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Adou Thiero sees ‘great opportunity’ for himself during Lakers’ preseason

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Los Angeles Lakers player Adou Thiero speaks into a microphone during media day, sitting behind a table with a nameplate in front of a backdrop featuring Lakers and UCLA Health logos, Image 2 shows Los Angeles Lakers player Adou Thiero poses during media day in a yellow and purple uniform, standing next to a staff member holding a clipboard, Image 3 shows Lakers forward Adou Thiero spoke with reporters ahead of the team's preseason opener against the Kings on Monday, October 5 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California

SACRAMENTO — Adou Thiero is going to have an opportunity with the Lakers he didn’t have this time last year. 

And he’s cherishing it.

Lakers forward Adou Thiero spoke with reporters ahead of the team’s preseason opener against the Kings. Khobi Price

The Lakers uber-athletic forward is healthy and available for the team’s preseason slate, starting with Monday’s opener against the Kings at Golden 1 Center. 

It’s a much different place Thiero found himself in this time last year, when he missed the entire 2025 Las Vegas Summer League, 2025 preseason and start of the 2025-26 regular season because of left knee ailments. 

Lakers forward Adou Thiero can change the team’s ceiling with his athleticism and physicality. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

And with the Lakers undergoing a significant roster reconstruction over the summer, Thiero is looking to seize the chance for more playing time.

“I feel like I have a pretty great opportunity in front of me considering the guys that aren’t here anymore,” Thiero said Monday afternoon after the team’s shootaround. “And now everybody’s still trying to figure out where to be at. So that gives me an opportunity to [earn a spot in the rotation].”

Thiero earned a lot of praise for his performance during training camp in the week leading up to Monday’s preseason game.

It came after coach JJ Redick said Thiero had an “unbelievable last two months of development” after having uninterrupted time in the gym for the first time since the Lakers selected the No. 36 pick in the 2025 draft. 

“His body’s been in great shape,” Redick said, “and he’s just gotten better.”

Thiero has a better understanding of what the coaching staff wants of him after playing 25 regular games (149 minutes) in 2025-26, six of the Lakers’ 10 playoff games last season and in Summer League in July. 

“It’s different watching it, and then it’s different going in there and actually doing it and understanding it,” Thiero said. “So being able to go out there and actually do it and understand it now, I understand everything a lot better than around this time last year. Last year, they threw me in and I’m still a little confused on some things because that might be my first time actually doing it. And that’s during a live game. But now I’m doing that in practice and everything, I’m a lot more comfortable.”

Adou Thiero is competing for a spot in the Lakers’ rotation. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Star guard Austin Reaves said during training camp that Thiero has been asking him a lot of questions since the summer. 

“AR’s one of the best offensive players in the league. So just being able to play defense against him…he’s so crafty, like there’s multiple different ways he can score,” Thiero said. “Shooting, getting to the rim,  floaters, little pull-ups, even whenever he gets into his little foul baiting. So just being able to guard him, that’s setting me up to guard the other players, good offensive players too.”

Thiero’s NBA career trajectory is imperative to the Lakers’ future. 

As Redick put it, “if we can develop the Adou and develop [rookie wing] Cam [Carr] and develop these guys into functional rotation NBA players over the next 12 to 24 months, it changes our ceiling.”

Which makes Thiero’s playing during the next two weeks of preseason a signficant storyline to monitor. 

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Gavin Williams’ Great Start, All for Naught

CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 05: Gavin Williams #32 of the Cleveland Guardians reacts before throwing a pitch during the third inning against the Chicago White Sox in game two of the American League Division Series at Progressive Field on October 05, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

With Chicago leading the series 1-0, the Cleveland Guardians desperately needed to win today’s Game 2 to split the series.

Gavin Williams showed up looking to win today. After leading the AL in strikeouts, he immediately started adding to his playoff strikeout tally with two strikeouts in the first inning. Gavin walked a batter, but got out of the inning having only thrown 15 pitches.

Anthony Kay was tapped to be the White Sox opener for this game. He threw 17 pitches, gave up a single to Steven Kwan and a walk to José Ramírez. With only one out and runners on second and third, Will Venable was forced to go to his bullpen early. Sean Newcomb replaced Anthony Kay and threw two balls to Jo Adell before getting the signal from the dugout to intentionally walk Adell. With bases loaded, Nathaniel Lowe popped it high in the infield. The pitcher caught the ball but committed a throwing error to first, allowing Kwan and José to easily score. Two strikeouts on Angel Martínez and Travis Bazzana ended the inning but not before Cleveland was able to take the lead.

Gavin ramped up his pitching in the second, touching 100+ mph in multiple pitches, keeping his pitch count low, and struck out the side in order. He had five strikeouts in 31 pitches thrown. In the third inning Gavin added his sixth strike out, but walked the next batter. His pitch count started creeping up, but Sam Antonacci grounded into a double play to retire the side.

The White Sox got on the board in the fourth inning. Gavin still held on, striking out two more, throwing over 100 mph on eight pitches but getting his pitch count up to 75. He struggled putting runners away, giving up a lead off single, a walk, and another single before recording an out. But Gavin and the Guards got out of the inning while maintaining the lead.

The Guardians forced another pitching change and had one baserunner, via a Chase DeLauter single in the third, but wasn’t able to capitalize on it. A similar story for the bottom of the fourth inning, with Travis Bazzana being the sole base runner via a walk.

In the top of the fifth, Gavin gave up a lead off single, but recorded his ninth strikeout of the game for the first out of the inning. With his pitch count eclipsing 90 pitches thrown, Gavin Williams dug in and struck out the next two to retire the side and give himself 11 strikeouts.

Gavin came back out to start the sixth inning but gave up a single to end his night. Gavin’s final line reads 5.0 IP, 2R, 4H, 3BB, and 11Ks. Erik Sabrowski came on to face the middle of the order. Sabrowski got the first out, but a walk and wild pitch put Chicago runners on second and third. With two outs Sabrowski gave up a two run double along the first base line to give Chicago the lead. It was at this point that all of the work that Gavin put in to keep Cleveland in the lead was absolutely lost. Hunter Gaddis came in and gave up an RBI single then gave Chase Meidroth a free base with a wild throw in a pick off attempt. Hunter got the final out, but the tides turned with the White Sox going into the bottom of the inning with a two run lead.

Gaddis tightened up in the top of the seventh, getting two outs. Angel Martínez had another incredible play in left that kept Cleveland in it.

Stephen Vogt opted for the match up with Miguel Vargas and called for Shawn Armstrong. Armstrong got the final flyout to retire the side in the seventh. He went 1-2-3 in the eighth with a strikeout to give things to Cleveland to take back.

The Guardians stuck in it in the bottom of the eighth, bringing the team within one. With two outs, Chase DeLauter hit a single to left. After another pitching change, bringing in Grant Taylor, Jo Adell finally got his first post season hit with a RBI triple to left to score CDL. Nathaniel Lowe flied out for the final out, but he swung on a good pitch and just missed squaring up for a homer.

Cade Smith came in for the ninth and threw five pitches for three outs. The defense made three easy plays to make for a very quick inning.

Unfortunately the Guardians couldn’t make anything happen. Angel Martínez hit into a groundout. Travis Bazzana hit a long flyout. and Patrick Bailey hit a fly ball that was caught at the wall.

The Guards fall 0-2 in the series as the team heads to Chicago where they can hopefully avoid being swept by the White Sox. Its not known at this time who will be starting Game 3 for Cleveland.

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Logan Stanley had ‘Welcome to New York’ moment after impactful Islanders start

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Islanders' Logan Stanley (8) skates against the New Jersey Devils during the third period of a game at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, Image 2 shows Logan Stanley (8) of the New York Islanders checks Arseny Gritsyuk (81) of the New Jersey Devils during the second period of a game at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. The Islanders shut out the Devils 6-0
Logan Stanley (8) of the New York Islanders checks Arseny Gritsyuk (81) of the New Jersey Devils during the second period of a game at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. The Islanders shut out the Devils 6-0.

Logan Stanley hasn’t had much time to catch his breath.

It has been just over a week since the 6-foot-7 defenseman was signed by the Islanders, arriving after missing all of training camp and the preseason.

But on a day off following a 6-0 win over the Devils, Stanley toured his new surroundings on Long Island’s North Shore and walked into a cute neighborhood shop to grab a coffee.

“I think it cost me like nine dollars,” Stanley said with a smile.

Welcome to New York.

Logan Stanley (8) of the New York Islanders checks Arseny Gritsyuk (81) of the New Jersey Devils during the second period of a game at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. The Islanders shut out the Devils 6-0. Getty Images

Outside of a 17-game stint in Buffalo — which acquired him at last season’s trade deadline — Stanley has essentially spent his entire life in Canada, including six seasons in Winnipeg. Just last month, the former first-round pick was staying in shape by skating with his former junior team in Kitchener, Ontario.

Now, Stanley is living alone in a hotel, awaiting the arrival of his pregnant wife and 3-year-old daughter.

But he is starting to feel at home.

“I’m the new guy here, but I can already tell after getting traded last year, I got a version of it coming to a new group and I never really settled in in Buffalo,” Stanley said following Monday’s practice. “The guys were great there, but I never really felt like it was home or it was comfortable. This feels great. Everyone’s been super welcoming and I’ve enjoyed every day I’ve been here.

“Being in the West my whole career, I didn’t know much about Long Island or the Islanders in general, but the way they’ve treated me and my family has been unbelievable. I really like it here. I took a drive [Sunday] and was checking out some neighborhoods and it’s beautiful.

“A little busier than Winnipeg.”

Stanley’s debut in his new home couldn’t have gone much better.

In just his second game with the Islanders — just six days after his first practice with the team — the 28-year-old had two assists and three blocked shots, while tying a team high with four hits in the win over the Devils at UBS Arena.

“I thought he was really good,” Islanders head coach Pete DeBoer said. “I think he’s gotten better every time out. He’s a big man, he moves well, he’s got good puck skills, good teammate, not much not to like.”

Islanders’ Logan Stanley (8) skates against the New Jersey Devils during the third period of a game at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. Getty Images

Last season, Stanley recorded a career-high nine goals and 17 assists in 76 games after averaging less than 41 games per season over his first five years. After going unsigned all summer, Stanley signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Islanders after they sent down Isaiah George.

Though the towering defenseman — who has been paired with Tony DeAngelo — is still playing catch up, he doesn’t feel as far behind as it might seem.

“The system is not too unfamiliar,” Stanley said. “I played a version of it in Winnipeg last year. There’s a few changes that might take some time to burn into my brain, but for the most part it’s pretty simple and straightforward. They’re direct in what they want you to do. It’s good for us as a group because we know where everyone is gonna be on the ice. We’re all on the same page. There’s no second-guessing where the puck is supposed to go. It’s pretty black-and-white and I think that’ll help us get out of our end.

“I missed training camp and a lot of these guys have been playing together for a while, but I’m starting to feel more comfortable now.”

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Steph Curry reminds us that preseason results don’t matter

Steph Curry shooting a jumper over the outstretched arm of a Clippers defender.
HONOLULU, HI - OCTOBER 4: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors shoots the ball during 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 lost their preseason opener on Sunday in Honolulu, falling 104-101 to the LA Clippers in a game that came down to the wire. If you want to dismiss the results because regulars don’t play as much in the preseason, well … that doesn’t help Golden State’s case, since they trailed by 12 points at halftime, before pulling Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Al Horford.

Instead, try this as a reason to dismiss preseason results: they just don’t matter. And who better to make that point than Curry, who reflected on a fun and productive week in Hawaii, as the team packed up and prepared to return to California.

“I’ve been in this league 17, or going on 18 years,” the two-time MVP said, after stating that a team luau was the highlight of the first week of camp. “I don’t remember a single preseason game in terms of the outcome, other than Lindy Waters making a buzzer-beater here two years ago.”

A reporter then reminded Curry of a special preseason moment about Kobe Bryant, to which he responded, “That’s also a great one. So we got two. Two out of however many. So we’re not gonna get bogged down by the results of the game.”

It’s generally the consensus that preseason results don’t matter, and there are plenty of data points each year backing that up. There are, admittedly, also plenty of examples suggesting that the preseason is a decent barometer. The Dubs went 6-2 in preseason before winning their first title in 2014-15, and 6-1 two years later, when they won the championship again, before going a league-best 5-0 prior to their shocking 2021-22 championship.

Then again, they went just 2-2 ahead of the title-winning 2017-18 season, and they had a losing 3-4 record in 2015-16, before starting the year with a 24-game winning streak. So yeah … safe to say it doesn’t really matter.

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Ex-Knick Ariel Hukporti suffers scary injury five minutes into his 76ers debut: ‘Heartbreaking’

Philadelphia 76ers center Ariel Hukporti sits on the court after an injury during a game against the New York Knicks.
Philadelphia 76ers center Ariel Hukporti (55) sits on the court after an injury during the first quarter of a game against the New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Monday, October 5, 2026.

PHILADELPHIA — Former Knicks center Ariel Hukporti suffered a scary noncontact injury just five minutes into his 76ers career.

Hukporti collapsed to the court after planting his foot in Monday’s preseason opener, holding the back of his right ankle before Philly trounced the Knicks 120-97. He was helped off the court by former teammate Karl-Anthony Towns amid concerns of a dreaded Achilles tear.

He left the arena on crutches and in a walking boot.

Philadelphia 76ers center Ariel Hukporti (55) sits on the court after an injury during the first quarter of a game against the New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Monday, October 5, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Definitely heartbreaking,” Jalen Brunson said. “When I came back in the locker room, I went to go check on him. Sad to see. Obviously, we’ll pray for him.”

Hukporti played two seasons with the Knicks — winning a championship as the third-string center. He signed a one-year, $3.4 million deal over the summer with the Sixers, leaving the Knicks searching for center depth because they also lost second-stringer Mitchell Robinson to the Celtics.

Before Monday’s game, Knicks head coach Mike Brown said he was happy for Hukporti because of the bigger opportunity in Philadelphia. It might not happen now.

“We hope Ariel — whatever is wrong with him — he has a speedy recovery and he’s back on the floor,” Brown said. “You hate to see anybody go down with an injury, but especially somebody who is a caliber person who Ariel is.”

Ariel Hukporti #55 of the Philadelphia 76ers boxes out during a preseason game against the New York Knicks at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images

Brunson’s surgically repaired wrist looked fine. The point guard scored 12 points in 15 minutes on 4-for-8 shooting — including 2-for-5 from beyond the arc — in his first game since the procedure in early July to fix a tendon injury.

Otherwise, the Knicks struggled while shooting just 38.5 percent, with the starters playing about 15 minutes apiece.

LeBron James of the Philadelphia 76ers smiles during practice on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. NBAE via Getty Images

The Sixers injected their roster with star power, and the Knicks understand it makes the road to the Finals tougher.

The Sixers have four multiple-time All-Stars in their starting lineup with newcomers LeBron James and Jaylen Brown joining Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid.

“They’re just loaded, man,” Brown said. “Multiple-time All-Star, multiple-time All-Star, multiple-time All-Star. … MVP candidate, MVP candidate, MVP candidate. I remember back in the day, [Gregg Popovich] said, when I was an assistant for him with the Spurs, that there is a change from having two All-Stars on your team to having three. He brought it to our attention as a staff. He was like, you need at least three NBA All-Stars, and not just one-offs, but perennial All-Stars, to go win a championship. And you look at the Sixers now, and they got as many All-Stars, or guys of that nature, as they had in Miami when LeBron was down there.”

Jaylen Brown (7) of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball against Jalen Brunson (11) of the New York Knicks during a preseason game at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Philadelphia. Getty Images

Still, the unveiling of the new Sixers had to wait. Coach Nick Nurse rested most of his starters — including James and Embiid — while the Knicks played everybody except Jose Alvarado (knee contusion).

“They’re definitely going to be one of the teams that are contending in the East, and in my opinion, it just got harder for everybody with the team that they assembled here,” coach Brown said.

Earlier Monday, Towns reiterated that he doesn’t expect an extension agreement before the start of the season. The Knicks have offered four years and approximately $200 million according to sources, which is $77 million less than Towns’ max.

“Simply put, I want to do something to keep the team together and can work with the Knicks and also values me,” Towns said. “And none of those things are close to happening.”

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Ellis Likely To See First Action Against Minnesota

The Buffalo Sabres have a five-game homestand to start the season, which began with a 4-3 comeback victory over Chicago on Saturday. Head coach Lindy Ruff started Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in both games, but with veteran Alex Lyon on the mend, he indicated that he would be looking to get third-stringer Colten Ellis a game in short order. 

That appears to the Sabres next game against Minnesota on Tuesday, which is the one-year anniversary of the St. Louis Blues draftee being claimed by the Sabres off of waivers. Ellis, who turned 26 on Monday, practiced in the starter’s net at KeyBank Center on Monday morning and is likely to get the start against the Wild, who are a 2-0 to start the season. 

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Mrtka Looking To Take The Next Step Towards The NHL 

"It's  what  you  worked  for  all  summer, to  finally  get  to  showcase  what  you  worked  on,  and i'm  super  excited  to  play  for  everybody  in  here and I'm really  looking  forward  to  it."  Ellis said. “"Looking  back  a  year  ago ,  it's  pretty  crazy. With  all  that's  happened  in  the  past  year. I'm super  grateful  for  the  opportunity,  and   not  that  I  was  expecting  it  or  anything,  but  to  be  able  to  get  picked  up  and  play  the  whole  season  here  was  a dream  come  true,  and  you're  just  kind  of  living  the  dream  and  doing  it  day  in  and  day  out." 

Noah Ostlund signs eight-year contract extension

The club made a few line combo changes on Monday, swapping Jiri Kulich from the fourth to third line, where he centered Peyton Krebs and Konsta Helenius, while shifting Ryan McLeod down to play center Beck Malenstyn and Sam Carrick. Ruff also tinkered with the struggling power play, moving Josh Doan off of the top unit in favor of Noah Ostlund.  

In ex-Sabres news, the family matter that resulted in Bowen Byram missing his return to Buffalo on Saturday was finally explained, as the blueliner’s wife gave birth to twin baby girls on Saturday afternoon. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo 

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Hurricanes Recall Reinforcement From AHL Chicago

The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled defenseman Juuso Valimaki from the Chicago Wolves of the AHL.

The 27 year old was one of the final cuts from Canes training camp and has been one of Chicago's top defenders since joining the organization back in January.

Valimaki has 271 games of NHL experience, recording 11 goals and 72 points in that span. Charles Alexis Legault was reassigned by the Hurricanes on Saturday, leaving the team with only six defensemen as Mike Reilly slotted in against the Flyers.

Carolina is in Montreal on Tuesday to take on the Canadiens and so the 6-foot-2 Finnish lefty could potentially make his team debut then, or he might just have been recalled for depth purposes.

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Ariel Hukporti leaves game vs. Knicks with apparent leg injury

PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 5: Ariel Hukporti #55 of the Philadelphia 76ers boxes out during the game against the New York Knicks during a 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 5, 2026 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The vibes were high entering the Sixers’ preseason opener Monday vs. the New York Knicks, but the excitement was quickly dampened.

Ariel Hukporti, starting while Joel Embiid sits out, appeared to hurt his leg early in the first quarter while attempting to contest Karl-Anthony Towns. The former Knick seemed to know it was bad right away, telling his teammates to call a timeout. He was helped to the locker room without putting any weight on his right leg.

This is potentially a huge blow for the Sixers. The team signed Hukporti on the second day of free agency to compete for backup big minutes behind Embiid. With Adem Bona already out with a foot sprain, it felt like a big opportunity to establish himself. The 24-year-old big man showed out during the Blue X White Scrimmage over the weekend and was off to a nice start Monday.

With Embiid sitting, Bona still nursing his injury, Dominick Barlow out with a back issue and Exhibit 10 signee Tacko Fall dealing with a hip strain, Jabari Walker was the only player active who resembled a center. Nick Nurse even experiemnted with using Dean Wade as a small-ball five.

Update: 9:37 p.m. ET: After the game Nick Nurse didn’t have an update on Hukporti, but the information he did provide was not encouraging. Nurse told reporters that Hukporti will go in for imaging Tuesday, and they are looking at his right achilles.

If it indeed is the worst case scenario, the Sixers are going to have a hard time replacing him for the season. As Derek Bodner of PHLY pointed out, the Sixers could get a Disabled Player Exception, but they wouldn’t really be able to use it because they’re still hard capped at the first apron. Basically, the only big the Sixers could add before December would have to be a two-way contract.

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Padres believe comeback is still possible despite 2-0 hole vs. Brewers

SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Padres may catch waves on the beach in their free time, down some fresh home-made margaritas in Old Town and watch the sights on the boardwalk, but they’re not naive, and certainly not stupid.

They know what’s up.

They know that they trail the Milwaukee Brewers 2 games to 0 in the best-of-five National League Division series, and the odds are severely stacked against them. Since 1969, only 10 of 93 teams (11%) have lost the first two games and come back to win a best-of-five series. The Padres not only have to win three games in a row, beginning Tuesday, Oct. 6 at Petco Park (9:30 p.m. ET, FS1), but they’re going to have to do it against the same team that won more games than any team in baseball this year.

The Brewers won a franchise-record 103 games this season, including seven victories in a row, and 17 of their last 20. They haven’t lost three games in a row since, well, being swept by these same Padres in August.

So, you’re saying there’s a chance?

This is why the Padres refuse to cower in fear.

This is why they won’t be intimidated.

This is why they won’t back down.

And this is why they still believe.

They won’t need bulletin board material to hype them up, almost laughing at Hall of Famer David Ortiz mocking them on TV saying they are done.

Maybe, the Padres say, Big Papi forgot that he was on that Boston Red Sox team in 2004 that came back from a 3-0 deficit to the New York Yankees, when everyone said they were done, and won the ALCS.

Maybe folks forget that the San Diego Padres were down 2-games-to-0 in the best-of-five NLCS in 1984, losing the first two games in Chicago, and came back to win the National League pennant.

Please, it’s not as miraculous a comeback as if they lost 121 games two years ago, and made the playoffs, like some team they know on the south side of Chicago.

“Listen, man, sports is a crazy game," Padres veteran third baseman Manny Machado said. "A lot of crazy things could happen, especially this time of the year ... It's been done before, '84, Big Papi, right, down 3-0, impossible.

"It's sports, right? It's sports. Anything is possible in this game. You've just got to go out there and leave it on the field, compete. This group has been doing it all year, and we're going to continue to do it. I believe in the group that we have in there. They're a resilient group that loves to fight, that loves to compete.

“We're going to leave it out there until we can't anymore."

While no one outside the 619 area-code is giving the Padres a shot, few gave them much of a chance to be in the postseason in the first place. They were muddling along with a 50-53 record in mid-summer with a 7.4% chance to make the postseason, according to FanGraphs. Their starting rotation consisted of Michael King, tape, gauze, and different relievers each week. They were fighting for their lives until the final week of the season just to qualify for the postseason.

“Fuel, we knew what type of group we had," Machado said. “We knew what type of baseball we were playing, which was not great, but we knew we were better than that. The outside noise: 'We're not going to make it. You’re not going to do this. The Padres suck.’ …It's been all year from everyone.

“We knew that was all fake and not reality. As a group, we just took that to fuel, and we ran with it, and we got better. We performed. We stepped up, and here we are today. It's nothing different.’’

The Padres will turn to veteran Nick Pivetta, whose season looked as if it would be over in mid-April when he went down with a right elbow flexor strain, but he came back in August, and will be making his sixth start Tuesday to save their season. He hasn’t gone longer than five innings, and lasted just 3 1/3 innings in his postseason start against the Chicago Cubs, but relishes the opportunity.

“I think if you look back at it, when I was really grinding on my rehab process and wondering if I was going to be able to pitch again this year," Pivetta said, “I look forward to these moments. I'm very grateful to be able to be the pitcher out there, to do this, to start it off...

“I'm never going to shy away from the moment or shy away from what's at stake. Like I said, I'm just grateful to be in these moments, and try to help us accomplish our goal.  To be able to pitch in these moments is very special to me."

The Padres could badly use a starter to give their bullpen a breather. They had the day off Monday, but still, their heavy workload has worn them down. It was left-handed reliever Adrian Morjeon, perhaps the best left-hander in the game, who coughed up a game-winning homer to William Contreras in the seventh inning of Game 1. And it was Mason Miller, perhaps the best closer in the business, who blew the save in the ninth inning of Game 2 on Jackson Chourio’s two-out, two-strike, two-run single, while trying to record a six-out save for only the third time this season. Miller was left in to throw a season-high 40 pitches.

“I never second-guess myself," Stammen said. “That's for everybody else to do."

More: Brewers may be World Series favorites. Beating Mason Miller showed why | Opinion

The rookie manager has been second-guessed most of the season when they were battling for their lives, so it’s nothing new. Besides, every time the Padres were counted down and out, they kept battling back, a trait that has defined the Padres’ character.

“We've been resilient all year," Stammen said. “We've had our backs against the wall several times. Players individually have had their backs against the wall. For us, it's just another day in Padres Land.

“But it’s an exciting challenge.’’

So, fatigue or not, the Padres aren’t going to change their game-plan now utilizing their high-leverage relievers. They will still count on Morejon for multiple innings. They still might ask Miller to go longer than an inning. It’s October. They’ll have all winter to rest.

And, perhaps one last time Tuesday, the Padres will try to silence the critics who believe it’s impossible to overcome their deficit, and beat the powerful Brewers for a trip to the NLCS.

“Not the ideal position you want to be in," Machado said, “but these boys, this group, we've been up against the wall all year. A lot of people didn't think we would be in this position to begin with, and here we are. We've overcome a lot as a group, and we've learned a lot throughout the season.

“To believe in a group that could overcome this are the 26 guys in there that fought all year to be in this position.’’

The Padres will play hard. They’ll play loud. They’ll have a packed house at Petco Park behind them.

Really, what do they got to lose?

“Here we are once again with our backs against the wall,’’ Machado said. “We've overcome it once, and we can do it again.

“And we are going to do it again."

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Padres believe comeback is still possible despite 2-0 hole vs. Brewers

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AL Division Series Game 2: Cam Schlittler vs. Freddy Peralta

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - APRIL 12: Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees pitches during the game between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Sunday, April 12, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Alex Zadorozny/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The playoff format in baseball is quite unforgiving, isn’t it? In a season where you play 162 games, the Yankees ended a team’s season in about 28 hours last week, but now they stare down the barrel of theirs being in serious danger if they happen to lose consecutive games at Tropicana Field to the Rays, a usual House of Horrors for them.

While the saying goes, “A series doesn’t start until the home team loses”, simple math will tell you that the team without home-field advantage can’t exactly rely on that (for obvious reasons). So while the Rays winning tonight would simply mean holding serve, that doesn’t quite work in a five-game series. In the 30-plus years of the Division Series, only eight teams have ever come back from 0-2 — including the 2001 and 2017 Yankees. But after an unsuccessful comeback last year, the 2026 Yanks certainly don’t want to have to try and be the ninth.

Fortunately, they have their ace on the bump to try and send the series to the Bronx tied. Cam Schlittler will unanimously win AL Cy Young and finish top five in MVP voting, but his real brilliance is shown in October. Two of his three career postseason starts have been scoreless brilliance against Boston, but he did also pitch into the seventh in Game 4 of the ALDS last year against a Blue Jays team that provided a similarly pesky challenge to this Rays team.

In the regular season against the Rays, it was a mixed bag. Schlittler struck out eight, but allowed three runs in five innings in a loss on April 12th at Tropicana Field, but he came back to throw eight innings of one-run ball in early July in one of his best starts of the season. The third and final meeting was limited to just three frames to manage his pitch count ahead of the postseason, but the Rays made him throw 70 pitches in that abbreviated outing in a meaningless late September start. Expect them to try to grind him out of the game as they did that day.

After getting absolutely dominated by Drew Rasmussen on Saturday, the Yankees hope their bats will fare better against star deadline acquisition Freddy Peralta, the former longtime Brewer who was saved from a disastrous season in Queens at the Trade Deadline. The pending free agent has been much better since the trade, pitching to a 3.22 ERA (131 ERA+) and 3.93 FIP in 55.1 innings, albeit with just 43 strikeouts. He closed the regular season by allowing just three runs in his last 34 innings to win AL Pitcher of the Month honors. For the optimists, a look under the hood shows he’s due for regression. For the pessimists, his stuff plays well at the Trop.

What’s changed with Peralta since the trade? He’s throwing considerably more changeups, especially against right-handed pitching, and will lean on that and his mid-90s four-seamer tonight, while mixing in a sweeper and a curveball. As you might expect, his fastball has gotten much more ride and has added a tick since getting to play in the Trop, so expect a much different pitcher than the one you may have seen wearing blue and orange. He’s only made two career starts against the Yankees: Opening Day 2025 with Milwaukee, and allowing three runs in five innings against them in May 2026.

It’s the exact same lineup for the Yankees, and I can’t really blame them. The options on the bench aren’t great for a tough righty like Peralta, and it was the same unit that crushed the Red Sox in Game 2 last Wednesday. The Rays are doing the same despite only scoring one run on Saturday, batting the exact same nine that usually have success against right-handed pitching.

How to Watch:

Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL

First Pitch: 8:00 p.m. EDT

TV broadcast: TBS, TruTV, Univision

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY), WDAE 95.7 FM, WQBN/1300AM (TB) | ESPN Radio (National)

Online Stream: HBO Max

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Rangers Place Matthew Robertson On Waivers After Šmits' Emergence And Veleno Injury

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers have placed Matthew Robertson on waivers. 

Robertson was held out of practice on Monday due to roster management reasons, as it was quickly revealed that he was waived by the team.

Selected in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft by the Blueshirts, Robertson spent multiple seasons playing in the American Hockey League for the Hartford Wolf Pack before finally getting his NHL chance during the 2025-26 season. 

The 25-year-old played in 72 games for the Rangers last season, as he finally seemed to cave out a consistent role. 

However, 2026 fifth-overall pick Alberts Šmits stood out throughout training camp and took over Robertson’s position as the Rangers’ third-pair left-handed defensemen. 

Robertson made the Rangers’ opening-night roster out of training camp, but he has been scratched for all four of New York’s games to kick off the 2026-27 campaign.

With Robertson waived, it’s safe to say that the Rangers have confidence continuing to use Šmits moving forward and he’ll remain in the NHL barring any major regression in his play.

Joe Veleno also suffered a lower-body injury during the Rangers’ Sunday night game against the Utah Mammoth, which may have led to Robertson’s waiving since Veleno’s availability is in jeopardy and the Blueshirts only have three active centers on the roster.

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Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks face contract extension stalemate. Where do they go from here?

It seems, in the case of Karl-Anthony Towns and the New York Knicks, that someone’s going to have to blink first.

What’s abundantly clear, however, is that there’s a lot of work to do for the franchise to keep its star locked up in the long term, and the prospect that he may be playing his final months as a Knick are suddenly a real possibility.

Towns, the 30-year-old All-Star center who helped propel the Knicks to their first championship in 53 years, is eligible for a four-year extension. He had hoped to ink it before the start of the season. Yet, Towns expressed unfiltered pessimism Monday, Oct. 5 to reporters in Philadelphia, indicating just how far apart the two sides are.

“It don’t look good,” Towns told reporters when asked if he thought both sides could agree to a deal before the regular season opener October 20 against the Philadelphia 76ers.

KNICKS: After summer of adoration, New York gets back to business of title defense

Towns was even more candid later when asked if he thought he deserved a new deal.

“No (expletive), Sherlock,” he said. “I just won a championship. You’d think it would be pretty easy, unless you guys think I have something else to prove.”

Towns was instrumental in New York’s historic postseason run. Aside from NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Jalen Brunson, Towns was easily the second-most important player on the Knicks, and it all started after New York lost two consecutive games in the first round against the Atlanta Hawks, to fall into a 1-2 series hole.

Knicks coach Mike Brown then tweaked the offense to run through Towns, instead of Brunson; Towns took on increased ball-handling and play-making duties, allowing Brunson to play off-ball and tactically choose his spots. The move unlocked a new dimension for New York’s offense, whose +283 point differential smashed an all-time record.

But, to illustrate that point further, the Knicks were particularly dominant when Towns was on the floor. In his 578 postseason minutes, New York outscored opponents by 258 points, giving Towns the best individual plus-minus in a single postseason in the play-by-play era.

But, Knicks owner James Dolan has stressed multiple times that the Knicks will avoid triggering the punitive second apron, which limits financial flexibility. It also gives Knicks president Leon Rose a hard line on how much they can offer their stars. In a parallel situation, this also complicates the negotiations with forward Josh Hart.

KNICKS SEASON PREVIEW: Lineup, roster, prediction and biggest question mark

According to ESPN, the most recent Knicks offer to Towns was worth $200 million, which is well short – more than $75 million short – of what he’s eligible to earn.

Now, none of this precludes the Knicks and Towns from eventually getting a deal done. In the NBA, like in all major sports leagues constrained by a salary cap, things get said in public that can sway perception. This is how high-profile negotiations sometimes work.

Towns and his representatives are trying to extract as much value as they can within New York’s financial landscape. Dolan and the Knicks are trying to get their stars to play on team-friendly deals. At some point, for this partnership to continue, compromise is mandatory.

“Simply put: I want to do something that can keep this team together and work with the Knicks and also values me,” he said. “None of those things have come close to happening.”

This isn’t exactly what a team looking to defend its title wants to be dealing with, but this is simply the system in place with the second apron to contend with.

The immediate concern for the Knicks, at least in the short term, is whether this will affect the team’s play.

Towns has plenty of experience handling adversity; while the Knicks were slogging through their schedule in the first half of last season, his name frequently popped up in trade rumors. Towns eventually responded with that postseason run – the best basketball of his career.

Whispers of trade talks are one thing, but if a player feels undervalued, it’s an entirely different issue to navigate. And the interesting thing is that those trade talks could get even louder.

Towns has a $61 million player option next season. While that is a lot of money, he may feel that he could earn even more on the open market. The Knicks, understandably, would not want to let a player like Towns, the premier stretch five in the NBA, hit the open market without getting anything in return. And a player like Towns – as we saw with the blockbuster that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat – would net a ton of assets.

So where does all of that leave us?

Right now, it’s a game of chicken. And while Knicks fans shouldn’t necessarily be concerned as of right now, these next few weeks and months will be pretty telling. Because the Feb. 11, 2027 trading deadline isn’t all that far away.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks face contract extension stalemate. Where do they go from here?

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Canucks Forward Paul Cotter Named NHL’s Third Star Of The Week

After a strong start to the 2026–27 season that saw him register four goals and two assists in his first four games as part of the Vancouver Canucks, Paul Cotter has been named the NHL’s third star of the week. He currently leads the NHL in goals scored alongside Edmonton Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard and Utah Mammoth forward Nick Schmaltz. 

Cotter joined the Canucks via free-agency signing during the 2026 off-season, coming to Vancouver after two seasons with the New Jersey Devils and three with the Vegas Golden Knights before that. He scored a career-high of 16 goals in his first season with the Devils back in 2024–25. 

Two of the four goals Cotter has scored so far came in Vancouver’s first game of the regular season, a 6–5 overtime win against the Oilers on September 29. He is one of only six players in Canucks history to record a multi-goal game in their debut. 

Also named to the NHL’s Stars of the Week list are New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin, who scored a goal and posted a 1.67 GAA, and Bouchard, who has scored four goals and four assists in Edmonton’s first four games of the year. 

Oct 1, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Paul Cotter (47) celebrates his goal against the Edmonton Oilers in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Oct 1, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Paul Cotter (47) celebrates his goal against the Edmonton Oilers in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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Atlanta Braves NLDS Game 3 eve chat and discussion, October 5

Oct 4, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Atlanta Braves outfielder Mike Yastrzemski (18), outfielder Michael Harris II (23) and outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) celebrate after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in game two of the NLDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Happy Monday, all. How are we faring after last night’s split?

The National League Division Series has had its fair share of drama. While we were hand-wringing about Chris Sale and the prospect of a bullpen game (where we need not have worried, because Ray Kerr is a hero?), Brewers/Padres has been unreal. A potential game-tying home run in Game 1 foiled by… the closed roof (but maybe not, as the analytics say it only would’ve been a homer in Houston).

And a two-out, two-strike, two-RBI walkoff single off Mason Miller to bring the series back to San Diego with the Friars down 0-2. Gut punches, for sure. There truly isn’t anything like postseason baseball stress.

The AL is back in action tonight with the White Sox up 1-0 over the Cleveland Guardians. The Rays one-hit the Yankees and only needed a Jonathan Aranda home run to take their lead in the series.

I will leave you with this interview Brent Suter did with former Brave Kevin Pillar and co-host Cody Allen. He chats about the team, the “ace of all aces” in Chris Sale, how underratedness of Matt Olson, and much more.

The comments are yours. Have at it!

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Flyers lose four straight to start season for first time since 2014-15

Flyers lose four straight to start season for first time since 2014-15 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers were outshot by a healthy margin again as they lost to the Lightning, 4-1, Monday night at Benchmark International Arena.

Tampa Bay made it 3-1 with three minutes left in the game and added an empty-net goal to finish things off.

Tyson Foerster provided the Flyers’ lone goal. The club’s power play went 0 for 3 and is 0 for 11 on the season.

The Flyers fell to 0-2-2. They’ve dropped four straight to start the season for the first time since 2014-15, when they also went 0-2-2.

The Flyers have had all kinds of trouble with the Lightning in their last five meetings. They’ve gone 0-5-0 and have been outscored 21-4. They face Tampa Bay two more times this season.

• A positive for the Flyers was Dan Vladar.

The 29-year-old looked much more like himself, converting 32 saves on 35 shots. His previous outing was the 7-0 drubbing to the Penguins in the season opener.

The Flyers did not help Vladar on the three goals he allowed to the Lightning.

On Ilya Mikheyev’s 3-1 marker, David Jiricek had a bad turnover to Pontus Holmberg, who then deked the Flyers’ defenseman.

The Flyers gave up a 3-on-1 rush to Tampa Bay just 17 seconds into the second period. Cam York got stuck in the neutral zone. Holmberg, who may have interfered with York, buried the goal to put the Flyers down 2-0.

The Lightning opened the scoring with 3:55 minutes left in the first period when Brayden Point converted on an excellent deflection. Vladar had little to no chance to make the save.

Andrei Vasilevskiy, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner, stopped 13 of the Flyers’ 14 shots.

• Has complacency seeped in with the Flyers? Or is it possible they’re rusty and sluggish from last season? Because this offseason was new territory for them.

The Flyers had their summer break cut down by a month because of the playoff run and the addition of two games this season. You have to wonder if the Flyers are feeling that right now. Or if they’re just not used to it.

They have not looked at all like the team that was stingy and connected down the stretch last season. They’ve been outshot a staggering 158-76. That’s a minus-82 shot differential.

“It’s still early in the year, small sample, but it’s still alarming a little bit I would say,” Sean Couturier said Sunday after practice. “I think structure-wise, we’re not as sharp, we don’t seem to be on the same page. At least the effort is better and we’re competing more, but we’ve just got to smarten up, work harder, but smart, as well. And I think we’ll eventually get back to the playing style we want to play.”

• Some of the guys the Flyers were ready to rely on offensively had not been there through games.

But Foerster and Porter Martone found a spark in Game 4. Foerster’s goal came on a shot with traffic around the net. Martone was battling Charle-Edouard D’Astous in front as the puck went off the Tampa Bay defenseman.

Martone was super engaged. He drew two penalties and stirred the pot. Good signs.

“I expect a lot more from myself to contribute to this team and help this team win games,” Martone said Saturday morning after the first two games.

Trevor Zegras and Christian Dvorak, two significant additions last season, have combined for no goals, two assists and seven shots through four games this season.

• Denver Barkey made his season debut after missing the first three games because of a lower-body injury.

At practice Sunday, the 21-year-old forward looked poised for a return this week. He took plenty of contact to test things out.

To make room for Barkey on the roster, the Flyers placed Nikita Grebenkin (upper body) on injured reserve. Barkey entered the lineup for Alex Bump, who was a healthy scratch.

Barkey went scoreless in 13:06 minutes.

Rasmus Ristolainen did not play after taking a shot to his left hand in the Flyers’ 3-2 overtime loss Saturday night to the Hurricanes. The good news is that he joined the Flyers for the three-game road trip, so the injury appears to be more short term than long term.

• The Flyers are back in action Thursday when they visit the Senators (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).