Sep 27, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
They are in the playoffs. Let’s not dwell too much on the how; let’s just focus on the fact that they are in. That’s all they need to make some noise in the playoffs.
Three up
Zack Wheeler – Imagine this season without an Ace level Wheeler. He was always going to come back from the injury he had, if only because the trainers and medical staff of the Phillies were never really worried that it would end his career. How he would perform was an altogether different question. Would he be the Ace the team had relied on for many years, or something of a shell of himself? No one really knew until he actually started pitching….and then we knew. He was the one that the team would depend on each and every time. Many people outside of the organization point to the firing of Rob Thomson as the turning point of this season, but the real ones know: once Wheeler returned, that’s when it all changed.
Aaron Nola – I’m not going to get down on a guy that asked for the ball on short rest when the team needed someone to step up. Nola may have gotten blitzed in that start Saturday night, but good on him for wanting to do something to help the team. His resurgence this season was one of the reasons they are still playing baseball. Imagine if he was the bad version of Nola. Does this team make the playoffs at all?
Bryson Stott – The only bat worthy of this tier, Stott was good this week, boosted by his 3 for 3 performance on Sunday. While it will be how the stars fare against the Braves that determines if they are able to advance to meet the Dodgers, the complimentary bats like Stott and Alec Bohm also have to show something of a pulse if they expect to do anything.
Three down
Jose Alvarado – Let’s ask the true question when it comes to Alvarado: was Saturday night the final time we see him in a Phillies uniform? One can argue that there really is no reason to pitch him in the playoffs outside of a mop up appearance. Tanner Banks and Tim Mayza are more than likely ahead of him on the left handed pecking order if a southpaw is needed in the next week, so there really is no reason to call on him when the game is on the line. He might still have decent stuff (I’d argue he doesn’t), but the absolute loss of knowing where that stuff is going means he cannot be put into leverage situations, situations that abound in the playoffs. He was good when they needed him to be, but his time here is at an end.
J.T. Realmuto – Yes he had the big hit Sunday, arguably the biggest one, but boy is he bad right now. One could spin it in a positive direction and say he had bad luck, but that would be strictly looking at data and not watching with your eyes. He is not right at the plate.
Alec Bohm – Another that really isn’t swinging a good bat either, Bohm might be the key to the lineup outside of the big three. Hitting behind that trio, especially against Chris Sale, Bohm is going to have to have a key hit or two if they have a chance to steal Game 1.
Another installment of Yankees-Red Sox in October? Yes, please!
For the seventh time, these familiar rivals meet in the playoffs and, if the past is any indication, we’re due for more history, another slice of perma-angst for at least one fanbase, and maybe a new pejorative nickname or two.
In this best-of-three AL Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium, both teams must cope with injuries to huge hitters. Will Aaron Judge make the Yankee roster? Willson Contreras returned to the Red Sox lineup Sunday after missing eight games, but he’s got a bruised right hand that could hinder his thump.
Runs could be at a premium, because both teams have sharp pitching staffs. The Yanks (93-68) had the best starter ERA in baseball and the Red Sox (87-75) recorded the best bullpen ERA.
It may all come down to who melts in the October cauldron. Or who soars.
Each team has won three of the previous postseason meetings, so perhaps we can consider this a "Game 7" scenario? And nothing interesting ever happens in a Game 7, right?
It’s so on.
WHAT THE YANKEES HAVE GOING FOR THEM
Judge usually leads this department, but he’s iffy with a calf injury. He’s pledged to be on the roster, but even if he is, can he be impactful?
With that swirling, the Yanks’ strength is clearly their starting rotation, led by Game 1 starter Cam Schlittler, the Massachusetts kid who shreds the Sox. You can expect the Twit-wits of New England to seethe at him on social media, but Schlittler seems built to handle online smoke.
And he can certainly handle the mound. Schlittler, who will win the AL Cy Young Award after an amazing regular season, allowed one run or fewer in 21 of his 33 starts and became the fourth Yankee starter to finish a season with a sub-2.00 ERA (1.95). Over his last nine starts, he pitched to a 1.17 ERA.
Schlittler had a 0.74 ERA against Boston in four starts this season, and you might remember a certain October outing last year in which he was overpowering for eight shutout innings as the Yanks dispatched the Sox in a winner-take-all Game 3.
The Yanks weighed whether Schlittler should start the first or second game — overthink much, Yankee braintrust? — before making the obvious choice. They’re loaded in Game 2, too, when Max Fried (2.80 ERA in 20 starts) goes.
If Game 3 is necessary, Gerrit Cole will start. Cole has had some blips this season. But he’s been good his last two starts. Plus, it’s Gerrit Cole.
The rotation is backed by a bullpen that had a strong regular season as Paul Blackburn (1.69 ERA) and Brent Headrick (2.18) emerged behind closer David Bednar. Will Warren will move from the rotation to the bullpen and could provide key length. Going into Game 1, the Yanks will have had three consecutive days off, thanks to last weekend’s Nor’easter, and the rest might mitigate some of the relief workload concerns that have bloomed late.
With Judge only playing 66 games, Ben Rice (41 homers, .897 OPS) was the key cog in an offense that was eighth in runs per game (4.59).
Aug 9, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) pitches in the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Yankee Stadium. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
WHAT THE RED SOX HAVE GOING FOR THEM
Boston has both the best bullpen in baseball by ERA (3.00) and enough quality starters — Payton Tolle, Sonny Gray, and Ranger Suárez — to make things very difficult for the Yankees.
The Yankees never seemed to know what to do with Gray when he was a Yankee from 2017-18, but he’s been terrific everywhere else and tied for the MLB lead with 18 wins this year and had a 2.72 ERA. The mustachioed Tolle, a lefty who pitches with a nifty joie de vivre, allowed one run and four hits over 13 innings in two starts against the Yanks. Suarez, another lefty, had a 3.22 ERA during the regular season, but the Yankees bashed him (6.06 ERA in three outings).
Without Judge, the Yanks’ lineup tilts too left-handed, which theoretically should make them vulnerable to lefty starters. But they were 35-20 in games started by a left-hander.
The Boston rotation usually features Garrett Crochet, who put the Yankees on the brink of a quick exit last October with a masterful Game 1 performance. But after an injury-plagued year, he won’t start in this series. Problem is, he could be part of the Sox bullpen arsenal, which is already lethal.
Ageless closer Aroldis Chapman (remember him?) is still dishing heat and hard looks. He had 35 saves, a 1.92 ERA and a 12.4 K/9. Garrett Whitlock, whom the Sox plucked from the Yankees in the 2020 Rule 5 Draft, has a 1.72 ERA. The Red Sox bullpen gave up the fewest home runs of any relief corps in the majors this year.
THE YANKEES WILL WIN THE SERIES IF…
Their rotation continues to thrive and their power plays. The Yankees hit 223 home runs during the regular season, second in MLB to only the Houston Astros, despite missing Judge for so long. Home runs can dwindle in October, but they can also wreck a series, and if Rice slugs, watch out. If he doesn’t, there were 10 other Yankees who hit double-digit home runs this season and that doesn’t include Luis García Jr., who hit seven of his 30 with the Yanks after a deadline trade from Washington.
Could Giancarlo Stanton finally return from injury and hit a big October laser? He’s done it before.
Of course, as any Yankee fan will tell you, the pinstriped offense sometimes sputters if the ball isn’t soaring out of the park. But they’re capable of the speed game, too, after finishing sixth in stolen bases. Jazz Chisholm, Jr. had 41 steals and José Caballero added 34, so perhaps they can manufacture runs if their lightning sags.
THE RED SOX WILL WIN THE SERIES IF…
Yanks-Sox is fertile ground for a mega breakout (see Schlittler, Cam, from last October) and one of the most talented players on either team is Roman Anthony, the 22-year-old Red Sox outfielder. He’s had an injury-marred season but this might be his chance. Anthony had a 1.008 OPS over his final eight games. What if he goes bonkers at the Stadium?
As noted, the Red Sox can really pitch. And they play strong defense, too — they were sixth-best in Baseball Savant’s Fielding Run Value. Can they score enough, though, especially if their best hitter, Contreras (.901 OPS) is compromised? Will Anthony help provide the answer?
Caption: May 19, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice (22) celebrates with right fielder Aaron Judge (99) after hitting a two run home run in the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
PREDICTION
Yankees in three.
This is rivalry business, so there’s little chance of a sweep. Each team will face the brink, but the Yankees will shove the Red Sox over it by, well, shoving. Pitching, we mean.
The Red Sox averaged the second-fewest runs (4.25) of any playoff team and they’ll have a hard time plating enough against the Yanks.
The Yankees are comfortable at the Stadium, where they were 46-34 this season and 4-2 against the Red Sox, including winning three of four in late August.
Is that real intel or real insignificant? We’ll see, but it’s compelling that the Yankees blew out the Sox twice in that series and also won a 1-0 game that was started by, you guessed it — Schlittler.
The four-time NBA champion made his first public appearance at the 76ers media day on Monday, Sept. 28 at the team's training facility in Camden, New Jersey. James reportedly had several other suitors interested in adding him to their respective rosters, including the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors.
He ultimately chose the Sixers and signed a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option. In Philadelphia, the NBA superstar will look to lead the franchise past the second round of the NBA playoffs for the first time in two decades alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown, the latter whom the 76ers traded for in the offseason.
USA TODAY Sports is on-site and providing live coverage of James' first media day with the 76ers. Here are some of the notable quotes from the 76ers' media day:
LeBron makes joke at start of 76ers news conference
As LeBron took the podium for his news conference, the 22-time NBA All-Star began with a joke as he removed his name tag from the table.
Why did LeBron James choose the 76ers? Relationship with Tyrese Maxey
How did James settle on the Sixers? Here's his response:
"I had a list of five teams that I was interested in. I saw my agent on his podcast and saw his whiteboard. I love him to death. He had his whiteboard, and he had all his LeBron teams up there. So I had a group of teams that I was interested in. And I have a really, really good, great relationship with Tyrese (Maxey). We talked a lot, and I kind of picked his brain a lot, not only about where he sees his career going, how he sees the franchise here, and how much he believes in the franchise. And if I was to come here, how does he see me fitting in? Do we think it'd be a plus, or do we think it'd be a negative?
"Because I understand my personality and what comes with me. Sometimes it can be a negative. I understand some people maybe can't handle what I may bring to the table and I was just asking all the questions that I could ask him and it wasn't just one conversation. But I think our relationship (and) when I broke a lot of the teams down, when I broke a lot of the franchises down that I could possibly play for, he was one of the main deciding factors."
Here's what James said about playing alongside Embiid and helping him in Philadelphia:
"Got to get here first. Not even one day in being in the facility. I am just looking forward to obviously seeing what his process is as well. Joel is one of the most talented guys that we have in the world, and obviously we all know that for him it's just been about health. How can he stay healthy to be the best version of himself? Be the best version of himself to be the best version of us as a team?
"I've seen him put in a lot of work on his body, putting a lot of work in his game, a lot of work on his mental season. That is a big upside, not only for us as his teammates, but I guarantee it is for him. I don't want to speak for him. You guys have talked to him, but I guarantee that's a good feeling for him."
What LeBron James said about retirement
How many more years does James have left? He spoke on that and how his contract in Philadelphia is set up, where there's a player option for next season:
"I'm just looking at it every single day on how I can be the best version of myself for this franchise while I'm here. I can't speak into the future right now. I think that would be doing a disservice to myself. Just living in the moment, especially knowing that I am where I am in my career. Me trying to focus on what the future looks like would be like, I wouldn't be giving myself grace. I'm more in the present now, understanding that I'm in Year 24. It won't be another Year-plus 24, you know what I'm saying? It's just like being in the moment and just seeing what happens."
What LeBron James said about role with 76ers
What will James' role be in Nick Nurse's system? His response:
"Whatever the team needs me to do. I think the luxury of my game is that I can do everything. Literally, I can do everything."
The Sixers haven't made it out of the second round of the NBA playoffs since 2001, when Allen Iverson led them to the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. With a star-studded lineup that includes others such as Maxey, Embiid, Brown and VJ Edgecombe, how does James see expediting the chemistry with the group?
He noted that while it will "take time," the best ways to expedite it are times before practice, film sessions, bus and plane rides, and falling in love with "doing things that's uncomfortable."
That said, James made his expectations known: He wouldn't have come to Philadelphia if he didn't think the 76ers had championship expectations.
"I didn't leave my family to lose in the second round," James said.
James said he's excited to be a part of the "vibe" in Philadelphia as he gets acclimated with his new city. He mentioned that the Philadelphia sports fans know "ball" and that they'll hold players accountable "if you're not doing what you're supposed to do."
So, what's been his experience with 76ers fans in the past as a visitor, and how is he expecting his relationship to change now as a member of the City of Brotherly Love?
"It's been both," James said of his relationship in the past with Philadelphia fans. "It's been like, 'Okay, we respect the way you play the game because we know the game and we know the history of the game and we see so many players play, but we hate you. You're not with us, we hate you.' And I love that. I actually really love it. I really thrive under that circumstance.
"But yeah, it's always been mutual respect with myself and the Philly fans, and we'll be on the same side now guys. I need a little hate, so I hope we can just get some people that's not real Philly fans, and we just put them in the crowd so I can just get that attention. But it's been great. ... I actually came here in high school as well and played at The Palestra my senior year, and it was that same type of atmosphere."
James' first official game as a Sixer will come on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at Madison Square Garden when the Sixers open up the 2026-27 NBA season against the defending NBA champion New York Knicks. His first home game will be Thursday, Oct. 22 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, one of James' former teams.
Several former Buffalo Sabres players hit the waiver wire on Sep. 27, as Henri Jokiharju, Sam Lafferty, Ilya Lyubushkin, and Vinne Hinostroza have all been waived by their current clubs.
With the Boston Bruins having a crowded blueline, Jokiharju has become the odd man. The former Sabres defenseman appeared in 41 games last season for Boston, where he recorded two goals, 15 points, and a plus-2 rating.
Lafferty was placed on waivers by the Florida Panthers after signing with them this off-season. This comes after the former Sabres forward recorded one goal and one assist in 29 games with the Chicago Blackhawks last season.
Lyubushkin being placed on waivers comes after the Nashville Predators acquired him from the Dallas Stars during the summer. The former Sabres defenseman recorded one goal, nine points, 68 hits, and a plus-1 rating in 53 games last season for Dallas.
As for Hinostroza, he has been waived by the Colorado Avalanche. The 32-year-old forward split last season between the Minnesota Wild and Florida Panthers, where he recorded six goals and 18 points in 65 games.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 14: Cincinnati Reds principal owner Bob Castellini looks on during a memorial ceremony for former player Pete Rose on Pete Rose Night prior to a baseball game between the Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on May 14, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds just wrapped up the 21st regular season since the above note was penned by the then-new ownership group. It was a five-point plan built on the back of nebulous subjectivity aside from the one concrete declaration emboldened at the top – We will bring championship baseball to Cincinnati.
After 21 seasons, there are only two ways with which you can grade that singular, objective declaration. The ownership group, spearheaded by the Castellini family, is either officially lying, or officially a failure.
By no definition of championship baseball have they approached achieving said goal. Even if you squint, reduce the assertion to the divisional level, and parse through the annals of baseball history, you need to go back fourteen seasons to even find the Reds atop their own. There have been no World Series appearances, let alone titles. There have been no National League Championship Series claimed, and zero appearances there. They have not won a playoff series since back in 1995, which also coincides with the last time the team actually won a home playoff game in their own park.
Cincinnati hasn’t won a playoff game in Cincinnati in 31 years. Frank Viola turned 66 years old this year, and that 66 year old man played on the team that last won a playoff game in Cincinnati – in a stadium that was reduced to rubble 25 years ago.
This is not rekindling the Reds Nation spirit. This is the literal definition of resting while we are unhappy.
They have built one of the least respected organizations in baseball.
Sandis Vilmanis wasn't a first-round pick, nor does he come from a country with a rich hockey history, but all he's done is put his head down and work.
Before the Florida Panthers drafted him in the fifth round (157th overall) of the 2022 NHL draft, Vilmanis moved from Latvia, where he was born, to Sweden to play hockey. After being selected, he moved to Canada to play in the OHL. After two impressive seasons, he joined the Charlotte Checkers and continued to impress the organization.
Now entering the 2026-27 season, Vilmanis is preparing to not only make the opening night lineup but also play in the top nine alongside Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen.
"I think he's a top-9 player all day long," said coach Paul Maurice of Vilmanis. "We don't have to wait three years for him to be impactful. ... He's got enough in his game right now for me to just play him. ... I've got lots of faith in that young man."
It's high praise, but Vilmanis deserves it.
In his rookie AHL season in 2024-25, Vilmanis posted nine goals and 27 points, while showing defensive responsibility and physicality. In his sophomore season, Vilmanis' play warranted an NHL call-up.
He notched 17 goals and 38 points in 48 AHL games, but more importantly, he scored three goals and added five points in the 19 NHL games he skated in.
His NHL role was that of a fourth-liner, but he was impactful. According to NaturalStatTrick.com, he posted a Corsi For percentage of 53.73 percent and an expected goals percentage of 55.04 percent at 5-on-5. The Panthers were even in goals for, at 7-7.
In addition to his on-ice analytics, the 22-year-old took 15 shots on goal, threw 38 hits, and blocked five shots while averaging 10:23 of ice time.
His NHL performance warranted a look during training camp, but the 6-foot-1, 192-pound left-handed winger continued to improve with a stellar performance at the World Championship. He scored four goals and led Latvia in points with 11 in just eight games. His 11 points ranked tied for fifth with NHL stars like Nico Hischier, Lucas Raymond, Timo Meier, and his Panthers teammate and captain, Aleksander Barkov.
The Panthers' third line matters more than most NHL teams' third lines. Lundell and Luostarinen are critical to the Panthers' defensive game, both at 5-on-5 and on the penalty kill. They take plenty of defensive zone draws, as without Barkov last year, Lundell and Luostarinen had the most defensive zone starts on the team, despite Lundell missing 18 games and Luostarinen missing nine.
Vilmanis will need to produce offensively alongside the Panthers' Finnish duo and be potent and responsible defensively. It's a fairly large ask for a 22-year-old still on an entry-level contract, but Maurice clearly holds Vilmanis in high regard and believes he is ready for the role.
When Marchand returns and if the Panthers' lineup is healthy, where Vilmanis plays will be interesting to monitor, but for now, all Vilmanis can do is make that decision difficult.
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NEW YORK - JUNE 12: John Starks #3 of the New York Knicks prepares to make a move against Vernon Maxwell #11 of the Houston Rockets during Game Three of the NBA Finals played on June 12, 1994 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges 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 1994 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Another week closer to Knicks basketball, rejoice.
Welcome back to the 53-year retrospective series that we began last week with the aftermath of the Golden Era Knicks. In Part II today, we relive the 1990s, the closest that the Knicks ever came to raising another Larry O’Brien Trophy.
For fans of a certain age, it created wounds that never quite healed until this group got it done in June. By the time Patrick Ewing was out the door in 2001, the sheer size of the drought started to become something real and tangible. The doubt of “Are they ever going to win again?” starts to creep in.
It was overall a banner decade for Knicks basketball, and one that deserves remembering. Unfortunately, this series only covers the bad, but maybe you can remember the good amidst it. Let’s get into it:
Trading Rod Strickland For Maurice Cheeks (1990)
Oh, look, another one of the worst trades in Knicks history!
Strickland was a solid backup point guard in his first year and a half in the league, but was blocked by Mark Jackson, the 1988 Rookie of the Year and an All-Star in 1989. The Knicks, who were now contending, were thinking about getting to the next level, so they traded a young guard who was blocked for a 33-year-old veteran who could fit the role better as one of the league’s best defensive guards.
Cheeks, an NBA champion in Philly in 1983 and again as an assistant on this year’s staff, played a total of 107 games as a Knick, averaging eight points and five assists while adequately raising his game in the postseason. He was shipped out prior to 1991-92 for a pick that became Charlie Ward before retiring a year later. The player they got was fine, but they definitely could’ve used Strickland.
Jackson had a ceiling as a Knick, one that he reached quite early and that led to his departure after 1991-92. Strickland, meanwhile, would become a great starting guard in San Antonio and Portland, eventually averaging 19 points and nine assists in his prime during the mid-to-late 90s.
I wonder if an offensively challenged Knicks team, one that relied on gritty defense without a true point guard and had to rely on John Starks to provide playmaking, could’ve used a guy like Strickland in their deep playoff runs to come.
Interesting inflection point: does this trade happen if Al Bianchi left the Knicks in 1989 instead of Rick Pitino?
The Disastrous 1990-91 Season
The 1991 Knicks were built around a 28-year-old Patrick Ewing, 27-year-old Charles Oakley, a 25-year-old Mark Jackson, a 27-year-old Gerald Wilkins, and veterans like Kiki Vandeweghe and Mo Cheeks. While they weren’t old by any means, they weren’t young enough to excuse a steep drop-off, but that’s what happened in 1991.
They won 52 games in the last year under Pitino, 45 in the first year under Stu Jackson, and went below .500 in 1990-91. Complete disaster.
Jackson lasted just 15 games into 90-91 before being replaced by John McLeod, who had 15 years of head coaching experience with Phoenix (who made the NBA Finals in 1976) and Dallas. He didn’t quite steady the ship, as the Knicks stumbled to as low as 22-31 in late February, but they did rebound to get to 39 wins and sneak into the playoffs.
Was making the playoffs worth it? Probably not, as Michael Jordan and the Bulls made quick work of the Knicks in the first round en route to their first title, but at least nobody’s career changed for the worst because of this season? About that…
After two terrific seasons under Pitino, Mark Jackson was never the same when he left. He started the next season out of shape; he didn’t fit the coaching style of Stu Jackson, and the flash he had on offense gave way to dreadful defense, causing the Garden crowd to turn on him. It wasn’t long until he was gone, shipped out for Doc Rivers and Charles Smith in September 1992.
Speaking of Charles Smith…
Charles Smith Can’t Buy A Layup (1993 ECF, Game 5)
The Knicks landed their white whale as head coach after that terrible 1991 season, bringing in a guy who would restore competence to the franchise: Pat Riley. After building the team back to 51 wins and a trip to the second round that ended in a seven-game defeat to Jordan, the Knicks were back on the right path.
In 1992-93, they went into hyperspeed. 60 wins for the first time since 1969-70. The No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Home-court advantage until the NBA Finals. 20 years after the most recent championship, this had all the makings of a rebirth.
Ewing finished top five in both MVP and DPOY voting. Anthony Mason was the Sixth Man of the Year runner-up. Both John Starks and Charles Oakley got downballot DPOY votes. They breezed past the Pacers and Hornets, going 7-2 in the first two series to advance to their first Eastern Conference Finals since 1974.
Of course, they had to get through the back-to-back champion Bulls, the team that had eliminated them in three of the past four seasons.
But something felt different this time. Unlike in 1989, the Knicks took advantage of home court and won two close games at home to head to Chicago with a 2-0 lead. Now, they proceeded to lose both games at the United Center, but do the math. Just keep winning games at the World’s Most Famous Arena, and you’d be in the NBA Finals.
That takes us to Game 5, where both teams are stuck in a gritty, tightly contested battle. Ewing has 33 points; Jordan and Scottie Pippen have combined for 57. The Knicks led in the final 90 seconds, but faced a deficit after a BJ Armstrong corner three with 1:16 to go.
Charles Smith got a chance to tie the game at the line with 52.8 to go, but he split the foul shots. No biggie, though, as Ewing swatted Stacey King’s jumper to force a shot clock violation with 27 seconds left. One more chance, down by one.
Starks brought it up, gave it off to Ewing, who shoveled it into Smith with 14 seconds left, 10 on the shot clock. The 6’10” former All-Rookie forward was having a good game as part of a solid year where he averaged 12.4 points and 5.4 rebounds. When he had the ball at the rim, it wasn’t automatic by any means, but he was able to score; this wasn’t a guy who couldn’t put the ball in the basket.
Yet, the powers that be didn’t let him score.
Fans in the Garden and around the world watched in agony over the next nine seconds as he missed four different layup attempts, with three being blocked. The weird hitch when he went up for a layup allowed the Bulls to swarm and consistently deflect it. The angles he attempted them from were odd, he kept trying to gather the ball at his hip instead of tapping it in. He never drew any contact.
This is something unimaginable to happen today, where forwards are explicitly taught to attack the offensive glass in traffic like a tip drill. Nobody told Smith this, and the Bulls found a way to win in baffling fashion. The Knicks, deflated after that inexplicable way to lose, lost by eight in Chicago two days later to once again be left as the Eastern Conference’s bridesmaid.
If only they could make Michael Jordan disappear…
John Starks Bombs The Biggest Game Of His Life (1994 NBA Finals, Game 7)
They made Michael Jordan disappear. Following his father’s death, Jordan retired to try out baseball, which opened the Eastern Conference back up to any team that had been stuck in their shadows.
What about the team they had eliminated four of the past five years?
Looking to grab the opportunity by the horns, the Knicks won 57 games in 1993-94, tying the Hawks for the East’s best record. Ewing was brilliant again along the way, getting another top-five MVP finish.
It wasn’t easy to get to where they wanted to be. After rolling past the Nets in the first round, they had to conquer their demons with the Pippen-led Bulls in the second round. They got deja vu with another one-point deficit in Game 5 of a 2-2 series at home, but a sign of shifting tides occurred.
While Smith couldn’t even draw a foul amidst being repeatedly smothered by Pippen in 1993, they won the game after Hubert Davis was fouled by Pippen on a jumper with two seconds left, with Davis making both free throws to take the lead and the win.
All that was in the way of ending this drought early was Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets. When the Knicks took a 3-2 series lead back to Houston, they could smell it.
It was at the tip of their fingers in Game 6. Down 86-84 in the final seconds, the red-hot John Starks unleashed a three from the elbow at the buzzer, only for The Dream to get a finger on it to force a Game 7. That close to a Kris Jenkins-esque buzzer-beater to win it all.
Oh well, on to Game 7. As you might expect from the ‘94 Knicks, it was a low-scoring affair. As usual, they were effectively even into the fourth quarter, with the Rockets leading 63-60. It was still anybody’s game.
The one guy who’s game it wasn’t? Starks, who was a leading contender for NBA Finals MVP until his horrific night. One of the best shooters on the team and the all-time Knicks leader in three-pointers, he was ice cold all night long. Shot after shot refused to go in, and even worse, Riley kept him in there. This wasn’t like keeping Jalen Brunson in when he’s 4-for-17; there were actually alternatives to go to!
Houston slowly pulled away in the fourth, but the Knicks were still in range. Down six with 40 seconds left, Starks once again heaved up a desperation three, his ninth of the game, no good. After a jump ball was called on the fight for the rebound, the Knicks won the tip, and Ewing handed it off to Starks for another three: clank.
Otis Thorpe did miss two free throws on the other end, which still kept the Knicks theoretically alive, but you’ll never guess the play they ran with a six-point deficit and 31 seconds to go.
Yep, another Starks three. It was rushed at the top of the key and wasn’t even close. Airball. Rockets ball. Game over. Series over. Season over. Starks finished 2-for-18 from the field and 0-for-11 from three. In his entire career, he would never again make fewer than two 3s in a game in which he attempted 11.
In layman’s terms, the best shooter in franchise history picked the biggest game of his life and the biggest game in franchise history for a 50-year window to have the worst game of his life. If LolKnicks could be conceived anywhere, it’s here. If you dare, you can relive the harrowing final minute below:
Reggie Miller Puts His Name In Knicks Infamy (1995 ECSF, Game 1)
There was still no Michael Jordan to deal with (until the playoffs, that is), so the Knicks entered the 1994-95 season as definitive Eastern Conference favorites. They could smell it last year; there was no reason they couldn’t finish the job this year.
The Knicks once again won 55 games, but it was only good enough for the No. 2 seed this time behind the surging Orlando Magic. Because of that, they were stuck on the Pacers’ side of the bracket for the third consecutive year. After beating them in 1993 and 1994, this had become a defining Eastern Conference rivalry, but one that Indiana needed to finally win to make this feel less lopsided.
The Knicks got off on the right foot in 1994 with a 2-0 lead, and even after losing the next three (including Reggie Miller’s first Knicks antagonist moment), they rebounded to win the next two. This year, they seemed to be getting off to a solid start with a strong fourth quarter, taking a 105-99 lead into the final 20 seconds.
While Indiana certainly had the firepower to make it interesting, their leading scorer, Rik Smits, with 34, had fouled out. They still did have one guy: good ol’ Reggie.
Off the inbound, Miller banged a triple to cut it to 105-102 with 16 seconds to go. Off the inbound, Miller picked off an errant pass from Anthony Mason, stepped behind the line, and hit another three to tie the game. Six points in four seconds. Ouch.
Fortunately, the Pacers committed a terrible take foul to put Starks, a career 76% free throw shooter, at the line for the lead with 13 seconds left. They’d have to get a stop on the other end, but they were gift-wrapped the lead.
Starks missed both free throws. Ewing grabbed the board and missed a jumper in the paint. Miller grabbed the rebound and draw an accidental foul from Mason with eight seconds left. Absolute disaster.
Reggie hit both free throws, completing his memorable eight points in nine seconds. On the mad dash up the court, Greg Anthony stumbled on the wing and the buzzer sounded with him on the ground, shielding the ball from a Pacers’ defender.
As someone who didn’t watch this sequence but saw what happened 30 years later, this was 100% worse. These final 20 seconds were some of the most mind-bogglingly bad basketball I’ve seen a team of professionals play.
Patrick Ewing’s Missed Finger Roll (1995 ECSF, Game 7)
Game 1 was more than enough to haunt Knicks fans for decades, but there was one more moment in this series that forever went down in infamy.
The Knicks rebounded and won Game 2 convincingly behind 24 from Derek Harper. While we’re at it, let’s talk about Game 3, which was also really bad.
The Knicks led 87-77 with under five minutes to go. From there, Indiana took advantage of Ewing and Smith fouling out to pull within two in the final minute before Smits tied it with a jumper with 35 seconds left.
The game went to overtime, where the Knicks tried their best to undo Game 1 with an improbable late comeback of their own, but Charles Oakley missed a potential game-winning three at the buzzer.
The Pacers won Game 4 by 14 to go up 3-1, but the reigning Eastern Conference champions didn’t know how to quit. Ewing nailed a game-winning shot at the rim to stave off elimination in Game 5 before putting up 25 and 15 to drag the Knicks to Game 7 with a thrilling win at Market Square Arena.
It set up Game 7 for the second straight year between the two rivals, with the winner going on to face Shaq and the Magic. The Pacers scored 34 in the first, but were dragged into the typical low-scoring bout that embodied 90s basketball. Still, they led by five with 45 seconds left and the ball.
A turnover, a three by Starks, and a miss on the other end gave the Knicks the ball, trailing by two with five seconds left. Every play in the book on the board.
Harper inbounded the ball to Ewing, standing at the top of the key and being double-teamed. As the team’s heart and soul, he was taking the last shot. No ifs, ands, or buts. He split his way through, dove down the lane, and rose up for a game-tying finger roll in the final two seconds in his home gym to force OT in Game 7.
It’s a shot he’s made hundreds or even thousands of times in his career. As a seven-foot big man, this is the shot he makes his money on. You don’t average 25 a game for your career and be the No. 1 option on a perennial contender if you can’t hit this shot. He won Game 5 like this, it’s no big deal… right?
An unimaginable miss. A career-defining miss. One of the several things that get replayed in fans’ heads when they wonder why he retired as one of the NBA’s best all-time ringless players.
Ewing would never have this good a chance to play for a championship again. He was almost 33 years old. By the time the Knicks made the Finals again, he was four years older and reduced to street clothes due to an Achilles tear.
It makes you feel so happy that he was around for the title in June, even if he won’t be there to celebrate on Ring Night as an assistant down in Washington. He deserved every minute of finally feeling like a champion after moments like these likely kept him up at night for decades.
Pat Riley Bolts For South Beach (1995)
It really felt like the Knicks had soiled their best chance at a championship by the time they finished licking their wounds from the ‘95 season. MJ was back and gearing up for another three-peat. They now had to deal with the rising stars in Indiana and Orlando. They were aging. The window wasn’t closed at all, but it was shrinking.
When things begin to look bleak, beware of people in the background trying to slip out the back door.
Four years into his tenure in New York, Pat Riley wanted to be compensated like the franchise-changing coach he was. He wanted organizational control, a significant pay raise, and a new title: President of Basketball Operations. He wanted to supersede Ernie Grunfeld, the architect of the roster.
MSG President Dave Checketts did offer Riley a five-year, $15 million extension, one that would double his salary and make him the league’s highest-paid coach, but he refused to give him that new title. He refused to even entertain a proposal for an ownership stake.
All this time, things were falling apart behind the scenes. The locker room was unraveling. Excerpts from the book Blood in the Gardenrevealed that Riley called longtime friend Dick Butera one hour after the Game 7 loss and said he was done in New York. That put the move to Miami in motion.
Now, if he really wanted to leave, he probably wouldn’t have demanded everything he did from Miami. 10 years and $50 million, the POBO role, a 10% ownership share that would eventually grow to 20%, homes in LA and NYC, limo service, etc. This was a full-on shakedown by an elite coach trying to take advantage of a new owner with a recent expansion franchise.
As we now know, he was successful. On June 15, just 25 days after the Knicks’ season ended and one day after the Rockets won the NBA Finals, Riley faxed in his resignation. For the second time in six years, a Knicks coach abruptly resigned after a difficult-to-stomach playoff loss.
By September, he was being introduced as the next coach of the Miami Heat, a team that would soon be just as big a thorn in the Knicks’ side as the Bulls or Pacers.
The Struggles Replacing Riley (1995-96)
It was a disaster trying to replace Pitino in 1989, and even with a new man in charge in 1995, it was equally rough when Riley left.
The first choice was Chuck Daly, the head coach of the Bad Boys Pistons and the 1992 Dream Team, who hadn’t coached since leaving the Nets in 1994. The Hall of Fame coach would’ve fit the team’s gritty identity to a T, but the two sides were financially apart, and Daly just wasn’t ready to coach again.
They couldn’t afford to dwell on it long, but in an odd twist, they elected to go in the complete opposite direction, hiring former Warriors offensive savant Don Nelson. There’s merit to thinking that a team with a defensive identity could use someone to give them an offensive jolt, but that would require obtaining more players to fit the scheme.
That just didn’t happen. It wasn’t going to happen with the aging Ewing. He and the rest of the roster never bought into his scheme, and the last straw seemed to be when he proposed trading Ewing to make a run at Shaq in free agency, who was ready to leave small-town Orlando for the bright lights of… somewhere. I don’t think New York would be more enticing than Tinseltown, but in another life, maybe Don Nelson’s plan worked.
The Knicks reversed course midseason and went back to the gritty, hard-nosed playstyle they were known for under longtime assistant Jeff Van Gundy, who was nearly poached by Riley back in September 1995, but got a chance to lead a franchise just six months later.
The Brawl That Ended the ‘97 Season (1997 ECSF, Game 5)
In a perfect world, the Knicks and Riley could’ve just gone their separate ways. Unfortunately, the arrival of Riley brought about the birth of a new powerhouse in South Florida, one that would be a pain in the ass for the Knicks during the home stretch of the Ewing era.
The 1996 season was doomed from the start and ended about as you’d expect: a five-game series defeat to MJ and the Bulls in the second round. With a full season of Van Gundy restoring a Riley-esque identity, the Knicks soared to 57 wins in the ‘97 season, but only managed the No. 3 seed in a stacked East.
They swept Charlotte in the first round, but it would be the 61-win Heat in the second round that they’d have to face in their first crack at Riley as an opponent. At least to start, it’d appear they’d have the first laugh.
27 points from Allan Houston allowed the Knicks to steal Game 1 in Miami, and while the Heat evened things up a few nights later, the Knicks would rebound to survive a 77-73 slog in Game 3 before a 13-point win in Game 4 put them on the verge with a 3-1 lead. At the time, only five teams had ever come back from that deficit, and there was no indication that the Heat would be No. 6.
Game 5 would go to Miami, but it would be the theatrics in the final two minutes that would go down in history. A spat between Alonzo Mourning and Charles Oakley would lead to the latter being ejected, but that was just the appetizer to the disaster that would soon unfold.
PJ Brown, loosely involved in the spat a few seconds earlier, would soon get into it with Charlie Ward, who instigated with an extremely hard and unnecessary boxout on a free throw attempt. Brown, significantly larger than the ex-Heisman winner, flipped him like a 10-year-old and started a full-on brawl in the camera area.
Those two getting suspended would be all well and good, but the Knicks made a critical error. Ever notice that coaches hold back players on the bench any time there’s pushing and shoving on the court? If a player leaves the bench, they are automatically suspended with no exceptions, even in a heated playoff series. Despite not contributing much to the violence, four of the Knicks’ best players left the bench.
It’d be bad enough if they weren’t available for Game 6 at MSG, but the NBA instead spread the suspensions out. They’d be without Ewing, Houston, and Ward in Game 6, which the Knicks would lose 95-90, and be without Larry Johnson and Starks in Game 7 back in Miami, which they’d lose 101-90.
In a nasty series between two teams that played in very similar fashion, the Knicks lost because their players left the bench and were suspended. While entirely self-inflicted, the fact that they mostly attempted to play peacemaker and didn’t add to the brawl made it unnecessary. They likely weren’t getting through the Bulls in the ECF, so maybe this just saved another humiliation ritual at the hands of Chicago, but it’s still a sore point for the 90s Knicks.
Drafting Frédéric Weis (1999)
If you ever scroll through the recent history of NBA drafts, you’ll see a bunch of second-round picks that never played in the NBA for a variety of reasons. Some are just throwaway Eurostashes, some just don’t work out due to the very clear flaws they had pre-draft, but no matter what, it never cripples a franchise.
First-round picks, no matter how much they end up sucking, always get to play at some point. Since 2000, only four first-round picks have never suited up in an NBA game, headlined by the 2005 No. 11 pick Fran Vazquez. He is the only top-20 pick of the bunch, so you might ask, who’s the second most recent?
With Ewing entering his age-37 season and recovering from an Achilles injury, the Knicks had to plan for the future. They still had aspirations to win with their increasingly dwindling window, but at some point, you have to acknowledge that it doesn’t last forever.
They had choices when the No. 15 pick came up in the 1999 draft after a very disappointing season. James Posey, Andrei Kirilenko, and Jeff Foster were all decade-long veterans on the board, but the real prize was the New York kid: Ron Artest. Born in Queensbridge and coming out of St. John’s, it was an easy pick to make.
So, of course, they decided to take a swing on a 7’2” giant from France, Frédéric Weis, instead. Worrying about positional need in the NBA is not good business, and they elected to pass on a hometown hero who would go on to be one of the league’s most defining personalities for a decade-plus, for a man who would never don the orange and blue.
This disaster was orchestrated by interim general manager Ed Tapscott, who reportedly vetoed the sentiment in the room of guys who wanted Artest. Hell, Van Gundy didn’t even want Weis! It was a mess from the start. Weis returned to France for 1999-2000 instead of signing a standard contract, and everything changed about his perception on September 25, 2000, when this happened at the Summer Olympics:
The Dunk of Death immortalized Vince Carter as a generation-defining star and Weis as a foreign clown. The Knicks, under new management after hiring a new full-time executive, Scott Layden, never expressed interest in getting Weis to come over from Europe.
He would play through 2011, during which he attempted suicide in 2008 and eventually had his “draft rights” traded for the man who he was picked to replace…’s son.
The Patrick Ewing Trade (2000)
The final years of the Ewing era were sad and drawn out.
In 1998, the Knicks fell to just 43 wins and lost in five games to the Pacers in the second round after getting revenge on Miami in Round 1. Things didn’t get much better in the lockout-shortened ‘99 season… until the playoffs.
The 1v8 upset against the Heat and a sweep over the Hawks launched another battle with the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, but the entire vibe of this team completely shifted when their star, Ewing, blew out his Achilles in Game 2. The underdog Knicks would rally to make the NBA Finals, but stood no chance against Tim Duncan and David Robinson with Ewing in street clothes.
At this point, it ceased being his team. Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston, both acquired in great trades late in the Grunfeld era, defined that memorable playoff run. 15 years into his tenure and nearing his 40th birthday, Ewing was being pushed aside. The Knicks were unceremoniously swept in the 2000 ECF rematch against the Pacers, after which came an inflection point.
There was one year left on the 38-year-old Ewing’s contract. He still wanted to play beyond that year, so he sought an extension. At this point, the Knicks began to truly understand the franchise’s mortality and their completely shut championship window. As much as it was important to ensure Ewing would never wear another uniform, they couldn’t pay him like the franchise legend he was.
Well, that was part of it. The other part was that Ewing himself was burnt out. The Knicks wanted to see things through for 2000-01, but Ewing also wanted out, demanding a trade. Reluctantly, Layden acquiesced. He was sent to Seattle in a massive, four-team swap that netted the Knicks two firsts, two seconds, and a really bad contract in Vin Baker.
This swap worked for nobody. The Knicks felt crummy after trading a legend and slumped to 48 wins and a first-round exit the following year. Ewing never got his extension and played one sad year with the SuperSonics before retiring on the Magic in 2002.
That 2001 season was the definitive end of an era. Jeff Van Gundy was canned 19 games into 2001-02 and the Knicks lost 52 games in their worst season since 1987, ending their long playoff streak. While Sprewell and Houston would stick around a bit longer, it was done.
Onto the next era of Knicks basketball, one that would really test the limits of patience among the fanbase as the drought surpassed 30 years.
Stephen Curry was realistic in a recent interview talking about the Warriors this season: "We have a veteran team. We need health on our side."
This is not a good way to start. Kristaps Porzingis, the 'Warriors' veteran center, is out indefinitely with what is being described as a "health issue" and will not accompany the team to Hawaii for training camp, the Warriors announced Monday.
Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy said Porzingis had been working out with the team without issue and the organization was only informed of the health issue Sunday.
"Hopefully he'll be back soon..." Dunleavy said at Warriors media day, via Danny Emerman of the San Francisco Standard. Dunleavy added, via ESPN’s Anthony Slater: "I'm not marking him down as being out to start the season or anything like that. He's just not available this week."
While the Warriors provided no details of Porzingis' health concerns, he has been dealing with POTS — Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome — for a couple of seasons now. It's a condition where your heart rate races for a minute or more after standing up from sitting or lying down (as part of the disorder, more blood stays in your lower body even after a person stands, causing the heart rate to race as it tries to get blood flowing again). It's unclear whether Porzingis' current health issue is related.
The Warriors bet on Porzingis' health this summer, giving him a two-year, $40 million extension. He was traded to the Warriors from the Hawks at last February's deadline, but due to health concerns, he only played in 15 games. When he did, he averaged 16.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
On a team where Steve Kerr has said he wants to play a lot of five-out basketball, Porzingis is key to making that work.
The Warriors also announced that both Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody have progressed to "light on-court activities" as they recover from their knee injuries. While both are expected to miss the start of the season, it's a positive sign for Golden State that both are progressing.
The Detroit Red Wings are only days away from the start of the 2026-27 NHL regular season, and by late Monday afternoon, they will need to submit their final, cap-compliant opening-night roster.
While defenseman Simon Edvinsson remains unsigned despite being present at Training Camp, the Red Wings have announced that another defenseman is now unavailable, albeit for a different reason.
Jacob Bernard-Docker, whom the Red Wings signed last offseason and later extended to a two-year, $3.2 million contract, has been placed on Injured Reserve.
#RedWings have placed D Jacob Bernard-Docker on Injured Reserve.
This means that the chances of young defenseman Anton Johansson, who impressed during Training Camp and the preseason, could very well find himself on the Opening Night roster.
Additionally, the Red Wings recently claimed 6-foot-4 defenseman Andreas Englund off waivers from the Calgary Flames.
Last season, Bernard-Docker skated in 63 games, scoring one goal with four assists along with 25 penalty minutes.
He's appeared in 207 career NHL games with the Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres and Red Wings, and has tallied seven goals with 22 assists, 82 penalty minutes, and has a minus-one rating.
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TORONTO, CANADA - SEPTEMBER 28: Head coach Darko Rajakovic of the Toronto Raptors speaks to media during the Toronto Raptors media day at Hotel X on September 28, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When Toronto Raptors Head Coach Darko Rajakovic wrapped up during the team’s 2026-27 Media Day, he jokingly gave the writers, content creators, and personnel a piece of tongue-in-cheek advice:
“You’re too serious…got to loosen up.”
It was met with laughter in the room, but Rajakovic was right. Kawhi Leonard’s return has seemingly elevated the entire Raptors’ ecosystem of expectations, media included, and there was a notable tension in the room. But like Leonard, Rajakovic’s own “Fun Guy” approach to coaching might be the perfect reminder why he’s the best person to help guide this team through the fascinating season ahead.
Here are four more takeaways from Rajakovic’s media availability:
Load management sequel
“We’re going to continue working hard, it doesn’t matter who’s on the floor.”
“We know what we’re walking into. We know how professional Kawhi is. We believe in our medical staff.”
After shouting out Vice President of Player Health and Performance Alex McKechnie, it was only a matter of time before Rajakovic addressed Leonard’s “load management”, a term and philosophy the Raptors revolutionized during the 2018-19 season. While Rajakovic sarcastically (mostly) expressed his desire for Leonard to play 82 games and average 48 minutes, it was all but confirmed that the Raptors would likely revert to their approach to managing their superstar’s health.
The best ability may be availability, but not all availability is created equal. Toronto is hoping that Leonard is there when it matters most.
Year two CMB
“He worked so hard this summer. We talked to him about getting into even better shape. He put in a tremendous amount of work and I think he’s ready to take the next step offensively and defensively.”
It now feels like eons ago that the collective groan of Raptors fans echoed through the city in response to the General Manager Bobby Webster selecting Collin Murray-Boyles in the 2025 NBA Draft. Since then, Murray-Boyles has consistently proven the front-office right and online pundits wrong.
So when Rajakovic beamed about the work Murray-Boyles put in this summer, it’s nearly impossible not to believe it.
Last year’s playoff run won’t be wasted
“For me, it was important to get into the playoffs so we can understand what it takes to compete in that part of the year.”
“That was a big takeaway from all the guys; we’ve got to put more work in, in order to be ready for what’s next.”
In addition to the relentless praise Murray-Boyles received, Rajakovic also spoke fondly of Ja’Kobe Walter’s development over the last few months, particularly how the guard added 10 pounds of muscle.
Rajakovic added that the entire team is in a better place with their conditioning, compared to this time last year. Due to unexpected injuries, the Raptors were forced to deploy players in situations they weren’t normally accustomed to. It feels like no detail is too small for Rajakovic and the coaching staff.
Building on the team’s identity
“The way we want to play on defence…Kawhi helps us there…He has a lot of wisdom and experience that he can pass down…”
Rajakovic’s emphasis on defence was consistently repeated by the players who took the stage afterwards. If there was a single undeniable takeaway, it was that the Raptors will continue to lean into their overt and uber-aggressive defence.
The Raptors Head Coach also challenged Scottie Barnes to finally secure that elusive All-Defensive First-Team spot.
SACRAMENTO, CA - SEPTEMBER 27: Bryan Abreu #52, Cristian Javier #53, and Ronel Blanco #56 of the Houston Astros pose for a photo in the clubhouse after clinching the American League West title by defeating the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on Sunday, September 27, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Jacob Soriano/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Astros fans, after 162 games, your team is once again the champion of the American League West.
So how are you feeling? Excited? Relieved? Optimistic? Still concerned? Or are you simply hopeful that this team has another October run left in it?
Whatever your answer, here’s what matters most:
They’re in.
And once you’re in, you have a chance.
It certainly wasn’t pretty. This Astros team clawed, scratched, fought and struggled its way to the finish line. There were times when they looked exhausted. There were times when the pitching staff appeared to be running on fumes. There were stretches when the offense couldn’t find consistency and moments when it looked like all the energy required to dig out of another early-season hole had finally caught up with them.
But when they absolutely had to get it done, they did.
The Houston Astros are American League West champions.
Now the question changes. Can they get hot? Can they go on another October run? Can they somehow add another chapter to this incredible Golden Era of Astros baseball?
I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility.
Get In and See What Happens
The Astros aren’t entering the postseason as some flawless juggernaut. Far from it.
We’ve spent an entire season talking about their shortcomings. The roster construction. The revolving door in the outfield. The injuries. The inconsistent starting pitching. A bullpen that carried an enormous workload and at times looked completely out of gas.
None of those concerns suddenly disappear because Houston won the division, but neither does everything this team accomplished.
They were knocked down repeatedly and kept getting back up. They dug themselves another enormous hole and somehow climbed out of it. They reached the finish line battered and bruised, but they reached it as division champions.
There’s something to be said for that, and now none of the struggles that came before matter.
It’s October.
You Have the MVP
Here’s a pretty good place to start if you’re searching for reasons to believe:
The Astros have the American League Most Valuable Player. Yordan Alvarez has been the centerpiece of this offense all season, and now he gets the opportunity to do it on baseball’s biggest stage.
In October, one superstar can change a series. One swing can change a game. One hot hitter can carry an entire lineup for a week. The Astros have that guy.
The rest of the offense doesn’t need to suddenly become the greatest lineup in baseball. It just needs to continue doing enough around Yordan to score runs and give this team an opportunity to win.
That’s what they’ve done for much of the season. Now they need to do it when the games matter most.
It All Comes Down to Pitching
For all the discussion about the offense, I believe Houston’s postseason fate ultimately comes down to one thing: Pitching.
Which starting pitchers can Joe Espada trust? Who can give him five, six or seven quality innings? Who has the ability to take the baseball in a postseason game and dominate? Perhaps most importantly, which bullpen arms still have enough left in the tank?
The last question is the one that concerns me most.
The Astros asked an enormous amount from their bullpen this season. Those relievers were forced to cover innings when starters couldn’t get deep into games, and they helped keep this season alive while Houston fought its way back into contention. Now they’re being asked for more.
Postseason baseball magnifies the importance of every bullpen decision. Managers are quicker to pull starters. Matchups become more important. High-leverage relievers can be asked to pitch on consecutive days, and sometimes the difference between advancing and going home comes down to which bullpen can record the final nine outs.
Houston doesn’t need every reliever to suddenly become dominant, but it needs enough of them.
Give This Team Its Credit
I’ve been critical of this team throughout the season. I’ve questioned the roster. I’ve questioned the front office. I’ve questioned whether the bullpen could survive its workload and whether the Astros had enough left in the tank to finish the job. Those questions were fair.
But so is giving this team credit now. I’m proud of the fight they’ve shown. I’m proud of the veteran leadership that helped get them here. I’m proud of the way this group refused to allow its season to disappear when it easily could have.
Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, Yordan Alvarez and the other veterans in that clubhouse know what October baseball feels like. They know what it takes to win when every pitch matters. That experience means something now.
Joe Espada deserves credit, too.
He took an imperfect roster, navigated injuries, survived an inconsistent rotation and an overworked bullpen, and somehow got this team across the finish line as division champions.
That’s an accomplishment.
Why Not the Astros?
Do I think this is the best Astros team we’ve seen during this Golden Era? No. Do I think they’re entering October without legitimate concerns? Absolutely not.
But that’s not the question anymore. The question is whether they’re good enough to win a postseason series. Then another. And maybe another.
There’s a part of me that looks at the experience in this clubhouse, the presence of the American League MVP and everything this team survived just to get here and believes they have enough to at least make another run at the American League Championship Series.
After that? Who knows?
That’s the beauty of postseason baseball.
You don’t have to dominate for six months anymore. You have to be better than the team in the other dugout for a few days. The Astros survived 162 games. They won the American League West. They gave themselves a chance.
Now let’s find out if there’s one more October run left in this Golden Era of Houston Astros baseball.
Astros fans, how are you feeling?
Are you simply happy they survived and got in? Do you believe this team can make a run to the ALCS, or do you think they have enough left to go even further?
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Houston Astros dropped 11 games under .500. They got rid of their general manager in August. They failed to finish with a winning record.
And they won the AL West for the fifth time in six years.
“It’s been a roller coaster of a season, but just to be here and know that the division is back in Houston, that the crown is back, it’s a good feeling,” manager Joe Espada said after the Astros clinched the title on the final day of the regular season.
Nick Allen had just doubled leading off the eighth inning with Houston leading the Athletics by eight runs when Texas lost 6-4 at Minnesota, assuring the Astros of their ninth postseason trip in 10 years after missing out in 2025.
Houston will host the Chicago White Sox in a best-of-three Wild Card Series. The Astros finished one game ahead of Texas (80-82) but would have earned the division title even with a defeat because they held the tiebreaker.
Houston (81-81) had the lowest winning percentage for a team reaching the playoffs in a non-shortened season, breaking the mark set when the 2005 San Diego Padres went 82-80.
“About early May, we were in a tough spot. Any other team would have folded, but these guys chose not to,” Espada said following his team’s 9-0 victory over the A’s. “It’s about character and this team don’t quit, they fight.”
Yordan Alvarez won the AL batting title with an MLB-best .316 average — the lowest ever for the big league leader. He had 42 homers and 106 RBIs.
“I even told the guys in there that even though I hit 40 home runs, I think the batting title was something I always wanted,” Alvarez said.
Star infielder Carlos Correa didn’t play after May 4 because of a torn tendon in his left ankle that needed surgery.
Right-hander Hunter Brown, a 2025 All-Star, didn’t pitch for the Astros between March 3 and June 16 because of a strained right shoulder.
“Every team deals with adversity, and at that time, it was just ours,” Brown said.
Houston shortstop Jeremy Peña, the 2022 World Series MVP, was sidelined between April 11 and May 18 by a strained right hamstring and between June 28 and July 10 by a strained left calf. All-Star closer Josh Hader didn’t pitch until June 3 because of left biceps tendinitis.
Houston was 20-31 through May 20 but dropped only as much as six games out of first place in a weak division.
The Astros took sole possession of first with an 11-2 win over the Rangers on July 31 and held at least a share of the lead for most of the rest of the season.
“All games in the big leagues are important, and today came down to winning the last one,” Brown said. “We’ve been playing playoff baseball for the last couple of weeks. We’re ready to go.”
While the Montreal Canadiens had a day off on Sunday, the Habs brass worked hard on roster decisions. As reported yesterday, a group of players was put on waivers while another group, which didn’t have to clear waivers, was assigned to the Laval Rocket. That group included Jacob Fowler, Owen Beck, and David Reinbacher.
While Fowler wouldn’t have looked out of place on the NHL roster, Samuel Montembeault’s bounce-back performance sealed his fate. The Bécancour native has earned the right to back up Jakub Dobes, and while he won’t be with the Canadiens long-term, this is the last year of his contract; Fowler may need a bit more patience before the coast is clear. Of course, Montembeault could be traded, but that’s far from guaranteed, as there doesn’t seem to be much of a market for him right now.
As for Beck, nobody was surprised to see him head back to Laval; he’s a good player who does everything well but nothing fantastically well. He doesn’t fill a gap in the Canadiens’ lineup the way Florian Xhekaj brings sandpaper.
Reinbacher’s return to Laval is also somewhat surprising, especially since Kaiden Guhle is injured, but he's done enough to earn a call-up as soon as circumstances warrant it. It also seems inevitable that the Habs will need to make room on their blueline sooner rather than later. Jayden Struble, Arber Xhekaj, Engstrom and Reinbacher could all play in the NHL, but once Guhle is healthy, they’ll all be fighting for a single spot.
On Monday morning, Martin St-Louis ran his first practice of the real season. Only 23 players were on the ice since Oliver Kapanen was missing and is now considered day-to-day. As for Guhle, he was on the ice, but unlike Saturday morning, when he joined the team in practice, he wore a no-contact jersey. With Kapanen missing, the following lines and pairings were used at practice:
Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Chris Kreider
Juraj Slafkovsky – Alex Newhook – Ivan Demidov
Alexandre Texier – Phillip Danault- Kirby Dach
Zachary Bolduc – Jake Evans – Josh Anderson
Extra: Florian Xhekaj. If Kapanen had been available, chances are Dach would have been right next to the youngest Xhekaj as an extra. Newhook slides in nicely at second C with his speed, but when Kapanen is healthy, he’s likely to go right back in that spot while Newhook goes down a line, making Dach surplus to requirements. St-Louis has already confirmed that Kapanen will not play on Tuesday.
Mike Matheson – Noah Dobson
Lane Hutson – Alexandre Carrier
Jayden Struble – Arber Xhekaj
Extra: Adam Engstrom. He took reps with Guhle, which more than likely means he’ll be the seventh defenseman on Tuesday night.
Jakub Dobes
Samuel Montembeault
As for the power play, TVA Sports’ Anthony Martineau reports that the second unit features Bolduc, Newhook, Kreider, Dobson and Texier. The first unit remains intact as both Hutson and Demidov were back on the ice this morning.
It’s unusual to see the Canadiens with 14 forwards on their roster, so you have to wonder whether Kent Hughes might be working on a trade right now. According to insider Frank Seravalli, the Edmonton Oilers are very interested in trading for Kirby Dach. Stan Bowman, who was the Chicago Blackhawks GM when they picked Dach third overall in 2019, is now the Oilers GM, so there’s a link there. Warren Rychel, an Oilers scout, attended the game between the Habs and the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night, but Dach wasn’t playing in Montreal that night, but rather in Ottawa. Could the two teams be working on a multi-piece trade? Are the Oilers having buyer’s remorse over the often-injured Frederik Andersen and are considering Montembeault? Time will tell.
It will be interesting to see what the lineup looks like tomorrow night against the Toronto Maple Leafs as the puck officially drops on the season, the coach refrained from announcing his starting netminder.
MILWAUKEE — After completing one of the most extraordinary regular seasons of any pitcher in recent history, Milwaukee Brewers flame-throwing right-hander Jacob Misiorowski cited the one number that meant the most to him.
Thirty.
That’s the number of starts Misiorowski made in his first full season in the majors while establishing himself as a Cy Young Award favorite.
“Honestly, being able to go in week in and week out and perform for my teammates, I think that’s the biggest thing,” Misiorowski said in reference to the number of starts he made this season.
Misiorowski (16-5) made that 30th start and allowed two hits in 5 1/3 scoreless innings in a 6-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals to cap one of the greatest seasons for any pitcher in franchise history. The 24-year-old could join Rollie Fingers (1981), Pete Vukovich (1982) and Corbin Burnes (2021) as Brewers to win Cy Young Awards.
His performance helped the Brewers close the regular season with a franchise-best 103-59 record.
“That number, I think it’s cool,” Misiorowski said. “It’s not 100. It’s not 101. It’s a little bit more than that. It just shows the work these guys in here have put in and done throughout the season.”
Misiorowski has put up plenty of pretty cool numbers this year.
He posted a 1.80 ERA, struck out 252 batters and limited hitters to a .157 batting average to lead the major leagues in all three categories. The only other pitchers since 1950 to finish a season atop all three of those categories are Sandy Koufax in 1965, J.R. Richard in 1979 and Mike Scott in 1986, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
That .157 opponents’ batting average was the lowest since 1900 for an AL or NL pitcher with 100 or more innings, improving upon Pedro Martinez’s .167 in 2000. His 0.80 WHIP (walks and hits allowed per innings pitched) was the lowest in a full regulation season for pitchers with at least 150 innings since Martinez’s 0.73 in 2000.
Misiorowski is the first pitcher in Brewers history to lead the league in both ERA and strikeouts in the same season. His 252 strikeouts are the second-highest, single-season total in Brewers history, behind Ben Sheets’ 264 in 2004.
“Have I ever seen a year on the mound like that in the major leagues? Probably not,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “It’s as good as I’ve seen.”
Misiorowski has produced those totals while throwing harder than any other starting pitcher.
His 1,115 pitches of 100 mph or more were the most in a season since tracking started in 2008, shattering the prior mark of 673 by Jordan Hicks in 2018.
“What he has is a gift,” Brewers second baseman Brice Turang said. “It’s really incredible to stand there behind him and watch him do what he does.”
The American Family Field sellout crowd showed its appreciation for Misiorowski by giving him a standing ovation as he left the mound after striking out Jordan Walker in the sixth inning. Misiorowski responded by tipping his cap as he headed into the dugout, acknowledging a special moment that capped a special regular season.
“That was fun,” Misiorowski said. “That was cool. Hopefully there’s a few more like that.”
Misiorowski wants to help the Brewers win their first World Series title.
Although Milwaukee is heading to the playoffs for the eighth time in nine years, the Brewers have never won it all and made their lone World Series appearance way back in 1982. Milwaukee has home-field advantage throughout the playoffs for a second straight year.
During last year’s postseason, Misiorowski made three relief appearances and posted a 1.50 ERA with 16 strikeouts over 12 innings as the Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs in the NL Division Series before getting swept by the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series.
This year, Misiorowski enters the playoffs as the Brewers’ clear ace. He’s expected to get the call for Game 1 of the NLDS when the Brewers face either the Chicago Cubs or San Diego Padres.
Misiorowski was asked when he’d start to flip the switch toward getting ready for the postseason.
“That flipped a while back,” Misiorowski said. “We’re ready to go.”
Franchise tournament remains an enigma after an unexpectedly dramatic men’s international summer and a thrilling Championship title race
After pumping astronomical sums of money into English cricket, the headline act of the summer should probably have been the Hundred’s rebirth under private ownership. After all, the decks were relatively clear.
There was no Ashes series or Indian arm-wrestle in Test cricket to hog the limelight, rather a small-plates menu of touring teams. The Women’s T20 World Cup was on home soil, but for all that it outdid its 50-over equivalent in 2017 by way of engagement, the men’s football World Cup dominated. Plus, folks kind of knew Nat Sciver-Brunt’s England side was not quite ready to derail the Australian machine.
