New York Mets' Jorge Polanco speaks with hitting coach Jeff Albert during Spring Training at Clover Field in Port St. Lucie, Fla., Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.
It’s not the complete overhaul that occurred last October, but the Mets are again changing their coaching staff.
Jeff Albert, who oversaw major league hitting, and Danny Barnes, the team’s quality assurance coach, will not return next season, the Mets announced Tuesday.
A club source indicated no further changes to the coaching staff are expected.
New York Mets’ Jorge Polanco speaks with hitting coach Jeff Albert during Spring Training at Clover Field in Port St. Lucie, Fla., Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Under Albert’s watch, the Mets finished 20th in MLB in scoring at 4.31 runs per game. The Mets were 23rd in MLB with a .706 OPS.
Troy Snitker and Rafael Fernandez, hired as hitting coach and assistant hitting coach, respectively, under Albert, will return.
Barnes spent five seasons on the Mets coaching staff, relaying analytical information to the players.
Kai Correa (bench coach), Justin Willard (pitching coach), Daniel McKinney (assistant pitching coach), Gilbert Gomez (first base coach), Tim Leiper (third base coach), José Rosado (bullpen coach) and J.P. Arencibia (catching instructor) are the other coaches expected to return.
The Mets also announced that batting practice pitcher Kevin Mahoney won’t return.
Albert, Barnes and Mahoney could return to the organization in other roles but are free to speak with other teams.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 28: Jeff Albert #61 of the New York Mets looks on during batting practice before the game against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on April 28, 2026 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mets have announced that they are making coaching changes in the wake of an unsuccessful 2026 season. Jeff Albert, Danny Barnes, and Kevin Mahoney will not return to their major league roles next season.
Albert joined the Mets in 2022 as the Director of Hitting Development after four years as a hitting coach with the Cardinals. He became the Director of Major League Hitting in October 2025 after Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes left the organization. The Mets offense ranked 23rd in batting average, 24th in OPS, and 23rd in wRC+ in 2026.
Barnes joined the Mets as a major league assistant coach to Buck Showalter in 2022. He was the Strategy Coach in 2024 and 2025, and became the Quality Assurance Coach in 2026. Barnes formerly pitched for the Blue Jays. Mahoney, a Batting Practice Pitcher, was with the Mets for two years and was formerly with the Yankees organization.
While the Mets are open to all three returning to the organization in different roles, they are also free to speak to other clubs.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 04: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres blows a bubble while batting against the Milwaukee Brewers during the fifth inning in game two of the National League Division Series at American Family Field on October 04, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’ve got a pair of National League Division games today!
First Game: Braves vs. Dodgers
Series tied 1-1
5pm CST
This is the “I wish both teams could lose” series. The Dodgers are, well, the Dodgers, and the Braves are fine but definitely no San Diego or Milwaukee. God, can you imagine a Dodgers v Brewers NLCS with the Dodgers winning again? Gross.
Man, I wish both teams could win here. The Padres are a blast and always little brothers to the more successful Dodgers, but on the other hand the Brewers are definitely the “Small Market Team” to beat in this year’s playoffs. The Brewers have a lead right now, but they have to clinch it in California.
LeBron James fulfilled his dream of becoming the first NBA player to play alongside his son.
Now it’s Bronny’s turn to fulfill his dream.
He wants to be respected as an NBA player. And we all know that was a nearly impossible task while sharing a locker room with LeBron, who’s not only his dad but also one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
Bronny turned 22 years old on Tuesday. He’s entering his third season with the Lakers. He’s the third- longest-tenured player on the roster. And he’s no longer under his father’s shadow after LeBron left for the 76ers in free agency over the summer.
It wasn’t a flashy statline by any means, especially not during a time of the year when coaches are experimenting with different lineups, stars are shaking off rust and fringe players are trying to earn a roster spot.
But Bronny doesn’t need to be flashy. He needs to do the small things. He needs to be dependable. Consistent. He needs to undisputedly prove that he’s an NBA player without being in his father’s oversized orbit.
Now’s his chance.
He has been trying to blaze that path for a while. He has been trying to shake off the nepotism label. He has been keeping his head down and putting in the work.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James poses for pictures with NBA photographer Adam Pantozzi during media day in El Segundo, Calif., Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
After he had a 17-point, five-rebound and three-assist performance against the Bucks as a rookie in March 2025, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith even acknowledged that he “might have been wrong” about Bronny’s NBA readiness.
Last season, Bronny went on to earn playoff minutes against the Rockets and Thunder.
This season, he has a new challenge. Really, a new opportunity.
He finally can prove that his NBA career no longer has anything to do with his father. LeBron is out of the locker room. Bronny is on his own.
It’s something he’s clearly embracing.
“I mean, he’s got his own path, and I got my own,” Bronny said at Lakers media day when asked about LeBron leaving the Lakers. “So he knows that I want to make a name for myself and continue my career and keep growing as a player. And he knows that I want to focus on that.”
Bronny spent the first week of Lakers training camp trying to build his “defensive instinct.”
During the offseason, he devoted himself to working on his craft, with one of the focuses being his jump shot.
“I’ve been in the gym all summer working on fluidity and the speed of my release, stuff like that, moving,” Bronny said at Lakers practice on Saturday. “Tied into that, just running a lot. I’m the same weight, 215 or 220-ish, but still slim so I can move fast. Just getting in the gym every day and continuing to keep a routine.”
Los Angeles Lakers player Bronny James (9) is shown during media day at the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo, Calif., Monday, September 28, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Next season should be telling.
Bronny can finally show the world what he can do without accusations that his father is holding the door open for him. The cries of nepotism will be quieted if he can thrive while LeBron is on the other side of the country.
Really, ever since Bronny entered the league as the the 55th overall pick by the Lakers in the 2024 NBA Draft, he has had an impossible task.
LeBron has been the face of the league for two decades. He gets treated differently by players and staffers. Imagine being his son. Imagine being a rookie or a second-year player sharing a locker room with him.
While Bronny spent the last few years talking about how cool it was to play with his father, it’s obvious that he’s also excited to now have a chance to step out from under his father’s enormous shadow.
“I think for me, just the motivating factor of creating my own path and my own career makes me want to get up every day and work hard,” Bronny said.
Bronny James (9) of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket while guarded by Emanuel Sharp (34) of the Sacramento Kings during the second half of a preseason game at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, Monday, October 5, 2026. Getty Images
It’s easy to root for Bronny.
He went from having a cardiac arrest that threatened his life as an incoming freshman at USC to making good plays in NBA games. He’s the son of a billionaire. He doesn’t need the scrutiny and pressure of being LeBron James’ son in the NBA. He’s doing this because he loves this.
He earned the respect of his coaches and teammates. He’s likable. He’s humble.
But his detractors were always the loudest ones in the echo chamber.
Even though Bronny was playing better than nearly anyone picked near him in the draft, he was always held to a different standard. He was LeBron’s kid. His bloodline meant that he had to suffer a spotlight that wasn’t meant for him.
Well, that spotlight has moved to Philadelphia.
Bronny is now on his own to forge relationships and earn playing time without one of the most powerful people on the planet standing in the room watching.
And if he does that, his detractors will finally be screaming into a void.
LeBron is gone.
And Bronny now has his first real chance to prove he’s where he’s supposed to be.
In theory, for a team that needs to win three straight games to extend its season, the Yankees should have a shot with Max Fried, Carlos Rodón and Cam Schlittler in line to start.
Except there are two ways to sabotage the strong pitching the Yankees pinned their October hopes on, and they have shown both through the first two games of the ALDS: horrific defense and a disappearing lineup.
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And so, the Yankees returned home on the brink of elimination, needing to find their gloves and their bats starting in Game 3 on Wednesday against the Rays to avoid another early start to the offseason.
“I feel like this group has done a really good job all year of bouncing back [from] a tough game, through some tough moments in the season and handled it all very well,” manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday. “So that’s my expectation this time. It has to be. Obviously we’re completely up against it now.
“So we got to bring it on [Wednesday] night. But we also got to — it’s that level of focus with some calm to the whole situation, too, because you don’t want to get in a situation where you’re pressing out there, trying to do more than you’re capable of. It’s about doing your job right now.”
The Yankees will try to become the first team to come back from a 2-0 deficit in a best-of-five series since they did it in the 2017 ALDS against Cleveland.
New York Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake speaks with pitcher Max Fried on the mound in the sixth inning of Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Series against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Boone said he was considering lineup changes for Game 3 against Rays right-hander Nick Martinez after using the same batting order for the first two games. Ben Rice and Austin Wells are a combined 4-for-12 with two home runs, two doubles and a walk, but the rest of the lineup is just 1-for-46 with two walks.
“The rest of us got to step up a little bit more,” said Ryan McMahon, who could be replaced by José Caballero at third base, with his bat not offering much and his error the first of four the Yankees committed in Game 2.
New York Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon reacts after making an error in the first inning of Game 2 of the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays, Monday, October 5, 2026, at Tropicana Field. Charles Wenzelberg for New York Post
The way the Yankees looked at the plate through the first two games of this series was reminiscent of too many games this summer, all without Aaron Judge, when they did not offer much resistance against opposing starters. They have yet to take a lead against the Rays after never trailing against the Red Sox in their wild-card series.
“I think for us, it’s just going to be working some at-bats against their guys,” Spencer Jones said. “We’ve been getting out early in counts and killing our momentum. So for us, I think it’s just going to be about lengthening those innings, whether it be long at-bats, walks, those kind of things. We haven’t really applied a lot of pressure on that side yet.”
New York Yankees center fielder Spencer Jones reacts after striking out swinging in the seventh inning of Game 1 of the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field, Saturday, October 3, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg for New York Post
Of course, the Yankees also need to play cleaner baseball behind their pitchers, which they knew was essential coming into the series. Boone sat in his office at Tropicana Field on Saturday afternoon, a few hours before the first pitch of Game 1, and reiterated the need for the Yankees to take care of the ball. That came against the backdrop of opposing teams’ scouting reports on the Yankees over the years including to put the ball in play and put pressure on their defense.
“You got to beat us somehow,” Boone said.
The Rays certainly have. In Game 1, they combined shutdown pitching from Drew Rasmussen with taking advantage of Austin Wells’ brutal baserunning blunder in the eighth inning. In Game 2, they continued to put the ball in play and watched the Yankees crumble, their four errors — and a handful of defensive miscues on top of those — opening the floodgates for another Rays win.
The Yankees have largely been better defensively this year than they were in 2024, when it proved to be their downfall in the World Series. But when the defense and baserunning and hitting against strong pitching all come up small in the postseason, it fuels a recurring nightmare the Yankees have lived through in recent Octobers.
“You have to flush it and not let it affect you, but at the same time use it as motivation to kind of stop it right there and prove that that doesn’t define you, or that isn’t the character and it was just kind of like a freak game,” Fried said Tuesday. “It’s important to have a little bit of pride and to be able to say, ‘That’s not us — and we’re going to prove it.’ ”
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 01: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves throws a pitch during the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in game three of the National League Wild Card Series at Truist Park on October 01, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The four remaining NL teams take center stage tonight, and they won’t have to battle Monday Night Football for the sporting world’s attention like their junior circuit counterparts had to last night.
We are treated to quite a tasty matchup between the Dodgers and Braves to get things started, while the Brewers will try to sweep away the Padres in the nightcap. If I had to put money down on how many innings I end up watching in the late window, I would bet two innings or fewer. Gotta get my beauty rest.
Dodgers at Braves, 6:00 p.m., FS1
Series tied 1-1
RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (14-9, 2.53 ERA) vs. LHP Chris Sale (14-9, 2.16 ERA)
The NL Cy Young Award is probably going to Jacob Misiorowski or Cristopher Sánchez, but these two starters featured in Game 3 are sure to get some consideration.
Yamamoto is only in his third big league season, but we already how good he can be, particularly in the playoffs. He had a 1.02 ERA over 17.2 innings in last year’s World Series, taking home MVP honors for the set. Sale owns a career 5.83 ERA as a pitcher in the playoffs, but he has been better than that this fall, already tossing 7.2 innings for the Braves in the Wild Card round.
Dave Roberts has deployed a lineup for this game that sees Shohei Ohtani hitting out of the fifth spot in the order. That is the lowest he has hit in a starting lineup since 2020. The future Hall of Fame is in a legitimate slump right now. He missed most of September, and had a .567 OPS when he did play. That was after a pedestrian .795 OPS in August. He’s 2-for-8 with two strikeouts, no walks, and no extra base hits so far in this series.
Brewers at Padres, 9:30 p.m., FS1
Brewers lead series 2-0
RHP Dustin May (7-9, 4.70 ERA) vs. RHP Nick Pivetta (3-2, 2.86 ERA)
It will be interesting to see how this game flows early on. The Padres are the ones that have to pull out all the stops for a win, but they also have a pitcher on the mound that they probably trust quite a bit. That said, if they see even a wobble, manager Craig Stammen will be forced to go to a bullpen that he has seen be out-pitched twice already.
Meanwhile, the Brewers can let the game come to them a bit. Obviously, they want to win, but if May falls apart early and the game gets out of hand, they may just ask him to bite the bullet so that the relievers can live to see another day. Should the Padres pull this one out, Game 4 is tomorrow night, and a fresh bullpen could be the difference maker.
Oct 7, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; A general shot of an NLDS logo prior to game one of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball series between the Chicago Cubs and the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
A fairly low-key day yesterday in the American League Division Series, with both the White Sox and the Rays following up their Game 1 victories, with another win in Game 2. That gives them a commanding lead: Chicago in particular, now have two chances at home to clinch, and if needed, a third back in Cleveland. Quite impressive for a team who, before this post-season, had last won a playoff series in 2005. Coming just two years after a nightmarish 121-loss season, it’s another way in which the 2026 White Sox are so far reproducing what the 2023 D-backs did. But will they be able to prevail against the Rays, who have looked very competent against the Yankees?
Anyway, in the NL, we’ll be hoping the Braves can take advantage of their success rolling the dice with a bullpen game to even the series, sending Chris Sale to the mound this afternoon. It won’t be easy, going up against the Dodgers staff ace in Yoshinobu Yamamoto (their only pitcher to pass 140 IP). But if anyone can do it, Sale is the Braves’ best bet. Meanwhile in San Diego, the Padres will try and stave off a sweep after a hammer-blow in Milwaukee, after the attempt to use closer Mason Miller for two innings spectacularly backfired. Should be a fun day of baseball, hopefully ending in San Diego being eliminated and the Dodgers on the brink.
Here are the games on order today
Los Angeles Dodgers @ Atlanta Braves 3:00 pm (1-1), FS1
Milwaukee Brewers @ San Diego Padres 6:30 pm (2-0), FS1
HONOLULU, HI - OCTOBER 4: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors warms up before the game against the LA Clippers during the 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 4, 2026 at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jay Metzger/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors continue their preseason with Tuesday night’s home matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. The game will be played at 7:00 PM PT in San Francisco and can be watched on NBA TV and NBC Sports Bay Area.
The Warriors lost their preseason opener to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night, 104-101. The veteran starters played just the first half before turning things over to the rest of the roster. Steph Curry looked like his usual self, scoring 10 points in 13 minutes, including 2-of-3 from the three-point line. Meanwhile, Draymond Green and Al Horford made their presence felt on the defensive end, combining for four steals and five rebounds.
Rounding out the starting lineup were Yaxel Lendeborg and Brandin Podziemski, both of whom remained in the game to start the third quarter. Lendeborg continued to impress with his versatility, leading the team with nine rebounds while adding four points, three assists and one block. However, with the Warriors implementing a new offensive approach this season, head coach Steve Kerr and the rest of the team want to see Lendeborg be more aggressive as a scorer.
Steve Kerr mentioned an early third quarter Yaxel Lendeborg mistake where he tried to fit in a pass instead of attempting a layup, leading to turnover and transition 3.
“We need him to have an aggressive scoring mentality and that’s something we are going to work with him on.” pic.twitter.com/oN8SJ4eSUj
While the Warriors’ offseason saw the team bring back a majority of last season’s roster, one of their new additions is backup guard Brandon Williams. The 26-year-old, entering his fifth NBA season, showed off a natural ability to attack the defense off the dribble and finish at the basket, scoring 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting from the field during the preseason opener.
For a Warriors team that has traditionally relied on Curry’s gravity and overall ball movement to generate offense, having someone like Williams off the bench who can create his own shot could add an interesting dynamic to the offense this season.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 05: A general view of signage during NLDS Workouts at Petco Park on October 05, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This is a tough time of the year for writing about a team not in the playoffs. MLB likes teams not to make much news while the playoffs are on.
But we do have baseball tonight:
6:00 Eastern Dodgers @ Braves. They are tied at a game each.
Lineups, Ohtani has dropped to fifth in the lineup.
Today’s Lineups
DODGERS
BRAVES
Mookie Betts – SS
Drake Baldwin – C
Freddie Freeman – 1B
Ronald Acuna – DH
Teoscar Hernandez – LF
Matt Olson – 1B
Will Smith – C
Ozzie Albies – 2B
Shohei Ohtani – DH
Michael Harris – CF
Miguel Rojas – 2B
Mauricio Dubon – LF
Andy Pages – CF
Lane Thomas – RF
Kyle Tucker – RF
Austin Riley – 3B
Enrique Hernandez – 3B
Ha-Seong Kim – SS
Y. Yamamoto – RHP
Chris Sale – LHP
9:30 Eastern Brewers @ Padres. No lineups up at the moment. Brewers are up 2-0, so the Padres need this one. Dustin May (4.70, 7-9) starts for the Brewers. Nick Pivetta (3-2, 2.86) starts for the Padres.
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 01: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during Game Three of the National League Wild Card Series presented by AbbVie between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Thursday, October 1, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s a pivotal game 3 in the NLDS as the Braves return home to Atlanta. They’ll give the ball to Chris Sale while the Dodgers will start Yoshinobu Yamamoto. First pitch is scheduled for 5pm central time and the game broadcast will be available via Fox/FS1.
Nathan McSweeney shrugged off the disappointment of missing out on a call-up to Australia’s Test squad by hitting a match-winning century for Australia A in the first one-day game against India A in Puducherry.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The winless Philadelphia Flyers have signed gritty winger Michael Bunting in the hopes that he can give them a spark following some alarming early season struggles.
General manager Daniel Briere announced the agreement Tuesday in the aftermath of a 4-1 loss at Tampa Bay on Monday night. Bunting’s contract is worth a prorated $1.2 million after he went unsigned over the summer as an unrestricted free agent.
It was not immediately clear how soon the 31-year-old would be able to join the team. Philadelphia next plays at Ottawa on Thursday night.
The Flyers have been outscored 17-5 through four games. Opponents have attempted 246 shots to their 122, a margin of minus-124 that is by far the worst in the NHL, with San Jose next at minus-53.
Bunting is an aggressive energy player who has had a scoring touch over his career and brings some much-needed toughness to the situation. He is a veteran of 432 games, counting the playoffs, since making his debut in the league in 2018 and spent last season with Nashville and Dallas.
Philadelphia is his seventh NHL organization after previously spending time with Arizona, Toronto, Carolina and Pittsburgh.
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was left looking for answers after his team’s blowout Week 4 loss in Jacksonville.
He found the answer in Buffalo.
The Patriots bounced back in Week 5 with a thrilling 29-26 victory over the 3-0 Bills. Drake Maye overcame his early-season struggles with three touchdown passes, including the game-winner hauled in one-handed by Efton Chism III. The defense largely held perennial MVP candidate Josh Allen in check.
It wasn’t perfect, but it was an encouraging and hard-fought win for Vrabel’s group. According to Patriots safety Kevin Byard, Vrabel set the tone for New England’s gutsy victory with his pregame messaging.
“I truly believe that the culture of a team is exposed when you face adversity,” Byard said on Tuesday’s Early Edition. “Let’s face it, we got our behinds whooped in Jacksonville. And I think starting from Monday, from the team meeting we had to taking the off day to prep for this team, watching film, and obviously coming in on Wednesday, I think the tone was set that Vrabel kind of spoke the message that the answer to getting ourselves back on track is right in this room.
“We don’t have to search for anything outside of what we already have, believe in what we have, and I think guys kind of really took heed to that. It was very rewarding or just exciting to be able to finally kind of — I won’t say get the monkey off your back, but to go up in Buffalo and get a huge win on the road, first win in Highmark Stadium too as well, so I’m kind of proud of that as well.”
To get his message across, Vrabel referenced the famous clip of Philadelphia 76ers great Allen Iverson stepping over Los Angeles Lakers guard Tyronn Lue in the 2001 NBA Finals. Iverson drilled a 3-pointer over Lue, then stepped over him in what became one of the most iconic snapshots in NBA history.
“He showed a video of the famous Allen Iverson, NBA Finals, making the 3-point shot, stepping over Tyronn Lue. So at first, you don’t really know where he’s going with it. … I think the overall messaging was, ‘it’s time to start stepping over people.’ You know what I mean? It’s time to get back to where we’re stepping over people and making sure that we’re not about to be the team that’s gonna let people bully them. …
“So yeah, I think that was kind of the overarching message to, hey, we are physical. We are a tough team. Let’s, let’s start stepping over people kind of like how A.I. did in that video.”
Vrabel’s Patriots channeled Iverson’s stepover last season, starting 1-2 and finishing 14-3 with division and conference titles. The schedule is tougher this year, and the injuries are mounting, but the mindset is the same.
New England will look to carry its momentum back home as it prepares for a Week 6 showdown with the 3-1 Las Vegas Raiders. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium.
Watch Kevin Byard’s full Early Edition segment below:
SAN FRANCISCO – Schedule makers didn’t do the Warriors any favors for their next game, and the same can be said about the challenges the Los Angeles Lakers faced Tuesday night at Chase Center.
The Lakers were on their second night of a back-to-back after playing the previous night in Sacramento, so head coach JJ Redick decided to not suit up Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler. And the Warriors took advantage in a 124-98 blowout win.
The Warriors led by 14 points after the first quarter, 28 points at halftime and 21 points after three quarters before an eventual 26-point win.
Steph Curry was a plus-26, scoring 16 points in 14 minutes. Draymond Green was a plus-25, making his only shot – a three from the right corner – and handed out eight assists in 15 minutes. The biggest bright spot was the young combination of Yaxel Lendeborg (17 points) and Brandin Podziemski (16 points), who combined for 33 points on 14-of-22 shooting.
On Wednesday, the Warriors will be the ones playing shorthanded on a back-to-back. Curry, Green and Al Horford, among others, won’t even make the trip. But first, the Warriors handled business by playing fast and smart to execute a game plan that gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about.
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ first win of the preseason.
New Starting Lineup
All it took was one preseason game for Steve Kerr to tinker with his starting five. It wasn’t his highly touted rookie who took a seat, but the oldest player on his roster. Al Horford was replaced by Gui Santos, who began the game alongside Curry, Podziemski, Lendeborg and Green.
Lendeborg, of course, is new to the group. But the previous four enjoyed a whole lot of success together last season. Curry, Podziemski, Santos and Green were a plus-24 in 2025-26 over 13 games and 70 total minutes, which was Golden State’s second-best four-man group overall. They produced a 111.6 offensive rating and 102.1 defensive rating.
Adding Lendeborg only brought more juice, and Kerr has to be happy with what he saw Tuesday night. The starting five raced out to an 11-2 lead and were ahead 23-13 when Kerr made his first substitutions. Warriors starters combined for 31 points in the first quarter, which is how much the Lakers finished the frame as a team.
The Warriors at halftime were ahead by 28 points, 81-53. The starting five through the first two quarters combined to score 56 points, three more than the Lakers as a whole. Though Curry, Lendeborg and Podziemski were the ones pouring in points, Green dropped dimes to the tune of eight assists and did the dirty work of six points on 2-of-2 shooting, 2 of 2 on free throws and had two rebounds and two assists.
Between Kristaps Porziņģis’ mysterious health issues and managing Horford’s minutes, there’s a strong chance this is the same starting five Kerr uses against the Lakers in LA to open the regular season.
Aggressive Yaxel
The message from Kerr and Lendeborg’s teammates was clear after his first preseason game: Be more aggressive. From the looks of it, Lendeborg listened.
He scored four points and took six shots Sunday in Hawaii. By the end of the first quarter two days later, Lendeborg already was up to seven points on five shot attempts to go with four rebounds and a blocked shot. Lendeborg took advantage of mismatches from the start while still playing his all-around game.
Lendeborg did all his work in the first quarter around the rim, and then drained his first two 3-point attempts of the game in the second quarter on back-to-back possessions – the first off an assist from Green and the second on his own.
His size as a ball-handler is a force that can split the sea. There are numerous ways where Lendeborg automatically has an advantage, and that includes going coast-to-coast on his own.
Lendeborg led the Warriors with a game-high 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting in the first half and led both sides with eight rebounds. He went 5 of 8 in the paint and made both of his 3-point attempts. The adjustments Lendeborg made after one preseason game were that of a veteran ready to make an instant impact.
Podz Bounces Back
Outside of Curry, the key to the Warriors this season can fall in the hands of Lendeborg and Podziemski. They need Podziemski to continue ascending in his fourth season, and Lendeborg to be the kind of win-now rookie they expected when they drafted him No. 11 overall. If they play in the regular season how they did Tuesday night, both boxes will be checked.
Podziemski was the talk of training camp but then struggled to find his shot Sunday in the Warriors’ first preseason game. In their second, Podziemski provided instant offense. Podziemski completed a four-point play off a 3-pointer at the top of the arc on the Warriors’ first offensive possession and then cut behind his defender the next time down the court.
After scoring seven points on 2-of-10 shooting the other night, Podziemski dropped 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting against the Lakers. Though he missed his other two 3-point attempts, Podziemski was crafty and decisive as a scorer. If the Warriors are going to tread water while down Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody, it could be Lendeborg and Podziemski keeping them afloat.
If they’re going to surprise many around the league and be a top six team in the Western Conference, it really could come down to how consistently impactful the duo of Lendeborg and Podziemski are on a nightly basis.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 05: A general view of signage during NLDS Workouts at Petco Park on October 05, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today baseball returns its attention to the National League as the Los Angeles Dodgers travel to Atlanta with the series split at one game each. As for the San Diego Padres, it’s win or call it a season as the Milwaukee Brewers have taken a 2-0 lead in the series.
It should be a good day for baseball.
And now to the details.
Los Angeles Dodgers (1-1) @ Atlanta Braves (1-1) — 4:00 PM MDT
Pitching Matchup: RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2.53 ERA) vs LHP Chris Sale (2.16 ERA)
