Former Cubs star Kyle Schwarber is dominating in the World SeriesVincent Pariseon November 2, 2022 at 12:00 pm

The Chicago Cubs were an exciting team at times during the 2022 season but they were mostly bad. There is a lot of optimism surrounding certain players in the organization but they have a long way to go before they are as good as they were during the mid-2010s.

Speaking of the mid-2010s, they had some really good teams during that time. One of the better hitters on those teams was Kyle Schwarber. We all know about how he came back from injury in the 2016 World Series and was one of the best players in the entire series for either side.

Now, all these years later, he is in the World Series again. The Cubs let him go after the 2020 season because they felt that three months of Joc Pederson was more worth the money. That didn’t go as planned.

Schwarber has only gotten better since leaving town. As mentioned before, he is now dominating in the World Series with a new squad. His amazing bat is a big reason that the Philadelphia Phillies are where they are.

Kyle Schwarber has played a big part in the Philadelphia Phillies going deep.

Of course, big stars like Bryce Harper, JT Realmuto, Rhys Hoskins, and Zach Wheeler are doing their part as well but Schwarber deserves a lot of credit. He has fit in amazingly there and now they lead the World Series 2-1.

This is after a dominant 7-0 win in Game Three on Tuesday night. After some Halloween rain pushed this third game back a day, the Phillies were ready. In game one, Schwarber had a hit, a walk, and a run scored to help them come back from a 5-0 deficit. He knew he could do more.

The Phillies were just dominated in game two so they came into this one angry. With Schwarber on first base in the first inning, Bryce Harper hit a monster two-run home run to give them a 2-0 lead. They didn’t look back from there.

Later in the game, Schwarber hit a two-run home run of his own to give himself another run scored and two World Series RBIs. This is Schwarber’s first career World Series home run. It is fair to say that he was a huge part of getting this win.

Now, Schwarber and the Phillies are two wins away from taking down these Houston Astros for a World Series championship. There is still a long way to go so a few more big Schwarber performances would be appreciated. After all, it is great to see him succeed no matter where it is.

Read More

Former Cubs star Kyle Schwarber is dominating in the World SeriesVincent Pariseon November 2, 2022 at 12:00 pm Read More »

NBA Power Rankings: The top 10 is still full of surpriseson November 2, 2022 at 1:00 pm

The surprises continue across the NBA as the third week of the 2022-23 season gets underway.

The 6-0 Milwaukee Bucks stand alone as the last undefeated team, and get appropriate placement at the top of this week’s power rankings. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. haven’t had the toughest schedule so far but clutched out important wins against other top Eastern Conference contenders, including the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks.

The Cleveland Cavaliers currently sit right behind Milwaukee in the East, as the offseason addition of Donovan Mitchell has helped jumpstart Cleveland’s return to serious postseason contention this year.

Meanwhile in the West, the Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers sit atop the conference, but the surprising 6-2 Utah Jazz haven’t faltered like many expected them to, so far. Utah notched back-to-back home wins against the Memphis Grizzlies. Whether the Jazz can keep it up has yet to be determined, but their early success is still recognized in this week’s rankings.

The Miami Heat have surprisingly underperformed so far, joining the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers on a list of teams built to be win-now contenders on paper but haven’t lived up to expectations on the court yet. However, Miami’s outlook for the rest of the year is still much more positive compared to Brooklyn and Los Angeles.

Note: Throughout the regular season, our panel (Kendra Andrews, Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Nick Friedell, Andrew Lopez, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin and Ohm Youngmisuk) is ranking all 30 teams from top to bottom, taking stock of which teams are playing the best basketball now and which teams are looking most like title contenders.

Previous rankings: Week 1

1. Milwaukee Bucks2022-23 record: 6-0Previous week’s ranking: 1

The Bucks are 6-0 for the third time in franchise history. In the previous two instances (1971-72 and 2018-19), they finished with 60 wins and the league’s MVP (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Giannis Antetokounmpo, respectively). It’s still early, but Antetokounmpo is showing signs of asserting himself into contention for that award again, racking up at least 30 points in five straight games, the second-longest streak of his career (six straight in November 2019). — Collier

2. Phoenix Suns2022-23 record: 6-1Previous week’s ranking: 3

It has been a week full of history for the Point God. On Saturday against the Rockets, Chris Paul finished with 15 assists and zero turnovers. It was the ninth time he has had at least 15 assists in a game with no turnovers, which is second all time in NBA history behind only John Stockton (14) since individual turnovers were first tracked in 1977-78. Paul is also the oldest player to have a 15-assist game since a 38-year-old Steve Nash did it for the Suns on March 28, 2012. And on Tuesday against the Wolves, Paul joined LeBron James as the only players in NBA history with 21,000 points and 10,000 assists.

— Lopez

3. Cleveland Cavaliers2022-23 record: 5-1Previous week’s ranking: 6

2 Related

Kevin Love was hotter than fish grease in Sunday’s win against the Knicks, scoring 29 points in 22 minutes. He did his damage with eight 3s and eight rebounds to extend the Cavs’ winning streak to five. Just wait until Darius Garland gets back from his eye injury. Cleveland looks like the real deal.

— McMenamin

4. Boston Celtics2022-23 record: 4-2Previous week’s ranking: 2

Predictably, the Celtics are struggling without big man Robert Williams III on the glass. They currently rank 24th in rebounding rate, per NBA.com advanced stats. In the meantime, they’re cobbling together a big-man rotation of Noah Vonleh, Blake Griffin and Luke Kornet behind starter Al Horford.

— Bontemps

5. Portland Trail Blazers2022-23 record: 5-1Previous week’s ranking: 8

Damian Lillard suffered a strained calf and will be reevaluated in one to two weeks. Without the team’s franchise player, Anfernee Simons went for 30 points against Houston, sliding back into the role he had last season when Lillard was out and CJ McCollum was traded. Jusuf Nurkic had his best game of the season against the Rockets with 27 points, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks. Portland will soon find out whether it is for real: Six of its next seven games are on the road, while its next three games are against Memphis and a back-to-back at Phoenix.

— Youngmisuk

6. New Orleans Pelicans2022-23 record: 4-2Previous week’s ranking: 9

The Pelicans were without Zion Williamson for two games and have been without Herb Jones and Brandon Ingram for three each. Naji Marshall is the reason they’ve made it through those games. Starting in place of Jones, Marshall has averaged 17.7 points on 57.1% shooting (6-of-14 from deep) while drawing Jones’ typical assignment of guarding the opposing team’s top perimeter player.

– Lopez

7. Memphis Grizzlies2022-23 record: 4-3Previous week’s ranking: 4

How much does Memphis miss Jaren Jackson Jr., who is recovering from surgery after breaking his foot this summer? The Grizzlies rank dead last in defensive rating, allowing 119.5 points per 100 possessions. Memphis had a 106.0 defensive rating with Jackson on the floor last season, when he led the league with 2.3 blocks per game and earned first-team All-Defensive recognition.

— MacMahon

8. Toronto Raptors2022-23 record: 4-3Previous week’s ranking: 15

Pascal Siakam has played as well as anyone to start this season. Averaging 26.1 points, 9.6 rebounds and 7.4 assists — all of which would be career highs — Siakam has helped Toronto go 4-3 through a brutal opening stretch full of playoff contenders.

— Bontemps

9. Denver Nuggets2022-23 record: 4-3Previous week’s ranking: 10

The Nuggets are shooting nearly 39.4% from deep — fifth-best in the league — but are in the middle of the pack in offensive efficiency. On the other end of the floor, the Nuggets are struggling with the fifth-worst defensive efficiency. Nuggets coach Michael Malone said his team has defended especially poorly in every road game this year.

— Andrews

10. Golden State Warriors2022-23 record: 3-5Previous week’s ranking: 5

The Warriors are now 0-3 on their current five-game road trip, are winless on the road and are off to their worst eight-game start since 2019-20. That year, they went 15-50. After their loss to the Heat, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he was starting to feel a sense of urgency from his team, something he said he was previously lacking. But the Warriors’ defense and bench continue to cost them games.

— Andrews

11. Utah Jazz2022-23 record: 6-2Previous week’s ranking: 13

Malik Beasley declared after Monday’s win over the Grizzlies that Lauri Markkanen is an All-Star. Markkanen appreciatively acknowledged that the first eight games is a bit early for such discussion, but there’s no doubt he’s performing at that level, averaging career bests of 22.6 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game for one of the NBA’s most surprising teams.

— MacMahon

12. Dallas Mavericks2022-23 record: 3-3Previous week’s ranking: 11

WednesdayCeltics-Cavs, 7:30 p.m.Grizzlies-Blazers, 10 p.m.

FridayBulls-Celtics, 7:30 p.m.Bucks-Wolves, 10 p.m.

*All times Eastern

The Mavs have blown double-digit leads in the fourth quarter in two of their three losses. The home overtime loss to Oklahoma City on Saturday night was especially egregious. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, teams that led by at least 16 in the final four minutes of regulation over the past 25 years had been 9,975-1 before the Mavs’ meltdown, which coach Jason Kidd attributed to an experiment with the closing lineup that went awry. “We left [Christian] Wood out there with that group, and it didn’t go well on either end,” Kidd said.

— MacMahon

13. Atlanta Hawks2022-23 record: 4-3Previous week’s ranking: 16

Atlanta started their five-game road trip with back-to-back wins over the Pistons before falling to the Bucks and Raptors. In Friday’s game against the Pistons, Trae Young finished with 36 points and 12 assists while playing just 30:07. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, the only players to play fewer minutes in a 35-point, 10-assist performance are Luka Doncic (once) and James Harden (three times).

— Lopez

14. Philadelphia 76ers2022-23 record: 4-4Previous week’s ranking: 19

After falling to 1-4, it looked like the 76ers were potentially entering a tailspin. But Philadelphia has responded with three straight wins — two without All-NBA center Joel Embiid — to get back to .500 and stabilize things.

— Bontemps

15. Minnesota Timberwolves2022-23 record: 4-4Previous week’s ranking: 17

The Timberwolves have a top-five defense, which is what they should have with the roster they’ve constructed. However, their first week was against teams near the bottom of the league (or thought to be, in the Jazz’s case). So how exactly will that defense hold up against better offensive teams, such as the Suns — to whom Minnesota lost on Tuesday — Bucks and Grizzlies, who are all coming up on the schedule. — Andrews

16. San Antonio Spurs2022-23 record: 5-2Previous week’s ranking: 18

During his first two NBA seasons, Keldon Johnson made 73 3-pointers in 86 games. In his second season, he was shooting 33.1% beyond the arc on 3.3 attempts per game. Johnson upped both his efficiency and volume last season, shooting 39.8% on six attempts per game, and he has taken it even further this year. In seven games, Johnson is shooting 43.5% from deep. Heading into Tuesday’s play, only Stephen Curry, Buddy Hield and Bojan Bogdanovic had made more 3s than Johnson’s 27. Also, he has hit at least three 3s in six of the Spurs’ seven games.

Lopez

17. New York Knicks2022-23 record: 3-3Previous week’s ranking: 14

The Knicks have had a reality check after a 3-1 start, dropping back-to-back road games to the Cavaliers and Bucks over the weekend — the start of a stretch of seven straight games against projected playoff teams for New York.

— Bontemps

18. LA Clippers2022-23 record: 3-4Previous week’s ranking: 7

The Clippers might be front-runners for most disappointing start to the season. They were hyped as championship contenders with perhaps the deepest roster in the NBA but now look completely out of sync. Even if Kawhi Leonard has had a flare-up with his surgically repaired right knee that will keep him out through this week, the Clippers have more than enough talent and the coaching to win. They were outplayed twice in OKC and needed Paul George to rack up 35 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 6 steals and 2 massively clutch shots in the final 40 seconds just to escape at home against Houston. With the next two games at Houston and San Antonio, perhaps the Clippers can finally get going.

— Youngmisuk

19. Washington Wizards2022-23 record: 3-4Previous week’s ranking: 16

The Wizards’ 3-1 start has been wiped away after losing four of their past five. Washington’s three-game slide is in danger of continuing with games against Philadelphia, Brooklyn and Memphis up next. On the bright side, Kristaps Porzingis had his best game of the season with 32 points and nine rebounds against the Sixers.

— Youngmisuk

20. Chicago Bulls2022-23 record: 4-4Previous week’s ranking: 23

After struggling defensively at the end of last season, the Bulls have been in the top half of the league (13th entering Tuesday) on defense to start the season thanks to the pesky contributions of Alex Caruso and Javonte Green. Both Caruso and Green rank in the top five in the NBA in deflections, and Green leads the NBA in deflections per 36 minutes.

— Collier

21. Miami Heat2022-23 record: 3-5Previous week’s ranking: 21

Get access to exclusive original series, premium articles from our NBA insiders, the full 30 for 30 library and more. Sign up now to unlock everything ESPN+ has to offer.

Miami has struggled out of the gate, but it picked up a comeback win over the Warriors on Tuesday night. Max Strus has found a good rhythm, averaging 16.3 points over his past four games. Jimmy Butler had 23 points, eight assists and six rebounds against the Warriors and is going to have to carry Miami through its rough early stretch as the group continues to find its way. — Friedell

22. Charlotte Hornets2022-23 record: 3-4Previous week’s ranking: 20

Charlotte has dropped three of its past four, giving up 118.8 points per game in the process. P.J. Washington is in the midst of a nice stretch, however; he has recorded 59 points and 12 rebounds over his past two games.

— Friedell

23. Brooklyn Nets2022-23 record: 2-6Previous week’s ranking: 22

It was a heck of a week for Brooklyn — even judged against the high standards the Nets have created for themselves in recent years. They’ve lost four of five, Kyrie Irving remains embroiled in controversy and coach Steve Nash and the Nets decided to part ways. It’s never a dull day in Netsland.

— Friedell

24. Oklahoma City Thunder2022-23 record: 4-3Previous week’s ranking: 29

Despite trailing Dallas by 16 points with under four minutes to play Saturday, the Thunder stormed back to win 117-111 in overtime. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, this was the 9,977th time in the past 25 seasons a team led by 16 or more with four minutes remaining in regulation. This was only the second time a team in that scenario came back to win, with OKC’s effort joining the Kings’ comeback against Minnesota on Jan. 27, 2020.

— Lopez

25. Indiana Pacers2022-23 record: 3-5Previous week’s ranking: 26

Myles Turner made headlines for his comments on “The Woj Pod” this week when said the Lakers should “take a hard look” at making a trade with the Pacers: “I know what I can provide for a team,” he said. However, Turner is off to a slow start since returning from an ankle injury, averaging 13.0 points and seven rebounds on 34% shooting (27% from 3).

— Collier

26. Los Angeles Lakers2022-23 record: 1-5Previous week’s ranking: 25

Has Russell Westbrook finally found a functional role in Los Angeles? While at first reluctant to assume the bench role that Darvin Ham envisioned, Westbrook looked mighty effective as the Lakers’ primary playmaker in the second unit. He averaged 18 points, 8.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists in two games as a reserve, including in the Lakers’ first win of the season against Denver.

— McMenamin

27. Sacramento Kings2022-23 record: 2-4Previous week’s ranking: 28

De’Aaron Fox left midway through the Kings’ game against the Hornets because of right knee soreness. It’s the last thing Sacramento needs right now. The Kings managed to squeak out that win, but if the injury persists, they would be losing one of their few bright spots on the floor this season.

Choose your league size, customize the scoring and set the rules you want to follow in order to create the fantasy basketball league you want to play in.

Create your custom league for free!

— McMenamin

28. Detroit Pistons2022-23 record: 2-6Previous week’s ranking: 24

Cade Cunningham is shooting 49.5% while putting up 25-5-5 in his past four games, the only Piston not named Grant Hill to do so in the past 30 seasons. Overall, Cunningham put up 27.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.5 assists during that span.

— Collier

29. Houston Rockets2022-23 record: 1-7Previous week’s ranking: 27

The Rockets’ winless four-game road trip was especially rough for Jalen Green. He shot only 25.7% from the floor and 22.6% from 3-point range on the trip, and Houston was outscored by 44 points with him on the floor in the four losses.

— MacMahon

30. Orlando Magic2022-23 record: 1-7Previous week’s ranking: 30

Aside from No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero‘s hot start to his career, the Magic have gotten a nice lift from Wendell Carter Jr. He’s averaging 20 points and 8.7 rebounds over his past three games. Both continue to put up solid numbers and big minutes for a team that needs more from its young core. — Friedell

Read More

NBA Power Rankings: The top 10 is still full of surpriseson November 2, 2022 at 1:00 pm Read More »

Brutus enter their ‘ambitious third album’ phase with explosive results

Brutus have entered their “ambitious third album” phase, and it sounds like it’s really working for them. The Belgian trio made waves with their second record, 2019’s Nest, which showcased their posthardcore-meets-postrock chops. Anchored by the soaring vocals and complex rhythms of singer and drummer Stefanie Mannaerts, their dynamic, aggressive songs swerved between emo introspection and over-the-top epic climaxes. All the elements that made Brutus so irresistible on their first two albums are back on the brand-new Unison Life—and this time they’re dialed up to 11. The hooks are bigger, the guitar riffs are more surgical, the bass is heavier than hell, and the songs feel louder and more layered than ever. Brutus have always had a flair for the dramatic, which can be felt in their heart-wrenching vocals and expansive arrangements, but here Mannaerts has unquestionably stepped into her position in the spotlight. She’s more than just a singing drummer—she’s an emotional powerhouse with a massive set of pipes. With Unison Life, Brutus are clearly operating on a new level. It’s catchy, it’s heavy, it’s fun, and the combination has me coming back to it over and over.

Brutus’s Unison Life is available through the band’s webstore.


Wednesday, November 30, 2022 at the Museum of Contemporary Art

Read More

Brutus enter their ‘ambitious third album’ phase with explosive results Read More »

Brutus enter their ‘ambitious third album’ phase with explosive resultsLuca Cimarustion November 2, 2022 at 11:00 am

Brutus have entered their “ambitious third album” phase, and it sounds like it’s really working for them. The Belgian trio made waves with their second record, 2019’s Nest, which showcased their posthardcore-meets-postrock chops. Anchored by the soaring vocals and complex rhythms of singer and drummer Stefanie Mannaerts, their dynamic, aggressive songs swerved between emo introspection and over-the-top epic climaxes. All the elements that made Brutus so irresistible on their first two albums are back on the brand-new Unison Life—and this time they’re dialed up to 11. The hooks are bigger, the guitar riffs are more surgical, the bass is heavier than hell, and the songs feel louder and more layered than ever. Brutus have always had a flair for the dramatic, which can be felt in their heart-wrenching vocals and expansive arrangements, but here Mannaerts has unquestionably stepped into her position in the spotlight. She’s more than just a singing drummer—she’s an emotional powerhouse with a massive set of pipes. With Unison Life, Brutus are clearly operating on a new level. It’s catchy, it’s heavy, it’s fun, and the combination has me coming back to it over and over.

Brutus’s Unison Life is available through the band’s webstore.


Wednesday, November 30, 2022 at the Museum of Contemporary Art

Read More

Brutus enter their ‘ambitious third album’ phase with explosive resultsLuca Cimarustion November 2, 2022 at 11:00 am Read More »

Chicago Blackhawks lose a tough one to New York IslandersVincent Pariseon November 2, 2022 at 11:00 am

The Chicago Blackhawks had a nice little winning streak going there for a minute but it was clear that they were playing well above expectations. It was fun while it lasted but it seems like they are starting to come back down to earth.

They lost a tough game against the New York Islanders on Tuesday night to bring their record down to NHL .500 at 4-4-2.

It isn’t like the Blackhawks were horrid in this 3-1 loss though. The New York Islanders play an amazing team game where they wait for you to make a mistake and then try to take advantage. The Hawks weren’t mistake-free but the Islanders had a tough time winning this game.

New York took a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Anders Lee and Brock Nelson who are two of their go-to guys there.

The Chicago Blackhawks gave the New York Islanders a fight but came up short.

Jonathan Toews made things interesting for them though as he scored a power-play goal at 10:19 of the period. Caleb Jones and Patrick Kane picked up the assists on this goal. For Kane, it is good to see him racking up the points again. That’s 10 points in 10 games. He will have a lot more.

The Blackhawks had a furious comeback effort late in the third but Zach Parise scored an empty net goal from 180 feet out to seal the deal. It was a risky play by Parise as missing would have been icing for a pressing Hawks team to take a draw in the offensive zone but he didn’t miss.

Chicago lost a close game to one of the hottest teams in the league right now. It is still a rebuilding season but we are seeing the Hawks compete hard in their wins and losses. That is a good thing because it will make the transition to winning easier.

When they have eventually more talent on the roster and play like this, they will become a really good team. The Islanders came to the United Center with a plan and they executed but the Hawks didn’t fall completely into their trap either.

If Parise doesn’t score that empty netter, the Hawks would have had a few more looks on the net late to try and get it tied. That’s not how it worked out and the Hawks dropped a tough one but they shouldn’t hang their heads too low.

The Blackhawks have another home game next on Thursday when the Los Angeles Kings come to town. That should be another tough game against a squad that plays very hard with a lot of skill. There are some things that they can carry with them from this loss to help them on Thursday.

Read More

Chicago Blackhawks lose a tough one to New York IslandersVincent Pariseon November 2, 2022 at 11:00 am Read More »

Videos shows Chicago cop fatally shooting man who fired gun during chase in Old Town

Newly released videos appear to show a Chicago police officer firing his weapon at a man who had fired at the cop during a foot pursuit last month in the Old Town neighborhood, and then not administering aid to the man.

Antonio Calmese Jr., 20, was shot about 5:05 a.m. Oct. 2 in the 400 block of West Blackhawk Street, according to Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. His death was ruled a homicide resulting from multiple gunshot wounds.

Officers patrolling the area were flagged down by a person who said someone had pointed a gun at them, police said.

Videos released Tuesday by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability show Calmese walking the streets with a gun. They also show the officer, Jarron Jefferson, chasing Calmese through an alley and directing him several times to “drop it,” then saying, “You’ll get shot over that gun.”

About a minute later, the officer deployed his Taser twice, but Calmese continued to walk away.

Then, before turning a corner into another alley, Calmese fired what appeared to be one shot in the direction of the officer.

Jefferson ran to the corner and fired what appeared to be seven rounds toward Calmese, then another four shots. He took cover behind the corner of a building and then fired another seven rounds at Calmese, who did not appear to fire back and dropped to the ground.

Jefferson, 34, did not render aid to Calmese. Other responding officers did not appear to immediately administer aid, though a police report of the incident indicated officers and fire officials rendered aid.

Videos show another officer patting Calmese down about five minutes after the shooting. Fire officials arrived to render aid about eight minutes after the shooting.

A handgun and shell casings that didn’t match the officer’s weapon were recovered near Calmese, police said.

Calmese was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, fire officials said.

Jefferson, who wasn’t shot, was treated for injuries at the same hospital, fire officials said.

The chase lasted about 10 minutes, with Jefferson following Calmese around an apartment building, hopping fences and ultimately losing sight of him in a parking lot. He found Calmese when another officer arrived, at which time Jefferson said, “Get that motherf—–.”

Jefferson got in the other officer’s squad car, and the two drove for about a minute until they located Calmese again. Jefferson got out of the car for another foot pursuit moments before the exchange of gunfire.

COPA continues to investigate the shooting. It will release a summary report after it is concluded.

Read More

Videos shows Chicago cop fatally shooting man who fired gun during chase in Old Town Read More »

Bulls win ‘circus trip,’ thanks to a stellar fourth from Zach LaVine

NEW YORK — There were no tents assembled, no elephants standing on two legs, not a clown in sight.

Yet the Bulls found themselves on a ”circus trip” they thought no longer existed on their schedule. They can thank the Nets for that.

Hours before the Bulls’ 108-99 victory Tuesday at Barclays Center, a turbulent Nets season turned into flat-out chaos.

Already dealing with the enigmatic Ben Simmons, Kyrie Irving defending an antisemitic movie/book and the fallout from Kevin Durant demanding a trade over the summer, the Nets fell into even deeper turmoil by announcing that they had parted ways with coach Steve Nash.

Then to add to the craziness, multiple reports had the Nets already moving toward hiring Ime Udoka, whom the Celtics suspended for the entire season in the wake of an investigation into misconduct allegations by a female staffer.

Nets general manager Sean Marks met with the media before the game and did his best bob-and-weave.

Marks first tried spinning it as a mutual parting of ways with Nash, then tried to deny that Udoka was all but certain to be hired as the Nets’ next coach.

”There’s a reason why we made this move [on Nash] when we did because time is ticking,” Marks said. ”So we do want this [hiring] process to be a thorough one. We’re not going to skip steps on that, and we’ll do our due diligence.”

Just another night in the drama-filled NBA? Nah, this was a little much.

Bulls coach Billy Donovan coached Durant for a season with the Thunder and knows Nash a bit. And while he didn’t want to get involved in the Nets’ business, it did hit home for him.

”It’s unfortunate with Steve because I really, really like Steve,”’ Donovan said. ”Steve knows the game very well. Probably one of the brightest point guards ever to play the game.”

As for Durant, Donovan spoke about how detailed and focused he was but couldn’t even guess at the emotions he has been feeling the last few months.

”He was just locked in always,” Donovan said. ”He sees the game in a very, very holistic way. For me to sit here and say what that was like for him here, I just don’t know. I wish people could see the way this guy works.

”But you have so much on your own plate, and it’s hard for me — just being in the NBA and seeing this — you don’t know what’s going on inside someone’s house.”

Especially because Donovan was trying to make sure his own house was in order. Not off the court, but on it.

Short-handed on the bench without big man Andre Drummond (shoulder) and guard Coby White (left thigh), the Bulls were hanging around through three quarters but didn’t seem as though they had the gear to make a move.

Then Zach LaVine took the wheel and shoved the gas pedal to the floor in the fourth, erupting for 20 of his 29 points as the Bulls took the lead and never looked back.

It was by far LaVine’s best game of the season, and even he couldn’t downplay that. He did try, however, especially when he was asked whether he felt as though he had something to prove with the max contract he signed in the offseason.

”I’ve been doing this for a while,” LaVine said. ”Don’t matter if you have a [max] contract or not . . . whatever I can do to help the team. Some nights it’s DeMar [DeRozan], some nights it’s [Nikola Vucevic], some nights it’s me. I was glad I was able to step in and fill that role like we have in the past.”

Read More

Bulls win ‘circus trip,’ thanks to a stellar fourth from Zach LaVine Read More »

Blackhawks’ loss to Islanders escalates goalie injury crisis

The Blackhawks’ organizational goaltender health issues reached a critical moment in a 3-1 loss Tuesday against the Islanders.

Starting goalie Alex Stalock was knocked out of the game and into concussion protocol just three minutes in. Islanders forward Casey Cizikas crashed into him in the crease, receiving a five-minute major and game misconduct for the dangerous play.

Hawks coach Luke Richardson said the team would know more Wednesday about Stalock’s status.

Arvid Soderblom saved 28 of 30 shots in relief, continuing his strong start to the season. The Hawks looked flat in all other areas, though, mustering only 22 shots against Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin and beating him only once, a Jonathan Toews power-play tip-in in the third period. The defeat was the Hawks’ fourth straight, dropping their record to 4-4-2.

“It was a hard-fought game,” defenseman Caleb Jones said. “We came out a little bit flat… We’re in all these hockey games; we just have to find a way to start pulling them out.”

If Stalock misses time, which seems likely, the Hawks will need to address the situation. Soderblom is now their only healthy goalie on an NHL contract, and they have two more games coming up — Thursday against the Kings and Saturday at the Jets — before a much-needed schedule break.

Petr Mrazek participated in morning skate Tuesday and is close to returning from his groin injury, but he might not be available until next week. Prospect Jaxson Stauber is also unavailable after taking a puck to the eye during a recent Rockford game.

Dylan Wells, a minor-league journeyman with an .862 save percentage in three appearances for Rockford this season, and Mitchell Weeks, an undrafted rookie whose entire pro experience consists of four ECHL games, are the only other goalies in the organization. Neither are currently signed to NHL contracts, but that could change — or the Hawks could look elsewhere around the AHL for a goalie to poach.

The encouraging news is Mrazek said Tuesday he feels “really good” and isn’t worried about his durability.

“It wasn’t as bad as it was last year,” Mrazek said. “I was just trying to be careful with it. The great training staff helped me with everything to get back early… It’s time to move on and get ready for games.”

People business

It was a “complete fluke,” general manager Kyle Davidson said, that the Hawks’ trades last week sent floundering prospects Nicolas Beaudin and Evan Barratt to their hometowns of Montreal and Philadelphia, respectively.

But Davidson did want Beaudin and Barratt — for their sakes — to have opportunities somewhere to progress toward the NHL. With the Hawks, it was “writing on the wall they were going to be odd men out.”

It’s another example of Davidson taking an empathetic approach to his GM duties at appropriate times.

“We’re in the people business,” he said. “Just like anyone working in the front office, those players are trying to make a career out of it, too. You do what’s best for the people in your organization. Players are not just assets, they’re people, too.

“If there’s an opportunity where we’re not sacrificing and it’s something we can do to help them out, then it’s something we’ll explore. Again, we’re not going to do something that hurts the Chicago Blackhawks, but if there’s an opportunity to find something where it’s not necessarily a loss in great value to the Blackhawks, then we’ll consider that.”

Read More

Blackhawks’ loss to Islanders escalates goalie injury crisis Read More »

LaVine carries Bulls to win, could play Wednesdayon November 2, 2022 at 4:40 am

NEW YORK — After scoring 20 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 109-98 win over the Brooklyn Nets, All-Star Zach LaVine said he’s “glad he’s feeling this well” after playing 37 minutes on his surgically repaired left knee, and both he and coach Billy Donovan didn’t rule out the possibility of him playing Wednesday at home against the Charlotte Hornets.

“I do the best I can every day to feel well,” LaVine said. “It’s a day-by-day thing. It’s between me, the coaching staff and upstairs to obviously manage it and do it the right way and have a long term plan to where it’s not just a short-term (fix).

“I feel (good) right now. Go day by day. Hopefully feel (good) tomorrow and be ready to go.”

LaVine had been expected to sit out of Wednesday’s game in Chicago against the Hornets, following the same pattern he’s gone through over the course of the first two weeks of the season of playing one-half of Chicago’s back-to-back sets.

But Donovan said the team would see how he feels after the flight home to Chicago Tuesday night.

“When Zach missed the first two games, one of the questions I got was, ‘Hey, is he on a minutes restriction?’ He has never been on a minute restriction when he’s been available to play,” Donovan said. “The only conversation I had with him on the bench was he was in a pretty good groove and there was about 5:40 to go and I said, ‘Do you want a quick one?’ And he said, ‘No, I’m fine.’

“If he thought something was bothering him, he’d let me know. The biggest thing now with him is what happens on the flight home, how does he feel in the morning and what does he look like physically? And then we’ll make decisions from there.”

2 Related

After saying his knee, which he had arthroscopic surgery on back in May, felt good during training camp, LaVine missed the first two games of the season after it reacted poorly to him ramping up his activity ahead of the start of the regular season.

Since missing those first two games, however, he’s played in five of the last six games for the Bulls — with none looking better than Tuesday night’s game here against the Nets.

Going up against the league’s worst defense thus far this season, LaVine torched Brooklyn in the final period, going 6-for-10 from the field as he single handedly outscored the Nets (20-19) by himself to move the Bulls back to .500 on the season.

“It was the same coverages,” LaVine said, when asked what the difference was in the fourth quarter. “I think I just got a little more aggressive. With me, (Nikola Vucevic) and DeMar (DeRozan) all on the court, we go with whoever is playing well, and we play more team concept and I think the second unit I was on the floor at the beginning of the fourth with the second unit and I just wanted to be more aggressive to try to get it going early and caught a rhythm.”

He said he hoped his performance, coupled with his minutes played in Tuesday night’s game, will allow him more latitude going forward.

“I’ve told them I feel good,” LaVine said of the team’s medical staff. “I wanted to play tonight, and these games matter, especially against a team like this. We knew they were going to come out and play hard. So I am glad I was able to go out and help my team win.”

Read More

LaVine carries Bulls to win, could play Wednesdayon November 2, 2022 at 4:40 am Read More »

With each game, Bulls get better grasp on Zach LaVine’s knee management

NEW YORK — There are still a lot of unknowns about Zach LaVine and the management program he has been on for his surgically repaired left knee since the start of the regular season, but coach Billy Donovan provided some clarity Tuesday.

Donovan said that while the medical staff monitors all the numbers for LaVine each game, it’s not necessarily about how many miles he runs or steps he takes.

”I think the thing for him is it’s the cumulative,” Donovan said. ”That’s really where I think they’re concerned, like the cumulative buildup of things. He could be totally fine today, come out of this game totally fine. Then let’s say he plays tomorrow. He can wake up the next day and be in some discomfort.

”You’re trying to make him feel well all the time, but they’re trying to wrap their heads around and come up with, ‘OK, we know when he gets to these amount of loads, that’s when he starts to feel some discomfort.’ It’s not necessarily the game load.”

What that means is that LaVine might play Wednesday against the Hornets, even with it being the second game of a back-to-back. It’s unlikely, but it’s possible. More important, it means the communication between LaVine, his medical camp and the Bulls’ staff is all but constant.

And it will have to stay that way if the Bulls want to protect LaVine from further injury — and from himself.

”I mean, he’s on the phone with them after every game, before games, shootaround . . . they’re in constant dialogue all the time with regards to that,” Donovan said. ”There’s times where he feels good where you feel like, ‘OK, he could go.’ But this is what he’s had before, and if we throw him into this now, there’s a probability or possibility he could feel it the next day. That’s what they’re trying to eliminate.”

Of the eight games the Bulls have played so far, LaVine has missed three.

White out

Guard Coby White suffered a bruised left thigh during the Bulls’ loss Saturday to the 76ers, but he said the adrenaline kept him out on the court.

That adrenaline, however, obviously doesn’t last forever. White gave it a go in pregame warmups before the Bulls took on the Nets and was ruled out with the injury.

Donovan said there was significant swelling, but a clean MRI exam eased some minds. The Bulls expect White’s status to be day-to-day. He is averaging 8.1 points but is shooting only 29.4% from three-point range.

Beat the ‘Drum’ slowly

Big man Andre Drummond didn’t make the trip New York, with the medical staff wanting him to stay back and continue getting work on his sprained left shoulder. There doesn’t seem to be an exact timetable for his return.

”Everything on the MRI came back clean,” Donovan said. ”He does have a shoulder sprain. We don’t think it’s going

to be this long-term situation, but he is having some mobility issues, and that’s why he stayed back, just to get some extra work on himself.”

The Bulls’ bench could use Drummond, who is averaging 10.2 rebounds in 16.8 minutes in the six games he has played. Drummond also has a 22.5 player efficiency rating, which is second on the team to forward DeMar DeRozan’s 23.05.

Read More

With each game, Bulls get better grasp on Zach LaVine’s knee management Read More »