Cameron Bancroft ended a 364-day drought with an emotional century to put Western Australia in a dominant position after Day 1 of their Sheffield Shield clash with South Australia.
Lakers loss to Blazers unearths inevitable defensive problems
LOS ANGELES — The highs of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 3-0 start — Luka Dončić‘s high-scoring nights, Walker Kessler’s historic statistics, Austin Reaves’ incredible selflessness — mostly delayed what became their inevitable undoing in Tuesday’s 136-129 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Defense.
The Blazers have personnel that can match Los Angeles’ scoring output on any night. The first time an opponent required the Lakers’ defense to win them a game, trouble arose.
The Lakers kept pace with the Blazers through the first three quarters, until a 3-point barrage, spearheaded by Damian Lillard and Deni Avdija in the final quarter, lifted Portland overtop. Avdija and Ja Morant finished with 23 points apiece, Jrue Holiday added 22 off the bench and Lillard ended the night with 21.
“We just got broken down a lot,” head coach JJ Redick said postgame. “I thought the game plan discipline, [Know Your Personnel], personnel discipline, wasn’t where it needs to be. Sometimes, early in the season, these are good learning lessons that we can all apply, both as coaches and as players.”
The four Portland ball handlers scored in varying ways all night: Avdija at all three levels, Morant slicing through the defense and finishing in the paint, Holiday as the off-ball savant he is and Lillard in high pick-and-roll actions either burying a moving three or drawing a foul on the shot.
Adding to the Lakers’ woes,guys like Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan shot 6-for-7 combined from beyond the arc.
“It was also an incredible shot-making game,” Redick added. “You have to also factor that in. … We have to be able to rely on our defense every night. And if we score 129 points at home, we should be able to get enough stops to win.”
Kessler, the Lakers’ defensive anchor, was not able to affect the game as he had in the previous three, mostly because much of Portland’s actions came at the perimeter. Even then, he admitted that he still needs to be held accountable as the “linebacker” of the Lakers’ defense.
“Personally, I’ve got to do a better job at pursuing the ball,” he said. “Being more aggressive to attack the ball. We kind of got it back a little bit in the second half … I’ve got to start that way, being more aggressive. But we’ll figure it out.”
This team’s detractors knew a night like this would come. They talked about it all offseason. The Lakers would have to outscore their opponents every night. For a few moments through the first three games, Los Angeles was able to put up at least a quarter of competent, momentum-shifting defense.
But on a night where the opposing team was able to keep pace with Dončić’s 41 points and nine assists, Reaves’ uber-efficient 26 points and Sandro Mamukelashvili’s 16 off the bench, the defense just wasn’t there.
Early in the season, it’s still seen as a problem that can be solved. But the Lakers saw firsthand what will happen in the most important games if a solution isn’t found.
You can follow Connor on Twitter at @cmorenoNBA.
Player Grades: Lakers vs. Blazers
And just like that, the Lakers’ attempt to go 82-0 flies out the window.
It was always going to be tough for LA to go undefeated this season, particularly with a defense as porous as the one they showed on Tuesday. In a game where they shot 56.3% from the field and 39.5% from three, the Lakers allowed Portland to hit 59% of its shots and half of their 36 threes.
Not ideal!
But, at the same time, not a surprise. Jokes aside, a loss was going to come and likely soon. The Lakers can learn from this. It’s still just the fourth game for a mostly new roster. They still have plenty to figure out.
So, let’s dive into the loss. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
Matisse Thybulle
21 minutes, 5 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 fouls, 3 turnovers, 2-5 FG, 1-4 3PT, -12
A pretty ho-hum game from Thybulle. For those wanting to argue taking him out of the starting lineup, a performance like that helps their case.
A common theme in these is to not overreact to one game. But Thybulle has to bounce back.
Grade: D
Ziaire Williams
28 minutes, 11 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 3 fouls, 1 turnover, 4-5 FG, 2-3 3PT, 1-2 FT, -3
On the flip side, this was a really good Williams game. He was active on both ends and had a couple of nifty moves on fastbreaks to set up teammates for easier finishes.
Grade: B+
Walker Kessler
32 minutes, 13 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 4 fouls, 4 turnovers, 6-9 FG, 1-4 FT, +3
It was a pretty underwhelming first half followed by a decent second half. There’s going to be a greater emphasis placed on his production with Kevon Looney struggling so much, which isn’t entirely fair to him.
But he also just has to be better.
Grade: C-
Austin Reaves
39 minutes, 26 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 fouls, 8-13 FG, 4-8 3PT, 6-7 FT, +0
Another consistent, strong game from Reaves, who has made a habit of that so far. It goes a bit under the radar because of Luka’s recent explosions, but Austin is now averaging 26.5 points per game on 63.3% shooting.
The defense wasn’t great, though, which will knock him a bit.
Grade: A-
Luka Dončić
36 minutes, 41 points, 5 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 block, 3 fouls, 2 turnovers, 12-22 FG, 6-15 3PT, 11-13 FT, +7
Another fantastic Luka game that wasn’t enough. His shotmaking remains unmatched in the league. The Blazers resorted to faceguarding him down the stretch the moment he crossed half court and it still didn’t matter.
Grade: A+
Quentin Grimes
18 minutes, 2 points, 4 rebounds, 3 fouls, 1 turnover, 1-4 FG, 0-3 3PT, -10
If there was a night for him to have a strong game, this would have been the one. With Thybulle struggling, a big Grimes showing would have increased the noise for him to start.
Instead, he struggled and was turning down open shots at the end of the game. Finding the best role for him off the bench will be one of the challenges in the coming weeks.
Grade: D
Sandro Mamukelashvili
24 minutes, 17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 turnover, 6-9 FG, 3-4 3PT, 2-2 FT, +6
This was easily the best Mamu game of the season. He hit a pair of big threes at the end of the second and then was at the center of a big run in the second half. He justly closed the game in this one.
Grade: A-
Jake LaRavia
19 minutes, 5 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 3 steals, 4 fouls, 2-2 FG, 1-1 3PT, -10
As good as his season started, this was an outlier. Truly, this was a woeful game.
His four fouls were all of the frustrating variety. One was on a Deni Avdija drive to give him two free throws, one was 94 feet from the basket with the player falling out of bounds and with the Blazers in the bonus and the last two were on 3-pointers.
Ten free throws on four fouls. Efficiency, but in the worst possible way.
Grade: F
Collin Sexton
13 minutes, 9 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 2 fouls, 3 turnovers, 4-11 FG, 0-5 3PT, 1-2 FT, -8
A weird stat line that doesn’t really tell the whole story. A pair of backdoor cuts where Luka found him for layups saved his stat line from looking much worse.
I’m not going to be too harsh on Sexton yet because he didn’t have a preseason that everyone else had.
Grade: C
Kevon Looney
Unplayable. Next.
JJ Redick
I originally wanted to give him credit for going to Mamu to close the game, but as I wrote out these grades, I realized everyone else on the bench had pretty rough nights.
He at least won his first challenge in this one, even if it was very obvious. But there wasn’t much else to break down. He only played Looney five minutes, but maybe it’s time to at least try something else.
Grade: B
Tuesday’s DNPs: Jaden Hardy, Bronny James, Arthur Kaluma, Jarred Vanderbilt
Tuesday’s inactives: Cameron Carr, Adou Thiero, AK Okereke, Chris Mañon
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.
Dame Time came to Los Angeles as Trail Blazers hand Lakers first loss of season
LOS ANGELES — Dame Time is back.
DAME TIME DAGGER! ⌚ pic.twitter.com/7VoZxIHcwm
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) October 28, 2026
"Pretty much every time he shoots, I think it's good," Ja Morant said. "So I'm pretty much bracing for a celebration every time he shoots — but in the fourth quarter, I'm for sure doing it."
"I just lived for those opportunities, you know," Lillard said. "Especially knowing I didn't shoot the ball well (he was 5-of-12), I just loved the opportunity to still be able to do it."
Morant, Lillard and the rest of an athletic, entertaining Portland team can celebrate a 136-129 win over the Lakers that improves the Trail Blazers to 3-0 on the season. This loss was the Lakers' first of the young season.
In a game with a plethora of 3s — the teams combined for 79 attempts — and nearly as many free throws (71), Portland's attack earned them the win. Four Trail Blazers scored more than 20 points: Morant (23), Lillard (21), Deni Avdija (23) and Jrue Holiday enjoyed some home cooking and scored 22 off the bench.
Luka Doncic put up 41 points and had nine assists, while Austin Reaves had 26 points and seven dimes.
LUKA DONČIĆ IS IN HIS BAG!
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) October 28, 2026
This insane stepback triple gave him 30 points.
NBA on NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/lkjTAIHfEh
These teams were mirror images of each other in some ways — high-powered offenses that attack the rim, and that rely on a big man dropping deep (Walker Kessler and Donovan Clingan) to protect the rim. That defense didn't work for either side in this one, as the Trail Blazers shot 59% on the night — and hit 18-of-36 from beyond the arc — while the Lakers shot 56.3%.
The offenses were firing from the opening tip — the Lakers started game 7-of-8 from the floor. The Trail Blazers shot 71.4% in the first quarter, while the Lakers shot 65%.
How much offense was there in the first half? The Lakers led 72-67 at the break. The Trail Blazers shot 69.7% from the floor and still trailed. The Lakers had a 144 offensive rating, while the Trail Blazers were "only" at 136.7.
That scoring never stopped, but Portland's depth was the one separator in this game. The Trail Blazers had 48 points off the bench, led by Holiday, but Robert Williams III added 14 points, 10 rebounds and some quality rim protection when it mattered.
Flying Butterfly: 3 Observations as Golden Knights Snap Losing Streak With Gritty Win Against Senators
Las Vegas, N.V.– When a team is on a three-game losing streak, they often need a big moment to swing momentum and turn things around. It could be anything: a fight, a herculean individual effort that leads to a goal, or even a big blocked shot.
For the Vegas Golden Knights, it was when starting goaltender Adin Hill left the net to play the puck to prevent a shorthanded breakaway and bowled over Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig in the process. Twelve seconds later, Braeden Bowman finally broke through and scored the first goal of the game on the power play.
“It wasn’t the best power play for us,” said Golden Knights head coach Ryan Craig following the 4-1 win. “[Hill’s play] probably gave us a little bit of juice. Our bench got going after the goal ended up going in, they were all pointing down at him. Those kinds of things can get you going. It was a real grind of a victory.”
The Golden Knights started well and recorded the first two shots of the game before the Senators tilted the ice. There was a stretch of nearly 10 minutes between their second and third shot. And halfway through the second, shots were 14-4 in favor of Ottawa.
Being outplayed and outshot by such a thorough margin usually isn’t a winning recipe. But tonight, the Golden Knights managed to make it work, and that was due in no small part to Adin Hill’s spectacular play in net.
“We had to stay with it and grind,” Ryan Craig said. “In the second half [of the game], we got better. Some things bounced our way, but Hilly’s play… was one of those things that energized us, for sure.”
“He was unreal,” added forward Raphael Lavoie. “You know he’s got a hit, too, tonight? Hillsy played amazing. It’s really nice to see.”
1. So… Who Gets the Puck?
Although the Golden Knights scored the game’s first goal, they didn’t have the lead for very long. The Senators responded with their own power-play goal just 34 seconds into the third, tying the game at one. A tying goal that early in the period could have deflated a team on a three-game losing streak. Instead, the Golden Knights did what they do best: they kept rolling four lines and trusted their depth.
That decision paid off at 8:01 in the third when the fourth line scored a big go-ahead goal.
Marc Gatcomb started the play in the defensive zone with a big hit on Senators forward Andre Burakovsky, and Raphael Lavoie ended up with the puck. Lavoie carried it through center ice and dropped a pass for Nic Dowd, who slapped it ahead to Ville Heinola. Jonas Johansson made the save on Heinola’s wrister, but after Dowd crashed the net, the puck came loose, and Lavoie slammed it home.
That go-ahead goal was a milestone triple threat. It was Raphael Lavoie’s first NHL goal, Nic Dowd’s 200th NHL point, and Ville Heinola’s first point as a Golden Knight.
“It means a lot,” Lavoie smiled postgame. “It’s been a long time coming, I think, and it feels really good.”
2. Them’s The Breaks!
Here’s a fun fact: Raphael Lavoie, who scored his first NHL goal and recorded the game-winner tonight, wasn’t originally supposed to play. In this morning’s line rushes, Jonas Røndbjerg skated in Lavoie’s spot on the fourth line.
However, Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart left morning skate early with an apparent injury, forcing the Golden Knights to recall a goaltender from AHL Henderson. In a corresponding transaction, they had to send Røndbjerg down to become cap compliant.
“I wasn’t thinking of playing tonight,” Lavoie said after the 4-1 win. “I wasn’t in the lineup, and then suddenly, just before I left the rink, they told me I was playing. That’s how it was supposed to happen, I guess.
“We’re always ready to play,” Lavoie finished. “I did a lot of extra work in the morning because I didn’t think I was playing, but I just had to nap a little longer.”
3. King of the Hill
Adin Hill made headlines tonight for his quick decision to play the puck, and it’s for good reason. That could’ve gone south very easily. It takes quite a bit of confidence for a goaltender to venture that far from their crease and brave that kind of contact.
“I think I’ve maybe been further from my net,” joked Hill following the 4-1 win, “But that’s the first flying butterfly I’ve done.”
However, the best part of Hill’s game tonight wasn’t the extreme “flying butterfly”; it was his steady play between the pipes. He kept the Golden Knights in a game that they had no business being in. He made 25 saves in total, none better than the one he made on Tim Stützle early in the second period.
“Kind of a little breakdown there,” Hill said postgame. “They had a mini 3-on-2. They made a double back-door play, and at that point, it’s just desperation to do whatever you can and try and keep the puck out of the net.”
Can Tampa Bay Rays do the unthinkable? World Series comeback would be unparalleled
ST. PETERSBURG, FL — The Tampa Bay Rays, in the euphoria of their clubhouse Tuesday night, are aware of baseball history.
They know that no team in World Series history has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit.
They know that no team trailing 3 games to 0 has ever forced a Game 6, let alone a Game 7.
They also know that well, it’s actually possible.
The 2004 Boston Red Sox proved it.
That’s the only time in baseball history that a team came back from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series, and prevailed, with the Red Sox stunning the New York Yankees with four consecutive victories, enroute to their first World Series championship in 86 years.
The Rays are hoping to become the sequel.
The Rays, three outs away from extinction, stayed alive Tuesday night in an electrifying 4-3, 12-inning comeback victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.
They still are facing an uphill battle, of course, trailing 3-1 and have to face Cy Young favorite Jacob Misiorowski in Game 5 on Wednesday night.
But they have a prayer.
Yep, just like that ’04 Red Sox team, who ironically, stayed alive with a 12-inning victory over the Yankees when they were trailing, 3-0, too.
So why not repeat history?
“In this game, anything can switch really quick," Rays catcher Liam Hicks said. “It’s baseball. You know, they beat us, they killed us, they embarrassed us [Monday in a 10-1 defeat]. And then we were able to flip the script.
“Hopefully, we can use the momentum, because anything can happen."
Oh, how the Rays proved it on this night.
They had been shut out by the Brewers’ vaunted bullpen for eight innings. They had only two hits after the fourth inning. And the Brewers finally took the lead, 3-2, when 22-year-old rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt hit a leadoff homer in the top of the 12th.
“I mean, that homer was definitely a gut punch," Hicks said.
The homer had the Brewers just three outs away from their first World Series title in 57 years.
The World Series trophy was brought downstairs. Carts of champagne and beer were wheeled into the Brewers’ clubhouse. The plastic lining was going to protect the Brewers’ lockers. Commissioner Rob Manfred was getting set for a trophy presentation.
And then, it happened.
Junior Caminero, leading off the 12th, hit a routine grounder to sure-handed third baseman Joey Ortiz. He threw the ball into the dirt, skipping past first baseman Jake Bauers.
“No excuse," Ortiz said. “Not one at all. I should make that play every (expletive) time."
The door was open.
“You see a window like that," Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson said, “you definitely want to take advantage of it."
The Rays did just that.
“You’ve got to take advantage when they make an error like that," Hicks said. “We weren’t ready to go home yet."
Hicks slapped a single to left field off rookie reliever Shane Drohan, with pinch-runner Cedric Mullins scampering to third base. Jonny DeLuca followed with a single up the middle past a drawn-in infield, tying the game. Simpson, after trying to bunt, then slapped a single to center, loading the bases.
“This team is definitely built on putting the ball in play," Rays backup catcher Nick Fortes, who pinch-ran for Hicks in the 12th, said. “That’s what we do, and that’s what they do. They create a lot of pressure on the defense. They create chaos, and so do we."
Oh, did they ever, with pinch-hitter Ben Williamson hitting a chopper over Bauers’ head into right field for the game-winner.
It was the first pinch-hit, walk-off since Gene Larkin’s game-winner in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series for the Minnesota Twins.
“It’s what you dream of growing up," Williamson said. “You play wiffle ball in the backyard with your friends and you're dreaming of hitting a walk-off ball in the World Series.’’
The sellout crowd of 40,514 screamed, and at the same time, groaned, with the stadium largely full of Brewers’ fans.
“It’s electric either way,’’ DeLuca said. “We had a sold-out crowd, and being able to play on this field, after everything we’ve been through, and sold out, regardless of what fans are in here it’s pretty fun.’’
Just like that, the script dramatically flipped, becoming only the fourth game in World Series history that a team staved off elimination with an extra-inning victory.
Can the Rays possibly pull this off?
“One-hundred percent," Caminero said.
Why?
“Because," he said, “we’re the best team in the American League."
To win the World Series, of course, would be historic. The Brewers have 113 victories in 2026 for a reason. They would have to lose four consecutive games, which hasn’t happened since April. Maybe, the Rays say, they’re due.
“It's a pretty cool position we're in,’’ DeLuca said, “and it's a special opportunity that we have. So, we're just going to take it one day at a time and just be in the moment. We love the spot we're in, and we’re ready to take on the challenge.’’
Let’s be honest, the Brewers are sitting awfully pretty. They’ve got The Miz in Game 5. They’ve got a tired, but still vaunted bullpen. And even if they happened to lose Game 5, the next two games would be in Milwaukee, a house of horrors for visiting teams.
Besides, the Brewers never thought it was going to be easy, anyway. The Rays won 98 games during the season. They won the AL East going away. And except for the Game 3 blowout, every game has gone down to the last out with the tying run on base.
“I think the guys understand it's going to be hard," Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “You're playing the best team in the American League. They proved it all year long, and they came up big today.
“When you're achieving something like this, it's going to have its adversity. We had some things go our way [Monday]. They had some things go their way today. That's the way it is. You just live with it, and if you're a competitor, you wake up [Wednesday] morning and come ready to play.’’
Still, they’ll wake up with some pain. To be so close, with the World Series stage ready to be wheeled onto the field, with the World Series parade already being planned for Friday, it was excruciating.
Rays starter Nick Martinez, who pitched two shutout innings in relief, remembers pitching for the Texas Rangers’ instructional league team after being drafted in 2011. He was in Arizona with his teammates watching the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. They were one strike away, twice, from winning the World Series in Game 6. They lost 10-9, in 11 innings, a game that became known simply as the David Freese game. They lost again in Game 7. The Rangers didn’t win the World Series for another dozen years.
“Got to just keep fighting," Martinez said, “one day at a time. One pitch at a time. One inning at a time.’’
In the famous words of former pitcher Joaquin Andujar: “You can sum up baseball in one word: you never know."
Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Can Tampa Bay Rays do the unthinkable? World Series comeback would be unparalleled
Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Utah Jazz
After taking their lumps early, the San Antonio Spurs have responded with two blowout victories over sub-.500 teams. San Antonio will look to make it three in a row as the Spurs travel to Salt Lake City to face the struggling Utah Jazz in the second game of a back-to-back.
San Antonio has seemingly gotten its groove back, especially on defense, where they’ve increased their ball pressure and forced more turnovers. That’s allowed them to get out in transition and score easy fast-break buckets. They’ll face a Jazz team that has turned the ball over nearly 17 times per game in their first four contests.
The Jazz will be without key players like Jaren Jackson Jr., who was recently diagnosed with an MCL tear and is expected to miss several months. Utah’s front court is thinning fast, as Lauri Markkanen and Jaxson Hayes are questionable. The Spurs could be facing a Kyle Filipowski and Mo Bamba front line on Wednesday night. Utah will make up for that with some stellar guard play from Keyonte George and Darryn Peterson.
A win over the Jazz would put San Antonio above .500 for the first time this season. Another dominant victory, on the road, would be a signal that the Spurs have shaken off some early-season rust.
San Antonio Spurs (2-2) vs. Utah Jazz(1-3)
October 28th, 2026 | 8 PM CT
Watch: DAZN | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs Injuries: Reported by 1 p.m. CT
Jazz Injuries: Trey Alexander – Out (G League), Kobe Bufkin – Out (G League), Jaxson Hayes – Questionable (shoulder), Harrison Ingram – Out (G League), Jaren Jackson Jr. – Out (knee), Lauri Markkanen – Questionable (wrist), Jusuf Nurkic – Out (foot)
What to watch for:
Wembanyama to the rim
Victor Wembanyama had 29 points on 14-for-21 shooting in San Antonio’s 130-103 win over the Sacramento Kings. He did most of his damage as a roll man or by driving to the basket. Wembanyama is shooting just 25% from three this season. He’s been at his best when he gets to the rim and finishes over defenders. The Spurs have been doing a better job of finding him in the pick-and-roll, or getting him the ball on pick-and-pops inside the arc for easy mid-range looks. The Jazz are banged up on the interior, which means Wembanyama should thrive if he can continue to get to the rim.
Perimeter defense
One area where the Spurs have struggled at times is defending the perimeter. Teams have been able to get easy looks around the rim, particularly when Wembanyama isn’t in the game. They’ve also been prone to giving up open looks from deep. The perimeter defense is at its best when it is applying pressure at the point of attack. De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper have done well creating turnovers and scoring on runouts. If San Antonio can apply that pressure consistently, they’ll be able to slow down Utah’s guards.
Pace of play
The Spurs offense has been at its best when it’s playing fast. Whether it be running off a turnover or a missed shot, the offense has worked more efficiently when they can get the ball up quickly. Utah has been one of the slower teams in the NBA to start the season (19th in pace). San Antonio must control the pace and speed up the Jazz to win on the road.
Karl-Anthony Towns responds to Mike Brown’s Knicks halftime challenge in a huge way
Knicks coach Mike Brown called out Karl-Anthony Towns.
And Towns responded.
Pistons center Paul Reed, starting in place of the injured Jalen Duren, had 15 points and five rebounds at halftime of the Knicks’ 111-97 win over the Pistons on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. He was winning his matchup against Towns.
Brown let Towns know at halftime.
“I just told him the truth,” Brown said. “ ‘KAT, the guy is killing us on the glass and when he gets a rebound, he’s putting it back. Or anything he gets in the paint, he’s putting it back. If he catches it on the perimeter, guard him.’ And he did those things. I gotta tip my hat off to KAT because I thought his shift in his mindset was really big for us in the second half.”
Towns finished with a game-high 27 points and 20 rebounds. He recorded 19 of those points and 11 of those rebounds in the second half. Reed, on the other hand, was a nonfactor in the second half. And he clearly grew frustrated, earning a flagrant-1 foul for elbowing Towns in the head while fighting for a rebound in the third quarter.
“I challenged KAT and KAT had a tremendous second half,” Brown said. “Twenty-seven and 20, he’s more than capable of doing that night in and night out.”
Brown experimented across the first three games with having both Jalen Brunson and Towns on the bench at the same time.
It delivered bad results, and Brown went away from that strategy on Tuesday.
“In Games 1 and 2, my big experimentation was playing KAT and Jalen in two stretches together,” Brown said. “And so the middle of [those games], I had both KAT and Jalen off the floor. We didn’t really do that last year. Watching it, I think we did it in the preseason some, but we didn’t play everybody all the time so it was a little harder, but watching it, I didn’t like it.”
Brown similarly experimented with having Josh Hart come off the bench to begin the season last year, alongside Mitchell Robinson. It wasn’t long until he reversed course, however.
“There’s some things that I’m looking at or messing with that may or may not stay the same,” Brown said. “That’s part of what you’re trying to do to figure out what’s best for your team long term. In the short term, it might not turn out good, like it didn’t turn out good not starting Josh, we took our lumps. But it was good to go through it last year. So, it’s something we’ll continue to try to figure out early on.”
‘No signs of letting up’: Shock as 37yo veteran given Wallabies call-up… and learns his rugby future
Veteran Kurtley Beale has received a shock Wallabies call up ahead of next month’s Nations Championship.
Lavoie’s First NHL Goal, Hill’s Big Night Lift Golden Knights Past Ottawa
LAS VEGAS — Raphael Lavoie arrived at the rink expecting to sit out. He left with his first NHL goal and a game-winner.
Lavoie broke a third-period tie, and Adin Hill stopped 25 shots as the Golden Knights defeated the Ottawa Senators 4-1 on Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena, snapping a three-game losing streak.
“Just before I left the rink, they told me I was playing,” Lavoie said. “So yeah, guess that’s how it was supposed to happen, I guess.”
We love this for Raph 🤩 pic.twitter.com/FrlECL9O4L
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 28, 2026
Braeden Bowman scored on the power play, while William Karlsson and Jack Eichel added empty-net goals for Vegas, which improved to 9-4-1. Shane Pinto scored Ottawa’s lone goal, and Jonas Johansson finished with 25 saves.
“We needed to kind of turn the corner there and come away with a win tonight,” Hill said. “So that was big for our guys. It’s a good hockey team over there, the Senators. So yeah, we found a way to get it done.”
Lavoie was projected as a healthy scratch before the Golden Knights adjusted their roster after Carter Hart’s morning-skate injury. Given his opportunity, he delivered the decisive finish at 8:01 of the third period, putting Vegas ahead 2-1.
It was his first goal in 27 NHL appearances and his 10th game this season.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Lavoie said.
Ville Heinola and Nic Dowd assisted, with Dowd reaching 200 career points. Heinola earned a point in his Golden Knights debut.
Coach Ryan Craig credited Marc Gatcomb’s defensive work at the start of the sequence and Heinola’s willingness to join the rush, helping create an opportunity that Lavoie finished around the net.
“Pretty much everybody on the ice touched the puck,” Lavoie said.
For Craig, Lavoie and Hill provided examples of players responding when circumstances changed.
“Sometimes it’s just a matter of taking advantage of your opportunity,” Craig said. “Those are two guys that did tonight.”
Hill supplied the foundation long before Lavoie’s breakthrough.
Ottawa held an 11-4 shot advantage in a scoreless first period. Early in the second, Hill denied Tim Stützle with a sprawling save, moving across the crease to stop a dangerous back-post opportunity.
“At that point it’s just desperation, doing everything you can to try and keep the puck out of the net,” Hill said.
His most consequential intervention came late in the middle period while Vegas was on the power play.
With Ridly Greig threatening on a shorthanded breakaway, Hill charged out toward the right faceoff circle and poked the puck away. The Golden Knights turned the play back toward Ottawa’s net, where Bowman finished a rebound from Ivan Barbashev’s shot with 11 seconds remaining.
WHAT. A. SEQUENCE. 🤯
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 28, 2026
¡QUÉ. SECUENCIA! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/WPmY2TJy1c
Hill said the puck slowed more quickly than he expected on the worn ice, forcing him to adjust as he raced toward Greig.
“At the end of it, just did a butterfly, kind of aimed to make sure he didn’t get the puck through me,” Hill said. “And yeah, we had a little collision there.”
The sequence transformed a potential Ottawa lead into a 1-0 Vegas advantage entering the second intermission.
“I thought our bench got going after the goal ended up going in,” Craig said. “They’re all pointing down at him. So, you know, those kind of things can get you going.”
That lead lasted just 34 seconds into the third.
Drake Batherson found Pinto for a power-play goal that evened the score, extending Vegas’ streak of games allowing a power-play goal to six.
Vegas gradually improved its puck management and work away from the puck, two areas Craig identified as central to the turnaround after the opening period. The Knights generated more sustained offensive-zone time by playing off shots and recovering pucks.
“It was a grind of a victory,” Craig said. “Ottawa’s a very good team. You can see the skill they have, very structured. They do a good job. They can capitalize on opportunities. For us, we had to stay with it and grind, and in the second half we got better.”
Lavoie restored the lead, and Vegas protected it until Karlsson scored into an empty net with two minutes remaining. Eichel added another with seven seconds left.
Hart’s availability remained uncertain, leaving Hill focused on preparing for the next game.
“We don’t have an update on Carter at all yet,” Hill said. “So yeah, I mean, we’re on to the next game and just get ready, approach every game like I would normally.”
KEY MOMENT: The save
Hill’s aggressive challenge on Greig prevented a shorthanded chance from becoming a potential deficit. Bowman’s goal at the other end gave Vegas the lead seconds later and energized the bench.
KEY STAT: Hill's save percentage
Hill stopped 25 of 26 shots for a .962 save percentage, earning his fifth victory of the season.
“He looked solid back there,” Craig said. “He looked like he was prepared and ready to play, and good on him.”
WHAT A KNIGHT: Lavoie's first
Initially expecting to sit out, he scored his first NHL goal midway through the third period. It held up as the game-winner.
A Knight to Remember 🤩❣️ pic.twitter.com/svZc42cpId
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 28, 2026
UP NEXT
The Golden Knights conclude their two-game homestand against the New Jersey Devils on Friday at 3 p.m. PT at T-Mobile Arena for Nevada Day.
PHOTO CAPTION
Vegas Golden Knights center Raphael Lavoie (36) scores his first NHL goal against the Ottawa Senators in the third period at T-Mobile Arena.
Luka Doncic’s 41-point masterpiece not enough as Lakers fall to Trail Blazers
Through the early parts of 2026-27, the Lakers had cobbled together enough strong defensive moments that allowed their league-best offense to carry them to three straight wins.
Those moments didn’t come often enough against the Trail Blazers Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena, leading to the Lakers losing their first game of the season.
Despite Luka Doncic picking up where he left off after 52 points in Salt Lake City on Sunday, the Lakers didn’t have the defensive support behind another brilliant offensive performance, falling to the Blazers 136-129 to drop to 3-1 on the season.
Doncic had 41 points on 12-for-22 shooting (6 of 15 on 3-pointers, 11 of 13 on free throws) to go with nine assists and five rebounds.
Austin Reaves was once again uber-efficient, recording 26 points on 8-of-13 shooting (4 of 8 on 3s), plus seven assists and four rebounds.
But the Blazers, who entered Tuesday with the league’s second-best offense, took advantage of the Lakers’ struggles with containing the ball.
The Blazers were led by Deni Avdija’s 23 points, nine assists and four rebounds.
Ja Morant (23 points, four assists), Damian Lillard (21 points, four assists) and Jrue Holiday (22 points, four rebounds) also scored at least 20 points for the Blazers.
The Blazers scored on five straight possessions late in the fourth to prevent the Lakers from keeping pace.
The Lakers couldn’t stop Portland from anywhere on the court: The Blazers shot 59% from the field and 50% on 3s.
The Blazers would’ve won by more if they made the easiest shots: They made just 63% of their free throws (26 of 41).
Lakers vs. Clippers Preview: Battle of LA, round two
The Lakers (3-1) are back at it on Wednesday against the L.A. Clippers (1-2), whom they defeated just last week. This time, round two of the battle of Los Angeles will be held in the Clippers’ home base.
Start time and TV schedule
Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. L.A. Clippers
When: 7:30 p.m. PT, Oct 28
Where: Intuit Dome
Watch: Spectrum Sportsnet
The Lakers’ first back-to-back will happen exactly a week into the season, the first of 14 this year.
If there’s also one thing about recently defeating an opponent the way the Lakers did with the Clippers, it’s knowing that the latter will have vengeance on their mind. That just means this game on Wednesday will be a tough one for the purple and gold, especially after the Clippers gave them a run for their money last time.
In that first meeting, the Clippers came out of the gates aggressively, courtesy of Brook Lopez and Darius Garland. They attacked the paint, scoring 48 points and 15 second-chance points on 11 offensive rebounds. Expect them to attack the paint and boards again, especially now that teams are aware that the Lakers have been a below-average rebounding team to start the season.
As always during back-to-backs, the key is to grind out the victory, especially when it’s on the road. Luka Dončić — who struggled against the Clippers last week — will have to carry as usual, as does Austin Reaves, who led the team with 28 points in the last meeting. It’ll be ideal to see another terrific Walker Kessler performance, but look out for the Clippers to contain him better, knowing full well that the big man was 10-14 from the field for 22 points last time.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Lakers bounce back after suffering their first loss of the season on Tuesday. Will they come into this game motivated or fatigued? Can they simply rebound better? And most importantly, will they be able to get production outside of Dončić and Reaves? That’ll say a lot about how this team is shaped this early in the season.
Let’s see if the Lakers can quickly get back on the winning column on Wednesday.
Notes and Updates
- Since it’s the second night of a back-to-back, the Lakers won’t release an injury report until a few hours before tipoff.
- The Clippers list Bradley Beal (right knee injury management), Rui Hachimura (left quad soreness), Brandon Ingram (right heel surgery), Jordan Miller (left rotator culf surgery), Yanic Konan Niederhauser (right lisfranc surgery) and Max Strus (right plantar fascia tear) as out.
- This is another game against a Pacific Division opponent for the Lakers, with the Lakers currently 2-0 against them.
You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.
Wednesday's Time Schedule
All Times EDT
Wednesday, Oct. 28
MLB - Playoffs
World Series - Game 5
Milwaukee at Tampa Bay, 8 p.m. (if necessary)
NBA
Charlotte at Detroit, 7 p.m.
Miami at Atlanta, 7 p.m.
Philadelphia at Indiana, 7 p.m.
Washington at Cleveland, 7 p.m.
Orlando at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
Denver at New Orleans, 8 p.m.
Golden State at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Houston at Milwaukee, 8 p.m.
New York at Chicago, 8 p.m.
San Antonio at Utah, 9 p.m.
Oklahoma City at Dallas, 9:30 p.m.
L.A. Lakers at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m.
NHL
Philadelphia at Washington, 7:30 p.m.
Calgary at Edmonton, 8:30 p.m.
New Jersey at Colorado, 9 p.m.
Toronto at Seattle, 10 p.m.
MLS
Atlanta at New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
Cincinnati at Miami, 7:30 p.m.
DC United at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
Montreal at Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.
New York Red Bulls at New England, 7:30 p.m.
Columbus at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
Kansas City at Minnesota, 8:30 p.m.
Orlando at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.
Philadelphia at Nashville, 8:30 p.m.
Portland at Saint Louis City SC, 8:30 p.m.
Real Salt Lake at Austin, 8:30 p.m.
Colorado at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.
Houston at Seattle Sounders, 10:30 p.m.
San Diego at Vancouver, 10:30 p.m.
_____
Lakers suffer first loss of season at hands of Trail Blazers
They are the top-scoring teams in the NBA and have dynamic backcourts to make it all work.
So, when the Lakers came to work with their superb guard duo of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves and the Portland Trail Blazers came to work with their exciting guard combo of Damian Lillard and Ja Morant, it figured to be a high-scoring affair Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.
It lived up to that billing, with the game going back and forth in the decisive fourth quarter, finally being settled after Lillard hit a big-time three-pointer off a pass from Deni Avdija for a six-point lead with 42.8 seconds left that the Lakers couldn’t overcome in a 136-129 loss.
Doncic, coming off a 52-point game at Utah on Sunday, had 41 points, nine assists and five rebounds and Reaves had 26 points, seven assists and four rebounds.
Morant and Avdija had 23 points for the Trail Blazers and Lillard had 21. Jrue Holliday scored 22.
Read more:Lakers newsletter: Why Collin Sexton's 'insanity' works
The Lakers dropped their first game of the season, falling to 3-1 after getting outscored 34-26 in the fourth quarter.
The Lakers entered the game averaging a league-best 128 points per game and the Trail Blazers were right behind them at 126 points per game.
Doncic (34.3 points per game) and Reaves (26.7) are the top scoring backcourt in the league.
Lillard, who sat out last season with a torn left Achilles tendon injury, and Morant, who played for the Memphis Grizzlies last season before being traded to the Trail Blazers, formed essentially for a new backcourt for Portland.
“You’re talking about a playoff team that essentially added [Damian] Lillard and Ja Morant so it’ll be a great test for us tonight,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “I think you know the biggest thing for us is being able to get back, set our defense, and try to get our first bumps outside the paint. They’re a heavy drive team, [with a] number of guys that can do it at a high level and Avdija obviously led the league last year in drives and got to be great with that tonight.”
The two teams went at it in the first half, with the Lakers taking a 73-68 lead at intermission after a three-pointer at the buzzer by Sandro Mamukelashvili to end the second quarter.
He pumped his chest a few times, drawing cheers from the crowd.
Lakers rookie guard Cameron Carr, who has been out with a right oblique strain, practiced with the Coachella Valley Lakers on Tuesday. Redick said Carr showed progress while at practice with their G-League team.
“We needed him to be able to get through a full practice,” Redick said. “So that’s probably a very important step. Obviously, he was able to do some level of conditioning because it was an upper body injury. But [we] want to make sure he’s able to take hits and able to be in shape.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Milwaukee Brewers were three outs from a title. Now they need to 'flush it'
ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Cooper Pratt knew it was gone. Joey Ortiz did too.
Pratt led off the 12th inning of Game 4 on Tuesday night by driving Ian Seymour's pitch deep into the left-center field stands, putting the Brewers a half-inning away from the franchise’s first ever World Series title.
About 20 minutes later however, Pratt was consoling Ortiz in a quiet Brewers clubhouse.
The Tampa Bay Rays scored twice in the bottom of the 12th without making an out and won Game 4, 4-3. The rally started when Ortiz bounced the throw to first on Junior Caminero’s groundball.
Ortiz didn't hide from it.
"There's no excuse," Ortiz said. "Not one at all. I should make that play every (bleeping) time."
Pratt found him afterward. His advice was short and sweet.
"Flush it," Pratt said. "I've made about seven of them this postseason. So what? Next pitch.
“And next pitch is tomorrow.”
For the Brewers, a team that had lost just once all October, they spent the early hours of Wednesday morning trying to treat this loss like any other. They did not want to talk about being three outs from celebrating a World Series title.
"It can be (difficult), but if you don't let it, then you can just come back ready to play tomorrow," Ortiz said. "It's a new game."
Pratt had his own play he wanted to flush. He was thrown out trying to steal second in the ninth after the Rays challenged the safe call and won.
"I didn't think he touched me," he said. "I saw the video. It looked like in the video that I was touched. I couldn't feel it. He probably did."
Then he moved on, which seemed to be the point.
"I think a loss is a loss," Pratt said. "Losing by 10 runs is the same as losing by one run in the 12th. It's over. It's done with."
Joey Ortiz reflects on the costly error in the Brewers' Game 4 loss pic.twitter.com/mRMr9TLzhu
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 28, 2026
Milwaukee still leads the series 3-1. And the Brewers didn't think they played badly so much as unluckily. They hit the ball hard all night. Much of it went right at Rays fielders. William Contreras, Christian Yelich, Jake Bauers and Brice Turang went a combined 0-for-21.
"We hit a ton of balls hard today that just went right to people," Pratt said. "Nobody said this was going to be easy. They're a really good team. They've proven that all year."
The Rays will be scratching together pitching on Wednesday after using Nick Martinez in relief Tuesday night. The Brewers have the luxury of sending out their ace.
Jacob Misiorowski will start Game 5 on Wednesday night at Tropicana Field. He won Game 1 and led the majors this season with a 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts.
And history is on the Brewers’ side.
Every team that has led a World Series 3-0 has gone on to win it. That's 25 for 25. The Brewers are just the fifth to let Game 4 get away.
They are confident they will flush it and get back on track.
“When you're achieving something like this, it's going to have its adversity. We had some things go our way yesterday. They had some things go their way today. That's the way it is,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said.
“You just live with it, and if you're a competitor, you wake up tomorrow morning and come ready to play.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Milwaukee Brewers were three outs from a title. Now they need to 'flush it'