The 2026-27 NBA season may still be in its early stages, but Luka Dončić’s historic start is putting his name in the history books.
And while the Lakers still have 72 regular-season games left, the Slovenian superstar is on the trajectory to achieve a feat none of the league’s great scorers have accomplished over the last 64 years.
Luka Doncic (77) of the Los Angeles Lakers hushes the crowd after sinking a three pointer against the Utah Jazz during the second half of their game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. Getty Images
Not even Michael Jordan.
Or James Harden.
Or Kobe Bryant.
With his season-high 53 points in Friday’s home win over the Trail Blazers, Dončić has scored 361 points through his first nine games of the season, which is the most by a player through their first nine games since Wilt Chamberlain (472 points) in 1962-63. Chamberlain also scored 455 points to open the 1961-62 season.
Chamberlain ended those seasons with scoring averages of 50.4 (1961-62) and 44.8 (1962-63), which are the highest marks in NBA history.
Dončić enters Sunday’s road game against the Pistons, which he’s questionable for because of low back tightness, averaging a league-best 40.1 points.
Chamberlain is the only player in league history to average at least 40 points for a season.
The closest anyone else has gotten was Jordan at 37.1 points in 1986-87. Harden (36.1 in 2018-19), Rick Barry (35.6 in 1966-67) and Bryant (35.4 in 2005-06) are the only other players in league history to average at least 35 points for a season.
Could Luka Doncic join Wilt Chamberlain as the lone players to average at least 40 points for a season? NBAE via Getty Images
Dončić’s career-high scoring average for a season is 33.9 points, which he set in 2023-24 while with the Mavericks. He averaged 33.5 points in 2025-26 in his first full season with the Lakers.
But with the start to the season he’s gotten off to, it begged the question: Could he join Chamberlain as the lone players to average at least 40 points for a season?
“It’s obviously a long season,” Dončić said. “We’re just 10 games in. We got 72 left. But as long as we win, I’m good. Hopefully it continues, but you never know.”
The answer to that question won’t be known until the season is over.
But with Dončić being one of the most prolific scorers in league history, the possibility can’t be ruled out.
Oct 26, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) looks to shoot in the first quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers will be without the services of sharpshooter Sam Merrill in their matchup against the defending champion New York Knicks on Saturday evening. Merrill suffered a right elbow injury that caused him to miss the second half of Friday’s win over the Philadelphia 76ers. As of now, the severity of the injury is unknown.
“I noticed it (the injury) during the game last night, there’s something not right,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said on Saturday. “Of course, Sam said ‘I’m fine, I’m fine,’ and then he wasn’t fine.”
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This has been a difficult start to the season for Merrill. He’s struggled to find his three-point shot as he’s connecting on 32.6% from distance so far. How much of that slump is due to an injured shoulder is unknown. What the Cavs do know now, is that missing Merrill for an extended period would be an issue for the Cavs.
“Of course there’s a level of concern there,” Atkinson said. “He’s the ultimate connector for the Cavs. You know our record without him last year was not good. Him and J.A. (Jarrett Allen), those guys connect the game for us so hopefully it won’t be too long.”
Last season, the Cavs did struggle without Merrill. They were just 15-15 in games he didn’t play last season and 37-15 when he did play.
Saturday’s contest against the Knicks will be the first game Merrill has missed this season. Merrill has averaged 7.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists on .386/.326/.917 shooting splits in nine games.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 21: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks is guarded by Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the game during Game Two of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on May 21, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The New York Knicks (4-4) visit the Cleveland Cavaliers (5-4) tomorrow at Rocket Arena. The Cavs are playing the second game of a back-to-back, after trouncing the Sixers last night. Josh Hart is out with right ankle soreness for the Knicks. Jarrett Allen is questionable with a knee contusion.
Tip off is at 8 PM EST on MSG. This is your game thread. This is Fear the Sword. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Behave, you magnificent creatures. And go Knicks!
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 21: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder dribbles the ball during the game against the Washington Wizards on March 21, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards play the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight at 8 p.m. ET. Watch on Monumental Sports Network. Go Wizards!
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 07: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets and Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns look on during the first half of the NBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 07, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Houston Rockets vs. Phoenix Suns
November 7, 2026
Location: Mortgage Matchup Center – Phoenix, Arizona
Time: 8:00 PM CST
TV: Space City Home Network
Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790 / KLTN 102.9 (en español)
Probable starting lineups
Rockets: Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun
Suns: Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Miles Bridges, Oso Ighodaro
Kevin Durant, Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks in a reunion tonight! Tune in tonight and come chat with us at TDS on on the SB Nation App!
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 04: Day'ron Sharpe #20 talks with Michael Porter Jr. #17 and Chaney Johnson #31 of the Brooklyn Nets during the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Barclays Center on November 04, 2026 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Nets won 114-104. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Nets are coming off one of their best team performances of the season, a 114-104 win over Charlotte on Wednesday. Danny Wolf made the most of his first real rotation opportunity, Nolan Traoré continued to show improvements, and Terance Mann gave Jordi Fernández another option off the bench.
Now, Brooklyn takes that momentum on the road to Atlanta — their first of four away from home.
Game Information
Who: Brooklyn Nets at Atlanta Hawks
When: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
TV: YES Network, DAZN
Radio: WFAN
Injury Report:
Brooklyn Nets:
OUT – Egor Demin (right bone bruise)
Atlanta Hawks:
OUT – Jalen Johnson (left ankle sprain)
OUT – Jock Landale (left hip strain)
OUT – Mouhamed Gueye (left foot fracture)
OUT – Keshon Gilbert (left knee inflammation)
OUT – Asa Newell (left great toe hyperextension)
OUT – Henri Veesaar (right ACL tear)
Preview
“It takes time to get used to someone in a new role. We’ve spent so much time with Nickeil Alexander-Walker being a solid bench role player that it’s still somewhat surprising to see him operate as a high(er) usage wing as a starter. Alexander-Walker won the Most Improved Player award last year and he’s carried that success over to this year. He’s averaging a career best 22.3 points per game, and most impressively is getting to the line over four times a game. When Johnson returns, we’ll see how the Hawks look to climb the standings.”
Share your thoughts and react, but please be respectful. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.
Dončić and the Lakers are currently in first place in the Western Conference with an 8-2 record and lead the league in points scored, averaging 122 per game through the first 10 games this season.
Dončić has positioned himself as the leading candidate for MVP early this season. He's averaged 40.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.7 assists in nine games played.
The point guard's health will be something to monitor this weekend after appearing on the latest status report.
The Pistons have allowed the fewest opponent points per game this season, giving up an average of 101.8 points per game through their first eight games. Detroit is third in the Eastern Conference.
Dončić is listed as questionable with back tightness for the second time this season.
The six-time All-NBA player missed one game this season due to back tightness the day after playing against Portland in late October.
Luka Dončić injury history
Dončić does have a history of back injuries during his career. Before this season, he was most recently listed with a back injury in March 2025. He was also listed with back-related injuries during the 2019, 2021 and 2024 seasons.
Where does Luka Dončić rank among NBA's best?
Dončić enters his third season with the Lakers as the unquestioned star and leader. His accomplishments and achievements are why he was ranked No. 4 on USA TODAY Sports' top 100 player rankings ahead of the 2026-27 season.
The Lakers will travel to play the Pistons on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. ET. It will be the first game of a back-to-back and the first of four straight road games for the Lakers. Los Angeles has won its last four games.
Former Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Daniil Tarasov quietly signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings this off-season. This was after he had a 13-15-3 record, a 3.05 goals-against average, and an .895 save percentage in 33 games for the Florida Panthers last season.
Now, Tarasov is impressing during the early stages of his Red Wings tenure.
While Tarasov has a 2-2-2 record, his stats show that he is playing very well for the Red Wings right now. His .929 save percentage is currently the second-best in the NHL for goalies who have played at least five games. He also has an impressive 1.79 goals-against average, which is the third-best in the NHL.
Tarasov has also had a .923 save percentage or better in four of his appearances this season. This included him saving all 30 shots he faced against the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 10, excluding the shootout.
With this, there is no question that Tarasov is playing well for the Red Wings early on. If the former Blue Jackets goalie keeps this kind of play up throughout the season, he could land himself a nice raise with his next deal.
Tarasov was selected by the Blue Jackets with the 86th overall pick of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. In 65 games over four seasons with the Blue Jackets, he posted a 19-34-6 record, an .898 save percentage, and a 3.44 goals-against average.
Steven Stamkos' career has been legendary to say the least. The Nashville Predators forward is continuing to establish himself as one of the NHL's all-time top goal scorers. On Saturday afternoon, he built on that even further as he claimed the fifth spot on both the power-play goal and game-tying goal leaderboards.
Stamkos scored a power-play goal late in the first period to tie things up at 1-1 against the St. Louis Blues after Jimmy Snuggerud gave the visitors' a lead just a few minutes prior. That goal marked the 248th power-play goal of Stamkos's career, pushing him past legendary Los Angeles Kings winger Luc Robitaille for the fifth-most in NHL history. Now, he'll be chasing Teemu Selanne who scored on the man advantage 255 times in his career.
The goal was also Stamkos's 130th career game-tying goal, which moved him past Jaromir Jagr for the fifth-most in NHL history. He currently trails just Alex Ovechkin, Wayne Gretzky, Dave Andreychuk, and Joe Sakic. Sakic is directly ahead of Stamkos, with 132 tying goals according to the NHL Media site.
As the season progresses, Stamkos can continue to move up these leaderboards. The main question remaining though, is how far can he go before he calls it a career? Only time will tell.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA- DECEMBER 22: Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry #30 celebrates with a dance in the second half of their NBA game against the Orlando Magic at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors return to action Saturday night as they host the Orlando Magic. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 PM PT in San Francisco, with the game airing on NBC Sports Bay Area.
Golden State extended its winning streak to six games with Thursday night’s 120-100 victory over the Miami Heat. Steph Curry and Draymond Green led the way in a matchup that featured a reunion with former teammate and Warriors legend Klay Thompson. The Curry-Green chemistry was on full display, with Curry scoring a team-high 29 points while Green orchestrated the offense with a season-high 11 assists. As for Thompson, he finished with 11 points on 2-of-7 shooting from the three-point line in his return to the Bay Area.
STEPH DROPS 22 PTS IN THE 2H. WARRIORS WIN 6th STRAIGHT.
🏀 29 PTS 🏀 6 3PM
With his 6 threes, Steph Curry becomes the first player in NBA history with four straight games of 5+ 3PM at age 38 or older 🤯 pic.twitter.com/MxDzI66Ehe
The Warriors will look to keep their winning streak alive Saturday night against the Magic. While Curry has understandably drawn much of the attention during Golden State’s recent surge, the team’s bench has also played a key role in its success, providing a consistent scoring boost alongside the starters.
Georges Niang was among the biggest contributors in Thursday’s win, finishing with 13 points on an efficient 5-of-8 shooting from the field. His ability to space the floor, make quick decisions, and capitalize on open looks makes him a natural fit in head coach Steve Kerr’s offensive system.
And with Golden State beginning to find its rhythm on both ends of the floor, Niang and the rest of the second unit will have another opportunity to make their presence felt against an Orlando team that has struggled out of the gate with a 2-6 record and will be playing without All-Star big man Paolo Banchero.
Draymond Green raves about Georges Niang: “What an addition.”
“Can’t keep him off the floor.”
He likes the attitude Niang has injected. Green has already broken up two Niang arguments with opponents (Collin Sexton and Bobby Portis). pic.twitter.com/gdRWDAsc0F
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MARCH 18: Bones Hyland #8 of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots. theball against Cody Williams #5 and Kyle Filipowski #22 of the Utah Jazz in the second quarter at Target Center on March 18, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Minnesota Timberwolves return home to take on a Utah Jazz team in search of a rhythm. Minnesota is riding a three-game win streak and has found their cadence on defense while getting up the court quickly on offense. This marks the start of eight straight games in Minnesota after a grueling first two and a half weeks of the season. Hopefully, the fans at Target Center can match the Wolves’ tempo.
The promise of this Jazz team has yet to come to fruition. Utah has won only one game and is bad. They are 29th in offensive rating and 23rd in defensive rating. They are a very young team. The starting veterans they do have are injured.
They are sloppy with the basketball and give it away over 17 times a game on average. Meanwhile, the Wolves boast a top-three defense and are top-10 in generating turnovers.
Ayo Dosunmu has been living by his Jet Life mantra. He is also forcing the most steals of his career. When he pokes the ball away or sees any semblance of open floor, he is breaking the sound barrier on the way to the hoop.
NEW ORLEANS, LA – NOVEMBER 6: Ayo Dosunmu #13 of the Minnesota Timberwolves drives to the basket during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans during the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup on November 6, 2026 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Wolves lost Joan Beringer for the latter half of the game against the New Orleans Pelicans and reportedly suffered a nasal fracture. Trey Lyles did his admirable best to hold down the center spot as Rudy Gobert sat, but he doesn’t offer the same chaotic disruption on the boards.
There is potential for Joan to return against the Jazz wearing a protective mask. Should Beringer miss this game, even with the Jazz front court depleted, the Wolves will struggle to get necessary extra possessions.
Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo, and TJ Shannon Jr. are all still listed as out.
Continuing to lead the attack with all those absences is LaMelo Ball, who has found his shot and has scored 20 or more points in four of the last five games. He has hit shots from deep and at the rim. In the Wolves’ most recent bout, he turned around and took Zion Williamson to the cup again and again. He has the handle and the threat to score from anywhere, putting any of the Jazz defenders in compromising positions. His production will be key once again.
Off Key
The Jazz starting guards Keyonte George and second-overall-pick Darryn Peterson have yet to discover harmony and sound more like H. John Benjamin’s Jazz Daredevil album than anything you might find on Bourbon St, the Jazz’ original home (and where they should still be if we’re being honest).
Nov 4, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) acknowledges New Orleans Pelicans center Derik Queen (22) after an overtime game at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Each guard takes turns looking for their own shot when sharing the court, often in the midrange. Seeing this, head coach Will Hardy has turned to splitting up the duo with a mix of starters and bench players.
The Jazz do rebound the ball well, at least on defense. Currently, they are top five in grabbing defensive boards but struggle mightily to recover their own misses. Going against a Wolves team hungry to finish plays or get another chance at a shot, they may find themselves in an early hole.
Minnesota has impressed with their second efforts for offensive rebounds and has managed to maintain the same aggression late into the game when their opponents look tired while the Wolves look ravenous.
In the years since trading Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Rudy Gobert to the Wolves, the Jazz have worked, almost conspiratorially, to lose games and improve their lottery odds. Tanking can lead to selecting a franchise-altering star. It can also lead to a pernicious culture of bad habits, the sort of habits that produce gaudy stats and few wins.
Porous Perimeter
Utah’s guards and wings possess the ability to generate their own shot but offer little resistance on the other side of the ball. When a team does puncture their limited-effort defense, they offer even less resistance at the rim.
Both Jazz center options, former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkić, from last year’s team are injured. In their stead are journeymen bigs Jaxson Hayes and Mo Bamba.
Speaking of journeymen, Josh Okogie returns to Minnesota as Utah’s best point-of-attack defender. Alongside him, second-year forward Ace Bailey has held his own on defense as he waits for one of his point guards to include him on offense. If either Okogie or Ace gets pulled into help, Jonathan Kuminga and Jaden McDaniels will feast on open looks.
Nov 2, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. (24) works between Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jonathan Kuminga (24) and forward Jaden McDaniels (3) in the fourth quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Prediction
The Timberwolves get out on the fast break and leave the Jazz chasing Minnesota’s tempo. The Target Center becomes more raucous as the home team continues to build their lead. Joan Beringer returns with a Phantom of the Opera mask and makes Mo Bamba look like Less Bamba. Isaiah Evans hits two threes in garbage time to balloon the lead back to 20+.
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Usman Khawaja’s bombshell Sandpapergate revelations have the potential to destabilise an already vulnerable Australia ahead of next year’s Ashes series, with Mark Taylor revealing what left him particularly “disappointed” as the scandal resurfaced.
Golden State Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg has always been vocal about the love for his mother, Yissel Raposo. Together, they shed tears of joy when his name was called at the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft to the Warriors in June.
Lendeborg has been vocal about the sacrifices that his mother made for him and one of his goals was to pay her back. He debuted a new YouTube channel showcasing "behind-the-scenes, life outside of basketball and everything in between" where a video released on Friday, Nov. 6 had a surprise reveal of a recently purchased house for his mother.
"On behalf of everybody that came to show up, welcome home," Lendeborg said to Raposo, moving her from New Jersey to California.
Raposo was speechless as happy tears trickled down her face and she took the keys out of a box Lendeborg handed her and she opened the door as they took a tour of her new home.
Lendeborg said it took him 2 to 3 months to finalize the house. To keep his mom from finding out, he and his sister would often disguise phone conversations around visiting Hawaii; instead, they were talking about how to get their mom to her new house without suspicion.
"There is no gesture big enough to properly say thank you for all the love, sacrifice, and support my mom has poured into me but this moment was pretty special and one I’ll never forget," Lendeborg said in his video description. "She deserves it all. For me, it’s bigger than basketball. It’s about making sure the people who believed in me get to enjoy the blessings too."
Lendeborg has always discussed the bond that he and his mother share and how she's directly responsible for his achievements in basketball and finding early success in the NBA.
"I got here because of her," Lendeborg said in June after getting drafted. "She pushed a dream, forced me to go out there and step into the world and become a man. I had no choice but to go out there and do the best I could. So I vowed every day to be a better man, be a better person and just do the best I can for her."
Sharing the moments of success with his mom means everything to Lendeborg because of the sacrifices that she made for him and his sisters, having to work multiple jobs to ensure they have what they need. Raposo also battled Stage 4 appendix cancer, another thing that fuels Lendeborg.
"She put her whole life on hold for my life and I'm super proud of her for fighting so hard and I'm glad we get to share this moment together," he said in a June interview after being drafted.
Lendeborg has been a bright spot for the Warriors on the court, who are on a six-game winning streak as they face the Orlando Magic in a 5:30 p.m. PT (8:30 p.m. ET) tip-off on Saturday, Nov. 7 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California.
The rookie averages 21.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game through his first 9 games of the 2026–27 NBA season.
The Senators return to Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday night looking to build on a hard-fought victory in Buffalo. They'll welcome the Utah Mammoth for the first meeting between the two clubs this season.
It's a matchup between two teams that have enjoyed nearly identical starts. Both enter the game with 10-6-1 records and 21 points.
Travis Green talks about facing Utah and Shane Pinto's 300th game (Senators YouTube).
What's New?
Despite their solid start to the season, the Senators still have zero room for error. They're the top wild card team in the East, which is tracking to be ridiculously tight again this season. The top three Atlantic teams (Boston, Montreal, and Tampa Bay) all have points percentages of .713 or better.
The Senators are coming off Thursday's 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres, a game in which Shane Pinto and Michael Amadio scored third-period goals to erase a 1-0 deficit.
Samuel Ersson made 24 saves in the victory, continuing an impressive turnaround after a shaky start to his Sens career. Ersson has now won consecutive starts while allowing just two goals, and he'll get another opportunity Saturday night.
Utah, meanwhile, is coming off a wild 5-4 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.
Who's Hot?
Against the Habs, Logan Cooley got his second hat trick in four games. There's nothing Cold about Cooley, who has 10 of his 11 goals in just the last seven games.
But he's not the only guy to worry about. The Mammoth are the only team in the NHL with four guys who've hit the 20 point mark already.
Captain Clayton Keller leads the Mammoth with 22 points. Nick Schmaltz, who once had a seven-point game against the Senators, has 20.
But perhaps Utah's biggest surprise in the 20-point club is defenceman Mikhail Sergachev. The former Montreal Canadiens first-rounder in on pace for a career year, sitting fourth among all NHL defencemen in points (20).
Tim Stützle is the only 20-point man for the Sens, and continues to establish himself among the NHL's elite offensive players. The Senators centre has nine goals and 22 points through 17 games. Drake Batherson and Jake Sanderson are also point a game players for the Sens.
Line combinations and Injury Updates
The Senators are gradually getting healthier, but several important players remain unavailable.
Linus Ullmark participated fully in Friday's practice but isn't ready to return from his lower-body injury. Ersson will make another start, with Jonas Johansson serving as his backup.
Ridly Greig is also dealing with a lower-body injury and remains day to day.
Warren Foegele, Andre Burakovsky and William Eklund are still out and aren't likely to be back anytime soon. Tyler Kleven missed Wednesday's game but was a full participant at practice on Friday. Senators head coach Travis Green mentioned a couple of game-time decisions but didn't say who they were.
Senators Projected Lines
Nick Cousins – Tim Stützle – Fabian Zetterlund
Philip Tomasino – Shane Pinto – Drake Batherson
Michael Amadio – Dylan Cozens – Claude Giroux
Samuel Blais – Stephen Halliday – Hayden Hodgson
Jake Sanderson – Artem Zub
Thomas Chabot – Jordan Spence
Tyler Kleven – Carter Yakemchuk/Nikolas Matinpalo
Goaltenders: Samuel Ersson, Jonas Johansson
For Utah, defenceman Nate Schmidt was hurt against Montreal, joining John Marino and Maveric Lamoureux on the injury list. Forward Kailer Yamamoto is also unavailable.
Mammoth Projected Lines
Anders Lee – Barrett Hayton – Clayton Keller
Logan Cooley – Vincent Trocheck – Lawson Crouse
Jack McBain – Nick Schmaltz – Dylan Guenther
Michael Carcone – Kevin Stenlund – Liam O'Brien
Mikhail Sergachev – Mackenzie Weegar
Artem Duda – Andrew Peeke
Dmitri Simashev – Nick DeSimone
Goaltenders: Karel Vejmelka, Sebastian Cossa
The Senators will celebrate Alumni Night on Saturday, welcoming back several former players, many of whom played in a Battle of Ontario alumni game in Peterborough on Friday night.
Participating players included Craig Anderson, Mike Fisher, Chris Neil, Wade Redden, Shaun Van Allen, Jason York, Brian McGrattan, Shean Donovan, Jesse Winchester, Dean McAmmond, Laurie Boschman and Scott Greenham. Chris Phillips and Peter Schaefer were behind the bench.
The game will also mark Shane Pinto's 300th career NHL game.
SAN FRANCISCO – Throughout the first half and well into the third quarter Saturday night, the Warriors, sloppy as they were, somehow maintained leads that threatened to mock the Orlando Magic and render the fourth quarter irrelevant.
But Orlando, ignoring its sub-mediocre status and Golden State’s six-game win streak, got up and started swinging back in the third quarter, wiping out a double-digit deficit, taking leads and setting up a firefight to the finish.
That’s when the Magic ran into Stephen Curry. He doesn’t lose many firefights, and he made sure the Warriors didn’t lose this one.
With Curry scoring 19 of his game-high 41 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, Yaxel Lendeborg saving his best for last, and getting timely defense down the stretch, the Warriors sweated out a 126-119 victory that pushed their win streak to seven and vaulted them into fifth place in the Western Conference.
“Tonight was good example that we have to we have to tighten up some things,” coach Steve Kerr said. “But I’m thrilled with the grit and the togetherness and the way they fought back that was an amazing response to Orlando’s great second half.”
That amazing response in the fourth quarter and OT was built around Curry, who scored 14 points in the fourth – including the Warriors’ final 12 points of regulation – and put them ahead for good with 1:38 left in OT.
“It’s like a flow state,” Curry said. “But also I was able to understand where the looks were going to come from because they’re a really solid, athletic defensive team. They were blitzing a lot early, so I was trying to be patient. And then it became just try to find a matchup with driving lanes either way and then a lot of hit hand-backs for threes.
“I got to the foul line on crazy closeouts, so I was able to get in the lane. It’s just more being decisive about how to get shots, make or miss or whatever. I think the clarity of exactly how to attack that particular defense tonight down the stretch was at an all-time high.”
Though Lendeborg was marvelous down the stretch, with 16 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, it was Curry who Orlando focused on stopping but could not.
“They have one of the best players in the world on their team,” Magic wing Jamal Cain said. “And they’re capitalizing at crunch time … we gave ourselves a chance to win, but they’ve got No. 30 on the other side.”
Curry’s 41 points came on 13-of-19 shooting from the field, including 5 of 10 from beyond the arc. He added six rebounds and six assists.
“It never gets old,” Draymond Green said of Curry’s heroics. “But he’s so special. He always does something to where it can’t get old. It’s always something different.”
Even as the Warriors rushed to a 14-point lead in the first eight minutes and raised it to 16 at the half, they did as much to lose as win. They gave the wounded Magic 26 points off 19 turnovers. They kept extending a hand to feed Orlando, which in the third quarter started biting it.
Golden State was outscored 37-20 in the third, with its 16-point halftime lead becoming a one-point (78-77) deficit entering the fourth.
“Our third quarter was just chaos,” Kerr said.
“We actually got off to a better start today, and then I started turning the ball over,” Green said. “And once I started turning the ball over, it was just a domino effect. I turned it over two or three times to start the second quarter, and then from that point on we were just kind of throwing the ball all over the place which then allowed them to get rhythm.
“Although it didn’t happen right away – I think we went into the half up (16 points) – but what it did was it gave them hope.”
The Magic sizzled in the third quarter, with 56-percent shooting from the field, including 50 percent from deep, providing 37 points. The Warriors recovered, holding Orlando to 36.1-percent shooting in the fourth quarter and overtime.
“They came out in the third quarter and kicked our butts,” Kerr said. “But we let them off the hook, too, with some of the decision-making, carelessness of the passes. We just stopped executing. And if we want to be really good – and I think we can be – our number one goal is to become a team that can execute under pressure.”
The best lessons for any team are those learned along the road to triumph. The gorgeous beginning led to a reckless middle before Curry, Lendeborg and the defense went to work, making sure the Warriors’ best stuff didn’t go to waste.
