TAMPA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 26: Carlos Carrasco #59 of the Atlanta Braves delivers a pitch in the first inning against the New York Yankees during a Grapefruit League spring training game at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 26, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves went to Tampa on Thursday and returned with a 7-3 loss to the New York Yankees. Carlos Carrasco got the ball and lasted just 1.2 innings. Though his outing was short, he surrendered four hits and five runs. He struck out one and surrendered a base on balls.
Offensively, the Braves recorded eight hits but were only able to plate runs in the third and fourth innings. It was a pretty backup-heavy lineup for Atlanta, with most of the regulars getting the day off as the team continues to sort through its depth this spring.
The Braves host the Boston Red Sox this afternoon back in North Port.
More Braves News:
Just ahead of the World Baseball Classic, there is plenty of competition at Braves camp.
MLB News: The Athletics have reportedly made an extension offer to first baseman Nick Kurtz, who is “open and interested” depending on the timing.
Fort Myers, FL - February 18: Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas. The Red Sox held Day 9 of Spring Training at JetBlue Park on February 18, 2026. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
With the offseason behind us, it’s once again time to check in with the Over the Monster community and gauge fan opinion on how the Red Sox organization is doing.
Below are polls covering the job performance of the front office, ownership, and the manager, followed by some other topical items. Your job is to express your opinion on them.
As always, we try and run these four times per year (in late May as the season hits its stride, in early August right after the trade deadline, in early November after the World Series with the offseason kicking off, and in February as we transition into a new spring training).
So, without further ado—make your choices in our February check in, and let us know in the comments your overall feelings about the club.
Previous poll results for this question when it was run:
Kirill Marchenko(20) and Adam Fantilli(14) scored the only goals for the CBJ, while Elvis Merzlikins stopped 19 of 22 Boston shots in a 4-2 Columbus loss to the Bruins.
Joonas Korpisalo earned every penny of his contract by standing on his head the entire game. The Blue Jackets pumped 40 shots at the Bruins goalies but just couldn't solve Bronze Medal winner Korpisalo.
This is only the new HC Rick Bowness's second loss as the Jackets' bench boss.
First Period - SOG 20-10 CBJ - Columbus Goal Marchenko (20)
The Jackets started the game and looked to set the tone early. They weren't generating many shots but were buzzing around Joonas Korpisalo. Kirill Marchenko took a stretch pass from Mason Marchment, who split the defense and smoked a wrister by Korpisalo to make it 1-0 Jackets.
Marchenko would give the Bruins their first power play when he hooked Henri Jokiharju. The CBJ killed it with relative ease to keep the game in favor of Columbus.
With six minutes left in the first period, there were anxious moments on both ends of the ice when Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo seemed to be under siege. Elvis was tripped behind his net, who then fell and had to dive through the crease to make a goal-saving stop on Sean Kuraly. Going back the other way, Korpisalo had to make a couple goal savers of his own.
Viktor Arvidsson would score for Boston when he put in a puck passed Merzlikins off the stick of CBJ forward Isac Lundestrom. Nothing like a little bad luck to start the post-Olympic break.
The Jackets got their first power play with 2:09 left when Michael Eyssimont got called for holding Boone Jenner. The Bruins killed it, keeping it a 1-1 tie heading into the first intermission.
Second Period - SOG 9-8 CBJ - Columbus Goals - None
Miles Wood gave Boston a power play at the 6:13 mark of the second when he ran into Joonas Korpisalo, drawing a Goalie Interference call. Korpisalo was pulled by concussion spotters, causing Michael DiPietro to be inserted into the crease for Boston. Korpisalo apparently passed concussion protocol and was back in the game with 8 minutes left in the second period.
Morgan Geekie wasted no time when he scored his 33rd goal of the season, putting Boston up 2-1.
The Blue Jackets couldn't get anything going in the second. Boston clamped down defensively and didn't give Columbus a thing. The Jackets actually outshot the Bruins 9-8 but went into the third period down by a goal.
Third Period
With 11:29 to go, Mason Marchment was put in the box for slashing, in what looked to be a very soft call in a tight game like this. Merzlikins and the Jackets' PK were able to fend off the Bruins' man advantage to keep the game 2-1.
Sean Kuraly put the Bruins up for good with 8:34 left in the third period to essentially end the game. The goal might have been helped in by a Blue Jacket defender's stick on the shot, which may have affected the angle of it.
Adam Fantilli did score a goal at the 13:45 mark, but it just felt like it was too late.
Viktor Arvidsson scored an empty net goal to end the CBJ's seven-game win streak. The Boston win was their 10th straight win at home.
Boston goalie Joonas Korpisalo played out of his mind in this game, stopping 36 CBJ shots to collect his first win against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Rick Bowness says he doesn't think the game got away from them at all and had more than enough chances to win. He's also curious about how they can control play and have the puck in the Bruins D-Zone so much and not draw any penalties.
Final Stats
CBJ APP
Player Stats
Kirill Marchenko scored his 20th goal of the season.
Adam Fantilli scored his 14th goal of the year and 20th assist. He also had 5 shots on goal and went 8/12 on faceoffs.
Mason Marchment recorded his 14th and 15th assists
Zach Werenski picked up his 43rd assist. He now has points in 8 straight games and 12 of his last 13. He also had 7 shots on goal and played 28:34 after returning from Milan.
Team Stats
The Jackets power play went 0/1.
The Columbus PK stopped 2 of 3 Bruin man advantages.
Columbus only won 41.2% of the faceoffs - 21/51
The Blue Jackets had 24 hits and 11 blocks.
NextUpFor Columbus- The Columbus Blue Jackets are back at home after 23 days away from NWA to face the New York Islanders on Saturday.
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Sep 10, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; General view of the helmet used by the Milwaukee Brewers before the start of the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
Greetings, Brew Crew Ball community. Welcome to (almost) March, which means baseball is less than a month away!
Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-baseball sports, the Brewers, you name it. As long as it’s appropriate and is allowed by our moderators, it’s fair game here.
UNITED STATES - APRIL 16: Baseball: Aerial view of fans in stands at Shea Stadium during New York Mets vs Milwaukee Brewers game, Flushing, NY 4/16/2006 (Photo by Chuck Solomon/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (SetNumber: X75714 TK2 R1)
This post is part of a series of daily questions that we’ll ask the community here at Amazin’ Avenue throughout the month of February. We hope you find the questions engaging and that our prompts can spark some fun conversations in the comments. We’ll see you there and plan to have staff chiming in, too.
Newcastle v Barça; Liverpool get Galatasaray rematch
Spurs take on Atlético Madrid; Arsenal meet Leverkusen
The draw for the Champions League last 16 has produced some intriguing, heavyweight clashes featuring the renewal of old rivalries. If Manchester City’s meeting with Real Madrid arguably ranks foremost among them, Chelsea’s engagement with the holders, Paris Saint-Germain, and Newcastle’s duel with Barcelona are certainly not lacking in glamour.
Or, in the case of Chelsea and PSG in particular, edge. The tie is a repeat of last summer’s Club World Cup final in New Jersey, which Chelsea won 3-0 thanks to two goals from Cole Palmer and with a team under the management of Enzo Maresca.
CJ Fulton says he is expecting "a bit more pressure and attention on me" when he makes his first Ireland appearance in over two years in Friday's FIBA EuroBasket 2029 pre-qualifier against Azerbaijan (19:45 GMT).
It has been a whirlwind year for the 23-year-old after signing for NBA side Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Belfast native is now focused on helping Ireland advance in the qualifiers for the European Championships following defeats by Luxembourg and North Macedonia.
"It's hard to believe it's almost been three years since I last played in the green jersey, but [I'm] looking forward to it," Fulton told BBC Sport NI's Thomas Kane.
"Very important, must-win games if we want to have a chance of qualifying for the EuroBasket.
"I am very excited to be back."
The first round of qualifying for the EuroBasket consists of three groups with the winners of each and the best-ranked second-placed team advancing to the second round.
Then, those teams will be joined by eight more from the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European qualifiers in the second round of qualifying.
"I think I can definitely come back and help the team," added Fulton.
"The European style of basketball is what I grew up playing, I've been out of it for a little bit, but I'm excited to try and get back into that style of basketball.
Fulton signed a professional contract with Minnesota Timberwolves after he played two games in the summer league for the side, and was then waived to the Iowa Wolves who are the Timberwolves' reserves.
Since playing for the Wolves, he has featured in the NBA's team-affiliated development division in the G-League.
Now, Fulton returns home after missing the first two Ireland qualifiers due to college commitments and wants to "give back" to the international side.
"Three years ago, I was probably still the young guy, still coming up and trying to make a name for myself whereas, I'm a bit more established," he added.
"Just with everything that's gone on the past few months, there probably will be a bit more pressure and attention on me, but there's a lot of good players on the roster, so I think it's just about me coming back and trying to help the team win.
"I think it's just really important to try and help as much as I can, help grow the game here, give back to the kids."
G-League 'an adjustment'
Following the two international games, the former St Malachy's College pupil will return to Iowa as the Wolves push to make the play-offs.
The side currently sit in eighth position of the G League Western Conference but have lost their last four matches.
"The G League is kind of a unique kind of trade, you know, guys going up to the NBA. So that's been an adjustment, just kind of trying to embrace all the changes that happen rather than knowing what's going on every day," said Fulton.
"It's been a good experience. There's a lot of talented players in the league and a lot of guys that are on the bubble of making that NBA, just they're not quite there yet, or guys who've played in the NBA and are trying to make their way back.
"There's definitely a lot of talent that I'm going up against, and I think that's only going to help me in the long run."
According to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, SGA is not currently listed on the team's injury report for Friday's game against the Denver Nuggets.
At the very least, Gilgeous-Alexander will be available for the contest, but he could be on a minutes restriction. After all, the Thunder are still atop the Western Conference standings. There is no need to immediately rush their star player back to the court.
That said, they do only sit two games above San Antonio in the West. Perhaps SGA could play more than anticipated if the Thunder are in danger of losing the game late. Here's what to know.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been cleared to return after missing the last nine games due to an abdominal strain. He is not on OKC’s injury report for tomorrow’s game vs. Nuggets.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is expected to play Friday against Denver.
There were concerns early on that SGA would miss extended time, pushing him out of the race for MVP due to the 65-game rule. Those worries have disappeared with his return, and SGA has re-emerged as the favorite to win the award.
How did Oklahoma City fare without SGA?
The Thunder went 5-4 in their nine games without SGA.
The Thunder are still without All-NBA forward Jalen Williams and key role player Ajay Mitchell.
Oklahoma City still sits two games above San Antonio for first place in the Western Conference. However, the Spurs have won 10 consecutive games and own the season tiebreaker between the two teams.
The Toronto Maple Leafs' rookie hasn't been in the lineup since Jan. 29, which is six games ago. In that time, Toronto won its three games before the break, and then lost their last two in Florida.
You would think, given how the Maple Leafs fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday, that a day later, Cowan would be inserted into the lineup against the Florida Panthers.
Instead, the only swap Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube made was putting Dakota Joshua in for Calle Jarnkrok. Thursday's game against the Florida Panthers was Joshua's first back since suffering a lacerated kidney on Dec. 28.
Even with Joshua coming into the lineup, though, Berube could've found a spot for Cowan, too. Putting the young forward in would be a discreet message to his team that their performance against the Lightning — amidst a crucial playoff race — wasn't good enough.
But no, Cowan sat again, and it's been almost a month since he's seen game action.
"What does he got? Forty-something games this year played for us? At the time I took him out of the lineup, I felt like he hit a bit of a wall. We won three in a row, so I kept the same lineup going into the game last night against Tampa," Berube said on Thursday before their 5-1 loss to Florida.
"It's decisions that I make as a coach, and I don't believe his development is getting hurt. I think he's improved this year as the year went along, and I think he still has the swagger that's needed. He's a confident kid.
"Now, saying that, he's got to get in there and play. And that's our job to get him in there at some point here."
So, let's get this straight: if Cowan has the "swagger that's needed," why isn't he playing more often? It doesn't even have to be in the NHL — the Marlies would be the perfect place for him to get big-time minutes.
Through 43 games with the Maple Leafs, Cowan has seven goals and 17 points. That's more than forwards Steven Lorentz, Scott Laughton, and Calle Jarnkrok.
It's worth noting that Cowan wasn't eligible to be sent to the AHL before the Olympic break due to a stipulation which states waivers-exempt players can't be sent down if they had played 16 of the team's 20 NHL games before the roster freeze or had been on the NHL roster for 80 league days before Jan. 21, via PuckPedia.
He can be sent down now — though I doubt that will happen.
The bottom line is Cowan needs to play. You can argue his development isn't being harmed because the rookie is around NHLers every day, and likely learning tips and tricks from them. But that can only take him so far.
He needs to get into games to apply the tools he's learning. Cowan could've been the guy for the Marlies this year had they loaned him to the AHL club for more than just the two games he played down there in early November.
Either play him with the Maple Leafs, or send him to the AHL, where he'll get ample opportunity to play in every situation. Cowan needs it. The Maple Leafs' future needs it. And if you're not going to do that, you're doing a disservice to the player and the team's fans.
The Florida Panthers are looking to make a late-season playoff push, and they got things off to a solid start on Thursday night.
Hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs, a team Florida is chasing in the standings, the Panthers jumped out to a 3-0 lead en route to a strong 5-1 victory.
Now they’ll get right back to work, as the Cats finish up a quick back-to-back when they welcome the Buffalo Sabres to Sunrise.
Buffalo arrives in South Florida holding on to the second Wild Card spot, with 72 points through 58 games played. That puts them nine points ahead of the Panthers with the same amount of games remaining.
Boston, who holds the second Wild Card spot, remains eight points ahead of Florida after picking up a 4-2 victory over Columbus on Thursday.
It’s quite the mountain to climb.
Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice knows how difficult of a stretch it will be, and was enthused by what he saw on Thursday, knowing what a healthy Florida team is capable of.
“It’s a real easy thing to focus on,” Maurice said. “It’s not even distractions; When you’ve got a 4 Nations year, an Olympic year, everything is kind of out of control and your schedule is completed different. We obviously had so many injuries that affected us, and I think the normal distractions that come from winning, but now this is nice and clean for us.”
The Panthers will be looking to pick up on Friday against Buffalo where they left off the previous night when they dismantled the Maple Leafs.
Leading the way for Florida was their new-look top line of Evan Rodrigues centering Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart.
The trio combined for two goals and two assists on 14 shots on goal.
“Evan Rodrigues was pretty good tonight, pretty dynamic with that line,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “There’s an awful lot of speed the one side and some great hands on the other side. I thought the three guys just played off each other really well, found holes, supported the puck and made some really good plays.”
Outside of Daniil Tarasov stepping in for Sergei Bobrovsky on the second night of a back-to-back, don’t be surprised to see Maurice roll out the same lineup against the Sabres that took down Toronto last night.
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Friday’s battle with Buffalo:
Carter Verhaeghe – Evan Rodrigues – Sam Reinhart
Mackie Samoskevich – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Photo caption: Feb 2, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe (23) moves the puck against the Buffalo Sabres during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
The Montreal Canadiens finally resumed their season on Thursday night when they hosted the New York Islanders at the Bell Centre. To celebrate their return, the Habs also celebrated their “Soirée Québécoise”. As the arena filled up before puck drop, pictures of poutine, the Rocher Perce, maple syrup and Elvis Gratton were projected on the ice to name a few as Diane Bibaud warmed up by playing Noir Silence’s On jase de toi on the organ.
It wasn’t Bibaud who needed to rehearse the most, though; both teams looked as rusty as one could have expected in the first frame, and there were quite a few icings, offsides, and missed cues, but they got there in the end.
Once they had shaken off the rust, the Habs had a few dominant shifts, including one in which they made a full line change in the offensive zone without losing possession. They had the Islanders pinned down and good puck movement, but they were looking for the perfect play, and when they finally took a shot, it was one Ilya Sorokin had no trouble stopping and freezing, allowing the Isles to get a much-needed change.
The tendency to look for the perfect play rather than putting pucks on net is nothing new for the Canadiens, but it is something that really needs to be addressed. In tight physical playoff games, there won’t be time or space for the perfect play.
Discipline
The Canadiens were in perfect control of the game, up 2-0 in the second frame with 3:30 to go in the period, thanks to two Noah Dobson goals, when Juraj Slafkovsky took an interference penalty after slashing Tony DeAngelo’s stick, and Mike Matheson took a high-sticking penalty seven seconds later.
As a result, the Islanders had 1:53 at five-on-three, and they made the most of the golden opportunity with rookie sensation Matthew Schaefer scoring two power-play goals. It was a shame for Samuel Montembeault, who was tracking the puck well and had made two saves on one-timers during the penalties, but Schaefer showed just how good he was with a couple of picture-perfect shots.
Managing The Lead
After the game, Martin St-Louis was disappointed with the way his team failed to manage the puck after getting a 3-2 lead:
In those last 10 minutes, I felt like we let them play with the puck too much. We had to be able to still generate some offensive time. You’ve got to be calculated with what you do with it in the neutral zone, be selective in your choice of play in the offensive zone, which allows you to make them defend a little bit, but we had to defend the last 10, so you know, they just kept coming. I felt like we were defending pretty well, but at the end, they pulled the goalie, and they got an extra guy, that’s something we talked about, but we didn’t get the job done.
-
The bench boss was clearly annoyed at that five-on-six goal, adding: “The five guys have to do their job, and that’s not what happened”. After the game, the players told the media that the tying goal came from a bad bounce, but St-Louis didn’t agree.
When the Islanders scored with less than two minutes to go in the game, Mike Matheson, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, Philip Danault, and Noah Dobson were on the ice, and given the coach’s comments, it feels like there might be a video session in the cards the next time there’s a full practice.
The Calder Trophy
Seeing Schaefer play in person for the first time tonight, it was hard not to be impressed with the way he plays the game at such a young age. The way he moves with so much fluidity, coupled with his stickhandling skills and decision-making at 18, it feels like the Calder Trophy is already his.
Whether or not Ivan Demidov wins the scoring race probably won’t matter, not against such a young player who has mastered the defenseman role to that kind of extent at that age. While age shouldn’t really be a factor, it generally is.
In the end, the loss was a shame for Dobson, who did manage to score twice against his former team, but he was also on the ice for three of their goals. In the net, Montembeault had a respectable outing even though he surrendered four goals on just 27 shots. The tying goal at the end of regulation was a tipped puck right in front of him, and as for the overtime goal, it was a clear faceoff win by the Islanders, and Jean-Gabriel Pageau took off, outskating everyone and showing up in front of the goaltender all alone. It’s not the first time that he’s spoiled the Canadiens day; it was his fourth game-winning goal in 37 games against the Habs.
As for Alex Newhook, he played a very good game in his return to action, spending over 13 minutes on the ice, picking up an assist on Dobson’s power play goal, taking a shot, landing a couple of hits, and winning four of the seven draws he took.
The Canadiens will hold an optional skate in Brossard at 11:30 AM on Friday, and they’ll be back in action on Saturday night when they’ll host the Washington Capitals.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 26: Royce O'Neale #00 of the Phoenix Suns reacts after hitting a three-point shot during the final second of the NBA game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 26, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Lakers 113-110. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns walked into Thursday night battered and bruised, injury report reading like a CVS grocery list that got out of hand. You glance across the floor, and there stand Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves. It’s a trio that makes you check the clock before tip-off and wonder how long the evening is about to feel.
And it felt long.
There were stretches where the offense stalled into a quiet panic as possessions dissolved into late-clock heaves. Phoenix could not buy a clean look for chunks of the night, and when they did, the rim treated them like strangers.
Being a fan does strange things to your brain. It turns you into a ritualist, a believer in invisible levers. On Thursday, I found mine.
My wife was behind me in the living room, puzzle board out, building a 1000-piece octopus with the calm of a surgeon. The Suns were down 10 in the third quarter, and she asked if she could put on music. Neil Diamond. Holly Holy filled the room.
The Suns started scoring.
Song Sung Blue. Another run. Cracklin Rosie. A three from Grayson Allen that felt pre-ordained. You Don’t Bring Me Flowers. Collin Gillespie rises and buries one from deep like he has been waiting for Neil to give him permission. You can break down the rotations. You can analyze the shot profile. You can talk about the 22 made three pointers, which is usually the recipe when half your firepower is in street clothes. All of that is fair.
I am giving Neil Diamond credit.
The rhythm shifted the moment his voice hit the speakers. The ball moved with purpose. The shots came in flow. The house felt different through a television screen and a living room octopus.
It was a big one for Phoenix. They are staring up at the Lakers in the standings, chasing ground, measuring margin. This win mattered. The fan base needed it. The offense has looked rough lately, heavy and unsure. Last night had those same ugly stretches.
They survived anyway. And it felt…so good, so good, so good!
Bright Side Baller Season Standings
Collin breaks into double digits, joining Devin Booker as the only two Suns to do so thus far this season.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 60 against the Lakers. Here are your nominees:
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 9: Doug Collins and Bob Costas provide commentary before Game Two of the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the Los Angeles Lakers on June 9, 2000 at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. 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 2000 NBAE (Photo by Andy Hayt/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Yes, you read that right. It’s not a rerun of a Tim Duncan/Allen Iverson era game. For the first time in over a quarter of a century, Bob Costas and Doug Collins are calling an NBA game for NBC.
On Tuesday, March 3rd, Costas and Collins reunite on NBA to call the game featuring the San Antonio Spurs and the Philadelphia 76ers.
NBC is bringing back its classic NBA coverage broadcast March 3rd as Bob Costas, Doug Collins and Mike Fratello call Spurs vs. 76ers 📺
Coverage tips off with an hourlong “NBA Showtime” hosted by Hannah Storm alongside Isiah Thomas and P.J. Carlesimo. pic.twitter.com/XT3FlUBGAZ
Mike Fratello will join Costas and Collins for this “classic” coverage as well as the addition of Jim Gray reporting from the sideline.
Costas, one of the longest tenured and most celebrated sportscasters, launched his national career with NBC in 1980. With a career spanning five decades, the 73-year-old has called every major sport, multiple Olympic games, and hosted his own sports-centered radio and television shows.
Collins, the NBA’s top draft pick in 1973, played his entire eight season career for the Philadelphia 76ers. He moved into coaching and served as head coach for four NBA teams – the Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards, and 76ers – one per decade. Collins began calling games in the mid-80s and has continued as a color analyst when he is not serving as an NBA head coach or executive.
For this event, NBC is also bringing on Hannah Storm, Isiah Thomas and P.J. Carlesimo for a throwback version of “NBA Showtime” starting an hour before the game broadcast. The game will be available on NBC and Peacock, check local listing s for exact presentations.
Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.
Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - FEBRUARY 25: Arseny Gritsyuk #81 of the New Jersey Devils drives the puck towards the goal during the second period against the Buffalo Sabres at Prudential Center on February 25, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
In a dispiriting season, a great moment the other night:
With the Olympic break in the rearview mirror and the guys back in New Jersey, the Devils dropped a 2-1 decision to the Sabres on Wednesday. [Devils NHL]
Then on Thursday night, a three-goal third period pushed the Penguins to a 4-1 win over the Devils. [Devils NHL]
“Jack Hughes still gets an indescribable feeling when asked about scoring the biggest goal of his young career. Three days after becoming a national hero by scoring at 1:41 of overtime to give Team USA a 2-1 win against Team Canada in the gold medal game of the men’s hockey tournament at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, Hughes returned to the New Jersey Devils lineup for a night of reflection and celebration at Prudential Center on Wednesday. The 24-year-old center doesn’t want to dwell on the goal and prefers to speak about the team that made it all possible.” [NHL.com]
“The New Jersey Devils have no shortage of problems right now and Johnathan Kovacevic is moving up the list quickly. The 28-year-old defenseman has struggled mightily since making his season debut, and last night against the Buffalo Sabres may have been his worst showing yet.” [Infernal Access ($)]
Hockey Links
Sidney Crosby and Mikko Rantanen will miss some time:
Sidney Crosby is expected to miss at least four weeks with a lower-body injury coming out of the Olympics, according to the #pens.
DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 27: James Wiseman #13 of the Detroit Pistons & Jordan Poole #13 of the Washington Wizards embrace after the game on November 27, 2023 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 2023 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In the near future I’ll be sharing a series of polls discussing matchups of former GSW players who are draft picks during the Two-Timelines era. This concept wasn’t seeded by stats or hindsight. This was seeded by emotional gravity: draft expectations, peak belief, and how long you kept hoping. Pure feelings.
Kevin Durant left in the summer of 2019. That moment didn’t end a dynasty as many feared (or desperately desired from jealous fanbases outside of the Golden Empire), but it did start a new hope.
Over the next six years, the Golden State Warriors drafted several players who became part of something complicated, beautiful, and occasionally heartbreaking. It was a project that became what fans came to call the “Two-Timelines” era. Some of these players won championship rings. Some made you grab the remote and turn the volume up. Some broke your heart slowly, over multiple seasons, in ways you didn’t fully process until they were already gone. And maybe some of them you knew were never gonna fit in with Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr, but you held out hope. Most of them are no longer here.
And we know for a fact that Dub Nation has the power to provide so much love and positive energy to the franchise that the players suddenly morph from “meh” into giant killers before your very eyes. So with that in mind, now it’s time to answer the question that actually matters. Not which of those ex-draft picks was the best, who had the highest PER, or the most efficient season.
The question is: which of those departed GSW picks were you secretly rooting for the most?
This bracket lives at the intersection of three things: how much was put on a player’s shoulders on draft night, how high your belief actually rose during their time here, and how long you kept the faith even when the evidence got complicated. There’s no hidden agenda (OR IS THERE??), just an honest accounting of how Warriors fans actually felt, in real time, about each of these players.
Eight players. Three rounds. One crown.
THE OFFICIAL BRACKET
FIRST ROUND
1 Jordan Poole vs 8 Alen Smailagic
4 Eric Paschall vs 5 Trayce Jackson-Davis
2 James Wiseman vs 7 Ryan Rollins
3 Jonathan Kuminga vs 6 Patrick Baldwin Jr.
SEMIFINALS
W(1/8) vs W(4/5)
W(2/7) vs W(3/6)
CHAMPIONSHIP
So without further ado, here’s the bracket folks!
1. Jordan Poole
28th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft
You remember exactly where you were when Jordan Poole started cooking in the 2022 playoffs. Don’t lie. You were on your feet, screaming at the TV. This was supposed to be the guy who eventually took the keys from Steph and kept the dynasty breathing. Young, filthy with the ball in his hands, shimmy already loaded and ready to deploy on whoever was unfortunate enough to be guarding him. The Bay had already written the next chapter in its head. Jordan Poole was going to be here forever.
Then Draymond threw a punch and the universe shifted.
But before all of that — before Washington, before the struggles, before everything — Jordan Poole was EVERYBODY’S guy. And the emotional peak of that belief, the moment when the whole fanbase collectively decided this kid was going to be GREAT here, is higher than anyone else in this bracket. That’s why he’s the 1 seed.
2. James Wiseman
2nd overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft
Close your eyes and remember draft night 2020. The No. 2 pick in the entire draft. Seven feet tall. Hands like a point guard. A shot-blocking presence that made you dizzy just watching the highlights. The Warriors had just survived the worst season in franchise history and the basketball gods handed them James Wiseman as a reward. The rebuild was supposed to start right there. This was the guy who was going to anchor the next decade while Steph showed him everything he knew.
What followed was a torn meniscus, a lost season, flashes of brilliance in 12-minute bursts, and eventually a trade to Detroit that the fanbase processed in silence because nobody quite knew what to say.
Wiseman’s gravitational pull on draft night was enormous. Nobody in this bracket carried more expectation in that moment. Nobody. That earns him the 2 seed, and it isn’t particularly close.
3. Jonathan Kuminga
7th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft
Five years. Five years of “this is finally his season.” Five years of scoring rampages that had you ready to anoint him the next face of the franchise, followed by inexplicable DNPs that had you arguing with strangers on Twitter at midnight. Kuminga was the most complicated relationship Warriors fans had with any player in this era. Talent was never the question. It was always right there.
He had a real playoff run in 2025 that had the whole fanbase ready to crown him. Then they traded him to Atlanta anyway. And now he’s out there balling like he has something to prove, which means the feelings aren’t even past tense yet.
Five years of hope with a motor still running. That’s the 3 seed.
4. Eric Paschall
41st overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft
Did anybody see Eric Paschall coming? He was a second-rounder out of Villanova on a Warriors team that won 15 games, playing in empty arenas during a pandemic season that felt like the whole world was falling apart. And somehow, impossibly, this man made that team fun to watch. Scoring 14 points a night off the bench, bouncing around the court with an energy that felt almost defiant given the circumstances, he made Warriors fans feel something they hadn’t felt in two years: genuine excitement about a new player in the present tense.
The Paschall window was short. The love was real. That’s the 4 seed.
5. Trayce Jackson-Davis
57th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft
Nobody expected Trayce Jackson-Davis to be good. He was the 57th pick, the second-to-last selection in the entire draft. A four-year college big man who was supposedly too slow and too limited to survive in the modern NBA. And then he showed up at Chase Center and immediately looked like he’d been running pick-and-rolls with Stephen Curry his entire life. The screen IQ. The roll timing. The finishing around the rim with both hands. Warriors fans started falling for TJD almost immediately, quietly, the way you fall for a player before you’ve consciously decided to root for him.
Then they traded him to Toronto and the whole fanbase had to process what could have been.
The 5 seed for a 57th pick who could jump out the gym.
6. Patrick Baldwin Jr.
28th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft
Patrick Baldwin Jr. arrived with a first-round pedigree, a 6’9″ frame, a shooting touch that looked effortless in warmups, and an energy that made you want to root for him before he played a single meaningful minute. He never really got the chance. Thirty-one games. 3.9 points per game. Minutes so sparse you had to check the box score twice to confirm he was even in the building. Warriors fans kept the hope alive far longer than the evidence warranted because you genuinely liked the kid and wanted the situation to be different.
It never got different. It just ended.
The 6 seed is a love letter to everyone who kept checking the rotation looking for his name.
7. Ryan Rollins
44th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft
Ryan Rollins didn’t just leave Golden State. He got packaged into the Jordan Poole trade and shipped to Washington before he ever got a real chance to show what he could do. Most players in that situation disappear quietly. Rollins did not. He came back to Chase Center, looked the Warriors dead in the eye, and lit them up in a revenge game that nobody who watched it will forget. That’s not just athleticism. That’s a player who knew he was good enough and needed everybody else to catch up.
The 7 seed for the guy who made sure we remembered he existed. Respect.
8. Alen Smailagic
39th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft (via draft-night trade)
Alen Smailagic was a teenage center from Serbia whom the Warriors acquired via trade on draft night 2019, and for approximately one Summer League he was going to be something. The flashes were there. The potential was visible in the way that potential is always visible in a 19-year-old who is still mostly a theory. He played 29 regular season games across two seasons and then was gone, leaving behind a small but passionate fanbase of people who watched those Summer League games and told themselves: okay, maybe.
The 8 seed belongs to every player who made us say okay, maybe. And to the people who said it about Smailagic specifically, this bracket is for you.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
These players were part of the Two-Timelines story but didn’t make the bracket. They deserve acknowledgment.
Nico Mannion — We wanted him to be the Italian Steph Curry.
Justinian Jessup — Drafted in 2020, played zero regular season games as a Warrior, carved out a career overseas.
ONE LAST THING
This bracket is not a trial. Nobody is being convicted of anything. Every single player on this list showed up, competed, and tried to make it work inside one of the most demanding basketball environments in the modern NBA. Some of them won championships doing it and others gave us moments we still talk about. All of them were, for at least one night, somebody’s favorite Warrior.
Keep an eye out as the matchups come out and get your vote out!
