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But the crash didnâ€t happen until the second period, and had they gotten more out of an impressive first, the Canucks might have been riding a four-game road winning streak into Thursdayâ€s game in Nashville. Instead, the Penguins scored three times in a little more than three minutes with the Canucks running on empty in the middle frame and won 5-1 at PPG Paints Arena.

“We could have been up three or four nothing in the first 10 minutes, but it didn’t happen,†Canucks coach Adam Foote said. “I think you run out of a little bit of gas, you put yourself in a situation where you take some penalties. . . you probably, most likely, wouldn’t take. So, I mean, a lot of good things early and, you know, we looked like we just ran out a little bit of gas.â€

The energy boost the Canucks hoped would be a byproduct of inserting four new players into their lineup, two directly from the minors, since Sundayâ€s emotional and injury-riddled win in Washington never really materialized.

Conor Garland, the best Canuck skater this season, did blister a low slapshot into the Penguins†net to make it 1-0 at 1:18 after a beautiful touch pass into space by Elias Pettersson. And although weâ€re not sure about 3-0 or 4-0, Canucks had other excellent chances to double their lead, like Jake DeBrusk failing to convert Quinn Hughes†pass at the top of the crease and Max Sasson getting stopped on a backhand in the low slot.

And even during Evander Kaneâ€s hooking penalty at 8:23, Pettersson missed the net on a shorthanded two-on-one.

Shots were 5-0 Vancouver at the time of Kaneâ€s penalty, and 20-8 for Pittsburgh from then until the second intermission.

“It’s definitely been a lot of games in a short amount of time,†Canuck winger Drew Oâ€Connor said. “But I don’t think we look at it like we won three, so we can take our foot off the gas now. We want to win every game, so itâ€s disappointing not getting this one.

“Obviously, the power play for them was a big difference. Those two power play goals kind of puts it out of reach. I don’t know if we let up a little bit and they started to dictate play, but I think we had a little stretch there where they kind of took over and we didn’t push back enough.â€

With five players injured or on leave, the Canucks simply donâ€t have the margins to win games if theyâ€re getting outplayed on special teams and winning only 31 per cent of faceoffs (18 out of 58) like they did Tuesday.

Pittsburghâ€s power play was 2-for-5, Vancouverâ€s 0-for-3.

While the Penguins look like a kind of Heroes-of-Hockey farewell tour with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson headlining the lineup, the players who did damage on Tuesday included Connor Dewar and Tommy Novak, Justin Brazeau and Anthony Mantha.

It was a systemic victory for the Penguins, who simply won most of the puck battles in the middle period, were better with the puck, forced the Canucks to defend and outmuscled them around the net.

And to top it off, Vancouverâ€s former third-string goalie, Penguins starter Arturs Silovs, outplayed the goalie who made him dispensable, Kevin Lankinen.

Lankinen was beaten five times on 25 shots. Silovs couldnâ€t stop the first shot he faced, but saved the next 23.

“Honestly, I think that they just stuck to their game and we had some turnovers that werenâ€t happening in the first and caught up to us in the second,†DeBrusk said. “They got some momentum, and those guys know what to do with momentum over there.â€

“I don’t know, there’s lots of guys that have been called up,†DeBrusk said. “They’re excited and they want to stay, and they bring excitement and energy. I don’t necessarily know if it was a letdown in that sense. We had a good first period. We were in the driver’s seat and then they took it to us.â€

Despite the Canucks needing goals and lacking a couple of key offensive players, DeBrusk logged only 13:50 of ice time on the first line. Pettersson finished with 16:56, and although Garland played 19:51, his even-strength ice time of 9:38 was third-lowest among Vancouver forwards.

Of course, Pettersson also went 5-17 on faceoffs, which didnâ€t help the power play.

“It starts with me,†he said. “If I win more draws, we start with the puck. I think I was 1-5 (on the power play); that’s not good enough. Keep having to break the puck in instead of starting with the puck. Everything starts with me winning the draw. Start from there.â€

Max Sasson was 1-7 on faceoffs and got overpowered by Mantha on the Penguinâ€s goal that capped the three-goal explosion at 17:29 of the second period. Even the Canucks†faceoff ace, Aatu Raty, was 9-9. But put another way, the rest of the team was 9-31. Crosby went 15-5 in the circle for Pittsburgh, and the Penguins†top penalty-killer, Noel Acciari, was 11-1.

“The faceoff is so important,†Oâ€Connor said. “It feels a lot different when you start with the puck every shift instead of kind of chasing the puck. It’s just a different feeling. I think we’ve been pretty good on draws most of the year. It makes a big difference when we’re winning those, so that’s another thing that we’re always working on.â€

Foote said there is a “good chance†top winger Brock Boeser will be back from his personal leave for Thursdayâ€s road-trip finale against the Predators. Penalty-killing centre Teddy Blueger, who was questionable for Pittsburgh, could also play in Nashville.

But the Canucks just have to be better. They need to be sharper with the puck, more effective on special teams and get more saves with Thatcher Demko in net. They also canâ€t sag if things donâ€t go their way early. Their three-game winning streak was built on resilience.

“You don’t want to lose two in a row,†DeBrusk said.

“We did have a good start to the trip,†Oâ€Connor said. “Weâ€ve got one more to close it out and hopefully make it a really good trip.â€

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TORONTO — Steven Lorentz shocked his new wife pretty good when he leapt out of bed in the seventh inning with a clap and a holler to celebrate George Springerâ€s ALCS-winning home run.

“As soon as it left his bat, I knew it was gone,†the Toronto Blue Jays fan disguised as a Maple Leafs player said excitedly Tuesday morning. “She was kind of rolled over trying to sleep, and I think I woke her up.

“Iâ€ve definitely got a little bit more excitement for this Jays group this year than I have in previous years.â€

Lorentz is all of us in this hockey Mecca turned baseball town.

“I think a lot of people in Canada probably had a similar night last night, watching our Jays move on to the World Series. First time in, what, thirty-something years?†the Ontario native continues. So that’s great to see. “Weâ€re happy for them. But like Vladdy said, the jobâ€s not done for them. So, they still got some work to do.â€

For too many Octobers, the work of the Maple Leafs has dominated Page 1 of the Toronto newspapers†sports section.

The magic of the Jays†post-season run has flipped priorities like Bautista twig — in a way that benefits all involved.

The middling Leafs have five regular-season games scheduled to go head-to-head with the best-of-seven between the Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

You get one guess as to which will be the cheaper ticket.

“Itâ€s an easy team to cheer for,†Morgan Rielly marvels. “Weâ€ve been talking about them all morning.â€

The longest serving Maple Leaf grew up in Vancouver as the son of a Yankees fan; a young Rielly and his father would drive south to Seattle and root against the Mariners when the pinstripes were in town. But Rielly has been wearing Blue Jays caps for years.

Heâ€s all in, even if the sweetness of a Toronto championship series comes with a sting.

“Thereâ€s a small part of you that youâ€re envious of them. Youâ€re a bit jealous at what theyâ€re doing, just because of Toronto. You watch it firsthand. Youâ€re obviously happy for them. Itâ€s a great moment for the city. But we want to be able to do that and have a run like that. We felt that when the Raptors did it, too,†Rielly explains.

“So, you look at the passion that theyâ€re playing with, and thatâ€s contagious. And you want to be able to also bring that when your time comes.â€

To a man, the Leafs spoke glowingly about the baseball clubâ€s formula of simultaneously getting valuable contributions from their depth players as well as showtime moments from their high-paid superstars.

None more impressive than ALCS MVP Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who strode into Rogers Centre on the eve of Game 7 decked out in a No. 34 Leafs replica sweater.

“I think Vladdy broke the curse by wearing Auston Matthews†jersey here today,†Jays manager John Schneider said, following the 4-3 home win.

“Yeah, that’s pretty cool. Iâ€m sure Tone was pretty fired up about that,†enthuses Toronto native Chris Tanev, who played competitive ball through Grade 12.

“Itâ€s really impressive to see the city rallying behind them, and just an amazing comeback from down 2-0 to start the series, and down 3-2, and down in the game as well. So, itâ€s just a lot of relentless efforts.â€

Tanev is a master of smart positioning. He makes subtle, nifty outlet passes and is willing to take abuse to make the right play. So, it should be no surprise that he showers the Jays†role players with credit for contributing small details that lead to the big moment.

“The (Andrés) Giménez bunt probably no one talks about because Springer hit a home run. But no one bunts, really, anymore, and he laid a great bunt. Or (Addison) Barger walking to get on. Little things like that. Not trying to hit a home run and being happy to get on base, to let his teammates help him get home and make the game closer,†Tanev says.

“Itâ€s just like little things like that go into a hockey game, so you sort of watch and learn from that.â€

Craig Berube grew up a baseball-loving kid in Calahoo, Alta. Itâ€s the sport that most closely rivals hockey as his passion. The Leafs coach visited the clubhouse and met with Schneider in September. Heâ€s been studying the post-season at home, quietly rooting for the Jays.Â

“I watch their guy, Vladdy, closely. I watch how he interacts with all the guys and how much energy he brings all the time and happiness for his teammates when they do something well,†Berube says.

“Heâ€s always got a lot of energy and a lot of positive vibe around him, you know? Which a lot of them do. But heâ€s their main guy, and he brings that — and I think the whole team feeds off it.â€

Torontonian Max Domi says itâ€s not only Guerrero Jr.â€s performance at the plate that impresses; itâ€s also his presence in the post-game conversations.Â

“You see his interviews and how emotional he got — what this city means to him. It’s great to see him, and Iâ€m so happy for him and his entire team,†Domi explains.

“It’s inspiring, man. I think if youâ€re not a baseball fan, it doesn’t matter. Youâ€re watching that game, youâ€re watching that interview — everyoneâ€s got chills. If you don’t, then you’re missing a heartbeat, for sure.

“Taking that and seeing how the city responds to it, and listening to each guyâ€s interview is really cool for me as an athlete on a team, to really see how much they love each other, and thatâ€s what got them to where they are. Of course, theyâ€ve got the skill, they got the talent, theyâ€ve got everything. But they all seem to think that the most important thing is how tight they are.â€

The parallels here are blatantly obvious to the Toronto fan.

And the Maple Leafs, who play just a couple Barger relay throws east of the Dome, feel like the sports cityâ€s positive energy could be contagious.

“Itâ€s almost like a little bit of outside motivation, you can look at it, right?†Lorentz says. “Like, you see when that teamâ€s doing well, when our teamâ€s doing well, when it comes to playoff time, thereâ€s extra bodies in the seats. Thereâ€s extra bodies outside. Iâ€m sure the bars are all filled up with people who are rooting and cheering.

“I had some buddies out, and you could see the Instagrams and the Snapchats of people going nuts when Springer hit that home run. So, the Jays get that. We get that when weâ€re doing well, too.Â

“Itâ€s nice that we can kind of feed off that energy that the Jays are bringing, that buzz to the city.â€

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And so he couldn’t help but admire as, just a few blocks west of his own arena, the Toronto Blue Jays authored a late-inning comeback to reach the World Series, sending Rogers Centre into pandemonium.

“We want to be able to do that and have a run like that. You look at the passion theyâ€re playing with and thatâ€s contagious,” Rielly said on Tuesday morning.

Rielly, 31, has been on the opposite end of those dramatic post-season games.

The longest-serving Maple Leaf, he’s been a part of every playoff defeat in the Auston Matthews era — none of which have come later than the second round.

Last season, Toronto came within one win of the conference final, only to fall short to the eventual champion Florida Panthers.

The defenceman said his team has been talking about the Blue Jays’ triumph all morning.

“You’re almost jealous at what they’re doing because they’re in Toronto and you watch it firsthand, youâ€re happy for them. It’s a great moment for the city. We want to be able to do that and have a run like that. We felt that when the Raptors did it (in 2019), too,” he said, per Terry Koshan of Postmedia.

Rielly’s Maple Leafs have often been criticized for lacking resilience throughout their post-season losses — a trait of which this Blue Jays team cannot be accused.

Ahead of Monday’s game, Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. entered the stadium wearing a Matthews jersey — a bad omen in the eyes of many Toronto sports fans.

Perhaps now, however, the curse is reversed.

“It’s an easy team to cheer for, the style they play, the depth. … It’s been a lot of fun to watch, and our guys have been supporting them,” Rielly said.

The Maple Leafs are back in action in Toronto on Tuesday as the New Jersey Devils come to town.

Meanwhile, the Blue Jays will play Game 1 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday at Rogers Centre (8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, Sportsnet, Sportsnet+).

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India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, right, and Chirag Shetty in action (Claus Fisker/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) In a thrilling men’s doubles semifinal at the Denmark Open Super 750, India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty lost to Japan’s Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi on Saturday.The Asian Games champions, who had recently reached finals in both Hong Kong Super 500 and China Masters Super 750, showed resilience after losing the first game but ultimately fell short with scores of 21-23, 21-18, 16-21.The intense 68-minute match featured fast-paced exchanges and sharp rallies, marking the end of India’s campaign at the USD 950,000 tournament.The world No. 7 Indian pair entered the match as favourites with a 4-1 head-to-head advantage and three consecutive wins against the Japanese duo. However, the 2021 world champions Hoki and Kobayashi demonstrated superior coordination and precision at crucial moments.The opening game saw the Indians take an early 4-1 lead, but unforced errors allowed the Japanese pair to move ahead 5-4. Kobayashi’s angled smashes and Hoki’s returns helped them build a lead of 11-6 at the interval.After the break, Satwik and Chirag improved their rhythm, narrowing the gap to 12-13 and eventually levelling at 14-14.The Japanese secured the first game 23-21 after saving two game points, with Chirag’s final serve return hitting the net.In the second game, the Indians showed better form with Chirag’s aggressive net play and strategic placement, maintaining a lead at 16-14.They successfully closed the second game 21-18, with Chirag’s cross return forcing a decisive third game.The final game began as an intense battle of angles and reflexes. Despite good line judgments from Chirag keeping the score level at 5-5, errors gave the Japanese an 8-6 lead.The Indians briefly led 11-10 at the break, but the Japanese pair increased their intensity afterwards, winning a 31-shot rally to take a 13-11 lead. Hoki and Kobayashi maintained their momentum with steep attacks and better anticipation, extending their lead to 17-13.Despite a brief comeback attempt by the Indians reducing the gap to 16-19, a net error from Chirag gave the Japanese four match points.Kobayashi sealed their first final appearance of the year with a precise return, ending the match at 21-16 in the deciding game.

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LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani had himself quite the first inning against the Brewers in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series on Friday night at Dodger Stadium.

His three strikeouts in the top half were impressive. His leadoff home run in the bottom half was historic.

And then, for good measure, he homered again in the fourth.

In providing his own early run support in the potential clincher, Ohtani became the first pitcher in MLB history to hit a leadoff home run — in either the regular season or the postseason. It was also the first home run by any Dodgers pitcher in postseason history.

The last postseason homer by a pitcher came when the Brewers and Dodgers faced off in the 2018 NLCS, with Brandon Woodruff taking Clayton Kershaw deep in Game 1.

Despite all the firsts, Ohtani’s solo shot off Brewers starter Jose Quintana still had a bit of a familiar feel to it. That’s because it was exactly one year ago to the day that Ohtani hit a leadoff home run … off Quintana (then with the Mets) … in Game 4 of the NLCS. Per Elias, Ohtani is the fourth player to homer off the same pitcher on the same calendar day in multiple postseasons, joining Justin Turner (off Max Scherzer, Oct. 7, 2016 and 2019), Manny Ramirez (off Cole Hamels, Oct. 15, 2008 and 2009) and Dusty Baker (off Steve Carlton, Oct. 8, 1977 and 1983).

Ohtani entered Friday just 3-for-29 (.103) since the start of the NLDS. He had not homered since his two-homer game in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series on Sept. 30.

Ohtani put an end to that drought with his third career postseason leadoff home run (which traveled a Statcast-projected 446 feet). That’s tied with Derek Jeter and Jimmy Rollins for the second most in MLB history, trailing only Kyle Schwarber (five).

Ohtani’s second blast traveled even farther, coming in at 469 feet and clearing the roof of the Right Field Pavilion. It made him the first pitcher in history with a multihomer postseason game.

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Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE) has hired former Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers to be president of HBSE Sports, HBSE co-founders Josh Harris and David Blitzer announced.

Myers was brought in with the goal of “maximizing opportunities and bolstering processes” across the firm’s sports portfolio, which includes the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, NHL’s New Jersey Devils, EPL’s Crystal Palace, and an investment in NASCAR’s Joe Gibbs Racing.

Last year, Myers was hired as an advisor to the Harris-owned Washington Commanders during a restructuring that included the hirings of general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn. Myers will continue in that role for the Commanders.

“His experience as an architect of championship teams will complement our existing leadership structure, while also allowing HBSE to maximize opportunities across our portfolio,” Harris and Blitzer said in a statement.

Myers was a sports agent for 14 years before he was hired as assistant GM for the Warriors in 2011, a year after Joe Lacob and Peter Guber spent a then-NBA record $450 million for the franchise. He became GM the following year and steered the franchise to six NBA Finals appearances and four wins before leaving the team after the 2022-23 season when his contract expired. The Warriors also opened the Chase Center in 2020. Golden State is the NBA’s most valuable team, worth $11.33 billion in Sportico’s recent NBA rankings.

Myers has served as an NBA analyst and color commentator during the past two seasons.

The 76ers ranked ninth in Sportico’s NBA valuations at $5.61 billion, up 23% versus the prior year. The Devils are No. 11 among NHL teams at $2.06 billion, up 21%. Crystal Palace’s value is $610 million, No. 50 in global soccer. In July, New York Jets owner Woody Johnson acquired a 43% stake in the EPL club.

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Kairi Sane may be caught in WWEâ€s most toxic on-screen partnership right now, but behind the scenes, sheâ€s getting serious respect.

On October 15, 2025, WrestleVotes reportedthat multiple sources within WWE had high praise for Kairiâ€s recent performances—specifically pointing to her emotional backstage segments with Asuka and her hard-fought match against Rhea Ripley on RAW.

According to the report, there was “high praise following her match with Rhea Ripley on RAW this past Monday & from her recent backstage segments with Asuka.†The acknowledgment comes at a pivotal moment in Kairiâ€s WWE career, as her character continues to unravel.

That praise is well-earned. On the RAW following Crown Jewel 2025, Kairi stepped into the ring with Rhea Ripley after being publicly berated—and slapped—by Asuka backstage. The segment drew gasps from the live crowd in Perth and set the tone for what would become a dramatic, emotionally charged match.

Kairi even reintroduced her original entrance theme, “The Next Voyage†by CFO$, sparking a wave of nostalgia among fans who associate that theme with her most memorable WWE run. While Ripley ultimately scored the victory with a brutal Riptide, Kairi left it all in the ring—fighting back with stiff offense and showing a fiercer edge than fans have seen in years.

The aftermath of the match didnâ€t cool things down. Ripley attempted to slam Asuka through the announce table, prompting Kairi to interfere with a kendo stick—only to get planted with a devastating DDT through the desk herself.

Despite the losses, Kairiâ€s performances have reignited interest in her character, and backstage officials are taking notice. Whether this leads to a solo push or a dramatic split from Asuka and Damage CTRL remains to be seen, but itâ€s clear Kairi is once again proving her value in and out of the ring.

Do you think itâ€s time for WWE to pull the trigger on a strong Kairi Sane singles run? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.

October 15, 2025 11:02 pm

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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

• Record: 41-41 (sixth in the East, lost to the Celtics in the first round)

Offseason moves

• Additions: Desmond Bane, Tyus Jones, Jase Richardson, Noah Penda, Orlando Robinson, Jamal Cain

• 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.

[High Score is a new way to play Fantasy Basketball on Yahoo with simple rosters and scoring. Create or join a league]

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

• 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

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Kyle Schwarber four home run episode of Abbott Elementary airing Wednesday night

\n\n”,”providerName”:”Twitter”,”providerUrl”:” Schwarber hit four home runs against the Braves, becoming just the 21st player in baseball history to homer four times in a game. It made everything about the episode more Hollywood than anybody in Hollywood could have imagined.\n\n“For it to be Kyle, for it to be Schwarbs, who homered four times, who was already such a big part of the episode, that was just wild and ecstatic,†said Chris Perfetti, who plays the character Jacob Hill. “It was surreal. We had the freedom to sort of react to the game, to just stay in character and be there. But I remember, it was after the third homer, I think, we all just stood up as ourselves, losing our minds that it was Kyle again.\n\n“I remember just looking at Quinta and being like, ‘What is happening?â€â€”,”type”:”text”},{“__typename”:”Video”,”contentDate”:”2025-08-29T03:27:37.793Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({\”preferredPlaybacks\”:\”mp4AvcPlayback\”})”:” Schwarber joins JP Morosi following hitting four home runs to discuss bouncing back after a series sweep and more”,”displayAsVideoGif”:false,”duration”:”00:02:12″,”slug”:”kyle-schwarber-on-historic-performance-four-homers”,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-143″,”title”:”Philadelphia Phillies”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:143″},”type”:”team”},{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-656941″,”title”:”Kyle Schwarber”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:656941″},”type”:”player”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”vod”,”title”:”vod”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”mlb-network”,”title”:”MLB Network”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”mlbn-showcase”,”title”:”MLB Network Showcase”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”interview”,”title”:”interview”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”team-featured”,”title”:”team featured”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”rivalry”,”title”:”rivalry”,”type”:”taxonomy”}],”thumbnail”:{“__typename”:”Thumbnail”,”templateUrl”:” Schwarber on historic performance, four homers”,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/kyle-schwarber-on-historic-performance-four-homers”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”Long before that historic night, Major League Baseball had reached out to “Abbott Elementary†about its potential interest in shooting an episode at the ballpark with the Phillies.\n\nIt loved the idea.\n\n“Do you think we could shoot it at a game?†the show asked.\n\nAbsolutely.\n\nBoth parties got to work.\n\n“Theyâ€re pitching story and characters, weâ€re pitching how to make it baseball authentic,†said Nick Trotta, who is MLBâ€s vice president of global media programming and licensing. “But this was one of destiny. It was meant to be.â€\n\nItâ€s not uncommon to have scenes in TV shows and movies set at professional sporting events. Oftentimes, however, those scenes are not shot at the home ballpark, stadium or arena.\n\nAs a result, it looks and feels like it was shot at a random college outside Pasadena, Calif., which it probably was.”,”type”:”text”},{“__typename”:”OEmbed”,”html”:””,”providerName”:”MLB”,”providerUrl”:null,”thumbnail_url”:” everything in this episode was real. It was all shot in Philly at the Bank.\n\n“Every time I see that happen on television, I cringe,†said \”Abbott Elementary\” executive producer and director Randall Einhorn. “We did it there. We filmed two days without anybody else there, and then we came back and filmed during the game. During the game is where we caught some real extra bonus energy. Seeing our cast feed off whatâ€s happening on the field, seeing Kyle Schwarber hit four home runs … oh my God, that was crazy. You canâ€t script that type of energy, and it really came across on the screen.â€\n\nThe episodeâ€s writer was on set, so when Schwarber hit his first homer, everybody could adjust and react accordingly.\n\n“The baseball gods were smiling on us,†Trotta said. “After the second homer, I joked with the writer, ‘This has to be part of the episode, because heâ€s gonna hit a third one.†And then he hits a third one and a fourth one. So while the show is completely fictional, Kyle Schwarberâ€s historic four-homer game is now part of Abbottâ€s cinematic universe.â€\n\nEinhorn made a point to be as authentic as possible throughout the episode, besides getting in-game footage of Schwarber homering and rounding the bases. Phillies public address announcer Dan Baker made the in-game announcements. Perfettiâ€s character references real Phillies programs, happenings and food offerings at the ballpark.\n\n“I donâ€t think you can fake that place or that energy,†Einhorn said.\n\nEinhorn wanted Schwarber to be real, too.\n\n“The first thing Kyle said during rehearsals is, ‘Look, I have no idea what Iâ€m doing. Iâ€m not sure what to say,â€â€ Einhorn said. “I said, ‘Anything Kyle Schwarber would say, Kyle Schwarber can say. Anything Kyle Schwarber would do, Kyle Schwarber can do. Just be Kyle Schwarber in the scene. Say what you want to say, think what you want to think and itâ€s going to be great.†What I wanted most was authenticity from Kyle. And he was fantastic. Thatâ€s a smart dude who can hit a baseball.â€\n\n“I really enjoyed making my acting debut with such a great crew on a show thatâ€s so Philly and hilarious,\” Schwarber said. \”Quinta and the team definitely brought me some luck that night.â€\n\nSure enough, Schwarberâ€s scene looks and feels natural.\n\n“I thought he killed it,†Perfetti said. “After you give a performance like that in your chosen field, Iâ€m sure he was riding high. But I appreciate him and the fact that he was able to come down from that game and be able to perform so well and be so generous with his time. I just couldnâ€t believe it. Weâ€re going to have to find some way for him to come back.\””,”type”:”text”}],”relativeSiteUrl”:”/news/kyle-schwarber-four-homer-episode-of-abbott-elementary”,”contentType”:”news”,”subHeadline”:null,”summary”:”Kyle Schwarber crushed it.\nHours before the Phillies played the Braves at Citizens Bank Park on Aug. 28, Schwarber rehearsed his cameo for a scene in Wednesday nightâ€s episode of ABCâ€s “Abbott Elementary,†whose creator and star is Philadelphia native Quinta Brunson. 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Pakistan ended world champions South Africa’s unbeaten run by completing a 93-run victory in an entertaining and hard-fought first Test in Lahore.

The Proteas, whose 10-match winning streak in Test cricket culminated in victory over Australia in the World Test Championship final in June, were dismissed for 183 in pursuit of 277.

Having resumed on 51-2, they lost first-innings centurion Tony de Zorzi lbw to left-arm quick Shaheen Afridi to the third ball of the day to push the finely-poised chase in Pakistan’s favour.

Left-arm spinner Noman Ali, who took 10-191 in the match, removed Tristan Stubbs for two and bowled Dewald Brevis, who offered some resistence with a run-a-ball 54.

Off-spinner Sajid Khan also took advantage of sharp turn to end opener Ryan Rickelton’s stay – he lasted 145 balls for 45 runs – and Shaheen returned in the afternoon session to knock over the tail with a fine display of reverse swing.

He had Kyle Verreynne lbw for 19 and bowled Prenelan Subrayen and Kagiso Rabada to seal the win.

It was both sides’ first match of the 2025-27 Test championship cycle and moves Pakistan straight into second place behind leaders Australia.

Their victory was built around contributions of 93 by opener Imam-ul-Haq and, crucially, number seven Salman Agha which lifted them to 378.

From there spinners Noman and Sajid took advantage of favourable home conditions, as they did in their Test series win over England last year, to maintain their advantage.

The second and final Test begins on 20 October.

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