Draymond Green #23 speaks to Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors on the bench during the second half of their game against the LA Clippers at Chase Center on November 01, 2026 in San Francisco, California. Getty Images
“I’m not even close to the player I once was. But Kendrick Perkins, the difference between myself and big dummies like you is that I can think,” Green said on his podcast.
“When your body wasn’t the same no more or as athletic as you once were, it looked a little different for you because you weren’t the smartest basketball player.”
Green received two technicals on one play, and his heated interactions with Suns guard Dillon Brooks went viral on social media. The two attempted to put their arms around each other and had to be separated.
Green’s ejection was discussed on ESPN’s “First Take” the following morning, and Perkins didn’t hold back.
Kendrick Perkins is seen prior to the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026, in New York. Getty Images
“When was the last time we discussed Draymond Green and brought him up for his basketball and not fighting? At some point, he has to deliver on the floor,” Perkins said.
“And when you look at the start of this season, Draymond Green has been nonexistent. He has done absolutely nothing for the Golden State Warriors. To me, he has been a liability more than an asset.”
Green has struggled offensively to start the season, averaging 3.2 points per game. At 36 years old, his defensive prowess has declined, but he remains a talented veteran because of his basketball IQ.
Anaheim, CA - November 15: Angeles general manager Perry Minasian listens to a reporter's question after introducing Angels new manager Ron Washington during his introduction news conference at Angel Stadium in Anaheim Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
That sound you’re hearing blasting from Cobb County right now is the front office for the Atlanta Braves blaring a familiar tune from Thin Lizzy. Not too long ago, former Astros GM Dana Brown returned to the franchise as a senior adviser for amateur scouting. Now, former Angels GM Perry Minasian is returning to the Braves to work with Alex Anthopoulos once again.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today was the first to report the news and Jesús Cano of The Athletic added on that Minasian is returning in the same role as Dana Brown, so those two will be working together.
There’s not a ton to say here, other than it seems pretty exciting that the Braves are bolstering their front office with some proven (and familiar) figures around here. Both of these guys have worked well with Anthopoulos in the past and had success with the Braves as well, so hopefully we’ll be able to see them pick up where they left off in their new roles with Atlanta for the 2027 season. Brown was last season with the Braves in 2022, while Minasian will be returning after leaving following the 2020 season.
If I had to guess, both executives were probably willing to take on their jobs as sort of a holding situation for another big job opening up in the future but that’s pure and total speculation on my part. The tangible part here is that their experience and familiarity should be a positive for the organization going forward — especially (as Gaurav Vedak mentions below) considering that the farm is also starting to look encouraging for the first time in a while.
Ronit Shah, Dana Brown, and Perry Minasian managing a quickly developing Braves farm system that has two of the top 40 prospects in baseball. We are going to have some FUN in 2027. Let me interview them @Braves
So yeah, hopefully we’ll see this front office continue to be competent and get stuff done, as they will surely benefit from now having both Dana Brown and Perry Minasian back in the fold for the moment.
Pete DeBoer saw it first with Joe Thornton when he was in San Jose, then with Joe Pavelski while in Dallas. Now, it is 35-year-old Brayden Schenn on Long Island playing the role, “on the back nine” of his career, of a leading voice and mentor in the dressing room, while maintaining a high level of play in his own right.
“He recognizes he was brought in here as much for his intangibles as what he brings on the ice,” DeBoer said Thursday before Schenn scored a goal and had an assist in the Islanders’ 5-3 loss to the Hurricanes. “I think he understands that. I think he’s taken that piece of it and really embraced it.”
Indeed, as much as Schenn struggled last season upon arriving as the Islanders’ big-ticket acquisition at the trade deadline, one wonders if general manager Mathieu Darche is itching to find the nearest microphone and declare, “I told you so.”
Brayden Schenn dives for a puck near defenseman Mikey Anderson during the Islanders’ loss to the Kings on Oct. 22, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Schenn not only has stepped seamlessly into a leadership role in the Islanders dressing room, he is centering a trio with Emil Heineman and Victor Eklund that’s been the club’s most consistent line of late.
The difference between walking in midseason when cracks were already starting to form in the Islanders foundation and getting to participate in building the foundation from training camp onwards has been massive. Schenn has four goals and five assists through 14 games, has fit like a glove in DeBoer’s system and when asked about all of this Thursday morning, sheepishly replied, “I hate talking about myself.”
That is, of course, exactly how the Islanders want their older, example-setting veterans to respond to such a question. Schenn did acquiesce to explaining the added comfort he has with the Islanders now, as opposed to when he arrived in March.
“I would say it’s just everything. It’s not one thing,” he said. “You can’t pinpoint one thing and say that’s why. I think it’s, one, coming here, gotta prove yourself every single day in this league. You get a great opportunity to play with great linemates. The organization and the guys in the locker room have been awesome to us since Day 1 we’ve been here. So as you get more comfortable around the room, being around people, it just allows you to be yourself a little more. I still feel like I got better.”
Knowing his teammates and having training camp to develop chemistry makes a huge difference, as has DeBoer’s presence behind the bench.
Los Angeles defenseman Brian Dumoulin and center Brayden Schenn battle for possession on Oct. 22, 2026 at UBS Arena. Robert Sabo for NY Post
“I really enjoy playing for Pete. He’s a smart coach,” Schenn said. “I’ve learned a lot from him. Very good systematically, defensively. With a coach like that, as long as you’re bringing your effort within the system each night, he’s gonna reward the guys who want to do that. I think as a group, as a whole, we have a bunch of guys with complete buy-in who’ve realistically given ourselves a chance in every game.”
DeBoer took notice on a recent off day when he and the injured players were the only people at the facility. When DeBoer left, Schenn pulled in with his car.
“I’m sure he got his kids off to school and headed to the rink after that,” DeBoer said. “You can tell the guys who just love the process of it. He’s one of those guys.”
Indeed, DeBoer added that Schenn has the qualities of a future head coach. Heineman, his linemate, sounded similar notes.
“He [had been] been a captain [in St. Louis] for a long time. It shows on how he acts as a human being in the locker room and on the ice,” Heineman told The Post. “… You can tell right away he has a lot of experience in the league. He’s won [a Stanley Cup]. He knows what it takes.”
La La Anthony filed for divorce from NBA star Carmelo Anthony back in 2021, citing irreconcilable differences. (Evan Agostini / Invision / Associated Press)
Carmelo Anthony and La La Anthony (née Vázquez) reportedly have reached a settlement agreement after almost a decade-long split.
Although terms of the separation are confidential, there was a pending judgment of divorce that needed approval from the New York County Supreme Court as of Wednesday, according to People.
Once the former MTV VJ and the NBA star receive the official imprint from a judge, they’ll be newly minted singles.
La La filed for divorce from the NBA star back in 2021, citing irreconcilable differences, according to TMZ, which first reported on the settlement Wednesday.
The couple began dating in 2003 after being introduced through a mutual friend, DJ Clue. They became engaged on Christmas Day 2004 and three years later welcomed their son, Kiyan Anthony, now a 19-year-old sophomore at Syracuse University, where he is playing college basketball.
The two tied the knot in July 2010 in a New York ceremony with hundreds of guests, among them sports and entertainment stars including LeBron James, Spike Lee, Serena Williams, Ciara, Kim Kardashian and Ludacris, The Times reported.
Although the Anthonys reconciled in late 2018, they ultimately called it quits in July 2019, according to People.
La La was already using a divorce label despite it not yet being official.
In a 2022 episode of Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast, La La opened up about her split from Carmelo, saying that there were still difficult moments, especially regarding the co-parenting of Kiyan.
“I learned how strong I am,” she said when asked about what she’d learned from the divorce. “You just find yourself getting stronger and stronger. What do they say? Like you don’t know how strong you are until being strong is your only option.”
La La also shared that the demise of their marriage began around the time that Carmelo was traded from the Denver Nuggets to the New York Knicks in 2011.
At the time of the 2022 interview, she shared that her perspective on love had changed. “I just don’t know if it’s in the cards for me,” she said on the podcast.
However, in a more recent October interview on “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” she revealed she was “open” to dating and that this was her “season of being open” for someone who is confident and adventurous.
As for the NBA Hall of Famer, he was rumored to be dating Racquel Smith, the widow of former NFL defensive end Will Smith. The two were seen together in June.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - NOVEMBER 04: Keyonte George #3 of the Utah Jazz is defended by Derik Queen #22 of the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half of the game at Smoothie King Center on November 04, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (4-4) will meet the Utah Jazz (1-7) 7:00pm CST Friday at American Airlines Center in the the group stage of the in-season NBA Cup tournament. Dallas enters this contest on a two-game slide after their comeback attempt Wednesday against San Antonio came up short, 112-111. After a challenging stretch of the schedule to begin the season, the Mavericks face their second opponent this week to bring a record with fewer than two wins into the AAC; Monday the Sacramento Kings improved to 1-6 against a Mavericks team without Kyrie Irving, 115-100. The Jazz arrive having dropped six straight after the Pelicans prevailed Wednesday in overtime, 120-113. The Mavericks and Jazz share a common opponent this week, as Jazz fell Monday to the Spurs, 119-97.
Change of plans
The Jazz organization’s goals remain more focused on developing their young core than immediate playoff contention, but in dealing for forward Jaren Jackson Jr. last spring, CEO Danny Ainge moved beyond the rebuilding phase of angling for draft position with a trade that greatly bolstered the team’s chances (and expectations) of winning now. Jackson’s departure against the Grizzlies Oct. 26 with a torn MCL means that the team will turn to the stockpile of talent amassed in recent drafts, like forward Ace Bailey, guard Darryn Peterson, and point guard Keyonte George.
All three of those players seem to have bright futures, but it is Lewisville’s George who has emerged as the most NBA-ready player as of this writing. The big guard hit some big shots against New Orleans Wednesday, icing a jumper that seemed to have won it before replays revealed that the ball left his hands a split second late, then knocking down the first six points of overtime coming off high screens from center Lauri Markkanen. Though the Jazz got blown out by the Spurs Monday, the previous matchup of these teams Oct. 28, a 117-111 OT Spurs win, provided some insight as to how this Jazz team can be dangerous. Playing in their first game since the Jackson injury, George keyed a Utah comeback with a drive and layup that tied it in the final minute, and guard Brice Sensabaugh made the three that set up George’s heroics, plus another three in overtime.
For the second time in a week the Mavericks face an electric scoring guard from the 2026 draft class. Sacramento’s Darius Acuff’s 10 of 21 performance against Dallas Monday improved his season shooting percentage to .406. Utah’s Peterson, shooting 34% on the season, has shown flashes of his handle and shot creating ability, but at times has looked like a rookie trying to find his role in the offense.
Lonely up top
Markkanen, the Jazz’ other veteran big man who appears ready to win now, has been tested in Jackson’s absence, chasing a 2-11 three-point shooting performance against Portland with an excellent 4-7 effort from deep against the Spurs. After disappearing for much of the second half against the Pelicans, Markkanen emerged in the final two minutes of regulation to drill a three that brought the Jazz to within one and a pair of foul shots that pushed them in front a possession later. Shouldering the load as Utah’s primary frontcourt threat (starting center Jusuf Nurkic is out with a toe injury) has exposed Markkanen’s strengths and flaws alike. Wednesday the Jazz produced their second 40-point quarter of the season in the third, as Markkanen and reserve center Mohamed Bamba pushed and stretched a small Pelicans lineup around the floor and the Jazz attacked the rim relentlessly. But when New Orleans went big late, Zion Williamson, Derik Queen, and Saddiq Bey all got the shots they needed against Markkanen.
Some of the Mavericks’ most effective stretches against the Spurs came with PJ Washington Jr., Morez Johnson Jr., and Caleb Martin taking turns as the biggest Mavs on the floor, as Dallas’ small lineup cut into the Spurs’ lead even after Victor Webanyama re-entered the game. If coach Dusty May employs a similar strategy against Utah, Markkanen and Bamba will have to cover a lot of ground to keep up.
The group thing
Friday’s game will be the Mavericks’ second of the group stage of the in-season tournament and the Jazz’ first. Dallas beat Houston Friday, 116-111, to notch a 1-0 record in the group stage and a +5 point differential. Dallas trails Denver for first place in West group A, as the Nuggets’ +7 point differential after their 127-120 win against Phoenix Friday gave them the tiebreaker.
Familiar faces
Mavericks guard Walter Clayton Jr. appeared in 45 games for the Jazz last season with averages of 6.8 points and 5.5 assists before being included in the Feb. 3 trade with Memphis that brought Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah. Jazz guard Josh Green, a Maverick fan favorite from 2020-24, comes off the bench for 3.0 points per game, and is still making things happen with hard cuts and hustle plays.
How to watch
Friday’s game will be shown on MAVSTV+ and KFAA Channel 29. Radio broadcast is 105.3fm KRLD (English) and 99.1fm KFZO (español).
HOUSTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 04: Bones Hyland #8 of the Minnesota Timberwolves reacts to a three point basket against the Houston Rockets during the first half at Toyota Center on November 04, 2026 in Houston, Texas. 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 Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Fresh off of a tough win against a talented Houston Rockets squad, the Minnesota Timberwolves take on Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night.
After starting the year 0-4, the Pelicans have ripped off four straight wins to claw back to .500. Sprinkled into that winning streak are some impressive victories over the surging Memphis Grizzlies (handing them their only loss on the season thus far) and the Atlanta Hawks. New Orleans is not a squad that is projected to climb the Western Conference standings or necessarily strike fear in the hearts of opponents, though they are still a team with enough competitive and ascending players to keep opponents honest.
Considering the still shorthanded state of the Wolves, they may have their hands full with a healthy-for-now Pelicans team. The win over the Rockets was thoroughly impressive, though Chris Finch and company will need to remain focused if they are to come out of this game with a victory.
Here are a few things I am looking out for against New Orleans:
Beware of the Wolves Killers
You know the guys – the dudes who love to turn up and have career games against the Wolves no matter what state their team is in. Most teams in the NBA have at least one Wolf Killer. The Pelicans have a few.
Perhaps most obvious of these players is Zion Williamson, who averages a whopping 28.5 points per game against Minnesota, nearly five points higher than his career average of 23.8. When healthy, Williamson is one of the premier tickets in the league and can score at will against nearly anyone. Jonathan Kuminga and Rudy Gobert will have their hands full with Zion, who will seek to outmuscle and overpower anyone that Finch decides to throw at him.
Saddiq Bey is another player that ramps up his production against the Timberwolves. A career 14.8 ppg scorer, his number increases to 19.5 for his career against Minnesota. As a member of the Pelicans, Bey’s average jumps up to 24 ppg versus the Wolves. The guy just flat out doesn’t like us.
As the Pelicans have other surging young players contributing to their recent run of success, this matchup may be more difficult than initially expected. Derik Queen has looked to be a solid NBA big man and Jeremiah Fears has been becoming a more well-rounded player. If Minnesota’s defenders can keep the Wolf Killers from transforming into much better versions of themselves, the game is there for the taking.
Dominate the Bone Zone
Bones Hyland is a fun player. He’s energetic, has a great smile, and keeps the fanbase engaged with his aesthetically pleasing style of play and affable three-point shot celebration. He’s an ideal bench player that could fit in on many teams. We are fortunate to have him as a Timberwolf.
However, with a slew of injuries that continue to hamper Minnesota’s preferred personnel, Bones continues to be thrust into heavier minutes than he would normally get. In the four games before Anthony Edwards got injured, Hyland played an average of eight minutes per night. Since then, his minutes have doubled, playing 16 minutes per game in the five matchups since Edwards (and now Terrence Shannon Jr.) went down.
Bones’s 19 point, eight assist night against the Los Angeles Clippers last week was a true representation of what he can bring as a player when he’s on. It’s unrealistic to expect that kind of production and efficiency from him most nights, though he does help the Timberwolves find tempo and form whenever things are going south.
If the Timberwolves are going to have any sustained success while Edwards and TSJ are out, Hyland will need to continue to exert efficiency and production in his limited time on the court. He was electric against the Rockets, scoring 19 points in just 16 minutes of play. For a team that continues to lose players at a high clip, Bones will remain an integral part of the offensive flow moving forward.
Figure Out your Free Throws
There’s not much more that can be said about just how putrid Minnesota’s free throw shooting has been. Currently the team sits at 63.4%, good for dead last and a massive 7% behind the next closest team, which is the 1-7 Milwaukee Bucks. Minnesota shot a cool 53% (10-19) at the line just last night versus Houston in a 10-point victory to bring that percentage down even lower. So it goes.
It’s not like this team has a problem shooting the ball, either. That’s what makes this ineptitude so baffling. The Timberwolves shot 53% from the floor and 43% from distance against the Rockets. And yet, while standing at the free throw line, uncontested and still, they can’t put the ball in the hoop.
Two players on the Wolves are shooting greater than 80% from the line this season. Everyone else is below them. That is unacceptable.
It would appear that Gobert’s inability to consistently make shots from the charity stripe (42.6% on nearly six attempts per game) is becoming contagious to the rest of the team. While it hasn’t been the biggest issue the Timberwolves have faced this season, it will become one as the team enters more late-game clutch time situations. We’re not far off from a few tight losses spurring a dialogue that laments the team’s lack of efficiency from the line. The recent defeat at the hands of the Golden State Warriors comes to mind, poor officiating be damned.
Chris Finch will need to address this problem somehow. Unfortunately, getting reps from the free throw line will not show itself as immediately game-changing. It will take time. Finishing this season anywhere but dead last should be seen as a success at this point. Until then, Minnesota needs to figure out how to capitalize on the opportunities they are given.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 03: Ethan Salas #8 of the San Diego Padres hits a single against the Milwaukee Brewers during the second inning in game one of the National League Division Series at American Family Field on October 03, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/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).
Ethan Salas
Salas was signed by the Padres when he was just 16 years old. Although he was born in Florida, Salas grew up in Venezuela and qualified for international free agency. He was signed with a record-setting $5.6 million signing bonus. Since then, he has had a rollercoaster career. Salas was one of the brightest prospects in baseball before 2025 when a stress reaction forced him to miss most of the year. There was a worry he would never be the same.
Overall Grade: B+
The backstop put those worries to bed quickly. Across 96 minor-league games in 2026, Salas slashed .296/.374/.488 with 10 homers and 31 extra-base hits. He was phenomenal in every way. He was promoted to Triple-A for the first time in his career and raked, hitting .326 with a .949 OPS in 24 games. That production led to speculation that the Padres might call up Salas to make his debut when rosters expanded.
The rumors were true. Salas made his MLB debut to much fanfare as the youngest catcher to debut since Iván Rodríguez in 1991. He flew out to the deepest part of the yard in his first at-bat but went 0-for-4 that day. And the next day. And the next day. Salas started off his big-league career going a whopping 0-for-14. He finally recorded his first career hit on Sept. 13 against the San Francisco Giants, roping a triple.
Salas never looked back after that. In the 10 games following, he hit .400 (10-for-25) with five RBI and 18 total bases. He also became the youngest catcher in MLB history to record a multi-homer game, swatting two against the Colorado Rockies. Salas will likely factor into the Padres’ catching group for 2027, sharing time behind the dish with Luis Campusano and Freddy Fermin. However, he could start the season in the minors if San Diego feels he needs some more time to develop.
Entering Wednesday’s game against the Kings, Luka Doncic was leading the NBA in defensive two-point field-goal percentage as the primary defender (21.9%) with a minimum 30 attempts defended.
It’s an eye-popping stat for Doncic, who is known for his wizardry on offense but who has been a lighting rod for criticism on defense over his eight-season career.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, right, looks on while guarded by Sacramento Kings forward Leaky Black during an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. AP Photo/Scott Marshall
Doncic is having an early MVP campaign, averaging a league-leading 38.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and eight assists for the Lakers (7-2).
Doncic recently had five steals and three drawn charges in a 131-125 win over the Raptors on Nov. 1, becoming the first player to record those defensive marks in the same game since player tracking began in 2013-14, per ESPN Research.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic reacts during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in Sacramento, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. AP Photo/Scott MarshallLuka Doncic (77) of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif. NBAE via Getty Images
“Obviously, I’m not the best defender in the NBA, but I think this year I really took a step forward,” Doncic said Nov. 1. “Obviously people are going to talk what they want to talk [about] me. But I know, and my team knows, that I’m better this year.”
Doncic has scored 40 or more points in five of his last six games, including leading the Lakers to a 116-103 win over the Kings on Wednesday.
Doncic was recently asked in a tongue-and-cheek manner if he’d rather win the MVP award or Defensive Player of the Year.
Guard Bronny James watches his Lakers teammates play against the Trail Blazers during a game last week. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Third-year guard Bronny James and rookie guard Cameron Carr have been assigned to G League Coachella Valley, the Lakers announced Thursday.
James, who is the third year of a four-year contract worth $7.9 million ($4.4 million guaranteed), played only 12 minutes this season across five games, scoring four points on two-of-three shooting while missing his only three-pointer.
Carr, who was the 24th overall draft pick this summer, has played only four minutes in three games, missing the only shot he took.
James has played in 74 games during his young career, including 42 last season when he averaged 2.9 points and 1.2 assists in 8.9 minutes.
The Lakers moved their G League affiliate to Coachella Valley, where they will open the season Friday at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert against Salt Lake City.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 4: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on November 4, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
At some point between the end of the ‘21 season and the start of the ‘22 season, I made a pact with myself: no more first quarters.
You have to understand, these were dark times to be a Spurs writer.
And yes, I know, as a fan myself, that those years were no more of picnic for the average fan than they were for me, but still. There’s just something about watching a beating and then having to write about it that feels vaguely abusive, especially when some of your favorite people are still involved.
Having to watch Gregg Popovich lose like that…I felt like a journalist covering Muhammad Ali’s last fights.
It didn’t matter how valiant he was, how much he tried to make something out of nothing — it just seemed kind of dirty to watch at all. We all knew what he was doing, of course.
There’s a reason I don’t watch the movie all the time. It would be fairly masochistic of me to do so.
But there are 82 games in a season, and someone has to cover them.
As a writing staff, you take some solace in the knowledge that you’re all in this together. You’re all having to write about it. You’re all having to dig for silver linings. And that (for this site) you’re all doing it out of some (possibly misplaced) sense of love for the team, and the sport, and the readers who are just about as miserable as you are.
But I just could not watch first quarters anymore. Not in real time.
It’s one thing to know that the Titanic is sinking; to be thrown into the middle of the chaos and do your best to make sense of it. It’s another thing altogether to watch the ship headed towards the ice-burg in the darkness. To hear the godawful scraping and know what it means. To have been watching the journey for years, and completely run out of ways to spin it.
It had to have been a very conscious decision on James Cameron’s part to make that movie a romance. How else could you get people to watch it? The wreck just cannot be the main course.
I couldn’t convince myself to watch the game at all if I started with the first quarter. The Spurs would either start taking their beating from the onset, or worse, soar to an early lead that we all knew wouldn’t last.
So I decided that I would start watching during the second quarter, finish the game, and then watch the beginning.
It was so much easier to bear when you already knew how it would end. Especially when the Spurs did miraculously pull off the win.
You could go back and break down how the positive momentum started, with the empty but understandable hope that there might be something algorithmic in those 12 minutes that could be reverse-engineered and employed more regularly.
And even the sting of defeat didn’t smart as much when you were able to initially avoid the fool’s gold of productive opening minutes.
Hell, sometimes it was even a little funny when you encountered the Spurs finding a way to lose the opening frame that you’d never even considered.
(Even though the Spurs won the game, I don’t think I’ll ever forget Jakob Poeltl picking up 2 fouls in the first 96 seconds of the Lakers game in 2022 that tied Pop with Don Nelson.)
Lately, though, I’ve been forced to reconsider my first-quarter policy, and the reason is pretty obvious: Victor Wembanyama is just too fun to be put on the back-burner in any capacity.
It was a sensible policy when the losses were piling up. Sometimes it still is.
But frustration with a contender-caliber team starting slowly is simply not enough to deprive myself of the immediacy of the joy provided by the most insane fusion of Hakeem Olajuwon, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Wilt Chamberlain imaginable.
Wemby just had the first *official* 50 point, 20 rebound, 8 block game in NBA history (and the first 50/20/10 in the non-assist category if you combine his steals and blocks), in his 8th game of his 4th season, and he’s the same age that Wilt was as a rookie!
And that’s in spite of existing in the era of injury and rest management. In spite of the fact that Wemby’s doing it on a team that’s good enough to have already made the Finals.
In spite of playing in an era where blocks are harder to come by, and strategic scouting and game-plans are another level, and players are (pretty successfully) bombing away from long range. In spite of an out-of-whack jumper that’s converting at about 28% outside of 10 feet.
Having chugged a 16oz energy drink during my late dinner before the game in an attempt to battle the somnolent rigidities of middle-age, I found myself doing the same ‘fighting the urge to pee’ dance that my child still breaks out every now and then, as I tried to hold out til the end of the half.
I can’t remember the last time I almost wet myself over basketball, or a more satisfying pee at the half.
There’s plenty of negative things I could say about the game. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen this team shoot that badly as a whole. Even Julian Champagnie and Devin Vassell couldn’t buy a shot.
There’s no reason it should have been that close with such a performance out of Wembanyama.
The bench’s defense looked like it had been coordinated by Wile E. Coyote and the Acme Corporation, and they put up a total of ten points in their relief of the starters. Carter Bryant and Tarris Reed somehow got no minutes on a night in which it couldn’t have been more clear that a shakeup was needed.
Even De’Aaron Fox’s previously next-level show of efficiency took the wrong turn at Albuquerque.
This was a bad game, if we’re being honest. A real stinker. And yet I can’t find the animosity within me to make this the all-around feel-bad roast that it should be, because, as I’ve said so many times over the last year, it just did not matter.
This should have been one of those games where I had to go back and break down the first quarter in a state of rage.
It should have been. But I just don’t have it in me to despair the undespairing.
Through it all, Wemby was completely unshaken. Understandably, so were his teammates. In their shoes, I think I’d feel the same way.
I don’t love that they frittered away lead after lead. I don’t like it as a trend, and I don’t like it as reminder.
But I think it’s easy to forget that we don’t live in that place were I can’t stand to watch the first quarter anymore, and that by resigning myself to that policy of the past, I’d be getting in the way of my own happiness.
You can’t protect yourself from pain without also protecting yourself from rapture. I think sometimes, in both life and basketball, we have a way of forgetting that.
I can tell you everything they did wrong. I can rant and rage with the best of them, and sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world.
I can tell you that they were saved anyway, undeservingly.
Give me a better story than that, I dare you.
Takeaways
I don’t have a lot of nice things to say about this game, but man has Wemby really taken to the responsibility of attacking the rim this season. Right now he and Giannis are the only players in the NBA averaging 7+ Rim FGs and 8+ Paint FGs made per game. And Wemby’s actually doing it more ways than Giannis is, as the only player in the league averaging 5+ points as the P&R Roll Man, 4+ Points off of Cuts, and 4+ points In Transition, per game. If his jumper starts heating up, we’re going to see even crazier numbers than we did last night. Which is insane when you consider that he’s 4th in the league in scoring with a jumper finds the bottom of the bucket about 1/4th of time right now.
It’s been a bit of an uncomfortable fit for Stephon Castle when all three guards are on the court at the same time, and he seems to have been asked to serve as more of an off-ball shooter because of that, but when the need arises, he always seems to find an extra gear. I know many are hoping that the addition of Tobias Harris forces some rotation adjustments, but I will say, Castle is getting the open shots, and he’s not shrinking from the challenge. He’s shooting 32% from three now, but if he starts hitting those, that lineup might really morph into something scary, because everything will open up on the inside, and Wemby’s already mutilating the rim as it is (and Harper’s been slouch, either). And as much as I think Harris will be a boon to the team, I’d secretly prefer to see that happen instead.
Though Fox had probably his most inefficient night of the season on the offensive end, he’s still the only player in the NBA creating 15+ Assist Points Per Game, with a 2-1 Assist-to-Turnover Ratio, while also sporting a 65+ True Shooting Percentage, which is crazy when you see all the names that miss the mark. But, just as importantly, he’s been outstanding on the defensive end, and it showed in the clutch last night when he kept the still-lethal (and long-time Spurs killer) Kyrie Irving off-balance just enough to that his attempt at a game-winning bucket. To have lost a game with Victor playing like that would have felt catastrophic, so he’d be next in line for the game ball, in my mind.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 30: Randy Arozarena #56 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates with the team trident after hitting his 100th career home run during the fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals at T-Mobile Park on June 30, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Mariners won 6-2. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The price on Randy Arozarena keeps going up.
Today Arozarena was named a finalist for the Silver Slugger award, an award given to the best hitter at each position in each league. This would be Arozarena’s first Silver Slugger award despite having been nominated three previous times: 2021, 2022 and 2023.
The other outfielders who are nominated are Wilyer Abreu (Red Sox), Cody Bellinger (Yankees), Jac Caglianone (Royals), Chase DeLauter (Guardians), Riley Greene (Tigers), Tristan Peters (White Sox), Chandler Simpson (Rays) and Mike Trout (Angels). Three will win.
Unlike the Gold Gloves, which are awarded based on at least a partial sabermetric calculation despite defensive metrics being [waves hands], the Silver Slugger award is voted for by MLB managers and coaches. However, if they were to take into account a metric such as wRC+, none of the nominees come anywhere close to Arozarena’s 151 (!), which is 15 points higher than the next-closest competitor. When considering wOBA, Arozarena’s mark of .379 is over ten points higher than the next closest (Detroit’s Greene).
As far as traditional metrics, Arozarena leads in homers and is near the top in other categories like average (.281; DeLauter, Caglianone, and Simpson are all higher), slugging (.484, second to Caglianone), and OBP (.381 second to Trout). Arozarena also ranked first among all AL batters, not just outfielders, in runs scored.
Voters probably won’t have to think too hard to decide to tick the box next to Arozarena’s name, not when he spent the season putting on a coast to coast show in ballparks around MLB.
It was a spectacular season for Arozarena that will more than likely conclude in his first Silver Slugger award. It was a historic season for Arozarena, who recorded his sixth-consecutive 20-20 season in 2026, becoming just the eleventh player in MLB history with at least six such seasons. He also became the fifth player to do it in at least six consecutive seasons, joining an historic crew of some of baseball’s best: Barry Bonds (1990-98), Bobby Bonds (1969-75), Bobby Abreu (1999-2005) and Willie Mays (1955-1960).
Winners will be announced on Saturday, November 17th. The announcement will be streamed exclusively on FanSided’s The Baseball Insiders podcast, which…okay. A complete list of the nominees can be found here.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 9: Norchad Omier #15 of the LA Clippers shoots a free throw during the game against the Sacramento Kings on July 9, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed G League standout Norchad Omier to a two-way deal. The organization has released 26-year-old wing Riley Minix in order to do so.
Omier previously had agreed to join the Minnesota Timberwolves but has reportedly changed his mind and plans on signing with the Cavaliers instead.
Update: After agreeing to a two-way deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Norchad Omier has changed his mind and plans to sign a two-way deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources told @hoopshype.
The Timberwolves now have an open two-way spot after waiving Enrique Freeman. https://t.co/EGdVr9TC0q
Cleveland’s developmental league has done a fine job in recent years. Sam Merrill, Craig Porter Jr. and Nae’Qwan Tomlin are recent examples of players who have climbed the ranks to sign standard contracts and play rotational minutes in the NBA.
Omier will look to follow the same path. He joins Cleveland’s other two-way prospects, Ernest Udeh Jr. and Tristan Enaruna.
Minix, who signed a two-way deal with the Cavs in February of this year. The lanky forward never found his outside shot in limited opportunities with Cleveland.
The Cavs have a need for someone like Omier. Now more than ever. Bulky forwards don’t grow on trees, apparently, and the Cavs would be thrilled to have another player rapidly graduate from the G League to the NBA this season.
All of this is easier said than done. Omier is not a polished player and isn’t a threat to shoot from the perimeter. The 6’7” forward shot 20% from deep in 11 games with the Charge last season. But he has the size and athleticism to fill a momentary need for the Cavaliers — who are dealing with various injuries to a roster that already lacked wing depth.
Omier will have an opportunity now to continue proving himself in the G League, with a chance of earning minutes at the NBA level. This is what every prospect in his position is striving for. It’s clear that he likes his chances in Cleveland, considering he backed out of a commitment with Minnesota to be here. The same can be said for the Cavs, who swiftly opened a two-way spot to get him.
The Cavs play two games at home this weekend. First, against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday. Then, the New York Knicks on Saturday. We’ll see if any of the two-way guys get a chance to play.
Nothing better encapsulates the dysfunction that was Everton under Farhad Moshiri than the idea that an unknown vandal with a can of spray paint could influence the club’s managerial direction. “Pereira out, Lampard in” they daubed on a wall at Goodison Park when it appeared Vítor Pereira was in line to replace Rafael Benítez in 2022. Alarmed by fan protests, the Everton board opted instead for Frank Lampard and, while his tenure ended 12 months later with the club immersed in another relegation battle, there will be appreciation for the Coventry manager when he makes a first visit to Hill Dickinson Stadium on Friday. The connection between Lampard and Evertonians was genuine and a factor in keeping the club up in 2022. Both parties will be glad to see the other emerging stronger from those troubled times. Jack Grealish, meanwhile, will again be absent for Everton after his recent disciplinary breach, although the manager, David Moyes, said: “We will be working again with Jack soon.” Andy Hunter
Everton v Coventry City, Friday 8pm (all times GMT)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 22: LeBron James #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers and Jarrett Allen #31 of the Cleveland Cavaliers react during the third quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers are dealing with various setbacks, as roughly half of their usual rotation is on the injury report for their game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Jarrett Allen, who banged knees with OKC’s Jared McCain last night, is questionable to play with a right knee contusion. The Cavs will sorely miss their two-way anchor if he isn’t available. Cleveland leans heavily on Allen to steady the ship on both ends of the floor.
Peyton Watson is also listed as questionable. Watson has missed the previous two games for Cleveland with a hamstring strain. This is the type of injury that you don’t want to rush, as pushing a hamstring too far can be a slippery slope.
Watson is still searching for his ideal role with the Cavs. An injury like this doesn’t make it any easier to navigate a new system.
Tyrese Proctor also picked up an injury in Oklahoma City when he landed on another player’s foot. Proctor is listed as questionable with an ankle sprain for tomorrow, and he had just started to hit his stride after starting in his first game of the season against the Thunder.
That’s the last of the questionables.
Jaylon Tyson will miss his fourth straight game with an ankle injury. The Cavs would love his secondary creation and defensive intensity sooner rather than later. But for now, they’ll have to survive without it.
Nae’Qwan Tomlin (low back stress reaction), Khalifa Diop (G League) and Ernest Udeh Jr. (G League) are also listed as out. Riley Minix, who was previously on a two-way contract with Cleveland, was waived by the team today.
This leaves the Cavs looking paper-thin against a 76ers team that erased the best of them on opening night. It’s not ideal, but that’s life in the NBA.
Cleveland will need big performances from Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, and Evan Mobley — while finding additional support from an unlikely hero off the bench. Perhaps Mario Hezonja or rookie Meleek Thomas can continue their strong stretch of games to provide the help they need. A hot-shooting game from Sam Merrill would also be nice.
James is looking to get an AI sports betting app, which is named Bron AI, to stop using his likeness without authorization, a spokesperson for James confirmed to The California Post.
LeBron James #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game against the Chicago Bulls on November 2, 2026 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NBAE via Getty ImagesLuka Doncic (77) of the Los Angeles Lakers stands for the national anthem before a game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
An attorney issued a cease-and-desist letter on the 76ers star’s behalf to PlayVision Inc., the sports technology startup that owns Bron AI.
The advertisement for Bron AI that was posted to social media on Wednesday that led to the cease-and-desist shows a person meant to resemble James – wearing a No. 23 basketball jersey with the name “Bron” on it – flipping through the app.
The social media posts amassed over 900,000 views in less than 24 hours before being removed from X/Twitter after Front Office Sports first reported the cease-and-desist.
James, who left the Lakers for the 76ers in free agency this past summer, has an exclusive endorsement deal with Polymarket.
Basketball players Luka Doncic and LeBron James in Lakers jerseys. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Adam Mendelsohn, James’s longtime media advisor, told The Post that Bron AI’s ad is “another example of the decline and lack of originality in sports media.”
“It’s all about cheap clicks and aggregation,” Mendelsohn said in a statement to The Post. “A lot of pundits do it too. I’m sure their intent all along was for us to send a cease and desist in order to play the social media game. You would prefer not to respond but you don’t have a choice in a situation like this.”
Bron AI’s ad featured several athletes, including NBA players Giannis Antetokounmpo, Donovan Mitchell and Dillon Brooks.
A cease-and-desist on behalf of Dončić was also sent to PlayVision Inc., a source close to the Lakers superstar told The Post.
So, not everything is perfect for the Slovenian sharpshooter. Well, on the court it might be.
