Category: Basketball

Entering 2026, Daylen Lile and Dylan Crews were two of the most hyped youngsters on the Nationals’ big-league squad. Lile was coming off a rookie campaign where he posted an excellent 131 wRC+ in 91 games, including a scorching hot September, earning him a player of the month award and a top-5 finish in NL Rookie of the Year voting. Dylan Crews had yet to string together much big-league success, but he’d also missed much of 2025 due to injury, and the draft pedigree and bursts of success were still there.

2026, however, has been a bit of a letdown for both hitters. Lile has made large strides defensively in left field, going from the 5th percentile in OAA in 2025 to the 74th percentile in 2026, but the bat has not been nearly where it was in 2025, as entering today, he has a 92 wRC+ on the season, down 39 points from his 2025 mark. His whiff rate has increased by about 4%, his chase rate has increased by an alarming 13%, and his OBP sits under .300 entering today.

As for Crews, while many thought this could be the year of his breakout under the new regime, that has not been the case, as he began the season in Triple-A, and while he’s seemingly made some strides in his third big-league season, such as hitting the ball harder than ever and getting the ball off the ground more, the results haven’t been there for show, with a 80 wRC+ entering today, just 2 points higher than in 2025.

The good news is that while both their bats have left something to be desired in 2026, Lile and Crews are winning ballplayers in many other facets, such as both being plus defenders now and having 90th+ percentile speed. Their offensive issues are both against one side: for Lile, it is against LHP, where he has a 59 wRC+, and for Crews, it is against RHP, where he has a 54 wRC+. Crews has feasted on LHP this season, with a 136 wRC+, and Lile has done well against RHP, with a 104 wRC+ and probably more than that in the tank if he can improve his plate discipline.

So my question is, if the Nationals plan on being competing for a playoff spot in 2027, whether that’s by winning the division or making a Wild Card spot, would the best course of action be to bring in a free agent outfielder and to platoon Daylen Lile and Dylan Crews? If you give Daylen Lile roughly 100 starts when the Nats face a righty, and Dylan Crews roughly 62 starts when the Nats face a lefty, you come out with a combined season of plus defense, speed, and offense from the two of them. You also gain a valuable pinch-hitting option off the bat in whichever of the two doesn’t start the game, giving you the ability to pinch-hit Daylen Lile in a critical situation against a righty reliever, or vice versa.

Daylen Lile vs RHP/Dylan Crews vs LHP combined in 2026:

509 PAs, 468 ABs, .260 AVG, 21 HRs, 26 2Bs, .318 OBP, .468 SLG, .786 OPS

162 games of a .786 OPS with above average defense and baserunning is an easy 3-4 WAR ballplayer, production that would be huge for the Nationals in a 2027 season where they likely plan on being competitive in the Wild Card hunt. Platooning Lile and Crews in the corner outfield allows James Wood to rotate between corner outfield and DH as needed, Jacon Young to patrol Center Field full time with Crews subbing in occasionaly to give him days off, and perhaps a chance for the Nats to add a thumper to their lineup via free agency, It is not a great free agency class for hitters, but the once place there is some depth is in the corner outfield, where the list of free agent names includes George Springer, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Randy Arozarena, Taylor Ward, Lane Thomas, and more.

Potential 2027 Nats OF vs. RHP:

LF: Daylen Lile, CF: Jacob Young, RF: James Wood/FA, DH: James Wood/FA

Potential 2027 Nats OF vs. LHP:

LF: James Wood/FA, CF: Jacob Young, RF: Dylan Crews, DH: James Wood/FA

While I understand why some fans would hesistant giving up on Daylen Lile and Dylan Crews so soon as everyday hitters, the reality is that if the Nationals want to truly compete for a playoff spot in 2027, it will be an uphill battle in a strong National League, and they can’t afford another season of bad production by Lile and Crews against one side or the other.

Combining their strengths allows the Nats to have one of the strongest outfields in all of baseball, with Young patrolling center field, James Wood carrying the offense, and Lile and Crews trading off and doing damage against their respective sides.

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The Golden State Valkyries have owned this matchup with three straight wins over New York, but the Liberty return to Barclays Center tonight eager to flip the script.

Low-scoring battles have been the story across all six all-time meetings, and our Valkyries vs. Liberty predictions and WNBA picks are riding the Under once again.

We're backing New York to snap the skid on home court—pushed over the finish line by another monster performance on the glass from Jonquel Jones on Thursday, Aug. 27.

Valkyries vs Liberty prediction

Valkyries vs Liberty best bet: Under 162.5 -105

The New York Liberty have allowed just 81.9 ppg at home, good for third-best in the WNBA. The Golden State Valkyries have been even stingier on the road, allowing the fewest ppg at a paltry 76.1.

New York allows only 43% shooting at home, and Golden State allows just 41.2% on the road.

The Liberty slow things down at home, sporting the ninth-ranked pace at Barclays Center compared to the sixth-ranked pace across all other venues. The Valkyries are the slowest-paced team in the league overall and on the road.

That all adds up to yet another low-scoring matchup between these teams, and I'd play it down to 160.5. 

COVERS INTEL: New York’s defense comes alive at home, as the team sports the 13th-ranked defensive rating on the road (112.8) compared to the fourth-ranked defensive rating at home (102.4).

Valkyries vs Liberty same-game parlay

New York’s offense gives it the advantage. The Liberty are scoring 88.7 ppg at home compared to the Valkyries’ 81.7 ppg on the road. Golden State is 4-10 ATS with a rest disadvantage, and playing its third game in four days will cause noticeable fatigue. 

Jonquel Jones has gone for 24+ points + rebounds in six of her last nine healthy appearances, including four of five at home. At 6’6, she’s got a clear size advantage over the GSV frontcourt, and she tuned them up for 28 in her last matchup. 

Valkyries vs Liberty SGP +500

• Under 162.5
• Liberty -2.5
• Jonquel Jones Over 23.5 points + rebounds

Want more basketball parlays? Check out our WNBA parlay picks page!

Valkyries vs Liberty player prop pick

Jonquel Jones to record a double-double +142

Jones has recorded 16 double-doubles this season, hitting that milestone in 10 of 18 home games. She’s averaging 10.6 boards at home compared to just 7.9 on the road.

The Valkyries sport a 67% rebound percentage on the road, good for fifth-worst in the WNBA, and Jones can take advantage on the offensive glass.

Her 10.6 boards at home rank third in the league, and her 2.3 offensive boards are 10th. She’s double-doubled in three of her last four at home and five of her last six healthy games overall.

Valkyries vs Liberty odds

• Spread: Valkyries +2.5 | Liberty -2.5
• Moneyline: Valkyries +120 | Liberty -142
• Over/Under: Over 162.5 | Under 162.5

Valkyries vs Liberty trend

The Valkyries and Liberty have cashed the Under in all six meetings. Find more WNBA betting trends.

How to watch Valkyries vs Liberty

Valkyries vs Liberty latest injuries

Valkyries: No key injuries to report.
Liberty: Satou Sabally (Out).
Find our latest WNBA injury reports.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Even after a 53-win season and a first-round victory without Luka Dončić, the Lakers braintrust determined it was time to scrap the roster and start over.

President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka’s highly anticipated 2026 summer with space and flexibility arrived. Players with massive roles last season left unceremoniously in free agency, leaving behind vital positions to be filled, and hopefully upgraded.

​The roster now completely orbits around the planets of Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. Two on-ball offensive dynamos who are league-wide leaders in shot creation volume, finishing first in total points scored per game as a duo.

One of the key starting shoes left to fill around them is for a two-way scorer and connective piece. LA identified that guy this summer as Quentin Grimes.

Listed at 6’5 and 207 pounds, Grimes will oscillate between positions one through three. LA inked him to a four-year, $60 million contract with a player option, making him the fourth highest-paid player on the team behind Luka, Reaves, and big man addition Walker Kessler. The deal would indicate he’s locked in as the fourth starter.

​All the numbers and evidence point to Grimes flourishing next to LA’s backcourt. An elite and fearless spot-up shooter with a quick release, he’s a hand-in-glove fit next to high-level shot creators by popping to open space with tangible force and isn’t bashful with his attempts.

​In the clip below, the Sixers run their stack action, a staple of the Lakers offense under head coach JJ Redick. It involves two screeners in a vertical alignment coming up for the ball handler. Grimes operates as the second screener, setting the back pick and pops out for the quick three.

​Philly would run Grimes off numerous actions as the catalyst for their half-court offense. He shot 38.3% on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers last season and the 1.13 points per possession on spot-ups put him in the 71st percentile. That percentage jumped to 45.8% in the playoffs in 11 games, leading the Sixers.

The shooting gravity lets Grimes do what he does best: turn into a rim seeker. He uses power dribbles and physicality to force his way against closeouts and aggressive defense.

​In the clip below, he collects a dribble handoff. His defender is up pressuring the ball, leading to Grimes powering past him and finishing through contact.

​Grimes averaged 6.6 drives per game, finishing at 53.6%. It’s a welcome number for the Lakers, who, with LeBron James exiting, have a pressing need for downhill attackers.

He excels as a cutter, using athleticism to fly in for lobs or creative layup finishes. He has good court awareness, often getting sharp cuts when defenders are ball-watching, like the one below.

With 3.3 assists per game, he’s shown to be a willing passer and has a good feel for hitting weakside shooters or teammates at the rim. Grimes is at his best playing off of stars while taking advantage of compromised defenses. Where he gets in trouble is his propensity to over-dribble. While the catch-and-shoot numbers are elite, his pull-up shooting is quite the opposite.

​He shot just 24% on his off-the-dribble 3-pointers last year and the shot selection can leave much to be desired. Still, he’s shown he can shoulder the volume if it’s there and produce, even if it’s not hyper efficient.

He put up 21.9 points per game in 28 games for an injury-riddled Sixer team to close out the 2024-2025 season. He has a mid-range fadeaway he relies on and can get a shot up consistently with a high release point.

​Where Grimes will carry heavy responsibility is on the defensive end. The starters, and the roster as a whole with the Kuminga situation now finalized, don’t have a bevy of point-of-attack defenders. Grimes’s offensive strengths translate well to the defensive end.

His physicality and athletic frame allow him to guard up or down. He’s a ball hawk when locked in and has quick hands for unsuspecting ball handlers while being a solid screen navigator who doesn’t get shoved off easily.

In their seven-game series win over the Boston Celtics, Grimes matched up with Jaylen Brown. Watch below as he stays attached on the initial down screen. He gets a deflection, picks up the star full court and forces a difficult shot at the end of the clock.

The defensive numbers point to an impact player on that end. Grimes gave up just 0.81 points per possession in isolation defense, placing him in the 75th percentile. He surrendered just 0.85 points per possession as the guard defender in ball screens.

He can get overmatched at times against the bigger predator wings around the league with this size and likely not who you want to be your main on-ball defender against the likes of the best superstars in the league. That being said, he’s a solid option whose aggressive style should pair well next to the erasing rim protection nature of Kessler

​A bonus is the previous connection and familiarity with Luka. The two played together for 228 minutes in 21 games in Dallas, posting a +11.1 net rating.

​While not the exact two-way wing front offices and fans dream about, Grimes brings a high floor, much-needed athletic play and should fit seamlessly into LA’s rotation next season as a vital starting piece in their hopeful playoff run.

You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu.

In the fairly low global stakes fantasy world of sports the 2026-27 NBA season is a high stakes one for the Houston Rockets. We’ve reached a point where all three facets of the team: management, coaching, players, all need to deliver. Or we can go to that old “three legged stool” analogy for the team.

What exactly do they need to deliver? At the very least the Rockets need to win a playoff series. If they don’t, barring some roster catastrophe, it’s difficult to see ownership not making significant changes. The Rockets are now past the “scrappy up and coming team” point. After making the playoff two seasons in a row, and then promptly exiting in painful fashion both times, once to a vastly depleted Lakers team, it’s time to show something more. Can they? I think so. Will they? I’m not so sure.

Right now we have a management and coaching team that overall has proven better at making excuses than winning playoff series. Against the Warriors Jalen Green somehow got all the blame, despite a coaching performance that showed, generously, a limited ability to adjust to the opponent. Against a Lakers team featuring a 41 year old LeBron James, and no Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves, the management whinge was no Fred VanVleet and no Steven Adams, and Kevin Durant shocking no one with an injury, and essentially missing the series. We’ll get to coaching, and players, in parts 2 and 3.

So, the Rockets had essentially no effective point guard play in their series versus Los Angeles. Neither second year player Reed Sheppard, nor Amen Thompson were up to the task. Kevin Durant wasn’t either, and never was going to be, despite coaching insistence on initiating the offense through a veteran, and HoF, scorer and finisher, rather than initiator, all season.

Well, no Fred VanVleet was a surprise, right? Sure, if you’re still surprised in mid April over an injury that occurred in September of the previous year. Several competent, possibly equal or better (given FVV’s largely dismal 24-25 season), point guards were traded in season for less than the Rockets paid to get off Dorian Finney-Smith’s contract in the off season. Not one of those guards, of course, went to the Rockets. Losing Fred VanVleet isn’t like OKC losing SGA for the entire season, or the same with the Spurs and Wemby. That’s a real excuse, a real season destroyer. In the Rockets case they basically had the same season they had the year before (except for slowing their pace even more, somehow, to 29th in the NBA on offense) without VanVleet.

I believe it’s perfectly fair to blame management for having neither a coherent contingency plan nor a response for the loss of VanVleet.

Oh, and then the Rockets lost key man Steven Adams. This was shocking? How? Steven Adams, over the past four season has averaged playing in 33 of 82 potential regular season games, to be a bit kinder, and going to five years it’s 41. What this indicates, clearly, is a player you cannot expect to be available when you need him. I think Adams is a unique player, and fun to watch, but if your cunning plan is relying on Steven Adams playing in the post-season, it’s not a great plan.

The last season showed us a GM who simply couldn’t, or wouldn’t, react on to injuries he knew about in the preseason, or early in the season, to attempt to salvage that season. Why would you attempt to salvage that season? One, life is finite. Two, Kevin Durant is even more finite, at 37. How many years does Durant have left at his current level? Whatever the answer, it can’t be many.

Rafael Stone has shown himself to be one of the best contract negotiators, and salary cap managers in the NBA. In terms of drafting, development, roster construction, coach selection, and active roster management, Stone has shown himself to be, at best, middling. In some of those areas, coach selection, player development, roster management, I’d suggest he’s actually a negative, or detriment, to team success. Right now Stone doesn’t profile as a top NBA General Manager. He currently has the profile of the top assistant to a top General Manager.

Compare Stone to say, Sam Presti or the Rose team in New York, and you’ll see what I mean. The Knicks constructed a championship roster with literally one player drafted by the team playing real playoff minutes. I want to like Stone, I want him to do well, but stalled development of top 5 picks across the board, no reaction to a serious injury, and his growing propensity to offer excuses, rather than solutions, has me worried.

I will say that signing the consensus best shooting coach in the NBA was a good move, and long overdue. It’s difficult to see it doing anything but improving the team. Stone’s other off season moves were…fine. Adequate. But being Mr. Adequate in everything but contract negotiation might not be good enough for much longer.

In any case, I think Stone had better hope the Rockets at least win a playoff series this year. This team is entirely of his making, or at least has his signature on it all. I can’t imagine he has much runway left, barring greater team success. We will see what next season brings.

Earlier this offseason, Bob Myers went on the Game Over podcast with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul and pitched LeBron James coming to Philadelphia. I don’t know how much of a direct impact that had on King James selecting the Sixers in his free agent search, but consider me officially on board with any future podcast appearances Myers would like to make.

This week, Myers appeared on the Cousins podcast with Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady. While it won’t have the league-altering ripple effect of LeBron choosing the City of Brotherly Love, we did receive a couple interesting nuggets centered around Jaylen Brown.

Here’s Myers on the early parts of the negotiations with Boston.

“You start hearing there was a possibility, and the job then became is this a real thing with Jaylen Brown? Is it a real thing? I think Brad Stevens is one of the most straight shooters in the league. So when you, when you work in the NBA as an executive, you usually have at least one or two, I don’t want to say transactions with every other GM. So you know, if I call Tracy, I go, hey, you want to make a deal? He might be like, yeah, yeah, yeah, and then he does, I mean, that’s like, I know not you’re not this way. But I, you have to understand like he’s honest, or he, he might tell me what I want to hear, or he might lie to me. This dude just might just lie. He lied to me two years ago, he’s going to lie to me again. That’s not Brad Stevens. So when Brad Stevens, um, responded with, what are you offering? Then you knew that there was a shot. Yeah. And so then it becomes 50 conversations, um, towards one, both organizations did a great job not leaking that, which is impossible. That’s literally impossible.”

The first job of an executive is to make the calls, but the harder job is to be able to sniff out during a conversation when there’s a real opportunity, which Myers describes here. It was one thing to trade for Brown, but the Sixers getting him for the eventual package they used has to be seen as a huge coup. That’s all on Mike Gansey, Myers, and whoever else was a part of the discussion from the Sixers’ side recognizing how highly motivated Boston actually was to move on from Brown. Also, the trade announcement did come completely out of left field, so Myers makes a good point that both sides kept an airtight lid on all those conversations.

Myers also described his first interaction with Brown following the trade:

“We needed an edge, and I think Jaylen Brown sets an edge. To win a championship, you need guys that are of that ilk, that are comfortable being uncomfortable… I talked to him the day after [the trade] and said ‘don’t ever underestimate that you are a champion. And that there is power in that, so use that with this team.’ And I said, we need you to lead, so I’m going to ask you to lead.”

I don’t think we can talk speak highly enough about the benefits in bringing in two guys with the “been there, done that” pedigree of Brown and James. That’s two guys with multiple NBA Finals appearances each who are among a group of only 37 individuals to ever win a Finals MVP award. There’s basically no situation the Sixers can go through that they haven’t already seen and overcome. For a Sixers core group that has been repeatedly stymied by the second round of the playoffs, that’s a huge boon.

Be sure to check out the whole interview on Cousins. I, for one, am happy to soak up any content related to this Sixers’ dream offseason.

Red Bull New York locked up its biggest star to a new contract. 

Julian Hall, the extraordinary 18-year-old striker who has become a household name for soccer fans this season, signed a four-year MLS contract through the 2029-30 season, occupying a U-22 initiative spot on the Red Bulls’ roster. Hall is now the youngest player in MLS history to sign a U-22 initiative deal at 18 years, 156 days old. 

The Manhattan native’s deal with the Red Bulls had been set to expire next winter, The Athletic reported, and the new one puts in place a mechanism for the MLS club to be in a good position when the highly touted player eventually moves on to the next stage of his career. 

“This club has been a huge part of my development, and I’m grateful for everyone who has believed in me and helped me get to this point,” Hall said in a statement released through the Red Bulls. “I feel like I’m continuing to grow as a player, and I’m excited to keep working, keep improving and help this team achieve our goals.”

Hall has been nothing short of impressive this season, recording 12 goals and five assists across all competitions and becoming the youngest player to record a hat trick in MLS history when he did so in a May 13 win over the Crew.

The impressive campaign has drawn the attention of a number of European clubs that are showing interest in bringing the teen overseas. 

Marseille of France’s Ligue 1, Newcastle United of England’s Premier League, Atletico Madrid of Spain’s La Liga, Germany’s Red Bull Leipzig — owned by Red Bull New York’s parent company Red Bull GmbH — and Premier League side Hull City are all said to be interested in Hall, amNewYork reported. 

The new deal with the Red Bulls will keep Hall from leaving the club for free as he would have if he departed after his current contract expired. 

In an interview with ESPN, Hall said that “as a kid it’s always been a dream to go to Europe,” but his focus right now is to “help the team and progress forward.”

Hall’s international services are still up in the air, with Poland having attempted to recruit him to play for its national team, which he is eligible to play for through his heritage. Hall came up through the U.S. youth national team program. 

In a conversation with The Post earlier this month, head of Sport Julian de Guzman said that he “would not be surprised if Julian gets called up to a senior men’s national team before the end of this year.”

Klay Thompson signed a two-year, $11.5 million deal with the Miami Heat earlier this week, despite many feeling like the Los Angeles Lakers would have been his best destination.

That group includes his dad — longtime Lakers star Mychal Thompson. The elder Thompson made that clear during an appearance on the “Locked On Heat” podcast on Wednesday.

“What kind of influence do I have on [Klay’s] opinion? Isn’t it obvious? None! I wanted him to be [on the] Lakers. I thought the Lakers would be perfect for him the last three years,” Mychal said.

When speaking about Klay’s fit with the Heat and the Lakers, Mychal said, “Very similar fit; it have been perfect on either [team]. He fit perfectly here with Luka [Dončić], and Austin Reaves, and Walker Kessler, and the outside shooting the Lakers need, the outside shooting that Luka Dončić loves to have around him. But it’s the exact same of perfect fit in Miami too.”

Klay ended his 13-season tenure with the Warriors after joining the Dallas Mavericks via free agency in 2024.

The Lakers reportedly offered Thompson a huge contract at the time, but Klay signed a three-year, $50 million contract with the Mavericks instead, largely because he thought the team had a clearer path to winning a championship.

“I wanted him to be [on the] Lakers; I thought the Lakers would be perfect for him the last three years, especially when he became a free agent a few years ago, when the Lakers are pursuing him heavily,” Mychal said. “I thought he’d be perfect at the time to team up with LeBron and Anthony Davis to provide that outside shooting, along with Austin Reaves, that we needed.”

Mychal, who has worked as a Lakers radio color commentator for over 20 years, was then asked what the problem with his Lakers pitches to Klay.

“The only thing I could figure out is, since I work for the Lakers, and I travel with the Lakers, I guess he just don’t want to be on the road with me, in [the] hotel,” Mychal said somewhat jokingly.

“He don’t want me knocking on his door to be checking on curfew, make sure he’s there. So I guess that’s why [he] figured, ‘I’m not going there to have my dad follow me on the road!'”

Klay will instead joining a retooled Heat team after it acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo in a blockbuster trade with the Bucks this offseason.

The New York Liberty are back in the win column following a 109-102 victory over the Indiana Fever. Leonie Fiebich came up big with 20 points, helping the Liberty hold off a stellar Indiana backcourt led by Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell.

On Thursday, the Liberty will face one of their toughest remaining tests before the WNBA’s FIBA World Cup break. New York enters the matchup at 23-15 and clinched a playoff berth on Sunday after a Fire loss.

On the other side, the Golden State Valkyries are 27-11 and have won both matchups this season.

Game Info & Broadcast Details

• Matchup: New York Liberty (23-15) vs. Golden State Valkyries (27-11)
• Date: Thursday, August 27, 2026
• Tip-off Time: 8 PM ET/5 PM PST
• Venue: Barclays Center (Brooklyn, NY)
• TV Channel: Prime Video
• Livestream: Prime Video

Head to Head: Liberty vs. Valkyries

Golden State leads the season series 2-0.

The Valkyries won the first matchup 87-70 at Barclays Center on May 21, then defeated New York 76-67 in San Francisco on June 28. That makes Thursday’s game the final regular-season meeting between the two teams — and potentially a preview of a playoff matchup.

The Liberty are hoping to put another good outing together against a playoff team. After struggling to generate consistent offense in both meetings, Thursday provides New York with one final regular-season opportunity to solve Golden State before the FIBA break.

“It’ll be a really good test for us,” Sabrina Ionescu said, “especially toward the end of the season at seeing where we’re at, what we need to improve on, what we need to work on, but also knowing our strengths and what we do offensively and really trusting in that. Not letting their defense … make us tentative or soft.”

The Liberty have the size advantage — it’s crucial they create looks for Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart. Golden State is tops in the WNBA in opponent field goal attempts inside the restricted area and opponent’s field goal percentage.

Getting into and finishing in the paint against this team is incredibly challenging and will take a lot of determination if the Liberty want to get into the paint. The Liberty are second on offense in field goal percentage inside the restricted area — they should find quality scoring opportunities on each possession.

New York has the rest advantage as well. This is New York’s first game since Saturday night while this is Golden State’s third game this week. To make matters worse for the Valkyries, they’ve been on the road all week with one more game to go… all the way in Portland. Oof.

The key tonight will be three point shooting. The Valkyries lead the WNBA in three pointers attempted per game at 30, but are seventh in percentage at 34.6 percent. How will that look on tired legs? We’re about to find out.

Note: The World Cup break is drawing closer, and players will be making their way to Berlin soon. Golden State’s Gabby Williams, Janelle Salaün and Cecilia Zandalasini are among those expected to depart following this game, while New York will soon lose Breanna Stewart, Marine Johannes, Pauline Astier and Leonie Fiebich to their national teams.

Liberty vs. Valkyries Injury Report

• Liberty: Satou Sabally – Not with team (head)
• Valkyries: No players listed on the injury report

Player to Watch: Janelle Salaun

Janelle Salaün has emerged as one of Golden State’s most important offensive weapons, particularly when the Valkyries need someone to create a shot.

Salaün is second on the team in scoring and leads the Valkyries in both three-point attempts and three-point percentage. She comes off the bench and it’s no wonder why she’s the leading candidate for Sixth Player of the Year.

Salaün can get buckets from anywhere on the court, and when games slow down and scoring becomes more arduous, her ability to create her own shot will become even more valuable. Salaün only played 18 minutes last night, so we’ll see how Natalie Nakase manages her rotations tonight.

Leonie Fiebich Returns: What to Watch in Her Second Game Back

With Leonie Fiebich back in the saddle, the Liberty can start thinking of what a potential playoff rotation will be. Fiebich allows Chris DeMarco to experiment with more lineup combinations, keep two starters on the court in non-garbage time minutes at all times, and make life easier for everyone on the team. Fiebich does a lot of things at a high level, and that versatility allows the Liberty to look like their true selves. Leo’s not on a minutes restriction, so she’ll be out there for as long as she needs to be.

From the Vault

One’s in the air for Dolly Parton.

More reading: Valkyries Beat, Valkyrie Nation, Swish Appeal, Breakaway, SB Nation, Women’s Basketball Roundup, The Local W, New York Daily News, No Cap Space, New York Post, Newsday, The Athletic, NY Liberty Fan TV, The Stomp, Fansided, Just Women’s Sports, Winsidr, Her Hoop Stats, Yahoo Sports, ESPN, CBS Sports, and The IX Basketball

Red Sox-Yankees storylines: A massive series with playoff implications originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The resurgent Boston Red Sox are headed to the Bronx to take on the New York Yankees in their biggest series of the 2026 regular season.

Things were much different the last time these clubs faced off in late June at Fenway Park. Boston entered that four-game series seemingly at rock bottom with a 32-46 record, while New York sat pretty atop the American League East standings at 48-31.

The Red Sox pulled off a stunning sweep of their storied rival, marking the start of a historic run that included a franchise-record-tying 15-game win streak. Since the start of that series on June 25, Boston has been the best team in baseball with a 41-14 record.

That remarkable turnaround has placed the Red Sox in the second AL Wild Card spot with one month left in the campaign. This weekend’s series is a likely playoff preview, as New York would host Boston in the AL Wild Card Series if the season ended today. If the Sox take at least three of four at Yankee Stadium, they will overtake the Yankees for the top spot in the Wild Card standings.

Suffice to say, there’s plenty at stake heading into Friday’s series opener. Here are the top storylines for the weekend:

Tables have turned

On July 16, Yankees ace Cam Schlittler took aim at Red Sox fans with a cocky quote during an interview with The Athletic:

“They can say whatever they want… but they’re not really in a position to be talking, considering how the standings are,” he said of Sox fans trolling him. “Whatever they want to say, it’s just kind of useless. It just goes in one ear and out the other.”

The Red Sox were seven games behind the Yankees when Schlitter made those comments. Now, they’re 2.5 games back with a chance to overtake their archrival for the top AL Wild Card spot and second place in the AL East.

Boston owns a 41-14 record since June 25, when it started its four-game sweep of New York. The Yankees have gone a modest 27-26 in that span.

Postseason implications

If the Red Sox win at least three of their four games in the Bronx, they will overtake the Yankees and move into position to host the Wild Card Series at Fenway Park as the No. 1 AL Wild Card.

Last year, New York hosted Boston in the Wild Card Series and won in three games.

Reinforcements coming?

Outfielder/designated hitter Roman Anthony, shortstop Trevor Story, and utility infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa are currently rehabbing at Triple-A Worcester. All three are in Worcester’s lineup for Thursday night, but there’s a chance at least one of them will join the big-league club in New York this weekend.

The question is, who gets sent down? Role players like Nick Sogard, Mickey Gasper, Anthony Seigler, Andruw Monasterio, and Jahmai Jones have stepped up during Boston’s remarkable turnaround.

Inserting Anthony back into the lineup should be relatively simple, but Story and Kiner-Falefa will shake up the infield mix, and it’s far from a guarantee that either will be impactful. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has some difficult decisions to make.

Who’s hot

Red Sox

• Mickey Gasper: .417/.576/1.167, 5 HR, 12 RBI in nine games since call-up on Aug. 17.
• Jarren Duran: .321/.345/.643, 2 HR, 5 RBI over last eight games (game-winning extra-innings grand slam on Tuesday).
• Erik Miller: 0.00 ERA, 18 K, 3 BB in 10 appearances since joining Boston at Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline (10.1 IP).

Yankees

• Luis Garcia Jr.: .306/.354/.569, 5 HR, 11 RBI in 19 games since joining New York at Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline.
• Jazz Chisholm Jr.: .435/.519/.739, 1 HR, 5 RBI over last seven games.
• Cam Schlittler: 1-0, 1.47 ERA, 22 K, 6 BB over last three starts (18.1 IP).

Who’s not

Red Sox

• Wilyer Abreu: .048/.130/.095, 0 HR, 1 RBI over last five games.
• Jake Bennett: .5.73 ERA, 21 K, 7 BB over last four starts (22 IP).
• Patrick Sandoval: 5.66 ERA, 21 K, 12 BB over last four starts (20.2 IP).

Yankees

• Heliot Ramos: .113/.230/.189, 0 HR, 1 RBI in 16 games since joining New York at Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline.
• Trent Grisham: .162/.326/.324, 2 HR, 5 RBI over last 10 games.
• Jose Caballero: .100/.222/.100, 0 HR, 3 RBI over last 13 games.

Paige Lorenze got real about the WAG life and why she’s “obsessed” with her viral moment at the Queen’s Club Championships in 2024 with husband, American tennis star Tommy Paul.

At the time, fans called out Lorenze for repeatedly grabbing and “clawing” at Paul’s neck in a PDA moment while the pair posed with the winning trophy.

“I’m obsessed with that [picture of us with the trophy] … by the way, whenever something happens like this that is sort of like talked about a lot, I am making more jokes than anyone,” Lorenze, 28, said during an appearance on the “Not Skinny But Not Fat” podcast.

“That whole week after I was clawing the f–k out of his neck. We were making so many jokes about it … It’s also not that f–king serious. What are we talking about?

“Tommy won Queens … and in the [United Kingdom], the reporters are very intense and the paparazzi are very vocal, [saying] ‘Paige, kiss him! Hold onto him!’

“And I was very overstimulated. By the way, I would’ve done this overstimulated or not. I’ll claw the f–k out of that man. That’s my f–king man — would do it all again. [I] can’t wait for him to win another tournament because I’m going to do it again. I’m gonna double down.”

Lorenze joked that she has zero regrets over “her death grip” on Paul’s neck.

“The last few rounds of photos there was this really awkward moment where I was grabbing onto his neck and posing, and there was this really funny photo that that went viral and everyone was like, ‘Holy s–t she’s clawing the f–k out of his neck [and] making a whole thing about her death grip,'” Lorenze recalled.

“And I’m like, ‘Yeah, have you seen how hot Tommy is? Babe, you’re lucky I wasn’t choking him out.'”

Lorenze gushed over the pair’s July 14 wedding at Old Westbury Gardens on Long Island.

The Dairy Boy founder added that she’s currently going through the process to change her last name legally to Paul.

“It’s an honor to me to have his last name … I want to share my last name with my children and I just love him so much,” she said.

“I’m traditional in that way. I think marriage is so beautiful and it was never a question (to change my name).”

Lorenze brought up her future kids a few times and explained that she wants a big family.

“Tommy wanted to have kids before we even got married,” she said. “He wants to be a dad so bad.

“… We’ll have kids soon … I’m so excited. I want a lot of kids, like five or six. I just love big families.”

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Lorenze and Paul announced their engagement on Instagram in July 2025, sharing photos from the romantic beachside proposal.

The pair, who have been dating since 2022, met through Instagram.

Paul is competing in 2026 U.S. Open in New York, and Lorenze is busy promoting her Dairy Boy Sport line in the city amid the tournament.

With the calendar about to switch over to September, the NBA inches closer and closer to a new season. The Houston Rockets and the rest of the NBA won’t officially be back on the court until the end of the month, when teams start training camp, but the Rockets are still filling out the end of their bench as the season approaches.

The Rockets’ likely main rotation of their five starters plus reserves, Tari Eason, Reed Sheppard, Steven Adams, Marcus Smart, and Bogdan Bogdanović, is set in stone to start the season. Players like Clint Capela and Jae’Sean Tate will play sparingly depending on other players resting and injuries. Other players on the roster, such as rookie Bruce Thornton, will spend most of their time with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. The Rockets did make another move Wednesday as they fill out their last two-way deal.

Who is Rafael Castro?

Rafael Castro is a 6-10 center out of George Washington. Castro played all four seasons in college, spending three of them at Providence before transferring to George Washington. Castro is a defensive-minded center but also showed some offensive skills.

In his junior and senior years, he averaged 15.6 points and shot 64.4 percent from the field. However, it was on defense that he made his name, as he was a two-time Atlantic 10 All-Defensive Team selection and a finalist for the 2025-26 Lefty Driesell National Defensive Player of the Year Award. Castro averaged 1.52 blocks and 1.48 steals in his final two seasons in college. Castro played three games for Milwaukee in this year’s Summer League, where he averaged 2 points and 2.4 rebounds in 13.3 minutes a game

Castro will spend most of his time with the Vipers as he continues to develop his skills, since playing in the G League will give him the minutes he needs to round out his game. Chances are slim that he will play at all for the Rockets this season, with the team already having three centers, but as in every season, you never know how it will play out.

In a related move, the Rockets released guard Tristen Newton, who played mainly for the Vipers last season. The Rockets also released another guard, JD Davison, a few weeks ago, as the backcourt rotation was already set with Fred VanVleet’s return and Smart as his backup.