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Browsing: East
Oct 21, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
The NBA season is back! We made it!
The Oklahoma City Thunder begin their quest to repeat Tuesday night (7:30 p.m., Peacock) against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets after an offseason in which they re-signed 2025 MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, All-Star Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren to deals worth nearly $800 million.
Elsewhere in the loaded Western Conference, Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors begin their first full campaign with Jimmy Butler, with their eyes on a final run to cap a decade of near-dominance, as they face off (10 p.m. ET) against Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers.
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In the injury-ravaged East, the Cleveland Cavaliers return a core — Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen — that led them to 64 wins and a No. 1 seed last season. They face off Wednesday night against a Knicks team with Finals-or-bust expectations (7 p.m. ET on ESPN).
Then, the San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama, after a serious health scare last season and a transformational offseason, play Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis and the Dallas Mavericks, in a game featuring two of the most tantalizing teams in the West.
Will SGA and the Thunder repeat to begin a dynasty? Or can three-time MVP Nikola Jokic return the Nuggets to the Western Conference elite? Will the Knicks reach their first Finals since 1999 in the wide-open East? Our experts have cast their votes. Here’s who they think will win the East, West and the 2026 NBA Finals.
MORE: 30-team preview | NBA Rank 100-51 | 50-11 | 10-1
Eastern Conference finals picks
Tim Bontemps:Cavaliers over Knicks in 7
Jamal Collier: Knicks over Cavaliers in 7
Vincent Goodwill: Knicks over Cavaliers in 7
Baxter Holmes:Knicks over Magic in 6
Zach Kram:Knicks over Hawks in 6
Tim MacMahon: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7
Bobby Marks:Knicks over Cavaliers in 6
Dave McMenamin: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7
Kevin Pelton:Knicks over Cavaliers in 7
Ramona Shelburne: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7
Anthony Slater: Knicks over Cavaliers in 6
Marc Spears: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7
Michael Wright: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7
Ohm Youngmisuk:Knicks over Magic in 6
Final tally (East champs):Knicks 8, Cavaliers 6
Western Conference finals picks
Bontemps: Thunder over Nuggets in 5
Collier: Thunder over Timberwolves in 6
Goodwill:Thunder over Nuggets in 7
Holmes:Thunder over Warriors in 6
Kram:Thunder over Nuggets in 7
MacMahon:Thunder over Rockets in 6
Marks:Nuggets over Thunder in 6
McMenamin:Mavericks over Thunder in 7
Pelton:Thunder over Warriors in 6
Shelburne:Rockets over Thunder in 7
Slater:Thunder over Rockets in 6
Spears:Nuggets over Thunder in 7
Wright: Thunder over Nuggets in 7
Youngmisuk:Nuggets over Thunder in 7
Final tally (West champs):Thunder 9, Nuggets 3, Mavericks 1, Rockets 1
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NBA Finals picks
Bontemps: Thunder over Cavaliers in 5
Collier: Thunder over Knicks in 6
Goodwill:Thunder over Knicks in 5
Holmes: Thunder over Knicks in 5
Kram: Thunder over Knicks in 6
MacMahon: Thunder over Cavaliers in 6
Marks: Nuggets over Knicks in 6
McMenamin: Mavericks over Cavaliers in 6
Pelton:Thunder over Knicks in 6
Shelburne: Rockets over Cavaliers in 6
Slater: Thunder over Knicks in 5
Spears: Cavaliers over Nuggets in 6
Wright:Thunder over Cavaliers in 7
Youngmisuk: Nuggets over Knicks in 6
Final tally (NBA champs):Thunder 9, Nuggets 2, Cavaliers 1, Mavericks 1, Rockets 1
Bonus! Who wins the 2025-2026 MVP Award?
Bontemps: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Collier: Anthony Edwards
Goodwill: Nikola Jokic
Holmes: Jalen Brunson
Kram: Nikola Jokic
MacMahon: Luka Doncic
Marks: Nikola Jokic
McMenamin: Luka Doncic
Pelton: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Shelburne: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Slater: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Spears: Nikola Jokic
Wright: Nikola Jokic
Youngmisuk: Nikola Jokic
Final tally:Nikola Jokic 6,Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 4, Luka Doncic 2, Jalen Brunson 1, Anthony Edwards 1
Oct 21, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
The NBA season is back! We made it!
The Oklahoma City Thunder begin their quest to repeat Tuesday night (7:30 p.m., Peacock) against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets after an offseason in which they re-signed 2025 MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, All-Star Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren to deals worth nearly $800 million.
Elsewhere in the loaded Western Conference, Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors begin their first full campaign with Jimmy Butler, with their eyes on a final run to cap a decade of near-dominance, as they face off (10 p.m. ET) against Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers.
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In the injury-ravaged East, the Cleveland Cavaliers return a core — Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen — that led them to 64 wins and a No. 1 seed last season. They face off Wednesday night against a Knicks team with Finals-or-bust expectations (7 p.m. ET on ESPN).
Then, the San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama, after a serious health scare last season and a transformational offseason, play Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis and the Dallas Mavericks, in a game featuring two of the most tantalizing teams in the West.
Will SGA and the Thunder repeat to begin a dynasty? Or can three-time MVP Nikola Jokic return the Nuggets to the Western Conference elite? Will the Knicks reach their first Finals since 1999 in the wide-open East? Our experts have cast their votes. Here’s who they think will win the East, West and the 2026 NBA Finals.
MORE: 30-team preview | NBA Rank 100-51 | 50-11 | 10-1
Eastern Conference finals picks
Tim Bontemps:Cavaliers over Knicks in 7
Jamal Collier: Knicks over Cavaliers in 7
Vincent Goodwill: Knicks over Cavaliers in 7
Baxter Holmes:Knicks over Magic in 6
Zach Kram:Knicks over Hawks in 6
Tim MacMahon: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7
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Bobby Marks:Knicks over Cavaliers in 6
Dave McMenamin: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7
Kevin Pelton:Knicks over Cavaliers in 7
Ramona Shelburne: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7
Anthony Slater: Knicks over Cavaliers in 6
Marc Spears: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7
Michael Wright: Cavaliers over Knicks in 7
Ohm Youngmisuk:Knicks over Magic in 6
Final tally (East champs):Knicks 8, Cavaliers 6
Western Conference finals picks
Bontemps: Thunder over Nuggets in 5
Collier: Thunder over Timberwolves in 6
Goodwill:Thunder over Nuggets in 7
Holmes:Thunder over Warriors in 6
Kram:Thunder over Nuggets in 7
MacMahon:Thunder over Rockets in 6
Marks:Nuggets over Thunder in 6
McMenamin:Mavericks over Thunder in 7
Pelton:Thunder over Warriors in 6
Shelburne:Rockets over Thunder in 7
Slater:Thunder over Rockets in 6
Spears:Nuggets over Thunder in 7
Wright: Thunder over Nuggets in 7
Youngmisuk:Nuggets over Thunder in 7
Final tally (West champs):Thunder 9, Nuggets 3, Mavericks 1, Rockets 1
NBA Finals picks
Bontemps: Thunder over Knicks in 5
Collier: Thunder over Knicks in 6
Goodwill:Thunder over Knicks in 5
Holmes: Thunder over Knicks in 5
Kram: Thunder over Knicks in 6
MacMahon: Thunder over Cavaliers in 6
Marks: Nuggets over Knicks in 6
McMenamin: Mavericks over Cavaliers in 6
Pelton:Thunder over Knicks in 6
Shelburne: Rockets over Cavaliers in 6
Slater: Thunder over Knicks in 5
Spears: Cavaliers over Nuggets in 6
Wright:Thunder over Cavaliers in 7
Youngmisuk: Nuggets over Knicks in 6
Final tally (NBA champs):Thunder 9, Nuggets 2, Cavaliers 1, Mavericks 1, Rockets 1
Bonus! Who wins the 2025-2026 MVP Award?
Bontemps: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Collier: Anthony Edwards
Goodwill: Nikola Jokic
Holmes: Jalen Brunson
Kram: Nikola Jokic
MacMahon: Luka Doncic
Marks: Nikola Jokic
McMenamin: Luka Doncic
Pelton: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Shelburne: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Slater: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Spears: Nikola Jokic
Wright: Nikola Jokic
Youngmisuk: Nikola Jokic
Final tally:Nikola Jokic 6,Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 4, Luka Doncic 2, Jalen Brunson 1, Anthony Edwards 1
Everyone keeps talking about the “weaker†Eastern Conference, but two years ago the Celtics were a dominant force on their way to a title, and last season the Pacers pushed the Thunder to seven games in the NBA Finals and left us with one of the greatest “what ifs?†in NBA history.
This season, nobody is giving the Eastern Conference a chance. Underestimate these teams at your own peril. Which teams can not only make the Finals but threaten the Thunder, Nuggets or whoever comes out of the West? Letâ€s break the East down by tiers.
TITLE CONTENDERS
1. Cavaliers
2. Knicks
SECOND CIRCLE CONTENDERS
3. Magic
4. Hawks
PLAYOFFS OR BUST
5. Bucks
6. Pistons
7. 76ers
HOPEFUL PLAY-IN TEAMS
8. Heat
9. Celtics
10. Raptors
11. Bulls
12. Pacers
13. Hornets
LOTTERY BOUND
14. Wizards
15. Nets
Eastern Conference Finals
Cleveland Cavaliers defeat the New York Knicks
NBA Finals
Denver Nuggets defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers
Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers pushing the Thunder in the Finals last season was a great story, but I donâ€t see anything close to that happening again. I like Cleveland to win the East because of their defense and balance of scoring (I think they learned hard lessons in last yearâ€s playoffs), but it doesnâ€t really matter if itâ€s the Cavs or Knicks. Denver and Oklahoma City — whichever team comes out of the West (I have picked Denver) — are just better than anyone in the East. In particular, if the matchup is Cleveland and OKC, the East and the Cavaliers are in trouble (two similar teams in style and design, but the Thunder are just better at everything).
My prediction is that Nikola Jokic gets ring number two. What Denver was lacking a season ago, the front office addressed this offseason (somewhere Michael Malone is frustrated and just shaking his head). Cameron Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas will play critical roles (this team isnâ€t going to fall off a cliff when Jokic sits, like previous years).
—————————————
There is a clear line drawn in the East, the top two teams appear a good step or two ahead of the rest of the pack. The Cavaliers won 64 games last season and learned the hard way about what it takes to win in the playoffs, now they are running back a talented and deep roster. They need to stay healthy (no Darius Garland to start the season) and Evan Mobley needs to take another step forward on the offensive end, but I expect those things to happen. New York feels it just needs to improve around the edges, and Mike Brown can bring a little more ball and player movement to New York to facilitate that, with a bench he can trust. The Knicks, led by the gritty Jalen Brunson and the sharp-shooting Karl-Anthony Towns, are still a team fully capable of taking the next step to the NBA Finals.
• Orlando is the one team that could crash the Knicks/Cavs party. This was a team already looking ready to make a leap behind Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, plus an elite defense. Now, they have added Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones to fill in needed gaps in shooting and having a floor general. Like just about everyone, I am high on Orlando, but they have to prove it on the court, and then they will learn their lessons about winning in the postseason.
• Atlanta is the other team with a chance to crash the party, but a lot more things have to go right. At the top of the list: Kristaps Porzingis has to stay healthy, which is never a given. Beyond that, the question becomes, can Quin Snyder meld a roster with a lot of new parts — Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard, plus a healthy Jalen Johnson — and find chemistry on a roster built to take advantage of Trae Youngâ€s skills. This is a make-or-break season in Atlanta. If Young and this roster canâ€t compete at a high level, what do they pivot to?
After that top four, thereâ€s a drop off in the East.
• Milwaukee has Giannis Antetokounmpo — still one of the five best players in the world — and swapped out Damian Lillard for Myles Turner, but is there enough around two proven stars to make this team a contender? It doesnâ€t feel like it.
• A lot of fans and pundits expect Cade Cunningham and Detroit to take another step forward this season, but Iâ€m skeptical and expect more of a plateau (Jaden Ivey missing the first month of the season doesnâ€t help).
• The 76ers could be a contender if everything goes right for them, but with a limited Joel Embiid to start the season — plus Paul George and Jared McCain out with injuries — itâ€s tough to be truly optimistic. Embiid reportedly will play opening night but will be on a minutes limit and will not be playing back-to-backs — he is the key to it all, if Embiid is not back close to his MVP form, none of this works.
• Miami will punch above its weight but itâ€s not a top-six threat as constructed.
• Boston and Indiana are two of the harder teams to project — elite teams that will spend the season (or, with the Celtics, at least most of the season) without their best player. Both teams didnâ€t just lose their star, Boston is without Porzingis and Jrue Holiday now, Indiana is without Turner. Both of these teams still have high-level championship role players on the roster, but how far can they go without their stars at 100%? Maybe Iâ€m too low on them to start the season, but how high can you be?
• The Bulls and Raptors are teams that maybe weâ€re underestimating, but Iâ€m not sold. Toronto has a fair amount of talent — Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley — but a lot of it overlaps. There are smart basketball minds that think this is a playoff team in the East. I need to be convinced. Chicago locked up Josh Giddey this summer and has some talent around him with Coby White, Matas Buzelis and rookie Noa Essengue, but this is a team retooling on the fly and not ready to compete with the big boys. Also, look for them to trade Nikola Vucevic during the season.
• Thereâ€s a pattern with the bottom three teams in the conference. Charlotte and LaMelo Ball will be entertaining but lose a lot of games. The Wizards have some interesting young talent — Tre Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington — but are going to lose a lot of games. Cam Thomas and Michael Porter Jr. are going to put up a lot of points for Brooklyn, but the Nets are going to lose a lot of games.
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Brian WindhorstOct 16, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
- ESPN.com NBA writer since 2010
- Covered Cleveland Cavs for seven years
- Author of two books
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — It’s a few minutes before tipoff in the first NBA game of any sort in the 2025-26 season and the basketball court inside Etihad Arena is overflowing with training camp-sized rosters of Knicks and 76ers players and officials.
On the sideline, Patrick Ewing is shaking hands with a man from Beirut who is wearing a vintage No. 33 Knicks jersey. Derrick Rose, who was flown in for the event, is posing for photos with a group of Filipino fans.
Steve Harvey and Patrick Schwarzenegger, among other invited celebrities, are being escorted to courtside seats.
Throughout the crowd, many Emirati men are wearing kanduras, traditional ankle-length white robes, but they are vastly outnumbered by ex-pats from dozens of other countries, including a teenager from Riyadh a few rows behind the 76ers bench, wearing an Anthony Edwards Team USA jersey and a pair of the newest version of Edwards’ Adidas signature shoes, which technically hadn’t even been released yet.
But perhaps the most interesting interaction taking place is between two Americans.
Next to the team benches are two of the most powerful men in the NBA, Knicks owner James Dolan and commissioner Adam Silver, laughing and chatting, warmly embracing the evening together despite years of frosty relations.
Standing between Dolan and Silver is the man who brought them together: His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, who has spent the past decade developing relationships and directing growing investment dollars to bring top stakeholders in the sport to Abu Dhabi.
That Silver and Dolan are aligned on their partnerships with Al Mubarak is one of the signs that the future of global basketball is being brokered now amid the giant cranes and rising cities in the Middle East.
Despite their differences at home, Dolan and Silver are united in knowing this is a vitally important relationship to nurture.
International basketball is on the cusp of a new, richer and expansive era that is aiming to deliver more of the sport to underserved fans and — perhaps more importantly — capture vast sovereign wealth fund capital that is seeking a place to invest in the sport.
Some legacy leagues are in danger of being left behind. Some new leagues are trying to rise up. The NBA is focused on defending and strengthening its position as the biggest dog.
And, despite the scrutiny it might create, that means deepening relations with Abu Dhabi and its wealthy neighbors.
“WHEN I CLOSE my eyes, I can see an NBA game being played in front of 22,500 people at the Sphere,” Al Mubarak says as he leans back in a chair in a glittering building on the expansive NYU Abu Dhabi campus.
He’s not talking about Las Vegas.
“We will have the world’s greatest technology where we can immerse the fans in the experience and they can feel the game on a new level.”
Al Mubarak, or “the chairman” as he is often referred to by colleagues in his various cultural and leadership positions in Abu Dhabi, has engineered partnerships with the likes of Pope Francis, renowned architect Frank Gehry and UFC CEO Dana White. But he loves American sports and is an active NBA fan.
“I have some mixed feelings on the [Luka] Doncic trade,” Al Mubarak says, referencing his favorite team, the Lakers. “I am a believer in the importance of the traditional big man and Anthony Davis was such a part of the [2020] championship. But I know that Luka is motivated and he is one of the most talented players in the game.”
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Over the summer, the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) Abu Dhabi, of which Al Mubarak is the chairman, finalized a massive deal with Dolan’s Sphere Entertainment to construct and operate a new venue in the UAE, with rights to build more in the Middle East and North Africa over the next 10 years.
The original Sphere, which opened in Las Vegas in 2023, cost Dolan’s company $2.3 billion to construct and has since lost more than $1 billion, according to its public financial disclosures. Dolan declined to comment for this story.
Dolan turned to Abu Dhabi, where he found willing partners, both in the Sphere and in the Knicks, after a six-year effort to build a second Sphere in London failed in 2024 amid a tangle of red tape and political pushback.
Last season Abu Dhabi’s tourism arm, Experience Abu Dhabi, became the Knicks jersey-patch sponsor in a multiyear lucrative deal, but that was an appetizer to the Sphere partnership that came later.
More NBA-linked deals are in the works in Abu Dhabi.
This fall, the NBA is expected to finalize a long-term extension of its relationship with the DCT that will guarantee annual preseason games in Abu Dhabi and establish a new NBA Global Academy at NYU’s Abu Dhabi campus, where top prospects from around the world will be sent to live, get an education and develop their games. The deal is expected to last well into the next decade, sources told ESPN.
It is also a precursor to another large and potentially pivotal deal.
The NBA is in discussions with Al Mubarak and other leaders about investing in NBA Europe, which has emerged as a league priority over the past year.
In what could prove to be a signature move of Silver’s tenure, the NBA is investigating launching a new NBA-branded European league as early as 2027, with a mix of existing teams recruited away from other leagues and expansion.
Abu Dhabi is considering the possible launch of a team in Manchester, where they have owned and turned Manchester City Football Club into a global leader in soccer with world-class infrastructure.
“It is a possibility,” Al Mubarak said of investing in an expansion team in NBA Europe. “The NBA is the world’s best basketball league and we have a deep commitment and track record of success in the [Manchester] community.”
The NBA is seeding the ground ahead of the potential investment in Manchester. Last summer, the league conducted its first-ever Basketball Without Borders event in the United Kingdom by bringing top teen boys and girls to Manchester. In the 2026-27 season, the league is exploring bringing NBA teams to play at least one game in Manchester, sources told ESPN.
Silver and deputy commissioner Mark Tatum traveled to London and Paris over the summer for meetings about placing teams in both cities. They also met with leadership from Real Madrid about recruiting the legacy team to the NBA Europe league.
In August, NBA Hall of Famer Tony Parker, who owns ASVEL, a team based near Lyon, France, indicated his interest in jumping to the new league by telling reporters: “NBA Europe league for me is just a matter of time. They are coming, and it’s going to happen.”
In recent weeks, leadership in legacy European teams Alba Berlin in Germany and Galatasaray, a large multisport conglomerate in Istanbul, have confirmed publicly their interest in NBA Europe.
But having Abu Dhabi invest, be it in Manchester or elsewhere, is a huge boost for the concept. And with a potential expansion fee in the hundreds of millions to join the league, it could set an important standard for other investors as the new league establishes its footing.
“They are the lead investors in Manchester City. And they’ve had tremendous success there. They’ve demonstrated they are innovators in sport. They’ve demonstrated that they’re in it for the long term, that they’re not just financial investors, that they’re active participants,” Silver said as he stood with Tatum and George Aivazoglou, the NBA’s head of Europe and the Middle East, all of whom came to Abu Dhabi to continue discussions about the future.
“So they are dream investors.”
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Such foreign investment — across many industries — has sometimes drawn criticism. The NBA is far from alone among high-profile American companies with ties to Abu Dhabi, including Microsoft, Lockheed Martin, Warner Bros., the Cleveland Clinic and ESPN parent company Disney, which earlier this year announced a partnership with Abu Dhabi for a theme park not far from where the new Sphere will be constructed. The NBA, for its part, has previously faced concern about partnerships with countries and leaders whose values don’t necessarily align with those publicly supported by the league itself.
In launching its Basketball Africa League in 2021, the NBA came under congressional scrutiny for partnering with Rwandan dictator Paul Kagame. Earlier this year, the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo called for the NBA and other international sports leagues and teams to sever ties with Rwanda and questioned whether the NBA’s “commitment to social justice and respect for human rights” aligns with its business ties to Rwanda.
Last year, as the NBA’s ties with Abu Dhabi deepened, Human Rights Watch issued a warning, saying, in part: “The NBA should be aware that the U.A.E. hosts high profile sporting, entertainment, and cultural events to promote a public image of openness and tolerance at odds with the government’s rampant systemic human rights violations.” These include what HRW calls unequal rights for women.
The NBA has responded to these claims in the past by saying the league follows “the lead of the U.S. government as to where it’s appropriate to engage in business around the world,” as deputy commissioner Tatum said in a letter to U.S. senators last year. Through the building of courts and investments in new programs, the NBA has fostered growth in basketball in Rwanda, including for many women.
The NBA also has championed the Middle East partnerships’ effect on basketball participation in the region, citing studies that show a 400% increase in participation in the UAE and 50% in the Middle East over the past five years among boys and girls. Formula 1, the European Tour and WTA Tour also have long-standing relationships with and hold major events in Abu Dhabi.
“I think that what we share with the leaders [in Abu Dhabi] is this belief in the power of sport, and that as we look around the world, very few things that create commonality, empathy, understanding in the way sport does,” Silver told ESPN.
“For example, I think many people outside the region might be surprised to see that there are an equal number of girls and boys in the youth programs here. And that there are universal values that are being taught in terms of respect, discipline, hard work, teamwork, understanding — all fundamental values that we share. And at a time when so much divides us, it’s nice to be focused on things that bring us together.”
Basketball is on the cusp of a new, richer, expansive era. And, despite the scrutiny it might create, that means deepening relations with Abu Dhabi and its wealthy neighbors. EPA/ALI HAIDER
TWO NIGHTS BEFORE the NBA opened its season in Abu Dhabi, a seminal event took place 75 miles down the E11 highway, in the sprawling metropolis of Dubai.
There, two-year-old Dubai Basketball hosted its first-ever EuroLeague game against Serbian basketball power KK Partizan at the modern Coca-Cola Arena.
The EuroLeague, the most competitive league in the world outside the NBA, is facing an uncertain future with NBA Europe looming and threatening its markets.
In response, the EuroLeague took the extraordinary step of giving the brand-new Dubai team a five-year wild-card berth into the league. The deal, according to reports in Europe, includes covering the traveling expenses of European teams that will fly up to seven hours for the away games.
Bringing major Western sporting events to the UAE is a goal of all this investment.
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After 15 years as title sponsor of the EuroLeague, Turkish Airlines was replaced this season by Abu Dhabi-owned Etihad Airlines on a four-year deal that will assist in the travel. Emirates Airline, the Dubai-owed rival of Etihad, signed a long-term deal with the NBA in 2024 to become the title sponsor of the NBA Cup.
Still, the league doesn’t currently have plans to base an NBA Europe team in the Middle East and playing the NBA Cup final in Dubai isn’t under consideration, Silver told ESPN.
Recently, the league announced changes to the NBA Cup schedule, including moving the semifinals to home team markets from Las Vegas starting in 2026, with the final at a neutral site.
Last spring, the EuroLeague held its final four in Abu Dhabi, another deal put together by Al Mubarak, to sold out crowds, the first time the event had ever been held outside Europe.
The future of European basketball, it is increasingly clear, runs through the UAE.
As he stood in Abu Dhabi in early October, NBA commissioner Adam Silver outlined how Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak and his group have built the Manchester City club and have been innovators and active participants. “They’re dream investors,” Silver said. David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images
LAST APRIL, IN a news release that made some noise in the private equity world, TWG Global announced a $10 billion investment from Mubadala Capital with the proceeds “to be used by TWG to capitalize on its attractive set of proprietary investment opportunities.”
TWG Global is the holding company for the investments of Los Angeles businessman Mark Walter and his partners. Mubadala Capital is the asset management wing of Abu Dhabi’s largest sovereign wealth fund.
Two months later, this development contributed to enormous noise in the sports world when Walter, via TWG Global, agreed to buy the controlling share of the Los Angeles Lakers for a $10 billion valuation.
The future of the NBA’s most prized franchise, it seems, is also linked to the UAE.
The Middle East interest in new basketball ventures goes deeper.
Two years ago, the Qatar Investment Authority, a subsidy of the wealthy Gulf nation’s sovereign wealth fund, bought 5% of the Washington Wizards’ parent company. That same year, Qatar won a bid to host the 2027 FIBA World Cup.
Qatar, via its Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) fund, is also the controlling owner of European soccer power Paris Saint-Germain, which in March 2025 confirmed it had been in talks regarding NBA Europe.
Like Abu Dhabi with its Manchester City property, PSG could launch an expansion team under the same brand and act as an anchor tenant. Over the summer, in a move that could ultimately dovetail with such an eventual basketball investment, PSG made a landmark agreement to expand a partnership with NBA superstar Kevin Durant in which Durant got a small ownership stake in PSG.
“This club has big plans ahead and I can’t wait to be a part of the next phase of growth,” Durant said at the time. “And to explore new investment opportunities with [Qatar].”
There are other ventures also seeking investment from Middle East sources.
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In February, the Financial Times reported the sovereign wealth funds of both Singapore and Saudi Arabia were among the potential backers behind a new global circuit basketball league.
In the months since, the extent of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund’s (PIF) proposed involvement in the new basketball league has not been formally made public. Sela, a Saudi events company owned by the PIF, did confirm its involvement with the startup league.
Multiple player agents, current and former league executives and support staffers told ESPN they’d been recruited to join the league ahead of a possible 2026 launch and, in some cases, were required to sign NDAs.
At times, this recruitment involved superstar LeBron James’ longtime business partner Maverick Carter, who worked as an adviser to the league for months.
Last week, Carter confirmed to ESPN he had left the venture, which calls itself Project B and its representatives said in media interviews it is now focusing on starting a women’s basketball league to rival the WNBA.
The PIF and Sela did not respond to requests for comment on their level of involvement. A spokesperson for Swiss banking giant UBS, which announced it was advising the startup league earlier this year, declined to comment on its current relationship with the project but confirmed the fledgling league was still a client.
James’ representatives, including agent Rich Paul, told ESPN that James himself was not connected to the venture.
James has developed a relationship with Saudi Arabian leaders and the PIF over the past few years, though. James held a clinic at Al-Azem Academy in Riyadh in 2023 as a guest of Saudi Minister of Culture Bader bin Farhan Al Saud. Last January, James became a team owner in E1, a global electric boat racing circuit that was launched by the PIF. Tom Brady and Rafael Nadal are also affiliated with teams in E1.
At a recent conference hosted by Front Office Sports, Silver said he was not following those developments, but added: “Competition is good. It keeps everyone on their toes.”
Silver, however, is focused on his Middle East partners in Abu Dhabi. How and where all the money might flow and the impact it could have remains to be seen.
But what is known is that the connection between the NBA and the Middle East is real, and an expansion of the relationship is coming, and the league is shoring up support with rivals, both seen and unseen, across the region.
“We are thinking about the long term, not just the next couple of years,” Al Mubarak said. “I believe that this partnership with the NBA will outlive me.”
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne contributed to this story.
The 2025-26 NBA season is here! We’re rolling out our previews — examining the biggest questions, best- and worst-case scenarios, and win projections for all 30 franchises — from the still-rebuilding teams to the true title contenders.
2024-25 finish
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Record: 41-41 (sixth in the East, lost to the Celtics in the first round)
Offseason moves
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Additions: Desmond Bane, Tyus Jones, Jase Richardson, Noah Penda, Orlando Robinson, Jamal Cain
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Subtractions: Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cory Joseph, Gary Harris, Caleb Houstan
Paolo Banchero played only 46 games last season. (Stefan Milic/Yahoo Sports Illustration)
The Big Question: Can the Magic construct a championship-caliber offense?
Iâ€ve written about this a few times over the years, and chances are youâ€ve heard it on an NBA podcast or broadcast or two: Orlando has not finished in the top half of the league in offensive efficiency since Dwight Howard left the Magic to join the Lakers.
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That happened in 2012.
Kevin Durant has won four Olympic gold medals since the last time the Magic finished better than 15th in points scored per possession. If Iâ€m counting right, 50 Marvel movies have come and gone from theaters since the last time an Orlando team was mediocre at putting the ball in the basket. There are Central Floridian teenagers who have never seen an average NBA offense up close and personal … unless the visiting team brings one to town.
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If youâ€re thinking, “Seems like itâ€d be pretty hard to win very much if youâ€ve had a bad offense for almost 15 years,†well, thatâ€s because it is: The Magic have made the playoffs just four times in the last 13 seasons, and none of those four playoff runs advanced beyond the opening round.
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After consecutive postseason appearances in which they produced points at a rate that wouldâ€ve finished dead last in the NBA during the regular season — and last year fielding what was, according to the great John Schuhmann, “the worst offensive team … to make the playoffs in the 29 seasons for which we have play-by-play data†— president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman and Co. decided that the time had come to throw caution to the wind. The goal was lofty: Find the perfect complementary piece to build an offense capable of complementing the elite defense that head coach Jamahl Mosley has built in Orlando. The price was even loftier: four unprotected first-round picks.
In comes Desmond Bane, a career 41% 3-point shooter whoâ€s 22nd in the NBA in total made triples over the last four seasons, to provide a desperately needed decongestant for an attack that finished dead last in 3-pointers per game and team 3-point accuracy, and 27th in half-court scoring efficiency. Bane has grown significantly over the years as a pick-and-roll ball-handler, complementary playmaker and north-south driver, too, making him a seemingly perfect fit next to max-salaried cornerstones Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
Baneâ€s shooting should help widen the driving lanes for the bruising big wings†forays to the basket. His off-ball movement should help inject some dynamism into a Magic attack that ranked in the middle of the pack in average distance traveled per game on offense last season, and 25th in average speed traveled, according to Second Spectrum. His ability to make something happen with the ball in his hands should reduce their overall shot-creation burden, and the possibilities of him partnering with them in screening actions — including as a screen-setter himself in inverted actions — should open up more opportunities for Orlando to put defenses in a bind.
Add in fellow former Grizzly Tyus Jones, whoâ€s shot 39.8% from 3-point range over the last four seasons — and who perpetually ranks at or near the top of the assist-to-turnover ratio leaderboard, which ought to help Orlandoâ€s bottom-third-of-the-league turnover rate — and first-round pick Jase Richardson, who shot 41.2% from the college 3-point line in his lone year at Michigan State (and whoâ€s shown some exciting flashes in preseason), and Orlando might actually have enough firepower to go toe-to-toe with expected beasts of the East like the Cavaliers and Knicks. Provided, of course, the Magic can keep their big guns on the court.
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Only three playoff teams (Oklahoma City, Memphis and the Lakers) lost more games due to injury last season than the Magic, according to Spotrac. Banchero and Wagner were both sidelined by torn oblique muscles, while All-Defensive teamer/attitudinal talisman Jalen Suggs was limited to just 35 games by a left knee injury that required season-ending surgery; all told, Orlandoâ€s top three players shared the court for just 97 minutes across just six games last season. The hope is that better health for the three franchise pillars — and continued availability for Bane, who played 69 games last season after missing significant time in each of the previous two seasons in Memphis — will allow the Magic to have the same kind of year-over-year surge that Cleveland enjoyed last season.
[Get more Magic news: Orlando team feed]
The fear is that, with Suggs still not back to full-contact 5-on-5 work more than seven months after surgery, and potentially still “weeks†away from getting back in the fold, we might not get to see the full-strength squad that Orlandoâ€s brass had drawn up for a while. (Key reserve Moe Wagner still being a ways off from returning after tearing the ACL in his left knee last December doesnâ€t help, either.) That, in turn, could prevent the Magic from developing the sort of chemistry and cohesion critical in creating a potent offense, and impede their expected progress up the Eastern standings.
If Banchero, Franz and Bane can quickly find some synergy, though, and if Suggs and Moe are able to return and provide both instant production and their customary pugilistic play, the Magic could have the right sort of recipe to become a team thatâ€s more than the sum of its parts.
“I think we should be a deep playoff team,†Banchero recently told Josh Robbins of The Athletic. “Hopefully, that means Finals. But if itâ€s anything shorter than that, then Eastern Conference finals. I want to play deep into the playoffs.â€
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Sprinkle in increased growth from connective-tissue youngsters like Anthony Black and Tristan da Silva, and efficient interior contributions from big men Wendell Carter Jr. and Goga Bitadze, and Orlando really might have a chance to damage defenses at a league-average level. Combine that with the kind of defense thatâ€s been Orlandoâ€s calling card under Mosley, and the Magic could be the kind of contender that fans have been waiting a very, very long time to see.
Best-case scenario
All of the aforementioned health questions break Orlandoâ€s way, giving Mosley the time, reps and raw materials with which to build a two-way monster; the Magic finish top five in defensive efficiency and top 10 on the other end, exorcising all the demons of terrible offenses past. Banchero, Wagner and Bane all make the All-Star team; Paolo (who takes a leap in his scoring efficiency and inside-out passing) and Franz (who finally irons out the kink in that jumper) make All-NBA; Mosley wins Coach of the Year. Orlando blows past 55 wins, takes the No. 1 seed in the East, and rides a miracle season to the NBA Finals, as Kevin Peltonâ€s Simulation No. 620 becomes blissful reality.
If everything falls apart
Suggs†knee is never right and, as a result, neither are the Magic. Banchero, Bane and Wagner all put up good numbers, but without Suggs†combination of elite point-of-attack defense, secondary playmaking and knockdown spot-up shooting, Mosley canâ€t quite find the right combinations to be able to field consistently potent two-way lineups without exploitable shortcomings on one end or the other. The offense improves a little, but the defense slips more, and Orlando again finds itself futzing around .500, unable to break through in a conference that once seemed ripe for the taking — and wondering if itâ€s gone all-in with a hand that ultimately might not be good enough to drag the pot.
2025-26 schedule
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Season opener: Oct. 22 vs. Miami
Orlando has won 52 or more games just four times in franchise history, all led by a transformational Hall of Fame center. Thereâ€s no Shaq or Dwight here … but if the injury bug doesnâ€t bite, thereâ€s enough talent here to be able to approach a mid-50s win total.
More season previews
East: Atlanta Hawks • Boston Celtics • Brooklyn Nets • Charlotte Hornets • Chicago Bulls • Cleveland Cavaliers • Detroit Pistons • Indiana Pacers • Miami Heat • Milwaukee Bucks • New York Knicks • Orlando Magic • Philadelphia 76ers • Toronto Raptors • Washington Wizards
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West: Dallas Mavericks • Denver Nuggets • Golden State Warriors • Houston Rockets • LA Clippers • Los Angeles Lakers • Memphis Grizzlies • Minnesota Timberwolves • New Orleans Pelicans • Oklahoma City Thunder • Phoenix Suns • Portland Trail Blazers • Sacramento Kings • San Antonio Spurs • Utah Jazz
When you’ve suffered a historically heavy defeat, a change of scenery might do you good. If that’s the case, Real Madrid’s players are in luck. Just 19 hours after losing 5-2 in the derby at Atlético Madrid on Saturday, Los Blancos were boarding a flight to Kazakhstan.
They’ve just travelled 4,000 miles east — from Western Europe to Central Asia — to play Kairat Almaty in the UEFA Champions League. Spanish newspaper Diario AS described Madrid’s trip as “therapy at 30,000 feet;” another newspaper, Marca, said the journey came “at the worst possible time.”
If conceding five goals in a derby was uncharted territory — before Saturday’s humbling loss at the Metropolitano, it hadn’t happened for 75 years — then this is an equally novel experience for Madrid.
– Kirkland: Big derby defeat shows Madrid still a work in progress
– Connelly: Early-season angst check: Do Madrid need to worry?
– Kirkland: How Alonso is transforming Mbappé’s game
Almaty, Kazakhstan’s historic and cultural capital, has a longitude of 76.939948°. No Champions League game has ever been played this far east. It’s a similar longitude to New Delhi, India. Head east from Almaty, along the A-351 highway, and the border with China is just a four-hour drive away.
Kairat are competing in the Champions League for the first time in their 71-year history. Matchday one saw them beaten 4-1 in Lisbon at Sporting CP. Now, they’re hosting the 15-time European champions.
Real Madrid’s players boarded their charter flight at Madrid’s Barajas Airport on Sunday at around 1 p.m. local time (7 a.m. ET). Almost eight hours later — at midnight in Almaty, which is three hours ahead of Spain — they were touching down in Kazakhstan, at Almaty International Airport.
Outside, they were greeted by a somewhat surreal, but charming, cultural display, as locals in traditional Kazakh clothing, gathered around a yurt, played the Champions League anthem on Kazakh folk instruments including a dombra (a bit like a guitar) and a zither-like zhetygen. Then it was off to Almaty’s five-star InterContinental Hotel, around half an hour away in the city center. A room costs between €250-€450 a night. Reviews praise its central location, and buffet breakfast.
Almaty is no backwater. It’s the biggest city in Kazakhstan, the world’s ninth-biggest country by area. It is a regional and cultural hub, and has been for centuries. Despite the nearby, often snow-capped Tian Shan mountain range, it’s hot in September: temperatures peaked at 81 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday, with 30% humidity.
On Sunday night, a few hundred fans gathered outside the team hotel, to welcome the players on arrival. “I’ve been a Real Madrid fan since childhood. I want to get your autograph,” one poster, held aloft by a young fan, politely requested. There was also a heavy police presence.
The arrival of Kylian Mbappé and Real Madrid in Almaty is a historic moment for Kairat, and for football in Kazakhstan. MAXIM SHIPENKOV/EPA/Shutterstock
The distance between Real Madrid and Kairat isn’t just measured in miles (4,000), or European Cups (15-0). Kairat are a big club in Kazakhstan, and regularly featured in the first division during the Soviet Union era, but their pedigree at this level is limited. This, without question, is the most high-profile game in their history.
The Kazakhstan Football Federation joined UEFA in 2002. Since then, when Kairat have qualified for European competitions, they’ve often stalled in the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Europa League.
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In 2021-22, they played the Champions League qualifiers — losing to Red Star Belgrade — and then dropped into the newly-formed UEFA Conference League, where they competed in the group stage.
This season, they came through three qualifiers — overcoming Slovenia’s Olimpija Ljubljana, Finland’s Kuopion Palloseura, and Slovakia’s Slovan Bratislava — to reach the Champions League playoffs, where they beat Celtic on penalties. And now, it’s Real Madrid, with Inter Milan and Arsenal — both away — to come later in the league phase.
There’s no early-season rustiness for Kairat. The Kazakhstan Premier League season begins in March, and runs until late October. Kairat, the reigning champions, are second in the table, a point behind rivals Astana — the only Kazakh team to have previously featured in the Champions League — having played one game fewer.
Real Madrid’s Champions League trip to Kairat Almaty takes them to a city which is further east than the whole of Afghanistan. Google Maps
Kairat’s home, Almaty Central Stadium, holds a maximum of 25,000 people. Attendances are often much lower, but 22,800 attended Kairat’s win over Celtic in the playoffs, a game that — after extra time and a shootout — ended well after midnight.
Few Madrid fans are expected to make the trip to Almaty from Spain. For those wishing to attend, the journey — in the best-case scenario — involved a seven-hour flight from Madrid on Monday, a two-hour stop-over in Doha, Qatar, and then another, four-hour flight to Almaty, arriving at 2 a.m. on Tuesday, with the return departing at 3.30 a.m. on Wednesday, after the game. All this, having just seen their team beaten 5-2 in the derby. You could forgive them for staying at home.
Coach Xabi Alonso admitted that Saturday’s defeat “hurt” Madrid’s players and fans, saying “what’s important is how we react.” Their first opportunity to do so comes in a city that’s closer to Tokyo or Singapore than Madrid.
From winning the first five editions of the European Cup, to a 2016-2018 three-peat, to their extraordinary 2022 comeback run, Real Madrid thought they’d done it all in the Champions League. But it turns out that there’s still some new territory left to conquer.
Sep 28, 2025, 10:06 PM ET
TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays capped a turnaround from worst to first by holding off the New York Yankees to win the AL East on the final day of the season, their first division title in a decade and the seventh in team history.
“The job is not finished,” slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. said after a 13-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays that clinched the division crown and secured a bye into the Division Series. “We’ve got to continue to play hard and play good baseball.”
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The Blue Jays finished 74-88 a season ago, last in the AL East and 20 games behind the first-place Yankees.
“I think everybody believed that last year was not who we were as a team,” outfielder George Springer said. “From day one of spring training you could kind of feel the vibe.”
This year, a four-game sweep over New York from June 30 to July 3 was part of a season-best 10-game winning streak that vaulted Toronto into the division lead for good.
“Once we kind of hit our stride, we didn’t think anyone could beat us,” manager John Schneider said. “This is, in my opinion, the toughest division in the game. I don’t think anyone, besides the people that are here soaking wet like me, expected us to be in this position.”
Toronto lost six of seven down the stretch, falling into a first-place tie with New York, but held onto the top spot in the American League by winning its final four games.
“We almost broke at the end but, from that point on, we didn’t break in the division,” Schneider said. “That was obviously a huge four games for us.”
The Blue Jays won eight of 13 meetings with the Yankees this season, giving them the tiebreaker after both teams finished 94-68.
Springer hit one of four Blue Jays home runs in Sunday’s rout, his latest drive in a productive season that seemed unlikely in 2024, when the 2017 World Series MVP struggled through one of the worst years of his career, hitting just .220.
“I can’t say enough about him,” Schneider said of Springer. “Fitting that his last at-bat was a home run. He’s the heart and soul of our team. He’s infectious when he plays and he’s infectious in the clubhouse.”
Toronto will face the winner of the best-of-three Wild Card Series between the Red Sox and Yankees in the ALDS, giving the Blue Jays a valuable opportunity to rest and recover while its foes battle in the Bronx this week.
Game 1 will be Saturday in Toronto, and the Blue Jays have home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs.
Arguably no one needs the break more than shortstop Bo Bichette. The two-time AL hits leader and two-time All-Star hasn’t played since Sept. 6, when he injured his left knee in a collision with Yankees catcher Austin Wells.
“It’s kind of exactly what we needed,” Schneider said of the five-day break before the Division Series. “I hope that [Bichette] gets a chance to contribute to this. He’s been instrumental to what we’ve been doing here the last six years.”
Bichette has been hitting off a tee and throwing, but has yet to resume running.
“Every day I’m feeling better,” Bichette said. “I’ll be doing everything that I possibly can to get back.”
Toronto hasn’t won a postseason game since losing the American League Championship Series to Cleveland in 2016. The Blue Jays won wild-card berths in 2020, 2022 and 2023 but were swept by Tampa Bay, Seattle and Minnesota, respectively.
The final weekend of regular-season baseball is here, and every team in the majors will conclude its marathons with a three-game series. We’ll have some enticing divisional matchups and some head-scratchers like … Phillies-Twins?
Here are the top storylines entering Friday in a chaotic finish for the 2025 regular season:
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[MLB playoffs 2025 tracker: Standings, schedule, clinch scenarios and more with 3 games to go]
Will the Marlins play the ultimate spoiler for the Mets?
The New York Mets are clinging to the final wild-card spot in the NL playoff race. They sweated out an 8-5 victory against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday and took two of three games at Wrigley Field to maintain their lead in the wild-card race against the Cincinnati Reds (one game) and Arizona Diamondbacks (two games). The Mets don’t own the tiebreakers against those teams, so yeah, the pressure is on for New York.
Up next: Three games in Miami against the Marlins. Despite the payroll disparity between the clubs — $69 million vs. $340 million — the season series is tied 5-5.
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For the Mets, it’s sad that it has come down to this. But at least they’re in control.
Who will blink first: Yankees or Jays?
The stakes are high for New York and Toronto in the AL playoff race, as the team that comes out on top in this division will get a first-round bye, joining the Seattle Mariners. The runner-up will get a ticket to the wild-card round as host.
The clubs enter Friday tied, and the Jays have the tiebreaker. Each will have its regular-season finale at home, with the Yankees hosting the Baltimore Orioles and the Jays playing the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Yankees went 6-4 against the Orioles this season, with New York taking three of four games in their last series. As for the Jays, they’re 3-7 against the Rays this season. Toronto split a four-game set with Tampa in their last matchup earlier this month.
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Dodgers, Mariners are in, but they’ve got some things to work out
Go ahead and chuckle about a schedule that concludes the regular season with Mariners vs. Dodgers. What a natural rivalry, eh?
Anyhow, the Mariners have secured a first-round bye en route to capturing the AL West. They still have a shot, albeit a long one, at snatching away the No. 1 seed from the Yankees and Blue Jays. Plus, Cal Raleigh wants to swing that trident around a couple of more times in pursuit of that AL single-season home run record. So don’t expect the Mariners to coast here.
As for the Dodgers, they’re locked into the No. 3 seed in the NL. However, could we see more work from Roki Sasaki out of the bullpen as a tune-up for the postseason? Will anyone in the Dodgers’ bullpen show a glimmer of improvement heading into October, starting Friday?
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It all comes down to this as Guardians, Tigers battle for AL Central crown
Three games over this final weekend of the 2025 MLB regular season will decide the American League Central division title. Neither team has officially clinched a playoff berth, but both teams could make their way into the postseason regardless of who wins the Central.
Cleveland ends the season with a three-game series hosting the Texas Rangers, who have been eliminated from playoff contention but could play the role of spoiler for the Guardians. If the Guardians and Tigers remain neck and neck through the weekend, the most likely scenario is them facing off in the wild-card round.
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The Tigers could have a bit of a tougher fight to close out the regular season, thanks to their recent free-fall that saw them drop eight straight. They visit Boston on Friday night, taking on a Red Sox team also fighting for wild-card positioning. The Tigers swept the Red Sox in their lone series earlier this season.
If these AL Central rivals end the season with the same record, the Guardians hold the tiebreaker with a head-to-head record of 8-5 in the season series with the Tigers, after taking two of three games from them this week. No matter who wins the AL Central, both Cleveland and Detroit hold tiebreakers over the Houston Astros in the wild-card race. The Astros are currently one game behind the Guardians and Tigers for the wild card heading into this final weekend.
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Friday’s notable games
Baltimore Orioles vs. New York Yankees, 7:05 p.m. ET
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Toronto Blue Jays, 7:07 p.m. ET
Detroit Tigers vs. Boston Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. ET
Texas Rangers vs. Cleveland Guardians, 7:10 p.m. ET
New York Mets vs. Miami Marlins 7:10 p.m. ET
Cincinnati Reds vs. Milwaukee Brewers 8:10 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Seattle Mariners, 9:40 p.m. ET
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After 159 games have been played and settled, the final weekend slate of the 2025 MLB regular season is upon us, and there is plenty of drama set to unfold. With a few postseason spots still up for grabs, as well as a couple of division crowns, weâ€re sure to be in for a memorable finish to an unforgettable regular season of baseball.
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Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discuss all the headlines going into the weekend, including whether the Cleveland Guardians will be able to hang onto their improbable division lead in the AL Central over the Detroit Tigers, whether the New York Yankees or Toronto Blue Jays will be crowned the kings of the AL East and the incredible season weâ€ve seen from Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. They then talk about how crazy it is that the Houston Astros probably wonâ€t be making their annual postseason trip this October.
Also on this episode of the Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake and Jordan talk about the current postseason picture in the National League, which currently has the New York Mets holding onto the final Wild Card spot despite the Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks trying their best to overtake them. They also discuss how strange itâ€ll be to see the Los Angeles Dodgers playing in the Wild Card round, the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system coming to MLB next season and make their picks for The Good, The Bad & The Uggla.
(Photo by Michael Mooney/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
(Photo by Michael Mooney/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
3:19 – The Opener: Where things stand in the AL
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13:28 – Yankees or Blue Jays in the East
29:56 – Where things stand in the NL
36:36 – Dodgers in the Wild Card round
42:01 – We Need to Talk About: ABS in 2026
47:15 – The Good, The Bad & The Uggla
ðŸ–¥ï¸ Watch this full episode on YouTube
Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at or atyahoosports.tv
The marathon is nearing its finish for the MLB regular season with four games left for the majority of the majors. And other than the tight grips the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies have on the National League, there’s plenty up for grabs.
Here are the top storylines entering Thursday in a chaotic finish for the MLB playoffs:
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There’s a chance the Yankees get the No. 1 seed
We are indeed in strange times when the New York Yankees can give a hearty “thank you” to their nemesis Boston Red Sox.
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Aaron Judge hit home runs No. 50 and 51 as the Yankees took care of business in the Bronx on Wednesday night in blowing out the Chicago White Sox, 8-1. The Yankees’ 90th victory of the season pulled them into a tie for the AL East lead with the Toronto Blue Jays, who lost their second straight game to the Red Sox at home.
Toronto holds the tiebreaker with New York and its next four games — one vs. Boston and three against Tampa Bay — are at home. So the Yankees will need some more Jays missteps to get out of the wild-card spot, but it’s certainly possible.
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Manager Aaron Boone could get a moment to exhale, even if it’ll last for only a couple of days before the ALDS starts.
Why not 62 for Cal?
Let’s hit pause for a moment on the Seattle Mariners’ incredible playoff push, which reached new heights Wednesday night when they clinched the AL West. Let’s gaze at Cal Raleigh’s historic season. He hit home run No. 60 on Wednesday night, which puts him two back from tying Aaron Judge’s single-season record in the American League.
So we should expect Raleigh to keep hacking away, especially with one more game left against the Colorado Rockies and a three-game set against the Los Angeles Dodgers and their erratic bullpen.
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Guardians’ rocket rise could push Tigers completely out of playoff picture
On July 8, Detroit had the best record in baseball.
Entering play Thursday, the Tigers are looking at the grim prospect of playing their final game of the entire season this weekend. That’s how remarkable the Cleveland Guardians’ surge has been in taking control of the AL Central and how stunning Detroit’s collapse has been.
The Guardians went up a full game on the Tigers after winning 5-1 on Wednesday. They’ll go for a sweep Thursday. And even if the Tigers avoid the broom for their third straight series, the Guardians own the season tiebreaker.
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Cleveland has won 12 of its past 13 games while Detroit is 2-11 in its past 13 games and currently on an eight-game losing streak. On Sept. 4, the Tigers led the division by 11 games.
After Thursday’s series finale, Cleveland will host Texas for its final three games of the regular season. That means Detroit will need help regaining control of the division. If the Guardians take care of business, the Tigers better hope the Houston Astros keep tripping up. Detroit owns the tiebreaker if it comes down to that final wild-card spot with Houston.
Adding to Detroit’s woes: their final series of the regular season is at Fenway Park against the playoff-bound Red Sox, who are looking to make a move of their own in the wild-card standings.
Do the Mets, Reds and Diamondbacks want to make the playoffs?
With four games to go, three teams are vying for the final wild-card spot in the National League. The New York Mets currently hold that spot, but both the Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks sit a game behind New York.
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With a possible trip to the playoffs on the line … every team faltered Wednesday. The Mets were blown out by the Chicago Cubs and both the Reds and D-Backs lost heartbreakers in extras.
All three teams are in action again Thursday. Of that group, the pressure is highest on the Mets, who need to finish with a better record than both the Reds and Diamondbacks to make the playoffs. Cincinnati and Arizona hold tiebreakers over New York for that final spot. The Mets can’t afford to end the season tied with either club.
The Reds sit on the other side of the pendulum. Cincinnati holds the tiebreaker over both New York and Arizona. The Reds only need to end the year tied with those teams to secure a playoff spot.
The only other team still in the playoff hunt in the NL are the Miami Marlins, but their path is nearly impossible at this point. The Marlins sit four games out but finish the season with a three-game series against the Mets. There’s a scenario where Miami could still earn the right tiebreakers to get in, but one misstep would get the team eliminated.
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Despite being fewer games out, both the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals have already been eliminated from the playoffs. They can’t win the appropriate tiebreakers to secure a spot, no matter how well both teams finish out the season.
What to watch Thursday
Pirates vs. Reds: 12:40 p.m. ET
Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks: 3:40 p.m. ET
Marlins vs. Phillies: 6:05 p.m. ET
Tigers vs. Guardians: 6:40 p.m. ET
White Sox vs. Yankees: 7:05 p.m. ET
Red Sox vs. Blue Jays: 7:07 p.m. ET
Mets vs. Cubs: 7:40 p.m. ET
Rockies vs. Mariners: 9:40 p.m. ET