Matas Buzelis #14 of the Chicago Bulls loses possession of the ball against Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks during the second half of a game at the United Center on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois.
CHICAGO — Mikal Bridges was benched for all but three minutes of the second half, as coach Mike Brown rode with streaking reserves Tyler Kolek, Jordan Clarkson and Landry Shamet to beat the Bulls 133-127 on Wednesday.
It represented his shortest appearance as a Knick outside of the two times Bridges was subbed in briefly to maintain his consecutive games played streak.
Matas Buzelis of the Chicago Bulls loses possession of the ball against Mikal Bridges of the New York Knicks during the second half at the United Center on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois. Getty Images
Part of the reason, according to Brown, was the Kolek-Jalen Brunson backcourt combination was effective.
“We just found a combination we went with,” Brown said. “One of the things [assistant coach] Rick Brunson suggested was throwing Kolek in the game with Jalen. Just to give them a different look and get Jalen off the ball and put Tyler on the floor.
Landry Shamet, who scored 14 points off the bench, goes up for a layup during the Knicks’ 133-127 comeback win over the Bulls on Oct. 28, 2026 in Chicago. NBAE via Getty Images
“Doing that, playing Jordan Clarkson extended minutes, Landry was playing well. Now there’s not much room. And the combination we had out there, we kept playing well. It was harder to go back to what we started with.”
Kolek, Clarkson and Shamet combined for 41 points and 15 assists.
There were a couple of injury scares in the first half Wednesday. False alarms.
Midway through the first quarter, Karl-Anthony Towns had the ball at the elbow and was knocked hard to the court by defender Noa Essengue.
Towns hurt his left hand during the spill and writhed in pain on the United Center hardwood. He went to the locker room but re-emerged quickly with tape on his hand and wrist. Towns finished with 19 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.
“He was still shooting that thing from 30 feet,” Brown said. “So the wrist looked good to me.”
With 9:26 left in the second quarter, Shamet limped to the locker room after twisting his ankle. He completed a dunk, took a step and clipped his foot on a Bulls defender. Like Towns, Shamet returned quickly.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - OCTOBER 28: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts to his three-point basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second quarter at Target Center on October 28, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
10,000-Foot Game Overview
With Anthony Edwards sidelined for an extended period of time, everyone was curious how the rest of the Wolves would respond. And well, it did not get off to the best start.
The hope was maybe that just a slow start as the team was adjusting to their new normal, but then Steph Curry Steph Curried. At one point, he scored 11 straight points in the second quarter and for the rest of the first half, you could hear a pin drop in Target Center as the Wolves went into the locker room down 64-48.
Thankfully, basketball games notoriously feature two halves which would give the Wolves starting group some time to find themselves after a halftime tongue lashing. Unfortunately, things somehow got worse. The Warriors ballooned the lead to 24 before the Wolves’ bench unit, featuring Joan Beringer, TJ Shannon, Jaylen Clark, Bones Hyland and Trey Lyles, brought some needed energy and scoring to help cut the lead down to 12 by the end of the third quarter.
The final quarter turned into a perfect encapsulation of the game: The Wolves missed open looks, got frustrated and fouled (the Warriors were in the bonus by the 8:45 mark). Despite this, the Wolves lingered around. After a furious comeback to get it within four points with 32 seconds remaining, Jaden McDaniels missed back-to-back wide open 3-point looks that proved to be the final dagger as Minnesota dropped to 3-2 on the season.
Two Stats That Defined the Game
1. 44 – Points scored by Steph Curry
The shortest summation of the game is this: The Warriors had their superstar and the Wolves didn’t. It was a throwback performance for Curry who was brilliant on the offensive end, pulling the Wolves defense off-balance like it was on a string. Going a perfect 16 for 16 from the line in a game that ended up in the clutch is why he’s one of the best to ever do it.
2. +11 – Warriors advantage at the free throw line
The Timberwolves committed 29 fouls which led to 37 free throw attempts for Golden State. The fouls were a hallmark of the sloppiness that plagued the game for our favorite team. The foul trouble was especially bad after Steph’s second quarter heater; the team felt especially frenetic trying to chase the future hall-of-famer around screens leading to all kinds of late defensive rotations that the Warriors were able to take advantage of.
Award Ceremony
Big Ticket Award: Joan Beringer and Jaylen Clark
The Big Ticket award goes to Minnesota’s MVP of the game, which meant tonight it had to go to someone in the group that pulled them out of blowout territory in the third quarter. Effort is a skill, and in a game where the Wolves lacked any kind of juice, Beringer and Clark’s shared minutes finally a heartbeat to an otherwise lifeless building.
Beringer outplays Rudy Gobert for the second straight game on his way to seven points on three for three shooting, along with nine boards. The rebounding is not only already an NBA-level skill, but a potential budding elite skill for the young Frenchman.
Jaylen Clark was let off the leash long enough to do Jaylen Clark things, finishing the game with a team high +8. Almost more importantly, he hit one of his two looks from deep. He was Minnesota’s best defender on Curry tonight in his very brief assignment, but he was the only other player (with Jonathan Kuminga) strong enough to slow rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. Would have loved to see Finch give him a longer leash as a reward for the game flipping during his minutes and influx of energy.
“Superstar Lacking” Award: LaMelo Ball
Woof.
Two bad games in a row for the Wolves prized off-season acquisition. From the get-go, Ball was pressing for his offense by hoisting three-pointers on his way to an zero for five start from perimeter. The overall plus/minus (-2) was salvaged a bit by the Wolves’ late run, but his final counting stats leave a lot to be desired. He finished with eight points, four rebounds, eight assists, and six turnovers on a putrid three for 11 shooting mark, including two of eight from deep. In the first game where the Wolves needed him to step up in Ant’s absence, he wasn’t just “not good enough,” he was bad.
Ball is the new head of an offense that just lost its center of gravity, so he deserves time to continue to grow accustomed to his new role and teammates. However, the Western Conference is not going to wait for him to get up to speed, and if he (and the Wolves) take too long, they may find themselves buried much further in the standings than they’d like.
“Kurt Rambis” Award: Chris Finch
This award (an honor bestowed upon less than stellar coaching) is always a hard one to give because a few facts need to precede it:
Chris Finch has forgotten more about basketball than I’ll ever know.
Was it just gameplan discipline for the players? There have been so many games where players have come out afterwards and said something equivalent to “We should have followed what the coaching staff was saying”.
That being said, the levers that Finch was pulling on rotations and matchups felt off all night. Jaden McDaniels had one of his worst defensive performances we might see all season, but part of that was because chasing a smaller and quicker player around screens all night has never been an elite skill for him. Curry used constant screens, tired McDaniels out, and then took advantage of mismatches all night.
A great counter to Curry going on a heater? Hunt him relentlessly on the defensive end. If that was part of the game plan, it was not emphasized.
The only other player that could generate offense for Golden State during the non-Curry minutes was Landeborg. For the majority of those minutes, the Wolves put Trey Lyles on him who was no match for the his strength and athleticism. Matching Kuminga to Landeborg’s minutes, or pulling the Jaylen Clark lever earlier, could have been a great way to force some tougher looks and take advantage of the non-Curry lineups.
Also, Draymond Green is done as a scorer in this league. Would have loved for the Wolves to bring earlier double-teams off him and force him to shoot all night. He botched easy layups all night.
We are only five games in so roles and rotations are all new (especially after losing your superstar), but the Wolves group on the floor felt out of sync all night as Finch scrambled for (mostly) unsuccessful answers.
Empty The Notebook
Gobert didn’t hit a shot for the second straight game and Finchy even called an immediate timeout after Gobert failed to run back in transition to an open shooter. As the 20 minutes played indicates, he was bad tonight.
TJ Shannon was our most reliable player at creating his own offense, but tonight it involved a lot of straight-line drives without much ball movement.
Jonathan Kuminga played… pretty good? He hit three of six shots from beyond the arc on his way to leading the team with 20 points, but his game tonight lacked any huge impact moments that you would have hoped for in this matchup with his former team.
Even after he beats your team, still got to respect the future HOFer
Game Highlights
Up Next
The moment we’ve all been waiting: The start of group play for the NBA Cup! On Friday, October 30th, the Minnesota Timberwolves will aspire to get a victory against the new-look Los Angeles Clippers in Minneapolis. The game tips off at 7:00 PM CT on DAZN-MIN and KARE 11.
Curry tied James at 15 games for 40-point game performances past the age of 35 years old.
Stephen Curry tied LeBron James for 40+ point games past the age of 35 following 44 point performance against the Timberwolves. AP Photo/Abbie ParrStephen Curry ties LeBron James for games with 40+ points past the age 35. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
From the moment the game tipped off, Curry was on fire.
The 38-year-old had 23 points through the first half, and it continued into the second half, as Golden State had a 24-point lead, when he checked out at the 5:01 mark of the third quarter.
Curry also finished 16 of 16 at the free-throw line.
Besides scoring a lot, Curry also had eight rebounds and six assists.
Rookie forward Yaxel Lendeborg had his highest-scoring performance, finishing with 26 points, sinking 2 of 5 3-pointers and shooting 55% from the field.
Golden State went up against a Timberwolves team that was without Anthony Edwards, who will miss at least the next two months due to arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.
Stephen Curry lined up at the free-throw line in a 44-point performance where he shot 16 of 16 from the free-throw line. NBAE via Getty Images
Luca Evans of The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Steve Kerr said the Warriors “smelled blood in the water.”
After starting the season 0-3, Golden State is starting to find its rhythm and has won two in a row.
The Warriors will take the court again on Friday, when they host the Lakers.
Here's a look at the scenes from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, as the Brewers celebrated that championship after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 5:
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Bob Uecker’s presence has remained a big part of the Brewers’ culture since he died last year, and in the franchise’s biggest moment on Wednesday night, Christian Yelich made sure the beloved broadcaster wasn’t forgotten.
“He’s smiling, man,” Yelich said to Ken Rosenthal on the Fox broadcast. “I really wish he could have been here to see this. It would have meant everything to him, but we said a bunch, he’s been with us a lot. We keep him close to our hearts, and this one’s still for Bob and still for Ueck. Ueck, I love you, man, and we did it.”
Christian Yelich (right) celebrates after the Brewers’ 4-1 World Series-clinching win over the Rays in Game 5 on Oct. 28, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Fla. Getty Images
Uecker was the voice of the Brewers for 54 years and became a beloved figure among Brewers supporters and baseball fans as a whole.
Uecker died on Jan. 16, 2025, at the age of 90 after a private battle with cancer.
Ahead of the first pitch on Wednesday, fans left beer cans at the Uecker statue, TMJ 4 reported.
Christian Yelich holds the World Series trophy after the Brewers Game 5 win over the Rays. AP
Following the final out, Hall of Famer CC Sabathia paid homage to Uecker in a post on X.
“Bob Uecker smiling down,” wrote Sabathia, who spent the 2008 season in Milwaukee.
During the Game 4 broadcast on Tuesday, Fox play-by-play man Joe Davis paid tribute to the famed Brewers announcer with his home run call on Cooper Pratt’s solo blast in the 12th inning.
Bob Uecker and Christian Yelich celebrate after the Brewers won the Central Division title after beating the Mets on Sept. 26, 2021 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisc. Getty Images
“Hitting a high drive! Deep left field! Get up, get up, gone!” Davis said, emulating Uecker’s signature home run call of “Get up, get up, get outta here, gone!”
“Ueck is obviously a guy that you grew up listening to and was underrated because he was such a comic genius that his ability to master the craft and be an amazing play-by-play announcer didn’t get enough love,” Davis told MLB.com.
“I say that to say I was always studying him and listening to him, and just by osmosis, that stuff is in there.”
DALLAS, TEXAS - OCTOBER 28: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks celebrates during the first half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at American Airlines Center on October 28, 2026 in Dallas, 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 Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (3-2) won their third game of the young season on Wednesday, in jaw-dropping fashion over the Oklahoma City Thunder (4-1), 120-96. Cooper Flagg led a balanced Dallas effort with 26 points and eight rebounds. Ajay Mitchell had a game-high 29 in defeat for the Thunder
The opening quarter was a back-and-forth affair between the teams, with neither getting a firm advantage. Flagg came out gunning, scoring 12 in the period, with Kyrie Irving chipping in a pair of 3-pointers. Dallas shot the ball well early, and it allowed the Mavericks to keep pace when the Thunder kept scoring from inside the arc. A late Flagg floater followed by another Irving three gave Dallas a 33-30 lead heading into the second quarter.
Hot shooting from Dallas continued, growing the lead to double digits just four minutes into the frame. The Thunder attempted multiple pushes to eat into the Dallas lead, only to be rebuffed by timely shot-making from Max Christie, Zaccharie Risacher and, yes, even Caleb Martin. A personal 5-0 run from Ajay Mitchell cut the Mavericks’ lead in half with just over three minutes remaining. Following a Dusty May timeout, the teams traded baskets for the rest of the half, and Dallas went into the half up 65-59.
Cold shooting welcomed fans after halftime, with neither time connecting on an actual field goal for the first several possessions of the half . Steadily, Dallas built up a 15-point lead by the 7:30 mark by out-working the Thunder on the offensive glass. Over the next 90 seconds, the Thunder responded with a 7-0 run powered by Mitchell and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, forcing a Mavericks timeout. Dallas settled in, and Flagg helped the Mavs close out the quarter on a 16-10 run. Dallas took to the final frame, up 94-81.
With Flagg on the bench, Marcus Sasser and Risacher took it upon themselves to drive the Thunder into the ground. Martin’s second 3-ball of the game put Dallas up 17 points early in the fourth, forcing an Oklahoma City timeout. Dallas pushed the lead up 113-93 before the Thunder threw in the towel. The rest of the game was about making it out alive and uninjured.
Dallas wins 120-96.
They’re real, and they’re spectacular
Maybe this subheader will bite me in the ass later. Right now, I don’t care. The Dallas Mavericks are 3-2 and just beat the crap out of the 2025 NBA Champs and 2026 Western Conference finalists. Yeah, the Thunder are injured. So are the Mavericks.
This rocks and I don’t know how else to say it. There might be darker days ahead but the last time the Mavericks were ABOVE .5o0 was March 5th, 2024. That’s a long-ass time.
So right now your mission is simple: enjoy this win. Enjoy the moment. Revel in it with those you enjoy fandom with. Then tell your friends. People left the Mavericks church some time ago. They had good reason to. But joy should be shared and spread and sought. We have it. There will be more. Tell your friends. Let’s go Mavs.
It’s a team effort
Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving were good. A combined 41 points, seven rebounds, and 12 assists. Very good if you’re feeling generous. But were they great?
Not really. And that’s just win. Dallas won by 24 anyway.
Dallas shot under 50% and shot 36% from three. They didn’t win this game on outlier areas. They won because they pushed harder, defended better, and never stopped as a team. If you didn’t watch this game, you missed a play from every person on the roster who saw minutes that came from sheer grit. The every-game Risacher play that leaves me laughing (this time, a block of SGA in transition that was so rude, I loved it). The gaul of Walter Clayton Jr. to attack in transition. I could keep going.
These guys are feeling it right now.
Living in the hustle stats
Dallas nearly tied points in the paint, losing 44-42 after getting killed in the first half (26-14). They won fast-break points 17-0. The Mavericks won second-chance points 18-7.
That is how you win a big game on national television. They controlled and dominated the effort and came away with a big early-season win.
The Brewers are officially World Series champions, and after their magical postseason run, our friends at Breaking T have created a ton of shirts to help you celebrate! You can even get free shipping on orders over $100! Check out the shirts below, and be sure to stock up on your gear today!
Note: Most designs are available in multiple shirt colors/styles. Click the link for each to check availability.
This Milwaukee Brewers team has been defined all season, and especially all postseason, by its resilience. On Tuesday, the Brewers had a chance to sweep the Rays and win their first-ever championship. It didn’t go to plan. Doubts crept in amongst fans. Horrible “what-ifs.”
Luckily for us, we don’t play the games. As they have all postseason, the Brewers immediately bounced back from their Game 4 setback. With their ace on the hill, the Brewers’ pitching staff utterly shut down the Rays’ offense, even if Jacob Misiorowski was doing it differently than he did for most of the season. A rookie on a hot streak, a night after just missing out on creating the most legendary moment in the history of the franchise, picked up a couple more hits and a couple more RBIs and set a major league record in the process. And the on-field leader, Wild Bill, picked up a big hit and a fancy new piece of hardware.
Yes. The Brewers did it. They won the World Series.
In one of the big storylines of the game, Tampa Bay went with their ace, Drew Rasmussen, on just three days rest. He looked good in the first inning, as he struck out Jackson Chourio and Jake Bauers before he got Christian Yelich to ground out. In the bottom of the inning, Misiorowski — pitching to contact tonight, as we have seen through this postseason — got the first two Rays on flyouts before Junior Caminero, after the first of several pauses to work on the mound tonight, extended the inning with a single. Liam Hicks, though, hit a soft little pop fly to Brice Turang at second base, and both pitchers had scoreless first innings.
In the second, Turang scorched a line drive past shortstop Taylor Walls and into the gap for a one-out double. Sal Frelick followed with his second hit-by-pitch of the World Series, which brought up the world’s hottest hitter, Cooper Pratt. Pratt, who got hits in his last four plate appearances on Tuesday, went after the first pitch he saw on Wednesday and lined a single into center, scoring Turang from second. The Rays lucked into the second out when Pratt was thrown out on the bases — pretty excusable, all things considered, as he was aggressively trying to take second on a throw to third, but Caminero made a smart play to get him caught in a rundown. But with that out, the Brewers had Frelick at third with two outs instead of runners on the corners and one out, and Garrett Mitchell struck out to end the inning. The Brewers, though, had an early lead for their ace.
Misiorowski picked up a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the second with three more balls in the air. In the bottom of the inning, Rasmussen matched that when David Hamilton failed to reach first on a bunt-for-hit attempt, Chourio struck out, and Bauers popped out. In the bottom of the third, after a defensive gem from Jake Bauers robbed Ryan Vilade of a hit, Misiorowski walked Yandy Díaz with two outs, though Díaz tweaked his hamstring on a swing and miss during the at-bat and was clearly uncomfortable; he was checked on by the trainer before the end of the at-bat and again at first a couple of pitches later. Díaz was able to stay in the game, and didn’t have to test his leg when Jonathan Aranda flew out to right.
The Brewers again went down in order against Rasmussen in the fourth, but with a near-miss: Turang, with two outs, blasted a ball 412 feet and 105 mph but hit it to straightaway center, where it was caught on the warning track. Caminero led off the bottom of the inning with a warning-track shot of his own, this one down the line to right, but Frelick made the catch. The Rays then put some pressure on Misiorowski for the first time in the game: Hicks was hit by a pitch, and after a Jonny DeLuca strikeout, Chandler Simpson singled to right and advanced to second when Frelick bobbled the ball. That put runners on second and third with two outs, but Misiorowski got Ben Williamson to ground out to third — a play on which Bauers made his second really good defensive play of the night by bailing out Hamilton on a high throw.
Rasmussen, whose workload tonight was always going to be limited given that he was pitching three days after throwing 89 pitches on Saturday, was done after four — he left in position for a loss, but pitched pretty well all things considered. Kevin Kelly was the first man out of the bullpen, and the Brewer offense grew into the game as soon as Rasmussen was out. With one out in the top of the fifth, Pratt picked up another single, his sixth straight hit going back to yesterday’s game, setting a record for a rookie in the World Series. Mitchell followed that by slicing another single into left, putting runners on the corners with one out. That brought up Hamilton, and with the Rays defense drawn in, he knocked a single past Williamson and into right field for a run-scoring single.
Kelly managed to strike out Chourio, and he was then replaced by Garrett Cleavinger, who struck out Bauers to strand Mitchell and Hamilton, but the Brewers’ lead was now 2-0. Misiorowski had an easy bottom of the fifth, and then the Brewers struck again in the top of the sixth. Yelich got things started by taking a Cleavinger sinker to the side, and the Rays chose to leave Cleavinger in the precarious position of facing Contreras with a platoon disadvantage. They should not have let him do that. Contreras hit one deep into the left-field corner that bounced in front of the wall; Yelich scored from first, and Contreras had a double.
Cleavinger then had a matchup advantage against Turang, but Turang won that battle too and singled on a fly ball down the left-field line. Contreras had to hold at third, as it wasn’t immediately clear that Simpson wouldn’t make the catch. Cleavinger was pulled in favor of Tyler Wells, who was able to strike out Frelick for the first out, though Turang stole second base during the at-bat. Pratt, the human flamethrower, was up next, and while he didn’t make it seven straight at-bats with a hit, he did hit a sacrifice fly into foul territory down the right-field line, on which Contreras scored from third. After a Mitchell walk, the Rays moved to Steven Matz, who got Hamilton to fly out to end the inning. But the Brewers now had a cautiously comfortable four-run lead.
Misiorowski was also cruising, as he approached 80 pitches in the bottom of the sixth; aside from the one stressful inning in the fourth, he’d been in control all night despite lacking strikeout stuff. That continued for two outs in the sixth as Aranda grounded out and, for the second time in the game, Caminero flew out to Frelick on the warning track. During Hicks’ at-bat, though, an old foe conquered Misiorowski: leg cramps. After the first pitch to Hicks, Misiorowski pulled up, and after a conversation on the mound, he was removed in favor of JoJo Romero, who finished off Hicks for the third out.
It wasn’t how Misiorowski would’ve liked his night to end, and he surely had eyes on the seventh inning, but he was able to be extremely effective tonight despite just two strikeoutsfor the guy who led the majors in Ks and K/9 this season. He allowed just two hits and walked only one batter, and completed 5 2/3 huge scoreless innings for a team whose bullpen was in somewhat rough shape after Tuesday night’s 12-inning game.
Chourio led off the seventh with a sharp single to center off of Matz, but Bauers hit into a tough-luck double play when a 99-mph ground ball down the line was snagged by Aranda, who stepped on first and then threw to second, where Chourio was tagged out. Yelich flew out to center for the third out.
Romero continued in the bottom of the seventh and struck out DeLuca looking. He should’ve retired Simpson, too, but bad throws continued to plague the Brewers this postseason: Simpson hit a dribbler in front of the plate, but Contreras, when throwing to first, airmailed it. Simpson reached second, and with that, Romero was removed in favor of Abner Uribe. On Uribe’s first pitch, pinch-hitter Richie Palacios hit a harmless ground ball to first. Simpson moved to third, but there were two outs. Another pinch-hitter, Victor Mesa Jr., came to the plate in place of Vilade. Uribe, being careful with Mesa Jr., fell behind 3-0. He worked it back full, and Mesa hit three two-strike foul balls, but on the ninth pitch of the at-bat, he grounded out. The error did not come back to bite them.
Rays closer Bryan Baker was in for the top of the eighth, a night after throwing two innings. Contreras scalded the second pitch of the inning but had nothing to show for it except a 108.5-mph groundout. Baker retired Turang and Frelick with less trouble, and the lead remained 4-0 going to the bottom of the eighth.
The Brewer pitcher in that frame was Trevor Megill. The leadoff hitter Walls made surprisingly good contact on a 2-1 fastball right down the middle and sliced it down the left field line, but Chourio made a great play on which he had to go down to a slide. A pitch later, Díaz hit another ball to the warning track in right — he clearly thought he got a little more of it than he did — and Frelick had it for the second out. After Aranda struck out on a check swing, the inning was over, and the Brewers were three outs away.
Ian Seymour pitched the top of the ninth for the Rays, and for the first time in a long time, Pratt made a routine out. Seymour struck out Mitchell and Hamilton, and the Brewers would have a four-run lead to work with in the bottom of the ninth.
Megill, back out for his second inning of work, got off to a great start by striking out Caminero looking. It looked like he’d have an easy second out, too, when Hicks hit a weak ground ball toward Bauers at first. But the ball hit the base and caromed way off down the right-field line. Hicks ended up at second. Megill got another strikeout against DeLuca, which brought Simpson to the plate. As he has all series, Simpson fought for the Rays and lined a double into right that put the Rays on the board. But the Rays’ rally didn’t go any further: Palacios hit a weak grounder to Turang at second, he calmly threw over to Bauers at first, and the Brewers won the World Series.
This was as comfortable a win as a win like this one is going to feel. The Brewers got out to an early lead and built on it in the middle innings, and their pitching staff — first Misiorowski, followed by Romero, Uribe, and Megill — had the Rays offense on lockdown. Before the fluke Hicks double in the ninth, the Rays had no runs on just two hits, and Milwaukee pitchers had walked only one batter.
On the offensive side, Pratt’s World Series heater extended long enough to get a couple more hits and knock in a couple more runs. Turang hit a big double and scored a big run. Contreras had a big RBI double and also scored a run. In the end, it was Contreras who hoisted the Willie Mays World Series MVP trophy, a fitting end for the guy who not only finished the series with eight hits in 23 at-bats (.381) and four RBIs but led a dominant pitching staff through five games while limiting Tampa Bay’s dangerous running game and doing a shockingly great job with ABS challenges. For the entire postseason, Contreras hit .373/.448/.588 in 13 games with three homers and nine RBIs.
The award belonged to Contreras, but it could easily have gone to Chourio, Pratt, or even Aaron Ashby. Chourio finished the series with 11 hits in 24 at-bats (.458), two doubles, and two RBIs. Pratt, by going 6-for-8 over the last two games, finished 8-for-19 (.421) with a homer, two doubles, and seven RBIs. Ashby didn’t pitch in the clincher, but he capped his historic postseason by allowing just one hit with nine strikeouts in 5 2/3 scoreless innings across three World Series appearances, including a save in Game 2.
For Brewers fans, this was a magical ending to a beautiful season. For those fans who’ve been around since the beginning in 1970, for those who were around to see the last World Series winner in Milwaukee in 1957. For those, like me, who grew up with the dreadful teams of the late 1990s and the early 2000s and didn’t even consider winning the World Series a possibility. For those younger fans who have only known success, but who hadn’t gotten to the top of the mountain. For all Brewers fans! We won the World Series!
Plenty more to come. I don’t think you need me to tell you to soak this one in.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 28: William Contreras #24 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates while being presented the Willie Mays World Series Most Valuable Player award after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field on October 28, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Brewers closed out the Tampa Bay Rays Wednesday night to capture their first World Series championship in franchise history. Catcher William Contreras was named World Series MVP thanks to an all around effort at the plate and behind it.
Contreras hit .381/.435/.429 in the series and drove in four runs. His finest work came behind the plate where he successfully led a dominant pitching performance by the Milwaukee’s pitching staff. This was the first World Series to feature the Automatic Ball-Strike system and Contreras took full advantage. He challenged 12 calls behind the plate and had nine overturned successfully. Zoom out to the entire postseason and Contreras hit .373 with three home runs and was successful on 21 of 32 ABS challenges. Contreras was the 27th player in Major League history to have multiple hits in his first three World Series games. He is the first catcher to earn series MVP honors since Salvador Perez in 2015 for the Kansas City Royals.
The Brewers had several worthy candidates in the MVP discussion. Jackson Chourio was 11-for-24 in the series with three stolen bases and four runs scored. His 11 hits are tied for the second-most all-time in the first five games of a World Series. Rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt had hits in six consecutive at-bats which was one hit shy of the record. Pratt had eight hits in the series and drove in seven runs. Aaron Ashby was a workhorse out of the bullpen for Milwaukee for the entire postseason. He made three scoreless appearances in the World Series where he struck out nine in 5 2/3 innings. Ashby didn’t allow a run in 18 postseason innings.
Well the 2026 MLB season came to a close, as the Brewers were crowned champions in dominant fashion over the Rays, complicating the competitive balance narrative as we enter the most consequential CBA negotiation in decades for the sport. The end of the World Series also brings with it the advent of an offseason, as we expect an early flurry of moves ahead of an all-but-certain lockout with an extremely uncertain end-date and outcome. The Braves have some pressure to make some real moves this offseason, so their approach before the lockout will be interesting to track. Keep it right here at Battery Power for coverage of all the news.
Oct 28, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) celebrates his three-point basket in the fourth quarter against the Washington Wizards at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers coasted through the first half, fell down by double digits, and then turned it on down the stretch to grab their 17th straight win against the Washington Wizards with a final score of 121-111.
Three stars of the game
First star: Evan Mobley
24 points on 8-of-12 shooting, 12 rebounds, 2 assists
The Cavs ceiling changes if Mobley becomes a consistent and lethal three-point shooter. We saw that in Wednesday’s game as he went 5-for-6 from beyond the arc. This wasn’t just a one-off performance. Through four games, Mobley is 12-for-18 (66.7%) from three.
“There’s a shift in his demeanor,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “There’s a confidence to him now. … The jumper looks quicker to me. It’s not just that he’s making them. I think last year he kind of made threes [when he had] time and space. I feel like this year he’s getting it off quicker. He’s making them with harder contests.”
The Wizards had to change their defense to account for this. They didn’t give him the same time and space in the second half, which allowed the rest of the offense to flourish.
On top of that, Mobley, along with Jarrett Allen, made it difficult for the Wizards to finish inside in the second half. Washington attempted just 13 shots in the paint in the second half after taking 31 there in the first.
This was a solid and complete game from Mobley
Second star: Peyton Watson
22 points on 9-of-17 shooting, 6 rebounds, 2 assists
This was the first time we got a real taste of how helpful Watson can be for Cleveland. He was impactful attacking off the dribble, and more importantly, in creating out of the short roll when running pick-and-rolls with the starting backcourt. That was incredibly useful considering how the Wizards — and most of the other teams before them — were trapping Cleveland’s guards on high pick-and-rolls.
“I loved the offensive part,” Atkinson said. “Getting in the pocket, making plays, driving [against] mismatches. He goes hard to the rim.
Watson also made a difference as an offensive rebounder by creating five extra chances. Three of those opportunities directly led to points. Atkinson has consistently talked about wanting his team to do a better job on the offensive glass. Watson may be the answer here with his height and athleticism.
Watson has a well-rounded and intriguing skill set that the Cavs are still figuring out how to best use. The early results are interesting. Watson provides a different dimension to how this team can play. It’ll be interesting to see how the Cavs fine-tune his role as the season progresses.
Sarr was helpful for Washington on both ends. Offensively, he picked his spots well and finished looks that Trae Young and Kyshawn George created for him. Defensively, he had active hands in passing lanes and deterred shots at the rim. It was a solid game for a young player that is steadily coming into his own.
Harden had a tough time finding a scoring rhythm. He led the Cavs in shots (18) but completed just 27.8% of them. This included missing a couple of point-blank floaters he normally converts.
It’s unfair to blame Cleveland’s poor defensive start on one person, but Harden left a lot to be desired on that end in the first half. He lost his assignment repeatedly off-ball in the first half, which led to easy baskets.
To his credit, Harden was good down the stretch. He got the Cavs into their offense and protected the ball in the second half. It wasn’t an outright awful game — just one where he could’ve been better.
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Wednesday’s performance wasn’t as noteworthy as his debut earlier this week, but it was a strong showing nonetheless.
Thomas has found a nice balance on the defensive end. He’s not afraid to jump passing lanes and force the action, but this hasn’t come at the expense of losing his man or being out of position. It’s not uncommon for a rookie to be an active defender; it is uncommon for them to consistently be in the right place when they’re away from the play. So far, Thomas’s defensive positioning has been impressive.
Offensively, he did a good job of slotting into more of an off-ball role. He was helpful attacking in transition and provided some scoring punch in the half-court.
At this point, there isn’t a strong case for either Craig Porter Jr. or Tyrese Proctor getting minutes over Thomas. The rookie just adds too much as an offensive threat and active defender.
“We found a guy that can really help us,” Atkinson said.
The Cavs are at their best when they’re regularly turning defense into easy opportunities the other end. That was a hallmark of the 2024-25 regular-season team that turned in 64 wins.
We haven’t consistently seen that version of this team through four games, but little moments like this serve as a reminder that they may still get there.
Quote of the day
“The first few went in, so I just kept shooting them.”
– Evan Mobley on going 5-for-6 from three
Stat of the game
The Cavs won the offensive rebounding battle 15-5, which led to them outscoring Washington 19-8 in second-chance points.
The Cavs thoroughly controlled the glass and the overall possession battle. They outrebounded Washington 58-33. Cleveland won’t lose many games when they rebound like this.
What this game will be remembered for Mobley’s breakout three-point performance
A hot shooting week doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things. The high variance of the shot can lead to drastic results in small sample sizes. This, however, tends to even out over time. From that perspective, Mobley hitting 11 of his last 14 threes might now mean much.
At the same time, everything about the Cavs changes if he can develop a more consistent outside shot. Only time will tell whether this start is real.
“We’re going to be really hard to stop,” Atkinson said when asked about how Mobley’s shooting can transform the offense. “If he can do that, hit threes and still be the great defender that he is and should be, then that could be our next jump.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Tuch scored his eighth and ninth goals in his first season with Washington, the second into an empty net to help the Capitals seal a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night.
Tuch arrived in a trade from Buffalo and signed an eight-year, $84-million contract extension in June. On Wednesday, he became only the second player in Capitals history to score at least nine goals in his first 11 games for the team, joining Dino Ciccarelli, who scored 12 times in his first 11 Caps appearances to close the 1988-89 season.
Jordan Kyrou also scored twice, and Aliaksei Protas added his first goal of the season as Washington completed a five-game homestand with four wins.
Dylan Strome had three assists, and Jack St. Ivany and Pierre-Luc Dubois each had two. Logan Thompson made 23 saves after missing a victory Saturday against Buffalo because of a lower-body injury.
Matvei Michkov scored his ninth goal of the season and fifth on the power play for Philadelphia, which lost its third straight after an overtime defeat to visiting Columbus on Tuesday night.
Sean Couturier leveled it early in the second, and Joseph Woll made 25 stops for the Flyers.
OILERS 4, FLAMES 0
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Tristan Jarry made 24 saves, Connor McDavid had two more points and Edmonton beat Calgary to snap a two-game losing streak.
McDavid extended his season-starting points streak to 13 games, pushingv his NHL-best points total to 36. He also extended his campaign-starting assists streak to 13, setting a record by surpassing the likes of Sebastian Aho, Ken Linseman and Wayne Gretzky for the longest in NHL history.
Mathieu Joseph, Mattias Ekholm, Kasperi Kapanen and Alex Formenton scored to help the Oilers improve to 9-2-2.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also had assists.
Dustin Wolf made 20 saves for Calgary, coming in to replace Devin Cooley (eight saves) after he was injured late in the first period. Cooley was run over in the crease by forward Colton Dach.
The Flames dropped to 5-7-0. They had won four in a row.
AVALNCHE 5, DEVILS 2
DENVER (AP) — Nazem Kadri and Parker Kelly scored in a 1:02 span early in the third period and Colorado beat New Jersey to end it winning streak at four.
Kadri gave Colorado a 2-1 lead at 2:45, and Kelly followed at 3:47. Nathan MacKinnon added his eighth goal of the season with eight minutes remaining, and Jaden Schwartz connected 30 seconds later.
Mackenzie Blackwood made 20 saves to help Colorado improve to 7-5-1.
Connor Brown scored twice for New Jersey.
Brown had a short-handed goal in the first period, and Gabriel Landeskog tied it on a power play in the second.
Jake Allen stopped 39 shots for the Devils. They are 8-5-0.
KRAKEN 5, MAPLE LEAFS 4
SEATTLE (AP) — Defenseman Brandon Montour scored with 34 seconds left and Seattle beat Toronto to spoil No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna’s first two-goal game and three-point night.
After scoring on power plays in each of the first two periods, McKenna helped set up Auston Matthews’ tying goal with 1:30 remaining and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky off for an extra attacker.
Montour then beat Bobrovsky with a slapper from the top of the right circle.
Chandler Stephenson had a goal and an assist to help Seattle improve to 8-4-1. Ryker Evans, Berkly Catton and Josh Mahura also scored, and Philipp Grubauer made 18 saves.
Stephenson gave Seattle a 3-2 lead on a power play at 3:33 of the second period, and assisted on Evans’ goal with 9:02 left.
McKenna has five goals in 15 games this season. Matthews has 10 goals.
Jack Roslovic also scored for the Maple Leafs, cutting it to 4-3 at 8:02 of the third period. Bobrovsky stopped 12 shots as Toronto dropped to 7-6-2.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 28: Keyonte George #3 of the Utah Jazz handles the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on October 28, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With several stars out with injuries, the talented young Jazzmen like Darryn Peterson and Keyonte George with 31 points had a chance to shine against a lethargic Spurs squad, and they took advantage of their bigger roles to make a outsized impact on the game. The Spurs acted entitled, and they were outworked in the first half as the Jazz took a double digit lead in the second quarter and led 55-51 at the half. The Spurs awoke from the slumber in the second half, but the Jazz young’uns were unlocked and they made the Silver and Black have to earn their way to a win. The Spurs couldn’t get any separation in the second half, but they had just enough to take the game into overtime, and a defensive surge in the last two minutes was just enough for the visitors to escape with a 117-11 win. Devin Vassell was a key performer as the Spurs came back in the fourth, while Victor Wembanyama led the team on both offense and defense as they pulled out a close overtime win.
Observations:
This counts as the Spurs’ second road game of the season, and with three home games. But one of those ‘home’ games was in Austin, where the Rockets fans were almost as loud as the Spurs, and the Austin locals were too cool for school, as usual, with a lot of them rooting for former Longhorn Kevin Durant. Let’s call that a neutral site game because there was little to none home court advantage. Hopefully the Paris games will work out better for the San Antonio, who will really only have something like 36 true home games this season.
This is my first final score article of the season, and hopefully, you’ll like it. I never know how these are going to turn out, but the fun of it is that I don’t have a lot of time to overthink it, I just write whatever comes into my head and press publish a few minutes after the final buzzer. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s just kind of okay. It’s always fun for me.
Darryn Peterson got off to a hot start as the Jazz got off to an early 7 point lead, but he got hit on the face by a Wembanyama elbow on a dunk attempt and had to go to the locker room. It could have been called a foul, but it wasn’t called, perhaps because it looked like Peterson ran right into Victor’s outstretched arm.
The Jazz played with a lot more intensity than the Silver and Black for the rest of the first quarter, and led 32-22 after their first 12 minutes, with poor shooting being a big problem for the visitors.
The Spurs offense was sputtering, but they were able to draw fouls, and missed free throws were costly for the Silver and Black as the Jazz stretched the lead to double digits. Finally, Champagnie got into the game and made an impact as they cut the lead to 5 with a little over 4 minutes left in the first half.
The hustle of the Jazz showed as they got to loose balls first and led 55-51 at the half, despite the Spurs getting a few clutch shots from Victor to keep it close. The Jazz weren’t the Kings, and the Spurs were not being given an easy win, they were going to have take it away from the scrappy home team.
The Spurs opened the third on a 8-2 run and retook the lead in the first two minutes of the third quarter on a ferocious Wembanyama putback dunk. The Spurs kept up their intensity in the quarter, but the game Jazz also responded and maintained a lead for most of the quarter. The Spurs kept pulling even and even took a few small leads, the Jazz pulled away with a Mykhailiuk triple to take a late 7 point lead in the quarter. The Spurs ended the quarter on an 11-4 run to tie the score at 85 each with 12 minutes to play on a slick drive from Steph Castle.
Mo Bamba has been in the league a long time, and I think he’s finally found a place where they appreciate him. He’s always had a ton of talent, and he’s finally putting it to good use.
One thing about DAZN is that they don’t bleep the audio from the players. I definitely heard some bad words tonight.
The Spurs woke up a bit in the fourth quarter and decided to take the ball to the hoop. Both teams were playing their best basketball, and the San Antonio had a tough contest on their hands.
Mitch Johnson called a quick timeout team halfway through the fourth quarter after a 10-3 Jazz run, taking a 98-97 lead to yell at his team. The game remained tight as Mitch had to use another timeout just a few minutes later as the Spurs held onto a 101-100 lead with 3:27 left.
Devin was clutch down the stretch for the Silver and Black, as he scored 8 in the fourth, but the Jazz tied up the game at 105 with 41 seconds left. Neither team could take advantage and regulation time ended with a 105-105 tie.
The Spurs looked tired to start the overtime period and couldn’t hit anything. Sensabaugh hit a prayer triple and the Jazz led 108-105. The Spurs scored the next 10 to take a 115-108 lead with a minute left in OT. The Spurs held on for a 117-111 lead. The way they got there was a little ugly, but getting a win was beautiful.
Tarris Reed never entered the game, since it was close throughout. I really hope he gets more time soon, as Luke Kornet hasn’t looked very good in limited minutes so far this season.
For the opponent’s perspective, visit SLCDunk, which is one of the more hilarious and thoughtful SBNation basketball sites.
The Spurs have a few days off before they face the Timberwolves at home on Halloween night. Anthony Edwards is out for a few months, but Minnesota is the best team that the Silver and Black have seen since the Rockets in the second game of the season. It should be a spooOoOky night for the Spurs, and a win would go a long way in bringing back their confidence in returning as a contender after last June’s Finals loss. It’s still early in the season, but winning is good medicine for both the fans and the players.
Christian Yelich and the Milwaukee Brewers were shellshocked in October 2024, when a Pete Alonso home run eliminated them in stunning fashion from the wild-card round. Yet Yelich’s postgame sadness seemed deeper and far more profound.
Yelich’s tears that night proved prescient, as Uecker passed away from cancer in January 2025. Uecker's dream of seeing the Milwaukee Brewers crowned as World Series champions wouldn't be realized.
Yet Yelich and the Brewers kept Uecker close at hand the next two seasons, evoking his name whenever something otherworldly happened on the field, pointing toward his statue in the nether reaches of American Family Field and exhibiting the closeness that can only come when a man known as Mr. Baseball spends more than half a century with a franchise.
"He’s smiling, man, he’s smiling. I really wish he could’ve been here to see this," an emotional Yelich said in a postgame interview on Fox Sports. "That would have meant everything. He’s been with us a lot.
Manager Pat Murphy, whose postgame messages to the team from Uecker became a postseason staple, echoed the sentiments from the victory podium.
"I know the man Ueck upstairs is looking down," Murphy said. "I think about the city of Milwaukee, the state of Wisconsin. They pushed us through."
Uecker would have the entire Brewers clubhouse in stitches with his histrionics. Yet he developed a close relationship with Yelich, who joined the Brewers before the 2018 season and connected with Uecker.
"In a lot of ways, we still feel like he’s with us. He was just a great friend," Yelich said on the eve of the World Series. "It was awesome getting to hear his life stories and baseball stories. He lived such a crazy, awesome life. Talk about getting the most out of a lifetime and getting to experience cool things.
"One of my favorite things was just sitting down with him at a table in the kitchen. Some of the best players in the game were his friends, (like) Hank Aaron. We’d go to dinner once a spring training. And you knew you had to block out four, five hours for the dinner because of how many awesome stories there were gonna be.
"It was a joy being around him."
Yelich certainly honored Uecker in this World Series, driving in the game's first runs in Games 1 and 3. Perhaps Yelich is not a Brewers icon on the level of Robin Yount and Paul Molitor, Hall of Famers who starred for the 1982 club that got so close, losing Game 7 of the World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals.
But he is a two-time batting champ, the 2018 MVP and has starred during this run of eight playoff berths in nine seasons. And Yelich, finally, fulfilled Uecker's vision.
"This one’s still for Bob," Yelich said postgame. "This one’s for Ueck.
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It could be the longest offseason in Major League Baseball history. And as fans stare at the crop of available free agents, the list simply won’t get any better.
So why not feast your eyes on the wares now? The World Series is over and the lockout has yet to begin, leaving almost exactly one month for clubs to augment their 2027 (or ’28) rosters before commissioner Rob Manfred pulls the plug on the offseason Dec. 1.
With that, a brief look at the top 10 free agents available as the market opens post-World Series:
1. Tarik Skubal, LHP
Not the difference-maker the Dodgers needed, but by far the best talent available. Should have every major-market team interested, and perhaps a few surprises bidding for the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner.
2. Michael King, RHP
Yeah, bit of a drop-off from No. 1 to No. 2. Yet King should command a nice package given the neverending dearth of starting pitching. Injuries have slowed the 31-year-old’s progression, but he made 32 starts and pitched 185 innings with a 1.18 WHIP and 3.21 ERA. That may put him close to the nine-figure club.
Talk about a roller-coaster. He lost his touch in Queens and was revived by the peerless Tampa Bay pitching department after a trade from the Mets. Overall, the worst of his seven full seasons as a starter but still a guy good for 172 innings and a 3.65 ERA the past four seasons.
4. Randy Arozarena, OF
What a platform year for the boots-wearing power-speed left fielder. Arozarena turns 32 in February but is coming off a 26-homer, 26-steal season with Seattle, scoring an AL-high 113 runs and posting 5.7 WAR, eighth among AL position players.
5. Brandon Lowe, 2B
Another former Tampa Bay Ray with an excellent final year before reaching the market. Lowe ripped 35 homers and posted an .824 OPS and notched 5.4 WAR for the Pirates.
6. Seiya Suzuki, OF
Possibly a future DH, Suzuki is still a nice source of power as he’s hit between 21 and 32 home runs the past four seasons, with an .833 OPS over that span.
7. Clay Holmes, RHP
Proved his chops as a starter in two seasons with the Mets, posting a 3.26 ERA over 42 appearances but getting sidelined after a comebacker broke a bone in his leg. Got up to 165 innings in 2025 and should get paid accordingly.
8. Sonny Gray, RHP
Will likely command a shorter term with a high average annual value, but Gray proved in 2026 that he can be an ace. Evolved into the Red Sox’s best starter as he led the majors with 18 wins and posted a 2.72 ERA.
9. Trevor Rogers, LHP
Put it all together over his final 18 starts in Baltimore, during which he posted a 2.87 ERA and 2.80 FIP; Rogers finished with a career-high 169 innings pitched.
10. Luis Arráez, INF
Still a hits machine, he’s the perfect element to add to a slug-heavy offense. Phillies lineup went south when he hurt an ankle just before the playoffs.
