MACAO, CHINA - OCTOBER 8: Reed Sheppard #15 of the Houston Rockets dribbles during practice and media availability as part of 2026 NBA China Games on October 8, 2026 in Macao, China at Venetian Arena. 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 Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks
October 9th, 2026
Location: The Venetian Arena Macao, China
TV:NBA TV and Space City Home Network
Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790 / KLTN 102.9 (en español)
Probable Starting Lineups
Rockets: Fred Vanvleet, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun
Mavericks: Kyrie Irving, Max Christie, Cooper Flag, P.J. Washington Jr.Dereck Lively II
Finally, after a long offseason, NBA basketball is back! (Yes, I am aware it is preseason (LET ME HAVE THIS).
It will be exciting to see the new additions to the roster play, and the return of Fred Vanvleet and Steven Adams. It will also be exciting to see the return of Kyrie Irving, and how he fits in with Cooper Flag.
We will have the postgame recap for you after the game, so make sure to check back for the recap in case you don’t wish to watch basketball at 7 am.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 07: A general view between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fourth inning in game four of the National League Division Series at Truist Park on October 07, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves are heading into an important offseason after another NL East title ended with a disappointing postseason exit. While the team put together a 94 win season, there is still work to be done if Atlanta hopes to make a deeper playoff run in 2027. With plenty to evaluate from the past season, it’s time to look at what went right, what fell short, and what changes could help the Braves get back to the World Series.
MLB News:
Major League Baseball has proposed a shorter regular season and changes to the playoff format. The Players Association is working to review the proposals.
The ALDS is headed to Game 5 after Thursday’s matchup between the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox.
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 8: Jordan Walsh #27 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 8, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Celtics finished 5th in offensive rebounding rate last year at 31.8%, according to Cleaning the Glass. That number plummeted to 30.4% and 11th in the league in the playoffs, which played a part in why the Celtics lost to the 76ers in Round 1.
In their first preseason game on Thursday night, a 124-113 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Cs once again dominated the offensive glass. They had 21 offensive rebounds, grabbing 46.9% of their own misses in the game. It was another showing that the offensive glass is going to be a big advantage for Boston yet again this season.
They didn’t even have Mitchell Robinson in this game, who is the best offensive rebounder in the league last season. Robinson rebounded 21.2% of Knicks misses when he was on the court.
On Thursday, the charge was led by Luka Garza along with rookies Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell, who each had four offensive rebounds.
A lot of the Celtics offensive rebounds come from crashing on the wings. Guys like Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman and Hugo Gonzalez made a habit of it last year. I expect that to be a big part of the Celtics offensive rebounding approach this season as well.
The Celtics had a few rebounds like this in this game.
Luka Garza was also an animal on the offensive glass early in the game. He had three of his four offensive rebounds in the first five minutes of the game. Garza is a smart player who does get himself into good positioning on some of these opportunities but on others, like the play shown below, it is just pure effort from Garza to get the rebound.
It is really fun to see Garza make plays like this. He became a very good offensive rebounder in his first year as a Celtic and I am excited to see how he adds to it in Year Two in green. His effort always stands out, as seen by how much he sweats.
Nobody:
Luka Garza at any point in a basketball game: https://t.co/CENziId6RQ
The Celtics should be really good this year and the offensive glass is going to be a reason as why.
They’ll need it to carry over to the postseason this year if they want to make a deep playoff run and I think adding Robinson boosts the chances of that happening. The way they struggled creating second chance opportunities during the first round loss was slightly alarming. On Thursday though, we saw how much of a factor the offensive glass is going to be.
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 08: P.J. Washington #25, Anthony Davis #3, and Naji Marshall #13 of the Dallas Mavericks celebrate after winning against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on November 08, 2025 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Washington Wizards have spent the last few seasons doing exactly what a rebuilding team should do. They lost a ton of games, added young players, took swings in the draft, and waited for something that could actually change the franchise’s direction.
That finally happened.
Washington landed the No. 1 pick and used it on AJ Dybantsa, who I think has a chance to make the same kind of immediate impact Cooper Flagg had in Dallas last year. They also enter this season with Trae Young and Anthony Davis available after acquiring both last season, while Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George, Bub Carrington, and Will Riley give them one of the more interesting collections of young talent in the East. NBA.com specifically pointed to Washington’s mix of established veterans and young players as the reason this should finally be the year the win total starts moving upward.
Washington Wizards: Over/Under 35.5 wins
Over: -105 Under: -120 To win NBA Championship: +15000 To win Eastern Conference: +6500 To win Southeast Division: +1700
Last season: 17-65, 15th in the East
Key additions: AJ Dybantsa, Deandre Ayton, Tre Mann, Khris Middleton, Felix Okpara Key losses: Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell, Cam Whitmore
The case for the over
I love a lot about this Wizards team.
For the first time in years, the roster actually feels like it is starting to fit together instead of simply being a collection of young players waiting for the next draft.
Dybantsa is obviously the biggest reason why. Washington took him first overall after his one season at BYU, and I think he is ready to help immediately. He is 6-foot-9, can create his own shot, attack the rim, defend across positions, and play with or without the ball. He scored 27 points in his Summer League debut and followed that with 23 points, seven rebounds, three steals, and two blocks two games later before Washington shut him down.
I do not think this is a normal rookie who needs two or three years before he affects winning. I think he is that good.
The fit with Trae Young is also really interesting. Trae gives Washington something every young team needs: someone who can actually organize an offense. Dybantsa doesn’t have to become the full-time creator immediately; Sarr should get easier looks around the rim, and Washington’s young wings can spend more time attacking advantages instead of trying to manufacture everything themselves. The Wizards clearly believe in that pairing too, giving Young a four-year deal this summer.
Then there is Sarr.
He quietly averaged 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and two blocks last season, and I think another step from him makes this roster much more interesting. Add in Tre Johnson, Coulibaly, George, Carrington, and Washington, and you suddenly have real depth around your stars instead of just theoretical upside.
The wild card is Anthony Davis.
I will get to the fit concerns, because I have plenty, but a healthy Davis is still a really good basketball player. Even if he misses games, Washington is not asking him to be the entire team. That matters.
They won 17 games last season.
Getting to 36 would require a massive improvement, but this is also nothing close to the same roster. Trae played only five games for Washington last season, and Davis never played one after being acquired. Now they add Dybantsa on top of that.
I think the Wizards are too talented to stay in the teens or low 20s again.
If Dybantsa is as ready as I think he is, this could get interesting quickly.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 03: Manager Aaron Boone #17 of the New York Yankees speaks to the media prior to Game One of the American League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Saturday, October 3, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Ringer | Ben Glicksman: The Yankees have, famously, not beaten a team seeded higher than them in October under Aaron Boone’s leadership*. There are a number of structural problems with the organization, and it’s never entirely clear how much influence any manager has in MLB in 2026, but a case is starting to be made on the beat that it’s time to move on from Boonie. He still has a year on his contract, but any manager on a one-year deal should feel some shaky ground anyway.
*Save for a best-of-three 2020 Wild Card Series in Cleveland with no fans in attendance. Make of that what you will.
New York Daily News | Peter Sblendorio: Anthony Volpe nearly had the biggest moment of the Yankees’ playoff run, a home run that tied the decisive Game 3 at four runs apiece. Upon further review, that fourth run was taken back, and Volpe was sent to second base. It was at best a mercurial season for the former top prospect, who with Jazz Chisholm Jr. set to hit free agency now finds himself as a potential Opening Day starter at second base in 2027, even after losing the shortstop job. (Chisholm says he wants to stay, but at least right now, it seems like it won’t be a match.) On a roster with so many question marks for this winter, Tony Fox is one of the bigger ones.
New York Post | Dan Martin: Speaking of question marks, here’s a helpful list! The biggest cloud to clear is how many games the 2027 season features, as labor strife needs to be resolved before anything else starts to matter. The Yankees have to agree to new contracts with both Brian Cashman and Matt Blake, as well as QO decisions for Chisholm and David Bednar. That’s just the start of the to-do list for a very busy, very uncertain winter.
FanGraphs | Ben Clemens ($): We close with a little more pan-baseball news, as Clemens breaks down the optimal ways to deploy a starting rotation in October. The Chris Sale Wild Card decision loomed large at the time, and didn’t end up mattering in Atlanta’s NLDS loss to the Dodgers. FanGraphs has made their playoff coverage a subscriber-only feature, but it’s still a worthwhile read.
Anrich Nortje struck twice in three balls to put Australia in deep trouble as the tourists limped to 6/149 at tea on day of the first Test against South Africa in Durban. Live updates below!
Nashville Predators (2-1-1, in the Central Division) vs. Ottawa Senators (3-1, in the Atlantic Division)
Ottawa, Ontario; Saturday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Nashville Predators visit the Ottawa Senators after Adam Edstrom scored two goals in the Predators' 5-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens.
Ottawa went 44-27-11 overall and 23-14-6 in home games last season. The Senators allowed 3.0 goals per game while scoring 3.4 last season.
Nashville had a 38-34-10 record overall and a 17-17-7 record on the road last season. The Predators committed 309 total penalties last season, averaging 3.8 per game and serving 8.8 penalty minutes per game.
INJURIES: Senators: Artem Zub: out (knee), Jake Sanderson: day to day (lower-body), William Eklund: day to day (lower body), Cameron Crotty: day to day (illness), Andre Burakovsky: out (upper-body), Kurtis MacDermid: out (undisclosed).
Predators: Justus Annunen: out (undisclosed).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Carolina Hurricanes (3-1-1, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (1-4, in the Central Division)
Chicago; Saturday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Carolina Hurricanes aim to keep their three-game win streak alive when they visit the Chicago Blackhawks.
Chicago has a 1-4 record overall and a 1-0-0 record on its home ice. The Blackhawks are eighth in NHL play serving 11.0 penalty minutes per game.
Carolina is 3-1-1 overall and 2-0-0 on the road. The Hurricanes rank fifth in NHL play with 18 total goals (averaging 3.6 per game).
The matchup Saturday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams.
INJURIES: Blackhawks: Andrew Mangiapane: out (lower-body), Teuvo Teravainen: day to day (undisclosed), Ryan Ellis: out for season (back), Connor Bedard: out (shoulder).
Hurricanes: Seth Jarvis: out (shoulder).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Los Angeles Kings (0-2-1, in the Pacific Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (4-1, in the Pacific Division)
Paradise, Nevada; Saturday, 10 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights host the Los Angeles Kings after the Golden Knights took down the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 in a shootout.
Vegas had a 39-26-17 record overall while going 19-7-6 against opponents from the Pacific Division last season. The Golden Knights gave up 3.0 goals per game while scoring 3.2 last season.
Los Angeles has gone 0-2-1 overall with a 0-0-1 record in Pacific Division games. The Kings have given up 15 goals while scoring nine for a -6 scoring differential.
The teams meet Saturday for the first time this season.
INJURIES: Golden Knights: Raphael Lavoie: day to day (undisclosed), Ben Hemmerling: out (undisclosed), Lukas Cormier: out (undisclosed), Victor Olofsson: out (undisclosed), Kai Uchacz: out (undisclosed).
Kings: Jakub Dvorak: out (upper-body), Kevin Fiala: out (leg), Jan Jenik: out (undisclosed).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
As the Premier League returns, we dive into the signing who could boost United’s midfield – or confuse things further
Carlos Baleba cost Manchester United $88.7m (£65m) plus $6.8m (£5m) in add-ons when they signed him from Brighton in August. He may be worth even more now despite the fact that the Cameroonian has yet to debut for his new club. Many United fans are counting on Baleba to be a one-man solution to their early-season problems. No pressure.
An ankle injury kept Baleba on the sidelines as Michael Carrick’s side struggled against Everton, Manchester City and Fulham. The 22-year-old joined United just a few days after the opening-weekend defeat to Hull City, so he’d already had a preview of his new team’s troubles to come. The scale of Baleba’s task has grown since then.
The last three games that the Vegas Golden Knights have met the Toronto Maple Leafs have been must-see television. A lot has been made of the fact that the announced attendance for Thursday’s Golden Knights home game was nearly 1,400 tickets short of a sellout. It’s a shame, really, because the people who might’ve sat in those 1,390 unsold seats missed one heck of a hockey game.
Tonight’s matchup had everything you could ask for. Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill had an in-game redemption arc, allowing three goals on the first seven he faced before stopping the next 18. Former Maple Leaf Mitch Marner made a great play that led to the Golden Knights’ second goal of the game. Jack Eichel even converted on the honest-to-god penalty shot that he was awarded.
But that’s not all. There was also a thrilling full five minutes of overtime. And in the ensuing shootout, a young Golden Knight got his first taste of how great it can feel to play hero in an NHL game.
Of course, none of this would be the case if not for the Golden Knights’ first successful multi-goal comeback of the season.
This team knows how to take a punch, and although falling behind 3-0 just 8:37 into the first period is one hell of an uppercut, the Golden Knights are nothing if not resilient. They simply tightened things up, put their heads down, and began to chip away at Toronto’s lead.
“Obviously not the start we wanted to have,” said Mitch Marner following the 4-3 shootout win. “But like last year, we’re a resilient team. We stay with it. We have a lot of confidence in our game throughout 60 minutes, and I thought we did a great job of that.”
“I like that we picked each other up,” agreed head coach Ryan Craig. “I like that we stayed with it, individually and as a team. I don’t like going down 3-0, but there’s something to be said for how we stuck together.”
1. An Up-Hill Climb
Things didn’t look great for Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill when Jack Roslovic scored on the Maple Leafs’ first shot of the game just 34 seconds into the first period. The outlook didn’t look any better when Easton Cowan doubled Toronto’s lead on their fifth shot, and it looked pretty bleak when Nick Paul made it 3-0 on the Maple Leafs’ seventh shot.
After that, Hill looked pretty exceptional. He didn’t allow another goal and went all-out to stop the next 18 shots he faced.
“I loved everybody’s response, including Adin Hill’s,” said head coach Ryan Craig following the 4-3 win. “I thought as our team got better, Hilly got better. He made some big saves in the second period there as we were pushing, and then allowed us to get it to overtime and then the shootout.”
Hill also stopped four of the five shots he faced in the shootout en route to his second win of the season.
“Hiller’s so calm and confident in himself, regardless of what happens before,” said Mitch Marner. “You saw that tonight; he just stayed with it. We have a lot of trust in either of our goalies, and when we needed him, he made some big saves.”
2. The Kids Are Alright
Despite having a roster chock-full of some of the league’s best offensive talent, Golden Knights head coach Ryan Craig sent 23-year-old Braeden Bowman over the boards first in his first NHL shootout. Three shooters later, Craig deployed 20-year-old Trevor Connelly.
They were the only two Golden Knights to convert, with Connelly’s goal standing as the game-winner.
“Oh, it’s awesome. It’s super cool for us. I think he kind of knows our ins and outs from Henderson, so I think it was super cool for him to put us both out there,” said Connelly of the opportunity following the win. “It just kind of shows the confidence that the group and the coaching staff has in us. This is such a tight group, and we all have each other’s backs, and all have trust in each other.”
“I’m comfortable enough [putting Bowman and Connelly out in the shootout] when we have NHL games on the line,” said head coach Ryan Craig following the 4-3 win. “There’s a lot of trust in all of our players… We saw Bowman do it in the preseason, and Trevor as well. I’ve seen them do that at the American Hockey League level. And at that point, it’s a one-on-one with the goalie. I thought those guys did a real good job… Nice for those guys to contribute.”
3. The Mitch is Back
Despite what the box score might suggest, the Golden Knights’ second line of William Karlsson, Mitch Marner, and Brett Howden has been pretty dangerous offensively. In 38 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time, Howden-Karlsson-Marner have generated 1.9 expected goals while allowing only 1.2 expected goals against.
Up until now, however, they’ve struggled to capitalize on those scoring chances.
“I’m sure everyone just looks at the score sheet and thinks that because we’re not scoring or doing anything,” said Marner following Thursday’s 4-3 shootout win. “But I think our line has done a lot of good things in these games. We haven’t been rewarded for it. We were tonight, which is great, and hopefully it gets things going for us a little more.”
The second line struggled at the start of tonight’s game, as did most of the team, and were on the ice for the first two Maple Leafs goals. After that, they were off to the races, holding a 17-12 edge in shots and scoring Vegas’ second goal of the night.
“They scored a real big goal for us tonight off a nice rush entry,” said head coach Ryan Craig. “They’ve done a lot of good things through the first five games… The message to them is to stay with it. Everything gets magnified at the start of the year. When you look at the stat sheet, and you’re four games in, that’s what happens at this time of year. If this is January, and they’re going through something like that, we’re probably not talking about it or looking at it in the same way.
“My message to those guys is, you’re helping us win hockey games,” Craig finished. “Stay with it. Your time will come.”
Nic Maddinson’s remarkable return to Test cricket has begun with a rusty knock, with the Aussie opener dismissed for a 33-ball duck in the first Test against South Africa.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 08: Sandro Mamukelashvili #54 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after a three pointer against the Sacramento Kings during the third quarter in a preseason game at Crypto.com Arena on October 08, 2026 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. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — After popping out to the 3-point line following a ballscreen, Sandro Mamukelashvili caught the ball at the top of the key. As Kings center Maxime Raynaud ran to close out, the 6-foot-10 Mamukelashvili dribbled to the right, then put the ball between his legs before making a step back 3-pointer.
On the very next possession, Bronny James drove by his man and swung the ball to Mamukelashvili in the corner for another 3-pointer.
Cash.
The sequence breathed some much-needed life into the Crypto.com Arena crowd, and the Georgian center introduced himself to the Lakers faithful. He finished the night with 19 points, three rebounds and four assists off the bench on 7-of-10 shooting from the field, helping the Lakers to a 114-110 win over Sacramento on Thursday.
Mamukelashvili signed a four-year, $52 million deal this offseason and brings a unique skillset the Lakers haven’t quite had at his position for a while. He’s the ultimate connector. A forward, traditionally, capable of scaling up and down on defense and dribbling, passing and shooting on offense.
“I’m a basketball player,” Mamukelashvili said after Thursday’s win. “To be honest, wherever you put me, I’ll try to do my best.”
That’s exactly what he’s done. Through three preseason games, and with Walker Kessler yet to make his debut, he’s had to play backup center, starting center and has spent some time at the four next to Kevon Looney. He’s averaged 14 points and 3.7 assists in 19.4 minutes per game on 57.1/57.1/100 shooting splits.
“I thought [Mamukelashvili] was great today,” said Austin Reaves, who made his preseason debut Thursday after missing the first two games due to a tweaked ankle. “We just got to keep giving him confidence to be himself. He’s really good offensively and communicates defensively, but we need him to be himself. He doesn’t need to try and fit in for anybody.
“Early in training camp he was trying too hard to not disappoint anybody instead of just playing basketball the way that he knows how to play basketball … Like I said, we want him to be him and if he does that, he’s going to be really, really big for us.”
Mamukelashvili admits he’s still learning. His versatility comes withthe need to be — well — versatile. Many of his responsibilities change depending on the lineup on the floor. Defensively, when he’s at the five, he’s got to know his coverages, make sure he’s not too far from the ball handler, but also not too close to the rim. When he’s at the four, he needs to be physical and vocal and make sure he’s sticking to his guy.
“It’s a learning curve for me, for sure,” he said. “[Assistant] coach Lindsey [Harding] is doing an amazing job just in explaining and we work on it after shootarounds and after practices. … staying vocal on the court helps me because it kind of keeps my mind going all the time, and you just can’t relax.”
His skillset fits seamlessly around anyone. His contract, though, means that skillset has to be conducive to winning, whether it be now or sometimes in the four years he’s under contract. But for now, Mamukelashvili is just focused on getting better:
“I’m trying to get better. I’m trying to be more physical. I’m trying to not get out-rebounded. But you know, third game, and I’m sure I’m just gonna keep getting better.”
LAIE, Hawaii – Social media still was at its infant stage when Steph Curry was drafted by the Warriors in 2009.
The first iPhone was released two years prior in 2007, and Twitter came a year before that. Facebook was just passing MySpace in popularity as Curry made the move to the Bay Area. Podcasts were kind of around, but far from their eventual rise into everyday life, and Instagram hadn’t even been born.
Curry always has heard the noise, well before anybody could have an opinion on a myriad of platforms. He saw the headlines about being too small at little Davidson College, and he knew the doubts about his brittle ankles early in his Warriors career. Now that hot takes have become part of the air we breathe, Curry continues to be every bit in the know about the.
Since Kevin Durant’s departure in 2019, and even more so since the Warriors’ last championship in 2022, the theme has been Curry being let down by the franchise’s decision makers. That they haven’t given him enough help as he ages and pushes his prime further than they could have guessed. He doesn’t ignore the talking points, nor does he allow them to affect him and his team.
There are sprinkles Curry can understand, and others he shakes his head at.
“I’m not an idiot,” Curry says to NBC Sports Bay Area in an exclusive interview after the Warriors’ fourth day of training camp in Hawaii. “I know what it means in the sense of that window we had. We were coming off of ‘22, there were opportunities to get better, add new talent, and some worked out, some didn’t, and the jury is still out on how we end this entire journey with a competitive mindset.
“We knew there’s never really going to be a scenario where we’re going to be in the favorites conversation from a championship-contending perspective. … So, all I have to say, I’ve had a really amazing career and journey. I want to win. All the other chatter doesn’t necessarily matter to me in terms of how I grade our seasons.”
The Warriors have lost in the second round of the NBA playoffs twice since their 2022 championship, and failed to reach the playoffs entirely twice. They’ve been an NBA play-in tournament team each of the last three years, hitting a new low of 37 wins last season. Curry missed 39 games to injury last season, and his new normal is life with runner’s knee.
Jimmy Butler is rehabbing a torn right ACL he sustained in January, 11 days before Curry went down. Moses Moody is rehabbing a ruptured left patellar tendon, and Kristaps Porziņģis’ health status is a walking question mark. Dynasty is a word of the Warriors’ past. Expectations haven’t been lower in what feels like forever.
Experts predicted the Warriors could win north of 50 games last season after the promise of Butler’s arrival at the 2025 NBA trade deadline. Then came an awkward offseason, a slow start to the regular season and injuries no team can survive. The same 37 wins the Warriors ended last season with are about what’s being predicted of them for this upcoming season.
Internally, the Warriors are cautiously optimistic of their outlook. Externally, an aging team welcomes doubts and more challenges.
“We’re embracing all of it,” Curry says. “It’s just funny and more entertaining with the external conversations and chatter about us, because we want to be relevant, we want to be competitive. We all know that. And when we’re not, it’s loud, so we embrace it.”
Curry had his Jim Mora moment at media day. He was flabbergasted at the thought of the Warriors not even being a playoff team, but along with missing them in two of the previous four seasons, the Warriors have been without a playoff appearance in four the last seven seasons.
Greatness and irrational confidence can be siblings on a basketball court. Curry’s still a dreamer who has climbed the NBA’s tallest mountains and at the top celebrated being a four-time champion. He’s also a realist who might need to squint through binoculars to get a glimpse at the start of his next hike.
It didn’t go unnoticed when Curry, at the podium in Phoenix after the Warriors’ play-in tournament exit, said the Warriors don’t need to keep saying “championship, championship, championship” every day. He knew a shift in mindset, and maybe even philosophy, was needed.
He has commended Steve Kerr’s ability to adapt and change, bringing a new offense that veterans like Curry and Draymond Green will have to be on board with, and adding a new voice with a wealth of knowledge in Frank Vogel to lead the defense. Curry isn’t blind to where the Warriors are, and the word “championship” still isn’t leaving his vocabulary going into Year 18.
“Of course, we’re going to use the championship word. Of course, that’s the mentality,” Curry says. “It’s why we work as hard as we do, and you have to kind of have that in the back of your mind as a goal. But the last couple years, we’ve maybe talked about it too much, where you’re not really just honing in on the details of what it means to just play good basketball, and then the habits then produce a championship caliber team.”
Further explaining himself, Curry takes a stroll down memory lane. Not to the dynasty years of five straight trips to the NBA Finals from 2015 through 2019, but to the building blocks that stacked on top of one another and created a castle of dominance.
“That’s kind of going back to ‘13, ‘14, and kind of reminding ourselves what it took to get to that level,” Curry continues. “It’s OK to take a step back and be honest about yourself that we didn’t play well enough to have the audacity to even say that word. We have to earn that back.”
Looking in the mirror and taking the easy way out could have been Curry’s next course of direction. It’s not who he is, what he’s made of and how he’ll ever operate. He’s a Warrior through and through. He’s a Warrior for life.
The lifespan of being in a Warriors jersey is shrinking, and that isn’t to say Curry will ever look elsewhere. Curry is 38 years old and under contract for two more years, plus a player option for a third. The Warriors aren’t rebuilding, nor are they reloading. Not yet, at least.
Their greatest player ever is trusting a new process towards the end of his career and walking the tightrope that few, if any, have survived to the other side.
Curry mocked reporters who said he wouldn’t win another championship by putting up a zero against his right eye at the podium in 2022, and screamed, “What are they gonna say now!?!” while soaked from champagne inside in the Warriors’ locker room. The final chapter is now here, and the competitor within remains.
“That’s always been the case, and it never changes,” Curry says of still chasing one last title. “That’s why we work so hard. It’s why the energy of starting a new year is so fresh, because all 30 teams, within reason, feel like they can have a great year. And if that ends up being a chance for a championship, then you know everything that has to go into that.
“You need good fortune health-wise. You need the team identity to kind of take shape quick, and all the ups and downs of an 82-game season. That’s why the NBA is in such a great place, because it’s a fresh opportunity every year.”
Opportunities for Curry and the Warriors are dwindling as each page turns. The book hasn’t been closed, and as Curry the realist soaks each day in, the dreamer inside him has created countless believers. He’s rearing to buckle up for one last ride, accepting the unknown of where the road will lead.
The Phillies’ season has ended, but 10 of their prospects are continuing their seasons in the Arizona Fall League.
The group is headlined by Aidan Miller, the organization’s No. 2 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 59 overall prospect. Miller is one of nine Phillies playing for the Surprise Saguaros. Catcher Luke Davis is playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions.
The Fall League features prospects from all 30 major-league organizations across six teams. Each team plays a 30-game schedule. The season began Oct. 3 and concludes with the championship game Nov. 14.
This tracker will be updated throughout the Fall League season.
Last updated: Oct. 8
Statistics through games played Oct. 7
Surprise was off Wednesday. Davis did not appear in Scottsdale’s 4-3 win over Peoria.
Phillies position-player tracker
Player
Team
G
H-AB
AVG/OBP/SLG
HR
RBI
SB
Aidan Miller
Surprise
2
3-7
.429/.667/.429
0
0
0
Aroon Escobar
Surprise
2
1-8
.125/.222/.125
0
0
0
Dante Nori
Surprise
2
2-10
.200/.200/.400
0
1
0
Kehden Hettiger
Surprise
2
3-8
.375/.500/.625
0
0
1
Luke Davis
Scottsdale
2
0-3
.000/.500/.000
0
0
0
Phillies pitching tracker
Player
G
IP
ERA
WHIP
K
BB
SV
Keegan Batka
1
1.0
18.00
2.00
1
0
0
Ryan Dromboski
1
3.1
0.00
1.20
1
1
0
Estibenzon Jiménez
1
1.0
0.00
0.00
2
0
1
Kevin Warunek
1
1.0
9.00
2.00
1
0
0
Andrew Walling
1
1.0
0.00
1.00
1
0
0
Aidan Miller, INF
Miller entered 2026 as the Phillies’ top-ranked position-player prospect, but a back injury kept him out until September and required surgery in June.
He returned to play four regular-season games between the Florida Complex League and Double-A Reading, going 4-for-12 with three doubles, two walks and two RBIs. Miller remained with Reading during its run to the Eastern League championship and started all four playoff games at third base, his first professional action at the position.
Miller was originally assigned to the Arizona Fall League in 2025 but did not play because of his back. He has started at third base and designated hitter through his first two games this fall.
He opened the Fall League with one hit and two walks against Scottsdale. Miller followed by reaching base five times against Glendale, going 2-for-3 with two walks and a hit by pitch.
Aroon Escobar, INF
Escobar spent the entire 2026 season with Reading, where he hit .230 with a .332 on-base percentage and .347 slugging percentage in 132 games. He finished with 12 home runs, 17 doubles, 69 RBIs and 27 stolen bases.
His production improved late in the season. Escobar hit .372 with three home runs and 11 RBIs over 12 games in September.
Escobar is eligible for the Rule 5 draft this offseason. The Phillies must add him to their 40-man roster to prevent another organization from selecting him.
He went 1-for-4 with a walk in his Fall League debut before going hitless in four at-bats against Salt River.
Dante Nori, OF
Nori is the only member of this year’s Phillies group who also played in the 2025 Arizona Fall League.
The Phillies’ 2024 first-round selection was limited to 67 games with Reading this season because of a stress fracture in his hip. He hit .244 with a .318 on-base percentage and .360 slugging percentage, recording three home runs, five triples, 13 doubles, 26 RBIs and 17 stolen bases.
Nori also represented Italy in the World Baseball Classic before beginning his minor-league season.
He opened the Fall League by going 2-for-5 with a triple, one RBI and one run scored against Scottsdale. He went hitless in five at-bats in his second game.
Kehden Hettiger, C/1B
Hettiger played 61 games for Reading in 2026, hitting .191 with a .317 on-base percentage and .348 slugging percentage. He recorded eight home runs, eight doubles and 20 RBIs.
The left-handed-hitting catcher missed time with knee injuries during the season. He did not play during August before returning to Reading in September.
Hettiger threw out 24 percent of attempted base stealers during the regular season.
He has three hits and two walks through his first two Fall League games. Two of his three hits have been doubles.
Luke Davis, C/1B
Davis is the lone Phillies player not playing for Surprise. Scottsdale needed another catcher, so Davis was assigned to the Scorpions while the other nine Phillies prospects joined the Saguaros.
Davis hit .201 with a .367 on-base percentage and .336 slugging percentage over 188 plate appearances in 2026. He finished with four home runs and 23 RBIs while playing primarily for High-A Jersey Shore.
He drew 39 walks against 51 strikeouts during the regular season.
Davis walked in his lone plate appearance in Scottsdale’s opener against Surprise. He then went 0-for-3 with two walks against Mesa. He is hitless in three at-bats but has reached base three times through two games.
Keegan Batka, RHP
Batka began the season with Single-A Clearwater and finished it with Reading.
The 24-year-old made 35 relief appearances across three levels, posting a 3.14 ERA and 1.10 WHIP over 51⅔ innings. He struck out 69 batters, walked 17 and recorded seven saves.
Batka began the season with 12⅓ consecutive scoreless innings over his first 10 appearances with Clearwater. He later pitched 24 games for Jersey Shore before making one appearance for Reading.
He allowed two earned runs on two hits over one inning in his Fall League debut.
Ryan Dromboski, RHP
Dromboski made 18 starts and one relief appearance between Jersey Shore and Reading. He went 3-10 with a 5.56 ERA and 1.44 WHIP over 81 innings, striking out 80 and walking 40.
The South Jersey native spent most of the season with Jersey Shore, where he posted a 4.89 ERA over 73⅔ innings. He allowed four earned runs over his final 20⅔ innings at that level.
Dromboski made two starts for Reading in September. He struck out eight over five innings in his second Double-A start.
He worked 3⅓ scoreless innings in his Fall League debut, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out one.
Estibenzon Jiménez, RHP
Jiménez pitched exclusively as a reliever in 2026 after making 60 starts over his first five professional seasons.
The right-hander went 7-0 with a 2.38 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 35 appearances across four levels. He struck out 51 batters over 45⅓ innings and converted all seven of his save opportunities.
Jiménez spent most of the season with Reading, where he posted a 2.84 ERA and recorded seven saves in 28 appearances.
He earned the save in his first Fall League appearance, striking out two during a perfect ninth inning against Salt River.
Kevin Warunek, LHP
Warunek made 17 appearances across four levels during a season that included multiple stints on the injured list.
The left-hander went 3-0 with a 3.43 ERA and 1.48 WHIP over 21 innings. He struck out 26 and walked 12.
Warunek pitched for the Florida Complex League Phillies, Clearwater, Jersey Shore and Reading. His final regular-season appearance came with Reading on Sept. 12, when he worked one scoreless inning.
He allowed one earned run on two hits over one inning in his Fall League debut against Salt River. Warunek struck out one and did not issue a walk.
Andrew Walling, LHP
Walling replaced Jose Peña Jr. on the Surprise roster. Peña remained at the Phillies’ complex in Clearwater while recovering from elbow discomfort.
Walling was limited to 11 appearances with Triple-A Lehigh Valley after suffering an elbow sprain. He went 0-1 with a 9.58 ERA and one save over 10⅓ innings. The left-hander struck out 16 and walked 15.
Walling was placed on the injured list in May and transferred to the 60-day injured list in July.
He allowed one hit over a scoreless inning in his Fall League debut against Salt River. Walling struck out one, did not issue a walk and needed 12 pitches to complete the inning.
Which Phillies played in Arizona last year?
Eight Phillies prospects appeared for Surprise during the 2025 Arizona Fall League season:
Dante Nori, OF
Bryan Rincon, INF
Dylan Campbell, OF/INF
Eiberson Castellano, RHP
Jack Dallas, RHP
Jaydenn Estanista, RHP
Daniel Harper, RHP
Tommy McCollum, RHP
Miller and Carson DeMartini were included in the Phillies’ original group, but neither played. Campbell and Rincon replaced them before the season began.
Nori hit .308 with a .386 on-base percentage and .436 slugging percentage in 12 games. He recorded one home run, two doubles, seven RBIs and two stolen bases.
Campbell hit .304 with a .419 on-base percentage and .625 slugging percentage in 19 games. He finished with four home runs, one triple, four doubles and 16 RBIs.
Dallas allowed one earned run over nine innings. Estanista posted a 5.63 ERA with 10 strikeouts over eight innings. McCollum recorded a 3.60 ERA with seven strikeouts over five innings.
Surprise defeated Peoria, 9-4, to win the 2025 Arizona Fall League championship.
