Category: Sports News

Worldwide Sports News

Posted on

Diving deeper into Cavs opening-night collapse against 76ers

PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 22: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dribbles the ball during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on October 22, 2026 at 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ 2025-26 season effectively ended when they squandered a double-digit fourth-quarter lead to the eventual champions. Fittingly, they started this season by blowing a 29-point lead to a Philadelphia 76ers team that could become the eventual champions.

Three stars of the game

First star: Tyrese Maxey

32 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals

The Sixers came out flat and struggled to establish any kind of momentum after an emotional victory on Tuesday against the New York Knicks. They could’ve rolled over after they fell behind by 29 points, but their best player kept fighting.

Maxey’s energy and effort in the first half kept the game somewhat manageable. Then, his shot-making in the third and fourth quarters helped close the gap and get them over the hump.

LeBron James’s decision to go to Philadelphia was a bet on Maxey being ready to take the next step forward and become a top-tier star in this league. Through two games, he has to feel good about that gamble.

Second star: LeBron James

17 points, 5 assists, 10 rebounds, 3 steals

James wasn’t spectacular on the court. The days of him single-handedly taking over games are long behind him — yet few players influence winning more than he does.

LeBron used to control the game with the ball in his hands. He would dictate the matchup he wanted and bend his opponent to his will. Now, he does the same thing by being a chess master behind each move, without being the one actually making every play.

Here, James deferred to his teammates when he needed to, he told the defense where to go to take away Cleveland’s bigs, and he picked his spots to score when they were there.

The Sixers needed a steadying presence when things got tight. James provided that with consistent high-IQ plays on both ends. And in the process, he also showed why this Cavs team desperately needed James to choose them last summer.

Third star: Donovan Mitchell

32 points, 3 assists, 10 rebounds, 2 steals

Mitchell was phenomenal this game. He’s a world-class scorer who proved that once again in a showcase game. Thirty-two points on 19 shot attempts is impressive work, especially when you only take four three-pointers.

Support us and rep the Browns with Homage!

Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can buy the Browns throwback shirt HERE. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cleveland gear HERE.

Dud of the game

James Harden

16 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 6 turnovers

Talent hasn’t been an issue for the Cavs — a lack of composure in big moments has. The same thing could be said about Harden’s career.

Harden isn’t known for being a clutch player, but the Cavs hoped at the time of the trade that he could help organize the offense when things were getting away from them in big moments. Unfortunately for Cleveland, he didn’t do that in Game 1 against the Knicks and didn’t do that here in front of a raucous Philadelphia crowd.

The Cavs needed their point guard to settle the storm in the second half, yet he couldn’t. Harden turned it over four times in the final two quarters, and wasn’t an impactful scorer. On top of that, he wasn’t able to get the bigs involved at all after both Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley had tremendous first halves before disappearing from the offense. The blame for that falls squarely on the point guard.

One regular season game shouldn’t be a referendum on Harden or this team, but it’s difficult to ignore the pattern that’s been developing for years now.

Cavalier that deserves a shoutout

Mario Hezonja

10 points, 2 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals

Hezonja showed how useful he could be. He created mismatches in the post, leading to easy baskets whenever he got a smaller guard matched onto him. That opened up what was at times a stagnant offense.

On top of that, he held up well defensively as he used his frame to stay in front of opponents in space.

This was a solid debut for a player the Cavs hope can provide consistent bench contributions like this.

Play of the game

In the first half, the Cavs did a great job of recognizing mismatches and then continually exploiting them whenever they could. This was seen most in how they hunted Joel Embiid in the pick-and-roll, but it also came through in their insistence on getting the ball to their forwards when they had a mismatch in the post.

Here, Peyton Watson sees that Allen has a shorter Jaylen Brown on him and gets the ball to him quickly before Embiid can get back into the play.

On it’s on, this play isn’t spectacular, but it could be emblematic of an overall shift the Cavs are trying to implement. If you see a mismatch, exploit it.

Quote of the day

“We were anticipating and excited [to land James] and then you have that [news]. Having gone through free agency a lot, when you’re expecting something to happen and it doesn’t happen, that first day or two, you’re just like, you’re depressed, quite honestly. That’s the emontions of it.”

– Kenny Atkinson on LeBron James choosing the Sixers instead of the Cavs

The result of this game was also pretty depressing for the Cavs.

Stat of the game

Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley combined for 18 shot attempts and 29 points in the first half. In the second half, they combined for just five shot attempts and three points.

Allen and Mobley were one of the main reasons the Cavs were up by double digits throughout the first half. Philadelphia didn’t have an answer for them inside, and the guards were consistently looking to get them the ball whenever they had an opening. And then in the second half, the guards seemed to forget that the bigs existed.

The Cavs have consistently been at their best when they’re forcing the ball inside to their bigs. Their three-point shooting and entire offense flow from playing inside out. When that goes away — as it consistently has late in big games — things can become far too stagnant offensively.

There’s no excuse for this team forgetting about the Allen and Mobley this far into this core’s time together.

This game will be remembered for the blown lead

The Cavs had a chance to make an emphatic statement against a Sixers team that should be a title contender. They also had an opportunity to prove to LeBron that he made the wrong choice by going to Philadelphia instead of heading back home.

For two quarters, it looked like they were going to deliver both fronts. They jumped out to a 29-point lead, showing everyone the immense talent that they have. Then, they confirmed why the national media didn’t take them seriously in the run-up to the season.

The Cavs can’t be trusted with leads in big moments. They showed us a preview of that last Christmas against the Knicks before repeating it in Game 1 of the Conference Finals. And now, they’re starting this campaign exactly where they left off the last one.

This isn’t a contrived narrative. It’s a reality the Cavs have created for themselves, and only they can change that.

Losing on opening night means very little in the grand scheme of things. However, how they lost does. Every time they drop a big game like this, it becomes that much easier to lose the next one.

Posted on

The Suns are on the wrong side of history

PORTLAND, OREGON - OCTOBER 21: Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns talks with Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers during the second half at Moda Center on October 21, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images

We all witnessed a basketball atrocity in the Suns’ season opener.

Portland scored the first 21 points of the game. The Suns lost before they even scored a single point. Phoenix didn’t get on the board until Devin Booker went to the free-throw line with 5:54 left in the first quarter, and the Suns didn’t make a field goal until Oso Ighodaro dunked with 4:27 to go. After 12 minutes, it was 43-12.

The final at Moda Center on Wednesday night was 124-83. A 41-point loss to open the 2026-27 season, with the Suns trailing by as many as 52.

Phoenix finished at 35.7% from the field and 6-of-31 from three. Damian Lillard, playing his first regular-season game for Portland in 1,310 days, dropped 25 and matched the Suns’ team three-point total alone with 6 of his own. It was rare territory we entered. Just how rare, you ask?

View Link

The History

So here’s the question every Suns fan is asking this morning. Has a team ever lost its season opener by more than 40 and still made the playoffs? The answer is yes. Exactly once.

According to Basketball Reference, over the past 50-plus seasons, only six teams in NBA history have lost their own season opener by more than 40 points, and two of them joined the list on Wednesday night.

The Miami Heat are the only team that made the playoffs after a 40+ point loss in their opener. And it was actually on their ring ceremony night, which is an incredible nugget I found looking this up. That Heat team ended up getting swept by that same Bulls team that spanked them on opening night in the 1st round of the playoffs that year.

The Chicago Bulls joined Phoenix in the club last night, after getting smacked by 43 points to the Raptors in their season-opener.

Now, this is a verysmall sample size of teams, but the fact that it’s that short a list tells you everything you need to know about how rare it is. Blowouts like this happen in the NBA, but rarely ever on opening night. To people saying it’s just one game, it is. But it was one of the worst “one games” in NBA history given the context of the season opener.

Especially after we heard about continuity, how the team was in the gym together all summer, etc., all offseason and on Media Day.

You’ll notice the Suns are on this list twice, with both games coming against the Blazers. I was in the building for that one, unfortunately.

The Suns got humbled. Plain and simple. Now, it’s about how they respond. We will learn a lot about this team on Saturday night based on how they respond.

The energy needs to be better. The effort needs to be better. The ball movement. The shot selection. The defense. The communication. All of it needs to be better.

They have two full days off before hosting the Golden State Warriors in Phoenix on Saturday night. Which version of the Suns will we get? Either way, it will tell us a lot.

Posted on

Rays make surprise World Series Game 1 starter decision

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Nick Martinez throws a pitch against the New York Yankees, Image 2 shows Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen reacts on the field during a game against the Cleveland Guardians

It won’t be Rays ace Drew Rasmussen taking the mound in Game 1 of the World Series.

Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash made the surprising decision to give the ball to Nick Martinez for Friday’s Fall Classic opener against the Brewers, opting to give Rasmussen an extra day of rest before his likely Game 2 start.

“He’s had a pretty thick workload here,” Cash said of Rasmussen’s playoff usage, according to ESPN. “We’ve relied on him heavily. We know when he takes the ball, we’re trying to get the full-pitch allotment out of him.”

Drew Rasmussen of the Tampa Bay Rays reacts to a double play during the seventh inning against the Cleveland Guardians in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. Getty Images

Martinez, who posted a 3.10 ERA across 180 innings in the regular season, held the Guardians to one run over 5⅓ innings in his last postseason outing. 

“It’s exciting,” Martinez said. “I think as a team, as a staff, we’re confident in whoever we call up to the mound. It fell on me, and my job is just to rack up as many outs as we can and keep us in this ballgame.”

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Nick Martinez (28) throws a pitch during the fourth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium, Friday, May 22, 2026, in the Bronx borough of New York. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

Martinez, 36, came to Tampa Bay after signing a one-year, $13 million deal over the offseason and has enjoyed a career year in his first season as a full-time starting pitcher. 

He will start opposite Milwaukee flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski, who is a heavy favorite for the 2026 National League Cy Young award after leading the majors in both ERA (1.80) and strikeouts (252).

Rasmussen has tossed a team-high 21 innings this October, including seven innings of one-run ball in his most recent outing in Game 5 of the ALCS on Oct. 18, meaning he will have a full five days of rest if he does indeed take the mound in Game 2 on Saturday.

The move also allows Freddy Peralta, the likely Game 3 starter for the Rays, an extra day of rest.

Posted on

Rangers sign veteran forward Luke Glendening to one-year deal

The Rangers have signed veteran forward Luke Glendening to a one-year contract, president and general manager Chris Drury announced on Thursday.

Glendening, 37, appeared in 70 games last season, splitting time with the Devils (52) and Philadelphia Flyers (18). He tallied nine points (two goals, seven assists) while averaging 10:32 of time on the ice and finished a minus-7.

In 10 games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs with Philadelphia last year, he recorded one goal and was a plus-3, while averaging 13:56 time on the ice.

The 13-year NHL veteran has stops along the way with the Detroit Red Wings, Dallas Stars, and Tampa Bay Lightning before last season's two-city campaign. In his 934 career games, he has 175 career points (85 goals, 90 assists) while averaging 13:23 of ice time. He has seven goals and four assists over 60 postseason games.

His speciality is the face-off with a 55.6 career win percentage, including 57.2 percent with the Flyers last season. Since the 2020-21 season, Glendening's 57.5 face-off win percentage is good enough for ninth in the league among skaters with a minimum of 1,000 face-offs. 

Later on Thursday, the Blueshirts fell 5-4 to the Maple Leafs in Toronto.

Posted on

Islanders still lose to Kings on night they did everything else right

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov (40) reacts dejectedly after giving up an overtime goal to the Los Angeles Kings, Image 2 shows Former Ranger Artemi Panarin is all smiles as he get mobbed by his teammates after scoring his second goal of the game in the Islanders' 3-2 overtime loss to the Kings on Oct. 22 2026 at UBS Arena
islanders kings

Artemi Panarin pondered the question of whether it would feel like a homecoming of sorts to play on Long Island, and in the moment, he never really answered it. 

“It’s a hard question,” he said. 

Seven-and-a-half hours later came the answer, and it wasn’t to the Islanders’ liking. Panarin won’t return to Madison Square Garden for four more days, but he made UBS Arena feel like his old digs on Broadway anyway, scoring twice before Brandt Clarke’s overtime winner as the Kings beat the Islanders 3-2 on Thursday night. 

“Panarin’s one of the best goal scorers in the world and has been for a decade,” Islanders coach Pete DeBoer said. 

Former Ranger Artemi Panarin is all smiles as he get mobbed by his teammates after scoring his second goal of the game in the Islanders’ 3-2 overtime loss to the Kings on Oct. 22 2026 at UBS Arena. Brad Penner-Imagn Images

What made the night more frustrating for the Islanders is that there wasn’t really much of anything for them to be upset about aside from the result. They controlled the run of play, had the Kings doubled up on shots on goal for much of the night — finishing with a season-high 43 — and tilted the ice for long periods of time. 

It’s not the first time this year they’ve lacked finishing, and it was the second of Semyon Varlamov’s three starts in which he’s looked rusty. Those two things were the difference much more than Panarin, who twice beat Varlamov when the goaltender was behind the play and looked out of position. 

“I was cheating a little bit,” Varlamov said when asked about the first of those two. “Expecting him to make a pass in the middle, and he beat me short side.” 

Los Angeles Kings score against New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov (40) during an overtime game at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y., Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post

By any meaningful statistic except for that on the scoreboard, the Islanders had the better of the night, but those two goals were enough for the Kings to hold a precarious 2-1 lead heading into the last 20 minutes. The Islanders’ lone goal to that point had also come on a goaltending miscue, as Darcy Kuemper mishandled Victor Eklund’s power-play one-timer at 14:06 of the second. 

The Islanders got closer still, tying the game 7:06 into the second on Matthew Schaefer’s first goal of the season, a bullet of a wrist shot from the right circle. 

That belied, though, that the third period was the visitors’ best. Even with Varlamov noticeably sharper after stopping Adrian Kempe’s penalty shot at 10:59 of the second, the Islanders didn’t tilt the ice as much as they had and couldn’t make good on the momentum from Schaefer’s goal. 

The Islanders did retain their points streak — now at five games — by getting to overtime, and no one will complain about a homestand in which they took three of four points. But for the second time in their past four games, the Isles were left with one point thinking they could have had two. 

After Bo Horvat’s shot 17 seconds into overtime that Kuemper gloved down, the Islanders didn’t touch the puck again, and at 2:43 of the extra period, with the Islanders gassed, Clarke scored to end it. 

Logan Bailey (left) fights the Kings’ Samuel Helenius during the Islanders’ overtime loss. Robert Sabo for New York Post

“I saw an opportunity to shoot through the screen and catch him off guard,” Horvat said. “Just didn’t pick my spot, but it is a possession game in overtime. I gotta do a better job winning that [next] draw.” 

Mostly, this game served for the Islanders as a frustrating two points not to get on home ice, but not much of a big-picture indication of anything. 

To the extent you could pinpoint any concern, it might be Varlamov. His glove side in particular has looked susceptible throughout the preseason and regular season. 

Matthew Schaefer scored a third-period goal but it wasn’t enough in the Islanders’ overtime loss to the Kings. Robert Sabo for New York Post

Still, his third start of the season is too early to start wondering about whether two partial knee surgeries will prove too much for him to be an effective backup for the Islanders, especially given he had a .905 save percentage through the first two. The 38-year-old finished the night with 24 saves on 27 shots. 

This was a frustrating way to lose. It wasn’t a particularly indicting one. 

The most prescient analysis came from DeBoer when asked about the state of his 5-3-2 club at the 10-game mark. 

“We break it down, and we look at our game analytically every 10 games, but I’m not looking at points,” he said. “I’m looking at our process right now. I think the points take care of itself, and I like our process.” 

With a .600 points percentage so far, he might just be correct.

Posted on

Kings 3, Islanders 2 (OT): Isles rally but Clarke scores winner

ELMONT, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 22: Victor Eklund #38 of the New York Islanders (c) celebrates his second period goal against the Los Angeles Kings at UBS Arena on October 22, 2026 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It was a really impressive effort from the New York Islanders tonight after going down 2-0 in the first period. Semyon Varlamov wasn’t at his sharpest tonight; both shots that Artemi Panarin got past him weren’t great. But the Isles responded well, especially in the second period, which they controlled offensively in a way we haven’t seen yet this season. It just took a long time to get anything past Darcy Kuemper. Victor Eklund broke Kuemper’s shutout with a power play goal, and then Matthew Schaefer picked up his first of the season to tie the game. That goal also tied him with Bobby Orr for second-most goals by a teenage defenseman, so no big deal there or anything.

Eklund had a really strong game overall, and he’s looking more and more like he fits in the NHL with each game he plays. It’s also extremely funny to see him looking like a little kid out there and taking down big guys like Konstas Helenius. I hope he really starts stringing these good performances together, it’d be awesome to have another young talent take big steps forward.

Unfortunately, the Isles came up short in overtime. They definitely miss Mat Barzal in 3 on 3 situations. There’s no one on the team that can replace his skillset in general, but it’s especially noticeable in OT. They still picked up a point, and they’ve got points in their last five games, and have still looked solid despite all the injuries up front.

[NHL Gamecenter | Game Summary | Event Summary | Natural Stat Trick]

First Period

The Isles went to an early power play after Scott Laughton was called for holding, but they couldn’t convert. Just a minute later, Artemi Panarin opened the scoring from a tough angle on a shot Semyon Varlamov probably wants back. Emil Heineman’s backhand shot was stopped by Darcy Kuemper right after.

Victor Eklund won the puck along the boards from Konstas Helenius and set up a great chance, with Matt Kessel’s shot getting behind Kuemper. Mikey Anderson had to dive behind him to stop that shot from crossing the line.

Unfortunately, right after that great shift, Panarin picked up his second of the night on another shot Varlamov probably should’ve had, putting the Isles in a 2-0 hole towards the end of the first.

Bo Horvat went to the box for hooking, but then Drew Doughty took a shot at Matthew Schaefer, which led to Logan Stanley fighting Konstas Helenius. Approximately 45 seconds later, Mats Zuccarello was called for slashing, canceling out the Kings’ power play.

Just 40 seconds after that, Tony DeAngelo took a tripping penalty.

Near the end of the period, Varlamov saved shots from Panarin and Doughty to keep just the two goal deficit heading into the second.

Second Period

The Islanders dominated the whole period, outshooting the Kings 17-9, but couldn’t get anything past Kuemper for most of the period.

Heineman and Eklund got a 2 on 1, but the pass option was taken away by Brian Dumoulin and Heineman ran out of time to do anything interesting with the puck. Brayden Schenn tipped a shot off the post, and Simon Holmstrom had a chance in the slot but Kuemper got the save.

Schaefer took down Adrian Kempe on a breakaway and Kempe was rewarded a penalty shot, which Varlamov crucially saved.

Heineman was tripped by Dumoulin a couple minutes after that, and on that power play, Victor Eklund took a shot that trickled past Kuemper to make it 2-1.

View Link

Jared Wright got tangled up with Schaefer, and they both went to the box late, for holding and hooking respectively.

Third Period

The Isles didn’t quite keep up the pace from the second period into the third. Varlamov needed to be sharp, making a few critical saves when needed.

Then, 7 minutes into the period, Schenn passed the puck off to Stanley, who found Schaefer with space, and Schaefer scored his first goal of the season to tie the game.

View Link

Despite putting up 42(!!) shots on Kuemper in regulation, the Isles couldn’t find the go ahead goal, and so we went off to overtime for the first time this season at UBS Arena.

OT

Bo Horvat’s shot was saved by Kuemper, but once the Kings got possession, they never really gave it up. Adrian Kempe had a great chance saved by Varlamov, but Brandt Clarke put the winner home for LA in a game the Islanders really should have picked up two points from.

Up Next

Next, the Islanders head out to Dallas to take on the Stars on Sunday, October 25, kicking off a three game road trip around the Central Division.

Posted on

Islanders climb back to tie after early deficit, but fall to Kings 3-2 in overtime despite 43 shots

NEW YORK (AP) — Artemi Panarin had two goals, Brandt Clarke scored in overtime and the Los Angeles Kings won a second consecutive game, 3-2 at the New York Islanders on Thursday night.

The Kings have back-to-back victories after losing their first six games. They were the final NHL team without a win before defeating Washington on Tuesday night.

LA was outplayed for much of the Islanders game and outshot 43-26. Panarin beat rusty backup Semyon Varlamov glove side twice, and Darcy Kuemper kept making stops even as his rebound control was lacking, finishing with 41 saves.

Kuemper cracked for the first time with just under six minutes left in the second period when rookie Victor Eklund’s shot squeezed through on a power play. Islanders face of the franchise Matthew Schaefer wired a wrist shot by Kuemper 7:06 into the third.

Clarke scored the winner with 2:18 left in 3-on-3 OT after he and his teammates possessed the puck for several shifts in a row.

Varlamov, the 38-year-old making his first home start since Nov. 25, 2024, following double partial knee replacements, denied Adrian Kempe on a penalty shot and made some big-time saves after giving up the soft goals to Panarin on the Kings’ first five shots.

Panarin has four points in two games after four combined over the first six.

LA forward Quinton Byfield was out after getting hurt against the Capitals. Byfield did not take part in the morning skate and is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Up next

Kings: Visit the New Jersey Devils on Saturday in the third of five games on their road trip.

Islanders: Open a three-game Western Conference trip Sunday at the Dallas Stars.

Posted on

Clippers head coach dedicates Opening Night win to Steve Ballmer

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer celebrates after guard Chris Paul hit a last second basket, Image 2 shows Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue speaks at a press conference

The Clippers kicked off the 2026-27 season with an Opening Night victory.

Head coach Tyronn Lue dedicated the Clippers’ 121-96 win over the Kings to owner Steve Ballmer, who is currently serving a one-year suspension for violating the NBA’s salary cap circumvention rules.

“That win was for Mr. Ballmer,” Lue said. “Just want to say thank you for everything. We’re still fighting for him.”

Head coach Tyronn Lue of the Los Angeles Clippers speaks to the media during a press conference before the game against the Sacramento Kings at Intuit Dome. Getty Images

Ballmer isn’t allowed to participate in any league or team activities throughout the suspension, which includes all communication with the Clippers. Aside from Ballmer’s suspension, the team was also fined $30 million and stripped of five first-round picks.

Since the NBA handed out its punishment to the Clippers, the organization has attempted to rebuild trust with the fanbase. Their effort began at media day, where interim president of basketball operations Trent Redden issued an apology to fans.

Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer celebrates after guard Chris Paul hit a last second basket during the second half of Game 7 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs. AP
Los Angeles Clippers guard Darius Garland waits to enter the game during the second half an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings. AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea

Opening Night was another opportunity for the Clippers to reengage fans after a summer of scandal. The team offered free parking to those who arrived an hour before tip off at Intuit Dome as well as a jersey swap for fans who wanted to turn in an old Clippers jersey for a new one.

While Ballmer may not be with the Clippers for the 2026-27 campaign, the entire team echoed Lue’s sentiments.

“We were trying to protect home court,” Darius Garland said. “It’s the house he built. He was definitely here in spirit… We felt his energy for sure.”

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post SportsFacebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!

Posted on

Player Grades: Cavs at Sixers – A tough debut for Peyton Watson

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 22: Joel Embiid #21 and Jaylen Brown #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers defend a shot from guard Peyton Watson #8 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the third quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images

As much as things change, they stay the same. The Cleveland Cavaliers opened the new season with a performance that was eerily similar (and equally as deflating) to their Game 1 loss to the New York Knicks in May.

Let’s unpack this.

As always, grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Player of the game

Mario Hezonja

10 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals

If there is a single thing I can leave this game feeling encouraged about — it was Mario Hezonja.

Hezonja looks like he belongs. His added strength allows him to be a mismatch-beater in the post, putting Philly into a bind anytime they switched a smaller player onto him. Hezonja is a skilled finisher and a crafty playmaker. This makes him a great option to have on their bench.

Defensively, Hezonja kept up with Philly’s pace (until the wheels came off around him). His isolation defense on Jaylen Brown was a highlight. So was this pick-six.

He also had a pair of surgical post-ups to end the third quarter that gave me life.

Grade: B+

Passed the Class

Donovan Mitchell

32 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 turnovers

There was a lot to like about Mitchell’s first half. He scored 22 points and only missed two shots. His dynamic scoring gave Cleveland a massive lead that should have been enough to coast to victory.

It wasn’t. And Mitchell’s turnovers (5) didn’t help the Cavs hold on as the lead was slipping.

Still, I think Mitchell is the only other player who did enough to keep a passing grade. I’m not saying he passed with flying colors — but an efficient 32 points and 10 rebounds is hard to knock. I don’t think he was the most guilty party in this meltdown.

Grade: C+

Missed the mark

Peyton Watson

8 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 5 turnovers

This was not a good showing for Watson. The biggest concern you could have had (his effect on the floor spacing) was a factor right away.

Philly began ignoring Watson in the second half. Leaving him open and packing the paint. He responded by clanking an open three-pointer and barreling into traffic. Watson shot 0-3 from downtown and had 5 turnovers.

We can see where Watson fits defensively, and it’s beautiful. But they’ll need much more from him offensively to justify this.

Grade: F

Jarrett Allen

14 points, 7 rebounds

Allen was electric to start this game. His 14 points in the first half felt massive as the 76ers simply couldn’t contain him.

It turns out, the Cavs would help Philly turn the tide in that regard.

Allen didn’t score in the second half. He only attempted one shot.

Much of this came from the aforementioned floor-spacing issues. You can’t pass the ball into the paint if there are five bodies there.

Still, how many times have the Cavs soared to a massive lead by riding the backs of their bigs, only to ignore them down the stretch?

I don’t get paid to solve the problem… but I can confidently say the Cavs need to figure this out!

Grade: D+

Evan Mobley

18 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists

I could repeat almost everything I said about Allen here.

Mobley was fantastic in the first half, particularly in the second quarter when his outside shot made it feel pointless for the Sixers to even try.

But those results were diminishing, and Mobley struggled to hit perimeter shots and create a bucket when given a runway. I’m placing this more on Mobley than anyone else. He has to find a way to avoid scenarios like this if the Cavs are going to be taken as serious threats.

Grade: F

James Harden

16 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 6 turnovers

Harden was playing fast and loose for most of the night. There was a sequence in the first half where he turned it over on consecutive possessions, topping it off with an airball on the third.

He was far from their biggest problem. In fact, his shot-making gave them a fighting chance in the final minutes. But still, your starting point guard can’t have more turnovers than made field goals if you want to win a game.

Grade: D+

Posted on

LeBron James' Philadelphia debut ends with historic comeback for the King, 76ers

LeBron James is living up to the hype with his new team.

In his debut in the City of Brotherly Love as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, the NBA's all-time leading scorer led a 29-point comeback to boost his team to a 114-106 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Philadelphia went on a 15-0 run in the fourth quarter Thursday at Xfinity Mobile Arena, powered by three straight buckets from Jaylen Brown. The 76ers went up by as many as nine points with 4:06 left in the game.

In the final minute, Tyrese Maxey and Brown each had a basket to secure the win. Maxey led the team with 32 points, six assists and three rebounds. Joel Embiid added 24 points and seven rebounds while Brown had 21 points and eight boards.

James had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds to go with five assists and three steals.

Donavan Mitchell led Cleveland with a double-double of his own (32 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals). Mitchell fouled James in the third quarter during a rebound attempt where James accidentally elbowed his teammate VJ Edgecombe, giving Edgecombe a bloody nose.

Also for the Cavaliers, Evan Mobley contributed 18 points and eight rebounds while James Harden added 16 points, three rebounds and five assists. Harden was greeted by boos at tipoff in his return to Philadelphia, where he played from 2021 to 2023.

The 76ers were down by as many as 29 points in the first half (69-40) and went into the halftime break down 69-45.

Per ESPN, the comeback is the largest James has been a part of in his record 24 NBA seasons. Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press adds that it is the biggest comeback for the 76ers and blown lead for the Cavaliers in the play-by-play era, which started in 1996. Teams across the NBA had won 466 straight regular season games in which they were leading by 29 points, Reynolds added. The New York Knicks came back from a 29-point deficit in Game 4 of the NBA Finals this summer en route to their first championship in 53 years.

The 76ers' win comes after they beat the Knicks 106-100 in Madison Square Garden after their ring ceremony on the NBA's opening night.

The comeback was another chapter in James' career against his hometown team, which he was drafted by and won the 2016 NBA Finals with.

James joined the 76ers this offseason after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers. Brown is also a newcomer and joined the team in a blockbuster deal with the Boston Celtics.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LeBron James' Philadelphia debut ends with historic comeback for the King, 76ers

Posted on

Sharks beat the Senators 6-2 for their 1st regulation victory of the season

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Colin Graf had a goal and an assist, Yaroslav Askarov stopped 39 shots and the San Jose Sharks beat the Ottawa Senators 6-2 on Thursday night for their first regulation victory of the season.

Nolan Allan, Tyler Toffoli, Jacob Trouba, Zack Ostapchuk and Ivar Stenberg also scored for the Sharks (6-4-1).

Tim Stutzle and Jordan Spence scored for Ottawa (7-4-0). Samuel Ersson made 23 saves.

Ottawa placed goalie Linus Ullmark on injured reserve Thursday after he suffered a lower-body injury a night earlier.

Spence scored at 6:24 of the third period to make it a two-goal game.

The Senators pulled Ersson while on the power play with under four minutes remaining, but Ostapchuk took advantage of a giveaway and scored an empty-net goal.

Stenberg added a second empty-netter to round out the scoring.

Up next

Sharks: At Boston on Saturday night.

Senators: Host the New York Rangers on Saturday night.

___

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

Posted on

Cavs forfeit 29-point lead, fall to Sixers 114-106

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 22: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives around Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It was a tale of two halves…

The Cleveland Cavaliers nearly kicked the 2026-27 season off with a bang, sending a first-half message straight to the King with a 29-point lead.

Then the second half happened.

Everything the Cavs did right in the first went out the window. They had begun the game forcing 15 turnovers. Now they were the ones being stripped and taken the other way. Their presence in the paint dissipated as the Sixers took full control.

A few factors spun this the wrong way for Cleveland.

Those 15 turnovers from Philly in the first half amounted to nothing. The Sixers only turned it over once in the second half — and finished with fewer turnovers than the Cavaliers. Philly’s speed in transition was enough to narrow the gap almost immediately.

On offense, the Cavs faced a shrunk floor as Joel Embiid was moved into the paint to play free safety. He no longer worried about Evan Mobley or Peyton Watson from downtown. Those are shots the Sixers were willing to concede. In effect, the paint was now swarmed with length and athleticism to make life difficult for the Cavs.

It’s hard to feed the bigs when the paint is packed. Cleveland’s frontcourt combined for 29 points in the first half. They only scored 3 points in the second. That’s a story we’ve heard too many times with this team.

Bad turned to worse, and the Cavs found themselves on the wrong end of a massive comeback.

I’ll leave you with one positive.

Mario Hezonja had a triumphant return to the NBA despite the final score. He showed his growth by attacking a mismatch in the post before taking a steal and going coast-to-coast for a slam. Hezonja also held up defensively and steadied the ship momentarily with his post-scoring.

The Cavs can at least find solace in knowing they have a legit talent in Hezonja.

Posted on

Purple Row After Dark: What are you hoping for in the World Series?

MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 04: Jackson Chourio #11 celebrates with Antonio Senzatela #49 of the Milwaukee Brewers after hitting a walk-off single in Game Two of the National League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the San Diego Padres and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Sunday, October 4, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The World Series starts tomorrow!

This is one of the only times of the year where the entire baseball watching fandom is able to settle in and focus on the same thing. It’s time to enjoy baseball at the highest level available.

As we’re all watching the games, what are you looking forward to?

What are you hoping for with this World Series?

  • Are you rooting for one of the teams?
  • Is there a particular player you are hoping shines?
  • Are you just hoping it goes a full seven games?
  • Something else?

Whatever it is you are rooting for in the World Series, let us know!

You may just give others in the comments something to be excited for with you.

Join the conversation!

Sign up for a user account and get:

  • Fewer ads
  • Create community posts
  • Comment on articles, community posts
  • Rec comments, community posts
  • New, improved notifications system!

Download the SB Nation app on iOS or Android. 

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

Posted on

Sixers storm back after lifeless first half to win in LeBron’s home debut

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 22: LeBron James #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 22, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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

This team might just have some juice.

The Sixers erased a 29-point deficit to win their home opener 114-106 over the Cleveland Cavaliers Thursday night.

Tyrese Maxey put together the most complete game, leading the Sixers with 32 points with six assists. Joel Embiid quietly came alive, putting up 24 points and seven rebounds.

LeBron James had a very similar game to his Sixers debut, finishing with 17 points on 13 shots along with 10 rebounds and five assists. Jaylen Brown didn’t find his footing until the fourth quarter, but hit some big late baskets to finish with 21 points and eight rebounds. Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 32.

Dean Wade, out again with an ankle injury, is still yet to make his Sixers debut despite coming into the night questionable.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

  • Lost in all the excitement for the night was the fact that this was Embiid’s first time playing against James Harden since they were teammates over three years ago now. Whether the crowd was totally aware of that or not, Harden got a healthy amount of boos during player introductions as well as when the ball was in his hands.
  • LeBron got the crowd amped early, knocking down a three on his first shot of the night before hitting a cutting Edgecombe with a slick bounce pass. After a couple of baskets inside from Jarrett Allen, Embiid backed him down in the post for his first points of the game. There were still some choppy moments offensively with five turnovers in as many minutes. That included fumbling away a fast break opportunity and a five-second call trying to inbound the ball.
  • Anfernee Simons and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope were once again the first subs of the night for Maxey and Brown. Simons had his first jumper attempt of the night swatted by Peyton Watson. It was a short stagger as Maxey and Brown checked back in a minute later while LeBron, Embiid and Edgecombe went to the bench.
  • The Sixers’ offense stagnated, going scoreless for nearly three minutes and the Cavs were able to get out to a double-digit lead. Brown went to the basket to try to end it but his contested layup was no good, but Adem Bona was able to time up this rebound and put it back.
  • As they’ve been able to for a couple seasons now, Cleveland did a really good job preventing the Sixers from getting into the paint in the quarter. Brown settled for a couple contested jumpers before finally getting on the board with a layup 11 minutes into the game. Unfortunately for the Sixers, that was sandwiched between two more turnovers. Mitchell hit a nasty stepback three at the buzzer to give the Cavs a 17-point lead after the first.

Second Quarter

  • Brown looked to have a drive that would get him in rhythm, but his forearm got called for an offensive foul. It’s so unfair they waited until he wasn’t on the Celtics to make that a point of emphasis. On the next possession he sailed a pass intended for KCP, drawing this team’s first rain of boos from their home fans.
  • Similar to the Knicks game, Nick Nurse brought Jabari Walker in after a rough start from Bona, but against a team this tall, he brought Embiid back on the court with him. Embiid backed down Mobley for a layup and Walker grabbed a putback layup, but the struggling Sixers were unable to give the Cavs any resistance. Mitchell seemed to be getting by defenders with ease while they didn’t have a physical match for Evan Mobley.
  • It didn’t seem like the Sixers were prepared for or adjusted to how aggressive Cleveland was defending the perimeter. By the time they had gotten into an action the Cavs had sent two guys wherever the ball was going. It looked so hard for them to get easy baskets and that reflected in their poor field goal percentage for the half.
  • Cleveland’s offense didn’t allow the Sixers many transition opportunities, but the Sixers threw away the few ones they did get. There’s been plenty of mistimed passes on fast breaks so far that look like guys figuring each other out. There were also plenty of Sixers passes in the first half that were just trying to cross the court over too many defenders. The Sixers turned it over 15 times in the first half, more than any half from last season. Maxey, the only Sixer to play remotely well in the half, kicked to Embiid for a corner three that cut the Cavs led to 24 at the half.

Third Quarter

  • The second half started in a very similar fashion — this time it was Brown knocking down the corner triple assisted by Maxey. They ran quickly off the ensuing Cavs’ miss, allowing LeBron to find a cutting Edgecombe under the basket for an and-1. Maxey closed a strong defensive possession with a steal and hit James for another transition layup, drawing a foul and prompting a timeout from Kenny Atkinson 51 seconds into the third.
  • LeBron made the free throw and the Sixers got another stop coming out of the timeout. That led to Embiid sealing Allen for another post bucket. Maxey and Brown turned the ball over trying to get to the hoop on consecutive possessions, helping the Cavs stop the bleeding. Brown made up for that with a whirling dervish of a layup followed by another LeBron transition basket. They were still down 13, but the building had come to life.
  • It was a similar recipe to opening night that helped the Sixers get turnovers: get smaller with their big matchups to let Embiid roam off Watson. Fittingly, it was a Watson missed three that allowed the Sixers to once again push the ball up the floor to a Maxey three that finally cut the lead under double digits and got Atkinson to call another timeout.
  • Embiid missing two at the line halted things a bit, but Allen missed two on the next trip down the floor to give everyone chicken. LeBron got fouled in the process of trying to grab that rebound, but he also inadvertently hit Edgecombe in the head on the way up. Edgecombe used the infectious disease control timeout to make sure the crowd stayed hype.
  • Nurse obviously rode the starters a lot longer into the third as the run continued, but they had to take Embiid out of the gate at some point, which meant more Bona minutes. He picked up a goaltend and a foul, but also blocked a shot that sprung all the way out for Maxey to grab it for a transition layup. It was at least a better shift than his first. Cleveland banked in a couple baskets to push their lead back up to eight to close the quarter.

Fourth Quarter

  • Embiid and James checked back in to start the quarter, signaling another heavy workload for the starters. They started the fourth well, with KCP knocking the inbounds pass off a Cav to force a turnover, leading to a Maxey basket. Cleveland responded with a bucket, but Embiid was able to kick to an open KCP for a three and LeBron got to the line. After missing a three that would have tied it, LeBron missed a gamble on a backcourt steal, allowing Harden to walk into an open three to push the lead back to six.
  • Coming out of the timeout, Embiid drew an and-1 from a post up. He got another bucket in the post getting Harden switched onto him, then Maxey hit him with a pocket pass for a jumper that gave the Sixers their first lead of the night. Nurse used the dead ball stoppage to get Bona in there to give Embiid a quick breather.
  • This was a heated game, but it was still surprising to see Maxey and Harden push and shove each other around a little bit. The two have spoken glowingly about each other since no longer being teammates, but they got heated at each other in this one.
  • Something the Sixers haven’t really seen so far in the regular season is Brown taking over for stretches of a time, but he did just that once Embiid checked out of the game. He gave them three straight baskets to push the lead to seven with the big fella on the bench.
  • Coming out of the timeout, Brown continued the intensity, ripping the ball away from Allen enough to force a jump ball. The Cavs won it, but Mitchell’s three went in and out. An errant pass on their next possession allowed Maxey to run out for a fast break layup. The Cavs got that basket back before the Sixers called timeout to bring Embiid and James back into the game with three and a half to go.
  • A great challenge by Nurse late, even if Embiid and James talked him into it, to get Embiid’s fifth foul taken off the board with just over three minutes left. The Sixers next possession ended with a great pass from LeBron to Edgecombe for three, but he missed as the jumper is the one thing Edgecombe has struggled with so far this year. Harden was able to get downhill and draw a foul on the following possession to make it a four-point game.
  • Edgecombe made a great offensive rebound on the following possession and might have been fouled on his unsuccessful putback, but didn’t get the call. Mitchell got down the floor quick and got to the line as well, but missed the pair, upgrading everyone’s chicken. Maxey drove for a floater to push it back to six. Brown poked the ball loose from Harden, the ball spun out to LeBron who got it up the floor for a fast break eventually finished by Brown himself, putting the finishing touches on an incredible comeback.