PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 24: Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees reacts after a strikeout in the first inning during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on July 24, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees had a moment to celebrate last night, as Cam Schlittler was officially crowned the AL Cy Young Award winner for 2026. Schlittler was the heavy favorite after a dominant end to what was a historic campaign, and the only real question was whether he would win it unanimously or not, and in the end he did. It’s the third time that a Yankee has unanimously won the Cy Young, Schlittler joining Ron Guidry in 1978 and Gerrit Cole in 2023. That he’s done so in his second season (and his first full season) in The Show is a remarkable feat, and it’ll be a treat to watch Cam in this rotation for years to come. Hopefully, next year’s offense does him better and both he and the Yankees can rack up some more wins.
We’ve got plenty to cover as award season continues to roll on, with the MVP announcement coming in later tonight. Before that though, Josh starts our day off with his thoughts on why the owners are so uniformly in pursuit of a salary cap and John delivers a report card for Max Fried fresh off his second season in pinstripes. Andrew goes into the history books with Carl Mays and the tragic highlight of his career on his birthday, and then Peter will discuss the ways that Cam Schlittler proved his skepticism wrong after the newly-minted Cy Young’s cup of coffee in 2025.
Questions/Prompts:
1. With Schlittler heading the staff entering next year, who do you expect to be the team’s No. 2 pitcher?
2. Who ya got winning AL MVP tonight? How about NL MVP?
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 11: Egor Chinakhov #59 of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Jacob Trouba #65 of the San Jose Sharks compete for possession of the puck during the first period at SAP Center on November 11, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Godofredo A. Vásquez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Wednesday night was the final game of the Pittsburgh Penguins California swing and their last late night contest for quite some time which East Coast fans will be happy to hear. After games against the Kings and Ducks in Southern California, the Penguins traveled north to take on the San Jose Sharks in a 2026 Stanley Cup rematch in the building where the team won the Stanley Cup that season.
Pens Points…
When the Penguins drafted Ruck Twin No. 1 in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft, it became obvious they were planning on drafting Ruck Twin No. 2, which they did in the second round, keeping the two together and further strengthening a special bond between them. [PPG]
Everyone knows the big names the Penguins could potentially shop in a trade when the time comes, but don’t be surprised if there are some names that haven’t popped up in rumors as of yet being shipped out if the right deal comes together for all sides. [The Hockey News]
NHL News and Notes…
It’s a sad state of affairs for hockey in the Keystone State at the moment. While the Penguins struggle to win games, the Philadelphia Flyers are in the same boat with extra drama piled on top as trade request rumors surround former first round pick Matvei Michkov. [Sportsnet]
Nick Cousins was on the receiving end of one of the more brutal hits you will see in the NHL this season. Cousins was knocked out cold by a body check from Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun and will miss the next 7-10 days as a result. [ESPN]
DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 26: Brandon Lowe #5 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws to first during the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Saturday, September 26, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Izzy Rincon/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates extended a qualifying offer to second baseman Brandon Lowe, who has until November 17 to make a decision on that offer. He’s been projected to garner anywhere from a $45 million contract to a $150 million contract in free-agency. Although it would be in the Pirates’ best interest to resign Lowe, they may need to be thinking about their second and third options in case they can’t strike a deal with their best power threat.
Jazz Chisolm has emerged as a possible signing for the Pirates, and in a free-agency class full of second basemen, he is certainly the most unique. Chisolm is coming off of a difficult year with the New York Yankees where he was inconsistent and disruptive. However, it’s been made very clear that Chisholm will be looking to get out of New York, and maybe a more down to earth city like Pittsburgh is exactly what he needs. He’d fit into the young core well as a versatile defender who can play second and third, and adds another left-handed bat to the lineup.
Would Chisolm be too expensive though? Of all the players that will be mentioned he certainly has the potential to have the highest price tag, unless Pittsburgh can get him for a conservative prove-it type of contract.
Another possible option could be acquired from the cross state rival Philadelphia Phillies, as Luis Arraez is a pending free-agent. Arraez is a three-time batting champion and is as consistent as they come at the plate. It should be a priority for Pittsburgh to remain aggressive in creating a powerful lineup, especially after they completely transformed their offense for the better last winter. With Arraez you get a player who has experience at the big league level and can hit to all fields. He finished 2026 hitting .310/.345/.764 and had 64 RBIs.
One of the problems with this crop of possible replacements for Lowe is that there really isn’t anyone that can match the kind of power that he brings to the plate. As great as Arraez is, his six homers in 2026 is a major downgrade from Lowe’s 35.
In the Integration Era, Luis Arraez is 1 of 6 players to hit at least .290 in each of his first 8 seasons!
For the second consecutive year, Arraez hits free agency as one of the top available bats 💪 pic.twitter.com/t2h9nrhdWY
Jeff McNeil could serve as more of a bridge player if the Pirates were to sign him. At 35-years-old McNeil could be signed on a short term deal, and could give the Pirates a solid option at second while they continue to develop prospect line Termarr Johnson for a more longterm solution. Despite his age, McNeil still played in 144 games for the Athletics in 2026 and put up solid numbers. He maintained an above average .264 hitting percentage and had a .985 fielding percentage at second base. Although he doesn’t offer a long term solution for the Pirates, he does give them a solid contributor and leader in the locker room if Lowe departs.
There are of course several in house options that the Pirates could turn to as well. Nick Gonzales feels like one of the obvious first choices. Gonzales played primarily at third base in 2026 following the departure of Ke’Bryan Hayes, but has made most of his appearances at second base during his stint in Pittsburgh. He could certainly slide back over to the other side of the infield, but that of course leaves another vacant spot at third. With that being said, it’d be surprising if the Pirates did not pursue another third baseman this winter.
Jared Triolo is another option that the Pirates have in house and can get an affordable deal done with. Triolo is by far one of the most versatile defenders in baseball and is certainly capable of being an everyday second baseman for Pittsburgh. However, Triolo has largely been a liability at the plate. The beauty of what Lowe provided to the Pirates in 2026 was the dynamic power he brought on offense, and that’s a rare kind of pop for the position. Triolo just cannot match that kind of production.
The Pirates should exhaust all efforts to bring back Lowe, but it’s going to be easier said than done after the incredible season he just had and the money he’s likely to command. Although there really isn’t anyone that can match that kind of power at the plate, there are several second basemen in free-agency that could be suitable replacements if Lowe doesn’t resign with Pittsburgh.
HOUSTON, TX - NOVEMBER 11: Alperen Sengun #28 and Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets high five during the game against the Golden State Warriors on November 11, 2026 at the Toyota Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Houston Rockets will always take a victory over the Golden State Warriors, even when the Dubs are shorthanded, and that’s exactly what happened on Wednesday night. Stephen Curry went down in the first quarter and did not return, setting the table for a Rockets victory. And while Houston did make it much closer than it needed to be, the Dubs didn’t quite have the firepower without Steph to hang with the Rockets down the stretch, and despite a couple close Q4 -pushes by Golden State, the Rockets walked away with a 115-108 victory to move to 9-3 on the season.
The Rockets were led by Kevin Durant with 20 points, as all five Houston starters finished in double in figures. KD also had 4 rebounds and 5 assists. Alperen Sengun was near-miss on a triple double, finishing with 19 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 assists while shooting 8-for-14 from the field. Houston also got 19 from Amen Thompson, who finally had a decent offensive game, shooting 8-for-11. He also added 7 rebounds, 4 assists, a steal and 2 blocks for the kind of all-around performance we’ve been missing from Amen. Houston also 18 points and 6 assists from Fed VanVleet and 14 points and 8 rebounds from Jabari Smith Jr. to round out the scoring from the starters.
Reed Sheppard pitched in 13 points off the bench on 3-for-6 shooting from deep, and that about ended the bench contributions, as Tari Eason shot just 2-for-11, while Marcus Smart was ejected in the third quarter for throwing a punch. Welcome to the Houston-Golden State rivalry, Marcus. It took all of one half of a game for Smart to want to smack a Dub around. Sheppard had a solid fourth quarter in taking over Smart’s minutes.
Houston shot 51 percent in this one, while holding the Warriors to just 41 percent. The Rockets were also hammering the ball inside, as they led in paint scoring 50-34. One of thew few reasons the game was close was the difference in three-point shooting, as Golden State put up 51 threes (making 17) to Houston’s 36 attempts (making 13). The Rockets have increased their three attempts so far this season, up to 34.2 per game from 31.5. Accuracy has also increased, up to 37.5 percent from 36.4 perccent. All of that is good. But the Rockets can still find themselves in closer than needed situations when they play teams with a big three-point attempt difference.
Nonetheless, every good NBA season requires a little luck, and I’m certainly not one to feel bad about a Warriors player getting injured against the Rockets, considering the history these two teams have. I’ll take the win, and we’ll see you again later.
Houston’s 9-3 record has moved them back up to third in the Western Conference. They will be back in action on Friday night, with a home game against another historic rival, the Utah Jazz.
TORONTO, CANADA - NOVEMBER 11: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics helps up Neemias Queta #88 in the second half of their NBA game at Scotiabank Arena on November 11, 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
On the second night of a back-to-back and without Paul George (illness), the Celtics fell into a trap game with home just a puddle jump away after a four-game road trip. After the high of Tuesday night’s blowout of the 76ers and arriving in Toronto at 4 am, Boston found themselves behind the 8-ball early in the game facing a 22-point deficit midway through the second quarter.
A 7-0 Jayson Tatum run with a pull-up three, two free throws, and a thunderous dunk led to a Toronto timeout and then the unthinkable happened.
Tatum struck again with a killer triple with Collin Murray-Boyles slipping under JT’s feet for a flagrant foul. After hitting the free throw, Baylor Scheierman hit another catch-and-shoot 3 to complete the rare SEVEN-POINT possession.
For what it’s worth, the only other seven-point possession I can remember was in the 2022 NBA Finals when Al Horford fouled Steph Curry on a 3 and then Otto Porter hit another after Curry went to the free throw line.
Tatum taking over this game trying to get the Celtics back in this game
In the end, the Celtics completed their second largest comeback in Joe Mazzulla’s tenure as head coach. Down six with five minutes to go, Boston closed with a 13-4 run with some lockdown defense, gritty play on both sides of the ball from Neemias Queta, and Tatum getting to the line. However, it was that first half stretch that really made the difference in sweeping their road trip.
“His energy just lifted everybody,” Mazzulla said of Tatum’s presence during that crucial run. “It’s the same thing when you lose close games. We didn’t win the game in the fourth quarter. We won the game in the middle of the second quarter when we cut it to seven again.”
Buffalo Sabres (8-7-3, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (4-13-1, in the Central Division)
Chicago; Thursday, 8 p.m. EST
LINE: Sabres -155, Blackhawks +126; over/under is 6.5
BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Blackhawks look to stop their six-game losing streak when they take on the Buffalo Sabres.
Chicago is 4-5-0 in home games and 4-13-1 overall. The Blackhawks have gone 1-7-0 when they commit more penalties than their opponent.
Buffalo has gone 4-1-3 in road games and 8-7-3 overall. The Sabres have a 7-1-3 record in games they score three or more goals.
The teams match up Thursday for the second time this season. The Sabres won the previous matchup 4-3.
TOP PERFORMERS: Roman Kantserov has nine goals and two assists for the Blackhawks. Connor Bedard has four goals and seven assists over the past 10 games.
Zachary Benson has two goals and 13 assists for the Sabres. Tage Thompson has scored seven goals with five assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Blackhawks: 1-8-1, averaging 1.8 goals, 3.1 assists, four penalties and 8.5 penalty minutes while giving up four goals per game.
Sabres: 4-4-2, averaging 2.9 goals, 5.3 assists, 4.3 penalties and 9.7 penalty minutes while giving up 3.5 goals per game.
INJURIES: Blackhawks: Patrick Kane: out (upper-body), Ryan Ellis: out for season (back), Bowen Byram: out (upper-body).
Sabres: Louis Crevier: day to day (undisclosed), Matt Grzelcyk: out (lower-body), Konsta Helenius: out (upper-body), Justin Danforth: out (upper-body), Alex Lyon: out (upper-body).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Nashville Predators (10-4-5, in the Central Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (13-5-2, in the Pacific Division)
Paradise, Nevada; Friday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights take on the Nashville Predators with a four win streak intact.
Vegas is 13-5-2 overall and 6-3-0 at home. The Golden Knights have a 6-3-0 record when they commit fewer penalties than their opponent.
Nashville has gone 3-1-3 in road games and 10-4-5 overall. The Predators have a 5-2-0 record when they commit fewer penalties than their opponent.
Friday's game is the second time these teams meet this season. The Golden Knights won the previous meeting 5-2.
TOP PERFORMERS: Mitchell Marner has three goals and 20 assists for the Golden Knights. Victor Olofsson has five goals and four assists over the past 10 games.
Steven Stamkos has 11 goals and nine assists for the Predators. Filip Forsberg has scored six goals and added eight assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 5-3-2, averaging 2.7 goals, 4.5 assists, three penalties and 7.1 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.
Predators: 7-1-2, averaging 3.5 goals, 5.9 assists, 3.2 penalties and 7.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game.
INJURIES: Golden Knights: Noah Hanifin: out (undisclosed).
Predators: Jonathan Marchessault: day to day (lower body), William Trudeau: out (upper body).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Las Vegas, N.V.– How long had it been since the Vegas Golden Knights scored five goals in one game? Well, as Rose DeWitt Bukater (I had to look up her last name) said in the 1997 film Titanic, “It’s been 84 years.” It obviously didn’t take 84 years– it’s only been 10 games–, but that seemingly endless trend came to a halt on Wednesday when the Golden Knights beat the Utah Mammoth.
Tonight, the puck just seemed to go in for them in a way it hadn’t in quite some time. The Golden Knights, who averaged just 2.44 goals in their past nine games, took advantage of a shorthanded Mammoth team and scored five.
“It feels good [to score goals],” said Ivan Barbashev. “On the road trip, it felt like every single game was pretty close. But at the same time, I don’t think we played well enough in some of the games in the first 10 to 15 minutes on the road trip. But we did a really good job today.”
With an assist on Jack Eichel’s first-period goal, Golden Knights captain Mark Stone moved within spitting distance of becoming the franchise’s all-time point leader. Stone, who has 415 points in 419 games, is two points behind Jonathan Marchessault, who finished his Golden Knights career with 417 points in 514 games.
“[Stone] is smart enough to find the right areas, and I think that goes to his hockey IQ,” said Golden Knights head coach Ryan Craig in October. “We’ve seen it here, time and time again, since he’s gotten to our organization. He finds ways to get to the right spot. He finds ways to impact the game by being in the right areas, both defensively and offensively.”
1. The Barbie Show
Forward Ivan Barbashev scored twice tonight in the Golden Knights’ 5-3 win. His first goal was the kind he’s made his living scoring: he went to the net, parked himself back-door, and capitalized when Victor Olofsson whiffed on a shot.
His second was an early candidate for the goal of the year.
“I saw some space between the defensemen and just tried to make a move,” said Barbashev following the 5-3 win. “It was nice to score a goal.”
After Olofsson found him flying up ice with speed, Barbashev danced through two Mammoth defensemen, Mikhail Sergachev and Mackenzie Weegar. Then he drove to the net and beat goaltender Sebastian Cossa five-hole while falling after Weegar tripped him.
“It was absolutely disgusting,” said Olofsson when asked about his linemate’s goal. “[Barbashev] turned a couple guys inside out. It was just cool to see. I was so close; I just watched the whole play, and it was very beautiful.”
Barbashev was out to defend the two-goal when the Mammoth pulled Sebastian Cossa for the extra attacker, but missed two shots at empty net that would have given him his second career hat trick.
“I sure did [think it was going in],” said Barbashev ruefully. “But then it just kept turning and turning.”
2. Back With a Bang
The Golden Knights played tonight without defenseman Noah Hanifin, who is week-to-week. However, Parker Wotherspoon, who missed the last 13 games with an upper-body injury, returned to the lineup. Wotherspoon played 15:31 and drew the penalty that led to Victor Olofsson’s first goal of the night.
“Parker played well,” said Golden Knights head coach Ryan Craig. “We saw some of the poise he had with the puck… As the game went on, he got better and better and more comfortable. Missing 13 games at this time of year is tough.”
This is just Olofsson’s third game back in the lineup after also missing 13 games. Olofsson scored the go-ahead goal on the power play early in the second period, and recorded two primary assists in both of Ivan Barbashev’s goals.
“I feel better and better,” Olofsson said after the game. “I think I’ve been a little rusty, but it feels like I’m getting there and feeling more confident. My legs feel a little bit better now after a few games.”
3. Paid the Electric Bill
The Golden Knights have an electric power play. It was their most dangerous weapon last season, and that has continued early this season. However, it looked disjointed in their past two games, and they entered tonight 0-for on their last six power-play opportunities.
The buck stopped just two minutes and 15 seconds into the first period.
Jack Eichel, who scored just one power-play goal in 74 games last season, ripped a one-timer past Sebastian Cossa after a slick fake-shot pass from Mitch Marner. That goal was the first of the game, and with tonight’s win, the Golden Knights improve to a perfect 9-0-0 when scoring first.
The power play came up big again just 3:07 into the second period. Victor Olofsson scored in transition to give the Golden Knights a lead that they didn’t relinquish.
Left out of squad to tour South Africa, spin bowler’s exclusion points to a sport reshaped by the needs of T20 and hard data
During the summer, Sky Sports would frequently run an advert for one of English cricket’s blue-chip financial sponsors. I forget its exact name – something like WXYZ Tradify or Crypto Max 301 or Wealth Centaur would be my guess. But I remember there was a mind-shreddingly banal male voiceover (“diversify your forex contingents and start making your money bleed today”), to which England players like Harry Brook and Jacob Bethell were depicted engaging in various feats of staged cricketing heroism. Right up until the moment Shoaib Bashir steps up to bowl.
Bashir delivers his trademark off-break with that famously high release point. Upon which Bethell steps down the track and smashes the Wealth Centaur-branded ball back past his face, smashing a hole in the CGI wall and sending it into a hail of digital rain. Poor Shoaib. A passenger in the Ashes, sidelined for most of the home Test series, and now even getting clouted in the ad breaks. And in retrospect that was the point when we should all have realised that one English cricket’s weirder recent Test careers was already on borrowed time.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 11: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets defends Yaxel Lendeborg #1 of the Golden State Warriors during the first quarter of the game at Toyota Center on November 11, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well. That was certainly a night of basketball. A whole lot happened on Wednesday. The Golden State Warriors fell behind the Houston Rockets by 15 points at the end of the first quarter, then came roaring back to tie it. Steph Curry missed most of the game with an abdominal injury that required an MRI. Charles Bassey was punched by Marcus Smart. And the Warriors saw their eight-game winning streak come to a halt, losing 115-108 to a Rockets team that was significantly healthier.
So year. Busy Wednesday!
You can’t fault the Warriors for losing, given all of that. But grades still need to be handed out, so here they are. As is always the case, grades are based on my expectations for each player, with a “B” grade representing the average performance for that player.
Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metric that accounts for threes and free throws. Entering Wednesday’s games, league-average TS was 57.2%.
It’s a testament to Lendeborg that the Warriors lost Curry and still overcame a deficit to give themselves a chance to win. It’s a testament to Lendeborg that, even with Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson, Fred VanVleet, and Alperen Şengün on the other side, he comfortably led both squads in scoring. It’s a testament that, in the on-court post-game interview, ESPN decided to ask Durant about Lendeborg specifically. And it’s a testament that Durant called him a “problem,” meant clearly as a compliment.
Just another 25 and 10 for Lendeborg, as those numbers are very near his season averages, and mark the third double-double of his young career.
Lendeborg was solid through and through, and then some. The biggest issue with his game was that, for the first time, his jumper didn’t look good. The threes he missed were really clanked, and he didn’t look all that comfortable at the free throw line, either. But as has been the case all year, his resolve, patience, and savvy were stunning. A misaligned jumper neither scared him from scoring, nor made him press. He just kept making the right play, and attacking.
It wasn’t a very good playmaking game for him, in part because Houston’s length and athleticism seemed to bother him a bit … not in a way that was at all concerning, but just in a “oh yeah, they don’t make them like that in the Big 10” way. On the flip side, his defense was pretty spectacular in this game, both on his opening assignment of Jabari Smith Jr., and also on the many possessions where he was matched up with Durant. Speaking of which, those two put on a show in the second quarter, with Lendeborg going toe to toe with one of the greatest scorers in league history.
He’s a whole lot of fun, isn’t he?
Grade: A- Post-game bonus: Led the team in points and rebounds.
As long as we’re talking about great defensive performances … Draymond Green, folks. What a defender. Green drew an opening assignment on Durant, someone he has historically guarded very well (relatively speaking … great offense beats great defense, and KD is great offense). Dray did a tremendous job on KD (who still dropped in 20 points, it’s worth noting), and it was just so much fun to watch one of this generation’s top scorers go at one of this generation’s top defenders. Don’t take it for granted!
And here’s your latest update on how in control Green has been to start the year: 75 assists, 29 turnovers, 32 shot attempts.
Incredible.
Grade: A- Post-game bonus: Led the team in assists; tied for the worst plus/minus on the team.
Not the best night for Big Al. He got his first start of the year so that Golden State could have some extra size against a huge Houston squad. He struggled a bit against Şengün, and really couldn’t get anything going of his own on offense. He didn’t have any bad plays, per se, but it wasn’t an impactful game on the glass or on defense for him which, when paired with a jump shot that wasn’t landing, made for a fairly poor game.
Like Lendeborg, Podziemski was a huge part of why the Warriors were able to crawl back into the game even with their superstar ruled out. He seemed to always have a big shot up his sleeve when the team needed it most … which is something we’ve really grown accustomed to with Podz.
As with all his teammates, Podziemski had a huge challenge with his opening assignment, as he was defensively matched up against Thompson. He performed admirably at times, though there’s only so much you can do when the player you’re tasked with stopping is significantly larger than you and arguably the best athlete in the entire league. Sometimes you just gotta tip your cap.
Still, a nice game from Podz.
Grade: B+ Post-game bonus: Tied for the worst plus/minus on the team.
Curry played fewer than six minutes, but those minutes were more physical than any other game he’s played this year. He had hard collisions with Rockets players on numerous occasions, and hit the deck hard on a few others. Nothing dirty, just strong, physical, high-quality defense of which he became collateral damage. He left halfway through the first quarter holding his side, and was ruled out for the rest of the game with abdominal soreness. We’ll hold our breath as we wait for the results of his MRI.
Santos’ stats look quite bad. He didn’t score, and he turned the ball over four times in a relatively short amount of time. He had some really nice possessions and plays though, especially on the defensive end. But the Rockets, like many athletic teams, just gave Santos too many fits, and a turnover every three minutes just won’t fly.
Melton is such a key contributor off of the bench, but really, games like this are where his true value is felt. Sure, running the second unit is important, but it’s absolutely critical that the Dubs have a strong veteran presence to step in when Curry is unavailable. As soon as Curry left the court, Melton’s role grew bigger, so much so that he was in the starting five for the second half.
And while no one can do a Steph impression, Melton certainly filled in admirable. He ran the offense better than the three assists would suggest, and made a trio of important threes to keep the Dubs in the game. His defense was once again strong, and he steadied a ship that was at risk of tipping.
In other words, he earned his paycheck with this game.
Let’s start with the most impressive thing: Bassey had a punch thrown at his face by Smart and walked away unbothered. His reflexes were, thankfully, fast enough that the violent punch ended up being a glancing blow rather than landing squarely, but even so, you would not only excuse, but expect a player to react angrily when another player throws a haymaker at their face. No one would be blaming Bassey if he went right back at Smart for that inexcusable move, but can you imagine the ramifications of if he did? A full-on fight could have broken out, which could have resulted in Bassey and possibly some teammates getting ejected, or even suspended. And with the amount of sidelined players the Dubs currently have, they simply could not have afforded that.
Bassey walked away like nothing happened, and he deserves so much praise for that. It’s not easy to turn the other cheek, especially in the heart of competition, but Bassey did exactly that.
He also played a damn good basketball game, which I suppose is also fairly important.
I do not think that Niang would have walked away from being punched by Smart, but you know what? It takes all kinds. The Warriors contain multitudes, and we love that about them.
Not the best game for Niang, who suffered a bit both from playing such an athletic team, and from not getting to share the court with Curry, as those two have really developed quite a rapport (and Niang greatly benefits from the spacing that Curry’s gravity creates). He had good rebounding and okay defense, but not much else.
Richard deserves a whole lot of credit for his toughness. He missed just one game due to UCL sprain in his thumb, when I assumed he’d miss a few weeks, and possibly a few months. Would Richard have taken the time off for surgery or a longer healing process if the Warriors were not so banged up? Who knows. Either way, it showed great toughness that he was out there on the court with his teammates.
And you certainly wouldn’t know he was hurting by his performance. His defense was excellent, and he was so aggressive on offense. He’s really started attending the Gary Payton II school of cutting, and his jump shot looks great this year as well. Strong game.
For the second game in a row, Cryer was called into emergency duty after a guard got injured. On Monday it was Brandon Williams; on Wednesday it was Curry. He was okay in that last-minute role change against the New Orleans Pelicans, but he was excellent against the Rockets. He came into the game in the first quarter and immediately made a difference on offense, with some aggressive dribbling and some slick shooting. His offense really is quite impressive, and while the two-way contract is buried on the depth chart, it’s clear that his coaches and teammates trust him, and that he has a lot to offer.
Grade: A Post-game bonus: Best plus/minus on the team.
Houston guard Marcus Smart (center) is held back after a confrontation with Golden State center Charles Bassey (left) during the Warriors’ 115-108 road loss to the Rockets on Nov. 11, 2026. AP Photo/Ashley Landis
Bassey and Smart got tangled up going for a rebound on a Warriors offensive possession late in the third quarter. They continued the spat down to the opposite end of the court, and Smart eventually turned and put his chest into Bassey. Then, he took a step back and threw a punch.
Bassey kept his arms by his side during the whole exchange.
He wasn’t impressed — or intimidated.
“I just think that, honestly, that was fake toughness,” Bassey said. “It didn’t surprise me. I knew he was going to do something. … I don’t think he was trying to play. I think he was trying to get himself out of the game. If he was trying to play, he wouldn’t do that. I think he was trying to chill. He wasn’t trying to hoop, bro. That was fake — fake toughness.”
“He wasn't trying to hoop… fake toughness.”
Charles Bassey speaks on the altercation with Marcus Smart
Charles Bassey defends Alperen Sengun during the Warriors’ loss to the Rockets on Nov. 11, 2026, in Houston. NBAE via Getty Images
According to Bassey’s account, he was just trying to grab an offensive rebound when Smart took hold of his hand. Even as the game shifted to the other end of the court, he wouldn’t let go.
Earlier, Bassey said, Smart grabbed his knee while setting a screen.
“He’s been playing dirty the whole game, man,” Bassey said.
Marcus Smart Just Threw A CRAZY PUNCH On Charles Bassey.
Golden State’s Charles Bassey arrives before the Warriors’ win over the Magic on Nov. 7, 2026, at Chase Center in San Francisco. NBAE via Getty Images
As they were going back and forth down the court, Bassey said, “He said, ‘Hey, don’t do that.’ And I said, ‘Do what?’ Like, it’s a grown-ass league, you know? But he was trying to chill tonight.”
MILWAUKEE — Collin Sexton received multiple stitches to close a deep cut over his right eye after the Lakers’ 123-112 win over the Bucks on Wednesday night.
Sexton and Ryan Rollins headbutted midway through the fourth quarter while the Lakers guard was defending the Bucks guard.
Play was stopped with 6:51 remaining after it was clear Sexton was bleeding.
A head collision between Collin Sexton (10) and Ryan Rollins (13) led to both players exiting the game in the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ 123-112 road win over the Bucks. Getty Images
It wasn’t known as of Wednesday night how many stitches the reserve guard needed.
His injury happened during the same game star guard Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić had early exits in the second half because of injury scares.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick said Collin Sexton received stitches after the win over the Bucks. AP Photo/Mike Stewart
Coach JJ Redick said Reaves’ X-rays were negative and that he would get imaging on Thursday. Redick ruled out an Achilles tendon injury for Reaves, who didn’t speak with reporters postgame.
Dončić had an injury scare with a few minutes left in the game when he clutched at his right ankle after Kyle Kuzma closed out against him as he made a 23-foot jumper.
Collin Sexton had 10 points and three assists in 13 minutes before his injury over his right eye. AP Photo/Aaron Gash
He sat on the floor holding his ankle before getting up and making a free throw. Dončić told reporters afterward that he was “good” despite the pain.
In what was supposed to be a measuring stick game against the Thunder, Luka Dončić suffered a strained hamstring that sidelined him the entire postseason and Austin Reaves sustained a strained oblique that kept him out the first four games of the playoffs.
Just like that, the Lakers were wiped off the board.
Their two leading scorers were taken out amid a 16-2 run. Their chances of winning a championship were gone. It was over for the purple and gold.
Dončić said “I’m good” following falling to the floor and clutching his right ankle after Kyle Kuzma closed out on him as he made a 23-foot jumper in the fourth quarter.
As for Reaves?
His status is more uncertain after he suffered a left heel injury in the third quarter, subbed himself out three minutes later and didn’t return. Lakers coach JJ Redick said his X-rays were negative and that he will get imaging on Thursday. He added that his Achilles’ tendon is not a concern.
Austin Reaves, who exited with a left heel injury, drives on Jericho Sims during the Lakers’ win over the Bucks on Nov. 11, 2026, in Milwaukee. Getty Images
Luckily, this doesn’t seem catastrophic for a Laker team that has the best record in the league at 11-2 and has won seven straight games. At least this time, both of their superstars weren’t wiped out in the same game.
But it was scary. It was a dose of deja vu. It was a reminder of how fragile all of this is.
The Lakers have been the greatest surprise of the league this season.
No one thought they’d be championship contenders. Not after LeBron James left. Not after they acquired nine new players. Not after there were questions around Walker Kessler after he missed all but five games last season because of shoulder surgery.
The assumptions were unanimous: The Lakers needed time to develop chemistry. And they were still a piece or two away from competing, given their thinness at backup center and the question marks around their perimeter defense.
But those concerns proved to be nothing but white noise.
Luka Dončić, who suffered a minor ankle injury, smiles during the Lakers’ win over the Bucks AP Photo/Aaron Gash
Dončić is having an MVP-caliber season, leading the league in scoring with 39.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game.
Reaves is putting on a MasterClass in efficiency with 25.3 points on 50.8% shooting from the field and 41.3% from beyond the arc.
Together, Dončić and Reaves are the league’s highest-scoring duo by a landslide, averaging 64.6 points — 12 points ahead of the No. 2 duo of Steph Curry and Yaxel Lendeborg, who are averaging 52 points.
Kessler is a double-double machine, averaging 14.9 points and 10.8 rebounds a game.
And the Lakers’ role players are starring in their roles.
Everything had come together.
Luka Dončić looks at his ankle during the second half of the Lakers’ win over the Bucks. AP Photo/Aaron Gash
That’s why it was so jolting when it seemed as though the same thread was yanked from the sweater on Wednesday, threatening to unravel everything.
Dončić and Reaves injured in the same game again? Just 223 days after the April 2 disaster?
It was hard not to fear that amid another stunning streak, they were decapitated again. It was hard not to worry that history was repeating itself.
But Dončić ‘s injury apparently isn’t serious.
“Obviously it’s painful a little bit, but I’ll be fine,” said Dončić , who had 32 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals in 32 minutes on Wednesday.
And the Lakers only can hope that after what happened to them a short while ago, they’ll catch a break with Reaves, too.
If anything, Wednesday was the ultimate reminder of how quickly things can change. It’s a lesson they learned a short while ago. It’s one that still haunts them.
TORONTO, CANADA - NOVEMBER 11: Neemias Queta #88 of the Boston Celtics goes up for the rebound during the game/ against the Toronto Raptors on November 11, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
TORONTO — Mitchell Robinson couldn’t help himself.
The Celtics center chirped both Derrick White and Neemias Queta during their postgame scrums after the Celtics erased a 22-point deficit to win their fifth straight game, a 98-93 victory over the Toronto Raptors.
“You the fucking man!” he yelled to White after his 19-point, 4-block performance.
“Way to knock down those free throws,” he said to Queta after the Portuguese big man hit two free throws with 15 seconds to spare, giving the Celtics a three-point lead.
Mitchell Robinson yelled into both Derrick White and Neemias Queta’s postgame scrums
Robinson to White after his 19-point, 4-block game: “You the fucking man.”
After a week-long road trip, the Celtics’ plane heading back to Boston was delayed, but locker-room vibes remained exceptionally high.
Players are usually quick to head out after the last game of a long road trip, but the flight delay kept nearly everyone in their lockers, bantering for far longer than normal.
Wednesday’s win, after all, was a full-team effort worth celebrating. Ron Harper Jr. blasted Olivia Dean on the aux. Robinson requested the team play some country music. Payton Pritchard threw out song requests.
“He’s the guy,” Queta said, referring to Harper Jr.’s DJing.
In a way, it was only fitting that Harper, one of just a handful of players who never checked into the ball game, was directing the postgame jam sesh.
“Even the guys that weren’t playing just gave us a lift, energy-wise,” Joe Mazzulla said after the game.
Mike Conley, a perennial starter in the NBA, has totally embraced leading the bench mob pic.twitter.com/FRE7FLkFb2
The Celtics went 4-0 on the trip, beating the Charlotte Hornets, Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, and the Raptors. After dropping their Opening Day game against the Detroit Pistons, they have won 9 of their last 10 games. They have the league’s best net rating. And they’re playing 11 guys every night, leaning on as much depth as they can.
Less than 24 hours after blowing out the 76ers, they found themselves on the other side of a blowout, in danger of ending the trip on a sour note.
“We talked about the four-game road trip, and we kind of talked about it before the game,” Jayson Tatum said. “Last night was a good win against a really good team, and last night wouldn’t mean anything — because it was easy to get up for a game like yesterday. Can we muster up some energy to will ourselves to a victory today?”
The quick turnaround meant an 8 pm game followed by a 7 pm tip, with a border crossing in between. And while Tuesday’s game against the 76ers may have had a playoff atmosphere, Wednesday’s was against a .500 team missing its two best players in Scottie Barnes and Kawhi Leonard.
“Obviously anybody could get up for a game like yesterday,” White said. ”That’s what you dream about, stuff like that, especially the atmosphere and the energy around the building. But then you come on the road, and Toronto is a really good team. Obviously they’re missing a lot of players, but they’ve done a lot of great things in the league, so it’s kind of a little letdown. And so that’s where you’ve got to find that extra gear.”
Tatum noted that the team got to their Toronto hotel at 3 a.m.
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tired today,” he said.
But, that made the outcome of Wednesday’s game all the more important.
“If you want to be great, these are games that you have to [win],” he said.
The Celtics survived an early Raptors onslaught
The Raptors shot 10-for-18 from three in the first quarter and led by as many as 22 in the second.
“Anytime they hit 10 threes in a quarter, it seems like it’s going to be a long night,” White said. “But honestly, we were just kind of a step behind.”
Mazzulla said the game turned in the second quarter, as the Celtics chipped away at the deficit to seven before halftime. The Celtics embarked on a 17-2 run, of which Jayson Tatum scored and assisted on 14 points.
“We didn’t win the game in the fourth quarter. We won the game in the middle of the second quarter when we cut it to seven,” Mazzulla said. “It’s a 22-point game. It could go either way. You can kind of mail it in and just say, ‘Second night of a back-to-back, blah, blah, blah.'”
Tatum finished with 24 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks. White added 19 points, 7 assists, and 4 blocks.
And Queta, who led the game with 13 rebounds, went out of his way to shout out the small plays that don’t show up in a box score.
“A lot of guys are making energy plays that galvanize your teammates, and I think we kind of fed off each other,” Queta said. “I think that’s something we need to do more, and it will get us over the hump on those nights.”
Defense became the name of the game; Boston held Toronto to 19 points in the third quarter and 13 in the fourth.
“I thought all five guys were connected defensively,” Mazzulla said. “We were executing our coverages, forced the type of shots that we wanted them to shoot. Guys got rebounds. So I thought it was a connected defensive effort by our guys, particularly in the second half.”
Mazzulla also praised Queta for his all-around impact on the ballgame.
“Those two big free throws that he hit down the stretch, catching the ball in the seam, making plays,” Mazzulla said. “Defensively, he just lifts us to another level with the rim protection.”
The Celtics could have simply accepted they didn’t have it on Wednesday night.
Instead, they dug deep and finished a successful road trip on top.
“We had every excuse in the world, and people would be like, ‘Oh, it was a big game,’ whatever,” White said. “But it’s just the DNA. We put that Celtics uniform on and go out there and win. And so every person that came in there — we might not have had it at the beginning of the game, but we just found a way to find something and give everything we’ve got.”
Head coach André Tourigny did say pregame that when you expect something to happen, nothing usually happens. Most were expecting a close, physical game on Wednesday between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights, a rematch of the teams’ first-round playoff series against each other in the spring.
However, it was instead a game that the Golden Knights ran away with starting in the second period, and a very injured Mammoth squad couldn’t do much other than keep within a goal or two of their opponents, losing 5-3. They leave Sin City, set to play their next five games at home after playing 13 of their 19 games on the road.
When the Mammoth released their injury report right before warm-ups, saying that their game against the Golden Knights was going to be an uphill battle is probably the best way to put it. Dylan Guenther and Nate Schmidt were both placed on injured reserve, joining John Marino. Logan Cooley was also announced to be injured, with his status as day-to-day.
The only bit of good news in the injury report was the reactivation of Kailer Yamamoto off of injured reserve. Daniil But was also recalled from the Tucson Roadrunners and made it on time to play in Wednesday’s game. With the Roadrunners, But really hasn’t done much offensively. He’ll make flashy moves but then overthink things and often gets humbled with a hit or two from his opponents. It was a similar story on Wednesday.
“He had a good moment early, and then after that he went through a little bit of adversity and a few reads, but that's what I thought of his game,” Tourigny said. “I think he had a great first period.”
Someone who had a great game was Jack McBain. The forward got three points, including his second goal of the season off a top-shelf shot. His linemate, Lawson Crouse, also had a very good night with two points. It was the only line that really connected throughout Wednesday’s game.
McBain was someone who needed to get going. He hadn’t scored since Oct. 8 against the Boston Bruins and hadn’t produced a point since Oct. 19 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Crouse has also been struggling to produce as of late, with his last goal coming on Oct. 6 against the New Jersey Devils. Luckily, his line found some luck against the Golden Knights.
“The first one, my goal, was a puck going to the net,” Crouse said. “It popped out perfectly on the weak side. Then a great shot by Bainer, and then another great pass by Bainer. You love to see it from Boehner. He's a guy who does everything right. A true teammate, and nice to see him get rewarded.”
Andrew Peeke also produced assists on the goals. He’s had a sneaky good season so far with eight points in 19 games.
Back to Crouse and McBain: those two guys needed to step up, and they did. They aren’t the only ones. Anders Lee has struggled to score as of late. Michael Carcone hasn’t done much since returning from injury. Vincent Trocheck’s last goal came Oct. 22. He’s approaching double digits in games since his last goal.
The reason why it’s so critical they have to step up and start producing now is that the Mammoth have run into some very challenging injury issues. There are the four aforementioned players and now Nick Schmaltz. Schmaltz took a hard hit on the boards that forced him into the locker room. He returned for a couple of shifts and then left the game. The Mammoth later announced he was questionable to return with a lower-body injury.
That is three of the Mammoth’s top five forwards who were sidelined for most of Wednesday’s game. Even worse, the Schmaltz injury ended up distracting the Mammoth as the Golden Knights piled on three goals in five minutes that ultimately won them the game.
“We went through adversity in the game with some injuries, and I think we lost our focus, and that cost us the game,” Tourigny said. “At that moment, we gave up three goals, and we got pulled out of the game there. I liked the fight after we came back. That was positive, but I think we can be more connected and a little bit more stingy.”
You can point to that second period as a major reason the Mammoth lost. Yes, there were those three goals, but it goes deeper than that. The Mammoth were outshot 15-5 in the second period. That is not a recipe for winning games.
Something that contributed to that second period was the final penalty the Mammoth took in the game. Crouse went off for tripping, which led to Victor Olofsson’s power-play goal. That helped fuel the two goals that followed, including Ivan Barbashev’s beautiful highlight-reel goal. The Mammoth’s penalty kill wasn’t bad. It actually came up big in the first by killing a five-on-three penalty. However, they took too many penalties, and it caught up with them.
"We need to play our game and play a full 60,” Crouse said. “We talk a lot about our pace, our speed, and how we want to play. We got to do that. Staying out of the box is going to be a big priority. We've got to find ways to not take those penalties."
The Mammoth have now dropped three straight games. They have now dropped to the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. They now have five everyday players out with injuries. It’s a frustrating time right now for the team.
Goaltending hasn’t been good either for quite some time. While Sebastian Cossa wasn’t necessarily bad, he put up an .821 save percentage. You can blame the blueline for a couple of those goals, but goaltending still needs to start consistently posting a .890 save percentage or better, and neither Cossa nor Karel Vejmelka has done that this season.
“I will need to look at the tape to analyze all the goals and all the scoring chances,” Tourigny said. “I think he made great saves during the game. We'll have to look at all the goals and have a better read on it.”
The Mammoth don’t get much of a break either. They play again less than 24 hours after Wednesday’s loss. The injured and the players still kicking get no rest. Perhaps giving someone like Ben McCartney a chance in the lineup might inject some life into the lineup. Whatever can give them energy, the Mammoth need to do it.
In the locker room, it’s simple. Whether the coaches and general managers do something to energize the team, the locker room needs to rise and step up. The Mammoth need everyone at their best. That hasn’t happened recently. It needs to start now if the Mammoth want to start winning again.
“We talk about adversity, and these are the moments when we all need to rise up,” Crouse said. “Everyone in the locker room needs to demand more of themselves, and that's what we're going to do.”
The Golden Knights are a good team. They deserved to win Wednesday’s game. To make the playoffs, though, the Mammoth need to win those tough games, and they need to start doing it soon to keep pace with the rest of the Western Conference.
The Mammoth will play the St. Louis Blues next on Thursday at the Delta Center. The Blues are 8-8-2 and are coming off a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings.
