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Capitals Set For Offensive Burst Against Oilers' Leaky Defense

Wednesday features a small NHL slate with only four games, but it includes a standout matchup between two playoff-caliber teams that have stumbled out of the gate. The Edmonton Oilers have been one of the weakest defensive clubs in the league, allowing 73 goals through 21 games while still managing a 9-8-1 record. 

They meet a Washington Capitals team that appears to have spent much of its early-season energy pushing Alex Ovechkin toward the goal record. Washington sits at 9-8-2, kept afloat by strong play from goaltender Logan Thompson, who leads the league with a 1.85 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage.

For anyone following our Pad Stack challenge, the mission has not changed. We began with a ten dollar bankroll and continue to grow it through calculated, research-driven plays. Our previous run ended on Monday at a season-high total of $411.47 before a last-minute empty-netter from the Florida Panthers spoiled our Vancouver spread. We are now rebuilding after resetting to $31, boosted by Tuesday night’s winning play on the Maple Leafs. Our aim is to keep climbing with a confident selection from Wednesday’s Oilers versus Capitals matchup.

All betting lines are from BetMGM Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly. 

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Are The Detroit Red Wings For Real?Are The Detroit Red Wings For Real?Detroit's surprising start defies middling stats. Can a youth-fueled surge finally end the playoff drought?

Picks: Capitals Over 3.0 Goals (-133)

Yesterday, we avoided the trap set by the sportsbooks. We explained why the Leafs’ matchup with the Blues looked almost guaranteed to be a high-scoring shootout, yet the odds suggested the books knew something the public didn’t. All the signs pointed to a goal-heavy game, which is exactly what they wanted bettors to believe. Instead, we backed the Maple Leafs and the under, and it paid off as Toronto pulled out a 3–2 overtime win.

A similar situation appears to be unfolding on Wednesday when the Oilers face the Capitals. Many will expect an Oilers bounce back, especially since they have won only three of their last eight games and have allowed 33 goals during that stretch. The Capitals have been slightly better with three wins in their last seven games. Their challenge is not defense but offense. Before last season’s breakout, Washington struggled to generate scoring, and that issue has resurfaced. They rank ninth worst in goals per game at 2.79, though there has been modest improvement with 11 goals in their last four games.

I expect Edmonton’s defensive issues to continue. The public will assume the Oilers will push hard to respond, but the Capitals should be ready for a tough battle. Choosing a side is tricky because Washington is at home while Edmonton is 3–1 against the spread this season as an underdog. The Capitals have also won four of their last six meetings with the Oilers, scoring three or more goals in each of those wins, including a 7–3 blowout in February. Even in losses, Washington still finds ways to score on Edmonton with three or more goals in eight of their last ten matchups.

A $31 wager on the Capitals to score at least three goals would return a profit of $23.25, bringing the total to $54.25 plus if Washington finishes with exactly three goals, the bet results in a push.

Islanders' Matthew Schaefer, Avalanche's Cale Makar Already Near-Locks in NHL Award RacesIslanders' Matthew Schaefer, Avalanche's Cale Makar Already Near-Locks in NHL Award RacesAn 18-year-old phenom and a Norris contender are dominating early NHL award races, setting impressive records and dazzling fans.Image

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Penguins Notebook: Injured Players Skate, Vibes High To Close Out Practice

After an optional practice Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Penguins took to the ice Wednesday for a longer session that included everyone.

And - once again - even several injured players. 

Goaltender Tristan Jarry and defenseman Jack St. Ivany took part in practice for the second consecutive day, as Jarry was a full participant while St. Ivany was still donning a white no-contact jersey. Injured forwards Rickard Rakell, Justin Brazeau, and Noel Acciari also took the ice for a second consecutive day prior to the team practice.

Little by little, the Penguins are getting healthier. And they've managed to stay afloat despite their injury struggles. Still, an important stretch of games looms, as five of their next seven opponents are currently out of the playoff picture. 

So, they know how important it is to keep banking points until their injured players come back into the fold - and in preparation for the gauntlet they have waiting for them in December, which includes a stretch of 10 games in 17 days.

"Obviously, every game is important," center Ben Kindel said. "So, right now, we just have to keep banking points and keep riding our momentum. These points are really going to matter, especially down the stretch. We all want to make the playoffs here, so every point is going to matter, and we're going to fight, scratch, and claw to get each and every one."

Starting in Sweden, Penguins Must Win Upcoming Stretch Of GamesStarting in Sweden, Penguins Must Win Upcoming Stretch Of GamesOn Friday, the 2025-26 NHL Global Series kicks off. 

Obviously, there is a lot of fight in this group, and it was a hard practice Wednesday - even if there were some fun and games after, which I'll get to in a second. The Penguins rolled with these lines and pairings, which included forward Sam Poulin, who was recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Tuesday:

Forwards
Connor Dewar - Sidney Crosby - Bryan Rust
Kevin Hayes - Evgeni Malkin - Anthony Mantha
Tommy Novak - Kindel - Poulin
Joona Koppanen - Blake Lizotte - Danton Heinen
Philip Tomasino

Defensemen
Parker Wotherspoon - Erik Karlsson
Ryan Shea - Kris Letang
Ryan Graves - Connor Clifton
Matt Dumba - Harrison Brunicke
St. Ivany

Goaltenders
Arturs Silovs
Sergei Murashov
Jarry

Pittsburgh Penguins Forward Has Big OpportunityPittsburgh Penguins Forward Has Big OpportunityThis Penguins forward has a golden chance in front of him.

Tomasino clears waivers

Of note, Philip Tomasino did clear waivers Tuesday and will, presumably, be assigned to WBS.  The 24-year-old forward registered one point in nine games with the Penguins this season.

If Tomasino is re-assigned to WBS, it will clear a spot for another player to take his place on the roster. This will be something to keep an eye on in the coming days.

Pittsburgh Penguins Place Forward On WaiversPittsburgh Penguins Place Forward On WaiversThe Penguins have placed one of their forwards on waivers.

Post-practice fun

At the conclusion of the formal team practice, a large group of players stayed out for a long while playing some on-ice games. And, no not an actual game, but just little minigames.

Crosby, Letang, and Dumba were the veterans among the group, and the rest of it comprised of Kindel, Poulin, Brunicke, Wotherspoon, Shea, and the two young goaltenders in Silovs and Murashov. 

There may have been a few others. But, regardless, things like this don't always happen - and it's a real testament to how much chemistry this group has. 

"I think you see [the youthful energy]," head coach Dan Muse said. "I also think it's a mix. You've got a group of guys - some guys that have been doing this for 20-plus years - and other guys that are first-year in the league, and they're just all about the game. And that's probably the biggest thing for me. When you're seeing what goes on after practice, too, sometimes we've got to put a stop clock on practice and be like, 'Alright, this has been enough.' But that's a good thing. I'd way rather that than guys that just want to get out of here. These guys truly love the game.

And I think it's the young guys, definitely, they add to it... but the veteran guys, also, they add to it a ton, too, because they're showing those young guys [that] you could be doing this for 20 years, and you can just still love the stuff after practice and being on the ice. Those things are fun, and you want to see that. I don't know if that's the case everywhere, but it is here, and these guys... they love being out there, and it's awesome."

What's the plan for Brunicke?

Brunicke and Muse were both asked about whether or not they have a plan for the 19-year-old defenseman, who has now been scratched for five consecutive NHL games and is eligible for an AHL conditioning stint. 

And both were equally coy when talking about it and simply re-emphasized that there is a plan. 

"We have a plan for him, and we've been working through that plan," Muse said. "There have been a lot of discussions on that with him and our plan and continuing to execute it. There's on-ice, there's off-ice, there's video... I think there's a lot of things, too, that have gone on behind the scenes, which might not be, maybe, as evident there just from coming in and watching practice. But there is a plan. I'm not going to get into any more details on it past that, but we're continuing to work through that with him, and we feel like it's been going well."

Penguins' Rookie Defenseman Eligible For AHL StintPenguins' Rookie Defenseman Eligible For AHL StintIt has been exactly two weeks since <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke dressed for a game day.&nbsp;

Brunicke certainly wants to get back on the ice and into game action, but he understands that there is a process and a plan and trusts that plan. 

"I want to play. That's, kind of, the thing," Brunicke said. "Right now, it's obviously tough watching all the time, but like I said, it's my job just to show up and do the best I can, and my time will come. They have a plan for me.

"Every time I'm here with these guys, whether it's going for dinner or watching games, stuff like that... I'm taking it all in and listening to what they have to say. I got guys here that are really helping me, so yeah, that's kind of the big thing here is taking it day-by-day."

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MLB Finalizes New Rights Deals with NBC, ESPN and Netflix

On the heels of its most-watched postseason since 2017, Major League Baseball has officially signed off on a package of new, short-term media rights deals with NBCUniversal, ESPN and Netflix.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred formally heralded the three-year agreements on Wednesday afternoon, or a little more than two months after he first acknowledged that negotiations over the league’s media arrangements for 2026-28 were effectively in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Under the terms of the new package, MLB will return to the NBC airwaves on Opening Day of the 2026 season, as the Dodgers host the Diamondbacks. But for a pair of promotional one-offs that aired in 2022 and 2023, the March 26 NL West opener will mark NBC’s first significant MLB outing since Bob Costas signed off at the end of Game 6 of the 2000 American League Championship Series.

As part of a pact valued at nearly $200 million per year, NBC has assumed the rights to the ESPN mainstay Sunday Night Baseball and the four Wild Card series. As was the case during the program’s 36-year run on cable, the Sunday night matchup will continue to enjoy timeslot exclusivity, as no other MLB games will be scheduled opposite the weekly primetime showcase. Peacock and the revived NBCSN will pick up the slack on certain fall and spring dates when a scheduled SNB game conflicts with one of NBC’s NFL or NBA broadcast windows.

Peacock also regained the rights to MLB’s 18-game Sunday morning streaming package, which it helped inaugurate in 2022. After two seasons, the league shifted the carveout to Roku for the low, low price of $10 million per year, a discount that ESPN execs found particularly irksome, given Bristol’s own annual $550 million rights payment. (MLB’s Roku pact was one of the factors that led ESPN in February to announce its intention to terminate its legacy MLB contract three years before its 2028 expiration date.)

The NBC flagship first began airing MLB games in 1947, when Jackie Robinson made his debut with Brooklyn. On Oct. 27, 1999, the network served up 25.8 million viewers with its final World Series broadcast, as the Yankees completed their sweep of the Braves with a 4-1 win at home. It chalked up its all-time biggest MLB turnout with Game 7 of the 1986 World Series, as a crowd of nearly 60 million viewers watched the Mets rally from a 3-0 deficit to topple the Red Sox 8-5 at Shea.

The resumption of NBC’s long-dormant baseball duties began taking shape while MLB and ESPN were mending their fences. At times, the rift seemed unbreachable, especially after Manfred sent owners a memo in which he put the cable model on blast. “[We] do not believe that pay-TV, ESPN’s primary distribution platform, is the future of video distribution or the best platform for our content,” Manfred wrote, an assessment that couldn’t have been met with much enthusiasm by fellow MLB cable partners FS1 and TBS.

While the air had grown frosty in recent years, Manfred and ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro this summer began the process of what amounted to a mutual thawing-out. By September, it had become clear that neither party was ready to quit on its partner of four decades, and Pitaro’s team had worked out the broad strokes of a deal that would see ESPN assume oversight of the league’s out-of-market platform, MLB.TV.

In addition to snapping up the rights to sell and distribute MLB.TV, ESPN also has assumed the in-market rights to a six pack of RSN refugees that includes the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners. ESPN has the option to pick up additional local rights if and when they become available.

Although local baseball is now the focal point of ESPN’s MLB investment, Bristol will continue to carry a 30-game slate of nationally televised games across its linear networks and the ESPN app. Among the games ESPN will host next season include a Phillies-Mets clash on July 16 and Braves-Brewers in next year’s Little League Classic. ESPN closed out its final season of Sunday Night Baseball with its strongest deliveries in 12 years, as the package averaged 1.8 million viewers per game—up 21% versus 2024.

While terms were not disclosed, ESPN is said to have agreed to continue paying the annual $550 million rights fee stipulated in its original contract.

For its part, Netflix has picked up the rights to a pair of midseason tentpoles in the Home Run Derby and the “Field of Dreams” game. The streaming giant also will carry the standalone Opening Day meeting between the Yankees and Giants.

Although Netflix stopped reporting its subscriber numbers at the start of 2025, the last official head count put its global base at 301.6 million customers. In exchange for its new baseball package, Netflix will pay MLB approximately $35 million per year.

The Netflix deal comes as the company begins prepping for its second annual NFL Christmas doubleheader. In its inaugural holiday offering, Netflix last year averaged 24.2 million U.S. viewers with a Chiefs-Steelers/Ravens-Texans two-fer, the latter of which included a halftime performance by Beyoncé.

In finally wrapping up its new suite of rights deals after a full season of negotiations, MLB can now focus its attention on the rapidly approaching 2028 campaign, when all of its national contracts are set to expire. While lead TV partner Fox Sports is determined to continue its longstanding partnership with baseball, the ontological status of another linear player is somewhat more uncertain as Paramount, Comcast and Netflix prepare their bids on TNT Sports’ parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.

Manfred has said he hopes to increase the number of national MLB games under the next round of rights deals, while developing a centralized model for all local rights.

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Five NHL Squads Most Likely To Hoist The Stanley Cup

By Gary Pearson, BetMGM

If you look up the definition of perennial, you might see these five teams as case studies.

Not only do they have the shortest Stanley Cup odds, but they’ve also either won the Cup or have been knocking on the door in recent seasons. 

And probabilities suggest one of them will be lifting the Holy Grail come season's end.  

Colorado Avalanche (+250)

The Colorado Avalanche are the best team in hockey, and it’s not particularly close at this early juncture. With just one regulation loss, Jared Bednar's squad is the class of the league.

Their plus-31 goals differential is 15 better than second-place Carolina. Nathan MacKinnon, the MVP front-runner, is accumulating points faster than a toddler collects toys, and Cale Makar is as dominant as ever. 

I don’t think either Central Division rival, the Winnipeg Jets or Dallas Stars, pose a disconcerting threat. 

The looming question is whether the tandem of Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood can hold up their end of the bargain when it counts.

Seth Jarvis and Brayden McNabb (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

Carolina Hurricanes (+360)

If at first you don’t succeed… well, you know the rest. No phrase better encapsulates the Carolina Hurricanes, which were tripped up at the Eastern Conference final in two of the previous three seasons. 

And we all know who did the tripping — those pesky Florida Panthers. As has become customary, the Hurricanes are among the NHL’s best at the quarter mark of the season. 

They arguably have the most well-rounded unit, and the callouses they’ve built from previous playoff heartbreak should help them secure the Prince of Wales Trophy for the first time since they won the Stanley Cup in 2006. 

Their path to the promised land, however, could come down to whether they can exorcize their Panthers’ demons.

Florida Panthers (+375)

Even without captain Aleksander Barkov, the defending back-to-back champions have the depth, experience and pedigree to return to the Stanley Cup final four a fourth successive season. 

The Panthers have repeatedly proven that they’re the class of the Eastern Conference, especially when it matters most. As long as they make the playoffs, I don’t think their seeding matters. 

Paul Maurice’s collective is built for the post-season, and there is no other team I trust more to do the business when the chips are down. Attrition and Barkov’s absence might be the only factors preventing them from capturing the elusive three-peat.

Which State Or Province Will Produce The NHL's 2026 Stanley Cup Champ?Which State Or Province Will Produce The NHL's 2026 Stanley Cup Champ?Will the state of Florida host a Stanley Cup champion yet again this season?

Vegas Golden Knights (+400)

Some immediate concerns have surfaced in Sin City. The good news is that time is on the side of Bruce Cassidy and the collective. Mark Stone needs to return to full health, and Vegas must find an answer between the pipes. 

We’ll see whether Carter Hart can stop the bleeding while they await Adin Hill’s return. But akin to the Panthers, these Golden Knights are built to succeed in the playoffs, with the addition of Mitch Marner reinforcing that notion. 

Edmonton Oilers (+450)

There are a few guarantees in life: the sun rises in the east, the Toronto Maple Leafs won’t make the Stanley Cup final, and the Edmonton Oilers will come good in the nick of time. 

As long as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are healthy, Edmonton will be among the front-runners to secure a third straight Stanley Cup final berth.

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Two Former Michigan Teammates Hit Major NHL Milestones On The Same Night

On a night that felt like a nostalgic echo of Ann Arbor, two former Michigan Wolverines reached significant NHL milestones on the same day as each other.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin recorded his 600th career NHL point on Tuesday, sealing a 4–2 victory over the Seattle Kraken with an empty-net goal. In Winnipeg, Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski scored against the Jets to notch the 400th point of his NHL career, becoming the first defenseman in franchise history to reach that mark.

Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) on XMichigan Hockey (@umichhockey) on XFriends and former teammates, Zach Werenski and Dylan Larkin hit major milestones on same night #ProBlue

The simultaneous milestones served as a fitting reminder of the immense talent that passed through the University of Michigan during the 2014–15 season, when Larkin and Werenski starred on a Wolverines roster loaded with future NHL regulars including current Red Wings Andrew Copp and J. T. Compher, along with Zach Hyman and Tyler Motte.

Detroit's AHL Griffins Bring Back Former In-State Standout On PTODetroit's AHL Griffins Bring Back Former In-State Standout On PTOMichigan native Nolan Moyle earns another AHL shot with the Griffins after dominating in the ECHL, aiming for Red Wings organization success.

Werenski’s goal on Tuesday not only secured his 400th point but further cemented his place as one of the most productive American-born defensemen of his era. With 119 goals and 281 assists in 587 games, he became the eighth-fastest American-born defenseman to reach 400 points. All 400 of his points have come with Columbus, where he has long served as the backbone of the Blue Jackets’ blue line. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

On the same day in Detroit, Larkin added another achievement to his growing resume. His empty-net tally secured both the win and his 600th career point, bringing him to 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points in 20 games to start the season.

Selected 15th overall in 2014, Larkin made his NHL debut in 2015–16 and has spent his entire career with the Red Wings. Now the team’s 37th captain, he has become a foundational piece of Detroit’s resurgence. In January 2025, he became the second-youngest player in franchise history, behind only Steve Yzerman, to reach 700 games played.

Red Wings' Sixth Round Pick Emerging as Surprise Gem in Prospect PipelineRed Wings' Sixth Round Pick Emerging as Surprise Gem in Prospect PipelineFrom a late-round gamble to a dominant QMJHL champion, Rudy Guimond is surprising everyone. The Red Wings' pipeline just got a whole lot more interesting.

With 254 goals and 346 assists in 754 games, the 29-year-old center now sits 11th on Detroit’s all-time points list, within striking distance of Brendan Shanahan, who has 633 points.

A decade after electrifying Yost Ice Arena together, Larkin and Werenski’s NHL careers have taken them down different paths, one captaining an Original Six franchise back toward contention and the other anchoring a younger team’s defensive core. But for one night in mid-November, the two Wolverines were in step once again in a special moment for Michigan fans. 

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Oubre to miss at least 2 weeks for Sixers with left knee injury

Oubre to miss at least 2 weeks for Sixers with left knee injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Kelly Oubre Jr. will miss at least two weeks with a left knee injury, the Sixers announced Wednesday night.

Oubre exited the Sixers’ loss last Friday to the Pistons after hyperextending his knee. According to a Sixers official, an MRI on the 29-year-old revealed a left knee LCL sprain and he’ll be re-evaluated in two weeks.

Early in the season, Oubre had been the Sixers’ primary wing player (34.8 minutes per game) and started all of the team’s first 12 games. He averaged 16.8 points and 5.1 rebounds and often handled star assignments defensively.

“He’s done that consistently where he’s got one of better scorers in the league or on the other team, and he just keeps working and working,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said after his team’s Nov. 8 win over the Raptors. “He’s been really good.

“He’s done a good job of playing physically and he’s been much better at just being solid — keeping himself in front of his man, challenging shots. They’re going to make some, but he just keeps at it over the course of the game and ends up with a good defensive game.”

Along with Oubre, the Sixers did not have Joel Embiid (right knee injury), Paul George (left knee injury recovery) and Adem Bona (right ankle sprain) on Wednesday night vs. Toronto for the first leg of a back-to-back.

George is expected to be available Thursday against the Bucks. Embiid has been a full participant in the Sixers’ last two practices and was initially listed as doubtful against the Raptors.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins Just Aren't Going Away

We’re basically at the quarter-point of the NHL season, and the Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t going away, are they?

With points in seven of their last 10 games, a third-place position in the feisty Metropolitan Division and even balance between their home and road marks – it’s impressive in Pens Land right now.

Suddenly, at a time where we were expecting the Pens to miss the Stanley Cup playoffs for a fourth straight season, they might be in the conversation for home-ice advantage in the first round of the post-season.

And while that is clearly one of the biggest surprise developments in the NHL this season, the surprises don’t end there.

The Penguins – which were 30th in the league in goals against per game last season, with 3.50 – are now third-best in the NHL with an average of 2.47. That’s more than a goal against better for Pittsburgh’s low-expectation defense corps.

At the other end of the rink, the Pens’ reversal of fortune is equally stark.

In 2024-25, the Penguins' offense averaged 2.95 goals-for, which had them 18th in the league. But this season, Pittsburgh is averaging 3.26 goals, the eighth-most. Those are huge swings in improvement, and it’s no wonder the Pens have surged into a top-three spot in the Metro and made first-year Penguins coach Dan Muse an early candidate for Jack Adams Award honors as the league’s coach of the year.

Penguins' Special Teams Driving Bus For Hot StartPenguins' Special Teams Driving Bus For Hot StartNineteen games into the 2025-26 season, things are going pretty well for the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>.&nbsp;

Finally, Pittsburgh’s goaltenders also deserve their share of the credit for coming out of the gate with strong showings.

Veteran netminder Tristan Jarry – who cleared NHL waivers last year – has a 5-2-0 record, 2.60 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage. Jarry's injured right now, but first-year Penguin Arturs Silovs has been even better, with a 2.44 GAA, .917 SP and 4-2-4 record. Even call-up Sergei Murashov has a .938 SP and 1.52 GAA in two starts. Last season, Pittsburgh would’ve killed to have just one goalie with those kinds of numbers. Now, they have two, maybe three.

In sum, it’s hard to think of how the Pens’ start to the season could’ve gone any better than the way it's gone. By basically every metric, Pittsburgh is an entirely different team than the feeble, weak team it was last season. And in doing so, Pittsburgh is putting the waves of trade rumors into airplane mode.

So long as the injury bug leaves them alone, the Penguins could be for real. And Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang might get one more playoff run together after all.

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What we learned as short-handed Warriors fade late in trip-ending loss to Heat

What we learned as short-handed Warriors fade late in trip-ending loss to Heat originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

The Warriors’ failure to win Tuesday’s game when their Big Three of Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green all played, as well as veteran Al Horford, reared its ugly head Wednesday night in a 110-96 loss to the Miami Heat at the Kaseya Center. 

The short-handed Warriors, without Curry, Butler, Green and Horford, gave it their all. A wide talent gap was too much to close as the Heat outscored them 38-22 in the fourth quarter.

A makeshift starting five of Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, Will Richard, Gui Santos and Trayce Jackson-Davis had zero chemistry and cohesion to start the game. And how could they? The group had only played four minutes together in one game before Wednesday. 

The starters weren’t discombobulated, because they couldn’t even be combobulated with that little amount of time on the court as a unit. It took until the Warriors’ 13th field goal for them to finally make a shot, and it was a Buddy Hield layup. The Warriors also missed their first five 3-point attempts.

It didn’t deter the Warriors one bit, though. Scoring wasn’t going to be easy to come by, so the Warriors instead fought their tails off to keep the game within striking distance for all four quarters. The Warriors tallied a season-high 61 rebounds, including 19 on the offensive glass.

Podziemski was the Warriors’ leading scorer with 20 points. Quinten Post (19 points) and Buddy Hield (18 points) led a bench that outscored the Heat 55-33.

Over $171 million worth of salaries were sidelined for the Warriors. Championship teams aren’t about silver linings or feel-good losses. This also was a flight home from a defeat that the Warriors can hold their heads high from.

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ second straight loss to end a six-game road trip.

Can’t Question Effort

When the Warriors went down 20-4 in the first six and a half minutes of the game, it was time to start typing about a blowout loss. But the makeshift Warriors never gave up, going on a 16-9 run the rest of the quarter to trail by just nine points going into the second, despite shooting 21 percent from the field. 

That level of competitiveness carried over to the second quarter, too. Once down 41-30, the Warriors went on a 10-0 run to make it a one-point game before a Bam Adebayo dunk. But a Quinten Post three tied it up at 43 points apiece, and the Warriors trailed by just four points at halftime, 49-45.

A few minutes into the second half, the Warriors went back down by eight points. They could have folded. However, their response was a 9-0 run to take a one-point lead for the first time all night. Each team kept clawing back, and each team had an answer whenever momentum shifted one way or the other. 

Heads weren’t hung and players still sprinted down the floor. The Warriors in the fourth quarter simply ran out of gas.

Building Good Habits

How does a team shooting 27.8 percent from the field and 22.2 percent on 3-pointers stay within striking distance at halftime? Energy, crashing the glass and taking care of the ball.

Led by eight boards from Jackson-Davis, the Warriors outrebounded the Heat 36-30 in the first half. They also had three fewer turnovers, nine to six, and swiped five steals compared to one for the Heat. Those five steals turned into seven points for the Warriors.

The Heat were held to their lowest scoring first half of the season after the Warriors outscored them 25-20 in the second quarter.

Turnovers hurt the Warriors in the third quarter with six compared to the Heat’s two. Yet defensive intensity and making rebounding a top priority had them win the third and hold a two-point lead going into the fourth. 

In the end, turnovers were the Warriors’ detriment – as they always are. The Warriors went from six turnovers for nine Heat points in the first half, to 15 turnovers in the second half which became 23 points for the Heat. They’re now 1-8 when losing the turnover battle, and 8-0 when winning it.

Spencer Brings The Noise

Something shifted for the Warriors once the Heat quickly began the game with a 16-point lead. That something was Pat Spencer. 

Immediately, things began turning positive for the Warriors. Spencer conducted the offense and moved the ball. He then grabbed six rebounds in the second quarter alone – three on offense and three on defense. Spencer was a plus-4 in the first quarter, and then in the second quarter as well. 

Plus, the fiery point guard got into it with Jaime Jaquez Jr. in the second quarter, which turned into a technical foul for the Heat forward.

The game continued to hum in the second half with Spencer as the Warriors’ conductor. Spencer’s logo three kickstarted a key run for the Warriors in the third quarter, and he was on triple-double watch going into the fourth with seven points, seven rebounds and eight assists.

Spencer’s triple-double bid barely came up short. The point guard on a two-way contract ended with 11 points, a career-high 13 assists and eight rebounds as a team-high plus-10 in 32 minutes off the bench.

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Talented freshman class already having a massive impact in college basketball

The recent trend in college basketball has been to build rosters through the transfer portal, adding experienced players who already know the college game and can have an immediate impact. The movement has been upended this season with a deep, uber-talented class of freshmen who are having massive impacts on programs across the country. “It’s an anomaly, in the sense that every year there’s a handful of freshmen that make an impact and oftentimes those are the one-and-done guys,” ESPN college basketball analyst and former coach Fran Fraschilla said.

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6 questions, 6 answers on Orioles-Angels trade involving SP Grayson Rodriguez and OF Taylor Ward

The first big deal of this MLB winter has been swung. Late Tuesday evening, the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Angels conducted a rare big leaguer for big leaguer deal, with right-handed starter Grayson Rodriguez headed to the Halos and outfielder Taylor Ward headed to the O’s.

It’s far from a blockbuster — neither player has ever made an All-Star team — but the swap is compelling nonetheless, in part for what it portends as these clubs move forward with their offseasons.

What kind of player is Taylor Ward?

The soon-to-be 32-year-old is coming off a career year in which he clocked 36 homers across 157 games, drove in 103 runs and finished with a .792 OPS. By most offensive metrics, he was easily a top-20 outfielder in the sport. Defensively, the former first-round draft pick is more solid than spectacular.

Ward will hit free agency after the 2026 season and is set to command around $13.5 million in arbitration salary this upcoming season. In a free-agent market relatively devoid of right-handed outfielders with power, Ward stood out as a potential trade chip. Now he’s an Oriole before Thanksgiving.

What kind of player is Grayson Rodriguez?

Taken 11th overall in the 2018 MLB Draft, “G-Rod” gradually blossomed into one of the most hyped pitching prospects in the sport. He debuted in 2023 with a heater that averaged an impressive 97.4 mph. Yet the offering’s suboptimal shape and Rodriguez’s middling command of the pitch meant that his fastball was absolutely clobbered.

He seemed to be taking a small step forward in 2024, but a lat issue in August shut him down for the remainder of the season. Things got worse in 2025 as Rodriguez, shelved with a cavalcade of ailments that included elbow inflammation, shoulder soreness and more lat pain, didn’t once climb a big league mound. He just turned 26 years old and is under contract for four more seasons, but the sheen has most certainly worn off as a result of his injury avalanche.

Why did the Orioles do this?

Mike Elias, Baltimore’s president of baseball operations, during last week’s general managers meetings told reporters that Rodriguez was not a lock for the club’s rotation, describing him as a “wild card.” That framing and the subsequent trade means the Orioles held significant doubts about whether Rodriguez will ever stay healthy enough for long enough to be an impact arm at the big league level. It’s another example of Elias, considered one of the league’s most calculating execs, taking emotion out of the equation in building a roster.

How Ward fits into the team’s outfield mix remains an open question, but he’s still a nice boost, particularly for a lineup that was quite bad against lefties last year. Before the deal, Baltimore’s Opening Day outfield would have likely featured Colton Cowser in center field, with last season’s free agent add Tyler O’Neill and rookie Dylan Beavers in the corners. Jeremiah Jackson, a post-hype prospect who showed very well in a small sample down the stretch in ‘25, also figures to be in the mix. Ward and O’Neill will play every day against southpaws if they’re healthy.

It’s quite obvious the O’s didn’t believe in Rodriguez anymore and were willing to pull the plug too soon as opposed to too late. The Angels were an eager dance partner and Ward was their most interesting trade chip.

Why did the Angels do this?

Because they need all the pitching help they can get.

For as bad as the O’s were on the mound last year, Los Angeles’ starters were even worse. The Angels finished 28th in ERA and strikeout rate, 29th in opposing OPS and dead last in walk rate. At this point, given his injuries, Rodriguez is far from a sure thing, but for the Angels his upside makes him a chance worth taking. That’s particularly true considering G-Rod still has four more years of control left. Players with his level of talent are difficult to acquire. The Halos saw an opening and acted.

Ward’s departure also helps to simplify the team’s outfield alignment. Mike Trout was almost exclusively a DH last year, which forced Jorge Soler into the grass and pushed Jo Adell, who enjoyed a splendid breakout in 2025, into center. Expect Adell to move back to a corner, where he fits better. Bryce Teodosio, a light-hitting speedster, is borderline transcendent in center and he could make an impact there if he hits just enough.

What does it mean for the Orioles moving forward?

Baltimore was going to refurbish its starting rotation via free agency or trade before this deal. Shipping G-Rod out only increases that chance. For the first time in his tenure, Elias has expressed a willingness to sign a free agent with a qualifying offer attached, which would necessitate the forfeiting of a high draft pick. That puts Ranger Suárez, Dylan Cease, Framber Valdez and Zac Gallen on the board. With a projected Opening Day rotation of Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish, Dean Kremer, Tyler Wells and Cade Povich the O’s probably need to add at least two more starters.

Adding Ward doesn’t completely forbid the addition of another bat, it just means said bat won’t be an outfielder. A first base/DH type like Pete Alonso, Kyle Schwarber or Ryan O’Hearn would make sense if the team is open to moving on from Ryan Mountcastle.

What does it mean for the Angels moving forward?

Offloading Ward’s $13.5 million contract gives GM Perry Minasian more flexibility in the free-agent market this winter. It’s unlikely the Halos go swimming in the deep end, even though Cody Bellinger would be a really nice fit in center field. The rotation could use a few more arms and the lineup has something of a black hole at third base, courtesy of Anthony Rendon’s descent into irrelevance.