SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 7: Luis Campusano #12 of the San Diego Padres swings and hits the ball in the fourth inning during Game Four of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park on October 7, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to our series grading every member of the San Diego Padres’ 40-man roster. The roster being evaluated is current as of Oct. 18, prior to the end of the World Series. Because of that, it will include players who will be free agents once the postseason concludes. Each player will be graded on their performance in the 2026 season, including the playoffs. That performance will be weighted based on how much time the player spent with the team (availability is the best ability).
The Breakout Backstop
Regardless of his lack of total work this season, Luis Campusano truly broke out this season. Much of that is due to manager Craig Stammen placing his faith in the 28-year-old to back up Freddy Fermin. Eventually, Campusano seemed to actually win the starting catcher job once Fermin’s bat proved anemic. Still, Campusano looked phenomenal behind the dish. It’s a wonder why former manager Mike Shildt ever kept him out of the lineup in 2024-25.
Overall Grade: B+
In 71 games, Campusano hit .265/.363/.433 with a .796 OPS. He hit eight home runs, 20 extra-base hits and 30 RBI. All-in-all, he ended the season with a 122 OPS+ (22 points above league-average hitters). It was by far the most successful season of his career. The only other year when Campusano had more than 200 at-bats came in 2024. He posted -0.7 WAR that season compared to 1.7 WAR in 2026.
His defense also improved. Compared to that 2024 season, his Throwing Value went up from -3 to +3 while his Blocking Value increased from -3 to 0. Framing has continued to be a less valuable facet of Campusano’s game (-4 Framing Value), however with the advent of ABS challenges, framing as an art has dwindled in the game. That said, his ABS challenges haven’t been particularly great (-2 value).
Campusano missed significant time with a fractured toe after fouling a pitch off his foot. He left the team in the first week of May and didn’t return until early July. Still, he helped win the Padres some games in that time. He hit two walk-offs late in the season that won the Friars significant games. If Campusano can build on that in 2027, it’ll be a major improvement for San Diego’s historically subpar catching tandem.
The Knicks have dazzling, diamond-encrusted championship rings to match their historic title.
Ahead of Tuesday night’s regular-season opener against LeBron James and the 76ers, the Knicks celebrated their first championship in 53 years with a banner-raising ceremony. They also distributed the gaudy jewelry that was created by renowned luxury jeweler Jason of Beverly Hills along with input from Knicks leadership.
The 22-carat ring made up of just under 800 diamonds and blue sapphires set in white gold features a first-of-its-kind feature: a mechanism that includes raising a miniature recreation of Madison Square Garden’s exterior with a turn of the ring.
The underside of the removable part of the ring recreates the Garden’s ceiling, while the top showcases the arena’s lower bowl.
All the details on the Knicks NBA championship rings.
“The ring was designed to capture the team’s identity and the defining moments of its title run,” Jason Arasheben, founder and CEO of Jason of Beverly Hills, told Page Six Style exclusively. “What makes this ring unique from others I’ve created is how every detail — from the combination of round brilliant and emerald-cut diamonds with radially set blue sapphires to the individual player tributes and championship milestones — tells a story that is distinctly New York Knicks.”
New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado, center, looks at his 2025-26 World Champions ring. AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
Numbers of the entire team wrap around the ring top. Each player’s specific ring includes their last name above their number in diamond.
A .16-carat round diamond signifies the team’s 16-point comeback in the clinching Game 5.
There are 16 emerald-cut diamonds that line the inner part of the ring for every playoff victory.
All the details on the Knicks NBA championship rings. Courtesy of Jason of Beverly HillsAll the details on the Knicks NBA championship rings. Courtesy of Jason of Beverly Hills
The shank of the ring is engraved with the phrase “Knicks in Five,” for their NBA Finals victory over the favored Spurs.
Scott Wedgewood has done everything in his power to keep the Avalanche in the game, but Colorado’s defensive breakdowns and lack of offensive production have left it chasing New Jersey through 40 minutes.
Gabe Landeskog’s first-period equalizer briefly erased an early deficit, but an unfortunate own goal from Brock Nelson put the Devils back in front, leaving the Avalanche trailing 2-1 while being outshot 32-13 heading into the third period.
First Period
The Avalanche were outplayed, outshot and on their heels for much of the opening period, but Gabe Landeskog ensured they had something to show for it on the scoreboard. Despite surrendering 14 shots and managing just four of their own, Colorado escaped the first 20 minutes tied 1-1 with the New Jersey Devils, thanks to Landeskog’s late equalizer.
The defensive issues that plagued Colorado against the Flyers carried over into its matchup with the Devils. New Jersey came out flying, recording seven shots on goal in the opening five minutes while the Avalanche failed to register a single shot of their own.
Nathan MacKinnon endured a difficult start as well, getting knocked to the ice in his own defensive zone by Devils forward Dawson Mercer while away from the puck. Despite what appeared to be a clear interference penalty, no call was made.
New Jersey broke the deadlock at 6:40, capitalizing on a defensive miscue by Colorado. MacKinnon was unable to corral a loose puck in the defensive zone, allowing the Devils to regain possession. The puck eventually found Luke Evangelista, who fired it past Scott Wedgewood to give New Jersey an early 1-0 lead.
Landeskog responded with 5:28 remaining in the period, bringing the Avalanche back even. Cale Makar shook off a defender before slipping a backhanded pass to Landeskog at the top of the right circle. Landeskog fired on goal and buried his own rebound to tie the game at 1-1.
Colorado’s defensive struggles continued late in the frame when Artturi Lehkonen was called for delay of game after shooting the puck over the glass with 1:38 remaining. The Devils immediately pressured the Avalanche net, crashing the crease and forcing Wedgewood to come up with several difficult stops to keep the game tied.
After 20 minutes, the score remained 1-1, but the shots on goal told a different story. New Jersey held a commanding 14-4 advantage, leaving Colorado with plenty to clean up heading into the second period.
Second Period
The second period brought more of the same, with Colorado struggling to generate offense as New Jersey continued to dictate the pace and pile up scoring chances.
Seven minutes into the period, the Devils held an 8-1 advantage in shots on goal, keeping Wedgewood under relentless pressure. The Avalanche netminder stood tall, turning aside one shot after another to prevent New Jersey from extending its lead.
As the period approached its midpoint, Parker Kelly provided a rare spark for Colorado. Coming off the bench, Kelly drove hard to the net and attempted to slip a puck past Devils goaltender Jake Allen with one hand, but Allen turned him away.
New Jersey eventually regained the lead with 7:29 remaining in the period, though the goal came on an unfortunate bounce for Colorado. Declan Chisholm unleashed a slap shot from the point that deflected off Brock Nelson and into the Avalanche net, giving the Devils a 2-1 advantage.
Colorado struggled to mount a meaningful response as the period wound down, leaving Wedgewood with little margin for error despite his strong performance between the pipes.
After 40 minutes, New Jersey held a 2-1 lead and a staggering 32-13 advantage in shots on goal. Wedgewood has kept the Avalanche within striking distance, but Colorado will need a much stronger third period offensively and a significant improvement defensively to avoid letting this one slip away.
Third Period
The Avalanche came out with more life to start the third, generating a flurry of chances. Martin Necas tested Jake Allen with a backhand before setting up a one-timer that led to a rebound opportunity for Nathan MacKinnon. Cale Makar even dove into the crease trying to jam the loose puck home, but Colorado couldn’t find the finish.
That brief burst of hope was cute while it lasted. Arseny Gritsyuk then picked MacKinnon’s pocket, skated past Necas, shrugged off Devon Toews, and buried a backhand past Scott Wedgewood to make it 3-1. A defensive disaster from start to finish, and another reminder that New Jersey had no intention of letting Colorado back into the game.
The Avalanche finally earned their first power play of the night with 11:17 remaining after Evan Rodrigues was called for hooking Gabriel Landeskog, giving Colorado a chance to claw its way back into the game.
The Lakers entered this week in a similar situation they were in last year.
They’re opening the regular season against one of their in-state rivals, the Warriors, after a pair of preseason matchups earlier in October.
But because of the nature of preseason NBA basketball, they couldn’t lean too much on the game film in preparation for Wedneday’s opener at Crypto.com Arena.
Austin Reaves had his best game of the preseason against the Warriors. Getty Images
The Lakers were without a significant chunk of their rotation in the first exhibition against the Warriors on Oct. 6 in San Francisco, with Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler among the several players who didn’t suit up for the matchup at Chase Center during the first week of preseason.
One week later, Kessler made his preseason debut and Reaves scored a preseason-high 28 points in Las Vegas, but the Warriors were without Draymond Green, Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis.
And star guard Steph Curry only played 23 minutes, with Kessler only playing in the first half and Reaves also only playing through a chunk of the third quarter.
So the game tape from those matchups don’t provide too much insight into what to expect Wednesday.
“We’ll do a normal scout,” coach JJ Redick said of his team’s regular season opener. “There’s segments of the game where they’re playing their rotation guys, [we’re] playing our rotation guys, where you can look and glean some stuff from that. And we will. Obviously you look at how they have played historically and what they’ve been good at. So there’ll be a combination of the two.”
Lakers guard Luka Doncic didn’t play in either of the preseason games against the Warriors. Getty Images
Historically, the Warriors are a known commodity even as they become a “fading dynasty”, as Steve Kerr put it last Decemeber.
Their post-split actions will continue to confuse defenses.
Green will quarterback the defense.
And Curry’s historical 3-point shooting will bend the court in ways no other player in NBA history can.
But they’re no longer the juggernaut they once were.
Walker Kessler made his preseason debut against the Warriors. Getty Images
What the Warriors are though is a team that forces teams into mistakes.
The Lakers learned this the hard way in both preseason matchups, including turning the ball over 30 times in the second exhibition last week.
While that was an extreme example, the Warriors have been top-five in defensive turnover percentage in each of the last two seasons.
Making a point of emphasis from the Lakers’ preseason even more important for them in order to open the regular season with a victory.
What the Lakers also learned from playing against the Warriors is that they can be an even better defensive team that expected.
It was a general takeaway from preseason.
“From early in September, and even kind of early training camp-ish, maybe before we played our first game, I thought we could potentially be like around an average defense,” Redick said. “Our standards for that have elevated, and we talked to the group about that. We have the chance to be a good defense. And there’s certain things that we really want to get better at from the preseason.
“The areas of focus for us, transition defense, defensive rebounding, we weren’t good. So if we get better at that, we’ll have a chance to be a pretty good defense, and that’s exciting.”
IFR chair David Kogan insists regulator has power to act
City have appealed against Premier League’s charges
The Independent Football Regulator (IFR) will have “absolute power” to force Manchester City’s owners to sell if they are ultimately found to have run the club improperly, the watchdog’s chair has said.
Manchester City have been found guilty of circumventing Premier League rules by an independent commission, which found they set up “sham” commercial arrangements to inflate revenues or reduce costs by over £900m over a nine-season period.
Feb 23, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shake hands after the game at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
The moment that months of speculation has led to is here.
The Minnesota Timberwolves travel to South Beach to take on the new look Miami Heat in what will kick off each team’s regular season. Two teams that made massive moves to overhaul their rosters step into the spotlight for the ESPN’s first nationally televised game of the season.
Everyone has had way to much time to overanalyze this game and how each team might attack the others weaknesses, so now it’s finally time to get a look at what they can actually do. There were constant rumors of Anthony Edwards and Giannis Antetokounmpo teaming up earlier this calendar year, but instead they’ll face off to kick off their 2026-27 seasons.
When the Timberwolves opted to deal Naz Reid and Julius Randle in the offseason to obtain LaMelo Ball, they made an active choice that they were going to shift towards a more guard-heavy, perimeter-oriented team. Conversely, when the Miami Heat chose to deal a bevy of players and picks to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo, they were aspiring towards a bruising interior presence that would beat other teams down in the paint.
Tracking how each team went about their splashy offseason moves could not have been more different, and yet they are all too similar. Miami and Minnesota both chose to pair their current star with another at a neighboring position – Bam Adebayo with Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Anthony Edwards with LaMelo Ball. The fallout of these decisions should be none more apparent than when they are pitted against each other.
This clashing of styles will show up in the matchup. The Wolves are trying to shoot more threes and give more space for Anthony Edwards and others to operate. Something to watch for will be the three-point discrepancy between the two teams. When the backcourt can shoot like Ant and LaMelo do, not to mention the rim defense that the Heat are expected to boast, it won’t be surprising if Minnesota attacks Miami with their perimeter shooting.
The Heat will be looking to do the opposite when trying to take it at Rudy Gobert and young Joan Beringer to get their points on the offensive end. This all coalesces in a fascinating mismatch where both teams have things they can exploit.
Stopping the bigs
Heading into game one, the defense seems to be the end of the floor that has more questions than the offense. The spacing and shooting should carry them on offense as they find their footing in sets and rhythm, but finding the best way to play defense when it has been drastically changed from the last two years will be something to keep an eye on. It’s easier to play offense when you have the personnel they do, but defense takes much more of an attention to detail to be able to play the right way. Especially when you have Rudy Gobert.
This should be a great test for the Timberwolves right off the bat. They are playing arguably the best frontcourt in the NBA while having the least amount of size in their own in years. Being able to guard both Giannis and Bam is a different beast compared to most other teams. Minnesota will most likely opt to put Rudy on Bam, and have Kuminga shadow Antetokounmpo with Rudy helping near the rim.
This strategy has worked for them in the past when facing dominant bigs, but we will see if they are able to effectively do it when there are two skilled bigs. Adebayo’s ability to make threes off of Giannis drives will also determine if Minnesota will need to pivot to a different strategy. Not to mention when the reserves get into the game and Beringer, still a teenager, has to matchup against one of them.
Chris Finch on Joan Beringer via @PAOnTheMic 9 to Noon show:
“It might be a 14 minute night, if he’s playing well we might push it to 20-24 minutes to give Rudy a break when needed. It’s all about staying out of foul trouble. He goes after everything which is a great trait but… pic.twitter.com/g3bBiDiFL3
During opening night, there is usually a lot more leeway for going deeper into the bench. Coaches want to get a look at different lineups and don’t want to be too rigid early on in the season. Head coach Chris Finch has historically had a shorter bench (at least in recent years), but is also willing to try out different players and lineups early in the season.
Something to keep an eye on will be how deep the Wolves will actually go into their bench, as well as what the minutes distribution is for said players. Though little can be taken from preseason, it was of note that in the final game against the Bulls, Bones Hyland stayed back in Minnesota while TJ Shannon traveled to play in the “split team” game. With those two players vastly differing in skillsets, it is something to monitor.
Trey Lyles could also be someone to watch for on Wednesday. He is at the fringes of the rotation, but could see some more minutes in this particular matchup because of the Heat’s frontcourt. If Beringer struggles with fouls or being overwhelmed by the more seasoned stars, it could be a chance for Lyles to come in as another big who can help to mitigate the size deficit with his spacing.
Blake Griffin shares a story about the moment he received a t-shirt.
In 2017, the Los Angeles Clippers gave Blake Griffin a five-year, $173-million contract that they said would make him a “Clipper for life.”
When he signed the contract, employees of the team were wearing a controversial shirt that read “Pioneers,” featuring Griffin alongside notable historical figures such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln, and more.
Clippers employees wore T-shirt after Blake Griffin's FA meeting likening him to MLK, Obama, Ali, JFK, Lincoln, Gandhi, MJ,Einstein,Mandela. pic.twitter.com/BZtXqhdrWr
Fast forward nine years later, Griffin appeared on “Pablo Torre Finds Out” and talked about how that moment still haunts him to this day.
Before Amazon kicked off it’s inaugural season covering the NBA on Prime Video last season, Vice President of Global Live Production, Jared Stacy, held a team meeting with the streaming service’s broadcast and production team and told everyone that they are all “Pioneers.”
Including Griffin, whom he reminded had been a “Pioneer” before.
In their pitch to make Blake Griffin a "Clipper for life," team staffers wore a Blake Griffin-themed "Pioneers" shirt, featuring Griffin alongside Barack Obama, Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Einstein, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, JFK, Muhammad Ali and Michael Jackson. pic.twitter.com/zKgKKBVIT4
Blake Griffin is set to work in his second season as an NBA analyst on Amazon Prime Video. Getty Images for Prime Video
“He does this whole speech about, you know, ‘We are pioneers, and I really have to single out one guy.’ And he says, ‘Blake, this isn’t his first foray into being a Pioneer,’ and I’m like, ‘Oh no,'” Griffin said. “He brings up the shirt. Found the shirts and bought everybody on the Prime team a Pioneer shirt.”
When he received the first copy of the shirt, Griffin said he ended up losing it and also didn’t realize who was on it at first.
“Literally on the way home it had exploded on Twitter, and I was like, ‘Is that Martin Luther King? Is that Gandhi? Oh my God,'” Griffin said.
During the interview, Torre asked Griffin if he had remembered all the faces on the shirt.
The former six-time All-Star started off strong, but couldn’t complete the entirety of the list as he forgot Nelson Mandela and Michael Jackson were featured in the image.
“I’ve tried to block the shirt out of my memory,” Griffin said while laughing about it.
Blake Griffin is set to work his second season as an NBA analyst on NBA on Prime Video. Getty Images for Prime VideoBlake Griffin shares a hilarious story over his viral Clippers “Pioneers” shirt. Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency / SplashNews.com
While the Los Angeles Clippers promised Griffin that day he would be a “Clipper for life,” their word would be true for only a year and a half, as he was traded by the team to the Detroit Pistons in January 2018.
Griffin spent over three years with the Pistons, then finished his career playing for the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics.
Following the 2023 season, Griffin retired from basketball.
Now, Griffin is about to embark on his second year working in the NBA on Prime Video and is also about to begin his new show, “The Stepback with Blake Griffin.”
Put your shades on because these rings are dazzling!
The New York Knicks received their championship rings on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at Madison Square Garden ahead of their season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers. The arena was buzzing as Knicks and ABC play-by-play announcer Mike Breen led the ceremony to honor New York's first title in 53 years. Knicks superfan Ben Stiller was in the crowd filming the festivities on his phone.
The rings were crafted by Jason of Beverly Hills and feature the Knicks logo in orange gems on the ring face with a line of blue gems surrounding the entire base. The top of the ring opens up to reveal the inside of Madison Square Garden. The back of the band has "Knicks in Five" engraved on it, to commemorate that New York beat the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 in the NBA Finals. The inside of the band has the number "10 weeks" engraved in black, a call back to Knicks owner James Dolan rallying his team to make sacrifices for the length of the playoff run.
One of the sides of the ring says "World Champions" with the records for each of New York's series wins and the Larry O'Brien Trophy encrusted in diamonds. The other side has the player's name and number with a gold image of the outside of Madison Square Garden.
Jason of Beverly Hills is responsible for several recent championship rings across sports, including for the Carolina Hurricanes, Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles and the winner of the WBC Crown Series Undisputed Championship fight between Canelo Álvarez and Terence Crawford.
DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons erased a 22-point second-half deficit and used a 23-0 fourth-quarter run to defeat the Boston Celtics 121-113 Tuesday at Little Caesars Arena for their first win of the season.
Boston took its largest lead at 72-50 early in the third quarter before Detroit completely flipped the game, storming back behind its bench and a fourth-quarter surge.
Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren each scored 22 points for Detroit, with Cunningham adding eight assists and Duren grabbing nine rebounds. Duncan Robinson finished with 21 points and made five 3-pointers, while Ausar Thompson added 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Javonte Green provided perhaps the biggest spark. After not playing in the first half, Green scored 19 points off the bench and helped fuel Detroit’s comeback over the final two quarters.
Paul George scored a game-high 38 points in his Celtics debut, the most points ever scored by a Boston player in his first game with the team. Derrick White and Payton Pritchard added 17 points apiece.
Jayson Tatum finished with 13 points and 11 assists, but struggled from the field, shooting 6-for-23 and missing all seven of his 3-point attempts.
Neither team created much separation early. The game was tied at 13 midway through the opening quarter before Boston carried a 28-27 advantage into the second.
The Celtics began to take control late in the first half. After Detroit tied the game at 39, Boston used a 15-0 run as part of a 19-6 closing stretch to take a 58-45 lead into halftime.
Detroit shot 38.6% from the field and just 22.2% from beyond the arc in the first half, while Boston connected on 48% of its shots and 40% from 3.
George kept the Celtics rolling to begin the third quarter, hitting three 3-pointers in less than a minute as Boston built its 22-point lead.
That was when Detroit began to turn the game around.
The Pistons trimmed the deficit to 77-64 with 5:33 remaining in the third before a 16-4 run brought them within single digits for the first time since the second quarter. Green helped lead the charge as Detroit eventually pulled within three at 85-82.
Detroit outscored Boston 37-30 in the third and entered the fourth trailing just 88-82.
The Celtics appeared to regain control when they pushed their advantage back to 96-84 early in the fourth, but the Pistons responded again. Detroit pulled within 99-95 with 7:34 remaining before taking its first lead since the opening quarter.
Green hit the go-ahead 3-pointer, Duren followed with a three-point play and Robinson connected from deep as Detroit surged ahead 107-99.
The run eventually reached 23-0 as the Pistons turned what had been a double-digit deficit into their largest lead of the afternoon.
Boston finally ended the drought, but Detroit maintained control and pushed its lead to 114-105 with two minutes remaining. The Celtics made one final push to cut the margin to four, but the Pistons held on to complete the season-opening comeback.
Detroit travels to Miami on Friday, while Boston hosts the New York Knicks.
Before the Knicks could begin their 2026-27 campaign, they had one last bit of important championship business to take care of.
In front of a roaring home crowd cloaked in blue and orange, New York celebrated its historic NBA Finals run one last time ahead of its season opener against the Eastern Conference-rival Philadelphia 76ers, forever memorializing the effort in the Madison Square Garden rafters with a banner after each player received their glittery championship rings.
Ahead of the evening's festivities, the team also retroactively hung up a banner recognizing their 2025 NBA cup win against the San Antonio Spurs.
"I think it's just a recognition of what our journey was like last year," head coach Mike Brown said of the banners. "There were a lot of ups and down throughout the course of the year. Our guys rallied and figured out a way to win the NBA Cup, and then you go ahead and you win the ... Final. It's just a recognition [of] not just our guys, but the fans out there. We've got fantastic fans, and to be able to show a little love to them is pretty neat."
The Larry O’Brien trophy has arrived back to Madison Square Garden 🏆 https://t.co/nYnYhZNXtc
After receiving a lengthy round of "MVP" chants as he jogged onto the court to receive his ring, captain Jalen Brunson had a message for all the Knicks fans who waited 53 years for the title.
"As much as we won this, we wouldn't have done it without you guys. This is unbelievable. This is really a dream come true," he said. "I know that we're all excited to get the season going, and we're waiting to turn the page as a team, but one thing I would like to say is that the joy that this city had this summer — we would love to replicate that again."
Jalen Brunson gets his ring from Clyde Frazier https://t.co/pkc0hq95E8
Brown said that while he hopes his players can find an emotional balance between celebrating their previous accomplishments and working toward the new, he wanted them to experience the moment in full.
"Knock on wood, this could be a once-in-a-lifetime thing. You never know," Brown said. "You definitely want guys to embrace it and celebrate it with each other because they went through a lot, with the fans, with the rest of the organization, and with their families. You don't want to take that moment away from them."
But he also knows that one night — even if it ends up a rough one — shouldn't set the tone for the whole 82-game season.
"No matter what happens tonight ... there's a lot of basketball left. Whatever happens tonight is not going to define us," Brown said. "I would rather them enjoy the moment than me cutting it short or carving into their emotions."
The Clippers will make the play-in tournament:When a team has nothing to lose, things can suddenly start to click. Don’t be surprised if this team somehow surpasses our very low expectations this season.
DariusGarland will become an All-Star again in the next few years: Ty Lue is going to help bring the best out of Garland. The former point guard is going to pour himself into the franchise’s new point guard. That could get interesting.
Los Angeles Clippers guard Darius Garland drives to the basket as Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray defends during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. AP Photo/Kyusung Gong
FIVE GAMES TO WATCH
Oct. 23 at Lakers: The hallway rivalry is always interesting, though this season it shouldn’t be too competitive. That said, it’ll be fun to watch Hachimura play against his former team.
Nov. 1 at Warriors: The Warriors eliminated the Clippers in the play-in tournament last April. Can the Clippers avenge that loss?
Nov. 2 vs. Raptors: Leonard returns to Los Angeles to play against his former team. After everything the Clippers are going through, it’ll be interesting to see how the crowd reacts to their former superstar.
Los Angeles Clippers forward Rui Hachimura shoots over Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. AP Photo/Kyusung Gong
Dec. 31 at Cavaliers: Garland will face his former team in Cleveland. He spent his first seven years of his career with the Cavs. That’ll surely be an emotional game for him.
Jan. 9 vs. Celtics: The Clippers will host Paul George and the Celtics, another former franchise star who is now with another team.
The Post’s Forecast – 42-40
The Clippers will perform a little better than assumed, winning 42 games and making the play-in tournament before being eliminated from the playoffs. That would count as a major success for them this season.
Jayson Tatum drives to the basket Tuesday against the Pistons. | NBAE via Getty Images
Before Tuesday’s season-opening matchup with the Pistons, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters that he doesn’t believe we have seen the best version of Jayson Tatum yet.
Well, after a dreadful 6-for-23 shooting performance in a 121-113 loss, we still haven’t seen the best version of Tatum. But we did see a glimpse into what Mazzulla meant, at least conceptually.
Even when his shot is off, Tatum still leaves his imprint all over the game. He racked up 11 assists, organized the Celtics on both ends and took the right shots more often than not. Tatum draws so much attention that it leaves other guys, like Paul George, open for easy looks.
The reality is that Tatum’s poor shooting night – which included an 0-for-7 showing from 3-point range and a 1-of-10 performance in the second half – was a major reason why they lost the game. It might have even been the No. 1 reason in this particular instance, which isn’t true very often.
“I mean, it felt good,” Tatum told reporters, referring to his shot. “Definitely not one of my best nights, obviously. I just have to play better.”
This is a classic case where we all have to brush it aside and assume it’s an outlier, rather than the start of a trend. If it does become a trend, the Celtics may have a problem, but chances are it won’t. Give him a chance to get situated.
It will be fascinating to watch how Tatum handles his first season as the true undisputed alpha. As evidenced by George’s 38-point explosion, he still has a sidekick, but it’s Tatum’s team and the Celtics will go as far as he takes them.
Even with George’s brilliance, defenses can still key in on Tatum more now than they could when he played alongside Jaylen Brown. At this stage in his career, George is predominantly a shooter (and still an elite one, if Tuesday is any indication), but he doesn’t have the same explosiveness as Brown.
Defenses are able to guard George 1 on 1, then double Tatum when the time is right. It’s up to him to make the right read. He did more often than not, but he didn’t have a lot to show for it offensively. Tatum, as usual, took ownership and put the blame squarely on his shoulders.
“There’s a lot of things I could learn from today and just be better for next time,” Tatum told reporters.
You could tell it may not be Tatum’s night when he missed a bunny in the first quarter. It felt like if he had been feeling it, he could have already had 15 or so points through one. Instead, he looked rusty and his form looked clunky. The hitch in Tatum’s shot is still somewhat alarming, but no one cares as long as it goes in the hoop.
On nights when it doesn’t, you can’t help but wonder if he can thrive as clear-cut 1A on a contender post-injury. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but I firmly believe the answer is yes.
I believe this was simply a product of rust, Detroit’s smothering defense, acclimating alongside George and bad luck. Tatum could have played exactly the same and hit five more shots and we would be talking about his performance in a totally different light.
“Part of my role is scoring,” Tatum told reporters. “I felt really good about a lot of the looks.”
It’s hard to argue with that logic. Celtics fans should feel good about those looks, too. He’ll make them. Give him time.
There may be games like this one, and if they happen once every month or so, that’s OK. As long as he bounces back, that’s all fans can ask for. He’s done it throughout his career, and there’s no reason to think he won’t this time as well.
It may take time, but Mazzulla is right. We haven’t seen the best of Tatum yet.
The Utah Mammoth have called a player up from the AHL for the first time this season, and it’s one of their top defensive prospects.
On Tuesday, the team recalled Artem Duda from the Tucson Roadrunners. The defenseman has three points in six games with the Roadrunners this season. He is tied with Zac Jones for the team lead in points among defensemen. Duda is also a plus-six, the best plus-minus rating on the team.
This is Duda’s first-ever NHL call-up. He was originally drafted in the second round in 2022 by the Arizona Coyotes. Last season, Duda only played 27 games, producing 13 points before suffering a season-ending injury that resulted in knee surgery.
However, the defenseman worked hard over the summer to regain strength in his leg before having an impressive rookie camp and a very solid training camp. He was one of the final cuts, alongside Ben McCartney, as the Mammoth sent him down right before the season started.
Duda has mentioned that he has never felt better, and early results have shown that he’s not lying.
“I feel like I’m the strongest person I’ve ever been,” Duda said. “Everything is good. The knee is good. I’m skating and playing physically. I just have to keep going like that.”
The Mammoth are currently starting to deal with injuries. John Marino did not play in Monday’s game vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins, forcing Nick DeSimone to sub in his place. Michael Carcone was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday with an upper-body injury. The forward has not played since Oct. 8 in a game against the Boston Bruins.
It’s unclear if Duda will actually play in his first NHL game during this call-up. Last season, the Mammoth called up Maksymilian Szuber, Kevin Connauton, Scott Perunovich, Dmitri Simashev, and Maveric Lamoureux throughout the season. Only the latter two names appeared in games with the Mammoth.
Duda is also ineligible for waivers, meaning he doesn’t have to clear them to be returned to the Roadrunners, which could mean a quick return to the AHL if needed. It could be a reason why the Mammoth opted to call him up over someone like Jones, who has to clear waivers.
The Roadrunners will likely play their first two games without Duda this weekend as they travel to Nevada to play the Henderson Silver Knights. They have options to fill that void with Cal Thomas and Brandon Holt, both deserving of the opportunity to play.
The Mammoth will play their next game on Thursday as they travel to Climate Pledge Arena to take on the Seattle Kraken.
Much of the offseason discussion in Detroit centered on whether the Pistons had added enough shooting around Cade Cunningham. But Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff turned to a lesser-known returning player on Tuesday to provide an unlikely spark that kick-started Detroit after beginning its season opener 4 of 22 from beyond the arc.
Green had 19 points and played nearly 18 minutes in the second half after not playing during the first two quarters of the game. A veteran in his second season with the Pistons, Green drilled three consecutive 3-pointers shortly after entering in the third quarter before adding two more in the fourth, including the go-ahead basket.
Paul George
George set a new Celtics record by scoring 38 points in his Boston debut and was especially good as the Celtics built a 22-point lead that the Pistons eventually erased. The 36-year-old George, who came to Boston in the Jaylen Brown trade this offseason, made 10 of his first 14 shots from the field including six 3-pointers. He seemed to work well with Jayson Tatum and took on the defensive assignment of guarding Cade Cunningham at times. Though George missed a couple 3-pointers late as the Celtics tried to reverse the momentum, this performance was a good sign that he can form an elite combination with Tatum if he can stay healthy.
NBA opening day losers
Jayson Tatum
Tatum's evolution as a playmaker was evident Tuesday, as he finished with 11 assists. But Boston also needs him to be its primary scorer, particularly after trading Jaylen Brown, and he couldn't fill that role in the second half. His poor shooting performance contributed to the team's collapse. He was 1 for 9 from the floor after halftime and his lone field goal came with less than three minutes left and the Pistons' lead in double digits. Tatum was just 6 of 23 from the floor and 0 for 7 from 3-point range overall on Tuesday.
NBA on NBC's matinee rollout
The NBA is closely watching the audience response to its opening-day matinee experiment, but some fans encountered issues as Tuesday's opening game unfolded. Social media was filled with complaints from viewers who said Celtics-Pistons was unavailable in their market, with YouTube TV subscribers appearing particularly affected. The company wrote on its X account that "the availability of games/programs on YouTube TV depends on our network partners."
It will be interesting to see what the ratings turn out to be considering the NBA is evaluating this initial game to determine whether to continue having daytime openers in the future.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 5: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks looks on prior to the preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 5, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Knicks 120-97. 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 Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The WORLD CHAMPION Knicks (0-0) open their season tonight against the Philadelphia 76ers (0-0) at Madison Square Garden. They’ll hang the new banner (53 years in the making) and distribute rings before tip-off. As of this writing, no Knicks stars are on the injury report; the 76ers list several players out or questionable, but none of their top stars. Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe should all be ready and eager to take a swipe at the crown. The Knicks are favored by about five points as the healthy home team and defending champs.
Game time is at 7 p.m. EST on NBC. This is your game thread. This is Liberty Ballers. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Be excellent humans. And go Knicks!
