CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Charlotte Hornets signed free agent Kelly Oubre Jr. this offseason to provide energy off the bench and allow starting forward Gordon Hayward to rest a little more so he can make it through an 82-game season.
Oubre is working out just as planned so far for the surging Hornets.
LaMelo Ball had 27 points, nine rebounds and seven assists and Oubre sparked the Hornets by scoring 13 of his 26 points in the decisive fourth quarter in a 125-113 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night.
“He has been fantastic,” said James Borrego, who won his 100th game as head coach of the Hornets. “This why we brought him here. We believe in him. We believe there is a major role for him on this team and tonight was a great example.”
Miles Bridges added 19 points and a career-high nine assists, and P.J. Washington had 17 points and some big plays down the stretch to help Charlotte improve to 5-2.
The Hornets led 89-88 entering the fourth quarter when Oubre took over.
He provided 10 quick points, including two 3s and a dunk off an offensive rebound. He also helped the Hornets step up their overall defensive effort with a steal out near the top of the key as Charlotte limited the Blazers to 25 points in the fourth quarter.
Oubre had another 3 with 2 1/2 minutes to play to stifle one Blazers rally and push the lead back to double digits. Washington sealed the win with a turnaround jumper in the lane to beat the shot clock and a block at the other end.
“He is a difference maker out there,” Hornets guard Terry Rozier said about Oubre. “He and Miles Bridges do the same thing. He just turns it up out there.”
The Hornets had 36 assists.
“This is pretty much the most fun I have had in my career playing basketball,” Oubre said. “We all have the same goal in mind. We want each other to eat and succeed and as long, so as we have that mindset I think we will have more and more fun throughout the year.”
C.J. McCollum had 25 points for Portland, and Jusuf Nurkic had 13 points and 14 rebounds. The Blazers had won two in a row.
Charlotte finished 20 of 42 from 3-point range after entering the game as the league’s second-best 3-point shooting team at 40.2%.
“I thought we got caught up kind of playing their style,” said Blazers coach Chauncey Billups. “They kind of just get up and down and run and play like you’re at the park and it’s easy to get caught up like that because that’s fun. It’s fun to play that way. I thought we got caught up there.”
BALL STEPS UP
Ball broke out of a mini-slump by making 10 of 20 shots from the field, including four 3s. Ball was coming off a tough two-game stretch where he was 1 of 10 from 3-point range and he was held to six points in a loss Friday night to the Miami Heat.
“That was a mature performance,” Borrego said. “He owned it from the Miami game. There are things we all have to correct from that game. We watched the film, we talked about it and that was a very mature response by him.”
LILLARD STRUGGLES AGAIN
Damian Lillard, coming off a season-high 25 points in a victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night, had 14 points and 12 assists for Portland. He was 5 of 20 overall and 2 of 14 from 3-point range.
Lillard is shooting just 37.1% from the field and 26.2% from 3-point range.
ROZIER RETURNS
Rozier got the start after missing the last four games with a sprained right ankle. The team’s leader scorer last season finished with 14 points on 4 of 10 shooting and chipped in with five assists in nearly 33 minutes of action.
“It felt good being out there with my brothers,” Rozier said. “It felt like it has been a long time coming.”
It’s the first time the Hornets have been at full strength this season.
TIP-INS
Trail Blazers: Cody Zeller received a warm welcome from the crowd at the Spectrum Center when he was introduced in the first quarter. Zeller spent eight seasons with the Hornets before signing with the Trail Blazers this past offseason.
Hornets: This was the first game of the season the Hornets did not trail by at least 10 points, although they were close. Their biggest deficit was eight points.
UP NEXT
Trail Blazers: Host Cleveland on Monday night.
Hornets: At Philadelphia on Monday night.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to get back over .500 heading coming out of their bye week as they defeated the Browns by the score of 15-10 in Cleveland. The win could be attributed to many factors where the team came through on both sides of the ball. Even though it wasn’t a perfect game, there were some good performances of note from the black and gold.
So who gets the game ball?
Each Steelers win this season, I will set forth nominations to receive the BTSC game ball. It does not necessarily have to be the best player on the field, but who really stepped up their game this particular week. It may not even be their best performance, but perhaps overcoming some adversity will also put someone in consideration. After the case is been made, you all decide which player takes home the honor.
Coming off of a win last week, let’s recap the Week 6 game ball.
Week 6 Game Ball Winner: T.J. Watt
This vote once again wasn’t even close as Watt took over the overtime period. Although he was likely still going to be nominated at the end of regulation, what an overtime for T.J. Watt! Ending the first OT drive with a sack as well as forcing the takeaway on the second drive to set up the game-winning kick. This week Mr. Watt showed how much he earned his big contract.
I’m very grateful we finally get back to the positive side of things yet again and get to hand out a game ball. I will remind everyone of the rules that it is individual players who will be in the running. Although it could be applicable, it will not be either position groups or coaches who are eligible for this designation as they are more in line for Jeff Hartman’s Winners and Losers article. Also, with it being an overtime game, we will have an extra nominee. So here are the nominations in no particular order:
Najee Harris
The Steelers rookie running back ran the ball hard in his first road AFC North matchup. Finishing with 91 yards on 26 carries for a 3.5 yard average, Harris also found the end zone for the Steelers in the third quarter.
T.J. Watt
As he continues to make his push towards another year of being in the NFL Defensive Player of the Year conversation, T.J. Watt added another 1.5 sacks along with six tackles and three quarterback hits. Watt also was able to jump on the fumble forced by Joe Schobert and get the only takeaway of the game.
Pat Freiermuth
The Steelers rookie tight end is really coming into his own. A focal point of the passing game, Freiermuth had four receptions for 44 yards on seven targets and an impressive touchdown catch on fourth down to give the Steelers the lead.
Ben Roethlisberger
In what I believe was his best game of the season, Ben Roethlisberger took care of business with completing 22 of his 34 passing attempts for 266 yards and a touchdown. Hitting Diontae Johnson to seal the victory for a 50-yard catch and run seemed like classic Ben Roethlisberger.
Cam Heyward
Not always flashy and getting a lot in the statistics department, the Steelers defensive captain managed 0.5 sacks, two quarterback hits, and four tackles. Most impressively, Heyward completely blew up the Browns fourth down attempt in the first half and disrupted the play for the Steelers to get the turnover on downs.
So what do you think? Who deserves the game ball for the Steelers this week? Make sure you vote in the poll as this is how the winner will be determined. And of course, feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Poll
Who gets the BTSC game ball in the Steelers 15-10 win over the Cleveland Browns?
It was a rough loss on Saturday against Rutgers, but the Illinois football team still might be coming away with a small victory from the weekend.
Despite the loss to the Scarlet Knights, the Illini had an important player on campus for an official visit. Defensive back Elijah Davis took one of his five official visits to Champaign yesterday, and it looks like he enjoyed his trip.
On Saturday, Illinois seemed to move one step closer to landing the talented safety. Jeremy Werner of 247Sports put in a Crystal Ball Prediction for Davis. Werner has the Auburndale native heading to the Illini with a confidence of seven out of 10.
This is pretty big news considering the talent Davis would bring to the Orange and Blue. He is a 6-foot-1, 165-pound safety from Auburndale High School and resides in Auburndale, Florida. He is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 978 player in the class of 2022. Davis is also the No. 74 safety in the country and the No. 125 player coming out of Florida.
Davis would help a weak spot in the Illinois football defense.
Defensive coordinator Ryan Walters has the Illini defense playing well right now. We are giving up fewer than 24 points per game, and Illinois is competitive because of the defense.
But there are some weaknesses in the Illini defense. One of those weaknesses is the secondary, particularly at safety. This is where Davis would come in.
Illinois currently has a couple of okay pieces at safety. The top safety is probably Sydney Brown. But he is going to depart after the 2022 campaign. Illinois will also need some depth behind Brown next season.
I could see Davis coming into the Illinois football program and being the primary backup to Brown in year one. It wouldn’t shock me to see Davis get a lot of snaps as a freshman as well.
If you are seeing what Walters is doing with a defense that is thin and void of a ton of talent, then can you imagine what he can do with a full roster and solid depth? Davis would be a great piece to add to the Walters defense.
The Minnesota Timberwolves stand at 3-2 and have generally had a strong start to the season.
The offense has sputtered at times and the Wolves are just No. 23 in the NBA in offensive rating through five games. There are plenty of factors that play into the struggles, but there is one obvious issue demanding immediate attention: Karl-Anthony Towns has not had the ball in his hands nearly enough.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Karl-Anthony Towns needs the ball more
Karl-Anthony Towns is talented enough to play virtually any role within an NBA offense. He’s been used in a variety of ways over the past few years, largely due to the ever-changing personnel around him, not to mention the four head coaches helming the Wolves during Towns’ tenure.
Head coach Chris Finch took over on Feb. 23, 2021, and almost immediately began to eadd a variety of sets to the Wolves offense that would allow Towns to operate at all three levels.
Towns’ post touches went up from his time under former head coach Ryan Saunders, as did his touches at the elbow. Finch had previously coached several talented big men, including Nikola Jokic, Anthony Davis, and DeMarcus Cousins, and he was clearly eager to add to the list of ways that Towns would be utilized by the Timberwolves.
Through the first five games this season, Towns overall touches are down just a bit: 67.6 per game with a time of possession of 2.4 seconds per touch. He’s put up just 6.2 post-up touches and 4.8 paint touches per game. However, his elbow touches are up from 3.9 to 5.4 per game.
Unsurprisingly, Towns’ usage rate has slipped slightly as well, from 29.1 percent in 2020-21, which was tied with D’Angelo Russell, to 28.3 percent so far this year, which ranks behind Anthony Edwards (30.3 percent) and Russell (29.5 percent).
Finch noted as much following the Wolves’ loss to the Nuggets on Saturday when Towns put up just 14 points on only 11 shot attempts. He was not in foul trouble and the Wolves primary perimeter scorers struggled to score the ball efficiently; Russell and Edwards combined to shoot 12-of-34 from the floor and 2-for-12 from 3-point range.
Finch:
"We needed to find KAT more. Eleven shots is not enough. I’ll take responsibility for a lot of that. In general we gotta find him more. He’s been super efficient for us. He rarely leads us in shot attempts."
Especially against an opponent like Jokic, it would have been good to see Towns receive more touches in the low post in an attempt to get the league’s reigning Most Valuable Player into foul trouble and stress the Nuggets defense.
Instead, the Wolves fired away from the perimeter to the tune of 38.9 percent shooting and 31.7 percent from outside the arc. Minnesota only managed to score 91 points and was held under 100 points as a team for the third time in the young season.
Finch is a creative offensive mind, and per his own words, the Wolves didn’t spend much time at all on that side of the ball in training camp. It’s a work in progress to be sure, and we’re nitpicking a bit on a time that is 3-2 and has already defeated the defending champions on the road.
At the end of the day, the offense will get ironed out, and Towns will almost certainly be in the mix for both an All-Star nomination and a spot on the All-NBA squad.
Like last week in Ann Arbor, there wasn’t a ton to be learned from Northwestern’s game against Minnesota. Most people anticipated a Gopher victory, but there was still plenty to draw about the state of the team and the direction of the program from the 27-point blowout win. Here are five things we learned from Northwestern’s 41-14 loss against Michigan that moved them to 3-5 on the year.
As anyone who has watched Northwestern football in the past two weeks could tell you, Hilinski has been struggling. He hasn’t exactly had a lot to work with, as he’s had to deal with the loss of his two top receivers and an inconsistent offensive line, but he has still had trouble making accurate throws at relatively short distances.
Those troubles bled into today. In his limited action in the first half, Hilinski completed just one of six passes for a total of five yards. He was subsequently benched in the middle of a drive at the start of the second quarter for Andrew Marty, who proceeded to lead the team down the field for a touchdown. Even in that short drive, the senior showed off what separates himself from Hilinski: his ability to tuck and run. This brought an element to the offense that hasn’t really been present with either Hilinski or Hunter Johnson at QB1, and it showed in the second half. With Marty starting, Northwestern had just one three-and-out in four drives compared to Hilinski’s two in two completed drives.
This added dimension that Marty brings to the offense is now desperately needed. He’s not the most accurate passer, which he made clear yesterday, but at the same time, Hilinski hasn’t been any more accurate in recent weeks. Marty’s ability to open up the playbook and scramble when things fall apart is what this team needs if they’re going to find any sort of offensive success in the final weeks of the season.
In the absence of Bryce Kirtz and Stephon Robinson Jr., the door was open on Saturday for the rest of the receiver room to get on the field and step up in their absences. Unfortunately, the passing game stuttered again, as Marty and Hilinski combined for under 100 yards through the air. One player that should make fans hopeful, though, is JJ Jefferson.
The senior — who retains one more year of eligibility due to COVID-19 — caught just one pass for 13 yards, but the stats don’t tell the full story. Jefferson saw more action on Saturday than in any other game this season as he found the ball in his hands a number of times from punt returns and run plays. With an increased role, he showed off his elusiveness and an ability to make defenders miss, a trait that has been absent from Northwestern skill players all year. The receiver did fumble a handoff that ultimately stalled a key drive, but his playmaking abilities with the ball in his hands provided a spark that Mike Bajakian needs to capitalize on.
The Houston native has struggled with injuries in recent years, but his performance today — albeit still limited and with mistakes — shows that he deserves to be a major piece in the offensive game plan in the weeks to come.
The worst part about Northwestern playing subpar football? Northwestern playing subpar football in every aspect of the game. Outside of running back, every position group had its issues against Minnesota and throughout this season. Unlike 2019, the offense and defense seem to be equally bad. From the groups that are young, like the offensive line, or the groups with more experience, like the defensive line, there are more problems than one can count across every position. The younger players that have seen the field have struggled on both ends of the ball, and there really is no evidence that should make fans hopeful that things will be different next year.
The most critical issue is Northwestern’s ailing quarterback room. Hunter Johnson’s career in Evanston seems all but over, Hilinski has been disappointing and Marty’s time as a Wildcat is coming to a close. As it stands, there are no viable options for who will be QB1 in 2022, an issue that stands above the rest when analyzing the state of the program.
Before this season, the bulk of Hull’s time on the field had come against bad teams. As such, it was hard to predict the role he would play in the wake of Cam Porter’s absence announced before the season. However, apparent since the season opener against Michigan State, the sophomore has proven to be one of the lone bright spots of the team week in and week out. Hull had another effective game against Minnesota, running the ball 15 times for 107 yards and catching three passes for 15 yards and a touchdown.
He has seemingly taken over the running back by committee approach that Northwestern began the season with, as he ceded just two carries to Andrew Clair yesterday. He truly has found his groove in the thick of Big Ten play, zooming through holes and making sharp cuts to avoid defenders and find running lanes. The Minnesota native will hope to continue his strong season at home against a stout Iowa defensive front next Saturday under the lights.
A fumble returned for a touchdown on Northwestern’s first offensive possession of the game is telling of how this season has gone for the Wildcats so far. From having punts blocked to giving up touchdowns on the first play of the game, it almost seems that the ‘Cats are stuck in a horrific time loop, destined to make the same mistakes again and again. In stark contrast with the reputations often associated with Pat Fitzgerald’s teams, this year’s squad has not shown itself to be a well-coached, clean unit that does all of the little things right, an issue that was on display once again against the Gophers. Receivers dropped passes, players missed tackles and couldn’t wrap the Gophers up and the defense allowed a linebacker to score a 24-yard rushing touchdown (yes, UMN’s Derik LeCaptain was not an RB). It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what’s causing all of this, but what seems to be a certainty is that it will keep happening until the end of this forgettable season.
WILMINGTON, North Carolina – UNCW gets one more chance to secure its first Colonial Athletic Association women's soccer regular season title on Sunday, Oct. 31, when the Seahawks host Towson at noon at the UNCW Soccer Stadium.
The 20th all-time meeting between the Seahawks and Tigers can be seen on FloFC.com (subscription required) with Joe Catenacci and Tom Lamont calling the action. In addition, live stats for the game will be available at UNCWStats.com.
The Seahawks, who hold the top spot in the league standings with 18 points (6-2-0), are looking to bounce back from a 3-2 overtime loss against Charleston on Thursday afternoon at soggy Ralph Lundy Field at Patriots Point.
UNCW fell behind by a 2-0 margin in the game's opening nine minutes before battling back in the second half with goals from fifth-year senior forward Audrey Harding and sophomore midfielder Madison Henry. But, the Cougars netted the game-winning marker in the 98th minute to earn the victory.
Harding, the CAA's third-leading scorer with 23 points, has been on fire lately with a goal in four of her last five games. The Akron, Ohio, product has tallied 17 of her 23 points against league opponents this season, including at least one goal against five of the eight foes to this point.
Towson, 8-6-3 overall and 3-4-1 in the CAA, will be attempting to spoil the Seahawks' plans for a regular season crown while trying to earn the final spot in the CAA Championship field. The Tigers, who are 2-2-1 in their first five fixtures, are coming off a 2-1 victory over Drexel in their home finale last Sunday.
Sophomore Nia Christopher anchors the Tigers' offensive efforts and ranks second in the CAA with 13 goals and 28 points. The Devonshire, Bermuda, native has been held to just two goals in her last six games after beginning the season with 11 markers in the opening 11 outings, including four multi-goal efforts.
FIVE FACTS TO KNOW Just the Facts– UNCW stands 15-4-0 all-time against Towson, including a 7-1-0 mark at home.
Senior Salute– Fifth-year senior forward Audrey Harding and graduate student midfielder JoAnnie Ramos will be honored in a pregame ceremony on the occasion of their final home game.
Multiplication Tables– The Seahawks have scored multiple goals in 13 of the 19 previous games against Towson, including an eight-goal outburst in 2015.
Great Eight– Fifth-year senior forward Audrey Harding's eight goals are the most by a UNCW player since Serenity Waters scored nine goals during the 2016 campaign.
This One Goes to Eleven – UNCW will be aiming to reach the 11-win mark for the first time since 2015 when the Seahawks finished with a program-record 15 victories.
Brooklyn Nets star forward Kevin Durant avoided an ejection on Friday night, but that shouldn't have been the case. During the third quarter of Brooklyn's 105-98 victory over the Indiana Pacers, Durant launched the ball into the stands out of frustration. At the time, Durant was hit with a technical foul, but NBA rules stipulate that any player that throws or kicks a ball into the stands with force should be ejected from the contest. Thus, Durant should have been tossed. After the game, crew chief Sean Wright admitted as much.
"In real time, the official that made the call did not think the ball entered the stands with force," Wright said after the game. "After seeing the video postgame, we did see that the ball did go into the stands with force and Kevin Durant should have been ejected."
The NBA announced a $25,000 fine for the throw on Saturday. You can see the toss below:
With Durant able to finish the game, the Nets went on to claim the win over Indiana. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle was understandably upset about the missed ejection.
"I think I saw Kevin Durant wind up and throw the ball overhand, 10 or 15 rows into the stands and not get ejected," Carlisle said, via The Athletic. "I think that's what I saw. And so that was shocking.
"I'm not going to share the explanation because I don't want to embarrass the officials," Carlisle added. "I don't want to embarrass the league. These guys are nice guys. They just made a big error. The league will address it. You don't want to hear the explanation. And at this point, it doesn't matter, because it's not going to change the outcome. But it's something that's a significant thing that just can't be missed, that's all."
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Durant explained that he was actually aiming for the backboard, and didn't mean to throw the ball into the stands.
"I don't know, man. I thought I was at the gym by myself and in a pickup game, not an NBA game," Durant said after the game. "And I can't do that. I could have cost my team the game. But it won't happen again -- I hope so.
"I didn't know you could get ejected over that. I'm glad I stayed in the game. I'm sure a hefty fine is coming, but I don't mind giving."
ATLANTA -- At this moment in time, no human being on the planet has more self-esteem than Braves left fielder Eddie Rosario, who is easing into the role of postseason star like it's gradually taking on the shape of his body. Rosario sat back casually at the podium after the Braves' Game 4 win over the Astros -- one that put them one win from a World Series title -- with an easy smile, ready to unleash the charisma.
He wore a sweatshirt depicting a massive blue-green eyeball with flecks of brightly colored lashes. At one point he responded to a question by saying, "I feel right now I'm Super Rosario." The answer was kind of relevant to the question he was asked, and kind of not, and that was the best part about it. The game was still inside him, and his enthusiasm for his own handiwork hadn't quite found the proper outlet.
Rosario had two hits Saturday night, but nobody wanted to talk about them. He scored the Braves' first run, at a time when it appeared the offense was going to take the entire night off, and nobody cared.
The game followed the same path as the three that came before -- not much happening over an unfathomable amount of time -- until a lot happened in a big hurry. The wildest and most unexpected event of the night came in the bottom of the eighth inning, when Rosario made what might have been a game-saving catch on a two-out drive by Jose Altuve. The catch was remarkable for a number of reasons, the biggest being how downright lucky it was.
"Wow," Rosario said. "What a catch."
A lot happened in left field at Truist Park in Game 4, and Rosario's catch was only half of the story. Yordan Alvarez attracted attention for failing to make a catch that was ridiculously difficult but still possible. After Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson hit a solo homer in the seventh to tie the score at 2, pinch-hitter Jorge Soler followed with a 107-mph warhead that hung in the air for 3.8 seconds, long enough for Alvarez to travel 59 feet -- at a clip of 22.9 feet per second, for those counting -- and get within a glove string of a catch that would have preserved the tie. Alvarez threw his arm above the wall a split-second after the ball had passed, and then he hung over the wall by his left underarm just long enough to make it seem possible he might stick there.
When he returned to the ground, he stayed there. The crowd spontaneously combusted in outright delirium. Soler raised a fist as he floated around the bases, and it seemed as if Alvarez's immobility was merely frustration. Shortstop Carlos Correa, the closest Astro to Alvarez, immediately ran toward his teammate, along with the Astros trainer.
"I was very worried, very worried," Correa said. "When I saw him, I made sure to get out to him and translate for him and thank God he's fine."
It's weirdly symbolic that Alvarez, a DH forced to play the outfield in order for the Astros to get his bat in the lineup for the games in a National League park, played such a pivotal role in the outcome. Given the rule changes that are expected to be enacted during the offseason, he is probably the last of his kind: the reluctant non-outfielder forced to do his best and live with the consequences in the only sport that changes the rules of its signature event based on the location.
Nobody will mistake Alvarez for a good, or even average, big-league outfielder. He's wildly unsure of himself out there, and he treats nearly every fly ball hit his way as if he's just emerged from a dark room to face the bright sun. But it's also true -- considering its 70% catch probability -- that Alvarez is only one of a group of bona fide big-league outfielders, some no doubt on his own team, who would not have made that catch.
Correa termed the play "impossible" and said, "It was a rocket. I mean, he had to time it perfectly, and even then he might have broken a rib trying to make that catch. For me, it's an impossible play to make. I mean, Rosario's play was very impressive, but that ball stayed in the ballpark. This one was out."
Rosario's catch deprived Altuve of at least a double, and he would have been the tying run, in scoring position, for a last-ditch effort by the Astros. As soon as he hit it, Altuve gave off the impression that he believed for all the world that he had tied the score, and, in 26 other big-league ballparks -- including Minute Maid Park -- he would have been right.
play
1:01
Dansby Swanson and Jorge Soler hit back-to-back home runs to push the Braves ahead of the Astros.
Altuve's fly ball hung in the air 4.2 seconds, a full 0.6 seconds longer than Soler's, but Rosario was playing shallower than Alvarez and had farther to run. He took off right away, turning his back to the plate and running blind to the spot he predicted the ball would be. He got to the warning track and twisted his body so that his back faced second base. It was odd and slightly awkward, and he stabbed his glove up toward the wall at the last possible second -- purely an educated guess.
He was right, it turned out, even if just barely. The ball found itself in the webbing of his glove, and Rosario looked as surprised as anyone in the ballpark. Rosario ran back to the dugout, his exquisitely landscaped facial hair framing the world's happiest face while his teammates ran toward him.
"It just happened," Rosario said. "That was it. I think anyone in that position is just trying to make the play, and that's all I was doing. When the ball was hit, I was just charging as hard as I could, and I was running. So at the last second, I threw my glove at it, and I was able to catch it."
Braves manager Brian Snitker, a man of fundamentals and playing the game the right way, no doubt pines for the days of the two-handed catch. "I'm not even going to look at that again," he said of Rosario's catch. "That's probably not an instructional video we're going to show."
There was a hint of admiration in there, struggling to find its way out. Rosario's teammates, not surprisingly, were far more effusive in both their praise and their use of their descriptive powers.
"I was in the corner there with a group of guys, and we were watching the play," Soler said. "When Eddie turned to look at the fence, we thought to ourselves -- or at least I thought -- that ball either hit the fence, or it's gone. Then he just kept running and threw the glove out there and made the catch, and we all looked at each other in amazement, like, 'Did that really just happen?' It took us all by surprise, and it was something truly out of a movie."
One night, one field, two vastly different movies. Angels -- and devils -- in the outfield.
CARLISLE, Pa. - The Dickinson field hockey team got goals from five different players as they earned a comfortable 5-1 Centennial Conference win in their regular-season finale on Saturday afternoon against Washington College at Biddle Field Hockey Field. Prior to the start of the game the Red Devils honored their seven seniors: Sierra Bobb, Sydney Engler, Bridget Fontaine, Amanda Fruman, Tara Hausker, Hannah Spiri, and Ellie Werner.
Dickinson had two chances early in the contest, but both Morgan Yandow-Harding and Abby Marthins had their shots blocked by the defense. The Devils would take the lead on the final shot of the quarter at the 8:21 mark as Fontaine beat Ava Rivera with an unassisted tally.
It would take over six minutes into the second period before either side would muster up another shot as Fruman got inside the attack area and was denied by Rivera. The home side made it 2-0 just over four minutes later when Katie Marthins slid a pass in front of the goal that was tapped home by Grace Donovan. The final two minutes of the half belonged to Washington as they recorded three shots with attempts from Madison Parker and Zoe Shevitz being stopped by Saige Stevens. Then they finally found their way onto the board at the 28:39 mark when Parker setup Kat Esposito for the goal cutting it to 2-1 at half.
The Devils extended their advantage to 3-1 with 5:09 gone in the quarter when Hailey Womer sent a pass beyond the reach of a diving Rivera that found the stick of Abby Marthins who tapped it into an empty cage. Esposito went after her second of the game with 4:18 to go, but she was shutdown by Stevens. A green card to Jillian Brejnik late in the frame had the Devils playing up a player which allowed Philine Smits and Fontaine to each get a shot off before the end of the third, however none would force a save from Rivera.
Dickinson dominated the fourth quarter recording the first six shots with offerings by Hailey Womer, Hausker, Marthins, and Yandow-Harding all being turned aside by Rivera. DC finally got another goal with 52:58 gone when Werner inserted a penalty corner to Spiri who carried the ball in a few feet before she blasted a shot beyond the reach of Rivera to make it 4-1. Emma Snyder would cap off the scoring on the afternoon with 2:20 remaining when Hausker found her right at the goaline for the finish and the 5-1 final.
Next on the Pitch
Dickinson has qualified for the Centennial Conference playoffs and have earned the third seed. The Devils will head to second-seeded Ursinus on Friday at a time to be determined.
Jonathan Kuminga's NBA debut came in garbage time during the Warriors' 103-82 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night, but that didn't temper the excitement of the fans at Chase Center in San Francisco.
When Kuminga checked into the game with 6:04 remaining in regulation and the Warriors leading by 30 points, the fans in the building roared with anticipation. Every single time he touched the ball over the final six minutes, they started to cheer, hoping he would do something to impress them.
Kuminga was understandably hesitant in his first NBA action and was passive on the first few Warriors possessions. But after four minutes, he finally settled in and got on the scoreboard.
Juan Toscano-Anderson made a behind-the-back bounce pass to Kuminga on the right wing, and the rookie nailed a 3-pointer for his first NBA bucket.
Kuminga finished with three points on 1-of-4 shooting with one steal in six minutes of action.
After the win, coach Steve Kerr told reporters that the team gave Kuminga the game ball, which, incredibly was handed to him by Steph Curry's young son, Canon.
"It was just fun to see them out there," Kerr said during his postgame press conference. "Fun to give Jonathan the game ball for his first NBA hoop. He was obviously a little rusty, a little nervous out there as you'd expect. But he has not practiced with our team for the last three weeks, for the most part. So he's kind of starting over, starting from scratch. So he's a little behind, but that's to be expected given the circumstances."
Who handed the game ball to Warriors F Jonathan Kuminga after his NBA debut tonight? None other than Canon Curry, Stephen and Ayesha’s baby boy.
Kuminga missed the end of the Warriors' preseason slate and the first five games of the regular season due to a strained right patellar tendon suffered on Oct. 6 against the Denver Nuggets.
After being cleared to practice last weekend, Kuminga worked with the team all week leading up to Saturday's game. On Friday, Kerr said there was a possibility that the 19-year-old could make his NBA debut and with the Warriors leading comfortably, there was a chance to get his feet wet.
"It felt great," Kuminga told reporters after the game. "I was waiting for this moment. Everybody was waiting for this moment. And then I see the crowd going crazy, waiting for me. So, it felt great being out there."
While Kerr believed that Kuminga was nervous, the rookie said otherwise when asked by NBC Sports Bay Area's Monte Poole.
"I don't really get nervous about the game anymore," Kuminga said. "It don't matter. I don't know, I just don't feel nervous. I was just happy to be out there."
The six-minute stint against the Thunder was just the beginning for the 2021 lottery draft pick. As Kuminga works with the team more in practice, Kerr likely will find more chances to put him in the regular rotation. Golden State has high hopes for the 6-foot-8 forward, and if he's not nervous in his NBA debut, that bodes well for both sides.
The Blue Ridge Health District announced it will begin vaccinating children aged five through 11 starting the first week of November in an update released Friday. The Food and Drug Administration authorized emergency use for the Pfizer vaccine in this age group Friday.
Previously, the COVID-19 vaccine was only available to those over 12 years of age, meaning about 15 percent of Charlottesville’s population is unvaccinated.
This announcement comes after the University canceled Trick-or-Treating on the Lawn due to concerns over gathering unvaccinated children and high-risk community members in the same space.
According to the update, the BRHD estimates vaccine rollout will begin Nov. 6. A limited supply of vaccines means rollout will be slower in the first three weeks of vaccination. The BRHD plans to prioritize the most vulnerable populations — children at higher risk of poor health outcomes and hospitalization from COVID-19 — when vaccinations begin.
As of Oct. 21, cases in children make up 16.5 percent of COVID-19 cases nationwide — the definition of “child” depends on varying age ranges reported by different states. In Virginia, this range includes individuals between the ages of 0 and 19 — in the BRHD, children account for 21.7 percent of cases.
The Pfizer vaccine will be offered in two doses to children ages five through 11, but in a lower dose than used for individuals 12 years or older — 10 micrograms versus 30 micrograms, respectively.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the vaccine’s safety was studied in approximately 3,100 children between ages five and 11 and no serious side effects have been detected in the ongoing study. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and CDC will meet Tuesday to discuss a recommendation for this age group.
The BRHD will focus on distributing the vaccine to children through three avenues — pediatric and family-practice clinics, school drive-thru clinics and clinics in neighborhoods identified as housing-marginalized. These neighborhoods have been selected due to lower rates of vaccination, areas of low-income housing, large refugee populations and communities of color.
Per CDC guidance, the BRHD and U.Va. Health began offering booster shots and third doses of the vaccine Oct. 18. Individuals 65 years of age or older and individuals 18 years of age or older who live in long-term care settings, have underlying medical conditions and who work or live in high-risk settings are eligible to receive a booster shot.
As of Friday, there are 32 active cases in the University community, 10 of which are students. There are 53 total in-house patients at U.Va. Health.
Vaccine appointments for children can be made on the BRHD’s Vaccine Appointment Scheduling Engine, or VASE. Limited appointments will be available at the Community Vaccination Center at Seminole Square.
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October 31, 2021 at 10:50AM
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BRHD to offer Pfizer vaccine to children aged five to 11, rollout estimated to start Nov. 6 - University of Virginia The Cavalier Daily
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NEW YORK – Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant has been fined $25,000 for forcefully throwing the game ball into the spectator stands, it was announced today by Byron Spruell, President, League Operations.
The incident occurred with 4:40 remaining in the third quarter of the Nets’ 105-98 win over the Indiana Pacers on Oct. 29 at Barclays Center.
Kevin Durant has been fined $25,000 for what the NBA called "forcefully" throwing the game ball into the stands in the Brooklyn Nets game against the Indiana Pacers on Friday. Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said he was shocked that Durant was not ejected after throwing the ball into the stands during the Nets' 105-97 win.
After being fouled with 4:40 left in the third quarter, Durant threw the ball overhand toward the hoop, and it sailed over the backboard and into the crowd. Durant remained in the game after the play.
"I think I saw Kevin Durant wind up and throw the ball overhand, 10 or 15 rows into the stands and not get ejected," Carlisle said with a laugh after the game. "I think that's what I saw. And so that was shocking."
Asked what the officials' explanation was for not ejecting Durant, Carlisle replied, "I'm not going to share the explanation because I don't want to embarrass the officials. I don't want to embarrass the league. These guys are nice guys. They just made a big error. The league will address it."
"You don't want to hear the explanation," continued Carlisle, who is the president of the National Basketball Coaches Association. "And at this point, it doesn't matter, because it's not going to change the outcome. But it's something that's a significant thing that just can't be missed, that's all."
Durant scored only three points the rest of the way but adding five assists. He finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in the win. Referee Sean Wright spoke to a pool reporter after the game and acknowledged the missed call.
"In real time, the official that made the call did not think the ball entered the stands with force," Wright said. "After seeing the video postgame, we did see the ball did go into the stands with force and Kevin Durant should have been ejected."
Durant said afterward he was aiming at the backboard and was unaware he could be ejected for throwing the ball into the stands. He expects to be fined by the league.
Cal Poly volleyball fell to CSU Fullerton for their second straight loss on Friday, Oct. 29 inside Mott Athletics Center.
The Mustangs (9-13, 7-4 Big West) were defeated by the Titans (9-9, 6-5 Big West) in five sets (24-26, 25-22, 25-23, 20-25, 7-15). Despite the loss, Cal Poly remains in sole possession of third place in the Big West standings.
After exchanging points back and forth for the entirety of the opening set, the Mustangs found themselves with a narrow lead and a set point opportunity, leading 24-22. However, a four point Titan swing sealed the set point for Fullerton, snagging a 1-0 lead in the match.
Set two mirrored the back-and-forth theme of set one, with Fullerton holding a 20-19 lead late in the set. Cal Poly leapfrogged the Titans to take the lead and win the set, 25-22, thanks to a 6-2 run to end the set, evening the match at 1-1.
In set three, the two squads played another close set, but the Mustangs controlled the game, stopping any potential Titan runs from happening. After Fullerton tied the set at 22 following a 3-0 run, a 3-1 Cal Poly stretch shut down the Titan momentum and closed out the third set, 25-23. The win gave the Mustangs a commanding 2-1 lead in the match.
Looking to close out the match, the Mustangs jumped out to an early 9-6 lead in set four. However, after a Cal Poly attack error, Fullerton would go on a 9-0 run, putting the match out of reach for the Mustangs. The Titans would win set four, 20-25, forcing a winner-take-all fifth set.
In set five, Fullerton stormed out to an early 6-0 lead. After Cal Poly narrowed the lead to 9-5, a 6-2 Titan run closed out the set, 7-15, winning the match for Fullerton, 3-2.
Leading the way on offense was redshirt freshman outside hitter Tommi Stockham, who recorded a season-high 23 kills. Redshirt freshman outside hitter Amy Hiatt had a career-high 21 kills and junior middle blocker Meredith Phillips had 13.
Defensively, freshman libero Peyton Dueck led the team with 23 digs while Stockham had 14.
Cal Poly hit .220 compared to Fullerton’s .240 and the Mustangs had 67 kills to go with 25 errors.
Cal Poly has a quick turn-around as they face Long Beach State inside Mott Athletics Center on Saturday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m.
It was his second game this season with four or more rushing touchdowns, which leads all running backs in the FBS. He's only the third Michigan State player to score five rushing touchdowns in one game, and he's the only Spartans running back with five rushing touchdowns against the Wolverines.
Coming into this game, Walker was second in the country in total rush yards and had garnered Heisman talk. This performance will only add to that talk, but Walker is quick to give credit elsewhere.
"Overall, I don't feel like it's a Heisman moment, but I feel like it was just a great team win," he said after the game.
The Spartans put together an impressive second half after trailing Michigan 23-14 at halftime. At one point in the second half, Michigan State had not converted a third down on seven tries, but then rattled off three straight third-down conversions leading to one of Walker's touchdowns.
Quarterback Payton Thorne had thrown two interceptions in the first quarter, and only had 116 yards through the air in the first half. He knew he needed to stay calm and said the team's mindset was to stay positive, partially because they knew they had Walker in the backfield.
"I will say, three of his touchdowns today, I wasn't expecting a huge play," Thorne said. "On the first one, we were in the huddle, and I said let's just forget the red zone, let's just score right here and he did, so that was good. The other one was not a home run play, but as you see with him, any play could be a home run. The o-line was doing a good job, I'm sure he'll give them credit."
Michigan had a 30-14 lead at one point in the game, and with the loss, the Wolverines are now 89-2 since 2004 in games in which they led by 16 or more points at any time in the second half.
It looked as though Michigan was going to have a shot at winning the game, with quarterback Cade McNamara throwing for 383 yards and two touchdowns. The Michigan coaching staff brought in freshman quarterback J.J. McCarthy late in the fourth quarter with a three-point lead, and McCarthy fumbled and lost the ball to the Spartans.
Walker scored on the ensuing drive to take the lead, and although Michigan was able to get the ball back with less than two minutes in the game, an interception by Charles Brantley sealed the win for Michigan State.
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is now 3-4 against Michigan State, and the Wolverines are 7-1 on the season. The Spartans are 8-0 for the first time since 2015, when they made the College Football Playoff, and they will take on Purdue on the road on Nov. 6. Head coach Mel Tucker won't look ahead to what's next or what this could mean for the future.
He believes his team has accomplished what they needed to accomplish through these eight games, but it doesn't mean anything if they don't continue to execute. Tucker is the first head coach at Michigan State to start his career 2-0 against Michigan, but won't say if he thinks this team is ahead of schedule at this point in his career.
"I don't believe in self-imposed limitations," Tucker said I've said this before publicly, our goal is to win every game on our schedule. Whether it's home or away or regardless of who it is, that's our goal," Tucker said after the game. "Whether we can do that or not, only time will tell. What does success look like? I've been asked several times, success is us reaching our full potential as a football team.
"And so we have not hit our ceiling yet, we still have room for improvement and we have a tough schedule ahead."
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October 31, 2021 at 05:40AM
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Kenneth Walker III's five touchdowns lead No. 8 Michigan State Spartans past No. 6 Michigan Wolverines - ESPN
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In the pivotal Game 3 of the World Series between the Astros and Braves on Friday night at Truist Park, Atlanta rookie right-hander Ian Anderson pitched five no-hit innings before being lifted in favor of reliever A.J. Minter. At the time, Anderson was staked to a 1-0 lead thanks to Austin Riley's one-out, RBI double in the third inning.
Two Braves relievers extended the no-hit bid to seven innings until a third reliever, Tyler Matzek allowed a single to pinch-hitter Aledmys Diaz to lead off the eighth. The Braves added an insurance run on Travis d'Arnaud's solo homer and wound up winning Game 3 by a score of 2-0. They now lead the best-of-seven series by a count of 2-1.
Anderson overcame some early command issues and wound up striking out four against three walks. Of his 76 pitches, just 39 went for strikes. While Anderson notched just five swings and misses on the night, he also allowed just three hard-hit balls.
As it turns out, Anderson's five no-hit innings were the fourth-most ever by a rookie in postseason history:
And here's some even more exclusive company:
While Anderson has yet to work deep in any of his now four starts this postseason, he's thrived at keeping runs off the board -- he's given up just three in 17 innings in these playoffs.
Braves manager Brian Snitker pulled Anderson before he could face the tough Houston lineup for a third time. The temptation to ride Anderson longer must have been strong, given the heavy load lifted by the Atlanta bullpen and the uncertain rotation moving forward, plus the fact that the two teams won't have another off day until Monday (should the series go that long). However, Snitker appeared to have the decision made as soon as Anderson entered the dugout after striking out pinch-hitter Marwin Gonzalez to end the top of the fifth.
Snitker said he made the decision with his "gut" and noted Anderson's pitch count made the call easier.
"You want the chance to compete, especially on the biggest stage like this is," Anderson told reporters. "Yeah, I knew he wasn't going to budge. It's hard to. You've got guys like Matzek and Minter and Luke and Will at the back end coming in, you can't blame him for going to those guys. Those guys, time in and time out, get it done, and they did it again tonight."
Anderson during the regular season -- his age-23 campaign -- pitched to a 3.58 ERA (124 ERA+) with 124 strikeouts and 51 unintentional walks in 128 1/3 innings.
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October 30, 2021 at 09:31PM
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World Series: Braves' Ian Anderson pulled after five no-hit innings; manager Brian Snitker explains decision - CBS Sports
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What does an effective running game mean for Jalen Hurts? We've got the numbers.
Also, an incredible Keith Byars stat, a scary Eagles-Lions matchup and an aspect of DeVonta Smith's game that has to improve.
All this and lots more in this weekend's edition of Roob's 10 random Eagles observations!
1. That first drive in Vegas Sunday showed how efficient this offense – and this quarterback – can be when the coach is committed to the run. The Eagles were balanced and unpredictable and drove easily down the field for a touchdown with Miles Sanders running the ball and Jalen Hurts looking comfortable in the pocket and throwing the ball accurately. It made me wonder what kind of QB Hurts would be if the Eagles ran the ball enough to keep defenses guessing. Something he’s rarely had the chance to do. So I broke down some numbers. I separated the Eagles’ 75 drives this year into drives in which the running backs got at least two carries and drives when they had one or fewer. On the 23 drives with at least two RB carries, Hurts is 53-for-74 (72 percent) for 514 yards with four TDs, no INTs and a 108.7 passer rating. On the 52 drives where the Eagles had one or fewer carries from the backs – the unbalanced drives – he’s 95-for-168 (57 percent) for 1,202 yards with six TDs and four INTs and a 70.6 passer rating. Cause and effect? I have to think to a great extent. You can’t overstate the importance of a balanced offense to a young quarterback still trying to find his way, and these numbers prove that Hurts is significantly more effective when the running backs are involved in the offense.
2. One matchup that scares me Sunday is DeAndre Swift vs. the Eagles’ linebackers. Who’s going to cover him? Swift leads all NFL running backs with 42 catches – nobody else has more than 34 – and that puts him on pace to become the 5th running back in NFL history with 100 catches in a season. But the Philly native and St. Joe’s Prep graduate doesn’t just catch a lot of passes, he’s averaging 9.3 yards per catch, which is a lot for a RB. Swift, coached of course by Duce Staley, is one of only seven players with at least four catches in every game this year. How often does a running back lead a team in receiving yards? Swift does. And tight end T.J. Hockenson is second. The Lions might target both of them a dozen times Sunday. I would.
3. And if I’m Jonathan Gannon, the Lions are the last team on Earth I’d play Cover 2 against. Their WRs have just three catches over 25 yards this year, and Goff is averaging just 9.8 yards per completion – 31st out of 33 qualifying quarterbacks – so the threat of the deep ball is minimal. So get out of the two-deep zone and devote more resources to the middle of the field, where the Lions’ best weapons – Swift and Hockenson – run their routes.
4. I understand Fletcher Cox’s frustration, and I agree that he’s not being used ideally. But he’s still allowed to make a play here or there.
5. Jalen Hurts has either thrown the ball, run the ball or gotten sacked on 322 snaps this year. That’s the most in the NFL. Tom Brady is second at 316 and Pat Mahomes is next at 309. The Eagles have run 421 total plays, which means 75 percent of their offensive snaps have gone through Hurts. He’s being asked to do more than any QB in the NFL. What a disservice it is to a young quarterback to put three-quarters of the offense on his plate.
6. One of the more surprising things about DeVonta Smith’s rookie season so far is his 12.7 yards-per-catch average. That ranks him in the bottom half among all starting receivers (43rd out of 79). We know Smith can run, he can get open and he can track a deep ball, so that figure should be a lot higher. But Smith only has two catches over 20 yards – a 37-yarder against the Chiefs and a 25-yarder against the Bucs. Sirianni has to find ways to get Smith in position to make big plays, and Hurts has to find ways to deliver the football on time and with anticipation to his No. 1 receiver. And Smith needs to cut down on the drops also. Smith has been good this year – he’s on pace for 77 catches for 986 yards - but I feel like there’s a LOT more there.
7. The Lions’ pass defense is so bad that opposing quarterbacks have an NFL-best 114.5 passer rating. That’s 10th-highest in NFL history through seven games. Opposing QBs are passing for 263 yards per game, completing 68 percent of their passes and have thrown 15 TDs and just four interceptions. If Jalen Hurts struggles against this pass defense, it’ll definitely be cause for concern.
8. How about this Keith Byars stat: Byars is the only running back in NFL history with six consecutive seasons with 50 catches and 500 receiving yards. Byars did that from 1988 through 1993, the first five years with the Eagles and one year with the Dolphins. Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk and Lydell Mitchell each did it five years in a row. Mitchell, who played for Penn State and the Colts, played high school football at Salem High in New Jersey, the same school that produced Jonathan Taylor.
9. Derek Barnett has played 498 snaps since his last sack.
10. Over the last five games, the Eagles have scored 13 offensive touchdowns. Seven of those 13 have come in the fourth quarter, five of them with the Eagles trailing by at least two touchdowns (27, 23, 19, 19, 14).
Williams fell hard in the third quarter after a dunk attempt, which was ruled a Flagrant 1 foul against Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson. After wincing on the ground in pain for a bit, Williams went straight to the locker room and was ruled out for the remainder of the game. Fast forward to Friday afternoon, and Williams is expected to miss the rest of the season with a dislocated wrist, but there is optimism that he could return for the playoffs.
It's a tough break not just for the Bulls, but for Williams too, who dealt with an ankle sprain and shoulder strain all within the last month. During Chicago's practice on Friday afternoon, Bulls coach Billy Donovan shared how unfortunate this is for the young forward.
"I feel bad for him," Donovan said. "He obviously missed a month with the ankle. I thought he had a great summer considering the fact he got drafted and came right to camp with no Summer League [last year]. He ended up a really durable player for us last year. He missed one game and pretty much was guarding all the best players on the other team throughout the entire league and not really having ever played against those guys. I think he had a wealth of knowledge and experience that this summer needed to be productive for him. And it was. And it's just unfortunate that he can't see a lot of that work out at this point in time. I'm disappointed for him."
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With Williams sidelined for the rest of the regular season, it puts Chicago in a tough spot when it comes to its depth chart, which was an area of concern entering the season. To make matters even worse, the team's upcoming slate of games will make Williams' absence even more noticeable. Here's who the Bulls face within the next two weeks, as well as the frontcourt threats they pose:
It's safe to say the Bulls are going to have their hands full starting with their Saturday night matchup against the Jazz. In matchups against the likes of Gobert and Embiid, it may call for the 6-10 Tony Bradley to get some more minutes. Bradley saw a few minutes of action against the Knicks after Williams' injury, and he scrapped for some offensive boards to match the physicality of New York. But sticking Bradley in the starting lineup would mess with the floor spacing the Bulls have, so he makes more sense as a matchup-oriented player, rather than someone the Bulls should stick with for the rest of the season. This means the Bulls really have only one option to go with: small ball.
Donovan already mentioned on Friday that Jevonte Green could be the replacement for Williams, as the 6-4 guard filled in for him during the preseason when he was injured. So it's pretty much expected that the Bulls will go small over the course of the season. Other options mentioned were Derrick Jones Jr., who has played in only one game so far this season, or going with DeRozan at the four and Alex Caruso as the small forward to trot out a four-guard lineup.
While it is essentially Chicago's only option right now, it's not a terribly bad one given the results they got from it against the Knicks. When Williams went down on Thursday, we got a glimpse of what a small-ball lineup in Chicago would look like. It resulted in guards Lonzo Ball, Caruso and Green taking turns guarding All-Star Knicks big man Julius Randle for most possessions in the second half, with a mixed bag of results.
Most shooting possessions involving Randle in the second half resulted in fouls, as the Bulls tried to compensate for their lack of size. But it wasn't for lack of effort by any means. Though Chicago's guards were undersized in guarding Randle, they didn't make any post-up easy on him. Like this one in which Ball does a great job of bodying Randle and forcing him into a tough shot:
Or Green cutting off Randle as he was coming down court with a full head of steam:
Where the Bulls lack in size, they make up for it in defensive effort, something that many expected them to struggle with this season. But the additions of Ball and Caruso have done wonders for Chicago on that end of the floor, resulting in the fourth-best defense in the league thus far. It's why it wasn't surprising to see Ball come away with this steal on Randle in the fourth quarter:
Although it was just one game, and Randle had his worst scoring performance of the season, Chicago managed to stick around in the game despite the loss of Williams. It won't be ideal to face players such as Anthony Davis and Giannis Antetokounmpo without some real size in the frontcourt, but with guys such as Caruso and Ball in the lineup, who rank near the top of the league in steals and deflections, Chicago has a chance to at least put up a fight on the defensive end.
Once we get later into the season, the Bulls can canvas the league for trade options to give them some more depth in the frontcourt. Perhaps taking a flier on Marvin Bagley III would interest the Bulls, as he's fallen out of the Sacramento Kings' rotation. Whether it's Bagley or someone else, though, there will surely be trade options for Chicago as the season wears on. But for now, they'll have to hope Caruso, Ball and Green can keep up the effort and activity on defense to keep them stable on that end of the floor.
