Browsing: lineup

The Knicks welcomed back OG Anunoby on Friday night after the wing missed three weeks with a hamstring injury, but the situation that he found himself returning to was not the one that he’d left. In his stead, Josh Hart had re-entered the starting lineup and recaptured his old magic while the Knicks had won six of their last eight games. When it was announced that Anunoby would be returning, there were plenty of questions surrounding who would start and how seamlessly the pieces would all fit together.

For one night, the answer was a resounding “Just right,” as the Knicks were challenged in a 146-112 win over the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden.

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Before Anunoby’s injury, the 28-year-old wing was thriving in new head coach Mike Brown’s system. Anunoby was averaging 15.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.9 steals per game while shooting 47.6% from the field and 39.2% from beyond the arc. He was playing elite defense on the wing and, through 12 games, seemed on track to be selected to his first career All-Star game.

But not all of his teammates were enjoying as much success.

The beginning of the year had not been kind to Josh Hart. When the season began, there were a few questions surrounding the man who seemingly never left the floor under the previous head coach, Tom Thibodeau. With a new sheriff in town, it was announced that Mitchell Robinson would enter the starting lineup, pushing Karl-Anthony Towns to the power forward role and moving Josh Hart to the bench. Then, in training camp, Hart aggravated a nerve injury in the ring finger of his shooting hand, which causes his finger to swell and go numb, obviously impacting his shooting and ball-handling. Hart decided to delay surgery until after the season, but the results were not good early in the year.

In the first 10 games of the season, Hart averaged 8.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 0.8 steals in 23.8 minutes per night. He was shooting 44.4% from the field (33.3% from deep) with a 51% effective field goal rate. On top of his offensive struggles, he was posting an uncharacteristically poor 116.1 defensive rating and a 10.1 Player Impact Estimate, which is kind of like basketball’s version of WAR (Wins Above Replacement). He seemed frustrated by his performance and his role, and there was some worry that he might not fit into Mike Brownâ€s new system as well as he had under Thibodeau.

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Still, the Knicks were 7-3 in those games. Mitchell Robinson was proving to be perhaps the best offensive rebounder in the league, and the new offensive system that stressed ball movement and a drive-and-kick philosophy had led to strong starts for Anunoby and Bridges. It seemed like this was the way things would continue, until Anunoby hurt his hamstring just five minutes into an NBA Cup game against the Miami Heat on November 14th.

That game proved to be a turning point for Hart. The 30-year-old was asked to play more minutes with Jalen Brunson already out with an ankle injury, and Anunoby leaving the game. But Hart responded, putting up a triple-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists as the Knicks won 140-132.

Over his next nine games, including that NBA Cup performance, Hart averaged 15.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.8 steals in 34.3 minutes per game. He shot 55.3% from the field (45% from deep) with a 65% effective field goal rate. His defensive rating also improved to 113.7, and his Player Impact Estimate was up to 14.6.

His performance did not go unnoticed as head coach Mike Brown blamed himself for Hartâ€s poor start: “Iâ€ll take the hit on that…The tough part was, even backing up further, [Hart] didnâ€t really play in the preseason; he didnâ€t even really practice in the preseason. So, for me, I was behind the eight ball and was really trying to figure out how to incorporate him with what weâ€re trying to do. It just took time, and he was extremely patient with the process…His sacrifice was unbelievable because when I took him out, he just sat. When I called his number, he went out and played. But more importantly, his belief in the process, even if he thought I was wrong, was awesome.â€

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That belief wasn’t only rewarded with improved performance but with a return to the starting lineup. Hart started the last five games coming into Friday’s contest, and Coach Brown credited his coaching staff with helping him adjust: “You know, I had reasons why I started the other way [with Hart coming off the bench],†explained Brown after Wednesdayâ€s win against the Hornets. “But my staff, I think all of them, were like, ‘Hey, these are the reasons why it would be better.†And the reality of it is, I just listened to my staff. I said, Okay, if Iâ€m the only one thinking that other way may be better at that time, then maybe Iâ€m wrong.â€

Given all of that, when Anunoby was cleared to play tonight, Coach Brown made the decision to start Hart alongside him, pushing Robinson to the bench and using the starting lineup that the Knicks had used for most of the 2024-25 season. While some of that could have been impacted by the fact that Robinson himself doesn’t seem to be 100% healthy, it was also a nod to how well Hart had been playing and how much he means to the team.

For one night, against a poor Jazz team, the new/old starting lineup worked. The Knicks led 23-0 to start the game and never looked back.

Neither Hart nor Anunoby was particularly impactful on the offensive end in that first quarter. Hart scored two points but grabbed three rebounds and dished out one assist, while Anunoby posted three points with no other stats. More importantly, the offense clearly flowed well, and both players were solid defensively. Anunoby would go on to finish with 11 points, one assist, and no rebounds in 23 rusty minutes. Still, he was back out on the court, and that’s what mattered most.

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“It felt good,” Anunoby said after the game about being back on the court. “Missed playing with my teammates. Missed the fans. I missed it, it was really fun playing.”

Hart finished with eight points, six rebounds, six assists, and a steal in 28 minutes. Most of the Knicks’ starters sat for the fourth quarter, with not a single starter playing in the final eight minutes of the game.

At the end of the day, it was one game against one of the weaker teams in the NBA, but it seems that the Knicks are preparing for life with both Hart and Anunoby in the starting five yet again. As a whole, that lineup was the eighth most effective five-man lineup, based on net rating, of any lineup the Knicks used for at least 60 minutes last season. There were only 12 qualified lineups. That lineup also had the third-worst defensive rating.

Yet, coming into Friday’s game, that same lineup had played 40 minutes together this season and had the fourth-highest net rating of the nine qualified Knicks lineups. It also had the fourth-best defensive rating.

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Perhaps in a new system, this five-man lineup could have new life. It seems like we’ll get a chance to find out.

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In head-to-head fantasy basketball leagues, it all comes down to the weekend. You can have a comfortable lead in multiple categories or by a bunch of points, but if you donâ€t make the most of the weekend, you can walk out with a loss.

The Nets, Pacers, Timberwolves, Pelicans, Suns, Kings, Spurs and Wizards only play once this weekend. In order to maximize your opportunities, avoid those teams if youâ€re deciding between a few options.

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Absolute must-start: Josh Hart, New York Knicks

After starting the year as a reserve, Hart has earned his starting spot in New York. Even if OG Anunoby, who is questionable after missing nine games with a hamstring strain, returns to the lineup, Hart should remain a starter. His production over the last two weeks has been even better than what he put out last season.

New York plays Utah on Friday and Orlando on Sunday. The Jazz have been a good rebounding team over the course of the season, but that hasnâ€t held true over the last five games, where theyâ€ve allowed the sixth-most rebounds per game and have the seventh-worst defensive rebounding percentage, which should allow Hart to have a big night on the glass.

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Last season, the Magic played at the slowest pace in the league, but that number has improved this year, specifically in recent weeks. The bump in pace allows for more possessions to be played and more stats to be accumulated, which makes it a great matchup for Hart.

Guards

Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies

Wells has been on a heater lately. Over his last five games, he is averaging 19 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 3 triples per game while shooting 57.7% from deep. This weekend heâ€ll take on the Clippers and the Trail Blazers. L.A. has been worse, but neither team has defended the 3-point line well in recent weeks, providing Wells a great opportunity to stay hot.

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Kevin Porter Jr., Milwaukee Bucks

With Giannis Antetokounmpo set to miss 2-4 weeks with a calf strain, there will be plenty of usage available in Milwaukee. Both KPJ and Ryan Rollins should be strong fantasy assets, though with KPJ more available in Yahoo! leagues, weâ€re rolling with him on this list. Friday is a matchup with the 76ers, who are playing the second night of a back-to-back. Saturday is against Detroit. Neither is an ideal matchup, but KPJ (and Rollins) will have surpassed the need for a beneficial matchup. They are must-start players as long as Giannis is out.

Davion Mitchell, Miami Heat

Nobody has played faster than the Heat this season, but over the last five games, the Magic are one of two teams that have. Their showdown on Friday should be a fast-paced, high-scoring affair, which should allow Mitchell to have a big night. After that, they take on the Kings on Saturday. Theyâ€ve been one of the worst defensive teams in the league this year, so Mitchell could have another strong night, especially if the veterans struggle to keep up with how fast Miami plays.

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Forwards

Jaylon Tyson, Cleveland Cavaliers

As long as Tyson is starting, he should be rostered and streamed confidently. In 13 starts this year, Tyson is averaging 14.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.8 blocks and 2.6 triples per game. Matchups with the shorthanded Spurs and Warriors should allow Tyson to continue to play well. Both Darius Garland (toe) and Jarrett Allen (finger) have been ruled out against San Antonio already, so Tyson is locked in as a starter for at least one more game.

Peyton Watson, Denver Nuggets

Watson has been awesome as a fill-in starter with Christian Braun (ankle) sidelined. Denver will take on the Hawks, one of the worst rebounding teams in the league, and the Hornets, one of the worst defensive teams in the league, this weekend. Watson is averaging 15.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1 steal, 1.2 blocks and 1.7 triples in 11 games as a starter this season.

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Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers

Grant started the year as a reserve, but he has been starting for a few weeks now. The Blazers will take on the Pistons and Grizzlies this weekend, and while Detroit is in the bottom half of the league in 3-pointers allowed per game over their last 10 games, Memphis has allowed the third-most during that stretch. Grant should be able to have some strong nights.

Centers

Kelâ€el Ware, Miami Heat

Wareâ€s been at his best as a starter, but he has been able to have his fair share of good performances as a reserve. Orlandoâ€s fast pace should allow Ware to collect plenty of boards, and Sacramento has been the worst rebounding team in the league this season. Domantas Sabonis†continued absence will only make things easier.

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Deandre Ayton, Los Angeles Lakers

Aytonâ€s rebounding numbers have been down this year, but this weekend is a solid opportunity for him. The Celtics have been one of the worst defensive rebounding teams in the league over their last five games, which should allow Ayton to make an impact. Thatâ€s the Friday matchup, and on Sunday, theyâ€ll take on the 76ers. That means a matchup with either Andre Drummond or Joel Embiid, who hasnâ€t looked like his typical self. The 76ers have the third-worst rebounding percentage in the league over their last five games.

Jusuf Nurkic, Utah Jazz

Utahâ€s games against the Knicks and Thunder seem daunting, but Nurkic has been effective as a starter. He missed Thursdayâ€s game with a rib contusion, so this one is dependent on him being healthy and available. The matchup on Sunday is more favorable for Nurkic; without Isaiah Hartenstein, OKC has not been as effective on the glass. He should be fine against the Knicks if he plays, but Sundayâ€s outing is the opportunity for a big night.

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Why Steve Kerr trusting his eyes is key to maximizing Warriors’ lineup shuffling originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

When the Warriors were running the NBA, staging annual races to the NBA Finals, whatever Kerr would see on the court in real time greatly influenced his substitution decisions. He strayed from that guidance pattern Tuesday night, and it backfired.

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Kerr went back to those instincts Thursday night in Philadelphia and almost was rewarded with an unlikely victory.

The Warriors wiped out a 24-point third-quarter deficit, with the surge giving them a 98-94 lead on Pat Spencerâ€s 3-pointer with 1:12 remaining before the 76ers closed it out for a 99-98 victory that dropped Golden State to 11-12.

Spencer was in the game because Kerr trusted the eyes he didnâ€t trust Tuesday, when Spencer ignited a late comeback that threatened Oklahoma City but was subbed out for Brandin Podziemski with 3:56 left. The next two possessions went nowhere, with Podziemski missing from deep and committing a turnover.

This time, there was no questionable late-game substitution. Podziemski stayed on the bench, as Spencer played all 12 minutes of the fourth quarter and was no less effective than he was two nights earlier.

“Yeah, tonight was a no brainer,†Kerr told reporters at Xfinity Mobile Center. “The other night was a tricky decision but tonight was obvious pat was just incredible out there and controlled the game and heâ€s just about the right stuff.â€

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Spencer scored 12 points in the quarter and was plus-13 for his efforts. He led lineups that were without Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler III or Draymond Green, who left in the second quarter after aggravating a sprained right foot.

To put a finer point on it, Spencer – with generous assistance from Deâ€Anthony Melton in his season debut – pushed the Warriors in position to prevail mostly behind the bench. Gui Santos played more than 11 minutes in the fourth quarter, Buddy Hield played 10 minutes, Quinten Post played eight and Melton played five.

“The effort was phenomenal,†Kerr said. “It felt like we really deserved to win, and I feel terrible for the guys that we couldnâ€t hang on because the effort, the energy, the commitment. Gui hasnâ€t played in a couple weeks and heâ€s playing the whole fourth quarter and is (plus-15), showing what he did last year. And the way Pat got us into our offense and got downhill and into pick-and-roll and distributed the ball . . . I like the way the guys fought.â€

Kerr indicated that he hopes for a way that Spencer, operating on a two-way contract that limits him to 50 games, can be elevated to a standard contract. The coach also made it clear that he sees Spencer as “the perfect guy for a backup†at point guard behind Curry.

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With Spencer playing exceedingly well in consecutive games, and Melton impressing in his return nearly a year after undergoing surgery to repair a slight ACL tear, the Warriors will be exceptionally deep at guard when Curry returns, which is expected next Friday.

“Weâ€re deep,†Spencer said. “We got a lot of guys that could play and guys that have proven it time after time. So, I think thatâ€s the tough part. I donâ€t envy Steveâ€s job at all.â€

Make no mistake, a 10-point first quarter laid the foundation for this loss, which exposed – or re-exposed – some of the weaknesses that have rendered Golden State unable to escape mediocrity so far this season.

Ineffective defense at the point of attack. Poor shot selection, mostly in the first half, particularly in the first quarter when they jacked up 15 3s, making two. Too many live-ball turnovers, which Philly exploited for 25 points. Insufficient interior moxie and muscle, resulting in another rebounding deficit, with the 76ers scoring the game-winning bucket on an offensive rebound.

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Spencer can help with a few of those ailments, and Melton surely will address some of them. When Curry returns, Spencer and Melton will be among seven Warriors vying for guard minutes in the rotation.

All of which gives Kerr the right to shorten his proverbial leash on a night-to-night basis.

The coach likely realized that on this night, when he went back to an old habit that served him well. He trusted his in-game eyes.

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After failing to ward off the Celtics in Boston on Tuesday, the Knickswere not going to let the same happen against the Hornets at home the next day.

Although the Hornets pulled within three after a one-sided second quarter, the Knicks hunkered down and took care of business, defeating Charlotte 119-104 on Wednesday night.

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New York started the second quarter up 15 points, but by the end of the first half, they had just a six-point lead. On the second of a back-to-back, the Knicks could have let the Hornets’ get to them, but Jalen Brunsonand Karl-Anthony Towns weren’t going to have it. Brunson scored 26 points on 56 percent shooting, a nice bounce back from his season-low performance against the Celtics.

While the Knicks big man scored a game-high 35 points and added 18 rebounds.

“JB draws a lot of attention. Our team did a good job of utilizing the gravity when he was on the court and getting some good looks, getting some turnovers,” Towns said of the team’s effort. “I thought we did a great job defensively, making them speed up their game and playing Knicks basketball, which is translate turnovers to offense.”

“We could have easily chalked it up and said we tried,” Brunson added. “Continue to fight, continue to stick together. Find a way to make plays defensively, got out in the open court, a good way to bounce back tonight.”

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Towns shot 13 of 23 from the field (3-for-7 from three) and often dominated the smaller Hornets lineup. But gave credit to the Knicks captain for his offensive outburst.

“When you got one of the best players league like JB, like I said, the gravity he attracts, it allows us a chance to do something special,” he said. “Taking opportunities the defense was giving me, while doing that, being aggressive, whether it was scoring or passing to my teammates.”

Dec 3, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Collin Sexton (8) and New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) fight for a loose ball in the second quarter at Madison Square Garden / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Reason for Josh Hart starting

Wednesday was Hart’s sixth straight game starting. With OG Anunoby out of the lineup due to a hamstring injury, head coach Mike Brownhas decided to shift Hart into the starting lineup, but it took some time for the first-year Knicks coach to pull the trigger.

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Hart started most of the games last year, but began the season as a bench player. The combo guard/forward has accepted whatever role Brown gives him, but the Knicks coach said the decision was thanks from a push by his staff.

“I rely on my staff. I had reasons why I started [Hart on the bench], but my staff, all of them, was like ‘hey, these are the reasons why it would be better,— Brown explained. “The reality of it is, I just listen to my staff. If Iâ€m the only one thinking it would be better at that time, then maybe Iâ€m wrong.

“Iâ€ve been wrong before and Iâ€ll be wrong again in the future. Thatâ€s what I love about my staff, we have guys who are not afraid…to tell me what they think. Iâ€m not always going to listen to them, but if my whole staff is telling me something, I better open my eyes and ears and figure out what they are really trying to say and maybe follow their lead instead of my lead all the time.”

Hart scored 15 points on 4 of 11 shooting with eight rebounds and eight assists in 36 minutes on Wednesday. He’s averaging 17 points per game since he was inserted into the starting lineup, while he scored just 12.5 points per game while on the bench this season.

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Yabusele’s changing role

Guerschon Yabuselehas been a solid bench piece in his first year in New York, but his role has seeming changed as the season has gone along. Brown was asked about Yabusele not being used as a ball-screener like he was in the beginning of the season, and the head coach had an explanation for it.

“Our five is usually the one thatâ€s setting the screens. Heâ€s playing the four right now,” Brown said. “Thereâ€s a lot of ways he can get involved as the four. For instance, on a made bucket, if he takes it out heâ€s going to be involved in the action right away. It all depends on where he is and where heâ€s sprinting to as weâ€re going down the floor determines how much heâ€ll be involved. Itâ€s hard to get pick-and-pop stuff with the way we play if youâ€re not playing that center spot.”

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Two matches are official for the Wednesday, September 10 AEW Dynamite Winter is coming lineup.

By virtue of their victory in the holiday hardcore death match in the semifinals of the AEW Women’s Tag Team title tournament on Wednesday’s show, the Timeless Love Bombs (Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa) will face The Babes of Wrath (Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron) in the tournament finals at Dynamite Winter is Coming.

The winners of Storm and Shirakawa vs. Nightingale and Cameron will be crowned the inaugural AEW Women’s Tag Team Champions.

Already on the books for Dynamite Winter is Coming, Samoa Joe makes the first AEW World title defense of his current reign against Eddie Kingston. The champ and challenger went face-to-face for a hype segment on this week’s Dynamite episode.

The current lineup for next week’s episode:

AEW Dynamite Winter is Coming, Wednesday, December 10 —

• AEW World Champion Samoa Joe defends against Eddie Kingston
• AEW Women’s Tag Team title tournament finals: Babes of Wrath (Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron) vs. Timeless Love Bombs (Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa)

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Ethan Renner

An F4WOnline Editor since 2019, Ethan has been covering wrestling and MMA since 2011. He has hosted The Wrestling Life Podcast since 2014, and is a former Baltimore Sun TV/Tribune Media contributor. He is also a Baltimore Ravens and Baltimore Orioles fan.

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The Chicago Blackhawks have hit the road for a hand full of games after a long stretch at home. Despite just recently snapping a five game losing streak, they are still right there on the playoff bubble at 11-9-5.

The first game of this road trip is against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. This is the first time that the two clubs are matching up this season.

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Connor Bedard Is The “Third Star of the Month” For November

On Tuesday, the National Hockey League announced that Connor Bedard was the NHL’s “Third Star of the Month” for November.

Blackhawks Superstar Connor Bedard Named Third Star Of November

Blackhawks Superstar Connor Bedard Named Third Star Of November Chicago Blackhawks superstar Connor Bedard was named the Third Star of the Month for November.

Scouting Vegas

The Vegas Golden Knights have one of the best rosters in the NHL. They have superstars everywhere. Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Pavel Dorofeyev, Tomas Hertl, and newly signed Mitch Marner lead the way offensively for them. On defense, Noah Hanifin and Shea Theodore lead a strong group on the back end.

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Despite having this loaded group, they are 11-6-8. Having most of their losses in overtime has kept them afloat in the Western Conference playoff chase but they are not playing like the dominant team that most expected coming into the year.

Their goaltending has been lackluster and Marner is a guy still trying to get comfortable in his new situation. They are also missing William Karlsson due to injury, which is a big loss because of what he provides in all three zones.

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Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago

The Chicago Blackhawks snapped a five game losing streak in their game against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. After going down 3-0, they came all the way back to win 5-3.

Blackhawks Score 5 Unanswered, End Losing Streak With Comeback WIn

Blackhawks Score 5 Unanswered, End Losing Streak With Comeback WIn The Chicago Blackhawks scored five unanswered goals to beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-3 to end the losing streak.

Although Vegas hasn’t been overly impressive based on their expectations coming into the season, they still have an elite roster that is sure to be a Stanley Cup contender once the playoffs roll around. The Blackhawks must be ready for an opponent on that level in this one.

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With their 11/7 strategy, Landon Slaggert and Sam Lafferty are the likely scratches. Spencer Knight is going to be Chicago’s starting goalie for the second game in a row.

Knight enters the game with a 2.51 goals against average and a .918 save percentage. He gives them a chance to win every start. After allowing two goals in the first minute against the Ducks, Knight locked in and eventually won the game.

Bedard’s November that earned him a “Third Star of the Month” brought him to a total of 37 points, which is third in the NHL. Playing with Ryan Greene and Andre Burakovsky gives that top line a little bit of everything.

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There is more offensive depth and speed in the middle six, and a spot on the fourth line for double shifting top players on the team.

With the 11/7 lineup, all of their defensemen are given opportunities to play more when they are on top of their game. It has been beneficial for everyone.

How To Watch

The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. For viewing, it will be streamed nationally on ESPN+ or Hulu. The puck will drop shortly after 9 PM CT.

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Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Today, PXG unveiled the tech behind its brand new Lightning metalwoods — four drivers, two fairway woods and a hybrid all aimed at giving the best PXG performance you’ve ever tested. You’ve probably seen the pictures and videos on my or Johnny Wunder’s (@johnny_wunder) Instagram pages, and we’ve been very bad about hiding how much we like the new gear. There’s lots of reasons for that, so let’s dive in and see what PXG is bringing to the table in 2026. I’ll mainly focus on the new drivers here because I know that’s what most of you want to hear about, but there’s some specific notes about the fairway woods and the hybrids I feel are important as well.

Johnny and I were both lucky enough to attend the PXG media event earlier this year where they unveiled the product and fit us into the best options for our games (and let us have some fun while we were at it too). PXG had nearly full bags built overnight for more than 25 players that were there testing, including a new bag for every single attendee. Wild.

PXG built every attendee nearly a full bag overnight.

PXG

What’s new with PXG Lightning?

PXG’s Lightning launch follows a successful Black Ops series of products. Black Ops was sort of universally seen across the industry as the first legitimate driver and fairway options from the PXG brand. They’ve always made a respectable hybrid offering, but the industry hasn’t been quite sold on their top-of-the-bag metalwoods.

It’s worth noting that the entire lineup has a glossy finish from top to bottom. The crown and the sole are both polished carbon fiber, and it absolutely passes the eye-candy test. I’m someone who prefers the gloss finish on my woods and this implementation is definitely high on my list of favorites. The gloss really brings out the shaping in the sole so you can not only see the spine on each driver, but also the different shapes and areas where they clearly are attacking some aerodynamic opportunities.

The GOLF gear squad testing the newest from PXG.

PXG

When I asked JW about PXG and what he’s seen from the company since he got started in the golf industry, he came back with this: “Specifically to drivers, I’d say PXG went from a company who dabbled in drivers just to satisfy the loyalists to now how having a bona fide driver that will compete with anyone. The company shifted a ton the moment they nailed this Lightning series. They are now a legit FULL BAG company. Huge step forward.”

With Lightning, they’ve surpassed Black Ops in every way possible, and frankly, it’s so far beyond Black Ops that PXG has now put itself in a competitive space right along with the big dogs in Callaway, TaylorMade or Titleist. And they’ve taken an interesting approach in the design.

Frequency Tuned Face

The big tech story with PXG Lightning is their Frequency Tuned Face. The very first thing most of us at the media event noticed and questioned when we first saw the heads was the ridge on the bottom of each model. A very pronounced ridge. A ridge that had to have a story. And for the first day of the event we all started to speculate what this ridge did. We all went through our fittings for new drivers getting zero technical details, which to their credit was a really cool way for us to dive into the gear. It was a purely feel- and performance-based look at the new stuff that let us wonder about the reasoning behind it. But on Day 2, everything was unlocked. Which brings us back to that Frequency Tuned Face.

The PXG Lightning Tour Mid.

PXG

Essentially what PXG did is find the optimal frequency that the club head vibrates at to create a marriage between face flexion, ball compression, sound and feel. The aforementioned back ridge plays its part by stiffening up the carbon fiber sole plates in each model so that they don’t negatively affect the overall modal frequency. By finding this perfect frequency they are able to optimize speed and launch off the face so that a fitted golfer sees the most performance possible out of their PXG Lightning metalwood. This goes for the two fairway models and the hybrid as well.

Sound and Feel

A quick note on sound and feel: these drivers sound so cool. They’re unapologetically loud offerings, but with a deeper tone than you might expect from this volume. There’s no piercing ting, but rather a nice crack that’s incredibly satisfying when you get one right in the center. Off-center the pitch is going to drop just a tad and you’re able to get feedback on how badly you may have missed off-center. This is probably my favorite sounding driver I’ve tested so far as 2026 launches are concerned.

Additional Improvements

While the entire launch revolves around this Frequency Tune Face, PXG has stepped it up in nearly every category. They weren’t afraid to admit their downfalls when it came to the Black Ops lineup, showing us charts that had the Black Ops lineup behind its competitors in nearly every category, including speed, launch, spin and down-range dispersion. Lightning, however, turns over a new leaf for the company. They can confidently say that the decision in performance to play a PXG Lightning product over the competition is going to come down to the fit. It may be harsh to say, but fitters simply weren’t pulling Black Ops off the shelf to compete in fitting bays; but they’re ready to pull Lightning into more bay battles in 2026.

The author swings the PXG Lightning Tour Mid Driver.

PXG

Each head also has an increased amount of carbon fiber, and with their Spined Sole technology that carbon fiber’s strength has been improved even further, creating a more stable driver lineup while increasing MOI in each model by allowing PXG engineers to more strategically place their adjustable weighting systems. On the Tour head you’ll notice a 67% increase in the carbon fiber sole plate over the 0311 Black Ops Tour-1, and the Tour Mid and the Max 10k+ have a 74% and 84% increase, respectively, over the 0311 Black Ops driver. Yes, you read that right. The “middle” model has a 74% larger carbon fiber surface area than the more forgiving model of the last generation. More on this in a bit.

Black Ops was touted as a very forgiving lineup, almost to a fault, but by adding more carbon fiber to the Lightning lineup, PXG is able to move weight more strategically and squeeze every bit of MOI out of these heads. The Max 10k+ head sees a 5% MOI boost over the 0311 Black Ops for a total combined MOI measurement of 8290; the Tour Mid sees a 12% MOI boost over the 0311 Black Ops Tour-1 for a total combined MOI measurement of 9122; and the Tour sees a 2% jump above the Tour-1 as well for a total combined MOI measurement of 8290. It’s worth noting that the new Lightning Max Lite also sees an impressive MOI measurement of 9667 MOI points, just missing out on that commonly marketed 10k MOI measurement.

The Lightning Tour Mid Driver — The Special One

By finding this optimal modal frequency, they’re able to fine tune each driver into the proper segment for the golfer the product is aimed at, which is how we get the introduction of the brand new Lightning Tour Mid: a head aimed at supporting a larger bell curve of players who may find themselves at a lower handicap but need a bit of help with launch and spin. The Tour Mid is, for lack of a better term, the new core head in the lineup or the middle ground between the low spin Lightning Tour and the High MOI Lightning Max 10k+. I think about 80% of the better players at the PXG event got fit into the Tour Mid, and none of us were really surprised. Both Johnny and I got fit into the Tour Mid and played a full round with it the next day. We were both extremely impressed, and Johnny will tell you it was one of my better driving rounds he’s seen me have.

PXG’s Mustang ZT adds to zero torque putter lineup

By:

Jack Hirsh

The head has a better player’s inspired shape, feel and performance with just enough added forgiveness to make it playable for a rather large bucket of golfers. Charles Howell III was actually the first person to get into Johnny’s ear about the new Lightning models, and if you know Johnny at all, that was more than enough to get him pretty amped going into our testing.

I think what makes the Tour Mid so great is the spin and launch window it finds itself in. The Tour model this year moves into more of a niche tool. It’s great for players looking to kill spin and launch the ball a bit flatter. Players who want to work a big cut are going to love the Lightning Tour. But for players who may need a little help getting the ball up in the air or naturally produce a little bit of a draw off the tee, the new Tour Mid hits a really nice sweet spot.

During my fitting, paired with a Ventus TR Black 6x (which was a complete surprise for me) the Tour Mid never fell below 2100 rpm and never skied above 2800 rpms, which for me hits a perfect sweet spot. I am actually OK if certain misses spin up on me and reach that 3000-ish mark, but I get terrified as I get closer to that 2000 rpm number. My horror miss is the low-spin duck hook. (I get chills just typing that out.) But the Tour Mid held strong, and it threw up some really impressive ball speed numbers as well. I was sorta feelin’ it the day I was getting fit so I was swinging closer to 116 mph down in the Scottsdale National sun and was seeing ball speeds right around the 170-mph mark. Plenty of speed to compete with anything else I’ve tested. And these numbers weren’t just full-bore swings on the range. Johnny and I got a chance to immediately take our fit drivers out on course and test them out, and we saw the exact same playability we did in our fits.

The PXG Lightning lineup.

PXG

Lightning has struck

The new PXG Lightning lineup is a very welcome addition to the PXG family. On the surface, it’s a great new option in fitting bays with a reliable hybrid, two new fairway woods and four new driver models — particularly the Lightning Tour Mid. As PXG celebrates a decade of success and growth, the Lightning product is the perfect display of what its team is capable of and how it’s trying to push the company forward.

The drivers are priced at $649, with the fairway woods $379 and hybrid $329.

Looking to get fit for your 2026 bag? Visit your local True Spec.

The calendar has flipped to December and we’ve played a quarter of the 2025-26 NBA season. We’re also just over three weeks away from the Christmas Day NBA slate, the best time of the year. Of course, in Yahoo’s new fantasy basketball format, High Score, the top output for a player in a given week is all that matters. So far we’ve seen plenty of superstars top out and even have a few surprising performances. Below we’ll go over the perfect lineup based off the top-six scores from November.

The top-six performances overall by position from November.

More on the top performers

Cade Cunningham, guard: The Pistons have the best record in the Eastern Conference and Cade has the best High Score of any player all season. Cunningham posted an astonishing 46-12-11 triple-double with seven stocks, good for 101 fantasy points, in an OT win over the Wizards on Nov. 10. The Pistons All-Star has had a wide range of outcomes this season, ranging from 28 fantasy points back in October in a loss to the Cavaliers to that explosion against Washington. He’ll almost always have a high floor given his assist numbers, averaging 9.4 per game on the season, second-best in the League.

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Tyrese Maxey, guard: Let’s be real, the 76ers are Maxey’s team. Unfortunately, Joel Embiid isn’t the same player and hasn’t even been able to play in half of Philly’s games so far this season. As a result, Maxey has gone full takeover and is chasing his first scoring title in the NBA, averaging 32.2 points per game, third behind Luka DonÄić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. There are few players who can fill it up like Maxey on any given night. He did just that with a career-high 54 points in an OT win over Milwaukee on Nov. 20, propelling him to 95 fantasy points. Maxey was a fringe first-round asset during draft season and is looking like he should have landed in the top five.

[High Score is a new way to play Fantasy Basketball on Yahoo with simple rosters and scoring. It’s not too late to create or join a league]

Jalen Johnson, frontcourt: Perhaps the most surprising name on this list, though we should give the budding star some credit. Johnson has taken over as the No. 1 option in Atlanta in the short-term with Trae Young dealing with a knee injury. Johnson posted a 31-18-14 triple-double with seven steals for 98 fantasy points in a win over the Jazz on Nov. 13, the second-highest fantasy total in High Score on the young season. We may not see another performance like that from him the rest of the season.

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Nikola Jokić, frontcourt: Real quick, we’d have Jokić on this list multiple times but we aren’t going to repeat players. The three-time MVP has been the best player in the High Score format (and honestly fantasy basketball overall so far this season). He’s leading all players in average fantasy points per game (70). Jokić doesn’t have fewer than 55 fantasy points in a game all season and has reached 80+ on four occasions — two High Scores of 89. There’s no reason to think he won’t be the top fantasy asset the rest of the season.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, frontcourt: The Greek Freak recently returned from a groin strain. While the Bucks have struggled so far this season, Giannis has still worked in a few ceiling games above 80 fantasy points. His ability to score at will and rack up plenty of rebounds, assists and stocks give him one of the best floors in High Score. He topped out with a near 41-point, 15-rebound triple-double for 86 fantasy points against Chicago, a team he generally dominates, on Nov. 7.

Luka DonÄić, utility: Of course it isn’t a High Score list without Luka on there. After starting the season injured, missing three of the first five games, DonÄić is back and producing at a high level. His gem of the season was a 35-8-13 line with seven stocks for 91 fantasy points in a two-point win over the Spurs on Nov. 5 — far from the easiest matchup. Even with LeBron James back in the lineup, this is DonÄić’s Lake Show to run.

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If OG Anunobyâ€s rehab continues to progress well, it sounds like heâ€ll be back on the court before the end of the calendar year.

Anunoby will obviously return to the starting lineup whenever heâ€s ready to play.

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Who will be the fifth starter when Anunoby comes back? Thatâ€s less clear. But Josh Hart continues to make a strong case to start.

He had 20 points on 12 shots, pulled down 12 rebounds (five offensive) and tallied seven assists in New Yorkâ€s win over Toronto on Sunday. Heâ€s shooting 65 percent on threes in his four games as a starter (20 attempts); heâ€s averaging of 11.8 rebounds and seven assists per game in that span.

Knickscoach Mike Brown seems very happy with Hartâ€s impact as a starter. He criticized himself for his usage of Hart early in the season – and credited the veteran with how he handled it.

“Especially our first three losses, I’ll take the hit on that,†Brown said of Hartâ€s early-season role. “…The tough part was even backing up further, [Hart] didn’t really play in the preseason, he didn’t even really practice in the preseason. So, for me, I was behind the eight ball and was really trying to figure out how to incorporate him with what we’re trying to do. It just took time and he was extremely patient with the process.

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“We have a standard and that’s that contract that everybody signed (that hangs in the Knick locker room) and it’s about sacrifice, connectivity, competitive spirit, but then a belief in each other, but just as much as that, have a belief in the process. Josh was huge on two of those things. His sacrifice was unbelievable because when I took him out, he just sat. When I called his number, he went out and played, but more importantly, his belief in the process, even if he thought I was wrong, was awesome.

“When you’re a leader, you have to show that or embrace those types of things more than everybody else cause you got to set the example and if somebody steps out of the realm of what our standard is because you did it as a leader, now you can tell them, ‘Hey, come back over here because we all got to do this. I had to go through it, you may have to go through it, this guy may have to go through it.†So, he’s a special player, but he’s also a great human being to be around.â€

Hartâ€s play in the third quarter on Sunday was key; he had 13 points, four rebounds, an assist and a steal in the quarter. He hit three threes – two of which came after Toronto cut New Yorkâ€s lead to six midway through the quarter.

“He did a really good job of playmaking, rebounding and he was, in my opinion the best player on the court,†Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said. So, it will be really interesting for us to watch the film and, like I said, get ready for the next game.â€

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The Knicks play the Raptors in Toronto on Dec. 9 in the NBA Cup quarterfinals. The winner goes to Las Vegas for the NBA Cup semifinals.

Nov 30, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (5) drives past New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) in the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

BRUNSON IMPRESSES OPPOSITION

Jalen Brunson didnâ€t have a strong shooting night on Sunday but he contributed in other ways (seven assists, six rebounds – two offensive). He also continues to get off the ball when teams throw two defenders at him.

Rajakovic tried to send two Raptors at Brunson on Sunday during different stretches of the game.

Before the game, Rajakovic shared some detailed thoughts on Brunsonâ€s impact.

“He is the type of player that I can put in the category of Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic – different position, obviously. But guys who are just playing at their own pace. You cannot speed them up. Their awareness is amazing.,†Rajakovic said early Sunday. “At any point of time they know where the hand of the defensive player is. What is the footwork, how can they get by somebody, how can they get to their sweet spot from the floor. How can they score from there, how can they playmake from there.

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“And heâ€s elite at doing it. Heâ€s not the strongest, not the fastest, but his skill level and shooting ability is amazing and that makes him one of the biggest offensive weapons in the league.â€

Brown said on Friday that Brunson isnâ€t getting enough attention as an early-season MVP candidate.

The Knick coach shared more thoughts on the topic before Sundayâ€s game.

“Itâ€s not necessarily about (height); itâ€s about what you bring to the table,†Brown said in response to a question about MVPs at Brunsonâ€s height. “Itâ€s still early and weâ€re in the top part of the eastern conference. And the numbers heâ€s putting up are pretty good. I donâ€t know exactly how they compare to others across the board that are in the top 3, 4 spots in the East and West. (And) I donâ€t see it all the time but when I see people talking (about MVP candidates), or I see lists, I never see him.

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“And Iâ€m amazed at the lack of attention that he gets for what heâ€s done in this league already. And what he continues to do, night in and night out. Especially when heâ€s the guy on a team thatâ€s in a pretty good spot in their conference.”

If youâ€ve been watching the Knicks over the past four years, you know how Brunsonâ€s footwork around the basket is a huge part of his offensive success.

Brown was asked about Brunsonâ€s footwork and he put the Knick All-Star in elite company.

“Iâ€ve been fortunate, blessed, lucky to be around a bunch of great players and Jalenâ€s footwork around the basket – especially for his size – is probably second to none. His footwork is really good,†Brown said. “Iâ€ll probably get killed for saying this but Kobeâ€s footwork was really good, and Iâ€m not saying Jalenâ€s Kobe or vice versa, their patience, their footwork in that painted area is at an extremely high level and not many guys have that.â€

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Maybe wins against the Hornets and Nets earlier this week didnâ€t do it for you. But Josh Hartâ€s play in the Knicks†win over Milwaukee on Friday has to move the needle toward keeping him in the starting lineup.

Hart was everywhere on Friday. Guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo. Pushing the ball in transition. Play-making as a release to the double-teams on Jalen Brunson. Rebounding the ball.

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It was a prototypical Hart game.

If his play in the starting lineup continues, Mike Brown may have to think long and hard about making a permanent change.

Brown in the last three games has gone with Karl-Anthony Towns at center, Mitchell Robinson off the bench and Hart in the lineup.

Hart is averaging seven assists and 12 rebounds per game in that span.

Again, you can brush off those numbers when they come against the Hornets and Nets, but in a highly competitive game against Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, Hartâ€s performance was crucial.

“He played well on both sides of the ball. Heâ€s in a good rhythm right now,†Brunson said after the game. “Just need him to stick with that. Heâ€s a key part, an X-factor in what we do.â€

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Speaking of lineups, Brown sounds like a coach who wants to see more of Robinson off the bench.

Earlier in the season, Brown seemed to favor starting Robinson alongside Towns, but the big man has come off the bench in each of his last two games.

“Iâ€ve liked what Iâ€ve seen so far,†Brown said after Robinsonâ€s six points, seven rebounds and two steals off the bench Friday.

“Mitch has given us a great punch off the bench. His ability to offensive rebound against starters and backups has been huge for us. So he has to keep bringing that to the table. So he gives us a different look in the starting lineup and then gives us a different look when he comes off the bench.â€

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The guess here is that Robinson will continue to come off the bench if everyone is healthy.

When everyone does return, though, the big question for Brown will be whether to keep Hart in the starting lineup over options such as Landry Shamet and Miles McBride.

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts after making a basket during the second half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Madison Square Garden / Vincent Carchietta – Imagn Images

MVP TALK FOR BRUNSON

Brunson had 37 points on 21 shots on Friday night. He was on fire in the third quarter (16 points, 7-8 FG’s) and then made all the right reads in the fourth quarter when Milwaukee sent a second defender at him.

He has scored 27 or more points in each of the past seven games.

“He should be talked about right now — itâ€s early — but as a potential MVP,†Brown said after the game. “Thereâ€s not enough chatter — which, itâ€s early, so Iâ€m not throwing a fit — but the guy had 37 tonight on 12-of-21. And he gets blitzed often and he makes the right basketball play. He basically did what he was supposed to do and thatâ€s why I donâ€t talk about it a lot because thatâ€s what heâ€s capable of doing and thatâ€s what heâ€s supposed to do, being of that stature.

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“But hopefully you guys and your peers will start really talking the right way about this young man in terms of him having some MVP talk because thatâ€s what he is,†Brown said, referring to the media. “Weâ€re not playing the best basketball right now but weâ€re trending in the right direction and heâ€s the engine behind it. So to me, he just did what heâ€s supposed to do, which equates to him being the MVP of the league.â€

Brown also praised another Knicks point guard on Friday — he likes what heâ€s seen from Tyler Kolek lately.

Kolek had five points (all off of Hart assists), two steals and an assist in 10 minutes against Milwaukee.

This continues a strong week overall for the youngster who chipped in five assists and three rebounds against Brooklyn, then seven points and three assists against Charlotte.

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“I didnâ€t play him as much as I wanted to tonight but the last two games when heâ€s gotten minutes, heâ€s been really good defensively,†Brown said. “Heâ€s been really physical without fouling. Heâ€s been really good pushing the basketball and distributing the basketball while getting us into our offense. I expect nothing but that from him and again I wished Iâ€d played him a little longer because again, [heâ€s] on a pretty good run.â€

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