Shaun Wane is a bear of a man who has built a hugely successful rugby career on intimidation and rabble-rousing, terrifying his own players as much as opponents and reporters. But being an emotional person works both ways. It would not have been a surprise if the 14-4 defeat to Australia had left the England coach in tears on Saturday but, in fact, he his feelings broke through when I asked him about his grandchildren.
After the final whistle Wane spent some time cuddling his small grandkids by the England dugout, showering them with attention and affection. It was lovely and touching. Their smiles and laughter were clearly infectious. A few minutes later, Wane was telling the press how “devastated” he was by the defeat and how 10 loose minutes from his players after half-time had infuriated him. “That really, really hurts – I’m so disappointed,” he said.
Through 12 games entering Tuesday night against the Boston Bruins, the 18-year-old has 10 points, with five goals and five assists, leading all defenseman in the goals department.
Here's his advanced metrics courtesy of Sportslogiq which are mind-boggling.
After failing to get to the ALCS, the Yankees will need to retool their roster if they hope to finally capture their first World Series in more than 15 years. That's especially the case with key players like Trent Grisham, Devin Williams,and Cody Bellinger hitting the free agent market.
The free agent class is star-studded with plenty of starting arms, relievers, and a few All-Star caliber hitters who would help the Yanks in 2026 and beyond.
Of course, GM Brian Cashman and the front office can pick up any player, but there are a few specific names that the team should pursue this offseason. There are also some names that, while the Yankees don't necessarily need, could raise the team's ceiling.
Here are the top 10 free agents the Yankees should pursue this offseason...
10. 3B Alex Bregman
If this were a year ago, Bregman would be much higher on the list. But after the Yanks acquired Ryan McMahon at the trade deadline, the need for a third baseman is no longer there. But if one of the best third basemen in the league is available, you need to at least explore the possibility.
Bregman brings great defense and can still hit, both in the regular season and postseason. Yeah, his swing may not be great for Yankee Stadium, but perhaps the Yankees can get creative with how they use Bregman and McMahon. It's hard to pass up on the production Bregman can bring.
9. 1B Pete Alonso
Again, a position that the Yankees don't need to fill, but adding Alonso would raise the production they would get from that corner to heights they haven't seen in quite some time.
Sure, there are holes in Alonso's game. His defense leaves a lot to be desired and he is not the fleetest of foot on the basepaths, but he makes up for it with his power and durability. Alonso would replace Paul Goldschmidt -- who is a free agent -- on the roster, and the team will have to decide what to do with young Ben Rice.
Alonso plays every day, so Rice would either be part of a platoon with Austin Wells at catcher or a candidate to be traded.
There's also Alonso's reported contract demands to take into account. While I don't believe he'll receive a seven-year offer, the soon-to-be-31-year-old is looking for a long-term deal and I speculate the Yanks don't have an appetite for it. But if the market brings Alonso's demands down, the Yankees could do worse at first base.
8. RHP Luke Weaver
Weaver is one of two key relievers the Yankees could lose this offseason. And while his 2025 ended poorly, New York should seriously consider bringing Weaver back.
Oct 4, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Yankees pitcher Luke Weaver (30) throws in the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game one of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Every offseason, Cashman is tasked with rebuilding his bullpen, and has consistently done a good job. With David Bednar and Camilo Doval still with the club in 2026, the Yankees need another arm or two to round out the 'pen and be playoff ready.
And while fans may scoff at bringing Weaver back, you can't deny he was dominant in 2024 and was crucial to the team's World Series run that year. He also has the temperament for the city and can handle the pressure. And if he can get over the whole pitch-tipping debacle at the end of the 2025 season, he and the Yankees should find a way to reunite.
7. INF Bo Bichette
The shortstop position is not as steady as it seemed a couple of years ago.
With Anthony Volpe's offense and defense regressing in recent seasons, the young infielder is not a shoo-in as the starter. So, what should the Yankees do? Upgrade, of course, or at least look into it.
Bichette, 27, is entering free agency after having arguably his best season as a pro. It was also a nice bounce back from his injury-plagued 2024. But with that comes some potential pitfalls. Bichette will be looking for a lucrative, long-term deal and his injury history is something to be wary of. The shortstop missed most of the postseason with a knee injury and although he likely won't need surgery, it's something that should be monitored.
Do your due diligence on the medicals, and check in to see if Bichette is gettable. It would resolve the shortstop position for years to come.
6. RHP Devin Williams
Williams is the other big reliever set to test free agency, and one the Yankees should look into bringing back. The organization clearly values and likes what Williams can bring -- they wouldn't have traded for him if they didn't. Despite his roller coaster first season in the Bronx, he rounded into form at the end, and could be a valuable piece for the 2026 Yankees.
Oct 7, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Devin Williams (38) delivers a pitch in the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game three of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Truthfully, Williams may not want to return. There was intense pressure on him after his early-season struggles, and perhaps he'd prefer a smaller market like when he thrived in Milwaukee. Also, he could be looking for closer money this offseason. The Yanks have Bednar, who became their closer down the stretch, but would a reunion with Williams be predicated on being the closer again?
The Yankees could use those dollars elsewhere, but checking in on Williams should be on the docket.
5. 1B/3B Kazuma Okamoto
Okamoto, on paper, fits what the Yankees need. He's a right-handed bat who, while he has some pop -- leading the Central League in home runs three times -- has a lower strikeout rate than Munetaka Murakami, another Japanese hitter ready to be posted this offseason, and is a plus defender.
Bringing Okamoto in can allow the Yankees to have him play alongside both Rice and McMahon at either corner, depending on the pitching matchups.
He'll also be a relatively cheaper option than Murakami. While he is already 29, the combination of power, contact skills and defense makes Okamoto an intriguing option.
4. 1B/3B Munetaka Murakami
And speaking of Murakami. Sure, Okamoto offers the defense and right-handed bat the Yankees need for their roster, but could you not explore bringing in one of the best power-hitting prospects to come out of Japan in recent memory?
His left-handed bat doesn't fit with Rice and McMahon at the corners, but like with Alonso, the addition of Murakami could free the Yanks up to deal Rice.
Murakami, 26, is also younger than Okamoto, so the Yankees could get a lot more mileage out of him.
3. RHP Michael King
Could King return to the Bronx?
After the Yankees traded him to the Padres in the deal for Juan Soto, the right-hander is a free agent -- and a reunion is possible.
San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King (34) throws a pitch against the Colorado Rockies during the first inning at Petco Park. / Orlando Ramirez - Imagn Images
The Yankees know what they'd be getting with King, so adding him back into the rotation mix would be seamless. Despite dealing with injuries in 2025, King still pitched to a 3.44 ERA with a strikeout rate of 9.3 per nine. He's only a year removed from his breakout 2024, when he finished seventh in Cy Young voting and pitched to a 2.95 ERA in his first full season as a starter.
New York has a lot of starters already, but Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon will miss the beginning of the season, and the Yankees need arms to stay afloat until reinforcements come. Adding a pitcher like King also allows them to trade one or both of Luis Gil/Will Warren to a team that could use major league ready pitchers.
2. OF Cody Bellinger
No. 1 and No. 2 on this list can be flip-flopped, however you see fit. But either way, the Yankees need an elite outfielder and Bellinger gives them that in spades.
Bellinger is a plus defender at various positions, giving the Yankees flexibility while also delivering power, contact hitting and base running. Most importantly, Bellinger has proven he can do it in New York. That's something that shouldn't be undervalued.
He would also cost considerably less than the No. 1 free agent, allowing the Yanks to stretch out their payroll a bit more.
1. OF Kyle Tucker
And here we are, with arguably the highest-profile name on the free agent market this year.
The arguments can be made for either Bellinger or Tucker, but Tucker gives the Yankees a more dangerous offensive presence behind Aaron Judge. Perhaps the Yankees would overlook his defensive shortcomings -- in relation to Bellinger -- for that firepower.
Re-signing Bellinger is the prudent and safer choice, but Tucker would be the splash this team potentially needs to get over the hump.
Let’s dive into tonight’s matchup and find a potential sweat or two! We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff. Odds courtesy of DraftKingsrecent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
After 24 years, the NBA is back on NBC and Peacock, combining the nostalgia of an iconic era with the innovative future of basketball coverage. The NBA on NBC YouTube channel delivers fans must-see highlights, analysis, and exclusive and unique content.
Game Details and How to watch the Thunder vs. Clippers live
Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Game odds for the Thunder at the Clippers
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Thunder (-285), Clippers (+230)
Spread: Thunder -7.5
Total: 222.5
That gives the Thunder an implied team point total of 114.5 and the Clippers 107.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups for the Thunder and the Clippers
Thunder
PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SG Cason Wallace
SF Lu Dort (questionable)
PF Chet Holmgren (questionable)
C Isaiah Hartenstein
Clippers
PG James Harden
SG Bradley Beal (questionable)
SF Kawhi Leonard (questionable)
PF Derrick Jones Jr
C Ivica Zubac
Injuries for the Thunder and the Clippers
Thunder
F Jalen Williams (wrist) is OUT for Tuesday's game C Chet Holmgren (back) missed Sunday's game G Lu Dort (illness) missed Sunday's game
Clippers
G Bradley Beal (load management) is questionable for Tuesday's game because of back-to-backs F Kawhi Leonard (load management) is questionable for Tuesday's game because of back-to-backs G Kobe Sanders (knee) is OUT for Tuesday's game G Jordan Miller (hamstring) is OUT for Tuesday's game
Important stats, trends and insights ahead of Thunder at Clippers on Tuesday.
Oklahoma City is 3-4 ATS and 7-0 on the ML
Oklahoma City is 4-3 to the Over
Los Angeles is 3-2 to the Over
Los Angeles is 1-4 ATS, ranking fourth-worst
The Clippers have not been underdogs this season
The Clippers finished 21-16 ATS as a underdog last season and 21-15-1 to the Under
The Clippers finished 8-5 ATS as a home underdog last season and 7-6 to the Over
The Clippers were 14-23 on the ML as an underdog last year and 6-7 as a home underdog.
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Thunder & Clippers game:
Moneyline: Thunder ML (medium confidence)
Spread: Thunder -7.5 (high confidence)
Total: Under 223.5 (low confidence)
Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!
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One of the premier matchups of the NBA slate is on NBC and Peacock tonight when two up-and-coming teams take center stage. The Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks link up for the first of four meetings this season, but this one will be missing a common sight in this divisional rivalry.
Atlanta lost to Cleveland, 117-109 on Sunday, and that was the Hawks first game without Trae Young who will miss nearly a month with a knee injury. While Atlanta has had Orlando's number in recent years, without Young, can the Hawks keep that success going?
Let’s dive into tonight’s matchup and find a potential sweat or two! We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff. Odds courtesy of DraftKingsrecent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
After 24 years, the NBA is back on NBC and Peacock, combining the nostalgia of an iconic era with the innovative future of basketball coverage. The NBA on NBC YouTube channel delivers fans must-see highlights, analysis, and exclusive and unique content.
Game Details and How to watch the Magic vs. Hawks live
Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Game odds for the Magic at the Hawks
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Magic (-162), Hawks (+136)
Spread: Magic -3.5
Total: 227.5
That gives the Magic an implied team point total of 115.5 and the Hawks 112.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups for the Magic and the Hawks
Magic
PG Jalen Suggs
SG Desmond Bane
SF Franz Wagner
PF Paolo Banchero
C Wendell Carter Jr
Hawks
PG Nickeil Alexander-Walker SG Dyson Daniels SF Zaccharie Risacher PF Jalen Johnson C Kristaps Porzingis
Injuries for the Magic and the Hawks
Magic
C Mortiz Wagner (knee) was OUT in Sunday's game
Hawks
G Trae Young (knee) is OUT and will be reevaluated in four weeks
Important stats, trends and insights ahead of Magic at Hawks on Tuesday.
Atlanta and Orlando are 2-5 ATS, tied for 5th-worst
Atlanta and Orlando are 2 of 8 teams profitable to the Under so far (both 4-3 to the Under)
Atlanta is 0-2 ATS and 0-2 ML as home team
Orlando is 2-2 ATS and 2-2 ML as road team
Atlanta is 5-2 on the ML in the last 7 meetings versus Orlando
Atlanta is 5-1 on the ML in the last 6 at home versus Orlando
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Hawks & Magic game:
Moneyline: Magic ML (medium confidence)
Spread: Magic -3.5 (high confidence)
Total: Under 227.5 (low confidence)
Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!
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Given the Mets' need to dramatically improve their starting pitching, team defense, and cohesion on offense, they're going to have to attack the offseason from all angles.
While New York has a need at first base with Pete Alonso again a free agent, and could seek an upgrade at third base and/or second base, it can be argued that those answers can easily be found via free agency. As can a mid-rotation starting pitcher and relief help.
When it comes to finding a starting pitcher who profiles near the top of the rotation, though, the prediction here is that the Mets will find that pitcher via the trade market.
Combine the Mets' need for top end pitching, the arms expected to be available via trade, and the fact that New York has one of the best farm systems in baseball, and you get a perfect storm.
That's why all the trade targets listed below are starting pitchers.
Here are the ones the Mets should be going after this offseason, ranked:
5. RHP Paul Skenes
Skenes would be at the very top of this list if there was a belief that the Pirates were likely to trade him this offseason.
But when you pair Skenes' years of team control remaining (four more seasons, through 2029) and Pittsburgh's seeming reluctance to either spend enough to be a contender or maximize Skenes' value on the trade market in order to try to contend in a different way, a deal at this point seems unlikely.
Sep 16, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) delivers a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at PNC Park. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
But every team with World Series hopes in 2026 should be calling the Pirates about Skenes anyway.
If offered a package that was truly outrageous, you would think Pittsburgh would have to at the very least consider it.
For example, the Mets should have Nolan McLean off limits in any other possible trade for a starting pitcher. In a deal for Skenes, McLean would be a must for the Pirates to even consider it.
In a world where the Mets offered McLean, Jonah Tong, Jett Williams, and more, could Pittsburgh start to bend on Skenes? Probably not, when you take into account the fact that the Pirates have been unable to get out of their own way for the better part of 30 years. But it can't hurt to try!
4. RHP Freddy Peralta
In recent years, the Brewers -- often under strict payroll constraints -- have traded some of their most valuable players when they've gotten close to free agency.
They did it with Corbin Burnes during the 2023-24 offseason and Devin Williams last offseason. At the 2022 trade deadline, the Brewers dealt Josh Hader to the Padres when he still had a year and change of team control remaining.
Could the same kind of plan be in store regarding Peralta?
Peralta, who is about to enter his age-30 season, has an $8 million team option the Brewers will obviously pick up. But what happens with him after that is in question.
Coming off a season where he had a 2.70 ERA and 1.07 WHIP while striking out 204 batters in 176.2 innings, Peralta's value will be sky high. And Milwaukee is positioned to cash in if he's made available.
3. RHP Sandy Alcantara
It was a struggle for Alcantara during the first half of last season in what was his first year back after having Tommy John surgery.
Ahead of his start on July 23, Alcantara posted a 7.14 ERA in 97.0 innings pitched.
But from that start through the end of the season, Alcantara turned it on.
In 12 starts over 77.2 innings from that point, Alcantara had a 3.13 ERA. Along the way, he completed 7.0 innings seven times.
Alcantara has two years to go until hitting free agency. But it would be wise for the Marlins, whose core of young pitching includes Eury Perez and Edward Cabrera, to deal the former Cy Young winner this offseason in order to maximize his value.
Twins pitcher Joe Ryan / Imagn Images/Envato Elements/SNY Treated Image
2. RHP Joe Ryan
Ryan had the best season of his career in 2025, posting a 3.42 ERA and 1.03 WHIP while striking out 10.2 batters per nine in a career-high 171.0 innings. He has always missed lots of bats (his career strikeout rate is 10.1 per nine) and his four-seam fastball (which he uses about half the time) has graded out as one of the best in baseball each of the last four seasons.
The big question here is whether the Twins would trade Ryan, who has two more years of arbitration remaining and will be very inexpensive (he made just $3 million in 2025).
In the midst of an incredibly disappointing 2025 season, Minnesota had a fire sale, trading 10 players from the big league roster. That included Carlos Correa, Griffin Jax, and elite closer Jhoan Duran, who -- like Ryan -- has two more years of arbitration remaining and will be wildly inexpensive in 2026 (he made just $1.3 million this past season).
The Twins can definitely get a haul for Ryan this offseason, and it would behoove them to take advantage of that as they embark on some form of a rebuild.
1. LHP Tarik Skubal
Skubal is set for free agency after 2026, so the Mets -- and any other team expecting to contend next season -- should be on the Tigers' case about him.
Would it be surprising if Detroit traded the best pitcher in the American League fresh off back-to-back Cy Young seasons? Perhaps.
Even with just one year left on his deal, it would likely take a King's ransom to pry Skubal from Detroit.
For the Mets, that could mean trading Jonah Tong and/or Brandon Sproat along with Jett Williams or Carson Benge. For a talent like Skubal, though, that's simply the cost of doing business.
Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver’s most recent 5–4 overtime win against the Nashville Predators.
Early on in the game, Vancouver took the lead in even-strength scoring chances for, putting up nine in the first period compared to Nashville’s seven. However, after that, it was all Nashville in regulation, who had 20 after three periods. The Canucks dominated in overtime, keeping possession throughout the extra frame and putting two scoring chances up on the Predators. By the end of the game, Nashville led in scoring chances by a lead of 20 to 15. Nashville also led in high-danger chances for, putting up nine against Vancouver’s six.
Vancouver was all over the place according to last night’s heat map, though most of their chances were taken a decent distance from the net. Their warmest position on the map was near the top of the faceoff dot. On the other hand, Nashville’s chances came predominantly from in front of Thatcher Demko, indicating that these issues that have persisted throughout the season still remain.
In his first game back from injury, Quinn Hughes had some good setups and looked as dynamic as usual when attempting to generate offence, which is backed up by analytics. While the defenceman finished the game with a 5-on-5 corsi-for of 40%, putting him at ninth on the team, he also placed fourth on Vancouver with 54.17% in all situations. He also put up an xGF% of 63.45% in all strengths, putting him third among the Canucks. Tom Willander finished the game with the highest value in this category with an impressive 76.44%.
With their road trip now over, the Canucks will head back to Vancouver to embark on a four-game homestand featuring games against the Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Colorado Avalanche, and Winnipeg Jets. Their next game will take place on Wednesday, with puck drop scheduled for 7:00 pm PT.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Week 2 is in the books and it'll likely be a weekly theme of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander attempting to hold his throne atop the MVP polls. Luka Doncic returned from a three-game absence and dropped 44 points before sitting again, while Nikola Jokic triple-doubled in four-straight games but cooled off in his last two. There's been plenty of big games from star players to put the heat on SGA like Giannis Antetokounmpo's game-winner over Indiana.
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 3 MVP Rankings
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder (+190)
Points Per Game: 33.6 (3rd) Assists Per Game: 5.9 (T-20th) Rebounds Per Game: 5.1 RPG (T-90th)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder are 7-0 and became the third team in NBA history to start 7-0 in back-to-back seasons and the first since the 1993-95 Rockets. Without Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City hasn't skipped a beat as another example of how valuable SGA is.
SGA is third in usage rate (32.3%) and scored at least 30 points in six out of seven games, including three-straight. The reigning MVP is also getting to the free-throw line 9.6 times per game, which is the most since his 2022-23 season, and 5.9 triples per game — the most in his career.
The "free-throw merchant" as social media likes to call him, continues to find new ways to score while he's in his prime. In reality, SGA has three double-digit free-throw attempt games and four of six or less, so he's not getting to the free-throw line consistently like the world assumes.
2. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs (+300)
Points Per Game: 26.7 (11th) Rebounds Per Game: 13.7 (2nd) Blocks Per Game: 4.7 (1st)
The Spurs started off 5-0 for the first time in franchise history (shocking stat) before taking a loss to the Suns on Sunday. Victor Wembanyama was blazing through the first five with 30.2 points, 14.6 rebounds, 4.8 blocks, 3.4 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.
In the loss to Phoenix, Wemby played 34 minutes and went 4-of-14 from the field, 1-of-5 from three with no free-throws for 9 points. The Spurs star added 9 rebounds, four blocks, and two assists, but coming off his worst game of the season means I certainly have to drop him back down to No. 2.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (+650)
Points Per Game: 34.0 (1st) Rebounds Per Game: 13.3 (3rd) Assists Per Game: 6.8 (16th)
Giannis Antetokounmpo at the buzzer! The Greek Freak sent the crowd into a disheveled frenzy when he nailed an awkward fadeaway over two defenders at with no time remaining to give the Bucks a 117-15 win over the Pacers in Indiana. Antetokounmpo dropped 33 points and it was his fifth 30-point game in six contests with five double-doubles.
It's early in the year, but point Giannis is averaging a career-high 6.8 assists per game as the main facilitator for the Bucks, while posting a career-high 13.3 rebounds thanks to better spacing thanks to Myles Turner.
The only downfall of Antetokounmpo's awesome season so far once again is his free-throw shooting. Giannis is shooting 61.5% from the charity stripe, which is a career-low. He could lead the NBA in points per game if he was making his freebies, and those time of things make a significant difference come end of the year.
4. Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers (+500)
Points Per Game: 41.3 Assists Per Game: 11.5 Rebounds Per Game: 8.3
Luka Doncic returned in glorious fashion against the Grizzlies dropping 44 points on 14-of-27 from the field, 6-of-15 from three, and 10-for-13 from the line. Doncic also double-doubled with 12 boards and added six assists over 39 minutes.
Through four games without LeBron James, Doncic averages 13.5 free-throw attempts, 12.0 three-point attempts, 11.5 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game. Doncic's 39.3% usage rate leads the NBA with Giannis Antetokounmpo in secluded second (34.3%).
However, Doncic rested against Portland on Monday (Lakers won), which is concerning for his games played mark. Doncic already missed three games and is getting rest seven games in. It's a long season and Los Angeles is without LeBron James, so it makes sense they don't want to push Doncic, but load management hurts an MVP case. We know that SGA, Jokic, and Wembanyama won't have load many, if any load management nights.
5. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets (+425)
Points Per Game: 22.7 (22nd) Rebounds Per Game: 13.2 (4th) Assists Per Game: 11.3 (1st)
Through five games, Nikola Jokic triple-doubled four-straight, but failed with nine assists, then seven rebounds in his next two games as his streak ended. Denver has started 4-2 with losses to Portland and Golden State — two of the better defensive squads in a league with limited defense.
Two of the downfalls to Jokic's start is his three-point shooting, which rose from 23.8% to 29% after last night's win over the Kings. Jokic was 5-of-21 entering the game with only 4.4 free-throw attempts per game, but last night he recorded 34 points, 4-of-10 from three, and 2-for-3 from the free-throw line.
Jokic's scoring overall is down at 22.7 points per game, but things are looking up after a season-high 34 versus the Kings. He leads the NBA with 11.3 assists per game and fourth in rebounding (13.2), so he's clearly still top five, but five for me.
Stock Up
Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers (+7000)
Points Per Game: 33.7 (2nd) Rebounds Per Game: 4.8 (T-103rd) Assists Per Game: 9.0 (T-5th)
The player saw the highest rise in odds from last week to this week is Tyrese Maxey. The 76ers have started off a hot 5-1, including four-straight to win the season. Maxey exploded for 39 or more points in three of those five games with at least six assists in every contest and 39 or more minutes. I wouldn't put my money on him because there are far too many factors into how the 76ers season can go with Joel Embiid and Paul George dealing with early season injuries and load management.
Stock Down
Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves (+8000)
Points Per Game: 25.7 Rebounds Per Game: 2.0 Assists Per Game: 4.0
As stated last week, Anthony Edwards went down with an injury and his odds moved from +2000 to +3500. Now they are +8000 as he missed his fourth consecutive game and likely going to miss the next handful. Minnesota plays New York, Utah, Sacramento, and Utah again until a break between Nov. 11-14. I would target Edwards to come back after that for one of the back-to-back games versus Sacramento and Denver.
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.
In 2015, former broadcaster and Warriors coach Mark Jackson said that Steph Curry was “hurting the game,” noting that kids learning to play basketball would prioritize 3-point shooting over other areas of development.
Whether or not Curry’s impact is detrimental can be left for debate, but the existence of that impact itself is clear. The average 3-pointers made per game in the NBA has more than doubled since Curry debuted.
On the “Mind the Game” podcast with LeBron James and Steve Nash, James asked Curry at what point did he realize his game was transcendent?
“When [Atlanta Hawks guard] Trae Young came in the league, and that was like the first person they said was the next ‘me’,” Curry said, “even though he’s a different player.”
Heading into the 2018 NBA Draft, Young often was compared to Curry on account of his 3-point shooting from long range and volume while playing at Oklahoma. The comparison was one of the first times that Curry realized his impact.
“That might be the first time I thought of it or really experienced what the impact was,” Curry said. “But I got that ‘you ruined the game’ question after Mark said it. Now it’s kind of tongue-in-cheek, just because you understand there is an influence. Now it’s about how can you allow kids to hear the story about the entire journey and not just the finish point.”
Despite the comparisons solely due to 3-point shooting, Young has not shot at the same volume as Curry in his eight years in the NBA. Young averages 7.5 3-point attempts per game to Curry’s 9.4 3-point attempts per game.
“When he was a kid, they came to one of our games, I got to talk to him,” Curry recounted. “Next thing you know, he’s getting drafted, like ‘he’s the next [Steph Curry]’. Like no, he’s his own player.”
Even though the comparison might not be completely accurate, Curry’s impact on the evolution of players like Young is unquestionable.
Root also among 14 players committed to national team
Bethell and Archer among the other notable inclusions
Ben Stokes has signalled his desire to play in the 2027 Ashes at home after signing a new two-year central contract with England.
Aged 34, and having sustained hamstring and shoulder injuries in the past 12 months, there was a school of thought that this winter’s Ashes – less than three weeks away – could be the Test captain’s swansong.
Less than a quarter into the 2025-26 season, Philadelphia Flyers fans are already having difficulty coping with the team's lifeless offense and overall struggles under new head coach Rick Tocchet.
This isn't necessarily to say that Tocchet can't turn things around in Philadelphia, because we're 12 games in, but his teams have historically always played like this.
A Sportsnet infographic that has gone semi-viral online has shown that, in his last four seasons as a head coach, including this season and excluding 2022-23, Tocchet's teams have ranked no higher than 26th in the NHL in shots per game.
The good news for Tocchet is that his assistant coach pick, Todd Reirden, has the defense humming despite a considerable talent gap relative to most competitive teams around the league.
Goalies Dan Vladar and Aleksei Kolosov, who have been below-average NHL netminders statistically throughout their young careers, have save percentages of .924 and .929, respectively.
To an extent, Tocchet's system is working, but the results are the results. The Flyers, at the time of this writing, are in last place in the Eastern Conference, have scored the fourth-fewest goals, and don't have a win on the road yet.
All of these factors have made some fans appreciate Tortorella more, and there are some who have yet to see it that way.
The truth is that Tortorella's fingerprints are all over this roster, debacles with Cam York and Sean Couturier aside.
Noah Cates and Bobby Brink both made the jump from inconsistent players who may or may not play to lineup staples relied upon to perform in an important checking role.
Tyson Foerster has quietly emerged as one of the league's best defensive wingers while taking on a new role as a penalty killer, while Owen Tippett, too, is adding more responsibility to his game.
Under Tortorella, Tippett went from an unwanted prospect to a three-time 20-goal-scorer, with a career-best 28 goals, 25 assists, and 53 points coming in his second year under the former Flyers boss in 2023-24.
Travis Sanheim experienced a career rebirth playing for Tortorella and ultimately leveled up as a player, and his partner in crime, Travis Konecny, also had the three most prolific years of his career over the last three seasons.
Of course, the 5-foot-9 Emil Andrae blossomed with the guidance of Tortorella, of all people, only to fall behind the likes of Egor Zamula, Adam Ginning, and Noah Juulsen with Tocchet in charge. And that's almost exclusively due to his diminutive stature.
On top of that, Tortorella helped weed out underachieving talents in Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee while dealing with key losses at the trade deadline in consecutive years.
The most important part of this is Matvei Michkov, the Flyers' franchise player who expressed on record his disappointment for seeing his first NHL coach leave after just one season of working with him.
Tortorella, despite the healthy scratches, benchings, and heated verbal exchanges, helped guide a 19-year-old (turned 20 midseason) Michkov to a successful 26-goal, 63-point rookie campaign that saw the Russian pace all rookies in goals.
That same Michkov, only a handful of months later, has just one goal in 12 games under Tocchet, and his ice time has dramatically decreased from 16:41 a game to 14:58.
The Flyers star is shooting less, scoring less, and playing less under Tocchet, and he just lined up against the Calgary Flames next to Rodrigo Abols, of all players.
That's no slight against Abols, but he's a career journeyman who scratched and clawed his way onto the roster and has sat out some games to start this season.
The lack of ice time for Nikita Grebenkin - who also hasn't played every game - despite Tocchet's acknowledgement that the forward needed to play more, has been a similarly frustrating pain point for many.
A player as prodigious as Michkov, and a player who has a knack for making plays like Grebenkin, should be playing with similarly skilled players, but it didn't happen.
Plus, Michkov hasn't been able to recreate the magic he had with Sean Couturier and Konecny last season, though the latter has drastically improved his own play over the last week.
That said, the only Flyers forward who has been a consistent proprietor of offense this season has been Trevor Zegras, who has impressively tallied 13 points in 12 games to kick off his Flyers career.
Tortorella, for better or for worse, didn't have that kind of support at center over the last three seasons.
The 2024 first-round pick averaged 14:03 a game in four matches under Tortorella, but that plummeted to 8:58 last month under Tocchet.
Maybe a then-18-year-old Luchanko wasn't ready for the NHL, but at least Tortorella had a plan for him and mostly executed it before the team collectively pulled the plug.
With Luchanko, and with the rest of the team, it's still wait-and-see mode with Tocchet, but a dreadful back-to-back on home ice this past weekend is already affirming fans' fears and increasing impatience with the club icon.
After all, the Flyers handed the Toronto Maple Leafs their first road win of the season on Saturday, then lost to the worst team in the NHL in the Flames on Sunday, scoring just two goals at even strength between both games.
Few view Tortorella as a coach who aided a rebuild, but perhaps his Flyers tenure wasn't so bad after all.
The road has not been particularly kind to the Florida Panthers so far in the early stages of the new NHL season.
Despite holding a strong 5-1-1 record on home ice, Florida has faltered when traveling away from Sunrise.
So far through five road games, the Panthers are just 1-4-0 while being outscored 18-8, and now they’re starting a west coast trip that could just as easily chew them up and spit them out.
The first if four games out west begins on Tuesday night against the Anaheim Ducks.
Anaheim has been one of the surprise teams of the Western Conference early this season.
They enter play Tuesday holding one of the three playoff spots in the Pacific Division, skating to an impressive 7-3-1 mark through their first 11 outings.
The Ducks have currently won three straight games, five of their past six overall and are 5-1-1 over their past seven, a stretch that includes last Tuesday’s 3-2 shootout win over the Panthers in Sunrise.
Youngster Cutter Gauthier has been on fire of late, riding a six-game point streak in which he’s logged four goals and nine points.
Veteran Chris Kreider, one of the newest Ducks this season, has started his career in Anaheim with six goals over his first seven games, including tallies in each of his past two outings.
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Tuesday’s tilt with the Quackers:
Photo caption: Oct 28, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Troy Terry (19) scores a goal past Florida Panthers goaltender Daniil Tarasov (40) during an overtime shootout at Amerant Bank Arena. (Jim Rassol-Imagn Images)
We were certain that, with a new-look roster and tempered expectations, the Boston Celtics’ viewing experience would be largely stress free. We were convinced fans wouldn’t feel the bumps in the road as much as they have in past seasons, where every loss in a championship-or-bust campaign felt like a stomach punch. If this new campaign was going to be a bit of a roller coaster, we were prepared with transition-year Dramamine.
We couldn’t have been more wrong.
The losses still gnaw at you — in large part because, while the team looks different, the losses often look the same.
These Celtics can’t hold double-digit leads. Their play vacillates wildly from quarter to quarter. When their 3-point shots are not falling, they remain a tough watch, particularly given their propensity to let empty offensive possessions impact their defensive effort.
On Monday night, the Celtics should have been eager to dust themselves off after a beatdown from the championship-chasing Houston Rockets at the tail end of a five-game-in-seven-days stretch. That one was easy to chalk up as a schedule loss. But Monday was the ultimate “get right” game against a Utah Jazz team that had gotten pummeled in Charlotte the night before and was missing one of its key bigs in Walker Kessler.
Yet, somehow, it was Boston that didn’t have enough gas in the tank in the second half Monday night, as offensive rebounds still came back to bite the Celtics.
After a defensive gem of a first half that put the Celtics ahead by double digits, Boston’s defense disappeared in the second half, the team’s effort waning as it repeatedly clanged quality 3-point looks. Keyonte George morphed into Michael Jordan for a stretch, 37-year-old Kevin Love rolled back the clocks, and Jusuf Nurkic’s putback in the final moments lifted Utah to a 105-103 triumph at TD Garden.
The Celtics’ 3-point shooting was historically bad for their volume. The C’s set an NBA record by missing 40 their 51 triples, posting the lowest 3-point percentage (21.6 percent) in league history by a team with 50-plus attempts.
Would it make you feel any better to know the NBA tracking data suggested all those 3-point looks were pretty good? It probably won’t, right? But 50 of Boston’s 51 attempts came with 4+ feet of space from the nearest defender. The Celtics made just 2 of 21 attempts with 4 to 6 feet of space, and 9 of 29 attempts with 6+ feet of space.
NBA tracking suggested 50 of Boston's 51 3-point attempts vs. Utah were open or better (4+ feet of space from defender).
Celtics made just 9 of 29 (29%) wide-open 3s, and 2 of 21 (9.5%) of open 3s.
Derrick White and Payton Pritchard, who both made 3s in the opening minutes when Boston ripped off a 10-0 run, quickly reverted to their season-opening struggles. There are 178 players who qualify on the list of NBA’s 3-point percentage leaders this season. Here’s where Boston players rank:
178th: Payton Pritchard
171st: Derrick White
95th: Anfernee Simons
92nd: Jaylen Brown
69th: Sam Hauser
Pritchard and White were a combined 7 for 19 on Monday night, which is actually progress. Hauser improbably went 1 for 8 from distance. Simons wasn’t much better (2 for 8). Brown missed all nine 3-pointers he attempted, though he kept Boston’s offense afloat by making 13 of 19 shots inside the arc while producing a team-high 36 points.
It seems impossible that White and Pritchard won’t eventually get on track. But as they struggle from distance to start the season, it only makes the margins that much slimmer for a Boston team with a bunch of new vulnerabilities. And, yet, if the Celtics’ defensive energy didn’t wane in the second half, they very well might have survived a historically bad shooting night.
Spare us all the chatter about the referees’ missed call on a George trip of Brown in the final minute. Yes, it should have been a whistle. No, it’s not a valid excuse for not winning this game. We don’t need a Last 2 Minute report to confirm the referee error.
Our Last 24 Minute report notes the Celtics tripped all over themselves repeatedly in the second half without aid from the Jazz or the referees.
Brown has been fantastic, and it’s frustrating that Boston’s supporting cast hasn’t been able to help him more. It’s also annoying that, with multiple last-gasp opportunities in tight games against Philadelphia and Utah, the Celtics have been unable to get Brown a clean look at a winning shot. Brown got whistled (correctly) for a push-off before the Celtics’ final possession with 0.6 seconds to play Monday night.
Brown vented about the missed tripping call after the game but, like a good leader, eventually suggested he has to do more to help his team as this group hunts for an identity early in the new season. The truth is the supporting cast has to do more, and Brown’s efforts have been spoiled by the team’s shooting funks.
Neemias Queta will kick himself about a missed late-game free throw and his inability to box out Nurkic on Utah’s winning shot. Josh Minott can’t get in early foul trouble, which limited his floor time. Boston needs more from its bench, where every single player not named Chris Boucher was in the negative for plus/minus Monday night.
Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised that the Celtics are experiencing these growing pains. But it all seems so preventable, which makes it harder to stomach. Boston has all the potential to outkick its tempered expectations and yet hasn’t played with anywhere near the sort of consistency that would allow that.
Chalk it up to early-season growing pains, but the Celtics’ lack of focus and discipline Monday night was inexcusable. The Rockets were simply on a different level on Saturday and the rest disadvantage didn’t help. But much of Boston’s woes in the team’s other four losses this season were largely self-inflicted.
Maybe all this team needs is White and Pritchard to get off the 3-point schneid. Maybe the Celtics just need to be mentally tougher when shots aren’t falling and lean into their obvious defensive potential instead of losing their minds.
It’s easy to say we should have braced ourselves for these bumps given the roster changes. But there’s too much talent and potential here to be OK with the Celtics losing games the way they did Monday night.
