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European football: Martínez double keeps Inter on tail of leaders

  • Forward scores twice in 2-0 win at Pisa

  • Villarreal edge out Real Sociedad in thriller

Inter’s Lautaro Martínez scored a second-half double to earn his side a 2-0 at Pisa that kept the visitors very much involved in the Serie A title race despite a less than convincing performance.

Cristian Chivu’s Inter are third in the standings on 27 points, level with second-placed Roma, who host Napoli later on Sunday, and one behind the leaders, Milan, who beat Lazio 1-0 on Saturday. Pisa are third bottom with 10 points.

This story will be updated

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LeBron James won't play for Lakers vs. Pelicans as he continues to manage injury

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) drives to the basket guarded.
Lakers star LeBron James drives to the basket in front of Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic during the Lakers' 108-106 win on Nov. 23. (Tyler Tate / Associated Press)

Lakers star LeBron James will miss Sunday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans as he manages a right foot injury, the team announced.

The Lakers (14-4) are playing the first of two games in as many nights at home. They host the Phoenix Suns on Monday, which will be the team's third game in four days after a win over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday.

Playing in just his fourth game of the season, James played 34 minutes in the 129-119 win, scoring 13 points with seven assists. He missed the beginning of the season for the first time in his 23-year NBA career because of right sciatica that sidelined him for 14 games.

Read more:Former Lakers star Anthony Davis makes long-awaited return to L.A. after trade

Despite James' limited time, the Lakers have still thrived behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Doncic leads the NBA in scoring with 35.1 points per game. The dynamic duo combined for 72 points in Friday’s win, led by 38 points on 12-for-15 shooting from Reaves. The Lakers' guard scored 31 points in the team’s first matchup against the Pelicans, a 118-104 win on Nov. 14 in New Orleans.

The Pelicans (3-17) have the worst record in the Western Conference. The Lakers need James for the tougher matchup against the Suns (12-9) on Monday before playing in Toronto on Thursday, the first game of a three-game East Coast trip.

The Lakers will also be without guard Marcus Smart (back spasms) for the second consecutive game.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Warriors to unite Curry brothers, reportedly sign Seth Curry for remainder of season Monday

Stephen and Seth Curry will be united.

For the first time in the brothers' professional careers, Stephen and Seth will be on the same team as of Monday when the Warriors are expected to sign Seth for the remainder of the season, a story broken by Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of ESPN.

This had always been the plan. Golden State signed Seth for training camp, but made it clear from day one that he would be waived and cut before the season started, and that they planned to re-sign him a month or two later. Welcome to the realities of the NBA's tax aprons. The Warriors are hard-capped at the second apron (because they used the taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Al Horford), and after signing Jonathan Kuminga to his new contract plus bringing in Horford and De'Anthony Melton, the Warriors were bumping up against that cap. That meant Seth had to be waived to get the team under that hard cap to start the season, but the plan was always to re-sign him.

Technically, the Warriors could have brought Curry back a couple of weeks ago on the prorated veteran minimum contract he will sign, but the team wanted to give itself a little more room below that hard cap, so it waited.

We'll have to wait a little longer to see Seth and Stephen on the court together because Stephen is out for a week with a quad contusion.

Seth, 35, shot 45.6% on 3-pointers last season on his way to averaging 6.5 points a game in Charlotte. He could help the 11-10 Warriors, who have the 22nd-ranked offense in the league this season.

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West Ham United 0-2 Liverpool : Premier League – as it happened

Alexander Isak broke his Premier League duck as the fallen champions got back on track

Andy Flintoff gets in touch: “Looking at that Liverpool line-up, the two players with squad numbers >11 could so easily be switched with Endo & Salah with not a lot of positional changes required, which would leave it with a very retro looking 1-11.”

Arne Slot has been explaining his team selection to Sky Sports.

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David's sensational 98 leads Bulls to T10 League title

Tim David
[Getty Images]

Australia's Tim David crashed a stunning 98 from 30 balls as UAE Bulls won their first Abu Dhabi T10 League title with an 80-run win over Aspin Stallions.

After being put in to bat, James Vince retired hurt early for Bulls, before Phil Salt (18) fell in the third over.

From there it was the David show. He had hit 57 off 18 balls earlier in the day to lead Bulls to the final, but this was even better.

He hit three fours and 12 sixes as he shared an unbroken 128 with Rovman Powell (24* off 20) to power Bulls to 150-1.

Stallions, who were playing in the competition for the first time, never got going in reply and were 10-1 after two overs and already well behind the required run-rate.

They finished on 70-4 with Rahmanullah Gurbaz top-scoring with 18.

David finishes the tournament as the leading run-scorer (393), with England's Salt second on 256.

Australia's Andrew Tye was the leading wicket-taker with 13.

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Knicks' Jalen Brunson making an early case for NBA MVP

Jalen Brunson finished with 37 points on 21 shots in Friday night’s win over the Milwaukee Bucks, his ninth 30-point effort of the early season. The performance drew calls for Brunson to receive recognition in the MVP race, first from Stan Van Gundy during the broadcast, then from head coach Mike Brown after the game. 

It’s tough to argue for Brunson’s season being anything but MVP-worthy thus far. He’s averaging a career high 29.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists on 54.5 percent shooting from two and 38 percent from three. 

Last season, Brunson was similarly impressive and valuable, yet only mustered one fifth-place vote. He fell short of nine of his peers, including Cade Cunningham and Jayson Tatum,both of whom he would go on to eliminate in the Playoffs. 

Others are calling it out early, but we need to see proper respect given to Brunson this year. He’s one of the league’s most consistent performers and feared scorers, yet dumbfoundedly, isn’t recognized as one of its most valuable players. 

No matter your personal criteria in determining the award’s winner, Brunson fits the bill. If you’re looking for the best player on the best team, the Knicks are 12-6 and slowly rising in the East, and there’s no dispute who their captain has been. 

Sure, OKC is a juggernaut that may be on its way to 74 wins, but having historically exceptional candidates doesn’t delegitimize Brunson’s case. It only shows how well he’s made it in spite of who he’s up against. 

If you’re dead set on the “value” piece of the award, the Knicks are outscoring their opponents by eight more points per 100 possessions with Brunson on the court vs off, in line with the effect Luka Doncic has had this season. Brunson also has much less ball handling and creation help than his other candidates, further emphasizing his importance.

When the game comes down to its closing moments, nobody outshines Brunson. What’s more valuable than having the league’s ultimate closer?

At least that's what he was crowned last season when he won the Clutch Player of the Year award. He’s off to a hot start this year, with a last-minute and-one and some clutch passing against the Bucks, another key dime in Dallas and some daggers thrown against Boston. 

Other candidates have their share of teammate injuries, but Brunson has had to deal with that plus the installation of an entirely revamped offense. He’s taken the new system in stride, while injecting his own flavor to it, but it took a few games to get going and may still need tweaking.

For those caught up on Brunson’s physical, savvy play that’s misconstrued as foul-baiting or unethical, just note every leading MVP candidate is top-20 in free throw attempts per game, but not Brunson. His defense also likes to get nitpicked, but the Knicks' D has held up well with Brunson, being far more heavily swayed by OG Anunoby’s absence and Mitchell Robinson’s struggles.

It shouldn’t take elite basketball minds like Brown’s or Van Gundy’s to get across what’s obvious to anybody watching: Brunson is an MVP-caliber player, and the voters and coverage should reflect that.

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Blackhawks Expected To Trade Laurent Brossoit After Conditioning Stint With IceHogs

For a couple of weeks now, Laurent Brossoit has been skating ahead of Chicago Blackhawks practice. Since signing with Chicago ahead of 2024-25, Brossoit has been injured and has appeared in no games.

Now, he appears to be close to ready for a conditioning stint in the AHL with plans to get back to the NHL shortly after. Before coming to Chicago, Brossoit was one of the best backups in the NHL and was hoping to help them stabilize the position.

They have since done that without him. Spencer Knight is the long-term starter, and Arvid Soderblom has been a solid backup. Drew Commesso is also in Rockford waiting for his chance.

According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, Brossoit is expected to be moved following his conditioning stint with Rockford. The Blackhawks are not going to get a needle-moving asset for him, but they will be allowing the player to get his career back on track. That will be a respected move by Kyle Davidson.

Brossoit has put in a lot of hard work to get to this point following his injury. It didn’t work out for him in Chicago, and their timelines no longer align, but there is still a chance that this will work out well for all parties.

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Islanders Recall Marc Gatcomb From Bridgeport Following Kyle Palmieri Injury News

With Kyle Palmieri out for the season after tearing his ACL, the New York Islanders have recalled forward Marc Gatcomb from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League. 

Gatcomb, 26, played in 39 games for the Islanders last season, showcasing a combination of skillsets that the Islanders were longing for. 

He's physical, is responsible defensively, can move up the ice but also brought a scoring touch, potting eight goals in 25 games, adding one assist. 

This season, Gatcomb played in just one game, the team's home-opener, a 5-2 loss to the Washington Capitals. He was placed on waivers back on Oct. 22 because of his $900,000 cap hit. 

Before placing Pierre Engvall on LTIR -- he's out for the season with an ankle injury that required surgery -- the Islanders wanted to get as close to the cap ceiling so that they could take full advantage of LTIR. By waiving Gatcomb and calling up, at the time, Matthew Highmore ($775K) and Marshall Warren ($825K), the Islanders got as close to zero as possible.

With Gatcomb up, the Islanders are no longer accruing cap space as they are exceeding the cap by $855,497, dipping into a little of Engvall's LTIR money. 

Likely Reason Why Islanders Waived Marc GatcombLikely Reason Why Islanders Waived Marc GatcombIslanders free up cap space and a roster spot by waiving Marc Gatcomb, paving the way for a crucial defenseman recall amidst Romanov's injury.

In 15 games with Bridgeport, Gatcomb recorded eight points (four goals, four assists). 

We'll see if he gets into the lineup on Sunday when the Islanders battle the Capitals at 1 PM ET. 

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The Hockey News Sunday Recap: Columbus Blue Jackets

NEWS

Blue Jackets' Werenski Named NHL's Second Star Of The WeekBlue Jackets' Werenski Named NHL's Second Star Of The WeekWerenski explodes for eight points in four games, climbing the Blue Jackets' all-time scoring list. NHL's Second Star shines.

The NHL has released their three stars of the week and to no surprise Columbus Blue Jackets' Zach Werenski was named as the Second Star of the week.

Werenski was joined by Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson who was named the First Star and San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini who was named Third Star.

Blue Jackets Sign Veteran Defenseman Brendan SmithBlue Jackets Sign Veteran Defenseman Brendan SmithThe Blue Jackets have announced the signing of veteran defenseman Brendan Smith to a one-year, two-way National Hockey League/American Hockey League contract for the 2025-26 season. Smith will join the CBJ on Tuesday, per GM Don Waddell. 

The Blue Jackets have announced the signing of veteran defenseman Brendan Smith to a one-year, two-way National Hockey League/American Hockey League contract for the 2025-26 season.

Defenseman Dysin Mayo Sent Back To ClevelandDefenseman Dysin Mayo Sent Back To ClevelandColumbus recalled Mayo on October 30th.

 Per the Blue Jackets Roster report, Defenseman Dysin Mayo, who was recalled by Columbus on October 30th, has been sent back to Cleveland. 

Mayo played in one game on November 5th against Calgary. He played 7:33 of ice time, took three shots, and was a minus-1. 

Dean Evason Gives Injury UpdatesDean Evason Gives Injury UpdatesThe Jackets have lost 35 man-games to injury

Kirill Marchenko - Seeing a doctor today about an injury John Davidson called "a muscle injury." It isn't expected to be serious according to Davidson. Evason said he's seeing a doctor today.   

Mathieu Olivier - Left last night's game and looked to be in discomfort. He was ruled out soon after. Evason said Olivier is also seeing a doctor. It's believed to be an upper body injury. 

Boone Jenner - Suffered an injury last week. It was originally reported that he'd miss 4-5 weeks, but he is skating and Don Waddell told NHL Radio late last week that he'd be back a lot sooner. 

Erik Gudbranson - Has missed the last 15 games and is on IR. Evason says he is skating and could be nearing a return. 

Blue Jackets' Brendan Smith To Make Debut Against Maple LeafsBlue Jackets' Brendan Smith To Make Debut Against Maple LeafsVeteran defenseman Brendan Smith, cut in preseason, faces his hometown Maple Leafs in his Blue Jackets debut tomorrow.

According to reports, newly signed Brendan Smith is set to make his Columbus Blue Jackets debut tomorrow night against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Smith, 36, signed with the club yesterday after being cut by them in preseason from a professional tryout. The contract is a one-year, two-deal, worth $800,000.

Blue Jackets' Luca Pinelli Makes NHL Debut Against Maple LeafsBlue Jackets' Luca Pinelli Makes NHL Debut Against Maple LeafsHometown hero Luca Pinelli steps onto the NHL ice for his highly anticipated debut against the Maple Leafs tonight.

Columbus Blue Jackets' rookie Luca Pinelli is set to make his NHL debut tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Pinelli, 20, is a native of Stoney Creek, Ontario has an awesome opportunity to play his NHL debut against the team that he grew up watching. 

Cannon City Quotables: Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Toronto Maple LeafsCannon City Quotables: Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Toronto Maple LeafsBlue Jackets fought hard but fell in OT. Hear directly from players and coaches on the thrilling matchup and what's next.

Zach Werenski:

  • Not pleased that they lost the point
  • Team is sick of blowing leads and losing in OT
  • No time to dwell on the loss, need to move forward
  • Praised Woll for his effort
  • Team needs to work on getting a bigger cushion heading into the third
  • Felt the team's process is good
  • Liked Pinelli's confidence
Waddell Provides Update On Blue Jackets' Jenner & FantilliWaddell Provides Update On Blue Jackets' Jenner & FantilliContract talks for key Blue Jackets Boone Jenner and Adam Fantilli are on hold until February. Waddell confirms mutual desire to reach agreements.

“I’ve talked to both representations from both players (Fantilli and Jenner), along with some other not only free agents but restricted to guys and, you know, pretty much we’ve all agreed let’s play to the Olympic break. There’s no big rush, you know, from any end."

From THN's Archive: Starting From ScratchFrom THN's Archive: Starting From ScratchBefore filling the dressing room, a fresh franchise must first stock its off-ice roster with brass and bird dogs. Vegas has quietly compiled some of the best in the business

Initially, Minnesota and Columbus had talked about working together to maximize the talent both could land. According to that year’s rules, if a team lost a goalie in the draft, for example, it couldn’t lose a defenseman. And if a team lost a defenseman, it couldn’t lose another. So if the Blue Jackets wanted a certain blueliner from Pittsburgh, they could have told the Wild not to take a Penguins goalie ahead of time.

From THN's Archive: Division Domination From THN's Archive: Division Domination The Central Division is the most talented in the NHL, with five dangerous teams all capable of making the playoffsCannon City Quotables: Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Pittsburgh PenguinsCannon City Quotables: Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Pittsburgh PenguinsPlayers and coaches weigh in as the Blue Jackets once again falter in overtime against the Penguins, fueling season-long concerns.

Sean Monahan:

  • Tough to handle losing like that "losing sucks"
  • When you go into the third with a lead, they need to find a way to bring it home
  • Believes it is on those in the room to figure it out
  • Felt the team didn't react well to the Penguins' early third period goal
  • Team needs to do the little things to keep the puck out of their net
  • Mentioned that their mindset should be, every time you step on the ice, you play to win the game

GAME PREVIEWS & RECAPS

Columbus Blue Jackets (25 pts) vs. Washington Capitals (24 pts) Game PreviewColumbus Blue Jackets (25 pts) vs. Washington Capitals (24 pts) Game PreviewColumbus is 21-27-1-10 all-time, and 10-14-1-4 on the road vs. Washington.

Series History vs. The Capitals 

  • Columbus is 21-27-1-10 all-time, and 10-14-1-4 on the road vs. Washington.
  • The Jackets are 6-5-1 at Capital One Arena in the last 12 games.
  • The CBJ went 2-1-1 vs. the Caps last season.
  • The Capitals won the first meeting of the season 5-1 on October 24th.
Blue Jackets Lose Werenski & Olivier To Injury, Game to Capitals Blue Jackets Lose Werenski & Olivier To Injury, Game to Capitals The Blue Jackets record now sits at 11-9-3 with 25 points.

Denton Mateychuk(5) scored the only goal for Columbus, and Elvis Merzlikins got shelled in a 5-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Monday night. 

This one was hideous. There's no other way to put it. Burn the tape. 

Columbus Blue Jackets (25 pts) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (21 pts) Game PreviewColumbus Blue Jackets (25 pts) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (21 pts) Game PreviewColumbus is 23-20-1 all-time, and 10-11-0 at home vs. Toronto.

Series History vs. The Maple Leafs

  • Columbus is 23-20-1 all-time, and 10-11-0 at home vs. Toronto.
  • The Jackets are 6-2 in the last 8 against the Maple Leafs, and have scored 5-plus goals in every win.
  • The Blue Jackets have won three straight against Toronto at NWA.
  • The CBJ are 2-0 against the Leafs this season.
Columbus Blue Jackets Lines, Defensive Pairings, & Scratches For Today's Game vs. Toronto Maple LeafsColumbus Blue Jackets Lines, Defensive Pairings, & Scratches For Today's Game vs. Toronto Maple LeafsThe Columbus Blue Jackets are at home tonight to play the Toronto Maple Leafs. Blue Jackets Blow Late Lead; Lose To Toronto In OTBlue Jackets Blow Late Lead; Lose To Toronto In OTThe Blue Jackets are now 11-9-4 and have 26 points.

Zach Werenski(8) scored the only goal for the Blue Jackets, and Jet Greaves was phenomenal in a 2-1 OT loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night. 

Stop me if you've heard this one before. The Blue Jackets blew a late third-period lead and then lost the game in overtime. This feels like a Groundhogs Day scene starring Bill Murray, except we are all Bill Murray. 

Columbus Blue Jackets (26 pts) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (27 pts) Game PreviewColumbus Blue Jackets (26 pts) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (27 pts) Game PreviewColumbus is 19-30-9 all-time, and 13-11-4 at home vs. Pittsburgh.

Series History vs. The Penguins

  • Columbus is 19-30-9 all-time, and 13-11-4 at home vs. Pittsburgh.
  • The Jackets are 5-4-1 in the last 10 against the Pens overall, and 5-5 in the last 10 at home.
  • The CBJ are 1-0 against the Pens this season.
Columbus Blue Jackets Lines, Defensive Pairings, & Scratches For Today's Game vs. Pittsburgh PenguinsColumbus Blue Jackets Lines, Defensive Pairings, & Scratches For Today's Game vs. Pittsburgh PenguinsThe Columbus Blue Jackets are at home tonight to play the Pittsburgh PenguinsBlue Jackets Blow Two Goal, Third Period Lead; Lose To Pittsburgh In OTBlue Jackets Blow Two Goal, Third Period Lead; Lose To Pittsburgh In OTThe Blue Jackets record is now 11-9-5 with 27 points.

Sean Monahan(3), Brendan Gaunce(1), and Zach Werenski(9) provided the offense for Columbus is a losing cause, while Jet Greaves could only stop 20 of 24 Penguins shots. 

No, you're not imagining things. The Jackets did, in fact, blow yet another two-goal third-period lead. 

Up Next: The Blue Jackets travel to New Jersey to take on the Devils.   

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'Nothing You Need To Worry About': William Nylander Shines In Return After Illness, Deflects Questions On Absence

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander made his return to the lineup on Saturday and immediately helped his club defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-2.

Nylander picked up the primary assist on Easton Cowan’s goal, which put Toronto up 2-1 in the first period , and the club never relinquished the lead from there. The star Swede faked out goaltender Arturs Silovs, winding up for a shot before passing to Cowan, who buried the puck.

The play drew praise from the Leafs' own goaltending staff. "William Nylander comes down by the hashmarks loading for a one-timer, I think every goalie in the league will freeze,” Maple Leafs goaltender Dennis Hildeby said of the play. “But it was a great pass, and that's just what he does".

Nylander’s return came after he missed the previous game on Friday against the Washington Capitals due to an undisclosed illness. After the Penguins game, Nylander was asked about the ailment, and it was clear he didn’t want to go into any detail.

“Nothing you need to worry about,” he said.

It is unusual for Nylander to be out of the lineup, as the star player has been known to be quite durable. This absence came just one day after he missed Leafs practice due to what the team had described as maintenance. He had previously missed three games due to a lower-body injury sustained after a hit from Buffalo Sabres forward Jason Zucker.

‘He Needs To Feel Right’: Why William Nylander Continues To Be A Game-Time Decision For The Maple Leafs‘He Needs To Feel Right’: Why William Nylander Continues To Be A Game-Time Decision For The Maple LeafsNylander sustained a lower-body injury on Friday, and despite participating in a full practice, the Leafs need to see how the player feels in warmups.

Given his recent injuries and maintenance day, the potential for Nylander to miss Saturday’s game wasn't the surprise; the reason was. Nevertheless, Nylander reportedly informed Coach Berube at Saturday morning's team breakfast that he was fit to play.

Despite missing four games this season , Nylander leads all Maple Leafs in scoring with 32 points (11 goals and 21 assists). His 1.52 points per game ranks him third in the NHL among qualified players.

Latest stories:

Oliver Ekman-Larsson Approaches Maple Leafs Record But Exits With Upper-Body Injury vs. Penguins

Dakota Joshua Showed He Can Be the Impact Depth Player The Maple Leafs Were Hoping For

'That's What Happens When You Get Scratched': Max Domi Responds With Big Game Vs. Penguins After Maple Leafs' Benching

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2025-26 NBA MVP ladder, race: Odds, power rankings, frontrunners including SGA, Doncic, Jokic, Cunningham

The NBA MVP race is sorting out to a be a three-player race as we enter the seventh week of the season. However, Cade Cunningham's name continues to pop up in MVP conversations as the Pistons have stayed hot. Giannis Antetokoumpo back from injury, while Victor Wembanyama is out, and Tyrese Maxey is still balling — here is my MVP list.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & team props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!

Vaughn Dalzell‘s Week 7 MVP Rankings

Oklahoma City Thunder Primary Logo
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder (+170)
Points Per Game: 32.9 (2nd)
Assists Per Game: 6.7 (15th)
Rebounds Per Game: 4.9 RPG (89th)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the league in plus-minus (+238) for November and points (452) off the third-most field goals made (143) and ninth-most attempts (256). The Thunder have won 11 straight games and has an NBA-best 19-1 record, which is why SGA is my No. 1.

SGA scored 37, 40, and 37 points over the past three games and 31 or more in the previous five. Despite not playing a majority of fourth quarters this season and recorded 30 or fewer minutes in 11 of 20 games — I think SGA is the rightful favorite with his career-high 54.5 field goal percentage and 42.3 three-point percentage.

Denver Nuggets Primary Logo
2. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets (+140)
Points Per Game: 28.9 (7th)
Rebounds Per Game: 12.4 (1st)
Assists Per Game: 10.9 (1st)

The Joker's fabulous November has continued in style. Nikola Jokic has six triple-doubles and seven double-doubles in 14 games to go along with 32.0 points per game. In November alone, Jokic has scored the second-most points behind SGA (452-448), leads the NBA in assists (154), and ranks third in rebounds (164).

Overall, Jokic leads the NBA in rebounds (12.4) and assists (10.9), plus comes in at seventh in points per game (28.9). It's likely that Jokic averages a 30-point triple-double this season, and with Denver at 14-5 and firmly in the top three of the West — it's safe to say he will be a top-three finisher for MVP again.

Los Angeles Lakers Primary Logo
3. Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers (+320)
Points Per Game: 35.1 (1st)
Assists Per Game: 9.4 (2nd)
Rebounds Per Game: 8.5 (T-20th)

Luka Doncic and the Lakers are 6-0 in the past six games and he's on fire! Doncic has averaged 35.5 points, 10.0 assists, and 7.6 rebounds over that span with five double-doubles and five games of 33 or more points. The Lakers' superstar leads the league in points (35.1) and ranks second in assists (9.4) and even with LeBron James back in the mix — Doncic apparently ins't slowing down anytime soon.

Detroit Pistons Primary Logo
4. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons (+5000)
Points Per Game: 28.8 (9th)
Rebounds Per Game: 6.4 (46th)
Assists Per Game: 9.4 (3rd)

Cade Cunningham was one of the few players to see his stock improve over the past week. That's because Detroit keeps winning! The Pistons win streak was snapped at 13 consecutive wins and boast a 14-2 record over the past 16 games.

Even in the two recent losses, Cunningham posted a 39-point triple-double with 13 rebounds, and 11 assists, plus 42 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Philadelphia 76ers Primary Logo
5. Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers (+7000)
Points Per Game: 31.7 (3rd)
Rebounds Per Game: 4.7 (T-100th)
Assists Per Game: 7.5 (8th)

Tyrese Maxey has watched his odds drop from +4000 to +7000 after scoring 27, 20, and 22 points over the past three games following his 54-point outburst in OT versus Milwaukee. The 76ers are still above water with a 10-8 record as Maxey ranks top 10 in scoring (31.7) and assists (7.5). Despite the stellar start, staying in the top five for MVP will be difficult.

Stock Up

Detroit Pistons Primary Logo
Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons (+5000)
Points Per Game: 28.8 (9th)
Rebounds Per Game: 6.4 (46th)
Assists Per Game: 9.4 (3rd)

The Pistons franchise player is averaging a career-high across the board in almost every category and with a 16-4 record that leads the East and ranks second in the NBA, Cunningham has to be a top five candidate on everyone's MVP rankings. Cunningham has scored 30 or more points in seven of the last 11 games, double-doubled in eight, and triple-doubled in two.

Stock Down

San Antonio Spurs Primary Logo
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs (+15000)
Points Per Game: 26.2 (14th)
Rebounds Per Game: 12.9 (2nd)
Blocks Per Game: 3.6 (1st)

Victor Wembanyama has now missed two weeks of action and six games. San Antonio has gone 5-1 in those six games, so at 13-5, the Spurs are still thriving despite missing their franchise player. Wembanyama is expected to be re-evaluated later this week and return sometime in December.

Milwaukee Bucks Primary Logo
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (+3000)
Points Per Game: 30.9 (4th)
Rebounds Per Game: 10.9 (5th)
Assists Per Game: 6.6 (17th)

Giannis Antetokounmpo shifted from +900 to +1600 to +3000 as he missed 10 days. However, Giannis returned the past two games, a back-to-back versus the Nets and Knicks, splitting the two games and scoring 30 and 29 in each.

In the loss to the Knicks, Giannis had 30 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assists in his return from injury, but his odds continue to drop, which is a clear sign that the market is starting to correct itself on the 9-12 Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks are 8-7 with Giannis and 1-5 without him.

Follow my plays for the season on X @VmoneySports, Instagram @VmoneySports_ and Action App @vaughndalzell.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & team props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!

How to Watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock

Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones. Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.

How to sign up for Peacock:

Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You’ll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.

NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule

Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.

What devices does Peacock support?

You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.

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Mount’s sweet strike completes Manchester United’s comeback win at Crystal Palace

Just when Ruben Amorim must have thought his luck would never turn, Manchester United managed to inflict Crystal Palace’s first home defeat in the Premier League since February and end their own five-year wait for a victory at this ground after a first half when their opponents should have been out of sight.

Oliver Glasner’s side had been rampant and deservedly took the lead through Jean-Philippe Mateta’s retaken penalty but they could not make their dominance count. Having failed to score in four previous league meetings that included three defeats, like the proverbial London buses United struck back twice in nine minutes through Joshua Zirkzee – his first goal in the Premier League for almost a year – and Mason Mount to snatch the points.

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'It's A Cool Achievement': Wild's Mats Zuccarello Becomes Third Undrafted Player In NHL History To Record 700 Points

ST. PAUL, Minn - In a game between the Minnesota Wild (14-7-5) and the Buffalo Sabres (10-11-4), forward Mats Zuccarello recorded his 700th career NHL point.

The 5-foot-8 winger became the first Norwegian player to reach the milestone in NHL history. He is also the only Norwegian to have over 112 NHL points.

Zuccarello, 38, also became the third undrafted player in NHL history to record 700 points. He  joins Martin St. Louis (1,033) and Artemi Panarin (896) as the three players to do it.

"It doesn't really mean anything right now, but one day when I retire, I'd probably look back and it's a cool achievement," Zuccarello said on the achievement. "But right now it's tough to think about winning those games, especially, .. I wish they’d count that goal as a goal as well. It would be a 701, you know?"

What Zuccarello was talking about in the last part of the quote was the puck he put in the net in the third period that tied up the game at 2-2.

Nonetheless, the Wild are now 9-0-2 with Zuccarello in the lineup. He has one goal and nine assists in those 11 games.

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Canadiens: Blais Shouldn’t Stay In Laval For Too Long

When the Montreal Canadiens put Samuel Blais on waivers at the start of the season, they knew there was a risk he would be claimed by a team and sure enough, the Toronto Maple Leafs picked him up. Now that many of their injured players were returning, the Ontarian club waived him as well, and since the Habs were the only team to put in a claim, they were able to assign him to the Laval Rocket, which they did.

Make no mistake, though, with the current injury situation in Montreal, it would be surprising if he weren’t called back up shortly, with one of the younger players sent back down to keep developing. Blais has already reached his full potential, whereas players like Jared Davidson would be more suited to a development role in the AHL.

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Davidson had a great season start in the AHL with nine goals and two assists for 11 points in 13 games, which was enough to earn him a call-up, but he was an healthy scratch for the last two games and in the one against the Utah Mammoth he only saw 5:23 of action, that’s not enough to make his presence in the NHL worth it. The 23-year-old would be much better served in Laval under Pascal Vincent’s guidance.

If the Canadiens decide to keep 13 forwards up even though they are back home for a couple of games, Florian Xhekaj should stay up, especially with Brady Tkachuk and the Ottawa Senators coming up. He’s done well in an admittedly small sample, picking up a point in four games and seven penalty minutes, on top of bringing a lot of fresh energy and physicality.

Meanwhile, in his first game in Laval, Blais scored two goals, including the game-tying one before scoring the game-winner in the shootout in the Rocket’s 5-4 win over Lehigh Valley.

Should Hughes opt only to keep 12 forwards, though, Blais could be a good option for the Canadiens given the current injury situation and the fact that Xhekaj could still use more AHL seasoning. With a fully healthy lineup, he’s a 13th forward. Still, right now, Patrik Laine, Kirby Dach, and Alex Newhook are all out, meaning that now’s the time Blais could get an opportunity to finally play his first official game with the Canadiens, after a detour through Toronto.

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