CLEVELAND, OHIO - JUNE 14: A view of the field after the game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Detroit Tigers was postponed due to pending severe weather at Progressive Field on June 14, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants conclude this three-game road series against the Cleveland Guardians this morning.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Landen Roupp, who enters today’s game with a 4.31 ERA, 3.62 FIP, with 128 strikeouts to 60 walks in 129.1 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 5-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Friday, in which he allowed four runs on five hits with five strikeouts and three walks in five and two thirds innings.
He’ll be facing off against Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams, who enters today’s game with a 3.74 ERA, 3.59 FIP, with 190 strikeouts to 45 walks in 149 innings pitched. His last start was in the Guardians’ 7-5 loss to the San Diego Padres on Friday, in which he allowed five runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and four walks in four and a third innings.
“Oh, what a (couple of) night(s)!” as Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (almost) sang!
A historic lead-off and walk-off home-run Monday night by Pete Crow-Armstrong, followed by another lead-off HR by PCA and a pair of game-tying and game-winning RBI singles by Alex Bregman Tuesday definitely gave the two games a play-off feel.
I think it is normally is best for the Cubs if the hitting and scoring is scattered among the players, keeping everybody either hot, or at least really warm. And that causes a lot of stat-juggling over two games to determine the best performer over the period.
It’s cut-and-dry (and no surprise) in this article. Crow-Armstrong and Bregman combined to go 10-for-19 with four walks, three runs scored, six RBI, two doubles and three home runs.
PCA led the way, with the three home runs, going 5-for-8 with three walks, three runs scored, four RBI and a double. While PCA was the showman, Bregman was the workman, churning out five hits in nine AB with a walk, a double and the two huge RBI singles.
There were a few more key hitters over the two games. Seiya Suzuki and Michael Busch each joined PCA with a first-inning solo home run on Monday and Tuesday. Nico Hoerner went 4-for-5 with 2 RBI on Monday. And Carson Kelly, who entered the game late Tuesday for Miguel Amaya, hit a lead-off double in the bottom of the ninth and eventually scored the winning run.
On the pitching side it was a mixed bag, but overall a good pair of starts. Shota Imanaga pitched extremely well Monday, as he allowed just two hits and walked three over six innings while striking out 10. However, he had to give up his obligatory home run — unfortunately it was of the three-run variety, but the Cubs were able to overcome it. Kevin Gausman had to battle a painful-looking cramp on his glove hand, which shortened his outing to 4.1 innings. He allowed the Complimentary Starting Pitcher Solo Home Run (CSPSHR from now on), but otherwise scattered seven hits and two walks while striking out five.
But the two big pitching performances were Javier Assad’s emergency scoreless three innings in relief of Gausman. And Jacob Webb picking up his fifth and sixth wins of the year with a scoreless inning of work in each game.
Yeah, what a couple of nights, huh?
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Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Gausman ‘doing well’ after exiting start with cramp in non-pitching hand. “”“I kind of couldn’t even put it in my glove there in the fourth before I got some electrolytes in me. … It’s pretty frustrating, to be honest. First start here as a Cub. Obviously, not what I’m trying to do.”“
Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Jacob Webb Showed Off Some Serious Stones in the 10th Inning Last Night. “Getting through an extra-innings inning without allowing that free runner at second base to score is an ENORMOUS thing.”
Josh Davis (ClutchPoints): Jon Heyman is absolutely right on gripping Pete Crow-Armstrong vs. Shohei Ohtani MVP race. “In one of the greatest MVP races ever, PCA and Shohei each had 4 hits and 2 HRs last night. But PCA homers were a leadoff HR and walkoff HR vs. rival White Sox. Their season stats/achievements are debatable but PCA fairly leads due to incredible narrative/unmatched dramatics”
Chris Pownall (DaWindyCity): Pete Crow-Armstrong believes he has answered Cubs’ biggest concern. “Pete Crow-Armstrong understands exactly what went wrong late last season. His blunt explanation should leave the Chicago Cubs feeling much better about what awaits them this October.”
Robert Calvin Bland (January 27, 1930 – June 23, 2013), known professionally as Bobby “Blue” Bland, was an American blues singer. Bland developed a sound that mixed gospel with the blues and R&B. He was described as “among the great storytellers of blues and soul music… [who] created tempestuous arias of love, betrayal and resignation, set against roiling, dramatic orchestrations, and left the listener drained but awed.” The inspiration behind his unique style was a Detroit Preacher, CL Franklin, because Bland studied his sermons. He was sometimes referred to as the “Lion of the Blues” and as the “Sinatra of the Blues”.
Bland was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1981, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, and the Memphis Music Hall of Fame in 2012. He received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame described him as “second in stature only to B.B. King as a product of Memphis’s Beale Street blues scene”. In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Bland at number 163 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates with Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 18, 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 Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the first episode of Season 3 of How I Met Your Mother, the primary storyline revolves around breakups, and the idea that every time two people split there is a winner and loser.
If the 2026 offseason was HIMYM, the big breakup that occurred this offseason would be the divorce that transpired between the most storied franchise in league history (the Los Angeles Lakers) and (probably) its greatest player (LeBron James) after eight years of being happily married.
To most people, it seems like James won the breakup. After all, the Philadelphia 76ers, James’ new significant other, just assembled the league’s latest superteam in a conference that is much more manageable. Meanwhile, the Lakers are left to deal with the two behemoths (the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder) out West.
However, I’m here to tell you that, by losing James, the Lakers got way better, and, in turn, won the breakup.
How The Lakers Got Better Without James
Listen, this isn’t some Skip Bayless inspired anti-James propaganda. As I noted before, James is probably the best player to ever grace the hardwood, and he was certainly the most productive 41 year old of all-time last season.
With that said, we have enough of a sample size now to say that James and Luka Doncic were an imperfect fit. According to PBP Stats, the Lakers were better when only one of the two jumbo ball handlers was on the floor than when they shared the court together.
At the end of the day, both James and Doncic are better when a team is being molded in their likeness, rather than when they need to placate to others’ wants and needs.
We saw a couple of years ago when the 2023-24 Dallas Mavericks went to the NBA Finals what the Platonic Ideal for a Doncic team would look like. A second fiddle who knows how to oscillate between playing on and off the ball (Kyrie Irving), wings/forwards who will do Doncic’s dirty work (Derrick Jones Jr., PJ Washington, Josh Green), shooters (Tim Hardaway Jr.), and centers who can protect the rim and catch lobs (Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II).
The Lakers haven’t perfectly imitated this formula (more on this in a bit), but they have come pretty close. While not possessing quite the same resume, Austin Reaves does a pretty serviceable Irving impression. Quentin Grimes, Matisse Thybulle, Cameron Carr (an excellent choice by the Lakers with the 24th overall pick, by the way), and Jarred Vanderbilt are all excellent athletes with the desire to do Doncic’s bidding on defense. Grimes, Collin Sexton, and Sandro Mamukelashvili are all ready to let it rip from downtown (Sexton also gives you some nice regular season innings eating as a creator). And Walker Kessler, Los Angeles’ big ticket signing, is going to do his best to replicate the value of Doncic’s former twin tower pick-and-roll partners.
Last season, the Lakers’ best lineup that played over 200 non-garbage time possessions featured Doncic, Reaves, Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, and Deandre Ayton. That group outscored opponents by 23.3 points per 100 possessions (92nd percentile, per Cleaning the Glass).
Doncic and Reaves are still there, and it wouldn’t take much arguing to convince someone that a trio of Kessler/Grimes/Carr (or whoever you prefer in that fifth spot) wouldn’t be more potent than the triumvirate of Ayton/Hachimura/Smart. Plus, you no longer have to worry about laboring through minutes where Doncic is forced to share the floor with another uber-high-usage ball handler. The bottom line is that we already have proof of concept that the model the Lakers have built is conducive to winning.
The Lakers Will Be Better Than The 76ers Next Season
According to FanDuel, the 76ers odds of winning 50 or more games this season are set at -115 (an implied probability of 53.5%), while the Lakers are set at +250 (28.6%). So, the consensus view seems to be that the 76ers are better than the Lakers.
I will concede that the 76ers have more raw talent than the Lakers. But to win in this league, you need talent, depth, and fit. So many times over the last few years we’ve seen teams try to stack stars, only to crash and burn because their skillsets overlapped too much and they sacrificed so much of their salary cap to put them together that the players behind them aren’t good enough to fill the cracks.
This iteration of the Lakers isn’t a super team, but they do have a top five-ish player, a borderline All-Star, and a cavalcade of versatile chess pieces to slot around them. Their roster certainly makes a lot more sense than the team that James left them for. Now, I’m not saying that they are a lock to be better than the 76ers, but where oddsmakers currently have these two teams does not paint the proper picture.
Are The Lakers A True Inner Circle Title Contender?
The Lakers are going to be really, really good. They have a good blend of talent, depth, and fit. The issue is that a handful of other teams have a better mix of those three variables.
As of right now, I’d say that the Spurs, Thunder, New York Knicks, and Toronto Raptors (if the Kawhi Leonard trade ends up going through) are all firmly better than them. I’ll also hear arguments for the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Indiana Pacers.
The big thing holding this group back is their lack of a true power forward. One who can hit open shots, attack closeouts, handle various wing assignments, and use their size and length to offer some secondary rim protection. They’ve managed to almost perfectly copy that Mavericks team that won the West in 2024 (Doncic, Reaves is Irving, Grimes is Jones Jr., Kessler is Gafford/Lively), but they need their own version of Washington.
Vanderbilt can check those boxes defensively, but he’s a complete negative on the offensive side of the floor. Ditto with Thybulle. Mamukelashvili has size and skill, but lacks the lateral mobility to be trusted shadowing high-level forwards. Carr is too short and too unproven.
Until this problem is addressed, either via trade or unexpected emergence, the Lakers will be a tier below the true inner circle of title contenders – meaning that they will need more than a couple of lucky bounces to reach, let alone win, the NBA Finals. Still, this team projects to be pretty darn scary, which should be enough for them to win their breakup with James.
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman looks on as Liam Ruck of Canada is drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins with the twenty-second overall pick during day one of the 2026 NHL Draft on June 26, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Making his debut on the Top 25 Under 25 lists this year, the Penguins’ 2026 first round pick Liam Ruck checks in at number seven with a lot of hype and excitement for what could be a very bright future.
The Penguins’ 2026 draft will likely be looked back on with a huge influence on what happens in the future with Liam and Markus Ruck. Liam, the right handed version of the ‘mirror’ twins, finished second in the WHL in scoring in 2025-26. Markus, a leftie, led the WHL in scoring. They mirrored in the NHL draft, Markus was drafted in the second round, Liam went 17 picks earlier in the first round, both getting their names called by the Penguins.
It pretty much goes without saying that the two brothers have other-worldly chemistry developed over their first 18 years spent together and it shows up often on the hockey rink. The amount of plays they can make between one another, feeding the puck and drawing their opponents away is something special.
There is, of course, a blueprint for success in the NHL with twin magic. Daniel and Henrik Sedin were staples in Vancouver from 2000-18. It’s a little too soon to compare the Rucks to the Sedins beyond the obvious, considering the Sedin boys were a notch above – drafted second and third overall in 1999 and then quickly into the NHL. That won’t be the case for the Rucks with the absolute elite pedigree (Liam lasted until the 39th pick in his draft) and their timeline will be different – the Rucks are planning on staying in the WHL in their draft+1 and then both are committed to the University of North Dakota in 2027-28. Both Sedin’s also won an NHL Art Ross scoring title, which clearly only a handful of the very best players ever do.
There is enough commonalties to tie them together. Liam, is more the Daniel version as more of the pure goal scorer between the two twins. Brother Markus is more of the Henrik of the equation as the natural setup player that racks up assists.
Although clearly obviously to split and isolate on just one twin at a time, today’s profile is on Liam, the first round pick. In addition to the twin chemistry bonus added along the way, Liam is known for his elite shot, overall gifted intelligence in the offensive zone for reading plays and creating them and a strong competitive drive. He’s a slick, dynamic player that has the shooting release to score frequently. There’s a certain clinical element to his game, as can be seen in the highlights. The puck often isn’t on his stick very long before he snaps it into the net and is no stranger from working his way close to generate great chances.
“I think I’m pretty good with kind of getting into those holes to get into a scoring area, and when you’re playing with good playmakers, they’re going to find you, and I think I found that,” Ruck said on draft night. “I don’t think my shot is the (hardest) yet, but I think it’s knowing that it’s something I can work on, and once it gets a little harder, I think it’ll be even more deadly.”
The metrics for what will need to improve and develop are standard for most freshly drafted 18 years old. Ruck is only 174 pounds, he’s not the best or swiftest skater on the ice. Adding strength and continuing to grow into a pro-level skater will be paramount items to work on, as it is for just about everyone in his peer class. It’s the slow growth of morphing into an adult body and becoming capable of competing at the top level against fully grown men that can’t be rushed.
The education has already begun at 2026 prospect development camp.
“I’m learning so much on and off the ice,” Ruck said in July. “Like eating habits, what to eat, supplements to take, how to put on good weight. But also learning little details on the ice from the skating and skills coaches. Everyone here, there’s a great support staff, and I’m trying to remember everything they give me, because it’s a lot [laughs], but it’s so helpful.”
The Penguins bolstered the change by splitting up Markus and Liam on different summer camp teams.
“It’s really neat. It’s interesting. I’m learning while getting to know them, but the whole organization is really excited. The way it played out in the draft was really cool to watch,” said Tom Kostopoulos, Penguins Director of Player Development. “But they are different individuals, so I think we also got to talk about them and understand that in camp here, we’re trying to separate them a little bit on different teams and stuff, just so they get to know some more of the players and staff and that.”
As to be expected for a player the Penguins selected in the first round, it’s all positive right now.
“It’s not just the talent,” GM Kyle Dubas said on draft night about Liam. “It’s the talent plus the enthusiasm and the intelligence and how much he loves playing and contributing to a contending team and playing well in the playoffs for them. So, it was a number of different things that just made him what we felt was a great fit as a Pittsburgh Penguin.”
“I want to be a little more explosive with my skating,” Ruck said. “For me, just the off-ice stuff is more important than the on-ice stuff right now. I think knowing that it’s important, and getting the chance to work with staff in Pittsburgh, I think it’s going to be a good fit.”
The Pens are counting on that for the future the Rucks will be a big part of it.
The Rays (76-50) and the Blue Jays (62-66) wrap up their three-game series this afternoon in St. Petersburg.
The teams have split the first two games of this series with Tampa winning last night, 7-6. Yandy Diaz cracked a two-run homer in the first to pace the attack and Drew Rasmussen was good enough to earn his sixth straight win as the Rays won for the ninth time in twelve games against the Jays this season. Alejandro Kirk continues to swing a hot bat for the Jays. The backstop went yard for the second straight game and extended his hitting streak to eight games in the process (14-33). Even with the loss yesterday, the Jays are 7-3 in their last ten games and just a game back of the final Wild Card spot. The Rays continue to set the pace in the AL East and the entire American League. They own the best record in the AL and lead the division by five games over the Yankees.
This afternoon, Toronto is expected to hand the ball to veteran Shane Bieber (4-2, 4.99 ERA) and Ian Seymour (9-3, 4.11 ERA) gets the start for Tampa Bay. Bieber’s season has been a roller coaster. The former AL Cy Young winner has shown flashes of the pitcher who dominated hitters earlier in his career, but consistency has been elusive. Specifically over his last four starts, Bieber has allowed one earned run twice but four and five runs respectively in the other two starts. The optimists in the crowd will put more faith in his most recent start. Last Friday, Bieber allowed just four hits and one run over six innings against the Yankees. Seymour has been dependable for the Rays this season. He has finished six innings over four of his last five starts. Seymour has allowed eight earned runs in 28.2 innings across those five starts. He has struck out 36 over those last five appearances.
Lets dive further into tonight’s game and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Blue Jays vs. Rays
Date: Thursday, August 20, 2026
Time: 1:10PM EST
Site: Tropicana Field
City: St. Petersburg, FL
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Sportsnet, Rays.TV
Peacock offers one of the most comprehensive live sports streaming lineups available today, bringing together the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, Premier League, NCAA football, NCAA basketball, golf, motorsports, and major global sporting events in a single service.
The Latest Odds: Blue Jays vs. Rays
The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Toronto Blue Jays (+152), Tampa Bay Rays (-163)
Spread: Blue Jays +1.5 (-152), Rays -1.5 (+125)
Total: 7.5 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers – Blue Jays vs. Rays for August 20
Blue Jays: Shane Bieber Season Totals: 48.2 IP, 4-2, 4.99 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 37K, 24 BB
Rays: Ian Seymour Season Totals: 96.1 IP, 9-3, 4.11 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 115K, 31 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Blue Jays vs. Rays
Jonathan Aranda, Junior Caminero, and Cedric Mullins have each gone yard once in their careers against Shane Bieber
Ernie Clement is 4-11 in his career against Ian Seymour
Andres Gimenez and Alejandro Kirk have each homered against Seymour in their respective careers
Yandy Diaz has hit in 10 straight games (19-43)
Chandler Simpson has also hit in 10 straight games (19-44)
Andres Gimenez saw his four-game hitting streak snapped last night (0-4)
Alejandro Kirk has hit safely in 8 straight games (14-33) including 3 HRs and 9 RBIs
Kazuma Okamoto has hit in 5 straight games (5-19)
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Blue Jays vs. Rays
The Jays are 62-66 on the Run Line this season
The Rays are 71-55 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 64 times in Toronto’s 128 games this season (64-60-4)
The OVER has cashed 58 times in Tampa’s 126 games this season (58-63-5)
Expert picks & predictions: Blue Jays vs. Rays
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s game between the Jays and the Rays:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Rays on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 7.5
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BOSTON, MA - AUGUST 19: Willson Contreras #40 of the Boston Red Sox bats during the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Willson Contreras had some interesting comments following yesterday’s 7-6 loss to the D-Backs in which an angry contingent of Fenway fans booed him for not running hard up the first base line during his tenth inning groundout. But before we get to the quotes, here’s a look at the play just to make sure everybody’s up to speed:
Immediately after he arrived back in the dugout, the fuming first baseman engaged with one of the more aggressive fans and had them removed from the ballpark.
So I just witnessed Contreras just screaming at a fan for talking shit and got him kicked out during the final out. pic.twitter.com/nWcI9jRrrx
“If you’re a smart fan, you know what’s going on,”
“I’m not gonna get hurt running on a ground ball. If you’re a real fan and you know baseball, there’s no case for me to hustle out of the box.”
“I’m not 100%. We never are, but I’m taking care of my leg. If I have to run, I push it a little bit. If I don’t, my manager has my back. I talked to him and he gave me permission to do whatever it takes to take care of my legs.”
“I was feeling better until last night when I full-stretched my leg and it grabbed me a little bit. My manager knows that.”
On one hand, Contreras is absolutely right. No single groundout is worth hustling over if it means risking blowing out your leg, particularly if you’re unlikely to beat it out anyway. It’s far more prudent to nurse it where he can and save the more taxing efforts for high leverage moments. In this larger context, it all makes sense.
Or, at least it would make sense if the Red Sox were in a slightly different place in the standings. Because while the philosophy holds water while zooming out from an individual play to an entire game, it all gets flipped on its head once you zoom out further from the perspective of an individual game to the remaining season as a whole.
Right now, thanks largely to the gluttonous owners and their absurdly bloated playoff structure, the Red Sox find themselves in the rather ridiculous position of being both far enough behind Tampa for the division lead that they’re extremely unlikely to catch them, but also far enough ahead of the third Wild Card cutoff that they’re extremely unlikely to fall out of a postseason spot. They’re so far removed from a meaningful tension point, Fangraphs gives them a 95.1 percent chance to make the playoffs, but just a 2.7 percent chance to win the division. In other words, there’s a 92.4 percent chance they’re going to end up in that best-of-three Wild Card round.
Circling back to Contreras and his leg, if we’re going to apply the principle of giving up on certain plays with a low likelihood of mattering in favor of long-term health, shouldn’t we apply that same concept to the season as a whole? More to the point: If Willson Contreras can only run some of the time, why isn’t he on the IL?
If his leg is bothering him enough that he needs to (rightfully) manage it on certain low leverage, low probability plays within a game, why aren’t the Red Sox demanding he do the same on certain low leverage, low probability games within a season?
Unfortunately, the single most important thing Contreras can do to help the team right now is be as ready to go as possible for a best-of-three series starting on September 29th. I detest that MLB has come to this, but it’s the reality of being in an oversaturated playoff field. If this was 20 years ago, with just one Wild Card available, the Red Sox and Yankees would be locked in a highly captivating duel for the last crumb on the table. Every game would matter, animosity would be building, and we’d be scoreboard watching like a hawk for six weeks.
In that world, Contreras’ approach of playing through injury in this manner would be on the money. But we don’t live in that world anymore. Instead, we’re basically sitting around seeing how healthy everybody can get for a best-of-three series at the end of September. (I can’t tell you how angry this makes me as a baseball fan!)
In any case, the Red Sox are already playing the “get ready for September 29th” game with Justin Slaten and Garrett Whitlock, who are both on the IL. And the funny thing is, not having either of them around to pitch in the top of the tenth yesterday was a whole hell of a lot more impactful in terms of why they lost that game than Contreras not running out his grounder. So if we’re going to swim in those waters, why be inconsistent about it?
Oh, and if your concern here has anything to do with the bottom falling out in a potential Contreras absence, don’t worry about it. This group has already proven they can handle the ship in short bursts without their stars. Since July 1st, Contreras has missed or left 11 games from either suspension, sickness, injury or rest, and the Sox are 10-1 in those contests.
Ultimately, the bottom line is this: Contreras is either healthy enough to run down the first base line consistently or he’s not, and if he’s not, he shouldn’t be in these games. They’re not important enough. (Thanks MLB!)
Lastly, the Red Sox medical staff has already had a disastrous year in terms of diagnosing the initial severity of injuries, and if this season ends up crashing and burning in part because Willson Contreras ends up out for the year on an injury that could have healed with rest, I’m going to be a whole lot angrier than the fans who were booing Contreras at Fenway Park yesterday.
Orel Hershiser and John Hartung speak during the launch of SportsNet LA on Feb. 25, 2014, in El Segundo. (Jerod Harris / Getty Images)
Thirteen years ago, on the final Sunday in September, Skip Schumaker struck out. It was the last out in the last game of the regular season.
For the Dodgers, no big deal: They had won the National League West, and the playoffs were four days away.
For Dodgers fans that subscribed to Cox Communications, it turned out to be the start of a bizarre and protracted blackout that cost viewers the final years of Vin Scully and the golden years of three World Series championships.
On Friday, for the first time in 13 years, Cox subscribers within the Dodgers’ broadcast territory will be able to watch the team on their local television home. Fans can find SportsNet LA on Channel 63 in Orange County, Channel 54 in Palos Verdes, Channel 36 in Santa Barbara and Channel 50 in Las Vegas.
How did this finally come to pass? Those channels no longer belong to Cox.
Charter Communications, the company responsible for getting SportsNet LA on as many cable, satellite and streaming options as possible, on Thursday closed its $34.5-billion purchase of Cox.
For Dodgers fans, the takeaway is this: It no longer matters that Cox did not want to pay Charter for the rights to air SportsNet LA. Charter made the 13 years of that moot by buying Cox.
Charter offers broadcast service under the Spectrum brand.
In 2013, with the team in the final year of its local television agreement with Fox Sports, the Dodgers announced it would launch a team-owned channel the following year.
In exchange for the rights to market and distribute that SportsNet LA channel, Time Warner Cable agreed to pay the Dodgers $8.35 billion over 25 years. It was the last great regional sports network deal, with traditional broadcast audiences about to fragment amid the rise of streaming and cord-cutting.
The guaranteed rights fees are as sure of a revenue stream as anything in baseball, and the Dodgers’ success amid all that cash is one of the triggers for major league owners in their push for a salary cap.
However, the great regional sports network deals relied on cable and satellite subscribers paying for every channel in a bundle, most of which viewers never watched.
With DirecTV leading the resistance, cable and satellite providers balked at signing up for SportsNet LA: a few dimes per month per subscriber for a news or entertainment channel was fine, but they drew the line at $5 per month subscriber for a baseball channel.
No major Los Angeles outlet besides Time Warner Cable carried SportsNet LA until 2016, and then only because Charter bought Time Warner Cable. Even then, less than half the households in the Los Angeles market could get SportsNet LA.
In 2020, DirecTV and AT&T struck a deal with Charter, not so much to liberate Dodgers fans as to help the parties maintain a shrinking base of subscribers amid a proliferation of video options.
“I think I can speak for a lot of people who will say this is, maybe, long overdue,” Dodgers star Justin Turner said then.
Six years later, as a longtime Cox subscriber excited to see SportsNet LA for the first time, your humble correspondent can say this: I think I can speak for a lot of people who will say this is definitely long overdue.
20 August 2026, Bavaria, Munich: Hockey, Soccer: Joint press conference by FC Bayern Munich and the National Hockey League (NHL). John-Jason Peterka (left to right), a player for the Boston Bruins; Alphonso Davies, a player for FC Bayern Munich; and Leon Draisaitl, a player for the Edmonton Oilers, pose in their jerseys at the press conference. Photo: Matthias Balk/dpa - IMPORTANT NOTICE: In accordance with the regulations of the Bundesliga and the German Football Association (DFB), it is prohibited to use or allow the use of photographs taken in the stadium and/or during the game in the form of sequential images and/or video-like photo series. (Photo by Matthias Balk/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Per a release from FCBayern.com, Bayern Munich and the National Hockey League are teaming up.
The two sporting giants have announced a strategic, multi-year partnership designed to grow the NHL in Germany while strengthening Bayern Munich’s presence in North America.
The collaboration will connect football and hockey fans through digital campaigns, co-branded content and merchandise, street hockey events in Munich, watch parties, Allianz Arena activations, youth programs, hospitality experiences and player appearances.
The partnership was unveiled at Säbener Straße with Alphonso Davies joined by German NHL stars Leon Draisaitl and JJ Peterka.
Rouven Kasper called it a partnership that can “set a new benchmark” for what cross-sport collaborations can achieve, while NHL President Keith Wachtel described Germany as one of the league’s most important international growth markets.
“FC Bayern is renowned for constantly breaking the mould – and we are very excited about this special partnership with the NHL. By developing ideas together with one of the most tradition-steeped leagues in world sport, the connection of our respective regions will create unique synergies on a wide variety of levels, in sports and beyond. We are creating a platform that promises long-term value for both partners and sets a new benchmark in terms of what cross-sport collaborations can achieve,” said Kasper.
Wachtel was equally excited about the partnership.
“Germany is one of the most important international growth markets for the NHL, and FC Bayern is one of the most famous and respected sport brands in the world. Through the combination of the NHL’s passion for ice hockey with FC Bayern’s extraordinary reach and closeness to fans, we have a massive strategic opportunity to get more people interested in our sport, deepen the connection to existing fans and create one-of-a-kind experience,” Wachtel stated.
And there is an exciting bonus for German hockey fans: Munich will host two NHL regular-season games during the 2027/28 season, featuring the Boston Bruins and Munich-born Peterka. Cologne will also host two games involving the Edmonton Oilers and Cologne native Draisaitl.
Football and hockey. Bayern Munich and the NHL.
This could be a fascinating partnership to watch develop.
Every pitcher in the Little League World Series works under a hard limit. Once a 12-year-old reaches 85 pitches in a game, he or she comes off the mound, and how many pitches they threw determines how many days they have to sit before they can pitch again.
The rules come from the Little League rulebook. They apply the same way in Williamsport as they do on any field in the country. Managers plan around them from the first day of the tournament, because a double-elimination bracket rewards teams with a third and fourth pitcher more than teams with one good arm.
Little League moved to pitch counts in 2007, replacing a system that limited pitchers by innings. Under the old rules a 12-year-old could throw well past 100 pitches in a six-inning game, a number big league starters rarely reach. A 2011 University of North Carolina study commissioned by Little League found the program cut shoulder injury risk among pitchers ages 8 to 13 by half.
Here is how the limits, the rest chart and the catcher restrictions work:
How many pitches can a Little League pitcher throw?
Limits go by league age, not calendar age.
Ages 13 through 16: 95
Ages 11 and 12, the World Series division: 85 pitches
Ages 9 and 10: 75
Ages 7 and 8: 50
When a pitcher hits the number they're done. The one wrinkle is that they can finish the batter they're facing, staying in until that hitter reaches base or is retired or the third out ends the inning. So you'll occasionally see a kid finish with 89 in a game that caps at 85, and nothing is wrong.
Warm-up pitches don't count. Only what a pitcher throws to a hitter counts.
How many days of rest does a pitcher need?
Rest runs on calendar days and starts the day after the game.
66 to 85 pitches: four days
51 to 65: three days
36 to 50: two days
21 to 35: one day
Stretch that across a 12-day tournament and the problem shows up fast. Throw 70 on a Wednesday and you're not available again until Monday. An ace can win a team one game and leave it thin for the next three.
Nobody pitches on three calendar days in a row, whatever the counts say. And once a pitcher leaves the mound, they can't come back to it later in the same game.
The catcher rules
The pitching limits don't stop at the mound. Little League recognizes the catchers throwing as heavy arm work as well. The two positions are regulated together.
Three rules govern it.
A pitcher who throws 41 or more pitches can't catch that day. A player who catches four innings or more can't pitch that day. And a player who catches three innings or fewer and then moves to the mound and throws 21 or more pitches, can't go back behind the plate.
Catch more than three innings and you cannot pitch that day. The cutoff is strict. Three innings plus a single pitch in the fourth is enough to trigger the rule.
What happens if a team breaks the rule?
If a manager leaves a pitcher in past their limit, or brings them back without the required rest, the other team can protest.
Every game has an official pitch count recorder. That person has to give the current count to either manager or any umpire on request, and has to tell the umpire-in-chief the moment a pitcher reaches their limit. Whatever the recorder has is the count. What a coach has, or a parent has, doesn't matter.
Milan, Napoli and Atalanta all have new head coaches as Italian football hopes to return to the spotlight
And so, calcio’s “third apocalypse” has passed. A lot of Italians enjoyed the World Cup more than they expected. Without a team to cheer for, again, a country turned its attention to different sports. And found its athletes dominating them.
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 13: Atlanta Hawks team huddle before the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on January 13, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Last week, the NBA finally released its schedule for the 2026-27 NBA season. With its release, it allows everyone to map ahead what the 2026-27 season looks like for the Atlanta Hawks and identify where the good times or more challenging times lie across the 82 game-schedule. Immediately, there’s a key difference in this year’s edition of the schedule compared to last year for the Hawks, with many home tipoffs returning to a 7pm Eastern Time start, for the first time, I believe, since the 2015-16 season.
As we have done so for, perhaps, the last eight seasons now, we’ll break down the schedule month-by-month, examining the trends, fixtures of note, and the difficulty of each month (calculated by averaging the average winning projections of each team by way of Bet MGM.
Let’s look ahead to the beginning, the month of October:
Total games: 7
Home games: 3
Road games: 4
Back-to-backs: 2
Three-in-fours: 3
Longest road trip: 2 games (twice)
Longest homestand: 2 games
Average projected opponent win total (based on Bet MGM win totals): 42.5 wins
A competitive beginning to the season on paper for the Atlanta Hawks. Two games on the road against Southeast Division rivals Orlando Magic (who should be very motivated to begin strongly after the disappointment of last season) and Charlotte Hornets should provide an early test for the Hawks.
Charlotte will be an interesting matchup, who are running a much-changed roster which, for the first time in six years, will not be led by LeMelo Ball, which will provide a very different dynamic to this fixture. Following that, the Hawks’ home opener also represents the first of a home-and-home with the Houston Rockets. Hawks rookie Kingston Flemmings will not have to wait long to return to the state of Texas, where he played with Houston in college as the rookie begins his NBA career.
The stiff opposition continues in the form of Miami and Cleveland, but will at least take place at State Farm Arena before the Hawks head on the road to face the New Orleans Pelicans. Two back-to-backs, a couple of three-games-in-four-nights sleds as well for the Hawks will prove a challenge in addition to the level of competition. Now, moving onto a jam-packed November!
Total games: 12
Home games: 5
Road games: 7
Back-to-backs: 1
Three-in-fours: 1
Longest road trip: 3 games
Longest homestand: 3 games
Average projected opponent win total (based on Bet MGM win totals): 41 wins
November sees the return of NBA Cup action, every Friday! The Hawks’ cup schedule is actually pretty kind to them, with the majority of those games, on paper, certainly winnable — the Celtics on the road represents the toughest game in the cup by some margin.
Elsewhere, the Hawks tackle some high-profile games such as the Lakers at home, the championship winning New York Knicks on the road, and of note for several of the Hawks’ new additions, a trip back to OKC to take on the Thunder. The reception for Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort will be very warm for their former champions and is sure to be emotional night for those involved. Elsewhere, the Hawks will face Trae Young and the Wizards twice, and a game against the Detroit Pistons at home should also prove to be an interesting measure of the Hawks in the Eastern Conference.
A little less intense overall compared to previous Novembers not only in terms of games played, but back-to-backs and three-in-fours aren’t too prevalent here. However, this is not to last as we move to December:
Total games: 14 (TBC, pending NBA Cup outcome)
Home games: 7 (TBC)
Road games: 5 (TBC)
Back-to-backs: 2
Three-in-fours: 2
Longest road trip: 3 games
Longest homestand: 2 games (three times)
Average projected opponent win total (based on Bet MGM win totals): 44 wins
December isn’t quite complete yet, as two games between December 4th and December 11th have yet to be determined by the NBA as it relates to the outcome of the group stage of the NBA Cup, so while 14 games will take place in total, the number of home/away games is not currently known.
Outside of this, an interesting opening to the month in the form of Miami and Indiana: two vastly different looking teams from last season. Miami now boasts the talents of Giannis Antetokounmpo, while the Pacers welcome back Tyrese Haliburton from injury and reinforcement through Ivica Zubac. The Hawks were able to finish above both teams last season, but will face a much stiffer challenge resisting these teams this season. Again, they represent a great opportunity to measure themselves in the establishing Eastern Conference playoff hierarchy.
A three-game road trip to the Western Conference lies ahead for the Hawks, the most challenging coming in Denver to finish. A difficult back-to-back follows, with a home game against OKC on the second night of that back-to-back one of the more challenging games of the month. A home game against Detroit wraps up the action before the holidays, before a back-to-back after the holidays — including heading on the road to San Antonio. A lighter end to 2026 in the form of Chicago and Milwaukee should provide some relief after a potentially challenging December.
Moving to 2027!
Total games: 15
Home games: 8
Road games: 7
Back-to-backs: 3
Three-in-fours: 3
Longest road trip: 4 games
Longest homestand: 4 games
Average projected opponent win total (based on Bet MGM win totals): 45 wins
2027 opens by welcoming back 2024 first overall pick Zaccharie Risacher and the Dallas Mavericks to Atlanta. Other notable home games in January include the Spurs and Victor Wembanyama, the newly stacked Philadelphia 76ers — armed with Jaylen Brown and LeBron James — in addition to Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors, and the Knicks to end a four-game homestand. The January 18th game against the 76ers of course representing one of the most important games for the Hawks as part of MLK Day, and an afternoon tip. A four-game road-trip ends the month of January, featuring difficult fixtures against Miami, New York, and Detroit.
While three back-to-backs isn’t too strenuous, three three-games-in-four-nights is a bit more intense as the fixtures and fatigue rack up in January as the NBA edges closer to its halfway point and towards the NBA All-Star break
Moving to February!
Total games: 13
Home games: 8
Road games: 5
Back-to-backs: 3
Three-in-fours: 3
Longest road trip: 3 games
Longest homestand: 7 games
Average projected opponent win total (based on Bet MGM win totals): 38.7 wins
A relaxing in the schedule in terms of projected difficulty of opponents, and a home-heavy schedule with eight home games in total, a seven-game homestand, and a eight-home-games-in-nine-games stretch. A seven game homestand is certainly one of the longest single homestand stretches the Hawks have enjoyed in recent memory, and a number against — on paper — very winnable games. In general, due to the nature of the new NBA Draft lottery rules, the overall projected total games won is a little higher this year compared to previous years, so this should be taken into account.
Moving onto a very quirky March! A March which I’m dubbing ‘All the Western Conference teams you haven’t seen yet.’
(Seriously, I’m not joking!)
Total games: 16
Home games: 7
Road games: 9
Back-to-backs: 3
Three-in-fours: 3
Longest road trip: 6 games
Longest homestand: 2 games (three times)
Average projected opponent win total (based on Bet MGM win totals): 35.7 wins
First appearances of the season for the following teams: Memphis, Minnesota, the Jazz, and the Clippers…all twice! And all of those teams, with the exception of Minnesota, are projected to have low win totals, so while the schedule is intense in terms of number of games, the projected level of opponent isn’t quite as intense. In saying that, a six-game road-trip out West will be a challenge, no matter who the opponent is, but to make up for this, the games the Hawks do play at State Farm Arena are all very winnable games on paper. In short, though, it’s a very Western Conference heavy month!
Onto the final month of April!
Total games: 5
Home games: 2
Road games: 3
Back-to-backs: 0
Three-in-fours: 0
Longest road trip: 2 games
Longest homestand: 2 games
Average projected opponent win total (based on Bet MGM win totals): 49.5 wins
A tough end to the season: all of these teams project to win, at the very least, 45 games, and are all in the Eastern Conference. These could be key in determining playoff seeding, of which the Hawks will want to return rather than go back through the Play-In tournament. Of course, some seeding may already be set at this stage, and it’s entirely possible any one of Boston, Philly, and New York could be top-seeded or locked into a top-4 seed and may use the opportunity to rest key players.
Overall, the Hawks — more recently — have had schedules that are typically more difficult at the front-end of the season and lighten at the back end of the season. I’d argue that both cases are true here. In March, it’s a very road-heavy, Western Conference schedule but against opponents who are not projected to compete for the playoffs. April, short as it is, is a difficult schedule at a very important time of the season and will likely determine elements of the Hawks’ seeding.
In any case, the Atlanta Hawks’ path for the 2026-27 season is set! If you enjoyed the 7:30 home tips, my commiserations, I believe there’s only three (November 7th against Brooklyn, January 2nd against the Dallas Mavericks, March 4th against Memphis). If you prefer 7pm tips, then this is going to be a great season!
SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 12: 2023 Inductee Tony Parker speaks during the 2023 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Induction at Symphony Hall on August 12, 2023 in Springfield, Massachusetts. (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I moved to San Antonio (technically back to San Antonio) from New York in the summer 2013. The Spurs had just been upset in the Finals. I immediately plunged into my fandom and embraced the team I grew up adoring.
Somewhere over the next couple of years, the Spurs beat the Portland Trail Blazers. When they did, Bill Land and Sean Elliott announced that with that win, the Spurs had a winning record against all 29 NBA teams. Even over the next decade when the Spurs faced some losing seasons, they have still managed to maintain that feat.
But what I didn’t know was Tony Parker is the only player in NBA history to retire while maintaining a winning record against every team in the league.
Tony Parker didn’t just build a Hall of Fame career, he built a winning record against everyone.
He is the only player in NBA history to retire with a winning record against every active franchise.
I noticed in the comments section of this post, some fans mentioned that they thought Tim Duncan also accomplished a winning record with every team. While that may be true, Duncan only has a winning record against 29 of the 30 teams in the NBA. Keep in mind Parker spent his final season with the Charlotte Hornets who beat the Spurs in both meetings that year. That means he got the best of all 30!
So while Duncan and Manu Ginobili have winning records against the 29 teams not named the San Antonio Spurs, Parker swept the league.
And he’s the only one.
Or is he?
When I searched “What former NBA players have winning records against every team?” a second name came up.
Kawhi Leonard.
*The above post stipulates that Parker is the only player to retire with a record over 30 teams. Leonard is still an active player…in theory…for now…we assume.
According to StatMuse, Kawhi does also have a better record against all 30 NBA teams. He is the only active player with superstars like LeBron James (29), Stephen Curry (28), and Kevin Durant (28) a few teams shy.
But if anyone gets an honorable mention for Tony Parker’s and Kawhi Leonard’s accomplishment, it is Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Gregg Popovich, and the myriad players and assistant coaches who made the Spurs such a dominant force.
Without them, neither Parker’s nor Leonard’s career could have shined as they did in the time they spent in San Antonio.
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Is Kyshawn George a career backup or a long-term starter? The stats point towards and answer. | FIBA via Getty Images
Next stop in The Annual Statistical Doppelgänger Machine Tour: Switzerland. Well, kinda. No skiing or fancy-schmancy watches or neutrality — just a look at which players in NBA history had seasons that looked the most like what Kyshawn George did last season.
For those who haven’t memorized the birthplaces and childhood homes of every Wizards player, George was born and raised in Switzerland.
Is Kyshawn George a career backup or a long-term starter? The stats point towards and answer. | Getty Images
To my eye, the broadly favorable view of George’s performance got ahead of his actual performance. He looks good out there, he does many good things, and he does plenty of negative things as well.
To me, the biggest positive is his confidence. It also might be his biggest weakness. There’s good three-point shooting (38.1%) on above average volume, and 7.3 assists per 100 team possessions (well above average). He’s a competent ball handler, he’s tough, and he plays with a relentlessness and physicality that’s at times admirable.
He also commits a ton of turnovers (4.3 per 100 possessions — compare to a league average of 2.8) and fouls (5.8 per 100 possessions). George’s shot selection inside the three-point line was…well…let’s call it “adventurous,” and that sense of adventure contributed to shooting just 48.6% on twos — compared to a league average of 55.0%.
He finished well when he got to the rim (73.1%). The issue: lots of floater range attempts at a 35.7% conversion rate.
The good and bad tallied to an 87 score in my PPA metric. League average in PPA is 100. That’s fine for a second-year player who’s just 22-years-old picked 24th overall. The point here is merely that he still needs to make significant improvements to earn a starting role with the Wizards going forward.
Let’s get to the doppelgängers. And, unlike the comps for Bilal Coulibaly, you won’t need to take safety precautions for these:
Justise Winslow | 2018-19 | Miami Heat | Age: 22 — This was one of Winslow’s (rare) healthy seasons. He played 66 games — two fewer than he did the following season. This was his best overall performance, tallying to an 85 PPA. He was a talented player who never stayed healthy long enough to show what he could do. Gotta think (hope?) George will be healthier, though I have to mention George has played in 68 and 48 games respectively in his first two seasons.
Cole Anthony | 2022-23 | Orlando Magic | Age: 22 — Anthony is basically the little-guy version of George. Tough as nails, all-out effort, plenty of positives, and bit negatives.
Taurean Prince | 2017-18 | Atlanta Hawks | Age: 23 — Prince’s second season. He played all 82 games, though it was not a harbinger of his future health and availability. The 87 PPA he posted that season was also the best mark of his career.
Kevin Porter Jr. | 2021-22 | Houston Rockets | Age: 21 — I’m not a big Porter fan, but he’s been reasonably productive, albeit with enough issues that teams seem happy to move on from him. I don’t think that’ll be the case with George. The profile is there, though — talent enough to generate positives, enough judgement issues to produce negatives (hi there, turnovers) that can hurt the team.
Reggie Jackson | 2013-14 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Age: 23 — Another maximal effort, maybe a bit nuts, little guy. Jackson spent most of his career as a pain-in-the-neck backup guard who was part of some winning teams.
Some honorable mentions:
Keldon Johnson, San Antonio Spurs — age 24 season
Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons — age 21
Kyle Kuzma, Los Angeles Lakers — age 22
Caris LeVert, Brooklyn Nets — age 23
My eye test comp was Dillon Brooks, but the closest Brooks season ranks around 260th.
My sense is that The Machine’s comps have the right overall type — competitive, hard-nosed, physical reserves who had value to good teams when they could rein in the fouls and turnovers. I think George is reasonably likely to be better than any of those five turned out to be, though it’s worth a reminder that player development is not linear.
I have the same kinds of neat career arc graphs most stat goobers do, but those are averages. There’s a lot of variation, and things get messy with individuals.
Don Nelson (L), head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, celebrates with Calvin Booth (R) after Dallas beat the Utah Jazz 84-83 to take the first round NBA Western Conference playoff series 03 May 2001 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Booth scored the winning basket to beat the Jazz 84-83 and advance to the second round. AFP PPHOTO/George FREY (Photo by GEORGE FREY / AFP) (Photo by GEORGE FREY/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
On April 21st, 2001, the Dallas Mavericks officially broke the seal on the NBA Playoffs after a lengthy hiatus. Dallas had missed the Playoffs for 10-straight seasons, including a near miss in 1999-2000 when they went 40-42. Following that campaign, Dallas improved their win total by 13 games to finish 53-29 in 2000-2001, leaving no doubt they had arrived on the postseason scene.
Not only was the +13 win total impressive in and of itself, but for context, the Western Conference was stacked. All but one of the eight West Playoff teams won 50 games (the 8 Seed Minnesota Timberwolves won 47). The 1 Seed San Antonio Spurs grabbed 58 wins, just five games better than a Mavericks team that was a postseason afterthought for so long.
Dallas’ 53 wins were good enough for the 5 Seed and a matchup against the Utah Jazz. Utah was just a few years removed from back-to-back Finals appearances and still featured NBA legends in John Stockton and Karl Malone, yet the two teams were nearly dead even during the regular season. Each team won two of their four regular season matchups. Both teams went 14-10 against the other (now defunct) Midwest Division teams. Utah however, performed better against the Western Conference at large and therefore got home court advantage in the best-of-five series.
Lucky charms fall short
The Mavericks did something that teams often do when they’ve broken through a wall. In this case, the Mavericks decided they would celebrate their return to the Playoffs with an overt show of unity – they wore nice blue socks to match their blue road uniforms. Meanwhile, the more experienced Jazz team needed no such demonstrations.
In game one, Dallas took a one-point lead into the fourth quarter, which generally spelled doom for the opponent. The Mavericks were 46-2 during the regular season when leading after three quarters, including a 21-1 road record in those situations. Despite that, and despite their lucky socks, Dallas found themselves down by a point in the closing moments. Dirk Nowitzki was stripped on a drive that would have given Dallas the lead with roughly three seconds remaining in the game, had he converted. Utah made a free throw, giving Dallas the chance to win on the final shot, but Michael Finley’s three-point attempt was off target and the Mavs were down 0-1 in the series.
The Mavs were roundly beat in game two, losing 109-98 after being outscored in all but the fourth quarter. As a result, they were on the brink elimination. Upon their return to Dallas, they ditched the socks and found a reversal of fortune.
Evening the series
Home cooking was good for Dallas, as they pulled out a tight game three, 94-91 behind a strong first quarter. Finally, Dallas staved off elimination and got their first Playoff win since 1988. With the best-of-five setup, they were just a single win away from forcing a deciding game back in Utah. Game four ended up doing just that. The Mavericks started slow, trailing 24-17 after the first quarter, then collectively went insane, outscoring the Jazz by 37 points the rest of the way. The 107-77 victory gave the Mavs a chance to close the deal back in Utah in game five.
Calvin Booth plays the hero
Utah showed their veteran savvy in game five, getting off to a strong start, particularly in the second quarter. Carrying a 71-57 lead into the fourth quarter, it appeared as though the upstart Mavericks had met their match and would be going home after a valiant effort to force a deciding game. Dallas had other ideas.
Calvin Booth started the fourth quarter despite coming off the bench to start the game. The decision by Don Nelson proved to be an excellent one. The Mavericks slowly chipped away throughout the fourth quarter, with Booth turning away multiple Jazz shots at the rim.
The final two minutes were a roller coaster. Trailing by one, the Mavericks forced a turnover, courtesy of Booth’s quick hands. The ball ended up with Finley, who got it to Nash, who made a great pass from a few steps inside halfcourt to Dirk Nowitzki under the rim. Unbelievably, Nowitzki missed the reverse layup and Malone got the rebound. On the next possession, Dallas played terrific defense, forcing Danny Manning to attempt a shot clock beating jumper with none other than Booth defending him. The shot missed and Nash took it the other way. Finley hoisted a three that didn’t go down, sending Dallas back on defense. Malone missed a turnaround jumper and Nowitzki grabbed the board. Nash got the ball and took off, then slowed it down to set up the offense. Finley got the ball and backed down Stockton. Manning came over to double-team Finley with four seconds left on the shot clock. Booth slipped through on the baseline, Finley (who played every minute of the game) rose up, zipped a pass to him, and Booth turned to hit a layup – his first and only made field goal of the game. In the final 10 seconds, Utah missed a three, got the offense rebound and then missed a buzzer beater. The Mavs had won.
Booth’s entire 2000-2001 season consisted of 15 regular season games with the Mavericks and nine Playoff games. Despite his limited time on the team, he will forever be linked with an amazing Playoff comeback in a deciding game that put the Mavericks in the second round, kicking off a span of 12-straight seasons that Dallas made the Playoffs. Booth returned in 2004-2005 for a second stint. Despite his relatively short tenure with the Mavericks, he left an indelible mark on the franchise. Taking full advantage of Nelson’s intuition, Booth had a major impact across the deciding quarter of the deciding game.
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