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Harrison Barnes not spooked by Spurs' start, speaks on giving back with UNICEF

Losing the first two games of the NBA season might cause a scare.

But the San Antonio Spurs weren't fazed when they did so this month and rebounded with two straight wins.

Veteran forward Harrison Barnes explained the mindset that the defending Western Conference champions are carrying in the 2026-27 campaign.

"Every day, we kind of pursue a standard, and I think to start the season, we were able to look around the locker room and say that we weren't at the standard that we wanted to play at," he told USA TODAY Sports in an interview on behalf of UNICEF. "So I think for us, it's just a matter of can we go out every single night and be happy with the product that we put on the floor?"

Brushing off the fright of the early season, Barnes, 34, wants people to embrace a not-so-spooky Halloween tradition: Trick-or-Treat with UNICEF. He is a spokesman for the organization's 76-year program, which he participated in as a kid. The little orange cardboard box that kids take with them to not only ask for candy, but for cash to help underprivileged children, creates a sense of nostalgia for the veteran forward.

"UNICEF is an organization that I know very well," he said. "This Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF is something that I did as a kid, and I truly believe that it's important to give back and to bring awareness to children that are in need."

Barnes has fond memories of trick-or-treating with his younger sister, Jourdan-Ashle Barnes, and comparing whose candy haul was better. He now shares the joy of Halloween with his daughter, who Barnes says enjoys dressing up as characters from "Frozen," "Moana" and "Encanto."

"It was always something that was fun for us," he said. "And you know, as a father, you want to pass on some of those same values to your children."

When he was a member of the Dallas Mavericks back in 2018, Barnes credited his mother, Shirley, for teaching him the importance of helping others. She experienced homelessness when Barnes was a baby and, when her children were older, they assisted in organizing clothes for her charity, Suited For Work Clothing Closet.

"When you look at how all of us got here, it was a healthy foundation. It took a village, right?" he said. "It took a lot of people investing in our futures. And I think that having an equitable start at the beginning of a child's life obviously gives them the most potential to achieve anything that they want to achieve."

Families can order their Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF boxes online and then donate the proceeds from Halloween via CoinStar, credit card or check. The organization was also responsible for the photo shoot where Lionel Messi gave a baby Lamine Yamal a bath. The image served as a wink of destiny as Yamal's Spain beat Messi's Argentina in this summer's World Cup final.

Besides being a leader for his family and in the community, Barnes signed a one-year contract extension over the summer to continue his role as a mentor for the Spurs. He won the 2015 NBA championship as a member of the Golden State Warriors and is in his third year with San Antonio, calling the deal "an unbelievable opportunity."

"The biggest thing I can lend is my voice, my experience, just in terms of trying to be a little bit of just emotional stability for the group," he said. "Obviously, we have so much talent on our roster that I think it's always important just to kind of stay level-headed. And hopefully, if we continue to do that, like I said, and stick to the things we know to be true on the floor, I think we'll put ourselves in a good position most nights."

The star of San Antonio that has the basketball world on high alert is Victor Wembanyama. The 22-year-old was the Defensive Player of the Year last season and set a blocks record in the playoffs. In USA TODAY's preseason ranking of the top 100 players in the league, Wembanyama is No. 3.

Barnes shared what he thinks makes the French sensation stand out.

"Victor's great. He's one of my closest friends on the team," he said. "I think the thing that makes him an unbelievable basketball player, but also just a great person in general is that he's a constant learner, and he has an extreme curiosity of how to improve himself.

"I think he finds ways on and off the court to just grow, develop, talk to people, get experiences, learn. I think that's what's allowed him to be on the trajectory that he's on right now."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Harrison Barnes not spooked by Spurs' start, speaks on giving back with UNICEF

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Pens Points: Mammoth Sighting

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 19: Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Rickard Rakell (67) controls the puck while being defended by Utah Mammoth left wing Daniil But (50) during an NHL between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Utah Mammoth on October 19, 2026 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, UT. (Photo by Aaron Baker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

It was a much needed four day break for a battered Pittsburgh Penguins team, but now the schedule resumes and it wastes no time throwing the team right back into the fight with another matchup against the Utah Mammoth, the same team that just beat up on the Penguins 11 days ago to close out a rather forgettable Western Conference road trip.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM and will be broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh.

Pens Points…

Trade rumors never cease in the NHL and one Penguin keeps popping up as a possible name of interest for teams. Despite his slow start to the season, Rickard Rakell remains a hot topic of conversation in the rumor mill as some teams reportedly may be inquiring on his services. [Pensburgh]

October is coming to a close and many Penguins prospects are already more than a month into the seasons depending on where they play. This month brought the arrival of college hockey, adding more prospects to the mix, some of which are already scorching hot. [Pensburgh]

A flurry of roster moves were made by the Penguins on Wednesday ahead of their game against Utah. Justin Brazeau has been activated from IR while Elmer Soderblom heads there. Avery Hayes and Chase Pietila were both sent back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton as well. [The Hockey News]

Justin Brazeau was one of the early season surprises for the Penguins last season, but so far this season, he has yet to make an appearance for the team. Sidelined by injury since the start, Brazeau is now healthy and ready to lace them up whenever he number gets called. [Trib Live]

Another injured player who seems to be close to a return is defenseman Sam Girard. Though he never went to injured reserve, Girard has missed the last three games with an upper-body injury. [Trib Live]

Nobody was happier to see Ben Kindel back at practice this week than Kindel himself. After suffering a medical episode on the team’s flight home from Salt Lake City, Kindel has been recovering in Pittsburgh and looks to be on track to return sooner rather than later. [Trib Live]

As per tradition, the Penguins players and their loved ones went all out to celebrate Halloween this year. Evgeni Malkin ironically went as a NASA astronaut (IYKYK) while Bryan Rust showed his dad side by dressing up as Bert from Sesame Street. [Penguins]

NHL News and Notes…

It was a long road back to the NHL for Semyon Varlamov, but after nearly two years away from the game battling injuries, the long time Russian netminder recorded his first win since November 2024 earlier this week and was mobbed by his teammates on the ice. [NHL]

It’s no secret that the NHL salary is projected to keep rising to historic heights in the coming years, but exactly how high it will go has not yet been determined. It’s already projected to be $113.5 million next season, with no signs of that pace slowing down. [Sportsnet]

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Islanders Gameday News: Wild in Minnesota

Good color mix, this. | Getty Images

The Islanders conclude their road trip in Minnesota, where it seems they used to have lots of roots. But now Anders Lee is with the Mormons, Brock Nelson is with the alpinemen, and Nick Leddy is…reaching a Zen state in a body of water somewhere, surely.

To repeat the approach in Dallas: The Wild are good and the Isles are trying to be. It comes in fits and starts. They had their moments in Dallas but ultimately couldn’t keep up. They had a great start in Nashville and then blew it, needing a rare shootout sweep to secure the second point.

The Wild are tied with their long-time alpine nemeses for the top of the West, 14 games in. By my math, that means they have 70 games to go, which was a full NHL season once upon a time.

First Islanders Goal picks go here.

Islanders News

  • Previewing tonight vs. the Wild. [Isles]
  • Semyon Varlamov was full of appreciation for everybody after his momentous win. [Isles]
  • Victor Eklund continues to earn Pete DeBoer’s trust. [Newsday]
  • Despite that blown lead in Nashville, DeBoer liked the response. [Post]
  • Hey, Carson Soucy is available and can be had for cheap! [THN]

Elsewhere

  • Bill Guerin is not losing sleep over the Quinn Hughes question. Sure. [NHL]
  • This is pretty brilliant, if you’re familiar with the Ozzy Osbourne mug shot. [NHL]
  • The league is trying to ensure the jumps in the salary cap are smooth rather than sudden. [Sportsnet]
  • The Canadiens, or their fans at least, want Dylan Larkin. [Sportsnet]
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What a World Series title means to Milwaukee

Milwaukee Brewers
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 28: Cooper Pratt #12 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates with the Commissioner's Trophy during the trophy presentation alongside teammates after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 to win in game five of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field on October 28, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Pain and heartbreak have been the story of baseball in Milwaukee for decades.

Going back to 1958, when the Milwaukee Braves lost the World Series to the New York Yankees, preventing a back-to-back title run. Then, a few years later, the Braves franchise picked up and left for Atlanta. For those old enough to remember, it was devastating. Milwaukee was left heartbroken.

A few years later, in 1970, through the extraordinary efforts of Bud Selig, baseball returned to Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Brewers were born. But for years, the team was terrible. Then young players like Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, and Gorman Thomas came up through the system and developed into stars.

In 1982, the Brewers finally made the World Series for the first time. They had a great team with multiple Hall of Famers and a 3-2 series lead. But they couldn’t quite finish the job that year. Surely they would be back soon, though, right? Nope. They never made it back. They didn’t even make the playoffs again with that group.

For years, all any Brewers fans have heard about is 1982. The 1982 team gets celebrated consistently; they are the constant historical reminder, the one thing of nostalgia for this franchise to lean on. And that group fell short of bringing that title home, which Yount himself has said he will never get over.

Until now.

The painful journey to get here

They say, “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey”.

The ultimate destination has remained the same. The journey, however, has been long, winding, and painful.

After 1982, the Brewers were stuck in a 26-year playoff drought that finally ended in 2008. That 2008 season ended with heartbreak, though, in four games against the eventual champion Phillies. Then 2011, a dramatic walk-off win in the NLDS against the Diamondbacks put the Brewers one step away from the World Series. Then, more heartbreak as the Brewers lost in six games to their hated division rival, the St. Louis Cardinals, who also went on to win the World Series. That was the last run with Prince Fielder, and that was the last run for a while.

Collapse in 2014. A rebuild in 2015. Mediocrity all mixed in between.

Then, a new era began in 2018. There was hope, at long last. But that hope just made the heartbreak that much more painful.

Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain were brought in. The Brewers won the NL Central for just the second time ever. They made it to Game 7 of the NLCS, and it was at home. One win away from making it to the World Series. So close you could taste it. Then, the heart gets ripped out. The Dodgers. Chris Taylor. Cody Bellinger. Yasiel Puig.

Then in 2019, Yelich breaks his kneecap, and you have the Trent Grisham heartbreak in Washington, who went on to win the World Series. Then the 2020 Ryon Healy cleanup experience against the Dodgers, who won and went on to win the World Series. Then in 2021, Devin Williams punches a wall, the offense goes cold in Atlanta, and they lose in four to the Braves, who go on to win the World Series. In 2022, a disastrous trade deadline devastates the clubhouse, and they miss the postseason altogether. In 2023, Brandon Woodruff’s shoulder gives out, and they fall in the playoffs to Arizona, who make a run to the World Series. For a time, every single team that eliminated the Brewers in the postseason went on to make or win the World Series.

Then, manager Craig Counsell commits the ultimate betrayal and joins the Cubs after another disappointing postseason. The front office leader David Stearns bolts for New York. The stewards of this organization, who brought it sustained success, were leaving for greener pastures.

In 2024, the heartbreak and gut punch of Pete Alonso will never be forgotten and may have been the worst of them all. It was Bob Uecker’s final call, and his death a few months later made the sting all the more painful.

In 2025, the Brewers felt like they could be a team of destiny. Another NL Central title, an emotional defeat of Counsell and the Cubs in the NLDS, but they got smacked down by the Goliath Dodgers in the NLCS in a sweep. Yet again, more heartbreak.

That journey, that long, painful journey, has steeled this team and this fanbase and is what makes this World Series title the ultimate satisfaction.

A World Series that means everything

“We have arrived at a moment we will talk about for a lifetime.”

Those are the words from Brewers play-by-play voice Brian Anderson in a hype video put together by the team before Game 1. This team, these players, these moments, we will talk about for the rest of our lives. These are the moments we will tell our children and grandchildren about. Like our parents and grandparents told us about 1982.

After a lifetime of hearing stories about Cecil Cooper, Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Jim Gantner, Gorman Thomas, Don Sutton, and Ted Simmons. We will now get to tell the stories about Jackson Chourio, William Contreras, Christian Yelich, Sal Frelick, Jacob Misiorowski, Robert Gasser, Aaron Ashby, and Cooper Pratt.

Years of mediocrity. A 100-loss season, being desperate just for a .500 ballclub, going 12 straight years without one. Desperate for any sign of a positive direction.

Homegrown stars have come and gone, in search of bigger paychecks. A few have stayed, but most leave in free agency or are traded before they can do so. Fan favorites gone in the blink of an eye.

Despite all of that, Brewers fans stood by their team, waiting, trusting that this day would finally come. Keep taking bites at the apple, we were told, and one year, that whole apple would be ours. That one day we would wake up, and the Brewers would be World Series champions.

A lifetime of being told that we’re not good enough, not big enough, not rich enough to deserve a World Series. Years of being bullied by large-market teams like the Dodgers, being little-brothered by the Cubs, being taken out by the Cardinals.

This is a lifetime of fandom resulting in one moment where finally, our team is at the top. A lifetime of heartbreak, searching for the right one, the right team that will take us to the mountaintop. To baseball nirvana. To baseball immortality. At long last, that moment is here.

Pain and heartbreak have been all we’ve ever known as Brewers fans.

Not anymore.

At long last, the pain and heartbreak have led to joy and exuberance. At long last, the suffering on the journey has finally led to the destination. At long last, we’ve bitten the whole apple.

At long last, the Milwaukee Brewers are World Series champions.

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Pirates need to add a veteran starting pitcher

CLEVELAND, OHIO - JULY 19: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates talks with Braxton Ashcraft #35, Mitch Keller #23 and Jared Jones #17 as he exits the game after the seventh inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on July 19, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates finished the season with an 82-80 record. The highlight from this year’s team was the offense but the starting pitching was still solid this season. The question is should the Pirates add a veteran free agent arm for next season?

The answer in my mind is yes, Pittsburgh absolutely needs to add experience and depth to that starting rotation. This is still a mostly young rotation with Paul Skenes, Jared Jones, Braxton Ashcraft and Bubba Chandler. Mitch Keller is one of the older starters on the club at 30 years old, so this is a very young group. 

Ashcraft was arguably the top pitcher for the Bucs with a 14-6 record and a 3.65 ERA. While Skenes finished with a 10-11 record 3.82 ERA. While both Keller and Jones missed serious time with injuries. 

The first veteran pitcher I think the Pirates should look at is Nick Martinez from the Tampa Bay Rays. Martinez helped lead the Rays to the World Series, where he had a 3.10 ERA over 31 starts while earning his first career All-Star nod in 2026. He doesn’t miss a ton of bats, but he averaged an MLB-low 1.30 walks per nine innings this year. 

 The 36-year-old Martinez has a $20 million mutual option for 2027, but he seems likely to decline it and pursue a multi-year deal in free agency this offseason.

Another Pitcher is Michael King from the San Diego Padres. King might be a little pricy, but I think he is worth it. The 31-year-old veteran is widely expected to opt out of the three-year, $75 million contract he signed with the Padres last December and re-enter free agency this winter. King struggled to stay healthy in 2025, but he bounced back to post a 3.21 ERA over 32 starts for San Diego this season.

There are other names like Freddy Peralta and Tarik Skubal, but those guys will probably be the most expensive starters on the market. The Bucs do have a good starting rotation, but if they add these names or another veteran arm I think it will improve that unit and the team. 

I understand some of these pitchers might be a little expensive, but this needs to be the offseason where the front office spends money. There is a lot of young potential with this club, and you don’t want to waste it 

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Rockets stay undefeated with 132-100 win over Bucks

MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 28: Fred VanVleet #5 of the Houston Rockets handles the ball during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on October 28, 2026 at Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images). | NBAE via Getty Images

The Houston Rockets continued to cruise on Wednesday night, downing the Milwaukee Bucks in a 132-100 blowout victory that lifted the Rockets to a 5-0 record.

Both Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams were out, so with Jabari Smith starting at small ball center, the Rockets turned to their backcourt to make the difference, as Fred VanVleet and Amen Thompson led the way, with VanVleet scoring 24 points on 7-for-14 shooting for his best performance of the year so far. He also added 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals while hitting 4-for-9 from deep. Thompson added 23 points on 10-for-16 from the floor, with 4 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal. Houston showed its depth with Marcus Smart also still out.

The Rockets got 18 from Kevin Durant and 14 from Jabari Smith Jr., with Durant finally taking some of the back seat he was going to need to take for this Rockets season to be successful. He took just 9 shots (5-for-9), as the “stand around and watch KD” offense is certainly less prevalent this season. Welcome back, Fred? Ime finally getting out of his own way? Tell us in the comments your thoughts.

Smith’s 14 came on just 4-for-12 shooting, as he’s come down to earth offensively a bit after his hot start — though he was 3-for-6 from three — but the defense continues to impress, and Smith was a game-leading +23 when on the court last night.

The Rockets also got a nice game from double Bogdan, as poured in 16 points and 4 assists in just 15 minutes of action. He hit 4-for-5 from deep and has already contributed more to the Rockets than Dorian Finney-Smith did all of last season. Clint Capela added 10 points, 8 boards, 3 steals and 2 blocks in a bit of a throwback performance for Clint coming off of the bench.

The Bucks were led by Tyler Herro with 23 points and Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 19, but the big story was the Houston held the Bucks to just 40 percent shooting on the night whille hitting 55 percent of their own shots, and they won the rebound battle, shot 17-for-38 from deep, had more points in the paint and more fast break points in what was a total domination.

Granted, the Bucks are a bad team this year, but the Rockets were down three rotation members and still pulled off a complete blowout. They’ve now beaten the Mavs, Hawks twice, Spurs and Bucks, but have games against Dallas, OKC, Boston and Minnesota coming up, so the schedule is about to get harder, but at the moment, your Houston Rockets have the best record in basketball.

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Avalanche Show Jared Bednar What His ‘Self-Motivating Individuals’ Can Do

DENVER — Jared Bednar has said he wants self-motivating individuals, players who know what the team needs without a daily push from their coach.

After a frustrating loss in Nashville, the Colorado Avalanche gave him a good example of that Tuesday night, erupting for a four-goal third period in a 5-2 win over the New Jersey Devils.

Colorado looked more comfortable offensively, and five different players scored. Even before the third-period surge, Bednar liked what he saw. He called the second his favorite offensive period the team has played this season, despite Colorado scoring just once.

Nazem Kadri following the win.

“I think the growth for me was there was a simplicity to our offense,” Bednar said. “It was highly effective, and it’s not just because it was the Devils, but in the way they play, I think it’s repeatable, regardless of your opponent.”

Bednar had referenced Bill Belichick's philosophy of wanting “self-motivated individuals” after practice Tuesday, saying his veteran players already know what the Avalanche should look like when they're playing well. Tuesday, they didn't seem to need much convincing.

Gabriel Landeskog tied the game with a power play goal in the second period. Colorado then killed a New Jersey 5-on-3 to start the third, and Kadri gave the Avalanche the lead at 2:45 by putting away a rebound off a Nicolas Roy shot.

Parker Kelly made it 3-1 just 62 seconds later. MacKinnon and Jaden Schwartz followed with goals 30 seconds apart, turning a close game into a comfortable lead. Connor Brown scored twice for New Jersey, but the Avalanche had already done the damage.

“I think it’s definitely a complete game from us,” Bednar said. The coach has seen his team put together good stretches this season, but wanted to see that level of play carry through a full game.

Kelly, who scored 21 goals last season, had a goal and an assist against New Jersey. He credited his linemates and the defensemen behind them for making the line effective.

“It takes three guys on the line and two D-men to make things work,” Kelly said. “And I thought when we were out there, it was a great five-man unit.”

There was a little payback in the win, too. When Colorado and New Jersey met on Oct. 20, the Avalanche were playing the second half of a back-to-back after losing to Philadelphia the night before. The Devils took advantage that time.

“They took advantage of us on a back-to-back, so it was nice to, you know, give them the favor back and take advantage of them when they’re on a back-to-back, right?” Kelly said.

The Avalanche were coming off a 6-2 loss to Nashville, so a response was needed. Kelly said the players felt they had been controlling the game against New Jersey for a while before the goals started coming.

“Everyone in the room here felt pretty confident that we’d been owning the game for a bit,” Kelly said. “And if we just stuck to it, you know, things are gonna start going our way.”

That's how the third period played out. Colorado stayed with its game, got the key stop on the 5-on-3 and took advantage of its chances. Mackenzie Blackwood finished with 15 saves, while Jake Allen stopped 36 shots for New Jersey.

“Everyone can leave the rink today feeling good about their game,” Kelly said.

The win gives Bednar something to point to when he talks about trusting his veteran group to recognize what needs to change. The Avalanche didn't need a complicated answer after Nashville. They needed to play better, and against New Jersey, they did. Whether they can keep that going is the bigger question.

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Yankees news: Japanese star Teruaki Sato a good fit for Yanks?

MIAMI, FL - MARCH 14: Teruaki Sato #7 of Team Japan takes the field during the pre-game ceremony prior to the 2026 World Baseball Classic Quarterfinals game presented by Capital One between Team Venezuela and Team Japan at loanDepot park on Saturday, March 14, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Athletic | Jim Bowden ($): Bowden gives us his picks for the top 40 free agents’ landing spots, and most interestingly he projects NPB’s Teruaki Sato as likely to sign with either the Yankees or Red Sox after his posting. Sato, 27, is coming off a .991 OPS with the Hanshin Tigers, launching 39 home runs and probably being a better option at third base than Ryan McMahon. The Yankees don’t have the best track record when it comes to signing Japanese stars lately, but a successful pursuit of Sato would be a big boost.

New York Post | Joel Sherman: We’re going to hear a lot of whinging about “competitive balance” as owners and the MLBPA battle out a contentious CBA negotiation this winter. Despite the fact that two of baseball’s smallest markets are facing each other in the World Series, we’ll still be told that baseball’s a game you pay to win, and therefore we need a salary cap. The other great counter to this argument is what’s perennially the toughest division in baseball to win, the AL East. In the last three seasons three different teams have taken the division, with the Rays atop this year, the Blue Jays winning the tiebreaker over the Yankees in 2025, and the Yankees winning outright the season before. If the meat grinder in the east can stay “balanced” without an existing cap, why can’t the rest of baseball?

New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: The Yankees are once again in the position of having a few too many first base/DH types on the roster, with Aaron Judge, Ben Rice, Luis García Jr., Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton all under contract for next year and all expected to get time at one or both of those positions. One way to unstick some of these knots is if García Jr. can play a competent second base. He was quite bad at the position in 2025, not playing an inning there this year, but he’s strong enough coming in and going to his left that perhaps pairing him with someone like George Lombard Jr. at shortstop could hide some of those other weaknesses.

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Devils visit the Golden Knights after Brown's 2-goal game

New Jersey Devils (8-5, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (9-4-1, in the Pacific Division)

Paradise, Nevada; Friday, 6 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: The New Jersey Devils visit the Vegas Golden Knights after Connor Brown scored two goals in the Devils' 5-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.

Vegas has a 6-2-0 record at home and a 9-4-1 record overall. The Golden Knights have a 4-1-0 record in games they convert at least one power play.

New Jersey is 2-2-0 on the road and 8-5 overall. The Devils have gone 8-1-0 when scoring at least three goals.

The teams meet Friday for the first time this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jack Eichel has scored seven goals with 13 assists for the Golden Knights. Mitchell Marner has one goal and 10 assists over the last 10 games.

Arseni Gritsyuk has six goals and four assists for the Devils. Nico Hischier has seven goals and two assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 6-3-1, averaging 3.3 goals, 5.4 assists, 3.1 penalties and 7.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.

Devils: 7-3-0, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.1 assists, 2.2 penalties and 5.5 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.

INJURIES: Golden Knights: Parker Wotherspoon: out (upper body), Carter Hart: day to day (undisclosed), Victor Olofsson: out (undisclosed), Kai Uchacz: out (undisclosed).

Devils: Seamus Casey: out (knee).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Capitals visit the Predators after Tuch's 2-goal game

Washington Capitals (7-4, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Nashville Predators (4-3-5, in the Central Division)

Nashville, Tennessee; Thursday, 8 p.m. EDT

LINE: Predators -111, Capitals -111; over/under is 6.5

BOTTOM LINE: The Washington Capitals visit the Nashville Predators after Alex Tuch's two-goal game against the Philadelphia Flyers in the Capitals' 5-2 win.

Nashville is 3-2-2 at home and 4-3-5 overall. The Predators are 3-1-0 in games they have fewer penalties than their opponent.

Washington has a 7-4 record overall and a 1-2-0 record in road games. The Capitals are 3-1-0 in games their opponents serve more penalty minutes.

Thursday's game is the first time these teams meet this season.

INJURIES: Predators: William Trudeau: out (upper body).

Capitals: Rasmus Sandin: out (knee), Patrick Thomas: out (upper-body), Vincent Desharnais: out (abdomen).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Brewers win first World Series in 57-year history

William Contreras lifts the Willie Mays World Series Most Valuable Player award after the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Tampa Bay Rays in game five to clinch the 2026 World Series
William Contreras and Milwaukee team-mates Jackson Chourio and Antonio Senzatela also helped Venezuela win the World Baseball Classic in March [Getty Images]

The Milwaukee Brewers have won the World Series for the first time in the franchise's 57-year history.

They beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in game five in Florida on Wednesday to clinch a 4-1 win in the best-of-seven Fall Classic.

The Brewers, whose only previous appearance in the World Series came in 1982, are based in Major League Baseball's smallest market and this year had the 19th highest payroll of its 30 teams.

But for the second straight year, the Brewers finished the regular season with MLB's best record and they then proved their class with a dominant run in the play-offs.

They avenged last season's loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series by sweeping the two-time defending champions.

That secured a spot in the 123rd World Series, where the Brewers became MLB champions with 11 wins from 13 games in the postseason.

Milwaukee's William Contreras was named the World Series' most valuable player, with the 28-year-old becoming the eighth catcher to win the award and the third Venezuelan.

The Brewers won the first two games in Wisconsin and then the first in Florida, before the Rays, who were the American League's top seed, took it to game five.

Milwaukee went ahead at the top of the second inning as a single from Cooper Pratt sent Brice Turang home, before they added another run in the fifth off a David Hamilton hit.

The Brewers doubled their lead in their next at-bat through a double from Contreras and Pratt's sacrifice fly.

Milwaukee starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski left the game in the sixth inning and the Rays finally got on the scoreboard in the ninth as Chandler Simpson sent Liam Hicks home off a double.

The Brewers entered MLB in 1969 as the Seattle Pilots, but the franchise moved to Milwaukee after only one season.

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Warriors admit they have finishing problem after narrow win over Timberwolves

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reacts toward a referee during a game, Image 2 shows Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry reaches for possession of the ball during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves

MINNEAPOLIS — In five games, the Warriors have held double-digit leads in the fourth quarter three times. Their winning percentage in such contests? Well, let’s just say it’s not 1.000.

Golden State went up by 24 midway early in the second half Wednesday night against the Timberwolves, still led by 11 with 2:16 to play and still barely hung on to win, 119-114.

And yet, in Steve Kerr’s eyes? It’s all positive.

“We didn’t do a good job closing, but … I kind of liked what happened,” Kerr said. “Because we need to learn from it.”

Steve Kerr reacts toward a referee during the first half of the Warriors’ 119-114 win over the Timberwolves on Oct. 28, 2026 in Minneapolis. AP Photo/Abbie Parr

Golden State also led 106-94 with 3:41 left this past Friday against the Grizzlies. In that one, the Warriors’ offense went comatose and they allowed Memphis to mount a 17-0 run to steal a win.

So, you could say they’re making progress, at least.

The Grizzlies loss dropped them to 0-3, their worst start since 2007-08. They risked returning home 2-4, off a 1-2 road trip, as they watched Minnesota cut their 24-point lead down to four.

“There’s a slight bit of relief,” Steph Curry said of improving to 2-3 on the season after their poor start, “but there’s still an understanding that the Memphis game in the second half, tonight mostly in the fourth quarter, we know we can play better.”

The Timberwolves, missing Anthony Edwards, weren’t able to pull off the same stunner that Memphis did. But they put up enough of a fight to set off alarm bells in the Warriors locker room.

The closest they got came after a sloppy offensive possession that ended in a missed 3 from Curry, allowing Jonathan Kuminga to set up Ayo Dosunmu for a 3 on the other end.

Dosunmu’s triple cut the Warriors’ lead to 116-112 with 45 seconds left.

But the game began to turn long before that.

Steph Curry looks to get possession of the ball during the second half of the Warriors’ road win over the Timberwolves. AP Photo/Abbie Parr

Curry got to the line for two of his eventual 16 free throws to put Golden State up 73-50 a little less than 3 minutes into the third quarter. Then Draymond Green threw the ball away, Yaxel Lendeborg got his pocket picked twice in three possessions and Curry stepped out of bounds.

Four turnovers in a span of barely more than 2 minutes of gametime. Kerr had seen enough after TJ Shannon turned the last one into 3 points on the other end, making it 73-53.

“We smelled blood in the water,” Kerr said. “We thought we needed to make great plays, spectacular plays, in order to extend it to 30, instead of just making solid plays.”

The margin never reached 30. Minnesota scored 64 of the final 110 points.

Steph Curry shoots a free throw during the Warriors’ road win over the Timberwolves. NBAE via Getty Images

“We let them off the hook when we were up 73-50 with all those turnovers. The whole game changed right then at that point,” Kerr said. “That’s when it got wild and crazy.”

The Warriors have traditionally thrived in chaos. That’s not their plan anymore. The game turned into a track meet. Advantage: the younger and more athletic Timberwolves.

It was a different formula than the Memphis game, when Zach Edey and Grizzlies gobbled up offensive rebounds that negated good defensive possessions, and the Warriors couldn’t buy a bucket, despite getting the shots they wanted.

In this case, the Warriors allowed Minnesota to impose its preferred style of play. It didn’t help that the Timberwolves drained 10 second-half 3s to just one by the Warriors.

Yaxel Lendeborg looks to make a moved during the Warriors’ road victory over the Timberwolves. NBAE via Getty Images

“I think a lot of it is just getting organized offensively where you’re using the other team’s desperation and pressure against them,” Curry said. “It seems like we kind of get playing on our heels a little bit. Then you’re just kind of hoping and wishing shots go in.”

There are two ways to look at it: On the one hand, the Warriors are the single-most veteran team in the NBA, and that makeup should have no problem closing out games.

On the other, Golden State is also implementing a new way of doing things offensively and integrating a few players into new roles. Game 82 should look different from Game 5.

“We know we gave that game away to Memphis,” Curry said. “This one was a little more nerve-wracking than it should’ve been. We still have a lot of things to do. You like learning lessons while you’re winning. A 2-1 road trip — that’s a step in the right direction.”

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Collin Sexton’s ‘insanity’ lifts shorthanded Lakers over Clippers

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 28: Collin Sexton #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after scoring during the second half of a game against the LA Clippers at Intuit Dome on October 28, 2026 in Inglewood, California. 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. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — With a minute remaining in the third quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 103-87 win over the crosstown Clippers, Lakers guard Collin Sexton charged through the lane and was fouled while making a layup over veteran center Brook Lopez.

As he lay on the ground, flexing his muscles towards the Clippers bench, Lopez accidentally bumped into him, prompting Sexton to shoot up from the ground and get in the big man’s face. Lopez, who projects the demeanor of a 7-foot-tall teddy bear, put his hands up in defense and pleaded for mercy like Sexton was a mob boss ready to chop off a finger.

Sexton, still-faced and without blinking, gave Lopez the mercy he pleaded for and walked to the free throw line to sink his 21st point of the night.

“I know Brook … He’s one of those guys, he’s chill,” Sexton said of the interaction postgame. “I just didn’t know. We push, fight, foul. That’s how the game is supposed to go. Whenever I’m out there, you’ve got to expect it.

“When I step between these lines, it’s us against them. I’m going to do whatever my team needs from me. I feel like I turn into a different person when it’s time to go … When I step into these lines, it’s wartime.”

Sexton had a game-high plus-minus of +23 in 21 minutes off the bench Wednesday night, but the point total and the 4-of-7 shooting from three wasn’t what stood out.

It was his intensity. The wide eyes, screaming and maniacal smiling when guarding Clippers guard Cam Christie, in a clip that went viral during the game.

Anyone who engages with Sexton off the court knows him to be a quiet and reserved guy who moves with a calm smile. On the court, he plays with what head coach JJ Redick described as “insanity” after his debut in Utah.

“Sometimes it’s hard to get his attention because he gets locked in, he’s in the zone,” Reddick said of Sexton. “I love it. I love his competitive fire. … I like when he’s just in go mode. It puts pressure on the defense.”

On the second night of a back-to-back where the Lakers were without two major sources of their identity early in this season — Luka Dončić, their leading scorer, and Ziaire Williams, their primary point-of-attack defender — they needed it from someone, and Sexton answered the call.

It’s the reason Sexton was brought in in the first place, to provide Los Angeles the intensity it’s been missing from his spot in the lineup. Someone who can inspire competitiveness in even the shortest of stints off the bench.

“I think our team responds to insanity,” Redick said after Sexton’s debut. “It’s a good thing. He comes in the game and you know he’s in the game. I think, defensively, he’s trying to apply ball pressure. He’s trying to make hard closeouts. He’s trying to push the basketball. He’s trying to touch the paint and there’s an intensity to all that stuff and our guys responded.”

Every basketball player has a flow state. Dončić gets into a zone where he can hit any shot or make any pass. The basket becomes ten feet wide when some of the best shooters in the league get going. But for Sexton, he’s constantly in that zone. It’s just different from everyone else’s.

On what he’s thinking of when he gets in that zone, Sexton said, “Just continuing to do what’s needed. Continuing to stay locked in. … If I do something, it’s like, lock back in. Because I say it all the time. If you don’t do it twice, then the first time it didn’t really happen.”

You can follow Connor on Twitter at @cmorenoNBA.