LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 2: Walker Kessler #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers plays defense on Giannis Antetokounmpo #7 of the Miami Heat on November 2, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. 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 Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In his return to Utah on Oct. 25, Walker Kessler struggled, scoring two points (1-of-2 shooting) and committing four fouls. Afterward, he conceded that he let his emotions overwhelm him and never found a rhythm against the Jazz. Since then, he’s recorded three double-doubles in five outings — all of which have come the past three games — and averaged 2.6 blocks each night.
During the Los Angeles Lakers’ win over the Miami Heat on Monday, he tallied 15 points (7-of-13 shooting), 15 rebounds, two assists and two steals. A day prior in a victory against the Toronto Raptors, he posted 16 points (6-of-6 shooting), 15 rebounds, three blocks, one assist and one steal.
The second Laker in franchise HISTORY to record 16 points, 15 boards, & 3 blocks on a perfect shooting night: Walker Kessler 🫡 pic.twitter.com/6e7PHrlEWe
Through eight games, Kessler’s acquisition has been a smash hit for Los Angeles. He’s averaging 14.4 points (69.8% true shooting), 10.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.1 steals.
“He’s a big key for us. I think when he plays good, it gives us a way better chance to win,” Luka Dončić told reporters postgame on Monday. “He just need to keep going like this. Like we told him, we have his back. Obviously, he’s not going to play every game great, but what he’s been doing, it’s helping us win a lot.”
The Lakers’ success this season will continue being shepherded by Dončić, Kessler and Austin Reaves. Each of them has kicked off 2026-27 in excellent form, so it’s no surprise Los Angeles finds itself 6-2 with the league’s second-ranked offense and seventh-best net rating (plus-8.8). When those three share the floor, the Lakers have outscored their opponents by 104 points in 145 minutes while notching a 138.3 offensive rating and 105.8 defensive rating, per NBA.com.
Reaves, the longest-tenured Laker, seems to enjoy playing alongside his new starting center and understands his importance.
“He’s been great. It’s fun to watch,” Reaves said Monday. “Glad to have him on our team and he’s going to continue to get better every single game. But he’s been massive for us this whole year.”
Kessler and the Lakers will look for a third consecutive win Wednesday night on the road against the Sacramento Kings at 7 p.m.
Wilder, 41, has won 43 of his 45 victories by knockout
Australian cruiserweight champion moves up in weight
Cardiff showdown will stream worldwide on Netflix
Deontay Wilder, the former World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, will face unbeaten Australian cruiserweight world champion Jai Opetaia on the undercard of Tyson Fury’s showdown with Anthony Joshua in Cardiff on 11 December, organizers announced on Wednesday.
Opetaia will move up to heavyweight to take on one of history’s most devastating punchers at the Principality Stadium with the event streaming live worldwide on Netflix.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 22: Ezequiel Duran #20 of the Texas Rangers looks to the dugout during a game against the New York Mets at Globe Life Field on September 22, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The D/FW chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America has announced their selections for the various team awards for 2026.
Ezequiel Duran, who started the season with his roster spot in question, has been named the 2026 Player of the Year for the Texas Rangers. Duran appeared in 153 games and had 597 plate appearances, slashing .260/.320/.419 while playing every position except catcher and pitcher. He led the team in bWAR, at 4.2, and won the American League Gold Glove for the utility position.
Jacob Latz, who started the season vying for a spot in the rotation and ended the year as the team’s closer, has been named the 2026 Pitcher of the Year for the Texas Rangers. Latz put up a 2.13 ERA in 72 innings over 58 games, logging 30 saves and being named to the All Star team this past summer.
Peyton Gray has been named the team’s Rookie of the Year for 2026. Gray put up a 3.86 ERA in 49 appearances over 56 games as a middle reliever.
Justin Foscue was the winner of the Richard Durrett Hardest Working Ranger Award. Brandon Nimmo received the Harold McKinney Good Guy Award. Jake Burger received the Jim Sundberg Community Achievement Award. Elvis Andrus received the Mark Holtz Alumni Award.
With just over two and a half minutes left in regulation and the game seemingly decided, the Winnipeg Jets pulled off the latest four-goal comeback in NHL history Tuesday night, erasing a 4-0 deficit to tie the Montreal Canadiens, before then winning in overtime. The loss was also a sour one for Montreal, who were playing their first game in the club's new Hometown Remix jersey.
The moment beat the previous record for the latest start to a four-goal comeback, set by the Los Angeles Kings in November of 2007 when they began their comeback at 52:46, according to multiple sources. Sportsnet Stats also reported it was the fastest four goals against in Montreal Canadiens history.
It was a moment that stunned the hockey world with many interesting statistics and numbers coming out afterwards the further outlined how truly special the moment was.
According to Action Network, Montreal at one point held a 99 percent win probability, when up 4-0 with 2:31 remaining and around this time, Winnipeg's moneyline odds were as high as +7500, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. This means a $10 bet on the Jets to pull of the seemingly impossible would've netted betters $750 profit.
When looking at exceptionally rare the moment was, in 3,257 instances of an NHL team being scoreless and trailing by four or more goals with under three minutes remaining, the Jets were the only team to ever managed to do better than cut the deficit in half, according to OptaStats.
Also, the NHL posted, teams losing by four or more goals entering the final three minutes of regulation, regular season and playoff combined, are now 1-10,300 with the Jets victory on Tuesday.
The rally began when Tyrel Bauer scored the first goal of his NHL career. The 24-year-old former sixth round pick spent the last four seasons with the AHL's Manitoba Moose and finally made the jump to the pros this season.
It was a big night for the Cochrane, Alberta native, who added his first career assist on Winnipeg's second goal to further provoke a comeback. In 214 AHL games, Bauer posted 21 points and 401 penalty minutes.
Winnipeg scored five goals in total, with the final one coming in overtime. According to the NHL, it is only the fourth time a goaltender has allowed five goals after the 50-minute mark, and the first time it has happened in the final five minutes of a game.
The collapse marked the second straight game in which Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler allowed four or more goals. He has now done so just six times in 26 career NHL starts, having done it only four times before this week.
The win snapped a nine-game winless streak for the Jets, their longest drought since an 11-game losing streak stretched from mid-December to early January last season.
It was a truly historic moment and brought fans back to Winnipeg's memorable two-goal comeback in Game 7 of the first round in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs when under two minutes left in the game, the Jets scored twice with Cole Perfetti scoring the tying goal with 1.6 seconds left in the game before captain Adam Lowry won the game in overtime.
It was another stellar effort by a Jets group that never says die and will look to keep momentum going Thursday when hosting the Vancouver Canucks.
Seven years ago, Cam Castro was a minor league pitching coach in the Milwaukee Brewers' system. Now, the Athletics want him to fix the one thing their rebuild has never been able to grow.
Castro's specialty is pitching. The A's need it badly.
They went 64-98 in 2026, their second season in a Triple-A ballpark in West Sacramento. Their pitchers gave up a franchise-record 247 home runs and walked 637 batters.
The A's have one more season there and then they move to Las Vegas in 2028.
Who is Cam Castro?
Castro never played in the majors. His resumes run through small-college dugouts.
He earned a legal studies degree from Lake Erie College, a Division II school in Painesville, Ohio, in 2012. From there he coached pitchers at Defiance College, where he also earned an MBA in sports management. He spent two summers coaching in the Northwoods League, a college summer circuit, and coached at Augustana University in South Dakota.
He also worked as a trainer at Driveline Baseball, the Seattle pitching lab best known for adding velocity.
What Cam Castro is credited with doing for the Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers hired Castro in 2019 as a minor league pitching coach. He moved up to minor league pitching coordinator, then director of pitching development, then vice president in charge of player development.
Milwaukee has a reputation of fixing pitchers under Castro's leadership. The Brewers helped Kyle Harrison and Quinn Priester turn around their careers after acquiring them.
This fall, Castro was obviously part of the front office that produced Jacob Misiorowski and helped Milwaukee win its first World Series title in franchise history.
Why the A's think Castro is a good fit
The A's can hit. Nick Kurtz, Tyler Soderstrom, Jacob Wilson, Zack Gelof and Henry Bolte were all Athletics draft picks. Catcher Shea Langeliers came over from the Braves before he ever played in the majors.
But they have never been able to develop arms. The one exception is Mason Miller, who the A's traded to the San Diego Padres to continue to try and rebuild their prospect pool. MLB Trade Rumors reported that over the A's past 10 draft classes only Miller and reliever Hogan Harris have been worth even one win above replacement in the majors.
Who is Taylor Smith, Cam Castro's new boss?
Smith, 31, is the youngest head of baseball operations in the majors. The A's hired him Oct. 19. He had spent two seasons as an assistant GM with the Red Sox and seven years in the Rays' research and development department.
The search for a new president of baseball operations and GM began in August, when the A's and longtime GM David Forst agreed to part ways. Forst had been with the organization for 27 years, the last 11 as GM.
Smith and Castro now have one season to get the roster ready for Las Vegas. Manager Mark Kotsay made his wish list short.
Pitching "should be priority number one this offseason," Kotsay said after the season finale.
The Vegas Golden Knights may have found the formula to turn a frustrating stretch into something far more promising.
And it starts with special teams.
Two games into their four-game road trip, the Golden Knights have collected three of a possible four points, showing renewed resilience after a difficult stretch in which victories had become increasingly elusive.
Tuesday's 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguinswas particularly revealing. Vegas didn't dominate offensively, didn't overwhelm Pittsburgh with scoring chances and certainly didn't make things easy on itself.
But when the game demanded execution, its power play and penalty kill delivered.
Tomas Hertl scored twice with the man advantage, including the winner with 35 seconds remaining, as Vegas converted two of four power-play opportunities. The Golden Knights have now scored at least one power-play goal in four consecutive games, helping a unit that ranks sixth in the NHL at 29.4 percent, converting 15 of 51 opportunities.
The bigger development, however, may be happening at the opposite end of special teams.
After struggling to prevent power-play goals earlier this season, Vegas successfully killed all six Pittsburgh opportunities, including a critical 1:22 two-man disadvantage late in the third period.
The sequence changed everything.
Rather than surrendering a potentially devastating goal, the Golden Knights survived the two-man disadvantage without allowing a shot on goal. Pittsburgh's Tommy Novak was subsequently penalized for tripping, and Hertl delivered the winner.
The performance was particularly encouraging considering Vegas entered the road trip with one of the NHL's least effective penalty kills.
Tuesday's perfect effort lifted that figure to 73.9 percent, with the Golden Knights having successfully killed 34 of 46 opposing power plays. That leaves Vegas tied for 21st in the league, hardly an elite ranking but a meaningful step toward establishing greater defensive reliability.
There is still work ahead. Vegas has surrendered too many quality opportunities and continues searching for the defensive consistency that defined its better stretches.
But the Golden Knights are beginning to demonstrate something equally important: the ability to survive difficult moments without allowing them to dictate the outcome.
With Detroit awaiting Thursday, the special teams may be providing the foundation for a much-needed turnaround.
Connelly delivering in big moments
Trevor Connelly is rapidly establishing himself as more than an exciting young prospect.
The 20-year-old has scored game-tying goals in consecutive games, including a breakaway finish midway through the third period on Tuesday after Pittsburgh took a 2-1 lead.
His assist on Hertl's first-period power-play goal Tuesday extended his personal point streak to 11 games, giving him 16 points during that stretch.
Marner's vision and ability to create shooting opportunities have been especially valuable on the man advantage, where his chemistry with Hertl and Mark Stone continues to develop.
With Jack Eichel also collecting two assists against Pittsburgh, Vegas has the offensive foundation necessary to sustain its production.
The challenge now is translating that creativity into more consistent five-on-five scoring.
Three points earned, more work ahead
The Golden Knights enter Thursday's game at Detroit with a 10-5-2 record and three points from the first two games of their four-game trip.
Perhaps more important than the results has been their response to adversity.
Vegas rallied to force overtime in Boston before surviving Pittsburgh's third-period comeback attempt the following night.
Adin Hill stopped 23 shots Tuesday, while the Golden Knights demonstrated the defensive determination necessary to survive a late two-man disadvantage.
After losing five of six games, Vegas has an opportunity to build momentum rather than simply stop the bleeding.
Thursday's matchup with Detroit offers another chance to demonstrate that the improved execution and resilience are becoming sustainable.
PHOTO CAPTION:
Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) celebrates with teammates on the bench after scoring the game-winning power-play goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period at PPG Paints Arena.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 28: Brice Turang #2 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates with Cooper Pratt #12 after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field on October 28, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A little bit of a news dump this morning! Let’s start with some local awards for your favorite Brewers.
BBWAA Awards, Milwaukee Chapter
Today, the Milwaukee chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America announced the recipients of their end-of-season awards. A quick rundown below. How would you have voted?
Most Valuable Player: Brice Turang
No surprise here, as Turang was named a finalist for the NL MVP award earlier this week. The Brewer second baseman led the team in bWAR (7.3) and was second behind Jacob Misiorowski (more on him in a second) in fWAR (5.9). He was announced as the National League’s Gold Glove winner at second base on Sunday, and figures to at least be on the edge of the conversation for the Platinum Glove as well. Combine that with his well-rounded offensive game and good baserunning, and Turang was one of the best all-around players in baseball this season. This marks his second consecutive season as the team’s MVP.
Most Valuable Pitcher: Jacob Misiorowski
Once again, not surprising. Misiorowski is going to win the NL Cy Young, the only question is whether it will be unanimously or not. He led all pitchers with 6.6 fWAR, and was the major league leader in ERA (1.80), strikeouts (252), FIP (2.17), WHIP (0.802), strikeouts per nine (13.0), and with a mark of 4.9, had the lowest hits allowed per nine innings by a starting pitcher in the history of AL/NL baseball. While modern workloads suppressed his WAR numbers, it was, by rate statistics, one of the greatest seasons ever by a starting pitcher.
Most Valuable Newcomer: Cooper Pratt
The definition of “newcomer” here is, presumably, a player who had never played for the Brewers before this season, meaning that a player like Logan Henderson, who held rookie status but had pitched in the majors before this season, wouldn’t be eligible. Pratt, when considering his World Series run, seems the obvious answer here — he was basically exactly a league-average hitter during 74 regular season games, a massive win; the Brewers likely did not expect him to be a very good hitter in his first season. Then he went off during the World Series and made himself a legitimate candidate for World Series MVP. Pratt’s defense was a little shaky during the postseason run, but he played the position well in the regular season.
Other potential winners here include David Hamilton, who was solid if unspectacular during the regular season but then put together a monstrous postseason run of his own; Luis Lara, who struggled a bit at the plate but showed off his high ceiling as an outfielder and had a couple of very memorable hits; Kyle Harrison, who had a Jekyll-and-Hyde season but was outstanding in the first half; Shane Drohan, who struggled a bit down the stretch but ate a lot of important innings in a variety of roles for the Brewers this season; and JoJo Romero, who didn’t pitch a ton for the Brewers but became a reliable shutdown guy for the Brewers in the postseason.
Unsung Hero: Abner Uribe
Uribe had great numbers this season: in 59 1/3 innings, he had a 1.97 ERA and 2.68 FIP and saved six games. This went a bit under the radar as he was the number two guy to Trevor Megill in the bullpen, and Aaron Ashby’s brilliant postseason run overshadowed good postseasons from both Megill and Uribe. But having that solid Robin to Megill’s Batman all season made managing the bullpen easy for Pat Murphy and his assistants. We also got this:
This was kind of a team full of unsung heroes: others I might have considered include Henderson, who only made 18 starts but put up incredible numbers when he was in there; Robert Gasser, who was fourth on the team in innings pitched and then made three huge starts during the postseason run; Jake Bauers, who got plenty of attention but was the offensive metronome for the team all season; and, perhaps counterintuitively, William Contreras, who had — by his standards — a “just OK” regular season at the plate but did a great job managing the pitching staff before he kicked it into high gear in the playoffs.
Good Guy Award: Christian Yelich
One of the things I like best about this team is that there aren’t really players who are difficult to cheer for. Most of the team feel like good dudes who wouldn’t be hard to get along with.
Yelich is pretty clearly the leader (or captain, if you will) in that regard. He is generous with his time and money and has good rapport with all of the fan-facing Brewers media members who we see him interact with. It’s hard to know anything about the famous people we revere as heroes, but I’m pretty comfortable with Yelich getting this award.
Cam Castro named GM of the Athletics, Matt Kleine turns down Astros
Cam Castro, who was the Brewers’ senior vice president of player development and performance for the past two seasons, has been hired by the Athletics as their new general manager. Castro has been with the Brewers since 2019, where he started as a minor league pitching coach and quickly rose up the ranks. Before starting with the Brewers, Castro worked for Driveline Baseball, the well-known training program.
It’s not a surprise that other teams are looking to Milwaukee’s front office as they try to figure out some of their secrets for their own ballclubs; about a week ago, it was reported that Brewers assistant GM Matt Kleine was a finalist, perhaps the finalist, for the Astros’ opening at general manager. According to Adam McCalvy, Kleine turned down that job, while there are some whispers that it was partially a concern about whether Astros owner Jim Crane would meddle too much. Kleine may still be a candidate in Los Angeles, where the Angels have an opening for their top baseball ops job, though for now it looks like he’s staying in Milwaukee.
More front office news: A source says Brewers assistant GM Matt Kleine was offered the Astros’ GM job but after much deliberation he declined, deciding to stay in Milwaukee to try and run it back with the Brewers.
We’re going to have to get used to this as long as the Brewers are as successful as they have been. Hopefully the team can hang on to its most important pieces.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 19: Tate Southisene speaks during a press conference at Truist Park on July 19, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the start of the MLB season in jeopardy, and litany of issues to deal with, we turn our focus to the good which is the outstanding performances by Braves prospects in this years’s Arizona Fall League. The trio of positional prospects (Southisene, Carey, Drake) have all played very well while the pitchers, led by Briggs McKenzie, have found their form and have performed quite well themselves.
Fresh off their fantastic appearances last night (4IP 3H 0R 2BB 6K), Briggs McKenzie along with Tate Southisene (3-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB), were chosen to represent the National League in the game this Sunday.
Tate Southisene is headed to the Fall Stars Game!
The @Braves No. 3 prospect is batting .341 across 13 games this Fall. Over those 13 games, Southisene has five stolen bases. Catch Tate and the rest of the Fall Stars in action THIS SUNDAY at 6PM pic.twitter.com/MxvdOfIUnI
Tate Southisene has appeared in 13 games in the AFL and has hit .341/.482/.432 – picking up exactly where he stopped after he broke his hand following his Double-A debut. He’s shown impressive average exit velocities of 92 MPH, with a hard hit rate of 49%.
The Fall Stars game itself is this Sunday (11/8), at 8:00 PM ET. You’ll be able to tune in on MLB Network, or via stream on MLB.com
Oct 21, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) celebrates scoring a three point basket during the first half against the Phoenix Suns at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Who: Phoenix Suns (1-4) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (5-1)
When: 7:00 pm Arizona Time
Where: Mortgage Matchup Center — Phoenix, Arizona
Watch: Arizona’s Family 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports
Listen: KMVP 98.7
The Suns are back at it on Wednesday evening as they return to the site of their only victory thus far this season. Home. What lies before them is a seven-game homestand, an opportunity to stabilize the front end of the season before things spiral into an unrecoverable tailspin.
Their opponent? The very team that sent them down this worrisome path in the first place, the Portland Trail Blazers, who led by as many as 52 points before handing Phoenix a 41-point defeat in the season opener.
In some respects, it feels like we’re watching two teams heading in completely different directions. Last season, these teams met in the Play-In Tournament, with the Suns holding home-court advantage as the seventh seed. But the Trail Blazers, led by Deni Avdija, dispatched Phoenix with relative ease, putting the Suns in a position no team wants to find itself in. They were suddenly at risk of becoming the first seventh seed to miss the postseason entirely. Thankfully, Phoenix won its next game, earning a date with the Oklahoma City Thunder. We all know how that went.
But as this season has gotten underway, Portland has continued to build on the momentum it established a season ago, racing out to a 5-1 start. Meanwhile, the Suns find themselves on the opposite end of the spectrum at 1-4.
It’s a small sample size, of course. At any point during an NBA season, a team can go 1-4 over a five-game stretch, and while there might be some concern, you probably don’t think too much of it. But this is the foundation of the season. This is when we’re getting to know what a team looks like, what it’s capable of, what it does well, and where its opportunities for improvement lie.
When you look at the Portland Trail Blazers through that same lens, you see a roster constructed in a manner that makes sense, one capable of absorbing an injury or two without completely compromising its identity. That’s exactly what they’re dealing with. Ja Morant and Shaedon Sharpe are unavailable for this matchup, yet Portland possesses enough quality depth to remain competitive. Their absences don’t necessarily derail what they’re trying to accomplish.
The Suns, meanwhile, are experiencing something entirely different at the center position. Although Mark Williams is the only player listed as out on the injury report, his absence has created a ripple effect throughout the roster, one that becomes especially concerning when facing a team like Portland.
Perhaps Phoenix can use what happened in the season opener as motivation heading into Wednesday night. Nobody enjoys being embarrassed in the manner the Suns were, especially when the team responsible for that embarrassment is coming into your building. The question becomes: What are you going to do about it?
Tale of the Tape
Probable Starters
Injury Report
Suns
Mark Williams — OUT (Left Shoulder Surgery)
Jordan Goodwin — QUESTIONABLE (Right Calf Soreness)
The Suns’ backcourt continues to be a point of evaluation for both the organization and the fan base. Jalen Green had what appeared to be a solid performance in the Suns’ last outing, finishing with 11 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, and four turnovers. His playmaking abilities felt much more refined, although he certainly received some help from his friends, who were knocking down the shots he created for them.
The Suns’ backcourt continues to be a point of evaluation for both the organization and the fan base. Jalen Green had what appeared to be a solid performance in the Suns’ last outing, finishing with 11 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, and four turnovers. His playmaking abilities felt much more refined, although he certainly received some help from his friends, who were knocking down the shots he created for them.
Green finished the game with 11 potential assists, meaning his teammates failed to convert only three times when he put them in a position to score. That’s a 73% conversion rate, which is pretty remarkable. Prior to Monday’s game, his assist conversion rate was 48%.
But then you look at the other aspects of Green’s game, and you can’t help but wonder why he can’t seem to put everything together at the same time. He shot 1-of-6 from the free-throw line and 0-of-4 from beyond the arc, posting a true shooting percentage of 33.1%. Make a couple of those shots, and we’re potentially talking about a much different outcome against Golden State.
So once again, I’ll be watching how this backcourt performs, particularly whether Green can combine his improved playmaking with the scoring efficiency this team desperately needs.
I’ll also be paying close attention to how Phoenix defends Portland, because the last time these teams met, the Suns were utterly atrocious on that end of the floor. You can chalk some of that up to it being the season opener, with players still trying to understand their assignments, responsibilities, and positioning within the defensive scheme. But regardless of the circumstances, Phoenix surrendered far too many wide-open three-pointers.
And Damian Lillard was more than happy to oblige, connecting on 6-of-10 attempts from beyond the arc.
Trail Blazers Shot Chart vs. Suns: 10/21/26 | hoopsjunkie.io
Key to a Suns Win
It’s simple. This one comes down to rebounding. The Phoenix Suns are the worst rebounding team in the league by percentage, and they’re going up against the best in the Portland Trail Blazers.
Phoenix has struggled mightily on the glass, both offensively and defensively. This roster doesn’t have many players who can go up and simply snatch the shit out of the basketball. Instead, seemingly every rebound becomes an adventure in which poor positioning forces someone to tip the ball toward a teammate or desperately try to tap it back to themselves.
Meanwhile, Portland has long, rangy defenders who understand how to position themselves and secure rebounds, creating second-chance opportunities that can bury an opponent. It’s something the Trail Blazers did well last season, and they’re picking up right where they left off.
If the Suns want any chance of winning this game, they’re going to have to earn every rebound through focus, positioning, and our good old friend, “give a shit”.
Prediction
There’s nothing I’ve seen thus far this season that gives me confidence the Suns are going to win this game. They’ve been atrocious at defending the three-point line, their rebounding has been equally concerning, and those are two areas in which the Portland Trail Blazers have excelled early this season.
Perhaps this will be like last year, when everything came together in the fifth game. The defensive intensity started to manifest itself in a way that was both replicable and exciting to watch, giving us a glimpse of what this team could become.
I’d love to believe we’re on the verge of witnessing something similar. I simply don’t see it.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 24: Jack Suwinski #14 of the Oklahoma City Comets jogs around the bases after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning against the Sacramento River Cats at Sutter Health Park on July 24, 2026 in Sacramento, California (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Tampa Bay Rays made a slew of moves on Monday, November 2nd, as they added RHP Alexander Alberto and OF Jack Suwinski to the 40-man roster. The Rays also activated Jacob Melton, Ryan Pepiot, and Edwin Uceta from the 60-day Injured List; Jonathan Heasley was outrighted off the 40-man roster. Evan Reifert would have became a minor league free agent but he was traded to the Houston Astros for cash considerations and instead added to their 40-man roster. The Rays also resigned RHP Kodi Whitley to a minor league deal.
All of the moving and shaking leaves the Rays with 39 players on the 40-man roster.
Alberto, 25, has been in the Rays organization since signing as a teenager during the international signing period in 2019. Unfortunately, that meant that his professional debut was delayed due to the 2020 minor league season being cancelled for COVID. It took until 2021 for Alberto to make organizational debut in the DSL and the 6’8” hurler instantly showcased a plus arsenal but troubling command. Alberto’s command woes resulted him not reaching full season leagues until 2024.
Since then, his command has steadily improved while he dazzled with a fastball that touches triple digits. Last offseason, Alberto was eligible for the Rule 5 draft and the Chicago White Sox took a flyer but returned him back to the Rays before the end of camp. This past season, Alberto enjoyed the best year of his career as he dominated in Double-A and rose to Triple-A. However, the advanced hitters in Triple-A were able to signifcantly cut down Alberto’s K%. Overall, in 2026, Alberto had a 3.43 ERA | 3.80 FIP with a 28.6 K% & 9.9 BB% over 60.1 IP between Double-A and Triple-A. Alberto would have become a minor league free agent if the Rays didn’t add him to the 40-man roster.
Suwisnki, 28, has taken a very interesting route to the Rays 40-man roster this offseason. Originally drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 15th round of the 2016 draft, Suwisnki toiled away in the Friars system until being traded as one of three prospects to the Pittsburgh Pirates for infielder Adam Frazier at the 2021 deadline. Suwunski wasn’t the marquee prospect in the deal (that was Tucupita Marcano) but he quickly became the top player involved from either side.
The following year, Suwinski broke into the big leagues and accrued 1.1 fWAR over 106 games. In 2023, Suwinski had a career season as he belted 26 HR and hit .224/.339/.454, registering 112 wRC+ and accuring 2.6 fWAR. The wheels fell off in 2024, resulting in Suwinski losing his spot on the active roster. From 2024 through 2025, Suwinski hit .168/.271/.297 with 12 HR, registering a 58 wRC+ over 455 PA and accuring -1.8 fWAR. This past February, the Pirates designated Suwisnki for assignment and the Los Angeles Dodgers claimed him a week later.
Suwinski crushed the ball while in Triple-A for the Dodgers but never received a call to the big league roster, despite hitting .291/.386/.562 over 402 PA. Instead, the Tampa Bay Rays traded for him on August 3rd, in exchange for C Hunter Feduccia and promising pitching prospect Jacob Kmatz. During his time in Triple-A Durham, Suwisnki hit .231/.296/.300 over 143 PA.
Suwinski is eligible for arbitration so he’ll make more than the league minimum in 2027 if the Rays decide to tender him a contract; he is also out of options so he will have to make the Opening Day roster or be removed from the 40-man roster.
Next up for the Rays this offseason will be the November 17th deadline to add players to the 40-man roster from within the organization to protect them from the Rule-5 draft.
CHARLOTTE, NC - OCTOBER 31: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers smiles against the Charlotte Hornets on October 31, 2026 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Happy Birthday to Tyrese Maxey, who turns 26 years old today.
Between the Jaylen Brown trade and LeBron James signing for a minimum deal this offseason, it became easy to overlook just how important Maxey is to the Philadelphia 76ers franchise. The first eight games of the regular season have fixed that issue, with Tyrese exploding for 29.1 points per game on 50.3 percent shooting from the field, while also averaging 4.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.9 blocks. Maxey is even shooting well below career numbers from behind the arc over this small sample, so we could very well be looking at him averaging over 30 points per game this season. With the Sixers currently sitting with a 7-1 record, Tyrese is rightfully getting some early MVP conversation buzz. As Jaylen Brown said yesterday, this is Maxey’s team.
Jaylen Brown: "Maxey's been leading the way, 100 percent. He's been here, this is his team." pic.twitter.com/42uACLCWks
We often neglect to account for how improbable Maxey reaching this point truly is within the bigger picture. He slipped to 21st overall in the 2020 NBA draft; players taken outside the lottery rarely reach All-NBA levels. Shooting was regarded as a weakness in his game and Tyrese has worked to become one of the absolute best shooters in the world. Maxey is a 6-foot-2 guard who was viewed as a defensive liability, and has now progressed to being a genuinely positively impactful player on that end of the court. The one percent better every day mantra could just be cute slogan for 99.9 percent of the population; for Maxey, he actually goes out and achieves it.
Maxey is already the career three-point field goals leader in Sixer franchise history (936 and counting). He currently sits 12th in franchise history on the scoring list, and barring injury, he’ll be at least 10th at the end of the season. At his current trajectory, it would only take about six more seasons of similar play following this one for Tyrese to become the franchise’s all-time leading scorer. We could very well be in the middle of watching the most prolific Sixers career ever.
Looking back, it’s fair to argue Maxey saved this franchise from bottoming out for at least the next half decade. Without him around, the locker room may very well have imploded during the rough patch of recent years. Maybe the front office decides to do the full reset and strip things down to the studs. Mike Gansey likely doesn’t think it’s worth giving up future draft capital to acquire Jaylen Brown. LeBron James certainly doesn’t sign here without Maxey’s presence. It’s a dark sliding doors world where Mike Muscala doesn’t hit that shot and Tyrese Maxey doesn’t end up a Sixer. Happy Birthday, Tyrese! We are very, very glad to have you.
After missing the first two weeks of the season with a hamstring injury, Kon Knueppel has been upgraded to probable ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Nets. Hamstring injuries can be weird, so continue to keep tabs on Knueppel over the next few weeks, but his return should help Charlotte get on track.
So far this season, the Hornets are first in the league in three-point attempts per game (44.4), second to last in three-point percentage (29.6%) and last in points per game (97.4). The Nets are second to last in points per game at 105.4, so 8.2 points more than the Hornets. The Grizzlies are first in scoring at 123.0 points per game.
Basically, the Hornets are shooting a ton of threes, they’re not going in, and they’re not scoring much. Knueppel’s return should help them right the ship. That should push Sion James back to the bench, and it will likely result in Grayson Allen playing a smaller role. Allen has been one of the best reserves in the league early on, so he isn’t worth dropping yet. Keep an eye on how the rotation plays out over the next few games, especially as they get Knueppel up to speed. Coby White made his season debut on Monday and only played 16 minutes, so they may ease Knueppel into the rotation.
Here are 10 more injury updates that could impact your fantasy league:
Chet Holmgren, C, Oklahoma City Thunder
This is the big one. The news has been out for a while, but we still need to talk about it. Holmgren is set to be out until 2027 due to a knee issue. With Jalen Williams (leg) and Cason Wallace (shoulder) both set to be out for a long time, having Holmgren sidelined as well will leave them incredibly shorthanded. Not many teams have enough depth to make up for those absences, but the Thunder do. Not enough to remain high-level contenders, but they should still be competitive.
Isaiah Hartenstein is more important than ever, though Aday Mara and Jaylin Williams should see boosts as well. Williams started in OKC’s last game, though Mara is the better option for fantasy managers and should be seen as the priority pickup. The rookie has been strong on the glass and as a shot blocker as of late.
Dejounte Murray, G, New Orleans Pelicans
Murray missed the Pelicans’ last three games due to personal reasons, which led many to speculate about a possible trade. The first was due to the birth of his son, but he was in the building for the second absence, which was strange. He returned home for the third absence to help care for his son, and he is off the injury report ahead of Wednesday’s matchup with the Jazz.
At least for now, we can put the trade machines down. Jeremiah Fears struggled with his shot on Monday, but the three games without Dejounte were his three best outings of the season. It could be seen as a sort of tryout to see if Fears could run the show, which also fueled trade speculation for Murray. For now, Murray will be back in the lineup, which will likely hinder Fears' value. However, there is a path to strong production in the future for Fears.
The strong drives from Jeremiah Fears continue. Has improved at reading the defense in pick and roll. Brings the ball up slow, sees the high screen. Defense goes under and *then* he changes speeds to turn the corner and finish. pic.twitter.com/v5XTmz3RBq
It was announced last week that Morant would miss four weeks with a hamstring injury, putting his return around the end of November. It’s unfortunate news, given how well Morant had been playing for a Portland team that is now 5-1.
In his absence, Scoot Henderson has slid into the starting lineup, with Jrue Holiday playing a more significant role off the bench. Scoot has struggled despite the larger role, and while it’s still a good opportunity for him to improve his long-term outlook, Holiday is the better option for fantasy managers. He had 17 points, eight rebounds, 10 assists, one steal, one block and three triples in Monday’s win over Denver.
Cameron Johnson, F, Denver Nuggets
We have some good news here. Johnson exited early from Monday’s game against the Trail Blazers, and it looked like it could be a hamstring injury. However, they have him listed as probable to play on Wednesday due to “lower body injury management.” It’s a strange designation that doesn’t tell us much, but the positive part is the probable tag. Keep an eye on this situation, but he isn’t expected to miss any time.
Kawhi Leonard, F, Toronto Raptors
Toronto announced on Tuesday that Leonard underwent treatment to address the swelling in his left knee, and that he would return to Toronto to begin ramping back up. He is set to be re-evaluated next week. That doesn’t provide much clarity, but it is a positive update.
Hopefully, Leonard will return soon, but until then, Ja’Kobe Walter will continue to start. Walter’s tenure as a starter began well, though he has cooled off recently. He should be rostered until Leonard returns, and he still may hold value beyond that. Walter has been effective on both ends of the ball and continues to be one of the team’s best shooters.
Egor Dëmin, G, Brooklyn Nets
The Nets announced last Friday that Dëmin has a bone bruise in his left knee and is set to be re-evaluated later this week. Chaney Johnson has filled in as a starter, and while he has been solid, he hasn’t done much for fantasy managers. Nolan Traore has been the one to step up with Dëmin sidelined, and the second-year guard has taken advantage of the opportunity. Traore is an intriguing add, and he should continue to start even after Dëmin returns.
Watson missed Monday’s game against the Thunder with a hamstring injury and is set to remain out in Wednesday’s rematch. Meleek Thomas got the starting nod in place of Watson, with Mario Hezonja and Sam Merrill joining Thomas in playing 26 minutes. All three should continue to see a boost until Watson or Jaylon Tyson returns. However, Thomas should be the priority waiver wire add, assuming he continues to start. He has been impressive this season, especially for a second-round pick on a playoff team.
Jaylon Tyson, F, Cleveland Cavaliers
Tyson is set to miss a third straight game with an ankle injury on Wednesday. He would have had the opportunity to start with Watson sidelined, but that role has been passed to Thomas. There isn’t much clarity as to when Watson or Tyson will return to the lineup, but they will both remain out against OKC on Wednesday. They play the 76ers on Friday, which would be the next time either Watson or Tyson can play.
Brandon Ingram, F, LA Clippers
The Clippers assigned Ingram (heel), Yanic Konan Niederhäuser (foot) and Max Strus (foot) to the G League on Sunday to continue their recovery processes and recalled all three on Monday. Strus ended up making his season debut on Monday, while BI and YKN remained out. There isn’t a specific timeline as to when Ingram could play again, but this is a positive step for him. Hopefully it won’t be much longer.
Adou Thiero, F, Los Angeles Lakers
On Monday, head coach JJ Redick said Thiero is “ramping up” and could make his season debut before the end of the week. Thiero didn’t play much during his rookie year, but he was productive during summer league and played a decent role during the preseason. Keep an eye on how he fits into the rotation when he’s healthy. He can be a source of steals.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 13: Manager A.J. Ellis of the San Diego Padres during the Spring Breakout Game against the Athletics prospects at Peoria Sports Complex on March 13, 2025 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
According to Will Sammon at The Athletic, sources are reporting that the Mets are hiring A.J. Ellis as their major-league strategy coordinator. Ellis is coming from the San Diego Padres, where he had been a special assistant in the front office since 2019.
Ellis was a big-league catcher for eleven years, starting in 2008 with the Dodgers. He was Clayton Kershaw’s batterymate of choice for many years. He was traded to the Phillies in 2016, and played for the Marlins and Padres before retiring after the 2018 season. He was a part of the Padres team in 2018, while current Mets manager Andy Green was their manager. Even before retiring, Ellis was known for mentoring younger players, earning the moniker “Dad.”
In hiring Ellis and promoting Mariano Duncan, the Mets will have filled two coaching positions on the major-league team. They have yet to make an announcement about a replacement for director of hitting Jeff Albert.
The Boston Red Sox are stuck. If you’re the type of person who is content finishing third within the division and being bounced by your arch rivals in just a handful of games in back-to-back seasons, you might disagree. If you’re not an idiot, you know difficult decisions need to be made and that things need to change.
I’ve decided to task myself with analyzing which players can be part of the turnaround and which should be shown the door, all as a way to take the heat off chief baseball officer Craig Breslow. If you’re not down with that, I’ve got two words for ya: Problem or Solution?
The Red Sox undoubtedly went the cheap route by choosing not to extend themselves with Alex Bregman last offseason, which in turn forced them to get creative by shipping out Kyle Harrison, David Hamilton, and Shane Drohan for three infield options: wildly inconsistent utility man Andruw Monasterio, good-for-the-clubhouse-but-not-the-lineup utility man Anthony Seigler, and Gold Glove third baseman Caleb Durbin.
It’s not quite as simple as we’re making it sound, though.
Durbin was genuinely horrific early on in 2026. And while the numbers certainly swung back in his direction, the monthly breakdown raises questions of whether he should be the full-time third baseman moving forward or just another stop-gap in the sudden revolving door at the position:
I’ve been on rollercoasters with less peaks and valleys than that, so what is real and what still needs to be learned?
WHAT WE KNOW Boston doesn’t really have any options if it does want to move on…
Durbin is under contract through 2031, having just wrapped up his second season while being scheduled to make extremely short money for the next few seasons — making him one of the better values on the roster considering money is still owed to the likes of Trevor Story (through 2027), Masataka Yoshida (through 2027), Kristian Campbell (through 2032).
Durbin has also produced back-to-back seasons with an OPS+ of 101 — technically making him a top-12 third basemen in Major League Baseball. Eugenio Suárez, Alec Bohm, and Yoán Moncada are the biggest names on the free agent market but didn’t come close to having the same level of two-way production (at that price) last season. Si-Hwan Roh and Teruaki Sato are international free agents, but adding them to the roster would come with the risk of getting more expensive without any proven production.
It’s probably easier to stick to what you know, you know?
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW Roh, 26, comes over with a similar power-first, high-strikeout, poor-defense approach to that of last season’s prized international free agent — Chicago White Sox third baseman Munetaka Murakami.
Sato, 28, is extremely interesting as he’s coming off an MVP season for the NPB’s Hanshin Tigers.
If those are the best bats available prior to the lockout, perhaps they could be added and some roster shuffling could take place. If those are risks that the organization is unwilling to take, perhaps they address other needs while kicking the can down the road.
BEST-CASE SCENARIO
The Red Sox are going to stick with our guy here, so the best-case scenario is that he continues to develop and finds some consistency in a season where he’s fully healthy.
WORST-CASE SCENARIO Durbin’s pinky explodes four more times and he’s just a warm body at the plate.
CONCLUSION I find myself genuinely excited about a fully healthy season out of Durbin.
BC Partners reportedly walk away after player exodus
LIV expected to appear at bankruptcy hearing on Thursday
The rebel LIV Golf tour’s attempt to relaunch itself after filing for bankruptcy has collapsed following the withdrawal of new lead investor BC Partners, according to reports on Wednesday.
The private capital firm made the decision to walk away after struggling to convince several star players to fully commit to the league going forward, the Financial Times and the Athletic reported, citing anonymous sources.
