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Exclusive: Red Wings' Sebastian Cossa Talks Near Perfect Start, Relationship With John Gibson

The Detroit Red Wings’ AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, have opened the season in remarkable fashion, winning 20 of their first 22 games. Leading the charge is top prospect Sebastian Cossa, who has been nearly unbeatable in net.

Detroit’s 15th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft has been dominant, posting an 11-1-0 record with a 1.76 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage through 12 appearances.

The Hockey News spoke with Cossa ahead of the Griffins’ weekend matchups against the Rockford IceHogs and the Chicago Wolves. Cossa credited his impressive numbers to the experienced group playing in front of him, noting the impact of the NHL veterans on the roster.

"Being my third year in AHL now, a lot of confidence in myself, and knowing what I need to bring every night to play well and then obviously, I think we've got one of the best penalty kills in the league, which helps out a lot," Cossa started off by saying "As I said, I think the NHL experience, especially a lot on the back end, has helped out a lot for sure, so, definitely playing good hockey, and feeling really confident in my game, but the boys helped me out a lot too."

Grand Rapids’ leading scorer John Leonard recently spoke about the team maintaining a day-by-day mindset despite their strong start, a sentiment Cossa echoed. He acknowledged the outside buzz surrounding the team’s success but emphasized their commitment to staying grounded.

"The noise is going to be there with the start we've had, but I think we're still taking day by day, not letting it get to our heads, and still coming to work every day with a great work mentality and taking the next game with what it is face value," Cossa explained "Basically, I think every team's coming into our building when they play us, knowing that they're playing the best team in the league right now, so we're getting everyone's A game and I think every night someone on our team has stepped up and helped us get these wins here and there."

Cossa also spent part of the offseason working extensively with Griffins goalie coach Roope Koistinen, who has guided him throughout his three AHL seasons.

They focused on refining Cossa’s approach, helping him rely more on his natural reactions while maximizing the advantages of his six-foot-six frame, particularly in controlling slides and handling lateral movement.

During that same offseason, Detroit made waves by acquiring goaltender John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks in a Draft Day trade, giving the Red Wings their strongest goalie tandem in years. Cossa had the chance to work with Gibson during training camp and said the two quickly formed a strong connection, praising Gibson’s mentorship.

"I got to spend some time with him, trying to pick his brain as much as possible, he's an awesome guy, very reciprocal with me, very respectful, and just trying to help me out as much as he could, so he did a great job at that, someone who I feel confident that I can go talk to and chat with and stuff like that," Cossa said.

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

Cossa also expressed admiration for Gibson’s recent performances, especially his ability to rebound after a challenging start in Detroit. When asked about early-season rumors of a possible NHL call-up during Detroit’s shaky stretch in goal, Cossa made it clear that while his ultimate goal is the NHL, his priority is to excel consistently at the AHL level first.

"Yeah, I mean, it's tough obviously you do hear it, at the end of the day, you do want to be there, so that's what you're striving for but I know that I need to dominate at this level for a sustained period of time and once that happens, hopefully get my shot, but just trying to take it day by day, do what I keep doing down here that's made me successful throughout the year and hopefully by the time I do get my shot, just bring that up and bring that routine up to Detroit," Cossa explained.

Throughout the interview, Cossa repeatedly emphasized his goal not simply to compete, but to dominate at every stage of his development. With the start he’s had, he’s proving exactly that. He concluded by saying that while the team hopes to carry their momentum into the postseason, their focus remains on maintaining high standards each night rather than looking too far ahead.

The Griffins return to the ice Saturday night when they host Rockford at Van Andel Arena. Fans can tune in on 96.1 The Game, WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM, stream through AHL.TV on FloHockey.tv. 

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Blues Assign Aleksanteri Kaskimaki To Springfield

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues assigned forward Aleksanteri Kaskimaki to Springfield of the American Hockey League on Friday.

The 21-year-old, who was recalled on Dec. 1 and made his debut on Dec. 4 against the Boston Bruins, played in five games for the Blues. 

Kaskimaki, who did not record a point, has played in 16 games with the Thunderbirds this season and had seven points (four goals, three assists). He was originally drafted by the Blues in the third round of the 2022 NHL Draft.

The signing of veteran Robby Fabbri, who had an assist in his Blues debut Thursday in a 7-2 loss to the Nashville Predators, likely made this move to send Kaskimaki back down easier so that he can continue to play games.

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Royals and All-Star 3B Maikel Garcia agree to 5-year, $57.5M contract

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — All-Star third baseman Maikel Garcia and the Kansas City Royals have agreed to a five-year, $57.5 million contract that includes a club option for a sixth season, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Friday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract is pending a physical. Garcia was arbitration-eligible for the first time in 2026, so the deal essentially buys out his arbitration years and potentially his first two years of free agency.

The 25-year-old Garcia is coming off a breakout season both in the field, where he won his first Gold Glove playing alongside All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., and at the plate, where he hit .286 with a career-high 16 homers and 74 RBIs.

While the Royals have prioritized landing outfield help in the offseason — they agreed to a $5.25 million deal with Lane Thomas on Thursday — they also wanted to ensure they maintained their franchise cornerstones. That began with re-signing catcher Salvador Perez to a $25 million, two-year contract in November, and it continued by keeping Garcia through at least the 2030 season.

He also is capable of playing shortstop and second base, and Garcia even dabbled with playing in the outfield last season.

By keeping him in the fold, the Royals also solidified what has been one of the better infields in baseball. Witt is coming off a second consecutive All-Star appearance and Gold Glove, Perez is a nine-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove-winner, and first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino just had the best season of his four-year big league career, hitting .264 with 32 homers and 113 RBIs.

It also follows a trend of the Royals keeping their own. Each of those four players was signed and developed by Kansas City.

The Royals failed to make the playoffs last season, but they did finish 82-80, the first time they have had consecutive winning years since going to back-to-back World Series in 2014 and ’15. And with a talented pitching staff set to return, and young position players on the upswing, there is optimism that Kansas City can get back to the postseason in 2026.

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Edwin Diaz explains leaving Mets for Dodgers: 'It wasn't easy'

Former Mets closer Edwin Diaz was introduced by his new team, the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers, on Friday afternoon and spoke with reporters about his decision to leave New York for Los Angeles. 

"I want to say thank you to the Mets organization for what they did for me the last few years. Really, really happy what I did there," Diaz said.

"Now, we are in a new family, we are with the Dodgers. Came here to win. That's my goal, try to win another World Series with this great team. I'm really happy to be here."

Diaz mentioned that he spoke with his brother, Alexis, who played nine games for LA in 2024, before signing his three-year, $69 million deal on Tuesday. He noted that Alexis telling him how well the Dodgers treat players was a selling point.

"Yeah, I did talk to Alexis a little bit when the conversation was getting more close to signing with the Dodgers," Diaz said. "He told me they are really a good organization, they treat every player like they are all really good players, that was something I was looking for. He told me great things about the Dodgers, make it easy for me."

Diaz added that it "wasn't easy" to leave the Mets after the past seven seasons, but he made the decision based on wanting to win a title.

"It wasn't easy, wasn't easy. I spent seven years in New York," Diaz said. "They treat me really good, they treat me great. "I chose the Dodgers because they are a winning organization. I'm looking to win and I think they have everything to win. Picking the Dodgers was pretty easy."

The three-time All-Star was originally acquired by the Mets in December of 2019 in a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Mariners. After a rough first season in New York, he grew into one of the best closers, if not the best, in baseball. Over his six seasons (not counting his injury-missed 2023), Diaz recorded 144 saves with 538 strikeouts and owned a 2.93 ERA.

Los Angeles now adds Diaz (and his iconic walkout song, which he confirmed will come with him to the West Coast) to shore up its bullpen in 2026 as they look to become the first team to win three consecutive World Series titles since the Yankees from 1998-2000. 

Following the end of his introductory news conference, Diaz posted a message to Mets fans on his Instagram account.

"New York, New York. The city that never sleeps and that’s forever shaped me. Thank you for seven incredible years in your city," Diaz wrote. "Thank you Mets fans for the love and support you showed me over those seven memorable years. It has been the biggest honor to wear the Mets uniform and sound the trumpets in Queens, NY. I’m grateful to the ownership, coaches, staff, teammates, and fans that my family and I met along the way. You’ll always be such a special part of our journey."

 

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Former Mets first baseman Pete Alonso introduced by Orioles, explains why he chose Baltimore in free agency

Pete Alonso donned a new shade of orange for the first time Friday, when the Orioles formally introduced the veteran slugger on the heels of a five-year, $155 million free-agent deal that raised some eyebrows across the league.

And less than 24 hours after issuing a heartfelt farewell message to Mets fans via social media, Alonso discussed his departure from Queens and why he pursued a move down to Baltimore.  

"As the offseason progressed and we got further along, this partnership was head and shoulders above everybody else," Alonso said. "This park, this city, this organization, everything combined just clicked. It was the perfect fit for me -- not just as a player, but for family life as well. Every single box, this place checks."

While it's unclear if the Orioles were the only serious bidder willing to meet Alonso's demands of a long-term contract at top dollar, he was undoubtedly sold on their pitch and offer.

It's also worth noting that the Mets reportedly didn't make a formal offer to Alonso. As a result, they're searching for a different first baseman who can provide sufficient power and defense.

Consider this a tall order, too, since the Mets just parted ways with their all-time leader in home runs. In seven seasons with the club, Alonso slashed .253/.341/.516 with 264 homers, 183 doubles, and 712 RBI over 1,008 games. 

He also made five NL All-Star appearances, earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2019, and won the Home Run Derby twice.

The Orioles are banking on Alonso to boost a lineup that finished last in the AL East last season, with a record of 75-87. 

Their young nucleus -- headlined by Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, and Jackson Holliday -- remains intact, but a postseason berth in 2026 isn't guaranteed.

Nevertheless, Alonso is looking forward to the change of scenery and the opportunity to lead a new clubhouse. He signed the second-largest contract in Orioles history.

"I've played on a couple winning teams. You need talent, you need some young guys, a mix of veterans, and commitment from top-bottom," Alonso said. "For me, there's no hesitation. Like, 'Yup, that's the team, these are the people. Baltimore's it.'"

Alonso will need to wait a while for his first game as a Citi Field visitor next season, as the Mets aren't scheduled to host the Orioles until Sept. 14-16. 

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Jets Make Major Changes To Lines Following 12th Loss in 17 Games

The Winnipeg Jets have made several changes across the lineup lately to try and generate a spark amid their recent losing skid yet little has worked thus far with the Jets' 6-3 loss to the Boston Bruins on Thursday marking their 12th loss in their last 17 games with things potentially getting worse sooner than later as their upcoming schedule includes difficult matchups against teams like the Capitals, Oilers, Avalanche and Wild. 

Jets Colour Analyst Mitchell Clinton reported Friday that Arneil has experimented with more lineup changes, keeping Alex Iafallo on the top unit after his big night Thursday where he scored a nice goal on a solo effort versus Boston's Jeremy Swayman.

Besides the top line, the forwards are going to see several surprising changes ahead of Saturday's contest versus the Capitals with Cole Perfetti teaming up with captain Adam Lowry on the second line with Tanner Pearson on the opposite wing. 

In the bottom six, Nino Niederreiter will play his 1,000th NHL game on Saturday and will do so playing with Vladislav Namestnikov and struggling veteran winger Gustav Nyquist on the third line. Finally, Gabe Vilardi is dropping all the way to the fourth line to hopefully keep winger Morgan Barron hot after he scored in Thursday's loss with Jonathan Toews centering the unit. 

The Jets are hoping that major shakeups to their forward lines will ignite some energy as they face a Washington team arriving in Winnipeg on a scorching run with a league-leading 10-1-2 stretch over its past 13 outings. 

The Capitals have been red hot on offense with a 4.15 goals per game average during their recent surge and will likely test a struggling Eric Comrie, who has battled hard despite tough circumstances, or rookie Domenic DiVincentiis, who would be thrown into a challenging NHL debut much like his Manitoba Moose goalie partner Thomas Milic, who drew the powerhouse Hurricanes in his first start. Winnipeg is simply looking for something to finally click and to secure a badly needed win.

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Canucks’ Poor Home-Ice Record Reflected In These Particular Stats

Only one NHL team has hit double-digits in regulation home losses so far throughout the 2025–26 season. It’s the same team that currently sits dead-last in the NHL’s standings at 32nd with a total of 25 points collected throughout 31 games. 

Yes, it’s the Vancouver Canucks. 

Vancouver’s home record has been nothing short of abysmal this season. On the road, the Canucks haven’t fared terribly, as they’ve put together a record of 7–7–2 that ties them with three other teams for 17th in the NHL with 16 points. At home, however, is where things begin to slide. The Canucks have a league-worst home record of 4–10–1, having only grabbed nine points in their 15 home games so far. 

Salvaging this season feels like it’s out of the cards for a tired Canucks team and an even more tired Canucks fanbase that voiced their displeasure by throwing a jersey on the ice last night. There’s no direct remedy for their on-ice woes, given that a lot of factors have gone into the product currently being iced (David Kämpf being the only active natural center to play 80+ NHL games, for example). With that being said, there are some particular stats that stand out from Vancouver’s home stretches throughout the season — and not in a good way. Let’s take a look at some of the things that have contributed to the Canucks’ poor home record. 

Vancouver’s Penalty Kill Has Not Surpassed 75% While On Home Ice 

Looking at the Canucks’ stats on a month-per-month basis, Vancouver has yet to register a month in which they have posted a penalty killing rate of over 75%. Throughout five home games in October, the Canucks killed 11 of 15 penalties taken to register a rate of 73.3%. It’s better than their current overall PK% of 71.6%, but unfortunately also the highest they have registered throughout the first three months of the season. During their six home games in November, Vancouver posted a penalty-killing percentage of 70.6%, while December’s dropped to only 66.6% with two more games remaining after Christmas. 

With that being said, the penalty kill has been an issue throughout the season — not just on home ice. Their overall home penalty-killing percentage is 70.7%, while they have registered 72.1% while on the road. 

The Canucks’ Power Play Has Been Good, But Not Great  

One of the keys to a good team is a consistent power play — something that the Canucks haven’t quite been able to register. While their power play percentages at home aren’t bad, per-se, the Canucks have noticeably had some dry spells when it comes to their man-advantage. Of course, their dreaded 0-for-9 performance came on the road against the San Jose Sharks, but at home, Vancouver has endured some inconsistent spells as well. In their past four games, the Canucks have only scored one power play goal throughout nine opportunities. 

The eye-test indicates that the power play isn’t a main cause for negativity. In fact, it’s one of the Canucks’ few redeeming stats throughout the season, currently placing 16th in the NHL. When equipped with the proper pieces, they can move the puck into the O-zone well. However, it’s hard to generate those scoring chances when missing a good chunk of said pieces. Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson, and Conor Garland — all of whom play pretty big power play minutes — have all missed some Canucks home games throughout the year. 

Nov 23, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) looks on during the second period against the Calgary Flames at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Simon Fearn-Imagn Images

An Expected Strength Has Become One Of Vancouver’s Biggest Weaknesses 

Before the season started, it felt as though there was one part of the Canucks’ lineup that would undoubtedly be a strength — their goaltending. Kevin Lankinen had a career season in 2024–25 while Thatcher Demko entered the year with an off-season of health and proper training. 

It only took until November for things to start going downhill. 

Demko missed a back-to-back weekend homestand and later departed Vancouver’s game against the Winnipeg Jets on November 11, resulting in Lankinen playing in all six of the Canucks’ home games that month. Including Demko’s SV% logged against the Jets, Vancouver posted an overall SV% of .804 throughout the month of November. They allowed 27 goals-against throughout this span of time, coming out to an average of 4.5 per game. 

While the goaltending situation did improve throughout Vancouver’s first stretch of home games in December, the numbers still weren’t fantastic. They allowed 13 goals against for an average of 3.25 per game, while registering a SV% of .836 including the numbers put up by Lankinen before he’d been pulled against the Detroit Red Wings on Monday. 

In theory, there are teams with worse goaltending records than the Canucks, but there aren’t many. Throughout the entire season, the Canucks have allowed 55 goals against at home in 15 games, coming to an average of 3.67 per game. The Montreal Canadiens (3.93), St. Louis Blues (3.75), and Detroit Red Wings (3.69) all have higher averages than them in this category. However, the Canadiens and Red Wings, both of whom are within the top-half of the NHL in points, also have much higher goals-for numbers, demonstrating that they can put in the effort to keep up with any opposing offence they allow. Clearly, the Canucks can’t say the same. 

While it’s still early in the season, it does feel as though time is running out for a Canucks team that is working against multiple deadlines. The disappointment from fans has been noticeable, with many choosing to spend their money elsewhere instead of at Rogers Arena. The Canucks’ season feels as though it has hit the rockiest part in a storm out at sea; they’ll either emerge as a pack or end up shipwrecked. 

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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Wild acquire star Quinn Hughes from Canucks in blockbuster NHL trade

Wild acquire star Quinn Hughes from Canucks in blockbuster NHL trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Minnesota Wild have acquired Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks in the biggest blockbuster trade of the NHL season.

The teams announced the seismic move Friday night, after the 2024 Norris Trophy winner as the league’s top defenseman had been the most talked-about trade candidate over the past couple of weeks.

Minnesota sent center Marco Rossi, defenseman Zeev Buium, winger Liam Ohgren and a first-round pick in the 2026 draft to suddenly rebounding Vancouver to complete the deal. Rossi at 24, Ohgren at 21 and Buium at 20 fit the young players the Canucks were speculated to be targeting if they were to trade Hughes.

“Quinn played hard, led by example and did a lot of very good things for the Canucks,” Vancouver general manager Patrik Allvin said. “Trading away a player of this caliber is never an easy decision to make, but it was one we had to do to make our team better. We are so excited to add a solid centre in Marco, a good young blueliner in Zeev and a versatile forward in Liam. This year’s draft is a strong one, so acquiring a first-round pick was also a big part of this deal.”

Hughes, only 26 and considered the best at player at the position behind Colorado’s Cale Makar, has one season left on his contract after this one before he can become an unrestricted free agent. There has been plenty of buzz around Quinn wanting to play with brothers Jack and Luke on the New Jersey Devils.

They could potentially be teammates on the U.S. Olympic team, either in February in Milan or in 2030. Wild GM Bill Guerin runs USA Hockey’s management team.

Hughes has two goals and 21 assists for 23 points in 23 games this season with the last-in-the-NHL Canucks. He has been their captain since 2023, and his abrupt exit paves the way for more change in Vancouver 11 months since the trade of J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers and in the aftermath of coach Rick Tocchet’s departure.

“With the circumstances surrounding JT and now Quinn, we are fortunate to acquire these very good young players from Minnesota,” Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford said. “They will be a key part of the rebuild that we are currently in, giving us a bright future moving forward. The hockey club will continue to build with talented young players using that as a blueprint to become a contender sooner rather than later.”

Minnesota cannot extend Hughes until July 1, and it’s unclear if he would entertain signing another contract. He had nothing in the way of trade protection on his current deal, paying him an average of $7.85 million annually, that would have allowed him to block a trade anywhere.

The Wild are taking a shot at challenging the two top teams in the NHL, Colorado and Dallas, in the Central Division, which also includes reigning Presidents’ Trophy-winningWinnipeg. Hughes vastly upgrades their blue line, which already included captain Jared Spurgeon and smooth-skating Swede Jonas Brodin. Winger Kirill Kaprizov only this past fall signed the richest deal in hockey history to stay in the “State of Hockey” for eight more years.

It was the second major trade of the day after two-time Stanley Cup Final runner-up Edmonton finally made a move for a goaltender, acquiring Tristan Jarry from Pittsburgh.

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Wild acquire star Quinn Hughes from Canucks in blockbuster NHL trade

Wild acquire star Quinn Hughes from Canucks in blockbuster NHL trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Minnesota Wild have acquired Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks in the biggest blockbuster trade of the NHL season.

The teams announced the seismic move Friday night, after the 2024 Norris Trophy winner as the league’s top defenseman had been the most talked-about trade candidate over the past couple of weeks.

Minnesota sent center Marco Rossi, defenseman Zeev Buium, winger Liam Ohgren and a first-round pick in the 2026 draft to suddenly rebounding Vancouver to complete the deal. Rossi at 24, Ohgren at 21 and Buium at 20 fit the young players the Canucks were speculated to be targeting if they were to trade Hughes.

“Quinn played hard, led by example and did a lot of very good things for the Canucks,” Vancouver general manager Patrik Allvin said. “Trading away a player of this caliber is never an easy decision to make, but it was one we had to do to make our team better. We are so excited to add a solid centre in Marco, a good young blueliner in Zeev and a versatile forward in Liam. This year’s draft is a strong one, so acquiring a first-round pick was also a big part of this deal.”

Hughes, only 26 and considered the best at player at the position behind Colorado’s Cale Makar, has one season left on his contract after this one before he can become an unrestricted free agent. There has been plenty of buzz around Quinn wanting to play with brothers Jack and Luke on the New Jersey Devils.

They could potentially be teammates on the U.S. Olympic team, either in February in Milan or in 2030. Wild GM Bill Guerin runs USA Hockey’s management team.

Hughes has two goals and 21 assists for 23 points in 23 games this season with the last-in-the-NHL Canucks. He has been their captain since 2023, and his abrupt exit paves the way for more change in Vancouver 11 months since the trade of J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers and in the aftermath of coach Rick Tocchet’s departure.

“With the circumstances surrounding JT and now Quinn, we are fortunate to acquire these very good young players from Minnesota,” Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford said. “They will be a key part of the rebuild that we are currently in, giving us a bright future moving forward. The hockey club will continue to build with talented young players using that as a blueprint to become a contender sooner rather than later.”

Minnesota cannot extend Hughes until July 1, and it’s unclear if he would entertain signing another contract. He had nothing in the way of trade protection on his current deal, paying him an average of $7.85 million annually, that would have allowed him to block a trade anywhere.

The Wild are taking a shot at challenging the two top teams in the NHL, Colorado and Dallas, in the Central Division, which also includes reigning Presidents’ Trophy-winningWinnipeg. Hughes vastly upgrades their blue line, which already included captain Jared Spurgeon and smooth-skating Swede Jonas Brodin. Winger Kirill Kaprizov only this past fall signed the richest deal in hockey history to stay in the “State of Hockey” for eight more years.

It was the second major trade of the day after two-time Stanley Cup Final runner-up Edmonton finally made a move for a goaltender, acquiring Tristan Jarry from Pittsburgh.

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What we learned as Steph Curry's scorching 39 in return wasted in Warriors' loss

What we learned as Steph Curry's scorching 39 in return wasted in Warriors' loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO – For a full three quarters Friday night, the Warriors gave themselves a chance to exploit a Minnesota Timberwolves squad that took the floor at Chase Center without star guard Anthony Edwards.

That quest expired in the fourth quarter, though, and the Warriors walked out of Chase Center with a 127-120 loss that vanquished their good vibes and returned them to a zone they would prefer to avoid. They’re back at .500, with a 13-13 record.

The loss spoiled a spectacular return by Stephen Curry, who poured in a game-high 39 points – 14 of which came in the fourth quarter. Quinten Post finished with 16 points, Jimmy Butler III had 15, Pat Spencer 12 and Moses Moody 11.

The teams stayed within six points of each other until Minnesota rallied late, taking a double-digit lead and holding on.

Here are three observations from a second consecutive game in which Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, though healthy, never left the bench:

The Return of Steph

After missing five games over two weeks with what he described as a left quad contusion and muscle strain, Curry’s return was the subject of considerable curiosity. It was natural to wonder how good he would be.

Quite good, in fact.

Curry put Golden State on the scoreboard with a floater 44 seconds after tipoff, and followed up with back-to-back triples to score eight of the Warriors’ first 12 points.

He tested his agility several times, most notably with a dribbling exhibition during a shuttle drill that led to a circus layup that somehow found its way through the elongated arms of 6-foot-9 Jaden McDaniels.

Curry’s 39 points come on 14-of-28 shooting from the field, including 6-of-15 from deep. He added five assists and five rebounds over 32 minutes.

The franchise player seems to be OK, much to the delight of the Warriors.

Fourth quarter non-Steph minutes were painful and costly

The Warriors opened the fourth quarter with a 91-88 lead and Curry in his usual spot, seated on the bench for the first few minutes.

After a Moses Moody bucket gave the Warriors a 96-91 lead with 10:34 left, the Timberwolves seized the moment, going on a 17-0 run, taking a 12-point lead (108-96) with 5:50 remaining.

With Curry observing, Minnesota outscored Golden State 14-5 to take a lead and generate enough momentum that never quite went away. The Warriors rallied behind Curry – who scored 14 points in the quarter – and even took a 115-114 lead on a Curry triple with 2:09 remaining. A Moody layup off a turnover pushed the margin to three with 1:58 to go.

The Warriors scored only three points down the stretch, while the Timberwolves piled up 13 over the final 1:48, with Donte DiVincenzo dropping in a pair of devastating 3-pointers.

The Warriors were outscored by 10 in the quarter but by one (25-24) after Curry reentered.

Size matters . . . kind of

The Warriors’ lack of size – they are the shortest team in the league – sometimes is a defensive liability, and such was the case on this night.

With Edwards sidelined with right foot soreness, the Timberwolves turned their offense over to the big boys up front: Starters Rudy Gobert (7-foot-1), Julius Randle (6-foot-9) and McDaniels, along with 6-foot-9 Sixth Man Naz Reid. For context, 6-foot-5 Moody spent most of his 23 minutes at power forward.

That foursome represented Minnesota’s top four scorers, as they combined for 86 points and were responsible for the Timberwolves’ whopping 66-44 advantage in points in the paint. Randle finished with 27 points, Gobert with 24, Reid with 18 and McDaniels with 17.

It wasn’t that the Warriors lacked effort. Oh, they tried, as indicated by the tenacity on display to come away finished only minus-2 (44-42) in rebounding. 

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Observations after Embiid scores season-high 39, Sixers beat Pacers without Maxey

Observations after Embiid scores season-high 39, Sixers beat Pacers without Maxey  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

It wasn’t at all easy, but the Sixers moved to 1-0 this season without Tyrese Maxey on Friday night.

They earned a 115-105 win over the Pacers at Xfinity Mobile Arena with Maxey out because of an illness and now sit at 14-10 overall. Indiana fell to 6-19. 

Joel Embiid starred with a season-best 39 points, nine rebounds and three assists. He played a season-high 32 minutes.

VJ Edgecombe posted his fourth 20-point game in the NBA, tallying 22 points, five assists and four rebounds. Paul George had 23 points, six boards and five assists.

Pascal Siakam (20 points) and Andrew Nembhard (18 points) were the Pacers’ top scorers.

In addition to Maxey, the Sixers were down Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain), Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) and Hunter Sallis (right shoulder sprain).

The Sixers will visit the Hawks on Sunday night. Here are observations on their win over the Pacers:

Edgecombe steps up at the start 

The Sixers used a starting lineup of Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes, George, Dominick Barlow and Embiid. Grimes’ start was his fifth of the season.

George hit a mid-range jumper on the Sixers’ first possession and chipped in eight points on 3-for-5 shooting, three rebounds and two assists in his opening stint. Edgecombe and George began the night as the Sixers’ primary ball handlers. 

Edgecombe had a very strong, attack-minded start. 

He canned an early pull-up jumper, slammed in a fast-break dunk, and buried a corner three-pointer to give the Sixers a 19-10 lead. The rookie continued playing sharp, decisive basketball and doing damage as a downhill driver. He stayed on the floor the whole first quarter and racked up 14 points in the period on only six field goal attempts. 

Embiid breaks out of shooting slump

The Sixers played Edgecombe and four bench players for the final few minutes of the first quarter. 

On the Indiana side, T.J. McConnell ran the second-unit show and caused tons of problems for his former team. He reached 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting with a three early in the second quarter. McConnell then took a charge on Jabari Walker and Jay Huff followed with at triple that pulled the Pacers ahead. 

Momentum shifted back toward the Sixers after Embiid checked back in. Embiid, who was coming off of a 4-for-21 shooting game in Sunday’s loss to the Lakers, amped up his aggression in the second quarter and found a scoring rhythm against Pacers big man Jay Huff. He worked for post position, sank mid-range jumpers and drew regular free throws. 

Embiid also snapped a prolonged long-range dry spell. He’d gone 0 for 14 for three-point territory over his last three games and missed his first three attempts Friday. Finally, with 1.6 seconds left in the second quarter, Embiid brought the ball forward and swished a three to send the Sixers into halftime with a 63-58 edge. 

Sixers shake off more 3rd-quarter trouble

Embiid didn’t stop shooting open jumpers. Threes from Embiid and Grimes pushed the Sixers’ lead to double digits early in the third quarter.

When the Pacers moved to a zone defense, the Sixers fed Embiid often in the high post. His decision-making wasn’t flawless, but he kept producing and making frequent trips to the foul line. Embiid shot a season-high 18 free throws and made 13.

Yet again, the Sixers couldn’t manage a smooth third quarter and the Pacers put together a run.

Isaiah Jackson stripped the ball from Embiid on the perimeter and then drew a loose-ball foul on him. Embiid subbed out and Jackson made his second foul shot to tie the game at 82-all. A few possessions later, Nembhard leaked out for a layup that pushed Indiana in front.

The Sixers didn’t have much offensive support for Embiid, Edgecombe and George.

Jared McCain had five points on 2-for-6 shooting in 14 minutes. Justin Edwards went 0 for 5 from the floor and played 19 scoreless minutes. The Sixers remained behind when Embiid came back for his final stint with a little over seven minutes to go. 

The Sixers played good team defense down the stretch, limiting the Pacers’ clean looks and avoiding cheap fouls. Their stars came through, too.

Embiid scored a big put-back bucket, scrapping to grab a Grimes miss and converting an and-one layup that gave the Sixers a 108-102 lead. George made a driving lay-in with just under two minutes to play.

Embiid added one more mid-range hoop in the final minute and wound up exceeding his prior season best in scoring by 10 points.