the foot of the Premier League table.
Continue reading...Sam Konstas has another hundred, belting 149 in an attacking masterclass against Western Australia in NSW’s One Day Cup clash on Saturday night.
How will Arsenal and Everton fare today? Here is what to know, including kick-off time, TV channels and live stream options
While questions have been asked of Arsenal’s attacking intent, there can be no complaints about their home form so far this season.
Indeed, the reigning Premier League champions have won all four matches at the Emirates Stadium, scoring 10 goals and conceding just twice. The absence of Bukayo Saka through injury, however, could affect the Gunners’ potency in the final third.
Continue reading...Pool B + C: England 82-0 France
Herbie Farnworth and Dom Young grab hat-tricks
England will only really know next weekend whether this record-breaking result means anything, but on an afternoon when not only a win but a convincing victory would keep their hopes of reaching the World Cup semi-finals alive, this was a case of job done for Brian McDermott and his side.
With the shortened and controversial group stage format meaning just one defeat is near-ruinous, even the head coach broke ranks this week and admitted England’s chances of qualification are slim at best after the 30-12 loss to Tonga on the opening weekend. Samoa’s big 64-6 win against Papua New Guinea earlier on Saturday meant the permutations became simple but daunting. Samoa beat France 78-4 last week, giving them a plus-132 points differential; England, now have a plus-64 points differential.
Continue reading...
Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski threw the fastest recorded pitch in World Series history as his side began the best-of-seven season finale with a win.
The right-hander played a starring role in the 3-2 win at home to the Tampa Bay Rays, in the first match of the 122nd World Series.
It is only the second time in more than a century that neither side contesting the World Series has won the title before.
A sell-out crowd watched the Brewers in only their second appearance in the finale of the Major League Baseball season, and their first since losing to the St Louis Cardinals in 1982.
Milwaukee's American Family Field has 41,900 seats but with standing-room-only tickets available for the 'Fall Classic', 43,250 fans packed in to see the game.
"It was amazing - just to have the city behind me, it means the world, we couldn't ask for anything better," said Misiorowski.
The Brewers host the second match of the best-of-seven series on Saturday before the teams move to Florida for three games, then return to Milwaukee for the final two matches, if needed.
Misiorowski, 24, became the youngest starter since 1997 to win a World Series opener, after restricting the Rays to just one run in five innings.
His fastest pitch at 103.5 mph beat the previous mark of 103.2 mph set by Aroldis Chapman of the Chicago Cubs in 2016 - though speeds have only been recorded since 2008.
Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich also played a key role, scoring one run and driving in another as they took a 3-1 lead.
The Rays added one run in the final inning and had a runner on third base as they pushed to level the score, but Milwaukee closed out victory.
"It feels great. The guys settled in right away and did a great job," Yelich said. "We've still got a ways to go but nice to get that first one."
The Brewers made the World Series by beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 to claim the National League title, while the Rays clinched the American League pennant with a 4-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians to reach the post-season finale for only the third time.
The Rays lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2008 World Series and the Dodgers in 2020, but manager Kevin Cash took solace from the fact that they tested the Brewers on Friday.
"We came up a little bit short, but there's some benefit maybe from a loss," said Cash.
Well, the Golden State Warriors wasted no time disappointing us all. After getting blown out in their season opener on Wednesday, the Dubs had their home opener on Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies … and blew a 12-point lead with less than four minutes remaining, as they ceded a 17-0 run late in the fourth quarter en route to a 111-108 loss.
Ugly. No other word for it. Except maybe “inexcusable.”
And so, for the second time this year, it’s time to break out the red pen … and with it, a whole lot of negativity. As always, grades are based on my expectations for each player, with a “B” grade representing the average performance for that player.
Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metric that accounts for threes and free throws. Last year, league-average TS was 58.1%.
38 minutes, 18 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 6 turnovers, 3 fouls, 4-for-11 shooting, 1-for-3 threes, 9-for-12 free throws, 55.3% TS, -9
At this point in a rookie season, performance is more about providing optimism for the future than judging one’s value provided in the present. Which plays in Lendeborg’s favor, because this was an extremely encouraging game for June’s No. 11 pick … but an up-and-down game in terms of current value.
You can see why Draymond Green anointed Lendeborg the next face of the franchise. It was an extremely Draymondian game: Yaxel played strong defense, dished out assists, violently attacked the glass, played with swagger and attitude, and attacked the hoop when the defense allowed it.
He also picked up another technical foul, giving him two in as many games to start his career. If Dray could design a player in the lab, it just might be Lendeborg.
This game was a sign of what to watch for this year. Are the Warriors going to be good? Unlikely. Are they going to be worth watching? Well, Lendeborg played 38 minutes, and he was a joy to watch. So there’s one reason to turn on the TV.
The turnovers and fouls were, I don’t want to say concerning, but a reminder of the learning curve that Lendeborg has to work with. But the rebounds and the craftiness with which he scored? Reasons to love the rookie already.
Grade: B+
Post-game bonus: Led the team in rebounds, tied for the team lead in assists.
31 minutes, 5 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block, 5 turnovers, 5 fouls, 2-for-4 shooting, 1-for-2 threes, 62.5% TS, -5
Green played well in the early going. He looked for his shot early and scored a few times, and did a phenomenal job initiating the offense.
But as the game wore on, it got ugly. After such a careful preseason, he was a turnover and foul machine in this game. The two-man game with Steph Curry was shocking ineffective. He picked up a technical foul in the second quarter, and then spent the rest of the game daring the officials to give him a second — and an accompanying ejection — and was beyond lucky that they didn’t follow through with it. And in the final seconds, with the ball in Curry’s hand and a chance to tie or take the lead, Green got called for a moving screen, effectively ending the game. And while Steve Kerr went ballistic over the call — and picked up a tech himself, which really did end any chances of winning the game — it was pretty clearly the right whistle.
Just an undisciplined game from someone who the Warriors rely on to be much better.
Grade: D+
Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in assists.
12 minutes, 10 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3 fouls, 4-for-7 shooting, 2-for-2 threes, 71.4% TS, -16
In just his second career game, Ike — an undrafted rookie — got the start. He played pretty impressively, I thought. He wasn’t quick to shoot, as he was looking to set up teammates and run the system, but when he was left open he shot, and more often than not his shots went in. His passing was really impressive for a young center, and while he picked up a lot of fouls, as rookies are inclined to do, I liked what I saw from him on the defensive end.
It sure looks like Ike is going to end up playing a big role this year. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets converted to a standard contract at some point.
Grade: A-
33 minutes, 18 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 4 turnovers, 3 fouls, 7-for-17 shooting, 2-for-8 threes, 2-for-2 free throws, 50.3% TS, 0 +/-
After playing all 82 games a year ago, Podziemski had to wait until the second game of the season to see the court. And while it was far from a flawless game, I thought he was a lot better than the box score suggests. It really looks to me like Podziemski is primed for a fourth-year breakout. He looked so balanced and patient on offense, as he waited for plays to develop. It really seems as though the game has slowed down for him.
Extra props to Podz for taking a huge hit to the face, heading to the locker room, and still returning to play the rest of the game.
Grade: B+
30 minutes, 24 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 fouls, 5-for-15 shooting, 3-for-10 threes, 11-for-11 free throws, 60.5% TS, -4
Well … kind of just a game, for Curry. He’s one of the greatest players in NBA history, so his “just a games” are still pretty good. 24 points on above-average efficiency? Good! Four assists with no turnovers? Good!
But it still didn’t really feel like a true Curry game out there. He had a slow start, and while he exploded in the third quarter, he had nothing to offer in the fourth when the game was on the line. The Dubs did a lot to turn a deficit into a lead while Curry was on the pine, and then they did a lot to throw it all away when he came back in the game.
Was that his fault? No, but it wasn’t something he was able to stop, either. The Warriors were held scoreless for nearly four minutes to end the game — save for a pair of Lendeborg free throws with less than a second remaining, and the game decided — and they simply need more from Curry in those moments.
Grade: C+
Post-game bonus: Led the team in points.
3 minutes, 0 points, 1 steal, 0-for-1 shooting, 0.0% TS, +5
It appears that, for the time being, Richard is out of the rotation. He only played during the brief period where Podziemski had to be removed from the game due to injury. He played well in those minutes, but it was a short stint.
Grade: Incomplete
13 minutes,4 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 2-for-5 shooting, 0-for-3 threes, 40.0% TS, +5
All I’ll say is that Niang deserves a better team than this. He can’t carry a bad team and make them good, but he makes the type of winning plays that show up huge for winning squads. So many little plays that just help the team. I loved what I saw from him out there in all phases of the game, even if the stats are pedestrian.
Grade: B+
11 minutes, 7 points, 2 rebounds, 1 turnover, 3 fouls, 3-for-6 shooting, 1-for-3 threes, 58.3% TS, +6
Pretty solid minutes from GPII. Kind of similar to what I said about Niang: he makes winning plays that don’t necessarily get highlighted on a team struggling to win games, but really show up when on a quality team. He did a good job as the stopper on the red-hot Ty Jerome, which is a … a sentence.
Grade: B
20 minutes, 5 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 fouls, 1-for-3 shooting, 1-for-1 threes, 2-for-2 free throws, 64.4% TS, +14
Kerr has been pretty open to the idea of Santos being a starter, but it sure feels like this is the role for him: coming off the bench, giving the team a boost of energy, and helping out all over the court, especially against the opposing team’s second unit. This was just a really good game for Gui: he played strong defense, made hustle plays throughout, kept the offense humming with passes and shots, and attacked the glass. Good stuff.
Grade: A-
Post-game bonus: Best plus/minus on the team
20 minutes, 10 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 fouls, 4-for-6 shooting, 2-for-3 threes, 83.3% TS, -17
Melton played so much better in the second game of the season than he did in the first, but there were still some holes in his performance. His defense looks really rough right now, and he’s not really setting people up the way we’ve come to expect. His offense was a much-needed boost, and the Dubs will have to rely on that all year long, but the rest of his game still looks a little bit like it’s in preseason mode.
Grade: B-
Post-game bonus: Worst plus/minus on the team
9 minutes, 4 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 1-for-5 shooting, 0-for-3 threes, 2-for-2 free throws, 34.0% TS, +8
Williams didn’t play well, but I’m still a little confused as to why he played fewer than 10 minutes. He can be an offensive spark plug, though he’s not a good enough shooter to rely so heavily on his outside shot. He needs to be attacking the rim relentlessly.
Grade: C-
19 minutes, 3 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1-for-3 shooting, 1-for-3 threes, 50.0% TS, -2
A solid, if not particularly noteworthy game for Horford. He protected the paint, with a nice amount of blocks and rebounds for his minutes total, while not making any mistakes, and dropping in a three. Just played solid basketball.
Grade: B-
Friday’s DNP-CDs: LJ Cryer, Malevy Leons
Friday’s inactives: Charles Bassey, Jimmy Butler III, Moses Moody, Kristaps Porziņģis
LOS ANGELES — As Walker Kessler gazed up and down the box score at the podium in the middle of his postgame presserfollowing the Los Angeles Lakers’ 125-117 win over the crosstown Clippers, something caught his attention and stopped him mid-answer.
“Oh geez,” he said, “we had a lot of steals, man. That’s crazy.”
Kessler has been everything the Lakers hoped so far, including anchoring a defense that nabbed 13 steals on Friday, three of those from him. It’s been two games and Kessler has already made his statistical mark on the storied Los Angeles franchise.
In his debut against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, he became the first Laker since Wilt Chamberlain to shoot 12-for-12 from the field in a game, making it the second-best shooting performance in franchise history. Two days later, he became the eighth Laker to ever record six blocks and three steals in a game, according to Stathead.
Of course, in his rim-protecting nature, he deflected the opportunity to recognize himself among some of the best players to ever play for the Lakers… by turning the compliment on them.
“I mean, it’s definitely an honor,” Kessler said of the stat. “It’s kind of crazy that there have been seven guys who have done it before. But, I know there’s some absolute legends in the Lakers franchise — definitely an honor.”
The presumed-lowly Clippers scored 64 points in the first half, matching the Lakers and holding onto the lead for much of it. There was potential for the game to get completely out of LAL’s hands if it weren’t for Kessler’s floor-raising defensive ability.
The Clippers were getting whatever they wanted in the non-Kessler minutes. Brook Lopez made eight of his first nine shots in the first half, feasting on the heavy-stepped Kevon Looney and undersized Sandro Mamukelashvili.
But out of the locker room, things changed, in part thanks to Kessler.
“That third quarter, I don’t know what his stats ended up being, it just felt like Walker was everywhere in that third,” JJ Redick said postgame. “[He] really was a huge spark for us getting this win. … There were multiple times [in the game] where it felt like they had a layup and he either came over and blocked the shot or created an altered shot.”
A pivotal moment in the third quarter came with 4:30 left and the Lakers up 86-76, amidst a 9-0 run, where Clippers guard Darius Garland drove by Luka Dončić and drew help from Quentin Grimes before dumping it off to Derrick Jones Jr. in the dunker spot. Jones Jr. elevated above Dončić and Grimes, sure he had an easy bucket, only to get his shot swatted off the glass by Kessler.
The Lakers corralled the rebound and Austin Reaves hit an above-the-break 3-pointer, adding to what was a stellar offensive night, totaling 28 points and nine assists on 10-for-13 shooting.
Kessler was just as dominant on the offensive end, his 22 points on 10-for-14 from the field — yes, he’s capable of missing shots — brings his two-game season total to 48 points on 84.6% shooting. Between the dunks he gets rolling to the basket, rim running in transition or following up a missed shot, the 25-year-old is getting some of the easiest buckets of his life.
And yet, his defense is what is lifting the Lakers in these games.
“He’s a fantastic basketball player,” Redick continued on Kessler, “And I think he’ll continue to get better. That was one of the reasons that we wanted him and he was so appealing to us, it was because of his age and feeling like the fit with our two stars was really good.
“Someone that can continue to grow and become just a fantastic player in the NBA.”
SAN FRANCISCO ― The Golden State Warriors collapsed against the Memphis Grizzlies in the final three minutes Friday night. Memphis closed on a 17-2 run and won 111-108 at the Chase Center.
Coming off a blowout loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Warriors looked like a team itching for home cooking. Golden State was welcomed by a sellout crowd in its home opener. The roaring crowd was ecstatic for the return of Warriors basketball, but instead they really got the return of former Warriors guard Ty Jerome, who finished with a game-high 28 points.
The game had a bizarre ending after Grizzlies rookie Cameron Boozer hit the go-ahead field goal with 19.7 seconds left. Warriors guard Stephen Curry answered right back with a fadeaway 3-pointer. However, it was waved off after an illegal screen was called on Draymond Green.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was furious with the call and was assessed a technical foul as the Grizzlies sealed the deal.
"I thought we had a couple of bad breaks," Kerr said. "We probably had six illegal screens tonight. Those were really tough because the flopping that was happening on every single one. It looked like guys were going down like they'd been hit by a car or something. It's difficult when you're setting a screen and you see that and the refs are calling it over and over."
The Warriors were led by Curry's 24 points. He didn't shoot it particularly well, going 5-of-15 from the field, but he connected on all 11 free throws on Friday night.
"Missed a bunch of shots," Curry said. "Pretty good possessions for the most part, obviously there was a lot of 3s. Ball bounced their way, a couple of tough calls, a couple of tough offensive rebounds. I fouled a 3-point shooter. Breakdown down the stretch to give Ty (Jerome) an open look."
"So, pretty much everything went wrong," he added. "It's a tough pill to swallow considering we played really solid, especially in that second half to give ourselves a lead and be in control of the game for as long as we did."
GRIZZLIES 17-0 RUN IN THE 4TH AND STUN WARRIORS AT HOME 😳
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 24, 2026
Cam Boozer and Ty Jerome making an IMPACT in Memphis! pic.twitter.com/r3yMZmVqHJ
Brandin Podziemski started after missing the season opener with a sore back. He scored 18 points against Memphis. There's an underlying expectation that Podziemski will become a player the Warriors can lean on for production, especially after signing a five-year, $110 million contract extension just before the season started.
"I don't think the contract necessarily means anything. I think the contract just states they paid you for what you've done and what you're good at," Podziemski told reporters. "For me I just try to go out there and continue to do those things that I know I'm good at. Obviously there's more opportunity now with the roster structure, with injuries and stuff, but I don't look at it as I need to do more or anything like that. I just do what's asked of me."
The Warriors were down practically the entire first half but played a spirited third quarter where they outscored Memphis 34-24.
"I thought we competed like crazy that second half," Kerr said after the game. "I thought it was really inspiring watching our guys play. But you have to close games in this league and we didn't do it."
The Warriors have a back-to-back. They go on the road to face the Phoenix Suns on Saturday, Oct. 24.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Warriors 0-2 after stunning fourth-quarter collapse against Grizzlies
A packed sports weekend in Austin tipped off Friday night with the San Antonio Spurs delivering a stronger overall performance but falling short in a 114–110 loss to the Houston Rockets at Moody Center. The gave the Spurs their second straight loss after they fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder in their season opener on Tuesday.
“We haven’t been sharp, so I really commend the group tonight. I thought our competitiveness and our effort was A-plus,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said after the game. “It was good to see that our habits had improved since game one. But we have to keep putting the energy into that stuff.”
Victor Wembanyama rebounded from a poor outing on Tuesday to score 25 points on 9-21 shooting to go along with 13 rebounds, and two blocks. With San Antonio trailing by two, the Spurs called timeout to draw up the last play. De’Aaron Fox found Wemby inside, but as he turned to shoot, Amen Thompson made a game-sealing block to win the game for Houston.
De’Aaron Fox continues to look healthy as ever since arriving in San Antonio, finishing with 19 points, nine assists, and two steals. Dylan Harper turned it on in the second half as he scored 20 points on 53 percent shooting. Stephon Castle added 15 points, seven rebounds, and five assists.
“I feel like we have a lot of lapses on defense. I raise my hand to that. I feel like I, and the team, we’ve all got to get better,” Harper said.
After the game, Wembanyama was asked if he would do anything different on that final shot.
“I would have dunked,” he replied.
San Antonio had no answer for Alperen Sengun, who finished with 29 points and seven rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the floor. Coach Johnson threw everyone from Wemby to Luke Kornet, but the Turkish center was on a mission and could not be stopped. Kevin Durant and Thompson each added 20 for the Rockets, who improved to 2-0 to start the young season.
Still, despite the winless start to the season for the Spurs, they still remain confident.
“As the season goes on, we’re going to get more comfortable playing with different lineups that are out there. And I feel like when we get deeper in the season, I think we’re going to look like a completely different team,“ Harper said.
MILWAUKEE — Trevor Megill induced the game-ending double play Friday night and screamed. The sellout crowd roared. Fireworks went off. Brewers players hugged. GM Matt Arnold was high-fiving friends and employees in his suite.
The Brewers had just won Game 1 over the Tampa Bay Rays, their first World Series victory in 44 years.
Then, as Megill stomped off the mound, he noticed the umpiring crew starting to huddle.
The Tampa Bay Rays were challenging.
“I didn’t think it was a big deal," Megill said. “It was the last out of the game, so what did they have to lose? I thought they were just challenging the call at first base.
Nuh-uh.
The Rays were challenging the play at second too. Rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt’s foot barely lifted off the base as he turned what appeared to be the game-ending double play.
Megill paused, stood on the field, looked at second base umpire James Hoye, who was on the headset with the New York replay booth, and said, “Hey, what are you hearing?"
“He said, 'Whatever, not too good,' Megill recalled. “ “You want to throw some baseballs.’ ’’
Megill, now assuming the worst, kept throwing warm-up pitches. The crowd kept holding its breath. Suddenly, there was an entire stadium full of angst.
“You got to think worst-case scenario there," Megill said. “Once the replay went up that it was on the play at second base, and zoomed in, it didn’t look good."
The game was not over.
Junior Caminero was safe at second base. Chandler Simpson was at third base. And a run scored.
The apparent 3-1 victory suddenly became a 3-2 lead with runners on second and third. Two outs. And Jonny DeLuca at the plate.
Brewers catcher William Contreras, called the team's MVP of the postseason by Brewers manager Pat Murphy with his two hits, RBI, and two caught stealings, went to the mound to make sure that Megill was ok. Megill assured him that he was fine, but, hey, who was the next batter again.
It was DeLuca, their No. 6 hitter, who hit 11 homers during the season.
“This is a game of momentum," DeLuca said. “In that place, you’re not sure if the game is ending or if you’ll get an opportunity."
Said Rays manager Kevin Cash: “Once I saw a replay a couple of times, I felt like it was going to get overturned. And felt good about Jonny going up there against Megill with two outs.’’
Megill, who was just celebrating a few minutes earlier, suddenly had to regain his composure, Pratt had to take deep breaths and pray that Megill would prevent the most painful mistake of his professional career.
Megill raised everyone’s blood pressure at American Family Field when he fell behind 2-and-1 to DeLuca. He came back a knuckle-curve for strike 2. Then, he threw it again, just below the strikezone. DeLuca swung and missed.
Megill screamed and stomped off the mound.
This time, it counted.
Brewers 3, Rays 2.
“That was crazy," said Brewers reliever Aaron Ashby, who pitched 1 ⅔ perfect innings, and hasn’t allowed a run in 14 innings this postseason. “Just crazy credit to Megill for having that unload of adrenaline and emotion, and then to have that thing overturned and get back out there.
“That was huge. That’s why he’s the guy in the ninth for us. Unbelievable composure out of him. It was special to come back and have that composure.
Said Murphy: "That, was the biggest at-bat of the game."
Can you imagine if the Brewers had lost the game because of the challenge?
Can you imagine how demoralized the Brewers would be knowing they have to face Rays ace Drew Rasmussen in Game 2?
How Pratt would have to live with the blunder if it cost them the World Series?
“Obviously, it was a stressful situation,’’ Megill said.
Just ask Pratt, who immediately ran over to Megill and said "thanks for picking me up.’’
“I just wanted to win so bad," Pratt said. “I felt terrible. I mean, that’s not what you want, especially to end the game. And when we got the last out, I just took a deep breath
“What a huge sigh of relief."
Hey, that’s what teammates are for, right?
“That’s just kind of Brewer baseball, and it’s part of the plan here," Megill said. “Guys are going to have something that don't go the right way, and it's up to the teammates to pick them up. So, you know I'm sure he’ll it'll come through big in the next couple games for us.’’
For now, well, Game 1 was in the books.
It was emotional with the sellout crowd standing and screaming most of the game. And it was heart-stopping.
Yet, the Brewers didn’t wildly celebrate. There was no loud music blaring in the clubhouse. Just relief. Three more victories to go.
“This means a lot, but it doesn’t mean anything if we don’t get there,’’ Megill said. “We got three more wins to go. We know it's not done yet.
“It’s just one step in the right direction.’’
Next time, a step that will stay on that bag.
“You better believe it," Pratt said.
Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Heart-stopping replay complicated Brewers' long-awaited World Series win
It’s been a long, long time since the Lakers have had a defense like the one they appear to have this season. With the caveat of it just being the second game of the season, the 26 turnovers forced against the Clippers were more than they forced in any game last season.
Pair that with the 16 turnovers forced against the Warriors in the first game — nine of those coming in the third quarter — and the Lakers have a defense that can swarm teams and create chaos. That’s not been a quality of the Lakers’ defense in recent seasons, or for a long time, really.
It lets them not only disrupt the opponent’s offense but also get easy buckets. They scored 33 points on those 26 turnovers and took more shots in the first three quarters, even while shooting 61% from the field. If it’s a trend that continues, these Lakers will be able to get out and run and be a particularly fun team this season.
And for those wondering, yes, I did completely forget about these articles throughout the preseason and opening game of the year. But we’re back and you can yell at me all you want now.
So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
23 minutes, 13 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 2 fouls, 5-8 FG, 3-6 3PT, +13
Thybulle showed off a no-dip 3-pointer in the preseason and apparently fell in love with it because I’m not sure he dipped on any of his six 3-point attempts tonight.
Grade: B+
30 minutes, 14 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, 3 fouls, 5-7 FG, 1-3 3PT, 3-3 FT +9
It was a great showing on both ends from Williams. He gives the Lakers as athletic a wing as they’ve had in years. His ability to hound players defensively also is something the team hasn’t had from someone that size in a long time either.
Grade: A-
34 minutes, 22 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 6 blocks, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 10-14 FG, 2-5 FT +18
A truly awful performance from Kessler as he only shoots 71.4% from the field and not a perfect 100%.
Jokes aside, he’s truly revolutionized this offense. It’s immediately clear why the team wanted him and, even then, he’s been in the 100th percentile of outcomes through two games. What a start to his Lakers career.
Grade: A
38 minutes, 28 points, 2 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals, 6 turnovers, 4 fouls, 10-13 FG, 3-5 3PT, 5-6 FT, +14
A big second half from Reaves not only helped the Lakers create some cushion after being tied at halftime, but also was necessary with Luka struggling. Nearly half of his points came in that third quarter where LA went ahead by as many as 14. Then it was Austin who got the big basket late to calm things down late in the game.
Grade: A-
37 minutes, 23 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 block, 11 turnovers, 2 fouls, 8-21 FG, 2-8 3PT, 5-7 FT, +10
A bit of a deceptive scoreline from Luka as he never really had his rhythm in this one. He started the game 2-10 from the field and didn’t have Yaxel Lendeborg to fire him up. Then, in the fourth, he turned the ball over four times and while they weren’t all his fault, he was at the center of the Clippers comeback, and not in a good way.
Grade: C+
30 minutes, 13 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, 3-6 FG, 3-5 3PT, 4-4 FT, +2
It’ll be interesting to see how much longer Grimes will stay out of the starting lineup. Perhaps head coach JJ Redick is committed to the starting lineup, which is fine so far. But Grimes did close the game on Friday, so he has a lot of trust, too.
Grade: B+
23 minutes, 7 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 fouls, 3-4 FG, 1-2 3PT, -8
Mamu has taken a step back in the regular season after riding a high through the preseason. It’s still early, so there’s nothing to worry about yet.
On Friday, though, his defensive shortcomings were noticeable. The Lakers played him at the five and the Clippers spread the floor out and drove by him multiple times.
Grade: B-
16 minutes, 5 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 3 steals, 1 turnover, 2 fouls 2-6 FG, 1-3 3PT, -9
Sexton’s long-awaited debut was a mixed bag at best. Predictably, he looked rusty and like someone who missed the whole preseason. He had flashes of what could come, including a nice drive and drop-off to Kessler for a dunk.
Grade: C-
He only played four minutes, but it’s pretty clear that he’ll be unplayable most nights. Redick didn’t have him play a shift in the second half, opting for a Mamu-at-center lineup instead.
A solid game from Redick, who did a good job of finding the right combinations. He quickly pulled out of playing Looney and went to Grimes to close after a solid game.
Grade: B+
Friday’s DNPs: Jaden Hardy, Bronny James, Arthur Kaluma, AK Okereke, Jarred Vanderbilt
Friday’s inactives: Cameron Carr, Adou Thiero, Jake LaRavia, Chris Mañon
Surprise, surprise: the Golden State Warriors just blew another lead to lose another heartbreaker of a game, a disasterclass of epic proportions. Truth be told, however, with how they’ve been playing the past couple of seasons, we should all have seen this coming.
To add insult to injury, the Warriors will have to fly to Phoenix right away for their second night of a back-to-back slate against the Suns. The immediate question following that situation: Will the Warriors’ 38-year-old superstar play on that back end of the slate?
Steph Curry himself provided that answer — and it didn’t bring hopes up that the Warriors could rebound from the loss.
Steph Curry said he "probably" won’t play tomorrow in Phoenix in the Warriors’ first back-to-back of the season. Plans to talk to training staff, but clear they are easing him into the season.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) October 24, 2026
This decision was made with the intention of easing Curry into the season and hopefully prolonging his ability to play meaningful minutes as the season progresses. However, starting the season 0-2 — and in all likelihood, 0-3 after tomorrow night — means that anything of meaning from this season is quickly starting to slip from the team’s grasp.
Well, it sure didn’t take long for the Dallas Mavericks (1-1) to find their first back-to-back of the season, did it?
After a night game in Indianapolis against the Pacers (1-1) on Friday night, the Mavs head to Dallas for the home opener against the San Antonio Spurs (0-2). Dallas pulled off a 121-105 upset over Indiana on Friday night.
However, the scoreboard is secondary to the main news of the night, as Cooper Flagg left the game with a shoulder injury just before halftime. The injury, which was termed “shoulder soreness” by Mavs PR, figures to hold Flagg out of the home opener on Saturday night. Head coach Dusty May said after the game that Flagg, who had 17 points, five boards and six assists in just 17 minutes on Friday, will be evaluated over the coming days.
Meanwhile, the Spurs fell to 0-2 after a four-point loss to the Houston Rockets at the Moody Center on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin. The schedule has seen them play two pre-season contenders in the West, but no one in San Antonio would’ve expected an 0-2 start after last year’s NBA Finals trip. Urgency to avoid a three-game skid will be high for the reigning Western Conference champs.
A complicating factor here is the travel. With both teams on the butt end of a back-to-back, and Dallas traveling quite a ways from Indiana, we could see a bit of rest and workload management by both squads. Dallas will certainly get a boost with this game being the home opener, but this Spurs team is still awfully tough to beat. As you get ready for tipoff, here’s a couple things you should be aware of.
After shooting an abysmal 1-for-13 against the Thunder on opening night, Wembanyama didn’t get much of a reprieve on the physicality and defensive intensity against the Rockets. Well, the Mavericks do not present near the level of physical or tactical defensive challenge that those two teams did.
Wemby has found success against Dallas in the past. Last year, Wembanyama went off for 40 points against Dallas twice, scoring 29 in another meeting. I expect the Frenchman to have a lot of success in this matchup.
Flagg picked right back up where he left off last season in the opener, scoring 32 points on a very good Rockets defense. The issue for the Mavericks in that contest was a complete lack of help from everyone not named Marcus Sasser. In game two, Flagg was his usual self before getting knocked out of the game, but others stepped up enough to hold the fort down.
Now, seemingly without Flagg, where does Dallas go for production? Does Kyrie Irving play in this game, give it’s the second night of a back-to-back? Can some of the vets who have gotten off to slow starts get a bit of flow going at home? Will these Mavericks be able to guard anyone at all? It’ll be an interesting test for the depth that Dallas has accrued.
If Irving is indeed a go in this one, it should be a wonderful reception for now the longest tenured Maverick. Irving hasn’t seen the floor in a regular season game in Dallas since he tore his ACL against the Kings in March of 2025. Now 19 months later, he’ll make his return. Regardless of how he plays or how the Mavericks do, this will be a big moment for him and I expect that it will feel that way as well.
Standard operating procedures are in place for this contest. KFAA Channel 29, MavsTV or NBA League Pass will have the coverage, depending on where you are viewing from. Tip between the Mavs and Spurs is slated for 7 p.m.
Travis Head has described Australia’s stunning collapse in Gqeberha as “s**thouse” but said the tourists are the world’s top-ranked Test team with good reason.