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Observations From Blues' 6-1 Loss Vs. Capitals

Well, so much for building in the right direction.

The St. Louis Blues thought they had things figured out the past three games, ones in which they were 1-1-1 and conceivably could have won them all.

And then Wednesday happened.

Well …

They fell off a cliff. And it was a hard fall.

It was a complete fail in a 6-1 loss to the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.

And on top of the Blues’ ineffective play in this game that dropped their record to 4-8-2 overall and 1-5-2 in their past eight games, Alex Ovechkin scored his 900th NHL goal becoming the first player in league history to reach the feat.

Alexey Toropchenko did score for the Blues, their first shorthanded goal of the season:

But it was an inept first two periods that proved costly.

Let’s look at the game observations:

* Montgomery wanted a physical lineup – Coming off a 3-2 win against the Edmonton Oilers, one might have figured the same lineup against the Capitals, but coach Jim Montgomery inserted Nathan Walker and Logan Mailloux in for Mathieu Joseph and Matthew Kessel to provide more nastiness and bite.

Well, someone forgot to check in at the door that requirements for success in this game was going to take winning wall battles, loose pucks and the like.

The Blues were torched in that department that led to a number of Capitals goals, including the first one, scored on the power play by Tom Wilson; not the actual goal itself, but the three-plus minute shift that lasted in their zone that ended with Colton Parayko, whose shift was 2:59, took a cross checking penalty (Dylan Holloway’s shoft lasted 3:01, Dalibor Dvorsky’s was 2:55):

Also the first of Anthony Beauvillier’s two goals that made it 3-0 at 4:33 of the second period was another case of a lost wall battle that led to his backhand goal into an empty cage.

And then there’s John Carlson’s goal that made it 4-0 at 9:28, a shot from the slot that turned into the Capitals winning another loose puck and being hungrier for pucks that ended Jordan Binnington’s night at four goals allowed on 15 shots, including no saves and three goals allowed in the second period.

And the greatest example of competing for wall battles was on Beauvillier’s second of the night at 16:20 that made it 5-0 when the Blues, this time, were in the offensive zone, puck was in the corner along the wall, lose that battle and the puck (again), the Capitals break out with it, make a hand pass that Mailloux either didn’t see or wasn’t aware of the rule that if he doesn’t touch the puck in that situation and Beauvillier does, the play is dead. But he dives, and it was a hustle attempt, touches the puck rendering it live and Beauvillier beats Joel Hofer from the left circle:

It was just a microcosm of everything that went wrong from opening puck drop to that moment. One team came ready to play with an attitude of wanting to compete, the other didn’t. It’s as simple as that. No compete whatsoever from this group on Wednesday.

* Despite being pulled, Binnington kept team in it in first period, slip-up started downward spiral – Binnington was busy in the first period, not diving from post to post, but with the Blues spending much of the period in their own end, he came up with some solid saves stopping 11 of 12 shots and keeping it a 1-0 deficit.

But on the Ovechkin goal, Binnington got his initial clear into the corner knocked down by the ‘Great 8’ and the puck doesn’t get cleared, it winds up back in the corner and Ovechkin blind backhands the puck from a sharp angle into the net at 2:39 of the second period to make it 2-0:

It marked the third time (first for Binnington) a Blues goalie has been pulled from a game this season through 14 games.

This game marks the seventh time(!) the Blues have allowed five or more goals in a game. That didn’t happen until Game 52 last season.

And on a night in which Binnington tied Mike Liut for most games played by a goalie (347) in franchise history, that's rubbing some salt in the wound. 

* The penalty kill is simply not good – Pius Suter was brought in this year to help the Blues' 28th-ranked penalty kill from last season.

I get one player isn't going to be the do-all, tell-all, but the penalty kill at the start of this season is pitiful again.

After Wilson scored nine seconds into Washington's power-play, oh by the way which was 0-for-13 coming into the game, it was the second straight penalty kill the Blues allowed a goal within the first 10 seconds (Edmonton scored eight seconds into theirs) and 11th time in 14 games the Blues' PK has allowed a goal, including the fifth straight game and eighth in nine.

And it was another case of a skater (Wilson) in front of a Blues goalie waiting for a deflection or tip with little or no resistance.  

The PK was 74.2 percent last year and is now a woeful 67.6 percent. What's amazing is that there's four teams with worse numbers than the Blues.

* Was changing the lineup wise? – I get what Montgomery was doing when he decided to insert Walker and Mailloux into the lineup, some more physicality on the fourth line and a bigger body on the blue line. But was it wise?

This group just came off a solid win with the lineup it had with Joseph and Kessel in it and deservedly winning for the first time in 16 days. I’m not a coach here, but sticking with that same group would allow these players to continue to build in the right direction.

It just looked like it was bad mojo from the outset breaking up a lineup that really worked well together on Monday, one that kept Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins all without a shot on goal for the first time in a regular-season game that the trio played together.

OK, you make a swap of Walker and Joseph, but in inserting Mailloux, who Montgomery said pregame didn’t want players sitting for too long, he started the game with putting veteran Cam Fowler there and putting Tyler Tucker with Justin Faulk because of the lack of trust in playing the two guys with the least amount of experience together.

I actually was caught off-guard by the changes at the morning skate, just because of the cohesion that the previous game’s lineup had together.

It’s easy to second-guess now with such a poor loss, but the result speaks for itself.

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New coach Darian DeVries injects new style and renewed hope in Hoosier season opening rout

Indiana coach Darian DeVries rekindled some old memories Wednesday night by patrolling the Assembly Hall sideline in a crimson-colored Adidas quarter-zip, his son dressed in the traditional cream tank top and shorts with no name on the back. From the completely revamped roster to the Hoosiers up-tempo style, their strong 3-point shooting performance to a harassing defense, DeVries' debut had hopeful Indiana fans thinking it was a smash hit. The DeVries family couldn't have asked for anything more.

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Pat Cummins targets return in second Ashes Test but doubts remain beyond Brisbane

  • Australia captain is on track to feature at Gabba next month

  • But paceman may need to rest during final three Tests

Australia captain Pat Cummins is back bowling multiple overs on a reduced run-up and has targeted returning to the team for the second Ashes Test against England, a day-nighter in Brisbane starting on 4 December.

The fast bowler has been sidelined by a lower-back issue since July and has already been ruled out of the series opener in Perth, where he will be replaced as skipper by Steve Smith.

Continue reading...
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DeVries era opens with a bang as Reed Bailey scores 21 to lead Indiana past Alabama A&M 98-51

Reed Bailey opened his Indiana career by scoring 21 points and Lamar Wilkerson added 19 points and four 3-pointers to lead the Hoosiers past Alabama A&M 98-51 on Wednesday night in the first game under new coach Darian DeVries. DeVries has won three straight season openers at three different schools and this one again came with the help of his son, Tucker, a two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year at Drake. Sam Alexis had 17 points and eight rebounds as the Hoosiers, who had no scorers returning from last season's team, had five players finish with double-digit scoring totals.

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Knicks pour in 83 second-half points to beat Timberwolves 137-114

The Knicks used an 83-point second half and a constricting defense to snuff out the Minnesota Timberwolves for a 135-114 win on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.

After an even first half, Jalen Brunson took over in the third, with 12 points, five rebounds and four assists, and OG Anunoby owned the start of the fourth quarter with eight fast points as the Knicks turned a two-point halftime deficit into a 15-point lead with seven minutes to play in the contest and put the game on ice from there.

Anunoby led the Knicks with 25 points on 10-for-17 shooting (3-for-5 from deep) with eight rebounds and a plus-14 in 32 minutes. Brunson finished with 23 points on 9-for-20 shooting, 10 assists, seven rebounds, and was a plus-16 in 33 minutes.

Julius Randle, in his second game back at MSG after the trade, led the Timberwolves with 32 points on 12-for-21 shooting with five rebounds, four assists, but was a minus-16 in 38 minutes.

New York improved to 5-0 at home to start the season, winning a third straight after three straight losses on the road. 

Here are the takeaways...

- On the night, New York was just faster to the basketball for all but the first few minutes of the game: out-rebounding the visitors 56-38, with a 31-14 edge in second-chance points, and a 62-40 edge in points in the paint. The Knicks had four starters in double figures and got 53 points from the bench, led by Josh Hart, pouring in 18 on 7-for-12 shooting (4-for-5 from three) with five rebounds, four assists for a plus-12 in 27 minutes. 

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 15 points with 10 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks in 31 minutes and was a plus-15. Mikal Brides had 13 points on 5-for-12 shooting with five assists and was a plus-13 in 33 minutes. In just 16 minutes, Mitchell Robinson had eight points (4-for-5 shooting) with 10 rebounds (nine offensive) with three blocks, and was a plus-7.

Anthony Edwards, back in the lineup after missing four games due to a hamstring injury, started slow with just five points (2-for-5) in the first half. He was blocked twice in the opening moments of the third as he didn’t look himself. He finished with 15 points on 5-for-13 shooting (3-for-7 from deep) and was a minus-25 in 29 minutes. Donte DiVincenzo, in his first game back since the trade, had spurts of good play and scored 21 points on 7-for-15 shooting (5-for-11 from deep) but was a minus-14 in 36 minutes.

- The Knicks' offense did not start smoothly, with four turnovers and 0-for-5 from the floor in the first four minutes. Mike Brown had seen enough, calling for time with his side down 13-4. Bridges finally got the Knicks’ first field goal with a three, which started a 10-2 run, including two run-outs, as the home side finally turned defense into offense. 

After an 0-for-6 start, the Knicks finished the quarter converting on 10 of 15, capped by Robinson scooping his fifth rebound (fourth offensive) and laying it in before the buzzer for a 28-26 lead.

Brunson made just 2 of 6 to start with four points and two turnovers, but added four assists and two rebounds. Hart knocked down his first two threes of the game and added a good assist to Guerschon Yabusele for a corner three. Anunoby added four first-quarter points on three attempts, but put on a defensive clinic with effort across the board.

Randle had his typical good first quarter, scoring 11 points on 4-for-7 shooting. And he added seven more in the second, to go along with three assists, two rebounds, and a block, and was plus-10 in 20 first-half minutes.

- A pair of emphatic Towns dunks – first over Rudy Gobert and then over Edwards – helped New York build an eight-point edge early in the second, but Minnesota's ball movement continued to be good and got them a pair of back-to-back open threes. But a 7-0 Knicks spurt built the lead up to nine, with Miles McBride scoring five of his first-half seven and Jordan Clarkson grabbing a dunk off a nice backdoor cut from a Towns feed. McBride finished with 14 points (6-for-10 shooting) with four assists and three boards and was a game-high plus-26 in 21 minutes. Clarkson finished with seven off the bench in 16 minutes.

But that lead was quickly erased by 14 unanswered points from Minnesota, with DiVincenzo connecting twice from three and Randle walking into an easy one as Towns left him wide open, forcing another Brown timeout. Brunson put a stop to it as the Knicks ran a good play for him to get a three, as they got back into things to level the score, but Randle scored four in the final half-minute to give Minnesota a 58-54 lead at the break.

New York was outrebounding the visitors 21-17 at the half, but Minnesota was 20-for-38 from the floor (52.6 percent) and 12-for-23 from deep (52.2 percent) compared to 21-for-46 (45.7 percent) and 8-for-18 (44.4 percent) for the home side.

- New York’s offense didn’t start clicking immediately after the break, but the defense began to tighten the screws, highlighted by a 13-2 run powered by a Towns block, Anunoby steal, Hart charge with Anunoby and Brunson each scoring five to match their largest lead of nine.

The Knicks finished the third with 40 points on 17-for-28 shooting (60.7 percent) as the Wolves went just 9-for-24 from the floor, building an eight-point lead. The hottest hand belonged to Brunson, who turned it on in the third, scoring 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting. Not to be overlooked, Robinson added three dunks, three rebounds, three blocks, and a steal in the third.

In the second half, the Knicks shot 60.7 percent (34-for-56) and held the visitors to 44.4 percent (20-for-45). As a unit, New York was 55-for-102 (53.9 percent) from the floor and 19-for-42 from three (45.2 percent).

Highlights

What's next

The Knicks have a few days off before they host the Nets on Sunday, with the tip set for 6 p.m.

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Nets defeat Pacers, 112-103, to pick up first win of season

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Michael Porter Jr. had 32 points and 11 rebounds, and the Brooklyn Nets overcame the loss of leading scorer Cam Thomas to claim their first victory of the season in a 112-103 road win over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.

Porter made 10 of 20 shots, including four three-pointers, as the Nets pulled away in the fourth quarter in a game of spurts that featured 12 lead changes and 10 ties. His final three-point play pushed the Nets ahead 110-103 with 22.1 seconds remaining.

Porter’s extra scoring was needed after Thomas, who entered with a 24.4-point scoring average, exited midway through the first quarter with hamstring tightness. It’s the same hamstring that limited him to 25 games last season.

The Nets, who had lost the first seven games this season, got four other double-digit efforts as Nic Claxton scored 18, Noah Clowney had 17, Tyrese Martin 16 and Terance Mann 15.

The Pacers, who are also now 1-7, were led by Pascal Siakam’s 23 points and nine assists. Ben Sheppard scored 18. Backup center Jay Huff added 16 with four three-pointers.

Up next

The Nets host the Detroit Pistons on Friday.

The Pacers visit the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.

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Sergei Murashov’s First NHL Shot With The Penguins Is Here

The future is now for the Pittsburgh Penguins after they called up goaltending prospect Sergei Murashov on Tuesday. 

Murashov was called up to the NHL squad from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, along with forward Danton Heinen and defenseman Ryan Graves, before the Penguins announced on Wednesday that forwards Justin Brazeau and Noel Acciari, along with goaltender Tristan Jarry, will be out for multiple weeks with injuries. The Penguins also sent defenseman Owen Pickering back to WBS.

Brazeau has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury, while Acciari and Jarry sustained their injuries during Monday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

This will be Murashov's first chance to show what he can do in the NHL after lighting up the AHL to start the 2025-26 season. He was named the AHL's Goaltender of the Month on Tuesday after finishing October with a 5-1 record, a 1.68 goals-against average, a .935 save percentage, and a shutout. He also allowed only 10 goals on 154 shots last month.

He was asked about that honor after Wednesday's practice and thanked his teammates for their efforts. He also confirmed that his confidence comes from what he's doing in the process, not the results.

"My confidence always comes from what I’m doing from the process, not from results," Murashov said. "So yeah, I think it was a really good process. First and foremost, I would like to say thanks to my team. They were all battling, and efforts all around were really, really high, and I truly appreciate that. I think it’s a good to work with all of the coaches in the Penguins organization. And yeah, I think again, it’s all about the process and what I’m doing, and enjoying my time."

Overall, he's 5-2 with a 1.73 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage this year. He's a significant reason why the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are off to an 8-2-0 start. He also got time with the WBS Penguins last year and won his first 10 starts, setting a new franchise record for the longest winning streak in a rookie season. 

He always looks so calm and composed while he's in the crease. Everything comes naturally to him, and his athletic ability is freakishly good. He still needs to work on his rebound control a bit, but it has improved to start this year.

Sep 27, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Sergei Murashov (1) takes the ice to warm up before the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Up to this point, the Penguins have rotated starts between Jarry and Silovs, and head coach Dan Muse was asked if that will continue now that Murashov is up. He didn't want to tip his hand just yet. 

"I mean, I guess I'll even go on the start of that with the going 50/50. That's been the case up to this point. At no point did we say this is something we're locked in and has to be this way; we're like everything else. We're constantly evaluating, we're constantly looking at what those options are. In terms of right now, in terms of how we're gonna go through things, we're still having conversations," Muse said after practice. "We're having conversations with the coaching staff, conversations with (Penguins goaltending coach) Andy Chiodo, and the rest of the staff. We're gonna continue to have those conversations, make decisions based on what we think is best, and those conversations will continue to go from game to game."

Penguins Call Up 3 Players & Announce Several Roster MovesPenguins Call Up 3 Players & Announce Several Roster MovesThe Pittsburgh Penguins have made a series of roster moves.

The Penguins are about to go through a stretch where they'll play three games in four days. Murashov will get at least one of those three starts, but could he get two? The Penguins are set to play Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on Thursday. Wouldn't it be something to see Murashov go up against Ovechkin in his first NHL start? If he got that start, he'd get one of the two games over the weekend since the Penguins play the New Jersey Devils on Saturday and the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday.

However, Muse could opt to play it safe and give Silovs the start on Thursday before splitting the weekend back-to-back. 

Nevertheless, he's going to play at some point this week (and after), and he'll have the chance to show everyone that he could be the Penguins' goaltender of the future. 

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!  

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Alex Ovechkin Scores 900th NHL Goal, And Binnington Tried To Keep The Puck

Last season, Alex Ovechkin broke the NHL's all-time goal record previously held by Wayne Gretzky, scoring goal No. 895 against the New York Islanders.

Now, the Washington Capitals captain has become the first player ever to reach 900 regular-season goals.

He accomplished this feat with a highlight-reel goal against the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night.

Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun fired a shot on net that missed and hit the back boards. From there, Ovechkin received the puck, spun clockwise and took a backhand shot without looking at the net. It beat Jordan Binnington.

The Capitals players left the bench to celebrate their captain's historic goal.

Binnington, meanwhile, grabbed the puck from his glove, put it in his pants and returned to the crease. Linesman Michel Cormier went over to talk to Binnington, who then took the puck out of his pants and gave it to him.

However, while Ovechkin owns the goal record and is the first to reach the 900 mark, there’s still another goals record to chase.

Ovechkin also has 161 playoff goals. With that, his total number of goals in the regular season and playoffs are 977.

Gretzky, on the other hand, has 1,016 goals when combining regular-season and post-season totals. That should be Ovechkin’s next task.

Realistically, if he can remain healthy, there’s no reason why Ovechkin can’t reach that number, as he’s just 39 goals away. That means he could knock off another Gretzky record, as early as this season.

The Story Of The Ovechkin-Crosby Rivalry And His Quest To His First Stanley CupThe Story Of The Ovechkin-Crosby Rivalry And His Quest To His First Stanley CupA former VP of communications for the Washington Capitals discusses Alex Ovechkin entering the NHL as an "infectious, lovable character" whose rivalry with Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby evolved in three stages.

Last year, Ovechkin scored 44 goals in 65 regular-season games. If he could keep three-quarters of that scoring pace while playing 82 games, he would still be on pace to reach 41 goals. However, the Russian is 40 years old now, and his ability to skate and remain healthy gets more difficult with age.

Nonetheless, if Ovechkin can beat Gretzky’s complete total of 1,016 goals, it will be even easier to call ‘The Great Eight’ the best goal-scorer in NHL history.

The Capitals will hold a pre-game ceremony on Nov. 26 to commemorate not only Ovechkin's 900th goal but also his 1,500th game, which he reached on Oct. 25. He's just the eighth player to play 1,500 games with one franchise.

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Opinion: Signing Jacob Markstrom Was Necessary

The New Jersey Devils’ decision to extend veteran goaltender Jacob Markstrom was a necessary move for the franchise.

On October 31, the Devils signed Markstrom to a two-year, $12 million contract, a crucial step in avoiding the goaltending carousel of seasons past.

Goaltenders are scarce in today’s NHL, with many teams still searching for stability in net. The Devils, however, have secured their tandem for the next few years.

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman discussed the deal on his 32 Thoughts podcast, saying:

“I understand why New Jersey did this. They’re in win-now mode. It gives them a really good combination. And we’ll see if I’m right about this, but Markstrom’s history is to play better when he’s settled.”

Since signing the extension, Markstrom has recorded 43 saves and even added a primary assist.

Re-signing the 35-year-old netminder was critical. Although the Devils already extended backup goaltender Jake Allen on July 1, keeping Markstrom solidifies the position for the foreseeable future.

Why It Was Necessary

The 2023–24 season perfectly illustrated why goaltending stability was essential. That year, the Devils used five different goaltenders:

  • Vitek Vanecek: 32 games
  • Nico Daws: 21 games
  • Akira Schmid: 19 games
  • Jake Allen: 13 games
  • Kaapo Kähkönen: 6 games

The constant rotation left the Devils without consistency in net.

The Devils needed more reliability in net.

Now, with Markstrom and then Allen, who was acquired midway through the 2023–24 season, New Jersey finally has the stability it was searching for.

Markstrom’s Season So Far

Markstrom began the season 2–1 before landing on injured reserve following his October 13 start.

He returned on October 28, but the comeback was rough: he allowed 17 goals over his first few games and posted a season-low .810 save percentage in an 8–4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.

At that point, his record sat at 2–2–0.

Then came the extension and a bounce-back performance. In his next start, Markstrom turned aside 43 of 44 shots in a win over the Los Angeles Kings, finishing with a stellar .977 save percentage.

His season totals improved to a .875 save percentage and a 4.17 goals-against average. Through his first 144 shots faced, he even contributed offensively with an assist in the team’s November 1 win.

Looking Ahead

With their goaltending tandem locked in for the next two seasons, general manager Tom Fitzgerald can focus on strengthening the roster around them and positioning the Devils for a deep Stanley Cup run.

Devils fans aren’t the only ones happy to see Markstrom back in the net. After signing, he told NHL.com:

“This is the best place to be and the best team I’ve been on.”

THN.com/free

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

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Approaching 37th birthday, Russell Westbrook displays ‘beautiful' game for Kings

Approaching 37th birthday, Russell Westbrook displays ‘beautiful' game for Kings originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SACRAMENTO – Just a few weeks ago, Russell Westbrook was jobless following the completion of his 17th NBA season.

On Wednesday night, just days before his 37th birthday, he recorded his 204th career triple-double with 23 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists in 35 minutes to help lead the Kings to a thrilling 121-116 win over the Golden State Warriors.

“Honestly, it’s just a blessing,” Westbrook said postgame. “I don’t take this game [or] opportunity to be able to go out and compete for granted. So I’m just super grateful and thankful to be able to go out and still compete.”

Approaching age 37. In season 18. Through 1,244 career games.

How?

Kings guard Malik Monk, 27, wanted to know the same thing.

“I asked him [Westbrook] what he do,” Monk said Wednesday night. “I need his off-the-court [routine]. What are you doing in the summer? I need everything. How you eat. It’s crazy. 

“How you that old and still doing this and dominating the game at a high level?”

Preparation is the key for Westbrook, as well as taking good care of his body, he said.

The nine-time NBA All-Star added that he takes the game “very seriously” as he continues to make the most of his opportunity with Sacramento.

To Kings coach Doug Christie, it’s less about the physical and more about Westbrook’s mental approach to the game that allows him to still play at such a high level.

“First, he’s a Hall of Fame, incredible talent,” Christie said. “But the passion and desire that he plays with is crazy. That’s really what the game is about. It’s about a kids’ game that you still play with that type of effort, energy and enthusiasm. 

“It’s beautiful to watch.”

A “Vintage Russ” performance in the year 2025 had fans wondering, “How was this guy unsigned one month ago?”

Even after his recent “they didn’t want me back” comments referring to the Denver Nuggets, the team he was a part of last season, Westbrook maintains his motives in Year 18 aren’t to prove anything to another team or person, but rather to himself.

“To be honest, I don’t live up to anybody else’s expectations that they put on me,” Westbrook said. “I have my own personal goals and aspirations, things I want to do. So to be honest, I have nothing [to prove]. 

“I know what I’m capable of doing when given the opportunity, and now my job is to go out there and do it.”

Part of that job, and one of the reasons the Kings signed Westbrook, is due to his 1-of-1 rebounding ability as a point guard.

He had 16 boards on Wednesday. No other player on either team finished with double-digit rebounds. The next players closest were Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski, another guard, who had nine apiece.

 “I mean, humbly speaking, I’m the best rebounding guard ever,” Westbrook said. “So when the ball comes across the rim, I’m going to get it.”

Westbrook’s 16 rebounds on Wednesday gave him a career total of 8,734 and helped him surpass Jason Kidd for the guard with the most career rebounds in NBA history. Kidd finished his career with 8,725.

That postgame exchange, from the playful banter to the meme-worthy moments, is the type of presence the Kings have needed. Westbrook’s confidence off the floor translates on the court and even rubs off on his teammates.

While Westbrook is happy to have found a home in Sacramento, he knows the Kings can also benefit from the mental edge he brings night in and night out.

“It’s needed. Every night, teams are getting better. Teams are loading up. Every night is a dogfight. Our schedule is pretty rough right now, but I do think if we knuckle up, compete at a high level, and that’s something that I want to bring as a part of my leadership and making sure that us as Kings, we come out and compete at the highest level, and we can live with the result at the end of the game.”

Before signing Westbrook, the Kings added veteran guard Dennis Schroder to the mix this offseason.

Christie has made it clear that Schroder is the starting point guard and the team’s floor general. But Schroder hasn’t quite found his rhythm with the starting unit thus far, granted it’s constantly changed due to injuries and absences, which likely has played a factor.

With Keegan Murray out as he rehabs from UCL surgery, Westbrook has started alongside Schroder. But could Westbrook’s performance on Wednesday keep him in the starting lineup even when other players return? His energy is something Monk believes the team needs in the starting unit, given the way they’ve started games in the past. Christie shared his thoughts.

“Once players come back, I think, you know, we brought Russ in to be the backup point guard, but he has so many gifts,” Christie said. “He played the four, so he’s going to play all over the floor because of his physicality, his downhill nature. He rebounds the basketball at a high level. But I think when we’re fully healthy, he even makes us better, because Russell Westbrook playing against second unit players is like, it’s a cheat code.

“But I mean, he’s going to find his way into closing games, to every aspect of what it is for us to be a winning basketball team, because he’s a winning basketball player.”

Not a yes. But also not a no …

If patience runs out for the Kings with Schroder as the lead man, they could turn to the Triple-Double King.

Why Not?

Download and follow The Deuce & Mo Podcast

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Will Richard's 30-point game serves as silver lining in Warriors' loss to Kings

Will Richard's 30-point game serves as silver lining in Warriors' loss to Kings originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SACRAMENTO – Steve Kerr tried to find a pregame silver lining to Wednesday’s game at Golden 1 Center, noting that the Warriors missing their three best players offered a chance for the coach to get an extended look at different combinations and some of Golden State’s younger players.

Will Richard was exactly what Kerr was hoping to see.

Making his first NBA start, the Warriors rookie put on the type of show that should have fans licking their lips in anticipation of what the future potentially holds for the 22-year-old from Georgia.

There was plenty to like, too.

Richard dropped a season-high 30 points on the Sacramento Kings in the Warriors’ 121-116 loss on Thursday at Golden 1 Center with five 3-pointers to move into rarefied air.

He became the first Warriors player drafted in the second round or later to score 20 or more points in his first career start since Eric Paschall in 2019. He also matched the second-most points scored by a Warriors player in his first career start with the Warriors. John Lucas also had 30, while Anthony Morrow has the record with 37 points.

All of those stats are pleasing to the eye, but it was the way Richard played that was most pleasant to watch. He played steady, albeit unspectacular, defense and had one steal – something he has done in each of his first six NBA games.

Richard shot 10 of 15 (5 of 8 on 3-pointers), snatched seven rebounds and had three assists.

This all came after being a healthy scratch due to coach’s decision in each of Golden State’s previous two games.

“Will was amazing,” Kerr said. “This guy, from the beginning of camp, has shown he’s an NBA player. The experience, the poise, he doesn’t turn it over, he makes the right play. He can handle the ball under pressure, he makes the right pass.

“This guy’s a hell of a player.”

That clearly was evident against the Kings.

After Sacramento pulled within 72-71 midway through the third quarter, Richard made a clutch 3-pointer but missed a shot at the four-point play when he shanked the free throw.

Richard made a pair of deep threes in the fourth quarter, but by then, the Kings had grabbed momentum and the Warriors spent the rest of the evening trying to catch up.

“Just trying to keep it simple but make an impact on the game,” Richard said. “I’m a big believer in controlling what you can control. Whatever role I’m in, I want to do whatever it takes to help the team win. Whether playing or not playing, I just want to see us win.”

While the Warriors failed to get the win, they head back home to the Bay with a much better vision of who Richard can be.

“Will is a great player,” Jonathan Kuminga said. “I’m always trying to talk to Will, especially as a rookie. There’s a lot of expectations, there’s a lot of eyes on you.”

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Champions League roundup: Club Brugge hold Barcelona in six-goal thriller

  • Inter maintain perfect start with win over Kairat Almaty

  • Pafos beat Villarreal to earn first Champions League win

Barcelona had to settle for a share of the spoils at Club Brugge after a thrilling 3-3 draw but were fortunate the English referee Anthony Taylor ruled out Romeo Vermant’s stoppage-time effort for a foul on the Barça goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.

In a thriller at Brugge’s Jan Breydel Stadium, the home side opened the scoring through Nicolò Tresoldi in the sixth minute. But Barcelona hit back with Ferran Torres scoring from close range two minutes later only for Brugge to regainthe lead in the 17th minute through Carlos Forbs after another quick counter.

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