Sep 19, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) works out on the field prior to the game against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers on Wednesday activated Shohei Ohtani off the injured list on his first day eligible to return after the minimum 15 days on the sideline with right biceps inflammation. Josue De Paula was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
The plan is for Ohtani to be the designated hitter for the remaining five games of the regular season, to get him back in the swing of things at the plate. An accumulation of injuries ate into a very productive season for the four-time MVP. Left knee inflammation prevented Ohtani from pitching after July 3, and the right biceps injury started showing signs at the plate as well.
Ohtani last homered on August 18, part of a stretch of three home runs in two days at Coors Field. On that date, Ohtani was hitting .294/.390/.558 with a 153 wRC+, leading the National League in slugging percentage and OPS, and a close second to Pete Crow-Armstrong (155) in wRC+.
But in 13 games since, Ohtani had just six hits in 49 at-bats (.122/.295/.184) with 21 strikeouts and 10 walks. The Dodgers tried avoiding the IL, giving Ohtani four days off before returning on September 7, when he was hitless in three at-bats plus a walk, but aggravated the right biceps injury on a swing. That was the last straw that finally landed Ohtani on the injured list for extended rest.
“When he’s activated, he’s going to be in the best physical place he’s been in quite some time,” manager Dave Roberts said over the weekend, than on Tuesday added, “I would say if he was a five, he’s probably an eight or nine right now.”
Ohtani on the shelf opened a door for De Paula, the Dodgers’ top prospect, to get called up directly from Double-A. The Dodgers were hesitant to give De Paula playing time in the corner outfield, sticking with Teoscar Hernández and Kyle Tucker, who have each thrived in September. But with designated hitter open, De Paula had a chance to play every day, and he seized the opportunity.
De Paula has reached base in half of his 42 plate appearances, hitting .323/.500/.581 with three doubles, a triple, and a home run in his 11 games, and he has 11 walks against only five strikeouts.
“I think Josue has done a fantastic job,” Roberts said Tuesday.
Sending De Paula down to the minors means he won’t play in any of the Dodgers’ final five regular season games, but it doesn’t prevent him from making the postseason roster. De Paula needs to be on optional assignment for at least 10 days, a clock that does not stop for teams in the postseason. Getting sent down on Wednesday means his first day eligible to return is Saturday, October 3, which is the day of Game 1 of the National League Division Series.
He’s in a battle with Dalton Rushing for the left-handed bat off the bench, and De Paula has the built-in advantages that Rushing can’t really play in the field with the partially torn UCL in his right elbow, and that Rushing has been sidelined for two and a half weeks on the injured list.
“To be quite frank, it’s going to be tougher for Dalton given the time he’s missed, and to think that you have [three] games to get back into playoff form, it’s tough to do,” Roberts said Tuesday. “It’s not a knock on him, he’s been great for us, but it’s still tough, right, Given that we talk about having the consistency of at-bats recently from Josue. But we have to have those conversations and make a decision.”
Sep 1, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Kyle Hurt (63) pitches during the sixth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers on Wednesday activated Tarik Skubal after the minimum three days on the bereavement list, and optioned Kyle Hurt to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
In 44 games with the Dodgers this season, Hurt has a 4.14 ERA and 3.76 xERA with 58 strikeouts and 23 walks in 45 2/3 innings. The 28-year-old right-hander recorded his first career save on May 27 against the Colorado Rockies in Los Angeles.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 01: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Houston Rockets during the fourth quarter in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Toyota Center on May 01, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to our Lakers Season Preview Series! For the next several weeks, we’ll be writing columns every weekday breaking down the biggest questions we have about every player the Lakers added this offseason. Today, we look at Austin Reaves.
Last year was a bit of a convergence season for Austin Reaves and the Lakers, where his pursuit of a new contract, his ever-expanding role and his continued upward development were all on a collision course to determine what his future on the only franchise he’d ever known would be.
The fact that Reaves thrived when he was available to play and was ultimately rewarded handsomely with a lucrative new contract that pays him (essentially) his maximum allowable salary, should not be a surprise. The Lakers see Reaves as one of their true success stories: a player plucked from the world of undrafted free agents and developed into a high level contributor. There’s institutional value that comes from that beyond what he produces on the court.
But it is that tangible improvement he’s shown every season and is baked into the story of Reaves’ NBA life that the Lakers are also paying for. Reaves went from a converted two-way contract as a rookie who only saw the court because of his hustle, connective instincts and competitive nature on defense to, in every ensuing season, adding more responsibility and production offensively to the point that, this past year, he was slotted above LeBron James in the pecking order.
MIAMI, FLORIDA – MARCH 19: Austin Reaves #15 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers speak during the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on March 19, 2026 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
That Reaves has done all this while never completely losing sight of his role-player roots is what makes him a cultural touchstone for head coach JJ Redick and a leader as the now longest tenured Laker on the roster. That his talent, particularly on offense, has placed him as the second banana to Luka Dončić is why he’s ultimately paid what he is. But it’s the complete picture of him as a player and presence off the court that made the Lakers decision to go all the way up in salary the way they did this past summer such an easy decision.
Make no mistake, though, the deal Reaves is on now is not just about the player he is, but the one the Lakers project him to be. Reaves just turned 28 and may be squarely in his prime, but the team is paying him to continue to improve, to continue to refine and smooth out the edges of his game and build on the foundation he laid down last season as someone who is able to scale up in usage and responsibility to increase his production while maintaining efficiency.
It may sound reductive, but at least part of Reaves’ job now is justifying the investment the Lakers made in him. If he does, the team will be better off and (very likely) win as a result. If he doesn’t, not only will the opposite be true, but Reaves will find himself in the crosshairs in a way that he never has been before.
That’s the reality of being on the contract he is now. The Lakers hope, though, it won’t come to that. And history says they have reason to be confident.
What is his best-case scenario?
In October and November of last season, Austin Reaves played in 16 of the Lakers’ 19 games and averaged 28.8 points, 6.8 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 52.2% from the field, 36.1% from behind the arc and 87.9% from the foul line on 7.4 attempts per night.
Of the 16 games that Austin appeared in, Luka Dončić played in 13 of them while LeBron James played in only four. That said, the Lakers went 13-3 in those contests and Reaves looked like one of the better players in the entire NBA while being discussed as an early All-Star and All-NBA candidate.
If looking for a best-case outcome for what Reaves can be this upcoming season, one only look at this stretch of the year where, without LeBron for most of the games and without Luka for a few more, Austin was clearly the team’s second option and was part of a team where every other player on the roster was put in a position to support the strengths of him and Luka.
Said another way, this stretch was about as close to the role Reaves will be asked to fill this season. Yes, the supporting cast has changed and there’s been a bit of an uptick in the usage of some of the role players with Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Sexton all capable of being on-ball creators who can absorb possessions when needed. But, the fact remains that Austin will still be clearly slotted into the second shot creator role and will not have a third star like last season who he will not only split duties with but, based on their history as partners, will sometimes defer to in ways that minimize his own role.
So, while I can go on and on about a projection of how Reaves’ game can translate to what he’ll be asked to do this season and project the highest end of what that can be, it’s much easier to go back and watch clips from when he was put into this exact situation and looked like one of the top shot creating guards in the league.
What is his worst-case scenario?
Any worst-case outcome for Reaves almost certainly involves his health not cooperating and him missing significant chunks of the season. Which, if we’re being honest, should be at least a slight concern for the Lakers.
Last season, I do not think it’s a coincidence that in the campaign when he was asked to carry the biggest shot-creation burden of his career, he suffered two soft tissue injuries, first a calf strain in December and then an oblique strain in April. Maybe it was just bad luck, but playing the style and minutes he did last season was simply a much heavier load on his body and I think it’s only fair to wonder, when projecting him into a similar workload this year, those same rigors could end up costing him time.
And if injuries did crop back in, it’s not just that Austin’s availability would be impacted, but it’s all the ways that an injury and missing time impact a player’s rhythm, with ramp-ups and getting back into game shape or the right physical condition shaving away at your overall effectiveness on any given night. Something that would only be exacerbated without that third high-level shot creator no longer there to lean on or burden share with.
Beyond the injuries, however, there’s a chance Austin’s growth and development stagnates or, in some ways, even goes backward. Or, if that feels too strong, where certain parts of his game just do not work to the same degree they did last season. Austin is a very talented player, of course, but because he’s not an overwhelming athlete, he often needs all facets of his game to be working in unison to give him access to all the counters and misdirection that can make his game truly sing.
There’s a world, then, where multiple small things combine to lessen his game in what end up being significant ways. Let’s say he doesn’t shoot the three ball as well, especially off the dribble. Or maybe he doesn’t get as favorable a whistle. Or that his mid-range jumper doesn’t fall to the same degree it has in the past. Or maybe he doesn’t find the right chemistry in the pick and roll with Walker Kessler and their timing doesn’t quite sync up in the same ways it has with other players in the past.
If even two of these things happen for any extended stretch during the year, maybe he has a harder time getting to the rim. And when he does get there, he draws fewer fouls and it all sort of cascades to turn him into a lower-volume scorer who isn’t as efficient as he typically is. Combine this with a bigger bullseye on him and more expectations and there’s a scenario where Reaves is suddenly looked at as not the player the Lakers believed him to be, but on a huge max-level deal that is underwater in the trade market.
Now, do I envision this being likely? No, I don’t. But I also don’t think any of these things are totally out of the realm of possibility either.
What is his most likely role on the team?
There’s no question that with LeBron now gone and a remade roster to begin this new era of Lakers basketball, Reaves will take his place as the second most important player behind Dončić, both as an on-court talent whose production is needed for the team to play at its best and as a leader within the organization whose steadiness, general competitiveness, and approach to the work will serve as a standard bearer within the organization.
Further, there’s a strong likelihood that for half his minutes this year (and maybe more), he’ll be the best Laker on the court and will carry a burden and responsibility of shot creation and stewardship of the team’s entire offense that mirrors what Luka provides whenever he’s in the game. And while Austin did some of that this past season, after that first stretch of the year and a few games in March, he always had LeBron there as a release valve and someone to burden share with when Luka was not in the game.
Whether Reaves is up for this sort of challenge, particularly in the playoffs, remains to be seen. But the Lakers are betting on him being ready — and betting big. And if Austin delivers, it will simply be more proof that he’s exactly the player who they’ve continued to give more and more responsibility to since he entered the league. And to be fair to both sides, he has not let them down yet.
The Minnesota Wild have begun to reduce their roster, making five cuts.
The organization announced they have assigned defensemen Stevie Leskovar and Jack Peart and goaltender Chase Wutzke to the Iowa Wild, while releasing defenseman Mike Koster and goaltender William Rousseau from their professional tryouts.
Koster and Rousseau will report to Iowa Wild training camp.
Leskovar is a 6-foot-3, 22-year-old left-handed defenseman. The Wild drafted him in the sixth round (174th overall) of the 2024 NHL draft. Leskovar has played six AHL games, spending most of the 2025-26 season in the ECHL.
Peart is also a 23-year-old defenseman, but he stands 5-foot-10 and was drafted in the second round (54th overall) of the 2024 draft. He enters his third full season in the AHL, recently posting four goals and 15 points in 61 games.
Wutzke was also drafted in the 2024 draft, selected in the fifth round (142nd overall). He enters his first full AHL season after playing 47 games in the WHL last year. He played one AHL game last year and six ECHL games to end the 2025-26 season.
Koster, a 25-year-old defenseman, now joins the Iowa Wild training camp and was originally drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2019. The 25-year-old played 13 games in the AHL last year with Iowa, but skated in 38 games in the ECHL.
Rousseau also split time between the AHL and ECHL last year, predominantly playing in the ECHL. The 23-year-old goalie was undrafted and signed after completing a career in the QMJHL.
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This will be the third of four pre-season games after the Penguins beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-1 in their pre-season opener on Monday and lost to the Detroit Red Wings 7-4 on Tuesday.
Thursday's lineup features many players fighting for roster spots and the top prospects in the system.
Here's the full lineup:
Forwards
Rutger McGroarty
Filip Hallander
David Gustafsson
Connor Dewar
Bill Zonnon
Elmer Soderblom
Tristan Broz
Liam Ruck
Tanner Howe
Ville Koivunen
Mikhail Ilyin
Markus Ruck
Atley Calvert
Avery Hayes
Defensemen
Jake Livanavage
Ilya Solovyov
Ryan Graves
Owen Pickering
Chase Pietila
Harrison Brunicke
Caleb Jones
Goaltenders
Sergei Murashov
Collin Delia
Murashov will likely play at least half the game, and he may play the entire game. He's trying to lock up his roster spot before next Wednesday's season opener against the Philadelphia Flyers.
It'll be good to see the Ruck Twins for at least one more preseason game before they head back to Medicine Hat. They played extremely well on Tuesday against the Red Wings.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET and you can listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'
And Hockey Hall of Famer and former Oilers captain Mark Messier, who spent 12 years and won five Stanley Cups with Edmonton, made clear he’s among the critics of the move.
On ESPN’s NHL opening night media call, Messier said he didn’t understand the move at all.
“I am absolutely shocked they hired him,” Messier said. “I’m absolutely shocked from the stories that I heard from very good, reputable, character people about the way they were treated. It’s been no secret…Maybe the game has changed, and that’s the way it’s going. Great. I don’t know. It certainly wasn’t like that.”
“I think there has to be a separation of powers on the structural level of any team…The leadership of your team have to protect the players inside the dressing room,” he continued. “How can you do that when you’re directly involved with the decisions they’re making at the management level and hiring of the management and coaches? I don’t understand it.”
Edmonton Oilers head coach Mike Babcock gives instruction during the NHL hockey team’s training camp in Edmonton, Alberta, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. John Ulan/The Canadian Press via AP
Babcock’s last head coaching job in 2023 with the Blue Jackets ended without him coaching a single game. He resigned from Columbus after allegations of inappropriate behavior by several players led to an investigation by the NHL Players’ Association.
And prior to Columbus, Babcock was under fire as head coach of the Maple Leafs. During the 2016-17 season, he told then-rookie Mitch Marner to rank his teammates based on their work ethic. Babcock then shared this with the team.
Marner’s teammates stood behind Marner and directed their anger at the “list incident” toward Babcock.
Messier explained his biggest concern with the Babcock hire.
“I just don’t know, if it does go bad and players are having difficulties, who do they turn to? Because if they turn to the leadership, the leadership is management,” Messier said. “There’s no separation there. I am just horrified about the whole thing, to be honest with you. I could go on and on and on, but I think you get my point.”
Former Edmonton Oilers forward Mark Messier greets fans during the closing ceremonies at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Thursday, April 7, 2016. The game was the final game the Oilers played at Rexall Place before moving to Rogers Place next season. Getty Images
The NHL conducted an investigation into Babcock’s past coaching stints before clearing him for hire. The Oilers made the decision official on June 23.
The NHLPA, after the league’s investigation said there wasn’t a “current basis” to stop Babcock from being employed.
“While we found the allegations of Mike Babcock’s conduct as the Columbus Blue Jackets’ head coach very concerning, the League has decided that there is no current basis on which to restrict his employment,” it said. “Moving forward, we expect that Mr. Babcock will uphold the high standards required of NHL head coaches.”
The Houston Rockets kicked off their 2026-2027 NBA season on Tuesday with their annual Media Day. Every season, it gives NBA fans and media a chance to see what players have improved this summer, what they’ve rehabbed from injuries, and what they expect for the upcoming season.
For the Rockets, the top topic was Fred VanVleet’s health. VanVleet missed the entire 2025-2026 season, which played a major role in the Rockets’ struggles. SB Nation asked Ime Udoka about VanVleet’s health, and the coach said he doesn’t expect the veteran point guard to play back-to-backs but is making good progress.
Media Day also gave me a chance to speak with Rocket players from last season, like Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun, as well as the new additions, like Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic. Media day kicks off the new season and gives everyone a chance to see the players for the first time in several months, but the more important start is training camp.
Training camp kicked off a week earlier than normal for the Rockets, as they will start their season in China with two games against the Dallas Mavericks starting October 7, with the preseason on October 15th and the Rockets’ one home preseason game on October 15. The Rockets began their training camp Wednesday at their training facility in Houston. SB Nation was out at Wednesday practice as Ime Udoka, Fred VanVleet, and Marcus Smart all spoke to the media afterward.
Houston Rockets Training Camp Day 1
The Houston Rockets kicked off day one of training camp with a full workout with all players participating. That included the player most Rockets fans were looking forward to seeing on the court: Fred VanVleet. VanVleet spoke during media day on Tuesday and also after practice Wednesday.
VanVleet spoke about being back on the court, whether he thinks he will play back-to-backs, and what he saw from the bench last season. SB Nation asked VanVleet how both he and Kevin Durant, as veterans, will help them hit the ground running despite not playing together last season.
I asked Fred even though him and Kevin did not play together last season will both of them being vets will make it a lot easier to hit the ground running this season.
“Kevin is probably maybe the greatest plug and play guy y’all find He can play in any system any court any team… pic.twitter.com/5HXMXuAiup
VanVleet also said he doesn’t see each game as a “being back” moment, since it will remain a process all season. Udoka also spoke with the media after practice about the team’s day-one emphasis, what Marcus Smart brings to the Rockets, and how having VanVleet will change their offense.
SB Nation asked Udoka about the change in offense with their veteran point guard back on the court.
“Definitely want to move Kevin around. If teams are going to try and take him out, they can pretty much do that anywhere on the court, but you can put him in some better spots to take advantage of that and avoid some blitzes.”
I asked Ime Udoka with Fred back will we be seeing less Alperen and KD at the top of the key having to initiate the offense.
“Definitely want to move Kevin around if teams are going to try and take him out they can pretty much do that anywhere on the court but you can put him in… pic.twitter.com/rEe7Gn20xZ
Marcus Smart was the last Rocket to speak after day one of training camp, and he talked about working with VanVleet, what the culture is like for the Rockets, and how he fits into that culture.
Here Marcus Smart was asked what he has noticed about the Rockets culture since joining the team.
“Perfect fit it’s a perfect fit.”
BTW Marcus is going to be an interview all star this season In the first two days he has been great. pic.twitter.com/7UjOhUYEgE
The Rockets will practice Thursday again as they continue to ramp up in preparations for their preseason opener on October 9 in Macao, China, against the Dallas Mavericks.
The book features never-before-published artwork and photographs, along with original stories and essays from many members of the Lakers’ organization, past and present.
Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic (77) reacts on the court during the third quarter of a game against the Brooklyn Nets on March 10, 2025, at the Barclays Center. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
“Somehow, now I have landed in Los Angeles. I’m a Laker now. I’m not sure that I ever could have imagined being here and wearing the purple and gold. It’s a wonderful surprise and it feels amazing and now I desperately want what all Lakers want: To win it all,” Dončić was quoted as saying, per an Instagram post from @jdeez.
“I won’t rest until we win more championships.”
He later added, “On one of my first days as part of this incredible club… Jeanie Buss welcomed me into her office and showed me all the trophies that sit next to her desk, overlooking the practice court. She told me that now I will have the chance to write my own story as a Laker. That is what I plan to do.”
Luka Dončić’s message in the “Lakers: An Official History of the Purple & Gold” book. (Instagram/@jdeez).
The emotional message concluded with Dončić saying. “I tend to let my game do most of the talking, but I want Lakers fans to know that I am ready, excited, and eager to deliver SO ready. This is a city that is used to winning and winning big. I am so honored and grateful that I get the chance now to write my own championship chapters.”
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after scoring during the first half at Barclays Center, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Brooklyn, N.Y. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
Lakers fans are hoping everything Dončić has promised in this message will come true.
The Lakers’ local broadcast team will bring back familiar faces while also having some shakeups for the 2026-27 NBA season.
Spectrum SportsNet announced Wednesday that play-by-play announcer Bill Macdonald and analyst Stu Lantz will return to lead the Lakers’ television broadcast team.
Danny Green will have a more featured role on the Lakers’ TV broadcasts in 2026-27. NBAE via Getty Images
The upcoming season will be Macdonald’s 17th year calling Lakers games.
Lantz will only call Lakers’ home games in his 41st season on the broadcast team, while three-time NBA champion Danny Green will be the primary analyst for road games.
Green, who played 14 years in the NBA and won NBA titles with the Spurs (2014), Raptors (2019) and Lakers (2020), stepped in for Lantz multiple times during the 2025-26 season.
Lantz missed multiple stretches of last season recovering from medical procedures.
Green will also continue to contribute to the network’s studio coverage.
Spectrum SportsNet shared that additional analyst details will be announced for the upcoming season.
Mike Trudell will return as the team’s sideline reporter for his 16th season, sharing the role with Roqui Theus, who’s new to the Spectrum SportsNet broadcast team.
Ex-Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic will contribute to Spectrum SportsNet’s studio programming for Lakers broadcasts. EPA
Theus is the daughter of former NBA coach, All-Star, broadcaster and current Bethune-Cookman athletics vice president/men’s basketball head coach Reggie Theus.
Roqui Theus played college basketball at UC Irvine before starting her broadcasting career, which has included stops at KTLA, KRNV News 4-Reno, Nevada, Good Day Sacramento, KPIX (CBS San Francisco/Bay Area), KLAS TV (Las Vegas) and ExtraTV.
Veteran host Chris McGee and Lakers Hall of Famer James Worthy will continue to lead Spectrum SportsNet’s studio programming.
Sasha Vujacic, who won NBA titles with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010, will be in the rotation for Spectrum SportsNet’s studio programming.
Green, Derek Fisher and Robert Horry will remain in the studio programming rotation. Mike Bresnahan and Allie Clifton will continue to contribute to the network’s studio programming and podcast.
Having been blasted all over the Wanderers by Herschelle Gibbs and co. on his way to an unwanted slice of history, only a text from an Australian cricket legend could lift Mick Lewis’ spirits.
TORONTO, CANADA. - MAY 8: Kiki Iriafen #44 of the Washington Mystics drives to the basket during the game against the Toronto Tempo on May 8, 2026 at Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, Canada. 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 Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images CHICAGO, IL – SEPTEMBER 17: Kiki Iriafen #44 of the Washington Mystics shoots a free throw during the game against the Chicago Sky on September 17, 2026 at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, IL. 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 Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Game Info
When: Thursday, September 24th at 7:30 p.m. ET
How to watch: Monumental Sports Network
Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
Injury Report
Sky: DiJonai Carrington – Out (Foot), Skylar Diggins – Out (Knee), Rickea Jackson – Out (Knee), Azura Stevens – Out (Knee)
Mystics: No Injuries Reported
Pregame notes
And it comes down to this. The final game of the season is upon us, as the Mystics are looking to continue the momentum they have built since coming back from the FIBA Tournament. Winners of three straight games, the Mystics’ win over the Sun on Tuesday night marked the franchise mark for most wins in a season, at 27 wins. Don’t let that get in the way of what should be an interesting night in the “W”.
At stake for Thursday’s game is the potential to move up as far as the 5th playoff spot, and lock in a 1st round matchup against the Atlanta Dream, but the Mystics will need some help. A combination of beating the Chicago Sky and the Minnesota Lynx beating the Indiana Fever, will allow the Mystics to move up to the 5th playoff spot.
On the other side, Chicago has been dealing with a great deal of injuries. This game is an opportunity for their team to play spoiler and stop the Mystics’ momentum going into the playoffs.
Bottom line, the Mystics need to put the Sky away early and focus on resting their key players so that they can go into the playoffs, not only with momentum, but also with a healthy roster. This game will be at Capital One Arena, which has been undergoing significant renovation over the summer, so that should add a little more excitement to an already important game.
Extension talks with Karl-Anthony Towns have stalled as Knicks training camp nears, but the sides haven’t given up on an agreement.
Towns has been eligible for an extension since early August and the Knicks, as The Post reported earlier this month, are asking him to take a discount from his max of four years, $272 million.
It’s part of the front office’s attempt to keep the championship core together amid James Dolan’s mandate of staying below the second apron. With Jalen Brunson eligible for a big extension next year (four years, $257 million), the Knicks are watching their spending now and Towns — a multi-time All-Star — is in the middle.
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) lifts the Larry O’Brien trophy after defeating the San Antonio Spurs to win the NBA championship during Game 5 of the NBA Finals on June 13, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
New York’s exact offer to Towns is unclear but ESPN reported Wednesday that “a deal before training camp is considered unlikely.” It’s relevant because the story will now hang over camp and beyond.
But the sides also have all season to negotiate.
“There’s been plenty of conversations with KAT, all cordial, all positive,” a league source told The Post. “We want KAT to be here for a long time.
“And just because a deal isn’t done now doesn’t mean it can’t get done.”
Towns was also eligible for an extension before last season and didn’t come close to an agreement. He expressed a desire to stay with the Knicks and was key to the championship run, transforming into a playmaking force at the elbow while elevating his defense in the playoffs.
Both Towns and the Knicks can feel they have leverage in these negotiations. With the Knicks, there’s time to assess since contract eligibility extends through the season. For Towns, who visibly dropped weight in the offseason, there’s the threat of leaving in free agency in 2027 while armed with the security of a player option. If Towns is injured this season or underwhelms, he can pick up the option and be paid $61 million for the 2027-28 campaign.
The Knicks already sacrificed one player to stay below the second apron, allowing Mitchell Robinson to leave in free agency this summer and sign with the Celtics. Towns, who was either the Knicks’ second or third best player during the playoffs, is obviously more important.
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns and his wife Jordyn Woods pose for a photo during a David Yurman event at the Willaim F. Passannante Ballfield on West Houston and MacDougal Street, Thursday, September 17, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Josh Hart and Miles McBride are also eligible for extensions. Hart has a team option in his contract but McBride would become a free agent next summer with no deal.
The Knicks will host Media Day on Monday at their Tarrytown facility, where Towns will undoubtedly be asked about his extension negotiations. It’s worth noting that he has a longtime relationship with team president Leon Rose, who once served as Towns’ agent.
Last season, Towns was asked by The Post about not agreeing to an extension and said, “Hell yeah I want to stay here. Obviously get a chance to be home, see my family. It means more than the money, you know. So just to be able to be here with the fans, be with the family. It means a lot. I would like it to continue.”
Australia A’s batters failed in their first audition to impress Test selectors as the tourists were bowled out for 171 on day two of their first four-day game against India A in Puducherry.
The Vegas Golden Knights are getting closer to their regular-season roster, and another round of cuts has brought their training camp group down to 28 players.
Vegas assigned nine players to AHL Henderson on Wednesday, while five others were placed on waivers with the intention of joining the Silver Knights. Three more players remain sidelined with injuries, and another five prospects are headed back to junior hockey as the Golden Knights continue to shape their roster for the 2026-27 season.
The nine players assigned directly to Henderson are Mathieu Cataford, Jackson Hallum, Viliam Kmec, Carl Lindbom, Mitch McLain, Matyas Sapovaliv, Tuomas Uronen, Alex Weiermair and Cameron Whitehead.
Five players — Jeremy Davies, Jakub Demek, Joe Fleming, Adam Ginning and Jaycob Megna — were placed on waivers. Assuming they clear, they can join Henderson for the start of the AHL season.
Vegas will also be without Ben Hemmerling, Lukas Cormier and Kai Uchacz for the time being. All three remain listed as week-to-week with injuries.
Meanwhile, five players are headed back to their respective junior clubs for the start of the 2026-27 season: Sean Burick, Will McLaughlin, Mateo Nobert, Noel Pakarinen and Jonah Sivertson.
That leaves 28 players still with the Golden Knights as preseason winds down.
Golden Knights Forwards
The 16 forwards remaining in camp, listed alphabetically by last name:
Ivan Barbashev
Braeden Bowman
Trevor Connelly
Nic Dowd
Jack Eichel
Marc Gatcomb
Tomas Hertl
Alexander Holtz
Brett Howden
William Karlsson
Tanner Laczynski
Raphael Lavoie
Mitch Marner
Victor Olofsson
Jonas Rondbjerg
Mark Stone
Golden Knights Defensemen
Ten defensemen remain in the mix:
Rasmus Andersson
Dylan Coghlan
Noah Hanifin
Ville Heinola
Jeremy Lauzon
Brayden McNabb
Juho Piiparinen
Antti Tuomisto
Parker Wotherspoon
Shea Theodore
Golden Knights Goaltenders
Two goaltenders remain:
Carter Hart
Adin Hill
The Golden Knights will get another look at their remaining group Thursday night when they return to T-Mobile Arena for a preseason matchup against the Utah Mammoth. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT.
Vegas will close out its preseason schedule Saturday against the San Jose Sharks.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 23: Pete Alonso #25 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the fifth inning during game one of a double header against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 23, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Orioles avoided being eliminated for at least a few more hours by winning the first game of their doubleheader against Toronto on Wednesday afternoon. In the process, they officially eliminated the Blue Jays from postseason contention. Too bad, so sad. In short, Chris Bassitt got the better of Max Scherzer in the Old Guy Starting Pitching Matchup and that’s what brought the O’s to a 4-2 victory.
It’s not an exaggeration to call this the Old Guy Starting Pitching Matchup. These two pitchers set a record for the oldest pair of starting pitchers in an MLB game 12 days ago and they set the record again when they met up today, each 12 days older than before. As They Might Be Giants remind us, “You’re older than you’ve ever been, and now you’re even older…”
Going off just the first inning, you might have been concerned that the Orioles were going to end up on the wrong end of this thing. Bassitt had to work around a one-out double to get a scoreless first, but the really concerning thing was that Scherzer struck out three batters looking in the first inning alone. Scherzer has apparently hoping to slip ahead of former teammate Justin Verlander on the career strikeout list, entering the day 11 behind. And at the end of the first inning, it was only eight behind.
What if he got them all today? It wouldn’t be unheard of to have the 2026 Orioles help a guy to an achievement like this. That’s not what happened, although Scherzer did get 7/11 of the way there by the time his five innings were up. The Orioles managed to get to him, though.
The Orioles took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, one of those innings where you could argue they probably should have scored more than they did. The inning began with a single-walk-single sequence, the second of those hits – a Jeremiah Jackson single – bringing a run home and leaving the Orioles still with men on first and third and nobody out.
The problem for the Orioles racking up a big inning after this was that the next two batters were Leody Taveras and Carlos Narváez. They each popped out, neither managing to bring home Colton Cowser from third base with some kind of productive out. Cowser did finally score, but only after Jackson tried to steal second base and ended up in a rundown, which he managed to drag out for long enough for Cowser to race home. This doesn’t count as a steal of home for Cowser. It did still count for a run.
Bassitt made that lead stick, even as he continued to work around giving up doubles. The Jays hit a double off of Bassitt in each of the first four innings of the game. None of those men ended up scoring a run. He did well to dodge further trouble in those innings. Even in the fifth inning, where Bassitt ended the doubles streak, he still gave up two singles, facing men on first and third with only one out, yet Bassitt was able to get the double play ground ball he needed, and the Orioles defense actually turned the double play behind him, preserving the 2-0 Orioles lead.
More damage was dealt to Scherzer’s ERA in the bottom of the fifth inning. There wasn’t much more to it than Dylan Beavers drawing a one-out walk ahead of Pete Alonso. The Polar Bear entered the game with 40 home runs this season. Scherzer attempted to elevate a four-seamer on Alonso and he didn’t elevate it enough. Alonso bashed the pitch into the Orioles bullpen. Make that 41 home runs for the season and 110 RBI. It is an impressive RBI number when you consider the disappointment that has frequently been going on ahead of him in the batting order. I really like that guy. The Orioles led, 4-0.
With Bassitt at a reasonable pitch count (82) and still seeming effective, the Orioles let him start the sixth inning. Eight pitches later, Bassitt had given up a walk and a single and then Bassitt was out, replaced by rookie pitcher Luis De León. If his first two games are stuck in your head, De León’s appearances may still inspire dread. He has done well since those first games, though, and entered this game with a 2.08 ERA. The real concern wasn’t his own ERA but what he would do with the inherited runners.
An easy groundout and a strikeout later and it looked like the answer was that De León would strand both of those guys. He induced a ground ball to second base that really should have been the third out. However, Jeremiah Jackson – seemingly intentionally – chose to make the throw to first as a two-hopper, and Alonso was not able to make the pick on the second bounce.
In the official scorer’s determination, this was an infield single with two runs scoring as a result of a throwing error on Jackson. The runs were charged to Bassitt. De León allowed a single after this and things were not far from going off the rails. Manager Craig Albernaz brought in Anthony Nunez and Nunez closed the door, getting the last out in the sixth before throwing a scoreless seventh as well.
Bassitt finished with two runs allowed over five innings plus two batters, mostly scattering seven hits and a walk. Scherzer allowed four runs over his five innings, with the Orioles picking up four hits and three walks. Neither team hit very well with RISP: The Jays were 1-14 and the Orioles were 1-8. Alonso’s homer plus the “steal” of home accounted for 75% of the runs without even needing a hit with RISP to do it.
The two teams will be back in action at 6:35 for the second game. The Orioles will be mathematically eliminated with a loss, or if the White Sox beat the Royals in a game that begins at 7:40. Trey Gibson is set to start the game for the O’s. There will be a roster move to facilitate this.
It is a longtime tradition on Camden Chat to name a Most Birdland Player after each victory. What is Most Birdland? Each person must decide for themselves. Sometimes, this is the most valuable player. Sometimes, it is not. For me, the answer does line up with Most Valuable today, as Alonso hitting that two-run homer on the same day he was unanimously named Most Valuable Oriole feels pretty Birdland. If only more of his teammates had lived up to their potential this year.
