We did one Q&A earlier in the week and had a ton of questions left over, so we thought we’d assemble a slightly different line up to tackle some more queries!
On today’s show, Martin, Sam, Jonny and Ant talk
• Attacking threat – in particular our wingers and forwards
• How many points would be a good return from the upcoming games?
• Which Sunderland player of the past would you add to the current squad?
• And loads more
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BROOKLYN, NY - AUGUST 27: Breanna Stewart #30 of the New York Liberty handles the ball during the game against the Golden State Valkyries on August 27, 2026 at Barclays Center Arena in Brooklyn, New York. 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 Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images BROOKLYN, NY – AUGUST 27: Breanna Stewart #30 of the New York Liberty handles the ball during the game against the Golden State Valkyries on August 27, 2026 at Barclays Center Arena in Brooklyn, New York. 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 Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Certain matchups can reveal a lot. When you’re matched up against one of the best teams in the league, you have to meet their level. You’re trying to catch them and see where you stand as we draw closer to the playoffs. A good outing can give you a boost heading into the postseason. A tough loss can leave you questioning what would happen in the playoffs. For the New York Liberty, they left Thursday night’s game with plenty of questions they need to answer.
The Liberty were held to a season-low 60 points in a 79-60 loss to the Valkyries on their home floor. Golden State’s physical defense kept New York’s offense out of rhythm for most of this one. The Valkyries played two nights back, while the Liberty had a five-day rest after playing the Indiana Fever on Saturday.
It didn’t matter. Golden State took grasp of this game and never looked back.
“With a team like this with the physicality and just really making it tough, after awhile that can make it really hard,” Breanna Stewart said. “And I think that we gave the effort and energy that we wanted but we got to knock down some shots, so we got to find an easier way to score.”
Stewart added 16 points and six rebounds, but New York’s offense became increasingly difficult to sustain as the game went on.
Jonquel Jones set the pace for the Liberty early on, finding range as her arsenal from deep kept the defenses honest as the ball hummed around the perimeter.
However, that’s where the good times for NY ended.
Cecilia Zandalasini hit a series of difficult jumpers in the second quarter, while the Valkyries’ rangy zone defense disrupted New York’s high-powered offense. The Liberty scored only 11 points in the second quarter and entered halftime trailing 42-30.
Zandalasini ultimately led all scorers with 20 points, including four three-pointers, while Gabby Williams added 16 points and four rebounds for Golden State.
New York tried to make a push after halftime, cutting the Valkyries’ lead to 10 points on several occasions, but never managed to make it over the hump. Veronica Burton stood out for Golden State, and tied her season-high for assists (13).
The Liberty lost because they missed opportunities… and open shots. They finished 7-for-31 from three-point range, and many of those attempts came on open looks created by solid ball movement. Sabrina Ionescu and Leonie Fiebich went a combined 2-15 from three, which is out of character for the both of them.
Open three-pointers in the corner, threes off of good ball movement, etc., but they couldn’t get anything going. That also answers our pregame question about how Fiebich would answer her 20-point outing against the Indiana Fever.
Throughout the second half, frustration started to mount. Fiebich got whistled for a… curious flagrant foul following a Tiffany Hayes fall. In the fourth quarter, tempers flared a bit as Jones and Burton got into a small collision.
The game was never in doubt, though.
With 3:13 remaining, the Liberty emptied the bench. Burton was a difference-maker, finishing with eight points, two rebounds and a game-high 13 assists without committing a turnover.
The Liberty shot just 19-for-63 from the field (30.2%) and 7-for-31 from three-point range (22.6%). Ionescu finished with seven points on 2-for-12 shooting, while Fiebich scored just three points on 1-for-7 shooting.
Final Score: Golden State Valkyries 79, New York Liberty 60
Chris DeMarco: "A game like this, if we're missing threes or we're missing shots, you have to find other ways to get points, obviously. So our offensive rebounds, eventually we got there. We feel like we could [have] rebound a little bit more defensively. Probably have to turn…
As we’ve mentioned several times: it was a season-low for the Liberty. By no coincidence, the previous lows for them this season were against the Valkyries as well (67, 70). Let’s just say it’s not looking good for New York if the two meet in the playoffs, a matchup some pundits deemed a potential playoff matchup preview.
“I feel disappointed with this one and a little bit embarrassed as well,” Rebecca Allen said after the loss. “I just don’t think that we should ever lose like that on home court.”
BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 22: Natasha Cloud #9 of the Chicago Sky hugs a fan before the game against the New York Liberty on July 22, 2026 at Barclays Center Arena in Brooklyn, New York. 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 Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The last game before the FIBA World Cup break: New York closes things out with a matinee affair against the Chicago Sky at Barclays Center. Tip after 1:00 PM on August 29.
Dec 1, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Saint Francis Red Flash guard Skylar Wicks (8) dribbles against Xavier Musketeers forward Filip Borovicanin (4) in the first half at Cintas Center. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The craziest offseason in college basketball history continues to get weirder for the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
Saint Francis Red Wolves transfer Skylar Wicks has decommitted from the program and reopened his recruitment, according to his agent Richie Felder. The hybrid wing committed to the Zags originally in June and was granted a waiver from the NCAA for an additional year of college basketball eligibility in August, deriving from his 2024-25 season with the UTSA Roadrunners.
The 26-year-old journeyman was going to have a tough time breaking into coach Mark Few’s rotation after Florida Gators lead guard Xaivian Lee transferred to Gonzaga just 24 hours before Wicks made his unsurprising announcement.
This subtraction from the 2026-27 roster technically brings it to 14 of the 15 spots filled, but it’s far from being officially complete.
Fifth-year point guard Xaivian Lee (Florida Gators transfer)
Fifth-year forward Chauncey Wiggins (Florida State Seminoles transfer)
*Forward/center Izan Almansa (Spain’s Real Madrid)
Redshirt freshman power forward/small-ball center Parker Jefferson
*Needs NCAA to approve college eligibility
The 2026 high school recruiting class consists of four-star wing Luca Foster, four-star center Sam Funches, and preferred walk-on wing Carter Nelson. Walk-on sophomore point guard Alonzo Metz will not count against the roster’s limit as he’s a designated student-athlete.
Point guard Nathan De Sousa of France’s Cholet Basket of the LNB Pro A (awaiting an international eligibility waiver), forward/center Izan Almansa of Spain’s Real Madrid of the EuroLeague (also awaiting an international eligibility waiver), and fifth-year point guard transfer Javon Bennett from the Dayton Flyers in the Atlantic 10 Conference (not permitted to play after an NCAA stay in the state of Ohio) are all still up in the air.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
PHOENIX, AZ - AUGUST 27: Georgia Amoore #8 of the Washington Mystics handles the ball during the game against the Phoenix Mercury on August 27, 2026 at PHX Arena 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 Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Following a 94-84 victory on Tuesday, the Washington Mystics returned to the Mortgage Matchup Center for another tilt with the Phoenix Mercury.
Behind a career-high 25 points and six 3-pointers from Georgia Amoore, Washington earned an 80-73 road win.
The Mercury jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead before Shakira Austin got Washington on the board with two free throws. Phoenix’s advantage reached 13 points before Amoore drilled a pair of triples to settle her squad down.
After trailing 15-2, the Mystics answered with an 18-3 run to take a 20-18 advantage into the second quarter.
Kahleah Copper scored 20 of the Mercury’s first 25 points as they kept pace with the young Mystics.
Behind a trio of Kiki Iriafen buckets and a pair of Betnijah Laney-Hamilton assists, Washington embarked on a 10-0 run to open a 38-27 lead. But Phoenix held firm, trimming its deficit to just three entering halftime.
Copper’s dominance persisted in the second half as she reached 32 points on 13-for-18 FG to give her squad a 57-53 lead entering the final quarter.
Shay Ciezki drilled a 3-pointer and a five-foot jumper to push Phoenix ahead by nine to open the fourth. Washington was again on the ropes.
But spectators would soon find out that those moments are made for Amoore.
The second-year guard settled things down with an and-1 layup to trim the deficit to seven before she plucked the ball loose from her defensive assignment and tossed a dime to Austin for an easy layup. After a Sonia Citron steal, Amoore sunk her fourth triple of the contest to make it a two-point game.
And she wasn’t done there. Amoore slithered into the lane for an easy layup to put Washington ahead 67-65. After another Copper miss, Iriafen ran the floor and added three more to make it 70-65 with four minutes remaining.
In just three minutes, the Mystics had turned a 10-point deficit into a five-point advantage to quiet a once-lively Mortgage Matchup Center.
Phoenix scored twice in a minute as it eyed a late comeback. But Amoore had every answer.
The 5-foot-6 guard dribbled through the defense for a layup. Then she sank a cold-blooded corner three to put Washington ahead by four. Then she added another, this one a wing triple off a Citron feed that brought the Mystics’ bench to their feet and grew the lead to 78-73.
Rebecca Allen of the New York Liberty looks to pass the ball during a game against the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at Barclays Center Arena in Brooklyn, New York. (2026 NBAE)
When the Liberty performance staff greenlit Leonie Fiebich’s return, the starting lineup inevitably had to change.
Rebecca Allen was the odd woman out. After a month as a starter, she shifted back to the bench for Saturday’s win against the Indiana Fever.
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In her 11th and final season, Allen knows this is how it goes.
“It just carries on as normal,” Allen said before Thursday’s 79-60 loss to the Golden State Valkyries. “It’s just starting the game at a different point.”
She also sees the bigger picture and understands what Fiebich brings.
“I mean, having Leo back is such a luxury for all of us,” Allen said. “You’ve got this length, this defensive, you know, she goes on all the best players as well defensively but offensively, we saw such a great game, especially the last one, so I think, I mean, there’s only good things having her back in the lineup. My role changes a little bit, but still my mindset doesn’t.”
Feibich scored just three points on 1-of-7 shooting in 32 minutes in her second game back Thursday. Allen had five points on 2-of-6 shooting in 12 minutes.
When Fiebich went down with a left foot injury in early July, coach Chris DeMarco had no choice but to tinker with the starting lineup that also included Sabrina Ionescu, Pauline Astier, Breanna Stewart and Jones.
Initially, DeMarco plugged Rebekah Gardner into the starting lineup.
After back-to-back losses, he decided to go big and start Han Xu alongside Stewart and Jones.
After another loss, he went with Marine Johannès.
None of it worked.
On a four-game losing streak, DeMarco turned to Allen.
Up to that point, Allen had sparingly cracked the rotation. Some of that was because she gradually eased into the season after missing most of training camp as she worked her way back from an undisclosed injury.
Allen appeared in only 10 of the Liberty’s first 25 games and logged the second-fewest minutes among players on the 12-player roster.
But Allen’s start resulted in a win. And then another. And then another.
DeMarco stuck with it, keeping Allen in the starting lineup for 12 consecutive games. New York went 9-3 during that stretch.
The five-player starting lineup featuring Allen was the Liberty’s best five-player grouping during that span, posting a net rating of plus-9.5.
Allen found her flow too.
“That was sort of obvious to see,” she said. “You sort of go those extended minutes, you can feel the ball a little bit more and it was good for myself and my confidence, too.”
Allen averaged nine points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 45.1 percent from deep.
When the Liberty performance staff greenlit Leonie Fiebich’s return, the starting lineup inevitably had to change.
We’ve got you covered on the Liberty beat
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA.
She also sees the bigger picture and understands what Fiebich brings.
“I mean having Leo back is such a luxury for all of us,” Allen continued. “You’ve got this length, this defensive, you know, she goes on all the best players as well defensively but offensively, we saw such a great game especially the last one, so I think I mean there’s only good things having her back in the lineup. My role changes a little bit, but still my mindset doesn’t.”
When Fiebich went down with a left foot injury in early July, DeMarco had no choice but to tinker with the starting lineup that also included Sabrina Ionescu, Pauline Astier, Breanna Stewart and Jones.
Initially, DeMarco plugged Rebekah Gardner into the starting lineup.
Rebecca Allen looks to shoot the ball during the second half of the Liberty’s 79-60 loss to the Valkyries on Aug. 27, 2026 at Barclays Center. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
After back-to-back losses, he decided to go big and start Han Xu alongside Stewart and Jones.
After another loss, he went with Marine Johannès.
None of it worked.
On a four-game losing streak, DeMarco turned to Allen.
Rebecca Allen looks to pass during the Liberty’s loss to the Valkyries. NBAE via Getty Images
Up to that point, Allen had sparingly cracked the rotation. Some of that was because she gradually eased into the season after missing most of training camp as she worked her way back from an undisclosed injury.
Allen appeared in only 10 of the Liberty’s first 25 games and logged second-fewest minutes among players on the 12-woman roster.
But Allen’s start resulted in a win. And then another. And then another.
Leoine Fiebich looks on during warmups before the Liberty’s loss. Michelle Farsi for NY Post
DeMarco stuck with it, keeping Allen in the starting lineup for 12 consecutive games. New York went 9-3 during that stretch.
The five-player starting lineup featuring Allen was the Liberty best five-player grouping during that span, posting a net rating of plus-9.5.
Rebecca Allen looks on during the Liberty’s win over the Fever on Aug. 22, 2026, at Barclays Center. NBAE via Getty Images
Allen found her flow, too.
“That was sort of obvious to see,” she said. “You sort of go those extended minutes, you can feel the ball a little bit more and it was good for myself and my confidence, too.”
Allen averaged nine points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 45.1 percent from deep.
Former NBA champion Stephen Jackson says LeBron James' decision to join the 76ers puts him out of the conversation to be in the GOAT debate.
LeBron James has always been centered around the great “GOAT” debate in the NBA, but after his recent decision to play for the Philadelphia 76ers, does it create a stain on his resume?
Former NBA champion Stephen Jackson said on his show, “All the Smoke Pod” that he believes James’ decision to join the 76ers no longer puts him in the GOAT debate with Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
“All the talk you hear about the GOATs, comparing him to Jordan and Kobe. For me, Cleveland was the only thing that made sense to keep him in that conversation,” Jackson said of James. “Going to a team that’s already championship-ready, that’s not what I would look at as the best player in the league challenging himself.”
The outlier between James, Jordan, and Bryant in the GOAT debate is centered around the movement around teams on James’ resume.
Former NBA player Stephen Jackson says LeBron James shouldn’t be considered in the GOAT debate. X/ @Baller_ReportPhiladelphia 76ers Joel Embiid in an NBA game against the New York Knicks. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
James is about to play on his fourth team in the NBA, and it’s one that currently bolsters one of the best rosters, as it features Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and V.J. Edgecomb.
Brandin Podziemski’s impending extension with the Golden State Warriors represents a critical crossroad for the franchise’s cap management. Eligible for a rookie-scale extension, the 23-year-old guard’s camp seeks a payday in the $22–$25 million range annually, driven by his starting-level production, high-IQ passing, and relentless rebounding.
However, Golden State prefers a conservative $15–$18 million sweet spot to preserve second-apron flexibility around Stephen Curry. Paying premium money to a low-volume creator carries real risk. If negotiations stall, Golden State can let the market dictate his value in restricted free agency next summer.
SB Nation asked Warriors fans which kind of extension should the Warriors give Podziemski. Here’s what they said:
Does Podziemski deserve the reported asking price he and his representation are seeking? Or does his profile as a low-volume creator make that too steep of a price to pay? Head on over to https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nba to test your luck.
ATLANTA — Tarik Skubal knows he will feel emotions when he makes his return to Detroit on Friday night to pitch against the Tigers only four weeks after he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Skubal says he hopes to focus on representing the Dodgers instead of dwelling on his memories with the Tigers at Comerica Park. He acknowledged it may not be easy to keep his emotions in check.
“We’ll see, right?” Skubal told SI.com on Wednesday. “The whole process was emotional. I have a lot of respect for those guys over there. I’m just going to go play baseball.”
Overall this season, Skubal is 8-7 with a 2.91 ERA. In four starts for the Dodgers since the Aug. 1 trade, Skubal is 1-2 with a 3.38 ERA. He is coming off his first win for the Dodgers. The left-hander had 11 strikeouts in seven innings in a 4-3 win over Pittsburgh in Los Angeles on Saturday night.
Skubal, 29, made his major league debut with Detroit in 2020 and had played for no other team before the trade. The deal sent the two-time defending AL Cy Young winner to the two-time defending World Series champions.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he believes Skubal has the right temperament to handle the emotions which will come with his Detroit homecoming.
“I think, you know, that whole ‘be where your feet are’ adage, I think that’s just who he is,” Roberts said Wednesday. “Some people have a hard time letting go, but I think that Tarik is a guy that, wherever he’s at, he’s all in.”
Roberts said he expects Skubal “is going to try to engage guys and immerse himself with coaches, with his teammates, the best he can. That’s a good trait. Like I said, I’ve only known him a short time, but I’m really, really fortunate we got him on our club. Not even just for the pitching, just beyond.”
Skubal said he is “sure it will be emotional there just because of the history.” The emotions will be fresh because he has had less than one month to adjust to his new Los Angeles home before making his return to Detroit.
“But at the end of the day, I’ve got to go play baseball,” Skubal said. “I’ve got to compete and do what I do well, what makes me a good pitcher. I’ll probably handle the emotions after.”
The Tigers are expected to have right-hander Drew Anderson (4-5, 4.09 ERA) face Skubal in the opener of the three-game series.
Klay Thompson believes nobody will replicate his 37-point third-quarter performance against the Sacramento Kings.
It’s been 11 years since Klay Thompson put on a 37-point spectacle against the Sacramento Kings, and since then nobody has come near that kind of dominance. And maybe will never.
Thompson was asked by former NBA player Serge Ibaka about his dominance that night and told him he’s not sure if anybody will be able to replicate his performance.
“That’s a lot of points in the quarter. I don’t know if that’ll be done again, to be honest,” Thompson said. “9-for-9 from three [point range] in nine minutes, that’s hard to do. It’s hard to do for me just in the gym alone.”
Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson believes nobody will be able to replicate his 37 point performance. X/@cptdankkk
Thompson went on to say that night, there was a little bit of luck involved that allowed him to put on that kind of clinic, but he hopes to see his record-breaking night for most points scored in a quarter be broken someday.
Ibaka went on to ask Thompson what was going through his mind, to which Thompson revealed that nothing was going through it.
Klay Thompson scored 37 points in a quarter against the Sacramento Kings. Getty Images
“The only thing going through your mind is getting the ball and getting it off your fingertips,” Thompson said. “You’re hot, you’re in that flow state, and you feel like it’s just gliding off your fingers.”
That night, Thompson finished scoring a career high at the time, 52 points, where he sank 11 of 15 shots from the three-point line, while shooting 16-25 from field goal range.
The Post reported that Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said that while he was lucky enough to play alongside Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, and David Robinson, but he never saw anyone do what Thompson did that night.
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But if you didn’t know any better, you would’ve thought New York was the one playing the back-to-back in Thursday’s 79-60 loss to Golden State.
The Liberty knew they were facing a tall task in the Valkyries’ league-best defense. Sabrina Ionescu even acknowledged at practice Wednesday that the game would be a major stress test for the Liberty’s offense.
And New York failed miserably as the Valkyries held the Liberty to their lowest scoring output of the season.
Rebekah Gardner blocks Veronica Burton’s shot against Veronica Burton during the Liberty’s 79-60 loss to the Valkyries on Aug. 27, 2026 at Barclays Center. Michelle Farsi for NY Post
“I feel disappointed with this one and a little bit embarrassed as well,” Rebecca Allen said after the loss. “I just don’t think that we should ever lose like that on home court.”
Coach Chris DeMarco waved the white flag with 3:13 left and New York down 17, subbing off all the starters except Pauline Astier.
The frustration with the Liberty’s poor play started to bubble to the surface in the fourth, with Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart jawing with officials.
Jones’ foul that sent Veronica Burton to the floor was reviewed for a possible upgrade, though it was upheld as a common foul.
Sabrina Ionescu drives on Gabby Williams the Liberty’s loss to the Valkyries. Michelle Farsi for NY Post
With the loss, the Liberty were swept by the Valkyries in the regular-season series. Not only is Golden State the only team New York hasn’t beaten this season, but the Valkyries are also responsible for the Liberty’s three lowest scoring games of the season.
Allen thought the Liberty played hard and “with intent” but “just didn’t find a way” on this night.
Of course, it doesn’t help that the Liberty shot a season-low 30.2 percent from the field.
Jonquel dribbles up court during the Liberty’s loss to the Valkyries. Michelle Farsi for NY Post
“It was definitely a disappointing one because I feel like today was a bit of a step backwards,” Allen said.
The Liberty moved the ball well in the first quarter and trailed by only two entering the second. Then, the offense got stagnant, and the Valkyries got hot.
Cecelia Zandalasini went 3-for-4 from deep in the second quarter to aid in the Valkyries outscoring the Liberty 21-11. New York trailed 42-30 at halftime.
Gabby Williams drives to the basket during the Liberty’s loss to the Valkyries. NBAE via Getty Images
In order to beat a team like the Valkyries, who thrive on elite defense, physicality and rebounding, a team has to beat them at their own game.
When New York’s shots weren’t falling, the Liberty needed to tighten up their defense, grab rebounds and limit second-chance points. Getting to the free-throw line would help, too.
That didn’t happen enough.
The Valkyries opened the fourth quarter with six unanswered points, building their lead to 18.
The Liberty had no answers and frustration followed.
Stewart said she thought the Liberty overall generated good looks from 3, but the shots didn’t fall. New York went 7-for-31 from deep. Sabrina Ionescu went 1-for-9 from behind the arc and Leonie Fiebich 1-for-6.
“With a team like this with the physicality and just really making it tough, after awhile that can make it really hard,” Stewart said. “And I think that we gave the effort and energy that we wanted but we got to knock down some shots, so we got to find an easier way to score.”
Jonquel Jones of the New York Liberty reacts to a lack of a foul call against teammate Rebekah Gardner during a game against the Golden State Valkyries at Barclays Center on Thursday, August 27, 2026. Michelle Farsi for NY Post
With the playoffs around the corner, Thursday’s showing didn’t instill much confidence in the Liberty’s ceiling. After all, there’s a good chance the Liberty might have to go through the Valkyries in order to reach the WNBA Finals.
Right now, it’s clear Golden State has the edge on New York.
“Progress is not a linear line,” Rebekah Gardner said. “It can sometimes go up and down and today was obviously not our best day… We definitely need to sit and watch this film and it’s good that it happened now before the playoffs so we can learn from it. Obviously, the game didn’t go how we would like it to go but if we learn from it, we’ll be better moving forward.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Cecilia Zandalasini scored 14 of her 20 points in the first half, Gabby Williams added 16 points and the Golden State Valkyries beat the New York Liberty 79-60 on Thursday night.
Golden State (28-11) improved to 3-0 against New York this season — the only team the Liberty have not beaten this season. The Valkyries held the Liberty to 70, 67 and 60 points in three games, the three lowest-scoring games of the season for New York.
New York (23-16) had scored 80-plus points in 16 straight games — the longest streak in franchise history.
Veronica Burton had a season-high 13 assists to go with eight points for Golden State, which was coming off an 89-64 victory over Connecticut on Wednesday. Tiffany Hayes had 12 points off the bench.
Jonquel Jones scored 18 points for New York, which had a six-game home winning streak halted. Breanna Stewart added 16 points on 4-of-10 shooting.
Zandalasini made four 3-pointers in the first half to help Golden State build a 42-30 lead. The Valkyries started the third quarter on an 11-6 run to go ahead by 17 points, and scored the opening six points of the fourth to go ahead 65-47.
Fernando Mendoza was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but the expectation is he will begin his career as the backup to veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins.
As a result, the Las Vegas Raiders' preseason Week 3 game against the San Francisco 49ers represented a key opportunity for Mendoza to get playing time before the start of the 2026 NFL season.
Raiders coach Klint Kubiak opted to play Cousins the first two drives of the Thursday, Aug. 27, preseason clash. But after that, Mendoza played until the start of the fourth quarter, when Aidan O'Connell entered.
After a strong preseason debut and a less impressive second effort, Mendoza's outing in the Raiders' preseason finale showed off even more of his limitations at this early stage of his career. If nothing else, it showcased why Las Vegas was wise to bring in a veteran in Cousins to help bridge the gap.
How did Mendoza perform in his all-important final preseason game? Here's a full breakdown of his outing, as well as a grade for it.
Fernando Mendoza grade for Raiders vs. 49ers preseason game
Mendoza didn't have much to write home about in his final preseason outing.
Throughout two quarters – and a bit of a third – the rookie quarterback leaned heavily on checkdown passes, overthrew his targets multiple times, was late on some throws, took a couple of sacks and threw an interception. In other words, Mendoza looked the part of a rookie quarterback still adjusting to NFL game speed.
At times, the Raiders' lack of good depth on their offensive line made it hard to evaluate Mendoza. Was he taking sacks and facing pressure because he couldn't get the ball out fast, or because the line was letting guys go unblocked? Sometimes the answer was the former, sometimes the latter, occasionally both.
The No. 1 overall pick was late on his throws on multiple occasions, which led to some of the overthrows and incompletions. But there were plenty of blown blocking assignments from the line in front of him as well.
After Mendoza's interception, which he threw on his second snap of the game, it also seemed like he lost a bit of confidence in his ability to push the ball. There appeared to be an extra emphasis on progressing through his reads, and he ended up throwing to his final, checkdown option often – but in the third quarter especially. That meant fewer intermediate and deep targets as the game progressed; Mendoza hesitated to pull the trigger on his earlier reads in his progression. By the end of the night, the most net yards the Raiders got on a single Mendoza-led play was a 19-yard pass interference call that was questionable at best.
A full analysis won't be possible until we see some of the all-22 film from the matchup against the 49ers. Perhaps the 49ers were actually just really good in coverage and checkdowns were really the only available option.
For now, the main takeaway from Mendoza's showing in the Raiders' preseason finale is that he still has a ways to go before he's ready to swipe the starting job from Cousins.
A floppy haired sawed off white boy guard, eh? Intriguing…. | Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images
Right as the school year is about to start, Marquette men’s basketball has adjusted their roster for the 2026-27 season. On Thursday, Marquette and head coach Shaka Smart announced the signing of fifth year transfer guard Colin Porter. The 5’10”, 170 pound guard spent the last four seasons at Liberty.
“We’re thrilled to be adding the person and player that Colin is,” Smart said. “He’s a strong cultural fit who possesses excellent basketball IQ, poise and maturity. Colin’s shooting, ballhandling and passing will bolster our backcourt immediately.”
Colin Porter started every single game he played for Liberty for the past four seasons, and yes, that is all 135 games that the Flames played in that time period. He averaged at least 27 minutes a game in each of his four seasons, and capped off his time there with 11.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. Porter is a career 38% three-point shooter with his senior year mark of 35.8% going in the books as his worst output. Seeing as that was also his career high in attempts per game, I’m going to guess that if he gets a little bit more choosy, he’ll go back towards the 40% from freshman year or 43% from junior year.
His assist rate trailed off this past year after three straight seasons in the top 400 in the country according to KenPom.com. I don’t think there’s anything to worry about with Porter not even making into the top 500 in 2025-26, as Zach Cleveland was a top 25 assist rate guy for Liberty last season. That’s gonna make a dent in Porter’s ability to be the guy who makes the pass that leads to the bucket, y’know? Elsewhere in Analytics Town, Porter had a slightly questionable turnover rate as a freshman, coming in at 20.4% on KenPom, but he’s been under 18% in each of the last three seasons, including just 13.1% this past year for the Flames.
One thing that’s slightly bothersome? It’s not his shooting in general. As mentioned, his three-point shooting is fine to great. Porter is a career 49.5% shooter on two-point attempts, and he was north of 50% each of the past two seasons as well. It’s his shooting in specific circumstances. In 27 career games against what KenPom.com calls Tier A+B opponents — top 100 teams, adjusted for home/road situations — Porter is shooting 39-for-94 on two-pointers. That’s just 41.5%. Last year, 15 of Marquette’s 20 Big East games were A+B games, and they played five more in non-conference play, and the Big East tournament game against Xavier counted, too. That’s 21, and we can roughly presume that the 2026-27 schedule will land somewhere in that vicinity. 3.5 two-point attempts per game is more than Porter averaged in any of his four seasons at Liberty, so he was shooting more than average in those contests and coming up with more misses than his career or season averages.
If Marquette’s offensive system is still going to be predicated on getting open layups — offensive guru Nevada Smith is the head coach at Siena now, after all — and that’s going to lead to Porter taking more shots near the rim, then maybe this is all okay. It all comes down to how he’s going to be used, and to be very clear: There is zero reason that Shaka Smart is taking a transfer under these circumstances if Porter isn’t going to play some kind of a role on the 2026-27 team.
The circumstances in question? Colin Porter is only technically legally eligible right now. He just finished four years at Liberty, and if this was a year ago, that would be that. However, the NCAA approved five years/five seasons rules over the summer, and Porter is part of a lawsuit in North Carolina that contests the NCAA’s rule that the seniors from 2025-26 don’t get the fifth year. I want to be 100% clear about this: I think Porter should be eligible, because I am shocked that the NCAA was stupid enough to not anticipate the mountain of lawsuits like this that they are facing and thus just grandfather the Class of 2026 in for a fifth year. However, the lawsuits on this topic are far from being completely settled. As such, there remains a chance that Colin Porter will never suit up for Marquette. Early indications from all the courts involved seem to point towards the players seeking a fifth year will end up victorious, but Billable Hours remains undefeated, so who can say for certain?
I can say for certain that we didn’t see Nash Walker at all when Marquette went on their Canadian trip as he continues to rehab from shoulder surgery in the spring. I can also say that Colton Crowdis played a total of 2:34 in the entire three game trip, and that was also the final 2:34 of a 102-65 victory. There’s a need for a point guard option behind Nigel James on this roster. Porter being available means that maybe Nolan Minessale doesn’t have to slide over to point guard duties here and there, and maybe that means that Shaka Smart is 1) making sure he has point guard options and/or 2) sending a message to everyone on the roster that playing time is precious. If he’d rather bring Porter in during August when that could mean Minessale absorbing minutes that maybe we thought would go to Damarius Owens or Michael Porter? You see the message being sent here.
There’s another slightly more interesting message here. Shaka Smart has gone from “nah, we’ll just improve the guys we have here” to “well, this has gone poorly” to “I have added two of the best transfer fits in the country” to “hey, I can make my roster better in November thanks to legal goofiness that has opened a loophole? Cool, let’s do it.” I know what I said about Smart’s future as the Marquette head coach back in mid-March, and I stand by it. The fact of the matter is that Smart has acted like he believes it ever since then. We’ll have to wait to see what the results look like, but the process, the path taken? These are the actions of a coach who is driven to not just win, but put the horrors of last season very far in the rear view mirror.
Let’s get you a brand new scholarship chart and get out of here, eh?
Los Angeles Rams' Myles Garrett plans to honor Kobe Bryant with his play.
As great as Myles Garret is, even he has idols he looks up to.
Garrett appeared as a guest on “Boardroom Talks,” and listed former Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant as someone he constantly studies.
“You get to see the duality of it,” Garrett said. “You have [Lawrence Taylor], you have Kobe, you have [Michael Jordan], who have a killer instinct. It exudes from them. They want to kill you, want to take you out the game.”
Los Angeles Rams’ edge rusher Myles Garrett during a training camp practice. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Being inspired by Bryant is not a bad choice when it comes to wanting to emulate your game after someone who can take it over in a matter of minutes.
Bryant was well known for his “Mamba Mentality,” which was centered around his hard work, dedication, and inability to show weakness.
“Just playing the game as freely as you can, trying to combine the two,” Garrett said. “That’s how I feel like I walk on the field. I walk on the field and I plan to destroy the game, but I plan to have fun doing it the whole time.”
Infamously, his dedication to the game of basketball was shown on full display in 2013, when he stepped to the free-throw line and sank two free throws on two torn Achilles.
Bryant spent the entirety of his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he led them to five NBA Titles, while picking up two MVPs along the way [2009 and 2010], he was the league’s scoring champion twice in 2006 and 2007, and was also an 18-time NBA All-Star.
Kobe Bryant during an NBA game with the Los Angeles Lakers. Getty Images
Aside from idolizing Bryant, Garrett admitted that he grew up “attached” to Muhammad Ali, because opponents would trash talk him, and he wouldn’t respond.
“Once you start playing those mental games and doing that mental gymnastics, you’re already defeated,” Garrett said. “Then he’s got you right where he wants you.”
Garret, 30, is still in the prime of his career and is about to usher in a new beginning with the Los Angeles Rams, after being traded to them over the offseason.
Shaquille O'Neal details what went into him signing with the Los Angeles Lakers.
When Shaquille O’Neal went to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996, he knew he was about to become the NBA’s highest-paid player, but didn’t know what would come after.
O’Neal appeared as a guest on “Full Send Podcast,” where he detailed the events that resulted in him signing with the Lakers, while meeting with Hall of Fame general manager Jerry West.
“Jerry West met me in a hotel. He said, ‘I got some good news and some bad news,” O’Neal said. “I said, ‘What’s the bad news?’ He said, ‘I can’t get you the $150 [million] you asked for, but I can get you $120 million, and I got some movie deals signed up for you that’ll come up to $180 million.”
Shaquille O’Neal details what made him sign with the Los Angeles Lakers. X/@cptdankkkShaquille O’Neal in an NBA game for the Lakers. New York Post
O’Neal said that after he heard the number, he told West, “S—t let me see that contract,” and couldn’t believe seeing the figure on the paper.
Once the ink dried on the paper, O’Neal was about to begin an eight-year stretch on one of the most dominant eras of basketball.
“And as I’m signing, he puts his hand on my shoulder. He said, ‘Let me tell you something, I just got this kid; in two or three years, you and him are going to win a lot of championships,” O’Neal said. “I’m like, yeah, okay, because I’m trying to sign. He was talking about Kobe.”
O’Neal and Bryant went on to become one of the greatest duos to grace the game of basketball as the two went on to three-peat NBA championships from 2000-2002.
Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal as teammates on the Lakers. REUTERS
O’Neal was the Finals MVP in all three of those series and was also the league MVP in 2000, when he averaged 28.7 points, 12.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.8 blocks per game.
The chemistry between O’Neal and Bryant was simple. O’Neal did the dirty work, while Bryant showed the flash.
In the playoffs, teams struggled to contain the two as Bryant would average 22.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game while playing alongside O’Neal.
The marriage of Bryant and O’Neal eventually ended in divorce when O’Neal left the Lakers and joined the Miami Heat in 2004.
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