DENVER, CO - OCTOBER 4: Generic photo of the official NBA Wilson basketball during the NBA preseason on October 4, 2026 at CU Events Center, Boulder, Colorado. 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 Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On Monday, the NBA announced that selected preseason games will include the use of a smart basketball with a Bluetooth sensor that collects data which could eventually be utilized in real-time officiating. Wilson has developed the technology that is currently only considered research, not part of the official game or stat collection.
Additionally, some officials in a specific exhibition games test wrist wearables to communicate with the replay center in designated situations, including reviews, scoring changes and clock malfunctions. The league piloted a program during the summer and though the experiment was considered a success, the technology will not be applied in the regular season.
Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.
Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - APRIL 01: Jock Landale #31 of the Atlanta Hawks reacts after scoring a three-point shot against the Orlando Magic during the third quarter at Kia Center on April 01, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. 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 Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jock Landale made his presence in Atlanta known almost immediately, recording a career night after a trade deadline acquisition.
Landale was on his way to Utah in a trade from the Grizzlies until he was told to “get off the [dang] plane.” He found out he was being rerouted to the Hawks, and so he then made the 6.5-hour drive from Memphis to Atlanta to suit up with his new team.
In his debut with teammates with which he was mostly unfamiliar (save for, of course, his country-mate Dyson Daniels), he dropped 26 points on 10-for-14 shooting with five triples. And, for good measure, he added 11 rebounds and four blocks.
From there, he settled into a role as the burly backup center who can space the floor for his team to operate. In 23 games for the Hawks, he averaged 9.1 points per game on 60% shooting from two and 39% shooting from three plus 4.1 rebounds per game on 19.4 minutes per contest — mostly coinciding with a blistering 20-6 end to the regular season for the Hawks.
But then on a fateful day on April 1st against the Orlando Magic, his season was ended prematurely due to a dirty foul from Goga Bitadze.
Ultimately, he was unable to return for the Knicks series — a series where he could have battled Karl Anthony-Towns and Mitchell Robinson down low and provided screening and physicality.
“My ankle injury took a little while to get over,” Landale talked about his steps of recovery at media day. “So initially when I went back to Australia, there was a lot of time spent towards that. I’m going on 31 in a couple of weeks, so I just decided it was time for me to trim up a little bit. Worked on my body in that capacity.”
In the offseason, Landale signed a one-year, $14.1 million contract — almost doubling his career earnings with one swift stroke of the pen. With Onyeka Okongwu returning, he’ll remain the backup center for 2026-27 but it’s possible we could see lineups with the two of them sharing the frontcourt.
Defensively, he’s largely a liability in space, and frankly that won’t change this season. Once Mouhamed Gueye returns from an injury of his own, he or rookie Zuby Ejiofor could be a natural partner off the bench to help cover ground. But as a bigger body than Okongwu, he can certainly be helpful against bruising bigs throughout the 82-game grind and beyond.
Most of all, he sounds absolutely thrilled to be back in Atlanta after contemplating ending his NBA dreams and returning home to Australia.
“It meant a lot,” said Landale about the Hawks’ interest in re-signing him. “A lot of conversations with Quin [Snyder] and Onsi [Saleh] about what the team needs. How I can continue to help out. That was more towards when I was in the moment playing. I really felt as though from day one when I got here back in February, it felt like I was involved. It felt like I was valued. And they really cherished the skillset I brought and the level of maturity.”
There’s no doubt that Landale will be a welcome returnee to the Hawks for hopefully a productive and helpful season.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 08: Evan Mobley #4 celebrates with James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during player introductions before the game against the Atlanta Hawks at Rocket Arena on April 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers had opportunities to drastically reshape their core over the summer. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jaylen Brown were available in trades. Reports suggested both the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics were interested in Mobley as a centerpiece for potential deals. And if one of those trades were made, maybe LeBron James would’ve decided to come back as well.
Instead, the Cavs chose not to make Mobley available. They doubled down on their belief in the 25-year-old former Defensive Player of the Year. But in doing so, they took on a much bigger risk than they would’ve if they traded him for a big name.
Moving Mobley for an established star would’ve raised this team’s ceiling in the short term and fit better with the shortened, self-imposed timeline they created by acquiring James Harden last winter. Yet, they decided to keep Mobley, presumably believing he can be the player the team needs to lift this core to a championship now, while also providing long-term stability.
It’s easy to believe in Mobley on his best days. His scoring looks effortless when he’s getting to the rim. He has enough vision and touch as a passer to make him effective when he can clearly see the doubles. And when the outside shot is falling — as it was at times last postseason — he can be a complete scorer. That is on top of being one of the most disruptive defensive players in the league.
Yet, Mobley doesn’t reach those heights as often as you’d like him to. His baseline is a high-level offensive contributor, but not the kind that you build an offense around. There’s tremendous value in a big that can roll out of bed and give you 18 points. But that impact pales in comparison to the All-NBA offensive superstars that were available over the summer.
This has left the Cavs with a very good player. One who can be All-NBA Second Team when he’s put in the right position, although he isn’t likely to be the focal point of an offense. That’s okay, but may not be enough to get the Cavs over the hurdles they’ve continually run into in the postseason.
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can buy the Believeland shirt HERE. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE.
Basketball is a team sport, despite how we sometimes frame the narrative. Nothing happens in isolation on the court. That is especially true for big men like Mobley, who are more dependent on their teammates to feed them the ball and hold up their end defensively. This is where the reshaped roster could work to Mobley’s benefit.
Having a full offseason with Harden will make a difference. And based on some of the lineups from training camp in Spain, Harden and Mobley could be the pairing head coach Kenny Atkinson sticks with this upcoming season, even though nothing is set in stone yet.
“A lot of discussion [goes into] who works best with who,” Atkinson said when asked about how he’s going to split the core four after practice yesterday.
“Collaborating with the players on what they like. Then, you have to consider minute stints. You have to match that. Does Evan function better in longer stints? Does JA (Jarrett Allen) function in longer stints? How you combine them plays a role in that. And then who are the three around them? It’s a lot of discussion with the staff and players, but we haven’t decided yet.”
Mobley and Harden only shared the court for about 2,000 possessions last season across the regular season and playoffs. For context, Mitchell and Mobley were on the court for over 4,000 possessions in the regular season and playoffs last season.
The Harden and Mobley pairing had solid results in the regular season as they were in the 77th percentile in net rating (+5.5), 80th percentile in offensive rating (119.5), and the 68th percentile in defensive rating (114). The really encouraging numbers came when Harden and Mobley were on the court without Allen and Donovan Mitchell. Those lineups were in the 97th percentile for net rating (+13.9), 96th percentile for offensive rating (124.2), and 88th percentile for defensive rating (110.4). Those lineup combinations dipped drastically in the playoffs — as to be expected — but the structure of a solid two-man pairing is there. This is also where the addition of Peyton Watson should help most.
Mobley is most optimized when surrounded by four shooters. This is why lineups with him and Dean Wade — Cleveland’s previously longest-tenured stretch four during the Mobley era — historically did well even though Wade was hardly a consistent offensive contributor despite having a respectable outside shot. This is where Watson should help most.
Watson’s three-point shot is more of a question mark than last season’s shooting percentage would suggest (41.1%) due to him only attempting 3.6 threes per game last season (for context, Wade attempted 3.3 threes per game last season). That said, opponents can’t cheat off Watson on the perimeter due to his shooting and ability to attack off the dribble, which will stretch defenses out. Watson has shown throughout his career that lineups can succeed when he plays power forward due to his length and ability to hold up as a rebounder.
Mobley hasn’t benefited from this ideal of a point guard and forward pairing before. The closest we’ve seen was Darius Garland and De’Andre Hunter during the 2024-25 season, yet that year Mobley spent most of his minutes with Mitchell, and Hunter wasn’t an optimal four alongside Mobley due to his poor rebounding and defense. On paper, this latest trio should be the perfect lineup combination to let Mobley’s skills shine.
That all said, the Cavs still need to fine-tune the Mobley and Allen minutes.
Cleveland was bad last postseason when both were on the floor (-6.8 net rating, 25th percentile), and even worse when they played together without Wade (-18.4 net rating, 5th percentile). We’ve seen that duo play extraordinarily well in the regular season, but it hasn’t translated over ot the playoffs as you’d envision it.
There’s an argument to be made that Cleveland’s two-big lineup can’t work in the postseason against elite competition. Playoff opponents have the game plan and personnel to take away what opposing offenses do best. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the Cavs need to trade one of their bigs. It does, however, mean that Watson and, to a lesser extent, Mario Hezonja need to be capable of playing high-leverage playoff minutes at the four.
At 25, it’s unreasonable to expect Mobley to drastically change who he is. It’s unlikely that he develops an elite face-up game or becomes a high-volume outside shooter. That’s historically not how development works. Yet, he could still fine-tune the areas of his game that he’s already good at.
Marginal improvements combined with lineup combinations that accentuate his abilities could be enough for Mobley to have a career year. After all, a big like Mobley is more reliant on his teammates and lineup construction than a score-first guard like Mitchell.
The biggest gamble the Cavs have made this era is betting on Mobley. So far, that bet has led to consistent regular-season success and mixed playoff results. The former will likely continue this season. Whether or not the latter flips to more consistently positive outcomes will determine if that gamble was worth it.
Australia has dodged the menacing threat posed by Kagiso Rabada for the opening Test against South Africa beginning in Durban on Friday after he failed in a late bid to prove his fitness.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 07: George Lombard Jr. #96 and Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees react after being defeated by the Tampa Bay Rays in game three of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium on October 07, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2026 season is officially in the books for the New York Yankees. They were 93-68 in the regular season, swept the Boston Red Sox in the Wild Card Series, and then promptly got swept by the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS. It’s the second straight year only going this far into the Postseason, both times getting bested by a rival that took the division by storm after sitting near or outright in the cellar the previous year, and it stings much like every elimination does even if it felt like a foregone conclusion heading into Wednesday night.
The actual game feels more like a backdrop to the opening dialogue of what will be a tedious and lengthy offseason, but let’s get through the facts of the matter first. Max Fried took the mound looking to extend his team’s season by one more day and instead took the loss as he kept surrendering the lead back over to Tampa Bay. The back-breaker came in the sixth as a two-out single rocketed just past Fried’s head to extend an inning where he finally looked in control, and moments later he coughed up a two-run shot to Victor Mesa Jr. Aaron Boone went out to collect his starter after that, but he got out of the dugout one batter too late to make it matter.
The offense was slow to get going against Nick Martinez, but they posted their best collective effort of the ALDS for what it’s worth. Ben Rice went 1-for-4 and knocked in the first of the Yankees’ three runs in the third inning, Spencer Jones walked twice and drove in the second run with a double in the fourth, and Anthony Volpe had a two hit night including a fly ball to the wall in left that a fan illegally brought over the fence briefly making us all think he’d tied the game. Volpe would have to settle for an RBI double after review, but it was nearly the biggest hit of the season and he deserves his flowers for showing up after Aaron Boone inserted him into the starting lineup looking for a spark of life. George Lombard Jr. also deserves to be in the positive side of the ledger after going 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored, rebounding well defensively after the disastrous Game 2 performance that he played a role in.
Unfortunately, the Yankees had no home runs in the cards compared to the Rays launching a pair of them, and the long ball was the difference maker last night. They also got nothing from the remaining five spots in the lineup: Luis Garcia Jr. had the only hit of the bunch, Austin Wells had a quiet 0-for-3 night after being one of the only bats alive in the Trop portion of the series, Cody Bellinger completed a dreadful ALDS showing with an 0-for-4 capstone, Jose Caballero didn’t find his footing with the two at-bats he got starting at third, and then there was Trent Grisham. The Yankee center fielder got placed in the leadoff spot by Boone ahead of Rice to work some tough at-bats and get potentially get on board for the team’s offensive MVP to have someone to drive in. Instead, mirroring the results he gave the team all season after accepting the qualifying offer over the offseason, he proved inadequate for the role he was suddenly given — 0-for-5 with three strikeouts including whiffing badly to end the game with the tying run on base and Rice standing in the on-deck circle.
I don’t want to be too harsh to Grisham in that spot specifically — he’d been out for all of September and clearly wasn’t adjusting well trying to jump back into the lineup. He probably shouldn’t have been given the task of leading off, but Boone felt he had to do something different after the offense minus Rice looked so atrocious in Games 1 and 2 and perhaps cooked too hard. Speaking of Boone, there will be plenty of discussion in the coming days about his performance this season and in October specifically and whether it is time to part ways. The manager remains an incalculable part of the equation in building a baseball team, but while the team and staff are clearly fans of his its hard to overlook the amount of disappointing results the Yankees have had under his stewardship. Many will say its time for a new voice if nothing else, and I can’t exactly argue against that even if I doubt it will come to it. The organization likes him, and they don’t see these failures as critically as those outside the org do. I can’t make a split second decision on how I feel about him — I thought he did a solid job guiding the team through one of the worst regular seasons they’ve had offensively in the Judge era, but the same flaws keep dooming them every postseason and they’ve just never looked capable of beating a team that they weren’t definitive favorites to beat. The possibility of losing Matt Blake should they part ways with Boone is very real though, and I think he’s one of the few coaches in the game that are genuinely game-changing to have on the staff.
There will be months and months to debate this and more about the Yankees, as they’re officially in offseason mode now. Several people said that the season really ended on May 31st, when Aaron Judge went on the IL with his rib injury, and they weren’t exactly wrong. The team nosedived offensively without him, and even though they were also rocking the best pitching staff they’d fielded in decades it wasn’t enough to balance the scales in the end. The me that watched this team throughout the summer probably would’ve been surprised they even won a round in the playoffs, but damn if I didn’t buy back in on fool’s gold with how they looked in the ALWCS. Boston was obviously a worse team than Tampa Bay, but the Yankees had torched Tampa’s bullpen in the season series as well and had found a winning formula wearing down Boston’s starters to get to that soft underbelly of a ‘pen. They couldn’t do the same here, getting worked over by Drew Rasmussen in Game 1 before failing to do much against the bullpen even after getting into it relatively early in Games 2 and 3.
It’s a bit maddening to say over and over again, but the Yankees’ season ends with them having tripped over their own shoelaces. Tampa was the better team this series, but I don’t think they looked unbeatable by any means. The prize was there for the taking, and they just couldn’t come close to rising to the occasion. Another ALDS flameout is in the books, and they’ll have to live with an extremely unsatisfactory showing being their lasting legacy.
Today the postmortem begins some closure as Peter provides the Player of the Game honor for Game 3, and then Kevin has the playoff roundup featuring the Dodgers and Brewers advancing to the NLCS. Jonathan covers Ping Bodie’s brief Yankees career on his birthday, and then Peter will return to go over how Gerrit Cole battled in his Game 1 start for the Sequence of the Week.
The Dodgers' Edwin Díaz celebrates defeating the Atlanta Braves in Game 4 of the NLDS at Truist Park on Wednesday. Díaz collected two saves in the series. (Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
And you thought the bullpen was going to be the weakest branch.
And you probably figured Freddie Freeman would get it going. You had faith in playoff risers Max Muncy, Kiké Hernández and Teoscar Hernández — and in the Dodgers’ playoff-proven offense overall.
That was the proverbial, annual question mark entering the best-of-five National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, whom the Dodgers vanquished with a 4-1 victory Wednesday at Truist Park to set up an NL Championship Series rematch with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Edwin Díaz, the Dodgers’ purported closer, had a disastrous, injury-marred first season with the team — or he was having one.
That left Tanner Scott — last season’s purported closer — handling the bulk of the ninth-inning duties this season, and he finished with a career-high 25 saves. But you were going to have to see him sustain that in the postseason to believe in Scott, whose first season with the Dodgers also was so disastrous that he wasn’t even included on the playoff roster.
The Dodgers are paying Díaz $69 million and Scott $72 million. A steep price and a sign of how badly the team wants to avoid having to turn to starting pitchers to finish off important postseason games, as they have in the past with Julio Urías, Walker Buehler and, last season, Yamamoto.
But until now, the Dodgers haven’t had much but frustration to show for their investment in Scott or Díaz — who were two names among four, including Roki Sasaki and Evan Phillips, that manager Dave Roberts suggested could close games in the playoffs.
It was a tangled trust tree that needed lots of water.
Or how about champagne? Maybe ice-cold beer?
Because after Alex Vesia, Edgardo Henriquez, Scott and Díaz combined to get the final 13 outs of Game 4 without giving up a run, they helped lead the charge in the clubhouse afterward, dousing one another to celebrate.
In the series, the Braves went one for 23 (.043) with runners in scoring position. That, according to OptaStats, is the second-lowest such batting average in a postseason series in history — and it doesn’t happen without a bullpen being locked in; the Braves went 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position against the Dodgers’ relief pitchers.
In the deciding Game 4, Vesia took the baton from Glasnow with two outs and two runners on in the fifth, got the inning’s final out on one pitch and came back out in the sixth. He gave up a double but got Drake Baldwin to line out before handing the ball to the hard-throwing Henriquez, who hit 100 mph or higher on 11 of his 15 pitches, retired five of six batters and earned his first postseason win.
Then Scott had the inning of his Dodgers career in the eighth — sitting down the Braves’ 3-4-5 hitters with a nasty array of sliders and fastballs. He punctuated his performance with a fastball on the corner that ended the inning and wound up costing Atlanta its final ABS challenge.
And, finally, in closing, Díaz.
He earned his second consecutive save with an efficient, eight-pitch, 1-2-3 inning. He isn’t the closer, not officially. But, darn, is he important: “For us to win the World Series,” Roberts said, “he’s got to be a relevant part of this equation … I’ve got to trust him.”
The way Díaz is dealing, why wouldn’t he? Díaz has given up just one hit in three postseason innings. And he’s feeling good.
“The last two nights it’s been amazing,” Díaz said. “That’s why I came here, to win games and close games like this one. So I’m really happy.”
Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, raved about Díaz’s resilience, referencing the roller coaster of a season that included an 8.68 earned-run average, neck and elbow injuries, a stint on the injured list and in triple A.
“He would say, ‘Hey, I’m ready to come back,’” Friedman said. “And it was like, ‘Hey, we need to see more, we need to see this really lock in.’ And at every turn, he said, ‘Whatever you guys need … anytime you want me to pitch, I’ll be ready.’
“It was never a question of the heartbeat and his ability to handle these moments. It was about just getting him right mechanically and getting back to the stuff that we’ve all seen over the years.”
Vesia is similarly impressed with his friend Scott’s resurgence.
“Going back to last year with ups and downs and adversity and all that stuff, we definitely leaned on each other,” said Vesia, who missed the World Series after the October death of his newborn daughter, Sterling Sol.
“And, you know, for this year to watch [Scott] really take off and have a great year, it’s been awesome, you know? It’s really awesome. With the closing role being undefined and all that stuff, he stepped up. Every year, there’s always guys that step up.
“Now, we got eight more.”
Eight more wins to three-peat, and no weak links anywhere.
Dave Roberts and the Dodgers could celebrate Wednesday, but there are concerns to address before facing the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS. (Mike Stewart / AP)
As Dave Roberts delivered his victory address, dressed in a gray cap and a gray T-shirt that commemorate a triumph the Dodgers consider merely a speed bump on the road to the main event, the manager was not shy.
“There is no more talented team than the Los Angeles Dodgers,” Roberts told his players amid clubhouse floods of champagne and beer. “This is the best organization in sports, top to bottom. We’re smarter. We’re better. And we’re tougher.”
“This one is going to be special,” infielder Miguel Rojas said. “We have the motivation of winning three times in a row. That’s all we can think about right now. It’s never going to be easy in baseball. You have to go through tough things. But this team showed it before, and it showed it in this series.”
Indeed it did. Rojas joked — or maybe he was not joking — that everyone expects the Dodgers to win every game by 10 runs. In this four-game series, they outscored the Braves by a total of six runs, and no game was decided by more than three runs.
Now come the Milwaukee Brewers, the team that put up baseball’s best record this season, in a rematch of last year’s NLCS. The Brewers also put up baseball’s best record last season, and the Dodgers swept them in the NLCS.
Nothing is guaranteed in October, not even the Dodgers in the World Series. For the Dodgers, here are four positive signs and four warning signs:
Green flag
Mookie Betts is happy to have a couple of extra days off before the NLCS. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers have the oldest group of position players in the league, so they cherished the bye that gave them five days off before the division series. By eliminating the Braves without needing the full five games, the Dodgers afforded themselves three days off, rather than one, before the league championship series.
“It is huge, to get us a little rest,” said shortstop Mookie Betts, who turned 34 on Wednesday. “We’re all old. So we need a little rest going into these postseason games. They’re a lot. They’re a lot more than what people think.”
Even better: Since the Dodgers did not need Tarik Skubal to start a Game 5 in the division series, they can start him in Game 1 of the NLCS, followed by Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2. The Dodgers need four victories in the NLCS, and that rotation clears the way for Skubal and Yamamoto to combine for four starts in the series.
Red flag
Hitting home runs is nice, but you’re unlikely to win a postseason series on home runs alone. In the first three games of the NLDS, the Dodgers scored all their runs on home runs.
In the series, they went one for 16 with runners in scoring position.
“It speaks to the multitude of ways we can win a game,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said, “but, from a quality of life perspective, it would sure help if we could cash some of those opportunities in. So that’s obviously something that stands out.”
Mitigating factor: The Braves went one for 23 with runners in scoring position.
Green flag
Max Muncy reacts after his solo homer in Game 4. (Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
The Dodgers and Braves each hit 204 home runs this season. In the NLDS, the Dodgers outhomered the Braves, 8-2. Max Muncy hit three to do it all by himself.
The Braves scored eight runs in the four games, including one in each of the two games in their home ballpark, and collected a total of 18 hits. Michael Harris II had six hits in the series; none of his teammates had more than three.
The Braves batted .145 in the series.
“Let’s be real, right? Our postseason is going to rely on our pitching,” Muncy said. “It always is. It always will. You’re not going to go out there and get 15 hits a night in the postseason. You’re just not.
“So, if you can limit the amount of runs the other team is getting, you’re going to do a pretty good job. Our pitching staff was unbelievable this series. For us to continue on, it’s going to rely on the pitching staff.”
Red flag
Just as the Dodgers got to set their NLCS rotation by ending the NLDS early, so did the Brewers. So, just as the Dodgers get the chance to start Skubal, the Brewers get the chance to start flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski, the presumptive NL Cy Young Award winner.
Misiorowski beat the Dodgers in his lone start against them this season, a 4-1 victory in which the Dodgers collected five hits — three by players who did not appear in the NLDS: backup outfielder Alex Call and backup catcher Hunter Feduccia.
Mitigating factors: Kyle Tucker and Will Smith did not play that day.
Green flag
Dave Roberts has more postseason wins than anyone other than Joe Torre. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
Roberts has won more postseason games than any manager except Joe Torre — the man who managed the New York Yankees teams that were the last to three-peat (1998-2000).
This season was not smooth, but the NLDS displayed Roberts’ ability to integrate young players (Josue De Paula), long-injured players (Edwin Díaz, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow) and October players (Kiké Hernández) into key spots for a postseason series, as well as to get Shohei Ohtani to buy into batting as low as fifth after not batting lower than second in three seasons with the Dodgers.
It is not just about the “high-end talent,” as Friedman likes to say, or the money, as opposing fans like to say.
“Equally as important was the depth of talent we have,” Friedman said, “and the number of guys that had an impact on this short series, I think, speaks not only to the depth of talent but also to their level of preparedness and Doc’s willingness to use them in key spots, and the trust he instills in them.”
Red flag
The Dodgers got production from the bottom of their order in the NLDS: Tucker and Andy Pages came alive, the three home runs from traditional October hero Muncy, a home run from traditional October hero Hernández, even a clutch walk from rookie De Paula.
That still leaves a problem that cropped up time and again over the regular season and again in the NLDS: inconsistency atop the lineup.
Betts, Freddie Freeman, Ohtani, Teoscar Hernández and Will Smith combined for 13 hits in the series and a .176 batting average.
Green flag
Kyle Tucker seems to have rediscovered his batting stroke. (Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
In the month of July, Tucker never had a four-game hitting streak.
In the month of September, he had one.
In the four games of the playoffs, he has one!
Baseball!
That could be much more than a statistical oddity. This season, we heard more about his contract (four years, $240 million) than his home runs (17, a career low in a full season) his strikeouts (105, a career high) and his on-base-plus-slugging percentage (.715, just below Atlanta utility man Mauricio Dubón).
If Tucker sparkles in October, no one will remember the regular seasons, and Dodgers fans will remember him fondly forevermore. Ask Mickey Hatcher.
Red flag
The Dodgers still don’t know what to reasonably expect from Ohtani, gritting out the postseason despite discomfort in his left knee and right arm.
In 13 at-bats in the NLDS, Ohtani had two singles and struck out four times. He scored his only run of the series Wednesday, when he walked, stole second, took third on one error and scored on another error.
Ohtani still has not hit a home run since Aug. 18. The Dodgers prefer to say Wednesday’s game shows he can impact the game with his speed, and with his power threat.
“He’s the best player in the world,” Friedman said. “And at some point, it’s going to click for him, and the other team’s going to be in big trouble.”
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 7: Tom Wilson #43 of the Washington Capitals battles for a puck against Hendrix Lapierre #22 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during a game at Capital One Arena on September 25, 2026 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by John McCreary/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
A slow start on Wednesday night saw the Pittsburgh fall into a 4-1 that they almost clawed back from but ultimately fell short in a 5-3 loss to the Washington Capitals in D.C. Bryan Rust made his season debut after battling injury and scored his first of the season while Tommy Novak and Nick Robertson tallied the other Penguin markers in the loss. [Pensburgh]
Pens Points…
Something was going to have to give when it came to the Penguins logjam at forward and a domino fell on Wednesday with Kyle Dubas dealing Filip Hallander to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for defenseman Spencer Stastney. [Pensburgh]
In a related move to the Hallander trade, the Penguins activated Bryan Rust from injured reserve after missing the first three games of the season and made his debut against the Washington Capitals last night. [Trib Live]
Coming off their best season in over a decade, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins began their 2026-27 campaign over the weekend with a pair of losses, one in overtime, to Springfield and Hershey respectively. [Pensburgh]
Declan Carlile received only a single NCAA scholarship offer coming out of junior hockey. After three seasons at Merrimack College then battling through the minors to make the NHL, Carlile now finds himself skating on the Penguins top defensive pairing. [PPG]
Matt Dumba has called it a career after 13 NHL seasons with five different clubs. Dumba played his final career NHL game on December 7th of last season as a member of the Penguins. His final professional game came with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the AHL. [Trib Live]
Andrei Kuzmenko was granted non-roster status by the NHL as he continues to work back from missing time following the death of his father. He will work to get back in game shape at practice with the team but will not play any earlier than Saturday against Dallas. [Sportsnet Pittsburgh]
NHL News and Notes…
Alexander Ovechkin says he doesn’t want a farewell tour for his final season but he’s surely going to get a warm reception when he plays his final game at various arenas around the league. His last time on the ice at PPG Paints Arena will come on March 13th with his final home game in D.C. set for April 4th. [RMNB]
Coming off a season ending injury in 2025-26, New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov will be sidelined for another whole season as he recovers from a torn ACL that will take 6-8 months of healing following surgery. [NHL]
The Islanders are home Thursday to host the Chicago Blackhawks, who have exceeded preseason expectations by winning one of their first four games. They are also celebrating the UFA signing of legendary Ranger and Red Wing Patrick Kane.
The injury news for Alex Romanov is worst-case scenario: ACL tear, surely out for the season for the second consecutive year. [LHH]
That’s gonna test the Isles depth, again. I mean, Carson Soucy isn’t walking through that door. [Newsday]
Unrelated, but promising: The Isles reached an ELC with 2026 pick Vladimir Dravecky, the Slovakian-born, Sweden-experienced OHLer. (You should pronounce it “Druh-VETS-ky” to impress your spouse.) [Isles]
I think I think some thoughts about Wizards rookie AJ Dybantsa. | Getty Images
With a hat tip to OG NFL writer Peter King, and to Bill Simmons and the crew at Grantland and The Ringer, and to Zach Lowe, and to Eric Koreen, and to the legion of writers I’m ripping off with this format, here are 10 things I think I think about this year’s Washington Wizards:
Trae Young will lead the NBA in assists per game for just the second time in his career. Young’s been a genius-level passer throughout his career but has carried a heavy scoring burden. In Washington, he’s going to be asked to help his younger teammates learn how to excel on the offensive end, and there’s no better way than using his gravity to help give them open looks.
Anthony Davis will be a top five candidate for Defensive Player of the Year. Davis has — at times — been an all-time great defender. At other times, he’s been merely very good. Either one would be a major upgrade for Washington. He’s been top five four times previously — a second place behind Giannis Antetokounmpo, a third place behind Rudy Gobert and Joel Embiid and two fourth place finishes. The last top five was in 2020, but even leading the Wizards to league average-ish on the defensive end would be a colossal achievement.
Alex Sarr is on the cusp of greatness. Sarr improved a bunch in his second season. History says players usually make their biggest jumps in years three and four…which are coming. Plus, he’ll have Young and Davis and AJ Dybantsa drawing attention, which should give him more open looks from in close and the three-point line.
Bilal Coulibaly will be traded by the Feb. 11, 2027 deadline. This one pains me. I wanted Washington to draft him, and I was happy they traded up to get him. At least by my reckoning, he’s improved each season. Except, I’ve watched all the games, and I’m not overwhelmed. Too many utter bricks, wild turnovers, and way-off-target threes that somehow bank in. He’s long, athletic, and good on defense. Opponents seem to have trouble staying in front of him when he decides to drive. But I’m doubting he gets where the team needs him to be.
AJ Dybantsa will average at least 15 points and 6 rebounds per game. These benchmarks may sound a bit pedestrian. They are not. Over the past 10 seasons, only 12 rookies have hit these marks: Karl-Anthony Towns, Kyle Kuzma, Lauri Markkanen, Ben Simmons, Luka Doncic, Deandre Ayton, Evan Mobley, Scottie Barnes, Paolo Banchero, Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, and Cooper Flagg. Mileage may vary, but I count 9 of the 12 who ended up in the very-good to great range — not counting Flagg. Yet. This would be a good start for Dybantsa.
Kyshawn George will seize the starting backcourt job. This connects to No. 4 above. I’ve had some doubts about George — especially his turnovers and rampant fouling. And yet, he’s big, he’s gotten stronger, and he’s skilled, feisty, and tough.
Brian Keefe will still be the Wizards’ head coach when they make the playoffs. Whether it’s this season or next. I saw enough smart Xs and Os from the staff to make me think Keefe is a clever tactician. Some of his out-of-bounds sets were designed to leverage good defenders doing their jobs properly, which is devilish. He’s also been effective about getting buy-in from nearly everyone, and he successfully navigated the few who didn’t.
Deandre Ayton will play well enough to rehabilitate his reputation…and get traded by the deadline. I don’t see Ayton as a long-term guy in Washington. My best guess is that he plays well off the bench and in spot starts and ends up packaged in a deadline deal to bring a younger player.
The Wizards will make the play-in this year. Over/under betting lines suggest it’ll take 37-40 wins to earn 10th and get into the play-in. I still haven’t done my forecast for the year, but I think that’s doable for Washington, and for some bizarre reason — despite all the history, despite having a (currently moribund) podcast called #SoWizards, precisely because of this franchise’s ability to screw up in spectacular fashion — I think I think they actually will.
The Wizards will have two All-Stars this season. Davis and Young would be the relatively easy picks. I wouldn’t be shocked if it’s one of those two plus Sarr. Just sayin’.
Enough from me. What do you think you think about the 2026-27 Wizards?
Championship winners only 16th in new IMG gradings
NRL money contingent on London Super League side
Runaway Championship winners London Broncos have been graded below even Barrow Raiders for next season – but they are still set to become the 15th team in an expanded Super League next season, the Guardian can reveal.
The Broncos have swept aside the second tier in 2026, winning all three domestic trophies on offer after assembling a squad filled with NRL talent. Under the ownership of Kangaroos great, Darren Lockyer, London’s goal was two-fold this year: to dominate on the pitch as well as making a push for the top 14 in the Rugby Football League’s gradings system.
St. Petersburg, Florida: New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone points to the bullpen in the 7th inning as the Yankees take on the Tampa Bay Rays in the Game 2 of the American League Division Series at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida on Oct. 5, 2026 (Photo by Thomas A. Ferrara/Newsday RM via Getty Images) | Newsday via Getty Images
CBS Sports | Mike Axisa: Another Yankees season has come to a disappointing end as the Rays swept them out of the ALDS, and the postmortem has already begun. There’s a whole host of questions to ponder about this team, ranging from the futures of Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman to where Aaron Judge slots back in on the field and how the offense around him can be improved. A lockout looms like a dark cloud on top of all of this speculation to boot.
FanGraphs | Davy Andrews: The Yankees were credited with four errors in their Game 2 5-2 loss at the Trop, but if you were watching the game, you’d know that the defense looked shoddy even beyond those four plays. Here, Andrews provides a holistic breakdown of the Yankees’ defensive performance for each position, including non-error misplays such as Luis Garcia Jr. failing twice to receive errant but catchable throws at first base. Warning: repeated viewings of this article may result in high blood pressure.
NY Post | Mark W. Sanchez: George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones looked like they might be long-term contributors against the Red Sox, but so far in the ALDS they’ve looked like rookies out of their depth. Lombard Jr. had a disastrous fifth inning when he failed to convert grounders from Chandler Simpson and Jonny DeLuca into outs. Jones was simply overmatched against Drew Rasmussen, going 0-for-3 with two Ks. One game is certainly far from enough to write these promising youngsters off, but there’s no denying that their first foray into postseason play has taken a turn for the worse.
The Athletic | Jayson Stark: ($) Finally, Jayson Stark has devoted the final section of his Weird & Wild column to discuss the historical significance of Yankees’ Game 2 error-palooza. Not to spoil it too much, but it turns out that committing that many errors that early in a game is quite rare in postseason history.
DALLAS, TX - MARCH 1: Daniel Gafford #21 and Caleb Martin #16 of the Dallas Mavericks boxes out during the game against Isaiah Hartenstein #55 of the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 1, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. 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 Tim Heitman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Thunder are one of the hardest teams in the league to bet on this year because both things can be true at once.
They are probably the best team in basketball.
They also got worse.
Oklahoma City went 64-18 last season after winning 68 games the year before, and they did it despite Jalen Williams playing only 33 games. Their defense was still elite, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won another MVP, Chet Holmgren remained one of the league’s best two-way bigs, and even with major injuries, they were still two wins away from another Finals appearance.
Now the question is whether losing real depth finally brings them back in line with the rest of the league.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Over/Under 61.5 wins
Over: -125 Under: +100 To win NBA Championship: +250 To win Western Conference: +130 To win Northwest Division: -650
Last season: 64-18, first in the West, lost in the Western Conference Finals
Key additions: Aday Mara, Otega Oweh, Bennett Stirtz Key losses: Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, Branden Carlson
The case for the over
I think the first thing you have to remember with Oklahoma City is just how ridiculous they were last year.
They won 64 games with Jalen Williams essentially missing most of the season. That alone shows how high this team’s floor is.
If Williams gives them anything close to a healthy year, that could offset a lot of what they lost this offseason. Shai is still one of the best players in basketball. Chet is still one of the league’s best defensive bigs. Isaiah Hartenstein is back. Ajay Mitchell took a real step. The core that made this team elite is still here.
That is why I cannot look at 61.5 and immediately call it too high.
Yes, losing Lu Dort hurts a lot. I think people are underselling that. He was by far their best perimeter defender and one of the most important tone-setters on the roster. He also shot around 35 percent from three last season, so Oklahoma City isn’t only losing defense. They are losing someone who could stay on the floor offensively too. Joe and Wiggins were also real rotation players who provided shooting, defense, and depth.
But this team has been so deep and so well-built that losing role players may not be enough to knock them down that far.
Mara is also an interesting addition. At 7-foot-3, he gives them another massive frontcourt body behind Chet and Hartenstein, and Oklahoma City does not need him to be anything close to great right away. Oweh and Stirtz need to give them playable regular-season minutes and keep the rotation afloat.
The injury part is real, especially with Chet. He’s already missed significant time in his career, and Williams played just 33 games last year. But if Oklahoma City gets even average health, this is still the kind of team that can win 62 games without it feeling wild.
Premier League clubs, and their European rivals, left with a long list of absentees after a gruelling international break
A four-match international break has presented a stress test. “The intensity of the squad, the athleticism of it, really, I think it’s designed for the elite,” said the Wales head coach, Craig Bellamy, on the completion of four matches in 11 days. Elite club coaches would disagree. The Nations League and the wider set of international games staged across the globe have been accompanied by a daily list of casualties, club officials viewing matches through their fingers as players pull up and gesture to the bench.
Hamstring and muscle problems have been rife. Sunderland, for example, will be without Brian Brobbey, a key striker, and Dan Ballard, a defensive mainstay, because of strains picked up playing for the Netherlands and Northern Ireland respectively. Bournemouth, yet to win a Premier League match, have lost Alex Scott for up to two months. His performance for England in their 7-0 victory against Croatia won rave reviews, a young player taking his chance and outshining Luka Modric. It came at a heavy cost. A quadriceps injury that had been diagnosed pre-match worsened. “There was zero risk taken from our side,” said Thomas Tuchel. The Bournemouth coach, Marco Rose, is unlikely to see it that way.
Ovechkin’s sons Sergei and Ilya handled the task of announcing their father onto the ice, and the Russian star received a standing ovation before the Washington Capitals beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3 on Wednesday night.
“It was pretty cool moment,” Ovechkin said. “Huge crowd, kids announce my name. It was a special moment.”
The NHL’s career leader in goals did not add to his total of 929 on Wednesday. In fact, Ovechkin wasn’t even on the ice during an extended period at the end when the Penguins had their goalie pulled. This was the 101st meeting between Ovechkin and Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby, including playoffs. Neither managed a point, only the 11th time that’s happened, according to Sportradar.
Crosby actually finished with a minus-4 after being on the ice for all four of Washington’s even-strength goals.
The Capitals have assembled a roster with plenty of depth, to the point where Ovechkin no longer needs to play every second of Washington’s power-play time.
Alex Ovechkin’s sons Sergei and Ilya introduced him at his final home opener before the Washington Capitals beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3.
“I’m not going to say that he doesn’t want to be out there,” coach Spencer Carbery said.
“But he also is understanding of what we’re trying to accomplish as a team, and the great players that he has around him.”
Washington’s one power-play goal on the night was scored by Ryan Leonard — from the left circle where Ovechkin so often sets up.
The 41-year-old Ovechkin announced earlier this week that this would be his final season. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Make no mistake, though. Ovechkin was still the center of attention. When the whole roster was introduced one by one, he was last, with his kids doing the honor.
“I had no idea any of that was happening,” Carbery said. “I think they nailed that moment. Special for I think everybody in the building.”
Ovechkin had two shots on goal, and he was on the ice when Anthony Beauvillier gave Washington a 1-0 lead 23 seconds into the game.
“It’s been such an incredible journey. Cool to see his kids down there,” said Tom Wilson, who had a goal and two assists for the Caps.
“He’s a legend in this city, so I think everyone had a big smile. You get chills watching him come out.”
