Browsing: Sports

Wow, what a week in sports. USC defeats Michigan, a Dodger pitches a complete game for the first time in the postseason since 2004 and they sweep the Brewers to go to the World Series for the second consecutive year after being 0-6 against Milwaukee during the regular season. Perhaps Michael Conforto will be added to the roster and win MVP in the World Series.

Jeff Hershow
Woodland Hills

While basically sleepwalking through the first three games of the NLCS, Shohei Ohtani saves his best for last. He goes “Hollywood†and produces the single greatest performance in MLB history as the final curtain comes down on the Milwaukee Brewers and extends the Dodgers’ magical journey to repeat as World Series champions.

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Stay tuned for the sequel!

Rick Solomon
Lake Balboa

Itâ€s a bird, itâ€s a plane … no, itâ€s superhuman Shohei! He pitches a shutout, strikes out 10, and hits three tape-measure home runs. Wow!

Marty Zweben
Palos Verdes Estates

In the history of Major League Baseball, has there ever been a player like Shohei Ohtani? I don’t think so. Shohei is the best ever. Enough said.

Chris Sorce
Fountain Valley

Now that the Dodgers have effortlessly powered their way back into the World Series, itâ€s quite obvious that $400 million actually does buy what it used to!

Jack Wolf
Westwood

At last, the second coming of the Dodgers has happened. We’ve been waiting for it and hoping for it, and now it’s here. Great offense, great defense and superb pitching. Our new chant should be “all the way L.A., all the way.”

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Cheryl Creek
Anaheim

Statistically speaking, there is a case to be made in comparing the postseason accomplishments of Sandy Koufax and Blake Snell. From a historical perspective, there is no comparison.

Koufax is a legendary lifetime Dodger who pitched until he physically was no longer able to do so. Snell famously refused to take the ball in his last Giants start to save himself for a free agency money windfall.

Bill Waxman
Simi Valley

Stop the presses! The world is still spinning on its axis! Holy Toledo, Dave Roberts finally figured out a starting pitcher’s arm doesn’t fall off after 100 pitches. Too bad he didn’t come to that revelation during Blake Snell’s Game 1 performance, but better late than never as the saying goes.

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Ken Blake
Brea

Money men

For many of us (back here in the Heartland), Sal Frelickâ€s miraculous play in Game 1 represents the “never give up†spirit of the Brewers. You can have all the money in world, but it cannot buy that type of magic. And if the Dodgers do defeat the Brewers, then MLB must ask themselves whether or not limitless money should be allowed to kill that type of team spirit.

If the Dodgers do indeed roll on, then for another minute we will be awestruck by the relentless, money-fueled, dancing Dodger machine. However after a few more moments of watching the smug glow from Hollywood, many of us (back here in the heartland) will just be turning it off!

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Ken Kraus
Georgetown, Texas

Quality stuff

I just finished reading the in-depth piece on Roki Sasaki by Jack Harris and all I can say is WOW! I get sports news from many sources but Los Angeles Times beats everything else, no contest. Learning about all the behind-the-scenes machinations that brought Sasaki from an injured, defeated rookie to the postseason MVP and Dodgers’ season savior was fascinating and gives me a deeper appreciation for the struggles he faces. Keep up the great work: Dodgers, Sasaki, and L.A. Times!!!

Cheryl Norris
Simi Valley

End of the line?

Very disappointing to read about the athletic director at UCLA unaware of what true leadership is, and how best to apply it, in support of a team not giving up and willing to fight the remainder of this season.

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Coaches are being terminated due to mismanagement of teams, so why not the Bruins’ AD?

J.R. Flores
Cypress

Time to punt

Coach Sean McVay’s lack of urgency with the Rams’ kicking game is beyond frustrating. The kicker and the special teams coach should have been fired after the Eagles game. Instead these problems, which have lingered since last season, are still here. The Rams need to have a kicking game they can depend on for points. With a good chance to make the playoffs, the time to make a change is now.

Mike Gamboa
Buena Park

The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used.

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Email: sports@latimes.com

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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With Warriors guard Moses Moody doubtful for Golden State’s 2025-26 NBA season opener due to a calf strain, when could the fifth-year pro make his debut?

Stanford Medicine orthopedic surgeon Dr. Geoffrey Abrams, MD, provided some expert analysis on what Dub Nation can expect from Moody’s injury — which Warriors coach Steve Kerr said the team isn’t “too concerned” about — as he works his way back to the court.

“If the team is describing it as a minor muscle strain, it’s probably … some microscopic tearing and minor partial tearing,” Abrams told NBC Sports Bay Area on Friday. “The good news about that, obviously, it’s on the lesser severe end of the spectrum, and typical return-to-play timelines are a couple weeks or so for these more minor muscle grade strains.”

Kerr said this past Tuesday, Oct. 14, that Moody would be reevaluated in a week, with the Warriors set to open their new season against the Los Angeles Lakers this Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena. A return timeline of a couple weeks, as noted by Abrams, hopefully would put Moody back in Kerr’s rotation by Golden State’s Oct. 28 game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Chase Center, their fifth contest of the season.

There are several hurdles Moody will have to clear before that happens, Abrams explained.

“Obviously, the Warriors are a great professional organization and they’ve got top notch medical personnel, so they’re going to run him through the professional protocol and things like that,” Abrams said. “In terms of returning to play, he basically has to be able to participate in full practices 100 percent, and before he even gets to that, he has to demonstrate he’s got strength, range of motion, flexibility of the muscle and be able to do the things that are required for an NBA athlete, of course, before they even throw him into full practices.

“And then, once he’s comfortable with full practices and jumping and running up and down the court, that’s when you start to think about getting back into games. Sometimes … there’s situations where they may limit minutes initially before throwing him back into full pre-injury participation. But that just depends on a variety of different circumstances.”

After entering the Warriors’ starting lineup late last season en route to the NBA playoffs, Moody missed Golden State’s final three preseason contests this month with his calf issue.

As long as the Warriors don’t rush Moody back, Abrams noted, there’s little chance that the calf strain impacts Moody’s play moving forward, and the chance of an Achilles tear, as has been seen in countless NBA stars recently, is minimal.

“Certainly re-injury is also sometimes a possibility, but that’s why you go through the protocol is really to reduce that risk and not put him out there before he’s ready, which I’m sure the staff will do,” Abrams said.

Moody has proven himself as a valuable member of the Warriors’ lineup, and Kerr certainly hopes to have the 23-year-old back sooner rather than later.

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The Giants appear to have found their next manager.

San Francisco is “closing in” on hiring Tennessee coach Tony Vitello to lead the team for the 2026 MLB season, The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly, Brittany Ghiroli and Ken Rosenthal reported in a shared column published Saturday, citing industry sources.

The Athletic reached out to the Giants, who had not yet responded to a request for comment at the time this article was written. Vitello told The Athletic via text message, “There is nothing to confirm.”

Vitello has been on Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey’s radar for a while, per NBC Sports Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic. Meanwhile, Texas Rangers special assistant Nick Hundley, who was another frontrunner for the job, recently pulled himself out of the running.

Tony Vitello has been on Buster Poseyâ€s radar for a while, and sources have said Posey kept circling back to him during the search this month. Nick Hundley was the other early frontrunner but I heard he pulled out of the running recently. Update here from The Athletic: https://t.co/tGAeyGUvGd

— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) October 18, 2025

Vitello has not yet coached at the professional level after spending more than the last two decades working in the college ranks. He had stints as an assistant at Missouri (2003-10), TCU (2011-13) and Arkansas (2014-17) before being hired as Tennessee’s coach in June 2017.

If hired by the Giants, Vitello would become the first manager in MLB history hired directly from the college ranks with no professional baseball experience.

The decision on whether or not San Francisco will hire Vitello will come in the next 24 to 72 hours, ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Pete Thamel reported Saturday, citing sources, as the two sides attempt to reach a deal. Passan also reported, citing sources, the buyout on Vitelloâ€s contract at Tennessee is $3 million

The decision on whether Tennessee coach Tony Vitello will be the next manager of the San Francisco Giants is expected to come in the next 24 to 72 hours, sources tell me and @PeteThamel. Vitello has emerged as the top target of the Giants, but the sides have yet to reach a deal.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 18, 2025

In eight seasons with the Volunteers, Vitello led the program to a 341-131 record with two SEC regular-season and tournament titles. He also led them to their first national championship during the 2024 season.

After another disappointing campaign, the Giants parted ways with Bob Melvin last month.

It now appears Buster Posey, entering his second season running baseball operations in San Francisco, isn’t wasting any time filling the void as he hopes Vitello can help turn things around.

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Bob Myers is leaving his role as an NBA analyst for ESPN to join Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment as its president of sports, HBSE announced on Friday.

“Our goal has been to hire, grow, and retain the best and brightest executives in the world and we are a stronger, more dynamic organization with the addition of Bob Myers,” Josh Harris and David Blitzer said in a statement. “His experience as an architect of championship teams will complement our existing leadership structure, while also allowing HBSE to maximize opportunities across our portfolio. We’re excited to have Bob continue his storied career here at HBSE.”

Myers will work “goal of maximizing opportunities and bolstering processes” across the company, whose portfolio of teams includes the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, NHL’s New Jersey Devils, NASCAR team Joe Gibbs Racing, and Crystal Palace of the Premier League.

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Myers, 50, was the general manager for the Golden State Warriors from 2012-2023, helping the franchise win four NBA titles. He also won two NBA Executive of the Year awards during his tenure with the franchise.

Myers stepped down as Warriors president and GM in May 2023 and joined ESPN three months later. He worked as a studio and game analyst across the network’s NBA coverage. He also serves as a special advisor for Harris with the Washington Commanders after taking on the role in Jan. 2024 and helping in the hirings of GM Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn.

“I have been fortunate to know Josh and David for a long time, and I’ve always greatly admired them and respected how they’ve built such an impressive global sports portfolio,” Myers said. “This role was intriguing because it provides the opportunity to work with some of the industry’s most talented leaders and executives across the world’s biggest sports leagues.

“By leveraging HBSE’s global presence in sports, we can create competitive advantages for our athletes and teams that enhance our ability to win. This is the type of challenge and opportunity I was looking for, and I’m grateful to Josh and David for the chance to be a part of HBSE.”

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Former Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers is leaving his role as an ESPN basketball analyst to become president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, giving the championship executive the ability to work across many of the world’s top leagues.

Myers will work in a full-time role with the goal of maximizing opportunities and bolstering processes for a Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE) portfolio that include the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA, the New Jersey Devils of the NHL, Crystal Palace F.C. of the English Premier League, and an investment in NASCAR team Joe Gibbs Racing.

Myers also will continue to support Josh Harris, the managing partner of the Washington Commanders, after he helped assemble the framework of the leadership team that has guided the NFL franchise back to prominence.

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There will be no changes to the reporting structures of the HBSE teams — the presidents of basketball and hockey Operations will continue to report to their respective team ownership.

Myers’ arrival — and his reputation as a respected and powerful figure in the industry — strengthens HBSE’s executive ranks, as he will work strategically with ownership and the senior leadership groups at each team. He will remain based in California, but travel regularly to HBSE/Commanders properties and events.

“Our goal has been to hire, grow, and retain the best and brightest executives in the world and we are a stronger, more dynamic organization with the addition of Bob Myers,” Harris and David Blitzer said. “His experience as an architect of championship teams will complement our existing leadership structure, while also allowing HBSE to maximize opportunities across our portfolio. We’re excited to have Bob continue his storied career here at HBSE.”

This was the type of multi-property, global sports opportunity that Myers was looking for in the next chapter of his career.

Bob Myers helped build the Warriors teams that won four NBA titles and served as an analyst at ESPN after stepping down from his role at Golden State in 2023. John Hefti-Imagn Images

Myers spent the first 14 years of his career as a sports agent before transitioning to a front office role with the Warriors in 2011. Over the course of his 12 years with Golden State, Myers rose to the ranks of president and GM, building rosters that won NBA titles in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022 while earning NBA Executive of the Year awards in 2015 and 2017.

In 2024, Myers served as an advisor to Harris in the buildout of the organizational infrastructure of the Commanders, including the hirings of GM Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn.

Myers also began working as a basketball analyst for ESPN after stepping down from his role with the Warriors in 2023, and was on the network’s pre- and post-game basketball shows.

“I have been fortunate to know Josh and David for a long time, and I’ve always greatly admired them and respected how they’ve built such an impressive global sports portfolio,” Myers said. “This role was intriguing because it provides the opportunity to work with some of the industry’s most talented leaders and executives across the world’s biggest sports leagues.

“By leveraging HBSE’s global presence in sports, we can create competitive advantages for our athletes and teams that enhance our ability to win. This is the type of challenge and opportunity I was looking for, and I’m grateful to Josh and David for the chance to be a part of HBSE.”

Myers added: “I also want to thank Bob Iger, Jimmy Pitaro, and my colleagues at ESPN for an incredible experience during my time there and for their support as I pursue the next chapter of my career.”

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The Flyers didn’t play a good game against a top team and the result showed it.

They fell to the Jets, 5-2, Thursday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Owen Tippett drew the Flyers within 2-1 in the middle stanza. But Winnipeg responded just 1:21 minutes later with a goal off a whacky bounce to send the Flyers into second intermission trailing by two.

“I thought Tip was probably our only guy that played well tonight,” head coach Rick Tocchet said. “Then we give them that goal, that was a killer.”

About midway through the third period, Mark Scheifele put the next dagger in the Flyers with his second goal of the night, this one on the power play.

“I think it just comes down to execution,” Tippett said. “I don’t think they did anything special. It just comes down to execution and they buried on their chances and we didn’t.”

Matvei Michkov picked up a late goal before the Jets tacked on an empty-netter.

“We made some mistakes, for sure,” Travis Konecny said. “There was definitely opportunity there. I think they came out flat and so did we. It was not how we wanted to start the game. Regroup, put it aside.”

The Flyers (1-2-1) have dropped three of their first four games.

“It’s the fourth game of the year,” Tocchet said. “I know coaches say it all the time, but we can learn from this.”

The schedule hasn’t been easy. The Flyers have faced the two-time defending champion Panthers twice, a Hurricanes team that has made the playoffs in seven straight seasons and a Jets club that won the Presidents’ Trophy last season.

“It’s a tough stretch,” Tocchet said Tuesday. “You’ve got to play them eventually. We’ve got some quality opponents right away. There’s no easy game in the NHL.

“We go from the Stanley Cup champs to the Presidents’ Trophy champs. It is a tall order, but even in practice today, I see guys want these moments. … We’re looking for big moments from players. But in the meantime, you have to have the small moments to add up to the big ones.”

The Flyers don’t see the Jets (3-1-0) again until April 11 when the clubs meet at Canada Life Centre.

• At morning skate, Tocchet said the Flyers would be in trouble if they committed turnovers against a team like Winnipeg.

The Flyers had a bad one lead directly to a Jets goal in the second period. Nikita Grebenkin couldn’t handle a pretty low-key pass from Travis Sanheim. Winnipeg pounced on the mishap as Scheifele blasted a shot past Samuel Ersson to put the Flyers down 2-0.

It was a critical momentum swing because the Flyers had just come up empty on a power play.

“Winnipeg kind of played kitty by the door and they waited for their chances,” Tocchet said.

The Flyers Postgame Live crew broke down the team’s 5-2 loss Thursday night to the Jets.

• Ersson was not particularly sharp and the Flyers weren’t, either.

The netminder surrendered four goals on 14 shots.

The Jets opened the scoring 5:45 minutes into the action when Vladislav Namestnikov buried a rebound at the doorstep. Before Winnipeg got the puck in deep, it looked like Jett Luchanko had an opportunity to clear the defensive zone, but he was quickly pressured and lost the puck.

“They made a good play, I’ve just got to be able to advance the puck,” Luchanko said. “They were able to pounce on us from there.”

In the second period, the Jets countered that Tippett goal when a shot ricocheted off Adam Ginning’s stick and then clanged off Noah Cates’ backside to make it 3-1. On the NBC Sports Philadelphia broadcast, Ginning could be seen saying “no way” after the puck went into the net.

“Ginning makes a good block and then it takes a bad bounce,” Ersson said. “It’s a little sh–ty goal.”

Connor Hellebuyck, last season’s Hart Trophy winner as the league’s MVP, stopped 15 of the Flyers’ 17 shots.

“They played a perfect road game,” Tocchet said. “Plus, they’ve got Hellebuyck in net.”

The Flyers fell to the Jets, last season’s Presidents’ Trophy winner, with a 5-2 decision Thursday night.

• Michkov recorded his first point of the season with his goal late in the third period. That could be a silver lining for the Flyers, who would love to see him get going offensively.

• Cam York made his season debut after missing the first three games with a lower-body injury.

The 24-year-old played on the top defensive pair alongside Sanheim and finished with 22:32 minutes.

With York’s return, Emil Andrae was sent back to AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.

The Flyers play their third of four straight home games Saturday when they welcome the Wild (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

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Carter Hart has his next NHL opportunity.

He officially joined the Golden Knights organization Thursday, the team announced. According to a report by TSN’s Darren Dreger, Hart has signed a professional tryout offer, which will eventually convert into an NHL deal.

Wednesday was the first day Hart and four other players involved in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial were eligible to sign with an NHL club. The former Flyers goalie will be eligible to play for Vegas on Dec. 1. The Golden Knights are a consensus Stanley Cup contender this season.

Vegas visits the Flyers on Dec. 11 (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP) and then the clubs meet again Jan. 19 on the West Coast (8 p.m. ET/NBCSP+).

Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton were found not guilty in July almost a year and a half after being charged with sexual assault, stemming from a June 2018 incident in London, Ontario.

Danny Briere said in September that Hart’s agent contacted the Flyers and pretty much ruled out the possibility of a reunion between the club and goaltender. It’s uncertain if the Flyers had interest in bringing Hart back.

“In light of everything that happened in the last year and a half with Carter, they felt and Carter felt that it was better for them to look for a fresh start,” the Flyers general manager said then. “That’s where it’s at and it’s the only comment I’m going to make on it.”

The Flyers cut ties with Hart in June 2024 when they didn’t issue him a qualifying offer, turning his restricted free-agent status into unrestricted. He had been away from the team since January 2024 after being granted an indefinite leave of absence.

The 27-year-old started in five straight season openers for the Flyers from 2019-20 to 2023-24. He played parts of six seasons for the club.

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WWE

Maybe your 80-year-old grandfather has a gigantic yacht with a wild name and it’s a little strange, but when you’re former WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon, it kind of fits ever-so-nicely at this point, doesn’t it? In 2010, when Linda McMahon ran for a seat in the United State Senate out of Connecticut, the moniker of the vessel in question hit the public eye, and it was as outlandish as you might expect from the man who once called himself “The Genetic Jackhammer” (at least pertaining to his on-screen presence).

While longtime McMahon favorite Shawn Michaels might forever be known as a “Sexy Boy,” thanks to his iconic theme song, Mr. McMahon’s 47-foot sports yacht, registered out of Boca Raton, Florida was dubbed “Sexy B****,” possibly (hopefully?) named after Linda, now estranged from Vince, and once again in President Donald Trump’s Cabinet as United States Secretary of Education, after previously serving as Administrator of the Small Business Administration. Administering administrations aside, the McMahons have spent the majority of their lives together in the public eye, atop the WWE’s enormous global footprint, and of course, Vince has come under fire in recent years, enduring several ignominious accusations, headlined by the Janel Grant lawsuit.

Unfortunately, because of the cloud surrounding his reputation these days, the grandiose name for Vince’s seafaring escape invokes all sorts of negativity, what with multiple accusations of an inappropriate nature, including those involving ring boys in the 1980s, former referee Rita Chatterton, and the late Ashley Massaro just to name a few.

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Dating back to last season, the Warriors came into Sunday night having won eight consecutive preseason games. The streak came to an end in their 126-116 loss against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena.Â

The Warriors were without multiple key contributors, including Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, Al Horford and Moses Moody. Seth Curry missed his third straight preseason game after being a late signing to training camp, and Deâ€Anthony Melton (knee) and Alex Toohey (ankle) continue to be out from injuries.

Vying for a starting position in the backcourt, Brandin Podziemski took advantage of being a focal point of the Warriors†offense. Podziemski had nine points through the first half and then caught fire in the third, scoring 14. The Warriors then only trailed by five points going into the fourth quarter because of Podziemski’s efforts.Â

Podziemskiâ€s night was done, leaving the comeback attempt to the rest of his teammates. But Sunday night in LA belonged to Podziemski, showing how he can be a reliable scorer and playmaker, especially when the Warriors arenâ€t at full strength. Podziemski in 26 minutes scored 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting and also had five rebounds and eight assists. He was a plus-6.

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors†first loss of the preseason.

Shorthanded Starters

Down their top two players, adding Horford and Moody to the list of Warriors absences called for an interesting starting five. Coach Steve Kerr started with Podziemski, Buddy Hield, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green and Quinten Post. Moody is out the rest of the preseason and will be re-evaluated in a week with what the Warriors are calling a strained calf.

“Weâ€re not too concerned about it. Itâ€s just weâ€re being careful,†Kerr told reporters in LA.

The age of the Warriors†top players already guarantees Kerr will have to be comfortable with multiple combinations and consistently tinker with who his starters are. This was the perfect opportunity for several young Warriors and role players to step up. The score was tied 13-13 when Kerr made his first substitution, bringing Gary Payton II in for Post.

Golden Stateâ€s starting five began the second half together, and came out strong trying to cut down a 17-point deficit. The Lakers†lead was cut to 10 points with the Warriors outscoring the Lakers 21-14 through the first five and a half minutes of the third quarter when Kerr brought Payton in for Post.

Kumingaâ€s Highs And Lows

Offense will have to run through Kuminga on nights that Curry and Butler are out. There were moments where he showed he can step up with more responsibility, and others where consistency continues to be a problem.

Kuminga in the first quarter twice took advantage of Dalton Knecht switching onto him in the post. He also had three assists in the first quarter. Then in the second, Kuminga went from getting his ankles crossed on defense to throwing down an explosive dunk that only he can slam left-handed with ease and authority.

Kuminga in the first half scored nine points on 4-of-6 shooting and had four assists. His fourth was a dime to Pat Spencer cutting into the paint for a layup. But Kuminga also didnâ€t have one rebound at halftime, led the Warriors with five turnovers and was a game-low minus-18.

There were highs and lows in Kumingaâ€s third game of the preseason. Kuminga played 22 minutes and scored an efficient 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting. He dominated around the rim, but missed his only 2-point shot outside the paint and badly forced one of his three 3-point attempts.

The process overall has been positive. Kuminga is keeping his eyes up and mostly has been in flow of the offense. He finished with no rebounds, six assists and five turnovers as a minus-10.

Creating Space

Between offseason additions and the development of certain players, Kerr has raved over the space these Warriors can create. He now can have an offense that plays four-out, or even five-out. When at full strength, that is.

The end of the first quarter saw a unit of Pat Spencer, Will Richard, Payton, Gui Santos and Trayce Jackson-Davis struggle to score with very little spacing. None of those five are considered threats to shoot from long distance. The start of the second quarter also was a struggle.

That group featured Podziemski, Hield, Kuminga, Santos and Jackson-Davis. Those five give Kerr one surefire 3-point threat in Hield, and a hopeful second with Podziemski. The Warriors as a team in the first half shot 19 percent from three, going 4 of 21. Payton was the only bench player to make a three, and no Warrior made multiple threes.

They also didnâ€t attempt a single free throw in the first half, while the Lakers went 13 of 15 at the line.

After making only four 3-pointers in the first half, the Warriors made three in the first two and a half minutes of the third quarter – two by Post and one from Podziemski – and five for the entire quarter. The Warriors made two more threes than the Lakers, 14 to 12, but shot a lowly 32.6 percent, which was far lower than LAâ€s 44.4 percent clip. Podziemski, Post and LJ Cryer were the only Warriors to make more than one three.

Richard (1 of 6), Santos (1 of 5) and Spencer (1 of 5) combined to go 3 of 17 on threes.

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Joel Embiidâ€s in the middle of a new twist to Sixers head coach Nick Nurseâ€s preseason tinkering.

Embiid featured Sunday in the Sixers†annual Blue-White scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware. And he shared the floor with another big man in Adem Bona.Â

Nurse confirmed after the scrimmage that heâ€s “trying to look at Bona and Joel together.†With Paul George sidelined as he works back from a left knee injury and Trendon Watford out because of right hamstring tightness, itâ€s not yet clear how the Sixers will divvy up power forward minutes. Two-way contract player Dominick Barlow has played well this preseason and fellow two-way Jabari Walker has also been in the mix.Â

Bona is an unconventional option, although Nurse noted his role may not change much alongside Embiid. The 22-year-old stuck almost exclusively to dunks, layups, put-backs and the occasional post-up his rookie year. In contrast, Embiidâ€s jump shooting and overall array of offensive skills have historically been giant strengths.

“I think thereâ€s kind of an open position at the four, especially right now with Paul not being quite ready yet,†Nurse said. “Thereâ€s a number of guys that weâ€re trying to work into that spot. … (Bona) is probably going to be more of the five. Heâ€s going to play down toward the basket, rim protect and things like that. Thereâ€s certainly some drives and dump-offs to him … that are high-percentage plays. I like that part. Heâ€ll help the rebounding, heâ€ll help the rim protection. Weâ€ll see how it goes.â€â€

Bona brought his typical shot swatting to the scrimmage and stared down Johni Broome after denying the rookie a dunk. Heâ€s pleased at the prospect of playing next to Embiid.Â

“I think it brings another dynamic to the team,†Bona said. “Itâ€s going to bring a huge amount of size and presence in the paint.â€

While Bona measured a tad over 6-foot-8 without shoes at the NBA draft combine, he indeed plays much bigger. The UCLA productâ€s wingspan is a shade under 7-4. He posted a 40-inch maximum vertical leap at the combine and sure seems to have added to that.Â

Of course, most Sixers projections ride on Embiidâ€s health. He scrimmaged Sunday, moved smoothly and scored plenty.

The Sixers have avoided timelines in discussing Embiidâ€s return from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. The scrimmage was his first live action in front of a crowd since Feb. 22.

“I knew this would be the first time you guys had seen him for a long time,†Nurse said. “I donâ€t know how many weeks this is now — Iâ€m losing track — but heâ€s been out there playing. Again, just trying to continue to progress.Â

“Today was a good progression day. Lots of running, lots of 5-on-5, lots of early practice stuff, lots of 5-on-0. …  And then he went out there and did his thing. He shot the ball well, he scored well, he orchestrated the offense well. I thought he ran pretty good as well — both directions.â€

Bona would love to see all of that translate to games. When the Sixers drafted him, he envisioned frontcourt minutes with Embiid.

“Iâ€ve been working toward that,†he said, “and Iâ€m really excited to see how thatâ€s going to look.â€

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