Week 7 of college football has some bigtime matchups for the Vikings to scout.
Stay or Go: Should the Mets trade Kodai Senga?
As the 2025 Mets devolved from a team with World Series hopes to one that missed the playoffs, the main culprit behind their fall was the pitching -- the starting rotation specifically.
Among the issues?
The season-ending injuries suffered by Griffin Canning and Tylor Megill in June, the summer struggles of David Peterson and Sean Manaea, and the transition from reliever to starter that led to truncated starts by Clay Holmes.
But the most puzzling thing that impacted New York's 2025 rotation was the Jekyll and Hyde performance of Kodai Senga.
Over his first 13 starts from April 1 to June 12 -- spanning 73.2 innings -- Senga posted a 1.47 ERA (3.24 FIP) while allowing just 51 hits.
During his start on June 12, Senga injured his hamstring while receiving a high throw from Pete Alonso as he covered first base. That injury kept him out for roughly a month, and there are many who draw a throughline right there when trying to assess why it all went wrong.
But Senga was strong in his first start back from the IL, tossing 4.0 scoreless innings on July 11 while allowing four hits, walking two, and striking out four.
After that, it was a nightmare for the 32-year-old, who had a 6.56 ERA (6.11 FIP) in 35.2 innings over eight starts from July 21 through Aug. 31. After his start on Aug. 31, Senga accepted an assignment to the minors, where he was unable to get his mechanics straight or find his stuff.
In light of Senga's massive struggles, and with the Mets needing to transform the starting rotation, is it time to explore a trade?
WHY IT COULD MAKE SENSE TO TRADE SENGA
More than anything, it is Senga's ongoing struggle to get his mechanics right -- and the massive issues that often pop up when he doesn't feel they're 100 percent in place -- that has been the most frustrating aspect of Senga's tenure in New York.
And while it took until September of this season for things to come to a head, Senga was pointing to his mechanics and "overthinking" as early as July 22.
The hope when Senga went to the minors was that it was a largely stress-free spot where he could get right. That he couldn't reach a point where he was able to return and pitch in the majors should have alarm bells going off.
Looking at Senga's pitch mix, his forkball remained elite in 2025 -- hitters slugged a minuscule .188 against it -- but he had serious difficulties with consistency when it came to the offering.
Meanwhile, Senga's two other most used pitches (his four-seam fastball and cutter) were crushed.
Opposing hitters slugged .543 against the four-seamer while slugging .483 against the cutter.
Beyond Senga's battle to get his mechanics in order and find the correct pitch mix is his growing injury history.
Since the start of the 2024 season, Senga has missed time due to injuries to his shoulder, calf, and hamstring. Those issues limited him to just 5.1 regular season innings in 2024 and 113.1 innings in 2025.
WHY IT COULD MAKE SENSE TO KEEP SENGA
Senga's rookie campaign in 2023 and his first few months in 2025 are proof that he can pitch near the top of the rotation when he's at his best.
His advanced numbers from April through June in 2025 show that he was perhaps due for a bit of a regression, but his 2023 was utterly dominant.
In 166.1 innings over 29 starts, Senga had a 2.98 ERA and 1.22 WHIP while allowing just 126 hits and striking out 202 batters -- a rate of 10.9 per nine innings.
Senga's four-seamer (grading out in the 98th percentile) and forkball (93rd percentile) were also elite in 2023, as was his whiff percentage, barrel percentage, strikeout rate, and xBA. Meanwhile, his ground ball rate and xERA were above average.
Senga might not profile as a true ace in the event he gets it together, but he possesses high upside.
He's also relatively affordable -- set to make $15 million each of the next two seasons. The Mets have a conditional club option for 2028 worth $15 million that will kick in if Senga has Tommy John surgery or a right elbow injury that keeps him on the IL for 130 or more days.
There's also the rest of the rotation to consider when weighing Senga's future. In other words, while there are concerns about Senga, there are questions surrounding most other potential members of the rotation, too.
VERDICT
Using logic and deductive reasoning, it's fair to believe that three pitchers might be penciled in right now as members of the Mets' 2026 rotation: Clay Holmes, Sean Manaea, and Nolan McLean.
Manaea did not perform well in 2025, but he was also pitching with loose bodies in his elbow. Additionally, his salary ($22 million annual luxury tax hit through 2027) could be prohibitive when it comes to finding a potential trade partner.
It's also likely that Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong will both play a big role in 2026, though that might not come from the jump.
As far as David Peterson, who is entering his final season of arbitration, it would be hard to give up on him.
Meanwhile, it can be argued that the Mets need to find a top of the rotation starter externally -- and probably will.
If you put all of it together, something will have to give. And the most sensible scenario has the Mets dangling Senga via trade.
Oklahoma QB John Mateer trending in right direction to play vs. Texas in Red River Rivalry
Will John Mateer play against Texas? Here's what we know about the Oklahoma quarterback's chances of playing Red River Rivalry.
How Steph Curry, Warriors vets helped Jonathan Kuminga throughout contract saga
How Steph Curry, Warriors vets helped Jonathan Kuminga throughout contract saga originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Jonathan Kuminga shared that the Warriors’ veteran core was instrumental in helping him navigate his recent contract negotiations.
In an exclusive with Andscape‘s Marc Spears, Kuminga revealed that teammates Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler and Buddy Hield each offered steady support and advice throughout his free-agency process.
“The one thing I really appreciate is my teammates,” Kuminga said. “I never heard one of them call me and tell me, ‘Yo, hurry up and do this.’ Just knowing that people like that who I go to work with every other day on that floor have my back, I appreciate that.”
At just 23 years old, Kuminga still is carving out his place with Golden State after being drafted seventh overall in 2021. He averaged 15.3 points and 4.6 rebounds last season — both career highs — while continuing to grow alongside veterans who already have defined the franchise’s dynasty.
Kuminga added that what stood out most during negotiations was the way those leaders shared their perspective, teaching him about the contract process and giving him patience when he needed it most.
“I spoke to Buddy. I spoke to Draymond. I spoke to Jimmy. I spoke to Steph,” Kuminga added. “All of them. I had a 20-plus type of conversations of how contracts work, how to feel about certain things. They were teaching me certain things.”
That mentorship became especially important when Kuminga missed the Warriors’ players-only minicamp in San Diego. He said Butler was one of the first to understand his decision to stay back and focus on negotiations.
“We had a [players] team camp out there in San Diego. I did not go,” Kuminga explained. “That’s when I had to speak to Jimmy and tell him how things were going and that I can’t get there. He’s one of the guys that really understands where I was coming from because he’s been through contract situations.”
He also leaned on Curry and Green after their offseason travels, crediting their long conversations for putting him at ease.
“Me and Steph had a long, long talk and I really appreciate that,” Kuminga said. “Me and Draymond, obviously, we always talk, but we had a long talk after he was coming back from China. They just gave me hope and patience for sure. I felt like I was comfortable after talking to them.”
As Kuminga looks ahead to the new season, he says the biggest takeaway is knowing he has the full backing of his teammates.
“I think that was the biggest thing I learned: I got people that support me and are always behind me,” he said. “I’m glad and I’m happy to always call them my teammates, my brothers.”
Wigan eye third consecutive Super League title and place among all-time greats
Hull KR have taken two of Wigan’s crowns this year and stand in the way of Matt Peet’s team at Old Trafford
It is not just the walls of Wigan Warriors’ plush Robin Park training complex that are draped with the historic moments of rugby league’s most famous club. Almost everywhere you turn in the town, there is a nod to the great players and triumphs Wigan recalls with immense pride.
The modern era has not exactly been short on supply when it comes to similar memorable moments but in terms of teams and players that will stand the test of time, it is not unreasonable to suggest this current incarnation of Wigan Warriors is on the verge of entering the pantheon of the club’s all-time greats.
Continue reading...Stephen A states Giannis joining Steph Curry, Warriors wouldn't be fair to NBA
Stephen A states Giannis joining Steph Curry, Warriors wouldn't be fair to NBA originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
With yet another round of Giannis Antetokounmpo trade talk rumors surfacing, the NBA world brought back a familiar hypothetical.
What if Antetokounmpo joined forces with Steph Curry and the Warriors?
Stephen A. Smith said the pairing would be “unfair” on ESPN’s “First Take.”
“You want to talk about unfairness in the National Basketball Association? Don’t let Giannis get to Golden State with Steph Curry,” Smith warned. “If that happens – oh my lord. It wouldn’t be fair to the basketball world.”
On paper, it would be a monstrous pairing. Curry and Antetokounmpo have a combined four NBA MVPs, five NBA Championships and two NBA Finals MVPs.
If Draymond Green still were in the mix in that hypothetical, that would give the Warriors two Defensive Player of the Year award winners. But, Smith notes the offensive opportunities with that trio.
“For those two to be wearing the same uniform on the same court — especially — if you kept Draymond Green, who’s your point forward facilitator, who’s your Energizer bunny, and who feeds Steph Curry better than anybody on the planet. If you had those two in the same uniform as Giannis Antetokounmpo, forget the betting odds and all of that stuff in Vegas,” Smith said, “Golden State would coast to the title.”
All three players have played their entire NBA careers with just one team. They have the three longest active tenures with a single team, with Curry and Green entering their 17th and 14th seasons, respectively, with Golden State, and Antetokounmpo entering his 13th season with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Antetokounmpo reportedly was open to leaving Milwaukee this offseason for the first time in his career. The Bucks star, however, has recently reaffirmed that he’s “locked in” to playing for Milwaukee.
Top Performances From Nashville Predators' Season-Opening Victory Over Blue Jackets
Oct 9, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators center Ryan O'Reilly (90) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Coming into Thursday’s season opener at Bridgestone Arena, the Nashville Predators hadn’t lost at home to the Columbus Blue Jackets since March 30, 2019, a span of nine games.
That streak was stretched to 10 following Thursday night’s 2-1 victory. It may not have been pretty, but the Predators are already off to a better start than this time last year, when they dropped their first five games in 2024-25.
“Columbus is a really good team,” Preds head coach Andrew Brunette said following the win. “They're fast, they're big. I thought we were a little nervous. We had a lot of guys, that was their first Opening Night in a Predator jersey, whether they're young kids or guys that just came in the lineup… I thought we settled down in the third. I thought it was by far our best period."
Here are three top performances from Thursday’s win.
The New Dad Lights The Lamp
Fatherhood apparently agrees with Michael Bunting.
Just two weeks ago, the 30-year-old Predators forward welcomed his son Bo into the world. Prior to Thursday’s season opener, Bo took the gold walk at Bridgestone Arena.
Michael Bunting scores the first goal of the season for the #Preds. I would imagine that puck might just go to his 2-week-old son, Bo, who also took the Gold Walk earlier today. pic.twitter.com/BJxoX7zqlH
— Brooks Bratten (@brooksbratten) October 10, 2025
Bunting scored the Predators’ first regular-season goal of 2025-26 later that evening, putting them in the lead 1-0 at the 6:45 mark of the opening period.
Bunting took the puck off a turnover, but his first shot was blocked by a Columbus defender, then bounced off another. Linemate Erik Haula fed the puck back to Bunting, and his second try went over the shoulder of Columbus goalie Jet Greaves. Haula was credited with the lone assist.
At 10:08 of the first, Bunting went to the penalty box for slashing, but former Predator Dante Fabbro also went off for interference at the same time, creating a 4-on-4.
Bunting’s goal put him four shy of 100 for his NHL career. He was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins with a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft for Tommy Novak and Luke Schenn last March.
Bunting also lit the lamp in the Predators’ last meeting with Columbus, an 8-4 loss last Apr. 1. After the Blue Jackets took a 4-1 lead in the second period, Nashville scored two goals within 43 seconds of each other. Bunting cut the deficit to 4-2 at 5:43, then Justin Barron narrowed the gap to 4-3 at 6:26.
Here's to a great start of 2025-26 for the new dad, on and off the ice.
Ryan O'Reilly Gets The Game-Winner
Last season, the Predators ranked 18th in the NHL on the power play. On Thursday, they went 1-for-4, but that goal was a big one. It came from Ryan O’Reilly to put the Preds ahead 2-1 in what would eventually be the game-winner.
At 16:41 of the third period, O’Reilly took a pass from Filip Forsberg down low, showed some adept stick-handling skills before firing a high backhand past Greaves.
Forsberg picked up the assist, giving him a point in 10 consecutive season-opening games dating back to 2016-17. He’s only the fifth player in NHL history to accomplish that milestone.
“It's a good feeling,” O’Reilly said of Thursday's win. “It wasn't pretty at times out there. They had some momentum, and we got caught on our heels, but still, to find a way to win, to kind of stay with it… It's so important to establish that right away and get that first win. It's definitely a great game to build on."
O’Reilly was on a power-play unit with Forsberg, Roman Josi, Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault. They had great puck movement on that particular shift. It’s definitely something they can build on.
Juuse Saros Slams The Door
In last season’s loss to Dallas on Opening Night, Predators goalie Juuse Saros didn’t play due to an injury. The Stars scored all four of their goals in the second period off backup Justus Annunen, and Nashville fell 4-3.
Saros was in net Thursday, and made the most of his season opener. He had several key saves in the first period after the Predators had grabbed a 1-0 lead. One was on Kirill Marchenko on a wraparound attempt going left to right.
Saros was up to the task all night, stopping 38 of 39 shots. The Blue Jackets outshot Nashville 28-18 through 40 minutes before the Predators won the third period advantage 13-10.
“Obviously, he's the backbone of our team," Forsberg said of Saros. "And then for two periods, we relied on him a lot, too, a lot more than we…want to on a regular basis. But that's why he's here. That's why he's ours and not someone else's. He's one of the best, if not the best.”
The Blue Jackets almost went ahead 2-1 with 17 seconds left in the middle frame after Mathieu Olivier put one in after Saros partially saved a previous shot by Damon Severson. However, the goal was disallowed after video review for goalie interference.
Saros’s previous performance against Columbus was forgettable. He saved 19 of 26 shots over two periods in the 8-4 loss last April before giving way to Annunen.
Thursday, the Predators saw the vintage Saros. If the club has any hope of a turnaround in 2025-26, it starts with Saros being consistent throughout the grind of a season.
Blue Jackets Play Well, But Can't Overcome The Demons Of Playing In Nashville
Dmitri Voronkov (1) provided the only offense for Columbus, and Jet Greaves was stellar, making 29 saves, but the Jackets would fall to the Nashville Predators 2-1.
Bridgestone Arena is absolutely a house of horrors for the Columbus Blue Jackets. With last night's loss, they move to 9-37-1-7 all-time in Nashville. So, it's a blessing that this game was played so early in the season.
The Jackets played really well, but just couldn't solve Preds goalie Juuse Saros. The 30-year-old Finn made 37 saves on 38 CBJ shots to stifle the young Jackets. The Jackets thought they took the lead with 18 seconds left in the second period, but upon further review, it was ruled that Mathieu Olivier made contact with Saros, so the goal was called back. That would be it for the Blue Jackets, as the Preds would of course score a power play in the third to end it.
They played well against a tough and skilled team and playing well defensively. There's really nothing to be upset about in this one.
Quotes
- HC Dean Evason - "A ton of positives. Obviously, their goaltender was really good. We did so many really good things in this hockey game. It's frustrating, obviously, but the guys know how hard and how well they played."
- Mathieu Olivier - “I thought our game was really good. We put a lot of pressure on them, did the right things to win. Ultimately, their goalie was really good. So was Jet. It was a very tight game, and that’s just the way it goes sometimes, but as far as the way we played, I don’t think there’s much to look at and not be satisfied with. We played well. Just not satisfied with not getting the two points, but other than that, not a bad performance by our group.”
- Jet Greaves - "Excited for the opportunity to be out there with the guys tonight. So, I felt good, but obviously like there's some positives but also some things to improve on, so it's I think it's a good step, but I think there's a lot for myself and for us to learn from going forward."
Final Stats
Player Stats
- Dmitri Voronkov scored his 1st goal of the season.
- Damon Severson tallied an assist
- Denton Mateychuk recorded an assist.
- Kirill Marchenko led the CBJ with 8 shots.
- Zach Werenski had 5 shots on the night.
- Jet Greaves made 29 saves.
Team Stats
- The Jackets' power play went 0/1 on the night.
- The Columbus PK stopped 3 of 4 Predator power plays.
- Columbus won 46.8% of the faceoffs.
Up Next: The Blue Jackets travel to Minnesota to play the Wild on Saturday night.
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What Buster Posey took away from Bryce Eldridge's late-season Giants call-up
What Buster Posey took away from Bryce Eldridge's late-season Giants call-up originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO — During the final homestand at Oracle Park, the lower deck was dotted with No. 78 jerseys, which will become a throwback next spring when Bryce Eldridge is given a much lower number. But those weren’t the only souvenirs from the 20-year-old’s two-week cameo in the big leagues.
Eldridge picked up his first big league hit, and his mom even managed to snag a Matt Chapman foul ball while watching a game at Dodger Stadium. There were a lot of lessons that the organization’s top prospect will take away from September, too.
“You’ve got to make adjustments at this level,” he said on the final day of the season. “I’m just excited that I got the opportunity. I love the fact that I got that out of the way going into next year. I know the things I’ve got to work on. I’m just excited and looking forward to next year and continuing to have a bigger role on this team.”
The Giants never intended to have Eldridge get his feet wet in September, but when Dominic Smith went down with the team still fighting for a Wild Card spot, Buster Posey made the move in hopes that it could provide a jolt down the stretch. Eldridge ended up getting 37 plate appearances over 10 games, showing why he’s potentially a franchise-altering hitter and also what he has to work on.
Eldridge finished with just three hits, but when he made contact, he showed his elite power. He had an average exit velocity of 95.6 mph, a tick above Aaron Judge, who led qualified big leaguers at 95.4 mph. In a small sample, Eldridge also posted what would have been the league’s best hard-hit percentage. He was at 68.8 percent, well ahead of Kyle Schwarber’s 59.6 percent. His expected slugging percentage would have been a top 20 figure in the league over a full season.
That power was there throughout his Triple-A season, too, but Eldridge also had a high strikeout rate, which is one reason the Giants were holding him back all summer. That showed in the big leagues, too. His 35.1 percent strikeout rate would be the highest in the big leagues over a full season. He did, however, counter that with a high walk rate.
Add it up and it’s about exactly what was expected given his age and lack of experience. When Eldridge makes contact, it’s special … but he certainly has work to do in terms of limiting strikeouts.
“I think it’s kind of what we anticipated we might see,” president of baseball operations Buster Posey said on Giants Talk. “You could see some swing and miss, he hit the ball hard. I was impressed at some of his takes. I thought he did a nice job against some really tough pitchers. It’s a big jump. It’s a big jump from Triple-A to the big leagues for a lot of different reasons and one is the quality of arms that you’re seeing every day and every night, starting pitching and relief pitching. There were some takes against (Yoshinobu) Yamamoto that were balls just under the zone that he did a nice job with.
“It’s exciting to have a guy that you know there’s tremendous upside. I know he knows and we all know there’s a lot of room for growth still and we’re excited to keep watching that.”
The call-up put Eldridge on the 40-man roster, eliminating one hurdle to having him on the Opening Day roster next season. But the Giants haven’t committed to anything for 2026, at least publicly.
Eldridge showed he’s more comfortable at first than he was earlier in the year, but if the front office wants him to get a bit more seasoning on that side and continue to work on his approach in Triple-A, there’s an avenue to do that. Rafael Devers likely will be the primary first baseman next year, anyway. There’s some interest in a reunion with Smith, although that’s likely far-fetched given that the roster will at some point have two left-handed first base/DH types in Devers and Eldridge.
Given how much they have to do on the pitching side, the Giants could also go into the offseason with a plan to start Eldridge in the big leagues next year no matter what. A midseason injury limited him a bit in Triple-A, but he got a taste of MLB pitching late in the year and can work on adjustments all spring. That would set him up for an early matchup with Judge, a fellow 6-foot-7 hitter, and give him another chance to get one more milestone out of the way in a big game. The Giants open 2026 on national television against the New York Yankees.
Eldridge came a few feet short of picking up his first homer at Dodger Stadium. He didn’t get that first homer at Oracle Park over the final week, but he said that’s one part of the late-season cameo that wasn’t stressing him out.
“It’ll come when it comes. I’m not worried about it,” he said. “I think there will be plenty of them in my career. I just have to wait a little bit longer, but it’s not a big deal.”
If you know your Lucas Neill and Mo Salah, the Guardian’s new football game is just for you
Our new daily puzzle, On the ball, involves guessing the identity of the Premier League footballers, past and present
That “dudes can just sit around and name old sports players” is a time-honoured social media meme. In football, this is especially true. Such wistful recollections can bring together all types of people.
A couple of seasons ago, on a Saturday night train back to London from reporting for the Guardian a match between Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace, I thought I had landed in the sanctuary of an abandoned carriage on the train home.
Continue reading...Fraser Minten Plays Overtime Hero As Former Maple Leafs Prospects Make Impact On New NHL Clubs
The Toronto Maple Leafs paid a steep price when they bolstered their blue line back in March, dealing Fraser Minten and a top-five protected first-round draft pick in 2026 for defenseman Brandon Carlo.
Now in his second season with the Bruins, Minten is making an immediate impact. The 21-year-old center scored the overtime winner to help the Boston Bruins defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3. Minten, a late-season call-up for the Bruins in 2024-25, earned a spot in the opening-night lineup after just six games with his new club. The Bruins missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years last season, but are now 2-0-0 thanks to the player Toronto selected with their first pick (38th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft.
FRASER MINTEN OT GOAL TO WIN IT IN FRONT OF THE HOME CROWD pic.twitter.com/SlXF3AlIVk
— NESN (@NESN) October 10, 2025
Minten wasn’t the only former Leafs prospect acquired at the deadline to make it to an NHL-opening roster. Nikita Grebenkin, acquired in the deal for Scott Laughton, made the Philadelphia Flyers out of camp. However, Grebenkin was a healthy scratch for Philly’s season-opening loss to the Florida Panthers on Thursday.
“I want to win every game.”
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) October 7, 2025
Forward Nikita Grebenkin is ready to get to work after making the Orange & Black’s Opening Night roster.@KendallSkalicky | #LetsGoFlyerspic.twitter.com/Nus4y9zojW
Laughton has been out of action for the Leafs since blocking a shot in a pre-season game. He remains week-to-week with a lower-body injury. His lower-body injury appears to derail Leafs prospect Easton Cowan’s opening the regular season on the fourth line alongside Laughton and Steven Lorentz. Perhaps the prospect gets his chance when the Leafs head down the 401 to take on the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesar’s Arena on Saturday
atest stories:
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Why Jonathan Kuminga won't ‘waste energy' asking Steve Kerr about Warriors role
Why Jonathan Kuminga won't ‘waste energy' asking Steve Kerr about Warriors role originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Now that a contract has been settled between the Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga, the focus shifts to what happens between the lines.
The 23-year-old forward’s role has fluctuated throughout his career, especially after Golden State acquired star forward Jimmy Butler last season. That fluctuation has created some uncertainty for Kuminga and created a big contention point during the offseason’s contract negotiations.
Kuminga, speaking to Andscape’s Marc J. Spears, said he is choosing not to worry about his role.
“I don’t ask [Warriors coach Steve Kerr] about roles because I know what he is going to tell me,” Kuminga said to Andscape. “I don’t waste my energy. I choose not to ask because nobody is going to tell me. It’s whatever. You just have to find ways to do things when you get out there. Make plays, defend. I don’t have a consistent role. I just play a role where I make sure I play defense and run the floor.”
When the Warriors don’t have superstar guard Steph Curry available, Kuminga has been tasked with being more of a focal point in the offense. But most nights, as it has been for over a decade, Curry is the driver of the offense.
But that doesn’t render Kuminga useless by any means. Kerr detailed what a key supportive role looks like for Kuminga in an exclusive interview with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Kerith Burke on “Dubs Talk.”
“I think the role is right there for him,” Kerr told Burke. “We need JK’s size, athleticism on the wing, his ability to guard the big wing guys like Luka [Dončić], LeBron [James] and Kawhi Leonard. So, the role is right there for him. I know it hasn’t always been easy for him because he’s wanted more of a role, being more of a focal point in our offense.”
Kuminga does recognize this, telling Spears that he thinks his role is “to rebound, play defense and run the floor,” while also saying that he doesn’t “stress myself about it or think about” variations in playing time from game to game.
Nevertheless, Kuminga and his camp feel that he can reach All-Star level play with a starting role. Kerr, speaking to Andscape, acknowledged that wasn’t in the mix.
“It’s been an interesting fit. He’s made it pretty clear that he wants the ball and an opportunity that a lot of his cohorts get and people that were drafted near him. And we weren’t able to offer that,” Kerr said to Andscape. “We were a championship team. We won the title his rookie year [2021-22] and have been in the mix the last few years. So, it’s been tough. I respect the fact that he is competing and fighting in a set of circumstances that maybe isn’t ideal for him. But the thing I keep telling him is he can play a role for us, absolutely, with his size, speed and athleticism.
“He can play an important role on a very good team. He just turned 23 [on Monday]. He has plenty of basketball ahead. One day, hopefully, he will look back on this as a valuable time in his career. But I know he’s frustrated. He’s made it very clear publicly. I don’t mind that, but I want him to embrace the idea that he can be a part of something special.”
In his four years of NBA service, Kuminga has averaged 12.5 points per game with a 50.7 field goal percentage in 22.0 minutes per game.
Last season, before the acquisition of Butler, Kuminga averaged 26.0 minutes per game and made 10 starts in his 32 games played. After the acquisition and return from an ankle sprain, his playing time dipped to 20.8 minutes per game.
Harry Brook admits Pat Cummins’ absence could boost England’s Ashes chances
Injured Australian captain set to miss at least Perth test
Brook expects Stokes to play all five Tests in Australia
Harry Brook believes Pat Cummins potentially missing the start of the Ashes would play into English hands but warned that Australia’s depth in pace bowlers means any replacement should not be underestimated.
With just six weeks to go until the first Test in Perth, the fitness of Cummins remains a major talking point following the detection of a lower back stress injury earlier this year. According to some reports, his entire series could even be in jeopardy.
Continue reading...Three takeaways: Blueline steps up after injury, Panthers win another tight game
Two games into the new NHL season, the Florida Panthers have to be pleased with the early results.
While they haven’t come easy, the Cats have clawed out a pair of tight wins on home ice as they adjust to life without several key players.
On Thursday, Florida welcomed a young and hungry Philadelphia Flyers squad with a new coach behind the bench and a new goaltender between the pipes.
As was the case with the youthful Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday, the Flyers, thanks in large part to a strong game from their goaltender, kept the game tight until the very end, but ultimately came up short against the veteran Panthers.
We’ll have to see if that’s a trend that continues when the Cats start playing some of the stronger teams on their upcoming schedule.
For now, let’s get to the takeaways from Florida’s win over Philly:
SHORTHANDED DEFENSE STEPS UP
Almost exactly halfway through the game, Florida lost defenseman Dmitry Kulokov to an upper-body injury.
Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice didn’t have much of an update afterward, other than that Kulikov would get looked at the following day and there would be more information after that.
Despite playing down a D-man for the remainder of the game, Florida’s blueliners did not flinch.
They allowed the Flyers only 11 shots from that point on, including just five during the entire third period.
“(They were) really good, especially in the last 20 (minutes),” said Maurice. “I thought they were real clean with what they were trying to do. All those guys can play big minutes, they have in playoff games, and they've played deep into overtime games, so going to five (defenseman) for those guys isn't a big concern.”
WINNING TIGHT GAMES
Two games, two one-goal victories for the Panthers.
A veteran team that’s earned themselves a ton of postseason experience in recent years should be extremely comfortable in situations like that, which is exactly what we’ve seen from Florida.
It’s nothing new to use of us who have been following this team for the past several years, but for the newcomers, it’s a cool thing to be a part of.
“It's the second (game), but you can feel it, and even last game I said that you have that feeling of, there's no panic in the room,” said defenseman Jeff Petry. “And knowing that, we don't need to get away from our game just because pucks aren't going in the net. In both games we had a lot of chances, and those are going to go. To not open it up, to try to create more, I think it showed we were getting plenty of chances based on the way we were playing, so just to stick to that and we were going to find a way.”
STILL GENERATING OFFENSE
The Panthers may have only scored five goals over their first two games, but it’s not for a lack of trying.
They’ve racked up 71 shots on goal off of 132 attempts while holding their opponents to 39 shots on 88 attempts.
As for scoring chances, Florida holds an impressive 62-38 edge, so despite the relatively lower goal total, the vibes are just fine regarding the Cats’ offensive output because at the end of the day, they’re not sacrificing anything on the defensive end while trying to keep things rolling in their opponents’ end of the ice.
“I think we're generating enough, and that's kind of the expectation, that we will probably score a little less right now,” said Maurice. “Hopefully, we don't have to give up less. That's the bigger ask from our blue line especially, and our goalie, because you take a Selke (winner) out of your lineup, you should give up more, but our penalty kill was really good again tonight, so that's a real positive. There was enough generated, certainly in the last game, that we would expect to score a little bit more, but we're fine with that, in that 2-1 is a game you have to learn how to win. You're not getting a lot of looks, there's not a lot of clean offense, so we don't want to open the game up to try to find it, and we didn't do that tonight.”
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