Worldwide Sports News

November 13, 2025

Dodgers seek another back-end reliever. But will they be willing to do another long-term deal?

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 17, 2025: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tanner Scott (66) pitches in relief against the Phillies in the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium on September 17, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) — Dodgers pitcher Tanner Scott will be entering the second year of his four-year, $72-million contract after posting a 4.74 ERA and converting only 23 of 33 save opportunities. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Last offseason, the Dodgers swung big in their offseason pursuit of impact bullpen additions.

After largely striking out, however, they might now have to decide if they’re comfortable doing it again.

The Dodgers don’t have glaring needs this winter, but the back end of the bullpen is one area they will look to upgrade. Although the team has ample relief depth, it has no clear-cut closer as it enters 2026.

The main reason why: Tanner Scott’s struggles after landing a lucrative four-year, $72-million pact last winter.

Scott’s signing represented the second-largest contract, by guaranteed money, the Dodgers had ever given to a relief pitcher (only behind the five-year, $80 million deal closer Kenley Jansen got in 2017). It was a high-risk, high-reward move that, at least in Year 1, quickly felt like a bust.

Scott posted a 4.74 ERA in the regular season, converted only 23 of his 33 save opportunities, and did not pitch in the postseason (in part because of an abscess incision procedure he underwent in the National League Division Series).

The Dodgers’ other big reliever acquisition last winter, Kirby Yates, suffered a similar fate, posting a 5.23 ERA on a one-year, $13-million deal before injuries also knocked him out of postseason contention.

Scott will be back next year, and is one of several veteran relief arms the club is hopeful will make improvements. Still, for a team vying for a third straight World Series title, adding a more established closer remains of interest.

The question now: Will they be willing to do so on another long-term deal? Or will last year’s failed signings make them more hesitant to traverse that same path again?

It might not take long to start finding out.

Already at this week’s general managers' meetings at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, the Dodgers have expressed interest in two-time All-Star Devin Williams, according to people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly.

The 31-year-old right-hander had a down year with the New York Yankees (4.79 ERA, albeit with 18 saves in 22 opportunities), but his underlying metrics remain strong, and the Dodgers’ interest in him dates to last offseason when he was a trade target of the club before ultimately landing in the Bronx.

With a mid-90s mph fastball and signature “Airbender” changeup that has made him one of the most prolific strikeout threats in all the majors over his seven-year career (in which he has a 2.45 ERA and averages more than 14 strikeouts per nine innings), he would significantly improve their ninth-inning outlook.

But the Dodgers’ pursuit of him, which was first reported by The Athletic, could come with a tricky decision.

Williams is expected to have several serious suitors this offseason. And, though some outlets projected him to sign only a one-year deal upward of $20 million, others have him pegged to land a three- or four-year contract.

By nature, the Dodgers typically prefer shorter-term deals, particularly in a role as volatile as relief pitching. If Williams does receive longer-term offers from other clubs, it’s unclear if the Dodgers would be willing to match.

The team could face similar dynamics if it goes after other top relievers on the market, including three-time All-Star and top free-agent closer Edwin Díaz (who also comes with the added complication of a qualifying offer that would cost them a draft pick).

They could wind up having to once again weigh a high-risk, high-reward move.

And on Tuesday, general manager Brandon Gomes struck a decidedly risk-averse tone in the wake of last year’s failed signings.

“It’s one of those things that, I don’t think it’s a ‘need,’” Gomes said of the team’s interest in making another splashy reliever acquisition. “But it could be a nice-to-have, depending on how it all plays out.”

There are other alternatives, of course.

Former Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Pete Fairbanks is one potentially shorter-term target some in the industry see as a fit in Los Angeles, after racking up 75 saves with a 2.98 ERA over the last three seasons.

Former Angels and Atlanta Braves right-hander Raisel Iglesias is potentially another, after amassing 96 saves with a 2.62 ERA over the last three years, thanks to a mid-90s mph fastball and swing-and-miss changeup that have kept him productive even at age 35.

There are other familiar free-agent relievers available this winter, too, from former San Diego Padres closer Robert Suarez to former St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets right-hander Ryan Helsley (who has also been linked to the Dodgers in trade rumors in the past).

The Dodgers could also explore the offseason's trade market, or roll the dice with a current relief corps that still includes Scott (whose 2025 issues had more to do with execution than quality of stuff), Alex Vesia (who has established himself as one of the top left-handed relievers in the sport) and Blake Treinen (another reliever the team sees as a bounce-back candidate after he struggled with injuries last season in the first season of a two-year, $22 million deal). They will also be getting Brusdar Graterol and Evan Phillips back from injuries, with Graterol on track to be ready for the start of 2026 after missing last year with a shoulder problem, and Phillips expected to return at some point in next season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last June.

For now, however, the team’s search could depend on how the markets for Williams, Díaz and others develop — and whether it’s willing to take another big bullpen swing on a longer-term deal.

“We have so many guys that are capable of closing and have done it in the past,” Gomes said, highlighting the team’s current returning bullpen arms. “But it’s one of the areas we’ll look to potentially add to the team.”

Skenes wins NL Cy Young Award, Yamamoto third in voting

Yoshinobu Yamamoto will always be remembered for his historic performance in the Dodgers’ postseason this past October.

On Wednesday, his regular-season performance received some deserved recognition, too.

While Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes won the National League Cy Young Award as expected, after leading the majors with a 1.97 ERA in just his second MLB season, Yamamoto finished third for a campaign in which he went 12-8, posted a 2.49 ERA over 30 starts, and anchored a Dodgers rotation that was ravaged by injuries for much of the season.

Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sánchez was the NL’s other Cy Young finalist, and was runner-up. Skenes garnered all 30 first-place votes while Sánchez received all 30 second-place votes. Yamamoto collected 16 third-place votes.

Yamamoto’s finish was the highest by a Dodgers pitcher since Julio Urías came in third in 2022.

It caps a year in which the 27-year-old Japanese star made significant strides from his debut rookie MLB season (when he had a 3.00 ERA and was limited to 18 starts because of a shoulder injury) and helped carry the Dodgers to a World Series with a 1.45 ERA in six playoff outings and a grueling 37 1/3 October innings — including back-to-back complete games in the NL Championship Series and World Series, before back-to-back victorious appearances in Games 6 and 7 of the Fall Classic.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

November 12, 2025

Impassioned Doug Christie sends stern warning to Kings stars as skid continues

Impassioned Doug Christie sends stern warning to Kings stars as skid continues originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SACRAMENTO – In a 30-hour span, Doug Christie has spoken to the media with more fire and passion than the Kings have played with all season.

One night after calling out haters and critics during his pregame media availability before Tuesday’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Christie approached the podium Wednesday after another blowout loss, his team’s fourth in a row.

Before a reporter could even get a question off, the coach muttered three words as he took a seat.

“Shameful compete level,” he said after Sacramento’s 133-100 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

A ticked-off and emotional Christie went on to address the media in a fiery 13-minute dialogue that included a couple of F-bombs and the word “unacceptable” a handful of times.

“I’ve taken butt whoopings, that’s part of the game,” Christie said. “But you know what I’m going to do? I’m going to come back. You are not going to represent the Sacramento Kings — it just ain’t happening, man. Put on a jersey – represent it properly.

“These people need to come into the turnstiles, and they need to be proud when they leave here about the product that they see, not f–king embarrassed. It’s unacceptable. Period.”

The Kings got off to a sluggish start, scoring just 10 points in nearly the first seven minutes of the game. But a couple of substitutions and a spark off the bench helped Sacramento pull within three to close out the quarter.

Then Sacramento turned the ball over eight times in the second frame and scored just 12 points in the entire quarter. Twelve points.

The Kings shot 4 of 22 (18.2 percent) from the field and 2 of 14 (14.2 percent) from 3-point range in the second quarter.

Atlanta outscored Sacramento 39-22 in the third quarter, and Christie had had enough at that point. He benched his veteran starters and thrust Precious Achiuwa, who joined the team last week, Daeqwon Plowden, who played his first game of the season and first with Sacramento, and rookies Maxime Raynaud and Nique Clifford onto the floor. They replaced DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis, Dennis Schroder and Russell Westbrook. Keon Ellis, who already was on the floor, remained in the game.

Christie admitted postgame that the substitution was intended to send a message to the team – particularly its leaders.

“I was embarrassed,” Christie said. “I wish I could have put on the Jersey at 55 [years old], I would have showed you better than that. At least I’m going to use all six fouls. I can’t move, but I’m going to foul the s–t out of somebody.”

DeRozan finished with four points in 19 minutes. It was just the third time he’s scored four points or less since joining the Kings during the 2024 offseason.

Schroder appeared to have been on the right track toward snapping out of a shooting slump, but finished with just nine points. Sabonis had 12 points and four turnovers. Westbrook and Achiuwa each had 10.

Two Hawks bench players outscored every Kings starter on Wednesday.

The leading scorer for Sacramento? Keon Ellis, who during this homestand, has been in and out of Christie’s rotation and experienced back-to-back games where he didn’t see the floor until the fourth quarter.

Ellis finished with 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the field and 6 of 11 from downtown, with six rebounds, three assists and one steal in 30 minutes off the bench.

Sacramento’s bench outscored Sacramento’s starters 55-45.

Christie kept it straightforward when he was asked if the bench’s production could lead him to shake up some things with his lineups moving forward.

“You got to,” he said. “Those guys [the starters] are minus-31, minus-38, minus-34, minus-20. I mean, you got to.”

Sacramento’s locker room is filled with established veterans, multi-All-NBA and All-Star players and likely future Hall of Famers.

They’ve each experienced their fair share of ebbs and flows that come throughout an NBA season, and one would think, should know how to respond when adversity hits like it has for Sacramento.

Christie hopes — and encourages — his leaders will be leaders.

“I would like them to lead,” Christie said. “You said veterans, so they need to lead, because we got young players in there watching this, and I’m going to text every one of them young players [saying] that’s not acceptable. Do not even think about even trying to equate that that is OK. Do not do it. I will not let you do that, because that s–t, it ain’t cool, no. So they need to lead.

“What do you want for your team? What do you want for this city? If you want something more than what that was — because that was trash — then lead them. Talk to them. Demonstrate for them. Go out there and show them. … Play the game. The game is to be respected. There’s a way to play this game and that ain’t it.”

While Christie didn’t seem to take a breath during his press conference, there was one lengthy pause that was noteworthy.

Christie, a former Kings player and now lead coach for the organization he loves and admires with every fiber in his being, was asked how he gets his players to care as much as he does.

A 44-second pause ensued. Silence.

Alas, a well-thought-out response.

“You know this one has passed me. This is about you. I know what I feel. I know what time I get up. I know what time I put into this. I know how serious I am about my job. I know what I want for them. And I even take it a step further and say, I know what the organization wants. But you got to want that as an individual — individually — when you look in the mirror. Then after that, you go collective. And right now, that’s where we run into the problem is the individual and the collective. Individually, you got to bring it, and then collectively, you got to love on each other. You got to love your brother enough to help him, to talk, to be there, to have extra efforts.

“I’m here to tell you it’s hard. Defense is not for the faint of heart. That’s why everybody don’t do it. But if it’s the last thing that I do, we will put a product out there that they’re like, ‘Damn. He did that. They doing that.’ It just is how it’s going to be. We’re not going to accept none of this. I don’t want our fans to accept. Nah, don’t. You don’t have to. It’s people that actually will do things the right way. [They] might not be as talented, but guess what? That’s when the hockey shift came in. We got some young kids, but you know what they’re going to try to do? They’re going to try to compete. Now, Max is not as talented as [Kristaps] Porzingis yet, and he got into trouble. And Nique gets back cut and OK, but it ain’t from a lack of effort. It ain’t from a lack of want.”

While Kings players have said, at least publicly, that Christie’s stern messaging has resonated well with them thus far, Christie isn’t so convinced by his players’ words.

“They’re saying they want to compete. One thing that I know is you could talk about it all you want, but we not going to be verbally competing,” Christie said. “This ain’t a debate show. This is physical. This is basketball. So you can tell me all day, and you can tell yourself all day, and you can tell your teammates all day, but one thing that I do know is the ball is thrown up, that’s when you need to step up and show that. Period. Every night, 48 minutes, 24 f–king seconds at a time.”

If words won basketball games, Christie’s Kings might be the top seed in the West right now.

But as the coach passionately explained, words don’t get you anywhere.

And now it’s on his team to respond with action.

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November 12, 2025November 13, 2025

Australian restaurant chain apologises for burger curse as Oscar Piastri hopes to turn F1 season around

Grill’d apologises for jinxing 24-year-old with promotion
Piastri’s manager Mark Webber backs McLaren driver to rebound from Formula One woes

As Oscar Piastri desperately works to rebound from his recent Formula One woes, an Australian restaurant chain is doing its part to keep his title hopes alive.

After offering free burgers for every time the Australian made the podium, Grill’d burger chain has apologised for putting a “curse” on the McLaren driver.

November 12, 2025

Brian Cashman: Ben Rice 'very well could be' Yankees everyday first baseman for 2026 season

Ben Rice, coming off a season in which he smacked 26 home runs and announced himself with hard contact all year, the Yankees are entering the offseason with a similar question to the one manager Aaron Boone had to solve on a near-daily basis: Where should he play?

Without Paul Goldschmidt on the roster, first base appears to be the most likely spot for Rice to take up on the diamond, after playing 370 innings there across 46 starts. When asked if he viewed Rice as the everyday first baseman,Brian Cashman gave a noncommittal answer.

"He very well could be," the Yankees general manager said while speaking on a Zoom call with reporters Wednesday.

"I view Ben Rice as having an everyday role in the big leagues for us next year, whether it's at first... right now the lane is first base, I have no doubt teams will continue to come after our players, Rice included, for trade conversations," Cashman continued. "But as of right now, yeah, he's in our lineup, and the more likely spot would be first base.

"But he can catch, as well. I have [Austin] Wells is our catcher, and him at first, but, again, you never know how the winds of change blow here every winter. And they'll be challenge trades made to us or by us, and most will lead nowhere, with one team insulting the other, vice versa. More likely than not, I see him at first base, without a doubt."

Despite the GM's remuneration on trades, Cashman said the Yans are "really proud" of the season Rice put together when he produced 58 extra-base hits, 65 RBI and slashed .255/.337/.499 for a .836 OPS (131 OPS+, 133 wRC+) with a thunderous 56.1 percent hard-hit rate (97th percentile in MLB).

"He's always hit, and he continued to back that up," Cashman said. "And he had a huge impact for us, thankfully, this year, especially when [Giancarlo] Stanton went down. He really filled in, softened that blow significantly by being Stanton in Stanton's absence for a period of time.

"And then obviously forced his way into the lineup on an everyday basis the rest of the way, and then has forced his way into our future on an everyday basis."

As far as the catcher position, where the Yankees fielded three left-handed batters on the roster with Rice, who caught 229.2 innings filling in between Wells (1001 innings) and J.C. Escarra (209 innings), Cashman was asked if adding a righty was a priority for the offseason.

"Only if we like one well enough," the GM said. "You'd like to have the balance if you can have it, no doubt about it. The catching market is very thin, but we'll see.

"It's a benefit of having balance at, without a doubt. So we'll see if something presents itself here in the marketplace."

November 12, 2025

Mavericks' governor Patrick Dumont wants medical data before approving return of Anthony Davis

Only good things happen when owners take a hands-on approach to roster decisions. Just ask Knicks and Kings fans.

Anthony Davis will miss his seventh straight game Wednesday night when Dallas hosts Phoenix, and his return date is up in the air as Dallas Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont has requested medical information that Davis is not at risk of aggravating the calf strain that has had him out, reports Tim MacMahon at ESPN.

[Davis] originally targeted his return for Saturday's road game against the Washington Wizards, but there was a disagreement between Mavs director of health and performance Johann Bilsborough and Davis' personal medical staff on whether that was prudent, sources said. Davis was held out after Dumont sided with Bilsborough, preferring to err on the side of caution, sources said.

One can understand Dumont's caution here. Players are often the worst judges of how fast they can return (especially from soft tissue injuries) — they are in the NBA in part because they believe they can overcome anything. While Davis has a personal medical staff, he pays them. The team is likely to be more cautious with players it has invested tens of millions of dollars in.

As noted by MacMahon, Dumont's decision against Washington likely was in part tied to his growing lack of trust in now-fired general manager Nico Harrison. Also in Dumont's mind is the fact that last season, when the Mavericks acquired Davis in the Luka Doncic trade, he was sidelined with an abdominal injury. Davis rushed back from that injury in the wake of all the criticism of the trade, only to aggravate it in his first game back, which kept him out for another six weeks.

That said, the idea of an owner becoming more hands-on in basketball decisions or medical decisions is concerning. Dumont needs to do a serious search, eventually hire a new GM with a long-term plan, then get out of his way.

November 12, 2025

Yankees top prospect George Lombard Jr. not expected to be called up in 2026

George Lombard Jr. is the Yankees' top prospect and his timeline for a big league call is always the topic of conversation. Fans are talking even more about the potential of Lombard Jr. in the Yankees lineup this offseason due to the injury and ineffectiveness of Anthony Volpe at shortstop.

However, Yankees GM Brian Cashman tempered expectations for his young infielder on a Zoom call with the media on Wednesday.

When asked directly how far off he viewed Lombard Jr. from making it to the major leagues, the longtime GM said it was difficult to assess for a few reasons.

"Players that possess some high-ceiling talent, which Lombard has, once it comes altogether, it can come really fast, it’s just an avalanche of success of instant ready," Cashman said. "He could be coming on strong as early as next year or he might need some more time. The game will tell us more than anything else.

"Defensively, he’s ready to go and offensively, it looks like he needs more time and we’re looking to ride that time and those reps."

The 20-year-old tore through High-A ball this past season, slashing .329/.495/.488 with an OPS of .983 to go along with one home run and 13 RBI across 24 games. Those numbers warranted a promotion to Double-A, where he struggled at the plate.

Across 108 games with the Somerset Patriots, Lombard Jr. slashed .215/.337/.358 with an OPS of .695. He did see his home run output increase (8), but he struck out 124 times.

The Yankees are set in the infield heading into the 2025 season. Barring any offseason moves, Jazz Chisholm Jr. will be the Opening Day second baseman while Ryan McMahon will likely start at third base. Ben Rice will be at first and shortstop will be Jose Caballero until Volpe returns from shoulder surgery.

Those factors leave Cashman believing they won't see Lombard Jr. with the Yankees in 2026 but things can change quickly as the organization saw with another prospect in 2025.

"I wouldn’t think '26 is on the horizon, but I wouldn’t rule out some point in '26 at the same time because you saw what happened with Spencer Jones last year, where he started to tear through all levels," Cashman said. "And once it starts coming together, there’s no stopping a lot of these guys unless somebody's standing in front of them at the major league level. So, we’ll see."

Brian Cashman says that George Lombard Jr. is unlikely to come up next year but he isn't ruling out the possibility, either pic.twitter.com/CrJ25MXJkR
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) November 12, 2025

November 12, 2025

Mets Notes: Less time for Jeff McNeil in center field, Dylan Ross has chance to make team

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns spoke again at the GM Meetings in Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Among the topics Stearns discussed this time around were the possibility of playing Jeff McNeil in center field again in 2026, the potential role for right-hander Dylan Ross this upcoming season, and the need to add multi-inning options to the bullpen.

Here’s what Stearns had to say…

McNeil in center in 2026?

Throughout his eight-year career with the Mets, McNeil has proven that he can play just about everywhere. And while second base and the corner outfield spots have been his primary positions, he’s also dabbled in center field. In fact, his 31 games as a center fielder were second most to only his time at second base (77 games).

So might McNeil fit into the Mets’ puzzle in center field? It doesn’t seem so, according to Stearns.

“I think probably less,” Stearns replied when asked if McNeil is in the mix for center. “I think we love Jeff’s positional versatility, but I don’t see us looking at that as a significant portion of his time for next year.”

Ross in the major league bullpen?

Ross, originally a 13th-round pick of the Mets in 2022, has had a meteoric rise through the team’s farm system. After pitching just one game for Low-A St. Lucie in 2024 as he bounced back from a Tommy John revision procedure, Ross started 2025 with High-A Brooklyn but made his way all the way to Triple-A Syracuse, putting himself in the conversation for a late-season call to the majors thanks to his dominant 2.13 overall ERA and 83 strikeouts in 55.0 innings.

According to Stearns, the flame-throwing Ross could be a factor for the major league team as early as Opening Day.

“I think Dylan’s a guy who is going to come to camp with a chance to make our team,” Stearns said. “It’s a big arm. He’s a unique guy who can throw really hard and also zone up his secondary stuff. It’s elite stuff.

“We have to help him get in the zone a little bit more. He doesn’t need to be a premium strike-thrower, but he can get in the zone a little bit more and I think that can help him at the major league level. And we would expect him to contribute throughout the season next year.”

Looking for a long man out of the pen?

As the Mets’ 2025 season went downhill, perhaps one of the biggest issues for the club was the lack of length out of the starting rotation. As a result, the Mets had to mix and match constantly with their relievers, calling players up to add fresh arms on a just-about-daily basis.

With that in mind, Stearns indicated on Wednesday that adding multi-inning options out of the bullpen could be a priority for the Mets this offseason, mentioning there could be both internal and external candidates.

“Something we’ve talked about is, especially after the trade deadline, we got to the point where we had a lot of one-inning relievers in our pen,” Stearns explained. “You can do that for a short period of time, but when you combine that with lack of length out of the starters, which is what we had, especially in the month of August, it taxes you, and we got taxed. So, there’s a recognition that having some multi-inning flexibility out of the pen is going to be important for us.”

November 12, 2025

Steph Curry gets best of fellow alien Victor Wembanyama as Warriors beat Spurs

Steph Curry gets best of fellow alien Victor Wembanyama as Warriors beat Spurs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN ANTONIO – We’re being duped and deceived more and more every day.

The internet feels less real every time we take out our phones and wonder if what we’re mindlessly scrolling past is AI or the latest trend that will fade away and get lost in the shuffle. Deep down, we want to believe. The belief fuels us and makes us fools all at the same time.

Thousands of UFO sightings already have been recorded this year with 50 days still remaining in 2025. Thousands. They create stories and eye rolls. Fuel, and fools. Aliens are among us.

Ask the 18,578 fans in the building to watch the Warriors and San Antonio Spurs for four quarters on Wednesday night and you yourself can become a believer, if you somehow aren’t already.

There were 21 players who ran up and down the court at Frost Bank Center in the Warriors’ 125-120 win, with two aliens taking center stage. A basketball fanatic and a baby who can barely open its eyes could point out which person was taken from a French hovercraft and dropped down on San Antonio to reign supreme on the basketball world.

Squint hard enough and you can see it. Watch him for more than a decade like Steve Kerr has and you know it by now. Oh yeah, the second alien is the one whose head is at the waist of Alien No. 1, Victor Wembanyama, when he’s flying in the air at him, but the ball sails over his outstretched left arm and through the net without touching a single part of the rim from the right corner.

“All it takes is that one shot, and in that third quarter I feel like he hit that 3-pointer that finally went down. And when that went down, the corner one, it was like, ‘Here we go,’ ” Al Horford said. “Then it was just … they were in trouble.”

Steph Curry threw both his hands up as a thank you to the heavens. Maybe to the overlords who graced his right hand at birth, too. It was a gesture of finally. They, being the Spurs, were in trouble.

Steph had to thank the basketball gods after making this 3 😂 pic.twitter.com/YuZILjJhgm
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 13, 2025

“Thankfully, I made one,” Curry said. “Got a rhythm going and felt like I could make a couple more. It was a good second half.”

Indeed.

Curry scored 46 points one night after he and his Warriors teammates were embarrassed in Oklahoma City by the defending NBA champions in his first game back from an illness, scoring only 11 points against the Thunder’s machine-like defense. He admitted he still was battling a cold, which was clear when he spoke, hoping to play 24 hours later against the Spurs.

“Looks like he’s almost fully healthy,” Gary Payton II said. “Almost fully healthy. He probably would have gotten 50 if he was fully healthy. I’ll take the 46. Just to see him in a good rhythm is encouraging for everybody.”

Getting one game back under his belt helped Curry. His congestion still is there, but his lungs felt way different. Night and day, like the product Steph and the Warriors displayed against Wembanyama and the rising Spurs.

That three over Wembanyama actually was Curry’s second of the game, with his first being a circus shot from the left corner in the first quarter while trying to draw a foul on former Warriors teammate Harrison Barnes. The third quarter, however, is when flames started firing from his fingers.

Even after missing his first 3-point attempt of the second half.

Once he sneakily ran behind Wembanyama from the left side of the court and found his way to the right corner where Jimmy Butler found him in mid-air, it was game on. Curry in the third quarter alone scored 22 points, six fewer than the Spurs did as a team. In nine minutes.

He made three 3-pointers in three different ways during his third-quarter flurry, banked two 2-pointers – first from the right side and then the left – and forced his way to nine free throws. Yes, he made all nine.

Kerr jokingly used the word “routine” to describe Curry’s night in totality that also included five rebounds, five assists, five threes, two steals and 15 made free throws with just one miss.

“I’ve seen this,” Kerr continued. “How many times has he scored 40 in his career?”

The answer: 73.

“I’m kidding, obviously,” Kerr continued. “That was not routine. When you have the privilege with Steph for 11-plus years like I have, you get used to this. He’s the reason this whole thing has happened. He’s our Tim Duncan. He’s the sun in our solar system.”

Starring alongside Curry were the two who round out a Big Three on the other side of 35 years old. Jimmy Butler was Batman’s Robin with 28 points, six rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Draymond Green was their enforcer, making one of his 10 shot attempts but still finishing as a game-high plus-15 as he made Wembanyama fight as hard as he could for 31 points, throwing him out of whack for a season-high eight turnovers – the second-most in the Spurs star’s career.

It still all starts with Curry. It’s timeless. It’s art. It’s a Broadway show.

It’s an alien lifeform in a 6-foot-2 body that has outgrown his previous Baby-Faced Assassin nickname.

“You always have a chance when he’s on the floor, especially when he’s making incredible shots like he was,” Butler said. “That’s what we need, that’s what he’s going to give us. He’s going to do what he does. It’s our job, everybody else, to do what we’re supposed to do. The role players are the ones that are really going to win, and I’m one of those as well. The star is going to do what he does.”

Butler continued, sharing what he calls The Art of Getting Out The Way: “Give the ball to 30, and get out the way. The talent will create the disadvantage, and I think that’s what we focused on tonight. Give the ball to Steph, get out the way, and let Steph do what he’s been doing for so many years in this league and good things happen.”

Aliens are among us. One is known as Wemby. The other is named Wardell. You might know him as Steph.

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November 12, 2025

Cleveland Guardians’ pitcher Luis Ortiz pleads not guilty to taking bribes to aid gamblers

NEW YORK — Cleveland Guardians’ pitcher Luis Ortiz pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges that he took bribes to help gamblers win bets placed on pitches he threw. His teammate, Guardians former closer Emmanuel Clase, has also been charged in the alleged scheme.

Ortiz, the 26-year-old former starting pitcher for the club, appeared in Brooklyn federal court after his initial arrest Sunday at Boston’s Logan International Airport.

He was released on a $500,000 bond until his next court date in December, and issued GPS monitoring. Ortiz, who has already surrendered his passport to authorities, was also ordered to limit his travel to New York, Massachusetts and Ohio.

The other conditions of his release include no gambling, no possessing firearms or illegal drugs and having no contact with co-conspirators, victims and witnesses.

Ortiz, wearing a black leather jacket and jeans, provided short responses to the judge’s questions in court and didn’t respond to reporters seeking comment as he left the courtroom with his wife and lawyer.

Clase, a three-time All-Star, will be arraigned at the same courthouse Thursday. His lawyer, Michael Ferrara, said Clase maintains his innocence.

“Emmanuel Clase has devoted his life to baseball and doing everything in his power to help his team win,” he said in an emailed statement Wednesday.

The two natives of the Dominican Republic have been on non-disciplinary paid leave since July, when MLB began investigating what it said was unusually high in-game betting activity when they pitched.

Prosecutors say Ortiz and Clase took several thousand dollars in payoffs to help two unnamed gamblers in their home country win at least $460,000 on bets placed on the speed and outcome of certain pitches.

They say Ortiz, who earned a $782,600 salary this year, rigged pitches in games against the Seattle Mariners and the St. Louis Cardinals this summer.

Prosecutors say he agreed in advance with bettors to throw balls instead of strikes on pitches in exchange for bribes and kickbacks.

Chris Georgalis, a lawyer for Ortiz, has denied the charges, saying payments between his client and individuals in the Dominican Republic that were cited in the indictment were for legal activities.

Prosecutors say Clase, who is on the fourth season of a $20 million, five-year contract, recruited Ortiz into the scheme. They say the Guardians’ all-time saves leader began providing bettors with information about his pitches in 2023, but didn’t ask for payoffs until this year.

Clase and Ortiz are each charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery.

Following the pitchers’ indictments, Major League Baseball announced new limits on betting on individual pitches.

The indictments are the latest gambling-related allegations to roil American professional sports.

Last month, more than 30 people, including Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, were arrested in what authorities described as a gambling sweep involving leaked inside information about NBA athletes and rigged poker games backed by Mafia families.

November 12, 2025

The NHL's Top Scorers Prove Tanking And Rebuilding Work

Rebuild or retool? It’s the most common question asked about NHL teams on the outside of the playoff picture looking in.

There’s evidence that both approaches could work, but the recent trend of the NHL suggests that rebuilding is the path to take over a less-aggressive retool.

Team depth, defense and goaltending play critical roles in winning a Stanley Cup, but superstars are needed and are almost virtually the reason why teams win.

Some may look at the Florida Panthers as a recent example that depth matters more, but GM Bill Zito found a way to have an abundance of depth around his two superstars, Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk. Without the timely plays and consistency from that duo throughout the past three seasons, the Panthers don’t win the Cup.

The strongest current piece of evidence that tanking works is examining the NHL’s current point leaders.

Out of the top 33 scorers in the NHL with at least 18 points, 28 of them were first-round picks.

Of those first-rounders, 18 of those players were selected in the top 10, including 11 in the top three and seven first overall picks.

The usual suspects – Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Jack Eichel – are high in these rankings. Each player has been to the Stanley Cup final at least once, and three have won the Cup, providing the first piece of evidence that tanking has worked for these teams.

But to further prove it, four of the top six scorers – MacKinnon, Macklin Celebrini, Connor Bedard and Connor McDavid – were first overall picks. Leo Carlsson, who's tied for second in scoring, was drafted second overall, and William Nylander, who's tied for fifth, was selected eighth overall.

For a table of the top 33 scorers, click here.

The emergence of Carlsson has come quicker than some may have expected, but the talent was always apparent. With 11 goals and 26 points in 16 games, he has the Anaheim Ducks in first place in the Pacific Division with an 11-4-1 record.

The Ducks’ rebuild appears to be complete as many of their top prospects are not only featuring in their lineup but are playing critical roles. It took patience, but now with a No. 1 center in Carlsson, a No. 1 defenseman in Jackson LaCombe, a No. 1 goaltender in Lukas Dostal and top-end talent surrounding them, such as Cutter Gauthier, Troy Terry, Mason McTavish and Beckett Sennecke, the Ducks look poised to be a perennial contender for years to come.

Celebrini and Bedard sit in second and fourth in the NHL points leaderboard, respectively, and they’ve turned around their franchises.

Coming into the season, the expectations of the Chicago Blackhawks and the San Jose Sharks were very low. Many thought they would be in the race for another top-three pick, but the two young phenoms had other ideas.

Bedard, 20, is carrying the Blackhawks' offense despite the roster still being below average in terms of talent. With nine goals and 25 points in 16 games, Bedard has 11 more points than the next closest player, and the Blackhawks sit in fourth place in the Central Division.

The Blackhawks had some luck landing Bedard, moving up two spots in the draft lottery, but following the selection, they’ve built their defense corps from the ground up and have continued to add high-end prospects, such as Anton Frondell, Oliver Moore, Sacha Boisvert and more. They aren’t as far along as the Ducks, but the future is very exciting in the Windy City.

Connor Bedard and Leo Carlsson in 2023 (Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images)

Celebrini, too, has his organization looking like a competitive team.

The Sharks are a very young team, headlined by Celebrini, Will Smith, William Eklund, Michael Misa, and Sam Dickinson, but they are becoming a harder team to beat. On most nights, they are outshot, but the high-end talent they possess creates numerous high-danger chances that they are skilled enough to finish consistently.

There are 20 first overall picks currently playing in the NHL, and seven of them rank in the top 33 in points. Some notable omissions who could easily join that group are Auston Matthews, who ranks just outside the top 50 after a slow start to the season, and Nico Hischier, who is playing like the Selke Trophy winner he is, allowing Jack Hughes to shine offensively.

The most recent first overall pick, Matthew Schaefer, leads NHL rookies in goals and points, and he sits in the top 10 for points by a defenseman. The New York Islanders weren’t tanking before selecting Schaefer, but following the selection, they’ve pointed their franchise's direction toward a youth movement, betting on the future.

Luck most certainly plays a role when tanking. Even with the worst record in the NHL, teams aren’t guaranteed to land the first overall pick, and they aren’t guaranteed to become a superstar. Occasionally, as happened with the New York Rangers, Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens recently, they select a player who won’t turn the franchise around but can be a big-time contributor.

The quarter mark of the NHL season is approaching, and plenty of hockey still needs to be played. But soon, teams will need to decipher where their season is headed.

With a projected top three of talented wingers Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg, as well as 6-foot-4, do-it-all defenseman Keaton Verhoeff, organizations like the Calgary Flames and the Nashville Predators would benefit greatly from selecting a possible franchise cornerstone in the top three.

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November 12, 2025

Los Angeles Kings Ranked The Highest All Season In THN's Latest Power Rankings

The Los Angeles Kings seem to be trending in the right direction, with two straight victories to kick off a six-game road trip.

Not only were those wins huge for the team’s record and place in the standings, but it was also against the Pittsburgh Penguins, who had a hot start to the campaign, and the Atlantic Division leaders Montreal Canadiens.

In this week’s edition of The Hockey News’ power rankings by Jason Chen, the Kings were recognized for their recent performances and made a big jump compared to their previous ranking.

In this week’s ranking, Los Angeles has climbed their way into the top 10, taking seventh place. They stand between the Canadiens in eighth place and the Dallas Stars in sixth.

There were several question marks surrounding head coach Jim Hiller and his Kings in the early stages of this campaign. However, Los Angeles has been on a nice little run over the last 20 days or so.

“There was a little concern early in the season, but they’ve gone 7-2-2 since,” Chen wrote.

He also highlighted the team’s last two victories over Pittsburgh and Montreal. Against the Pens, the Kings soared in a third-period push, and solid goaltending from Darcy Kuemper along the way.

Report: Los Angeles Kings Not In Adrian Kempe’s Ballpark As Negotiations Are Back OnThe Los Angeles Kings and Adrian Kempe have reportedly resumed contract talks. However, it still seems that the two parties are on the same level just yet.

When they faced the Habs in the Bell Centre, it was a tidy performance with the help of an explosive middle frame. Joel Edmundson, Quinton Byfield and Kevin Fiala each scored a goal in the opening six minutes of the second period. They didn’t give the Canadiens a sniffing chance after that.

Kevin Fiala (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

Kings Road Dominance Continues With Victory Over CanadiensKings dismantle Canadiens with lockdown defense and promising offense, continuing their road dominance.

Thanks to these results, the Kings jumped from 15th place to seventh in the matter of a week. This is the highest they’ve ever been ranked so far this season.

In the real NHL standings, Los Angeles controls the second spot in the Pacific Division with 20 points in 17 outings. With that, the team owns an 8-5-4 record and three points off from the division leaders, the Anaheim Ducks.

The Kings will look to continue their road dominance in their next game against the struggling Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.

November 12, 2025

Flyers have late goal wiped away, suffer OT loss to two-time defending West champs

Flyers have late goal wiped away, suffer OT loss to two-time defending West champs originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers had another tight, low-scoring game Wednesday night and couldn’t win it as they fell to the Oilers, 2-1, in overtime at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Jack Roslovic scored the winner for Edmonton on a 2-on-0 opportunity after Cam York had a turnover.

The Flyers dropped to 4-3-3 in games decided by one goal. It was the seventh time they’ve gone to OT.

“Every game, it seems like it’s tight,” Rick Tocchet said. “We’ve just got to learn, we have the puck in overtime, hold onto it. We want to make plays and that’s the learning process — playing through pressure.”

Travis Konecny scored what could have been a game-winning goal for the Flyers on a deflection with 23.5 seconds remaining in regulation. But a league-initiated review determined that Owen Tippett was offside.

“I have to be more patient, I guess,” Tippett said, “but it happens.”

The Flyers (8-5-3), who came in with the NHL’s third-fewest shots per game at 24.8, had just six at the midway mark Wednesday night.

But Matvei Michkov provided a spark by burying a game-tying power play goal with 4:22 minutes left in the second period.

Despite the loss, Tocchet’s club extended its point streak to four games (2-0-2).

“We thought we had it won,” the Flyers’ head coach said. “We have some other things we’ve got to shore up, but there were some stretches where I liked our game.

“Everybody expected us to be in last place, so I’ve got to give these guys a lot of credit. I’m proud of them.”

The Oilers (8-6-4) went into the third period with a 25-11 shot advantage on the Flyers.

The Flyers face Edmonton again Jan. 3 when they visit the two-time defending Western Conference champs.

• Dan Vladar was excellent again, making 30 saves on 32 shots.

The 28-year-old has given up two or fewer goals in eight of his 10 starts.

He wasn’t too happy when Mattias Janmark ran into him with 5:35 minutes left in the third period. After some pushing and shoving, which included Vladar, the Flyers ended up on a power play, but failed to convert.

“It was just a hockey play, it happens,” Vladar said. “It’s going to happen again, I’m pretty sure, whether it’s me or someone else. Just emotions.”

The Oilers struck first with under a minute remaining in the opening stanza. Evan Bouchard blasted one off a nice feed from three-time MVP Connor McDavid, who finished with one point.

The Flyers have actually slowed down the superstar center in his visits to Philadelphia. They’re 6-2-1 at home against McDavid’s Oilers teams. In those nine matchups, they’ve held him to 10 points (three goals, seven assists).

But it has been a different story up at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, where McDavid has put up 24 points (eight goals, 16 assists) on the Flyers over nine games. The Flyers are just 2-6-1 in those matchups.

“Having the puck helps, making him play defense, making them stop and start,” Tocchet said after morning skate. “I don’t care who it is, any team with great players, you want to make them stop and start, so you try to muck it up a little bit, too. He’s going to get his looks, he’s just too good of a player.”

Oilers netminder Stuart Skinner stopped 20 of the Flyers’ 21 shots.

• Michkov is really starting to find his form.

The 20-year-old winger has recorded a goal in three straight games. He now has four on the season and nine points.

He just looks like that dynamic scorer from last season when he delivered 26 goals and 63 points as a rookie.

His skating is there, he’s holding onto the puck and he’s determined to shoot it.

More: How Flyers are ‘staying with it’ on Michkov’s learning process

• Tyson Foerster was activated off injured reserve and returned to the lineup after missing the last four games because of a blocked shot.

To make room on the roster, the Flyers loaned Carl Grundstrom back to AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.

The 23-year-old Foerster was back on his regular line with Noah Cates and Bobby Brink.

• Next up for the Flyers is a back-to-back road set as the club visits the Blues on Friday (8 p.m. ET/NBCSP+) and Stars on Saturday (8 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

November 12, 2025

Flyers have late goal wiped away, suffer OT loss to two-time defending West champs

Flyers have late goal wiped away, suffer OT loss to two-time defending West champs originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers had another tight, low-scoring game Wednesday night and couldn’t win it as they fell to the Oilers, 2-1, in overtime at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Jack Roslovic scored the winner for Edmonton on a 2-on-0 opportunity after Cam York had a turnover.

The Flyers dropped to 4-3-3 in games decided by one goal. It was the seventh time they’ve gone to OT.

Travis Konecny scored what could have been a game-winning goal for the Flyers on a deflection with 23.5 seconds remaining in regulation. But league-initiated review determined that Owen Tippett was offside.